Something amiss?

La Coruna seems to be quiet anyway but closed and deserted on a Sunday evening so, in the absence of even a ā€˜Kebab Vanā€™ alternative, there was no choice but to return to Hejira and plumb the bilge for another couple of cans of Fray Bentos. The meal was very enjoyable which is probably a comment on our current level of expectation.

Squaring up in the Marina Office this morning, we managed to arrange our car hire for the crew change tomorrow and then to address some outstanding jobs. Notable among these was the installation of a cleat on the cheek of the Watt and Sea to ensure the ā€˜lock downā€™ and a discovery (maybe irrelevant) behind the Wind Turbine switch. Barden, the suppliers had suggested that we should disconnect the ā€˜lockā€™ option on the switch, implying that any short might upset the charging. We discovered that the installers, clearly mindful off the proximity of the two polarities and the heavy currents involved, had liberally coated the terminals in a ā€˜silicon likeā€™ setting compound so that they were buried and encapsulated in the material. This would be prudent and a sensible precaution but, what if the insulation properties were not 100% and the sensitive nature of the wind gen thought that it should be locking, not chargingā€¦ā€¦ā€¦

So, having cut away the coating so that each terminal of the switch is electrically independent, we will see if this makes any difference. Unfortunately we will not know until our next passage when the batteries have discharged and are in need of some supplementary charge.

As we were about to leave on our foray ashore for provisions, we were confronted on the pontoon by 3 Customs officers keen to board and check our documentation. I commented on the impressive appearance of their Douane badges, which they seemed to find amusing, or at least nothing more sinister as they were apparently happy with the paperwork and inspection and transferred their attention to a dodgy looking French yacht alongside.

Officialdom seemed to be a feature of today as, returning from our victual, we could have been forgiven for paranoia when the dockside was inundated with ā€˜Policiaā€™ vans and seemingly hundreds of police. – Ā I had only been a little bit stingy with the tip !!

Ranks of Police vans….

Having ensured that the marina restaurant is actually serving this evening, we intend to have a celebratory ā€˜sign offā€™ of Daveā€™s crewing duties, grateful for his most excellent company and sublime competence.

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