Mosquito Lagoon

 

Tonight we are watching the Super Bowl from Mosquito Lagoon.  We are the only ones anchored here and with low winds - super quiet!  Though Paul was a bit concerned about his "rabbit ears" working from essentially the middle of nowhere, the reception is actually better than it was just south of St Augustine.  

Dinner always tastes better on anchor but tonight - shrimp tacos with homemade guac and homemade salsa - super yummy!  (Yes I know I keep using the word super - totally intentional!)

Leaving Daytona Marina should have been a breeze.  No boats surrounding us, calm waters, lots of sunshine.  Yet somehow I had Paul toss me the wrong dock line and he wound up having to jump back on the boat and grab the helm to keep us from bumping into the dock.  (No bump occurred!)



Once on course, I took over the helm so Paul could do engine checks.  Good thing too!  The port engine was leaking fuel.  What?!?  So while he diagnosed the problem - I keep us on course.  Soooo many dolphins.  Large pods feeding and jumping and hiding from my camera.  

Just before Coronado Bridge, Paul resumed steering.  Ponce Inlet area is tricky with plenty of shallow areas, traffic and chaos.  Then we arrived too early for the bridge opening that occurs on the hour and half hour.  With 12 minutes to "hover", Paul turned into the wind and into the current with one engine to wait.  Great plan that was well executed.  Paul managed the passage with no difficulties.

The 32 miles we traversed today covered many miles with dredging materials.  Most through the New Smyrna area.  Just something else we need to avoid bumping.




The two screens used while navigating:
                                            Navionics using Raymarine that integrates AIS (which shows us other vessels with their names. positions, speed and course), GPS, speed and depth.  Here we are the boat headed south in the middle of the channel.  The purple lines are our previous routes of travel.  No other boats are in the vicinity and we are making good time at 6.2 knots.

                                        Navionics using Apple on Paul's IPad.  This shows speed, channel and "Bob's tracks".  Bob has plotted the entire ICW passage and shows the best route (mostly).  Here we are a red triangle and our course a red line.  The yellow line is Bob.

Redundant but if one should quit - we still have the information needed for safe travel.

We reached Mosquito Lagoon by early afternoon and settled in.  Gorgeous!
                Panoramic shot from the port side.

                Panoramic of the starboard side.

No other boats - just water everywhere.  Of course the track off the ICW dipped to less then 4 feet but because we had our previous path on the chart plotter - we knew we were good!

Paul found the problem with the engine - leaky O rings.  But we have a case of various O rings in all sizes.  
                                                    These 3 tiny little rings were the trouble!

                                                The 3 spots where Paul replaced the rings.

And while he finished that task - I cleaned the Isinglass.  After wiping down the dew this morning, the glass was still foggy and difficult to see through.  And it is still too cold to roll up the glass.  So, I climbed up and did the interior and exterior. with "special" cleaner (it smelled like vinegar).
                                        Looks better but we'll see after the morning dew!

The plan - keep heading south!




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Driving Rain and Left Side Road

Image
 Today found us with lots of cloud and lots of rain.  We snuck in a fast soak in the jacuzzi this morning before our last trip to the grocery store.  A bit of fresh fruit (no fresh foods can be brought back into the states) and enough flour to continue my bread making.  We watched the downpour from the game room where I have yet to beat Paul at pool.  The closest I came was so close... Paul won after I left him this shot! The wet made getting on and off the boat a bit tricky.  During high tides, the boat is about 3 feet above the dock and 3 feet away.  Low tide 3 feet too low.  Normally Paul or I pull the boat closer and climb up or down.  Today I thankfully grabbed his hand before jumping - I slid across the wet dock and would have joined the fish on the other side!  Ugh.  No blood only a small bruise to my shin.  No jumping when wet! Our driving experience here in The Grand Bahamas. The signs:        ...
Read more

Getting Real (Close)

Image
 It's getting close.  All the planning.  All the decision making.  Tonight was the beginning of the celebration of Kevin and Isis. The venue is beautiful.     The rehearsal went well.   Isis - super focused.  Kevin and Dan - watching butterflies. Everything will go smoothly and everyone will remember where they are supposed to be and when. And we all know that only the bride is the focus unless something extraordinary occurs (Fall, fainting, vomiting).   Isis has assigned us all tasks.  Love it!  I get to be the family wrangler!!!  Perfect!  Thank you! Dinner at Avellino - supreme.  From the appetizers to the main course (best vegan dish ever!), and to the chocolate tort - everything was perfectly yummy.  The service - outstanding.  Great choice kids!   So many smiling, happy people.  Blessed.
Read more

Ocean Reef Yacht Resort, Freeport, Bahamas

Image
 It was such an amazing day I don't even know where to start.  After getting all set on the dock last night, talking about our crossing (and our mistakes) and waiting for the adrenaline to subside, we finally fell into bed at 2am. Although the crossing did not go as planned, I am still ecstatic to be here!  The West End is merely a stopping point to check in.  There is a gift shop (with little to no stock), a man selling conch salad, a beach with 2 people, the customs office and marina office.  That's it.  We walked the area in just a few  minutes. The channel out was just as narrow as I remembered .  How we maneuvered in the night - I don't know. As soon as we hit deeper water - 2 sea turtles!  One seemed to pose for the camera but I still couldn't capture him.  So cool! And lo and behold - the wind and seas were favorable!  We raised the sails, turned off the engines and sailed to our destination.  A glorious ride at 6-9 knot...
Read more