Just when you think you have
checked everything twice and your honeydo list is almost done, it is the
manifestation of Murphy’s law that demands what at first are just a hiccup here
and a hiccup there...but soon you got yourself a full fledged asthma attack
trying to catch your breath while all around you seems to morph into something
quite unfriendly.
During our final week our good
friend Trip joined us to make the passage.
Then,
1. The dinghy motor was stolen
2. Mast winch catastrophic
failure requiring immediate replacement (no loss of life or body parts
involved)
3. Almost accidental electrical
fire
4. loss of weather window.
5. Trip flew ahead to Galapagos
to enjoy diving.
Finally, on Thurs March 28,
with a good smart wind from the North, Kaija and I departed Panama City heading
for the Galapagos Islands 900 miles distant.
The wind continued to build
and before long we were surfing along a steady 8 – 9 kts being helped by a
strong favorable current. We made our
first 100 miles by midnight and rounded Punta Mala riding 8 foot swells with
the wind on our beam. It was a terrific
start to our passage.
Hahahahahah.....you may as
well start laughing now, because this is where the fun starts.
It was about noon on day two
and we were sailing along with a lighter breeze and easier seas when all of a
sudden out of nowhere...the wind stopped...just stopped!...no problem...it was
a good time to run the engine and charge up the batteries and if we had to
motor, may as well put it in gear and go somewhere...find some wind.
Started up our little Perkins
and put er in gear...it’s all good...for about two minutes....
Started er up again...no
problem...for about two minutes...
For the next hour...I’m doin
my best to figure out why the motor will start and run but stop in two
minutes...regardless of whether I’m in gear or not???
Now...those of you who know me
know that I am not a mechanic...however as daddy used to say...”son...you’ll
never learn any younger” I knew I had a
fuel problem and I had Calder’s Mechanical Book to guide me thru....however,
this is not a problem I was prepared to tackle in lumpy seas while under
sail...we made the right decision to turn the boat and head for the closest
safe harbor which turned out to be a wee bay 24 miles distant. About that time, a light breeze started and
we were able to make our way to Ensenada Naranja. The last hour was painful...the wind was
dying, we were still a good mile away....I would start the motor...run it for
as long as it would go, then drift...start the motor, repeat repeat repeat,
finally when it started...it made a high pitched squeal like it was a gonna
explode....not good, definetly not good...but we made it.... just before dark.
We were happy to find two
other boats at anchor. One from Chile
Gabriel, Paulo, and Carlos. As it turns
out Paulo was a mechanic. Needless to say...the next day me and my two new best
friends, Gabriel and Paulo went to work on solving the problem. They spoke no English and my Spanish is cute
but not efficient...but who cares. They tried everything in their arsenal of
mechanical voodoo but alas, no joy...one complete day of frustration...and
their diagnosis not good...fuel pump injector!....please dear Lord, don’t let
it be!...and even worse than all that...the engine would not start period. Great...Good Friday and our engine died!
It sure is nice to have an extra pair of hands...Here Paulo is doing his best to find the solution...we know the problem...finding the fix is the thing!
Saturday Paulo and crew left as the
winds had died enough for them to make their way to Panama City. Thankfully, we have good friends who made
helpful suggestions, the most repeated...it’s not the fuel pump...look
somewhere else....and so...early Sunday morning...and I do mean early...2am...I’m
bright eyed and busy tailed...and with by manuals by my side...I start in
dismantling the fuel system, suckin diesel thru little hoses, changing filters,
cleaning fittings and finally found that the fuel lift pump didn’t seem to be
working....so at about 4am...I figured out how to bypass that direct to the
secondary engine filter...and I finally had consistent clean bubble free diesel
arriving at the dreaded fuel injection pump.
At 6 am I was ready for an
Engine test, but not wanting to wake Kaija, I proceeded to my normal morning
ritual of making coffee and allowing the wafting scent of fresh brew to entice
her out of morning slumber.
Finally, she was awake...and I
explained basically that the fate of our world depended on whether or not the
engine started...no pressure there.
With our fingers
crossed...bearing in mind this was Easter Sunday morning, and praying our
pleadings to that Great Mechanic in the Sky...Kaija hit the button...I saw the
diesel!!!!!!!, and I mean it when I say it is like Saul/Paul of old saying I
SAW THE LIGHT!...it was truly a heavenly moment...the diesel just kept coming
out of the fuel pump and with a little bleeding...VVVRRROOOOOOOMMMMM....the
little motor came to life.
Now for those of you who are
not religious...and do not celebrate Easter for the death and resurrection of
God’s Son, Christ Jesus, then this story may mean nothing to you...however, for
me, please believe me when I tell you...it was highly significant!
We enjoyed a wonderful
Easter and reminded ourselves again just how lucky we are and how good the Master of the waves and the Maker of the Wind has been to us.
We departed Tues Mar 30 for the
second time for the Galapagos Islands.
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