OK, so how do you make a Maltese cross? Well, you could trash his fish farm, for a start. In fact, we've had nothing but kindness from everyone in Malta, all doing their best to help us get on our way again. Even the man from the fish farm, who is hoping to present us with a bill today for the damage to his fish farm, couldn't have been more friendly.

But we also learned from others that the fish farms in St Paul's Bay are a subject of local controversy, not least for the fact that they're poorly marked, and other vessels have also tangled with them. So maybe we'll be presenting a bill for our extra costs involved in repairing the boat and stopping over in Malta for two days, and see which is the bigger.

The spare parts from Yamaha arrived first thing this morning, so Alan and Steve have been beavering away to get them all fitted, and the engine back in. It will all be fixed by midday. Then the only problem is the weather. A storm is moving in which would give us 35 knot head winds.

"It'd be pointless setting out in that", says Alan. "We'd just get hurt, and waste a lot of fuel getting nowhere". So the plan is to lie over in Valletta another night and depart on Friday, when the wind will have eased.

In the meantime, we may finish the Gibraltar to Valletta leg of the trip today. Provided we go back to the fish farm and then motor back into Valletta under our own power, that leg can be timed off. Not the fastest port to port record for the mileage, but a record none the less.

Clive Tully

Copyright Clive Tully ©2002
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