On the way to Devil’s Island, travelling beside the long Brazilian coastline, the engine once again upped and died.
This engine has received more loving care and probably more money spent on it than the combination of all our land vehicles during 23 years of married life.
The engine did not die due to neglect or shoddy workmanship. It did not die because we were not prepared to undergo effort to have it fixed. It died because God willed it.
That is the only answer we knew with certainty. Because we believe that we have a Loving Heavenly Father and that everything we have is from Him and everything we experience is planned for us by Him with our ultimate good in mind, we knew that He was in control of this too.
It still did not make it any easier to understand. After trying everything we knew to do (and by now this list is extensive), the engine still would not start. My poor husband AGAIN had to face the fact that he cannot fix the engine and that we are once more without our underlying safety measure.
We made the decision to deviate to Salvador and to find a mechanic to help us as we did not feel confident enough to attempt the long journey to Devil’s Island without a working engine.
While it was God’s will to stop the engine, He also worked a miracle for us to get it fixed. Frans used the satellite phone to e-mail our Rio de Janeiro mechanic. Did he know anyone that would do a competent job in Salvador? Adelio, who doesn’t speak a word of English, was the one who took the engine apart and built her up again after our salt water leak. By this time he knew our engine better than anyone else.
Instead of just giving advice, he told us that he would be in Salvador on the weekend and would fix our engine himself. This whole conversation was done using Google Translate. I have often been astonished at the way Frans and Adelio understood each other. They used a lot of sound effects and gesticulating. Amazing what a range of noises an engine can inspire.
We soon realised that the problem was dirty fuel and Adelio serviced the diesel pump and took out a largish piece of gunk from inside. He also got the engine to spin by spraying some accelerating spray onto the air intake. Because we had nothing else, he used a deodorant spray of Sophia’s. He soon had the engine spinning like a contented cat and the whole boat smelled lovely too!
At first we thought that Adelio had a job lined up in Salvador and this is why he would be able to see us. He often does do contract work in Salvador. It was very humbling when we realised that he flew in especially for us. Not only did he sort out our engine, but afterwards he took our whole family out to dinner. He wouldn’t take any payment.
Our arrival in Salvador was early on the Saturday morning and by 15:00 that same day the engine was working and Adelio was back on the plane to Rio. As It would be Karin J’s birthday that next Friday, we decided to remain in Salvador until then. Now that we were here we might as well experience Salvador.
The Engine as seen from above. This picture was taken after our trip from St. Helena to Rio. The sea water caused it to sieze completely. We had to take it out of Shang Du to have it overhauled.
We had to take out a panel in the deck to remove the engine. There is no other way to do this.
Sophia, looking up at the gaping hole from the inside.
Frans, Karin J, Sophia and Marike, standing next the engine on its way to Adelio’s workshop. We knew we weren’t going anywhere very soon.
Adelio on the right and his helper. Frans visited this workshop more than once.
Our first attempt, (and certainly not the only one), at cleaning our fuel. This was in Rio – and was done by the Yacht Club for a fee. The diesel is filtered through this machine. We later realised that this was not good enough.
Adelio, in Salvador. He fixed our engine and then took us all out to lunch. He has become a real friend.
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