Mosquito murder
Rhiann Marie - Round the World
Stewart Graham
Thu 18 Feb 2010 14:22
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18 February 2010 1000local time 1400
UTC
12:09.17N 068:16.74W
After arriving in Bonaire on Tuesday, we went
ashore and got the lay of the land. Wednesday we went diving out at the back of
Klien Bonaire which was spectacular. It had been a while since we dived so it
took a little bit of getting used to but was worth the effort as the coral was
the best we had ever seen.
Having fixed the airconditioning earlier in the
week, which was not working, due to a pump not holding its prime. It seems it
has gone again and this left us last night, the only night with no wind for
weeks, in a stinking hot boat with hatches open and mosquito screens fitted,
which allowed no air but somehow one mosquito in.
We did battle all night with the mossy but all
through the night he bit us both all over. Even with sheet pulled right up until
just our eyes were showing we were still getting bit. He met his end in the
morning between Trish's clapped palms, with an explosion of all the blood he had
sucked out of us all night.
As the diving was so spectacular we are going for
another two tank dive tomorrow in the morning and going on another tour of the
island tomorrow on a Harley Davidson!
Today we tour in a battered up old Suzuki jeep
which I renetd with the instructions "dont lock it - as it will just get broken
into!" ??????? That's a new take on security from a car hire company, but one I
am well used to and believe in completely. Aparently the kids that are doing this are under 16 and fall
below the law and the parents are not legally responsible.
Here's an idea I have had for a long time - make
all us parents criminally responsible for our children till they are 16
then make them responsible. Simple. Just watch the reduction in youth
crime.
Tonight I have to pull the aircon system apart
again but it looksd like we will need a new pump. This will probably have to be
received and fitted in Cartagena. A damn nuisance, but there we have
it.
Preparations will now start to be made for the
bad weather round the north of Columbia. I will prepare warps and a drogue for
streaming astern, not so much to slow the boat down, but because I have a
real concern about the rib. Our RIB is mounted on davits astern and I would
have preferred if it had been mounted 200mm higher. This would allow better
access when stern to - but most importantly it would reduce the risk of a large
following wave - not pooping us - but coming up under the rib and ripping the
davits out. The davits are good for 500kg but a large following wave would try
to lift the yacht up with the rib as the buoyancy. Therefor I will keep a close
eye on thsi and that is the main reason for preparing warps, which would help
break up any approaching following
waves.
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