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<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nThen two rows if stitching all around. It was amazing how perfectly straight the stitching was. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Then the “old” plastic was carefully cut out. Like Ballet, when done well, it looks very easy. And it did…<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, after a few moments of cutting, it looked like new. <\/p>\n\n\n\n While the event was social and very nice, I am mindful that Franklyn has a business to run and I was careful to introduce everyone to him. Based on what they saw, I am sure that he will see good from the effort. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Sure, the events are fun but I feel strongly that when a business invests time in us, I like to see them get a return. So far, so good and Franklyn is very good to the Dawgs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Enough about events for the moment so I would like to pivot back to my visit from the Artist that was here last week, Patrick O’Brien. I like this image from his website of his studio. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The visit was just terrific and I am optimistic that he will be back on the island in the future, perhaps with some of the other members of ASMA, the marine painting group. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Patrick painted three plein air pieces while he was here and the last one was from Shirley Heights <\/a>at sunset, a lookout high above the Dockyard that was built by the Royal Navy back in the late 1700s. For a definition of this technique, follow this link to plein air painting<\/a>. If you have seen a photo from a high vantage point in Antigua there is a good possibility that it was taken of a sunset from that fortification. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Here is Patrick painting as the sun sunk below the horizon. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This was the vantage that he was trying to capture. He attracted quite a crowd, as a visiting “street artist”. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I am always amazed with how the light changes moment by moment as the sun sets. This close to the equator, it drops very fast, going from sunny to dark in about 30 minutes. The rapidity of change was challenging for Patrick as he struggled to capture the “perfect moment” as one more moment was more beautiful than the last. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Moments later, literally very few… A much different view. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The island in the distance is Montserrat, one of a number of islands that have active volcanoes. In this case, nearly half of the island is off limits due to the risk of eruption following a very active period from 1995 to 2010<\/a>, last erupting in 2013, not a long time ago. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Not so peaceful, once upon a time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A bit more peaceful today and moments later, as the sun dropped below the horizon, the sight was even more dramatic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n After the sun had set, the lights began to twinkle on below. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This is indeed a beautiful place and I will be sad when we head home next week. And even worse knowing that after this winter, we may never be back with a run to the Mediterranean on the horizon next spring. <\/p>\n\n\n\n So, even with a number of more events, the most complex are behind me now so I can chill a bit and enjoy the moment, as fleeting as it may be. <\/p>\n\n\n\n And speaking of Chill… How about our new neighbor. The Baltic Yacht build Pink Gin<\/a>, now called Ravinger after a sale and 9 month refit. Well, aside from being a neighbor and fresh out of a refit, that’s about the only thing that she has in common with Pandora. She is huge, at more than 200′ long. <\/p>\n\n\n\n She is a lot bigger than she looks at the dock. Under sail…<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n