We spent the morning getting the last of the repairs on Croix des Gardes sorted so we can continue our cruise in a more leisurely fashion next week. I finished sewing the foot back onto the genoa whilst James climbed the mast to replace the forestay fitting. We had been running the spinnaker quite hard over the race and the 12mm bolt that holds the forestay to the mast (and basically takes all the load and stops the mast from snapping) was seriously bent and had signs of impending fracture. James had a spare bolt but without the hoops to fly a spinnaker so the yacht is sound again but we will need to try to get a new spinnaker fitting manufactured in Bequia.
Whilst this was happening, with James at the mast head, back stay slack, halyards being juggled to prevent the mast from falling, we had two sets of visitors - firstly Peter and Jo caught up with us again, but then a new couple arrived - the cruisers from BlueBird whom we'd passed a few days out of Bridgetown. We'd hoped to catch them here and had left our radio on for some while to hear them arrive, but they'd continued up to the north before coming to Bridgtown to anchor and look us up. They saw we were busy and set off to try to find a Barbados courtesy flag.
The afternoon saw the departure of two more of the race boats. Gimcrack set off for Martinique, but is then cruising south to the Grenadines, so we hope to catch up with her again. James says she was also on the market when we bought Croix des Gardes at a similar price, despite her being much smaller. The Blue Peter also set out, but only for a few days' at anchor away from the noise of Bridgetown so that owner Mat can enjoy some peace with his fiancee Millie.
We then set off to catch the couple from Bluebird and took the rib into the bay. There is also another cruising boat from the East Coast - Nausicaa of Harwich. Hopefully we can track down her occupants and say hello. The Bluebird couple caught us as we were leaving for Oistins fish fry, but we have invited them across this evening for some rum and a chat, and hope to have the company of BCYC Peter and Jo Shaw as well.
 |
| Bent forestay bolt and fractured spinnaker shackle |
Whilst this was happening, with James at the mast head, back stay slack, halyards being juggled to prevent the mast from falling, we had two sets of visitors - firstly Peter and Jo caught up with us again, but then a new couple arrived - the cruisers from BlueBird whom we'd passed a few days out of Bridgetown. We'd hoped to catch them here and had left our radio on for some while to hear them arrive, but they'd continued up to the north before coming to Bridgtown to anchor and look us up. They saw we were busy and set off to try to find a Barbados courtesy flag.
The afternoon saw the departure of two more of the race boats. Gimcrack set off for Martinique, but is then cruising south to the Grenadines, so we hope to catch up with her again. James says she was also on the market when we bought Croix des Gardes at a similar price, despite her being much smaller. The Blue Peter also set out, but only for a few days' at anchor away from the noise of Bridgetown so that owner Mat can enjoy some peace with his fiancee Millie.
 |
| The Blue Peter leaves Bridgetown Careenage |
We then set off to catch the couple from Bluebird and took the rib into the bay. There is also another cruising boat from the East Coast - Nausicaa of Harwich. Hopefully we can track down her occupants and say hello. The Bluebird couple caught us as we were leaving for Oistins fish fry, but we have invited them across this evening for some rum and a chat, and hope to have the company of BCYC Peter and Jo Shaw as well.
Perhaps James could bolt my seriously bent thumb - save the NHS some money. Watching Marie slowly creeping towards you - an heroic effort on their part - hope the receive a good welcome. love mum xxx
ReplyDelete