Launched Again

We are back on the water. Sal Darago was launched on Thursday 5^th April. It all happened very quickly in the end. Jeremy had put 9 coats of paint on Sal Darago’s bottom. Our list of jobs to be done filled several A4 pages. Antifouling was just one very important job. We asked to be launched on 3^rd April and were told a new crane was coming on the 4^th April and several boats would be launched then. Fine! No problem. We were ready. Then the engine of the new crane blew up on its way to the boatyard. We were told another crane could not be arranged until Saturday. We prepared our minds for Saturday and started provisioning the boat for our next ocean crossing. Meanwhile, our buddy boat friends, Graham and Liz drove to Langkawi to see us and the island. Wisely, they chose to stay in Palms Guest House, where we had previously spent two nights.

We worked on the boat all day and met up with Graham and Liz in the evenings for dinner. Our hire car had gone back to the airport after a week and we were now driving a Proton Saga. A few things on the car didn’t work but the important things did, so we were able to travel around like “normal” people. Graham and Liz left Langkawi on 4^th April. We went shopping on the 5^th and when we returned, you can guess what happened. Correct. A crane had arrived, the old one as it happens, to remove a mast from one boat and raise a mast on another. (For non sailors this is called stepping or unstepping the mast.)There was time to launch a boat before the end of the day. Would we like to be craned in? In the haste to prepare Sal Darago for launching, we forgot the next day would be Friday and the port would be closed. Everything went well. SD was put in the travel lift and taken to the edge of the dock. The crane was positioned; the hook was attached to steel cables, which were then attached to slings placed under the hull. Through the air we went and down gently into the sea. Only a small amount of water came in. Nothing to worry about. The engine started and off we went across Bass Strait to Monkey Beach.

The next day, we were the monkeys! Jeremy dropped me off back at the boatyard while he motored to Kuah, about 5 miles away. I would meet him there with the car. Good plan, but not on a Friday. Despite all my charms and pleas the policeman was adamant. He would not let the car out of the port. A kind yachtie, gave me a lift on the back of his motorbike (they let motorbikes out on Friday) and I was reunited with Jeremy.

We've just completed our sea trials and checked the sails. So far, so good. We’re borrowing the car again for two days to fill our extra diesel cans and provision with fresh food. On Sunday, we set off on a 1600 mile voyage, going south to Cocos Keeling Island. There won’t be any more blogs for about a month. Happy Easter to you all.