So many boats underway and billowing canvas dotted the blue horizon in every direction. We had a great sail from Tilloo Cay to Mermaid Reef off Gt Abaco Island where we dropped the hook late afternoon.

Mermaid Reef is a popular, safe snorkelling area. A well marked spot and a floating sign requesting sailors not to venture too close with their heavy anchors for fear of tearing up the coral. There are small anchor buoys for dinghies that arrive and the reef is less than 50 yards off the shore.

Unfortunately, beach access has recently been sealed off by the owner of the house fronting the shoreline so, unless you arrive by boat, it is very difficult to reach the reef from the land side without clambering over some very inhospitable rocky pathways further along the beach.

Everything from green moray eels to colorful shoals of snapper wait to greet you. We heard the story of a large barracuda who - apparently - follows snorkelers like a puppy in the hope of a morsel being thrown in its direction.

The fish are not shy! swimming right up to you in the hope of being fed and a snorkeler we met today said it was best to put any food into a zip lock bag rather than your pockets, unless you like fish swimming IN your shorts. They are so used to being fed they will nose around in your pockets for tasty treats and even up the legs of your shorts!!

William decides not to swim as the water is just a few degrees cooler than he would like so we concentrate on a small snag that has cropped up today. The Mastervolt Generator just will not start. We have already spent a couple of hours on it this morning - fuel, oil, water, filters you name it it's been checked so maybe it's the electrics.

I take off the front panel ..OMG...this reveals a bank of electrical connections that I would much prefer to leave alone. This is a high-tech computerised unit and electrics are not my thing - I truly dont have a clue.

William asks me how I'm doing. From the dimly lit recesses of the engine room I hesitate to reply - one leg jammed down beside the engine, the other one at an acute angle behind me, staring blankly at the bright, coiled spaghetti before me but I blurt out "er...doing OK - just applying some grease!"

Keeping it simple I start by checking the easiest option - four large blade fuses on front of the panel - removing them one by one I applied Magic Ingredient No. 43 (dielectric grease) to the prongs and reinserted them - the thought of having to do this to the 30 or so other connectors close-packed on the reverse of the panel didn't bear thinking about.

Reassembled, the start button is pressed and I can hardly believe my ears as the darned thing cranks and starts up. Incredible!!

In addition the Volvo has developed a small water/oil leak in the area around the seawater pump which we had noticed over a week ago but it had been hard to trace and we mop out about a pint of murky liquid from today's journey.

We felt it would be easier to get the pump looked at by the yard at Marsh Harbour which we did a few days ago. New seals had been ordered and we are heading back to the Marina for the repair to be done.