Ready for the off!
Oldnick
Sun 1 Dec 2002 10:07
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We're
ready to go!
After the last week of preparation in
Tenerife & Gran Canaria (interspersed with copious dining and
siestas) we're ready to set Old Nick on her way to Australia - first
port of call Rio!
It's been a big week. In victualling the boat
for the first 2 legs we will have more free time in Rio, but the grocery
deliveries to the boat never seemed to stop and we wondered where we would stow
our 225 litres of bottled water, 30 litres of UHT milk and 15 kilograms of
tinned tomatoes. Old Nick is certainly sitting low in the water right
now!
Mick, Rog, Karyn and Craig in
Puerto de Mogan on the morning of our departure
On Thursday, Craig and I sailed from Santa Cruz on
Tenerife to Mogan on Gran Canaria to meet Mick and Rog, who enjoyed quite a
relaxing afternoon and evening waiting for Old Nick to arrive. We originally
intended on leaving Santa Cruz early Thursday morning, but because we were
waiting for a stove part to arrive by courier, we had to wait until 13:00.
Unfortunately when it eventually arrived it was the wrong part! So, it was 13:45
by the time we left. As soon as Craig put the engine into gear to pull out of
the marina, he knew something was wrong. The engine didn't seem to have any
drive. We asked a couple of the marina staff to see if anything was caught
around the propeller and did a quick check ourselves but couldn't see anything.
We continued on and had a lovely sail down to Gran Canaria. With a nice
breeze of 20 - 34 knots, Old Nick was cruising along at 7.5 - 8 knots.
Only took 5 hours to cover the first 40 miles, but when we moved out
of the wind acceleration zone off Gran Canaria the wind dropped to under 10
knots. Using the engine we were only able to make 2.5 knots for the last 7
miles! Let's just say we could SEE Mogan for a looooong time!
The prop was found to be encrusted with barnacles
which was the cause of the engine problems. The little blighters had really
taken to the new two-bladed prop yet the rest of the underside was clear. The
diver who cleaned it said that the prop and shaft was covered like a 3 year
old wreck. We were in Mogan for 3 days busily doing the final victualling and
eating out at our favourite eatery - Jack El Negro - where great steaks were had
at very reasonable prices (Rog loved the fish soup).
Anyway, the time has come to leave, the weather
looks good for fast conditions over the next 4-5 days and we are looking forward
to getting into the routine at sea.
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