90 miles to go to get to Demopolis but with luck and a downstream current we should make it. At 9:45 I notice a small hydraulic leak at the lower helm. I tightened the cap on the helm to try to stop the leak. BIG MISTAKE! I made it worse. Really bad. It made a big mess and freaked me out. I managed to ditz with it and slow it down to a stead drip. Already planning to add fluid ( I have ATF on board) to get to Demopolis.
We arrived at the Heflin Lock at 10:55 and had to wait for a tow coming through the lock upstream.
As I started to move into the lock at 11:20, the hydraulic steering went out completely! OMG! I should have known better than to tweak something while underway!
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| The lower helm leaked a bucket of fluid. |
I managed to get into the lock safely using the throttles. Coming out of the lock was more difficult because of the currents but I made it. I had Missy steer with the throttles while I worked on the steering. We were going about 5 knots per hour when a large tow came around a turn toward us. I decided to pull over and anchor to wait for the two to pass as we were in a nice straight stretch.
As we jockeyed around keeping the boat offshore the starboard motor seized up and died. CRAP! My first thought is we caught the anchor rode. Nope. CRAP. We must have hit a submerged object. I started the motor and it died when I put in forward. CRAP. I started it again and it died when I put it in reverse. CRAP. The transmission must have seized up.
I went to work on the hydraulic steering system trying to bleed the system. I can't get it to work for beans. CRAP.
So I call Boat US asking for a tow to Demopolis. They cannot send someone out until morning. We are stuck on the river for the night.
This is not the best of situations but it is not totally unsafe. We are close to the west bank of the river on a very straight stretch so we should be alright. I call the lock and let them know where we are and the situation. I put a second anchor out for security. The weather forecast is for rain and a few thunderstorms. CRAP.
Things are very quiet at first. Actually pleasant. Clear skies and almost full moon. Missy remarks how this was the first time on the boat we have not been rushed. She is right.....maybe I am always trying to push too hard??
A tow (Mr. Landon) came downstream around midnight. The lock had let him know we were there and he went by nice and slow. An hour later another tow (Genie) went by northbound. The captain of Genie did not know we were there (I had asked the captain of Mr. Landon to alert northbound tows but I think Genie must have been parked when Landon went by him). It was entertaining listening to the captain of Genie jaw with the lock about us dumb pleasure craft operators. I called Genie up and asked him to alert southbound tows and he was very gracious about trying to help out.
I was up every 30 minutes or so checking our position (making sure we were not dragging the anchor) and looking at my chartplotter to see if there were any boats approaching. It started to rain about 3 AM.
At 4 AM another tow was approaching southbound (Crimson White). Then the thunderstorm hit. We heard a clap of thunder louder than anything I have ever heard...no exaggeration! I heard Crimson White call the lock and tell them he was going to wait out the storm as he had some difficult curves to negotiate. He finally passed around 7AM. Smart Captain!
Long freaking night!
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