[singlepic id=81 w=320 h=240 float=left]I know that doesn’t look like a village.  We don’t have a camera that works right now.  The picture is of the new heat exchanger attached to the recently painted exhaust manifold that I installed on the recently painted engine.  The motor started and worked so well that we decided to steam down to Cocoa to see what we could see.  I used to come up here and surf as a kid.  Wow, what a difference.  Sometimes it helps to have a hurricane hit your town because it gives the people in charge a second chance as to how they want their town to look and this one looks great.  The anchorage isn’t the best but everything is available with the exception of laundry and groceries.  Those are big items but maybe they didn’t know we were coming.

[singlepic id=65 w=320 h=240 float=left]They are still around in spite of the cuts caused by boat traffic.  We saw this one right next to us in Titusville.

[singlepic id=32 w=320 h=240 float=]The beach at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge has some nice waves.

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[singlepic id=66 w=320 h=240 float=]Marilyn picked up an extra job pointing to the speed hump.  Times are hard here in Titusville.

[singlepic id=82 w=320 h=240 float=]We got a good look at this custom enclosure and it seemed to fit like a glove.  The loft will remain when they redo the building with new offices and bathrooms.

[singlepic id=46 w=320 h=240 float=left]This is a pretty good place to break down.  Westland Marina is one the only DIY yards in the area.  They have two travelifts, a big storage lot and the staff is very friendly and helpful.  There is also a canvas loft here that goes by the name of A-Team Marine.  The bus comes by every hour and goes to grocery stores and Walmart.

[singlepic id=21 w=320 h=240 float=left]Two items that I had worried about before leaving were the heat exchangers and the injector pump.  Last summer the heat exchanger for the transmission had corroded through and now the main engine one has done the same.  Elfin at Complete Marine Services in Savannah sends them off to a company in New York called Lenco that torches off the brackets and builds a new one.  They are half the cost of buying from Westerbeke.[singlepic id=22 w=320 h=240 float=right]

We are in Titusville now after a real trial bringing the boat down from Georgia.  Marilyn started feeling sick before we left and then I got real sick.   By St. Augustine I had to visit the hospital.  Now we are holed up in Titusville waiting on another heat exchanger to be built.  The weather is warmer so that part of it is falling into place.

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[singlepic id=54 w=320 h=240 float=left]Most of these places looked empty and a lot of them had for sale signs posted in the yard.

[singlepic id=15 w=320 h=240 float=left]We made it to Georgetown and hooked up with Kent yesterday.  He had shoved off right after Thanksgiving and has gone way farther than most of us imagined.  Now he is seasoned and appears to be making very good decisions.   A strong front is moving into the area so both boats are going to sit still for a couple of days.  Winds are going into the mid-30’s with record low temps.  There are plenty of pictures to upload but the exterior antenna died and we are looking at shore options for wi-fi.  Stay warm everybody!

Tomorrow might be the day to try this winter cruise idea.  The next two nights will be in the lower 20’s with 20kts of wind but the Neuse River is the only open body of water.  Turning around will be an option for the first few days.

Of course people in cold climates are going to think this is nothing.  Highs in the 40’s and lows around freezing.  Big deal.  But it is having an effect on departure plans.  The batteries couldn’t turn the engine over fast enough to start.  The manual suggests a 4D size battery but that can’t happen right now.  But the boat went back in the water yesterday without incidence and was floating for sure but the surface water was getting all over the newly painted boot stripe.  We are too heavy and still have to fill the fuel tank.  Much stuff just came off and that part of it is solved.  To go or not is still being discussed.

I sure haven’t been around the internet lately.  Sometimes I can sit in a car and answer some emails but most of the time has gone to the boat.  The shaft had to be replaced along with the cutlass bearing.  A new waterline is painted and all the bottom has been sanded.  Maybe early next week to paint her and then back in the water.  Not too much fun to leave this late but here we go again.[singlepic id=83 w=320 h=240 float=]

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Jeff, Marilyn and I went floating down the river in a Jon boat powered by a 20hp motor.  We stopped on the way upstream to swim in the docile waters of one of the lazy rapids.  On the way back we hit a rock in the same previously lazy area and the boat wedged up on its side and ejected the crew.  Marilyn disappeared underwater but re-appeared in time to retrieve the gas tank.  About a 1/4 mile down river we got the boat to shore and turned it back over but the motor case was filled with gravel and rocks.  My job was to walk down the middle of the river carrying one cell phone and one wallet.  Water depth was neck high.  It turns out they had opened the gates but we were too far away to hear the sirens.  What a nice day.

Driving to Lugoff,SC to visit a blacksmith/farrier friend that has been in Colorado for the past year.  Nights have turned cool so camping out is the plan.[singlepic id=84 w=320 h=240 float=]

I had some difficulties moving this site to a new server but things seem to be back to normal.  I am going to update the pictures of “Spark” on the for sale page.  She has been hauled to do the bottom and is in the storage lot owned by Triton Yachts.  The masts had to come down first.  Being able to take the boat apart and haul in half a day is a great feature of the Meadowlark.