After yet another problem with the gelcoat on the topsides, we'd had it! When the entire topsides were done, the cabin sides were OK, but there were many roller marks in the nonskid. We left Flavit and his crew to remedy the problem and headed to Santa Marta. After all, it was already the end of February and we were still working on Fortuitous. We felt (especially me) that a week in an all-inclusive was in order. I found a great deal in the Decameron and off we went. The girl at the desk was fabulous and, I think, gave us a much better room than we paid for.
This is our balcony overlooking the beach.
Wow, what a treat!! I know you think this is what we do all day...but, sadly no!!
Downtown Santa Marta was not very interesting to us, but a little fishing village at the end of the road was very picturesque.
Some more fodder for my paintings...if I every get back to it.
Lovely little wood fishing boats.
Ralph takes such great shots, I never know which ones to include. Actually, come to think of it, I took some of these!
The local juice stand.
Fruit anyone?
This is a discount liquor store. Wine and hard liquor are very expensive in Colombia, but cheaper in these stores. Beer is cheap everywhere.
This is the thatched roof of a beach restaurant. We just thought it was so beautiful and interesting.
The view of the fishing village from the road above.
There were 3 or 4 theme restaurants in the resort that were open for dinner. Lunch was in the cattle car type buffet area. Here we are in the Asian section, whch was at the top of the Galleon in the centre of the resort. Can you tell it's Asian?
Ralph frolicking in the pool!!
Don't I look like I'm having fun!!? What was it I was saying about what good photos Ralph takes?
After a week, that was it and we headed back. We thought we'd be leaving Cartagena in a week or a little more. Little did we know.............................
The boat will be heaven to live aboard after this type of camping.
It costs $3 a load for a wash or a dry, so I try to rinse out my work things in the sink...a difficult chore as it is so small. We've been without water, at the end of a long workday, on more than one occasion. We brought in our sunshowers, from the boat, and used those.
This is the sand truck going past Maicol's.
It's a very dusty place to eat.
Then came the gravel truck...must be mixing concrete somewhere down the road.
We had a yard worker sand the doors and toe rail, thankfully. Then the painter had to varnish them.
Lots of hard work, but here are some shots of the finished product. Every inch of wood below, save the insides of the cupboard doors (which I'll do later) has been varnish.
Most is in satin or matte, the trim in gloss.
These are Tuti's seat boxes all varnished up. Great storage here.
This is the new cabinet in the V Berth. Also great storage.
Here is where we had the dry rot and Tuti redid most of the bookshelf area and foot of our berth. You'd never know anything was repaired here.
The new nav station area where the doors to the cockpit used to be.
We had everything almost completed but, once we uncovered the table, I decided I couldn't live with it unfinished with the rest looking so nice.
So, we varathaned that too.
Very happy with the results.
We got some parrots on our trip to the Amazon (pages for a later blog). This was the perfect spot for them.
Voila!!! Done!!!
We had new cockpit cushions made as the configuration now is quite different. As well, the old cushions were not high density foam and very old and soft. They are supposed to be used to help someone stay afloat if, God forbid, anyone should fall off Fortuitous. The old ones would have soaked up water, like the sponges they were, and gone right to the bottom...not much help to anyone in need.
However, now that I've covered the new vinyl cushions with my nice new tropical covers, I couldn't possibly throw them overboard, so they won't be of much help either!!
So, came the day to float Fortuitous. It's always un-nerving and we're always glad when it's over. Just look at that shine, though.
Ahhh, in the water finally...but just. There's about a foot of water below the keel here.
Now comes the tricky part of getting the mizzen back aboard. Our camera died when we took it off last year, so we don't have any photos of that. But, here's the process in reverse. Ralph and the crew are contemplating the job.
Mast is carried by hand to the dock. Then, ropes are tied under the spreader and it's lifted onto the forklift forks, where Ubaldo is sitting in order to secure and guide the mast as it's put aboard.
Almost ready to haul it high enough to put aboard. Ubaldo wasn't tied on at all, so Ralph gave him a harness from our boat.
This is before he was tied on.
Up she goes and onto Fortuitous. You'd never see this in Canada or the US!!!
"A little this way...er, no, a little that way...."
Done!!
Here we are at the dock readying and provisioning.
Fortuitous floats.
We are almost ready to leave and plan to be out of here on Saturday, April 2nd. Ralph will be at sea for his birthday...but after this long haul, I'm sure he'll be happy about that!! The end of a very long refit...almost 5 months of work!!
