Last Day

Well, today is my last day of work on the boat. Neil will return this evening to a clean, well fed, running, happy tank. After diligently babysitting the RO unit for 3 days, Dan finally answered my prayers and took me out in the tender to get ocean water to fill the tank. I had (half jokingly) put that as an option for replacing the water lost from the incident on Monday and everyone kind of laughed it off. Dan came around yesterday before lunch to see how things were going and when he saw how slowly the water was being made, he said he'd ask if we could take the tender to collect water.

After lunch we loaded up three 20 gallon trashcans and a five gallon salt bucket into the tender a headed about one mile offshore. We rinsed the big buckets, filled them as much as we could while still being able to drag them on board, then took turns using the 5 gallon bucket to top them up. On the way back to the boat we were forced to go slowly because of all the extra weight in the boat but that helped to prevent too much spillage. Once back, we dropped a submersible pump into one of the buckets, ran a long hose all the way to the reservoir and started filling it up. I, or course, tested the water for basic water quality parameters (Nitrite, nitrate, ammonia, pH, temp and salinity) but we really had no way of knowing if any other toxins might have been in the water. It took us 3 trips out to get enough water to fill the tank. We got it all up and running though!!

When we were done cleaning up from our adventures, we donned wetsuits and jumped in a bright pink, 2-man kayak and went for a cruise to the beach. About halfway out my paddle snapped in half - I guess I'm just too strong for my own good, or the thing was crazy corroded from the inside out. Luckily, we were passing John and Sandy in another kayak on their way in. They gave us a good paddle since they didn't have as far to go. Dan and I continued on and landed on the beach, hung out for a bit, decided we were starving and shoved off again. He got in and I pushed him out and he started paddling like crazy to get out of the surf, I thought he was going to just take off without me but I caught him and jumped in. It was alot of fun and hard work!

After dinner Dan and I walked down to the bar and I bought him his first beer since he passed out in a doorway in Sitges last weekend to say thanks for all the help today and this past month. If he hadn't been around I think I would have destroyed everything.

As I said, Neil gets back tonight and I leave the boat tomorrow at noon. I will arrive in Pisa at 4:45 and hopefully someone will be there to pick me up. Hopefully we recognize each other! Miro and I are going to get some wine and tapas tonight so I can sample the local cuisine before leaving Spain.

I'm glad my job is over, I've made some friends (and probably some enemies),I've seen some cool stuff, done some cool things and eaten some great food. I can't wait to get home.