Wednesday 26th May (Lini’s Journal)
Brindabella's Web Diary
Simon Williams
Tue 1 Jun 2010 12:06
further south has disappeared without developing into anything serious
for our friends, thank goodness. It was midday by the time we had
lifted both anchors and stowed the dinghy on deck. We were then denied
clearance to leave the harbour as a cruise ship was sailing along the
narrow channel outside. We motored round until given the all clear and
with good sunlight I took more photos of St. George and its colourful
buildings from the water. En-route to Hamilton Si radioed ‘Festina
Lente’ hoping we would be able to meet up before they left Hamilton
for the Azores. I popped some rock cakes into the oven for a farewell
tea party. Si hadn’t calculated the distance though and the trip was
hours longer than his rough guess. Just as we were entering Hamilton
Harbour Phillip and Lynda were leaving. We wished them safe travels
and had a brief chat while bobbing about side by side.
Our allotted berth at the beautiful Royal Bermuda Yacht Club was
not inside the marina breakwater, but alongside the wall outside. Phil
the marina manager was waiting to help with lines and took two more
off in his boat to buoys (pronounced booies here!) so I could winch
the boat off the wall in the strong onshore winds that are forecast.
For now though the opposite was causing a few problems for the
vertically challenged crew member. The wind was blowing us off but we
needed slack in the lines as we’re on a fixed wall and not a floating
pontoon that would rise and fall with the tide.
The atmosphere in the marina was buzzing as the Wednesday night
racers prepared their boats. One guy introduced himself and asked if
he could pop back after racing so Si could explain how to work the SSB
radio. Si pulled me up onto the dock and we watched the fleet set off
in late afternoon sun.
Si looks tired and stressed which seems to be the norm before all
our long passages. This break with CJ will do him good. He was a very
busy bunny until we stopped briefly for a sundowner. I prepared a
barbecue, Si prepared SSB information, race boats returned, people
disappeared, but there was no sign of our earlier visitor. With heaps
to do we hung on until 9pm then went ahead with our supper; not the
nice relaxed last dinner I’d planned before Si’s departure!