Tuesday 7 Apr, CY day 24: Wiring the solar panels and up the mast to replace the leather jumper protectors.
We had planned to head ashore to the supermarket today. But after breakfast we debate what we actually need (nothing much) and decide to just stay on board and defer the supermarket till Thursday. It seems the responsible thing to do.
We do a bit of interneting after breakfast. Including booking a haul-out at Herrington Harbour, early June. I’m actually surprised to find that the yard is still operating. I had expected it to be on lock-down by now. What does it take for the US to realise the gravity of the Covid-19 situation? This is one of the numbers game that a country doesn’t want to be top position in.
More jobs done today. I decide next project will be the one I’ve been building up to – installing the 6 new solar panels on top of the bimini. But I realise I’d best test each panel first, before I sew the slider strips onto each panel. And to test them I need to complete the wiring to the 2 MPPT solar controllers. Previously I had completed all the wiring below decks. So it’s relatively easy to complete the above deck wiring. But it does mean emptying the cockpit locker and me climbing in there to feed the wires through one of the side vents. It’s very claustrophobic in there, not to mention damned hot.
It takes longer than anticipated (as usual!). But soon I have 2 panels connected up and it’s a joy to see 5 extra amps charging the batteries. I’m so excited to see what 6 panels will do! Maybe we’ll start exporting electricity to other boats 🙂
In the late afternoon the breeze is zero and the sea mirror calm. A good time to go up the mast. As I ascend I notice the whole rig is super filthy. It’s been several weeks now since we had rain. Plus, we’ve been downwind of the island land-fill site, where they had an out-of-control fire which lasted several days, about the time we arrived. By the time I’m at the top of the mast my limbs and hands are black 🙁
First, I inspect everything at the mast head: wiring, antennas, wind instruments, halyard sheaves and take a look for wear of the halyards over the sheaves. All good. On the way back down I sew on the leather jumper protectors which I’d prepared yesterday. And I actually manage to do it without sticking the needle in myself, amazingly. Then last job is to remove the 2 CCTV cameras from the lower spreaders plus the security alarm from the lower mast, for service.
Once down, it’s in the sea for me, for a cool off and a clean up. So welcome to jump in at the end of the day, then wash on the swim platform.
News from ashore: 114 more test results with 5 positives bringing the total to 41. 4 of the new positives are part of the students who returned from the UK. They have been isolated in one of the hotels since they flew in 2 weeks ago. Authorities decided to test them before they let them out of isolation (very sensibly!). So those 4 will now remain isolated. They also announce 2 of the 40 positive results are now in hospital. A few others have mild sysmptoms and 10 have retested negative. It’s good to see recovery numbers starting to climb before any one is in ICU. There is still hope to contain this here. They say they are following the New Zealand model.
The UK government chartered British Airways flight also arrived today, bringing in PPE supplies and 1400 more test kits. This will allow them to expand testing now.
As we eat dinner, we have an incredible sunset. Before it disappears, it’s a huge red ball in a dark blue sky. And in the breathless conditions, it’s deep red glow stretches right across the water to us. Wonderful. It was another nice day of isolation aboard Cloudy.