Kestrels!!!!

Heya Everyone, I apologise to whoever actually reads this for not updating, i keep meaning to then forgetting!!!

Anyway, last time you heard i was just about to go on kestrels, so it seems a good place to start would be there.

So.... KEstrels.

Well we started the week well, i was on a Hustler, Hustler 4 to be precise, lovely first sail, which included Chris Witham, our illustrious mate, ramming her onto a bank and getting her throughly stuck in the mud!!! Eventually got a tug off from the cruiser and it was back to Buttifants for dinner with high fives all round for excellent 'team bonding' which was of course why we had crashed in the first place.

Sunday was also good, sailed down to potter, excellent steering through the bridge by me, of course. A nice peaceful day, tacking along medow dyke, it took us 1 hour 23 minutes and 3 seconds, not that we were counting or anything, to get through. Had a quick sail and then into horsey for tea. Of course, that evening we went to church, met up with those lazy lot from B, and had a jolly olf sing-song!

It was monday that the trouble started, all but about 11 of the cruise went off to see the seals on the beach, but two boat loads stayed behind. So me, ruth, sasha and vicky, set off on tarn, leaving behind our beloved hustler to sail to hickling for a carefree day of fun. Or so we thought..... little did we know that we would not see Hustler again for a very long time!
So after a quiet morning, running races to parts of the boat, turnign tight circles round posts our amazing skipper (Vicky) had not noticed, and setting scarves afloat, in washing up bowls (girls boat) without anything to keep it afloat (guys boat), we decided to morr up at Hickling for a much needed bite to eat and quiet time.
After having eaten, bibled and visited the toilets, we made ready to set off for further fun sailing, and a quanting lesson for me. But of course, ti didnt all go to plan, the boys went off fine, but as we raised the sail and vicky sweated the throat (made sure the sail was up high enough) we heard an ominous ripping sound, sure enough, we looked up and there was a lovely long gash in our sail. Well, we took it down, phoned colin, who was on a lunch break but we were told he would be back soon, and would bring a new sail. Then vicky rang neil, explained about the problem, and said she was worried because tris had signed for the boat and he was back at horsey. The conversation I'm told, went soemthing like this:
Neil: Ah, dont worry, I know exactly where tris is
Vicky: Ok
Neil: He's on N.... (radom place i cant remember the name of)
Vicky: Ok
Neil: No, ON N.......
Vicky: Ah, what happened
Neil: HE put a hole in your boat
Vicky: Ah.
So having hung up the phone, and recounted the tale, we set about waiting for Colin to arrive with said new sail. He arrived about an hour later, me having had time to wash ruthie's hair before he did, put a new sail on the boat and we set off, back home. Motoring because we were already late. Unfortunately our engine gave out, right at the beginning of medow dyke. So it was once again time to begin the long tack down it.
It was on crossing Horsey Mere, that we finally realised the extent of the fate that had befallen our sweet hustler 4. For we saw her crossing in the opposite direction to us, an electric bilge pump on the back to keep her afloat. Indeed, they had actually sunk our boat!
We arrived back at horsey about 5:30 and found a new hustler in our old ones place, food on Leda for us and lots of hugs and sympathy. But all this could not mend in our hearts the gap left by the fate of hustler 4.

Tuesday: We sailed to back to Buttifants, not much happened apart from Chris evilly trying to tip both me and james off the cabin roof, where we had been forced to, as there was not enough space in the well for all 5 of us. Got in to buttifants early, and consequently were first in for the showers. Ah.... showers! We also paid a visit to Hustler, who was in the Hunters shed, being fixed. Witham has the pictures or i would show you all. And went back to our boats to have tea.

Wednesday was the day of the great swaps. Many people moved around and i ended up on Bure Classic with rachel, Mary and Richard. We got to Ludham, and decided to shoot the bridge, which we did, although not quite as planned. For, having strung up their teatowels on the burgie hallyard, they had got caught not only in the peak hallyard but also in the furled jib, so when it came to bringing the mast down, we were stuck. Richard bravely lept to try to untangle it all so the jib and forestay would come down and consequently the mast, completely forgetting that the forestay to which he had been holding, was keeping the mast up. Ker-plunk! down the mast fell, narrowly missing rachel's head, and being spectacularly caught by Mary. We made it through the bridge with no further problems. But after.... well, Richard was quanting while mary sorted the tea towels, but she was unable to get the knots untied, so he gave me the quatpole said "here you quant" and lept to help her. Unfortunately, I've never been taught how, and this, combined with the fact that the river was especially deep made the experience interesting. We made it to how hill nice and early, had lunch on leda, and speant the afternoon playing games and generally having fun! In the evening there was a film for those who wanted it, but i speant a lovely evening watching clouds and discussing pretty much everything with John.

Thursday we spent the day on barton broad, wet into Herrings hole for lunch, and moored up at Gay's Staithe early so that people could watch the other half of the film. ME and john did bible study and helped mary cook, then went to the cruiser for logs and shanties. And of course then to bed.

Friday dawned bright and early, literally, the leaders quanted all the boats out into the middle of Barton Broad, whilst we were still asleep! for a dawn Good Friday service, in protest to this my night boat all went in out pajama's.
Speant the morning sailing the Fish, neils dighy, with josh, which was great fun, took us a while to get the boat balanced so she didnt gybe. and on one tack i decided to beach her, literally, she came up out of the water. But apart from that we got to ludham bridge fine, took down the mast and i paddled her through, while josh steered. Sailed on hustler 2 from the bridge until lunch, and speant lunchtime sailing on the fish again with john. We sailed her backwards, and then with the spinnaker up!!! twas lots and lots of fun!
Arrived back at buttifants and comenced sorting the boat and packing. :(

Saturday: Well, up until train time we packed up the boats, said tearful goodbyes to everyone, and generally had fun. The train journey home went well, i changed trains without any trouble, and the boredom of the 50 minute wait for the train was alleviated by the unexpected arrival or James on the platform. I got to my aunts house with no trouble, and once again breathed a sigh of relief at being able to ahve a shower!!!

So there we have it, an extra long post, but blame john! It was a great week, did lots of good bible stuff, and had lots of fun!!! Cant wait till enxt year!!!