Happiness Is A Clean Bottom!

SHIP'S LOG:

(Current Location: Hooker Bay N 27' 11.584/ W 080' 12.194)

I got my bottom cleaned today. Well, actually, I got ABISHAG's bottom cleaned today. It has been uncared for since September and after the lay over in Fort Pierce, it was in need. "Danielle the Diver" did the deed. The bottom and prop were not too badly fouled but enough so that it effected hull speed such that I could tell the difference. And once cleaned, the change in speed was also noticeable.

"Danielle the Diver", who by the way looks great in a wetsuit, said that the keel was free of bottom paint. Of course, it is not supposed to be free of bottom paint but it is the sort of thing to be expected when one grounds 5 times and kisses the bottom numerous other times. It is called "polishing the keel" and is a favorite pastime for people on the ICW.

I ran into "HARBOR MIST" which I hadn't seen since Isle of Hope Marina back up in Georgia. They had been at Loggerhead Marina for almost a month. They blew out an injector in their diesel and had to have all of them replaced. Getting the right injectors seems to have been some sort of a problem so they were "forced" to spend their time in Stuart.

The day started out cloudy but they brightened to no clouds and not air and no wind and high, high humidity. Thankfully, I wasn't planning to go far(Danielle the Diver didn't finish until after 10AM) and I was planning only to travel back to where I had anchored in Hooker Bay. Good thing too as the weather when right in the toilet. The sun went away, the wind came out of the northeast bringing with it a pretty heavy fog. I had just gotten the hook down when it dropped in with a vengeance. The rest of the day was cold(relatively speaking), damp and raw. I used the time to plot out my next course which will take me to Lake Worth, across the ICW from North Palm Beach. I will only be able to stay there for one night. It's free! After that, you pay $30 for the right to anchor for 4 days - including the first one. There are a lot of municipalities who have similar ordinances that I will have to deal with between here and Miami. It is amazing how Florida seems to be doing a lot to kill the recreational boating.

Well, I will be off to Lake Worth on the morrow, weather permitting. Right now, the fog is still heavy and it looks a little creepy outside. The two other boats anchored here are visible only from their anchor lights, as are the houses and the bridges ashore. It looks like a wonderful setting from some sort of "horror movie" but hopefully all of us will be spared the horrors of the night and have a good night's sleep.