FAMILY

7 May 2011

Having done lots of work this morning after lowering the dinghy into the water and lots of fun and games as Dave tried not to sink it or turn it over while looking at the sides, and painting some patches etc etc. More painting, scrubbing and filling this afternoon and now it is time to come below and cool down a bit at the computer. A beautiful sunny day and no wind - perfect.

I thought it is about time that we had a family catch up on the doings of the various grand offsprings. We have both two legged and four legged grandchildren, all of whom we love to bits.

First of all we have Harry. Now our Jo has 2 horses, Drummer and Suli, and much loved they are too, almost as much as husband Sean. It was decided that Suli was going to have a foal and so the saga began. I had not realized that a baby horse takes an eternity to cook up, but gradually April approached. Jo declined all offers of a layette, would have included ear holes, but then I suppose summer was coming. Dave was on tenterhooks, and grandpas are and texts were going back and forth daily, but at last Harry was born. Evidently he was a little bit larger than expected, since Jo put an order in for a small girl horse, and he needed the combined efforts of Jo and the vet to get him out into the world. So here he is. Cousin Dexter the dog in Brisbane reckons he very long legs for a puppy, but makes a very suitable cousin indeed. Now little Harry is being taught manners by our Jo, who is reading all the baby books, and he is running out in the field and being adored by everyone. So our Jo is now the proud almost mum of a fine strapping boy.




Then there is Alexander.
Two years ago Alexander entered the world a little earlier than expected and was ever so tiny, about the size of a bag of sugar.


He is a real little miracle and has grown and grown and grown, laughing all the way..











Well here he is at 2 years old, in the garden of his very first own home that Rachel and Andy are in the process of moving into. They have been living on a small flat till now, but at last they have a lovely house with a super garden for Alex to play in and we are certain they are going to be so very happy there – once they have recovered from the shock of it all! And now Alex is beginning to talk, and he is a great little singer too.
Our Kate in Brisbane has our Dexter, Assistance Dog Extraordinaire and King Fred of New Farm.
Our Dexter is a real star and as you can see just loves his Mum and also loves his toys. Dexter is one hard little worker and has just been off in the aeroplane with Kate to help her referee the Boccia nationals in Sydney. He is still a bit miffed he was not allowed to put his head out the window or get a pat from the pilots but he did get his own seat.


























King Fred has just reached the lofty title of Monarch as befits his majestic self.
Kate and I started a jigsaw when we were visiting her over Christmas, but it was not to be as King Fred usurped not only the table but the box of pieces as a new bed.






This is a person of high status and dignity, which is for sure.

FLAGS

5 may 2011

The day dawns bright and sunny, a light breeze and a gentle sway on the boat. Sigh. It cannot be put off any longer, so down the hole with the red paint while Dave goes up top and taps away at the remaining hatches that need a bit of TLC. After that it is a joint effort of chipping and hammering until the job is done. It has been a hot day, 28 degrees, so the cooling sea breeze in the afternoon is appreciated. Also in the afternoon we have our fun time watching the antics of the arriving visitors as they try to tie up in the marina. It is better than a comedy hour, even though we realize ‘there but for the grace of’ applies to us. The marina staff are very helpful and meet all the arriving yachts, it is just that the arriving yachts often do not listen to where they are supposed to go. And then there is the delight of shifting winds and boats that do not want to go in the direction they are pointed – we know that one as Spirit has a mind of her own if the wind catches the bow. All you can do is wait to see where you fetch up. Dave is in best behavior now as yesterday saw the arrival of another yacht flying the same ensign – the dark blue of the Royal Naval Sailing Association. Quick look in his little book and he finds out the new arrival is a rear admiral, so best we change our sloppy ways and take the flag down at night. This quaint custom is a left over from the old days – ensigns and flags are taken down at sunset as the sun is not allowed to set on the empire. There are many such gems he has from his navy days.
A couple of pictures of where we are.



If you look hard you will see the stern of Spirit immediately to the right of the large blue yacht. This is a very prestigious pontoon - it has all the old timers who would not leave while the pontoons were being replaced. The big blue boat is Polish, and we got to know the 3 lads from Poland who came to fix it up ready for the owner. They were lovely boys, and the best neighbours possible. One even went up the mast for us.




If you walk up the steps at the end of the pontoon and look towards the town, this is what you see.









An overview of the eastern side of the little harbour. The marina is right up the top of the left hand side of the picture near the entrance where the ferry is. Our pontoon is the 3rd one in from the entrance.

SHOPPING

4 May 2011

‘What you doing today, Jen?’
‘Mmmmm. Too lumpy for painting bilges, too windy for painting decks, too dusty to do house work …sooo. What about a little trip to town?’
‘Can I come too?’
‘Only if you are good and don’t tap your feet while we are window shopping’
‘Promise’
So off we went.
The ‘capital’ of Gozo is called either Rabat or Victoria, and is about the size of a provincial English town. To get there we have to walk around the harbour and get the bus, the times of which are worked out from the ferry timetable as they meet and leave the ferry during the day and night – except during Easter nights as we found to our inconvenience. We can also look out the back of the boat and see where the approaching ferry is to give us a time to leave.


This is a good excuse to talk about Malta buses, which are a breed apart and wonderful to behold and experience. Sadly, they will soon be no more, as the buses have been given over to Arriva, and will be replaced with giant new buses like everywhere else in the world – devoid of character and hard to love. And the fares are going up steeply. At present you go anywhere for 47cents, except the extra long trip from Valletta to the northern ferry terminal when you pay 1.16 euro.
There is no doubt about these buses being of serious longevity – Dave has seen an odometer with over 500,000 kilometers on the clock and this was one of the ‘newer’ ones. They are at present owned and loved by the drivers, and all have their little shrines and holy cards up front, some quite elaborate. Some have biggish seats, most have seats that are a serious challenge to anyone over 4 ft high. To fit in most of them Dave squeezes in first and I follow side saddle with feet and knees in the aisle to be tripped over. Equipped with luggage holds at the rear, all baggage comes inside the bus as it seems these holds are never destined to receive any luggage at all. So in come prams and pushchairs, large suitcases and shopping trolleys, overloaded rucksacks and shopping bags ready to burst at the seams. And off you go.
Now the roads on Malta and Gozo are as ancient as the buses, fully furnished with potholes that are fit to challenge the suspension of any vehicle. These are not to be avoided but approached at full speed and crunched into as hard as possible so the absent springs and suspension can transmit the maximum thrust to the occupants. It is a marvelous workout for all one’s jiggly bits and for compacting down the last meal. The noise is at first alarming, especially going up hills, of which there are plenty. Everyone is made aware of gear changes, and the increase in decibels Is matched by the increase in the volume of the conversations, already loud and energetic, as the bus is a social occasion too. We have had a great time on these buses, love them to bits.
So what did we do in town? Posted a letter, bought Dave 2 t-shirts as he is sure I have thrown all his favourites out. I think it is down to his filing system for clothes which has a logic all of his own and not to be interfered with. But he looks very nice in his new ones. And then we spied the perfect thing for young Alex, great joy, and a perfect thing for Dexter and a perfect thing for another family member who will just have to wait to be surprised. Coffee followed after a cruise past the sandal selling shops but I was not allowed to buy the gold ones with the 10” heels and strappy bit. Shame really. Found a copy of the UK Guardian so we can do the crossword and see the cartoons and Dave can agonize over the Sudoku. And then the bessiest thing of all. At present we have matching military watches for the boat as these are indestructible, can have the battery replaced without opening the back and keep excellent time which we need for the astro navigation. But my beloved thought that I should have a ‘church watch’ for wearing to town. I had one, it is now Kate’s as she was in need, and that one had a purple strap. Now I have one with a pink strap, and if you press the winder it lights up. I love it to bits and as it was in the children’s section it was a bargain. Not to be worn while painting bilges.
Back on the bus and ambling back to the boat we were met by the lady with our washing. Now this is worth a mention. Usually I do the washing on board as the previous blogs have shown, but while my paws are firmly attached to the lump hammer it has been agreed that the laundry will go to the launderette. Ages ago we bagged it all up and put it on the suitcase wheels and lugged it into town on the bus, causing all kinds of traps for other passengers. We then had to go back the next day and reverse the manoeuvre. Dave was not impressed as this time we managed a bus crammed full of folk and the laundry was seriously in the way, especially as we were standing and had to let people out. But we had met the lady running the launderette, Bea, on our return and she was aghast as she said she would pick it up from the boat as she came down our way to take the son to school in the next village. So now we have a wonderful arrangement, ring Bea, throw the bags off the boat and into her car and the next day they turn up all washed, ironed, folded and smelling really good. I think I will kidnap her for the trip. Alas, this time I had not heard the phone to say she was on her way early and we nearly missed her. As this wash had a mega offering due to the delay over Easter we needed it, but all was not lost and she turned the car around and deposited us and the washing at the boat. And she is a delightful person too, especially after her gift of a special Easter cake thing she had made and decorated. Almost too pretty to eat, but not that pretty!
And all this before lunch!

GOZO

I know it has been a long time since the last blog, but I was under the misapprehension that folk would not be interested in our non-sailing time. Much nagging by family and friends, including the plaintive cry from one of the boys that he was not sure where his mother was, has prompted a restart of life on board Spirit of Salcombe.

Today is sunny and warm, a good 22 degrees, and a bit too lumpy for me to paint the bilge, so an excellent time to let Dave get on with his bits up on deck and escape to get writing. We are still in Gozo, in Mgarr harbor on the south of the island. For those not quite so sure of their geography here is a little map to show the relationship of Gozo to Malta. We have been very happy here, having returned after our time down in Manoel Island on Malta for the lift out and re-fit. In fact we have been here so long we will be sad to leave, having made many friends here.
A brief resume of the last few months goes like this. Arrive Gozo for a week beginning of last November, then go down to Malta. Tie up in the marina at Manoel Island and go to visit offspring in the UK. Return, put boat into boatyard and travel to Brisbane for a month to sort out Dave’s visa and visit daughter Kate. Return and put boat into water and come back to Gozo where we can buy a month alongside for less than a week at Malta. Keep fixing boat and delay setting off again, and again! Still all good things must eventually come to an end, and another door open, so it will now not be long before the next setting off.
It will be impossible to recount everything in order, so each day there will be little snippets of past and present. Today’s present is to wash the deck yet again after another deposit of Saharan sand with the last night southerlies. I do not think there can be much sand left in the desert, it is all here. It came with a magnificent thunder and lightning storm right overhead about 8 o’clock last night. The sky went the oddest greeny yellowy grey and then the thunder did not stop rolling for minute after minute and the lightening streaked down overhead. Then the rain came and then the wind blew and then the mud made its presence felt. Brown sand gets everywhere, inside the boat through any tiny chink. It is a moot point whether to dust it off or leave it knowing it will be back again soon. So Dave is up on deck wiping off the bits he wants to paint, hoping it will dry before the wind starts up again this afternoon.

JEN’S FAVOURITE HOLES

Why am I not painting due to the lop? Well here is a picture of my current favourite hole.
It is in the galley and the hole you can see with all the black stuff is one of the bilges which had got itself rusty. This is my fourth galley bilge over the last weeks. It has been a horrid job chipping all the rust off, especially as the space continues under the floor all the way around, so it is lying down with arms disappearing up the bilge trying to hammer and chip. Fingers get banged, arms get scraped, knees give in and back aches, but it is all in a good cause as the floor of the bilge is the bottom of the boat which we do not want to disintegrate. Not that it is likely to as it is very sturdy, but it does not stop Dave from worrying about my efforts with the lump hammer and chisel. After 2 days of chipping comes the rust treatment, the black stuff, and then the undercoat of red lead which also means upside down and curled in funny shapes to get into all the nooks and crannies. Then there will be 2 coats of bilge paint. So when the boat is lopping about, being upside down with your head in a hole and the paint fumes getting up your nose is not a very unhappy situation. Best wait till things calm down tomorrow – my altruism goes only so far. Bilges are my job as I can fit. Here are 2 of my other holes.

This one is the windlass locker up the front. A particularly awkward place as the windlass stand won’t come out and it is all metal. Took me 5 weeks to finish it, but it is rust free and beautiful – for now!

This is one of the cockpit lockers, all of them needed doing. And all the cockpit locker fronts had to be sanded down to bare wood to let them dry out after their time in the Hebrides when they were always wet. Then there is the sanding, rust treatment, primer, undercoat, top coats, all nasty smelly epoxy paints. Again, I fitted, so Dave was left to get on with the deck. But they too look beautiful again, and a re-organization has also made things easier to access for doing jobs along the way. The plan is not to have to do so much all in one go, but keep at it as we are at anchor along the way.
Everything is so much nicer to do in the sunshine, and we are having loads of fun in the process. Sometimes it is just so easy to sit down for a minute and watch the world go by, chat to passers by and forget about the paint brush slowly drying.
More tomorrow, but now work calls from above – my beloved has lost something, so woman search required.