A Second Day Anchored off Elbow Cay

Enjoying the relaxing anchorage we elected to remain a second night anchored off Elbow Cay.   In the morning we paddled windward past the bustle of Tahiti Beach and on to Cooper Jack’s Cays. 

Paddle Boarding along Cooper Jack's Cays with Tilloo Cut in the Background

In one of the cuts between the cays we discovered a small break.  Anne attempted to surf in a kneeling position and I was able to eke out a 10 second ride.

Anne paddling back in after attempting to surf

After surf practice we returned to C’est la Vie for lunch (a.k.a.  Anne’s midday trouncing of Jeff at Spite & Malice, a popular pastime aboard.)  Licking my wounds from cards, I set about treating our sick 2HP Honda dinghy motor.  The motor would start on full throttle with full choke, but died within seconds of starting.  My best guess… water in the fuel from errantly leaving the tank vent open during the thunderstorm in Little Harbor.  The fuel tank proved easy to remove and drain.  The fluid we drained into a one liter bottle settled into two components. Fuel resting atop approximately one tablespoon of water.  Delighted that my diagnosis appeared to be correct and feeling that the motor was now on the road to recovery, I reassembled the engine.  Unable to easily access the fuel lines and carburetor, I figured that I could run out the remaining foul fuel while the motor hung on the stern of the boat.  This is possible since these small Honda outboards are air cooled.  I coaxed the engine along at full throttle and full choke for a time.  Eventually it began to sputter along at lower rpms.  I declared the demon exorcised from the outboard and set off for another round of surfing the paddle board at the cut unaware that the demons were plotting revenge.