The Good & the Bad

Sat Feb 28, 2015
Plantation Key
Islamorada, FL

I wrote last nights log too soon. Our calm night took a turn for the wild side. The wind picked up rather quickly to the high teens and from a direction that we did not have a lot of protection from. It was after dark and we heard some thumping and banging on deck. Lee went out and took an inventory of the things on deck that might be responsible. He noticed our solar shower was not there. It could not have gone far because it was tied to a halyard (rope for you nonsailboaters) . He looked up and saw it flying around out behind the boat, still tied to the halyard. He called out to me and we caught it but not before it managed to get tangled up in the wind generator somehow.  The wind generator made a loud sound and vibrated excessively. We paid a lot of money for that generator and getting to the bottom of what exactly is the problem won't be easy. It may have to be sent back to the factory. We will have to wait until Monday to reach someone where we bought it to find out more. After a few hours of wild winds things calmed down and it was a quiet night.

Sat. we slept in and got up at 7;30. We looked at our wind generator in the day light and can see it is not acting right but not what is causing the problem. We ran the motor in neutral for 45 min to get hot water to  shower. We gathered up the laundry and went to Bill's house in the dinghy and met his special friend, Sunshine. They seemed to be enjoying their time together. He talked so much about her I felt like I already knew her. They were in Bill's garden. We went inside and I looked out and saw a manatee, big one, right off his dock. Everyone went out and Lee put our hose over the edge of the dock and he/she grabbed it like a straw and started sucking. It drank what seemed like forever. Until it passed gas several times. It did not seem at all concerned we were all hanging over the dock watching it.

We went back inside and visited, snacked on key lime muffins, delicious, and visited some more. Us getting to know Sunshine and she getting to know us. Easy to see why Bill likes her so much.  We played a game called Crimes Against Humanity that we had gotten for Xmas. We stayed til after dark and could not get the red/green running lights to work and before we made it out of the canals Lee lost the white light over the back of the dinghy. We sure seem to lose a lot of stuff in the water. We made it back in the dark and have plans to meet for lunch tomorrow. We will probably head north to the Biscayne Bay area Mon. as soon as I pick up the CD and report from the hospital, with the hopes of heading to the Bahamas Wed or Thur. Of course that depends on the weather.

Double Delight

Fri Feb 27, 2015
Plantation Key
Islamorada, FL

I spent a several hours last night up sick instead of sleeping so when morning came and I was mostly better I took a nap. Pretty much slept away the morning. Early afternoon we took a dinghy ride to Bill's house. As we made our way slowly through the canals of houses we came up on 2 big manatees. They were close enough to touch. They did not seem afraid or in a rush to get away from us. They seem such gentle animals. That was the highlight of our day.

 I swept up some leaves the blow yesterday scattered around and we moved a pkg he had gotten to a less conspicuous place, and collected his mail. Then we filled up our 2 5gal water jugs and went to get propane since we were not sure we would have enough to get back to the boat. We got the gas tank on the truck filled up while we were at it. We thought Bill  might be coming back to the Keys today but did not see him nor have we heard anything from him today. We also stopped at the ATM and got money for entry into the Bahamas. We are not sure if we need to have cash for that.

We returned to the boat and Lee did some cleaning on the water line again. Think it is a never ending task. Most of the water behind the door has dried up and some of the moisture under the freezer is drying to. The drawer still won't go in without sticking tight though. We sprayed soapy water on the connections and tank valve and did not get any bubbles so we think that it is not leaking. Maybe Lee just didn't get it shut tight and it was leaking off. We will continue to watch it. Today was fairly calm and warm and partly sunny. Is this sounding repetitive? Kind of like cold and snowy for the mid and north Atlantic states. Not gloating just making an observation.

Trouble Comes in 3s

Thur Feb 26, 2015
Plantation Key
Islamorada, FL

Today was a problem solving day. We had brisk winds last night in the teens and for the first time since we anchored here we got rocked to sleep. Did not bother me, felt good, but think it disturbed Lee a little. It was brisk all day until almost sunset then it calmed to 4kts. We are expecting some light rain tonight and tomorrow. Still low 70s to 80 for our temperature range, but humidity has picked up.

I decided to see if I could tell why my one big drawer in the galley was sticking so hard I could not always get it open. When I took it out I saw the wood above and beside the drawer was very wet. It appeared to be coming from our freezer. We emptied the freezer and saw no cracks or any where water could have gotten out except the drain which should not be a problem. We ran the drain and not much happened. Replaced all the frozen food, we could eat for 3 month. Then Lee decided he wanted to see the wall behind the freezer which meant looking behind the master suite door. When he moved the door back the wall, mirror, and floor were all wet. It would appear this is a major condensation problem. I have insulated the bottom and top of the freezer with additional insulation but do not think that should have caused any issues. We are leaving the drawer out and the door away from the wall and going to see if it gets better or worse.

The bilge pump has an automatic setting and a manual setting. It does not cut off when it is on auto so we have been running it manually everyday. Lee talked to the folk at Water Witch, which made the electronic bilge switch. They say that the switch that is installed is not sufficient for the pump that it is running.  They think that the contacts welded together and that is why it will not shut the pump off when on auto.  A call to Island Packet got the usual voice mail menu without an option to talk to a person.  We left a message requesting a call back but they close at 3 on Thursday and are closed on Friday, so I guess it will be Monday before we hear anything from them, if then.

There is still the mystery of what is happening to the propane. It was so bouncy and windy we did not try to hunt the leak, will tomorrow if it is calm enough. We will try the old soapy water makes bubbles where there is a leak routine. In the meantime you never know if you will have enough fuel to get to where you are going and back in the dinghy.

We never left the boat today. It would have been a wet trip the way the waves were kicking up.

Another Waiting Day

Wed. Feb 25, 2015
Plantation Key
Islamorada, FL


This was kind of a nothing day. Lee did a little cleaning on the exterior stuff on the boat. I did a little cleaning inside. We read and napped and laid in the sunroom. We took solar showers in the afternoon when the water was good and warm.  One 4 gal bag does 2 brief showers.  Then we took the dinghy over to Bill's house to refill our jerry cans. Once there we decided to go eat at Chads  A place we went with Bill last week.  Lee had tonight's special, meatloaf and said it was the best restaurant meatloaf he ever had, the portions were huge too. We headed back to the boat just before sunset  The wind had started to kick up a bit.  It has been glassy calm ever since we anchored so to feel a little sway and hear the wind sounds odd.

We are starting to study the charts and guide books for the Bahamas. Looks like we will have plenty of time to do it before that elusive "weather window" arrives. We seem to be losing propane. This time the tank was turned off. We need to investigate that tomorrow and figure out the problem.

Rude Awakening

Tues Feb 24,2015
Anchored off Plantation Key
Islamorada FL

Today started early. With a thud and violent rocking at 5:30 am. It was pitch black. It was more than someones wake by far. We both woke up, Lee went up on top and looked all around. The water was as still as a farm pond, no boats insight, no ripples in the water. We both thought we had been hit by another boat. There is a lot of traffic in the day time near where we anchored, but none after dark. The only thing we can figure is a manatee hit us. If we had been off shore in deep water we would have expected a whale. Whatever happened we neither got back to sleep.

At 6;30 am Lee listened to the weather guru Chris Parker again. Today he seemed to think it could be 2nd week in March before a good weather window for crossing to the Bahamas came. Getting impatient but will not cross Gulf Stream at a bad time so we wait...

I got a cold shower (sun showers take about 3 hrs of daylight to warm up) and left at 9am for the local hospital. Now that it is over I can say about the 2nd week of this boat trip I found a lump in my breast. This is the first chance I have had to get to a walk in clinic. There do not seem to be Doctors Care and Urgent Care like we have at home.  I got in to a dr and he saw me and ordered a mammo and ultrasound which I had done this morning. The doctor called at 4:30 to let me know it was fine. Just a fibrous mass. I was sure it was not cancer but it made sense to have it checked just in case.

We made a few stops while we were on land for miscellaneous odds and ends and came back to the boat. Lee realized while we were in the dinghy that he forgot to turn the propane tank off yesterday after we used the dinghy and about 8 of the 10 pounds it held had leaked off. Tomorrow we will have to go get it filled again. He has a bad habit of not turning off, or closing up things when he uses them. This one could cause him to have a long row when he is where propane or transportation to replenish it are hard to come by. We have Bill Sears generosity to thank for having transportation to get propane, groceries, to the hospital or we would be hiring a taxi after we dinghy to shore.

Comedy of Errors

Monday Feb. 23, 2015
Tavernier Key
Tavernier, FL

Still anchored in 5ft of water off Tavernier Key. Temps about 70 for low, 80 for high, sunny. Hard to believe it is February. We decided to put out the sun shower. We had one many years ago but no idea what happened to it. We recently purchased one for this trip because when you do not have shore power you only have hot water when you run your motor on idle for an hour. We did not notice when we bought it that it did not have an on/off lever. Our old one years ago had a spout you turned on and off. So we went out to lay it on the deck , fill it , and lower the hose thru the bathroom hatch so you could stand in the shower to shower. First we got our 5 gal jerry jug and started to pour water into the shower bag. Then we remembered there was no way to shut it off and it was probably running out the end in the shower below us. In the rush to get the clamps we had brought on deck to shut the hose off Lee knocked the lid to the jerry jug over board  He frantically said, quick we need that, get something. We do not have a net on board and you could never have caught it with a boat hook. He yelled it is still floating, think of something. I said, Swim, He took off his shirt and shorts , and underwear and   jumped in the water naked and captured the lid. Then he said it is cold, quick get me out. He couldn't come up the swim platform because the dinghy was still on it. I had to move several things to fish the ladder out of a storage area in the cockpit and put it over the side for him to climb.All the while he was acting like it was boiling water instead of cold water. Up he climbed white butt a shining. Do not know if the people in the nearby boat noticed or the people in the houses on shore. I wish I had a camera.

We decided to dinghy over to Bill's and  get water and time how long it took so we would not be late for an appointment I have tomorrow. We got there and the spigot was so low to the ground we could not get the jerry can under it. We had not brought our potable water hose so decided we would use a hose not approved and use the water for showering, not drinking. I swept up some leaves etc and we came back to the boat. When we got back Lee decided he wanted to clean the water line on the boat and asked me to go get the scrubber stick. Since the companionway was closed and locked I had to get the key lanyard to get in. Unbeknownst to me he had put the motor lock on the lanyard along with the keys and when I took them off the jerry can the lock fell in the water. Neither us went swimming for it, it did not float. We also lost a kneeling pad but it did float and we retrieved it in the dinghy.Three things in one day!! Think we need to have a net on board.

Haven't tried the solar shower yet. Thought I would wait til bedtime. Almost afraid to cook dinner might blow up the boat or something. This is a lovely place to be, pretty scenery, clear water, protected from the winds. Looks like we might be here a while cause Chris Parker, weather guru, said this morning that this weekend was not going to be a Gulf Stream crossing time.  We will keep listening and see if he changes his mind.  We can get fuel at the marina fuel dock close by, water at Bill's, access to a vehicle if we need. Sounds better than Dinner Key to us.

Goodbye Plantation Yacht Harbor Resort

Sunday Feb 22, 2015
Anchored off Tavenier Key
FL

Today we bid good bye to the marina.  We hung around until 2:30 before we left.  We cleaned the boat inside and out while we still had water from the dock. Filled up our water tank. Returned some books to the book exchange. Got a pump out. Our vent stopped up as usual so we only got half emptied. This has been a long standing problem. Lee hunted the entry documents on line we need to have for Bahamas entry. Apparently the hard copy Judy gave him he left at the condo. We got our 3 Bahamas guide books out and will delve into them this week. We certainly will miss the wifi and abundant water while at anchor.

We motored a short distance and dropped anchor near a channel that leads to our friend Bill Sears house. We will go there for water refills and to borrow his truck when we need transportation. I will have to make one more trip to the grocery store. I realized the other day I left my new full laundry detergent bottle where we did laundry last and the one I have was almost empty when I finished laundry yesterday.

We went from cold to hot. Today was at least 80. We won't need the heat or extra blankets this week.
If it still looks good to go across the Gulf Stream next weekend we will head north on Thurs with the intention to meet Handleys on Fri evening for the crossing. We will watch that situation closely.Almost bedtime and the temp has cooled to comfortable and the wind has quit and the water is calm as a pond. Look forward to a nice night.