I really don’t know where to start with today’s diary entry. I am on board with the rain gently pattering on the cabin roof. I spent the day trying to sort out odds and ends. Work has been progressing slowly. The mast is still off the boat. I had to erect a tent over the top end of the mast to solder on the new mast head tri-colour led. It was the only way of working in the rain short of lifting the whole mast into a near by shed. I feel like I’m taking one step forwards, two steps back. I got back to the boat last night to find the water pressure pump not working. Now I have to add that to the list of important things to complete before sailing. Pressurised water is not ideal for a boat intended on blue water cruising but it is a big undertaking to now replace the electrical pump with manual pump fittings for the two sinks. Also to add to my woes the shore power charging unit started smoking this evening suggesting that that too is faulty. Well it’s about time to unplug the electricity and go back to my wind vane to make sure it is re-charging the batteries. So there is a silver lining to that particular cloud.
My splendid isolation is about to end, guests aside I am about to receive my first potential long term crew member on Friday. It will be strange living with someone again. I have not had a crew member since August. Kathryn hails from Saskatoon, Canada and has bravely decided to fly out and join me. Crazy. It’s a far cry from the interview process we used to take candidates through at Getty Images. Fingers crossed it will work out. At least I have a full complement of crew for the trip down to Lisbon. In some strange way I seem to be reliving work, although searching for a room mate is a better analogy than hiring a member of staff.
