Fortaleza
Last Day - Fortaleza
26/02/08 21:47
Check
out Day. I took a taxi to the Policia Federal where an exit permit
was quickly issued. This time I was able to walk along inside the
dock security area to Receita Federal where another exit permit was
issued.
Submarine conning tower in a park just outside the port office complex.
Then I took another taxi to the Capitania dos Portos where my form was stamped. Formalities over. This was a much faster process than when we had arrived.
The rest of the day was spent preparing for sea including topping up with fresh water. Our new centre tank still leaks but it was topped up anyway. A quick visit to Pao de Azucar for some fresh food and we were ready. Mooring cost for 4 weeks R$500.
I can't stay that I particularly enjoyed Fortaleza hope Recife will be an improvement.
Submarine conning tower in a park just outside the port office complex.
Then I took another taxi to the Capitania dos Portos where my form was stamped. Formalities over. This was a much faster process than when we had arrived.
The rest of the day was spent preparing for sea including topping up with fresh water. Our new centre tank still leaks but it was topped up anyway. A quick visit to Pao de Azucar for some fresh food and we were ready. Mooring cost for 4 weeks R$500.
I can't stay that I particularly enjoyed Fortaleza hope Recife will be an improvement.
Gas Repairs
17/02/08 22:05
Half way
across from the Cape Verdes our gas pipe failed. The cooker
connection angle was unsuitable for heavy rolling and the hose was
not up to the job. Nor was it long enough.
When the problem was spotted 3 of 4 layers on this hose had failed. Only the inner core remained intact.
As the boat rolled the cooker connection stress the hose just before the press fitted connection.
Original hose before removal.
New longer hose with a more suitable angle for the cooker connection.
Fixing the problem was not going to be easy. Gas fittings around the world are not standard and I had no hope of matching the original fittings in Brazil. A large Taxi fare and many stops produced a replacement hose (not armoured) and 4 circlips.
I had to cut the connections from the old hose and use circlips to make connections to the new. I doubt this arrangement meets GORGI standards but it definitely does not leak and I have a cooker again.
When the problem was spotted 3 of 4 layers on this hose had failed. Only the inner core remained intact.
As the boat rolled the cooker connection stress the hose just before the press fitted connection.
Original hose before removal.
New longer hose with a more suitable angle for the cooker connection.
Fixing the problem was not going to be easy. Gas fittings around the world are not standard and I had no hope of matching the original fittings in Brazil. A large Taxi fare and many stops produced a replacement hose (not armoured) and 4 circlips.
I had to cut the connections from the old hose and use circlips to make connections to the new. I doubt this arrangement meets GORGI standards but it definitely does not leak and I have a cooker again.
Mooring Problems
15/02/08 21:46
It
turned out that while I was away Kiriwina's anchor had been
disturbed by a departing boat effectively shortening the distance
from the anchor to the dock.
Yves from the french yacht Ermefer on the next berth said that the swell had been bigger for a few days and that Kiriwina, due to the anchor being disturbed, had been banging against the steel pontoons. He had stabilised things as much as he could and put a fender on the Aries which took all the impact.
It was a real credit to the Aries that it took a bit of a bashing and only suffered a some scuffed paintwork and the gears were knocked out of alignment. Otherwise the boat was undamaged.
How the Aries gearing should look.
How it looked after being bashed against the steel pontoon
Withe Yves help I was able to remove the Aries from the boat, reset the gears and re-install all within an hour.
This incident confirmed my opinion that this marina is not a safe berth and boats should not be left unattended for more than a few hours. The swell surge is persistent and it is very very easy for anchors and cables from different boats to foul each other.
This is how far off I moored Kiriwina and she still banged into the pontoon when the anchor was disturbed.
Yves from the french yacht Ermefer on the next berth said that the swell had been bigger for a few days and that Kiriwina, due to the anchor being disturbed, had been banging against the steel pontoons. He had stabilised things as much as he could and put a fender on the Aries which took all the impact.
It was a real credit to the Aries that it took a bit of a bashing and only suffered a some scuffed paintwork and the gears were knocked out of alignment. Otherwise the boat was undamaged.
How the Aries gearing should look.
How it looked after being bashed against the steel pontoon
Withe Yves help I was able to remove the Aries from the boat, reset the gears and re-install all within an hour.
This incident confirmed my opinion that this marina is not a safe berth and boats should not be left unattended for more than a few hours. The swell surge is persistent and it is very very easy for anchors and cables from different boats to foul each other.
This is how far off I moored Kiriwina and she still banged into the pontoon when the anchor was disturbed.
Return to Brazil
14/02/08 21:41
It
snowed heavily agin in Toronto the day I left. The airport bus trip
took twice as long due to very heavy traffic congestion caused by
the snow.
The Air Canada flight left on time on the evening of the 13th arriving in Sao Paolo on the 14th. I can't say I enjoyed the Air Canada flights very much. The GOL flghts on the other hand were excellent.
Got back on board at around 19:00 in the evening and it was immediately obvious that something was not right.
The moorings were very loose and Kiriwina was swinging about a great deal more than when I had left.
The Air Canada flight left on time on the evening of the 13th arriving in Sao Paolo on the 14th. I can't say I enjoyed the Air Canada flights very much. The GOL flghts on the other hand were excellent.
Got back on board at around 19:00 in the evening and it was immediately obvious that something was not right.
The moorings were very loose and Kiriwina was swinging about a great deal more than when I had left.
Fortaleza
05/02/08 22:00
Not a
lot has been happening for the past week and I've spent a lot of
time in my bunk. I managed to catch a bad cold (in Brazil!!) and
pick up some sort of bug at the same time.
I did get a chance to wander around the Marina Park Hotel complex.
Looking towards the marina and hotel from the pool area.
Palm grove adjacent to the pool area.
Marina with Fortaleza cathedral in the background.
Bulk carrier wreck just outside the harbour entrance.
Kiriwina on her berth at marina Park.
Marina pontoons facing north...
...and south.
Harbour entrance. This is open to the north and a good deal of swell works its way into the marina.
Tomorrow I will fly to Canada.
I did get a chance to wander around the Marina Park Hotel complex.
Looking towards the marina and hotel from the pool area.
Palm grove adjacent to the pool area.
Marina with Fortaleza cathedral in the background.
Bulk carrier wreck just outside the harbour entrance.
Kiriwina on her berth at marina Park.
Marina pontoons facing north...
...and south.
Harbour entrance. This is open to the north and a good deal of swell works its way into the marina.
Tomorrow I will fly to Canada.