Sherryl
04/18/2012, Fort Louis Harbour, St Martin

I thought that it was high time I introduced you to Roberts girlfriend, Judy, as I will be referring to her often over the next few weeks, as Robert and Gary and Paddy, adventure over the high seas, from Tortola and ending up in Canet Port. She does not think that this crossing is fair at all, saying: we will be sitting home with all the worries, while they will be having all the fun and adventures😃 This photo was taken on chez patrick in shell beach, on their last night in St Barths. I decided to invite them over for a lobster braai, as a farewell dinner. As many of you know, I often don't think things through too well, but get swept up with the magic of the moment. Monday morning, Paddy and I dingied across to the fresh fish market in gustavia at 6am, in order to get the fresh lobsters that the fishermen bring in at 5:30am. Robert was due to meet us there, so we were determined not to be late🚤💨💨💨 I selected 5 x 1kg lobsters We got them back to the yacht and paddy sorted out a sack for them to swim in until supper time. That's when the problems started. I love all creatures. Great and small🐚🐚🐚 I googled: the most humane way to kill a lobster!! I considered undoing the sack, setting them free and having cheese with our dinner, instead of lobster!! Finally, I opened a bottle of Prosecco and decided to "laissez les bon temps rouler"🍸🍸 Well, I'm not going to go into the details of that evening but I will say that copious amounts of Prosecco were consumed. Paddy did not eat a bit of lobster after playing butcherman and Robert and Judy almost ended up in the sea when we had to take them ashore later that evening. A good time was had by all though😜😝😜 So, this pic was taken several bottles of Prosecco to the wind Lesson learned: sherryl will never buy live lobster again unless, there is a cordon bleu chef or two aboard and they are doing the honours!! As the title states, this is working Wednesday. We have two strong men aboard to give chez patrick a thorough spit and polish and I have lots to do as well, before my Friday Paris departure, so... A la prochaine Xx

Comments [1] | | More

Sherryl
04/16/2012, Shell Beach, St Barths

This is an amazing story. Paddy and I were anchored fairly far off Shell Beach initially and so, used to dingy in, closer to the beach, drop anchor, walk, swim, go for drinks at dõ brazil etc and then go back to the dingy, pull up our anchor and return to chez patrick. This Friday was no different. As we were swimming though, Pat noticed that our dingy was drifting. We ran back and Paddy swam to the dingy and hopped in. He pulled at the anchor rope to check what had happened.... The rope came up....no anchor in site!! Unbelievable, because Paddy has tied a gazillion knots and they hold!! We were in fairly shallow, crystal clear water, as you can see from the shot below but Paddy had a lip problem and I have an ear "situation":-)) and so neither of us could dive for our anchor!! Paddy sat on the dingys nose and took a paddle and paddled around, trying to spot the rogue anchor. I asked a stranger to please borrow his pool noodle, so that I could also be part of search & rescue!! I had spotted a couple on the beach earlier, when we came ashore. I left our beach bag just behind them because they looked like a "safe and honest" couple!!! We later learned that they wondered whether we were terrorists, dropping our bag behind them and disappearing because paddy was wearing a protective mask, for his lips!!!:-)) So...here I see this guy, now in the water AND with a mask and snorkel. Prime target!! I tell paddy to ask him to dive for our anchor. He thought paddy was Tom Hanks in disguise!!!:-)) Needless to say, within a very short space of time, the anchor had been located, dived for and tied safely back onto its line. When we all went back to the beach, introductions still not made:-)), our anchor man told us that we owed him a beer for his trouble!! Paddy and I went over to our favourite beach bar and bought a round of drinks. Drinks in hand, introductions were finally the order of the day. One drink led to two, a friendship was cemented and Robert became the new crew member, to take my place on chez patrick from Tortola onwards!! Unbelievable. Yes, quite unbelievable, but true.. I could see the sea angels at work, carefully undoing the knot that Pat had fixed the anchor onto the rope with.... et voila....the third musketeer was born!! One goes through life and meets many, many people but only rarely do you meet people that you feel instantly and magically connected to. This was one of those magical times.....

Comments [1] | | More

sherryl
04/16/2012, Nevis

A special birthday celebrated together!!! Many more to come:-))!!!

Comments [0] | | More

Sherryl
04/14/2012, Fort Louis Marina, St Martin

This is a test post..poor Gary has been working on my iPad, nonstop, to try to make it do-able for me, to write a blog post AND include a photo!! As I use sailblogs to post my blogs, this is tricky because they are not iPad friendly yet!!! Thank every good force, that Gary is the most determined man that I know.. He has persevered the entire morning, downloading all sorts of apps, to make this easy for me, while I am all alone:-(( in villelongue , waiting for chez patrick to sail safely into Canet Port!! You've guessed it. I want to have, do, use etc all the latest techie stuff, without much of a clue about how anything works!! I presume that I can hop onto my brand new iPad 3, click the buttons and voila!! Everything works:-)) not so easy, I realise. And having been on board with him for the past eight months, nothing mattered, because as soon as I came unstuck, I would just call out.......Gary!! Please come and help me!!!:-)) and my problem would disappear!! So.... Here I go... This is the most amazing beach. Shell Beach, in St Barths. The whole beach is covered in these tiny, beautiful shells. The water is crystal clear. People are asked NOT to remove any shells. Sadly, some sneak bagfuls off the beach early in the morning. To do what with, I ask myself?? Shells look stunning on the beach, not in a box in your home!! So, that's my crossing diamond, amidst the shells:-)) the reward from my "bestest" husband, for being brave enough, to do an Atlantic crossing, from Cape Town to St Martin. I just love it!! It has not left my finger since he slipped it on, in Antigua in February. What a time! What a life changing experience!! I know I cried many tears..suffered many sleepless nights..had countless bruises..nearly divorced!!! but here I am...would NOT swap it for the world!!! Over the next weeks, I will fill in all the gaps of the past three months:-)) my heart is full of tears, at the thought of leaving next Friday to fly to Paris. This last leg, Paddy and Gary will do alone, hopefully joined by our new friend Robert, who we of course met on Shell Beach. But that's a whole story on its own!! Going to send this now, to check if everything's working, while my techie is still at my elbow:-)) so... A la prochaine Xxx

Comments [0] | | More

Sherryl
04/14/2012, Marigot Bay, St Martin

Today is Saturday 14/4/12. Next Saturday, this time, I will be sitting in a tiiiny little apartment, freezing probably, in Paris..as I type this, the morning sun is shining, the turquoise blue sea is calm and inviting and the sky is powder blue. Little puffs of fluffy, white cloud hang about, surveying the anchorage.. All I wear is a tiger print bikini.. No coat, no jersey, not even a pair of shoes!! This has been my home and my life, for the past eight months. I cannot believe its all about to change. Too quickly, my departure date has crept upon me. I have to concentrate deeply to keep the tears and the sadness at bay. Chez patrick will continue her final voyage without me. My body needs a little rest from another long, Atlantic crossing, so as I fly to Paris next Friday evening, Pat and Gary will prepare to sail to Tortola, where they will be joined by Robert and take chez patrick safely across the seas , through the straights of Gibraltar and into the Med, sailing finally into Canet Port, where I will be waiting! So, you can just imagine all the work going on here. Provisioning a yacht, using a taxi and a little dingy:-)) not P&P and a Land Rover:-)) keeps one humble and fit!!! I will definitely take photos of the next provisioning!! The travelling Willburries have nothing on us!!:-)) paddy is an official grease monkey. Into the engines, changing oil, adjusting fan belts.. Grease from ear to ear, head to toe!!! Plus, doing ALL this with a snow white T shirt on:-)) my husband!!! Always appropriately dressed:-)). Must run to help now, so
A la procaine x x x

Comments [0] | | More

Sherryl
04/09/2012, Shell Beach

I never thought that I would ever blog again, and here I am, blogging again.
I guess I just have too many words within me. Bursting to come out. So, no matter how hard I try to remain silent, the words win!!
So, the past three months, are just that.
Three months, past.
I will write about those three silent months in time.

So, this is just the first, small step back into my blog
To start
A commitment to myself I guess

The stories will follow
X x x

Comments [2] | | More