Apataki, week 4
Juffa
Bill and Caroline
Sat 13 Jul 2013 22:29
| The trip to 'town' in the boat yard launch takes about an hour. Down wind this isn't too bad, up wind is a little wetter and when the wind is howling and the waves are rolling it is very very wet. More like buckets of sea water thrown at you as you experience 50 minutes on a Thorpe Park ride, and we're not talking the tea cup rides here. Still it is all worth it to send emails and to visit the shop. The promised land of plenty it was not, but they did have flour (so bread is back on the menu), potatoes, onions, cooking oil (we can make crisps again - aka chips for N Americans), the one cucumber was too soggy to contemplate and the 3 green tomatoes had been rejected by many. However, there were frozen chicken wings which will be the first 'fresh' meat for a while. A spring clean, or mid-winter clean if you are in the southern hemisphere, was much needed. The persistent rain has increased humidity levels and the dreaded Panamanian mould is creeping back leaving a dusty grey film on ceilings, cupboards, doors, window frames - in fact most surfaces. From previous experience the vinegar, bleach or mould cleaner comparison showed little difference in effectiveness and as the vinegar might be needed for more chutney, the bleach and mould cleaner were liberally used and the boat returned to a much more habitable state. Hopefully the rains will ease off otherwise weekly de-moulding sessions will be back in force. The persistent rain has however filled the water tanks and once again it is possible to relax, just a little, about water consumption. A friend who's boat is having work done in the boat yard, or carenage, invites us and another couple on board (on land) at sundown. One is a GP and is busy advising that a visit to Papetee may be needed for a man who has fallen in a launch and looks like his ankle is broken. Fortunately having a doctor around has allowed him to have his foot professionally immobilised with a cardboard cast which should hold on the way back to the village, then on to Papetee. Meanwhile the blood sucking mosquitos have a field day and thoughts turn to investment in a range of DEET products, should we find them. |