Zaurak - Zaurak's Bimbling Blog

Zaurak's Bimbling Blog

We are feeling very smug today.

This morning included a four hour stint in the saloon with the carpets peeled back, floor boards piled high and the skipper and crew members lying on tummies with arms reaching into the abyss. The sailors-cum-plumbers were surrounded by all available tools and spares trying to work out why the 450 litre starboard tank was reading empty. How much tea can we possibly have drunk?

Claire revealed a potential career in endoscopic research as she used the endoscopic camera through the fresh water pipes to find any blockage. Pete put his trust in various pipes when asked to suck the water through and hoped he didn't get a face full. Eventually, after four hours of eliminating possible causes and solutions, a new pipe was fitted, the taps ran and there was a rush for the hot water showers. There remain some mysteries as to what is blocking the original fresh water pipe, suggestions welcome via sat phone or email.

Our smugness continued after our successful pipe replacement. I mentioned (rudely) that I hadn't yet seen the cruising chute in a flawless hoist and had come to believe that it was impossible. This time, an all-female three-strong team marched to the bow, flawlessly hoisted the cruising chute and lowered the spinnaker pole. Unlike yesterday, there were no others boats around to chip in their congratulations over VHF, so we had to pat ourselves on the back.

Sea-life views: zero
Fish caught: zero
Fish caught on boats within VHF range: one Mahi-Mahi.
Number of crew members jealous of the others boat's catch: Four out of six.