Relays, ducks and poetry.

A while back, I was undoing the filler cap to check the oil level in the gearbox when the other end of the spanner crackled loudly, and sparks flew. I'd shorted the 12v supply from the battery bank, but had no idea what it was that I must have touched. It was a matter of seconds before I found the culprit.

Clearly, its cover was missing, hence the sparks. The four cables to/from it disappeared into the depths of the mass of cable around the batteries and the control console. Strangely, and probably not wisely, it was strapped to the albeit lagged exhaust pipe. The biggest problem was that I had little idea of what it was. It was a relay, of that I was sure. Off to the Canal World Discussion Forums.

There were several replies. Everyone knew it was a relay, but there were several different suggestions as to what it was for. The most alarming one was that it was part of the system to stop the engine running. Being a diesel engine, that's not simply a matter of turning off the ignition. Now, if that's what it was, and if I'd damaged it when I shorted it to earth with the spanner, then there would be a significant danger of not being able to turn the engine off the next time we ran it!

Communications with Colin, our trusty mechanic, concluded with the confident advice that it is a split charge relay. This ensures that all batteries are charged when the engine is running, but only the domestic bank get discharged by our domestic appliances - pumps, lighting, TV and the like.

So it was with confidence that we ran the engine and turned Kantara around so that Grace, having completed the roses and castles on one side could finish those on the other. And the engine stopped when we pressed the Stop button!

Further to my question about the mystery duck in the last post, fellow-boater Barry came up with the answer. The duck is a Fulvous Whistling Duck, and Barry had seen one on the marina some years ago. This is the adult. Ours were juveniles.

The other ducky enigma, we've discovered, is the Lesser, Scruffy Wood Duck.

His more reputable relative is the Carolina or Wood Duck. Far more respectable, as you can see!

Do you like poetry? Read no further!

Years ago, Grace dreamed a poem which became the opening of a book she was preparing to write. It was complex, quite long, and beautiful. And complete. The other day, I dreamed a poem. It was pretty simple, short, and acceptable. And incomplete. The oddest thing about it was that it was missing the last line, so I had to write that when I was awake. I hope you know about Haiku.

I’m going to write a Haiku.

It’s not going to be very hard

‘cos, whenever I start writing Haiku,

I can turn them out by the yard.

But there’ll be something different with this one

That’ll make it stand out from the rest.

It will be surely

a poem that ends better

than you might have guessed.

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