Whole New World

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 After 30 years of living on our 5 acre plot in the country, our one bedroom apartment in Richards Bay is a change.  Our place is just over a small channel from the Zululand yacht club and boatyard.  I love the view of the marina.  So chilled.  

Frantic packing and basically abandoning possessions and our home, we finally left Johannesburg to begin our new life arriving in RB at midnight.  This past week has been busy.  It feels a little like we are on holiday here, and I will want to go home soon.  

Sailing lessons have kept us occupied.  Fortunate that a new sailing school has just started up here in RB saving us trips to Durban.  We need the certificates to sail our own boat when she is ready;  Day Skipper, Coastal, and Off-Shore.  Its a process  of learning the ropes and accumulating the specified nautical miles to qualify.

Our beautiful Betwixt was just where we left her.  Work began immediately. The steel building frame has been cut off and the patch up paint is being applied.  9 coats.   Hull inspection done by a qualified local so the anti-fouling paint can be applied next under the water line.  The mast was damaged in the transport and being repaired.   There were two deep gouges which need a skived splint.  That perfect piece of Spruce needed is back in JHB.  We are missing our very well equipped workshop.  

There are all sorts of boats being built or repaired here in the boatyard.  It is a good environment.  Very different to being all alone on a plot so far from the sea.




Steel building frame cut off


Sunrise view from our new apartment







  

   

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