Things That Don't Work

It is always exciting to return to our little home upon the water and to discover just what's got buggered up while we were away. Head would not fill, starboard engine would not draw water (which is its coolant), outboard engine moribund (more paddling of Boffo), fridge petulant, a certain "air" in the interior. Oh yeah, and rats.

Well, I rather overstate the case. Terry, the man who cares for the boat in our absence, found a nest of rats in the after starboard cockpit locker. He disposed of it and then put bait on the boat for two weeks...until it stopped being eaten. So we are hopeful there are no rats still aboard. I have told WW that if there are, he'll be coughing up for a hotel or a flight home. I signed up for no hot water, limited cooking accoutrements, even paddling the damn dinghy. I did not sign up for vermin. So far, the only rat we have found was what can only be described as dissolved. It was in the locker just forward of the one that had held the nest. WW dealt with the remains, I dealt with the locker. Ew.

As Antigua has been hit (not directly) by a couple of hurricanes this year, there was a lot of rain over the summer. Django responded by leaking here and there. Leaking means mildew. Another joy of boating revisited.

Yesterday, WW got the engine drawing water, he got the head flushing. Then came the big job: moving out of the mangroves. This involved lifting three anchors from the primordial slime, much of which ended smeared all over the trampoline and foredeck, Boffo, WW and me. Once under way, we headed straight to the Dockyard quay where we hooked up our hose, hosed ourselves and the foredeck down, filled our water tanks and were about to start rinsing Boffo, when:

"Hello."

Uh oh. Our friend Graeme had told us there'd be no one about.

"I see you are using our water. Did you ask permission?"

"Um, not yet."

Smile. "Not yet? Well, just come by the office when you are done and pay for it, please. It will be 20 cents a gallon."

"Of course."

In the event, it cost all of USD 25 for filled water tanks, a much cleaner boat, a spotless dinghy (Boffo positively gleamed) and well-rinsed anchors and anchor rodes. Worth every penny, I say, and especially good since the Slipway is charging 75 cents a gallon.

We are now settled in Tot Club Corner, with several of our old friends near by. Today I donned my cape and mask and became Super Cleaner. The boat now smells of biodegradable cleaning liquids. A significant improvement over rat funk and mildew, trust me.

WW has got much of the rigging done as well as repairing the outboard (yay). He's now working on the fridge. When he's done, we'll head off for provisions, shops having been closed yesterday for Independence Day. He has been nobly suffering without breakfast for the past two days. We have the peanut butter, we have the marmite, it's the support we lack. Oh, and he's been having to drink tea since we left no coffee aboard. Poor man. Ah well, all will be well once we get to the shops.

I promise to take pictures soon. Of pretty things. Rats need not apply.