Chesapeake Chase Days 9-11: Showers, Pool/Beach and Thruster Repair

June 20, 2022

We woke, riding at our mooring in Carolina Beach, to another cool, beautiful morning.  There was no need to rush our departure for Federal Point Yacht Club Marina, which was just a short distance up the harbor.  We didn’t need to release the mooring ball until 11:00 AM and check in to the marina wasn’t until 10:00 AM.  An added bonus was being able to leave the dinghy in the water.  There was plenty of space on the T-dock at the marina for the dinghy to sit in the water behind Betty Lou for the next two nights.

The original plan had been to go to Wrightsville Beach and then Beaufort, NC where Matthew would meet us to take the girls back home.  Those plans all changed when the bow thruster was damaged and needed to be repaired.  Fred had ordered the parts, but it would be tomorrow before they arrived.  Flexibility is a must when it comes to boating!

The sleeping beauties were awakened when it was time to move.  Miriam especially had to be up because her bed in the pilot house blocked access to the port side door.  Naomi and Phoebe might be needed for assistance with docking.

Since we were going such a short distance, the fenders and lines were already in place. Releasing the mooring ball went as smoothly as picking it up – only one try.  It took less than 30 minutes to pull up to the dock at the marina.  I was prepared to step off the boat at the stern and attach a line, but a man on the dock saw us approaching and took the line from me.  In minutes we were safely tied to the dock.

Fred assessed our position and decided we should move further up.  This could be done by him simply grabbing the bow line and me taking the stern line to walk the boat several cleats up.  The cleats are what we wrap the lines around to secure them. It’s amazing to think two people can move a several ton boat in the water with a line at each end.  I did get help from Miriam (whew!).

Once we were secure and the power connected, Fred and I went up to the marina building to check all the facilities.  One of the first things Fred noticed was recycling bins.  This was the first marina on this trip with recycling.  We had collected enough that we had no more room on the boat.  Fantastic!  The laundry only had one washer and one dryer which were small, and the cost was $2 a load.  We could hold off washing clothes, but sheets and towels would be necessary.  No decision was made, but the option was there.  The bathrooms and showers were the best so far.  Most exciting other than recycling was the swimming pool.  We both knew this would be where our granddaughters would really like to hang out.  We opted to hold off telling them until Miriam had completed her homework.  She was stressed enough without adding a temptation.  There would be no beach time today.  They were all still recovering from too much fun in the sun yesterday.

The afternoon was a mix of homework, games, and getting another couple of travel days published on the website with pictures.  By 4:30 PM, Miriam needed a break, Fred wanted to explore the area on his bike, and all three girls were very anxious to go for a swim.  The dinner planned for tonight was easy, so I took advantage of the quiet time to read and prepare dinner.

Since Wednesday’s unexpected excitement, there has been time to reflect on our adventures of the past week.  For me it has been a true reflection of the power of healthy relationships.  Five different personalities have lived together on a 43’ trawler for nine days and we still hug each other every night and say, “I love you”.  I truly admire Fred for his patience, his ability to handle and solve challenging boat issues, and his perseverance.  Our granddaughters have adjusted well to the difference between traveling on a boat and traveling by car.  They have embraced the inconveniences of boating versus the conveniences of home with little complaint.  They have shown great appreciation several times for this experience.  Have there been some rough moments?  Absolutely!  I do believe though that ultimately, we are all assured and convinced that God is at the helm!

June 21, 2022

Fred and I took advantage of the quiet morning time to sip our coffee and work some more on the travel journal entries.  We would have to wait until later morning for West Marine to call letting us know the part for the thruster was in. Then he would have to arrange an Uber ride to take him to Wilmington, NC.  He called West Marine about an hour after they opened, and the woman assured us she would call as soon as the parts arrived.

We woke the girls earlier than their desired time.  We wanted to dinghy to the tourist area where we had heard about a shop which served warm delicious doughnuts.  It was too early for ice cream.  Fred also wanted us all to see the boardwalk which was parallel to the beach.  It was a lovely way to spend what was left of the morning.  After doughnuts the plan was for the girls to explore and walk back to Betty Lou and then go swim in the pool.

The girls didn’t explore long.  The shops were really geared for people there for beach vacations.  Miriam, Naomi, and Phoebe were more interested in unique places.  The day was also warming up and their minds were on enjoying the pool.  Lunch first, then slather up (and then some), pack bags–making sure to include goggles, towels, more sunscreen, speaker for music, chips, and phones and they were gone for the afternoon.

By mid-afternoon we had still not heard from West Marine.  Fred called again.  Yes, the part had come in.  It’s a good thing we didn’t continue to wait for them to call. They have a business to run, and our urgency was not their urgency.  He called Uber and went on his way.  This was the first time he had ever used his Uber ap.  When all was said and done, he was pleased with his Uber experience giving the driver 5 Stars.  The best part was the driver gave Fred 5 Stars as a passenger!

The plan for the evening was to eat out for dinner.  When Fred returned, we moseyed on over to the pool to join the girls.  Neither one of us was up for getting in, but we enjoyed sitting by the pool watching them and interacting with them.  They do love the water.  As dinner time got closer, Fred approached three other people at the pool to ask about recommendations for a place to eat and the best place to get ice cream.  They were most helpful with suggestions.  The restaurant, Stokers, had a dinghy dock – another opportunity for one of the crew to drive the dinghy.  It was Phoebe’s turn again and she did a fine job!

Dinner was good but took much longer than anticipated, which meant we had to hurry to get to the combined ice cream/gift shop – Celtic Creamery/Seaside Shenanigan’s Boutique – before it closed.  We made it in time, and we thoroughly enjoyed the ice cream.  It was the best on the trip so far! 

Back at the dinghy dock, there was lively music coming from a boat across the water.  Miriam and Phoebe knew the song and immediately got into the groove and entertained us with their dancing. 

The ride back – Naomi driving the dinghy – was so peaceful in the dark.  We do have lights so other boats can see us, but we pretty much had the channel to ourselves.

Tomorrow was to be our last day in Carolina Beach and the girl’s final day with us.  Fred also had to repair the thruster which would be no easy feat and a first ever for him.  He was determined!

June 22, 2022

It was going to be a workday for three of us.  Miriam had lectures to listen to followed up by homework.  Fred’s priority was to fix the bow thruster.  My list included lots of laundry (all day in our mini washer/dryer combo), helping Fred as much as he needed, and grocery shopping.    Naomi and Phoebe were on their own.  I felt badly that all five of us could not do something extraordinary on their last day, but we needed to be able to anchor, and that meant we also needed the bow thruster working.  They were very understanding, but I am guessing quietly disappointed.

Getting in the hole was easier for Fred than getting out, so I was designated gopher.  Fred may be the expert in boat yoga, but I am becoming the premier gopher.  I spent more time in the engine room today than in all our years of boating.  Even though he tried to anticipate everything he would need once he squeezed into the hole, there are always parts and pieces that require the tool you didn’t anticipate needing.  Some of these were in the engine room.  Eventually, he had to ride his bike to a hardware store to purchase a tool he did not have but needed.  Sometimes he makes do, but this time he needed a certain wrench to complete the repair task.  I offered to go purchase the tool, but he needed the break from his very cramped position in the hole.  (He also really enjoys hardware stores and looking at tools.)

Naomi and Phoebe really wanted to go back to the beach.  The day was very warm and walking to and back from the beach was not at all appealing.  When Fred returned from the store, he agreed to take them in the dinghy, but they would have to walk back – a good compromise.

We continued working throughout the afternoon.  The new tool did make the job easier for Fred but doing something for the first time in a very tight space made the whole process take much longer.  Matthew was coming today to drive the girls home tomorrow.  He would take me to get groceries after dinner.

Naomi and Phoebe, with a stop for ice cream, walked back to Betty Lou and immediately left for the pool.  Miriam by this time really needed a break and went with them.  Just after 6:00 PM Fred had the new parts in place and the thruster all back in position and was ready for the big test!  Prayers, fingers crossed, nerves about to explode; IT WORKED!!!!!!  This was an amazing accomplishment!!  Matthew arrived shortly after, and all was well!

We ate a delicious meal on the boat of grilled chicken tenders, broccoli, and rice.  Adriane had sent banana bread which we all agreed would be good with some ice cream (of course).  We went to Publix for the groceries which included a carton of ice cream.  We enjoyed our desert and then went to bed.  We all needed to be up early tomorrow morning.  Sweet dreams everyone!

Captain’s Comments:

I was happy when I was able to get the reservation at the Federal Point Yacht Club, but it turned out to be much nicer than expected. Apparently, several of the members are involved in managing and caring for the facility–all friendly and knowledgeable. Short walk to Publix and town. It was homey, but with the nicest shower and pool of the trip so far. Only one washer and dryer, and $4 per wash/dry, but the quarters were in a jar on the laundry shelf that you could exchange on an honor system.

I took advantage of the location for bike ride around the harbor to check out the board walk, and the ice cream options.

Thruster Repair

The Uber ride to West Marine in Wilmington was a little longer than expected, but my driver was great, a retiree from restaurant management, and I enjoyed the conversation. West Marine overcharged me for the parts by $240, but I paid and left, since my driver had agreed to wait for the return trip. West Marine refunded the error when I called back later.

It was a little scary disassembling the thruster for the first time. I had discussed it with Scott (at Helmsman) and asked if he had ever done the job–no, but one of their technicians had… The best help was from the Imtra customer service technician; he described the steps, and was pretty insistent that I remove the motor from its mount, since the mounting screws for the solenoid bracket were “tricky” to access. They were. I took pictures before disconnecting each wire to help ensure they got back to the correct connections.

As the Admiral described, I needed a 17mm wrench that I didn’t have on board. No problem, I needed a break for the bike ride to the Ace hardware store. The only 17mm wrench they had was in an expensive set (the cheap sets skipped 17mm, and the individual 17mm wrench was out of stock). So, I ended up buying a $60 17mm wrench (with some companions that I’ll eventually, probably, put to use). In these days of international supply chains, you need a pretty full set of both English and metric tools. The thruster was built in the UK but was metric.

I was happy when it worked. Taking a shower later, I noticed a line of bruises across my shoulder blades where I had wedged myself in and out of the space around the thruster. Boat yoga–not for faint of heart.