Down in the bilges

Not a place I go that often but this week, needs must.

One reason for looking in the bilges was because the other day we lost a tea spoon. One moment it was in the cup, the next, 'tink' and then it wasn't. I dropped a sea-searcher magnet over the side, in case it had gone in the water, but, no luck. And then I happened to look down the side of the engine (this was some days later) and the sun was just at the right angle to reflect in the bowl of the spoon. So, up with the floorboards, remove a couple of battens, arms round the engine in a romantic embrace and, lo and behold, spoon recovered.

The other reason for looking in the bilges was to check up on the stern gland.

Right, I hope you all realise that the bilges are the bottom of the boat where leaky water and oil have their home and the stern gland stops water coming into the bilges along the propellor shaft. Every evening we give the stern gland a wodge of waterproof grease from a hand pump to stop water seeping into the boat. Recently I've been pumping in more grease than usual, which was becoming a tad worrying.

So, into the bilges again but this time lying down flat on my face with very little headroom and a hand torch for illumination. Hand torch decides it wants to fall into the bilges whenever possible. So, flat on face, no headroom, very little elbow room and spanners that are either just too large or just too small. Toolbox just out of reach. Sort that out only to find that the stern gland needs tightening by a good half inch. No wonder I'd needed to pump in so much grease. Anyway, all that grease had to have gone somewhere and I think much of it ended up my arms and all over my face. Still, I was a happy bunny after that and all seems well.

When I reappeared, Brigid asked me if I was going to wash before we went out. I ask you!