Almerimar 10 June
ALKIRA
Charles & Maggie Bevis
Tue 10 Jun 2014 18:26
So at some point, my awful Spanish must have made some sense after all - wonders will never cease., Pepé, the boss, tells me I am 'formidable' but in the nicest sense of the word I hasten to add! He doesn't much care for a lot of his customers as they can't make up their minds and mess him about a lot, but he's taken a shine to us as "we're not difficult" - plus we've potentially found him more work, so he's a happy man and we're happy too. The final panel will be with us in the morning and then, even though the forecast isn't great, we are seriously hoping be on our way at long last, motoring rather than sailing alas.
Stuart, who made the steel targa and bimini frames for us, is due on board this afternoon to fix/weld the foundation plate onto the transom so the passarelle can be put in place. I haven't yet convinced Charlie to ditch the wooden gangplank as he seems to think we might still put it to use at some point - perhaps he has plans to walk it ... Hmmm, time will tell.
The chrome is polished, the hull and fenders are sparkling, the windows don't leak, the decks are scrubbed, all the laundry is done, the cupboards are full, (in spite of the one local supermarket still remaining closed). We hope to stock up the fridge and freezer in Cartagena, and if not there, we'll head to Dénia, where there's an excellent indoor market selling fresh fish, fruit, veg, wine, oils, meat etc etc, so a good opportunity to shop before heading to the Balearics, where we expect prices to be higher. We're planning on being at anchor a lot more when visiting the various islands, so shopping will become more challenging, hence the need to fill every gap now, whilst it's easy.
Charlie is keen to put the water maker through it's paces once we reach clean waters and we're both looking forward to relaxing. We've been so busy since being back on board, it'll be good to stop for a time.
Later - Already it's 8pm, where does the time go? After yet another busy productive day, we are now showered and relaxing in the cockpit as it's G&T o'clock. It is a little bit public as the locals and holiday makers promenade past our transom. This place is just beginning to awake from the winter - every day another dormant bar/restaurant awakens and there are more and more people around. When I first arrived back in May, visitors often asked where everyone was!
The evenings are becoming warmer so it is pleasant to sit up on deck. It is not dark until about 22:00 so the evenings are pleasant. Mind you, I was awakened at 01:30 by a family on there way home from a local bar and, unbelievably they had a toddler with them who was crying is heart out with tiredness - strange lot?
Well dinner is simmering away down below and it is time to break out the wine
The passarelle is now firmly in place, as is the new bimini. Tools and "clobber" have all been cleared away and Charlie has tidied his workshop/toolshed. Crikey, it's beginning to look as though we are almost ready to leave! It'll be our last day here tomorrow, with just a few minor tasks outstanding, so we've unilaterally decided to leave Thursday morning come what may, wind or not!
That's all for now. happy birthday Lottie.
Charlie and Maggie.