F'in Dockyard

So here's some catch up posts that I had written on my phone over the summer but never managed to post them... back tracking a bit but thought you'd all enjoy.

"Its 'F-ing' Dockyard Man"

Preface-
I'm using 'F-ing' instead of the real word for my conservative readers but you are going to have to read between the lines on this post. After all, when talking about a marina, marina and ship yard workers and boats its kinda hard not to swear like a sailor. So there's your warning; don't be offended its just the local lingo!

I love living in Dockyard. True our dream is to one day let go of the lines completely and sail the seas but for now Dockyard is the perfect little community. It really is a special place different from the rest of the island. You have a wide social, racial, and economical spectrum of people all living together in this place and co-existing better than fish in the sea!
I've touched briefly on my neighbours and different boat people around but the entire community of Dockyard really is the beez-knees!
This praise and appreciation for my people comes from last weekends antics. Firstly Mark and I never really get out socially much without the kiddies. Not because we don't want to but we love spending time with our children, we are forever busy and we only have a small selective group of family and friends we are comfortable leaving the babies with. We have never actually hired a babysitter before. Its tough; 1)We live ALL THE WAY in Dockyard 2)We live on a boat and 3)We have 2 kids- one of which requires full hands on attention as he is just a baby. This as well as our own reservations towards babysitters narrows down the pool to almost no one. About a year ago we started flirting with the idea of finding a hired babysitter just for some evening date nights. We had one great girl when we were living in the condo and who really helped out when we were loosing the baby, we also have a close family friend who we would be happy with but we feel super guilty about having them ride all the way to Dockyard and then have to ride home so we never really pursued it. Then we thought about another girl who conveniently lives right in Dockyard when she stays with her dad and is very familiar with boats as her dad is also the head of one of the Dockyard shipyards. She also was part of my Sandys 360 swim team so I can speak to her character, at least a little.  It took us a while to slacken the reins but on Fri night we finally asked her to babysit on the boat. The kids were great, we had a wonderful time out at a friend's 30th birthday party and our new babysitter was thrilled to bits.
It was Saturday night that really awakened me to our great little community though. Doug at Westend yachts held himself his annual birthday party and everyone who is anyone in Dockyard was there. There was my little ferry crew; Thom, Jim, and their respective other halves. Biancia and Henry were there with little Eli (Jacobs baby boat buddy!), Doug and all Joanna's girls, Anna, all the Fantasea and tour boat people, Spirit crew, all the restaurant staff from around the area.... Really everyone! Its funny to think of these people outside Dockyard and I realised that's what makes them so special. If we all lived in town there is more space and choice so the high up exempt company folk would be dining at Harbour Front and drinking at Harry's (Suit and Tie venues)where as the boatyard trash (and I mean that in an endearing way as I am in that category) would be grabbing a bite at The Beach or Rosas (lower end restaurants). Because there are only a handful of restaurants and hangout spots we all hang together no matter the box that the outside world may put us in.
I look forward to my morning gossip sessions with the ferry crew, playdates with Jakeys latest neighbour, meeting Sunday in the laundry and chatting about the kids, waving to Audrey and Audrey's mum in the mornings on the way to the ferry, calling out to Sonny as he makes his way home for a break during the day, waving to everyone's boats as the leave and enter the camber, tickles from Aunt Gerri (for Marley and Jacob not me!), chilling with Mac and Captain and catching up about the Spirit, having waiters and waitresses know the names of our kids and understand when they act a little crazy if we eat at a restaurant, hanging with Ana and Mushu, yelling out to Dirty Uncle Smitty, being cat called every morning by Marine and Ports, attempting to impress Dawn by doing my evening run because she's a trainer at Sandys 360.... As we danced and carried on with the party our neighbours commented on us enjoying ourselves and telling us how wonderful our kids are. It was the epitome of family and community and a great way to start off the summer!