Friday, October 17, 2014

Opua: settled in; done and to do; a poem not mine



        This is not a serious storm, just a band of rain that should pass through by tomorrow, but I am settled in for the duration, well prepared with a spinach and feta quiche, a Mediterranean salad, a good book on the Kindle, AN OFFICER AND A SPY by Robert Harris, a retelling in novel form of the Dreyfus Affair, and, thanks to David MacFarlane, a replenished supply of Laphroaig. 
        I took the above with the GoPro facing north during a lull in the rain a little while ago.  GANNET’s shrouds do not arc.  That is a function of the GoPro’s extreme wide angle lens.
        Please notice how nice the deck looks.

———

        Surprisingly I’ve been in Opua four weeks today.  
        In that time I have gotten GANNET pretty much back in shape.  Rewired the solar panels.  Rebedded the forward hatch.  New floorboards.  Reattached the port pipe berth.  New blocks for the running backstays.  Lubed the winches.  New floatation cushions.  New cabin lights.  Bought a back-up solar regulator.  Painted deck and cockpit.  Rearranged cabin stowage.  USB outlet.  Bought a great bucket.
        Before flying away in a little over two weeks I still need to apply Deks Olje to tiller and interior wood, including the new floorboards, clean and test the two old dinghies on shore, dry a few items, and attack some mold.  New Zealand has an excellent product, Exit Mold, and needs it.
        Still on my list, some to be taken care of here when I return, mostly items to be bought in the U.S.:
            four replacement tiller pilots and a pedestal support
            two replacement LuminAID lights
            USB plugs—not as significant since I wired the USB outlet 
            leather patches for Sportaseat
            replace boom vang line
            replace lifelines—I use ¼” Amstel line which is strong enough to lift four times GANNET’s weight
            replacement pillow cases
            epoxy sticks
            replacement headlamp(s)
            three replacement solar panels—two have failed and I think a third may
            replacement hand cranked flashlight
            long sleeved shirts
            Levis
            replacement LED flashlight
            contact cement
            two replacement Dartington Chrystal Exmoor glasses
            winch pawl oil
            replacement electric razor
            floss threaders
            send Yellowbrick for repair
            replacement toothpick holder
            replacement day water bottle  
            Apple lightning cables
            replacement plastic measuring cups from Target—not used for measuring
            three Blue Performance sheet bags—two to replace smaller bags in the cockpit; the other a bag that has torn
            replacement battery operated electric fan
            tighten tiller to rudder head bolt and be certain I have spares
            have masthead Windex replaced
            Lapsang Souchong tea
            haul-out and anti-foul

        As is obvious most of the items on the list are to replace those that failed, fell overboard or were otherwise destroyed in the past 6,400 miles.

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        After reading the previous post one of the myriad Davids who peruse this journal amused me with the following.  I thank him for permission to share it with you. 

            Webb Chiles profiles
            As he whiles away
            Miles, across oceans,
            Like ancient sundials
            On tropic isles
            For wandering exiles,
            And … Smiles.