This marina is like Central Railway Station with yachts coming and going at all hours. Sir Tommy (THOMAS LIPTON) White, of WindDancer sailmakers has been sending us urgent emails based on the fear that if we spend too much time on shore there will be dire consequences. He is absolutely right. One of those consequences is the bleak appearance of my credit card. We have spent a week at Vero Beach Marina taking care of air leaks in the diesel system on SVEA, cleaning out the diesel tanks, installing a new exhaust section, installing a new wind-generator on SVEA and cleaning out bilges, adjusting clutches and gears, installing a new depth sounder and tonnes of small odds and ends. It was for all of us, LOVE, but it soon became LABOR and in the end fell far short of LABOR OF LOVE. Tomorrow we tackle replacing two shrouds with broken wires. More fun up the mast. On the plus side there are wonderful showers and a great dinghy dock with sometimes more than 30 dinghy tied in a long row.
(Double-click on the pics to enlarge them)
The view from high up is great, looking down....not so much.
The woman with her arm draped around me is Michelle Murphy, holder of private and commercial pilot licences and currently becoming an aviation instructor, who now lives and works in Vero. She is also a wonderful warm-hearted person and the daughter of Joe and Cindy Murphy from N.C. who helped us so much in getting SVEA ready four years ago, to bring her to Jacksonville, FL..
Now well you might ask, what does all this have to do with a diamond. ......
Well, yesterday Tony Shiver proposed to Lauren Reynolds, The Queen's only daughter, who accepted breathlessly. You see, Tony proposed on top of the Hart Bridge during their "River Run" event, a big national 15 km long distance running event held in Jacksonville...... Exhausting, hot and sweaty..... He couldn't get the words out, being out of breath, and neither could she for the same reason.. I guess a nod is as good as a "YES". Lauren Anne while carrying that big rock still managed to finish in the top 10 percent of all the women runners. Tony, much relieved and lighter in the pocket finished unplaced......... you do the maths.
Love and congratulations to both of them. The QUEEN and I approve.
3 comments:
Wow, what an adventurous trip so far! And Congrats to Annie! Are there any dates set. Hope all is well. At least the weather is nice. I hope the repairs are done soon and you are back on the sea...Call. robin
Great seeing your adventures. Keep them coming. Cangrats to "Little Annie"
Brent and Laura "Vat-19"
Congrats To Anne
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