Captains Blog 29th January 2008
We’re into the summer season of hot Marlborough days and cool Marlborough nights. Well we should be. This last week the days have been unusally warm and muggy and the nights hot and sticky too. The only time to escape has been with the gentle breeze as we cruise down the river.
But this last week has been memorable for more than just the weather. We had a wedding party of 88 people on board on Saturday. Always looking to have the vessel in top order for such a special occasion, everything was cleaned by Friday. And then it rained – with thunder and a little lightening too. Unexpectedly the rain didn’t especially clear the atmosphere but it did leave streaks down the windows. (Streaks might be a bit melodramatic a term since no one else noticed them, but when you’ve just cleaned the windows you can spot the dried water stains left by a brief squall.) So first thing on Saturday I was hanging outside the boat on a rope, re-cleaning the windows. All this extra work left time a bit tight and to add to that the first guests arrived early. Donning my uniform I filled a tray with champagne glasses and plenty of bubbly, before dancing out the door to greet the arrivals. Just at the moment I invited everyone to take a glass, a sharp gust of wind toppled one champagne flute. We all watched aghast as the first flute hit a second, which toppled a third, until eventually the whole tray load of glasses collapsed, leaving me awash with champagne and broken glass. We all laughed and, stepping around me, everyone filed on board where intact glasses and further supplies of bubbles awaited them.
My tray-tipping antics should have put me on my guard. But could anything else really go wrong? Er, yes and twice yes. First the starter motor wouldn’t work and then one motor died altogether. With crew exchanging worried glances and all guests oblivious of our state, which was somewhat akin to a car being stuck on the side of the road with a puncture and no spare, we decided to cruise on one engine. The ship did us proud.
Just one comment to finish, the words of the bride to her mother: “Could it be more perfect?” If only she knew.
Happy sailing.
