Day 296: La Reunion – 29/10/10

The day is spent getting the boat ready for the next leg.  I spend an absolute age doing some more laundry then take out all the cushions from the sofa and give them a good thrashing.  I am horrified by the amount of dust that comes back and hope that no one else is looking.  It takes me about two hours to do every one and I am disappointed that they don’t actually look any different when I have finished.  Still, I know they are cleaner.  I will try to get them steam cleaned in South Africa.

Next is floor washing.  Lovely.  While this is going on Mike gets down to oil changes for both engines and connecting up the automatic bilge pumps to the engine rooms.  Such interesting work.

Maggie and I fully intended going for a walk in the afternoon but neither of us finish our cleaning tasks until really late and end up running out of time as the prize giving and evening’s entertainment starts at 6 pm.  Getting dressed, I realise that something very strange has happened to either my dress or my boobs, as the latter refuse to stay in the former.  I can’t be bothered to change and accept the fact that everyone will get more than an eyeful tonight.  If I had known what Jutta and Annie were going to be wearing though, I wouldn’t have given it a moment’s thought!!!

It all starts off very decorously.  Mike and I win the prize for coming first on the leg from Mauritius to La Reunion (the shortest leg so far but who cares) in the multihull division and get a bottle of good wine for our efforts.

Photo:  Our first first prize

Photo:  Paul with Jutta, Jochem and Eline from Chessie receiving their prize

After the prize giving we move inside with the marauding moths for a three course dinner which turns out to be really good.  As the evening wears on, the wine flows, the dancing starts and the behaviour of the ladies deteriorates but it’s all good fun.

Photo:  Me and Sophia

Photo:  Mike and I

Photo:  Bev, me and Moe

Photo:  Rosemary and Bill

Photo:  The kids – Charlie, Neil, Eline, Oisin, Matt, Sophia, Richie and Sean

Photo:  Decorum starts to leave – me, Annie and Jutta

Photo:  Annie, Jutta and me – I now feel seriously overdressed!

Photo:  Decorum now totally out of the window

All good things must come to an end, and after a little more dancing I head back to the boat, wondering if that last glass of wine which I wasn’t going to have, but did, will seal the deal on the hangover waiting to happen, not a good idea when setting sail for South Africa tomorrow.