Weather hot, dress code, bikini. Yup, thats right. its the 15th Nov in the western Med and today has been a bikini day. No wind, clear blue skies and hot as you like.

We both spent the day outside, Alan painting and I stripped both the in mast furling gearboxes. I was only going to clean and paint them, but one job soon becomes ten and its just as well I took them apart as the main mast box bearing is totally shot. I went through 18 pairs of surgical gloves and a load of news paper just to deal with the old grease. Managed to extract the old rusty bearing and its in the bag ready for another trip to town in the week to get spares.

Sunday is the day the locals like to dress and promenade. We had a laugh seeing them come into the yard and walk down the pontoons to their boats, dressed in Beneton sweaters and Gucci coats to keep them warm against the chilly Sardinian winter and theres me stood in a bikini and Alan in shorts. Gawd knows how they would manage if there was a real winter.

This morning it was quiet enough to hear birds, and amongst them were Starlings, Chiff Chaff and several crows. Just like a West Wales Spring day in the woods with Celandines glowing and green fronds of cow parsley reaching for the sun.

Lets hope winter is a short one.

Heres a pic of Alan in a small cave