The title to this blog is a Bob Dylan song. And a vague tangential reference to the fact we have found ourselves stuck in Coral Bay on the boat - but maybe not really down about that!
We were all ready to head off to Exmouth from here at about midday. Nic was on the helm and I was up the front letting off as I normally do. I spent a lot longer than normal letting off - because the large mooring line was stuck under the bow cleat. Finally I got it free, but in the mean time the boat had sort of drifted up and over mooring ball. I told Nic a few minutes earlier to make sure we were in neutral to avoid any chance of wrapping the prop.
I came to the back of the boat and decided to jump in with a mask and snorkel to make sure we weren't caught up. No probs except there was no propeller on the prop shaft. I quickly grabbed the mooring line and passed it back up to Nic so we could hook back up again. I then went in search of the prop. It was easily found on a clear sand bottom, along with the key way pin.
I thought we must have reversed over the line and this is what has knocked the prop off. So I went in search of the locknut and washer that should be lying around. 1/2hr on snorkel Nic and me combined - 1/2hr on power dive hookah - lunch - 1/2 hr on snorkel again and Nic and me combined 1/2 hr on hookah in an under water systematic search using a set rope from the mooring. No luck.
We'll never know, but it is possible the lock nut came off a while back, and we were just very lucky that the prop decided to drop off here and now. I have taken some measurements and underwater pics to send back to my propeller man in Perth, so he can send us a nut and washer. We will have to stay put for a while, perfecting our fishing techniques.
We had a great dive yesterday over at Asho's Gap - totally awesome coral and not a bad place to get stuck - so we don't have the Memphis Blues again!
We were all ready to head off to Exmouth from here at about midday. Nic was on the helm and I was up the front letting off as I normally do. I spent a lot longer than normal letting off - because the large mooring line was stuck under the bow cleat. Finally I got it free, but in the mean time the boat had sort of drifted up and over mooring ball. I told Nic a few minutes earlier to make sure we were in neutral to avoid any chance of wrapping the prop.
I came to the back of the boat and decided to jump in with a mask and snorkel to make sure we weren't caught up. No probs except there was no propeller on the prop shaft. I quickly grabbed the mooring line and passed it back up to Nic so we could hook back up again. I then went in search of the prop. It was easily found on a clear sand bottom, along with the key way pin.
I thought we must have reversed over the line and this is what has knocked the prop off. So I went in search of the locknut and washer that should be lying around. 1/2hr on snorkel Nic and me combined - 1/2hr on power dive hookah - lunch - 1/2 hr on snorkel again and Nic and me combined 1/2 hr on hookah in an under water systematic search using a set rope from the mooring. No luck.
We'll never know, but it is possible the lock nut came off a while back, and we were just very lucky that the prop decided to drop off here and now. I have taken some measurements and underwater pics to send back to my propeller man in Perth, so he can send us a nut and washer. We will have to stay put for a while, perfecting our fishing techniques.
We had a great dive yesterday over at Asho's Gap - totally awesome coral and not a bad place to get stuck - so we don't have the Memphis Blues again!
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