I think we’ve nailed the cause of our engine trouble at the end of our last trip: clogged fuel filters. The contents of the diesel pre-filter looked particularly dire (see picture above).

The engine had done just over 100 hours since we last took on fuel, so I was aware that we were sailing pretty much on fumes. As was little diesel that remained in the tank looked quite clear I am hoping (fingers and everything else crossed) it was not a full-blown case of diesel-bug. Time will tell.

In the mean time, we have topped up the tank to the brim (320ltr – major shock to the wallet), added Grotomar to combat whatever bug may have taken up residence in the fuel and changed all filter. Bar taking on food/drink the boat is good to go, and so am I. Other half of the crew should arrive back from the States tomorrow very early a.m. Allowing for a day to recover from the jet-lag we should be spending our first night aboard on Sunday. Sailing early Monday morning.

We have no fixed itinerary, but it looks like our first port of call will be Ostend (again) before heading for Boulogne-sur-Mer and Dieppe towards the end of the week. After that, the weather and the engine will dictate what happens to a large extent. Brigitte only has two weeks of work.
Apart from money, time is the one luxury we are desperately short of. And it looks like it will remain that way for the foreseeable future. Mustn’t grumble though (so unlike me), as every little bit helps to keep the dream alive: at some point in the not too distant future we will leave all the shore based troubles behind.

Optimism is a moral duty – good times ahead.