How much?!
W2N 'Where to Next?'
Rob 'Bee' Clark
Sat 21 Feb 2009 11:22
I'll start with the quite bad news. The fresh water circulation pump I need to fix the engine cooling system is not in stock anywhere in South Africa and has to be shipped from Volvo in Sweden or from a UK dealer. Either way, there's not a chance of it arriving in Cape Town in time for the RMS St Helena supply ship's scheduled departure on 23rd. Other options include finding a yacht leaving SA bound for St Helena or airfreighting the part from Brize Norton to Ascension and waiting for the RMS to return from there in March. That's actually what I've arranged but the longer I wait here, the worse the weather will be around the southern cape of Africa and although it's the only reliable option, it'll mean a three week delay. It can't be helped but it's making me frustrated and nervous and I'm feeling pretty low right now.
The really bad news is the cost of the replacement part! My friend Chris who owns Canasta's slightly younger sister ship 'Swagman', has sourced a supplier in the UK that is cheaper than dealers in SA but it's still a lot of money and will put a big dent in the 'Where to Next?' project budget. Having said that, they're a pretty resourceful lot here and there's a local chap looking at the broken pump to see if he can bodge (I mean 'fabricate') something that'll get me to Namibia. I'll still need to replace it with the Volvo part but it would mean I could get going in the next few days.
So, nothing really to report yet other than the news that Zac Sunderland, the American 17 year old attempting to be the youngest ever single-handed circumnavigator has left SA and is heading this way. It's possible then that I'll meet him before I leave.
So, sorry to sound so down but I was ready to go. I'd cleared out of immigration, I'd said my goodbyes and was about to raise the anchor when the pump seized. There are worse places to be stranded and the 'Saints' are making me feel very welcome but I'm anxious to get going and finally leave this gruelling South Atlantic beat against the currents and SE trades in my wake.
I should have news in a day or two and will keep you posted with developments. In the meantime, hearing how cold, miserable and economically doomed the UK is right now is helping me to appreciate that, all things considered, it's not so bad here!
Bee