Moorglade's Voyage - Kay's return.

Kay's return.

Moorglade's Voyage

Ted Wilson

Fri 25 Mar 2011 00:10

Position unchanged 25th March.

Today is our last day on Antigua for a while and Kay felt it would be in keeping with her perception of Morrglade's extend stay on the island if we went on the rum run.

I spent Monday and Tuesday fixing the new pad for the inner forestay eye bolt. Woodstock had the G10 parts cut to shape by lunchtime Monday and The Slipway Chandlery had just the right W.E.S.T. products but at entirely the wrong prices. The job, as expected, was one to try ones ingenuity and patience but the result proved very satisfactory and I am sure it is now many times stronger than it was originally.

Kay arrived back with lots of work to finish off, so much of her time was spent taking advantage of the remaining days of my hothothot internet account. However, on Wednesday we did find time to go to the TOT Club, Kay had brought pork pie and English mustard from Tesco's for her introductory tot, and then celebrated my birthday with an excellent meal at the cafe on the waterside in English Harbour. Ross (Star Cross) joined us for the evening, and indeed organised it. I was sharing my birthday with the cook. (seems hard on her to have to work on the evening of her birthday) It is a once a week special and local yachties turn up to play guitars and sing. All jolly good fun!

Thursday afternoon we pulled up the anchor and went over to the slipway to take on fuel and fill the water tanks. After 5 weeks in the mud the anchor and chain took a bit of scrubbing clean and even after my best efforts with brush and bucket the anchor locker has a slightly unpleasant smell. We re-anchored in much the same spot but on a shorter scope to minimise the cleaning on Saturday.

Kay thought it would be a good idea to do the rum run on Friday afternoon and I was not going to dissuade her. The trip to Bushies went well, much rum being purchased in bulk and a significant quantity consumed on the premises.(which is actually the village post office)

Back on board there was no time to start preparing for sea before the Friday tot at the Copper and Lumber where there were goodbyes to all the friends I have made over the past weeks, and a small wager with Chairman Mike that we would not make our Saturday morning E.T.D. of 06:00. Friday evening concluded with a very pleasant open air fish supper at the Copper and Lumber.

I suppose fittingly my time at English Harbour ended relaxing with friends in a state of gentle inebriation, but there is more to look back on with pleasure. The "keep fit" mornings, watching the cricket and Rugby at the Galley Bar, evenings on "Tenacious" and "Islandia" suppers in the cockpits of Star Cross and Willie and Kathleen's cat, the RORC Caribbean 600, meeting three guys who have rowed the Atlantic, meals out with friends at OJ's, Trappas and La Cap and burgers at the Anchorage.

I did not get any fitter, I did not loose any weight, I did not get all the jobs on the boat done, but I did have a really good time in English Harbour, so thanks to all my new friends for making it so.