Thursday, June 8, 2006

First Day

Move equipment out of the way of the demolition.

The day begins with removing the landscape plants around the upper pond.

Gil Belcher, Myrtle Beach helps Dave and Michael Jones remove the landscaping plants around the upper waterfall area.

The upper pond has been drained.

Liner is detached from the waterfall unit.

The first leak is discovered.  Attachment to the waterfall unit has been pulled loose.  This happens when there is not enough loose liner available when the waterfall rocks are stacked up and the weight of the rocks pulls the liner down and breaks the seal on the attachment face place.

Yes that is water between the liner and the waterfall unit.

Another problem discovered.  Original installer overlaid the upper pond liner over the stream liner with no seam tape.  This can be done IF you have at least a 4" drop in elevation and the liners overlap each other a minimum of 12".  The burm he created under the liner was not big enough to stop the water from flowing back up under the upper pond liner and under the pond itself.

The upper pond is ripped out by the liner.

Another problem discovered.

The liner was cut too short.

The lower pond is being destroyed piece by piece.

One of Tom's little critters.

Starting the reshaping of the new pond.

New skimmer getting ready to be set.  Optional white tubing is added to move skimmer back away from pond side.  It was later taken out as it was too far away from the pond.  This tubing can be added at any length.

New skimmer is set in place.

The new fish channel (stream) is being dug.

It wasn't all work and no play.  Dave cuts up.

Nancy feels Dave is getting just a little too close for comfort.

Maybe Dave was having too much fun.  Dave needs a little help from Larry Moore backing out of the lower pond, over the now deeper stream back onto save HARD ground.

I walked into the garage and what do I find?  Tom reading the instructions of how to put the new grill together.

Another one of Tom's critter we found but was not able to capture.   A three foot orange belly mud snake.  Look under the shovel.  The head is just right of the shovel.  He was extremely quick and kept hiding in the landscape then just went off into the woods.  Thank you Mr. Mud Snake.