Back to sailing

So anyway, one day amongst the sawdust and wood shavings we decided that we should really go out for a sail and take our crew with us. We had perfect wind and went like the, umm, well, like the wind really (that's not me in the hat by the way)

Since then we have painted pretty much anything that stayed still long enough, I've rediscovered my very questionable talent as a seamstress, bunks have got longer, sails have got more sturdy, showers have got more intermittent and we've discovered that even after several nights of torrential rain, the only place that Lilly appears to leak really badly is in our bunk....last night I collected a very useful puddle of water around my collar bone which we have yet to find a use for, I'm sure we'll think of something

Boredom

Just in case any of you are getting bored of my blog I thought I'd give you a little game to play, you've probably heard of it, it's called 'spot the difference'

I MADE them!!!!

I did, I really did, and if I'm honest am feeling a bit chuffed about it, check me out, wood demon extroadinaire....

We live like this

I thought it might be time to show you where we live, and I couldn't think of a better way than by showing you some views from our living room....

Initiation

Kieran has been patiently teaching me to sail in the dinghy and after just one lesson he decided to send me to shore with his computer on board for my first solo trip, it all went suprisingly well, I did a couple of accidental jibes, basically meaning I went round in a circle for a bit, but really it was a bit like the gymnastic finals in the olympics and I just put in those twiddly bits in the hope I might get some extra points for style, unfortunately there are no photo's to prove I made it, probably because Kieran was too busy gripping the boat rails in terror, though it has yet to be established whether he was more worried about the dinghy, the computer, or me.
My first lesson...



We are now in Opua, and work has been progressing rapidly in incredibly dusty earnest on the interior, basically we are living in chaos but we do now have a rather snazzy saloon table and Kieran has been scratching his head all day over some cupboard thing in the corner (something to do with tools and how good they are).

Our new french crew, a lovely french couple called Eduord and Stephanie, bravely offered to come aboard and help with the work before we left, their first trip out on the dinghy was in gale force winds with the usual rain and with Kieran's exemplary sailing skills atop the waves he ensured that we all arrived at Lilly soaked to the skin, the crew were well and truly initiated.

A while later I decided that I would again attempt to sail single handedly to shore in head winds, did a couple of unusual turns, was becalmed several times, visited a few boats a little bit closer than I'd intended, most of them I'd had no intention of going anywhere near anyway, til a gust got up and the mast snapped to the general concern of bemused onlookers who quite frankly must have wondered what the hell I was up to and where I was going anyway. It's a shame really seeing as the mast had only just been fixed after a similar incident a week ago, though I'm happy to say that on that occasion Kieran was on the tiller and not me. . .

Not sure what I did wrong

We spent one night anchored at the Magic Tree, which for me and Kieran is where it all began almost a year ago now...

Then somewhere along the way it was decided that it would be a really good idea to set me off on a dinghy with nothing but my camera for company so that Kieran could practise manouvers and I could find out if I really did know how to use my new camera and a pair of oars or not. It seemed like a good idea til it started raining, but believe me, Lilly is quite a sight bearing down at you with all her sails a flutter and I spent a very happy hour feeling a bit like I was involved in a very pretty drive by without all the guns and killing and nasty stuff like that

And here she is in all her glory, we love her so much and are so happy to be making her our home

Dinner

We awoke on Easter day to a still moon and soft morning sunlight and me and Kieran rowed to shore and headed over the hill to the view beyond. It was so peaceful there, no houses, no pylons, no roads, no people, just gentle hills and amazing vibrant green spongy grass that you tread on gingerly and end up waist high in

Later that day we sailed into the Bay of Islands towards the infamous hole in the rock, which is pretty much exactly what it says it is but everyone seems to get very excited about it, Kieran decided it was actually a boat and not a hole at all and we bet dinner on it, needless to say Kieran's curry was delicious

My first ever sail on board the good ship Lilly Bolero!

And so on a sunny easter weekend we set sail for Opua, the first time that I had ever sailed aboard Lilly Bolero and my sister, mike and all the girls came with us. Which was handy really considering there are roughly ten million different possible ropes to pull on board.... and those sails are BIG when they go up!

We met some old muckers along the way who had some interesting ideas about telling the time at sea

And I learnt how to get some alone time

It was a beautiful sail with a distinct lack of puking over the side, an adequate amount on toe stubbing, and a whole heap of muscle toning activities. We found some peaceful anchorages along the coast and the girls showed us how to have fun and relax on board

In return it is possible that we made the easter egg hunt a little bit harder than normal

So long land...

Just in case any of you were worried that I'm working too much I thought it would be good to reassure you that I am still having a very fun packed social life.

Well the work continued and a misty day dawned signalling the end of climbing up a ladder to go home, it's so confusing, up on deck, down below, fore, aft, galley, saloon, I pretty much don't know where I am or where I'm meant to be half the time simply by the loss of simple upstairs and downstairs terminology


So at last we were ready to bid farewell to the joys of the boat yard, so long hot showers, so long power, so long flushing toilets....

She'd rolled into Whangerai a rough old fishing boat, but after several licks of stinky paint, plus a whole heap of dirty work I'm happy to say she left a bright sparkling shinyand new happy rough old fishing boat

Not to mention the fact that she floated