I turn over in bed in what I think is the middle of the night, and come awake enough to hear that the anchor alarm is sounding. Oh, fantastic. Mike gets up and goes to see what’s happening and hears Bev calling to him as she too has heard it.
I lie there trying to pretend nothing is happening but when I hear the anchor being taken up, I can’t ignore it any longer and drag myself out of bed, get dressed and prepare to help. Luckily by the time I reach the cockpit, Moe is already there and after waiting for a few minutes I go back to bed.
Apparently the anchor had dragged a little bit which made the alarm go off but once Mike was up it dragged a lot, so it was a good job he and Moe were there to reset it. It turns out that it’s just before 6 am so Mike makes a cup of tea for us both then comes back to bed to drink it. I have mine then fall asleep again.
When I eventually come to (with the aid of another cup of tea), Crazy Horse have discovered that nothing has been caught around their propeller and Bill is down in the engine room tightening things up that may have been left loose by the boatyard staff. We are to leave in an hour.
With free internet access in the bay, we all rush to do our computer stuff then pull the anchor up and follow Crazy Horse out for our short passage to Mayreau.
It’s a lovely day, breezy and for once the wind is coming from the right direction. We get the main and genoa out and have a good sail, going past Union Island to Mayreau in around 20 knots of wind. Although we still have over one knot of current against us we are doing over 8 knots.
Moe puts the fishing rod out and does hook a fish but it gets off before he can reel him in. At least our lure stays on for a change.
After one of the best sails of the past few weeks we turn the corner into Saline Bay, Mayreau. The turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea greet us. Bev and I prepare lunch again and we settle down to eat even though Freddy, he of the loud beach music, tries to persuade us to eat with him at his beach restaurant.
In the afternoon, Matt and Anna join us, followed by Maggie and Bob. Bev makes a batch of her new cocktail – Margot on the rocks – a mix of the cheapest red wine possible, grapetizer and ice. Actually it’s OK (well I go back for seconds so I think that qualifies).
Photo: Bev, Maggie and me drinking Margots
Photo: Matt, Anna, Bob and Mike
A boat arrives to take Mike and Bill to the airport to check us and the boats into the Grenadines and for Annie and Jim to pick up Diane, Jim’s secretary.
Photo: The taxi arrives to go to the airport
It’s hot as there’s hardly a cloud in the sky to cool it down. Our boat becomes a swim platform with people diving off from every corner in an attempt to cool down.
Photos: Bev and Bob take dives and flying leaps from Jeannius
Photo: Matt, Moe and Bob
When the airport contingent eventually come back, the girls have decided that Annie’s hen party will be held on Jeannius, NOW, and the guys can just bugger off somewhere else which is exactly what happens. Annie and Diane stay with me and the others go off, bringing back wine and nibbles and rounding up the rest of the females ie Jutta and Eline. Then the party begins.
Photos: Annie’s hen party
Given some of the antics when these women have been together on previous occasions, the night really isn’t too raucous and when Mike returns I am in the process of clearing up. We still have the job of filling all the water bottles, a tedious process, but we are on the last bottle so we have to do it. Unfortunately, Mike then realises that our new anchor has not settled properly and I have to take it up, put it down, then repeat the process all over again before it finally digs in tight. Then, and only then, am I allowed to go off for my shower and flop into bed.
Our position is: 12 deg 38 min N, 61 deg 24 min W
Distance so far: 24614 nautical miles
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