The motorhome would not start this morning, the batteries are all nearly completely depleted.  I linked the 12v outboard motor batteries to the motorhome and started the engine.  The batteries for the little electric motor are charged by a solar panned in the window of the motorhome, howeve I have been using them to run a transformer to keep the equipment charged up.  This is a power wasteful system but it works.  The problem is that the batteries are soon depleted and take a long time to be recharged.

I connected them to start the engine then left them connected to be charged in turn by the alternator.  I decided that today would be mostly used in getting the domestic arrangements sorted out.  I need gas, diesel, water, internet, toilet emptying, batteries charging and fresh drinking water.  I have no choice about the washing, I am down to my last underwear and the socks that have accumulated in a carrier bag are becoming a health hazard.

Continue reading “The Journey Day 54 – May 24th” →

Spent most of the day on the lookout for a ship which did not come.  Maybe Monday is not a good day for shipping.  I pulled the Banana on the quay, and repaired the damage to the tow ropes.  Whoever cut the ropes had done it quickly, with a very sharp knife.  Clean cuts with no sawing, all done at the top of the bank and fortunately it did not occur to them their knife would have destroyed the Banana in seconds.

They must have known I was not far away and were probably afraid of being caught.  I braided another length of rope into the original ropes and made good the temporary repairs done in the lock.  I also attached another tow rope onto the two internal tow rings to ensure that if the original system came undone again the secondary would hold.

Continue reading “The Journey Day 53 – May 23rd” →

Last night I parked the motorhome legally; as near to the Banana as possible, but too far away to survey it.  This morning I found the Banana half in the water, all the ropes cut and strewn around.  Someone with a sharp knife left me a message not to shine torches in their faces whilst they are having fun banging on a motorhome.  Fortunately, my punishment was just cutting the ropes and not slashing the Banana.  This probably was due to the fact that when the ropes were cut the Banana would have slipped further into the water and became more dangerous to go near.

I made the Banana secure once again and went back to the motorhome.  As I left the quay another ship glided into the lock without slowing.  The old ship that spent two days at the quay had left; leaving behind one of its mooring ropes that had clearly come to the end of its life and its shredded remains were left hanging on the moorings.

Continue reading “The Journey Day 52 – May 22nd” →