Disrupted Plans and Three Faulty Pumps

Date: 27th July 2024

Location: Scarborough Marina, Queensland. STILL!

We returned from Bali to complete the last few jobs and to set off for the beautiful Whitsunday Islands. But fate had other ideas. 

Firstly we wanted to get the recalcitrant generator running again. It wouldn't start when we returned from the UK. We don't need it immediately but the pump powers the water maker and here in Australia is the best place to get it fixed. Problem is, I can't fix it and neither so far can three mechanics. Fuel? Yes. Battery charge? Yes. Air? Yes. Compression? We think so. It is VERY annoying as we wait for engineers who don't turn up or suggest yet another approach. Even Australia's answer to QuikStart known as "Start ya Bastard" (I kid you not) proved ineffective.

Start ya Bastard.

So meanwhile we decided on a day trip to the big city of Brisbane. No longer with a hire car we bus and trained it in. Busy or what? We're used to the slow life 20 miles up the coast here in Scarborough. But we had a great day out catching the free Kitty Cat ferry down the river, chilling out at Felons the local brewery and buying Gill's big birthday present for a few weeks time. Amazingly I persuaded Gill to take a trip on the big Brisbane wheel with views over the city right out to The Gabba, the home of many great Ashes matches.

Brisbane from the Big Wheel

I really don't want to be up here!

Beanbags in the sun. Felon's Brewery.

Back in the marina we befriended Gary on Meshugah, a single hander from Melbourne as our trans Pacific friends have all departed for distant shores. With Gary we became regulars at the Moreton Bay Boat Club each Tuesday when you got two meals for $26AU, about £14UK. Excellent value. An interesting Jewish guy whose parents had been in concentration camps during the war. But now he has left to head north to meet up with his wife in Port Douglas.

Then the fridge pump broke and there began another saga. Again I tried to fix it or determine the problem but it looked like a broken compressor. First guy came and had to return with test equipment. He never returned. Next guy came. Bosco from Croatia. Problem diagnosed, knackered compressor. Ordered. Arrived a week later at great cost. Fitted. Started, great. Three days later it stopped. He comes back. Old gas line leaking. Hopefully repaired it but needs to check so will return. Returns, hasn't worked need to order new plate. It's on order. There goes another 10 days. Meanwhile we used the freezer which we rarely use whilst the fridge was broken. Then it stopped working too! New thermostat needed. That's on order too!

So, all in all, very frustrating. Then we decided to check my blood pressure and sugar which we do from time to time. As usual a bit high but nothing to worry about. Gill said "I'll show you a good blood pressure." It was higher than usual but her pulse instead of the usual 55 was 32. That is low but we thought maybe it's the machine. We'll try again tomorrow. 35 now and "irregular heartbeat, see doctor" comes up on the little screen.  Anyway after a visit to the local GP and very quickly afterwards the emergency department at the hospital we find she has ventricular bigeminy. The bottom ventricle of the heart is beating at the same time as the atrium rather than separately after it, giving her a heart rate of 32 to 35 beats per minute. Not good but there is now a plan. More tests then either a pacemaker or leave it as is as she has no symptoms or drugs to control the beats. 

The thing is apart from a tiny bit of dizziness she is absolutely fine. Her family history makes it all a bit more risky though. What a bummer.

So we are staying put in the marina until the tests are done and she's seen the cardiologist again. After that, who knows.  But she's in the right place and a reciprocal UK/Australia agreement means it's all free. We have scrubbed the Whitsundays for now but will sail around in Moreton Bay once we know what is happening.

With a bit of spare time we decided to take up Rose and Ian's offer of another trip to their lovely house up the coast near Noosa. They kindly collected us and we had two great days chilling out and walking their two big springer spaniels. Thank you both - much appreciated.

On the beach south of Noosa.

So here we wait, slowly ticking off category B and C jobs that normally we never get around to. Gill has taken on the big task of repainting the deck which was looking pretty tatty.

Nice work Gilly.

And finally a request. In November Mehalah is getting her 10 year insurance re-rigging job. Some of the parts must be ordered from Selden UK and potentially elsewhere and sent out to Australia. Is anyone willing to act as our UK shipping address? Parts would be delivered to you and once they have all arrived made into a single package and sent to us here in Australia. No technical knowledge required and a nice meal as a reward when we come home next year. Obviously we will pay postage.

Wow. That's a long one. Thanks for getting to the end!

John and Gill