Beez Neez now Chy Whella - Ambaru Job List

Ambaru Job List

Beez Neez now Chy Whella

Big Bear and Pepe Millard

Fri 26 Jul 2019 08:15

Position 12:26.79 S 48:46.21 E

Ambaru Bay Job List

No sooner than we had settled in the cockpit on Monday than a bright, shiny, black beetle the size of a ladybird bimbled across my back. Flying ants at dusk and when I got up in the night for a juice a two inch grasshopper eyed me from his position next to the sink. On Tuesday a black wasp half the size of my fist visited but left unimpressed with setting up permanent digs, no argument from me or me. All before we have clapped eyes on a lemur. The creatures of Madagascar are going to be fascinating.

The days have been punctuated by pressing jobs but we allow ourselves a game of backgammon after lunch before getting back to the grist.

Since anchoring in Ambaru Bay the task list has formed, some now ticked off, others remain or altered. In no particular order – blue or pink jobs, no purple:

Refit pole and solar panel on right rail. Tick.

Remove tattered dodger.

Reseat lounge table. Tick.

Big fridge, blinked off three days before we arrived. (Really cross as the electric control unit was only replaced six months ago). Current status dead but ........

Change gas bottle for cooking. Tick.

Top up main diesel tank from jerry jugs on deck. Tick.

General laundry, three fluffy floor mats, cockpit blankets, towels used on chairs. Tick.

Wash cockpit cushions from our chairs, my doughnut cushion. Tick.

Ceiling panels down (soaked) to dry from each side of Mr Dickinson (heater chimney leak). Tick.

Replace panels when dry. Two yes, but the one above the kitchen corner had to be completely taken to pieces, will need to reglue vinyl, refit lamp and replace – ongoing.

Remove chimney and reseal (Mr Dickinson). Growling and Tick.

Sort out sewing spares from lounge floor (first time wet – ever).

Empty and clean tin/plate cupboard. Tick.

Empty and clean condiment/dry store cupboard. Tick. What has been a complete mystery is all the tiny flies that look like their cousins, fruit flies. No sooner than I had set up my laundry bucket to hold my sodden seat cover (blanket) than tiny flies settled. As soon as I discovered the leak in my condiments cupboard than I saw the flies take up residence in the plastic (supposed to replace the need for ling film but hasn’t) cover that I was using to catch the drips. More and more appeared. Once the cupboard was clean, dry and the stuff replaced they seemed to be at a loss when they checked their home. A sharp spray from Ridsect and they knew the landlady had evicted them.

I set up two fly traps (the tin, plastic apple-shaped thingys that you put a sugar solution in, they get through the tiny hole to feed on the wick and cannot get back from whence they came). I made one with honey and sugar and the other with strong salt. Guess which one had the most visits, successes. Weird.

Empty office, major amount of water leaked onto bedding – launder. Tick but lost quilt cover in a sudden katabatic wind. Growling.

Clean big fridge and set up as a larder. Tick.

Clean bird poop from conservatory roof.

Clean conservatory window of salt stains.

Tin audit and shuffle stores to neatness. Tick.

Repair electrickery board with some soldering.

Little repair on Baby Beez.

Clean en suite.

Finish Chagos blogs. Tick.

Change our bedding.

Seek the bloody leak that Bear has searched for over the last three months. Ongoing but now considering cockpit as a second major source.......

May leave here tomorrow for Mitsio Island, another stop ??? and then Hellville to check in etc.