Task List and Departure Plan

I've been asked several times about my plans regarding Buenos Aires.

Yes, I plan to sail/motor there as soon as possible, but my departure is probably still 2 weeks ahead because of tasks that I must complete before setting sail.

My Task List for MdP has been as follows:

- Replace two rigging stays [Awaiting  quotation]
- Cabling for shore power [Done]
- Change engine and transmission oils, and filter [Done]
- Change engine water pump impeller [Done]
- Procure navigation charts [Done]
- Take headsail ashore and fold it
- Second anchor on deck
- Service the winches
- New Monitor control lines (maybe)
- Purchase diesel additive
- Refill diesel tanks and (some) containers
- Replace or repair galley neon light
- Contact Jorge Neon at Puerto Madero Yacht Club,  BA

We are still waiting for Alejandro's phone call regarding a quotation for the rigging.  To me the quotation is a formality and I can't understand the delay but I must accept the process.  And of course after the order is in there will be the question of the expected delivery date.

The next four tasks have been completed in the last 3 or 4 days.  Installing the OpenCPN chart plotting software was important, as was the procurement of the excellent charts of Argentina.  These charts, along with helpful advice that I got from La Paz removed a big obstacle and sealed my decision to move the boat to Buenos Aires.

In the meantime I will attend to the other tasks, the most important being the servicing of the winches.  Two have started to seize up and I must attend to them before departure.  I expect to do this work over a 2-day period.

Most of the remaining tasks are either trivial or not "show stoppers",  so it is the rigging that will be the bottleneck.

Alfredo told me that it would be "criminal" to be this close to Brazil and not visit it.  Yesterday I spent hours downloading all of the Brazil charts and will look for a way of visiting Brazil for 4 or 5 weeks before I depart for Cape Town.

By the way, while assembling the material for the engine maintenance work I found a fan heater and a workshop light from Australia.  I plugged the fan heater into one of the boat's 240V wall socket and it worked fine.  The workshop light and even the bulb in it survived years of storage below the starboard quarter berth above the 50 lb anchor and rode.  I had wrapped it well in plastic and sealed it with tape.   I am using it in the galley until I can do something about that neon light.  I also found an Aussie 240V power board.  Today I will go into town to purchase a toaster and an electric kettle.  I'll take an Aussie plug with me to make sure that either the Argentinean plugs are compatible or I can buy an adapter.

Also, I found a dead mouse in the cabin yesterday.  Not that kind of mouse - it was the mouse of the Acer netbook that had given up the ghost.  I'll drop by Delta Computers today and get a new one.