Some marinas are like a warm, welcoming home away from home, and St. Peter’s Lions Marina is undoubtedly one of them. From the moment we glided toward the dock, Gerry, the marina manager, was our wind-whispering guardian. He skillfully orchestrated our docking maneuver even in the face of the stubborn, gusty winds. Then, with the finesse of a seasoned host, he simply uttered, ‘Well, now, relax and unwind.’
As we tackled the paperwork, Gerry, with the curiosity of a detective, unearthed all our sailing woes – both with the sail and the rigging. Without missing a beat, he extended a helping hand, offering to connect us with experts in the field. Gerry, we salute you! Your marina isn’t just top-notch in terms of amenities and maintenance (seriously, everything was shipshape!), but it also exudes a genuine sense of belonging, attentiveness, and care.
Moreover, we were pleasantly surprised that our neighbours on the dock from the SV Summerdim, Jonathan and Dawn, had a sewing machine and were glad to offer their help with sewing the sail. After a night of drying our sail in the marina’s wardroom (which felt like a cozy den), the following day, under Jon’s direction, we stitched our jib back together, using an entire spool of thread and addressed every weak point it had. A big shoutout to Jon, Dawn, and their trusty canine companion, Milly, who was the real captain of the socializing ship!
And then, there was Adrian, a seasoned yachtsman with a strong British accent. He had found his harbour haven after a lifetime of overseas voyages. Adrian, also a coach for local yachtsmen, came to our rescue with rigging wisdom. Armed with a strain gauge, he meticulously measured cable tensions and restored balance to our rigging. Adrian, you’re a true seafaring saviour!
In the end, it was not just the stunning views of the marina but the camaraderie and the willingness to help that made our stay at St. Peter’s Lions Marina an unforgettable chapter of our nautical journey.
