Today was one of those days!

First we tried to take Peri in for his morning walk and the Suzuki decided to be a pain in the aspidistra, so we brought it back to the boat, hoisted it aboard and raised the dingy on the davits. Then, when we motored in to the fuel dock I noticed that the bilge pump was on steadily. Normally this would mean that the bilge was full of water and it was trying to clear it but I couldn't hear the pump so I turned it off then on again. When I did I noticed a spark on one of the wires (thank heavens for diesel engines). That was when I think the computer that runs the bilge pump cooked its little micro circuits. Those of you that know Nelleke know that the bilge pump would come on every two and a half minutes and pump for a second or two. If it felt no pressure, ie no water was being pumped, it would shut off for another two and a half minutes. If the computer is fried, the pump simply won't come on. The pump is still good, though. So I brought the boat into the Harbourmaster's Dock and replaced the pump. I was able to get one for a reasonable price and it happened to be 24V which was even better. The difference is that it has its own float switch rather than the computerized version of the technology. Now we won't hear the bilge pump cutting in every two and a half minutes and think that's acceptable. Now if we hear it at all I will start to get worried.

Finally, at 1130, we got away and two hours later after teaming through a thick pea-souper just like back home, we arrived at Gloucester Harbour.

Brown's Yacht Yard is a nice, albeit very commercial working yard, who were good enough to take us alongside and give us an out of season rate. In fact, if we were to have bought fuel here the dock would have been free. However, they were still trying to get rid of fuel that they bought last year at the max prices so we decided that it would be cheaper to pay their out of season rates for the dock. There is a 7/11 store right across the street from the marina that sells almost everythi9ng that you would need between trips to a grocery store.

We are trying to get on the internet which is the one thing that Browns is not so good at. Oh they have wifi but their server is sooooo sloooowww.