Friday, October 15, 2010

Friday, October 15, 2010.




Great start to the day. When we poked our heads out of Endurance at 0730, the entire fleet in Elizabeth City had departed, except for Whispurr, Dave and the Boys from Epsom. Had a leisurely breakfast at The Colonial where the booths seem to be reserved for an ever changing mix of locals whose conversation never skips a beat as one person leaves and another arrives. A lot of “stay out of trouble” and “be good today” departures among this set. Had our first Southern grits (is there any other kind) and had a chance to catch up with Dave and Linda.



Pushed back from Mariner’s Wharf at 1000 and headed down the Pasquotank River toward Albemarle Sound. A nice ride with a light following wind, we motored in order to charge batteries after two days without power. Hit the Albemarle and it lived up to its reputation for treachery! West wind of 20 to 26 kicked up 3 plus foot swells in the 12 feet of water they call the Sound. We soldiered on, delaying lunch until we made it through the Alligator River Bridge and the calmer waters of the Alligator.



Thought we hit a crab pot before the Bridge as we lost RPMs for a second. Captain’s response: Stop. Back up. Forward. Back to normal so we motored through the Swing Bridge without incident. Two hundred yards later, engine stops. Yikes! Went below and quickly determined through the Capitol Island – installed vacuum gauge on the fuel line that no fuel was getting to the engine. Within two minutes I plopped in a clean filter, trying to ignore the strands of goo inside the glass bowl of the Racor. Engine started and we are on are way again. For two more minutes. Yikes, again!. Dropped the bottom of the Racor (and its two cups of fuel) into a bucket to clean the bowl, but then couldn’t get the bowl to re-fill with fuel. Triple Yikes!!. Called Alligator River Marina (on the other side of the Bridge), but no tows or mechanics available. Called Sea Tow and given a 2+ hours ETA; but also given the phone number of a mechanic at Twin River Marine.



Now that mechanic was sainted. Started with “Oh, yeah. That’s what happens.” Then walked me through the procedure to disassemble the Racor to clean “the silver ball”, but warned, if that gasket comes out when you take off the bowl, it might not go back in today. The gasket stayed. Pulled what looked like a dead mouse and three little kittens from the hole the fuel was supposed to go in (pictures will be posted once we get a better cell signal – yuck!). Finally got the electric pump to re-prime the Racor and the Primary filter and we started up again.



Back North through the Alligator River Bridge and tied up at the Alligator River Marina (really just a back water behind the Shell station). But we were a good hour plus delayed and would have had to scramble to get to an anchorage otherwise. Called Sea Tow to cancel them only when I knew I would make the Marina. Called the mechanic to cancel his Saturday visit only when Will from Antares came over with his tool kit, looked things over and gave me an “atta boy”. We likely knocked all the algae in the fuel tank off the walls in the steeps of Albemarle. We’ll try to get the tank thoroughly cleaned while in New Bern (already have a mechanic’s name from Antares), but for now can just watch that fuel pressure (and know how to clean the Racor).



As for the intrepid First Mate, let it be said I didn’t complain, I didn’t puke, I didn’t panic. I hereby admit my Captain has done great work today, including the decision to call Sea Tow FIRST, and then, even when we were solidly operational again, deciding we would return to the nearest safe harbor…I’m willing to trust my life in his hands again, still, as ever…….



Tomorrow, we go South ….