Full blown PTSD when returning to the boat after six months on land.

After surviving losing a mast in the Atlantic ocean, being a flotilla crew skipper/crew for 6 months in Greece with that bloody nasty Meltemi and some very inexperienced skippers, plus spending 3 days on board during the worst winds EVER recorded in Gordons Bay Yacht Club, yet walking down a wobbly jetty in the semi-dark last night to get back on board after 6 months on land, completely and utterly freaked me out.

Look, I’m no wussy, I have lived on this boat full-time for nearly 9 years, but I shook like a leaf, sweated like a hooker in a confessional and could not stop crying walking along the wobbly, moving jetty. When I eventually clambered on board via 2 cable-tied beer crates and gripping a shroud (with my one good arm, left one still needs an op) like a gorilla swinging along the treetops in Uganda, I sat and cried for a good ten minutes. Sobbed actually.

The last time I was on this boat, I said goodbye. I could not imagine myself ever setting foot on board after the 3 days of hell we endured. Yet, here I am. This morning I woke up feeling excited and enthusiastic, ready to face the mountain of cleaning and work that needs to be done to get our home looking good again. Michael has been on board for 3 full weeks already and although he has tackled some of the mouldy areas, there is still plenty to be done. Plenty.

As we have never “wintered” the boat before, and thought we would visit her more often than we did (also we left by being rescued by the NSRI so no time to take the usual precautions against mould and dampness) things aren’t looking too good. New bedding is first on my list!

Michael has sorted or is busy sorting out the following issues:

Bilges kept filling up at an alarming rate with our fresh water. Leaks had to be tracked down, unfortunately, we have corrosion in the old copper water pipes, busy slowly replacing one by one ……….but wait, there’s more………

•  The shower bilge float switch is defective, not pumping out water anymore
•  Furler is not turning properly
• Welding needs to be done on-chain plate that holds the main shroud
• The fuel tank is missing from the dinghy outboard, need a new one
• The invertor kept on setting off the temperature alarm due to a broken fan
• The smart charger got wet inside somehow, not charging fully
• Erratic shore power (and water) which makes repairs infuriatingly slow
• The washing machine solenoids were seized up, and the machine was taken apart before solving the problem (yes, my washing machine IS necessary!)
• The water pump packed up which necessitated buying a new one.

However, such is the lifestyle, pretty much the same as maintaining a property, so we shall do what we gotta do. We will haul out mid-November in Gordon’s Bay, give her a fresh coat of paint and antifouling, and off we will go into the wide blue yonder once again. West Coast, Paternoster, Brittania Bay, Saldanha Bay, and of course, our favourites, Kraalbaai and Langebaan.

Come and visit, probably our last sojourn on the West Coast. 2025 has new adventures awaiting Captain Underpants and Pirate Wench!