Friday 26Oct07
Busy day yesterday working on fuel system, having spent Tuesday changing the engine oil and filter. (I'd also discovered, whilst looking around the engine compartment, that an engine mount nut was sitting beside the mount - completely adrift...!) I'd started with simple refuelling of the port tank from jerry cans & thought I'd better drain starboard fuel tank filter to check for water - found lots of water and dirt also so decided I'd better change the filter and clean the housing and sight glass,
all of which took quite a time. Then did the same for the other (port) fuel tank filter - in doing that, I discovered that the fuel intake pipe was splitting - so that meant it had to be cut back and re-attached.
Fortunately, having lots of other cruiser friends around meant I had no problem getting help pushing the pipe back onto the slightly over-sized fitting - not something I could have managed by myself! My helper was Heiko from 'Stenella' who, with Dianna & their two boys Stefan & Oliver, had invited me over for a fish meal that evening, along with the other cruisers from Cocos Keeling who are now all in Mauritius - very sociable evenings I'm having just now!! I'd spent all day with the smell of diesel
fuel, so it was nice to clean up and relax in company!
Today, I've spent a lot of time at the Internet cafe - but never enough time to do all I want... then I've a few more boat jobs to do, ready for leaving for Reunion tomorrow. I'd hoped to make for St. Pierre but if the expected SW swell is too bad by the time I get there on Sunday, it won't be possible to enter the harbour & I'll have to to the 'Le Port' (Galets) instead - I'll head for St Pierre initially & hope...