Lone Sailor Again

Happy, Beautiful, and Intelligent

Great shopping at Florida Street

Like it or not, I'm a Solo Sailor again.  I am back at Mar del Plata and on Pachuca while Brenda is winging her way to Australia.

We had a very good Saturday before leaving for Buenos Aires.  A delightful group of a dozen or so school girls started talking to Brenda and me as we were about to step on the jetty to return to the boat.  The next thing I knew we were treated to a wall bright young faces practicing their very good English on us and asking about Australia.   The occasion was the birthday of one of the girls and Brenda and I wished her a happy birthday.  As we walked back to the boat I expressed regret that I had not had my camera with me to take what would have been a great photo. 

However, thirty minutes later they were back and  we had another pleasant exchange, with them on the jetty and us on the boat.  Brenda and I congratulated them on their good English and encouraged them to keep learning it.  I told them that they were all happy, beautiful, and intelligent. 

Then just after 4 PM Fabricio and Vanina, the young couple that had made our adventure to San Martin and Bariloche so much better, visited us.  Unfortunately Silva was unable to make it because she was working.  Brenda and I were very glad to see them and we very much appreciated the effort that they must have gone to, given their busy working lives.  We gave them a tour of the boat (Brenda explained the galley, I talked about the rest, but spared them both a discourse on the engine.) then sat down for the inevitable lively chat over cool drinks and a heap of “facturas” (delicious pastry) that they had brought.  Inevitably it came time to say Goodbye and we lost the battle to get Fabricio and Vanina to take the rest of the fractura with them.  (But it certainly didn't go to waste: Brenda and I enjoyed them during our bus trip to Buenos Aires.) 

I'm sure that I speak for Brenda when I say that Fabricio and Vanina are very, very special people and we wish them the best for the future.  They have a standing invitation to my home if they ever visit Western Australia. 

Sunday morning was very busy, but we managed to finish our packing and tidy the boat before catching a cab for the bus station at about 9 AM.  In only 5 hours we were in Buenos Aires and checked into the hotel with several hours of daylight left.  The manager seemed surprised and pleased to see me again and extended his hand across the counter.  He must value repeat business because during our 3-day stay he was especially attentive and friendly.  Brenda and I settled in and had dinner at one of the nearby establishments.

The first order of business on Monday was an appointment at the Brazilian Consulate at 9.30 A.M.  At Mar del Plata I had done my preparatory homework well, using the Internet.  The consulate would not consider an application without an appointment and I had made one for the 15-minute slot starting at 9.30 AM.  There was also an on-line form that could be filled in to save time.  I did this and received a reference number to present at the counter.  In the form I stated that I hoped to visit Brazil for 6 months, and was not able to give an address in Brazil where I would be staying. 

The personal application went well until the woman asked me for an address in Brazil.  I told her that I didn't have one.  She replied that I must provide one.  I told her again that I didn't have one and she started to walk away saying that in that case I couldn't get a visa.  “But I live on my boat!” I exclaimed in desperation.  She grumbled something along the lines of  'How was I supposed to know that?' then recorded the name of my boat.  She was not interested in the boat's registration documents.  She then told me to soon pay what was about $45 to a certain bank and return the following day at noon.  The $45 was a pleasant surprise because I had been expecting to pay closer to $250.  We found the bank, I paid the money, then we left for the train station.

Brenda had liked the idea of taking the Tren de la Costa to San Fernando, given the glowing report that I had given of both the train and the San Fernando area.  Relying of both my memory and my earlier notes we caught the Tigre train and got off at Olives then walked the 1 kilometer or so to the Tren de la Costa station.  Soon we were on the charming train then got off at the Marina Nueva station then found Arcos Street and were soon in front of North Sails.  I decided against going in and saying “hello” to Martin - the man who had been very generous with his time in giving me a tour of the facility during my prior visit - wishing to avoid disturbing him during his work.  Brenda and I then had a look at a marina from the distance (not allowed through the gates) then had a good lunch at a cafe next to North Sails. 

We were then given directions to the town center and soon I found three good boat shops very close to each other.  At Baron's I purchased a Brazilian courtesy flag and a tube of Sikaflex 291 adhesive sealant.  They had no 3M products and with Sikaflex they had 291 instead of the stronger 292 that I would have preferred, but I took what I could get.  The sealant is for some deck fitting that I hope to fix on the deck next week.  I had no luck at Baron's or anywhere else finding a hand pump suitable for diesel fuel, but Baron's pointed me to where I might find diesel fuel additive.  I was forwarded to two other businesses before I found the additive that I wanted, so now I am prepared for taking on more diesel fuel for the boat. 

On Tuesday at noon I learned that I had been granted a tourist visa for Brazil and was very pleased with its generosity.   It allows me a maximum of 90 days per visit, and a maximum of 180 days per year.  The interesting thing is that the arrangement does not specify a time limit, so I assume that in theory I would be able to visit Brazil every year until my current Australian passport expires in 2017.  The visa is exactly what I need for my plans.  I will be able to make entry into Brazil in June, fly off to the USA in Aug or Sep, then make entry back into Brazil in Oct or Nov, with 90 days in which to clear out of the country for my passage to Cape Town.

While I was at the consulate getting my passport and visa Brenda was shopping for leather goods.  Her “problem” would have been the huge number of shops selling all sorts of leather goods.  I walked from the consulate to “Galeria Jardin” on Florida Street, which contains two levels of probably over 50 shops covering the entire range of PC and communication technology.  It is as good a center for this sort of equipment as I've seen anywhere.  With little trouble I satisfied my modest needs: a “Logitech” brand mouse (made in China, but hopefully to the name brand standard), and a 3 meter USB extension cable.  I needed the mouse because the new mouse that I complained about in Feb or Mar as being too cheap in price and construction had died after about 3 months of use. 

On the way from the consulate to the hotel I had stumbled on the “Palacio San Martin”, and elegant building well worth a visit.  At twilight Brenda and I managed to find it and another equally imposing building.  Both buildings offer daily tours in English but unfortunately for Brenda and I it was too late.  You can do only so much in 2 days.

After a very nice dinner at an interesting place we left for the airport at 11 PM on Tuesday night.  We arrived 3 hours before the scheduled departure time as instructed, and Brenda had no trouble checking in her bag and getting her boarding pass.  We then had coffee and a long conversation until Brenda decided that she had better move to the departure lounge at 1.30 AM.  Goodbyes are never easy but there is always Cape Town to look forward to.  I managed to find a cab and was back at the hotel at 2 AM.  I telephoned Brenda's son Stephen to let him know that Brenda was safely on her way and soon he had control of my netbook with “TeamViewer” to find out why the machine was taking close to 5 minutes to boot up.  After I took a snapshop of the system Stephen pruned all sorts of software that was coming up at boot time.  After he finished his work I rebooted and found that the startup time had been cut by about 75%.  Early in the day I had performed scans with “Panda” and “Malaware” and overnight I ran a very thorough antivirus scan that Stephen recommended higly.  I am pleased to say that none of the scans reported any problems, not even minor ones.

The bus ride to Mar del Plata was uneventful and very pleasant because there were few passengers.  We left a bright and sunny Buenos Aires and arrived at a cloudy and drizzly MdP at nightfall.  The boat was in good order when I arrived, increasing my confidence in the security of this marina.  There was no wine on board but fortunately there was a one liter bottle of Heineken in the refrigerator which helped take the edge off the re-entry to a solo sailing life.

Brenda On Way Home

It is 3 AM and Brenda should have been in the air about 15 minutes. She will have a brief stopover at Aukland then fly on to Sydney where she will clear customs before flying on to Perth.

This will be a short blog entry because I must try to get as much sleep as possible before vacating the hotel room at 11 AM.  I'll write more our stay in Buenos Aires later, but will now mention that I was successful in getting the Brazillian tourist visa.

Shortly afternoon I'll board the bus for the 5 hour ride back to Mar Del Plata.

Rigging and Travel Plans

With Jill and Doug of Campanera

"Alpha Wave"

We woke up on Sunday afternoon (20 May) after our early arrival following the all night bus ride from Bariloche, to find that we had three new cruising neighbors.  The boats had all come from the south and were headed north.

Ahead was the large trawler style motor sailor “Companera” with Alaskans Jill and Doug on board.  Pachuca had looked familiar to them as they moved her back a few feet to make room, and by morning they had recollected that we had met in Port Townsend where both our boats were having work done by Shoreline Marine Diesel.  Brenda and I were then able to recall conversations with them.  Jill and Doug are very accomplished seafarers, having done the Norhtwest Passage now the Patagonia archipelago and Beagle Channel.  Doug told me that this was their first stay in a marina in about 18 months.

Then there were fellow Aussies Ma and Sandy out of Sydney in their sail boat “Volo”, and Patty and Mark out of New Hampshire, USA in their Ted Brewer pilothouse cutter “Alpha Wave”.

All three of the boats were fairly large – around 45' and beamy -  and  Pachuca was referred to as a “small boat”.

On Monday I established contact with Pato, who was still awaiting the rigging parts from Buenos Aires.  I continued my research into Brazilian entry requirements (must get the visa before arriving in their waters) and booked a 15 minute session at the Brazilian consulate in Buenos Aires on Monday at 9.30 AM for a persona application for the visa. 

On Tuesday I booked the bus ride to Buenos Aires for Brenda and myself, for Sunday morning with, sadly, a return ticket for just myself.  I also booked 3 nights at the Waldorf Hotel.  We decided to return to the Waldorf because it is familiar, central,  and they present very good breakfasts. 

In the afternoon Pato visited the marina with the rigging parts that had arrived from BA by truck.  The riggers had not been able to put up the new backstay during their visit because the threads on my HF radio insulators was incompatible with their rigging, so they had taken my backstay to BA and put together the new one using new insulators.  For over a week the mast had been held securely in place with the main halyard and the running backstays.  Also in the consignment were the ropes for the new running backstays and the topping lift.  The topping lift had looked pretty tatty when I had purchased the boat in 2005 and it was definitely time to change it. 

Wednesday was dedicated mainly to the rigging work.  Pato had spoken earlier about possibly doing the work alone while I was in BA and I'm glad that I was able to help him because it was definitely a 2-man job.  He started off by climbing to the top of the mast and fixing the upper end of the new backstay with the rigging bolt that had been left in position.  The length of the backstay was perfect, which meant that we had a difficult time in screwing on the lower fitting because the mast had shifted forward.  However, by loosening the forestay and then the inner forestay, tensioning the halyard to the limit, and loosening the lower turnbuckle to where only about 3 threads were holding it together, we managed to get the lower pin in with some gentle persuasion from a hammer. When Pato had finished the tensioning of the rigging I walked over to Club Nautico and eyed the side of the mast using a plumb line and judged it to be spot on, with an ever so slight bend above the inner forestay.  Pato had used the main halyard as a plumb using a large adjustable wrench at the lower end and found the distance from the back of the mast satisfactory.  I checked all of the rigging and it was nice and tight all around.

Then it was time for the new runners.  The old runners were tired and stretchy polyester ropes that were long enough to pass from the mast through the blocks at the stern then forward to the winches.  They had been on the boat when I purchased her and had never performed satisfactorily in that they would not hold the required tension for long.  The new design called for unsheathed “Spectrum” lines (which I understand to be UV resistant Spectra) which reach almost to the cockpit frame.  At the ends of the Spectra lines will be large snap blocks that I happened to have on the boat.  Then separate lines will pass from the beckets of the stern blocks, round the blocks at the ends of the Spectrum lines, then back to the stern blocks and on to the winch.  When it suits me I'll be able to put the runners away by releasing the snap blocks, tying the Spectrum lines at the mast, and stowing the lower lines.  The Spectrum lines are amazing.    Although they are only about 5mm in diameter they are rated at 7 tons, which is approaching the strength of stainless steel.

Pato wasn't too happy with the state of the sheaves (rollers) on the snap blocks because they had been sustained damage from being used on wire lines and were rough enough to possible damage the ropes.  We drove to my old friends at Teller Naval and Pato asked that the sheaves on the snap blocks be smoothened and stainless steel beckets (U-shaped bars  for attaching ropes) be put on the aft blocks.  The next afternoon I picked up the blocks and found that they had done a beautiful job for 200 pesos. 

It was also on Thursday afternoon that I finally faced the job of going up the mast and tying the new cords between the steps and the stays that prevent halyards from wrapping around the steps.   The conditions were perfect for the job – bright sunshine and little wind – and besides, Pato had inspired me with the no-dramas way in which he had gone to the top the day before.  I had to visit the top of the mast twice, and the lower sections about 4 times, but it was well worth the effort.  I had used thick and strong nylon cord which should last until my return to Australia and hopefully years beyond that.

During the week we had made arrangements with Fabricio and Vanina and we were looking forward to a visit from them and hopefully Silva  on Saturday afternoon. 

Return to Mar Del Plata

We had an uneventful and rapid return to Mar Del Plata. 

We left the hotel at Bariloche at 8.30 AM on Saturday and arrived at Mar del Plata at 4.30 AM on Sunday.  By departure time the group had well and truly bonded, and during one of the stops there was a conference which Fabricio explained later was the planning of a dinner of the entire group for sometime in the future. 

Several people left the bus at a town not far from MdP and we got warm goodbyes from the departing passengers and a hand was extended to me in the darkness from the departing male.  At Mar de Plata it seemed like we got hugs and kisses from everyone in the group.  I'm sure that the language barrier was as frustrating for them as it was for Brenda and myself because we had many thing to say to each other.  Nevertheless Brenda and I felt the awareness, warmth, and friendship of our fellow tourists.

Brenda and I were able to leave looking forward to a visit to the boat by Fabricio and his wife Vanina as well as Silva, the live wire who had the seat just ahead of us.  Brenda and I agree that Fabricio's translation skills transformed the tour for us to a much better experience. 

Enclosed are some photos that Brenda took through the window of the bus while it was raining, as well as photos of the bus that served us so well.  Note the symbols on the side of the bus.

Alpine Tour

We spent the entire day touring.  

The first order of business was to visit a nearby shop where we rented suitable attire for the cold conditions: sheepskin booties inside waterproof boots, waterproof trousers and jacket, and gloves.  Fortunately the day turned out to be dry and mostly sunny.

Then we went up a winding road and made a stop where we had spectacular views of Villa La Angostura, from where we had taken the ferry the previous day, lake Nahuel Huapi, and the surrounding mountains and lakes.  After that we dropped down into the village and did a drive by of the grounds of the Llao Llao hotel.  Not far from Villa La Angostura we rode in a ski lift to the top of a hill which offered more spectacular views of the area.

Then we headed to the base of Cerro Catedral, a skiing area with many lifts and runs.  Most of the group elected to ride to the top of the mountain to experience the views and trekking through the snow, but Brenda and I were part of the small group that decided to stay a the base.  We had lunch then went for a walk in the nearby scrub.  Brenda pressed on with her binoculars while lay on the ground and had a nap.

On the way back to the hotel we visited a factory that is reputed to produce the finest chocolate in the area, which is the chocolate center of Argentina.  After the tour we enjoyed a few samples and purchased some items.

Lake Tour

Arrayanes National Park

Brenda with Diego our Guide

The Ferry

We started the day by a walk around the town and a visit to the local museum which we found to be interesting and informative.

We the boarded the bus which took us to the town of Villa La Angastura on the eastern side of lake Nahuel Huapi where we boarded a catamaran ferry for a visit to Parque Nacional Los Arrayanes.  At this national park is the biggest concentration of rare arrayanes trees (myrtles).  I was told that the other large concentratin of these trees was wiped out during WWII in Hiroshima.

We then boarded the ferry for Isla Victoria which is a beautiful arboretum with a wide variety of tall trees and is also a tree nursury.  During our walk we saw a grove of Tasmanian Eucalypts.

Victoria Island

Brenda in Perspective

We then headed back to Bariloche.  It had a somewhat difficult day beacause the cloud, a big of fog, and frequent drizzle which hampered the visibility.

Videos from the Andes

San Martin to Bariloche

We drank from this lake

Today the entire group took the option of making the trip to Bariloche in a smaller bus that took us on back roads that took us past 7 lakes and gave us wonderful views of the mountains and surrounding terrain.  We were no longer at the foot of the Andes but in the mountains themselves, about 2000 meters up.  We made stops at various vantage spots for photos and a good look around.  At one stop we drank water from the lake and found it to be exquisite in taste, probably about as pure as water can get.

We wound up at the town of Vila la Angostura at the northern end of the very large lake Nahuel Huapi.  At that point we were near one of the two major ski areas of Argentina.  We then rode for miles along the western side of the lake until we reached the town with the formal name of San Carlos de Bariloche, but known simply as Bariloche. We were no longer at the foot of the Andes but in the mountains themselves, about 2000 meters up.  We made stops at various vantage spots for photos and a good look around.  At one stop we drank water from the lake and found it to be exquisite in taste, probably about as pure as water can get.


We wound up at the town of Vila la Angostura at the northern end of the very large lake Nahuel Huapi.  At that point we were near one of the two major ski areas of Argentina.  We then rode for miles along the western side of the lake until we reached the town with the formal name of San Carlos de Bariloche, but known simply as Bariloche. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Carlos_de_Bariloche)

Deep Green Water

Lake Nahuel Huapi

At about 3 PM we arrived and checked in to the large "Grand Hotel" which we found to be of a higher standard than the one in San Martin.

At about 3 PM we arrived and checked in to the large "Grand Hotel" which we found to be of a higher standard than the one in San Martin.

Day in San Martin de los Andes

Today while the rest of the group went on a day tour Brenda and I stayed back to take it easy and enjoy the town and its surrounds. 

Sail  Boats 25-30 ft long

San Martin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Mart%C3%ADn_de_los_Andes) lies at the eastern end of lake Lacar (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%A1car_Lake)  This morning after breakfast we took a pleasant walk along the northern side of the lake enjoying the vegetation, wild life, and good views of the city.

We then walked into town and had very good coffee and croissant at a coffee place that had caught our eye the day before.  I got caught in a familiar trap when I went to pay.  "Donde pago?" I asked in my best Spanish.  "Yes, you pay here" was the reply. The young fellow had lived in the USA for a year.

Museum

General San Martin, hero of independence

Best phone booths we've seen yet

We then spent an hour at the local museum were we learned about the history and ecology of the area and after our second lunch at a cafe that we like I stayed in the room at the internet while Brenda went out on a birding/shopping expedition.  Unfortunately it started to rain an hour later.

At the Andes

We boarded the bus at 2 PM yesterday in brilliant weather that followed two days of cloud and high winds.  The rest of the day was a ride through the pampas region of Argentina, giving us good views of the rich farming land and prosperous properties.

The "host" of the tour group is Diego, who did his job very well in keeping the group informed and entertained.   Soon after he learned that we could not speak Spanish he introduced us to Fabrisio, a young man on the tour with his wife, who has been very helpful in acting as translator.

Diego asked the passengers to introduce themselves and say something about themselves.  We learned that there is a baker and his wife who are taking her younger brother on the traditional high school graduation trip that he never had.  There were two women who have known have known each other and fought over the same man since childhood.  The man didn't marry either of them and he's dead now, but they said with a laugh that they are still fighting over him.

Then there was the man who made the tactical blunder of telling everyone on the bus that he is on the tour with his partner who has been hounding him to commit himself to marriage and has given him August as the ultimatum.  Then the pressure began.  Everyone on the bus chanted "Si, Si, Si ..." for him to marry her.  The baker offered to provide the wedding cake, the hair dresser offered to do the bride's hair, describing at some length what she would do to it (complete with streaks in her hair).  Ahead of us was a hotel worker who offered a free room for their wedding night.

When it was my turn I stood up with Fabrisio at my side and said "Hola" to the attentive faces, then"Mi nombre es Roberto Jose Morales." and "Naci en San Juan Puerto Rico."  This was very well received, with a few knowing nods.  Then with Fabrisio interpreting I explained how I had been forced to sail to Argentina to repair damage from rounding Cape Horn, and that I was glad at the unplanned visit because it gave me a chance to see what a large and beautiful country is Argentina, and the wonderful people who live here.  This was well received with applause, and in fact I meant every word of it.  Brenda then said a few words and was asked if she's been accompanying me on the boat in the circumnavigation.

We stopped for food in the late afternoon but decided to rely on the snacks that we had brought with us because dark was approaching and we would have dinner soon.  In fact we had dinner at 11.30 PM. 

We travelled all night and in the morning could see that the pampas were behind us and now we were in more hilly country.  Then we saw a snow capped volcano in the distance and were soon passing fresh water lakes and rivers.  On the way through the pampas country we had seen a few of the emu-like birds, Rheas, and this morning in the high country we saw a Llama, some deer, and some large bright pink birds which Brenda believes to be Roseate Spoonbills.

Just before noon we arrived at the hotel here in San Martin de los Andes.  After the splendor of the Tourbillon Hotel at Iguazu we found the accommodation much more modest, but that's travelling for you.  Because we've been placed down stairs next to the lobby we have excellent internet service in our room.

San Martin de los Andes

Black Faced Ibis near creek in San Martin

Most of the others went on a 3-hour excursion to a nearby scenic spot at the lake's edge but Brenda and I decided to spend the afternoon settling in and looking around the town.  Brenda was able to spot 11 new birds on one of the walks.

San Martin is a very picturesque town with quaint and beautiful buildings, many in European alpine styles, beautifully maintained parks, and great access to Lake Lacar, a long lake that seems to stretch for miles.

Visa Extended, Bus Trip to Patagonia

Yesterday I managed to have my visa extended for 90 days so that I can remain in Argentina until 15 August.  It was not an easy task, even though I had the good fortune of having the help of Pato Salas.

We went to the immigration office here in the port area and found it closed even though it was 11 AM and their advertised hours were 9 AM to 1 PM.  Pato called their "emergency" number and was told that we would have to go to the main immigration office somewhere in the city.  Pato found it and after a wait in the queue there was a lot of discussion in Spanish that was way beyond my depth then Pato told me that we had to go to a business a block away and have every page of my passport photocopied.  We returned with the copies and the next step was for me to pay 300 pesos at the branch of a certain bank.  I groaned because I had spent a full 2.5 hours in the bank waiting to make a similar payment when had I first entered the country. 

We drove to the bank and I suggested that Pato leave me in the bank and I would later take a bus back to the boat but he said that he'd go in and have a look at the situation.  I gave him the 300 pesos in case he got lucky.  He returned 15 minutes later reporting success.  He had taken the next number for the queue, saw that the wait would be impossible, then jumped in front of the next number called to the teller, who was a bit slow in moving.  Pato used his formidable gift of the gab and got the teller to accept the money and stamp the document. 

We returned to the immigration office after their formal 1 PM closing but they let me in and after 20 minutes I had the visa. Without Pato's help the process would have taken me days.

With my tenure in Argentina secure Brenda and I visited the tourist office to make payment on an 8-day bus tour into the Patagonia region of Argentina.  We catch the bus on Sunday afternoon and travel all night to San Martin de los Andes, at the foot of the Andes mountain range, where we will spend 2 nights.  We will then go to Bariloche, further south, for 3 nights.  We will return to MdP on Sunday 20 May.

Rigging Cost

I have just received the final invoice for the recent rigging work.

In addition to the replacement of all of the stays there were the following items:

- New 5mm wire rails (previously 4mm) and new turnbuckles
- New Spectra topping lift to act as backup main halyard
- New low stretch running backstays

The breakdown of the cost is as follows:

Material ... $11,355
Labor ...... $ 2,500
Travel ...... $    400

Total ....... $14,255

That is a steep price, but the import duties in Argentina are extraordinarily high.  The important thing to me is the quality of the job rather than the price.
 
I looked into my records and saw that the boat was previously re rigged in Nov, 2005 at a cost of $3,460 AUD.  That makes the bulk of the rigging that was just replaced about 6.5 years old and due for replacement, given its hard duties.  It's difficult to make cost comparisons because the Nov 2005 re rigging did not include the extra items that I listed above, and was before a startling jump in the cost of stainless steel shortly after that effort. To complicate matters more, in Nov 2005 the Aussie dollar was worth much less than the American dollar.

The important thing  is that I am personally satisfied.  I now have a new very strong headsail and new very strong rigging with improved running backstays, and am looking forward to an enjoyable and less worrisome sail back to Australia.

Rigging Work Done and New Sail Arrived

Assembling the Fittings

Swaging

Daniel wiring down the shrouds

Yesterday at about 10 AM Daniel from South American Rigging arrived and the first thing that he asked was that I move the boat closer to the club facilities and parallel to the jetty.  I told him that there were draft issues and that we should speak with Luis, the manager.  A spot was selected and David and I backed the boat out while Brenda walked to the new location to take our lines. As I expected, prop walk was an issue and I backed the boat the the entrance of the new fairway and we proceeded without drama.  Waiting for us were Brenda and Daniel's two colleagues.  The boat ran aground but fortunately we were close enough for throwing lines and eventually the boat was dragged in sideways with the use of a winch.

An issue had been the weather, and I got lucky in that Daniel's partner back in San Fernando had judged things would be clear until Wednesday and it was decided to make the trip to MdP.  The team worked into the early night then resumed work before 9 AM.  They approached the boat from the outer part of the jetty and Daniel told me that they had slept in the boat of a friend of his.  They asked me the age of the forestay and I told them that it was only about 3 years old.  They seemed surprised that I wanted to swap it out.  Although I had full confidence in the work that Port Townsend Rigging had done I figured that setting off for Australia with a new forestay was better than setting off with a 3 year old one.  Besides, the forestay would have had a hard time during the rounding in the Horn.  Ultimately my motivation was simple and visceral: I had had a gut full of nursing a crippled rigging in rough weather 2000 miles from help and I wanted to avoid a repetition at all costs.  ... been there and done that with the heroics of broken rigging and sails.

New Headsail

Daniel, Pato in middle, rigger at right

Brenda meeting Pato

The work went very well, but there were several hitches.  The big one is that the backstay insulators for my HF radio are of a different thread to the fittings that were brought from BA.  The backstay was taken back to San Fernando and the new one will be shipped out in a few days.  Another hitch concerned the diameter of the running backstay lines. Those lines will also be shipped in a few days, as well as the new topping lift line.  Daniel advocated a different way of setting up the running backstays, using a second block which will provide more purchase and spread the load to two deck fittings.  With this new setup and proper low-stretch ones. I expect to have a properly functioning running backstay system for my return to Australia.  The new topping lift provides another improvement Daniel suggested that we make it the same diameter as the main halyard to act as a backup in case something happens to the main halyard.   Great suggestion.  There was also a problem of the rear anchor point for the turnbuckles of the new rail wires.  The U-shaped attachments are lot quite large enough to take the turnbuckles, so  somebody will be sent to cut off the old attachment points and set up new ones.

Inner Forestay for Staysail

In the late morning Daniel spent some time with me to go over the items that would be put in the invoice and provide some pointers on how to tune the rig.  He told me that everything that he fitted was the best available anywhere: Navtec and Gibbs fittings, 316 grade stainless steel wire out of the USA.  He startled me by saying that he would guarantee the equipment for 14 years.  "Fourteen years?" I asked incredulously.  Yes, I had heard correctly.

Brenda had gone off to visit the nature reserve on the other side of the fishing harbor.  It was a successful outing where she saw 9 new birds, which she found very satisfying.

Soon Pato showed up and it was the first time that I had seen him in a month, when he had set off for Las Palmas.  Pato seems to know everyone, and they were all glad to see him, including me.  Daniel discussed the remaining issues with Pato and it looks like between us we'll manage to put up the backstay, running backstays, and railing.

At this point I must correct a misconception that I had about the rigging.  It is the cap and lower shrouds that have the 10mm wire, and the intermediate shroud that has the 8mm wire.  This means that it had been the intermediate (D2) shroud that had been replaced in Hawaii, not the cap shroud.  (Daniel reported that the D2 wire was in fact 7mm in diameter, and it is now 8mm in diameter.)  So it looks like all of the rigging is of 10mm wire except for the intermediate (D2) shroud and the inner forestay.

Wetlands Reserve Brenda Visited

I am particularly happy with the lower attachment of the inner forestay.  My brilliant design of the deck fitting did now allow enough room for the toggle, but the resolution yielded a superior result, with a second toggle which allows the stay to move freely in two axes.

Martin of North Sail had passed the new headsail to Daniel in San Fernado so that it arrived along with the rigging team.  I haven't been able to take it out of the bag and we won't be able to hoist it until the rigging work is completed.   However, from the weight of the sail and the feel of the cloth it appears to be the heavy duty sail that I was hoping to get.  The description of the sail is "135% Dacron Ocean Genoa #2 Crucero 9.55oz Ocean".  The cost of the sail was $3921 USD, which I consider very good value.