Bits and Bimbles
|
Bonkers, Beez, Bits and Bimbles In The
Sun
We haven’t found a whole one – but
this kept the trigger finger happy for
now......
Alderney
came in with a cargo of boats, strange for a general cargo girl to be put to
this use, a first for us. This lady was built in 2003 and trots along at an
average 9 and a bit knots. Her deadweight tonnage is not massive (compared to
some of the big girls we saw in the Panama Canal) but she’s reasonably big at
3482, but then she is only 283 feet long and 42 feet wide.
We looked Alderney up on the
internet and her destination was here in Papeete, no forward route has been
added yet. Odd that the blue hulled yacht had her mast laying on her deck but
the white one next to her was ready about, we could see her inflated dinghy so
perhaps the journey is a short one. Alderney clearly needs a visit from
the man we saw dangling from the front of Arctic P, as she badly needs her anchor beds touched
up with a bit of green paint. Meanwhile said Arctic P was shuffled round the corner. A few days later Alderney left.
We finally had to retire our RWYC burgee. Spare out of box and raised with due
reverence.
Much of our chore days seem to be
filled with the “unstow – stow” nugget. This is the captain
fighting with his ‘big tool box’, reserved for big jobs. After much
hefting and sweating, with the odd bad word, it yielded. Thank heavens it doesn’t have to come out too often.
I should enter a snippy remark here but will stick with
no comment......... Yes
dear. The reason for the
outing was to fit the new parts to the towing generator.
We sent these pictures from Isabela
Island in the Galapagos to Alison at Duogen, a very poorly
chap. Immediately we received an email, parts to be waiting for us when
we got to Papeete. Sure enough, Alison worked her magic and Bear went to see
Fanny in the DHL office, a short bus ride away, and back he came with the new
parts. We are always so very impressed and grateful with the after-care service
we have had over the years and cannot rate the company highly enough. Thank You
Alison and all the chaps back at base.
We think the crack happened when we
hit whatever did for the propeller off Providencia. Bear did minor repairs to
keep him going, but had to retire him completely on the journey here – sorely
missed as this little chap produces enough energy to keep the freezer and the
autopilot going. The solar panels and wind generator do the rest.
Dave on
Alexes proves that every boat always has a long list of chores. Steve
and Chris (Scott-Free) were here a month working every day. Bear has
pottered through his wide and varied jobs. The girls are after all, our home,
shed, garage, car and al fresco fun areas, each taking a fair old battering.
Hopefully the chores done here in Papeete will see all our girls (fingers
crossed) going strong until New Zealand where I’m sure there will be new lists
ready to attack.
Bear on the other hand, displays his skills as Mr. Woo, mind you, he did have to have a little training and instruction – more like bloody nagging, what was that you just muttered. Nothing dear. Mmmm.
Later, we both groaned as Dave said this sign is not what sailors want to choose..........
I didn’t realise I had said out loud – could you trust this pair. “No” they both said as one.
The Town Hall.
For sale and rent. Knock off two zeros and that roughly translates to $US.
Manta Ray design on the Avis Car Hire office window. Between us we have a car booked for Wednesday to explore, visit Carrefour to top up supplies and collect Jenny from the airport.
We love this telephone box, complete with natural decoration. You have to trample over roots to get anywhere near it.
Bear hasn’t produced ‘an egg incident’ for a while, a very mediocre attempt I felt - cheek. We always judge a country or island by the standard of wiring, here, very posh. Flowers are everywhere but very little in the way of birds, minor birds, some doves and a few chickens are all we have seen.
ALL IN ALL STILL LOVING
TAHITI AND HER
PEOPLE |