Day 12-15 Albion
15 September 2013
John and Evelyn
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
By John
We woke at 7:00 am. Events of the last 24 hours led us to realize this is not just a recreational voyage. This is a quest, a challenge of our abilities and self-discovery. When challenged by the circumstances, our endurance was tested and we prevailed. Coincidentally, Evelyn was quoting a passage she had read earlier today, “There are many failures on the road to success.” In our short time on this venture, we have met world travelers who have shown us a new perspective on this world. Listening to the stories of Lori and Wally in the candlelit comfort of their vessel, Do Little, I felt like a young camper listening to the fireside adventures as told by the adult leader. I was in awe. Realization and amazement, we were graced by the Do Little experience.
Earlier we met our taxi driver, Mr. Bishop, a large young man with an even larger personality. With a big smile on his face, he exclaimed, “I am the only taxi driver in the entire county.” He ferried us to our errands, and we also got to meet his local scheduled customers he attended to en route to our destinations. We got to ride shotgun with the only cab driver in Medina. Happiness in a small town: Mayberry! Not just this port, but all three towns so far.
Thursday, September 12, 2013
The rest by Evelyn
Slept in a bit… renewed spirit... At 10:00 am, we started to replace the water pump. Two hours later, we had running water again. Certainly a feeling of accomplishment. John thinks he may be able to repair the old pump. We are always happy to have a spare on board. We ran the engine and easily found where the fuel was leaking: in front and on top—right in plain sight. We called the mechanic with this information. He backpedaled. Since it wasn’t the filters as we first suspected, he didn’t think he could get the part we needed. John called Trans-Atlantic Diesel. They had the part; they shipped it out express mail, General Delivery, the Albion post office.
At this point, we meet our neighbors who arrived sometime yesterday. Lori and Wally were on their way home after 6.5 years in the Caribbean, Europe, and places in between. They are taking their time, savoring their final days of sailing. Such knowledge! So interesting their stories! What great advice on anything sailing/ cruising/ living aboard/ foreign ports! They explored Albion to find apple and pear trees for fresh fruit; pears in the spinach salad and apples in the dessert. Such generous sailors, too; we returned to our boat with candles, drogue, the rest of the dessert, and a better approach to what life hands us.
Friday, September 13, 2013
It’s been raining and cold. My hand-washed laundry is more manageable. The secret is to add a few drops of fabric softener to the last rinse and to roll the clothes up in a towel or chamois and step all over it. Almost as good as a wringer! Hang up to dry and it smells good, too.
Lori and Wally come for brunch and the conversation continues. The topic is sailing, of course. I do notice that glassware is needed. The plastic cups are already cracking and look tacky (my own observation). John made omelets, toast, and coffee, just general fare, but we enjoyed breaking bread together.
We made the trip up the hill to talk with the postal workers about ourselves and that a package will come for us. We exchanged phone numbers, checked on the tracking, and they assured us that the package will be delivered on Saturday. Even if the lobby was closed, we’ll get it. In the meantime, we walked all over downtown. John upgraded the 10-day pass to seasonal, so we can stay until November 15 if we wanted….NOT. But no time crunch to finish the canal in the next 6 days, either.
Saturday, September 14, 2013
Our Canadian friends headed west to the next town. To pass time, we made a candle holder out of a tin can. It worked. I rinsed out a load of laundry and started another one soaking. John received an e-mail tracking the engine part; it left Rochester this morning at 8:00 am. Right on time, it came in to the PO, it was the right part, and the canal mechanic would be here in half an hour. Dare we be optimistic? On time, Mark Jones, from Oak Orchard, Lake Ontario, arrived. Within 45 minutes, all was done and the Perkins was perky again. The old injector part went into the “Pandora’s box” with other broken parts, and we raised a toast to all of those who had a hand in getting us going again. Another sigh of relief...will this be a constant factor in our travels? We’d better get used to it.