The "Adopt-my-dad" initiative, during the 2023 ARC+

Passage log excerpt
Date: 27-Nov-2023
Position: Somewhere between Cape Verde and Grenada

Aboard S/V Sturdeee (yep, that is with three "e"s but skipper Ian finds it funny to spell out the vessel's name, ending in "Echo, Echo, Echo,...."), a Lagoon 450F catamaran.
On board: formidable skipper Ian, equally formidable p(r)etty officer Dee (Ian's partner), crew mate Michelle, my oldest daughter Lana and myself.
We're sailing a trans-atlantic with the ARC+ flotilla of 100 other boats. Most boats have Starlink, so the flotilla's Whatsapp group is very active, and fun. This is an extract of one of the chat exchanges

Protagonists in this chat: Apart from Lana and myself: Audrey, Nick and Mark who are sailing on other boats in our ARC+ fleet. Actually, Mark was also the skipper I did my very first transatlantic with, back in 2005. Audrey is one of the most hilarious people I ever met, possibly more nuts than me. Moaied is, well, you'll have to figure that one out yourself.

Extract from the ARC+ Whatsapp group chat while under way:

Peter: Lana, honey, can you please tell me where you put the coffee?
Audrey is typing….
Moaied is typing…
Peter: Lana, I promise to let you out of the front sail locker if you'd just tell me where you’ve been hiding the coffee?
Audrey: ARC+ most patient daughter award goes to Lana.
Peter: Audrey,... WOMAN! I thought you were on my side?!?
Moaied is typing…
Audrey: Maybe Sturdeeeeeee should trawl Peter’s witty jokes to catch their fish
Peter: Audrey, relaying message from Lana: “Audrey, I already told you several times: DO NOT ENCOURAGE HIM… If he really lets go of his limited self-inhibitions and social self-restrictions and subconscious suppressions, he will be his usual nuts, and nobody wants that, right?”
Peter: PS: actual fact: Lana holds a bachelor and a masters in psychology… I am not kidding you. But here I am kidding: That is why I am only allowed in a social environment when she is around so she can properly warn and safeguard the others.
Moaied is typing…
Audrey: Like I said, most patient daughter award.
Lana: Thanks for the recognition! This is definitely the biggest challenge in patience that life has thrown at me. One tip: never let your dad convince you to go on a boat trip for more than 1 day.
Moaied is typing…
Mark: I can save a dried flying fish for you Peter if you want to smoke it with your instant soup mushrooms. Did Lana really know what she was taking on ?
Peter: Mark, at this point, lacking coffee, I am open for experimenting with any stimulant. Cup-a-soup mushroom flavour is now finished. Cup-a-soup onion flavour seems slightly milder.
Audrey is typing….
Mark is typing….
Lana is typing…
Moaied is typing…
Mark: Lana, perhaps pack some Valium next time. You could always take it yourself if it doesn’t work on dad.
Lana: We’ve been slowly going through my secret drug stash, but nothing seems to work… Anyone up for adopting a crazy sailor? My dad is ready for pickup in the middle of the Atlantic...
Mark: I have adopted him before. It’s someone else’s turn now!
Nick: I bid 20 goats
Peter: I found the coffee.
Lana: Oh, no. Here we go...
Moaied is typing…