Porto Torres 2nd May 2011
Porto Torres
Mon day 2nd May, 2011.
We arrived back in Alghero, Sardinia for our summer season on a very early morning Ryan Air flight with grateful thanks to Jonathan for his kind offer of a ride to the airport. It was a very good flight and as we came into land I was able to see the boats where Ariel was wintering. We waited one and half hours for the bus to Sarrari which we were told would arrive any time and then another hour for the bus to Porto Torres. A taxi would have been a better idea! Sardinia has a very laid back attitude to time. Fortunately, our friendly marina man was answering his mobile and made contact with the manager where Ariel had been stored in a yard for the winter. Ariel has been stored inside a very secure compound where we have to go through security checks and they wished to take our passports which is why we needed the manager to help us get into the compound and help us to be able to keep our passports in order to leave by water once Ariel was safely back in the water. It took him about 20 minutes to argue our case that we needed to keep our passports but they finally agreed once he assured them he would be responsible for us.
It was a relief to see Ariel and to find her safe and sound although a little dirty which we expected. Jim checked the sea cocks and found the second loo valve would not open. Within minutes he was taking out the holding tank, the loo and fighting with the pipe work until it was dark. Fortunately, the next morning he managed to get it all back together after greasing the valve the night before and it was working fine. Now moved to the list of yearly maintenance jobs!!!
We are extremely pleased with the copper coat and it only needed a little buffing up for this year. 45 foot takes a day or so to get the job done. The paint for the boot line travelled safely in the case and looks good.
I managed to buy a couple of bags of food shopping while waiting for the marina manager which kept us going for three days. We are totally cut off from the world but the important part was Ariel was safely looked after. They built special supports as a cradle for her and luckily the temperature did not fall below 5 in the winter. The Wicks cover did a marvellous job and kept her quite clean.
5th May, 2011
We had polished all morning the top sides and after an afternoon siesta Ariel was lifted from her cradle by the hoist for the 200 yard journey to the water to be relaunched. The whole process took approximately an hour and half as they stopped half way for Jim to anti foul the bottom of the keel and for me to buff up the copper coat which had been covered by the cradle props.
We were very pleased to see her back in the water and nearly ready for this year’s adventures.