It seems like the days are clicking by, and we’re still here in the Mackay Marina. But the boat is finally ready to go, and the plan is to leave in 36 hours.
Our rigging has been replaced — project finished today. A problem with our hydraulic steering was also fixed today. Our repaired Parasailor spinnaker is back in place ready to go. Jesse and I got our passports back with our Indonesian visas yesterday. We have new cable to the VHF antenna at the masthead. We have a new antenna and cable for our backup/emergency VHF radio. The hardware that holds the screecher in place has been replaced both at the tack (where it attaches to the sprit/pole at the front of the boat) and the head (near the top of the mast). Its furler line is replaced and the cleat that secures it has been moved to a more convenient location. We have a new bridle to improve our anchoring system, and our anchor line has been turned end-for-end so it will wear in new areas. Both engines and the outboard have been serviced. Our folding propellers have been serviced. A sensor causing an alarm to sound has been replaced. Our corroded speed/depth sensor has been replaced. We fixed the corroded wiring to our horn. We upgraded a relay that was getting so hot it started to melt. We’ve replaced all sorts of filters. We filled a propane tank. We replaced a corroded fuel level sensor. We replaced the wooden mount we made to hold the outboard at sea with a stronger aluminum one.
The freezer is fixed. The vinyl covering on our bows has been removed, and the dings underneath have been patched. The broken propeller for the hydrogenerator has been replaced, and the mount has been modified so the propeller will sit a little deeper in the water. The cockpit seat cushion that disappeared on a windy day has been replaced. Our broken fishing rod holder has been replaced. We have a new rope clutch on the mast for our spinnaker halyard, and we made some improvements to the way this halyard and the screecher halyard are run. We have new spares for the flux gate compass, the valves in the head, and the fuel lift pump for our engines. We procured courtesy flags for all (?) the remaining countries on the BPO route.
Of course we have a freshly painted bottom with high quality bottom paint. Our propellers also have a fancy antifouling coating. We’ve coated the dinghy with UV protectant. We’ve replaced the bearings in the wind generator. We’ve even updated the labels on some of our electrical switches to make them look better and be clearer.
The boat is probably in better shape than when we bought it.
At dawn we are driving to a beach where kangaroos can often be seen in the early morning. Then we have a briefing about our route and the cool places to stop along the way. Then we do our final provisioning and turn in the rental car we’ve been using. Then pay some hefty bills for the marina and the yard. Then one last night here, and showers, and the next morning we leave Hallie on the dock (unfortunately with 24 hours until her flight home) and go. I’m going to consider this the start of “Part 4” of the BPO.
ZekeTheSailor 
safe travels
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Thank you for all the wonderful videos and updates of your time in Australia. All the yard work notwithstanding, it must have been quite an adventure in and of itself to be back in the 1st world (so-called) again after all these months at sea and to have had this time with Hallie and Jesse. To be able to spend a big chunk of Part 4 with Jesse as crew will definitely be a memory making experience.
I am very appreciative of all your efforts to help us land bound folks to get such a full sense and understanding of the vastness of the world as seen from one sailor’s perspective. To have this opportunity to hear about places, often very small places, that I am not proud to say I didn’t even know existed or was only vaguely aware of has been very special, enlarging my world-view. As you move into this next phase the people, places and cultures will, again, be different. It will be, as always, good to hear about the next ports of call, along with yours stories of just “plain old sailing” and how your boat, as well as crew react to the various encounters.
To Fair Winds…
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As another one of the “land-bound” folks, i appreciate and agree with all of what you said. In particular, while reading Naomi Klein’s book on climate change and our economic system, she writes about the very real prospect that the Marquesas and Tuvalu may cease to exist due to sea level rise…. and I had a more personal perspective due to Zeke’s blog.
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Let the adventure continue! Fair winds and following seas!
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Fair Winds and Following Seas, my friend
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As another one of the “land-bound” folks, i appreciate and agree with what Robin said. In particular, while reading Naomi Klein’s book on climate change and our economic system, she writes about the very real prospect that the Marquesas and Tuvalu may cease to exist due to sea level rise…. and I had a more personal perspective due to your blog.
I am sure you and Jesse and Tim will have another chapter of awesome adventures! I am thinking of an edit to that well known Irish Blessing…
May the sea rise up to meet you
May the sun shine warm upon your faces
May the wind fill your sails just the right amount
And until we meet again
May the Goddess hold you in the palm of her hand.
Safe journey, dear ones.
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Thinking of you!!!
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Good luck to you and Jesse and safe flight home for Hallie.
Jim D Outlook.4.10
Quotations: quotes@asm-marketfirst.com
Orders: orders@asm-marketfirst.com
Information: info@asm-marketfirst.com
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All comments I would have to say ‘ditto’ to. And poems as well. 🙂 You are living many things right now and I see one of them as an’way-shower’. Is your true life at hand? You’ve left the safe comforts of home and undertaken a hero’s journey. You have followed your inner guidance and it’s taken you to places of discovery and learning from not just people but also the land, sky and of course, the sea. What an Adventure! With more to come. I can’t wait and so appreciate not just the technicalities of keeping your ride operating ship-shape, but also the new territory of your inner landscape on such an amazing journey.
With thanks and anticipation for what’s to come,
Vika
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MAKES MY HEART SMILE YA’LL ARE TOGETHER:)
AIM
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All those fixes for the boat give me my first twinge of missing the boat, just to enjoy everything working so well.
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