Awaiting the ladies arrival 13:05 N 59:37 W

Ticketeeboo
Sue & Alan
Sun 26 Jan 2014 18:06
Having spent much of our recent days, here on the hook off Bridgetown in one of the most rolly anchorages I can remember being in, it's almost time to welcome the two ladies, Sandra & Sue, on board. We're sure they will both love being here in the warm sunshine (now the rainseems to have moved-on! Temperature doesn't seem to have fallen below 28ºC since we dropped hook here last Monday - a week ago tomorrow!
This morning t'was time to ring the car hire and get car collected. Unfortunately, when I arose just after 0700 I was met with "Have you seen this feller here?" It was a Halberg Rassey, German flagged, and they had dropped their hook during the night just a little too close for our comfort. We kept beedy eye on them and could see they were on board so decided we'll give them benefot of the doubt - provided they were prepared to keep a watchful eye out. As noddy's left hand was about to go up beg-ears right nostril it was time to see about collecting our hire car. Unfortunately this coincided with the Rassey getting even closer. We engaged in conversation. They say they have no engine and have a rope round their prop and sailed into the anchorage during dark! Me thinks "This is a huge anchorage. Why so close to us then?" They agreed to keep good eye out and put fenders out if they might get too close and I took Ray ashore. I wanted to get back on the yacht for two reasons. Firstly I n
eeded to be on Ticketeeboo in case the Rassey became a threat and secondly I had failed to take my shoes with me. (No intention of getting bad feet like I did in Mahon one painful day last summer!!!!). I gives Ray the hand-held VHF and says to call me on C16 soon as ready to be collected. I then skidaddles back to Ticketeeboo - just in time. By now the Rassey really is getting too close, definitely dragging, and one guy in the water wearing one long snorkle and a diddy one (his undercarriage!). Give him his due, he removed the rope from their prop. I asked them if they would now be able to run their engine and they indicated probably yes. I asked them what was wrong with their engine and when they reached the 7th or 8th fault they knew about it was becoming a bit too complicated for me to understand!!!! Far too close now so I decided to let some of our chain out so that Ticketeeboo could drop downwind out of their immediate range. Their skipper said "It's OK we are going to move" to
which I replied "Fine, OK I'm just letting more chain out so that you don't hit us anyway!". For some reason, unbeknown to us mere mortals, they had a number of attempts tp get their hook in up-wind of us. On their last attempt the hook (a crappy CQR) seems to have gripped on something and they have now settled about 30m - 35m in front of us and not been a bovver since.
Sandra is due in at 3:15 so Ray will be on his way to the airport very soon. Ray & Sandra will then wait-around for Sue. I'm staying on Ticketeeboo and am playing ferryman, knowing if either of 'em get wet I'm gonna be in the pooh! I am desperately hoping this incessent swell from the south goes away before they arrive!! Ticketeeboo is spick & span ready to please so here's to the good guys - Ray & me!
Ticketeeboo MMSI 235071989 Callsign 2CED3, Ham callsign = m0hng
At 25/01/2014 15:36 UT our position was 13°05.57'N 059°37.01'W
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