We can see the bottom!

When we left off, we were leaving Titusville heading south again. We were able to motor sail much of the day with the wind from the NE, and blowing just enough to help add a knot to our speed. ( A knot is 1.15 mph for you landlubbers…)

At 4pm we threaded our way almost to the ocean at a place called Sebastian's Inlet and dropped an anchor in the channel where there were boats everywhere fishing for flounder. Dropped the dink and motored out to look at the ocean – just for a sec cause it was rough!- and then turned around to a park area, dragged the dingy up on the sand and walked to the beach.

Ryan went swimming in the rough surf, and Goose got caught in a wave while chasing a sea gull. As soon as we took his leash off, he went crazy on the beach as he has been cooped up on the boat lately.

The beach was awesome as it seemed no one had been there in a long time.

We left early the 12th with the wind howling from the north gusting to 40 mph all day. The run was down a long bay open to the wind and we flew, passing any boat in our way…

After a short fuel stop, we made it to Jupiter Inlet trying to get out of the wind. The bridges really start becoming a nuisance here as they only open every 30 minutes and if you miss it by one minute you wait 29 for the next opening!

 

We slid through three bridges searching for somewhere to anchor, and finally found a spot just big and deep enough for one boat just out of the channel – and out of that wind!

Early on Friday the 13th we were underway and close to Palm Beach. We pulled into Old Port Cove at 1030 and dropped an anchor in the cove Shelly and I lived on Naiad with Ian when we came back from the Virgin Islands in 1992.

There sure are a lot of people in Palm Beach!

After a lot of walking, some grocery shopping, and repair parts we decided to head on down to Ft Lauderdale on Sunday for the week. This is the place to get some stuff fixed, and find some answers to power problems. We need solar or wind generation, and to fix the generator. I also realized the genoa roller furling needs some attention. The plan is to spend a couple of days there and turn around and come back for Ian on Friday.

Sat afternoon we pulled the anchor as the wind was blowing and kicking up some chop so we could move to Peanut Island, be closer and be more comfortable. Not ten minutes into this short trip the salt water circulating pump self destructed which means we have to shut down the engine! Bummer. Although I am grateful for the opportunity to get to know Yume intimately, it would be nice if she wasn't so intimate so often.

Fortunately there was a pump on board that did not work (of course) but parts could be and were scavenged to enable us to get underway withing an hour. The problem with these “issues” is that they make me very nervous thinking about what will go wrong next.

We anchored for the night behind a bridge on a beautiful calm night where we very much enjoyed sitting out in the cockpit with a glass or two. It's great how conversation returns when you turn off the electronics and sit under the moon!

This morning began with an alarm on the engine that set everyone's nerves on edge. Dropped an anchor and the mechanic went to work again to isolate the issue to a bad low oil pressure sender that was replaced just two weeks ago. Crap.

So tonight we are in this itty bitty lagoon with about 6 inches of water under the keel, but out of the wind that is supposed to start blowing again tonight.

We are only 25 miles from Ft Lauderdale.

Ryan is happy because someone in one of these houses all around us did not password their router and he is playing video games with his friends. BTW he and Goose went swimming today in clear ten feet of water that was 78 degrees!

Sorry for lack of pictures. Blame it on the crew. The capt/mechanic/blogger has been busy!

Oh, and we are getting ready for Christmas!

 

Our Christmas wish list from Santa? A wind generator, solar panels, a bottom paint job, repairs to the Westerbeke generator, nonspillable ice trays…