It has been more than frustrating aboard Astarte. We are anxious to get to the outer islands – at least a few – and out of Majuro. But we are still waiting for a small part that was NOT included in the return shipment of our SSB radio. It is a connector that is critical. It was shipped two weeks ago from the Seattle area via Priority Fed Ex and has managed to "get lost." To say this is frustrating is a gross understatement. If it was sent along with the radio in the first place we wouldn't still be in Majuro. But it wasn't and we wait and wait and wait. We burn gasoline heading to shore to make phone calls or check with the Fed Ex office here. At this point, we don't know if another part has been shipped or what – and we feel stuck! We can't – or won't – head out without the SSB as it is our only way to get weather info in the outer islands and to receive e-mails.
The good news is our Aussie friends from "Lady Nada" have returned after several months in Oz. So it is nice to have Sue and Bill back in the neighborhood. We went ashore this morning (to check on the missing part) and there they were getting out of a cab! What a pleasant surprise (we had also just gone by and checked on their boat this morning – not knowing they were headed back!) So Michael ferried them and their luggage back to their catamaran.
On Saturday, Barbara participated in the International Women's Day walk. Lots of various countries were represented, some in costumes from their homelands. It was a nice walk and a chance to meet some local women as well as other "ex-pats." It was a pleasant day for a stroll from the College of Marshall Islands (CMI) to Delap Park. Only four women walked from the US so we didn't have great representation which was surprising with a US Embassy here!
Tomorrow we'll check yet again on the part and if it is not here – we'll at least head out to one of the Majuro islands and clean the bottom of the boat and test out the new sail. For now, we entertain ourselves with the radio broadcast from Australia and found ourselves listening to a rugby match on radio yesterday between the Tigers and the Dragons (The Dragon's won). It was funny as we don't even quite understand the game!
Start saving your pennies to buy the May issue of "Blue Water Sailing" Magazine. Barbara will have an article in that publication about the trip from Fiji to the Marshall Islands.
It remains warm and breezy here.
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