April 17,2007 (2030 zulu)
Update...NEWS BRIEF... flash. We have not sunk. We are not standing still. No, we are afloat and SAFELY swinging at anchor. However, not yet, off or sailing to the islands....yet. Everyone is ready, except s/v Encanto...minor glitch.
We are STILL at anchor next to the Puerto Lucia Yacht Club. Tried to pull up the anchor a while ago and found the anchor windlass wires toast, possibly a short in the circuit. John is tearing it apart as I write. Bummer. If it ain't one thing, it is another. All crew in good spirits and humor. LOL. The Captain has caught a taxi to the Alternator shop to see if the windlass can be repaired. We may be here another few days pending the assessment of the part. Luckily, in this country as in most of Latin America, things get fixed not tossed. It is NOT an automatic reflex to dispose of materials but to fix, repair or reuse.
With 100 lbs of rice, flour, beans, snack foods (candy, cookies, pudding, pretzels, and chips), 50 lbs of meat, 60 eggs, 350 gallons of water, 12 bottles of Cuban Rum, 50 Liters of Tang and more, we will not starve or lack for thirst.
We are checked out of the country with our International Zarpe. However, as the clock strikes midnight, Judy will be officially an illegal alien (again). Her visa expires on April 18,2007.
So...even though, Encanto is beautiful, and her sail covers are removed and the tanks filled.....and, we could be powered by the Godfather's chili, too.....we won't go anywhere until the anchor windlass is fixed or we agree to go to the manual raising and lowering of the anchor. That is an option, even if not a preferred option.
In the meantime, check your maps, have your push-pins ready. Check our position reports on the internet(winlink.org or yotreps.co.nz) and SOON the dot will move....
We will go to San Cristobal Island first. We have our cruising permit for all of us, except our crew, Anja Tuit. (Just found this out TODAY). We notified the permitting officer. We sent him, Anya's passport over a week ago, so we don't know why she isn't on our permit. Hopefully, we can get to San Cristobal to work out this glitch.
Ah, our life is often not about a smooth sail, but going with the flow.
Ciao
Judy and John, Gaby, Sami and Anya.