The Reunion

Saturday morning saw us praying for some sunshine, it was miserable! Lil Jo & Mr Ruks arrived, and we made a trip to Asda for Pims and nibbles. Dave arrived soon after, quickly followed by Stu & Rach and finally Prav.

The Pims seemed to work and the Sun made an appearance! After the first bottle of Pims had been consumed we all made for Weatherspoons for lunch, we even managed to get a table outside in the sunshine!

Dessert saw us back on the boat for more drinks and Birthday cake, with Kat almost burning down the boat due to the high number of candles required! After consuming a slab of chocolate cake, yet another bottle of Pims and the bottle of Shamps kindly provided by Stu & Rach we thought it best that we take a stroll around the breakwater.

With waves coming over the wall, great fun was had trying to stay dry! We were even rewarded with the show of an unfortunate yacht running aground and blowing up its engine at the entrace of Brighton marina.

Finally, it was time to say goodbye. What can I say, it was great spending the day with all my friends especially as its going to be a while before I do it again. Hopefully, with fair winds I will be meeting up with Prav and Stu & Rach in Sept / Oct.

Thankyou everyone for coming down to Brighton, you all really made my birthday special.

My Birthday!

Friday morning saw me waking up another year older and wiser - OK maybe thats just wishful thinking! Anyway, after a coffee Daz and I wrestled the mainsail down and off of the boat as it needs to have wear patches fitted for downwind sailing and batten cars to make it easier to raise and lower. We marched the sail up to SMR Sail loft in a shopping basket for Mike Green to do his thing.

After our usual breakfast of bacon & egg sarnies, we generally hung out on the boat throuout the day until boredom forced me to remove the bent stancion that needed replacing. This then led to us getting the hose out to give the boat a good wash. With it being my birthday, I thought I better have a shower as well in time to meet Kat who was coming down by train.

Kat arrived bearing gifts in the form of a Sat phone, all wrapped up as predicted! Lets just say, for a portable device its not the smallest phone in the world!

Kat and I had an evening meal at Franky & Benny's, and when the opening intro to 'Happy Birthday' started up, I thought thats a coincidence, someone has the same birthday as me. What a prat I felt as they walked over with my dessert with a candle in it ... of course after 'Happy Bday' comes the full length 12" remix extended version of 'Congratulations'... Memo to self 'Never eat at F&Bs on your birthday and don't let your girlfriend out of your sight!'

After the obligatory evening stroll around the breakwater, it was back to the boat for bed and 'all the trimmings!'

Eastbourne In A Speedboat

Well its been a funny day today ...

Mr Crute arrived around 9am and we were slipping the lines by 9:30am (without breakfast) to a forcast of F5-F7 winds with rough seas. By 11am we were struggling to keep the boat sailing in the dying wind! So much for modern weather forcasting! An early return saw us tied up again by around 12:30pm and having a 'Beer & Burger'. Saying goodbye to Mr Crute for the last time I also promised to attend baby Crute's 5th birthday in 2011.

Daz and I met up with Dave at 6pm to go for a trip to Eastbourne in a 250 horse power RIB! After leaving the marina, Daz was still shatting himself 20 minutes into the journey. With a average speed of 50 knots over the super calm sea we were there in no time and enjoying a meal in the Harvester. The return trip in the dark seemed even quicker and we had the boat completely out of the water several times on the rising swell. With music blasting this is the closest I have been to being mistaken for a drugs runner or something out of miami vice!

Tonight is my last night at cheap rate berthing, and from tomorrow its £22.70 per night so I need to get moving!

I' ve just (about to?) turn 38 years old! - Happy Birthday 'Me!'

Goodbye Car

Yesterday I finally said goodbye to my faithful car. Thankfully it was made easier by the fact that I have sold it to my very good friend 'Mr Crute' who I know will look after her well. Dude, you will have to start surfing again as she likes to go to the coast regularly!

After lunch I also said final farewells to mommy & baby Crute, who gave me a St. Christopher to keep me safe. I need all the help I can get!

As the days go by, there is less & less keeping me from leaving and if the remaining chores get finished in time I may be able to leave early next week!

Still To Do:

New Genoa Sail - (ordered & expected this week)

New Storm Jib - (ordered & expected this week)

New Genoa Pole - I still need to order this, so something to do this afternoon!

Main Sail Wear Patches - We made all the measurements early this morning while there was only a light breeze. Lots of people wondering why I'm tied up with full sail flying in the marina. I will get the sail off and patched later in the week as the weather is too nice to do it now!

Sat Phone - Kat lives close to the dealer and picked up the phone yesterday, by now its probably all wrapped up in purdy Birthday paper. I will have a 'play' over the weekend when she comes down!

Antifoul - I wanted to clean her bottom (Doris not Kat) and get a few extra layers of antifoul on before I leave, however, I am running out of time so this may have to wait...

I might take the boat out for an evening sail if the breeze picks up ... and Daz removes his washing from all over it! I'm beginning to wonder if I'm heading in the right direction as its already too hot in the UK, what will it be like in Spain?!?!?

Scuba Diving & Surfing

On Friday, Kat and I spent the entire day (8+ hrs) in Lance and Evy's (of Princess B on Pontoon 8) swimming pool doing our PADI (Confined water) Diving Certification. I am determined to get the full Open Water Certification and dive where I can while on my travels.

What better places than the Med and the Carribean?!?!?

We finally got home around 2am after much talking and a BBQ in the garden.

A HUGE thank you to both Lance for his time and knowledge and Evy for the amazing hospitality. Thank You both very much!

After a few hours sleep, we were back on the road for 8am Saturday morning for the long drive to Devon. This was to be our last surf trip (in the UK) before I leave. Over 7 hours later we arrived at the beach, the busiest day of the year had resulted in th M5 being comletely gridlocked, so we went via Bristol and avoided it completely.

The surf was tiny but at least we got some rides and my board that was being repaired is now fixed and ready for me to take it with me when I leave.

Not much else to report except that we got home (Kat's place) in time for a BBQ Sunday eve.

Completely shattered!...