It's Tough To Type Wearing Mittens!!!!!!

SHIP'S LOG:

It was a three hour trip up the St. John's River this morning. It got me through Jacksonville and into the Ortega River where the Sadler Marina is located ( on the right side of the bridge). I got in about 10 am and was frozen stiff. I felt like that little kid in the old Eastern Airlines commercial, standing all bundled up in a snowsuit, standing in a snowstorm, and moaning," I need it bad!" He was of course, referring to the warmth and sunshine in Florida which is where Eastern used to fly. Little did he know that it was probably warmed where he was than down here.

As I try to type this, it is 49 in Jacksonville but the wind chill makes it feel like 30 and the temperature is going down with the sun. It is expected to hit 22 degrees for several hours tonight!!!!!!!! The locals are really upset. I don't know what they are upset about as all they have to do is turn up the heat on the furnace!

A mechanic came and took off the old pump and went away. Good thing I didn't wait any longer or try to make it further as the hose for the bilge pump had worked its way loose and so rather than emptying the bilge of the excess water, it was merely recirculating it. That really could have sunk the boat!!! But the hose is back on and the pump(bilge) works just fine. Another fine adventure has been forestalled and hopefully a disaster prevented.

I won't know until tomorrow whether or not they can fix the pump or whether a new pump will be needed. In any event, I will be here until it is ironed out. This is a very "trusting " marina. There are no codes for the bathrooms, laundry or showers. It is a rare situation. Only Jekyll Harbor was also so trusting. There are several boats here that were on their way south who have developed mechanical problems and up in for repairs. It is like a MASH unit. Lots of people waiting for parts and assistance. It would be much better if the weather was at least where it seasonally should be: High 69/ Low 45. But it ain't! I am sure that the water bottle in the cockpit will freeze tonight . . . as long as it is the only thing that freezes.

If the pump is fixed and ready to go tomorrow, I may just go back to Blount Island and anchor there again. It is not a wonderful spot, but it is almost 20 miles closer to the ICW and there are not a lot of spots on the ICW to anchor in the next few miles. Getting the anchor up and getting moving this morning in the cold, cold wind was a real chore. The only time I was warm today was when I went to the marina office to register. It will be a cold, cold night tonight despite all of my precautions to stay warm. The good news is that I will have a warm toilet seat tomorrow. Let's hear it for heated bathroom and hot showers!!!!!!!!