The sailor’s sailor is dreaming of faraway Horizons. (Centkiewicz)

 

My Yacht log 2006.11.03-11.07.

 

11.03. (41st day)

Yesterday I walked all over Almerimart. Only apartment complexes and vacation resorts are here. Downtown there are restaurants and also discos. During the first part of November everything is depopulated of course. Prices are somewhat cheaper than in Italy.

I’ll have someone look at the engine in the morning. It turns out that the thermostat was faulty, not the water pump. The mechanic took it out; I’ll try to get one next port.

Went shopping afterwards. What this ship is lacking most are onions!

(Because 1 liter of rum was consumed during the last 40 days, I bought a Brandy de Jerez 501 titled Spanish booze. Santa Maria is written on it).

Walked over the other half of town too. The harbor is huge and well equipped.

In the afternoon during siesta applied resin to the ship in a few places. Then checked the compartments, basically everything is waterproof.

Interneting around noon and also late afternoon (talking with the folks at home.)

Spoke with a few sailors, became pretty good buddies with a Czech ship owner.

They invited me for a little evening libation but sorry, I’d rather sail!

At 21:00 departed toward Malaga. The wind is favorable easterly, variable strength, Bf.3-4 near the coast and diminishing to Bf.1 by dawn. I have so much to do, that have time to eat only out at sea. (Had one (bag of) chips and drank one beer all day).

 

11.04. (42nd day)

Dolphins are jumping around me in the morning, curiously they dare to come near the beach. Breakfast: wiener, then soft boiled egg.

Favorable easterly winds all day, which quiet down by evening. Top: Bf.5-6 during the day. Caught a little cold, so I’m taking vitamins and drinking tea and egg-soup. Sleeping a little too in the afternoon after taking 2 algopirins. Perhaps got the cold from being tired and wearing wet clothes, slept on the deck in a wet sleeping bag, and the wind was blowing pretty well too.   

Dinner: lecsó with eggs (egg day today)

Vitamin C and algopirin again to get better. Feeling well around 10 or11 at night, when the wind gets stronger. In general, in Bf.4-5 winds with only a jib I average 5 knots. (To be sure, the wind is from the east and the waves are large, 3-4m).

For this reason my egg soup spilled out evenly in the cabin. Afterwards I made and instant soup. Unfortunately another wave sloshed into the cabin!

 

11.05. (43rd day)

Dawn, between 4 and 5 engine repairs, it didn’t start. Even during the last departure it stopped by itself, so I checked it before tie up. There are better things in life than repairing an engine in 3-4 meter waves…

Two waves sloshed in and the engine got a little wet.. Checked the throttle, fuel flow. Finally, I had to change a spark plug.

Needless to say, I didn’t sleep last night at all. In the morning in calm wind tied up in Malaga (36-43N; 004-25E).  Since my tie-up, the VHF radio’s (DSC mode) has been inoperative. The Marina was full; they chased me out of the private harbor.

A policeman finally suggested that I tie up near El Trinidad. This is a restaurant and the largest, old, classic vessel in the harbor. In the morning sewing the jib (a 30 cm tear along the seam of the after edge) and the main sail (the slat pocket was torn slightly). In addition had to repair the GPS lead, which also was torn.

Lunch: codfish liver with eggs (with lots of vegetables and chili).

Afternoon toured the towns (of Cathedral and Alcazar) and visited the Picasso Museum. Then took care of a few telephone calls

Received a package from home, care of Saul, thank you Kornél and Bogi!!!

Because this is the most visited part of the harbor (for El Trinidad), there always is somebody who is staring (and sometimes asks questions). Hard to accomplish anything this way when they’re looking over your shoulder. .

Many admire my plan, some congratulates me, others would rather talk me out of it….

The hippies come to question me and talk, of course they’re sympathetic to me too. There were also young Slovenians here, with them I could talk longer. (One of them lives near Koper, we had a common theme J

Good news: I fixed the telephone. FROM NOW ON I CAN WRITE AND RECEIVE SMS!

 

11.06 (44th day)

Did not radio for a while, unfortunately I can’t charge the batteries. Indeed, I couldn’t even change my water reserves and buy extra quantity. But, at least I could listen to music all night. Playing Paussini all night here, this was the only light musical CD I brought along. (By accident!!). Therefore it’s a little boring to listen to. J

In the morning I woke up not by the telephone ring, but by the sounds of a pile driver: they’re doing construction next to me. J

Breakfast-lunch: kuskus with mustard.

In the morning I worked on the engine a little.

Tightened the V-belt, and fixed the choke’s electronics. Lately I could only choke by hand which is not too good in case of high winds, seas and in a storm. Took the fan out also, unfortunately 2 screws are too stuck to take it apart, but I’m not giving up…

The liquid soap spilled out again in one of the compartments, cleaned it up. Transferred it to another place, I hope it will no longer be a problem.

Used the resin some, secured a few screws with it and used it to seal a few mountings. Around noon I went Interneting and to telephone. It was good to hear her voice. J

Extensive shopping in the afternoon. Bought 200m 0.45mm, 19.1 kg damyl line (Boomerang Master), because I feel this will be used often. (I’d rather have more of it in the ship):- Of course bought some consumables too. Unfortunately you can’t buy Makó onions here. (On the other hand the Spanish wines are very good J Eroski is the equivalent of Tesco here so I now have Eroski chocolate, salami and wieners…

Found the local ship’s store with great difficulty and bought foul weather clothes. XM Yachting (www.plastimo.com) Coastal, which differs from the ocean and offshore version that its only double layered, (the others have 3 layers and they also have safety equipment.) The seller looked at me and asked: Sailing around the world, right? J

There were fewer onlookers today, but still enough to have conversation with. Started to develop my knowledge of Spanish because few people speak English here. I feel I shall have plenty of time over the seas and oceans…

Unfortunately Daniel the Cobra expert hasn’t come yet (we agreed for this afternoon), and he’s like he didn’t want to repair my radio. New time tomorrow morning, hope he’ll be here.

In the evening I got acquainted with the crew of DORIA (Sun Magic 44): they’re Spanish, will be heading toward Brazil from the Canaries. Hopefully we can make contact sometimes via HF radio.

 

11.07. (45th day)

Rained all morning and afternoon. Sorry to say I can’t do anything on the ship.

Walked to the Marina, perhaps I can find a service there that can fix the problem of the warping cross tree. Unfortunately there isn’t, there should be in the next port...

At 9 in the morning the Cobra serviceman showed up with whom we sat in the nearby cafe to have breakfast (and to charge his laptop, he’d wanted 4 Amps. J I am already known in this café, have been coming here for the last 3 days for morning coffee (and to use the restroom). Unfortunately his software didn’t work, so he’ll come again tomorrow morning. J I wonder how long this will keep up at this rate? By the way they want 160 euros from me, while its still under warranty!

After 11 I ran into Kornél and sent a package home! Interneted from noon until 3 p.m. I had plenty to do. For example there was and interesting kid, Nick Jaffe (http://www.bigoceans.com)

wrote of his plans. It’s worth to look at his web page! Not sure whether we’ll meet, he will start next year only.

Áron Kiss wrote a letter about a sponsorship possibility: www.photosails.com.

Naturally I also looked at the weather: www.windfinder.com. In the evening, I shall go back  to speak with the folks at home on MSN

(My name on MSN is: aron@meder.hu).

 

(translated by Laszlo AA7UY)