Blue Water Countdown
'Sarf & West mate, Sarf & West'
Pete Bernfeld
Wed 24 Jul 2013 08:36
This morning, after some prompting by Maureen Calypso, I removed the three totally corroded and useless solar panels from the coach roof. I promise I'll do something about the stains....sometime.
This afternoon, after the 20kt wind died down and made rowing a more sporting proposition, I took them ashore and dumped them. I also got a refill gas-bottle. There was perhaps a weeks worth of gas left in it bit as it's difficult to get bottles refilled in Indonesia I thougfht I'd better leave with full everything. I reckon I have about 15/16weeks gas onboard so that should get me to Malaysia. I'm hoping that with a 500ml bottle of Bintang (beer) at A$2 the price of the old Nasi Goreng will also be cheap in Indonesia so just possibly I may not be cooking everyday.
At the moment we have good winds here in Darwin but I have no doubt that by Saturday they'll have died down. There is a mass start at 1100 and most people I reckon will be aiming to be over the line last to avoid any 'fender benders'. Needless to say that will probably create some congestion with everybody trying to avoid congestion. The organizers of these rallies do love their photo-ops, don't they.
So then, Customs check out on Friday, I got that wrong in a previous post, which leaves tomorrow to get some docs photocopied. That will exhaust the finances until the old pension gets paid in. I just rang the debit card people to tell them I was changing countries but apparently we don't have to do that any more, they now look for 'abnormal spending patterns'. Well my normal spending pattern is to be broke by the middle of the month so that will be OK then!
Below a photo of Trouters on the beach, courtesy of Maureen, Cape Photos SA.
Rudder, what rudder???
Oh, THAT rudder. Cheers Paul, a fine job. A bottle of Bintang and Nasi Goring with extra chillies on me (but catch me at the beginning of the month!!)
Well, that's it for now. If I get the chance I'll put a departure post up and after that the next post should be from Kupang, assuming 3G dongles are available and at a sensible price.
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