Blog #23 Good news
Cassini's blog
Simon and Sally, Nigel and Catherine
Fri 15 Sep 2023 18:56
| Good news The spares for the windlass were fitted today with only minor dramas. Aiming to connect the four electric cables, I fell in slow motion (my shoulders and chest slowing the rate of descent) into the anchor locker, head first, trying to reach one of the bolts that was hidden from view. I could see the funny side thankfully and was still laughing as i gently rested my head on the anchor chain below, fully inverted. Now that I could actually see the remaining cable connections, I went ahead with completing the connections. After completing the bolting up of all the cables, I only had to get out of the locker from a head first position with only legs from the knee up showing above decks. Nigel managed to suppress his laughter for sufficient time to pull on my feet while I tried to angle arms and shoulders to slide back upwards through the open locker. It is with great regret that Nigel was unable to film the entire episode, as I’m sure my narrative can’t do justice to the image of only my waggling legs showing from the anchor locker! Once repairs completed, we removed all 90m of chain from the locker to clean out all the detritus from the broken windlass casting. Catherine is the smallest crew member, and won the enviable task of climbing in to the locker to clean out and clear the anchor drains that ensure the locker remains [largely] dry while ploughing along at sea. Suffice to say, Catherine fitted in more easily than I did! We made the most of the opportunity from shore electric supplies, cook a further meal and do some washing. The washing machine was a purchase from Korea by the last owner. It’s a fancy job, but has a mind of its own, can't count, and has to be monitored constantly. Unlike your home washer where you can set a programme and leave it, ours is happy to set one, but then just does it’s own thing, counts down in one direction, then back again, sucking up precious water supplies, draining electricity and continually rinsing clothes. It can be ‘advanced’ to make it do the next stage, but the operator has to be on the ball to monitor. It is not exactly Smart as the label on the outside suggests! Back in our favourite little anchorage tonight; we even managed a little sailing before the wind died. We’re leaving tomorrow, more or less as planned, to make further ground west and south before a spell of high winds arrives and we need a safe anchorage. Simon  |
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