It happened out there boss. This Super Bowl weekend the Admiral and I took Mariola to Longboat Key, following our friends on Bliss. Now, if you’ve read some past posts, I’ve been working like crazy to solve some starter and alternator problems on Mariola and by Wednesday, before the trip everything was working the way it was supposed to be. That lasted about 5 minutes.
At Moores in Longboat KeyWe show up at the dock Saturday around 10:00 a.m. with loads of food, blankets and, of course spirits. It doesn’t take long to stow everything and make ready to cast off. I turn the key, light up the system and reach nervously for the start button - the Daltons one slip over on Bliss are watching……Mariola responds immediately and fires right up! This cruise is going to be a cakewalk. I have decided I want to top off the diesel so we motor over about 200 feet to the marina fuel dock. Bliss heads out into Boca Ciega Bay to wait for us. Five gallons of diesel and three bags of ice later, I now confidently reach down to mash the starter button and begin our great adventure. Nothing – AAAAAHHH!!!! Down into the cabin to remove all the engine covers and investigate, pull out the spare wire and jump across the stater. It fires up. Two days of hunkering over this diesel and I still have to start it like this. Gremlins 1, hapless captain 0. I’m sure I’ll score some points later…
PRESS ON, PRESS OFF
Maybe I can tinker with the switch/wiring while The Admiral steers across the bay. We meet up with Bliss and motor on to Structure C. Talking back and forth with Bliss on the handheld VHF while crossing the bay, I notice the battery is almost dead. Strange for a device that sits on the charger when not in use. Admiral runs below and produces the spare battery that is more dead than the first one. Gremlins 2, Capt. 0. Still have the regular VHF down in the cabin – awful hard to hear it with the diesel chugging away.
We’re through Structure Ca around 11:45 and Bliss sets sail, so do we. The wind is all over the place, really flukey, and chilly too. For the heck of it, I mash the start engine button – it works. I’m not going to dignify this with a score count. It’s rough in the channel, I’m reaching my redline for frustration and the wind is jibing us, throwing us and chaffing my butt even more. I bring up the option of turning back but the look of disappointment on The Admiral’s face changes my mind. Bliss also gave me some calm, encouraging words over the hard-to-get-to VHF so we keep going.
Side-note: After some harrowing experiences in perfectly working vessels, I’m very apprehensive about going to sea in something that’s malfunctioning. A lesson Papa RumHead taught me while growing up in Ohio – always make sure your stuff works BEFORE you go.
Our micro-flotilla travels out Pass-A-Grille, into the Gulf and down to Egmont. It’s cold, the wind is dead out of the South on the nose and we decide to head into Tampa Bay and motor. Before long we have motored through Anna Maria Island causeway, Cortez causeway, and find ourselves tied to the dock outside of Moores Restaurant.
WHEW, MADE IT
This is NOT The Call of The SeaAfter some of the biggest and swear-to-baby-Jesus, best tasting raw oysters we have ever had, it’s back to the boats for more food and drinks. This little bay is amazing. Quiet except for a few kyakers mucking about. Appetizers and cocktails are served on Bliss and then it’s over to Mariola for steak and tuna on the grill, dinner in the cabin. A couple of rounds of Pass-The-Pigs were played and then the rest turns into a blur. All I remember is that is was a hell of a lot of fun. I do remember the cabin lights getting dim, messing with the battery switch and thinking I set it back to the house battery….
Next morning, after a beautiful sunrise, coffee and banana/chocolate chip bread from Bliss- we’re ready to head back. The faithful starter button in mashed and I’m met with the familiar sound of failure. Dead Jim. Antony comes over to help and we determine that both batts are stone dead. He lends me a battery and I still have to jump the starter - starter button is still on strike. On top of that, while checking the oil after breakfast, I noticed black engine oil sitting in the normally clean pan under the motor. This is new. Gremlins – oh hell, I’ve lost count.
It really is beautiful down in Longboat Key and I hope to return soon with a boat that doesn’t cause so much vein popping in my head. The water is very clear and I feel like I’m in The Keys. Truly a beautiful place. As we pull away I think I definitely will return – or maybe won’t be able to leave. Marooned here forever. So back into the Gulf we go via the single span Longboat pass bridge. It was a beautiful sail home even though it felt like Bliss was holding our hand like some little kid sucking his thumb, hiding behind Mom. Many thanks Bliss.
TO SUMMARIZE THE THORNE I CALL MARIOLA
Here’s a crap-out list of items from this weekend – not including me.
- Starter push switch or some unknown wiring problem
- Handheld VHF radio batteries
- Stuffing box leaks like crazy when motoring – not while sitting
- Mystery oil under engine on way down, not on way back – WTF
- My new watch stopped
- Both boat batteries went dead, think only one was switched on – this could be wrong because of all the rum. Gotta make sure though, and get more rum
- Camera battery went dead prematurely
At this point, if somebody came around with the right amount of $$ they could most likely walk away with Mariola and Patches - it wouldn’t take much $$ either. My time could be used to finish building my Penobscot 14 - a gaff rigged sloop with no electronics. The Admiral is against this, but we’ll see how long the sting of these problems fester in my head. This bigger boat ownership thing is turning into one of those love/hate relationships – Mariola and I haven’t talked since Sunday.
See the full gallery of pics from this trip.
UPDATE: Video from the trip.
{ 2 comments }
