Lake Okeechobee and on to Ft Myers

(4/16) Happy Easter everyone!

We finished out our trip on Saturday (4/15). About Time made the 125 mile run across Lake Okeechobee from Stuart to Ft Myers. The boat will now sit at the Ft Myers Yacht Basin for about 2 months before the owner takes her home to Longboat Key. The run across Lake Okeechobee was uneventful. The weather was very nice and the boat ran great. There was about a 1 foot chop on the lake, but with east winds it was on our stern. The water level was great and we had no waits at any of the locks. We departed Stuart at 6:30 am, hit the first lock at 7:15 am and were tied to the fuel dock in Ft Myers by 2:20 pm. Not a bad day at all.

I got to see and speak to Jerry aboard "Seas the Day", a 2005 Meridian 459. I passed Jerry on the canal between the Moore Haven and Ortona Locks. We chatted on the VHF for a few minutes. Sorry we didn't end up in Stuart together to swap stories and have a beer.

What is even better is that there was a late flight out of Ft Myers back to Wilmington where I needed to pick up my car. I finally got home last night at 1:45am, but I got to wake up this morning in my own bed. That is always nice.

Here are a few final stats for the trip:

Miles: 757
Fuel: 1,504 gallons of diesel at an average price of $2.44/gallon
Engine hours: 38.5
MPG: 0.50
Ave Fuel Burn: 40.1 gph
Ave Speed: 20.1 mph

Heading to the St Lucie Lock at 7:00 am

Getting ready to enter the St Lucie Lock

The Port Mayaca Lock was open onto Lake Okeechobee

Crossing Lake Okeechobee

On to Stuart, FL

4/14 - This post will be short and sweet. Everything went as planned for a change. Pulled out of Daytona Beach at 6:45am this morning. We ran 165 miles to Stuart and tied up About Time at 3:45 pm at the fuel dock at Sunset Bay Marina on the St Lucie River. We plan to run across Lake Okeechobee tomorrow and finish in Ft Myers. We just finished dinner and I'm going to bed. Flat worn out. Running the ICW for 9 hours is a lot more work than running off-shore where you set one or two waypoints. It's all good. Just glad to be here and not sitting in Daytona trying to fix an overheating problem.

A beautiful sunrise coming out of Daytona Beach

The lighthouse at Ponce Inlet - New Smyrna Beach, FL

Some really beautiful water on the ICW near the Ft Pierce Inlet

Always an Adventure

April 13th - So Day 2 is in the books and it was nothing like Day 1. No two days are ever alike. However, the day started out great. We had almost identical conditions to start the day. We pulled out of the marina at 6:45 and went around the back side of Hilton Head and popped out at Tybee Roads and then back into the North Atlantic Ocean. Seas were almost the same as yesterday. We started out with an East swell about 3 feet and 8 second. The forecast was for condition to worsen during the day and for the winds to pick up. The weather man hit it spot on today. By noon, we had very small white caps on the top of the swells and the seas were getting closer together and becoming a bit rough. 

Since we knew the forecast was for conditions to worsen during the day, we decided instead of making a straight line out the Tybee Road Inlet to Ponce Inlet at New Smyrna Beach in Florida, we would follow the shore line a bit more and run inlet to inlet. This way, if the conditions got too bad, we could just tuck in and continue running down the ICW.

We went by the entrances to St Simon, then St Mary's and then onto the St Johns River at 12:30pm . Conditions were getting pretty bad, but we only had 35 miles to make St Augustine Inlet. So we toughed it out and continued on. The St Augustine inlet was a bit sporty coming in today. With the building East swell and an out going tide, we had some pretty nasty waves to contend with. I had been through that inlet over a dozen times and knew what to expect so we made it through without incident. I think Frank had some white knuckle moments as I took the boat through, but I think it also gave him confidence in what his boat can do.

So under the Bridge of Lions in St Augustine we went at 2:00 pm with the same goal to make New Smyrna Beach by days end via the ICW. I think I passed every "Looper", sail boat, trawler and local all heading north today out of Florida. I must have been up and down on the throttle 50 times in 3 hours. By 5:00pm we were coming into Daytona Beach and thinking we would make New Smyrna by 6:30 or 7:00pm. We had our slip reserved and the night watchman was set to fuel us up when we got in.

But as we all know, the boating Gods often have different plans for us. As we were coming under the Main Street Bridge in a no wake zone in Daytona Beach, we get an overheat alarm on the Starboard engine. Well that was odd as the boat was running great all day. So I shut down the engine, ask Frank to drive for a second as I run down into the engine room to take a look. Nothing jumps out at first glance. At this point I am figuring it is the impeller that has crapped out. I put my hand on the front of the water pump and sure enough, it is hot as a stove top. I feel the port water pump and it is nice and cool. So... no problem I think. I know we have an extra impeller down below. We are passing by Halifax Harbor Marina. I take the wheel and pull into the marina. Since we are in Daytona, let's act like a NASCAR pit crew. We get tied up to the fuel dock and I have Frank pumping fuel while I am down working on the impeller. We are still going to make New Smyrna Beach.... I think.

Again, the boating Gods have a different plan for us. I change into some work clothes, pull the face plate off the water pump and low and behold, the impeller looks brand spanking new. What???? How can this be? Okay, what am I missing? I open the seacock, water comes pouring out. Well that is not it. Scratch my head. Then scratch my head some more. Finally tell Frank the day is over. Need to get a diesel mechanic to come to the boat and see what he thinks. I start calling local shops and get a guy to come by in the morning at 10:00am.

So we get a slip assignment and start to head over to the slip on one engine. I realize there is no way to get the boat in the slip without the other engine due to the wind. So I think I will quickly start up the bad engine and use it to put us in the slip. Well once I start the engine, the temp starts dropping like a rock. I yell to Frank, pull the line and fenders in, I think we have our problem fixed. We take the boat back out onto the ICW and run down the waterway for a quarter mile up on plane. The temps are steady at 165F, just where they have been all day long. By now it is 6:30 pm and I'm beat. We have already covered 227 miles and I'm thinking that still ain't too bad for a days work. We turn around and dock at Halifax Harbor for the night in Daytona Beach. We still won't have any problem making Stuart, FL tomorrow. That will allow us to run across Lake Okeechobee on Saturday to finish in Ft Myers right on schedule. 

About the only thing I can think of is that we must have picked up a plastic bag or some junk in the no wake zone as we came under the bridge. Once we stopped for fuel, the bag or junk just floated away. So that is my story and I'm sticking to it unless someone on the forum has a better suggestion as to what could have caused this.

All's well that ends well. No two days are a like on the water. You just got to roll with the punches sometimes.

You can see out track as we came in last night on one side of Hilton Head and popped out on the other side this morning.

We hugged the coastline as weather was to worsen as the day progressed.

On to Hilton Head

(4/12) Day 1 is in the books. We had a great first day. We had planned to only run down to Charleston, SC. However, the weather Gods smiled upon us and gave us some wonderful weather. We had bright sunny skies with temps in the mid-70's. Seas were 2 to 3 feet about 8 seconds apart. Just really nice slow rollers. We pulled off the dock this morning at 6:30 and had a nice run down the Cape Fear River. At 8:00 we came out of the river into the North Atlantic Ocean and set our first waypoint 96 miles away at Cape Romain. We arrive at the Sea Buoy at 12:05 pm. I knew at about 10:00 am we were way ahead of schedule and decided to take advantage of the nice weather and get on down to Hilton Head. We called ahead for a reservation and I'm glad we did since the Heritage Golf Tournament is in town and I think we might have got the last slip available.

So we set our next waypoint for the entrance to Port Royal Sound another 97 miles away. We hit the channel at 4:00pm and made the 20 mile run into Hilton Head. We tied up 4:50pm at the Hilton Head Harbor Marina and RV Park. They close at 5:00 pm, but said if we got in before 5:00 they would pump fuel for us. I think they are glad they stayed for us since we took on 535 gallons after our 240 mile run today.

Dinner tonight will be at the Sunset Grill at the marina. Frank is loving the new boat and enjoyed playing with all the electronics today. Not too much to look at today, but I did try and snap a few pictures. I'll try another update again tomorrow.

I really want to thank everyone for the "likes" and emails. I really do appreciate it!!

The new owner enjoying breakfast on the flybridge in route.

Half way from the Cape Fear River to Sea Buoy at Cape Romain

Heading toward Port Royal Sound and Hilton Head

Tied up at the Hilton Head Harbor Marina and RV Park

48 Silverton Convertible: Wilmington, NC to Ft Myers, FL

Today (4/11/17) begins another delivery aboard the 48-foot Silverton Convertible, About Time. She was just sold and the new owner and I will be moving her from Wilmington, NC to Ft Myers, FL. I got down on the boat today and completed my usual USCG safety inspection. We will soon run to the store to provision for the trip. The weather is looking great for the next few days so we should have a good go of it and make some miles. I have lost track of how many times I have moved this boat, but I think this might be 5 or 6. The previous owner of this boat is in the final stages of negotiation on a 2016 52-foot Princess that I may be moving up from Miami in a few weeks. I'll keep you posted on that, but right now I am excited to be back aboard About Time and looking forward to the trip with the new owner, Frank. He has definitely found himself a good vessel.