The tide was beginning to turn so we had to get to Poole yacht club, board the boat, a six berth vessel, perfect for a night in a secluded corner of Poole harbour, one of the worlds biggest and most beautiful natural harbors.
It was so lovely being with cousin Pete and Nicky again. It had been about seven years since we had last seen them in South Africa. For them, spending a night or two on their yacht is a regular weekend activity and they had everything to make it an amazing experience. We moored in a beautifully quiet spot near Anre and Round Island and while Nickynwas cooking the Salmon and beans, a seal frolicked around the boat, inquisitive, but not that brave. It was a very good nights sleep and a time to remember, with the “ting, ting, ting" of the rigging tapping against the mast and the waster lapping against the hull early in the morning as the tide came in.
Under sail we calmly made our way to the back of Brown Sea island, Gus sitting on the bow, looking out for obstructions. Pete asked him at one pint if the coast was clear and the reply from Gus was no, and that there was a canoeist up ahead and that it looked like he was on a death wish, looking to collide with us. As we drew up alongside him it turned put to be a long, lost friend of mine, Tim Bryan! What a wonderful surprise set up by Pete. We took the whole day catching up. Tim and I had done many adventurous trips together and in many ways he was one of my adventure mentors. While we chatted on board, Gus, Caitlin and Pete paddled the canoe and learnt to windsurf. THey had a brilliant teacher and learnt fast. It was time to return with the tide to the harbour but not before dropping Tim off at a point in the harbour called Sandbanks. After the Condor, a channel island ferry had crossed our bows, a giant in comparison to us, Tim jumped into his canoe, put on the spray deck, did two Eskimo rolls and waved goodbye, in true Tim style. Supper that night was an English speciality, a visit to the ight chippy to pick up fish and chips before meeting cousin Liz, her husband Andy and Rosie. We had w wonderful reunion supper on the stainless steel deck overlooking green fields and hills. We spoke late into the night!
Back on the bikes the next morning, Pete, Gus and I cycled from Sandbanks, over the ferry to Studland beach and through the beautiful forests, along lanes and bridle paths while the rest of the gang played crazy golf and and then made their way to Corfe castle where we met them at around lunchtime. The National Trust were putting on a medieval display for the holidays and what an education it was. Demonstrations and talks on cooking, hobbies, body armour, weapons, archery and the history of the castle itself. The children were enthralled, and we were all fascinated to hear that a Broadhead was a person who made a particular type of arrow head for use in battle or hunting. We had our picnic on the beautiful lawns and around 4pm we decided to head home.
It was an action packed day and it was to the lawn that two keen swordsmen took, with Andy being a Great Britain fencing coach, and one with such passion and enthusiasm for his sport, Gus and Caitlin had a life's dream come true. Both, as small children, used to battle it out with swords and now they'd been given a real lesson. The fencing lesson gave way to homemade pizzas in Pete's pizza oven out in the garden. We all mingled and chatted until late into the evening. Before departing the next morning, round two of the fencing contest took place and Pete found time to help G &C make a boomerang with his woodworking equipment. He's a sharp arrow is Pete, multitalented and he and Nix have the kindest of hearts. I can't find the words I would like to use to convey our gratitude to all of those who met us in Poole that week. It was one of those few and very special moments that ones privileged to have in life. It gave us all a great sence of belonging to a wonderful family!
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