July 2016. Top Rack to Salt Pond, and then on the road to Wisconsin

We wanted to leave Top Rack before 8AM to get into Salt Pond before low tide.  The Salt Pond is one of those places known for shoaling.  They dredge it once every two years but its still less than 5 feet in places.

Gilmerton Bridge

So we were up and moving out of the slip at 7:45.   It was an easy trip for the most part.  All the bridges were open and the Gilmerton Bridge, which has been undergoing repairs, closed but still gave us was 35 feet which we clear easily.

Once clear of the bridges the next few miles winds through a commercial shipping area with large freighters, tugs pushing barges and other assorted commercial boat traffic.  All very cool to watch as we glided by.  We only encountered two barges moving through some of the more restricted areas waterways but no issue there.

Emerging from the commercial shipping section, we entered the Naval Shipyard area.  The Elizabeth River winds through here and down to Portsmouth and Norfolk before getting to Hampton Roads.

CVN 77

As we made our way down the river we passed  the newest Nimitz class carrier, USS George H.W. Bush, CVN 77.  It was in the yard being outfitted.

There were numerous other ships in dry docks or at  refit piers.  A few I even remembered from the last time we were here.  It’s always fun running down through Norfolk and gawking at all the ships and listening to the radio chatter.  A busy place.

As we left Hospital Point and entered the Hampton Roads, Mary took over the helm and I went down to grab a sandwich.  I was coming up on the bridge and noticed a large warship off our port bow a few miles away when a sudden shrill alarm went off.  At first I thought we were being assaulted by one of the many little security boats that patrol the Naval Base.

A quick scan of the instruments highlighted the problem immediately.  The starboard engine was over heating.  I shut it down right away and our speed dropped to 4.5mph.  This was going to alter our arrival time in Salt Pond to somewhere around noon.  Noon, as it could only be, was low tide. Ugh …

Mary drove while I went down to diagnosis the trouble.  I first suspected the raw water pump but it looked fine.  It was then I noticed some odd circular metal pieces lying in the bilge.  Not good.

The engine was to hot to take the fan shroud off so I just blocked off the starboard shaft which was rotating from the forward motion of the boat and went back up to wait awhile for the engine to cool down.

The temp sensor was showing a high of 190 degrees so I don’t think there is any damage aside from whatever caused the problem.  And that, I’m pretty sure is a shredded belt caused by a seized pulley, water pump, alternator or the belt tensioner.  The belt was replace a few years ago and looked in fine shape the last time I checked.

USS Arleigh Burke

A few minutes after I came up to the fly bridge, the radio came alive with calls from warship 51,  USS Arleigh Burke.   It was a general call to anyone n the vicinity to maintain a position, 500 yards away from the ship.

They even called us personally with a warning not to alter our course.  We felt so important for few moments as the ship slide by us.  We were riding a crest of current at that time and making 6mph on one engine.

Once they were passed we put tour boat on autopilot and I gazed at the ships as we passed the naval docks.  Submarines, and all manner of surface ships.  And USS George Washington(CVN-73) was in the last dock of the naval base where carriers are berthed.

USS Leyte Gulf

Shortly after passing the the naval docks, warship 55, USS Leyte Gulf came barreling towards us from the ocean.  They were bound for dock 5 in the naval base. There were no escort patrol craft or tugs.  But its an AEGIS Cruiser, one of billion dollar electronic marvels so maybe they don’t need any extra protection.  But they did have manned, large caliber have a bow and stern caliber guns.

So we stayed 500 yards away from them too.  And I knew they were headed to dock 5 because they were being met by a yard tug which confirmed this on the radio.

Tensioner pretty well blown apart

After that ship passed I went down again and was able to take the unbolt the fan shroud and get it off to see what happened.  Sure enough, the tensioner had must have locked up, shredding the serpentine belt and the tensioner casing and spilling ball bearings all over.  Belt dust covering everything.  The water pump and alternator spun fine so they are OK.

But we have only on operable engine.

I removed what was left of the now crumbled tensioner and went up top to start hunting for a source for another one.  But of course, it’s a holiday weekend.  Nothing open on Saturday.   I called the marina about our situation and they suggested I contact Old Dominion Marine which does repair work and more importantly located right in the marina.

In the meantime they decided to have us tie up on the T-head of  L dock instead of a cozy slip on J dock.  This, because we cant maneuver very well at all on a single engine.  The rudders are too small to be very effective. 

Entering the Salt Pond Channel from the Bay

Entering the channel to Salt Pond is tricky.  Especially at low tide.  I did mention it was low tide, right?

The channel starts in the Bay and then after about 1/2 mile, there is a hard turn to port taking you into Salt Pond channel itself.  The instructions for large boats are to stay well to the green side and then well to the red side after the 90 degree turn to run down through the pond.  Staying to the green side or red side simply means maneuvering closer to the red  or green buoys which mark the channel.   

After the turn and in Salt Pond

I tried to do that but there were small boats coming out and not moving over far  enough to let us pass.  We didn’t ground, but it was close.  It was worse after the turn where I could see some docks literally all high and dry.  Our depth sounder screamed several times as we made out way down the pond.

Salt Pond is really a rather narrow slit of water behind a barrier finger of land that fronts Chesapeake Bay.  Its quite protected and is packed with boats.  And its shallow.

We pulled into L dock and got tied up with the help of a few dock hands.  The docks are floating which leave a good 5 feet to jump.  Spry old me can still do it, but its not a grandmotherly activity.  So we brought out the ladder.

We just made the turn and saw this.  Low tide!

I immediately went looking for the mechanic and obtained  his number from the marina office where we walked after securing the boat.   George, a gracious, mild mannered guy, said he could do it and would stop by that evening.

Meanwhile Mary went back up to the office to pay and then stood around admiring the pool.  I called the car rental folks and but they couldn't pick me up for a few hours because they had no cars yet.

Mary was returning top the boat and as she was walking back down the dock, became engaged in conversation with Jim and Judy on a Looper boat a few slips from where we were tied up.  Mary, was slowly walking to our boat and Judy was following and then she and I got into a conversation as Mary slyly slipped on board and into the cabin.   After a while we all just escaped back into our boats and the cool air.  It was hot!

That's us, last boat on the right sticking past the piers

The long walk to the parking lot and pool

The pool and marina office in the background

I was perplexed though about Jim and Judy who I thought we had met somewhere, but evidently not.

We basked in the cool air for a bit before getting the laundry ready and then walking over to the laundry center up by the marina office.  I brought along some money so we each devoured an ice cream sandwich.  As we walked back to the boat, it started pouring.

Tricked out golf cart owned by one of the boaters here

We enjoyed a few hours of thunderstorms before a lull allowed us to go back to get the laundry into a dryer.  And as we walked back to the boat it poured again.  Karma?

Salt Pond is really located in Buckroe Beach which is sort of a suburb of the city of Hampton.  Its a bit of a beach town with some pretty poor sections.  The beach, which looks out over Chesapeake Bay, looks quite inviting.

Just as I climbed aboard once again  Enterprise called me.  This incredibly cherubic young lady was all excited saying they were ready to pick me up. It was pretty funny.  Such excitement!

So I got some dry clothes on, took my phone and went up to meet Isaiah, the Enterprise driver who drove me to the office in downtown Hampton right next to the Hampton Marina.  Isaiah was quite  talker.  He moved her from somewhere in northern Virginia and had worked in Virginia Beach prior to being transferred to the Hampton office.  He gladly provided some directional suggestions, the most poignant being the importance of  Buckroe Road, the road which leads to the marina.   

We have a Dodge Charger, a high powered racy type car instead of a nice standard old sedan with a big trunk.   I didn't have much choice since it was the only car left.

I drove back to the marina trying to remember the route we took getting to the office.  Nothing was looking familiar so I resorted to using Google which, sure enough, placed me on Buckroe Road.   Can I even read a map anymore?

Once back, we settled in for some dinner and then began a marathon Fraizer watching session only to be interrupted by George the mechanic who came on board.  He’s very busy this weekend and said he wont be relaxing but working all every day.  

I said I just need some parts but didn’t have a line on a good part place that was open.  It all boiled down to him doing the work and getting the part so we could leave before the 4^th.  The marina though wants us to vacate this T-head so we maybe not be able to leave until after the holiday since we aren't able to maneuver well enough on only one engine.

Tomorrow we will find out what happens.  We're lucky in that these are all very nice folks

Woke up at 9.  Mary worked on her glass project.  Then we went to store, Walmart and Home depot.  Buying more stuff.

We are tying a new technique to limit closed up boat odors.  Lay charcoal laid in rectangular planters and then place the planters in the bilge.  

After we returned we got the charcoal / planters situated in the bilge.  I cleaned up the debris and residue from the exploded tensioner.  And then got the dinghy cover back on.  To finish off a productive day I cleaned out both shower sumps and showers too. 

An exciting day leading to a more exciting day tomorrow when frantic packing occurs

Never saw George the mechanic today.  He was going to show up  but evidently was too busy.

Desert comes first?

We cleaned and packed all day getting the boat ready to stay alone for a month.  We did drive to Anna's Pizza.  It was ok, but nothing special.  Mary was hungry so ate some chocolate concoction for desert.  First.

It rained for a good part of the afternoon, a Nor’Easter with plenty of wind.  I went out and put out a second aft spring line and we closed up all the screens.

Later the air became cooler and less humid as the day moved along and the showers dissipated.

Taking advantage of the kindly weather we started hauling luggage to the car.  We have to park it on a gravel lot which is over a 1/4 mile away.  Dock carts are wonderful inventions.

Uneventful day.  Well not really.    We got up, hauled the rest of the luggage to the car, set up the dehumidifier and did the other “leaving the boat for a month” things.  I closed it up, did a last check on the lines and then we walked to the car and set off to the nearest MacDonalds for breakfast even though it was after 10AM.

We hopped on the I-64 and off we cruised at a unsettling 70mph while resurrecting the Hampton Inn / cheaper alternative argument.  I usually win these, one of my rare victories.    The day was on again, off again torrential rain showers and tornado warnings.  Ugly weather!  We should be able to make it to Wisconsin the next day.