Make mine a Large one.... For Matt, Disco & myself this was the last week of our winter tour and we were going to make sure we went out with a BIG bang. On the Wednesday Nick FB, Whanita, Naked & Hutch arrived. We headed to HQ for a beer, then the Last Lemming, then Life and finally back to HQ to get some dinner. We all had so much to catch up on and I think it was certainly an evening full of smiles, those who were happy to be here and us who were happy to have them here. The gang headed down to the beach to catch their first sun while Matt and I spent the day sorting stuff out. We weren't quite ready for the early arrival of Scotty, but luckily left a walkie-talkie in his room so he could call us up. Matt and I headed straight to the Mainbrace pub to welcome the final arrival of the crew. That night was the first party of Sailing Week 2002, oh what a night. We rocked over to Pigeon Beach early to get there in time for the free rum, we were certainly there in time maybe a little too early as we certainly all must have drunk a good tank full each. After plenty of chat on the beach, and no more free rum, we headed back to the Mad Mongoose. Matt kindly buried Nick FB's and Lorna's shoes in the sand and wrote in the sand 'Your shoes are here!' Well they actually managed to find their shoes but only with a large amount of luck!! Back at the Mongoose Hutch was dropping beers faster than the Fastnet team could peel a jib. It just got messier from there and when Matt agreed to drop me home we were surprised to see Nick FB and Lorna bent over the back of the boat. Matt then went back out as he obviously felt that he hadn't consumed enough alchol yet. The following morning the stories were flowing, Matt reckons that I took off my flipflops and walked through every puddle so that my trousers were wet to my knees and I was refusing to put my shoes back on because they were slippery. Lorna also had issues with her shoes as they didn't even make it back to the boat and she thinks she left them in the dinghy that gave her a lift to Disco on her way home. That night we went for the easy option of dinner at Trappas, we were all quite dead but when the others realised it was the Hat Party on Galleon Beach they were off as there is only a limited number of free hats. (Last year hats were changing hands on the black market for up to US$100.) Lorna, Naked and Hutch went to try to claim their free hat, unfortunately they missed the fee ones but managed to purchase one each for a small fee.
Saturday, race training - cancelled, what a nightmare, we listened to the weather forecast that morning and it was far from good with regular squalls expected to bring winds up to 30knots, the white horses were steaming past the entrance of English Harbour, so the decision was made that race training in those conditions wasn't something we needed to practise and another day was spent on the beach to get some more colour which was definately needed!! Another respectable evening was had as Matt filled us in on the skippers briefing over dinner in Life followed by a few beers in the Dry Dock while watching the video of this year's Classic Week.
Race 1, English Harbour to Dickenson Bay, we were the first class to start, which is good seeing we are the slowest boat in the Racing Division. Just after the crossing the start line Naked and I spotted dolphins unfortunately they were heading behind us to greet the rest of the fleet. As we headed round the Island we were passed by the bigger boats. It was a long old day and we were all relieved to finish at 3.30PM and head for the beach for the evening festivatives. An easy night on the beach eating BBQ foods straight from the grill, we all headed to bed early after such an exhausting day. Races 2a and 2b, a definate relief that today we won't be one of the last boats in as they were shorter races, everyone felt a lot better including Disco who doesn't enjoy being slammed in waves like yesterday. We reached Jolly Harbour in good spirits and just needed to find a place to dock, we managed a prime position, the boys headed back to English Harbour to grab a shower and thirty winks we were thinking but they came back rolling as they had broken the seal on a bottle of gin. I faded first and went to find my bed, I was followed by Nick and Matt who were followed later by the dancing queens, Whanita and Lorna. Tuesday, Race 3, Jolly Harbour to English Harbour. We started the race on time, unlike most of our fleet who just about managed to cross it before the next class start. Beating upwind to the first mark was tiring but more because we couldn't see the mark, then Scotty spotted something far more interesting, a whale! heading straight for the rest of the fleet!! We finished late that afternoon and were followed in by the finish boat who had just been out there waiting just for us, at least we flew the Disco Man on the last downwind leg. That night we went for dinner at HQs where most savoured the taste of lobster, personally I savoured my chocolate brownie dessert!! It was a grand meal out, thoroughly enjoyed by all, the only disappointment was the rain when we went to leave, we had to wait 20minutes for the down pour to finish, unfortunately we didn't realise that the boys had also not made it back and were enjoying more beer at the bar!!
LAY DAY, what a much needed day off, the crazy kids, Nick, Whanita, Lorna & Scotty got up ridiculously early again to go diving, while the wise guys, myself, Matt, Naked and Hutch had a late breakfast and wandered round to Falmouth Harbour for the Lay Day Festivities, including the much talked of wet t-shirt competition!! Unfortuantely there weren't enough entries for it to go ahead. That night we all met up and took a water taxi over to Galleon Beach to sample the delights of Columbos, an Italian restuarant. Can't say i remeber much on the menu that was Italian other than a few pasta dishes. The special that night was suckling pig, from all the pig stories we've had over this trip you'd have thought we'd learnt but no! It turned ip and it looked very nice although it seemed to be lacking meat and was mainly bone and crackling, then Matt uncovered a jaw! Thank goodness it wasn't me I don't think my stomach could have coped!! Thursday, Race 4, it was going to be a long day of windward/leeward courses, we were the last class to start so were towards the back before we were over the line. Heading down to the third mark however we were still well placed in the middle of our class. The spinnaker was up and Matt called 'gybing' and away we went. I was gripping the sheets of the spinnaker as hard as I could, as the wind was trying to blow the spinnaker out, watching the foredeck team closely praying for them to shout 'Made' so I can at least let go with one hand, the guy was dropped out of the end three times, which for me meant trouble, with the strength of the wind and everyone doing their own job there wasn't anyone to help me pull on a sheet and round the spinnaker went round the forestay, at least that gave me some power but she was truly wrapped then suddenly while the boat was rolling Scotty went walking off the boat, Matt shouted Man Overboard, and into action we all went getting the sails down and engine on to quickly retrieve him. Luckily Scotty had been swimming under the boat that morning to clean the speed transducer paddlewheel so we were well practised on getting him aboard without a ladder. As we used our engine it automatically disqualifies us from the race so we headed home making sure the whole fleet knew we had retired due to a man overboard. I think Scotty is counting his ten toes and two legs regularly as we have since found out that if you are guaranteed to find sharks anywhere in Antiguan water it is at the end of Cade Reef right where Scotty fell.
Finishing early had its advantages as it meant we could definately get to Shirley Heights before sunset. The Steel Band were great, the BBQ was yummy and the Reggae band had it goin' on. We had a good dance and then decided to head back to the Mongoose, we were surprised at how quiet everywhere seemed gave us an excuse to go to bed. Although Scotty, Naked and Hutch managed to invite themselves aboard a Swan that was having a party, who knows what hour they rolled on home??? Friday, final and 5th race. Today we were all determined to finish the last race, unfortunately Scotty seemed to have started a trend and by the time we started, Whanita who was listening to the VHF, calling the start, had heard of 3 men overboard. The waves were huge and the first leg took forever, and we seemed to do it down wind in a tenth of the time, then back again which actually passed quicked, but there was a lot to watch, PipeDream had lost their rig and she is 40' so everyone was being cautious, we are all very proud of the fact that we were the LAST boat to cross the finish line in Antigua Sailing Week 2002, the Finish Boat went wild and fired off loads of shots and blowing their horn. The comittee boat then joined the Division B Committee boat and they both cruised into English Harbour firing off guns and blowing horns with all the anchored boats hooting back, it was quite an atmosphere and a great celebration to finish the week. It was great!
That evening we were again in the company of dolphins which was very cool. That night my girlfriends from Southend were due to make an appearance but they didn't show which was a little sad as I was soooo looking forward to seeing them. On Saturday morning Hutch, Scotty, Naked, Matt and myself met for breakfast at the bakery then went off to have a look around an Open 60 that plans to sail the Vendee Globe next year. We whizzed off in a taxi to Shirley Heights to be met by a helicopter (a present to Matt and me from the boys) that was taking us to Monserrat to see the volcano. Well, I've never been in a helicopter before and I was so excited as we had to run over to it and climb in, we were given headsets, I don't think I said a word for a whole hour. It was all completely breathtaking, and the views over Monserrat are unbelievable, I was trying to explain it to my dad in an e-mail and I don't think justice can be done for what we saw. The first big eruption was in 1997 and 29 people died, they had been asked to evacuate in advance. There were all these houses half buried and the ones that looked fine from the outside but the burning gases had damaged them inside. It is such a beautiful island its a shame that such destruction has been caused. The volcano is still active now and we saw boulders coming down the side of it all giving off steam due to the heat. After landing back on Shirley Heights we then went off to Galleon beach for a spot of lunch before having to prepare ourselves for the evening. I managed to speak to Lucy and Sara who were safely in their villa in Jolly Harbour, they had been delayed for 4hours in Heathrow and then had someone smoking on their flight which lead to the Police waiting in Antigua to greet the offenders.
7PM we all gathered in th Copper & Lumber Store Hotel for dinner, Sara, Lucy and Natasha were introduced to the crew, then we all sat down to eat a beautiful dinner. The wine flowed and flowed, and we eventually arrived at the Ball at 10.30PM. Somehow I managed to be ordered a rum and coke which is where my evening starts to drop rapidly down a slope. I was trying to encourage the girls to drink faster, the fact that our drinks were 7/8ths rum with a dash of coke didn't seem to be bothering me, hence the title make mine a large one, which is what I said to Matt when he asked if I wanted another! How they could have been any larger is beyond me, strangely enough I was escorted home at 1.30AM when I was more than ready to pass out. What happened next is all just what I have been told. My girls have apologised for their behaviour, they were very polite until the 4th bottle of wine! Luckily the boys didn't seem to mind, personally I feel Matt was a bit of ringleader but thats just my opinion. Tasha had a drama as her expensive shoes had vanished from her side while dancing, only to eventually ask Matt if he'd seen them, and he told her that he had put them safely in the tree!! Lorna again made it home with no shoes! I guess we should be glad that everyone made it home even though for some it was 7.30AM!! I think the girls should be glad they got home at 6AM as Naked had been lying about the time to them and it was only when it was light they realised there was something strange going on, however Lucy then said "I don't want to go home, I'm not tired!" She then grabbed Hutch by the arm, staggered off and came back 10 mins later in a taxi to collect the other two. Somehow a spanish guy according to Tasha and a dutch guy according to the other two got in and thought he was going home with them, luckily Lucy sorted him out and demanded he left the taxi, while Tasha was still chatting in Spanish to him. With the girls gone, Matt's responsibility of looking after my friends was over and Scotty took over as ringleader, and the four boys, Scotty, Hutch, Naked & Matt, jumped in a cab. Their taxi driver then had to follow them up a hill to see the sunrise at Shirley Heights to take the survivors photo!! Then off they went to breakfast and eventually home to bed!
Well, the boys had an idea that a certain young man may have been in trouble when he arrived home, but to be honest I only woke up half hour before he returned so had no idea that he'd stayed out all night, I let him sleep until 12PM then I let him have it!!!! Just kidding, I guess if they hadn't have had such a great night, i'd have been really mad, the fact I missed the whole thing just upset me. So Sunday came in a blur as everyone was feeling a little tired, we put all the cruising gear on Disco, while Hutch was trying to sort out what had happened to his upgrade! Lunch again on Galleon Beach, followed by lots of nothing and then HQ before they left to head home to the sunny UK!! We said our goodbyes with what I felt a real bond for such a great week in such great company. After they left all that was left for us was to SLEEP and recover ready to entertain the girls at Jolly Harbour for the next week.
Revised -- Saturday 18th May 2002
Carry on to Girls on Disco
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