11 Jun 11
The sun is going down over Syracuse harbour, Jen is sitting in the cockpit with her sewing, and Dave, in his self-appointed position as anchorage monitor, is keeping an eye out for arrivals and departures, who is going ashore, who is returning, what they have brought from the town etc.....
'Jen?'
'Yes, Dave.'
'This blog of yours, people are going to think we are a pair of dills.'
'Why, Dave?'
'Well we have only gone 100 mile since Gozo, and we always seem to be fixing something. At this rate we will be in Brisbane when we are 99.'
'It is just one of those things with boats, Dave. Everyone has something to fix. And we have done 3,000 mile since Tobermory.'
'I know, but it is going to be another week at least before we leave. Perhaps you can pretend we are really somewhere else.'
'Don't be daft. Besides, we are having a really good time here and it is such a nice place to be.'
'Suppose so.'
So why are we still here? Well, it is like this. We have known for some time that the self-steering set up is not performing as it should, and it has ultimately stopped doing the job, taking us in ever-increasing letter-S courses as Terry and Harriet (tiller and wind vane) try to keep on course. Having explored Terry and all his settings by motoring up and down the harbour, it is not his fault. The boat does not respond. As I do most of the driving, Dave being the jumper-ashore and anchor person, I had noticed increasing slack in the wheel. Not a problem for hand steering, but a big problem for the wind vane.
'Dave, the wheel has increased the slack'
'You sure?'
'Yup.'
'AAArrrggghhh. That means the steering gear has got to be looked at. Nightmare!'
And so spanners and stuff comes out. All the cockpit lockers emptied and stuff stowed on the deck (after the dinghy had been lowered) - full morning's occupation. By the end of the day one problem had been identified, and a man tracked down in the UK who could give advice (thanks to Rachel and her internet search). Advice given, parts ordered, more ideas for the next thing or two to look at. Looks as though the problem is due to wear and tear after 20 odd years of being in the water and steering. Pity the steering gear is in a pretty inaccessible place, but manage the trusty spanner-wielder has.
Apart from handing spanners, making cups of tea, doing the washing, and sewing, Jen is looking terribly interested in Dave's delight in the various lumps of metal that appear on the table from the depths of the bilge. Having something to do with greasy bits and spanners is making Dave a very happy chap.
More to follow.
Tuesday 14 June 2011
Friday 10 June 2011
PLAN CHANGE
7 Jun 11
So here we are, still at Syracuse after all. First up was the weather, too much fog and then the local forecast was not kind. So we decided best thing was to sort a few more bits out. Main job was Terry the tiller pilot who has not been working properly, so it was up anchor and potter up and down the harbour and try different settings. This was a relief as the swell was getting a bit too much for comfort. So up and down, up and down, up and down and no joy. So anchor down, lunch, and up anchor, and up and down again. Still no joy, but back to anchor in a better place and get the books out again. So tonight will be more experimenting till we get it right. Fingers crossed.
So here we are, still at Syracuse after all. First up was the weather, too much fog and then the local forecast was not kind. So we decided best thing was to sort a few more bits out. Main job was Terry the tiller pilot who has not been working properly, so it was up anchor and potter up and down the harbour and try different settings. This was a relief as the swell was getting a bit too much for comfort. So up and down, up and down, up and down and no joy. So anchor down, lunch, and up anchor, and up and down again. Still no joy, but back to anchor in a better place and get the books out again. So tonight will be more experimenting till we get it right. Fingers crossed.
LEAVING SYRACUSE
6 Jun 2011
We have been sitting on the anchor at Syracuse for the last 4 days waiting for the wind to change direction so we can actually sail towards Greece and Croatia. This has been a good stop, getting the dinghy out and going ashore to explore the town and find the ubiquitous supermarket. It is a very old place and so far relatively unspoilt. We have also needed a stop as I had picked up some insect bites which have been gruesomely painful and itchy, with a leg swollen and sore, fit only for sitting in the cockpit with a wet towel over it and doing some sewing (as one does). Dave has done his furtling about with the engine and only managed to squash one finger and lose a spanner into the bilge. Of course it was THE spanner, and has since been retrieved with cunning and skill and a piece of bent wire. So we are all healed up, dinghy stowed and getting ready for a morning start. All we need is for the wind to follow the predictions - but it would seem to have a predilection for coming from the direction we are travelling to. It has been quite an international community here anchored up and as we all seem to be going the same way, is beginning to thin out a bit. The biggest shock has been trying to cope with Italian after being spoilt with the bi-lingual Maltese. I have found if I try my Spanish we get there, and there is no substitute for sign language. Just go to the pharmacy and start scratching and you get the right stuff with a concerned tut tutting which I took to be sympathy.
We wish our Michael a very happy birthday for tomorrow when he turns an unconscionable age, and also a very happy 19th and a bit anniversary to Rachel and Andy.
We have been sitting on the anchor at Syracuse for the last 4 days waiting for the wind to change direction so we can actually sail towards Greece and Croatia. This has been a good stop, getting the dinghy out and going ashore to explore the town and find the ubiquitous supermarket. It is a very old place and so far relatively unspoilt. We have also needed a stop as I had picked up some insect bites which have been gruesomely painful and itchy, with a leg swollen and sore, fit only for sitting in the cockpit with a wet towel over it and doing some sewing (as one does). Dave has done his furtling about with the engine and only managed to squash one finger and lose a spanner into the bilge. Of course it was THE spanner, and has since been retrieved with cunning and skill and a piece of bent wire. So we are all healed up, dinghy stowed and getting ready for a morning start. All we need is for the wind to follow the predictions - but it would seem to have a predilection for coming from the direction we are travelling to. It has been quite an international community here anchored up and as we all seem to be going the same way, is beginning to thin out a bit. The biggest shock has been trying to cope with Italian after being spoilt with the bi-lingual Maltese. I have found if I try my Spanish we get there, and there is no substitute for sign language. Just go to the pharmacy and start scratching and you get the right stuff with a concerned tut tutting which I took to be sympathy.
We wish our Michael a very happy birthday for tomorrow when he turns an unconscionable age, and also a very happy 19th and a bit anniversary to Rachel and Andy.
Sunday 5 June 2011
Off again!
1 June 2011
We have managed to tear ourselves away from Gozo and Malta at long last. It has been such a wonderful stay that we think we will call in on our return from the eastern Mediterranean.
For the last fortnight we have been spending the days and nights anchored in the Blue Lagoon on Camino, a small island one mile from Gozo. It is a magnet for the tourists and the tripper boats start arriving and disgorging people from about 9 am, and then there is frenetic activity of power boats whizzing in and out, huge pleasure craft and even bigger tour boats. By 5pm it is all over and we have had the place to ourselves apart from the occasional yacht anchoring. We have stayed longer than expected due to fridge failure which has required a new fridge and evaporator. No way we were going anywhere without a fridge. The marina were very good to us and let us come along side the pontoon when we needed to go to town or have the fridge man come.
More of this later when we are back on the internet.
So today we have set out towards Croatia and the first stop is on the anchor at Porto Palo, south east corner of Sicily (36°40.033'N/15°06.841,E). Started motoring but not long before the sails came out and off we went. Nice to find we had put all the ropes back properly! Excellent day apart from the autopilot not behaving, but he is going into intensive care tonight to be fit for tomorrow's sail to Syracuse.
These blogs are being posted by our Kate as we are now on the radio link.
We have managed to tear ourselves away from Gozo and Malta at long last. It has been such a wonderful stay that we think we will call in on our return from the eastern Mediterranean.
For the last fortnight we have been spending the days and nights anchored in the Blue Lagoon on Camino, a small island one mile from Gozo. It is a magnet for the tourists and the tripper boats start arriving and disgorging people from about 9 am, and then there is frenetic activity of power boats whizzing in and out, huge pleasure craft and even bigger tour boats. By 5pm it is all over and we have had the place to ourselves apart from the occasional yacht anchoring. We have stayed longer than expected due to fridge failure which has required a new fridge and evaporator. No way we were going anywhere without a fridge. The marina were very good to us and let us come along side the pontoon when we needed to go to town or have the fridge man come.
More of this later when we are back on the internet.
So today we have set out towards Croatia and the first stop is on the anchor at Porto Palo, south east corner of Sicily (36°40.033'N/15°06.841,E). Started motoring but not long before the sails came out and off we went. Nice to find we had put all the ropes back properly! Excellent day apart from the autopilot not behaving, but he is going into intensive care tonight to be fit for tomorrow's sail to Syracuse.
These blogs are being posted by our Kate as we are now on the radio link.
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