Wednesday, 21 November 2018

Shopping and packing...

There are still 3 more days to prepare for the crossing, but we are much closer to being ready than we were.  Yesterday felt as tough all the lists - and there are several - got longer rather than shorter.  Today was better and I think all the crew think we're pretty close to being ready.  

A manifold valve had broken in the watermaker, so we've rigged up a work-around and tested it.  It produces sweet-tasting water even from the unpromising raw material of Las Palmas marina.  We completed servicing the engine.  It was slightly disappointing to find that the fuel filters that I had bought in bulk were just the wrong size, but we've found one of the correct size - so the engine is in tip-top shape.

Most importantly, however, is that the bulk of the provisioning has been done.  A drinks delivery in the morning and a huge grocery shop in the afternoon by Jo, James and Ben means that the bulk of the food is now onboard - crammed into any available hole.  Meat will arrive on Sat morning and fruit and veg shopping on Friday.

I'm pleased to report that the mammoth waved that struck the north coast of Tenerife have almost completely passed us by.  The beach outside our restaurant a couple of nights ago was pretty lively - but we're on the other side of the island and sheltered by 2 sea walls, so had felt hardly a ripple.