Tuesday 2^nd April

Returned a week ago hoping to find the boat ready to go apart from a quick lift out and bottom scrub. We know by now never to rely on plans and so it transpired.

1^st thing we noticed was a bilge and engine well full of liquid- I thought sea water had been finding a way in but it wasn’t salty so then the forward water tank was prime suspect. It was empty but I couldn’t remember if we had left it empty because we suspected a leak last November. 2^nd thing was the dip stick showing about 10cm of liquid (not oil) above the full mark. Again not salty so I thought fresh water but the cooling water not depleted in the heat exchanger.

Unsure what to check next I sent Fiona a message and went up to the office to cancel the haul out arranged for that day.  Turns out the haul out wasn’t booked at all and as the yard was full of motor yachts having their pristine bums polished they wouldn’t be able to haul out until May!

Actually our bottom is surprisingly unfouled so I wasn’t too disappointed with that news. Maybe the fish have been nibbling the weed all winter. Certainly the topsides were remarkably clean when we returned and we can only assume that the marina lads had been over her with the hose to stop her letting down the general high standards.

Fiona is the local expert on everything boat related. A remarkable tiny Irish lady working in the marina on a wooden boat restoration for a client. The project looks very similar to when we left last November but lots of work has been going on we are assured.

She arrived on Wednesday  and suggested the liquid on the dipstick tasted like diesel.  That didn’t occur to me but checking the level in the fuel tank and yes it was less than half full despite having filled up in November. So 80 litres or so of fuel now out of the tank and in the bilge/engine.

Fiona returned with some food die to try and trace the leak but before that was attempted pushing the manual lifter quickly showed that one of the injectors was spewing fuel. Clearly not tightened properly after the head gasket replacement last year.

Searching behind the aft cabin drawers I found 2 taps never previously discovered on the fuel tank- 1 shut and 1 open. The shut one seems to be for cleaning the tank- the open one feeding the engine.  Pleased with the discovery I shut it off.

Fiona lent me a little electric fuel pump and arranged some 25 lt cans from the yard to empty the engine well and as much bilge as the 5 cans would take. Unfortunately the pump gave out just as I was finishing the last can so now I owe her a new pump.

Meanwhile I set about pumping out the engine and removed about 7 lt of fuel and then 5 lt of oil which was sitting under the diesel.

I was still slightly worried how the fuel could get through from the leaky injector into the engine sump but Fiona was confident we had found the problem. However rather than just tightening everything up she advised taking the injectors to a man she knows to have them serviced. This was Friday by now and with hope offered that the work could be done over the weekend I agreed readily with her superior knowledge.

With a free day on Saturday we set out for a trip to the dark (Turkish) side for some cheap beer and some sightseeing.  I spotted a castle on google maps  not previously visited on the north coast so we headed out early to Kantara castle.

Perched on top of a peak on the ridge of the Girne mountains it has unobstructed views of both south & north coasts. One of 3 castles along the ridge built to spot pirates or other trouble makers. Dismantled and then restored by an Englishman in early 1900’s.

Down to the north coast for a swim by a small fishing harbour we found an amazing coastline with the sand swept into graceful curves, ridges, waves and ripples and then frozen solid.  Like one moment in time the sand was under the sea and next high and dry and set in shape by the heat.

A kebab in a Farmagusta street café on the way home followed by shopping in the little border shop for Efes beer and fresh produce grown in the polytunnels behind the shop. Delicious sheeps yoghurt and olive oil from local suppliers.

It was a perfect day up there at the top of good Cyprus days.

Now we await the return of the injectors/atomisers. The hoped for weekend work has reverted to Friday at the latest.