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7AM, ok, after some further exploration (we didn’t actually get FULLY in the water, but Brian climbed down the ladder and poked around with the boat hook) we were sure that we’d lost the prop.  He could feel the screw threads on the shaft, prop was definitely gone :(.  The boys resumed working on the outboard. False start after false start.  The darned thing just wouldn’t start!  I cooked up some breakfast for us, feeling really helpless.  When it comes to this engine stuff, I know nothing, and by that I mean NOTHING.  I know how to put fuel into an engine, I know to take it to get the oil changed when required.  I know how to start an engine… but fixing an engine?  I know NADA.  Mark asked if we had a spare spark plug, and I had to ask him what it looks like.  Bri teased me about being girly, but it was an honest question, I mean I know where most everything is on this boat, but I wouldn’t know a spark plug if it jumped up and bit me unless it was in a labeled package.  I guess this is part of what comes from having the worlds best mechanics who have taken care of my car forever, ABJ Foreign Automotive in Somerville where Wendell, Claude and the guys always take care of any car needs I’ve had for the last 15+ years!!  NO luck on the spark plug.  We saw a large fishing boat heading our way and hailed them to see if they had starter fluid or dry gas, and they responded that yes they did but with their 8′ draft they couldn’t get to us, so Brian rowed out to them and gave them a few bucks in exchange for their can of starter fluid.  Still no luck. I remembered then that we had email through SSB, so I fired up the Airmail program and reached out to my most trusty of resources!! Sandi!!  I sent her an email (which turns out was a follow on email to the one Bri had sent her the night before) asking her to start the search for a new propeller for us.  I sent her the specs, and recieved an email right back letting me know that she was on it and shortly started firing back emails with options that she’d found.  whew!
10:45 AM - ah God bless!! we see coming around the bend a graceful tapered stayless mast.  John and Pat!!  I went up to the bow, and as they came into view we waved to them and I yelled out in my best trapeze instructor bellow that we were propellerless.  They came up abreast of us, and asked if there was room to raft up.  I was so relieved to see them that I actually teared up.  I wasn’t scared, I mean at no point were we really in danger, but I felt so helpless, I know nothing about engines so I couldn’t help the guys, and I couldn’t even get online to try to research options - even thought I knew that Sandi was on it, I just felt so useless!  Pat and John tied up alongsides and Pat gave me a huge hug which made me feel much better.  After some discussion, we tied a bridle onto the front of our boat, and a 100′ line from John and Pat’s boat.  They had a spare propeller on board, a 17″ x 15P 1″ shaft, which was close to what we needed - which they gave to us with the thought that it might work as is, or might be able to be fared down to the right size.  I cannot even begin to say enough about how nice, kind and caring John and Pat are.  We pulled our anchors (11AM) and John fired up the engines and pulled us out of our yucky anchorage and behind them into the canal.
Bless John and Pat for being so unbelievably kind.  With 3 years of cruising under their belts, they have seen a lot happen, and they handle everything with a calm that I find so reassuring. They towed us for 20+ miles behind them all the way to River Forrest Marina in Belhaven, NC. They were so on top of things… crippled by our lack of access,  both internet and cell, John and Pat had radioed ahead to the local marinas, and had called ahead to the one recommended - River Forrest Marina- to ensure that they were aware that we were coming in and coming in under tow.  Also they had identified that this marina had a propeller shop, unlike Dowry Creek Marina (the first available stop) who had radioed back that they had no capability to aid us in our present predicament.
That said (and after passing the Phyllis Moran) we were towed and released safely to the pier at River Forrest, with John and Pat pulling in safely behind us at the pier.  We offered (least we could do) to pay their dockage fees for the night, and we settled in dockside, with a free pump out and free water, to a night at the pier before we could do anything about the MIA propeller.
Axson, the owner of the marina, kindly offered us access to the facility’s street legal (can you believe it?!?) golf cart so that we could head downtown to get some dinner at the Fish Hook (for anyone following this blog who might stop anywhere we have recommended on this list, take our advice and order only one onion string appetizer if you are ordering apps, it’s beyond huge!).  We’d all actually thought that we might make it a bit further, and go to the piZza place in town, but when we passed Fish Hook the cart seemed to slow of it’s own volition, so we pulled a u-ie and parked across the street and went in for dinner.  We had a delicious dinner, accompanied by many laughs, and when we were done, we headed back to the River FOrest Marina.  On our way back the energy of our trusty little cart seemed top flag and we were in fact passed by a jogger as we were turning off of Main Street.  We made it back to the marina, and ss we pulled in, Axson pulled up along side us, and told us he’d been about to go out looking for us… with a giggle, we pulled into the parking space, and Axson pulled the cart into its garage spot and plugged it into its charger for the night.  We all retired amongst many laughs and good night wishes.