Chantal is the Angel of French.  Here’s why.   In order to get an extension to stay in French Polynesia more than 3 months one must go to a French Consulate with your passport , $, boat’s documentation papers, 3 months of bank statements and a letter from your police department stating that you are a “Good Person” and all this needs to be translated into French.  Chantal very graciously did the tranlation for us.

Bad news:  The 2 Aussie neighbors set sail about a week ago heading for Australia with only 2 scheduled stops.  At 600 miles out they turned around and are headed back.  The son never quit being seasick and they had equipment failure of unknown type.  The name of their boat is Hell Cat.  That explains everything.  Just so you know, we would never turn back after 600 miles.  That is crazy!  Talk about seasick.   

Engine room insulation finished, inmarsat working but not registered with Stratos (service provider).  I changed the  virtual com port 8 to virtual com port 1 even though I think that is man’s work.  Food for 6 months is stowed except for the fresh and frozen.  Ditto paper towels, kleenex, detergent and wash cloths & towels.  Need more TP. 

Sheryl  is coming!!  She is fast, efficient, competent and knowledgable about an incredible number of things.  And she will drive us from Ridgecrest to the boat on the last day.  She is the all around best angel daughter.   

Friday we drive to Ridgecrest for the last time, leave the car, get frozen food from Sientje, take the last bath in a bathtub for 6 months, do the wash, get the tropical clothes, get the mail and then have Sheryl drive us back to Sunrise.   Leave CA for the So Pac Wednesday, May 4.   I will double check with weather router but National Weather Service does not even start their tropical weather reports until May 15.   

Barry found the Black-crowned Night Heron tree right at the head of our dock.  About 10 roost there.  Found out pelicans fish at night in certain conditions. 

Colby called this morning to give a lamb report – 6 so far and they were not due until May 1.  Those rams are tricky.  Boden wanted to discuss his birthday presents.  His birthday is in Oct but he knows we won’t be back by then.  He wanted guns and army stuff and I told him he had the wrong gramma.  Ask someone else.  We are not much into “stuff” but trips as gifts.  They love us anyway.  

Barry is changing oil in the engine room and I am going to do the USB serial adapter com port thing to the new computer, register Stratos and engage Commanders Weather.  Oh . . . and help Barry change the oil. 

A beautiful sunny day in spite of prediction of rain.