Eos Log
On deck the boat is looking presentable again with a new gearhandle, most things in its proper place and most of the varnish jobs done. Inside every loose bit is stored so it doesn't go rattle, bang, tock, slide etc. and the sewing machine is locked away once more.
Once more some last shopping. The lockers are getting quite full now and so every bit more shopping takes longer to store properly.
Once more the diver went over the side to scrub the propeller which had accumulated a lot of growth again.
We had spent several years thinking about a mosquito netting solution. Sticking or tacking them on the inside of the hatches gets too complicated because nowhere the edges are
straight. We do have a net over the bed, but that has its own disadvantages: it's stuffy underneath, you're still being bothered by the beasties before bedtime and we haven't managed to teach the
cat not to jump on it. So now we'll try with something simple: netting over the hatches outside, tied down with an elastic band around the hatch sills. Sewing them roughly to measure still took a
lot of time, so we hope they will serve well. And halfway the job the sewing machine belt broke, one I'd replaced not so long ago, and the second spare one turned out to be cracked already. Epoxy
or super glue were to no avail, but googling I found a sewing machine shop not far off and with plenty of belts in stock. But it was another delay.
Oh, yeah, now we have to think of what to do with the mozzies that are trapped inside the boat....
And then it turned Friday 13th. Well, we're not superstitious, we have umbrellas on board, flowers occasionally, and we even mention rabbits gros oreilles sometimes, and besides in Spain it doesn't count because here Tuesday 13th is the unlucky day, but skipper decided Never On A Friday.
And so we were still in Cartagena for the Museum Night with also many concerts and performances. Too many to see them all, but our choice turned out quite lucky: the Cartagena Chamber Orchestra,
a tango group consisting of a clarinet player, a pianist plus a dancing couple, and a group playing ancient instruments (check out www.anaalcaida.com,
really worth while).
Then some rainy and windy days. Anyway, it's nice to have a tidy boat again and to have the opportunity for a last walk in the mountains. We took the bus to Cabo de Palos and from there the
footpath along the coast and across the mountains to Los Belones. Part of it we'd done before but in the other direction. An enjoyable walk, lots of interesting rock formations to be seen, hardly
any other people except for some surfers in the swell and some horse riders. We saw a couple of sailboats struggling slowly and obviously uncomfortably against the wind – some mad dogs or
Englishmen.
And then, finally, summer arrived. Electric blanket stored away, another last barbecue, and then no more excuses... off we go!