Not sailing into the sunset...

Although it's almost two years since Richard has been part-owner of the yacht King Malu, and a year since they started sea-trials, I have never been out sailing in her. This is because I don't do well in sunshine or heat... and they generally don't sail when there is no sunshine, because it tends to mean that the waves are choppy and the wind high. I did go on board in January, for a meal, and was quite prepared to be taken for a short sail... but it was too windy.

So when, about a week ago, Richard said they wondered if I would like to go for a sunset sail some time, I thought it sounded a good idea. Sunset is around 7.30pm, as it's totally dark by 8.00pm now, and the weather is mostly calm.

Then he said we would eat a meal on board - but I didn't have to provide any of it. So that was good. Then I learned that it wasn't going to be a sail at all, but a gentle motor for maybe ten minutes. Hmm. After much discussion, it was decided to meet at the marina at 6.00pm on Thursday. I'm glad I took a hat since it was still quite hot and sunny by then, and the 'bimini' (sunshade) no use at all since the sun was low enough to avoid it.

So, after a slight hiatus when the boat was blown into the one next-door, we set off. The sea was rather choppy and it worried me how much the boat seemed to be rocking, but Richard said it was fine. I was more disturbed by the sun on the back of my head than I was by the waves. And by around 7.00 was more than ready to stop and have something to eat - which was roast chicken from the 'New York' take-away and some excellent salad.

Tim had made some chocolate brownies:


After we'd eaten them, Erika and Lauren sat with their feet up:


I suddenly noticed that the sun was indeed starting to set, so thought I'd better take a photo since that was, after all, what we had come to see:


The camera is automatic, so it wasn't actually as dark as it looked in that picture. Tim P (the main owner of the boat) decided it was time to go back so he went to the front of it:


And Richard took the wheel:


I managed to catch another picture of the sun just before it disappeared over the horizon, although it wasn't fully dark for another fifteen minutes or so:


So I still haven't been sailing on King Malu. Going on board a couple of times a year seems reasonable enough, though... but I preferred it in January when it was decidedly less hot.