Falcon's Log 33
May 4, 2010 - Rivertown Boatyard - Bradenton, Florida

Something I forgot to mention yesterday was that, while I liked the new seating position up beside the cockpit, the unsecured
seat meant I had to hold on constantly with the big waves and cross seas. I only got badly waked by two of the huge
powerboats and most of them very courteously slowed to pass. Still, I was up early yesterday and never got to lie down and
rest until after 6 PM and by then, well, I was about worn down to a nub. I turned out the lights and went to sleep at 9:30 last
night and didn't wake up until 5:30 this morning.

One of the first things I want to do is to is to start installing the Depth Sounder transducer, which means I have to pull 200 feet
of chain out of the chain locker and pile it up on the foredeck. That's pretty noisy and I won't be doing it until about 8 AM. I've
decided not to do a boot stripe this time. I'm going to save myself the added work and aggravation by just running the bottom
paint up the extra 2 inches. There are a lot of little cosmetic things I COULD do while here, but I have to stick to what I can
and must get done: bottom paint, depth, running lights, strip out weight - tons of weight.

The batteries are pretty 'iffy' and I should find a way to check which are worst (load tester - I think Eddie Bartels has one and
he said he'd be coming over) and keep them out of the loop. They only drag the others down. Below are some more of
yesterdays photos around the Rivertown yard that I took yesterday. Some are from Falcon's deck.
I thought it would be buggy here last night, but it wasn't. I'm
going to be getting stuff moving soon this morning. It's still only
6:45 and I just don't want to make much noise, but I can start
moving things to the cockpit to lower down to the ground as
soon as I finish this post.

It is now 8:23 AM and I have pulled the anchor chain and
bored the hole and ground the outside flat for the depth
sounder transducer. Of course that means I am already
dusted with ground fiberglass so this will be a pleasant day.

Eddie and Sandy just stopped by. Sandy now has a cast on
her leg. The injury that started as a falling dresser drawer (I
think) at home has turned into a dangerous problem that could
lead to gangrene and the loss of the leg. Eddie dropped off
his battery load tester so I can test the batteries and see what
ones are good and which are bad.
It's 12:08 PM and the epoxy has cured on the depth sounder transducer, the rudder is completely sanded and the waterline is
tapped off. I will blitz a pass of sanding and scraping over the hull - I have already gone over the entire thing once with
scrapers - and start painting on the Interlux 2000 barrier coat.

Every time I come inside to do something on the computer, I have to connect the power and reboot. At least I get a short
break. After this next work period I will stop and get something to eat. I just noticed that my phone was still on the charger
from this morning and that I'd missed a call from Matt, so I called him and talked for a short time. Now, back to work.

It's 4:36 and I'm waiting for 4 more minutes for the Interlux 2000 to metabolize or catalyze or whatever it has to do in the 20
minutes they say to wait. I'm about to go outside and begin applying the primer coat. My arms are telling me they don't like me
anymore.
This is as far as I got with the white primer before running out of the first batch I made and throwing in the towel. I just got a
call from Steve Papuchis welcoming me to the Rivertown boatyard. We only spoke briefly because I'm in the middle of this
and supper. I'll post now and see you all tomorrow.
May 5, 2010 - Rivertown Boatyard - Bradenton, Florida

Yesterday when Eddie and Sandy were here, Sandy surprised me by saying that a huge rain event was on the way. I have
been working hard to get this done and don't need a couple of days of rain to throw a monkey wrench in the gears.
Fortunately, the new weather reports this morning say that the rain has fallen apart and we shouldn't get much at all. Still, I
need to get out there and get the primer finished as soon as possible.
RJ came by and helped me with the primer and then, after a wait while I dug a bunch of stuff out of the boat to give to him
(about 75 pounds worth) we applied the first coat of bottom paint. Then we went to his shop, West Marine to get some
thinner and then some advice on my bad, brand new Garmin GPSMap 545, and finally a stop at Taco Bell for crispy Tacos. I
now have a whole slew of other stuff to dig out of the boat and lower to the ground so Randy can come by take it away
(weight estimate coming later).

I drained about 100 gallons of water from the water tanks (800 pounds), called Randy and he'll come to get the watermaker
and material and bond paper and his old prop that I had reconditioned and set to 18 x 12. All told, about 270 pounds. I also
called Yvonne and told her that she and Eddie could have the Taylor cabin stove, (30 pounds) and whatever else I could find.

The bottom paint, primer and paint materials I've been carrying but have used this trip will add up to about 100 pounds.
Brushes, rollers, trays, etcetera, will be tossed, as well as the empty cans, but the primer and paint stay on the boat, albeit in
another location. I can only add about 10 pounds to the 'lighter by' list. So far, Falcon is lighter by about 1185 pounds.

I just took the watermaker out of the head (by myself - it outweighs me by about 30 pounds) and have it staged at the ladder
to go up on deck. I'll get it up there soon with pulling anything - it'll just take a little thought. Things are coming along.

I spoke with Ray (the yard manager) and he'll put me in the slings on Saturday so I can do the six pads spots and the three
block spots. I'll get splashed on Monday between 10 and 11 AM.
May 6, 2010 - Rivertown Boatyard - Bradenton, Florida

I got the watermaker up on the deck yesterday, then went through the aft storage compartments and pulled out everything
that I don't NEED to keep. I will make a few trips to the dumpster today, and fill Donny and Barbs car with books for the
laundry room at the Seafood Shack Marina. I will drop off the car at that time and say goodbye to Paul so George and Kim
and I can avoid the stop once we're off and heading south.

I have a lot of painting to do today as well as sorting out clothes, bedding and other things. It will be impossible to make an
accurate estimate of how much weight I'll be getting off the boat, but I'm certain that I'll reach a full ton, and maybe more. I
forgot to add to Randy's list the full set of cockpit enclosures that Eddie gave me. They have to go due to the weight issue.
They probably add 20 pounds to the 'lighter by' list.

RJ came over this morning with breakfast and I gave him more stuff. I'd just finished applying the second coat to the waterline
(1 foot wide) and to the two lifting strap areas (3 feet wide) and the rudder and prop. I used the main halyard to lower the
watermaker to the ground and also handed down a bunch of other stuff that will be picked up by other people. I have to start
calling around right now to see when Eddie and Yvonne might show up and George and Kim. I want to get the mail situation
squared away for Don and Barbara at the post office and that will mean taking a quick run to Cortez.

I got back from Cortez and George and Kim showed up and we went over our plans and some charts. It looks like a real pain
to get into Flamingo and I'm not looking forward to it at all. The main problem is the shallow water and all the work I'm doing
right now. The last thing I want to do is scrape the new bottom paint off my keel by going aground almost immediately after I
get it done. George's health situation means that speed becomes an issue. Consequently, the slow, visit friends along the
way trip I'd first envisioned is off. Instead, we have to go straight for Marathon and do what we're going to do in the Keys so
he and Kim can head back and get back into treatment.

Shortly after they left, Eddie and Yvonne stopped by and picked up some stuff I'd set aside for them. I finished sorting out my
clothes and bedding and after Yvonne took the only good stuff, a comforter with matching sheets and pillow cases, I tossed
the rest into the dumpster. I also worked with the Garmin GPS again, doing exactly what the guy at West Marine said to try to
no avail. I called Garmin and they said that before they can make any determination about whether or not they could help, I'd
have to fax in my receipt for when I bought it. That brought me to a couple of hours of digging through piles of old paperwork
looking for the receipt. No luck, but I did finally empty all the stuff out of the ice box.

Frustrated, I called RJ - he told me to call him if I was going to paint - and he came over and we painted the hull Largo Blue.
I still have stuff to do, things to give away or get rid of, but Falcon is very close to being ready to go. There will be plenty to
sort out on the trip and once I get to Marathon.

Randy came by and picked up the watermaker and other things, then brought me out to supper. We went to a Sushi place
and Joe Albright met us there. It was a great meal, really. Everything was awesome. Randy suggested I leave Geoff's Hookah
with him, since Geoff will definitely be coming back up. It would solve that problem for me, but I still have to check with Geoff
to see if it's all right.
May 7, 2010 - Rivertown Boatyard - Bradenton, Florida

It was hot and stuffy in the boat last night and I woke up at 2:45 AM swatting at mosquito's. Unable to sleep, I got up and
finished yesterdays post, then went through some stuff on board and laid back down at 6 AM. I got up at 8:30 and started the
day.

I reached Garmin Tech Support and the guy told me to do a software upgrade and see what happens before sending the unit
in. Unfortunately, Garmin's Server is down so there's no way to try it just now. I also reached Pyacht and they sent me a copy
of my invoice so I can now send it into Garmin if the software upgrade doesn't work.

Paul came to visit me earlier and we talked for a while and said 'Goodbye' in case I don't see him at the marina this weekend.
I spent at least a couple of hours sorting through a huge stack of papers and tossed most of them out, finding in the pile my
birth certificate, my mother's Death certificate, and the article and remembrances of my Aunt Mary's death.

I opened the 4 aft lockers and found about 200 pounds of wet line. Too much line, but I have it drying in the sun and it will get
stored forward for the trip to Marathon as much weight as possible will be stored forward to avoid the squatting stern effect
that brings water into the cockpit.

I have most of the tools outside now and will sort them all out when the shadows cool the rear area and I have most of this
stuff inside under control.

The boat is emptying out. Even though the aft lockers are empty except for 1 anchor/rode in each of the two large ones, all
those lines are out on the deck right now. I have been loading up Donny's car with things to bring to RJ, Randy and the
laundry room book table. I still have to re-install the sink drain, dry the bilges and get them ready for stored items, then decide
what will go down there.

I have one of the Carframo Fans hooked up and I will not spend another night in stifling heat swatting at bugs. By tonight, all
3 of them will be connected and hung.

Ray got me the final bill - early, I wanted to get the money out of the bank today, when it was easy - and I paid the rest of the
bill. I'd given him $500 on Monday, and another $526 covered it today. All paid and done.

I have the bilges cleaned and dried and the depth transducer cable threaded through the frames into the main salon. The
forward sole is back down and the head door is re-hung. The depth sounder cable is now strung all the way through a 10 foot
piece of 1/2 inch PVC pipe I just installed into the center bilge. It is past the engine and right below the depth sounder and
ready to be hooked up, a simple matter of plugging it in.

Outside waits the monumental job of sorting the tools I will keep from those I will give away. Intellectually, I know I will want to
have a small and simple set of tools on the boat. Emotionally, however, I find it difficult to dispose of items that have made my
living for me for almost half a century, and that I've had in my hand since before I could walk. Tools are not possessions so
much as they are the means to and end. They are what separates people from those who flounder, waving their arms and
screaming for help, or waving down a ride on the side of the road, or spending a night cold because the furnace needs a
repairman. Tools separate the doers from sadly waitings. If I give away the wrong tool, I could become a 'sadly waiting',
rowing around an anchorage trying to borrow a tool I gave away at the Rivertown Boatyard. Or not.
May 8, 2010 - Rivertown Boatyard - Bradenton, Florida

I went to bed early last night and didn't wake up until 5:45 this morning. I only mounted 2 of the fans and that was all I
needed. With both fans over my bunk operating at slow speed, I stayed cool and bug-free and slept all night. I saved the last
fan for a spot near the computer desk chair.

I never did sort out the tools yesterday, but I have almost all of them outside on the ground. I'll do them this morning before it
gets too hot, and keep to the shade made by the boat. Don's car is now parked right behind the boat and I am loading it with
the stuff that's going to Seafood Shack Marina and RJ's.

I've been wondering if there is a way I could add short video's to this log.

Okay, so, while I was typing in this log entry, a vicious mosquito ASSAULTED me and I whipped a left slap at him and
knocked my coffee into the computer. And the keyboard and mouse. And the speaker. And all down the counter and onto the
cabin sole. It has taken me almost an hour to get everything cleaned and working again. Espin called while I was just in the
phase of repeated re-boots trying to get the keyboard and mouse back on line. For some reason, it knocked out the USB
driver for the motherboard, which had to reload. The worst thing? The mosquito got away. He's up on the porthole edge right
now laughing his ass off. I'll get him. Grrrr.

One thing I did discover inside the computer was that a cable had shifted and stopped the CPU cooling fan from operating. I
don't know when that might have happened, but that explains some of the recent slowness of the computer - most BIOS
controls on modern motherboards automatically limit CPU capacity if the internal temperature goes too high. Mine has a
temperature selection option and I always select the lowest temperature. This is Florida, after all.

I will now try to get to the internet and post this.

No deal. The new modem is pooched. I tried everything, then I took it to the AT&T place and waited at the door for them to
open. It turns out that if the unit is less than 2 weeks old, they just exchange it right then. It'll be two weeks old tomorrow, so I
am now operating on a new modem. Time to connect and see if it works.
The new modem works fine. I have a little less confidence in
this system now than I had before. I also have to warn you
that once I am out of the yard, it is impossible for me to say
when I will be back online. Theoretically, I should be able to
hook up the inverter and get up and running right away. I
would also like to hook up the Outback charge controller and
get the solar panels on line and charging the batteries, but
there always seems to be one thing or another conspiring to
get in the way.

All the tools are sorted and divided and ready to go. The big
single item tormenting me right now is that I can't find the
power cable for the depth sounder!! I had it in my hand a
week ago and I put it somewhere that would make it readily
available! Now, I have a full 2 hours into the search for it. I'm
telling you, this crap is making me crazy. Oh, well. All this
work and still no GPS and no depth sounder.
Okay, I just found the sneaky little rat basstid power cable. It was hiding out with the Autopilot control head masquerading as
a second cable connection. I think those two got something going on. Anyway, I have the cable and will make short work of
connecting that system when it cools off a little. It's pretty hot and humid right now. I might watch a little golf for a while.

At 3:30 PM I couldn't sit around any more and loaded up the car and went to Seafood Shack Marina. I met Randy and Joe
there and gave Randy all the stuff I'd put aside for him. I also returned Eddie's battery load tester and dropped about 30 or 40
books up in the laundry. I said goodbye to Rachel and Mike, gave Yvonne the manual to the Taylors cabin heater, then drove
over to RJ's and dropped off a bunch of stuff for him. He gave me an awesome little compass - best one I ever saw - that was
given to him by Flocut, a Nez Perce like RJ. It is an awesome piece.

I came back to the boat and put bottom paint over the primed pads spots and block marks. Oh, and Randy gave me a Garmin
182c GPS. I need to get a power plug for it. The one I have for the bad Garmin GPSMap 545 doesn't fit.
May 9, 2010 - Rivertown Boatyard - Bradenton, Florida

I have a full day today. I will finish the bottom painting and deliver Don's car and Geoff's Hookah to Seafood Shack. I'll have to
coordinate with someone to get the ride back. I'll store all the lines that were wet in the aft lockers, now dry, way up forward,
only keeping out those that I will need for mooring in Marathon - eventually. I will not have the money to get a mooring until
the 1st of June, but once I reach the 1st of July, the expense of this stage will be behind me and I'll be able to start the
serious business of publishing. Meanwhile, one by one, I'll sort out the systems aboard and get everything working well. I
hope I still have enough tools.

I have to re-install the sink drain RIGHT NOW so I don't forget. Be right back.

Okay, that's done. I also lubed and exercised the valve - it hadn't been done in years. Now, it's getting light outside and I need
to be getting stuff done. I'll be working that bottom paint first. I should get the rebate form mailed off for the new modem. If I
don't do it today, it could end up being the end of the month. I should also get water and a few other things, like food to eat for
the trip. And I should send out a couple of apologetic emails for not being able to stop and visit with people I told I would. Like
I said, I had originally seen this as a slow, enjoyable three week cruise. Because George has a pretty pressing schedule, it
will now be more like a mission. But it the only way he'll be able to cruise a little, so we're doing it and we'll have a good time.

I did speak to Geoff last night and he said it would be fine if I left the Hookah with Paul at the Seafood Shack. It also JUST
occurred to me that when Randy called the heavy naugahyde I returned to him 'Cadillac upholstery' (I thought he told me it
was for Golf Cart seats) that he meant he would use it inside the new 1960 Sedan DeVille he just got and is restoring.

I went to Garmin Software Updates and downloaded the new version of software for the Garmin GPSMap 545 , then did what
the guy from Garmin Tech Support, Alex 6976 (cool name, like an advanced Terminator from the 'Terminator' movies) said to
do, and the unit seems to be working fine!! Awesome! I am a GPS updating legend.

I painted all the single-coat areas on the bottom and used up the very last of the paint to apply one more, as in 'the third', coat
around the waterline. Two minutes after I finished painting, Espin called back and I chatted with him for only about a minute
or two - they were just getting underway - then RJ came over and we ate and sat and chatted for a while. Then Randy called.
He wanted to use Geoff's Hookah and would call Geoff to clear it. I loaded the Hookah into the car and headed to Seafood
Shack. RJ followed to give me a ride back. I explained the Hookah thing to Paul, put the car where he wanted and gave him
the keys so he could move it if he had to, and moved the Hookah to Lil Toot for Randy. Then RJ and I went to his boat and
used the SD card I had loaded with the GPS update to update RJ's 545. It only took a second. Again, I am a GPS updating
legend. After a little more chat and 'goodbyes' at the Shack, we went to the Publix on the Island and I got three 2 1/2 gallon
jugs of water for the trip, plus some dark brown sugar for my coffee. RJ dropped me off and headed off to work on his dinghy
and I am here now doing this.

It is 12:24 and I have a lot of work to do. Be back later.

It's 3:55 and I'm about to take a short break and watch a little golf. I have everything stored and the deck cleared, leaving only
two lines for handling during launch. I just went to try to move the dinghy around, but it's way high and dry - maybe later. The
depth sounder is all connected and ready for power. Originally, I hooked it straight to the #1 buss, thinking it had an 'on/off'
switch. It doesn't, so I had to lace a wire to the electrical panel. Now, it's time to power up the panel and begin connecting
circuits.

I have been doing the grunt work of connecting the big ( 2/0 ) battery cables ( making the cables first ) to provide power to the
DC side of the electrical panels. I have also connected the Outback to charge the batteries, but I may have to disconnect it if I
can't sort out the programming for the Gel batteries. We'll see how things go in the morning when I'm rested. Personally, I
think I may leave it alone and just put all the batteries either on buss 1 - the solar charger is on buss 2 - or off while I motor
down the coast.

It still feels like there's a lot to do to be prepared for sea. The computer has to come apart and be made safe again, or I'll have
to find a quick way to make it impossible to fly onto the floor. Oh, well. Hopefully I'll be able to get the inverter going and have
the computer when we stop for the evening. I'll be back and talk to you as soon as I can.
May 10, 2010 - Rivertown Boatyard - Bradenton, Florida

Splash day. I slept well from 9 PM last night until 6 AM this morning. I corrected the wiring from the Shore Power Charles
battery charger to the busses by eliminating the feed to Buss #2. Now, the solar charger feeds Buss #2 and the Charles, OR
the engine, feed Buss #1. The solar still doesn't have enough daylight to charge, but the Charles is working on 3 of the
batteries right now.

Also, I have just tied the computer down like Gulliver on the beach and will do the same for the printer in a few minutes. I think
this is going to work out. I moved the dinghy around this morning, but there are two small boat right in the way and I can't
bring it near the haulout slip. I'm hoping that I can rotate Falcon by hand and not have to try to back it out of here. It doesn't
back well.

The Solar just got enough light and is charging the battery! Cool. Things are working as they should. I should try to get off an
email to Leslie Soodak. She came from Danvers, Massachusetts, same as I, and graduated I year behind me, and now lives
in Venice. With luck, George, Kim and I will make it to Venice, but there will be little or no chance to visit. We will be getting in
late and leaving early and there is no longer any 'overnight' allowed at the 'Free Dock'.

It is 8:23 AM and everything is ready to go. I left Leslie a phone message and have secured the printer. I think I'm all set. I'm
still connected to yard electric right now, and will stay connected, allowing 3 batteries to charge on the Charles for a while
more. I just noticed that the max volts out on the Outback runs to 14.4 and I can't have that. The Gels can't take any more
than 14.2. I have to find out how to limit that or risk losing the batteries.

Okay. I just did it. Took all of two minutes. I love this unit. AT&T wireless internet, however, is another story. It is just freakin'
awful trying to connect here. I can't wait to be out of the yard and see if it's any better, but I won't be able to do that until much
later. I did just realize that I now have a nice length of 10/3 cable in the boat meant to connect the watermaker, that I can now
use for other things.
May 10, 2010 - At Anchor at Lido Key, Florida Gulf Coast

Well, here I am, 20 minutes after we dropped anchor after 7 1/2 hours of straight running, I have the Inverter connected and
fired up and I'm writing the log. The Garmin GPSMap 545 consistently wandered and had to be rebooted - shut down and
restarted - at least 30 times during todays run. Also, the Raymarine ST40 Depth sounder is stuck on 1.9 feet.

The boat still brings water into the cockpit, but not near as bad. I'm going to plug those holes. They are the cockpit drains, not
the cockpit sea letter-inners. This anchorage is real rolly. There was supposed to be Easterlies and instead, here
approaching dusk, it's Westerlies and a swell from the South. Go figure. George and I both have heavy boats, though, so we
don't mind, and we both have good ground tackle, so the boats will be secure. We are anchored in the Gulf, not inside in the
Intracoastal Waterway.

I will be making this a bit brief because I'm anxious to get something to eat and I am running the inverter on just one battery to
see how it does. I took 40 pictures today and I want to put a few here.
The inverter is draining the batteries pretty good. Maybe their not so good or maybe I'm mistaken. We'll see. Either way, I just
want to get this post done.
May 11, 2010 - At Anchor at Lido Key, Florida Gulf Coast

It's 5:45 AM and I'm up having coffee. Yesterday was a good day, the only negatives being the water coming in the cockpit
and the Garmin GPSMap 545 having to be reset about 50 times. The Raymarine ST40 Depth sounder will still not operate
below 13 feet of water. I'll see what I can do to remedy that today. I'm also going to try to put the dinghy on the cabin roof. It's
been taking in water through the centerboard trunk and the extra weight must also be creating some drag on the boat as well
as pulling down on the stern.

It's still fairly rolly here this morning, but it was a perfect night. Some cloud cover obscured the stars, but it was warm enough
to sit outside and cool enough to not need fans. I think I might be able to nurse these batteries back to health by deep-cycling
them for a while, so I'm going to try it.

I talked with both Matt and Ben yesterday. I called Matt early in the day because I knew he was home, then called Ben later.
He was on the road at the time, but called me back and we talked for a while.
Above are a couple of more pictures from yesterday. The first one is the Longboat Key Bridge. The second is CJoy under her
mainsail. George said the biggest effect was that it settled her down and eased the rolling.

The AT&T connection is strong here. The Force is with it and carries 4 to 5 bars and works good.

I just did a quick measurement and calculation. We only made 27 miles yesterday - because Falcon is being slow - and there
are 203 miles left to go to get to Marathon. I've GOT to get more speed out of her. She is great to live on, but a very poor
performer out here. I made her way too heavy. She's pretty and comfortable, but a poor performer. I may sell her after the
publishing gets going.
May 11, 2010 - At Anchor at Punta Blanca Island, Florida Gulf Coast

Today we did just about 50 miles. It took from 9 AM - George had a couple of quick technical problems he had to fix before
we could get under way - until about 6:30 PM, when the anchors went down. That a MUCH better average than yesterday. I
put the dinghy on the cabin roof and plugged the cockpit drains and ran the engine at 1900 RPM all day. With a smaller wake
than yesterday and zero water in the cockpit. The day started cool and blustery and ended hot and humid. The wind is just
picking up again here at the anchorage and thank God for that. It was almost stifling here when we arrived.

The Raymarine ST40 Depth sounder worked down to 11 feet today, but the Garmin GPSMap 545 still wanders all over the
place and needs to be rebooted every 5 minutes or so, often multiple times before it comes back.

I got more pictures today but got practically no sleep at all last night, so I am bushed and just want to get a post in and get
some sleep. I'll be back later.
May 12, 2010 - At Anchor at Punta Blanca Island, Florida Gulf Coast

I scanned for channels and watched a little TV last night, mostly just searching for weather news, then went to sleep. I was
awakened at about midnight when the front that is leap-frogging us passed through with some gusty winds. High currents and
winds here cause the boat to anchor oddly - the chain is sometimes leading back under the boat, making for some odd noises
in the night.

George is out of fuel and needs to run 10 miles north, in Charlotte Harbor - across the mouth, actually, to the Gasparilla
Marina for diesel. We're both surprised by the consumption. We've only traveled 77 miles or so and he only has a little 3
cylinder Yanmar. There is the possibility that pushing the little boat so hard sucked down the fuel, but also that he might have
miscalculated the size of his fuel tank and how much was in it. I DID push a little as far as speed to try and make up for such
a miserable showing the day before. I should start calculating my own usage, measuring the tanks with dipsticks and not
relying on the gauges.
These are some pictures from yesterday. I'd hoped they might better show the color of the water, but no such luck. The Gulf
looks big and empty. Further away from shore, the water turns crystal clear and a beautiful blue. We are staying near the
beach because the East wind just makes it rougher and rougher the more fetch you give it. Below is the dinghy on deck and
a very cool Beach House.
Yesterday was a long, boring day, so I elected to try the magnetic, but very 'iffy' (Bill, from Regatta Point Marina, 'missed' it
with his sailboat and it was almost totalled and cost him a HUGE pile of cash to fix) and dangerous to beginners, shortcut into
Boca Grande against the beach. Conditions were perfect, so we went right for it. Unfortunately, the solar panels shroud both
of my GPS antennas, so the signal bounces all over the place, as well as the image of my boat on the tiny screen. The more I
zoomed in to may the pass look bigger, the more violent the leaps of Falcon. I slowed down to 2 knots and motored carefully
through, with George shadowing my every move. He draws almost a foot less than me, so anywhere I go he has no sweat.

We made it. We have traveled where no Bill has gone before - and saved ourselves at least two hours, maybe more. The tide
was ROARING out at the time and MANY boats filled with eager anglers were fishing for (?) Tarpon? Kingfish? I don't know.

We are taking a rest day today. For one thing, both of us have work we need to do on the boats. Above that, I have been
working like a dog for a long time now - you know, like a month or so, I don't count the first 25 years - and I desperately need
a little 'off' time. George has been knock-down sick for a few years now and the Chemo he's on now is really draining him. He
has done very well to this point and the exercise and activity are good for him, but there is no way we should push it. He has
already had a heart attack and that is no way to enjoy a cruise.

I just chucked the dinghy into the drink and will go over to CJoy for lunch. Meanwhile, I'll post a few work pictures and some
shots from the past two days.
On the left is the last shot I took
of the boat while in the
Rivertown Boatyard. The
Outback is powered up and
ready to go with everything
connected except the red power
lead from the panels. It looks like
it's coming from the big selector
switch, but it's really coming
through the bulkhead between
the two switches. I didn't connect
it until after dark because
someone told me cover the
panels with blankets or
something before connecting it to
prevent a big jolt. Sound advice,
but the wind wasn't going to
have any of that, so I just waited
a couple of hours until it was
dark. The system is awesome.

The two big battery switches are
for the electrical panel and the inverter. I can select either buss to power each item. With my batteries all on the same system,
I can easily switch batteries from the running engine buss to the solar charging house buss at will, while under way - as long
as I remember to switch batteries ONTO the engine buss first to prevent the alternator from ever NOT seeing a battery and
burning out the $300+ Balmar Regulator.

I am just now starting to cycle through the batteries to see how long they last running the computer. Of course, when I'm on
the mooring at Marathon, I'm pretty sure that I usually be running just 1 monitor, but it might not be that big an issue because
these monitors only draw about 40 watts each. It is awesome, however, to have full AC power while on the hook or at the
mooring.

Falcon performed awesome yesterday. I will continue to work on it and get her optimized. I had to hold off to keep George in
sight behind me. No wallowing, no water in the cockpit. I might keep it after all. I'm going to post some of the pictures from the
past 2 days. The frist ones will be from the 10th, in order.
The narrow channel I'd have to turn around to leave Rivertown, and the #'s 7 & 8 markers where I would be meeting CJoy.
25 years of working toward this, I suppose you'd think I'd be more excited. Excitement is wasted on the young. On not. Kim is
waving as I pull alongside and George goes below to check his charts.
CJoy is under sail, but mostly just to ease the rolling. The distant island is Anna Maria, but the real thing in this shot is how
dirty Falcon's deck got in the yard. If you notice, the foredeck is clean from waves washing it.
The bridge over Longboat Pass that I studied so often, thinking I would be leaving through it. To the right, some of the
buildings on Longboat Key. Typical Florida Waterfront development.
One of the older waterfront hotels that I've always liked better. Fewer people, more 'vacation' styled. CJoy at anchor at Lido
Key at the end of the first day - and what was to be a very rough night.

Below are the pictures from the 11th.
The coast of Siesta Key means nothing from a distance, but from closer to the beach it's much better. Those little things that
look like ants walking upright really are ants walking upright. No one vacations here any more. The houses are too small.
There is a lot to be said for the warm, colorful water down here. CJoy pulls past me into the anchorage at Punta Blanca
Island, behind Cayo Costa on the Southern lip of Charlotte Harbor.

I am presently doing some little things - I moved the remote antenna for the Garmin GPSMap 545 to see if it helps. It is
presently lashed to the boom aft of the solar panels. I am also going over the Wilcox-Crittendon 51Junior all bronze head,
getting the seals and valves all ready for service. I will be using it soon.