Beez Neez now Chy Whella - To Crater Bay 5 and Maria's Party

To Crater Bay 5 and Maria's Party

Beez Neez now Chy Whella

Big Bear and Pepe Millard

Tue 1 Oct 2019 23:57

To Crater Bay and Maria’s Birthday Party on Slow Flight

At six this morning the sky was very dark with rain on the other side of Russian Bay.

A few minutes later the sun tried hard (pictured further to the right).

.........but the clouds soon formed a blanket with just a little blue sky.

At eight we set off. Once out in the main channel things were a bit bumpy making housework a challenge. Bear was happy on duty whilst I did the washing. At ten past nine Canace overtook us.

Lots of boats showed up on AIS as we anchored at midday. Many are preparing to leave for South Africa this week but we have decided to go mid-October with Slow Flight (Trevor’s birthday is on the tenth).

We are settled behind a locally owned yacht that hopefully means less likelihood of Beez being used as a marker for the fishermen. Yellow cover up, washing out, time to think about lunch and then ashore to go to the supermarket with Irma and Kevin. My fringe was driving me mad as it kept drooping so once we arrived at the mall I nipped off for a trim. Different chap to last time, no English. Through hand signals I showed what I needed and made a zizz sound to indicate a neck tidy. Holding the hair over my ears and then a thumb up, I thought I had saved those bits. No, they had literally been lost in translation as within seconds the scissors came from behind my ear and chop. I emerged with a short back and side, ears naked. Oh well........ Shopping done, Bear took Irma and Kevin back and returned to the jetty for me. Two crates, three shopping bags and the cool bag. Just enough time to put the fridge stuff away and change before heading to Slow Flight for Maria’s birthday party.

We were welcomed aboard by Trevor in great tee shirt.

Maria the Birthday Girl (in hat) with Olivia (yacht club restaurant manager).

As with most ‘dos’ the boys stayed together chatting in the cockpit whilst the girls gathered downstairs. We posed for the first picture – minus Kimi who was busy at the sink, mmm simply, we all photo-bombed her. Represented were England, Malagasy, Philippines, South Africa and USA.

There was even a cake topped off with a candle and singing.

At ten o’clock Kimi finally managed to tear herself away from being hostess to eat. Maria (54 today) had not wanted to go ashore to the yacht club to celebrate as she wanted to cook a traditional dish from her home in the Philippines, as Maria and Fred’s boat is small, Kimi and Trevor offered to host. How wonderful is the spirit amongst yachties – kind and supportive too. Savoury noodles with a side of yam stewed in coconut milk. Trevor had made a pasta bake and the rest of us took snacks (there was enough left over to become side dishes the following night).

Plenty of dancing and Princess (real name) is going to sing for us all tomorrow night.

The boys drifted down for refills and Kevin and Irma posed and we witnessed a tender moment.

As per The Calendar Girls “bigger buns, dear”, I now need a sturdy pole these days........ Irma showed us the Scarf Dance but her grand finale was interfered with by Bear...........