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!   :-)