Wednesday October 29, 2014
33.86325 N
112.14029 W
Good night's sleep - the anchor did not drag but the view had stayed the same. Water and gas were turned on by 9 AM, just now waiting for hot water for a shower. As usual Deidre is having trouble getting used to all the space.
From now on I will only make a blog entry if "something happens"!.
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
Sunday, October 26, 2014
Palm Coast (Dock behind private house)
Friday October 24, 2014
Easy run, only 25 miles, and for some reason we had the tide all the way, even after Matansas Inlet. We called our contact (Barry Kipnis) when we arrived at the canal that leads into the development and he met us at the dock 10 minutes later. The dock is behind a house towards the back of the development, in a well protected "corner". The various feeder canals are quite narrow so it was fun looking into the backyards as we worked our way in. Barry invited Deidre and I to join them out for dinner that night.
Saturday October 26, 2014
Rode my bike into town this morning and did a bit of light shopping. Another perfect weather day, lots of warm sun, light breeze, great day for a ride. Spent the rest of the day sorting out the boat.
Sunday October 27, 2014
Another perfect morning. Bacon and eggs for breakfast. We have a couple of days to eat our way thru the refrigerator.
Monday October 28, 2014
Another perfect day. Deidre picked up the rental.
Tuesday October 28, 2014
Left Tide Hiker at about 10 AM EDST and arrived in Anthem at about 8 PM MT. All was well with the house, we were in bed early.
Easy run, only 25 miles, and for some reason we had the tide all the way, even after Matansas Inlet. We called our contact (Barry Kipnis) when we arrived at the canal that leads into the development and he met us at the dock 10 minutes later. The dock is behind a house towards the back of the development, in a well protected "corner". The various feeder canals are quite narrow so it was fun looking into the backyards as we worked our way in. Barry invited Deidre and I to join them out for dinner that night.
 |
| Entering Palm Coast |
Rode my bike into town this morning and did a bit of light shopping. Another perfect weather day, lots of warm sun, light breeze, great day for a ride. Spent the rest of the day sorting out the boat.
Sunday October 27, 2014
Another perfect morning. Bacon and eggs for breakfast. We have a couple of days to eat our way thru the refrigerator.
Monday October 28, 2014
Another perfect day. Deidre picked up the rental.
 |
| Tide Hiker on the other side. |
Left Tide Hiker at about 10 AM EDST and arrived in Anthem at about 8 PM MT. All was well with the house, we were in bed early.
Thursday, October 23, 2014
St. Augustine (Mooring Ball)
Thursday October 23, 2014
29 53 286 N
81 18 430 W
The port engine cranked but did not want to start this morning. I quickly checked the various fuel line connections for tightness - the one just before the injector pump took a quarter turn and the 6 machine screws around the perimeter of the low pressure fuel pump took about a 1/4 turn each. Then I bled the fuel filter assembly and tried the engine again - and it started. Amazing.
The 25 miles to St. Augustine were otherwise uneventful. We rode the tide the whole way so it was pretty fast. When we arrived it was low tide so we were able to "squeeze" under the Bridge of Lions and take a mooring ball. We launched the dink just so we could start the engine and run it out of fuel so the gas would not be sitting in the carburetter for the two months we were away - the source of all our issues since.
We did not go into town - been here done that, and we need to eat as much food in the frig as possible in the next 3 days. Perfect afternoon and the solar panels are making 650 Watts.
29 53 286 N
81 18 430 W
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| Mooring Field at St. Augustine |
The 25 miles to St. Augustine were otherwise uneventful. We rode the tide the whole way so it was pretty fast. When we arrived it was low tide so we were able to "squeeze" under the Bridge of Lions and take a mooring ball. We launched the dink just so we could start the engine and run it out of fuel so the gas would not be sitting in the carburetter for the two months we were away - the source of all our issues since.
We did not go into town - been here done that, and we need to eat as much food in the frig as possible in the next 3 days. Perfect afternoon and the solar panels are making 650 Watts.
 |
| The "Bridge of Lions" north of the mooring field |
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
Palm Cove (Marina)
Wednesday October 22, 2014
30 17 410 N
81 25 914 W
Big Change of Plans
Back in Marsh Harbor Deidre took a spill off her bike and landed on her knee. She was really hurting for a few days but after a while her knee felt better, but not great. In Charleston she went to a doctor and received a cortisone shot in her knee and arranged to get an MRI. The cortisone helped but the MRI showed a damaged meniscus and some "loose bodies" and a bit of arthritis. Over the past few weeks she has not been able to ride a bike and can only walk a few hundred yards without experiencing pain. A few days ago she took an awkward step and experienced lots of pain. So we have decided to delay our winter cruise and have her knee issues to attended to with surgery.
We have made arrangements to store Tide Hiker at Palm Coast. Deidre has been in contact with Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale and has arranged a consultation on 11/3. Hopefully the procedure will follow soon after. Being in Arizona means that Deidre can recuperate in our house at Anthem. We will arrive in Palm Coast on Friday and fly to Phoenix on Tuesday.
30 17 410 N
81 25 914 W
Big Change of Plans
Back in Marsh Harbor Deidre took a spill off her bike and landed on her knee. She was really hurting for a few days but after a while her knee felt better, but not great. In Charleston she went to a doctor and received a cortisone shot in her knee and arranged to get an MRI. The cortisone helped but the MRI showed a damaged meniscus and some "loose bodies" and a bit of arthritis. Over the past few weeks she has not been able to ride a bike and can only walk a few hundred yards without experiencing pain. A few days ago she took an awkward step and experienced lots of pain. So we have decided to delay our winter cruise and have her knee issues to attended to with surgery.
We have made arrangements to store Tide Hiker at Palm Coast. Deidre has been in contact with Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale and has arranged a consultation on 11/3. Hopefully the procedure will follow soon after. Being in Arizona means that Deidre can recuperate in our house at Anthem. We will arrive in Palm Coast on Friday and fly to Phoenix on Tuesday.
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| Shipping on the St. John River |
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Jacksonville Landing (Free Dock)
Tuesday October 21, 2014
We decided against heading further south on the river - we have cruised on plenty of rivers and there did not seem to be anything of particular interest on the St. Johns. So we waited for the tide and headed north. On the way back we heard friends on the radio ("Rickshaw") and arranged to meet back at Jacksonville Landing.
We decided against heading further south on the river - we have cruised on plenty of rivers and there did not seem to be anything of particular interest on the St. Johns. So we waited for the tide and headed north. On the way back we heard friends on the radio ("Rickshaw") and arranged to meet back at Jacksonville Landing.
Monday, October 20, 2014
Green Cove Springs (City Dock)
Monday October 20, 2014
29 59 660 N
81 40 473 W
Another easy day - maybe we are just getting into a cruising mind set after 2 1/2 years on the water. Our target was the City Dock in Green Cove Springs, just 21 NM away. This is where our "mail house" is located and we have decided to give it a visit.
The Straus Railroad bridge crosses the river in Jacksonville and it was scheduled to be open between 9 AM and 10 AM so we were off the dock at 9:20 AM and under the bridge. Heading south the river was wide and calm. There was only one spot at the GCS City Dock that we would fit, and when we arrived the place was deserted so there was no issue.
We lowered one bike and I rode a few miles to the mail-house and picked up the current batch of mail. Back at the boat met a South African couple on a sailing boat and invited them back for a beer.
29 59 660 N
81 40 473 W
Another easy day - maybe we are just getting into a cruising mind set after 2 1/2 years on the water. Our target was the City Dock in Green Cove Springs, just 21 NM away. This is where our "mail house" is located and we have decided to give it a visit.
The Straus Railroad bridge crosses the river in Jacksonville and it was scheduled to be open between 9 AM and 10 AM so we were off the dock at 9:20 AM and under the bridge. Heading south the river was wide and calm. There was only one spot at the GCS City Dock that we would fit, and when we arrived the place was deserted so there was no issue.
We lowered one bike and I rode a few miles to the mail-house and picked up the current batch of mail. Back at the boat met a South African couple on a sailing boat and invited them back for a beer.
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| Green Cove Springs |
Sunday, October 19, 2014
Jacksonville Landing (Free Dock)
Saturday October 18, 2014
30 19 467 N
81 39 665 W
Long day with a good fun ending.
Its desirable to catch the tide for the 25 mile run up the St. Johns River to Jacksonville, otherwise you can be pushing a 2 1/2 knot current all the way. So we had consulted the tide tables and timed our departure to arrive 1/2 hour after the flood started. But because of the dinghy motor problem we were delayed a day. So I checked the tide tables and adjusted our Fernandina departure 1/2 hour earlier.
We dropped the mooring right on time at 8:30 AM and headed out into the Atlantic. It was a nice sunny day with a long 1-2 foot swell and virtually no chop. We were making great progress when I realized we would arrive at the entrance an hour early - I had adjusted our departure time the wrong way! So we slowed Tide Hiker back to about 4 kts to delay our arrival. What a drag.
Our target was a free dock at "Jacksonville Landing" - this is in the middle of the Jacksonville entertainment district. Because it was now the weekend - and a football weekend - we were doubtful that there would be space for us but we lucked out and squeezed in at about 5:30PM. The place was really hopping.
Mixed into the restaurants is a stage with live bands till after we wet to bed. The theme was all latino and had the whole place hopping. Most notable was the number of large gyrating asses. Deidre and I had pizza dinner.
Sunday the Cleveland Browns are in town to play the Jaguars. Let's hope no-one throws any batteries at Tide Hiker.
30 19 467 N
81 39 665 W
Long day with a good fun ending.
Its desirable to catch the tide for the 25 mile run up the St. Johns River to Jacksonville, otherwise you can be pushing a 2 1/2 knot current all the way. So we had consulted the tide tables and timed our departure to arrive 1/2 hour after the flood started. But because of the dinghy motor problem we were delayed a day. So I checked the tide tables and adjusted our Fernandina departure 1/2 hour earlier.
We dropped the mooring right on time at 8:30 AM and headed out into the Atlantic. It was a nice sunny day with a long 1-2 foot swell and virtually no chop. We were making great progress when I realized we would arrive at the entrance an hour early - I had adjusted our departure time the wrong way! So we slowed Tide Hiker back to about 4 kts to delay our arrival. What a drag.
Our target was a free dock at "Jacksonville Landing" - this is in the middle of the Jacksonville entertainment district. Because it was now the weekend - and a football weekend - we were doubtful that there would be space for us but we lucked out and squeezed in at about 5:30PM. The place was really hopping.
Mixed into the restaurants is a stage with live bands till after we wet to bed. The theme was all latino and had the whole place hopping. Most notable was the number of large gyrating asses. Deidre and I had pizza dinner.
Sunday the Cleveland Browns are in town to play the Jaguars. Let's hope no-one throws any batteries at Tide Hiker.
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