Brenda and Adriana, the lady in green, really hit it off in spite of the fact that Brenda doesn’t speak Spanish and Adriana knows no English. \u00a0![\"4-25-16a-020\"](\"http:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/4-25-16a-020.jpg\")
It seems that the “language of fiber” was all that they needed and a little interpreter help from Dazmira (the one on the right in red)\u00a0who speaks some English. \u00a0\u00a0So here we are, nearly a year later, and Brenda has been accumulating a mountain (well perhaps a hill, or modest mound) of donated lace materials from members of her guilds, here in CT, to take to Adriana this spring.<\/p>\n
The big question is if Brenda and I will make the trip to make the delivery ourselves or if we will hand the materials off to someone else who will take everything to Adriana in Old Havana.<\/p>\n
Over the last few years, I have become more involved in a\u00a0group, the Salty Dawg Sailing Association<\/a> (I’ve mentioned this before) and the group is organizing a rally to Havana from the BVI in the spring. \u00a0 So, the plan is for the supplies to be delivered to Adriana by Pandora or by a Salty Dawg rally participant.<\/p>\n It’s amazing to me that this is really happening and surely speaks to the bond that artists have with one another, regardless of nationality. \u00a0Stay tuned to see how things develop in the coming months. \u00a0I know that Brenda and Adriana have been in touch by email lately so the plot thickens. \u00a0Good thing that Brenda has access to Google Translate<\/a>\u00a0so she can understand the messages from Adriana.<\/p>\n So, on to the, sort of, topic of this post… \u00a0In a recent post I talked about the corrosive properties of RO<\/a> (reverse osmosis) product water. \u00a0You know, a topic that’s on just about everyone’s mind these days, and the havoc that it causes on aluminum and my water heater in particular. \u00a0 Dear reader, you will recall that I had to replace the water heater as it was eaten away by the acidic water from the RO unit. \u00a0Yes, oh so sad…<\/p>\n The solution to the problem, I discovered, is to run the acidic “product water” from the RO unit through a cartridge filled with calcite media made of crushed marble before it ends up in the boat’s water tanks. This process increases the Ph of the water just enough to make sure that it is no longer corrosive.<\/p>\n This is a description of the process…<\/p>\n Calcite is a crushed and screened white marble media which neutralizes acidic or low pH waters to a neutral, less corrosive condition. Calcite is a naturally occurring calcium carbonate media. One of the advantages of Calcite is its self-limiting property as it corrects pH only enough to reach a non-corrosive equilibrium. It does not over-correct under normal conditions.<\/p>\n Upon contact with Calcite, acidic waters slowly dissolve the calcium carbonate to raise the pH which reduces the potential leaching of metals found in typical plumbing systems. Depending on the pH of the “product water” flowing through it, the Calcite bed will have to be periodically replenished as the Calcite is depleted.<\/p>\n The good news is that these calcite filters are available in a standard 10″ cartridge<\/a> that fit\u00a0typical water filter housings<\/a>. \u00a0My plan is to put this new filter in-line between the RO unit and our water tanks. \u00a0 Sourcing the fittings to marry the output lines from the RO unit is proving to be a bit of a challenge but I have found most of what I need.<\/p>\n As an added benefit this means that the water we drink aboard won’t be completely tasteless or, as we have found, sort of soapy. \u00a0Not great as water tastes best when it has some minerals in it. \u00a0Don’t believe me? \u00a0Try drinking distilled water.<\/p>\n Awkward segue or not, about the other title of this post. \u00a0 One of the best things about cruising the Windward and Leeward Islands is the international flavors of the many cultures in close proximity to one another.<\/p>\n As these islands are heavily influenced by the countries that colonized them hundreds of years ago, to sail between islands, many of which are just a day-sail apart, is to easily visit countries with very different cultures. \u00a0 The only option that’s more convenient for us to go from country to country is perhaps Epcot in FL although some might suggest (yes, that means you Brenda) that it just isn’t the same.<\/p>\n However, while sailing aboard Pandora, it’s A LOT\u00a0more practical for us to enjoy the taste of England to France by heading to Antiqua and then on\u00a0to Guadalupe. Yes, that’s much simpler\u00a0than if we had to “cross the pond”. \u00a0In my last post about places we hope to visit this winter, I wrote about Antiqua<\/a>\u00a0with it’s deep\u00a0British heritage.<\/p>\n Another country\u00a0we are excited about visiting is Guadalupe as we just love French wines, bread and cheeses. \u00a0I was poking around YouTube and found this charming video. \u00a0It really got our appetites going.