Back in Gibraltar I had 5 days to get the antifouling on, grease the MaxProp, install new anodes and refloat Tainui before Maxine and Ian arrived.
This re-commissioning business always depresses me. I look around and see myriad jobs waiting to be done. As usual, I start all of them at once, in haphazard fashion, then cast them aside with frustration, irritation or boredom. It takes about a week before I begin to feel comfortable again in the boat, and the jobs voluntarily join their own queue, wait their turn and all eventually get done.
As always, Maxine brought her unique brand of commonsense to the boat and things finally fell into place. Ian, who hasn’t sailed with Tainui since our Spitzbergen trip, drifted into La Linea the next day and was immediately at home. The two of them seem to get on easily, as I thought they would.
Looking across to Algeceiras
Looks lovely but it’s cold and deserted
The chilly wind does nothing for this author’s spirits in the marina however, where most boats sit lifeless for the winter. He is keen to get away and pathetically anxious about the big, winter Atlantic ocean outside the Pillars of Hercules.