Run to the water

Saturday morning at UTC brought a new excitement for the day, as it turned out Minette and I had to build the float. Niel was Ant call boy for almost anything and he couldn't help us...a lot. So he directed us to the store room located above the entrance gate and general direction of where everything was he and Minette had discussed the day before while I was preoccupied. Our Captain Lee Nicholls had his outfit delivered by me and Anna Mart and he was totally stacked about the bead work I had done on his custom made bandana and for his hair. The outfit was pretty much straight forward; he had his pants, now he had a shirt, vest, bandana and the rest of it to decide what he wants. The strict plans between M&M was we had to have the float by the river at latest 11 am, the rest I simply forgot about while sweating like a biker at a tea party hammering in the loose nails to the deck.

Our Moon Arc was made up of a tub (yes it floats), a "trekker" (aka tractor) inside tube that was just perfectly hard, string and an old bamboo fence the maintainer guy Rambo said we could use as a deck. With a flag pole in hand we heard that Anna Mart left with the local steed so thus I had to find strong men to help us carry the float in the 3 pieces down to the river. It took a lot of persuasion from me dressed in a bikini top and shorts to convince Goophstar and Bongs of NOA to help us. Eddie offered to carry the tub but once M&M are on a mission we ignore everything else, basically. I completely forgotten about our captain and hoped that he will get dressed up. As we tied everything together in the water and I said I'm running up that stupid hill to get Lee he met me half way down. I nearly jumped the man over because he looked better than Captain Jack Sparrow (sorry Johnny)!

We launched the float with the Captain steering, Minette holding the flag pole and the rest of NOA laughing their asses off. A lot of people asked for an autograph but the captain humbly declined. I was the engine for most of the now crowded river; we missed the wedding but were in time for Captain Stu gig (awesome band! James is a hottie!). As we silently float in the river towards...well somewhere Minette and I notice the water slowly filling the tub which held my sneakers and the hammer. At the island Dylan, Robby, Bongs and Goophstar joined the float. When Goof however climb on some of the deck broke with the captain shouting. Dylan was next with me at the back of them for the extra weight (the good Lord knows how thin rockers can be with all the alcohol and gigs they get in...) Minette and Robby and Bongs were our engines and steering with Dylan and Lee being pirates. A few minutes later Minette informs me that our tub has gotten loose and has sunk...and the float competition hasn't even started...

So we took our pride and Moon Arc to the front of the judges got number #10 (and it was promptly the position we ended up anyway, oh wait...dead last) and entered for the uhmm Most people on a float? What Anna Mart fails to tell me before hand is the 3 categories for the float race. Most people on a float, most romantic and something else which slips my mind. With almost the whole band, 3 A Team members and 1 regular Blue Mooner Kiara on the float we didn't even come close to the odd 23 people on the other float. Eventually the rest of the crew abounded ship, I said to the captain best we get shore and take apart this misconstruction that was Moon Arc. After we took out the deck and rope we left the tube in the water for later on. Our captain spirit however was a bit damper when we didn't go any further but it didn't stop him from not be captain of the mighty Breederiver.

I decided to walk up that stupid hill (with no shoes on!) to get the sun screen and hat I didn't take three hours before. You want to be fresh when you start work and the last two days in the sun has made me turn from skim milk to light yellow cobra. I still failed to take my camera cause after the luck with sneakers now being fish food I figured it's safe where it was. Half way down I met Robby for some sun screen, a meet up with Mimi, Goofy, Bongs, Werner and Dylan sitting in the shade still enjoying Captain Stu. After location of my other half, Eddie and Lee in the crowded river that was filled with more rubber and alcohol than people in the water I made my way over. Eddie left for stashes of rum, Minette for cigarette leaving the two last pirates on the tube getting stranded most of the time. At the island we made our way to the rocks for rum, a smoke which was loss to the wind and a scan of the crowd. I was amazed really about the amount of people and how nobody gave a toss on how you look. There was fat, scars, small boobs, hairy backs, BOS tea and the beautiful girls (and boys) just generally having a good time in the sun. Akkedis started their warm up as we entered the port side of the river, decided that it was good time to get out of the baking sun for some chill down time and shower. Let me just say I had sand where sand was not meant to be and there was not a wave near me...makes one wonder.

Minette went ahead to the showers as I figured wearing my wet clothes again since if felt like Phalaborwa on a cool summer’s day - fucking hot. One thing is the Cape sun is not a bitch as the Lowveld sun that will burn you blisters. Shower was a God gift, a hot SoCo and bag packed for the shift I set off to the bar. Got my pervious meal ticket food (thank you Pete for organising those food tickets!!!) Our bar was quickly filled with sun burnt faces, thirsty mouths and rock stars. I organised with Pete weeks before that during NOA gig I will not be working but supporting and Niel was kind enough to stand in for me during the gig. 10 minutes before the show I got Eddie sitting with Lee on the side of the main stage watching the comedian.

One review describe the NOA gig the best, "They took a sitting crowd to their feet in less than a song, boogy like it's the last gig on earth" - yip it was like that! Great honour to hear your home town heroes play at a place like Up The Creek. YOU GO!

After the high and energy of the NOA gig the time flew quickly behind the bar and it was time for the shift to end. Bongs and Goophstar of NOA came to say good bye and Lee came in for his 11Th (or was it 15th?) Titanic. I watched Boo! again for the first time in many good years and Chris can still pull it off in tight leather pants the size of a small hotel - no ball room and a corset. I had those craze AmeriCANS next to me telling how awesome the band is, yes I know darling that's why I'm watching them. After Boo! and NOA left for Nelspruit we drifted around for a few more hours with sudden body aches and pains that I feel like I was 98 instead of 28. After a quick bite from Kiara uneaten dinner, another forced beer I crawled to my tent. A good night sleep is what I needed for the first shift in the bar on Sunday.

The Sunday morning went by quickly as we helped all those thirsty people from a bar that was more like a swimming pool and limited on stock. We packed up, greeted those we could find and made our way back to Nelsparta just after midday. With the flu virus in our systems, the fresh memories in our hearts and the long ass road ahead of us we arrived safely in Nelspruit the next morning at 08:30.