Stuck in Munda again

Hi,

Well a month since the robbery and we have been over to Morovo Lagoon and
spent our last days with Pura Vida. Ginny and David are now in Honiara, shopping big for the next leg to Vanuatu and New Caledonia. We've spent a fab 9 months traveling through Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon's. It was a very sad farewell. We hope to catch up again round Xmas/New Year in Queensland somewhere......

Our plan was to come back to Munda on Friday for the big market get veggies and spend the weekend at Lola. Then clear customs and immigration next week at Noro, on to Gizo for last shop and wait at Simbo for a weather window to
Louisiades and wait for the weather window to Cairns. We are 870nm away from
Cairns.

Best made plans......

We arrived safely at Munda after a couple of days of great light sailing winds and anchored. Off to the market. Back to the boat and cannot start the engine. John spent the rest of the morning trying to isolate the electrical problem. Key start didn't work and couldn't start by bypassing via starter solenoid. Turned over but no start.

It is now Sunday morn and the engine is still not operational. Found a chaffed wire shorting to the block, found a loose magnet in the stator, key start now works but still not starting, turns over but nothing else. We have the help of a great mechanic Boboe - a half Solomon, half Aussie guy who has been very methodical and helpful. Not sure what to do next. I have left John to it and gone to Agnes Resort to email!

I haven't slept well of course as I imagine people climbing on the boat in the wee hours.

Alas problems come in threes....

Our autopilot has decided to rotate to starboard only (Just ants to head for Australia!). Yesterday though via the internet I managed to locate a hardly used second hand ST3000 in Tin Can Bay. It is a dicontinued model so
cannot buy a new one or spare parts. This is being mailed hopefully on Monday and you guessed it to MUNDA!

ALSO I managed to snap the iridium phone aerial. Still operational but now held together with tubing and hose clamps.

Everyone has been very friendly here in Munda. No repeats of our last visit so far but we have locked ourselves into the boat at night. Our visas expire June16th so still have a while to go to sort all the problems out.

Actually in addition to the problems James has managed to fall over on some world war II wreckage and needed to have three stitches in his knee at Munda hospital. Everyone but John has a cold. Natasha is the worst, i just have a runny nose and sore throat - a leaving present from our week in Paeve. Fab place near Morovo Lagoon.

We all feel in need of big hugs and a fairy godmother to fix the problems and make all our wishes come true. The kids are having a good time as we speak, playing in the resort gardens. I hope John is having better luck with the engine. Better go and find out....

Bye for now

Sarah