Tuesday, 22nd June 2010
07.00hrs Up early again, did some early morning cleaning and tidying, as we leave this morning for "Namena". Namena is a privately owned Island, the manager of the resort there is a cousin of our neighbor upriver in the fishing launch-Abbie, and suggested we pay a visit to the Island.
Donal went ashore early for breakfast, followed later by Skipper, Aileen, Margaret & John. We had the full works, baked beans and all. Yummy!
10.00hrs Donal offered to do the clearances, while skipper got the ship ready to roll, first start the engine and let it heat up.
11.00hrs We untied from the dock and slipped out into the estuary, where we took in all the fenders, put away all the lines, and hauled the rib up onto the Derricks.
11.30hrs We left the creek and set sail south west and out of the Savausavau Bay, altered course slightly and headed for "Namena" the distance, just about 25 miles, Wind 25 / 30 knots on a close fetch, so we took in two reefs in the main and headsail, and were still sailing along at 9 knots. Great sailing... as the OLD MAN used to say "A spanking sail".
14.00hrs We sailed briskly through the pass into the lagoon where the small Island was located. We got on the radio to Abbie's cousin, called Justin.. He very definitely was not going to invite us on the Island, but did offer us his mooring for the night..................... thanks a lot!
Abbie, if we had you now, we would string buoy up by the ba****ls you sold us a pup...... ahhhhh well we can't expect to win them all.
To make up, Skipper did a lovely Belly pork, with lots of crispy crackling, roast spuds, carrots, peas and creamed potatoes, some wine mixed in, and "the cats me Aunt" an old expression of satisfaction.
We ate dinner in the "starlight Restaurant", told jokes and finally got into some real destruction and demolition of some of the mutual boring acquaintances we have (usually people who think their boring is " Port Wine ").
Very much later we hit the scratchers, all feeling we had an interesting day.
That's it for now,
Signed :- Stephen Hyde (Skipper)
11:36:37