This morning we had heavy cloud cover over Seattle. I love looking at the sky scrapers against the gray blanket of fog.
On Saturday’s my friend and fellow Marine Service Engineer Matt works on his new boat. I need to correct some details in the last post I wrote about it. The boat is an 83′ long ex-Coast Guard Cutter. Wheeler Shipyard in Brooklyn NY built this boat in 1942. Eventually I will get all the details written down here.
This week I wanted to take 599 to 99 up to Lake Union. Well 99 was shut down so I drove surface streets. I like getting a view of Seattle from many angles, and their was little traffic on my route. I drove right next to the Viaduct, I am going to be sad to see this old road go. About 6 years ago one morning on the drive to work, I was driving perhaps spiritedly, thru traffic on the Viaduct. As I was passing a car in the center lane, going about 70mph, a black Ferrari flew past me like I wasn’t moving. I will always remember that on the Viaduct. Its sad that such a cool road is being torn down for more real estate. We are losing the character of our city to commerce.
I arrived at the dock in Lake Union where the boat is being kept. Matt and a friend of his were moving 2 very large batteries on the dolly. They didn’t make it very far before the rim failed and the tire came off. It was quite amusing, I haven’t seen a rim just fold before. Nothing like the finest quality Chinese steel I tell ya….
The big project today was removal of the old Carbon Dioxide fire suppression system. There were three C02 bottles that needed to be removed. The guys set about removing the linkage that joined all 3 handles. The bottles were able to be triggered remotely, from the top deck. They removed the linkages, brackets and all so that we could easily removed the bottles once they were emptied. The bottles were last filled in 1962, and still had a full charge.
We all climbed back up the very sketchy ladder (with missing rung), to the deck. Matt reached down, pulled the handles and released the C02.
We let the smoke dissipate for awhile, and I learned something new about C02. I learned that it is an effective fire fighting agent, because it removes oxygen from the air around it. If you were unaware, fire needs oxygen to burn. Pretty cool, you learn something new every day.
We got the old bottles off the boat, and the rotten pieces of lumber that they were sitting on. That required the engine hoist pictured, as they were all rather heavy. I was thankful to be the chain fall driver, because the guys were complaining about being effected by the last remaining C02. I also learned that it is a heavy gas, settles on the bottom and doesn’t dissipate well from enclosed spaces.
I took a photo of the back of the boat, just because I thought it looked cool.
Here is a photo of the main bathroom, notice the huge flush handle. I can’t wait to see all this repaired and functioning again. Its such a unique system vs the plumbing we are used to seeing these days.
I also took a quick photo of the Galley, I always like looking at old appliances.
When I left the boat, and headed home, the weather had cleared up. I love this view from the freeway, the light always makes the sky scrapers look blue to me.
Thanks for reading about my day, I am out of here. I want to shower, relax, and watch a funny movie tonight. I will see y’all tomorrow.
Follow me online here:
Personal Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mk1rabbit
Business Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zachlarsonphotography
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/das_photos/