Poured hard overnight and very overcast in the morning – doesn’t look like a great day but the forecast is for clear skies in the afternoon. We’ll do some chores in the morning then, maybe go for a walk or swim in the afternoon.

I am still dealing with Fidelity issues which means a zoom call at 10 am their time, 11 am mine which sucks but not much can be done. Today I also discuss the possibility of having them support Fax QC. When today’s calls are over, we go get the laundry and then I start to check out the windlass wiring under the forward berth.

The wiring there all looks good, got current everywhere it should be. Nothing looks awry. As I’m writing this I realize I probably should have simulated the signal from the aft control panel but I’m sure the solenoid is working. OK, must be the control panel. The LCD screen on the panel looks washed out so there’s a good chance the panel is fried but let’s check everything out. I pull apart the ceiling panel in the aft berth for access to the back of the panel. Check voltage in – all OK. Looks like it is the panel itself. Check forums, turns out there is a dime battery in the panel, it’s used to remember settings. Certainly that battery is long dead so maybe when dead the panel won’t work? There is nothing in the forums about that. OK, that’s a cheap test anyway, although it takes a good hour to get the panel off of the mount, take it apart and get the old battery out. Dinghy into town, the first shop I go to has the battery! Waddya know.

Might as well get a coffee while I’m here. Check on the buses to Pennville, might do that hike.

Back on Milu, I put the new battery in the device. Moment of truth … wait for it …

Of course it doesn’t work. By this time I was pretty convinced the control panel was pooched but for the EC$5 for the battery, worth a try. I take the good battery out and save it, put the panel back together and close it all up. Maybe get a new one in St. Martin.

I spend the next couple hours updating my Fax Authorization documentation to send to Fidelity. We should go for a swim but good to get that done.

Looks like we discovered the problem at Fidelity – their failure to read the KB article I sent two weeks ago. Will see.

Ormand Chalmers arrived in Dominica today from Barbados. We’re supposed to connect by phone today and hook up perhaps Friday. No call …