Boatyard Blues
Sheltering under canvas to the tune “I’m so lonely in my
saddle without my horse….” is the life while on the hard in Vuda Point
Marina. Lifting the boat out of the
water for an easy replacement of a wobbly shaft revealed the new coat of
antifouling paint covered with barnacles and tube worms! Dumped in the corner I quickly passed the
problem on to Baobab Marine. The paint supplier was called in and cornered by
Brian the Baobab boss. Faced with the Aeolus Captain kicking his limps in
serious tantrums, a solution was found. The boat had to be completely stripped
of paint to the bare bottom, and layers of primer and fresh antifouling paint
applied at no (little) cost for Aeolus. It took two Baobab boys five days to
clean the bottom! Meanwhile the new shaft was installed with a few hick ups.
Replacing an 11/4 inch shaft with a metric one leaves a
bit of a gap so a new flange and cutlass is needed. In the yachting business
you learn as you go!
Meanwhile rain has been pouring down from the relentless
beast (or the SPCZ) and the TC’s passing southwest of here. This has not been
fun! The western division of Vitu Levu has been severely flooded, driving
people out of their homes and washed roads and bridges out to sea. Supplies of
veggies to the market in Lautoka is limited and prices are high – no tomatoes
here just yet! But in between the sun shines. The Fijians are enduring, patient
and friendly – nothing kicks them off their branch! So after long sweating working
days the cruisers meet up for drinks Monday and dinner Thursday nights at the
Yacht Club “Sunset Bar” (not to be confused with “Sunset Boulevard”!) or the
happy “First Landing Resort” next door. A stubby will set you back two $! If
the afternoon gets too sticky there is always the shade at the garden resort
pool where you can watch honeymooners and wonder what they are up to?
One can sense that the cyclone season is about to come to an
end. The migrating cruisers are slowly returning clearing their cockpits of
cane toads and cockroaches. The rhythm of Boatyard Blues is replaced by
Boatyard Queues! When Cruising Captains
and their crew share a beer with the fading sunset in their eyes thoughts and
talks are not about the rags covering your ribs, but about the rags in the bags
– it’s soon time to get them out and move on. “Red sails in the sunset – way
out at sea carry my love one.., now stop this!
