�� The fog was so thick first thing we were unable to see the marina breakwater. We rolled over and went back to sleep. There were chores we could to see to today rather than sail. The visibility improved greatly over breakfast on deck when we noticed the Danish boat next to us was flying an ARC flag. I felt quite excited as this was the first participating boat we�ve seen. Si nipped off to the marina office, returning with good news that a Suzuki mechanic was located in the marina. He grabbed the outboard and disappeared, but not before setting up the Brindabella onboard laundry.

�� The saloon floor was piled high by the time I had stripped the bed and gathered towels, tea-towels and clothes. I commenced what turned out to be a whole morning of laundry. (Well that�s what I told Simon!) Our Danish neighbours surfaced mid-morning and we enjoyed a long chat in the sunshine. They had their son and daughter with them (11 and 13) and were taking part in the ARC prior to sailing independently round the world. I looked forward to catching up with them again; they were very nice.

�� Si returned for lunch, the outboard still in pieces in the workshop, but at least the problem had been found. I baked some longlife baguettes to hide gammon in. (Meal no.2!). Simon had also returned with news of a huge fishing shop next door to the mechanic so I went to investigate while Si watched over the sick outboard. Very luckily the guy in the fishing shop spoke English as my questions weren�t exactly �holiday Portuguese�. We decided the best thing to do was bring our fishing box back to the shop to see what I needed. He was very polite and didn�t laugh as he sorted through the box and gave us tips on how to use all the doodahs we had. I treated myself to not a nice new pair of pretty shoes, but 2 shiny lures in different colours. Oh my! What has happened to me!

� Back on Brindabella Simon put his grumpy head on. I had suggested a bike ride and it is a bit of a palaver getting them out. Brindabella also needed a good scrub. We set off on what started as a bad tempered cycle through a rather shabby area of town. I can always be relied upon to choose the wrong direction when I most need to prove it was a good idea to get the bikes out! However, returning to the seafront and cycling along the prom was an excellent idea and we followed the extremely wide beach reminiscent of childhood holidays with cousins in Weston-Super-Mare with the tide out. Boardwalks and cycle boardwalks (what would you call those?) ran half way to the water and although a tad bumpy it was great fun. The corners of Si�s mouth were now turning up the right way. We cycled round to the rocky head where surfers were catching the breakers and took the better route back to the marina. Brindabella then had the hot soapy bath she desperately needed.

�� Si laid the table in the clean but wet cockpit and tonight�s gammon offering was served with onion sauce (in the absence of parsley which has died in my �garden�), new potatoes, broccoli and carrots. Unfortunately Simon also had rather more than his �safe� one glass of wine������..

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