Day 11
After yesterday’s excitement around our AC electrical supply short-circuiting and the follow-on circumstance of no generator and no fresh water maker, Skipper Emily has wisely instructed energy and water reduction measures including washing dishes, clothes and ourselves in saltwater and conserving our fresh water supplies for cooking and drinking. The crew are more than happy with a little squalor, happy that we have enough fresh water to see us through to St Lucia in 8 or 9 days, and confident that our run of bad luck had come to an end and today things would be on the up? How wrong can you be!
After a plentiful and multi-spiced chili con carne prepared by David and Graham, the wind in our tummies were given cause to rise but those in our sails began to fall away. Emily’s interpretation of the weather forecast for the next 24 hours was for a mixture of squalls, unpredictable winds which would probably fade to nothing. Hence, her decision to start the motor and journey on horsepower (allowed under race rules, if disclosed) for the next 24 to 36 hours! Two hours later, an increasing discernible whine (from the engine compartment, not the crew) was noticeable. Early opinion on cause shifted from the engine to the propeller shaft; manuals were referenced, and common opinion concluded on a lack of grease in and around the stuffing box (joint where shaft leaves hull). How this greasing could be achieved was a mystery the manuals did not reveal, so time to sleep and ponder; the engine was turned off and Great Escapes made slow progress in light winds with two reefs in on the main in case of squalls!
Emily’s morning call to Phil at base gave stuffing box greasing instruction, resulting in job done, to no avail and the whining (of shaft and now crew) continued. An underwater inspection of the propeller was undertaken – Jan and Steve eagerly stripped and fully inspected static propeller and rope cutter twice – no problems there, but Jan and Steve smell much fresher. Phil having made some calls reported back that some sort of debris has entered around the shaft and that this might burn off with continued use. So, we are now motoring and hopes are that the whine will disappear in time. Our on/off motoring antics were combined with the raising and dropping of genoa and mail sails more times today than the cumulative total to date. Gregorio on raising the main sail for the final time had the jammer come away in his hand and this has been removed and the main halliard has been secured at the winch.
What next you might wonder…………as Steve has already said ‘you guys declined the Tourist Package and signed up for the Adventure Package’………..and this Great Escape is delivering in spades!
David