I think this is one of the most scenic places we have ever hauled out. 

We are back in the water!!  Last Friday we hauled the boat out of the water and spent 5 days working like beavers.  We had the yard guys do the dirty work of sanding off the old bottom paint and filling the osmosis blisters that appeared.  We then put three coats of tanker orange paint on.  While the workers did their thing Barry and I took all the old caulking off the toe rail, both inside and out and applied new special marine grade sealant to hopefully keep the water out for a few more years. 

It wasn’t all work though, we were situated just down the hill from a restaurant.  It is tourist season here now, the kids are off school and everyone is on holidays. 

Our view from the top of the boat, the guys would sing on the steps. 

Each day a choral group would show up at the restaurant and serenade the diners.  If I stood up on the combing of the boat at the back I had a perfect view. The group called the Khayelitsha Peace Makers would clap and jive as their wonderful harmonies echoed out over the harbour.  One afternoon Lynn from Cloud Nine and I stopped work early and attended a violin and piano recital at a local church.  The musicians were outstanding, the violinist had studied and played in London and was the first chair with the South African Philharmonic for years.  I have never before experienced in person such a virtuoso. The pianist was fantastic as well and they played a wonderful variety of music, what a treat. 

Great action shot isn't it!!!

When we went back in the water our good buddies on Sea Level, Kent and Jim, and Don from Minerva, were there to catch our lines.  Kent took some great shots of Cat’s-Paw IV going in the water.  

The band to send of the boats to St. Helena, perhaps they will do that when we leave too. 

The Governor’s Cup is a race from here to St. Helena’s and it is scheduled to leave today at noon.  It is about a 10 day race, there are 22 boats that are participating.  The docks have been just humming with people provisioning their boats as well as making sure all their lines are correct. A couple of guys had a spinnaker and a gennaker on deck the other day and I was green with envy.  More and more of our buddies from across the Pacific are arriving.  Quite a few are out at anchor waiting to come into the marina once the racers leave today.  Our social life is very full.  I have also been trying to get into shape to climb up Table Mountain with Brian and Dorothy from Tagish so have been hiking around the hills as often as I can.  

The weather is very weird here, it is either honking a gale of 30 knots or it is as calm as can be.  While we were on the hard the wind made conditions difficult for painting.  It was so hot and windy the paint would be drying before we could get it rolled on properly.  At night the boat would vibrate on the stands the wind blew so hard, that was not a pleasant experience. I also repainted the Cat’s-Paw IV on the back of the boat and ladder would shake, I would curse and get out the rag with the turpentine and wipe off the area where the brush had strayed over the lines.  I was okay with the Cat’s-Paw IV, it was in cursive writing and the curves were rather forgiving,  the Victoria, B.C. was a pain because it is all straight lines and was very difficult. 

Yesterday we took the train, three stops down the line to a place called Fish Hoek and bought a car load full of groceries, oh, excuse me, provisions, in sailor talk.  It took three loads  with the dock cart to get them to the boat and well over an hour to stow them.  I think we are good to cross the Atlantic and perhaps we could even feed a small country for a day.  Well I must go, time to go and hike up the hill again. It is a pleasant +20 here at the moment and there is no wind, the best time to hike.