Never walk alone- Walk on - 12. Chapter 12

The weekend was a fairly chilled one. The weather was glorious, the summer moving into that period where the southeaster doesn't blow as much, instead just being a soft cooling breeze. Marge was working her first weekend, so they had Byron with them during the day. She took him to The Cameron with her when she started her shift at 7am, and then dropped him off at the house at 9am after he had eaten breakfast with her.
The three children spent the morning in the playroom watching movies and after lunch they were in the swim-ming pool, joined later by little Simone from down the road. Andrew and Ryan sat on the patio, keeping an eye on them while they were in the water. Simone's parents, Kevin and Vanessa, arrived at 4pm, having been invited to join the Devlin-Majors for a braai and Marge fetched Byron at 5pm. Andrew and Ryan had organised the meat for the braai, so Vanessa arrived with salads and dessert. Andrew opened a bottle of Southern Right Sauvignon Blanc for him and Vanessa, while Ryan and Kevin both had Heineken.

The noise from the pool had subsided, the three children having had enough of the water and were now laying on towels on the warm pool surround drying themselves. Ryan was getting the fire started when his phone started ringing. He turned to his husband.

"Drew, answer that please. My hands are covered in charcoal soot".
Andrew reached over and looked at the screen. It was Darren on 'Belle Catherine'.

"Hi Darren. Ry's busy with the braai fire. Where are you?"

"Hi Andrew. We're anchored in False Bay for the night. I just wanted to advise that we are planning to be in the marina by 15h00 tomorrow".

"Okay, great. Thanks Darren. We will meet be there when you arrive. Are your guests overnighting at Blue Bay or The Cameron?"

"They're at The Cameron. Will you arrange the transfer or do you want me to do it", Darren enquired.

"No, don't hassle. I'll call The Cameron. How things going?"

"Very well. A really nice group. Younger than normal, so the water toys have been put to good use on this trip".

"Oh, good. So they've had a good time".

"Yeah, they have loved it. And the weather has been amazing the whole trip. They're already talking about a return trip next year".

"That's good to hear. Well done. To you and Kerry. We'll see you tomorrow at 15h00".

"Thanks Andrew. Enjoy your braai".

"Thank you. I'm sure we will. We've got Kevin and Vanessa with us. Bye"
Andrew disconnected the call and put Ryan's phone down.

"I take it that was your yacht", Kevin enquired.

"Yes. That was Darren on 'Belle Catherine'. Just advising us of their ETA. Whenever possible, Ryan and I like to go down to meet them, and have a shmooze with the guests. It's good PR. Oh, let me just call The Cameron to arrange the transfer from the marina".

Andrew quickly made the necessary arrangements and then looked at their guests enquiringly.

"If I am not mistaken, you guys have never seen 'Belle Catherine'.

"No we haven't", Vanessa replied. "Every time you invite us go go out on her, we always seem to have something else on".

"We really must make a plan to get you out on her. Why don't you meet us at the marina tomorrow and we can show you around her. Unfortunately we won't be able to take her out, we'll have to do that another time".

"We would love to see her. We've heard so much about her", Kevin replied.

"Good, 3pm at the Waterfront Marina". Andrew stood up. "I just want to get my laptop so that I can see her reservations. Then we can make a date to take you out on her".

He quickly collected his laptop and booted it up, opening it on 'Belle Catherines' web page.

"Let's have a look shall we. Okay, I thought so. Next weekend is one of the few weekends where she is not on charter. They've got a three day up the West Coast arriving back on Thursday. And then they sail again on the following Tuesday. How are you guys set up for next weekend? I'm thinking of sailing on Saturday morning and returning on Sunday afternoon. We haven't taken her out overnight in ages, so maybe this is the ideal opportunity for us as well".
Kevin looked at his wife.

"For a change we have nothing planned. So we would love to join you. Are you sure it won't be an inconvenience?"
Ryan had turned from the fire and was listening to the conversation.

"Not at all. It will be nice to take her out. We don't get many opportunities anymore", he told them.

"In that case, thank you. We accept. But we'll wait until next weekend to see her then"

And so the arrangements were made, leaving Kevin and Vanessa very excited for the short cruise ahead of them.
On Sunday afternoon, they drove to the marina, taking the twins and Byron with them after advising Marge where they were going. On the way, Ryan pointed out the boatyard they would be visiting the following day as they drove past it.

'Belle Catherine' was just motoring into the marina basin when they pulled up next to The Camerons guest trans-port vehicle, and they were on hand to catch the mooring lines and wrap them around the bollards when she docked. Little Byron's eyes were as big as saucers as he stared at the yacht.

"Is this your dads boat", they heard him ask Cameron, who nodded.

"Wow", he said.

They spoke to the guests for a short while before they left for the lodge for the night and then went on board to chat with Darren and Kerry. The twins took Byron on the threepenny tour.

Andrew advised Darren and Kerry that he and Ryan were taking some friends out the next weekend and the younger couple undertook to get 'Belle Catherine' spruced up and replenished for the short trip.
Kerry served tea and coffee with a slice of leftover cheesecake, endearing her to Ryan for life, the children all had sodas, and they drove away shortly before 5.30pm in order to get Byron to The Cameron to meet up with his mother, who, as soon as he saw her, had to be told all about the 'huuuge' boat that he had been on.

The appointment at the shipyard was set for 08h30, so after dropping the twins at school on Monday morning, they drove towards the harbour on the coast road. Traffic was quite heavy due to it still being rush hour, so it took them a bit longer than normal to reach the entrance to the harbour, but they arrived in good time, finding a parking close to the reception office. Ryan opened the glass door and they stepped into the blissfully air condi-tioned building. An attractive woman seated at the reception desk smiled warmly at them.

"Good morning gentlemen. How can I help you?"

"Good morning", Ryan replied, smiling back at her. "Ryan and Andrew Devlin-Major for Gordon Vickerson. We have an appointment".

"Yes, he's expecting you. Please make yourselves comfortable and I'll tell him you are here".

She walked down a passage and entered an office. Ryan and Andrew wandered around the reception studing the photographs of various catamarans the hanging on the walls. On an easel in the corner stood a computer gene-rated picture of the yacht they were interested in. The picture made the yacht look even bigger than Andrew had thought it was. They heard footsteps on the granite floor behind them and turned around. The receptionist reappeared followed by a tall redheaded man with, he had to grudgingly admit, the most striking blue eyes Andrew had ever seen, even more so than Ryan's, and a smile as wide as the horizon. Andrew liked him on sight. He hesitated for a split second, then strode towards them, his hand extended.

"Good morning gentlemen. Welcome to Southern Marine. Gordon Vickerson"
He shook their hands as they introduced themselves.

"I'm a bit surprised to see that you are so young. You sounded a lot older on the phone. I'm guess I'm just used to dealing with older clients when it comes to multimillion rand yachts", Gordon said to them.

"We got that same reaction with our first yacht as well. So you're not the first", Ryan replied with a grin.

"I'm pleased to hear that. Let's go through to the boardroom and we can chat before I show you around. Can we get you some tea or coffee?"

"Coffee for me please", Ryan replied, "And tea for me", Andrew added. Gordon turned to the receptionist.

"Bronwyn, will you arrange that please. Tea for me as well. And some biscuits as well please"

Gordon led them down the corridor into a plush boardroom with a beautiful kiaat table and cream leather upholstered chairs on a thick deep blue carpet. More photographs of catamarans hung on the walls. They sat down at three chairs around one end of the table and chatted until the refreshments arrived. Once they were alone again, Gordon sat back and looked at Ryan.

"You told me you are interested in the 870 we have in build. Is it for private use or for charter?"

"I guess both really. But charter will be her main purpose. We already have a 17meter Majestic named 'Belle Catherine', based in the Waterfront Marina. And we have a 35meter Sunseeker trideck motoryacht', Amira' based in Mauritius. We have found that 'Amira' is not completely compatible with what we have in mind for the charter branch of the company. Devlin-Major Charters have become known as a catamaran charter. And obviously 'Amira', as gorgeous and luxurious as she is, is a square peg in a round hole. The plan is to move her to the Mediterranean for the northern summer and put her on the market. The 870 will be her replacement", Ryan explained. Gordon nodded.

"I'm afraid I have to ask this question. Is the purchase of the 870 subject to the sale of your motor yacht?"

"Ry, can I answer Gordon's question? We may still be relatively young, but we are most certainly not without means. Ideally, we would like 'Amira' to sell as quickly as possible. But in the event that she doesn't sell, I can assure you, the funds are available. In fact, we would be willing to provide a sizable down payment to secure the 870. I might just add, we paid cash for 'Belle Catherine'. There was no financing needed. If you require a reference, your are quite welcome to contact Steve Carter at Majestic.
Once a firm commitment is agreed upon, we can have a bank guaranteed deposit with you within 48 hours as
well as a written guarantee for the balance. We will, however, require you to sharpen your pencil if we are going to provide the funding up front, and provide us with a substantial discount or added features".

"I'm sorry if I offended you in any way. But as I said, the question had to be asked. But, I have a feeling I'm going to enjoy doing business with you gentlemen. Right, I think it's time you saw what you want to buy. Let's go have a look at her shall we!".

They followed him further down the corridor, through a double set of soundproofed doors, into a cavernous hanger-like factory. Several stations were occupied by smaller catamarans in build, but right in the centre of the factory stood a massive four deck vessel, rising above everything else around it. The sight of it stopped Ryan in his tracks.
"Ho-ly cow. She's huge. I thought 'Belle Catherine' was big when we saw her hull for the first time, But this is on another level completely"

Closer up, they could see the yacht stood taller than she actually was, her weight being borne on several supports which raised her a few feet off the concrete floor. A short stepladder allowed access to the swimming platform, which they carefully negotiated to board the yacht. Two short flights of stairs, three stepseach rose up to the expansive main deck aft, covered by the overhang from the deck above that was supported by two columns to port and starboard. Apart from the structural built-in lockers, the hull was bare.

"She looks a lot bigger in her bare bones state, but even once all the interiors are in, there will still be masses of space to move", Gordon told them, smiling.

"You're not kidding", Andrew replied. "Compared to 'Belle Catherine', this is simply palatial".

For almost an hour, Ryan and Andrew examined the hull, comparing the quality of workmanship to that which they had experienced with 'Belle Catherines' construction. To his credit, they were able to tell Gordon that they were very impressed and were seriously interested in procuring the vessel and by the time they drove away, a formal Letter of Intent had been signed. Andrew undertook to have the down payment trasferred into Southern Marines bank account within 48hours.
On the drive back to the office, Andrew brought up a point that was bothering him.

"Ry, I really think we need to advise Michael what is going on. Just to make sure he is on board with the idea".

"I'm cool with that, my love. I trust your instincts. You've never been wrong before. We can contact him when we get back to the office".

"We need to speak to him in person. I think we must fly him down when they get back from the latest charter. If I remember correctly, 'Amira's got a bit of a break until the next charter. Four or five days I think. He can fly down for two days, we fill him in on our plans, get his feedback, maybe take him to see thehull. I, personally, would like to know that he is on board and that we won't be running around trying to find a skipper when the time comes".

"Yeah okay, we can do that. Will he stay at Blue Bay or The Cameron?"

"Probably The Cameron. Blue Bay is fully booked until the end of February. I know The Cameron is also busy, but Richard is more likely to have a room available. I'll check when we get back as well".

Back at the office, Andrew checked the reservations system for both 'Amira' and The Cameron, the went to Ryan's office where they made a Skype call to Michael on 'Amira'.

"Good afternoon Michael. How things going and where are you?", Ryan asked.

"Afternoon Ryan. Hi Andrew. We're anchored off Anse des Cocos, that lovely beach you explored. It's our first time we have stopped here with charter guests. They're all ashore at the moment having a beach BBQ".

"Oh great, I'm pleased about that", Ryan said. "The main reason we contacted you was that we need to see you in Cape Town. We have a new project that we would like your input on. Andrew is arranging your flights and accom-modation for Sunday afternoon. Are we correct in thinking you dock in Port Louis on Sunday morning?"

"Yes, we will actually arrive during the night on Saturday. Our charter guests have reservations on the early Air Mauritius flight to Johannesburg, so they have to leave by 06h00 and there's a weeks break before our next trip for the crew to have a break", Michael advised them.

"Okay good. You will be on the evening flight to Cape Town, and you'll be staying at The Cameron for three nights. A driver will be at the airport to collect you. I'm sure your crew can cope without you for three days. We'll fill you in when you arrive.".

"Righto, boss. See you on Monday morning then"

"Yeah, we'll come down to The Cameron and have breakfast with you. We can chat then. Give our regards to your crew".

After the call, Andrew made the necessary arrangements and sent Michael all the details. He returned to his office to gather his laptop and everything he needed for his trip up country. After picking up the twins and Byron from school, Andrew would stay at the house to spend some time with them prior to his trip, while Ryan would return to the office. Rascal, of course, was overjoyed that three of his human family were home for the afternoon, and when he got tired of playing with the children around and in the pool, he came and lay down at Andrew's feet, where he was sitting at the patio table, stretching out in the warm sun to dry his fur and was soon snoring softly. Andrew got the feeling the little dog was still feeling a bit lonely with the twins not being around in the mornings and he did nor let them out of his sight when they were home.

While the children were in the pool, Andrew had his laptop open doing some work, but as soon as they were finished swimming, he closed the laptop and concentrated on them. It was a bit easier with Byron being there to distract them, but later in the evening, after dinner and Byron had gone home, they cuddled between their dads, watching TV, with Rascal on Cameron's lap. At bedtime, Andrew read them a story until they fell asleep.

He slipped quietly out of the house at 4.30am the next morning for his 6am flight to Johannesburg. The trip was pretty much run of the mill, the only item of interest being a property in the Southern Drakensberg that the owner of the lodge on the North Coast told him about that may soon be looking for a new owner or management com-pany and that he had given the owner Andrew's number and email address. Andrew told him he would follow up on it once back in Cape Town.

He arrived back home late on Thursday night, after the twins had gone to bed, so he just went into their bed-rooms, kissed each of them on the forehead, cuddled Rascal, and then spent some quality time with Ryan in the master bedroom.

Ryan had an early meeting at Southern Marine, wanting to personally deliver the written guarantee for the remainder of the purchase price of the new catamaran, and to discuss a few design changes he wanted to make. Before he left, he gently carried the twins to join Andrew in the main bedroom, and they were joined by Rascal who hopped onto the bed as well, turned around a few times, curled up and fell asleep.
The radio alarm woke Andrew at 7am and he had barely opened his eyes before he was attacked by his two exuberant children and an equally excited puppy. They had some fun for a while, but then it was a mad rush to get ready to drop them at school. Fortunately, Yvonne was on hand to get breakfast organised and to pack their lunch boxes, and they arrived at school just as the bell rang, where Byron waited at the gate for them, looking anxious. His face transformed into a wide smile when Andrew's SUV stopped at the entrance. He watched as the three youngsters hugged and then hurried to their classrooms before the second bell rang. He drove away to the office with a contented smile.

Ryan had not yet returned from his meeting, so Andrew had some tea and a Danish pastry, aware that Ryan had not had anything to eat before he left for his meeting. They would have a proper breakfast when he arrived back.
He spoke with Darren and Kerry, just checking on how the charter had gone and that they hadn't forgotten that he and Ryan were taking 'Belle Catherine' out the next day, advising them that four cabins would be needed as David and Janice were joining them as well for the overnight cruise. He also asked Kerry to cut up some fruit for fruit salad if she had time.

Then he sent emails to all the owners and managers of the upcountry lodges, confirming what they had discussed during his meetings with them and then he began listing decor ideas for the new yacht.
Ryan only got back mid morning, his first words after kissing Andrew being,

"My love, I am starving. My stomach thinks my throats been cut. Have you had breakfast?"

"No babe! I was waiting for you. I did have a Danish pastry earlier."

Andrew had Helen order them all toasted bacon and egg sandwiches with French fries, coffee and tea which they enjoyed while sitting on the patio in the warm sunshine and then Andrew brought Ryan up to speed on the upcountry lodges and the lead he had been given in the Southern Drakensberg. They did web search and even-tually concluded that the property was a large resort located deep in the mountains, about 40 kilometres from the nearest town. The property was far larger than anything they currently had and they decided to give it some thought before making any positive moves.

With it being a Friday, it was their usual half day when they went home after picking up the twins and Byron from school. Yvonne left for home as soon as they arrived, leaving a bacon, butternut and feta quiche with a mixed salad for lunch, after which the children watched a movie in the playroom and then got into the pool. Ryan kept an eye on them while Andrew went upstairs to get everything ready for their trip on 'Belle Catherine' the next day.
Marge stopped by to pick up Byron, excited to be having the weekend off. Cameron and Elizabeth wanted burgers, so their dads took them to their favourite steakhouse for dinner. When they got back, it was getting on for 9.30pm, so they got the twins into bed, read them a story, snuggled with them until they fellasleep and then went downstairs for coffee. While Andrew brewed the coffee, Ryan turned on the TV to SkyTV where the big news was a huge storm that was bearing down on the United Kingdom. The forecast predicted ferocious winds, heavy snowfalls and very rough seas for the next 72hours, with Scotland being particularly hard hit. They watched the preparations for the approaching storm while they drank their coffee, then turned the TV off, locked up, turned off the lights, set the alarm and went to bed, having a fairly early night to be at the marina by 8am.

When they boarded 'Belle Catherine' the next morning, the weather was nothing like they had seen on TV the night before. Cape Town was on her best behaviour, displaying blue, cloudless skies, a mirror-like sea and, disappointingly, almost no wind, although that was forecast to change later during the day. They opened up the yacht and, while Ryan flicked switches on the distribution board to get all the systems on line, Andrew dropped down into the hulls and opened the hatches for the early morning breeze to freshen the air in the cabins. He also opened the four hatches at the front of the saloon and the skylight in the roof. To keep the twins occupied, he turned on the saloon TV and loaded a movie for them, giving them each a glass of orange juice. Rascal joined them on the saloon benches, curling up between them and going to sleep. Andrew got started on breakfast prep-aration, first preheating the oven to bake off some croissants, Danish and muffins, brewing a pot of coffee and boiling water for tea.
When he checked the refrigerator, he was pleased to see the fruit salad he had requested consisting of straw-berries, blueberries, papaya, pineapple and Granny Smith apples for crunch. There was a note from Kerry to add some banana if he wanted to.
Taking some thick double cream yogurt and the fruit salad out of the refrigerator, and retrieving a packet of muesli from the cupboard, Andrew quickly put together his go-to breakfast parfaits, carefully layering muesli, fruit salad and yogurt into glasses, topping them with a sprinkling of Muscavado sugar and chopped strawberries.

He poured orange juice into champagne flutes on a silver tray, added a wine cooler with a bottle sparkling wine, and set it down on the cockpit counter.

He then popped the croissants and pastries into the oven to bake, made himself a mug of tea and one of coffee for Ryan, stepped out onto the deck, noticing that Ryan had positioned the passerelle at the side deck gate, and walked down the side deck to the bows where Ryan was checking the anchor and the chain locker. He looked up and smiled as Andrew approached with his steaming mug of coffee.

"Thank you babe. That's going to go down a treat. I saw the Rodgers pulling into the parking area a few minutes ago. Mom and dad are going to be a bit late. They had to stop at a service station to have a tyre repaired".

"That's fine. We're in no particular rush. Ah, here come Kevin and Vanessa now", Andrew said and moved back towards the gate. Ryan stood up and followed him, and they stopped at the gate as their guests approached the bottom of the passerelle and Andrew saw that Ryan had also placed the shoe locker at the bottom of the passerelle.
This was a box they had acquired to keep the non slip loafers that each guest was required to wear to prevent the decks from being marked by black soled sneakers or shoes. Every guest was given a new pair which they were welcome to take with them at the end of the cruise.
The family paused at the bottom of the passerelle and Kevin grinned up at them.

"Permission to come aboard", he said, continuing, "I've always wanted to say that".

Ryan walked down onto the dockside, extending his hand to greet Kevin and pecking Vanessa on the cheek. He stooped and swept Simone into his arms, who giggled and pecked his cheek.

"Hello Uncle Ryan", she said shyly.

"Welcome to 'Belle Catherine' guys. At last! Well, what do you think?"
Kevin and Vanessa's eyes swept over the yacht. Vanessa was the first to reply.

"She's gorgeous. Bigger than I had imagined".

"Yeah, a lot bigger", Kevin added."I must admit, your gangway is very impressive. Very swish!"

"Thank you", Ryan replied. "Before I take you on board, I'll have to ask you to take off your shoes and put on a pair of these", he told them, opening the shoe locker, and then explained the reasoning behind the request. As they complied with his request, Kevin grinned up at him.

"If this is how you start off a cruise, then you know that you're in for a treat".
Ryan indicated the slightly upward sloping passerelle.

"Go ahead. I'll follow with this young lady".
Andrew greeted them at the top

"As Ryan said, welcome aboard. It's about time", and led the way aft to the cockpit. Kevin and Vanessa paused and looked around, peering into the saloon.

"Wow, guys, she's stunning!", Vanessa exclaimed. "When can I move in?"
Andrew grinned at her.

"Thanks Vanessa, we think she's pretty special too. Can I offer you a mimosa?"
Vanessa got a puzzled look on her face.

"What's a mimosa?", she asked.

"Fresh orange juice and sparkling wine", Andrew replied. Her eyes widened.

"Is that what it's called? I've always just known it as orange juice and champagne. Yes, definitely! Thank you".

"And I'll have one as well, please Andrew", Kevin added.
Andrew popped the cork on the bottle and topped up two glasses, passing them to Kevin and Vanessa.

"Are you not having any?", Kevin enquired.

"Ryan and I will just have juice. We never drink alcohol before going to sea. We'll have something stronger once we're at anchor".

"Wow, you guys take this very seriously. I had no idea", Kevin remarked.

"Yeah, the comfort and safety of our guests our is of paramount importance. It won't help if the crew are under the influence and something goes wrong. God forbid. So we never drink alcohol until we are tied up to a dock or at anchor, and then only in moderation".

The twins suddenly realised that their little friend had arrived and came running out of the saloon to fetch her. They greeted Kevin and Vanessa and then dragged Simone back into the saloon to continue watching the movie. Rascal, having been disturbed from his doggy slumbers by the twins movements followed them out and danced around the adults feet, his tail wagging madly. Ryan stooped to pick him up and he got some lick kisses for his efforts.

"Right", Andrew said looking at the couple, "let me give you the two-penny tour and then I'll show to to your cabin".
He ran through his usual presentation, including all the safety measures and when they had finished their drinks he took them into the port hull to their cabin.

"We have three cabins in each hull. Aft, midships and bow. David and Janice, who are running a bit late due to a flat tyre, always stay in the port aft cabin. I've got you in the midships cabin, mainly because you're first timers and it's the most stable area on board. Any motion that might affect you and cause seasickness is minimised in that cabin. If you do feel queasy, let me know and I can give you something to help".
He opened the cabin door and stood back to allow them to walk in.

"To your left is your bathroom. It has a shower, basin and toilet, or heads as we call it on a yacht. Kevin, I'll tell you what I tell all the guys. Sit down when you use the loo. For everything. For your own safety and to prevent any, um, accidents. The small window next to the shower is an escape hatch, should it ever be needed"
To you right is your bed, it's a queen, so you will be comfortable, I can assure you. Next to your bed is a shelf which doubles as small bed which we have made up for Simone".

He showed them the air conditioning and lighting controls, TV and sound system and where all the remotes were stored.

"I would advise opening the hatches only if we are at anchor. We normally close them before going to sea. Any questions?"

They both shook their heads.

"No, I think you've covered it all", Vanessa replied. "I had no idea she was so well appointed, although knowing you, I should have known. She really is stunning".

"Thank you. We think she's very special. It's just a pity we don't get out on her as much as we used to. The price of success, I guess. Do you want to unpack or come back upstairs".

"I think we'll just dump everything and go back up with you. We can sort it out later", Kevin replied. They left their bags in the hallway and followed Andrew back to the saloon, where David and Janice were just arriving, apolo-gising profusely for being late. They went straight down to their cabin to drop their overnight bags and then also returned to the saloon. Andrew was showing Vanessa the galley and Kevin was with Ryan as he prepared to get them underway by disassembling the passerelle and storing it in its locker along with the welcome mat. A few minutes later, the engines rumbled into life and settled down to a steady hum. Ryan did his checks to satisfy him-self that everything was operating as it should be, as Andrew stepped ashore from the scoop to handle the moor-ing ropes, first releasing the bows and then the stern, stepping back on board as Ryan held her in position close to the dock. Seconds later they were slowly motoring towards the bascule bridge and the harbour mouth.

Andrew returned to the galley where he started the remainder of the breakfast preparation with Vanessa helping out while Janice set the cockpit dining table.
Breakfast was served just after Ryan altered their course to port to sail down the peninsula past the Cape Town Stadium, and Sea Point. There was quite a few pleasure craft in view, so Ryan stayed seated at the helm with Rascal curled up on the helm seat next to him, even though the proximity alarm was set to five kilometres. There were a number of small coves and inlets along their course, from which a vessel might suddenly appear, so Ryan was very alert to any eventuality. He had Andrew take over at the helm while he deployed the spinnaker to catch what little wind there was and they motor sailed in very calm seas down the coast.

Apart from the parfaits, Andrew kept breakfast fairly simple, filling the croissants with bacon, creamy scrambled egg and cheese for the adults, the children preferring to have toast with their food. The pastries and muffins were enjoyed with tea, coffee or hot chocolate.

Vanessa offered to help with the clean up, but Andrew and Janice chased her away, having seen her eyes con-stantly looking at the shore to enjoy seeing it from a different perspective, so she joined Kevin on the foredeck where he was filming their progress along the beachfront. By the time they sailed past Clifton Beach and on towards Llandudno and Chapmans Peak, the galley was neat and tidy again, and Andrew joined them on the fore-deck, bringing the three children with him, ensuring the little ones were all wearing life vests. The twins were telling Simone about the dolphins, but they were nowhere to be seen unfortunately. They did, however, see a huge sunfish floating just below the surface, seemingly unperturbed by the yacht sailing so close to it. Chapmans Peak had the newcomers staring in awed appreciation at the vista passing by and before long they were rounding Cape Point and cruising into False Bay. They had made surprisingly good time from Cape Town so Ryan decided to sail to the far side of the bay which offered more shelter from the southeasterly wind which was blowing a bit stronger than it had earlier in the day.
Andrew served a light chicken salad lunch with, still warm, health bread and there was ice cream for dessert.

They dropped anchor just after lunch and they began deploying the water toys for an afternoon of fun. The water tube was, of course, the main attraction, and they all had numerous rides on the tube, towed by Ryan at the controls of the dinghy, with Andrew taking over when Ryan was on the tube. In the late afternoon, wet, tired, but happy, they all dried off and warmed up on the foredeck and were thrilled when they were visited by a pod of dolphins who gamboled around the yacht for about ten minutes before disappearing.

As the sun began dipping towards the western horizon, Andrew started preparing for dinner, a BBQ. Janice and Vanessa helped made a pasta salad and a green salad, while Andrew spiced the steaks and chicken. He also made, what he called, belly-buster sandwiches - basically sandwiches with cheese, tomato and sliced onion which would be grilled on the BBQ grill until golden and the cheese was melted and oozy. They would be for something to snack on while the meat was grilled.

Everyone slowly disappeared into the cabins to shower and change. Ryan fired up the transom BBQ, Andrew set the table and then went down with the twins to get them and him sorted out. Ryan remained on deck to keep an eye out, although they were pretty much on there own, the nearest other vessel being a big monohull anchored further along the shore line. He would shower after dinner as he was just going to get smoky while grilling the meat. He turned on all the deck lights, lighting 'Belle Catherine' up like a Christmas tree, as well as the underwater lights, which had them floating in a pool of deep emerald water which elicited a lot of comments from Kevin and Vanessa.
The evening was quiet and tranquil, just the slap of the water against the hull and the occasional splash of some-thing jumping out of the water. After dinner, the children sat in the saloon watching a movie, with Rascal in atten-dance as well, and the adults chatted in the cockpit, drinking coffee and sipping liqueur, but after a full day at sea, and in the water, it wasn't very long before eyes got heavy and thoughts turned to bedtime. They called it a night at 10.30, the children having fallen asleep an hour earlier. The ladies tidied up while Andrew took ingredients out for breakfast and Kevin accompanied Ryan around the decks as he made his checks for the night. He widened the proximity alarm to six kilometres, noting that the monohull was just on the four kilometre circle.
As usual, he and Andrew were the last to go to their cabin after closing the security gate from the cockpit into the saloon, turning off all unnecessary lights, and activating the intruder alarm, taking the sleeping twins and Rascal with them. Andrew got Cameron and Elizabeth settled in their cabin with Rascal while Ryan had a quick shower, and then they too slipped into their comfortable bed.

The proximity alarm woke them just after 7am. Ryan had patched all the navigation systems to the TV in the master cabin, so he turned on the TV to see that the monohull was on the move and heading towards them. He went up to the saloon, deactivating the intruder alarm as he went past the control board and watched as the yacht hoisted its sails and turned away, heading for the open ocean. He returned to the cabin and, as he was now wide awake, had another shower and dressed, while Andrew showered. When they were both ready for the day, they went up into the saloon, leaving the twins to sleep in. Ryan did his deck and systems check, and Andrew began the breakfast preparation which was going to be a full English breakfast. Rascal followed them up to the saloon for his morning visit to his sand box and his bowl of kibble and then jumped up onto the interior helm seat and watched Andrew in the galley with hopeful eyes.
Kevin and Vanessa appeared from their cabin a few minutes later looking bright-eyed and rested.

"Morning guys", Andrew greeted them, "Did you sleep well?"

"Morning Andrew", Vanessa replied, smiling. "Kev and I were just saying we hadn't slept so well in a long time. We were debating whether it was your comfortable bed, the sea air, the lulling motion of the yacht, or just the general peaceful ambience on board".

"That goes for Simone as well" Kevin added. "Normally she wakes us up. Today she's still in dreamland ".

"Our two are still out for the count as well", Andrew replied. "Although they always sleep better when we're on 'Belle Catherine'. Help yourselves to coffee and tea. Breakfast will be ready in about thirty minutes".

The couple poured their coffee and stepped out onto the deck to take in the fresh morning air and have a chat with Ryan who was arranging loungers on the foredeck. A short while later, Vanessa came in to help Andrew with breakfast and then David and Janice arrived as well to set the table in the cockpit.

Breakfast was almost ready when a plaintive wail was heard from the port hull, and Vanessa hurried down to calm Simone who had woken up, slightly unsure of where she was and her parents nowhere in sight.
Andrew took the opportunity to go down to the twins cabin and was pleasantly surprised to find they were both up and about, showered and almost dressed for the day. He experienced a moment of nostalgia, realising that his babies were growing up fast and even at their tender age, becoming less dependant on their dads.

They gathered for breakfast, and afterwards, they all boarded the dinghy and headed for the beach, the water toys having already been packed away in readiness for the sail back to the marina. They took body boards with them and, with the exception of David and Janice, all had some fun in the warmish water and breakers. Even Rascal had a paddle where the waves washed up onto the sand, and he had fun chasing the seagulls.

On the way back to 'Belle Catherine', they were escorted by a dozen dolphins who kept pace with the dinghy. Two of the beautiful creatures stayed right alongside the dinghy,where the three children and one little dog, were delightedly hanging over the gunwales, their eyes watching the children and, seemingly, smiling at them. The dolphins remained in the vicinity of the yacht and stayed with them as they began the return trip, only dis-appearing when they were almost out of the bay. It was a perfect ending to their short stay and their friends loved every moment.
With the wind co - operating, the trip back was accomplished entirely under sail and they docked in the marina just before 5pm.
Darren and Kerry were waiting on the dock to assist with the lines and get 'Belle Catherine' sorted for the night, so they all disembarked and headed for their respective homes.

The twins wanted pizza for dinner, so Ryan stopped on the way home after Andrew had placed an order via his mobile for collection. Once home, Andrew kept the pizzas warm while the twins showered and dressed for bed. Ryan turned on the TV, got him and Andrew each a beer and they sat watching SkyNews Sport until the twins came down in the pyjamas and gowns with Rascal. Andrew fetched the pizza from the oven, handed Cameron and Elizabeth plates and napkins and they sat in the lounge eating as the main news came on.

The first item was an update on the storm that was now centred over the UK, the big headline being a small ferry that had capsized off the coast of Scotland close to to Fort William, to where it had been bound.

There was dramatic footage of the upturned, red painted hull of the vessel, to which several survivors had managed to cling to in the heaving seas, and their subsequent rescue by helicopters that hovered over the wreck. The report also stated that four bodies had been recovered by other vessels that had come to the ferry's aid and that, it was thought, about a dozen people were still trapped inside the boat.
Andrew suddenly felt an enormous sense of foreboding and shivered as they watched the scenes unfolding on the screen. Ryan felt the shiver and put an arm around him drawing him closer.
"I feel like someone just walked over my grave", Andrew said softly.

The news moved on to other reportage on the storm around the country and Ryan flicked over to the sports channel to see if any Premier League matches had been played. It turned out that ManU had played one of the lower ranked teams earlier in the day at a very soggy and grey Old Trafford Stadium,so they watched a replay of the game, during which the twins came and cuddled with their dads.

At half-time, they took Cameron and Elizabeth upstairs and got them into bed and then, feeling more than a little weary themselves, turned off the TV and the lights downstairs, locked up and retired to the master bedroom for the night. Andrew lay in the dark, Ryan spooning behind him, the disturbing scenes of the capsized ferry flashing through his minds eye. The heavy oppressive feeling remained with him and he was at a loss to explain the feeling. He at last dropped off into a fitful sleep and was woken up when Ryan's mobile started ringing in the dead of night.