Sailing into history around the world and around the race course.

A Lady
Stephen Hyde
Tue 19 Apr 2011 13:35
TUESDAY  19 th  APRIL  2011
 
Today our daughter leah, her husband Johnny and son Jamie fly of to " Mumbai" in India for 4 or 5 years, Johnny will be working
on the new Airport terminal there. They will be missed at home by family and friends,
yesterday was our daughter Sarah's birthday,
 
SATURDAY  LAST,  
We , thats the First mate and Skipper, got all dolled up for the prize giving for the " Oyster Regatta"
The reception and prizegiving was held in the Marina restaurant and was a spectacular evening, 
The weather held up, no rain, which always helps, and especially for the fire works display, magnificant show.
 
We met Eddie Jordan ( of racing fame ) and his wife Marie, Marie is a first cousin of Colm and Carmel Mc Carthy, Carmel had " Cork Florest's
in Whintrop Street , Cork . and Colm's son Denis lives next door to us in Glenbrook,  small world.
We ahd a great chat with them, Eddie being from Dublin originally. lovely people.
 
We got 2 prizes on the night, we finished 4th overall in our class, so we were real happy with that.
It seems that " A Lady " has a taller mast than the other 8 Oyster 56's in the regatta, hence the high handicap we recieved,
There's always something,
It was a long and enjoyable night with loads of drink . and skipper had to drink Aileens as she does not drink, soooooooooooo.......
very slow start to Sunday,
 
SUNDAY,   Aileen went to the cathedral for mass, while skipper got himself together and look intelligent, covering up the glazed
eyes with big, BIG sunglasses, and avoiding all commers,
We went to the " Calabash Resort " for long slow lunch which included a swim in the sea and a nice cool shower,
The bay where the resort is located is facing South and was full of yachts, sunbathers, and swimmers,
Later, Diana collected us and took us to her magnificant colonial type house sitting up on the hill overlooking the harbour
and out to sea. The gardens and flowers were brilliant, there we had a few glasses of wine before taking off to the
" University Club " for dinner. and of course reminiscant about good old " Cork "
We had an early night, still whacked out from all the weeks racing and festivities.
 
MONDAY  , ( Sarah's Birthday 
We met " Hutch" early on the marina and returned the Lemon and toinc he gave us on Saturday but never used,  Hutch and his wife were
on their boat right behind us and they are very good friends of Alan and Penny Spriggs ( their boat is Pennypincher)  we met
them on a joint cruise to the " Azores" with the ICC and the RCC  ( I think ) , June 2009.  We met " Hutch" in Las palmas in
early Nov 2009 at the start of the ARC and it was great to meet him here again,
 
We pottered around for a while, then went off to " Spiceland " to do the provisions for the boat, Later, we went to Diana's house
again for afternoon tea and take pictures of her house,
meanwhile we managed to get a new bung and fittings into the rib, Mike did this for us.
we had a relaxing afternoon and evening, with baked beans , fried eggs and toast for the dinner / tea.
Skipper crashed out early and went to the scratcher, while Aileen looked after Richard Leonard who called to say hello.
 
TUESDAY 19th    . Today, skipper got up at 05.30 , had a shower, met some others on the marina, a few chats and back to the boat
and catch up with the emails and blog, Today we will leave here for " Carriacou " a distance of approx. 30 miles as the crow flies.
 
Thats all for now,
 
Signed  :-   Stephen Hyde   ( skipper )