The start of another season - 2011

Sitting here, listening to the pouring rain and waiting to get to grips with the final elements of the recommissioning of Kurukulla for this year, is very frustrating! Even more so when the news from UK is of high temperatures and sunshine!
The frustration is not helped by the marked lack of organisation in the boatyard; today was to be the day when Kurukulla went in the water first thing; at present it is gone mid-day, I am still in the cradle on the hard and there is not much sign of progress! At times one has to restrain ones-self and remember this is Italy! The arrangements were only made six months ago and confirmed three times since ........... the compensation is that their winter storage prices are good.
Having taken the opportunity to drive down to Brindisi in March and do the winter refit, re anti-foul etc., there is not a lot to do before getting under way. What there is though is mostly re-rigging and therefore out in the weather. Ugh!
The plan now is to put Kurukulla in the water tomorrow morning, store and victual her over the day and to leave Brindisi on Friday next. We then head down to Otranto for the night and follow that by a crossing to Corfu over the weekend. I am joined on this trip by Derek Lambert, the owner of Tranquillo, another British registered boat here in Brindisi. Derek has decided not to put his boat in the water this season and is therefore keen to do some sailing in Kurukulla. We met in the yard last year and the adjacent photo (Self, Awilda (Derek's girlfriend, sailing with him at the time) and Derek) was taken in a local Trattoria, Luigi's, where we still dine frequently; a copy of this photo now adorns the wall of the trattoria which, as a place to eat, is simple but good.
The forecast is good, northerly winds and sunshine, it just needs to arrive and displace the weather system we have at the moment. The next post will be once we are under-way, that is unless something goes horribly awry!