A Saga
25 December 2007 | La Paz
Gina
More saga. We got up the morning after the shit tank "fix" and what so we smell?? Yep more tank. We thought it may be containable but as we motored to the next island, the smell was really bad so we made a decision to go back to La Paz and pull out the tank. So here we are back to La Paz again. We are getting to know this place rather too well. We have to empty the entire forward berth area including all our stored cans (includes 35 cans baked beans) and other goods and spares. We will fill up the main salon and then the olds (Gina's Parents, Paul and Pam Gooch) will sleep on the pull out sofa. We will try for the marina, only because it is a really reasonable price and will make life a little easier. This is really a major blow for the olds as they have to sit around while it gets sorted. Anyway on a brighter note, we ate fish for tea last night that Paul Gooch caught. Paul R has also been catching fish. He caught 6 yesterday in total but we considered them too small to eat. Our criteria is the fish has to be big enough to feed the 4 of us. At the end of the day:
A really bad day on the boat is still better than my best day at work.
Ongoing saga. We were able to get a berth at the marina and by 1 o'clock we were berthed. Paul left for town to gets some fibre glassing materials while the rest of us proceed to empty the forward cabin yet again. Know we really know how many cans of baked beans we have, along with cartons of pasta sauce. Paul came back and he decided he needed a saw he did not have, so Pam Gooch and I were sent on a mission. We ran into Dianne off Saggittaire and asked them. They were able to put us onto an Australian with a wooden boat that was likely to have a range of wood working tools. Sure enough, he had the skill saw that Paul needed and we were able to borrow it. Paul then proceeded to cut apart the front berth with care that he could eventually fix it when we got to NZ. That was it for the day. We had to eat out of course as the boat was a mess and didn't smell too good. The next day Pam and I went shopping for the bits they needed and groceries. Paul was eventually able to get the tank out with much ado and found it was split along the bottom and with the accumulation of dried effluent caked on the boat under the tank, it was probably split for some time but had not yet leaked out of the cavity that was formed by the fiberglass holding it on to the boat. He was able to glass it fixed and get it refitted. It was then just a matter of glassing it in and waiting for it to set up. Once this was done, the woodwork needed refashioning so the bunk could go back together. We were able to get the whole thing finished on the 3rd day and finally get the provisions back and bed back together. Mum and Dad were able to sleep in a little more comfort as they had been bunking down in the main saloon. We decided to leave the next morning. Well what would you know, it blew like stink. We thought we could leave then found out the harbour was closed so we were stuck. Nothing for it but to go to town and have another look around. We though we could leave the next day but the harbour was still closed so 2 days of hanging out. There are worse places to be stuck I suppose. The next morning of the 24th there was a drop in the wind so we made a break for it. We were told that if we were stopped by the port captain to just plead ignorance but were able to make a clean getaway. We motored and sailed out to Isla Partida again. We were going to go further but Grandma and Granddad were a little ill as the sea was about 4-6' swell so we shortened the trip. We anchored up in Isla Partida for the evening. We were invited to Xmas eve cocktails by an Aussie boat Shambala. Most of the people in the anchorage were there so it was an enjoyable Xmas eve. All in all I think we have got over our shitty experience and can move on.