15th April - Rebak marina - hard stand - anti-foul

Tuesday 15^th April

A new view

So here we sit, above the marina, linked to the world below by a few wonky ladders.  We got up early to try to get as much done as possible before it got really hot.  It got really hot by about 8am but…never mind…

 It is now mid-afternoon and we are taking a break.  No more Mad Dogs and Englishmen for us!  Actually I think that by noon we were too buggered to do any more, but we had achieved our goal for the morning so it was legitimate to quit, groaning faintly as our muscles ached.  We have scrubbed both hulls to near-cleanliness and, even better, we have applied a first coat of anti-foul to all four sides, plus rudders. 

This is what the poor bottom looked like when it got hauled out...
Some speedy men with scrapers got rid of a lot of the gunk...thank goodness!!

Misty and Peter visited on their way back from their slashing nature trail walk and admired the fact that I was wearing a blue dress to match the paint.  And blue shoes.  Craig and Robyn, from Gemini II, came to see if they could help, and they also admired the blueness, which by then had spread to my arms, hands, feet, face.  “Going for the Avatar look,” said Craig, kindly.

It really is very hard work because the paint sets very quickly in the heat so you can’t muck about; you have to roll it on very swiftly.  But it is getting done and the boat will be much happier and healthier with a nice clean bottom.

A huge local palm, to add a bit of beauty to the page

Pete is also trying to fix the poor sad dinghy, which has ripped in another place now.  I fear he is fighting a losing battle but he perseveres and sighs deeply as he sees the air escaping as quickly as he can pump it up.  Maybe one day he will give up but…that day has not yet dawned.

We had lovely dinner with Misty and Peter on their comfortable yacht Tamoure, last night.  We rode our bikes there because we are no longer neighbours; we are now in the backblocks, amongst The Workers, on the hard stand.  And we managed not to fall off the pontoon on our way back… Peter said they had once watched a man ride confidently down a pontoon and right off the end.  Not a good look!

Ditto a pretty hibiscus...

I have resisted having hysterics re Nicky’s health and the possible cancellation of the family visit.  Yet!  And it seems this was a good move!  I spoke to Nicky this afternoon and she is feeling much better.  She will be in hospital till tomorrow (Wednesday…) and assures me the doctors are confident she will be able to fly to Langkawi as planned.  (On Friday…)  Wee hee!

Oh deary me I have had a few requests for the BlueMarguerite photo... Reluctantly...here it is!!