Ready for my first solo

Today I bought 40 metres of light rope to use as additonal safety line around the boat. With the existing Jackstays I can't clip on anywhere other than in the cockpit or from the cockpit forward to the mast. Because I will be sailing from Sicily to Malta on my own and I may get some rough conditions I decided not to take any chances and created a sort of spiderweb arrangement that allows me to clip on anywhere from the bowsprit to the bimini. However, I am hoping that no-one notices it and I will unrig it as soon as I arrive.

I also bought a new outboard fuel tank (the previous replacement purchased in Kalamata just two weeks ago cracked and the fuel leaked out) and provisions for three days.

I replaced the raw water impellor in the generator. It had done 500 hours but still looked perfect and felt flexible. Given how fast the first one had failed it looks as though these do better with constant use than they do sitting around for months at a time.

I had hoped to fuel up and leave today but be the time I finished everything it was too late for the fuel dock. A group of nice Brits from the next boat have offered to give me a bit of help getting over to the fuel dock in the morning and I am hoping I will be OK on my own from there.

I had a fantastic meal tonight at a backstreet Sicilian restaurant. We'd eaten here when we first arrived and they were very helpful with a quick tomato pasta for the kids but it was obvious they were capable of much better. I asked the owner/chef to just give me whatever he recommended and this turned out to be a good decision.

The antipasti mare came in a three segment dish, the first containing a salad of tiny pieces of marinated Octopus with Rocket and a lemon juice dressing. The second containing a small deepfried fish that had been completely deboned and stuffed (my Italian is not up to finding out what with), and the final one contained a delicately flavoured pickled fish fillet with an onion marmalade. I suspect this tasted better than it sounds, it also looked wonderful.
After this I had spaghetti with a spicy fresh tuna sauce. The pasta had a fantastic texture and the sauce was delicious.