Sugar 'n' Spice - Weblog
Date Filed	08/04/2009
Location	Grand Harbour Marina, Vittoriosa, Malta
Lat/Long	35:53N	14:31E
Home	Next Weblog

31^st March 2009 We flew back to Malta with just under a week to get Sugar ‘n’ Spice ready for the water. With an evening flight arrival we left going to the Dockyard until the next morning, the 1^st of April. We found her looking smug in the sunshine, but with a coating of fine red sand, from a recent Sirocco (wind from the south & the Sahara, & sand) as our April Fool surprise. So the first job was an extra – to remove the sand, & we are still removing it! The scheduled jobs gradually got done with entertainment as the travel hoist team played jigsaws with boats going to & from the water. They really were very busy. We didn’t do much sightseeing until our final afternoon before launch day when we went into Valletta to relax & play tourist.

Mon 6^th April We seemed to be ready for our launch at 9.45. So were the travel hoist team, & a man with some anti-foul to do the prop patches & even the very bottom of the keel, once the boat was lifted & the props fell away. So we were afloat by 10.30 that morning & tied to the Dockyard’s jetty for the next session of “jobs when afloat”, plus provisioning.

Wed 8^th April After thanking the Dockyard for their help we left Manoel Island for the short trip to Valletta & Grand Harbour Marina, where we caught up with our friend Sandy for coffee & later lunch overlooking the marina & old town of Vittoriosa.