I picked up the spreader last Thursday, again beautifully welded, but between
strong wind and when there wasn't, a thunderstorm, it was only yesterday that
we could get Charlie up the mast.
Well, the saga continues. While up there he found the opposite spreader had
been damaged too. It was different to the first and I hadn't noticed it, but
still involves torn aluminium and a welding job. He brought it down and we
chatted about it, and Bermuda over a cup of tea and some of Sandy's lemon
and poppy seed cake. This life has it's little rewards.
So, tomorrow morning I'll be back at Mass bright and early to get this latest
job booked in. With any luck it will be quick and if the weather is kind we can
get Charlie back up the mast and our rigging done before Wednesday.
We've had steady south and easterly winds for the last 10 days, but the
forecast is showing wind out of the north on Wednesday. It would be ideal to
head out with it on the beam for a bit more easting before running south with
the wind behind us.
But it hasn't all been work. We've met interesting people too.
Before Tom left, we met an old Bermudian friend of his, Charles Tatum. A
really decent man. He ended up inviting us over to his place for dinner and it
was one of the most enjoyable evenings we've had in a while. He is 4th
generation Bermudian and very involved in community and improvement projects.
What an interesting evening.
Our neighbours in the anchorage are an Aussie couple, Shane and MV. They've
been cruising in the Caribbean and around New York, USA for the last 3 years and
St Martin is their favourite hangout. We had them on board for a few hours the
other night and they gave us so much useful information and contacts in St
Martin we'll be able to slot right in.
In the last 2 days the anchorage has become extremely crowded. The ARC rally
boats have arrived, about 50 of them on their way back from the Caribbean. Some
will leave from here and go home to the US, and for others home will be via the
Azores to England and Europe.
The ARC is a very popular rally and people who want their first ocean passage
to be in company, or love the social lifestyle of a moving group who have
parties in every port and everything arranged for them, sign up. Apart from the
anchorage there are flotillas rafted up together at the clubs, 4 or 5 boats
deep.
Down at the boatyard I found a yacht up on the hard called Blue
Stocking. It's an unusual name and I recognized it at once as a member of
the Cruisers Forum, one of the ones whose comments and postings are
knowledgeable and helpful.
Sure enough he was in the yard so I got to meet Maurice Johnson. We got on
like old friends. At 68 he is as spry and active as a good 50 year old, and then
I met his older brother. At 78 he is almost the same. I'm hoping it's the
cruising life, but I suspect it must be something in the water.... besides the
boat.
Sandy loves collecting sea glass, and she got chatting to the lady in the
Seaglass shop here in St George. It turns out there is a little beach not too
far from the anchorage, but on the ocean side where it washes up.
Yesterday we hopped in the dinghy and made our way out through The Cut. It's
hard to believe they used to get cruise ships through there. They must have been
a lot smaller than today's behemoths.
Although we were on the ocean side the surrounding reefs meant we had fairly
gentle swell and the beach was well protected, so a landing was straight
forward.
We found plenty green and brown glass and some amber. Sandy found one really
good piece of blue glass, but red and yellow are the ones that are hard to find.
It was still a great way to spend a few hours.
Even now we find ourselves feeling like we're cheating someone if we're not
doing something on the boat. But we're getting better. Some boat jobs can
wait.
Until next time...