The 07:45 forecast is good, so we are off down-island. We pulled out of Sandspit Marina at 09:30, and headed north to get around the sand bar that extends well north of Sandspit. After clearing the bar, we turned south. The run SSE off the coast of Moresby Island was uneventful, although we had an excellent sail on a broad reach. We turned to starboard into Cumshewa Inlet at 18:00. In the lee of the island, the wind died and we were unable to sail through the last of the ebb tide through the narrows. Unfortunately, the engine would not start, despite my best efforts over a 30 minute period. John, on "Massilia", graciously offered to give us a tow through the narrows. Once through, we were able to sail for a bit, but the wind died off again as the sun set, so "Massilia" towed us the last 4 miles or so to Beattie Anchorage; we arrived just before midnight in total darkness, with me navigating using GPS and radar from the nav station on "Prairie Rose" and John on "Massilia" playing tug and receiving instructions via the VHF. We found the mooring ball without difficulty, tied up, rafted together and went to bed.

Log = 58.0 N-m, Sum = 446.7

When we woke up in the morning, it was somewhat disconcerting to realize how close we were to the cliffs alongside (which we had not seen last night as we arrived). After breakfast, I changed the secondary fuel filter (lots of sediment and a few drops of water), the primary fuel filter, checked all the fuel lines for blockage (none found), bled the fuel lines at 3 spots, tightened the cable to the glow plugs and was still unable to start the engine. Out of desperation, John and I dinghied into the adjacent lumber camp. They kindly allowed me to use their phone to call John van Strien at NYCSS. He advised to crank the engine for 1 full minute with the bleed open at the main fuel pump, then crank for 1 full minute to start; this worked. Plus, the mechanic at the lumber camp gave me a can of ether; he said to spray this into the air intake before starting and the engine WOULD start; it might not stay running, but it would start. After the engine started, we bled down the fuel lines downstream from the main fuel pump for 10 minutes until there were no more bubbles. Ain't cruising fun?!?