Bushy Islet

11:14.63S 142:52.02E

19/06/13

Anchor up 0620, anchor down 1620

I should have added to the above ‘engine overheat  0630’. The fan belt  had destroyed itself and guess what? The spare was the wrong size! To prevent any further complications I dug out the petrol-driven alternator that Pam and Jim gave me. It started first pull and I ran it for an hour and a half to get some amps into the batteries which were down. Thanks chasps, that was a life saver! You’re right though, it is noisy but guess what? I don’t care. Thanks a million (amps).

 I sailed into the anchorage at Bushy Islet, luckily a fairly straight forward approach. Naturally, as I ‘rounded up and let fly’ a sheet managed to get itself round a keel. My excuse? With 20+kts wind I needed to get the anchor down pronto. Having dumped the anchor in a hurry I retrieved the errant sheet but of course this was the time that the anchor dragged. More chain Moriarty and damn fast if you please.

The situation stabilised Maureen and Paul came over. It looked a dingy ride from hell but actually going back was much worse. For once Lucas was right, this is a miserable anchorage.

Paul had spare belts which in fact he’d mistakenly brought as they were the wrong size for his boat. They were the wrong size for mine as well. He cut one to size and the plan was to stitch it together but my sewing kit wasn’t up to it. The next plan was parachute cord wrapped round the three pulleys. That was duly done and the engine turned over. It looked promising. By now it was getting dark, fairly strong winds and very rough. Maureen and Paul dingied home and we all spend an uncomfortable night.

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