One cruise ends, another begins…

The last few days have been filled with fun and laughter and continuing to build on great friendships. The Squadron Cruise is a great mixing pot of people all shapes and sizes who share a love for their boats and sailing. The most striking thing to us on Wine-Dark Sea is the great camaraderie of every one, first time cruisers or old hands.

We have loved meeting up again with friends we made on our first cruise last year, as well as meeting first timers and introducing them to the awesome fun of rafting up and sharing everything from tips on rafting up to dinner! We loved participating in the Galley Gourmet challenges and seeing what competitive fun everyone else had participating.

During the raft up in Pinta Bay last night, we had the most touching experience of our cruising life which is just beginning. Young Hugo, from Huligan, hopped over Willyamas rail, where I was helping Trish sort timings for the Galley Gourmet. “Excuse me Sarah” said Hugo politely, ” I have a card for you”. He handed me a huge sheet of paper which contained not only wishes of good luck from Huligan and their 100 pets, but signatures and well wishes from a great number of Cruise Participants!

Hugo had not only written the good luck message, but visited many of the boats to seek their written notes too. We were incredibly touched and so proud to be part of this great club. Not to be out done by his brother, Julian proudly presented us a picture in red, to represent WDS colours!

Crew heading to lunch at Cottage point

Celebrating Lorna’s birthday at Cottage Point

Adonis of the pizza oven

Tying stern to rocks in Pinta Bay

White Label Chardy verticals tasting with About Time

We have had a great time, including a fantastic lunch at Cottage point, a fun pizza evening making our own pizzas at KMYC pizza oven, a huge raft up of 34 boats in Pinta Bay for the Galley Gourmet competition and a lovely BBQ at Coasters Retreat followed by cricket.

We decided to do the White Label Chardonnay vertical tasting (2008-2014) after the BBQ, and the About Time crew came to join us for that. An interesting and enjoyable evening passed, with all agreed the 2008 and the 2014 were the best.

Sunday dawned still and warm at Coasters and I headed off for a paddle board. I headed up stream and into the basin, spotting fish, rays and birds and fewer people and decided to have a swim as it was so hot. Heading back through the moorings, I stopped and chatted with various cruisers, even getting invited out to race!

Pete and I headed off to RMYC around 10:30 so he could get some work done. I swabbed the decks and cleaned, then took Pete up the mast to check the anchor light – it’s buggered 🙁. I got 2 loads of washing done, and cleaned the water filters, packed stuff up and generally tried to get outdoors organised. When it rains on Tuesday I will do the inside!

We are now preparing for the final night dinner, with a rum and tonic 🍷 and look forward to a final evening of revelry ⚓