David and Audrey’s Maxolar Cruising. NORA THE DOVE,

The first UK winter cruise, 1989-99, from Florida down to visit the Bahamas, was plagued with problems. Many faults were found, with the ancient German Farymann engine constantly leaking lots of oil, diesel and water into the bilge, overheating, and occasionally refusing to start. New compass and winches were bought and installed, a larger and different design anchor, new chain, new toilet bought and installed. A sub forestay, topping lift and navigation lights brought the sailing up to the designers standard. David felt as though he was constantly working every evening in order to move on the next day, but it was still all good fun, and a continuing learning curve, specially for Audrey, quite new to the excitement, deprivations and uncertainties of the sailing life.

Maxolar finally left the dock at the end of November 1998, and crossed to the Bahama bank, in December, and right down the chain to the Exumas, by February, before heading back.

There was however, a very unusual aspect to this trip. A dove came aboard to sail with them

Wayne’s boatyard had several unusual occupants, some permanent, some living in caravans, some having been living and working aboard their boats for several years. One of these, a single old guy, had a big four wheel truck, a motor launch, a smaller sailboat, and a huge motor caravan in which he lived. One day, a dove flew into his motor home and settled on the TV, refusing to fly away, and seemingly quite at home indoors. He fed it with grain, and other human food, but a very short time later, when wanting to drive back to his northern summer home, Audrey and David were asked if they would take in the dove, or try to find the original owner. They agreed, and carried it aboard in a supermarket basket, and putting advertisements in the LaBelle local paper., for the owner, but to no avail. They then gave it the name of Noah, ready for their planned cruise. An old fridge, had been removed and the vacant corner fitted with a perch and feeding tray, with a curtain over the cabin entrance, allowing Noah to fly freely around the back cabin. That winter, sailing well over 2000 miles, Noah provided untold pleasure and fun for them, joining in their meal and playtimes, and for the many visitors invited aboard. He was indeed a real character, into everything they did, perching on the end of their clarinets as they practiced, perched on breakfast bowls pecking cornflakes, and even checking each hand of cards as they played. But, during the sail back, Noah began to act quite strangely, perching on shoulders was a common practice, but he began to cuddle up to their necks, gently pecking around their ears, making quiet gurgling noises, and finally he laid three eggs………….prompting an immediate name change to Nora.

Back to Waynes on 6 March, Audrey again flew home, but David stayed on, taking Nora to a bird sanctuary, to flying free in the wild, but feeding regularly with many other caged and free birds in a lovely cottage garden.

David removed the ailing Farymann engine, taking it to specialists for a thorough overhaul, and worked on the interior, completely transforming the galley area inside, and making a new Centreboard and drop keel, before joining Audrey at home at the end of April.

On their return in late September for the 1999-200 winter the engine was refitted, with a new folding propeller, the sterncastle completely removed and rebuilt much wider, gas locker changed, and many more improvements made. They both visited the bird sanctuary, and there was absolutely no doubt that when Nora flew down from the trees, to the shed roof, and eventually onto Audrey’s arm, that Norah was curiously pleased to see us both. The lady assured us that she had befriended a huge dove, almost twice her size, and she was awaiting developments. In the last week at the dock, David built a complete 9 ft dinghy named Minnow as an addition to the small one Micro that came with the original purchase.

December 13 they left the dock, shortly to be joined by a catamaran Class-i-cat, with Sid and Julie, (David’s old neighbours in UK), and Bud and Judy aboard Trixolar. Crossing the Bahama Banks on the eve of the new millenium was both without problem and memorable on a beautiful clear night with the stars and shallow water These three multihulls then cruised in company through the Bahamas, down to the Turks and Caicos Islands, on to Puerto Rico, to haul out in April 2000.