December 5, 2023
I made it here yesterday afternoon after a long journey from Paris, bringing wit me a computer bag, a carry-on, a 100L duffel bag with presents for BEHEMOTH, and a 40-pounds box carrying the Starlink. My flight from Paris on the 3rd was to Bogota where I spent the night in a hotel near the airport. The lowest end of the Hiltons, as the manager explained, specialized in people who miss flight connections. The bar was still open when I got there at 11:30pm and I had a gin and a couple of glass of wine. My original reservation was in another low-end hotel, but I got it wrong – for the 4th instead of the 3rd –, and had to quickly book an alternative. I left the hotel at 8am the next day.
The journey really started in Bangkok on November 26. Isabelle, my ex-wife, had to travel for business and asked me to stay with Sofia for a week. At the end, Marina also came from San Diego to spend TG with her mother and siter. It was a pleasure for me to spend some time with my two daughters in the city of lights. Other trips and momentous events have taken place since my last update almost three months ago, including Natalia’s and my birthday (also Webb Chile’s), but I will get to those latter.
Back to the present. When I arrived at the boat two mechanics were working on the engine trying to get it to start and it wouldn’t. You can imagine my disappointment. The engine work was supposed to be over. And I wasn’t expecting to find the cockpit and the inside of BEHEMOTH in a complete mess with gear and tools spread around. And it was very hot.
The first thing I did was to setup one of the fans that were inside the duffel bag; a Vornado that can connect to 110 or 220V (the boat is wired for 220). Once the fan was running, I tried to put some order in the main cabin to have a livable space. A couple of hours later the manager of the company that oversaw the repairs of the engine came. Alexander, a soft-spoken man my age, introduced himself and explained why things had taken so long. It was no possible for him to initiate the tests until other components of the “engine system” were ready, like the electric and fuel connections, plus of course the new batteries which had just been installed a couple of days ago. He also told me not to worry, that the engine will work.
I tried to set up an App, Rappi, to order groceries but failed, so he offered to take me to a grocery store. He was very kind; waited for me there and then drove me back. I just got a few basics for survival: coffee, milk, juice, tuna, bread, vodka (they didn’t have gin), tonic water, plain water, and two bottles of wine. I am good for two or three days.
When we returned to the boat it was close to 6pm and people who work at the boat yard, including Alexander’s employees working on the engine, were living. They had cleaned some of mess inside and in the cockpit and closed the engine compartment. Once BEHEMOTH and I were left alone, I poured myself a Vodka tonic and sat in the cockpit feeling a bit overwhelmed by all the jobs that need to be completed before BEHEMOTH is ready to sail. After eating a tuna sandwich, I went to sleep in the main cabin. It was 19:30.
I slept well and woke up a 3:30 am this morning. Got up, brew coffee on a moka pot, and sat at the table to deal with some e-mail and write this post.
Sunrise is approaching. It is going to be a busy day. Alexander’s men are supposed to come in a couple of hours to continue working on the engine. I am still not sure where I am going to start in my to do list. More updates to follow.
Sailing to the Pacific 