I would take a load of garbage with me then see Martha about getting Carlos to send out the diver to scrub the boat's hull. If the diver could come either today or tomorrow I would let him clear the blockage to the engine water intake because I really didn't feel like diving in this grey and rainy day, particularly because I would have been exposed to the local strains of respiratory bugs and didn't want to compromise my immune system. I would postpone my move to the slip another day if possible because of the rain. That would give me time to enlist the aid of Martin and Marianna with the lines. The slip was a good one in the sense that I would be at the outer side of the end walkway and would pose no danger to another boat. However, there was the shallow water to one side. Because of the boat's severe prop walk that forces the stern to port when reversing (very useful when used to advantage) I wanted to reverse into the slip to make departure easy. Otherwise when I backed out of the slip the stern would move toward the shallows and I would not be able to move forward until the bow cleared the end of the walkway.
I was using water more freely now, particularly since it had cleared up. I'd better explain that. I had deliberately not mentioned it in the blog, but since shortly after leaving La Paz I have been drinking rusty water with the color of iced tea. In the kettle I could see the particles of rust floating on the surface in thin lines. Sometimes the particles would drop to the bottom. I had no choice but to drink it throughout the voyage, and the taste of rust became very familiar. I was hoping that the water from the port tank would be better when I made the swap but it turned out to be the same. Then within 12 hours of being on the mooring the water cleared up.
I'm not sure what is going on inside of those water tanks. They leaked when I purchased the boat and I removed both of them and took them to Scotty for assessment and repair. I figured that I'd need new tanks. Scotty cut a big square out of the top of one of the tanks and found it to be in very good condition and amazingly clean considering that they had probably been in position since the boat had been built in 1983. The stainless steel was nice and thick, the proper baffles were in place, and Scotty pronounced the tanks well worth repairing. The leaks had developed where the tanks interfaced with the wood supports. Apparently wood and stainless steel don't get along very well. Scotty welded some good strong patches then called me back to look at the results of the pressure test. For some reason the welding along the top seams of the tanks had not been done properly and leaked all around. Scotty re welded those seams and the tanks have not leaked a drop since then. But given that the tanks are of stainless steel and aren't leaking I'm not sure where the rust is coming from. Perhaps it's rust that slowly flakes off the stainless steel surfaces, builds up at the bottom over time, then spreads throughout the water when the tanks are agitated in heavy seas. I will investigate this and try to figure out a way to purge the tanks.
Yesterday I spent over an hour cleaning out the inside of the plastic water jug that I had been using to measure out my daily allocation of water. It was covered with a film of rust and also strands of soft green material that must have been some sort of algal growth. And this morning the dishes didn't know what hit them when I washed them in warm soapy fresh water.
Anyway, my health didn't seem to suffer. In fact, in spite of the physical stress, questionable hygiene because of the shortage of fresh water, and narrow range of nutrition, I was in top health throughout the voyage: no digestive problems, no respiratory problems, no bone and joint problems, etc. The only medication that I take regularly is a couple of puffs of Ventolin every day or two for a tight chest, but even throughout the cold and wet while doubling the Horn I didn't need it. I had expected to have skin fungal problems such as "athlete's foot" and "Jock Itch", but in spite of literally weeks of wearing the same socks and underpants through many hours of profuse sweating I had no problems. I'm beginning to suspect that the modern ritual of daily washing with soaps that contain perfumes and who knows what other chemicals robs the skin of natural oils and flora that it requires for good health.
A few post scripts on my entry to Argentina before I forget. The Immigration man asked me how long I planned to stay and he seemed surprised at the length of my proposed visit. However, after I managed to explain that winter was coming and it was too dangerous to sail to Cape Town until the next summer he nodded with understanding. My Australian passport was stamped yesterday and that gives me 90 days of residency in this country. Before that 90 days expires I can apply for one 90 day extension. That gives me 180 days. Thereafter I can start another sequence by stepping out of the country then making another entry. That will be easy. Montevideo Uruguay is near by, as are many other places of interest. Also, I'll repeat that Argentine Immigration wants to see evidence of departure from the last country. In my case the Zarpe from the port captain of La Paz was of no interest. Unfortunately Mexico provided no evidence - passport stamp or otherwise - that I had left their country. This was probably because I still have valid FM2 residency. That omission caused me several tense minutes of fast talking in pidgin Spanish, and great frustration to the Immigration agent. I advise anyone planning to visit Argentina (and probably any other country) to make sure that they get their passport stamped before leaving the country they are in. I asked Martha what the health clearance was all about. Was the agent going to simply look at me and make an assessment? Martha agreed, saying that even if I looked OK I might have a sick crew on board. Yea I said, like with horrible blotches all over their faces? Precisely. The whole health check thing appears to be simply anachronistic bureaucratic bullshit with no real function.
Brenda passed on a comment from James Blackburn in which he said that he could probably visit me on 12 March if I was in Buenos Aires, and at this point it looks like I will indeed be in BA.
I went ashore with 7 shopping bags of plastic garbage and other items of trash. Martha told me to simply put them in the nearby bin designed for small items so I spread the trash among four of these small bins. I told her that I was ready to have the boat hull scrubbed by the diver and she said that she would tell Carlos. I then headed into town in the rain wearing my foul weather gear and just as well because there was water pooled everywhere. I took a wrong turn and got lost which is a great way to learn about a place. I walked into the cafe part of a filling station hoping to get directions and could not resist my first dose of junk food since La Paz. I ordered a hamburguesa con papas fritas and I must say that it tasted great. I wound up at the far end of the main business street and walked back purchasing bananas, plums, and onions at on small fruit and vegetable shop where the young man spoke good English because he had lived in Boston, Mass. for a while. At a small grocery store I purchased a loaf of sliced whole meal bread and a half dozen eggs. There were about 30 people at the checkout queue and I figured that during the time I was waiting in line I could have kneaded my own bread. I then raided the ATM and milked it for another $500 pesos. I was planning to build up my kitty of cash until I got my new Visa card to replace my current one that expires in March. This took hours of walking in the warm muggy rain conditions in my foul weather gear, which was not particularly pleasant.
Back at the Club Nautico I saw Martha who had spoken with Carlos. She took me to see Carlos and explained again the need for the diver to clear the obstruction to the engine water intake. Carlos made the call and the diver will be here tomorrow (Sunday) afternoon. Before returning to the boat I visited Martin and Marianna. I enquired at one boat about the whereabouts of "Pinta" and they didn't know. The young man spoke good English and told me that they were headed south to sail through the Beagle Channel. I told them about M&M's similar plans and that they should get together. "Pinta" was the next boat over, on the other side of a vacant slip. Soon all three parties were talking and we've been invited aboard "Pinta" for drinks at 8 PM. I would prepare by having my first shower since La Paz.
One of my next steps will be to find an Internet cafe. Until that happens I will be relying on Sailmail.
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1 comment:
Glad you are feeling healthy Lone Sailor
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