Murphy Returns to the Oyster Skiff

Jeff Battling with Murphy

Jeff, Stephen, and I were all set to make a strategic oystering mission this afternoon on the new lease that opened up on Bull’s Bay.  Low tide was at 5:30pm, the air temperature was all the way up to 35 degrees, the wind had laid down a bit, the boat had gas, and we knew the oysters were there.  All we had to do was make sure the boat didn’t get ebbed out so we didn’t have to stay out past dark.  There was nothing that could possibly go wrong.  Right? 

Jeff was getting ready to put the engine down and moved the lever that releases the engine (the trim and tilt is long gone) when a plastic piece broke off inside the mechanism.  This essentially froze the engine in the raised position.  We tried several creative rigs for about an hour and a half, but in the end we gave it up as it was too close to dark.  Diagnosis: need new plastic piece.

Jeff managed to make it up to Cape Romain Marine before they closed, and they had the plastic piece in stock.  We’re going to meet at the boat at 6:15am to put the piece on and go get the oysters we need.  Of course, thanks to Murphy, we will be doing this on the coldest day of the year (10 degree wind chill).  Oh well, it is what it is.