36.22.39N 10.32.69E

Thursday got off to a good start. We fixed the toilet pump (nut not tight enough – the manual says finger tight but in reality it needs to be spanner tight). We checked the Dan Buoy light, replacing some lines that had rotted in the sun (the ones that connect a small drogue to the life ring so it does not blow away in the wind), checked the engine and put an extra strap on the dinghy.

We also measured our holding tank (a job we have been meaning to do for ages – the answer is 90 liters). We know you really want to know why we wanted to know this. We have a stainless steel holding tank which means we have no way of knowing how full it is when it’s in use. We have looked at getting a non-intrusive sensor but they won’t work on our tank as the stainless steel is too thick. We decided the only solution for the moment is to measure the holding tank and estimate the amount of waste we put in it each time we use it. Not terribly accurate but better than nothing or an overflowing tank!!!

We then decided to top up the “clean” diesel tank (remembering to remove the filler cap first!). Unfortunately it spurted out of the overflow pipe again. Worse still it got Koshka on his tail.

After being covered in washing up liquid and then trying to rinse Koshka off we think he was more traumatized from the rinsing than he would have been left covered in diesel. He still has a diesel whiff. Anne was cleaning him and getting scratched while Stephen was googling “how to remove diesel from your cat”. Unfortunately there is a diesel engine made by CAT. Stephen will be writing to Mr. Google that in an emergency too many erroneous search results are displayed. Luckily Anne guessed correctly that washing up liquid is the answer. (well they suggest cat friendly shampoo – which of course we don’t have – why would you want to try to wash a cat?!!!!)

The good news is Koshka’s fur is now really really soft!! He seems to be OK - he's back to sleeping lots - which he always does!! Finally we then spent the evening cleaning up the diesel inside the boat that occurred when Koshka’s tail touched the cushions and bed. We now know the amount of diesel a cat can ingest before it is fatal (18 ml per 1lb of cat). As Koshka is a big cat, and the amount on his tail was much less than this, we think he will be ok.