MOVING AT LAST!

Friday we finally left Westland Marina in Titusville. It was a cool but easy motor ride to Melbourne and we were once again in the company of dancing dolphins.The wind arrived just as we stopped at a favorite anchoring spot and depth here was shallow.The area also stank terrible of dead fish odor thanks to a million cormorants so on to Melbourne Harbor marina.It was early enough to walk the quaint downtown area filled with antique shops,gift shops and restaurants.We took the beautiful waterfront trail back to the marina but were confronted by a drug deal going down and homeless people everywhere.
Dinner was a surprise.A gourmet meal at a good price at the marina bar Ichabods. We watched a beautiful sunset while I dined on fresh flounder stuffed with crab-meat and risotto.So happy to be on the trail again after a summer of refitting the boat.We left Melbourne in the AM and after another easy motorsail down the ICW we pulled into Harbortown Marina to top off the diesel tanks an pick up a few items from Publix.

Our Summer refit included;
Replaced all gate valves with Marlon sea cocks
Rerouted exhaust to above water replaced hot water heater,before the original rusty unit leaked
Replaced weak floor area in front of galley sink
Tore out 1984 plaid carpet from walls and inside cupboards,added insulation there and plastic covering
Installed ham radio equipment
Changed several engine hoses,belts,water pump and exhaust mixing elbow
Replaced some cushions with high grade foam and had all covered with turquoise sunbrella
Mounted the chart holder that our friends made for us,it became a great place to display the grandchildren`s pictures
Refinished the floors
Bottom paint was refinished by the yard
Made sun covers for the diesel and water cans
Replaced the main power wires to the instrument panel, it failed just as we were to be launched but only a day delay thanks to help from our friend Glenn. On to Lake Worth and Old Port Cove where we will wait for a weather window to cross the Gulf Stream.

Getting ready to head for the Bahamas 2013.

After a month in Seattle to visit with our kids and see our new Grandson "Max" we are back in Florida at Westland Marina in Titusville and in the process of provisioning the boat for the next few months in the Bahamas. The boat has been launched and all of the repairs I have made over the Summer are working fine. We hope to start moving South to Lake Worth by this weekend where we will stage waiting a good weather window to cross the Gulf Stream to the Bahama banks. Once we are back on the boat full time we will be updating the blog more often.