Thursday 20th April...
Linda - To celebrate my belated birthday with family and friends we flew home to the UK for an action packed two weeks. Once again we flew with Corendon Airlines and we weren't disappointed. With their Flex Fare the baggage allowance is a 23kg checked-in bag, plus an 8kg cabin bag, plus a handbag/laptop bag. We didn't need all of this going home, but we certainly did coming back. One 23kg bag was jam-packed with goodies.... all the foodstuff we can't get at home. Makes a change from being jam-packed with boat parts!
The two weeks went exactly to plan. The first week we celebrated Charlie's big 13th Birthday, by going out for a curry. We got through all the usual health appointments etc and had a day or two to spare. This holiday we had hired a car which meant we could go for drives into the countryside.
Charlie, the new TEENAGER
Good Friday we went out for my belated birthday meal with my school friends and hubbies. One thing I always make sure of doing is meeting up with these fabulous ladies.
💛 Forever Fab Friends 💛
Next day, another belated birthday celebration, this time with my family at a pub in Shustoke. They had organised the whole thing and I had balloons and lots and lots of home-made cup cakes!
Happy Birthday to ME
Some of my nearest and dearest
Now with my big sis, she's my HERO
After a quiet Easter Sunday to recover from all the eating and partying, we picked up the little ones and drove off for a 4 night caravan break in Porthmadog. The weather wasn't kind to us (not a surprise really) but we did manage to get out and about every day.
At Ty Mawr Country Park, Wrexham (halfway stop en-route)
Guess who's not acting his age?
Our lovely caravan at Aberdunant Park
Dean found a dead Dog Fish on the beach and
scared me to death with it
Nice blue skies on our last day in Pwhelli
Cold but sunny and a lovely beach walk
We made megaliths too
With our Welsh holiday over, and at the last minute before leaving for Turkey, we were able to fit it an impromptu night away in a lovely old hotel in Presteigne. Dean got to have a pint of proper beer at last! He did so much driving over the two weeks I think he was shattered.
At the Radnorshire Arms, Presteigne
Well, after all of that we arrived back in Turkey on Sunday. Our flight was great, I really do recommend Corendon Airlines if you ever come and visit. We landed at 8.50pm and it was a breeze coming through the airport, quick and efficient. Our taxi was waiting for us and we arrived back in Finike at 11.30pm. The weather was so calm and warm, a pleasure to be back. We made sure to stock up on emergency supplies at Duty Free.
We unpacked a few things and had only been back for about 20 minutes when Dean found himself rummaging in the cupboard trying to find out why the fridge wouldn't start. Yes, it was almost midnight. Problem sorted, we went to bed and slept like logs.
Toolbox out at midnight!
Dean only brought back a few boat parts this time. One item was an air valve extension hose for the water tank. This is intended to make life easier because the existing valve is right under the floor and difficult to get at.
The hose
Now in situ and easy to get at
Also next day he fitted a lip on the ends of the freezer basket so that it will sit nice and level in the freezer instead of falling lop-sided all of the time.
Lip attached
On the next photo you will see Dean with a banana on the passarelle. Hmm... Well a friend bet him a banana whether our new boat batteries (overdue now by a few weeks) would have arrived in the boatyard. No batteries! Still! Stuck in customs! Just like the solar panels! They've promised us delivery next Tuesday. I don't know what we will do if they don't turn up.
The winning banana
Dean's washed the decks twice because it rained (muddy brown) after the first clean. We want to put the new sails up without dragging them across a dirty deck. This morning was calm and I found Dean with an ingenious idea of how to clean the forestays. He tied a cloth around the forestay and pulled it up and down the forestay with two lines. Clever boy. I think he lies awake at night dreaming up all of these kinds of techniques. In fact, I KNOW HE DOES.
We attempted to put up the staysail but the wind picked up too much so we had to abort. Maybe try again tomorrow.
With his new cloth idea
Close look
This is the dirt that came off the forestay.
Would have been on our nice new sail!
I had to write the second part of this blog post twice. The internet cut out and I lost my first version when publishing it. It's so annoying, and the second version is never as good as the first version.
Friday 28th April...
Dean - So this week we continue to get Thésée ready for more adventures. We managed to find a calm day and fitted the genoa. Quite an easy job in the end.
Nearly there
Bit more
Done
Once everything was checked we rolled the genoa away and continued with the new main sail. We had to replace the batons which meant cutting down to size and setting the tension.
Starting
Whilst hoisting the sails all the reefing lines have to be attached also.
Looks good but...
Twisted reefing lines and now the wind is picking up TIT
Re-set reefing lines
Looking good
Now fitting the new clew strap. Then to fit the lazy bag. This is the bag that attaches to the boom and is zipped up to protect the sail from the elements.
Clew strap
So back to varnishing again, and another failed attempt.
Bugger it's not right
Each year we try and wash the seat covers before the season and this year was no exception, so here we see me struggling to refit the seat covers after washing.
Quite a bit of swearing is required to get the covers fitting just right
Meanwhile!
Crew wanted, must be keen to help out!
Thursday 4th May...
Dean - Well after several months and god know how many attempts I finally managed to get a nice coat of varnish on the table, well one side anyway. In the end I had to thin the varnish by 30% and put the coat on in the evening when the temperature had dropped a little. I used a roller to put plenty on and then a brush to smooth. It's what they call "tipping"
Finished at last
As you know by now we have the cruisers BBQ each Sunday where we have to bring something to share, this week Linda made fairy cakes, they went down a storm with everybody, yummy.
Linda's fancies
Yummy
So When Monday came I decided enough was enough with the battery saga. You will remember that I ordered new batteries back in February to be delivered "in 4 to 6 weeks" after 3 months still no batteries and just a load of bull shit. So I went round to the yard and asked for my money back, simple so you would think. However I paid on my card, Pounds sterling from my account which converted to Euro's in there account. Notice how they never ask for Turkish Lira. Any way the exchange rate has changed since February so I demanded that they pay back the correct amount regardless. This meant that somebody was going to loose out on about £65. Needless to say I got the correct amount back once I explained his future to him. ROT
This is me trying to re-secure the old batteries
Happy now
Well I was happy until the fridge packed up! The fridge starts automatically when the thermostat cuts in. You will remember earlier this year I fitted digital thermostats. Anyway the fridge and freezer has a keel cooler fitted (below the water) after investigation I realised the fridge had stopped working because of an issue with the fan which aids the cooling, once this was disconnected all was good because of the keel coolers obviously. (keep up)
The fridge compressor, the fan is second item from left
This week our friends on Impavidus and Eternite sailed by. They called in for diesel on their way to Greece. We had a quick chat while they were waiting to fill up. Just after they departed we had a sudden un-forecasted wind come through the area. It blew up to 50 knots for a couple of hours. Impavidus just made it to a sheltered anchorage to spend the night But Eternite had to turn and run with the wind so ended up back here in the marina for the night. Luckily no damage and all safe.
Eternite
Impavidus
The next blog post will be called 'Why are we (still) waiting'
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