On arrival at the marina we met Michael and Sabine again (who were still awaiting delivery of a new fuel pump - now due in the following day) and Johannes and Olena with their 8 month old daughter Vera on board Lea, who I had last seen in April of last year (minus Vera of course).
They were leaving for the Azores the next day so it was wonderful timing.
Next I arranged with the ever helpful Katy in the marina office for a lift out to the boat at 7.30 p.m. Then round the corner to collect our propane cylinder. Set back No 1. They hadn't and wouldn't fill it for reasons that we weren't able to fully grasp but must have been due to some sort of protocol that our UK cylinder did not meet. We were a bit pissed off because I had left it there a month ago and no concerns or requirements were mentioned. After further discussion the chap relented and said OK come back at 1000 in the morning. However, when George returned then they had changed their minds again, so we had to leave without filling it. Just hope we can sort something out in St John's
Set back No 2. I had lost my phone! I definitely had it at the airport after landing but now it had gone. Perhaps I had dropped it there or perhaps in the taxi. Katy tried repeatedly to ring the taxi man who she had also helped us identify, but with no luck. Katy's colleague said she'd continue trying and we should check back later. Failing that it looked like a trip to the airport would be required in the morning.
Then we went shopping having borrowed a trolly and bags from Blaubeere and Lea. We got back just in time for our lift out to Bonny and to receive the welcome news that my phone has turned up.
However, setback 3 was making itself known. I had clearly overdone the walking etc and put to much strain on my foot which was now sore and swollen.
It turned out that I had dropped my phone at the taxi rank at the airport. The Airport staff found it and contacted the taxi driver who said he had just dropped a party off at the marina (everyone knows everyone here). He drove back to the airport picked up the phone drove to marina - asked around, found Johannes who said yes he knows the guy who's lost his phone he's gone shopping leave it with us - so he did!!!
We got on board Bonny around 8pm and unpacked and George cooked a beef stew dinner - enough for two nights.
We got up early the next morning and took the boat over to the dock so that we could fill up with water and collect the gas cylinder. Lea had just left so we took the spot she had vacated. Shortly afterwards we encountered the only obnoxious boater I had so far met in Canada. An American yacht that had been moored near Bonny arrived znd announced that we had taken his spot that he had reserved and that he "was coming in" regardless of our presence. George explained we would only be a couple of hours. "Doesn't matter I'm coming in so unless you want to be stuck inside us for a couple of days you'd better move." Clearly we didn't and whilst we could have stayed put and dealt with the situation later, we decided to move back and raft up on Blaubeere.
After breakfast we filled the water tank and spare bottles and George then went on his fruitless quest to the propane supplier.
Next I begged another favour from the helpful marina staff. Could I borrow a Kayak for 15 minutes to fit the Hydrovane rudder?" "Wouldn't a rib be better - hold on a minute xxxx will take you. I wasn't looking forward to the hassle involved in launching the dinghy and was delighted with the offer.
We finally left around midday after saying goodbye to Blaubeere.
Michael and Sabine hope to explore Newfoundland's south coast during August and will over winter Blaubeere in St Peter's again and so we won't see them again this year. Hopefully we'll meet again somewhere someday. They have been so good to me - I was very sad to say goodbye. That's two sad good byes one after the other, first the family (although we'll be back together in a couple of months) and then Blaubeere!
The earlier foggy weather lifted as we headed out and set the sails and for a couple of hours we enjoyed a gentle but sufficient breeze as we sailed close hauled eastwards. Then the engine had to be pressed into service and stayed on until dusk when enough of a breeze from the west allowed us to sail with goosewinged mainsail and genoa until dawn when once again the engine had to be pressed into use.
I was a little concerned about whether we would have enough fuel to get to St John's. I had arranged for fuel to be delivered that day but it had been overlooked and given we had a good breeze forecast for the first half of the trip I was quite happy that we wouldn't have to wait around for it. However, it was beginning to look like we would need to motor for a lot longer than I expected. We couldn't affor to just wait for the wind to return because when it did the likelihood was it would be a strong headwind on the nose and the east coast of the Avelon Peninsula which would be to our west would be a lee shore.
What I should have done was to have emptied the two jerry cans of spare fuel into the tank and got those filled up at a nearby fuel station, but for some reason it just didn't occur to me! I know I left St Peter's back in June with a full tank and didn't subsequently use the engine much but I had failed to note the engine hours at the fill up. With no working fuel gauge, I was rather dependent on guess work!
That evening we finished George's excellent beef stew.
I cooked a fry-up for breakfast on Friday morning which went down well. Aftewards we went through an area thick with seabirds, Puffins, Shearwaters and Petrals for the most part. I was delighted to see Puffins again, they have been in significant decline back home. The last time I saw one in the wild before my approach to St Pierre seven weeks ago, was as a 16 year old on my first cross channel sail to Alderney on board Equinox an old Bristol Channel pilot cutter run by the then Ocean Youth Club! The broadcaster, author and sailor Paul Hiney wrote about his fruitless search for them on the west coast of the UK some years ago. He was fearful that they were facing extinction. Since then I recall hearing more hopeful reports in the media of their recovery. Out here at least they would appear to be doing fine. We went through numerous groups if them in the water. They'd often wait until Bonny was on the point of mowing them down before scattering in comical ungainly flight shrieking curses at the monster that invaded their space.
Then suddenly and briefly we heard a characteristic puff and saw a whale briefly break the surface about 200 metres away. We think it was a Minke whale. George spotted a second later in the day.
With no significant change in the wind we continued motor sailing for the rest of the day.
I cooked dinner for around 1930, fried frankfurters with onions, rice and cabbage. Nothing fancy but the crew seemed happy.
After dinner I went off watch early to get some sleep. 1930 to 2330 was the plan but around 2130, George called me to say there was an alarm coming from the engine control panel. It was the temperature alarm which seemed strange as there was plenty of water coming out the exhaust. Anyway we shut the engine down and inspected it. The fan belt had broken and whilst it didn't operate the seawater inlet pump it did operate the pump that circulated the closed circuit coolant. Fortunately I had two spare belts and so after a bit of faffing we were back up and running. I went back to bed only to be woken up again at 2230 with an hour left off watch, by the AIS alarm. George was preoccupied by something on deck so I got up. A cargo ship 13 miles ahead on a direct collision course. Given we were also under power we altered course to starboard to avoid it. By the time we had cleared eachother it was 2300. I'd forgotten I still had half an hour to go and so took over the watch from George. At that point our ETA was 0700 the following morning (Saturday 2nd August) and so George had time for his 4 hours before thungs started to get busy.
Sunset by George
I got my head down for a couple of hours early on Saturday morning and by the time I got up again we only had 5 miles to run at about 0630. We were in brilliant early morning sun but the coast was bathed in a patchwork of fog.
As we closed with the entrance to St John's harbour the fog there was particularly thick and one could not see through the entrance at all.
Once we were a mile off I called up the Harbour Authorities on the VHF to get permission to enter which we got with the warning that there was a cruise ship entering behind us. I looked behind us and it was just visible as it exited another fog bank.
She was soon speaking to Harbour control who warned her about Bonny. A few minutes later she called us up on the VHF and once she discovered how slow we were, she politely asked us if we would wait and let her pass ahead. We obliged and then followed her in through the dense wall of fog having checked with Harbour control once again. Once inside the harbour the fog lifted (or perhaps wasn't there) and we were able to see where we were going which was a relief.
We moored up on the town quay at about 0800
Next I called Border Control to clear in. We went through the formalities which ended with the officer saying that the local customs officials would drop by in a few minutes to finish the process. That may have been because my dozy brain was a bit scrambled and I had George and Gary partly muddled up in my head and when asked about George's nationality, I initially said he was from Gurnsey - which he isn't but Gary is!! LOL.
Anyway the local guys arrived soon after, checked our passports and asked a few questions and that was it. Lasted about 5 minutes and didn't even come on board.
My foot's been rather sore and swollen so I sent photos to Dr Stephen who advised to keep the weight off it as if I still had the cast on. I had actually just started adopting the practice and will have to be disciplined about that
After a coffee and catching up with messages etc, George went ashore to explore. Given my foot, I stayed put.
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