Dripped & Gripped!

Now is probably NOT the best time for me to be posting a blog. I'm not in the best of moods. But Brad purchased some wireless internet time so I better use it...

Let me explain the title for this posting: Dripped & Gripped. The drip refers to the reason why I'm in a foul mood. Our stuffing box (or packing glands, if you prefer), is leaking. No, we're aren't at the point where we need to abandon ship, but it is bad enough that it has to be fixed before we do get to that point. Gripped is a term used by climbers. To be gripped means you are gripped with fear. (Okay, that's an exaggeration in this case but I liked the rhyming of it.) When the water was flowing from the stuffing box like a water faucet, I was beginning to get seriously concerned. Even though we have a total of six bilge pumps, who wants to actually have to use them to prevent disaster???

Brad, the self-proclaimed mechanic, tried fixing the problem himself after buying a BMF pipe wrench (which, of course, barely fit in the bilge.) He spent 3 hours in the hole, sweating like a pig, and while he did tighten the packing, the leak only got worse! That was Saturday while we were docked at Port McNeill. Sunday morning he got a referral for a mechanic who was willing to work on a Sunday, but after much discussion, the mechanic thought it would be better for us to try to make it to Port Hardy where they have a boat lift. That way the stuffing box could be fixed without flooding the boat. (Good idea, don't you think?)

We made it to Port Hardy but wouldn't you know that the boat lift operator takes Sundays and Mondays off. Now here it is Monday and the mechanic said we need to get a custom wrench made in order to get the proper grip in that very limited workspace. By 3:45, the wrench was made, welded and ground down to the proper size. (It didn't fit at first, naturally.) And naturally, the wrench doesn't fix the problem as the packing is screwed in to the max already. Back to square one. It's 4:00 now and they say they will look into it again tomorrow. This is frustrating to say the least! (Port Hardy's idea of Hotel California, I fear. The longer they can make us stay, the more moorage fees, mechanic hours incurred, food purchased, etc.)

Oh, enough about that. I'll let Brad handle that while I try to amuse you with other stuff... Let me recap some of the highlights of our trip so far...

We crossed the Strait of Georgia with winds from 18 to 24 knots with 6' following seas hitting us on our starboard stern quarter. Suffice it to say we were getting rocked and rolled like nobody's business! I steered so that I had something solid to hold on to while Brad tried to keep all of our crap from flying back in forth down below. It was a wild ride, but not the worst I've ever experienced (which was good or I probably would have been sick!)

The weather forecast predicted big winds (25 to 35 knots) for the day after we arrived at Port Neville so we ducked into the bay and anchored in a remote spot where we were the only civilization to be found as far as one could see (and one could see far, believe me.) No lights, just some old, falling-apart buildings long abandoned in the distance. (Port Neville is a ghost town and the surrounding area is likewise uninhabited.) We were discussing setting up the dinghy and going ashore for a little exploration (since it was one of those rare times when it wasn't actually raining!), when Brad exclaimed "BEAR!" Sure enough, there was a bear on shore and a big healthy grizzly bear at that! Our first sighting! He appeared to be eating things he found up on shore - it was low tide - and wandered up and down the beach for over an hour. It was quite a thrilling sight! Needless to say, that nixed the idea of going ashore. (I don't relish the idea of becoming bear pooh.)

Hungry grizzly bear in Port Neville

The next morning we saw a black bear on the shore just a bit further west of where the grizzly had been. This area appears to be quite the grazing spot for hungry bears.

Hungry black bear in Port Neville

One evening we had trouble anchoring. (Okay, we have that trouble a lot, but this time was especially bad.) The anchor just wouldn't set no matter how patient we were. We were beginning to get worried when we finally got it set and by then the winds were really howling. We had used all of the chain rode and some of the rope rode because we needed 5 to 1 scope. This meant that we couldn't use our anchor chain snubber. Brad couldn't figure out how to take the tension off the windlass so I am proud to say some of my climbing knowledge kicked in. The situation was very similar to the fallen climber tie-off, so I used a double runner to make a klemheist knot around the rope rode and carabinered that to one of our jacklines - and voila! - the load was transferred to the bow cleat. Brad was amazed and proud that I was able to figure that out in a clinch. (He's usually the clever, non-panicky type.) I was too, frankly. (However, in hindsight, I don't see why we even needed to do that. With our Delta anchor it is quite easy to pull the rode up behind the windlass, attach it to the bow cleat and then pay out enough rode through the windlass to put the load on the bow cleat. I'm thinking we tried this at the time, but it may have just been that the rode was jammed at the point where it goes up to the windlass, and being stressed out by the wind and rain, we probably didn't think it through far enough to figure out the problem.)

The other day we were thinking about how odd it was that our CQR does not seem to be as secure as it usually has been. The only change is that Brad added 4 pounds of diving weights to its crosspiece. We are thinking that perhaps this has changed its balance enough such that the plow angle has changed slightly and this may be why we are having so much trouble getting a good set. So Brad decided to remove the weights. Please bear in mind that this is awkward to do since the anchor hangs out well beyond the bow roller. (When he put them on, he put the anchor on the dock. No dock now. And the anchor weighs 64 pounds by itself so there is no way he can lift it up over the bowsprit onto the boat to work on it.) Naturally, he dropped our one and only slotted screwdriver overboard. (Did I mention it was part of a matching set, pretty blue with red trim?) And naturally, with the water temperature barely above freezing, Brad refused to retrieve it. (Can you believe it?) I told him that this would happen and to take precautions (by tying the tool to his wrist) but of course he refused to do so and of course he dropped it. Ha! I didn't even have to say I told you so, as he said "You were right!" (Can I get that on tape please?) (We replaced the screwdriver in Port McNeill, but darn it, it is yellow and black. The tool fashion police will be incensed!)

While kayaking one evening (it doesn't get dark here until after 9:00), we saw a majestic bald eagle in a tall tree looking down on us, waiting, and perhaps sizing me up. He apparently decided I was too big to lift so I was safe from those sharp talons and that wicked beak. Whew!

Big bald eagle on high perch

Me and Abby Normal at Crease Island Nook

Just so you know just how anal my husband is, here is a photo of our chartplotter after anchoring at Crease Island Nook. Note that the skull and crossbones are denoting 10' of water and we were already at low tide. Our draft is only 3'8". Ha! Is he conservative or what???

Anchorage Anality at Crease Island Nook

I guess he doesn't want to end up like this boat:

Shipwreck on Johnstone Strait

Here's the sunset over Port McNeill. I missed getting out the camera at the peak when the sun just hit the horizon. So red! But it stayed colorful long enough for me to capture this shot.

Sunset at Port McNeill

In a town earlier on our trip, one fellow said "Bald eagles are like mosquitos around here. They are everywhere!" That does seem to be the case. In Port Hardy, we found one stuffed and Brad felt compelled to take a picture.

Stuffed bald eagle

The marina has a large diesel tank with a lovely mural painted on it:

Orca mural on fuel tank

We met some another couple who arrived here at Port Hardy the same time we did - John and Diane. We went to dinner with them yesterday and have enjoyed several glasses of wine together as we get to know each other. They have been cruising for over a year in this area and are taking a brief trip back home to California (via airplane) in a few days.

John & Diane's boat

John & Diane

If everyone were as nice and as friendly as them, there would be no wars!