More on Sri Lanka
Wildfox
Anthony Swanston
Sun 5 Mar 2017 04:00
On the last
day of my tour I visit Yala National Park, pictures already posted. Sadly Dayal invites himself to join me and
points out many interesting things, ad
nauseum eg “This is an elephant” and “This is sunset”. The park is good but
next day I am glad to get back to Wild Fox tied up in her cat’s cradle.
Having
exhausted the highlights of Mirissa I head back to Galle. On arrival outside the harbour I, once again,
have to wait for the navy to board. My
windlass fails for a second time. My initial alongside berth has a terrible
surge but then a space appears and I do a Med Moor. Not easy to set up but it kills the
surge. The old town of Galle is superbly
restored. Originally build by the Dutch
it is a rabbit warren of quaint little streets.
I photograph the famous lighthouse and recall my arrival at night almost
a month ago and Gigi, looking at the lighthouse and saying with great knowledge
of matters nautical, “That stupid place to put spotlight. And why it on off all the time?”
The Sri
Lankans bring a whole new meaning to bureaucracy. It takes a long time to get a pass to allow
me out through the gates. Electricians arrive to fix my windlass. They have passes to get in but are held at
the gates for two hours before the passes are approved. They fault find expertly and a repair is
done. A few days later the radar guys go through a similar exercise. The PCB in the scanner has gone phut. US$300 on line. US$650 to import and US$ 350 to clear it
through customs – a four day process when it gets to the country. The radar
repair is important as without it I am uninsured when off watch.
But with so
many breakages I am having a crisis of confidence. Luckily my friend Dave arrives on
Alexes. First met in 2011, Norfolk,
Virginia, then in Tonga, then in Cairns then all the way through
Indonesia. I tell him of my
problems. His are worse. We drink lots of beer.
