Aug 5 - Coecles Harbor to Clinton

We had plans to hit a new port, a nice anchorage, but after the problems with the engine, I think I need another dockside night to regain some confidence that things will keep going without additional problems. Although the engine started fine last night, and the air in the system problem seems to have been corrected, the engine was still very reluctant to start this morning.

The service manager had a look, and declared that there was nothing specific wrong, but there might be any number of smaller problems working together to make things fail. He cited the usual suspects: the starter, the electrical wiring, the glow plugs. All of these have been suspects for years, most have been replaced, but the ghost in the engine remains, after years of searching and many dollars. They suggested I might leave the boat here a week or so -- I'm tempted, as they do have a certain credibility -- but we're off again on the adventure, with a new (or rather, modified) worry to keep in the back of our minds. We do, in any case, have two new batteries.

Coecles Harbor Marina is a nice spot, in a lovely spot. The marina has a reputation for rehabilitating old wooden Hinckleys, and appears to have a very fine operation. They certainly were as helpful as they could be, given the timing, to us.

In any event, we're on the way and it is a terrific day. Not much wind, but clear blue sky, fair weather clouds and warm dry air. Where has this weather been? It sits here and acts as if it were always here, like a faithful dog who has had his run and now appears at home as if never gone.

We just passed through Plum Gut, which is one of the several passages between the Atlantic (or in this case, Gardner's Bay) and Long Island Sound. The tide runs very fast here, and the water is very confused. The tide is with us, so it is no real problem except to steer the right course and duck when the spray caused by the short chop slapping up against the hull comes at you. The chart produced by our navigation program shows tidal currents as red arrows. Plum Gut is the land of big red arrows, to be sure.

Did I mention what a nice day it is?

We elected to have a short run, and a stay dockside just to gain some confidence with the engine. We start to see signs of the Clinton Flies. It may not be just Clinton, but this part of the Sound seems to have those nasty, black, biting files. (Actually, they must just inhabit the area, as when we were last in Essex, Brewer's gave away flyswatters with their welcome kit.) No bites, yet, and these guys are nothing compared to their green headed cousins we've encountered in Maine.

We enter Clinton with no trouble; the new channel is terrific. We tie up and will head off for the pool, to drown our worries about mechanical problems and the end of vacation. Dinner remains an unknown. We were going to eat on board tonight, but then, we're in a town. We found out that a local place we wanted to go had been closed down because of some alleged drug dealings of the owner. We'll have to see what develops.