Yopps Cove

Yopps Cove VA, N 37 35.491 W 76 25.923

We're headed for Urbana. Urbana is supposedly another of those charming villages one finds up at the end of creeks lining the Chesapeake. We must admit, they sure are charming.

This morning I planned to leave early because winds would be light and we had a long way to go,
but the engine wouldn't start again. Darn! I grumbled and swore at the balky fuel cutoff and I started to open up the engine to take things apart and put them back together again, getting myself thoroughly greasy in the process. Then I stopped to think some more. This morning the outside temperature was near freezing, and yesterday had been cold too. Despite all my fiddling yesterday, the engine finally started fine when the sun had a chance to warm things up.

Hmmm, I studied my diesel books and read about difficult starts in cold weather. There are three types of cold start aids. Thermostarters, glow plugs and air intake heaters. Our Perkins engine had none of those. However, I knew how to get one -- a propane torch, so I rowed ashore to walk up o the hardware store. Before leaving thought, "By the time I get back from the store, it may
have warmed up enough to start anyhow." Nevertheless, off to the store I went. When I returned with a torch, I decided to try the key one more time. It started right up. At least I have another diagnostic to add to my kit, and the next time it happens and I'm too impatient to wait, I'll have the torch handy.

We snapped a photo record of the houses of Onancock Creek this morning. If they turn our well, I'll post the best ones on the blog.