W/E 26-4-15

Beez Neez now Chy Whella
Big Bear and Pepe Millard
Sun 26 Apr 2015 22:57
Another Week Slips By
 
 
 
 
 
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The week began with the final gallop on my trusty steed. The new yellow-glass-ended pins had such wonderful therapeutic uses, why use three when you can happily use a hundred...... I had originally thought a few modifications to a pair of car seat covers would take a day at most but I managed to spread the task over four. The captain signed off on the finished job, promptly road tested and approved.
 
 
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Trusty was then well-oiled, lucky Trusty, serviced, grazing jacket put on and settled for a good long holiday. Bear hates the next bit, taking the mattress off and stowing the steed in a cunningly fitted area under where his pillow lurks. This procedure is always accompanied but much gnashing of teeth, sharp intakes of breath and the odd bad word or two. Talking of bad words, it happened on Friday morning on the Cruisers Net, Friday sees our net controller - Wayne. There is a certain, elderly, lovely local lady who comes on every morning to tell us all about local stuff – fresh market, shopping buses from Paihia, cruise ship visits and anything else that is going on in the area. We always wake early and it is our usual habit to time breakfast at eight, sitting up in bed, breakfast cereal in hand listening to the Net. This particular morning, just as my cheeks vaguely resembled a hamster – pouches full of my mixture of Cocoa Pops and Rice Krispies, the said good lady, post local announcements went to say “thanks Wayne”........ it came out in a combined single word rhyming with Tanks. Well dear reader, I had the opportunity of either ejecting my bolus of cereal or choking it down, a very difficult choice indeed. The pair of us were helpless, quite wet eyed in fact. Sad but true.
 
 
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The beginning of the week saw the welcome return of Scott-Free to Bay Beez – wonderful to have them back. They had a boisterous exit from the river, anchored overnight en route and a good sail the rest of the journey up from Whangarei, a successful shake-down followed by a celebratory sherbet or two. Steve went on the bus on Tuesday to fetch Stan the car and the boys went off to order monies needed for the next countries on our at-venture. First to be collected was the Vatu, we are sure there are different notes but we ended up with just a bunch of the thousand valued at six pounds. After the devastation of Cyclone Pam it is impossible to get local money other than in the capital - Port Vila, as our first stop will be Anelghowhat, how do you say that Bear ??? you don’t want to know how I pronounce it. Oh, anyhoo its on the island of Anatom and we need money to log in. The boys also did some diesel runs so we now have a full tank and the jerry cans, resplendent in their new jackets are brimming. Bear busied himself the rest of the week polishing the top deck, teak oiling the grab rails, put loads of stuff back into sea going position and sorted the flares.
 
 
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We often go ashore for a shower late in the day after ticking off a few jobs. One afternoon Baby Beez had to give way to a working lady. The tug reversed as well as possible and the crane on the tow gave quite an impressive performance, down went the bucket, a forceful shove and all neatly parked against the fuel pontoon.
 
 
 
 
 
ALL IN ALL JOB LIST FINALLY REDUCING
                     MOVING FORWARD