Quick Update 14 October 2014
Tashi Delek
Mike & Carol Kefford
Tue 14 Oct 2014 01:36
After a cracking couple of days sailing we are now back to very little wind
and motoring. We did some in flight re-fuelling this morning which is much
easier with an extra pair of hands and a not so wobbly sea while untying
jerry cans from the foredeck, lugging them back to the cockpit and then
holding them high enough to syphon into the tank. Kitchen roll and washing
up liquid are important accessories to the operation.
While Carol writes this Mike and Hugh are engaged in a vegetable chopathon
so that we have the rest of the veg ready to go in ply bags in the fridge.
Much easier to cook something next time the sea gets up if the prep is done.
We cannot arrive in Australia with any eggs, veg or meat on board so we are
working our way through the last of the rations to minimise how much, if
anything, goes over the side. Our dry stores will be inspected for
infestation (!) as will our woodwork and if all is well (it had better be,
Carol is excessively vigilant on this) we will be able to keep our rice,
flour and beans for eating after arrival.
We have been having a major clear out of our stores over recent months. It
was clear that we were not going to starve, get scurvy or otherwise suffer
from malnutrition because everywhere we have been, no matter how remote, has
had some sort of food supply. Not that surprising really given that if there
are human beings present they must be eating something. Such were the dire
warnings about limited supplies crossing the Pacific that we stocked up in
Trinidad, Bonaire and Panama to the point where the boat would hardly move
when we set off to go through the Panama Canal. Completely unnecessary. We
have had famines of individual items, such as eggs, but fresh coconuts,
amazing bananas, pate and baguettes all help to overcome any urgent needs
for an omelette.
Today we will see if we can catch a fish again. Having mastered the art of
Mahi Mahi it would be great to catch a Wahoo but we are still so thrilled to
be catching anything that anything edible will do.