Picture: Morning Market in Hakodate. We were informed that most of the tourists here come from Taiwan, China, Hong Kong, Korea, and of course, mainland Japan.

Hakodate is a convenient place to bike around and shop. It is laid out in a grid pattern like many American or Australian cities where the streets are parallel and at right angles to each other. Close to where we were moored there was a bike path beside an elevated expressway which was a useful way to avoid all the traffic lights and get out of the tourist area. We found a laundry, chandlery, sporting goods store and several grocery stores. Ted was able to get some parts from the chandlery to repair things like the valves to shut off the water for the front and back water tanks. One of the shut-off valves broke a few weeks ago. We also had some parts sent here from America so he is able to do some repairs on the engine. He changed the oil and filter, and re-placed the sea water inlet hose and the elbow on the manifold as well as the heat exchanger. He was pleased that he could do many significant maintenance things on the boat. The wind instru-ment was damaged during our last storm. The fin had broken off and the electrical connections were bent and broken. He made a new fin out of fiberglass and bamboo slivers and repaired the electrical connections with sewing needles and solder and put it back on the top of the mast - and now it works again! His next challenge is to fix the water-maker, which has not worked since 2011 so it will be difficult to get it going. The cylinder is pitted by corrosion.

While Ted was working on the boat, I was out stocking up on groceries. We found a food co-op that sold a combination of natural and foreign food. I was able to get cheese, oatmeal, peanut butter, dried fruit, nuts, popcorn, powdered coconut and cow's milk. I also bought some dried seaweed, fish and squid for our minerals and protein. I found it difficult to shop for four or more weeks as I have not done it since the "puddle jump" crossing the South Pacific from Mexico to French Polynesia. That was only 24 days without land. Knowing us, we will be eating more in the colder climate. All and all, we are preparing for a long trip to Alaska.