Hey Patron,
Thank you for still being here with me.
It’s been a busy summer so far, and I haven’t managed to write to you in the last few weeks, but you’ve been on my mind all the time 😉 I’ve been catching up on a lot of things that piled up over the past year, especially when it comes to my boat, which has definitely felt the lack of attention.
Elba
Ah, the joys and challenges of a wooden boat! On one hand, the work is never really finished, but on the other, if you take care of it, it can last forever.
Since getting my second vaccination at the beginning of June, I’ve been spending most of my time in Elba. Travel restrictions finally eased for me, so I’ve been able to get back to the island without much trouble. Every 10 days or so, I’d drive back to Switzerland to handle things there, but I’ve made a lot of progress on the boat as well.
I’ve completed a full refit of the mast, the cabin deck, and most of the cockpit. Next up is the deck, and the big project later this fall will be repainting the entire hull, both above and below the waterline. My goal is to have the boat looking shiny, dry, and ready for winter.
I’ve included some photos of beautiful Elba at the beginning of this post for you to enjoy.
Zanzibar
Speaking of islands… I’m still sending your contributions to Zanzibar to cover Dalila’s education. The COVID situation there remains unclear, but with Tanzania’s new president, Samia Suluhu Hassan (often called “Mama Samia”), the country has started acknowledging the pandemic and joined the vaccination program. Mama Samia is actually from Zanzibar herself, from a community between Kizimkazi (where Dalila is from) and Jambiani (where her school is located).
The school has been open for some time now, and the kids are making progress. Here’s a picture of Dalila’s class—she’s easy to spot, as she’s the one wearing the headscarf.
Thank you once again for your ongoing support. As always, if there’s anything I can do for you, don’t hesitate to let me know.
Take care and all the best,
Florian
