The highlight of the year for us was the celebration of our Golden Wedding Anniversary. Jeremy was going to surprise me by revisiting our honeymoon cottage of 50 years ago in Anglesey. We couldn’t find it, so we went for the next best thing and booked Glanrhyd Cottage, Anglesey, LL71 7BG, through Airbnb. We stayed for 4 nights, using the cottage as a base for exploring the countryside. We enjoyed a romantic dinner for two at Lastra Farm Hotel on our special day, 29th March.
Our second
celebration took place on 19th July. We hired our village hall and
The Duck, the pub next door, for a daytime BBQ and party. Thank you to all our
family and friends who came to celebrate with us. We had a great day in spite
of the dull, grey weather. It was actually a double celebration. Our son,
Simon, daughter-in-law, Erin and grandchildren, Nina and Ramona came over from
California to be with us. It was the first time the family had travelled to the
UK and 10 years since Simon and Erin had gone to live in the USA. The day went
well until it was time for the speeches in the afternoon. Nina fell off the zip
line platform in the recreation ground and broke her arm just above her elbow.
Simon took her to Ipswich Hospital where she was kept in for 2 nights. A
plaster cast was put on her arm under surgery and would remain there for the
rest of their time in the UK. (As non-residents, they were charge over £6,250
for this).
Glanrhyd Cottage, Angelsey
As they say
in the theatre, “the show must go on,” and so it did with a memorable dramatic
presentation by “best man” Andy and Moira bringing in Jeremy and me as
characters in our own story! Thank you Andy and Moira. It was a lovely finale
to our special day.
Golden Wedding Anniversary cake
And now for the rest of the year. We flew back home from San Francisco on January 14th. We’d been in California and Mexico for 5 weeks. We borrowed Simon’s Pontiac Vibe and drove 3,000+ miles to Baja California Sud and back. Simon and family flew to San Jose near Cabo St Lucas, hired a car and we met at Santiago for lunch, checking into Hotel Julio later for two nights. We visited hot springs one day and walked to Canon de la Zorro Waterfall the second day. Both places were off road. Only one shop was open on Christmas Eve, so we shared cold tortillas and cheese for supper. Santa came on Christmas morning. The girls were delighted with their presents. Then we drove to La Paz for 3 nights staying at a lovely villa type house with its own, small swimming pool. Next, we drove to a beach house at Los Ceritos, on the Pacific Ocean coast. The family had been there before. The surf was up so Simon and Erin were soon out surfing and the girls were loving the waves in the shallows.
Our return
journey followed the Pacific Highway as much as possible, avoiding as many
Mexican potholes as we could (we hit hundreds!). We arrived back at Simon and
Erin’s house on 9th January and spent the weekend with them before
flying back to the UK exhausted. We learned later that the Pontiac Vibe needed “some”
suspension repairs. Simon scrapped it and bought a Nissan Leaf electric car.
Kathy, Ramona, Jeremy and Simon outside Hotel California
Later in
January, we attended the Westerly Owners Association AGM where we were
presented with the Commodore’s Clock for “Services to the Westerly Owners
Association”. We were surprised and honoured.
Commodore's Clock
In February we gave a talk to Woodbridge Cruising Club about our ocean travels and in return they gave us a year’s free membership. We collected a new mainsail for Sal Darago from Jeckells Sails in Norfolk. Then we met up with our friends, Graham and Val for a catch up and enjoyed sharing our news over lunch at Fizz and Fromage.
Easter was
spent in Mull; the kitchen flooring was replaced with a new vinyl. The weather
was exceptionally good and we enjoyed several walks and a visit to Iona. 
February talk to Woodbridge Cruising Club
Back row: Emily, Ramona, Ellie, Sophie, Nina, Erin. Front row: Jeremy, Kathy, Simon, Ben
In April, maintenance on Sal Darago continued
in earnest and she was launched into the River Deben at the end of the month.
This was just in time for a surprise visit of our son, Simon, over the early
May Bank Holiday weekend. We took him to
Sal Darago at Ramsholt and motored along the River Deben to The Rocks. Emily
and Ben joined us in their boat, Sea Rose. The grandchildren were away at a
scout camp, so we had an adult BBQ on board Sal Darago. We had intended to go
ashore to the beach, but the strong, northerly, onshore wind soon deterred us.
We finalised
the arrangements for a cruise in company to Holland and Belgium organised by
the Westerly Owners Association East Coast Group (WOA ECG). We offered a berth
to fellow member, Sarah and sailed to the River Orwell at the end of May to
collect her. The weather was predicted to increase to possible gale force over
the next few days, so we took the opportunity to cross the North Sea before
this weather system arrived. This is where we went: Belgium – Blankenberge;
Brugge; Holland – Vlissingen; Sint Annaland; Willemstaad; Dordrecht; De Heen;
Zierikzee; Burghamstede; Yerseke; Haringvreter Meer; Middleburgh.
Emily, Jeremy, Simon and Kathy on Sal Darago
We were
looking forward to attending our friends’ Golden Wedding Anniversary party at
the end of August. Cathy and Tony live in Wiltshire, only one and a half hours
drive from Poole in Dorset, so we decided to sail to Poole and hire a car. At
the party, in spite of torrential rain, everyone enjoyed themselves catching
up, eating, drinking and celebrating. Thank you, Cathy and Tony. 
Westerly rally in Dordrecht
We enjoyed
the sailing as well, although we’re still shocked at the marina prices on the
south coast. We had stops in the following places: Ramsgate (we had to replace
all three boat batteries here); Dover (we spent a day at Dover Castle on our
way back. This was free as we were now members of English Heritage);
Eastbourne; Chichester Harbour; Poole Harbour (spent a day walking round
National Trust Brownsea Island); Weymouth; Lulworth Cove; Worbarrow Bay (here
we walked to Tyneham, the village requisitioned before D-day in WW2 and never
returned!); Chapman’s Pool; Westbury White Horse; Stonehenge (joined English
Heritage here.); Studland Bay and Stone Heaps on the River Orwell.
Visit to Kinderdijk Unesco World Heritage site in The Netherlands
Sal Darago
was hauled out for the winter at the end of September at Melton Boatyard. I ended
the sailing season by falling on the concrete near the travel lift as we left
Sal Darago. After five and a half hours in A&E, I was discharged with two
dressings on my face and no fractures. I had to be supervised at home for the
next 48 hours in case of delayed concussion. When the bruising came out a few
days later, I looked like I’d been in the boxing ring! Fortunately, I am now
fully recovered.
Jeremy leaving Dover
The insurers
requested a survey. There were only three relatively minor things to replace,
so we were very pleased. These were: the heads valve was seized; the Surveyor
couldn’t move it. Jeremy did move it but serviced it anyway; the galley sink
outlet cock had external corrosion; Jeremy replaced it. The flexible gas pipe
or pipes showed signs of surface degradation. Jeremy replaced the gas box to
deck flexible pipe and the armoured flexible pipe to the cooker.
Jeremy and Kathy at Lulworth Cove, Dorset
Last month,
we spent two and a half weeks in the cottage in Mull. On the way, we viewed a
three year old Ford Focus Vignale Estate, had a test drive and agreed a price.
We enjoyed walking on Mull and catching up with friends and neighbours,
particularly John and Eilidh. On our way home, we detoured to the South Lakes,
paid for the car and drove both cars back to Suffolk, calling at Ritchie and
Catherine’s house near Doncaster for lunch.
Sal Darago hauled out for winter
This year,
leading up to Christmas Day, we’ll be spending three nights with Em, Ben, Ellie
and Sophie. After opening presents on Christmas morning, Jeremy and I will
return to our house and the others will go to Ben’s brother’s.
Waiting for A&E
We hope to
sail to the Mediterranean next year. If we do, there will be more blogs.
Sea Rose and Sal Darago
We wish everyone a very happy Christmas and a healthy New Year.
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