[m i a o w] the cat

Although Z and I were still feeling a bit ‘gah’, I figured that it would be just as good to be feeling a bit bleugh on an adventure. It was M’s first Father’s Day and I know he has been wanting to get us out on the boat for months. My dad and Mgs were keen, so we set off on Sunday morning from Warneet Pier at 10am (due to tide constraints, M had to get the boat down the creek earlier in the morning before the water was too low).

The weather could have been better, but we had no grand plans. Merely a noodle around in the boat to see where the wind took us, and the prospect of a gourmet feast for lunch. Small Z was in the sling on me, and was quite interested in what was going on - though more keen on all the different ropes, rather than the seagoing scenery.

The weather looked a little ominous, but the rain, when it came, was well timed. Small Z had gone to sleep in the sling while I walked along the beach, and stayed snoozing as I clambered back aboard. We began lunch in the cockpit, but quickly moved below. There was D’Affinois, rabbit terrine, stuffed olives, champagne, pesto, boiled eggs, the innovative sailing friendly salad-in-a-bag and Coopers for dad. Small Z slept all the way through the feast, making us laugh with her baby-dream utterances.

By the time M dropped myself and Small Z back at Warneet Pier, we were exhausted. The others kept going down the creek back to the mooring. However, just as they took off, as M put the motor into reverse, the stupid motor bracket snapped and the outboard when into the drink!! Oh woe! After a few attempts at hooking it with the anchor, they had to abandon their efforts and go home under sail - luckily, conditions were amenable.

M had to go back with dad (as his spotter) the next day and jump off Warneet Pier in his wetsuit. He said it was beyond freezing, totally sharky looking and one of the hardest things he has ever done. Trying to find the motor at the bottom and tie a rope around it - while holding his breath under a large amount of water. He may write about it on his blog. He not only managed to get it - but also managed to resuscitate it!