Noon Position: 50 25.0 N 019 30.0 W
Course: East 6 knots
Wind: Southwest, fresh
Weather: Overcast, mild. Sea: slight
Day's Run: 124 miles
The weather is unfolding as forecast, reassuring. We now have a a nice
breeze, beam reaching with full sail set at a comfortable six knots.
Events of note:
Had to climb the bloody mast again yesterday evening, this time because the
navigation light wasn't burning properly. I recently purchased a nice new
(and expensive) LED replacement bulb, it uses about one tenth the power of
the old incandescent, which makes a big difference to my energy budget and
is therefore well worth the investment. But last night only the red sector
was lighting up, very strange. On investigation the bulb was a little loose,
why the red sector should still work and not the green and white is a
mystery but is something I will resolve when we are alongside or at anchor
and all is quiet and still. Fortunately this climb was nowhere near as nerve
racking as my last one as conditions were much calmer. I just hope the bulb
will remain firmly in place until we get to anchor.
Small fire in the galley. I have been suspicious of a gas leak for sometime
as when I shut off the gas bottle the gas normally stays in the line for
hours so you can relight the burner without opening the bottle. Of course
the flame goes out but it is a good test for leaks. Yesterday I could smell
it, it was coming from the back of the stove somewhere. I pulled the stove
top apart, all joints were tight and no leaks discernible. Last evening I
was making a cup of coffee when, WHOOSH!, a nice big flash of flame appears
from behind the stove. I turned off the gas bottle and immediately the flame
died away, well that definitely wasn't right. I looked behind the stove
again, not even a scorch mark to give me a sign where the problem was. It
had to be the hose connection to the back of the stove. I disconnected it
and sure enough there was a crack in it, it had obviously grown worse just
recently and was only leaking noticeably when the stove rolled a certain
way. Obviously the stove swinging back and forth in its gimbals had created
the split over time, right at the hard point where the hose connects to the
metal pipe on the back of the stove. Well it certainly was a relief to have
solved that problem. I shortened the hose a little, reconnected it and now
it is holding gas again. Hooray!
Looking at the forecast I think we will make for Cork, maybe check out the
oldest sailing club in the world, the Royal Cork, see how friendly they are
to wandering Aussies. ETA 19 June.
All is well.
Bob Cat:
Do I smell singed hair, is skipper Bob missing an eyebrow? What a strange
fellow. Hope he doesn't climb into the bunk smelling like that. Oh well,
roll over, Zzzzzzz.
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