Today was spent running around and taking care of many of the various issues that caused my black cloud day yesterday. In yesterday’s blog, I actually left out a few of the issues that helped cause the black cloud to float over my head. These included not have a lady at her shop that owes us a little money when she was supposed to be there, a zipper on our clear plastic panels that enclose our stern cockpit break, and learning that a compressor part that was supposed to have been included with an overseas shipment that I had ordered, was not included in the shipment.

I tried dealing with these issues today, along with many of the others that I mentioned yesterday. Most of them were positively resolved but a few still remain.

First, the shop lady was still not there today. I talked with her dad and he said she would be back tomorrow. Her shop is right here in Simon’s Town so this is not a big deal. Next, I drove over to Ottery where the compressor mechanic is. He showed me that package of parts that arrived from the US and the parts list that was included but the two little flapper valves that are needed were missing. I have since emailed the compressor company and am hoping they will send the parts so they will arrive before we leave. If not, I will have them sent to Greg and Mary, our crew who will be joining us in Luderitz, Namibia in early October. I can then install the valves and reassembly the compressor there.

Next, I drove over to a building supply store and picked up two new toilet seats. One of other seats in Leu Cat (we have three heads onboard) was in the process of breaking so when I returned to Leu Cat, I ended up replacing two seats instead of the one that I mentioned yesterday.

Finally, I drove into Cape Town and dropped the clear plastic panels with the broken zipper off to be repaired. It should be ready on Monday.

I also looked at the generator again but this time I could not get it to start. It sounded like it was not getting fuel so tomorrow I will have to inspect but the fuel pump on the generator and the booster pump that is in the starboard engine room.

Finally, Graham and I inspected the various places where our wood paneling is creaking during heavy seas and decided how we were going to inject the foam that we will be spraying between the wood paneling and the hull. I had him make us a series of 10 mm wooden plugs which match our wood grain and color that will be used to fill the holes we will be drilling. We actually will be keeping the number of holes to be drilled to a minimum since we have found a few access places which we can use to inject the foam. That work will start tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed this will work.