Of course, the idea of some R&R escaped us the minute we were anchored at around 1015.
After a morning coffee, Roy changed the impeller on the port engine, having noticed it had started to run slightly hot on our trip up to Koh Yao Yai. Then, while in the engine compartment, he decided to recheck the bilge pump, to be sure, to be sure and found that it was blocked, something we have never experienced before. This, of course, then prompted him to recheck the others, which, fortunately, were fine. Then, checking all the electronics again, he noticed the LED on the steering compass had stopped working, so another repair was conducted, as the wires had disconnected. His final task of the day was washing the solar panels. All of this was undertaken while Elaine tidied up, then enjoyed a midday nap, before spending her afternoon submitting the last of our medical claims, updating her medical notes and cataloguing all our latest photographs in preparation for the upload to our website. By then her only tasks left for the day was to clean the cockpit, including the cockpit fridge, before Roy stowed the booze and refreshments.
Fortunately, we’d also received the news that the COVID-19 situation in the Cadman Jr household had significantly improved; Brooke was out of isolation and Collin was on the mend too. Of course, William jumped at the opportunity to snuggle with his mom to watch a movie together, when his brothers were in bed.
Yesterday was Roy’s birthday, which started with a quick chat to Keenan ahead of his check ride and who also informed us that, unfortunately, William had tested positive for COVID-19 and that it was very likely the twins had it too, although none of them showed any symptoms and neither did Capri. Setting that bad news aside, we enjoyed a nice long, early morning walk on the beach before returning to Paw Paw, where Elaine prepared a birthday breakfast and an improvised birthday “cake”; a pancake stack for the birthday boy! Given how busy we’ve been, baking or buying a cake had completely escaped her. His second treat for the day was Elaine cooking a birthday dinner; unheard off, but we’d decided to stay as far away from people as possible, given the dramatic increase in COVID-19 cases across many parts of Thailand, with Phuket alone reaching 513 cases for the day and 3,126 people under medical care, more than double the numbers from a few days earlier.
Sadly, however, there was still no rest for either the Birthday Boy or Elaine. While Elaine uploaded all our latest photographs to our website, Roy installed the BMS (Battery Monitoring System) override switch on our lithium battery solution, as well completed the last of the cable ties and tidied up the area, before testing our high volume pump and returning it to its rightful place.
By 1400, though, neither of us could keep our eyes open, so nap-time it was, before Elaine prepared dinner, which, needless to say, definitely required some supervision!
The day ended with a lot of laughs during the Zoom family get-together and the wonderful news, received just before bedtime, that Keenan had passed his check ride, making him a Captain of a major airline at the age of 32. What an achievement! All his hard work and dedication had certainly paid off; from his first solar flight at the age of 16; obtaining his Private Pilot’s License on the day he turned 17, the minimum legal age allowed, completing his double major and being fully qualified as a Commercial Airline Pilot and Instrument-Rated Commercial Flight Instructor by 23, as well as Captain of a regional airline by 26. A remarkable career for someone so young! We are so very proud of him!
Today Elaine needed a morning nap, never mind waiting till the afternoon, given how early we were awake for no apparent reason. Roy was definitely more energetic, though, in between chatting to a tourist who had canoed out to Paw Paw; the exact situation we were trying to avoid! His tasks included running the watermaker, installing all the rigging for our “chicken chute” and gennaker, checking Paw Paw’s bottom and going for a walk on the beach, bringing Elaine back a delicious ice-cold fresh coconut water, which she greatly appreciated. By sunset, however, our attempts to avoid people had completely failed; we had five yachts anchored on top of us in a huge bay which we’d had all to ourselves since our arrival! This never ceases to amaze us!
Elaine paid the price for her nap too, working late into the night to complete the required paperwork for our arrival in the Maldives and which has to be sent to the agent just prior to our departure. Winds out of the west, that weren’t forecast, made the task just a little more difficult, not to mention, making her feel somewhat “green” and forcing her to stop before she finished everything. Clearly a task meant for another day!
The good news of the day, however, was that everyone in the Cadman Jr household was doing well. A huge relief!
