May 17, 2010

Well, this was a very different sort of week for us.  For one thing, we were up and underway by 7 a.m. 3 days out of 5!  Hardly recognized ourselves!

From Jupiter we headed for Vero Beach, and spent one night there.  Found that they had delivered a newspaper onto the deck in the a.m.--a nice touch.  Headed out and moseyed up to Cocoa, where we stayed Monday and Tuesday nites. Had a good time in downtown Cocoa--did some Christmas shopping at Coco’s, where Lynn was great fun and very helpful.  

That getting up early thing is pretty neat.  We were in Daytona at Halifax Harbour before 4, having been pushed to 8 knots for awhile, and then slowed to 5.5 kn. by the same water, but on the other side of an inlet.  Amazing how the water moves back and forth, in and out, and takes us right along with it.   Lots of Manitee zones along the way as well. We have yet to see a manitee, but the dolphins show themselves every now and then.

Thursday morning at 8:15 I poked my head into the engine room, just to check, and lo, the starboard alley was full enough of water that it was sloshing over into the center of the boat, where the bilge pump lives.  Caught it before the bilge pump went on, and within minutes Fred had diagnosed the problem as a loose shaft seal on the starboard engine.  Slowing down slowed the incoming water, and we put a sump pump into the water that had collected inside the boat.  Ran the hose across the engine room into the sea chest and allowed the water to go right back where it came from--and where it belongs.  Outside the boat!  

As soon as we came to a wide spot in the channel, we deployed Knute, shut off the engines, and Fred tightened the offending seal.  Bingo.  Problem solved.  It certainly is a pleasure to travel with a mechanic!  Anchors aweigh, and we were off in less than 1/2 hour.  

Somewhere along the way we remembered that we had a car in the Keys, and would want to have it at Green Cove Springs before the boat work began, so we boogied on to Jacksonville Beach rather than stopping at St. Augustine.  Early mornings do give more options, we learned!  From JAX Beach it was an easy run across the St. John’s inlet on Friday.  

We chuckled at what a difference two years have made to our experience of the Jacksonville Harbor.  Not a big deal at all this year. The first time we crossed it, heading north in our brand new boat in 2008, we were following AVOCET, and very happy to be doing that! 

We trekked up the brown waters of the St. John’s River, and by 2:30 pm were tied up at Reynolds Park, where we’ll stay until YOUNG AMERICA has been fully repaired.  Picked up a rental car and on Saturday morning we got yet another early start.  By 3:00 p.m. we’d retrieved the Audi, and were heading out of Banana Bay in Marathon to drop off the rental.

We made it a fun trip back by stopping for the very best Mexican Food EVER at Senor Frijoles in Key Largo, then drove on to Palm Beach where we once again tested a Tempur Pedic mattress (we’d tried one out at the B&B in Gainesville and really liked it.  Doubletree Inn in Palm Beach has Tempur Pedic on all the beds.  Who knew??)  Slept well and got a more normal (for us) start at 11 a.m. Sunday.

With stops for lunch in Vero Beach and to pick up another pair of sunglasses at Coco’s in Cocoa, we got back to the boat at 7 p.m.  And now it’s time to say sayonara for a couple of weeks.  We’ll be here in Green Cove until the repair work is done--with other appointments to have the Microwave and Washing Machine serviced.  I’ll be in New York for a few days--grandchildren events (Katie Rae’s first grade concert,  JT will be on stage in Damn Yankees, and there’ll be a party to celebrate his confirmation and graduation from 8th grade).  Additionally, the new church building at the UUCRT is completed, and I’m excited that I’ll be able to be there for the very first service!

So it’ll be June--1/2 way through 2010! when next we meet.  Until then, be well, keep smiling, and remember to breathe!   :-)

May 10, 2009

Sigh, our last sunny, beautiful days at Banana Bay.   I finally got to the health food store--and discovered that they make delicious coffee!  Go figure. Also found Anthony’s dress shop in the same strip mall--a nice place to shop! Too bad I don’t need dresses.

On Wednesday we left slip 24 and moved into 23--that is we put the dock on the port side so the davit could reach the Go-Pet, which now is

neatly stored under it’s new cover.  Headed north and made our first stop at the Islamarada city dock.  No concert greeted us this time, but we had a good, healthy walk around the water’s edge before calling it a day.

By noon on Thursday we were in the Jewfish creek--leaving the Keys.  Got a closer look at Stiltsville as we crossed Biscayne Bay, and somehow the combination of light, humidity and sun bathed the Miami skyline in am iridescent glow that was absolutely stunning.  We crossed under the Rickenbacker Causeway, and decided to anchor in front of the Marine Stadium--or what is left of it. The amazing concrete structure was built as a power boat racing venue in the ’60’s.  A floating stage  saw the likes of Pres. Nixon, Sammy Davis, Jr., Phil Donahue, NY Mayor Mario Cuomo, and, most notably, Key West’s Jimmy Buffett. Damage from Hurricane Andrew forced it to close in 1992, and today the Stadium is a graffiti showcase.   Great anchorage, though!

Friday was  a day!  We covered 50 miles--not a lot--but passed under 26 bridges--many of them with timed openings (vs. opening as you arrive and request passage).  Speed up--oops idle speed zone--slow down or we’ll have a 15 minute wait...that was pretty much the day.  One fun thing, though, we were behind a Peterson Fuel Barge for awhile, so phoned and their price for diesel was very competitive--$2.90/gal. + 6% tax.  We made an appointment, and at 1:30 pm made a U turn to raft to the starboard side of the barge while the Baroness was rafted on her port side.  We topped our tank with 200 gal. of diesel, and as we pulled away,  the Baroness’ staff was still watching the meter. The barge captain offered us 8500 gal. of the barge’s 10,000 gal. capacity, so I’m guessing

that the Baroness took in the neighborhood of 1500 gal.  We felt so tiny!

After being told there was no room at two marinas, Del Ray Yacht Club was our stopping point for the night.  Marcel the dock master, bless him, stayed late to settle us in, and then we were off for a swim in the gorgeous Olympic sized pool.  Mmmmmm delicious.

Saturday was everybody’s favorite day to be on the water. We love to see people using the Waterway, the beaches and their boats.  And, boy, did we see them!  We ha a late start, and early stop. By 4:40 we were in Jupiter, FL, again tied up at the local yacht club. They, too, had a pool, and we used it!

Got an early start on Sunday--our lines were off by 7:30 a.m.  Amazing for us.  Today perhaps everyone was having breakfast in bed with mom--or brunch, as it was well after noon when the traffic began to pick up.

We ducked into Vero Beach’s Municipal Marina for the night, and on Monday morning are en route to Cocoa..

And that was our week.  How was yours?

May 3, 2010

Well, it has been a week.  Unlike any other we’ve spent aboard, but that is what the cruising life is all about.  Hey, you never know!

Our navigation computer was away from the boat for as long as we were.  It completed the Loop by getting us to Marathon, and then simply refused to turn on. Fred shipped it to Travis Fickett, he who constructed all it’s innards, in Gainesville, and we picked it up, sporting a new hard drive, on our way home.

Nav computer being removed from the boat, and brought back, translates to a very, very large number of Fred hours re-installing software and re-connecting all the aids to navigation, like the Auto-pilot, radar, GPS, AIS, depth sounder, etc.etc.etc.   Also installing charts for everywhere we might plan to go--both vector and rastor.   Not to mention locating all of the above parts, ports, discs, instructions, manuals, passwords, keywords, and assorted minutiae that are clearly designed to frustrate. It is, after all, a computer.  That is what they do.

Needless to say, Fred has been equal to--and even a cut above--the assignment.  Not something he’d choose to do often, but as of today (Monday) everything that needs to light up, flash, beep, scroll and/or indicate seems to be willing and able to do it’s appointed task at the appropriate time, so we’re good to go.  

In that department, at least.  The damage to the boat (see last week's blog) was a whole ‘nother animal.  The number of damage-related visitors has been terrific!  Gentlemen have come to scour the bottom and look for any underwater damage (none found, thankfully), survey the damage, and assess for an estimate for repairs--first the general marina fella with his fiberglass guy, and then, another day, the welder came.   Additionally, we found an attorney who will be in the area when court time rolls around, so we should be ready to head north.

One big job to make the boat seaworthy was the installation of a new, wooden rail on the port quarter.  No, it won’t be painted, stained or varnished.  But it will, we believe, keep us on deck when we’re underway.  It’s kinda cute, don’t you think?

A Power Squadron member from Vero Beach passed through Banana Bay on his way (with 7-8 other boats) to a vacation in Key West.  He had his Vessel Safety Inspection kit with him, and with our new rail, we passed with flying colors.  

We did have some good times, too, during the week.  One sunny morning we took a bi-plane ride around the area.  Whoosh!  I got the seat with no door, and the 100+mph winds caught my goggles, elbow, hand--anything that moved more than a few inches from center was in danger of departing!  Fred got some nifty photos of Banana Bay and YOUNG AMERICA.   Paul the Pilot did a couple of roll-y, “fun” maneuvers--45 degree tilt or more--that had me hanging on for dear life and wondering what I was doing there, but we landed safely after a 1/2 hour ride that was mostly enjoyable.  Scratch “ride in a small, private plane” off my ‘things to do before I die’ list.   Happily, the two did not coincide.

I’ve been taking advantage of Banana Bay’s beautiful swimming pool and hot tub.  The weather has been delicious--in the 80’s and sunny with beautiful blue skies and fluffy clouds.  We had one morning of pitter-patter rain, and even that was lovely.

The rest of the country--most notably the area we were considering traveling touring this summer, (the Cumberland, Tennessee, and Ohio Rivers), has had way more than pitter patter rain.  Traveling north in the River system can be tricky in the spring, but is usually possible.  This year, with flooding and huge amounts of debris heading south, plus the threat of a slippery, slimy oil slick possibly approaching from the west, prudence says, “how about a summer in the Chesapeake?”

So that is the plan.  We’ll be underway from Marathon Wed. a.m. and when next we 'speak', YA should be in or near Green Cove Springs, where she’ll be hauled for repairs.  And then, well, stay tuned!