7/18/2013 0 Comments Steps!Steps.
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7/10/2013 0 Comments The Joys of Washing! Sometimes it is the simplest things that fill us with the most joy – watching a sunrise (which I do most days), knowing that you have delighted someone through a gift given – or, as it has been for me this week – a simple ball that makes your life easier!
Doing washing on board a yacht at a marina can be troublesome and frustrating. When we first bought Argos I did my washing at a laundrette – fair enough I thought, there is no other choice so I lugged the washing into town ever couple of days, paid my money into the machine and brought home clean and dry clothes. It worked but the expense of my time not to mention the dollars became quite tiresome. Then we moved marinas and the new marina had a washing machine and dryer available for our use, still at a cost but the time factor was reduced considerably, as was the lugging factor. Then we set off and experienced many different ways of tackling the daily/weekly wash. We used our handy little portable camping machine. That was hard work, didn’t wring the washing which had to be wrung out by hand, and while it used no power it was very draining for me! We bought an old fashioned mangle. This helped but it was still very labour intensive. Whenever possible I used machines, and laundrettes, where they were available but many towns we visited had minimal facilities and sometimes no at all close to the boat. Yes, there were times I felt like I was Ma from Little House on The Prairie, having a day to do the wash……and spending all day doing it! When we were in Bermagui we became friends with several other yachties. One family had just bought a washing machine for their travels, a marine-suitable twin tub that they operated on deck. I was thrilled at the possibility and set about finding where I could get one. It arrived just a week or two after we arrived in Batemans Bay. I was thrilled. Quite delighted. This machine made everything easier – until we were told that even though we were using marine-friendly detergent, no water from the machine could enter the marina. We figured out ways to run a long hose to a nearby drain but then w new spot opened up for us, a spot we could remain in until we leave and guess what? There was no drain – nowhere at all we could run off the hose and so it became impossible to use the machine. Back to square one for me – frequent trips to the laundrette, hours spent and many dollars. Then on the weekend at a local market the solution came like The Lone Ranger on Silver – in the guise of a local business man with an idea. A plastic ball filled with ceramic balls that alter the PH and the surface tension of water, and can replace detergent without any kind of chemical. Yes, finally, a way to do the washing on board the boat without breaking any laws, rules or council restrictions. I am, as they say, happy as Larry. No more lugging loads into town – yay, say Erina and Liam! – no more money changing to ensure we have one or two dollar coins (I was so often sure I had enough, only to have loaded the machine and found that I needed more, necessitating a run into the other part of town where there were shops, then come back and start the machine) – then do it all again when the clothes refused to dry in the time I had enough coins for. I tried the new ball thing yesterday. The clothes smelled fresh and clean, and it took only moments to fill the machine, load and wash, and because there are no chemicals there needs be only the wash cycle, no rinsing so the whole process takes such a very short time. Because I have a dryer on board, even a dull day won’t hamper me. I have done some reading and know that these balls are not a new idea – there have been several on the market before, and several types available now – the principles are the same, and while I could rave about the science behind them I will just say I have read enough to believe that there is some science, that the whole issue for me is that I can actually use the machine and get my washing done here in the marina at no cost and no expense of time, and that even if the washing isn’t done perfectly, I can chose occasionally to take one load to the laundrette…….the thing is this has the capacity to make my life work…..simple as that. If there are ways to enhance this little green ball and make it function better – like having plenty of water in the machine, not over-filling it with clothes, use stain removing soaks to remove some marks before washing etc - I will explore them all. The freedom to just pop on a load while I am doing other tasks on board rather than having to make a morning of it going to the laundry is worth any amount of adjusting! Yes, it’s definitely the simple things in life that bring us the most pleasure! |
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September 2017
Our life aboard Argos has been seriously challenged this year with the surprise departure of our skipper. As a writer, diesel mechanics and the complexities of many aspects of Argos’ on-going maintenance are way beyond me! We would like to see Argos continue to sail and eventually hope to use her to offer support, encouragement and a break to people who are struggling in their lives. Any on-going help towards maintaining Argos would be greatly appreciated and enable us to achieve this goal.
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