Last night my 2200hrs to 0200hrs watch a piece of cake, consisting of updating the log book and paper chart every hour and gazing up at the stars while keeping a look out for that "unlit Ship in Mexico" that everyone talk about running you down and sending you to Davey Jones' Locker. No ship such phantom ship was found, but little did I know trouble was brewing. TJ relieved me at 0200hrs and within a few minutes I was sleeping on the Port Setae with Jim on the Starboard, Pete in the pilot berth, and Candice in the V-berth. My dreams of making it to San Diego without incident ended when the engine went silent!

Both Jim and I were instantly upright in our berths and heading for the cockpit within what seemed like a nanosecond. TJ didn't turn the engine off, it just died with that oh so familiar and dreaded "I'm not getting fuel, so I'm done" sound. The time was 0445hrs and it wasn't until 0740hrs that we had the problem fixed.

When a running diesel engine stops, it is usually a issue and sure enough, when we emptied out the fuel water separator bowl, it was 90% water and 10% diesel. Now we like to do what we can for reduce our "carbon footprint" but cutting the diesel with 90% water is right up there with recycling toilet paper!

The next few sentences just seem to flow so easily from my NOW cleaned hands, but trust me friends, at 0445hrs with sail lockers jammed packed with stuff that now has to be emptied to gain access to the engine fuel system (note: add another item to the "to-do" list) easy was not one of the four letter words we were using to describe the situation. After two complete fuel system dewaterings and bleedings we were finally back on course motor sailing in 6kts of wind more of less right out of our 310 degree bearing to Turtle Bay.

The "How" water got in the system will always remain a mystery, as it will be the next time it happens as well. However, rest assured that the next time it happens, the soon-to-be reconfigured fuel system on THIRD DAY will have a much easier time dealing with the issue. Moving the current Racor filter, adding a second Racor filter, and adding an electric diesel fuel pump to prime the entire system will be the answer, but unfortunately that is only the answer to today's issue, and we all know that with boats that spending money on today's issue only sometimes, if you are lucky, deals with tomorrow's. I've heard it said that there is "no bank of good deeds with a woman", and that could well be, but how about a "bank of preventative fixes on a boat", is there such a thing?

Other than this episode of excitement, the seas have been near lake glass condition for most of the motorsail with the highest winds being about 20kts. We just couldn't be doing any better and still be at sea!