We were brought to our senses rather rudely when Mo said that there was a boat alongside. So it proved, as I went to investigate in my pyjamas. French customs had decided to pay us a visit. They thought, apparently, that a dutch registered Fuga had previously been to the Caribbean! I tried to explain why I thought it was unlikely that this was this particular Fuga. After a lot of questions, about why I had been to Tenerife, and why I had been to Pakistan, they decided we were genuine.
Mo had pointed out that the freezer appeared not to be as cold as when we had first commissioned it, there being no frost around the hatch. On further investigation, it seemed that it was pretty frozen up, and the fan was blowing air at a solid ice face. And so we had to empty it out, finding one or two unpleasantnesses lower down, where some of the contents had partially defrosted. It took some time with a hot air gun to defrost it, but it did provide a prompt to complete the fitting of catches to the lid, so that it could be properly secured, and hopefully better sealed in the future.
We had a go at removing the remains of the diesel/water mixture slopping about in the bilges following the spillage during the change-over of the generator last week. It doesn't do the vegetables stored in the bilges any good at all...
The sea toilet has been giving trouble for the last two days. It seemed that there was a dead spot where the motor would not start. By taking the input end apart, it had been possible to get it back into life. So after lunch, the whole lot came off and was pulled apart. With nothing obvious - slightly worn brushes on the motor, it was re-assembled and tested. So far, so good...
Finally, we hardly had time for a leisurely drink before supper. We've been in France for a day now, but have not set foot off the boat. So we are entirely reliant on our remaining 'good' wine cellar that has been carefully conserved over the last six months, of which only 6 bottles remain. We thoroughly enjoyed an excellent Chablis Premier Cru 2000, thanks to Paul and Richard at Lynx, and now re-imported to France!
We are privileged indeed to enjoy such lovely surroundings.
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