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Exody - May 15th: Blowy in Bermuda



It's Sunday lunchtime - the torrential rain and blustery westerly winds are abating and we may get out to be tourists. We are one of a dozen boats rafted up choc-a-bloc in the St George's Town Dock. It is a picture postcard little town with quaint historic buildings, a town crier. All roofs here like ribbed icing on a cake- kept pristine as water collectors.

We arrived two days ago, motoring in most of the last 100 miles. The narrow 'Town Cut' is big enough for cruise ships but felt constrained to us. Queued then tied up at the customs dock for straightforward clearance then a very short hop to the town dock. Soon discovered the well sorted Yacht Services facility with internet, cafes and quite the highest quality toilets we have seen anywhere. Sadly no showers but that's maybe because we can not be trusted to conserve the island's limited water supply!

Our mood knocked on receipt of sad but not unexpected news of the death of a friend in Trinidad, the hospitalisation of another, on top of serious medical and personal issues in our own immediate family. It is at these times we really feel the distance from home in both miles and time.

Friday night we dinghied across harbour to the 'other' ARC base at the Dinghy Yacht Club where we had welcome drinks and a barbecue. Saturday saw the serious logistics of the duty-free refuelling of nearly 40 boats expertly orchestrated by the ARC yellowshirts from three different locations. For us, as a smaller boat on the outside of a raft, it meant a wait to tie back up as the rubiks cube of the Town Dock was carefully reassembled in increasingly windy conditions.

We've exchanged details with another boat, Vulcan Spirit, heading to UK via Greenland. Yesterday Starlight 35 owners Robin and Sandra pitched up to say hello and share Sadler afficionado stories, having sailed their other boat, a Contessa 32, across the Atlantic - the Starlight meanwhile 'holding' their mooring in the Solent! Mike from ZenAgain came to share SSB Radio/DSC expertise, apparently having seen me quoted by someone.

Our time has also been taken up by Marian's commission to write an article on crew selection and lessons learnt. My editorial on her draft has thankfully just been finished courtesy of the wet morning so we are free to explore the island a little.

Peter (Skipper)


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