AT LAST

July 2 2013

Well, I do have a bit of explaining to do, that is for sure. I am in deep trouble with some folk for not having updated the blog for so long – many apologies and I will now try to remedy things.

It has been a bit of an up and down time for us both, but we are still moving along and we are now at Apia in Western Samoa, at the marina in the harbour. I am confined to the boat with a problematic knee – even more of a problem than usual, and Dave has gone off for a few errands, so there is a bit of a lull in the day and I will get things started. The last weeks will be fitted in as we go.

One of our great sadnesses has been the death of a very good friend of ours. Peter was dear to both of us, and had been coping with his illness so very bravely. He was with us every step of the way, and each day we would get a note or a message from him wherever we were. He also managed to get things for the boat for us, watch the weather and loads of other little things. He and his wife Suzie have been such a part of our lives for nearly 20 years, ever since we met when I first joined the Institute of Aviation Medicine at Farnborough during my time with the Royal Air Force, and the pair of them has been wonderful to us. And continue to be so, keeping an eye on our Rachel, Andy and young Alexander. I have missed Peter’s cheery notes every day and logging on has been not quite the same since. But Peter is the last one to want a prolonged period of mourning, and I can hear him say ‘Get on with it girl!’ as I write. So back to writing it is.

Well, we have been to Tahiti and Bora Bora since we last wrote, and we will have to have a bit of a catch up. But now we are at Samoa, the Western one, not American Samoa. I have not met a more friendly or happy bunch anywhere.

In our usual style we managed to get here after an uncomfortable few days at the end of the 10 day passage - thunderstorms, heavy rain and the worst night of lumpy bumpy seas. The day dawned foggy and overcast which made the approach that much more concentrated to make sure we got through the right part of the reef that surrounds the entrance. We could not find the 2 towers on the church which were down as the leading marks, at all. But at last we were in. We had called the Port Authority as requested and before we knew it there was a little launch approaching to shepherd us into our berth. Wonderful, as this takes all the anxiety of wondering where they want to park us. We are right up near the shore, close to the security hut, as snug as can be.

 Looking around we realize we were lucky to get a place as there is terrible damage to more than half the marina from the cyclone last December. That is also the reason for the absence of the towers on the cathedral as the whole cathedral had to be pulled down after the cyclone (it is being rebuilt as it was – a marvelous traditional building and is going to be wonderful).