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Hello Sailor!

Atlantic Rising is in a state of high excitement having just been shown around Safmarine Nuba, currently alongside the port in Abidjan.

Readers, I can assure you that containerships really are very big. Although, according to her captain Nuba is actually relatively small, at a mere 210metres long.

We got our passports stamped out of Cote d’Ivoire at the immigration office in the port earlier today. My appearance at their grubby door occasioned many ‘we don’t get a lot of women around here’ comments.

Then we drove across the port and stood in awe watching containers being stacked on the ship.

Nuba’s South African captain and multinational crew were very welcoming. We were first shown to our en suite cabins – one each, which is pretty exciting. It will be the furthest I have slept away from Tim and Will in a very long time. Fortunately Will and I can still shout to/at each other through the wall.

We had lunch with the captain and the electrician while watching more containers craned aboard through the window but no sign of the one containing our car. Then in the course of our safety briefing we were allowed to climb into a free fall lifeboat – this is a Bond-esq contraption hanging off the back of the ship into which the crew clamber when abandoning the ship before it plummets into the sea. We are told this is an unlikely scenario.

We will be at sea for a week and won’t have access to our normal email so we will be in touch from Spain once we, and hopefully Beatrice, the car, arrive.

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Name: Alan Edwards (England) hopefully you will have a good voyage. How has the vehicle performed and your other kit? Name: Pat and wendy [flighty wench] (Scotland) Mind Captain Hook and his less than merry men will have grilled croc on a clock ready for your arrival at Gib. Name: Mother M Hasta luego chicos Name: Sal (United Kingdom) I hope all three of you enjoy your luxury cruise!What fantastic photos of the last part of this trip. Lynn may you love Granada and the magic of the Alhambra - and of course seeing your Mum and Dad. lots of love Sal