26:27.4158N 081:57.0890

June 11, 2010 5 PM

We’ve made it to Ft Myers. We were even able to sail as much as we motored.

I’m surprised at how much we do motor, we are on a sail boat after all, but we’ve found that destinations and winds rarely agree.

We had our first get together with the Florida bottom. We were entering the Ft Myers beach area and were following a couple of boats. In a new harbor it’s always nice to follow a local as they know the channel. I was pretty happy with myself until I looked at the chart plotter and realized the 2 boats I was following weren’t going where I wanted to go. It was time to do a U turn in a narrow channel and I didn’t make it.

Fortunately one of the boats I was following was a Tow Boat US vessel and he, knowing the area, knew I would soon be in trouble. He turned around and gave advice about the depths until I was stuck. Not his fault, wind and current set us into the shallows.  Fortunately I have Tow Boat US insurance and he gladly pulled us off. Here is our rescuer.

During the last evening in Clearwater I was sitting in the cockpit reading when a boat honked his horn. I turned to look and a young couple were  idling by and the young lady was topless. She was sitting very properly, back straight chest out as she turned and waved at me. (Such a perky young thing) Anyway I stared, until they had passed by and I don’t think they minded. (Sorry no pictures I was  busy staring).

It’s time for another major engine repair the fuel injector pump is leaking. (The fuel injector pump is to a diesel as a fuel injection system is to a car.) The good news is I have a spare pump a last minute decision, but I’m running out of spares. I talked to the mechanic who worked on my spare pump and he said the area of the leak has 2 O rings and I think one is gone. The good news it is on the return side so the engine will not get any air, the bad news is I have about a galleon of diesel sloshing around on the bed under the engine. My boat has a 5 inch deep pan under the engine so oil and fuel does not get into the bilge.

I’m hoping that all the engine problems I’ve had are the result of the engine’s age (28 yrs) and not my maintenance. I can see where after 28 years seals can start failing.

On a tragic note, when we were south of St Petersburg, we heard a mayday call from a boat. During the initial call the guy on the boat reported that one of people on board had jumped off the bow while the boat was moving at 11 knots. They said they did a quick evasive maneuver, but the guy never surfaced. We were too far away to help, but the Coast Guard sent 2 helicopters and were still announcing the search 24 hours later. He guy was 20 years old.