I thought I might update everyone, since it is some time since I last posted a blog. Since arriving in Hong Kong we have been gypsies, moving from one mooring/anchorage to another.

On arrival we went straight to the RHKYC in Causeway Bay, where I immediately ran into friends. What a great feeling that was. We were given (paid for!) temporary membership and had full use of all club facilities which was such luxury; especially the showers, saunas and pool! Work began almost right away on some long overdue maintenance jobs, most notably the pulling out and cleaning of injectors and injector pump, the seals of which had developed a small diesel leak. Access to those parts was not simple and it took two days to get those removed and sent to a workshop. A week later they were returned and the re-installation took less than two hours. In the meantime we were effectively immobilized and remained tied to a dock next to a noisy, dusty building site and in line of fire of the 'noonday gun'. (look up Noel Coward's ' Mad Dogs and Englishmen') At midday each day to spare the dog, Hunter's nerves I was able to take him ashore to the 'Ship Shop' where we could enjoy air-conditioning and quiet. In there we could not hear the Noonday Gun so Hunter was oblivious and not reduced to a jelly-like wreck as the gun fired. It's powerful boom even made us nervous.
Since leaving the Yacht basin in the city we have been out in the New Territories in a bay called Tsam Chuk Hang (Jade Bay to some) It is a delightful place to moor but evening and early morning pesty bugs seem to delight in biting John and I. John has the most bites owing to the fact that he didn't apply repellent at all or if he did, it was inadequate. Oh dear! The shore landing there and public transport was woeful so we eventually moved around to Lantau Island, Discovery Bay. This involved a 7 hour odyssey ( including stopping for fuel and water) and going right through the busy Hong Kong Harbour, which is always a bit of an adventure because of the number and variety of waterborne vehicles from tiny to massive passing to and fro. Having been near my other two grandsons, who live only a 20 minute walk from the RHKYC , I can now also visit another grandson by jumping in the dinghy and landing on a beach, then taking a short bus ride to his home. Hunter can also swim and chase a ball at the nearby beach. In addition there is a great supermarket is close by.

This past Friday and the weekend was Dragon Boat Festival. There were some races here on Lantau Island and we were able to view the races from the start line out from the shore and follow the dragon boats along for a short distance. They are awe inspiring, with the drummer up front calling and drumming the rhythm for the mass of paddlers, and a person standing at the stern steering by tiller. The boats are constructed of very heavy wood so the tiller persons were all strong, while the ideal drummer up front was a slight woman.
Today we will move just for a short time to a Typhoon Shelter at Hei Ling Chau Island not far away to get away from the rocky anchorage and allow John to finish the last of some small jobs he wants to complete, before we set sail for Japan in a couple of weeks time, we hope.
There's the update. John and Ginni