I was just dropping off to sleep in readiness for my 0000 to 0200 watch when I heard it the first time. The deep rumble of a pump going on for a few seconds. Not the whine of the fresh water impeller pump, but the deeper rattle of a diaphragm pump.

First thought was, perhaps Iz was having a shower and pumping out the shower tray. I shut my eyes again. I am not sure, but maybe 10 minutes later I woke again as I heard the same sound. Grrgrgrgr. About the same duration, I got out of bed, and went around the dark cabin, but seeing the light on in the head, I went back to bed.

About 20 minutes later, I heard it again, this time for maybe 3 seconds. That is the bilge pump, and I was instantly awake. You never want to hear the bilge pump going, particularly in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. This means there is water getting into the lowest part of the vessel, called the bilge. Water in the bilge is never good.

By this time, Tammie was on watch, and I poked my head up the companion way and said that I was just checking a noise. I certainly did not want to raise concerns before finding out what was going on. I started pulling up the floor boards to find where the water was and to track down where it was coming from. The first thing I did was go to the bilge, and sure enough there was water trickling into the pot, I dipped in my fingers and tasted the water. There are 3 potential sources of water on a boat, the ocean, the water tanks and the engine cooling system and tasting the water can differentiate these, without killing me.

Instant relief, it was neither salty, nor containing antifreeze. My heart started beating a little slower. While a leak in the water system can jeopardize your life in time, we have contingencies. Broken engine or a hole in the hull, much worse...

I told Tammie that we had a fresh water leak somewhere and that I would check around to find where. I started by switching off the water pump that pressurized the system. Pulling up the boards, I could see water from under the front shower tray from my earlier issue with the drain, but there was a trickle coming along the aft drain that runs back from the transom of the boat. I was preparing a mental check list of the sources and pipe work in the back of the boat. I checked the sinks in the heads and galley, all dry underneath. Must be the tank pipes or something else. I started brainstorming these items with Tammie, and before waking up Iz or Keith we took a torch to the port Lazerette locker where the outlet for the swim deck shower head is located.

We could instantly see that there was water in the locker, and turning on the pump confirmed that water was spraying out of the connection of the hose to the water pipe. Wow, problem found, we emptied the locker and kept the system switched off, and decided to fix this in the morning. After one and a half hours of working the issue, I then had to start my watch. I gratefully handed over to Keith at 0200, explaining the issue. I collapsed into bed before waking again at 0600 to go fix the problem.

We pulled apart the locker to start mopping up the water. We all spent some time inside to clean up the mess, then I pulled a part the water management locker and found an isolation switch for the shower. We had caught a break, as in did not have an easy way of securing the leaky fitting without damaging the pipe work.

By 0800 everything was done and secured, and I cooked pancakes for the hard working crew.

I certainly did not want to hear that bilge pump, fortunately we found and fixed the issue in good order.

Thinks that go bang in the night, Just another day at sea!