Position 27°27’214S 153°11’470E
Manly Harbour, Australia, Coral Sea.
Hi dear friends, thank you for following my journey. Here is this week’s update.
A week of reflection onboard!
Life Onboard:
For whatever reason I have spent many an hour reflecting upon my voyage upon life’s ocean. The places I have visited, the friends I have made and the times we had. Not since Panama back in March 2007 have I been in a country where I know no other vessels. I am blessed for some reason, I make new friends easily and so I am never alone wherever the wind may take me.
After the drenching Pinta took coming across the Tasman Sea I spent the last few weeks trying to dry her out, all was going well until last weekend when we had 35kts here at Manly village. The wind was not so much of a problem as the driving rain that came with it. The dodger was off as the frame was being repaired, therefore the hatch had to be fully closed to stop the rain from entering the salon. Still, three days on and the frame repaired the dodger was back on.
It has been a week of ‘dhobying’ or washing, and plenty of it there was. During the past three years I have always washed cloths etc onboard, never using the laundry ashore.
The Boat:
The depth finder / transducer problem which started after hitting a few waves very unkindly during our passage is still not working. I spent a day chasing back the wiring and after running continuity tests all appears to be okay, my only conclusion then would be a faulty transducer. To change this Pinta needs to be hauled (lifted out of the water), however as the next year will be spent mainly at sea and in deep water I will wait until she requires antifouling to replace the unit. If time permits, although I doubt it will I will haul I Darwin however it will be more likely to be in Cape Town.
The fridge thermostat is still not working, I stripped it down, rebuilt it. It works for a while then stops! I am, at present unable to find a replacement locally.
‘Wilson’ the dinghy has been repaired and is now dry inside.
Fair winds, calm seas.
David.