The pilot book says there is little here
for repairing yachts, so it was not with much hope we started looking for
somewhere to repair a part that had broken. We had found the much appreciated
taxi driver Junior, who has been a superb source of information, including
where to get the bit for the boat tooled up. He took us off to see the chaps he
said could do it and we ended up out in the countryside, cows on the road,
chickens running everywhere, until we pulled into a parking lot beside a shed.
Inside was just the thing, a lathe for turning stainless steel things. Dave was
ecstatic. The original bolt had sheared on the way here, and the self-steering stopped.
We managed to get Terry, the no. 2 system, to work, but it is not as robust as
Albert, the No.1. Dave crafted a make-do out of some bits on board for Albert and
it worked for another couple of days, before the last makeshift one was brought
into service and cosseted along. So now we have just the right thing ready to
go back in.
We have been also taken to the laundry, the
bank, the internet place and the phone place, as well as a couple of
supermarkets. This is the most expensive internet on the planet I think, the
same as at Tahiti which was astronomical too. So poor old Dave is limited to
the amount of cricket and rugby and news watching, and I am not given to much
time on my bits either. Sorry to all, but Skype is not a possibility both for
the internet cost but mainly because it does not work on the connection.
Now some folk want to know where we are
headed next.
The plan is, such as our plans are, to call
at Wallis, of Wallis and Futuna fame, on our way to Port Vila in Vanuatu. We have waited till the windy weather has
gone through, and are getting set to leave here on Saturday morning. It should
take 2 days to Wallis and Wallis to Port Vila bout 7 or 8. The stay at Wallis
will depend how my broken down knee copes with sea time.
For those who are not so up with things, a
little history about Jen’s knees. Basically, they have been crumbling to bits
for years, a fact that was sort of ignored and hope would not cause significant
problems till we had completed the trip. They have not lasted as hoped, and a
few days ago one of them has become seriously deranged. I cannot walk much at all,
and the day is spent experimenting with various bandages and supports. Nothing
can be done here, I just have to get to Australia and see there. No one would
insure my knees before we left, even for a king’s ransom. Stopping at Wallis is
only really possible if we can afford a few extra days on the trip. Sorry about
that, but we will do our best! I I have been a good girl and stayed sitting
like a mole in the cabin with it propped up, swallowed the pills and done lots
of knitting.
