Ah yes, how gloriously naïve it be to consider oneself somehow, by the grace of good fortune or the Gods, invulnerable to the unpleasant mishaps, malfunctions and vicissitudes of life at sea. Many a time and oft did I hear echo of sailors online warnings regarding the aluminum poop tank. Piss and salt water are an acidic combination they did warn. It will turn any aluminum poop tank into a colander in under ten years. Yes. Thought I was immune. Our 47- gallon tank was huge and could accommodate a nice three weeks of night soil for tidy keeping. It looked fine and we had had no issue or signs with which to be concerned. Besides, we flushed with fresh water, not salt, and so, with hubris, pooped on believing ourselves anointed and spared. Well, the shit hit he bilge. We discovered it in San Diego. We thought it was from a loose hose when filling, rinsing and pumping in Avalon. No such luck. Indeed there were poop crumbs in the vile stream and that had not come from any weeping seam leak. We kept the tank low and noticed no more seepage so decided the leak must be high on the tank. Idiot that I was, I decided not to replace it in Alameda when I could and should have as a result of the above described delusional thinking. So, ordered a new tank when we were in Ascuncion. Don’t yet know how we will get it but that’s where we are. Also in Ascuncion, when changing oil, noticed oil containers were besmeared, so I rubbed my hands all over the poop slathered containers, rubbed it all over my face then poured the oil on top of my head and chased down shore birds on the abandoned beach. Well, that’s what I felt like doing, but being the clever resourceful analytical and unemotional functionary that I am, I quickly reasoned that the hole was above the oil containers on the backside of the tank—and I found it, a nice hole about the side of a nickel. Brushed area with wire brush, wiped it down with acetone, whipped up a mix of fiberglass strands and JB weld and pugged that hole with a hairball so mighty a twenty-pound angora would be proud. Just now pressed a paper towel on that spiky hardened patch and, despite much bouncing about on the way down here, no sign of stain or dampness. It will hold for the meantime.

Now we somehow have to get the tank here, cut up and remove old tank and install replacement. So this saga, our first in the exciting Fix It, Jesus series, will have a follow-up episode.