Birthday in Beautiful Bequia

   Birthday greetings were sung into my ear waking me from a restless night. I was treated to tea and toast in bed while I opened cards from family and studied the picture Si had bought me. Oh how I long to be able to paint. No time for lessons today though: There was work to be done and Si ripped the bed and steps up to check more things out on the watermaker. I had taken the sewing box and luckily my mobile phone on deck. While Si became increasingly exasperated below I was able to reply to lovely birthday messages from dear friends between stitching the sprayhood which is slowly falling to bits. They couldn’t possibly have used UV thread as every stitch is disintegrating already. It will be a long slow job to mend it but at least it is only the thread and not the fabric perishing. I was lucky to see results from my work but poor Simon had worked his socks off in the sweltering heat below with no rewards.

   The day had started largely overcast with frequent heavy showers accompanied by strong gusting winds. Now the sun was strong and very hot and there was no escape from the burning rays as I stitched away unable to access a cover up from below. Once the steps and bed were replaced I couldn’t wait to get the sun canopy or bimini up but this necessitated the mainsail being re-flaked and the lazy jacks lowered. Eeek! Coffee and chocolate cake did little to calm Si’s nerves and he went below to email the watermaker manufacturers while I continued stitching in the shade of the canopy. Eggs Benedict with champagne for lunch (planned for brunch) also didn’t help – he was understandably infuriated.

   Stitching on, the bay was beautiful in the afternoon sun with boats bobbing around at anchor and ferries coming and going. The frequent whir of windlasses announced the arrival or departure of yachts off to other islands. Colourful houses in pastel shades rise into the hills and to south of the town sits two golden sandy beaches backed by dense trees. The water fades to turquoise in the shallows but joy of joys there are numerous turtles. It was 5.30pm when I finally dived in and watched the last of the sun as I swam round and round the boat. Si appeared a while later in time to catch a pretty sunset. He was dressed for dinner. Quickly jumping into towny clothes I jumped into the dinghy and we motored ashore desperately trying to change the mood of the day.

   The Gingerbread restaurant was straight out of a fairytale book with extremely ornately carved fascia boards and a high wooden ceiling. The jolly staff wore colourful uniforms to match their moods. The food was lively too with hot Caribbean spices. Our table looked out into the bay now a mass of anchor lights which very soon we would be motoring between in search of Brindabella.