7.58N 98.23E

Sunday, 20 February 2013

Mixed few days really. Breakages are piling up.  Couldn’t get any WiFi even using a 3G USB stick for many days. C’s iPad often works though but sadly can’t we print from it or transfer files.

Thought we’d go to James Bond island but thought better of it since all the islands here are spectacular, 007 would be full of trippers and add 140nm to the trip. Here are just two of the wonderful limestone formations around.

We next went to another beach recommended by a friend and it was the worst place ever. Hundreds of empty long-tails whizzing past close to our boat 4 or 5 every minute for 6 hours Their wash was unusually awful as well; then the discos started up. Hell on wheels (water actually).
We next went 5 miles away and a bit dessus to find at least 40 longtails on the beach; fortunately we were too tired to move on. This was because, a) we weren’t on their route out of the bay, b) they didn’t move very much and c) they all went about 2 hours after low water when a causeway between the islands covered over leaving us with a quiet wave-free bay where we stayed for 2 days.
C got a bit ambitious and wanted to put big the outboard on so we could explore in the early morning. Big outboard refused to move and I broke the outboard hoist trying; needing spare parts from Canada now.

Repairs list now includes:
 
service big engine
service DC generator
repair electric winch
repair hoist and buy new outboard harness
tighten kitchen water tap (I have a tap wrench but it won’t fit and you need arms like ET to reach it!)
get 3G USB stick to work, and/or get close enough to WiFi so that it works

Last year I heard a story that got me worried and phoned Admiral to check that a Total Loss would pay out the ‘Agreed Value’ of £266,000, they said yes. This year their renewal form said I would only get a market value (£180,000) determined by their underwriters! I wrote to one of their directors asking what was the point of ‘Agreed Value’ if they had no intention of abiding by it and could I have a refund for the last 7 years; he replied but didn’t answer the questions. I got couple of quotes which were slightly less but one said that Agreed Value was precisely what it said it was. Next year we’ll go with them but for various reasons we have to stick where we are for this year. Caveat Emptor.

Back in Boat Lagoon now, failing to get anything done because we arrived on a Friday, then the weekend, and Monday is a Public Holiday (I don’t know how we always seem to land on these days but we do; the worst were The Queen Mother’s birthday in Curacao and Mother’s Day in Fiji)

K

I am much more contented than keith cos nothing that is not working is really causing me any bother. He was so thrilled with his 3G USB stick that he ‘played with it until it broke’ (Molesworth self-adjusting thank you letter).

The iPad 3G SIM is still working so we have had internet access though not very good in some islands. I never upgrade or backup anything so I suppose I will have problems sometime. I think we can use the hoist with a Heath Robinson block and tackle and the trusty 2hp engine still works so basically we are o.k.

We headed for an island with a restaurant ashore which will be good. I love cruising around and being able to swim from the boat (no sand).

C