Quick Update

Just a quick update to allay fears. Mel doesn’t have access to her laptop, which is what she normally posts with, due to America’s insistence on not going with the 220 V Europe is wired with. Europe’s plugs look stupid, anyway.

The family has been reunited. With the help of the Coast Guard and multiple (HOT — you shall see) divers out of Las Palmas, Marvin was freed from his trap at 4:30 pm, about 21 hours after The Disaster. A more detailed post of Greg’s account will follow, when Mel does not have to type on her phone.

Right now, Marvin is floating in the Arguineguin marina, rafted to another boat. Both engine rooms are flooded to the waterline, but the rest of the starboard hull is dry and the port hull has a tiny leak only. This is remarkable given that the rudders and saildrives were torn out by the trap, and both engine rooms communicate with the ocean well at this point. One of the surveyors looked at the damage and, amazed, said, “If this was a Lagoon, you would be toast.” Apparently Lagoons do not separate the engine rooms from the rest of the boat. We are Leopard fans for life.

We are awaiting good winds so we can tow our rudderless boat to a nearby marina in the town of Puerto Rico, chosen by our insurance. No TraveLift in the Canaries can accommodate our 22-ton boat, so we are scheduling a construction-grade crane to lift us out if the water, but the earliest this can happen is Saturday. While we are safe, Marvin is not out of the woods yet.

We get our rental car and apartment tomorrow. We are preparing for the long haulout, which will take at least a month. Are we going back out there after all of this? Mel will respond with Marvin’s slogan: “Why the hell not?”

The Burnetts are very grateful for all of the warm wishes from family and friends. Your caring thoughts have made this easier.

More to come.