SH or SH, part 2

Pretoria bridge, while waiting for you
we lost yet another engine.

We woke around 6 am Saturday morning with the realization that we hadn't pumped out in 12 days. For us that typically means we're due. Upon examining the tanks, we were really, really due.

Not wanting to fill them more we took a walk to a local Starbucks for coffee and morning breakfast (it was the only thing open at that hour, trust me, Starbuck in Ottawa seems pitiful). We got back to the boat around 8, started engines, and headed up river to a small marina just a few miles away. 

As we were untying the lines Dave (you remember Dave, the man who knew Orville) helped out. He mentioned that should be fine, seeing as how he fixed the Dowe's Lake Marina pumpout just a couple of days ago (Lol!). He also mentioned we wouldn't get through the bridge until 9 am. Fooey. We didn't even know there was one.

We headed out anyway thinking we'd just wait on a wall for the bridge. When we got there that's just what we did, sidled up to the port side wall. Full of weeds. (That's a plot point, in case it wasn't obvious).

At 8:25 am we had just tied off, turned off engines, and removed our headsets when the bridge master hailed us. "We'll get you under in a couple of minutes, so untie from the wall and wait in the channel." With a shrug, we did all that, and, as promised, the bridge raised.

But, man, the engines sounded funny.

What's involved to fix anything!

We get through the bridge and were slowly moving through the canal ... and I'm watching the port engine temp start to rise. Within minutes it's over 190, which was hot. I put it into idle and on one engine (again!) we made our way into the lake.

(Side observation) A day or so ago we'd noticed these interesting rental boats, Le Boat. They were like houseboats but definitely mono-hulls as opposed to pontoons. But their rub rails made them stand out; huge, think, black rubber lined the boat. They didn't need fenders, they'd just bounce off everything. Turned out, you can rent them at Dowe's Lake Marina. 

(Back to the story) A couple "le Boats" already been rented so very convenient slips -- like drive straight in!-- were available for us to pull into and deal with our overheating engine. We'd ask for forgiveness later. Besides, someone was already at the pumpout, so we had to wait.

Look! It's tube shaped!

Russ dug right in, taking apart the filter from the water intake of the engine. It took a bit of work and grabbing blindly with an extended claw tool, but Russ produced the offending grass. 

With 2 working engines we pumped out, and headed back to the city.

In conclusions, SH again. This time the first definition.

But we were able to catch up with Hannah and David on the walking tour of Ottawa, then we were joined by a friend of mine, Jason, for a long walk across the Alexandra Bridge, we all went to the Canadian Museum of History, then took a water taxi back to town and had dinner.

The canal is gorgeous, lined with bike and walking paths.

Big view of Ottawa from the museum.

On the bridge looking back, a perfect view of the lock steps

A big chunk of the museum focused on the indigenous peoples.
Wonderful artwork, tools, and clothing to see.

... like this.

Great way to save the day!

Hannah, David, Russ, me, and Jason.
Thank you for showing us Ottawa!