Jeff's Log ~ Wednesday, December 12th 2007

Yesterday the day started nice and early with the dingy repair guys coming and telling me that it’s made of Hypalon which is a material that can be repaired. They brought a loner dingy with them, and the boys and I proceeded to switch over the engine and fuel tank. I then went with them to fill out repair order and talk things over with Hans. We agreed on what repairs were necessary, and by that time, the morning was gone. I got a bite to eat, and then tried to get the paperwork needed for my visa at yet another bank. I still do not have what immigration wants, so I went to Rucker’s bungalow and told him of my woes. He gave me his marina’s telephone number, and I called there. The girl there said she could help, but I have to come in person. That will be today’s mission.

In the mean time, the loaner dingy is even harder to pull through the sand, so I decided that I would tie it to the swim area buoy line, and wade out to it on my return, when the tide would be up. Well, here comes another hard earned lesson. When the tide comes in here, it is somewhat captured because of the shape of the bay, so right at the shore line, big rolling waves are generated. The fuel tank does not have a tie down in the loaner, so in the waves, it was free to fly around, and it did. When I came back, the fuel tank was floating upside down attached to the boat with only the fuel line. I didn’t run the engine because I don’t really need salt water getting in the carburetor, so I paddled the dingy back to the boat Indian style, because there are no oar locks on this boat. Thank God that we had put the oars in when we transferred dinghies.