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Shamal's Logo

Notification

November 2020: Shamal and her Crew have arrived safely back into Opua, Bay of Islands, New Zealand completing their circumnavigation a year ago. Due to Covid-19 and New Zealand's Boarders being closed, they will continue to spend their 2020/21 Summer exploring some of New Zealand's waters. Thanks to all of you for following our Adventures. There will be more.

31 March 2010

Sri Lanka

Hello from Sri Lanka

It is times like we are having at this very moment that one needs a good sense of humour or you could lose your mind through sheer frustration!! As I sit and write this Alec is nearly pulling his hair out. We have a ‘local’ engineer on board who arrived with his tool box – one hammer and a chisel – to do a job for us which really needed an assortment of good tools. Alec is on the phone to the agent explaining the problem, but this bloody fat crow is sitting on the back squawking it’s head off as Alec is talking, and you all no he is a little hard of hearing these days!!  Each time I chase the crow away he comes back with vengeance and squawks even louder, and, he has just been joined by a friend!! Alec can’t hear what is being said, the guy on board with the hammer and chisel has just joined in the conversations yelling in Sinhala – the local language - to Alec from the engine room, and the whole thing is turning into a complete fiasco. Also it is very hot and humid. Problem is that we need this job done. The water maker pump bracket has broken off its mounting from the engine. The two bolts holding it in place have sheered through. There should have been at least four bolts holding it in place. Our local so called engineer was trying to knock out what was left of the bolts instead of unscrewing them so Alec very quickly put a stop to that.