Ok so whats been going on … Hmn .. Not much!
Frey arrived (at long last) with Super Flavio and they have been beavering away making repairs to poor Otahi. Breakages / breakdowns include Engine Impellor, Heads, Laptop, Solar Panel Regulator, Self Steering, Cooker and some Sail repairs.
I have finally been persuaded to purchase an AIS (after looking at the Landsend AIS feed) and opted for the self contained NASA Radar. Horta price 519 euros (£444), UK price £209 – slight difference! Price match – what is that?!?! The look I get from the local chandlery says ‘what part of the word MONOPOLY is it that you don’t quite understand?’ Being essentially in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean they can pretty much charge what they like – and they do!
In addition, while scrambling down the harbour wall to get back aboard Doris, I managed to drop my handheld GPS in the water (about 2m deep). It was in my pocket after trying to find some terminals to make a cable for it. Now, the water is absolutely disgusting with god knows what is in it (I know what I put into it and that’s bad enough) and a film of oil on the surface.
The GPS is (sapposed to be) ‘kind of’ waterproof, so I either say goodbye to £100 or get the wetsuit on, in the hope it’s still alive. With Frey’s motivational speech of ‘Just Do It!’, I take the plunge! Seconds later I’m coughing and almost spewing my lungs up as my mask leaks like a sieve (due to not shaving for over a week) and handing her the yellow treasure – which is full of water.
Question, why make something that is ‘waterproof’ to a limited depth and not design it so it floats? – Genius! A quick ‘thankyou’ to the shower attendant woman who let me into the showers after climbing out despite them being closed for lunch – I think she took pitty on me, or maybe she could just smell me?
Great! … now I need both an AIS ... and a replacement GPS. While discussing all this with Kat, we decide that the best thing all round is for Kat to order the new toys and then bring them out to Horta, in which case she may as well sail with me back to the UK. After all, it’s about time we actually sailed a bloody passage together!
So .. despite Kat’s comment of ‘I’m absolutely sh*tting myself’ as she booked the flight.
On Friday 3rd my new ‘crew’ arrives and I will have the luxury of both company and sleep to arrive fresh in Falmouth around 2 weeks later and Kat has her second date with the Atlantic Ocean. Thats the plan - Wish us luck!
Nothing else to report really, Flavio is leaving on Monday and Frey is arranging for someone to come and crew with her back to the UK. All being well, we might even leave together. Watch this space…
6 comments:
Always glad to read new posts. My crew has flown home and won't return until July 10 or so. I will fly in July 2. I know you are heading out, so our paths might not cross. Grateful Red may not even have a berth yet. I may have to chance walk-in hotel accommodations. In any case, thanks for the interesting read. It's been so cyber strange to be connected to someone I don't know who's where I am going, where I'll be on my own with boat repairs and provisioning. Like they say...that's why they pay me the big bucks. That and my culinary skill!!
Hey hey ...
Boat Repairs, Provisioning, Big Bucks AND Culinary skills!
We wont be going anywhere until about Sunday the 5th so who knows a beer or two maybe had! Always good to meet an avid reader - heh!
If you find yourself up the North end of the marina towards the bar, keep an eye out for DORIS.
hey Paula - while he's rigging up the AIS unit i'm bringing out on Friday night maybe you can give me a crash course in cooking?!?!
then again - if the expression that "the way to a man's heart is through his stomach" then "the way to an overgrown boy's heart is most definitely through ridiculous quantities of chocolate bars". With that in mind, cooking is a skill i can always master if he ever grows up!
:)
Have a safe trip over
Hey ..!!!
I grew up once - It was over-rated!!!
Kat, you're on. Coming with plenty of recipes, too. But been doing a lot of reading on local cuisine. Trick is to use the best of what's there, but keep it simple.I will be there Thurs. night. Plane lands 7 p.m....yeah, right. Hope after 36 hours of travel, I'll be on time. Grateful Red is rafted up 3 deep next to the sea wall. I have to get shore power on or I am using a flashlight first night. Then I have to get Clive on the refer pump and fill the LP so I can even start to cook. I was just kidding about the big bucks, tho capt. did spring for my RT ticket from Calli. See you for sure Thursday night. First round's on me.
I guess my screen name changed from my investment club (Women's Investment Club of Stockton WIGS) to my name since I started my own blog...www.gratefulcook.blogspot.com
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