36.46.84N 14.32.74E

This week we have changed from working very hard to socialising very hard! To be fair lots of other people have been arriving in the marina so we have been busy making new friends and catching up with old ones.

Our good friends Jenny & Robert (VENICE LION) arrived back on Monday. They had a very special present for Yoyo – a fresh fish. In fact a very fresh fish – they had caught it on the days sail from Porto Paulo. So on Monday evening the five of us (Jenny, Robert, Stephen, Anne & Yoyo) had fish for dinner (the humans had risotto as well).

Stephen has started baking again and has been producing afternoon treats for the pontoon (well those close to us) On Wednesday it was Savoury muffins,  Thursday Cheese puffs (although strictly speaking Anne made these, Stephen just put them in the oven!!) and Sunday sultana scones. Other people have been baking too and we got Chocolate muffins from Holly (SUMMER WIND) on Sunday morning. We went out for drinks and pizza on Friday – which ended in a rather alcoholic cocktail at the end of the evening (see picture below).

On the work front we have done some jobs, Anne went up the mast to look at what we need to do to replace our wind indicator as it broke last winter (we think a bird landed on it). Now this would normally be a simple and cheap job, however it turns out our wind indicator is also our vhf aerial. Hence it is now an expensive and more difficult job to replace it. We have ordered a new one but won’t fit it until spring (less chance of it being broken again). We have also removed the mizzen and main sail and cleaned them on the large central pontoon. We have also removed and cleaned the control ropes and replaced them with thin string, so they don’t get dirty over winter.

Anne clearly had far too much fun up the mast J

When someone suggests a Campari & Gin cocktail make sure it includes a mixer.

Otherwise buy a glass of lemonade and drink from both glasses at the same time (straws make it easier).