We still have no water. It’s not pleasant. There are showers on shore but they don’t open until at least 8 in the morning and are full of mosquitoes.
Mike goes off to the chandlers to see if he can find a replacement water pump. He has decided that it will be easier (although not cheaper) to replace ours totally and repair the old one at his leisure for when we are caught short again. He comes back half an hour later very excited as the chandlers is one of the best stocked as far as ‘little bits’ are concerned. We go back together, clutching our broken pump to compare it with the ones they have. As usual, there is never the exact same thing in stock – there is always something which is almost the same but not quite. In this case, ‘almost’ involves an hour of buying extra bits to make do, but Mike leaves the chandlers happy as it all cost less than he was expecting.
Alice and Terry go shopping together. Viv and David go shopping together. Ann and I go shopping together. We start off in the most incongruous place. Back in the chandlers. Ann buys Mike some presents; a bat to kill fish a bit quicker; some fishing lures (one of which looks like a lure for a fish wishing to attend the Notting Hill Carnival dressed as a transvestite, and a scrubbing brush. (Those of you who know Ann will understand the significance of cleaning products!)
Photo: Viv decides to try out the new ‘fish basher’ on David
Next we ‘wander’ into the Stuart Weitzman shoe shop. Those of you who know me (and live in the UK) know my predilection for Russell and Bromley shoes, and especially those designed by Stuart Weitzman. I spot some sandals that are 60% off and fall in love. Ann buys them for me and buys a pair for herself for good measure. As you do!
Photo: My lovely new sandals, a present from Ann
Back on the boat, we strip Viv and David’s bed again and Mike starts the long process of forcing the new water pump to fit into the gap left by the old one. After an hour or so of drilling and swearing (quietly) he instructs me to switch on the power supply, then the tap. It works! But it leaks! So we turn everything off again and he goes through all the connections until he finds the problem. Then we try again. Success. Jubilation all around. Viv and I do the washing up which involves every cup, plate, knife, fork, spoon, saucepan and appliance from the last two meals.
Just as we finish the washing up, David asks me not to put the following in the blog and produces four plastic drinking glasses as a bribe. He tells me that last night he threw some water over board and accidently threw a plastic glass with it. It took him and Cat ages to try to retrieve it but it sank so he bought me new ones. I look at the price tag and tell him that 4 euros for 4 glasses is not enough to buy my silence, which is why you are reading this!
We decide to leave the heat of the marina so Mike and Terry go to check out. Two day’s mooring with water and electricity is 60 euros – not bad. Leaving the dock is not as easy as it might be as the wind is blowing us onto it. The lines are really tight as they have been under tremendous pressure over the last two days. It takes Mike (now known as Danger Mike by some of the crew, especially as he now has a new instrument of torture – the fish killing bat – to hide under his pillow) and Terry and a large screwdriver (don’t ask) to free the last line from the dock then they leap aboard and we hurtle backwards (under control of course) before heading out for Anse de Colombier.
Under power it only takes half an hour to get there. We moor up on a ball (free of charge, by the way – unlike the BVIs), then Terry, David, Cat and Alice go swimming. David once again demonstrates the incredible buoyancy of his shorts. I decide to go in as it is so hot. Terry and I are the only ones left in the water by this time and we bob around the boat for about an hour.
Back on the boat I have a lovely shower and come out to find the boys filling the tank with diesel from Jerry cans. We are nearly out and the fuel dock was already closed when we left Gustavia. These Frenchies have wonderful working hours!
Photo: How many men does it take to fill up diesel from Jerry cans?
Dinner is a thrown together affair. Dahl with onion parathas. After dinner we turn off all the lights and look at the stars. The Milky Way is clearly visible. It is beautiful.
No comments:
Post a Comment