We are still keeping on. It's a little gloomy and rainy, the wind hasn't been able to make up its mind how much it wants to blow, and it's been anywhere from 11 to slightly over 20 knots.
There has been significant progress in the engine department. Yesterday I tried everything I could think of to get water flowing through the cooling system, and nothing worked. I had a few minor successes, but even when I could get water flowing, it wasn't enough.
With limited spares and tools on board, I am a little restricted in what I can do, but I managed to hook up a 12-volt fresh water pump to the engine plumbing and power it from the alternator with the only piece of wire I have on the boat.
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| Yes, there was duct tape involved! |
It means I have to go into the engine room to connect the wires, and then we can start the engine and get it to run for charging. Given both engines have similar hours, I suspect the other engine can't be far behind, so I am saving that one to get into Vava'u.
Strangely, the generator also has a water cooling issue and the electric pump needs to be replaced. So there is a growing list of things to look at once we get somewhere with a decent supply of parts and tools.
And all this bouncing around, rain and problem solving is the exact reason we are out here. This is what an adventure is. It's not G&Ts at sunset and going home. An adventure is challenging, uncomfortable and makes you less dependent on other people. It's not supposed to be fun!
Our 24-hour average was 161 nm, which is not too shabby considering the conditions.