The tale of storing Onawind Blue on land is lengthy and tiresome. Causing angst in various degrees she's lived in the communal garden, under a bridge, on some wasteland padlocked to a chain-link fence and in a passage way leading to the beach. Briefly she was an honorary member of the local sailing club. But her minor fame, uniqueness and stunning looks weren't sufficient to conserve her place on the sand and when a motion for her to pay up or move on was seconded she was hoisted onto her sorry trailer and trundled on the streets once more.
However, the opportunity to build, open and run a beach bar at the same club arose. I dug out all those bits of driftwood and rope I'd been saving for years, built the bar, furnished and stocked it and then, needing an iconic centrepiece, rolled OB back in from the street, washed off the grime and set her up with spotlights inside illuminating the masts against the night skies.
And so while I poured beers, peeled potatoes, grilled fish, flipped pancakes and mixed G&Ts she spent the summer being decorative. Her hull remained dry for months but she was under my wing and at busy moments I would shoot her a glance and feel her calming presence.
It wouldn't be true to say that I built and ran a bar and worked myself to the bone all for my boat but for the sake of romance lets say that it is.
6 comments:
Now that's a fine story. And the food looks amazing. Cheers. Or rather, three cheers.
Ben, I've long admired your food shots on your voyages. To see your love of sea, food and boat convergence into a business had me at first stunned, and then chuckling. You must be absolutely knackered!
Bravo Ben. You'll need to publish your address so we know where to get a good meal when we're in town.
Yes, absolutely knackering it was but only seasonal. We might be open again this summer, just ask for The Compass Rose bar, Creixell, Tarrragona. A free beer for any readers of this blog!
Ben,
Although my Yank taste buds are nowhere as adventurous as yours, it looks like you are loving life!!
I am getting ready to build Gavin's Julie skiff and went through your entire building process again. I did it once before a few years ago. Congratulations on a fantastic boat, I hope you won't mind to much if I lean on you for the awnser to a question or two during the building process?
Ron
Hi Ron, I hope the build goes well, the julie skiff is a design I like a lot and I don't think it should cause too many problems. Feel free to leave any queries here, Gav is also very open to questions and forthcoming with answers.
Ben
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