Pos: here
Loc: Rio Grande
Acc: Club Nautico
Dist: 0 km

The day was filled with jobs…I couldn’t sleep long, as Alejandro started to wander around the room we were all sleeping at 4.50 am…one thing you really need on an expedition is good quality and quantity sleep! For preparation to think about everything, and on the trip…

But I started fixing my kayak! I first gave it a good wash, especially inside the cockpit, before I took the footrest out again to redo the repair I already did with a few stronger cable ties. The rudder needed attention again, modelling a new locking notch to the one of the two fins I had, and drilling out a worn out tube plus glueing the new one in. The existing repairs on the hulls needed some make over, especially on the bulkheads which proved not to be dry yet after I had some launches with a water-filled cockpit.

Then it was swimming time…in my drysuit in the river, to find the wholes which made my butt and shoulder wet the last days. This worked well! Though eventually there are not really holes, rather worn spots which I had to give a wide glued area inside. Hope it holds up a bit longer…

Early afternoon, we went shopping for food and some hardware stuff for the repairs. I even found some two components epoxy, no resin, but the stuff which hardens out quickly. Better than nothing.

Alejandro and Juan Pablo were later mostly working on installing the electrical pumps they got sponsored for their trip from Mark from Bluewater Kayak Works, which kept them busy all day as well.

Then it was again my most dreaded job…changing two of my zipper sliders on my tent! With the help of Paulino, the most skillful handyman around, we eventually managed to be successful! But not that I was so stupid to slide one off again before I sealed the ends…surgeant Alejandro did the second attempt 🙂

Overall, it was really the best place to makeover all my equipment, especially as I didn’t get my sendings in in time to just replace a few things! This club Nautico in Rio Grande and their members are really the best place for that job! Thanks a lot!

Late in the afternoon, a new travelling couple, Alan and Irin from the US, looked for a tentsite for the night and were invited to stay! They cycled all the way from Canada down to here, and had two more days left reaching Ushuaia after 1 1/2 year. Great job, guys! I think I have more in common with a long-distance biker or hiker than with a white water or racing paddler…

We all had mutual dinner late at midnight, a lamb stew which was really yummy! Though I preferred to pick for myself  rather out the veggies only…but why oh why so late??? I went to bed dead tired at 1.30 am, while Ale and JP were still finishing their boat jobs…probably until 4 or 5 am…