Our over night stop became a five days of bad weather…in Atlantic Highlands. This is not a friendly harbour bottom for anchorage, what so ever, East or West winds are just plan terror. Besides the heavy winds of 40 to 50 knots, we have found a soft bottom….the first night we were set fine. While the second night there was a thunderstorm and we plowed the harbour bottom from one end to the other. The aquaculture farmers would be proud of us. This all occurred at the wee hours of 0:30 in the morning, once we managed to get the situation under control and reset, all 150 feet of chain rode and plow anchor, in ten feet of water. The next morning we thought we set, a second anchor the Bruce was put out. Doing so the engine ran away….those that don’t know what a diesel run away is, was full speed ahead with no one at the throttle. We allowed the engine to cool down and tried once again to no avail. The second engine run away occurred.
Sunday came about and we took on fuel, water and did a pump out. Heading out the harbour, destination Atlantic City and the engine ran away once again for the third time. Dropped our anchor and called a diesel mechanic. Three days later we are ordering a new injector fuel pump at the cost of $750 (remember the Yanmar is only three years old and has less than 700 hours of running time). Two days later and what was thought to be the problem doesn’t seem to be so. The governor spring and controls does not appear to be doing their job. So we wait. Hopefully Monday, Vince the mechanic, will have a solution.
There we are anchored in the middle of the harbour, we were going to take the ferry into New York City, but the wind comes up and we thought we’d best hang about the boat to make sure she doesn’t drag again. Less than an hour later, and we slide by two mooring balls, “we’d best tie up to one of those mooring balls” as we have no engine to assist us Ted heads out in the dinghy puts on a bridle. I pull the boat over to the mooring (now about two boat lengths away) by a sheet slipped through the eye of the bridle. We are now secured with mooring ball and anchor still down.
Meanwhile, a member last week offered us the use of his mooring ball. Mooring balls here are $40 a night, which includes launch service and showers. Ironically, in order to save dollars, Ted taking the dinghy tried towing us over to the members ball. The wind came up and as we were almost at the ball, pushed us as much as ten boat lengths away. Before we knew it… the dinghy was riding up the bow of the boat and Ted’s in the water and the dinghies upside down. Drop anchor…between attempting to get the boat upright and Ted back on board….So IRONIC in order of saving dollars, we end up with an outboard now needing to be flushed of saltwater. The Suzuki dealer here didn’t have time to look at the outboard so a friend took us to Sea Bright to his Mercury dealer. As long as the outboard turns over he’d be able to flush it for us but…if parts are required we’d have to go back to the Suzuki dealer that had no mechanic to assist. Things were on our side…the outboard after a little priming turned over.
All in all…the people of Atlantic Highlands, NJ have been great and made us feel like family. We have learned to crab fish….Actually we have been feeding the crabs well, catching and releasing. Topaz, was quite intrigued by the intruder.
Started our third week here and had hoped we'd be heading to the Intracoastal Waterway via C & D Canal, however, the engine story continues....we will keep you all updated.
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