Fuel in my water
Something unusual for me.
Last week here in Barbados we had a tropical storm called Kirk pass by about 50 miles to the north, so we got strong winds from the west and a deluge of biblical proportions for about 18 hours Wednesday/Thursday.
My Archer II N75276 was sitting out on the north ramp at Grantley Adams airport, no tie downs just a chocked nose wheel - so fingers crossed no problems - not too many other options.
Went over on Saturday to check the airplane - all looked good except my pitot cover had blown away; though OK now a for a quick flight.
Preflight all good - drained fuel, right hand good, nose good - left hand side looked rather odd - no bubble of water just didn't look right and some very small bubbles stuck to the side of the strainer- quick sniff, fuel smell - but it didn't look right. Poured it on my hand, didn't feel right either - it was warm - yup, water.
So full strainer, still wrong. another and another and another - still did not look right.
So "stuff this" thinks I locked open the fuel drain and let it pour out - put my hand under it - warm gusher - it ran and ran and ran - my guess is about half a gallon, then it went cold, fuel I think. Closed the drain and back to the strainer, half inch 'bubble' at the bottom - more strainers about the same - lock open the valve again and maybe a pint later, cold.
Back to the strainer and aok.
Quick flight - started and ran on the left (the one with the water - 5,000ft to the hold, run up no issues - took off with it and all good.
This morning - some water in the fuel quarter inch buddle in the bottom - three strainers got rid of it.
The airplane has been through tropical storms before and never ever any water - so just goes to show - weird thing was when it's all water and the dye in the fuel is never that blue looking one could miss it - strainers full of water with three tiny 1mm fuel bubbles sticking to the side, it just looked weird.
The water feels warm and fuel feels cold thing worked for me though.