Off With a Sizzle, a Drizzle and a Fizzle
18 July 2018 | Tipperary aters Marina, Darwin
Wednesday 18 July 2018
No land in sight. Didn't look back as Darwin disappeared below the horizon. Left in a lull - just enough wind on starboard quarter to help the motor and stabilize a bit. Should be this way for at least a day or two. But we're free. Expect to be in Cocos by 1 August. Could be a day or two earlier if wind is kind, a day or two later if not.
Requested to sail north (or east.... fat chance) for awhile to get distance from a warship live firing on another. At least that's what they told us. Wonder if they informed the other crew? Probably a volunteer navy.
Also passed L'Austral, a cruise ship. These are usually BUTT ugly (Big Ugly Tourist Transporters), but this one actually looked like a boat instead of the side of a prison block. Not homely yet hardly winsome.
First day on passage and except for engine noise, very pleasant. Seems like back in the day, pre-Darwin, we liked this sort of thing only a bit quieter. Of course we were much younger then.
Able to connect SSB to a station on lower frequencies, but upper bands don't tune. Flashing SWR message on radio indicates feedback from poor connection with antenna (he said hopefully, not knowing a postulation from a posterior about these things) so something to keep me out of trouble on the second day of passage.
As Jan had just finished taking a shower.. er doing a shower.. having a shower.. ummmm, showering before her off-watch, water heater began pissing out its steaming contents. Seems that the element plate seal, securing lip of which was partially buggered and new one of which couldn't be received in time, blew out. Partially my fault for putting Teflon grease on the thing during assembly. Rigged bypass for cold only until further reconnoitering. Another helpful project for the new day.
As Jan had just lay down.. er laid down.. lied down.. ummmm gone to bed for previous mentioned nap, engine lost power. Routed fuel through parallel Racor filter and it quit. Thought we had resolved the engine problems, but suspicions have been aroused. Changing all filters is the primo recourse, but thought to try an easier fix first. Powered up an inline feed pump and results so far (and I'm feeling wonderfully sanguine about it, not wanting to screw with that tonight) have been good. The upside of all this is - that's right - no spare time to stray into iniquity tomorrow. Man, what a relief.
Jack