Well now the time has come, I have given up work. It was with mixed emotions that I spent my last day on the mussel farm, I have been on that farm for 26 years with two different companies and it has been a good job, most of the time a pleasant job which I have enjoyed.
Driving boats around, especially when the weather is good, is actually quite pleasant so I will certainly miss that side of it. When the company launched the first boat; the Mussel Cat in 1994 I was the first person to drive it and when she was decommissioned last year I was the last person to drive her, taking her to the jetty where she was cut up for scrap.
Last year at the end of July the company bought a new, bigger catamaran; the Blue Ocean and I had the pleasure of being the first pilot, bringing her on a six hour trip from Saint Helena Bay where she was built around to Saldanha Bay.
In summer it's daylight before we start and most of the time the weather is good, we didn't lose many days due to gale force winds.
So that's it, the end of an era and the start of a new exciting chapter, I will be doing more riding and writing now and will still be interested and involved in the aquaculture industry if anyone needs me.
I had my friends around for the weekend where my old buddy Rene' enjoyed the fruits of my labour, I have been assured by the new manager that I can get mussels whenever I want and my friends at the Saldanha Bay Oyster Company gave me a voucher for "Oysters for life", an unbelievably generous offer which quite floored me.
Then last Saturday we catered for a group of our friends in Capetown at Linda's house to celebrate my giving up work and what a party that turned out to be! So there you have it, I don't plan on doing much during July and August because my family are coming over from UK for a visit, then on 16th of August Janet and I will be spending three nights at Botlierskop luxury private game reserve courtesy of the company, so In think I will just chill until September!
And do more of this!
10 comments:
The end of an Era! Enjoy your retirement and good to hear that there will be more updates on the blog!
Thanks for your comment and good wishes, I'm sure this the first time you have commented, I don't remember the handle but I'm happy that you're reading my stuff - stay with me there will definitely be more.
Enjoy your retirment, I can't wait until I can retire and then go riding whenever I want.
Hi Rob., thanks Bro., that's the general idea.
Congrats on your retirement, it sounds well deserved and well earned.
Thank you Brandy, I must admit I am very happy to be retired, it's just an idea that I have to get used to now. At the moment it just feels like I'm on holiday - great stuff, more riding!
Hey Andrew -- happy days -- have a jol in your retirement -- wot a partee that was eh
Took me a few days to recover - awesome thanks so much for the yummy food, great company, and lots of laughs!!!!!
take care
Dick and Jan
Hey Dick and Jan, thanks that really was an excellent celebration - great fun!
That's so cool. I hope you have tons of fun being retired. Hope you keep up this great blog.
Thanks Michael, I'm really glad you like my blog and don't worry now that my time is my own I intend to do a lot more braaiing, drinking beer and riding my bike - so I'll have more to write about.
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