SPECIAL TIMES WITH FAMILY
Poor Willy, the taxi driver......he must think I'm some emotionally deranged woman from Africa!! He sees me in tears when our dear friends Pat and David leave us at the dock in Falmouth Harbour, then the very next day he sees me crying happy tears when my sister arrives from Cape Town and then a week later he just chuckles when he sees me in tears once again when she leaves! Wow, what an emotional time it has been for the past month!
The Antigua Race Week was behind us and after having 14 crew on board every day and Pat and David with us for 2 weeks, Katz needed a good spring clean. After scrubbing and cleaning, carrying heavy bags of linen halfway across town to the laundry in the sweltering heat and preparing obligatory Rum Punch, we were ready for the arrival of Lyndee and Oscar. We haven't seen family since August last year and we were all so excited.
The four of us were sitting on the pavement under a palm tree for half an hour before they arrived, checking every taxi that passed. Nothing can explain the feeling of seeing them when we saw their faces through the tinted taxi windows! We shrieked and cried and hugged and laughed, what an unforgettable moment this was!
Lyndee and Oscar hopped on board at the dock and after the celebratory Rum Punch, proceeded to unpack all the goodies they brought from home. It was like Christmas.......they brought armfuls of Woolies Rusks, Bovril, Mrs Balls Chutney, monster Aero's for Tayne, Butter Chicken, Grandpa Headache Powders, my hair colour for the greys, tablets and toiletries!! My mom sent a personalised calendar to remind us when to come home and Damon sent a pile of T-shirts and baggies for his brother. We didn't stop talking for a moment, 9 months of news all came babbling out in one hour!!!
We were treated to a Street Carnival on the afternoon of their arrival, a very festive atmosphere with bands and dancing troops. The evening was spent at a street market eating food amongst the locals.
We left the dock at the Antigua Yacht Club and spent the night anchored in the bay where the kids snorkeled and swam. We headed to Jabberwok Beach the following day, passing through the turquoise waters of Jolly Harbour and Five Islands on the way. Lyndee found her spot on the sugar scoop, dangling her feet in the warm water, having her glass of wine and a smoke! We have since dedicated this spot on the boat to her!
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| Lyndee finds her spot on the sugar scoop |
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| That beautiful turquoise sea around Jolly Harbour |
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| Tayne getting towed |
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| Prickly Pear Island |
Oscar enjoyed a bit of kiting in very gentle winds and we spent the night in Jolly Harbour in order to get our gas filled in the morning. The next day was spent in St John, doing the mundane task of provisioning. Lyndee bought us all the treats we haven't had in a while like blue cheese, chips, chocolates, fizzy coldrinks and lots of alcohol. We pushed 3 heavy trolleys out of Bargain Centre to the dockside, where Tayne was waiting with the dingy. We had enough food to last as for a month, just in case we got stranded on a deserted Caribbean island!
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| St John to do provisioning |
We sailed, with Oscar following on his kiteboard, to the pristine Dickenson Bay where we spent the night. Michaela and Oscar were looking to party and took the paddleboards to shore in the middle of the night, only to be booted out of any resort bar they tried to enter. Who can blame them....Oscar was sporting a pink hat called Dorothy and Michaela was wearing very torn denim shorts......the two of them looked like they had been washed up on the shore! Michaela, Lyndee and I went for a walk to the back of beyond, getting a bit lost along the way and walking for 2 hours in the sweltering heat, but rewarded by the most beautiful views of the island.
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| Dickenson Bay |
We did an easy 4 hour sail to Green Island the next day and met up with our friend Les Farge in the beautiful Rickett Harbour. We spent 3 days around this lovely island, diving, paddleboarding, kiting and having a bit of a party. We ended up being only 3 yachts in the small bay, all hailing from Cape Town. Stephen, Les and Terry, from Libertat caught 14 lobsters, Les hiding them in his pants until he got to the boat.....what a laugh when he unpacked his goods!
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| That's one guilty look! What's coming out of those broeks?? |
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| The last of our Monis Sherry from SA for the cold boys |
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| Yummy!!! |
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| The Motley SA Crew |
Terry, from Cape Town, has been sailing around these parts for a few years and is quite a character. He broke up with his girlfriend and sailing partner and now sails with a cat called 'Puppy' (because he actually wants a dog) and his pet hermit crab called Randolph, who sleeps in his hand. Maybe this is what happens to one when you're exposed to too much sea air??
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| Our friend Terry taking Randolph on an outing |
We all met for sundowners, that turned into "allfalldowners", on the beach one evening. It's crazy how 8 people can make a party! We were dancing in the ocean to music from Tayne's little beatbox and just got absolutely silly before heading back to our boat for a very makeshift braai.
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| Before it all fell apart...... |
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| This must be the best photobomb ever! |
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| The boys sleeping on the trampoline for the night |
In all our silliness that night, the fridge got damaged. This resulted in a 3 day repair at Nelson's Dockyard and a bill of $900....and a bit of family drama. But what is a family get together without a bit of drama?? It all got sorted out, we laughed about it and proceeded to have a hellava party up at Shirley Heights!
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| Nelson's Dockyard |
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| SHIRLEY HIGHTS |
We had such a great time with Lyndee and Oscar, the kids loved having their cousin with them and we had wonderful catch up time with the whole family together. We laughed and cried, saw beautiful places and shared special times.
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| The best calamari in the world for Mothers Day |
Saying goodbye is always so hard, but this was the worst one yet! My heart was so heavy as I stood on the dock waving Lyndee and Oscar off until I couldn't see their taxi any longer. Our world is so small on this boat and Katz was sad and empty as we packed away all the things they had left behind.
I asked myself whether I would like to be leaving for Cape Town with them, and my answer was a definite "no". We have exciting times ahead, new places to discover and adventures to be had as we head south in the next few days. I'm still happiest on my floating home in paradise!
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