I've been able to borrow a headsail and it fits! In fact as far as I can remember it's damn nearly the same size as the original one that was destroyed in the storm between Fiji and New Caledonia. The owner would prefer to sell it so over the next couple of days there'll be some negotiations but in any event I am most grateful to Irina and John on Footloose for their generous offer of help.

Today I started a transmission oil change but my little hand pump wasn't up to the job so I have borrowed Calypso's manual pump again. The oil was once again a milky colour so obviously some water is getting in but the transmission must have been used for at least fifty hours since the last change and I know that I don't get all the oil out at one fell swoop so I'm choosing not to be too worried just at the moment.

Paul Calypso came over this morning and mentored me as I tightened up the rigging. The inner forestay was certainly way too loose now that it's going to have a sail on it and the side-stays needed a touch of tightening. I (we) were fairly cautious because cats need a bit of play in the rigging as they don't heel to the gusts, of which there are bound to be some I suspect! That only took about an hour and a half and suddenly it was lunchtime. We and John Kylani went for a beer and Gado gado in my case. I managed to persuade my credit card to cough up some cash so the plan now is to leave here with a minimum of 200 litres of fuel, a full tank is 235. I scraped-off 1.5 rudders and a bit of one hull before breaking the scraper and cutting myself on the crustaceans. Hopefully the Savalon cream will do the trick. In the meantime more scraping required.

The first 100 litres of fuel being delivered tomorrow. The furler-bearings have been liberally soaked in WD40 so tomorrow the new headsail should go back on. Exciting stuff.

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