RE: NANFA-- swimming in troubled waters

Jay DeLong (thirdwind_at_att.net)
Fri, 15 Sep 2000 01:00:33 -0700

On Sunday, Casper and I snorkeled on two sites on the Little River in Tenn.
(not
the same Little River in 'bama). The first site was turbid (cattle were in
the
water just upstream), but the riffles did sport about 6 species of darters
including woudeds. We then found a site several miles upstream and the water
was
perfect. We saw > 20 species, including massive shoals of river chub, a
shiner
(warpaint?) following a redhorse sucker around like and feeding from the
debris
it schurned up, and the relatively rare blotchside logperch, which we saw
turn
over rocks and twigs and feed on what was underneath. The highlight for me
was
placing my hand on top of the substrate and having a tangerine darter swim
up
and rest on it!

On Monday afternoon I learned that the Jeep dealership in Chatt. could find
nothing wrong with my Jeep. They suspect that the overheating was the result
of
an air lock, which sometimes happens on 4 cylinder engines when they've had
a
head gasket replaced. The mechanic thought I would be okay driving it back
to
Baltimore, but offered no guarantee, of course.

Driving it back to Casper's place I noticed that it ran hotter than it
should,
especially with the air conditioner on. The temp. gauge creeped dangerously
close to the "red zone," and I had a bad feeling about taking it out on a
long
drive. But I was committed to getting home and so, very early Tuesday
morning, I
departed Casper's and began the 11-hour white knuckle drive home. One eye
was on
the road, the other on the temp. guage. Casper outfitted me with a big jug
o'
water in case I needed emergency coolant. The only way I could keep the
engine
temp. down was to run the heater the entire way! Man, was it hot, but I made
it.
And virtually all of the fishes I brought back -- 2 coolers worth --
survived
the journey.

When I recover I'll see if Baltimore mechanics can exorcize the demons in my
Jeep.

Christopher Scharpf
Baltimore

--
Jay DeLong
Olympia, WA

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