Un-Slipping.

We put Awaitea back in the water today (HOOOOORAY). Cooks & I watched from the sidelines - she completely oblivious to what was going on, but me with my heart in my mouth / stomach in my mouth / mouth in my heart / foot in my mouth - (SHITTING MYSELF).

If the truth be told, I'm a bit of a chicken. I'm full of bravado on the outside, but it's all rubbish. Utter rot. I am such a terrible chook.

I tend to slink off during the scary bit. It's not that I don't trust Xave's mooring skills, (as limited as they may be), it's just that manoeuvring a 25 tonne steel yacht in a tight space surrounded by valuable yachts and the like pretty much FREAKS ME OUT!

It reminded me of a time many years ago, when my family and I all went on a boating holiday in the Gippsland Lakes aboard an almighty houseboat. One day, we pulled into the pier by the pub in Metung, for supplies and the like. With an onshore wind, the docking was fine. Easy. It was just the pulling out bit that was a bit tricky. So off we went, farewelled by a full beer garden of pub goers enjoying the afternoon sunshine and a few beers, problem was, with this serious wind, the minute we pulled out, we were pushed, practically side on towards the very beer garden we'd just frequented, and also towards a clearly valuable yacht, which our 'bruiser' would have done some serious damage to. Whilst my family scrambled maniacally about on deck with fenders, boat hooks, etc, I scurried away below decks, dying of embarrassment, hiding from the alarmed and amused pub goers, who were all hooting ferociously by this stage. Thankfully, my brother in law took the helm and managed to some how navigate us out of the danger zone and off into the haven (and anonymity) of the lakes.

My sudden disappearance did not go unnoticed however, and I was teased relentlessly (and rightly so) for the duration of the trip. That's how I remember it anyway. My family might remember otherwise…

Coming back to the present though, Xave negotiated the harbour today with ease and skill, and reversed our yacht, gently & calmly, into her new mooring. Beautifully done Xave.

It'll be up to US - that's Xave & ME - to do this in the future.

Therefore there'll be no slinking off for me, I'll actually have to suck up my fear, and perform.... and the chicken inside, no doubt, will be clucking frantically throughout.