We have now been in Mahon (39.53.69N 04.15.42E) for two weeks.  The last few days we have been forced to stay in an outrageously expensive marina in order to have the windlass fixed.

A couple of points to note here....

1                     If it ain’t broke don’t fix it. I took the mechanical side apart the other day, unseized it and greased the whole thing, so the electric side took umbrage and seized!

2                     If you think something is not right, it probably isn’t.  I have been worried about the windlass since we left Ipswich, it is old and it doesn’t look great but Fox’s assured me it worked OK and I didn’t want to spend another £3000 to have it replaced.  Now we have spent an extra week here and cost in all around £1500 just to have the electrics sorted...the mechanics still need to be done and it is still an old windlass that only goes one way and is really too small for the boat....

The main reason for coming into the Mediterranean at all was to see Le Tour come through Marseille....we missed that and Big Cav, the Manx Missile won the stage.  I am devastated but as Fuzz said, “...chin up and onto the next adventure”

We have utilised the time well and done loads of jobs that really need stability and space, like painting the bilges and the deck and cleaning the bikes. 

Last night after dinner, which I cooked on the barbeque, we walked into the old part of town and sat in a charming bar (actually in the street outside of course, this is the Mediterranean) and drank the most magnificent gin and tonic.  It was the waiter’s speciality and jolly good it was too.  I am slowly getting used to the Mediterranean lifestyle where everything happens later at nearly midnight we wandered into Es Claustre (The Cloisters) and listened and indeed danced to The Machines, clearly a local band playing Spanish music.  It was quite charming.

Today we need to put the boat back together now that the paint has dried and prepare to leave.  We will spend a few days sailing along the coast on Menorca anchoring as we go before heading off towards France.  We need to be near Agde this time next week when Barry and Tracy et al are down. 

Take care and try and come and see us!

Love

Alasdair, Gill, Habitat, Pickles and Star Charger.