We eventually got Hurkur lifted on Tuesday 14th, was scheduled to come out on the Monday, but someone phoned in sick and the hoist was unable to be used for the whole day! Sounds like bad management to me! Anyway everything went forward on Tuesday after some ‘encouragement’ from us, as they wanted to put it off even longer. We were fortunate with the weather and able to crack on with all the jobs, cleaning, anti-fouling, etc… and got it all done in record time, which was just as well as we only had 8 days out in the end. They only chocked her up on one block of wood as now the Health and Safety gestapo say two is dangerous, could be because they had a boat go over recently and cause a lot of damage (although that was in a cradle). Few photos here to show the before and afters, it was pretty weedy round the prop and P bracket, but we’ve been in the water since early Spring last year. Eddie took the Spurs rope cutter off to clean and it fell apart! So that was an unexpected cost we hadn’t bargained for. Had to pay special delivery from Harold Hayles for a new one because of the time issue. £501 in all (gulp)!
Back in the water we had some more things to finish off and put the headsail up too, then we were ready to go for a sail, the first of the year! Only, of course, the weather changed. We patiently waited it out and last Wednesday and Thursday 29th & 30th had a sail, complete contrast in the weather on both days, but lovely to be out there. Coming back into the lock we saw a Polish boat arriving, quite unusual to see them this far away from their home, but funnily enough there was another one already in the harbour visitor’s berths.
The marina are limiting the number of visitors allowed because of Coronavirus, but there is a steady stream of boats, mostly of course from the Netherlands. We shan’t be going anywhere this year, wherever we go it will be busy, so rather sit it out and enjoy the delights of Eastbourne! (And stay safe).
