We've delayed our splash until Tuesday, we hope, but we're making progress, although sometimes it seems two steps forward and one back.

The propane system... Today, I disassembled the system until only the pieces between the butane tank and the regulator were connected together. I opened the main valved on the butane tank and NO butane! It was a definitive test for us and we know now that the regulator that we were sold is simply the wrong regulator or has failed. We're frustrated beyond belief that we'll have no hot meals until we find some solution, but that's it. The local company that prepared the system does not specialize in such systems so I must take at least partial blame. I just had allegiance to them and shouldn't have. I imagine that we'll have to order a damned regulator and have it shipped to us in Papeete where we can get it and install it. My good friend, Kelly E, chided me about using Alaska Rubber rather than Suburban Propane. He was absolutely right! Kelly, I was a dummy.

I'm sure that I've mentioned this, but butane is the gas that's available here, with a pressure of 35psi. Imagine!

Now that we know the problem, we'll move on with our worries.

The "two forward, one back" comment related to our having bent on the the jib last week, only to remember today that we can't have the jib on the forestay since the forestay must be removed during the boat lift. Damn! We'll pull it tomorrow and lay it on deck. Truly, we should have made a "Commissioning list" but didn't and this kind of thing happens. I'm working just such list.

One of our favorite local birds is the Common Myna, a lovely bird with thousands of different calls. We've been watching a pair on the ground and another pair of a fence, and it's like flocks of different birds!

We took a short drive toward Taputapuatea last night after work. We hadn't thought about going so far south as to see our favorite bay, Fa’aroa, but we did. It's the deepest cut on the island, almost bisecting the entire island. We found a pullout and enjoyed a Hinano between us and admired the view. We've stayed in Fa’aroa many times and will do so again on our way back through.

Just now, I did receive an email from a representative of Alaska Rubber. We're hoping for the best.

I did create another photo page for a few more photos. Take a look.