Year 3 -7 April 2026 –Repairs at Crossroads- Maldives
We woke to another hot day and had our usual breakfast. The engineers were due at 10.30am (Moldavian time!) and Stig & Cari were due at 11.45am. I therefore thought that we could potentially leave early afternoon and could probably go to the nearby atoll to anchor.
J & Miranda went off to the beach club and I waited for the engineers with Keith. I received a message at about 10.00am that the windlass motor was taking longer and that they would hope to come at 2.30pm. This was frustrating but there was nothing. I could do about it. At about 11.30am I went to the marina office to pay the bill and then with J & Keith I went off to meet Stig & Cari off the ferry. We met them and got a buggy round to Stormbird. I could not let them into the cabin as the windlass motor had to be put in there so they will have to wait until I can get it ready.
I suggested they got their shorts and changed and we all went off to the beach club for a swim and then we had some lunch. Stig & Cari had had a tummy bug and Stig was able to eat but Cari was still being careful.
I returned to Stormbird for 2.15pm and waited with Keith. 2.30pm came and went and then I received a further message of a delay. They estimated 4.30pm now. I knew then that we would be unable really to leave today assuming the repair was made. This meant the reality of staying another night which may be no bad thing for Stig & Cari and to give me time to prepare them to leave. The marina was amenable to this.
The engineers eventually came at 5.00pm and they put the motor back in the windlass. They said the coil had burnt out and so it was good that somewhere in Male that they could wind on a new coil. I had put a new fuse in the windlass fuse. They had to get the oil back into the reservoir at the back and then the moment came to try it. It worked!!! – we let it out down to the bottom and up again and seemed to work well and at a reasonable speed. They had wired the buttons the wrong way round so that the up button was down and vice versa. They therefore changed the wires and this then worked fine and in the right way. What a relief. We will need to try it a few times to be sure and to take care with it so it does not get too hot. They also fitted a new starboard navigation light which was also good although it was not the same type as the old one but will have to do. It was very good to have had these repairs done.
I therefore was able to prepare Stig & Cari’s cabin and then a shower was much needed and a cold beer in the bar after which never touched the sides.
We decided to go to the Korean restaurant and had a good meal and retired to bed ready for an early departure in the morning.
We were now 6 and fully crewed until the 16th when J & Miranda get off.
The picture of today is the 6 of us at our evening meal.
Need/Opportunity Year Three
I will be going shortly from India to the 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