 That's right
Superman!
And we've GOT better
chains than that.
But it meant another drive back 'out West' - to -
would you believe it - Mt
Druitt.
Who would have thought - that one of the biggest
supplies of old ship chain was laying in a factory
yard at Kurrajong Avenue, Mt Druitt. Little more than a kilometre
from where I had my Law office all those 20 odd years ago - and only a few
miles from our old home - and not to mention about 30 miles from the
sea. But that's the story - and it seems the fellow has bought a
huge shipment of old ship chain - as well as new chain too - in from
Singapore.
I owe special thanks to our friend
Glen Gandy
- at Minchinbury Ropes &
Splicing
(this photo was taken last year when he made up our mooring
ropes)
 who I had rung to see if he knew where I could get
some chain - and he put me right on to the bloke who is a friend of his - and
Glen even met us there as well - to introduce me, and see I got a great deal -
which was just excellent of him.
 So that's how we ended up having to drive back out
home - and firstly pick up my big trailer which was sitting
in the paddock alongside where the yacht had been built - and full up with
wire rope, bricks, roof tiles, and timber - and of course we
needed Kevin with the crane to pick it up and lift it over the fence for us
- and on to the driveway.
 Kevin's children were there too (on school
holidays) and as always Chantelle was keen to 'take Penny for a walk' - which
Penny seems to enjoy for about '2 minutes' and then wants to come back to
me. This photo in shadow, has been 'colour adjusted' - experimenting
with a program.
 Then we drove over to the yard to find that there
was chain . . . .
 more chain . . . . .
 and more chain . . . . .
 and the exact chain I had asked for was there
ready - and cut - for me
 You will recall that I explained before with a
diagram that we need very heavy ship chain as the first 'ground chain' - then a large
chain - as an 'intermediate'
chain' - up to the swivel and
buoy and -
then a 'top chain' and
'heavy rope' - up to the
yacht. All connected with appropriately sized shackles from huge on
the bottom - to still quite big - at the top.
 So with the trailer loaded up - we drove it all
back to the shipyard at Taren Point and off-loaded the heavy chain - for it to
wait and be attached to the mooring block.
 And in addition to these big chains - I took
advantage of a good offer - and also got about 30' of new 20mm stud chain - and
a couple of big 1" swivels - which have eventually ended up in the car boot
(after the trailer went home) - and the car is really dragging it's tail right
now.
  So that's where we are right now with the chain -
it's all here - ready and waiting.
And as you know the block has been poured and
made - which will be the next part of the ongoing 'Story of the
Block' - which is turning out to be nearly as big a production as
'Ben Hur' - but give it time - we may still see 'Chariots and the Son of God' - before it's
done.
So . . . we'll say bye for now . . . until
we meet again
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