We were having just another one of those perfect days of sailing in the Gulf Islands. You know, the winds are about 5 to 6 miles per hour coming from exactly were we were going. This simply means we get to tack a lot, (that is turn into the wind and sail close to the wind in a zig zag up wind direction.) Unfortunately familiarity breeds contempt. We have gotten so good at tacking that we decided we needed to spice it up a little.
Barbra was shanghaied… er I mean volunteered to go into the dingy for photos of the rest of us sailing by.
We went a-hull like we do to reef the main sail and in the calm created by drifting sideways, we launched Barbra with the cameras in “Eye Gor,” the dingy to Abby Normal. For the next half hour we swooped down on Barbra on one tack and then the other.
Now time came to retrieve the helpless castaway. We sailed up close to the dingy and did another tack without switching the jib so to lay a-hull just above Barbra. All she had to do was row the 12 feet over to the sailboat and toss us the dingy painter. What we didn’t count on is that Abby Normal makes about one knot of leeway while laying a-hull. Barbra couldn’t quite catch up. Like, “only two more feet and I can reach the painter with the boat hook.”
Yep! We had to pull the sails down and start the engine and catch up to Barbra and Eye Gor. I will include a gallery of photos from the photo shoot.
Sailing in general and sailboats in particular have a way of testing your metal. Case in point: We arrived at Montague Harbor about 1400 hours… 2 pm for you lubbers. As we rounded the point into the anchorage there were two mooring bouys to choose from. We selected one and the boat following us got the last one. A couple buoys opened up just at 5 pm. (yes that is 1700 military time.) Other than that dozens of boats had to find other accommodations. But this is the way our whole cruise has been going. Nothing has happened that could spoil the vacation.
Today was different. Glen did the normal “Pre-flight” on the engine and we were ready to drop our moorings and make our way out of the anchorage. Barbra started the engine, it ran for 30 seconds and then strangled to a stop. Several attempts to restart the engine failed to produce even a hint of “fire-in-the-hole.” After a bit of troubleshooting we decided to change the filters. That took an hour and of course that required priming the fuel system. Glen and Barbra have worked out this rather unique method of priming the fuel system. They open a bleeder valve at the fuel injection pump and then they pressurize the rest of the fuel system, tank and all. They use the dingy air pump with a cloth around the hose to get a reasonably air tight seal at the fuel tank filler in the deck. Hold a rag under the overboard vent at the stern of the boat, and start stomping on the air bag pump. When the fuel starts foaming out around the bleeder valve you shut it off and tighten it down. It took a couple of tries but the little three cylinder Yanmar was soon ticking away quietly in the bilges of the boat.
One look around the boat showed a different story. Barbra’s bed had to be pulled out out into the salon to get to the oil filters. The various lockers had their contents strewn about as we located various pumps, buckets and tools to accomplish the job. It took another hour to clean the boat up ready to get under way.
“All is well that ends well.” We are safely tucked in at Otter Bay Marina in North Pender Island. We have had ice cream, a two mile hike to see the sights then supper and finally showers. Sunset happens
momentarily so it is time for evening colors. Bryce and I will do that now. Good Night.
End of week two:
It’s Friday again and we have been exploring for two weeks now. We are starting to head back the the United States. One more stop close to the border, then on Sunday we will run down to Roche Harbor to clear customs.
To keep ourselves entertained today we went shopping for a replacement bilge pump for Abby Normal. We know the local hot spot for marine parts, Saltspring Marina. We wanted to replace a rather old “Rule1500” bilge pump that was occasionally running but unable to prime itself and pump the bilge-water overboard. The proprietor had exactly what we needed in stock and ready to install, a new Rule 1500 Bilge Pump, he had one on the shelf. Back at the boat we dismantled the original Rule 1500 Bilge Pump and replaced it with the new Rule 1500. Incredibly, the new pump fit in the same spot as the old pump, and it works like a charm. It even eliminates the separate float switch needed for the old installation. Here is a photo of the installed bilge pump.
After supper our neighbors, Chuck and Steve started playing guitars. I grabbed up my guitar and went out to see what was up. They invited me aboard their boat, the Santosa from Vashon Island, and we played for about an hour. The two of them plus a local couple joined us and there was some good music flowing. The four of them were professionals and I was totally out of my class, but I just had a ball. These four photos were taken in the semi-dark at f/4 with an ISO of 6400 and as shutter speed of 1/25 seconds, no flash. Love my Canon Rebel SL-2.
