Position 35°54’173N 014°29’871E
Manoel Island Marina, Malta. Mediterranean Sea.
Hi dear friends, thank you for following my journey. Here is this week’s update.
Pint (and perhaps her crew) are fit for sea once more. My writing continues, with much laughter (and reminiscing) as I transfer my journal entries over to the book.
For the first time since our arrival in Malta Pinta is ready for sea. A productive week, the parts I had been waiting for was finally in my hands. These were fitted midweek.
It has also been a good week for myself, the past few weeks or so I have been trying various things to resolve my ongoing problem. I suppose in the computer world of years gone bye you would call it ‘fault diagnostics’. These days you throw everything away for it is cheaper to replace rather than repair however as it was me we are talking about I really did not want to be thrown away, just yet!
I believe I found the solution to most of my problems (apart from my total lack of balance), in doing so I have only had one bad day during the past two weeks where previously everyday was a bad day. With this in mind and Pinta seaworthy once more, my spirits lifted. I am preparing for our hopeful departure around Thursday next week, weather permitting. Our second longest time becalmed in a single country, 171 days. Perhaps it has felt worse this time because I love sailing and normally go out upon the sea whenever possible, this has not been possible here in Malta due to waiting for parts etc.
Ashore early most mornings acquiring victuals for after 10:00hrs (local) it becomes far too humid to do much other than lay in ones hammock reading or just chilling out to music.
The Boat:
Due to the way the halyard swivel parted and jammed I thought it wise, well what with my health issues to leave it to the experts. The rigger, Charlie and crew (Yacht Services Ltd) removed the forestay, broken halyard swivel and top cap. New parts fitted, forestay refitted. At the same time I got them to replace the backstay which I had already made up and which I had intended to fit myself.
All winches have been stripped down, cleaned and greased (marine). The very fine orange dust here gets in everywhere, recalling what happened after our stay in the Cabo Verde back in 2005 where they physically would not turn due to the Sahara dust sticking to the grease and packing the whole unit solid. I thought it prudent to carry out the preventative maintenance.
Fair winds, calm seas.
David.