On Monday after the regatta I took Yeoman round to Bobby’s Marina at the airport location. It was so much less stressful than two years ago as they have now marked the channel which is a large benefit when you draw 10 feet and can’t touch bottom with a delicate carbon boat!

Simpson Bay Marina kindly lent me a RIB driver to push my bow through the wind to get into the tight haul out which has a wreck on one side and a shoal on the other. Lance who runs the boatyard was on the ball and we were hoisted out within 30 minutes of getting there and an hour or so later a pit had been dug for the keel and Yeoman was all dug in for 14 days.

To say that Lance has a soft spot for dogs and cats is and understatement! The animals that he brings in from the streets are lucky indeed getting fed, watered, taken to the vet and cleaned. They are all well mannered and not at all aggressive all they want are lots of petting! Lance spends 50% of his income on his animals they are his family which as he says means that he is not likely to move anywhere. If he does go back to his native South Africa it will mean getting a container and converting it into a dog/cat transport facility. The two dogs I remember from last time I was here two years ago have unfortunately passed on and taking their place are a brother and sister. These puppies are easily spooked but are thriving on the attention and growing fast. Lance dropped me off at the airport at 5:45am including me in his dog feeding run – every other day he takes food to a large pack of dogs behind the movie theater and another pack next to the airport. I asked if he takes donations towards feeding the dogs and cats, he doesn’t – as he says money comes and goes it doesn’t make you happy in the bank.

Yeoman has a bunch of repairs to be done while I am away so she is in a bit of upheaval with floorboards out etc. I return in 9 days it will be a quick turn around and off to St Thomas and the BVI for some more racing in the sun.

Hopefully my long commute home to the bay will go smoothly and I will be hanging out with my nieces in the morning. Little Charlotte should be out of the hospital after surgery apparently her scar is 3 inches long which is half the length of her torso.