Repairs started!

Long time no news. Things are now moving but slowly. Parts have been ordered and fibre glass work has been started with a bit of welding as well ,but it feels like the boat is in bits ,which it is whilst I wait for my reconditioned propeller and an engine part which has caused endless grief in finding.

The big news with this saga is that the insurance company said they wouldn't pay so I had to employ the services of a solicitor .He sent a mail and the next day they agreed to pay the sum arranged and it has arrived. This money issue was causing too much concern so at least that has been dealt with but it is only one of the problems . It was a major one and for that reason I am for the time being a bit happier but just need to get the old boat in the water.

Tina has been out for a visit so did a load of sights.in Cartagena ,which was as important to the Romans at the time as Rome itself. The preserved ruins in town are quite amazing and they have been displayed very considerately.

 English information is a bit sparse but most of the stuff is quite obvious. I have been to the naval museum, the military museum. This was on a par with IWM but less fancy The second gun emplacement, the massive English department store Corte Inglaise and another castle at the top of the hill.

Ali and Sooz have come over again so am staying at Alis place for a few days. Their trip has included skinny dipping in hot springs ( not me obs ) because I had to take the picture. Thermal spring swim,Sea swimming, very cold .Prehistoric caves later inhabited by a Roman family. jackdaw ravine -self explanatory and hill walks.

 All good distractions from boat stuff. Still got good weather though a bit colder and that's about it for now hopefully next post will be entitled .Work complete,back in the water !!

Carnival procession through Cartagena. Full monty effort.

Out of the water.

Not much change to report since being lifted out of the water. I was delayed for a day by the yard then on the day was the worst weather pretty much since leaving UK . Now being stored in the boat yard. The assessor has been and the latest is that the insurance company say they will not pay the bill because I was not in a marina. This is definitely a semantic argument because .I was moored at a boat mooring inside the entrance to a port with all the facilities of a marina as defined by the insurance people, it being an area of the marina. One wonders what the clause means as it's practical application when cruising precludes anchoring, using mooring buoys ando staying in ports!!? There is an argument to be had probably including solicitors which is not good news.

Apart from killing time and doing lots of jobs on the boat I have had two visitors. One Ed's vet from France Stephanie and Nigel. Both had to walk to the top of hills to look at the big guns.Nigel fortunately got only a short walk as we could drive most of the way! Both guests caught colds or came with them and now I have one but it seems to be passing. 

18 metre barrels and made by Vickers in 1926 ,fired only once. What a waste but the buildings around them are amazing and devoid of the vandalism usually seen on non protected sights at home.

Nige and I visited the naval museum in Cartagena where the boat is and saw this submarine. One of the first practical working designs apparently. Spain has a long history of submarines usually second hand off the Americans ,German  (u boat) and others .there are two in the naval harbour at the moment. 

What a coast line around Cartagena! Now staying in La Manga some times as Ali said I could use the apartment. I just pop over for a change of scenery at the week ends some times but how nice is that and lucky. 

Went for a shore based boat bbq the other day with an Italian and some of the boat yard workers and live aboards , that was nice and he had general Francos baton apparently!!

That's all for now not feeling too good about everything because of the insurance issue but hopefully things will get sorted at someone's expense.