Oriole has become thoroughly but very pleasantly rooted to the spot while we wait for Dene and Denis to arrive this afternoon.  We have continued the diving programme which culminated in the First RCC Underwater Meet with Jonathan Baker from Arrabella on Wednesday. 

 

 

The burgee went adrift but was found lurking underneath a rock in time for the photo-shoot. 

 

There has also been an invasion from Noss Mayo and we have met up with the Lethbridges and the Marshalls who are here for two weeks.  They certainly needed no introduction to the local rums, but rotis were a new thing for them which are the Caribbean answer to Cornish Pasties with a curried inside - delicious. 

 

 

The Noss Mayo crowd waiting for their rotis.

 

On Friday the local whaling fleet, all under sail, caught their first whale of the season.  The rather bloody butchering takes place on a small island to the south of Bequia and although we were able to watch through binoculars it was too rough for us to get there without getting totally soaked and probably drowned into the bargain (in blood stained sea).

 

 

Many locals have braved the swell breaking right round the island to get their pound of whale flesh.

This was the nearest we got but could see much more through the binoculars.

 

It has been blowing old boots for the last few days so we are hoping for quieter conditions for our guests. Denis is accustomed to his anaethetist producing really smooth conditions.  The same mid Atlantic anticyclone which has been giving us all our wind has been producing a flat calm for Andrew and Mirabella V which is due in the Azores on Tuesday.