Blood, Sweat & Beers
16 May 2014 | Dana Point
Kimber the Wench
Blood, Sweat & Beer's...
Mike had to machine and modify things to accept the new electric pump, with all new pluming and wiring to hopefully get it working again. There were bigger new parts, old parts taken off and a whole new re-arrangement in this little compartment that the sound box has to fit over and cuddle everything nicely. The Santa Ana's had kicked up, the temperatures rose into the 90's. Off the bluffs, the wind blew and swirled that fine dust/sand around, like the Shamal's of Saudi Arabia. Mike was on and off the stern of the boat on all four's (beer break), twisting, yanking, pounding and blinking through the sweat. Three steps up and one step back the whole time. After six days (and a couple of six packs later) of modifying, drilling, wrenching and several unexpected trips to West Marine for more parts, came the tell all moment! The winds died, the temperature cooled and it was as if even Mother Nature, herself, was holding her breath to see if the generator would breath life?! This was such a mystery, because there was only 298 hours on this generator?! It's practically new, WTH?!
Mike came up from the stern, like a dog that tangled with and angry raccoon. He was wet with sweat, bloody and bruised and a tad bit crabby. (Can ya blame'm though? It had been a long three weeks!) Time to flip the switch and see what happens?! Maestro, strike up the band....
"Chug, chug, chug, chug-chug-a-luggagagagah...purrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!" Viola!!!
He ran it under a heavy load for a couple of hours. The biggest question to come, was going to be if there was any unexplained oil loss and the new water pump was an acceptable addition to its new home after it was shut off and cooled down?! The real moment of truth was upon us! Mike was so tired, sore, sliced up...I could tell the last thing he wanted was to go back to the stern and find any signs of failure.
Crossing fingers!!
Oh dear Gawd, he was doing the "No-No dance"!! His head started rolling around on his shoulders, that flat footed, begrudging labored, one foot in front of the other, dreaded walk of discovery, either success or not. (Any parents out there, anyone who has ever babysat.....we have all experienced the "no-no dance"; you know, the dis-heartened cry, half whiney words of "I-doe-wanna" with the in place stomping and hands flopping around at their sides! You KNOW the No-No dance!)
I cracked another ice cold beer and placed it in his hand. A good long pull off that bad boy and he went back to the stern like a trooper. Only moments later, my love'n man came back with a huge smile of success on his face!!! Yay!! Love the "Sheldon Cooper" in him!! He is a pretty smart guy! I had complete faith in him!! Let's go sailing!!
We made plans to head back to Catalina, really loving it there! As we were stowing and tying down items, I noticed that just about every other time I turned around, there was another blood smear, or drops of blood or bloody handprint's?! Poor Mike, he was all beat up. The promise of only 5 or 6 hours back to Catalina though, perked him up pretty good! We filled the water tanks, threw the lines and headed over to the fuel dock. We hadn't bought fuel in awhile. Fuel in Catalina was upwards of $7.00-$8.00 a gallon!! Better to get it now and not need it, than to need it and have to pay Island prices later. We were about an hour behind our self imposed schedule. As we came out of the cut and into the lagoon area where the fuel dock lives, our smiles kinda crashed. There at the fuel dock was a huge (Aristotle Onassis huge!!) power yacht and two other large power boats. They need lots of fuel!! (Again, in two years of living aboard, this is the second time we had to fuel! Not so bad?!!). Sooooooo, we did a bit of a holding pattern for about a half an hour. Watching the dock, thinking that POSSIBLY they saw us doing doughnuts for the last half hour?! Meanwhile there were kayaker's fishing, Sea Lion's fishing, SUP'ers roaming around and I just wanted to ask a question; Uh, excuse?! Time? Anyone?! Nuth'en. Okay, so I look up the phone number for the fuel dock, give them a call.....and BIG shocker! VOICEMAIL!! So we search the fuel dock area for a VHF channel to hail them on. Nope! Thuth'en!! More doughnuts around the lagoon! Cool! I started playing with the Sea Lion that was lazily floating around the lagoon. There was this one brown pelican that was being a total stinker and chasing the Sea Lion around?! The Pelican would be as bold as to dive under the water and try to spear at the Sea Lion to chase him out. Apparently the "pecking order" (pardon the pun?) with Pelicans and Sea Lions goes as such, pelican; lead, primero, front of the line! Sea Lion's; waaaay second in line! Too much and really entertaining and funny to watch!
We finally get the two smaller power boats out of the way and pull in for fuel. Now about three to fours behind the original plan. Oh well, off to Catalina!!