On The Mend

After 3 horrible days and nights I felt better today.  I am still weak and coughing up a lot of phlegm but my head is clearer and the coughing and sneezing have eased off a lot.

This morning I did a sort of a Zombie Shuffle the 5 km to Arbilito hardware, and the gas cylinders were ready.  The proprietor seemed concerned and told me to definitely not sail out until I was well again.  Before leaving I mumbled something about a taxi and he suggested that I leave the cylinders in the shop and bring back a cab from the taxi rank at the next corner.

The taxi driver was a young man who showed great interest in my sailing adventure during the last 4 years.  After we arrived at Club Argentino we kept on talking for a while before giving me a warm handshake and wishing me the best.  The fare, by the way, was 13 pesos (about $3.00).  I gave him 20 pesos and still felt like I was ripping him off.

I got back to the boat so quickly that I still had over an hour before the market closed, so I did the ZS to there.  I had a craving for citrus fruit so I purchased Kiwi Fruit, oranges, and tangerines.  I then bought salami, cheese and bread at the adjacent shop before shuffling off to the pastry shop for more more bread and media luna pastry.

I am going to miss that market.  It is really a small community where everybody seems to know everybody else.  The English speakers ask me how things are going and the others are very helpful to me as I fumble through the nomenclature, weights, and change.  I'll be saying Goodbye to many of them before I leave.

I had an unsuccessful attempt at sleeping (too much coughing) after wolfing down a lunch of fruit , so I had a go at installing two gas cylinders in the lazarette compartment.  I managed to make a good job of it - tested all seals and found no leaks, restraining shock cords and ropes are all in place.    The restraints are to prevent the cylinders from sliding around during a rough seaway, and they were good enough for rounding the Horn with no problem, so I'm confident that they'll make it to Australia OK.  There I will purchase new cylinders and build proper frames to fit them in.  Incidentally, the design of that cover to the lazarette doors worked very well.  With the access flap unzipped and folded back over the seat I got full access into the lazarette area, unhampered by the cover.

I am still looking at the weather reports every day, and it looks like I will have moderate headwinds most of the way to Sao Sebastiao, where I'll make my entry into Brazil.