Home!
Nope! I can't tell you what happened with the water system. I will tell you when I find the cause. I've not pulled the floor yet as it's been too hot & sticky. Sitting on the mud @ a 30 degree slant makes it hard to walk in.
It was a mess but we worked into the night & cleaned up what we could. I would bail & sponge the well dry but in 30 minutes water would fill the well again. This was alarming to my friend’s wife. She wasn't convinced we were safe from sinking. She was up most of the night checking the well. What was going on was simple run off from ALL the bilge structure it takes time.
We had other water in collapsible plastic containers. We had a good, last breakfast, weighed anchor & headed home. Being from Arizona, the friends were amazed at how green the country was. For the first time they were @ 1/2 throttle and enjoying the sights. A cell phone call had Bob waiting on the riverbank as we choose a spot on the far bank. I untied the skiff & motored across to Bob. By the time I got back to the HB, they were all packed and ready to go. They were not up to the final 6 miles & the last lock.
Bob drove us all into Lafayette where they chose a Holiday Inn. Their Amtrak train wasn't due until the next day. They both vowed to sleep until then. We hugged, I shook Zones hand & it was over (for them).
It was the 4th of July, our sons wedding wasn't until the 7th. We returned to our swamp & the boat.
It takes a 24 hr. notice to pass through the antiquated contrivance the Corps calls a "Lock". We would have to arrange another day to pass through, this day was shot. It was already raining hard. No matter, we were home. Truthfully, my butt was longing for my recliner & a link of boudin. Marybob jumped into what was left of the wedding preparations. My able first mate turned back into a "girl".
While in Evansville, I hooked directly to the water supply there. The pressure was too high. It expanded the tanks & made the floor bulge a little. We soon discovered it & unhooked. For the next week we watched for any harm that might have been done. We found none. I checked the bilge every day, it remained dry. I checked it a few times during the trip also. We were dry in Memphis. The last refill was Greenville, Miss. I must admit that I did not check the well after Memphis. Tons of suitcases & other things were stacked over the access. All the faucets worked with good supply.
While the Gibson took wakes well, there were a few that were gigantic. Marybob or I would angle into them IF we were the pilot. Falling under the heading of "not" getting it, the Buds would simply wallow in them. Twice under their watch, they both wallowed in BIG, hard wakes that resulted in tossing everything off & out of the counters. Once I was rolled out of my bunk. Could this be a clue? Was it the markers we mowed down? Was a tank "ripped" or a sitting pulled? I reckon I'll know after I pull the floors. There are 2 tanks hooked into a common supply. Whatever happened, the WHOLE total of water ended up in the Bilge (and floor) Many, many, many 5 gal. buckets worth!
Tomorrow, some final thoughts
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