" A Lady " Trip, St Lucia, Avoiding the recession in style

A Lady
Stephen Hyde
Thu 17 Dec 2009 23:30
 SUNDAY 13th December 2009.
 
It started off as a lazy day , but then Thomas called to take away the " Parasail " ( KITE ) and repair one of the little lines that hold the wing in place.
This took a while as the sail had to be stretched across a lawn , pinned down as there was a strong breeze blowing at the time,
 
When the KITE was repaired and back in its bag on board  " A Lady " , we did a bit of boat cleaning, ( Things need attention every day )
This was followed with a little shopping therapy, where we met lots of sailors, including Alan Sprigg's, who later confirmed that the creepy , crawleys,
in our fridge were in fact  FRUIT FLIES and not baby cockroaches,  FEW !  what a relief.
We go to so much trouble to keep those COCKROACHES off the boat, including :- washing all items being brought aboard in Bleech.
this includes all tins, ( and removing their labels ) jars, fruit, vegitables,  and especially removing cardboard from any other items purchased ashore.
AND this is no gaurentee that the feckers wont get past our vigelent screening some other way, Like simply flying onto the boat,  Oh GOD !
lets hope it wont happen.
 
Later we cooked a surprise dinner on board,  and an early night.
 
 
 
MONDAY 14th December 2009
 
We got up early enough and returned the hired car,
We met Cyril Guiren from Dublin, Cyril was very friendly with Nicky Fewer and sailed all over the place with Nicky before his demise, ( R.I.P. )
The Skipper rewound the starboard derrick again, thats the second time that the wire cable snapped on us, damn thing, that took about 3 hours,
but then we are in no mad rush anywhere......    but maybe an indication of the way the day was going.
 
Later we went by rib to the beach, where Aileen fell flat on her face into the sea while getting out of the rib in a large swell at the beach.
This was followed later by the skipper responding agressivly to the poor girl for her nagging about someone's drinking habbits.
THE RESULT.. the fuckin dog box,,, Christ ! why do people have to be so sensitive .. Bloody well spoilt the night for the Skipper.
even though we had a great laugh with the German Crew we shared the taxi  back to the boat, They thought the whole thing was so funny.
 
I  dident..............
 
Bad night,  but slept well,, zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
 
 
TUESDAY 15th Dec 2009
 
UP real early, and the skipper walked over to the Village to collect the rib, which we left ther last night. STILL in the dog box, except the dog has fangs
today... Ohhhhhhh Yerah all things move on and this will eventually too, it usually takes another CRISIS somewhere to sort things out..
Aileen took off on a tour of the island for the day, while the skipper was left licking his wounds.
WOMEN  , they get so touchy about the drinking, driving, the golf ethetketh, and anything else appropriate at any given time.
 
Later that night , The I G Y had a party to beat all parties at the marina base.  All free drink, free food, and lots of steel band music, followed by an
amazing fireworks display,, and lots of dancing..
Late night, still in the dog box.....
 
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
 
WEDNESDAY  16th
 
Got up early and made arrangments to see a skin specialist , mainly for the Skipper, at 14,30 later that day.
Siun Cranny ( the yacht LIBERTY ) called to look at A Lady and have a cup of tea, and like everyone else , was still suffering from the nignt before.
A Great girl, owner and skipper of liberty, and with red hair, just like the skipper.
Later the skipper fixed the electrical connections on the transome.
16.00  We departed Rodney Bay bound for MARIGOT bay , Some 8 miles south.
 
The assistant had thawed out a little at this stage and the weather was super,
MURPHYS LAW<  the skipper rolled out the mainsail and forgot about all the bunting hanging off the mast.. Could not see with the bimini up.
BANG and the bunting was left hanging from the top of the mast as we passed the " QUEEN MARY 2 " looking like a bunch of total amatures,
 
Ohhhh Did I feel like a right gobshite,, 
Later in Marigot bay , we got it all sorted out . The skipper was winched up the mast by one of the local " boat boys" and retrieved his blunder from
high up the mast.
We had dinner in a botique Hotel ashore , and met Canadians who gave us a photo disc of " A Lady " and other A.R.C. yachts, Very nice.
And the Assistant is thawing out as we make our way back to the boat.
 
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ