If there is anything more frustrating than not being able to figure out why there is an alarm going off, we don't know what it could be. On our approach to Rock Hall on Sunday an alarm suddenly started sounding. It was windy and rough, and we'd been bouncing along for about an hour when the noise started. The only light flashing was the alarm light. We lost the tachometer temporarily but everything else was working just fine. Logically, it seemed to be that all the motion had jarred a wire loose somewhere. We weren't in a position to check it out just then, and put up with the noise as we made our way into Haven Harbour Marina in Swan Creek.
Since then, Dan has been shoulder-deep in the engine. Loose wire? Couldn't find one. Alternator? Nope, seemed to be doing its job. Batteries are charging. Engine starts just fine. The instrument panels shows all readouts working fine. It's just that every time the engine starts, the alarm starts too. (Since we're a motor-sailor, we'd kind of like to make sure this problem is fixed for good. We don't move without the engine running.) There were many calls to Beta Marine, who suggested it might be a faulty regulator. We are in a full-service marina at which both my cousin and his wife work, so we have access to consults who concurred and a new regulator was ordered and delivered in record time. However, it turned out the new regulator did not shut down the alarm. More calls to Beta Marine. Ground wire, they suggested. Check the ground wire at the bottom of the engine.
Now, the engine schematic that came with the new engine (put in only a few years ago) has never been accurate. It calls for wires that aren't where wires actually are, wires with different colors than actually exist, and other anomalies. Yet Dan patiently (and not-so-patiently) traced and checked wires as he sought out the problem. At one point it seemed things were fixed, but that proved not to be the case. He is still working on it as I write this.
In the meantime, we've spent some time with my cousin Denny and his wife Laura, explored a little bit of Rock Hall by bicycles (supplied by the marina) as we visited local marine and hardware stores, and we've been looking for our cat Tommie.
Sometime on Sunday evening she decided to go walkabout and hasn't been back since. There have been possible sightings in the extensive marina grounds, but she has remained elusive. We are staying positive, believing she is actually wandering the grounds and finding comfortable accommodations in the millions of places to hide, as well as plenty of food in the nearby marshes. We have since heard several missing cat stories where cats eventually returned to their owners, sometimes after a couple of months! and we hope this will be the end to our story too. We miss her terribly and hate the thought of moving on without her. My cousins, the other employees of this marina and the people in the very friendly town of Rock Hall are all helping us keep an eye out. We've placed posters, notified vets and shelters, walked the docks and the yard several times. In the meantime, we wait, and hope, and Dan takes out his many emotions on the engine chasing down that alarm problem.
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