Year 3 -27 February 2026 – Kochi- India

It rained quite heavily just before 6.00am which acted like an alarm so Mark and I got up and closed the hatched and made some tea. Mark finished his packing and his tea and then we headed off to find his taxi. We said goodbye and off he went. He has spent over 7 months on board in 3 sections. He is a calm solid guy, good company and has made a significant contribution whilst on board and I will miss him.

I was then just one and returned on board and it was quiet and I was on my own. I had breakfast and made some coffee and reflected. I now have 2 and a half days to sort a number of things out.

Well I started by putting some things away. I then looked at the tools and you do not get much time to do this. It is emptying the tools boxes, throwing away rubbish and making sure things are in the right place which felt good. I then went through the draws near the navigation station and there were many things that should be in other places. I got rid of some rubbish and old things and then put the things in the right place. When you have a large boat like this with so many spares all over the place then you need to know where to find what you need. There are so many lockers and cupboards and boxes and I feel it is a bit like having an encyclopaedic knowledge of the boat so you can find things quickly which is quite a challenge.

I then cleaned my heads and got out my bags for my forthcoming trip with Jules.

I went through a number of cupboards and found some things I had forgotten I still had -like some new solar lights!!. It is nice to have the time to do this.   

I spent the morning working hard and it felt quite satisfying.

Binu and another man came about 12.00noon to look at the water maker. This man worked on naval yachts and whilst he was not an expert on Enya water makers but clearly he knew how they worked. I explained about my concerns and how it had been working and the concerns I have. The man listened and asked for the electric diagram of the high-pressure pump. He and Binu looked at the wiring in the pump and went through it logically and checked all the connections. They then used electrical tape and then cable tied it all together.

We then started the generator and started the water marker and it all worked well and seemed to be running without a problem. I felt it was good to have had the wiring and everything checked and it gave me confidence that it was all ok. I will of course change the filters before I leave India.

Once they left I had lunch and then set about sorting out the galley and the forepeak cabin. I then waited for the plumbers to come to sort out the pressure tanks. They came about 3.00pm and set about fitting the second pressure tank. This took them some time and they used all sorts of my tools etc. They changed the freshwater filters for me at the same time. Initially they had a little leak bit this was resolved. This meant I had two pressurised tanks which meant that when you used the tap the pumps did not have to operate.

To recap – in Grenada I had a problem where the water was rusty. This was caused by the pressure tanks starting to rust inside. These were replaced in Grenada but had now failed. I think it was worth getting this done as I had a shower later and the pump was not always going.

The agent came and he had arranged for someone to look after the boat when I go on my trip with Jules. I showed them round and what I expected and he will take photographs every day.

Once the water guys were done they took away the outboard motors to be serviced and they will be returned when I get back.

It was very hot and humid today and so it was so good to have a shave and a shower and a well -deserved beer. It was good after the shower to sit in the cockpit and enjoy it whilst the sun went down.

I made a cheese and tomato omelette with salad for supper.

My youngest daughter Rosanna was graduating today from the Bocconi Business school in Milan with a Masters in Business and Sustainability. I watched proceedings via the internet and it was great. Well done to her and what a proud Dad I am.

 I have decided to have a haircut tomorrow with Jules coming out but there are plenty more jobs to do. This is the life of a circumnavigator.

The picture of the day is very exciting!! It is the new pressure tanks.

 Need/Opportunity Year Three

In year three I will be going from Thailand to Sri Lanka, India, Maldives and then on to Mauritius, Reunion, Cape Town, St Helena, Azores and back to the UK. 

I am looking for one crew from Mauritius/ Reunion Island to Cape Town (mid June to end of July). If of any interest do email me.

The blog will continue as we continue the journey. If you have any comments or suggestions about the blog then do email me on hine.nick9@gmail.com