Finally to Madeira
Suzie Too - Western Caribbean
David & Suzanne Chappell
Fri 2 Oct 2009 02:37
By the time we had been spayed off we had no antifouling left so this time had new the racing hard type as we have done over 2000 miles since we set off from the UK. The guys said all you English boats all have self eroding and by the time you get here it's all gone !! – so, make a note to using racing hard when you come this way. We had strainers fitted on the pickups for the generator and fridge as they have been picking up a lot of weed in the Rias and I'm sure up the Amazon will get clogged with Water Hyacinths, Piranha etc. Also had a security lock fitted to the companionway and a coupe of extra electric fans in the cabins.
Finally the MasterVolt inverter has arrived at last and is being fitted today. We splashed back in the water at 08.30 this morning and drove around to Lagos from Portimao boat yard all of 10 miles. Portimao marina boat yard is excellent by the way and the Manager, David, and his team are the most careful and conscientious people - they actually lifted us at 07:50 and got us in early. OndaNautica who did the work was the best company we have ever had working on Suzie Too, they could not of been more helpful and have done an excellent job too, highly recommended, and good value at €38 per hour. So nice when you go in the office each morning with a new list of jobs and they shake your hand to wish you Good Morning – the Portuguese are SO friendly – genuinely friendly – we will definitely have this place on our list of future bases when / if we come back to Europe.
We were back in Lagos by lunchtime, it has everything with lots of English boats around, free internet, and a Pingo Doce supermarket 200m away where you wheel their trolley straight down to the marina pontoon and leave it for them to collect later
John, one of the many English boat fixers down here, is coming at 16:00 today to fit the MasterVolt unit and then it’s off for a meal tonight with Mike Woodruff - "Ebenezer" Legend 38. Then on Friday we set off after a full English Breakfast to sail the 440 miles Madeira - but unfortunately the wind has already turned south and we need to go southwest. So on the nose again.
Still no rest yet - we have to stock the boat up with booze, food and supplies as we are pretty empty - about 4 trolley loads to go… all back breaking stuff lifting the items onto the boat and storing them all away.
Anyway, bye for now, next blog will be when we arrive in Madeira.
Love to you all
David & Suzanne xxx