The door bell rings and outside there is a smiling man. He shows me a lot of accreditation stuff and a sheet in English stating that he is from the Okinawan Electrical Safety Organization and is here to check my fuse box.

They look after you so well in Okinawa. He also give me a booklet on electrical safety.

Arisa gives me a beautiful bunch of of Shine Muscat grapes from her home town – Imari.

Just a year ago, the roller reefing system, or furler, for the jib, the sail at the front of the boat, was smashed up in a typhoon. Much investigation revealed that the original system could no longer be bought and that I would have to install a completely different set up. I had to track down a Japanese boat chandler that stock the necessary stuff. This I did; https://www.yuukoumarine.jp/pages/furlex50s. The nice shop on the mainland also sent a pdf of instructions on how to install the new furler. https://support.seldenmast.com/files/597-133-E.pdf. This sent me into a panic as it clearly way beyond my capabilities. “Don’t worry Neil san I will ask Jigen san to help you.” He has; he is a fantastic guy and speaks excellent English.

Yesterday we finally installed the new furler. Hooray! It has taken a year but it is true that I was in California for 6 months.

It is beastly hot and humid and by the time we finished I’m drenched in sweat and dizzy.

However in recompense the water in the Marina is as clear as vodka. and teeming with fish.

I now have to wait for the sailmaker to cut a new jib. I feel this will probably take months as they have to source tan colored sailcloth. Japanese boats all have white sails.

Anyway, great progress. Big thank you to Jigen san without whom none of this would have been possible.