Wednesday, March 25, 2009 4:31:52 PM Location: Santa Barbara de Samana The boat position was not recorded. This weather observation was taken on Wednesday, March 25, 2009 4:06:01 PM local time. Observation location: Santa Barbara de Samana. Observation position was not recorded. The air temperature is 74, and water temperature is 0 degrees fahrenheit. The forecast is Occasional Showers. The current weather is drizzle. The sky is scattered clouds (10 - 50% clouds). The wind is 5 knots from the north. The visibility is 10 nautical miles. The wave height is 0 feet with 0 foot swells. The barometer is 1019 millibars and falling. Its been raining just about every day and night now. Shower come through in waves, and then disappear. I have the front awning down for the sun. Otherwise it would be just to dark inside. It's kind of nice since all the salt is off the boat, and the rain isn't hard enough to really get you soaked. For the most part, it is just an occasional light rain. Yesterday I had some guys out to work on the refrigerator. I noticed that it was not keeping the freezer below freezing when the boat was underway with a lot of motion. And I noticed that the compressor was running longer and longer when at anchor. So, my local "agent" brought a couple of guys out yesterday. We discovered that the tubing was soldered closed from the factory. So, it had never had Freon added. We guessed that a lack of Freon or fresh Freon was the problem. So, they added a fitting for the Freon gas apparatus. This let all the existing gas exit the system. Fluorocarbons escaping to the ozone layer... Nothing like modern technology. I put an ice cube tray in. Well, this morning there was no ice and I could hear the compressor running continuously. UGH. So, the guys came back out this afternoon. While my Spanish has improved considerably, these guys probably had difficulty being understood by their family! So, we kind of groped with words, they hooked up another can of Freon and looked serious. After an hour of words flying around with 10% comprehension at best on both sides, and Freon being let into and out of the system, the cooling coils finally got warm and the system began to cycle. Smiles were shared all around. They packed up and I took them back to the dock. They did not ask for any more money. I'm good. Now, the freezer is below freezing and I project that all will be good by morning. The couple on the red 26 ft sailboat are back from their tour of the DR by rental car. They left their hatch open for the 3 days they were gone, some stuff that needed to dry out on deck, the foam from their v berth on deck, etc. I think this is so cool. This couple is doing it. In the anchorage, their little boat is bobbing around like a cork. I found their v-berth foam floating by Jenny this morning, so I pulled some of it aboard the dinghy and lifted the soggy mass into their cockpit all smiles. These are mariner backpackers and while I fear for them, I think they are the purest form of cruiser. I go out of my way to help them. They are just coming back to their boat now, their dinghy motor running. Big smiles. They are coming over for some Crevasses in an hour. Two more power boats showed up today. I met one. It is a one-off Taiwan trawler with TPS about 50 ft long. It has the Nordhavn style pilothouse windows. But otherwise it looks very roomy but a little strange looking. They have their birds hung only from the ends of their booms and I noticed the lines were wrapped around the booms when they came in. When I drove the dinghy over, I noticed a number of deep chips out of their gelcoat and they talked a little about the birds hitting the boat this morning. So, I invited them over to see Jenny manana. I'm looking forward to showing Jenny off. Another sailboat has just sailed into the anchorage and is dropping anchor. My internet on the boat seems to be a past pleasure. I found a place on shore, just across from the best of the grocery stores that has good access for 30 pesos (about 90 cents) an hour. I think I will negotiate a weekly rate since I don't use an hour. Life is good. David Powered by BoatExec http://www.BoatExec.com