Ship's Log 1999 "DNA"

09/05 Ortega River Boat Yard (31.10.40N 081.42.43W) -  With the help of a fellow cruiser with a car, we were able to exchange our bad house batteries for a new set. Boat US credited us for about half the cost. We are also adding another battery, bringing our house bank to just over 600 Amp Hrs. Finding somewhere it will fit, is another problem.
     We ordered a new keyboard for the computer from CA, it fixed the keying problem. On the advice of another boater on the dock, I gave the old one an isopropyl alcohol bath. It's working ok now, so it looks like we have a new spare.
    Update 09/14 - Hurricane Floyd - We have spent the last two days getting DNA ready. Running extra lines, removing canvas, and securing everything on deck. Floyd is due tonight and the marina we are at will be closed till further notice. At this point we plan to stay on DNA. While there are some others staying on there boats, the marinas are beginning to take on an strange/deserted look and feel. All we can do now is wait.
    Update 09/16 - Floyd flopped, Andi was not impressed. I hope she remains that way for the remainder of the hurricane season. The marina is 25 miles from the cost and we plan on staying here through October.
    Update 10/05 - I apologize for not posting the 09/16 entry till now, I thought I had.
      We have been cleaning out lockers to make room for the new food supplies for the coming cruising season. Changed out the raw water pump on the motor because of a small leak. Added another battery to the house bank. We now have just over 600ah. Purchased 3 gal of Micron CSC bottom paint (1 blue, 2 green) to do DNA's bottom in Nov.
      In the last couple of weeks several things go wrong. I went rowing one day and both oars broke. One from rowing and the other when I fell overboard. Our neighbors at the dock had a spare set for sale. Their a little smaller but should work as a backup to the motor. The ham radio quit and had to be repaired. We bought a fresh water pump to carry as a spare. Two days later we installed it when DNA's pump went bad. The Ice Box quit working and had to be repaired. It's acting up again and we're waiting for the repair man to come back. The AM/FM radio is on the blink and the battery for the handheld marine radio will no longer hold a charge.
    Update 11/07 - It looks like we will be here for another month while we look for a new health care provider.
    DNA is about ready to go. The lockers are full of food. The ham radio and ice box are repaired. The AM/FM radio is still on the blink but we never use it and we do have a backup. We have completed permanent installation of the water maker. We also got a "Parts Per Million" water tester for quality control. We have added a Photo Locker to the web page, check it out.
    Update 12/04 - Health care is still a problem. We have decided to get back under way while we continue to look and wait. We are scheduled to pull DNA out of the water Tuesday 12/07, so we can paint the bottom. This will be our first bottom job and should prove interesting. When DNA is back in the water, we will begin our trip south for a crossing to the Bahamas.

12/11 Sadler Point Marina on Ortega River (31.10N 081.42W) - We pulled DNA out on Tuesday 12/07. Sadler is only a block from the Ortega River Boat Yard. A good thing, DNA's bottom was so bad she would barely move through the water. When we lifted her out, it took me and Andi more than three hours to scrape and pressure wash the bottom. The barnacles were about an inch thick all over the bottom and prop. We were lucky there were no other boats scheduled to come in.
   The yard helped us run the tape for the top of the new water line.. The old one was about a foot below the water in the rear. I completely sanded the bottom with a 6'' electric hand sander while Andi replaced some louse fiberglass around the keel. We completed the sanding an new fiber glass work by Thursday evening.
    Friday we tape the new bottom line and Andi painted while I prepared the paint. We put on one coat of blue and two coats of green. We had to let it dry overnight before we could re-tape for the new water line.
    Saturday morning the yard moved the boat stands so we could paint under them. I re-taped while Andi completed the bottom. She then painted a new 3'' yellow water line. It looks a lot better than the old 2'' line.
     Sadler put us back in the water around 6 PM. It was dark so we will stay the night and leave first thing Sunday morning.

12/13 Jacksonville Beach FL area (29.53.49N 081.18.34W) - We left Saddler around 9:30 and stopped at Ortega River Boat Yard for a quick visit and fuel. We motored down the St. Johns River to the ICW and anchorage where we did on the way up. It was a very cold five and a half hour trip.

12/14 St.Augustine FL (29.53.49N 081.18.34W) - We motored about four and a half hours and anchored in front of a large fortress on the down town water front. It was crowded with about thirty other boats. There was only one here when came by in August. It was another cold day.

12/15 Daytona Beach FL (29.13.42N 081.01.13W) - We anchored, with five other boats, next to the first bridge north of town. I can't get over how crowded it is compared to the trip up. One good thing, we are finding some good anchorage's we didn't see before. The trip was nice. Using DNA's wake outside of Flagler Beach, we were able to help TowBoatUS re-float a cruiser that had ran aground. Farther down the ICW, he came along side and thanked us again.

12/16 Titusville FL (28.37.25N 080.48.15W) - This was not a good day. It started out with the folding prop acting up. Every time we started up, it gave a bad vibration. During the seven hour trip, we bumped bottom four times. It didn't appear we were ever out of the channel. One good spot was just outside if Daytona, when the same TowBoatUS, from the day before, came up along side and waved.
     There is a space launch scheduled in the next couple of days. We plan on staying for it and dive under DNA to check the prop.
   Update 12/17 - Titusville FL - Water COLD, prop ok. We dinghyed into the marina for a hot shower and to do laundry. It started raining on the way back to DNA, and hasn't stopped since. The space launch has been delayed for the last two days. We may try to leave in the next couple of days, if the weather clears.
   Update 12/19 - Titusville FL - The sun came out this morning. NASA will try one more time to launch the shuttle tonight. The marines are having a boat parade of lights tonight. We plan on leaving tomorrow morning.
   Update 12/19 - Titusville FL - The launch was great. I wish we had been at the cape entrance, which is closer. The marinas didn't have there boat parade of lights.

12/20 Palm Bay FL (27.58.28N 080.32.22W) - We had planed on stopping at Dragon Point in Melbourne FL. We couldn't get the first marina on the radio and the second one wanted $5 to use the water hose. We purchased just enough fuel to insure a reserve and moved on.
      We anchored between two islands off the ICW just before dark. No other boats came by heading north or south.

12/21 Jensen Beach FL (27.14.59N 80.13.15W) - Filed up with gas, diesel, and water at the Outrigger Harbor. Then we came back north, about a mile, and anchored in a safe anchorage just south of a bridge. It wasn't crowded.

12/22 Palm Beach FL (26.44.58N 80.02.44W) - We didn't get as far as we wanted. There were several bridges and one was under construction. It was over an hour before the next scheduled opening. While we were waiting, I noticed the anchor line, on a British sail boat that was waiting, didn't look right. I asked if the boat was aground and it was. They were able to get her free in time for the scheduled bridge opening. They had dropped anchor and shut down their electric system. The boat had drifted into a shallow area and was caught by the out going tide. They thanked us and we swapped boat cards.
    We anchored in the bay just before down town. There were boats of all sizes in the area.

12/23 Delray Beach FL (26.25.22N 80.40.02N) - We anchored in a basin opposite the Delray Harbor Chub to visit a relative. They were able to secure us a slip from a home owner who was away for the holidays. We will visit till after Christmas and head south for a crossing.
     Update 12/25 - Last Christmas day we were sitting at Ross Yacht, Clearwater FL with a busted transmission. This year we are with a cute cousin and her caption, in a warm home, eating an excellent home cooked turkey dinner with all the fixings, and enjoying good company. Things are defiantly getting better.
            Merry Christmas to you and yours from Don and Andi!! We will be back underway Monday 12/26.

12/27 Miami Beach FL (25.47.40N 80.08.55N) - We decided to motor past Fort Lauderdale and go on to Miami. We anchored off Sunset Island on the back side of Miami Beach. This is about 30 min. from the access to the Atlantic.
     Update 12/30 (25.47.13N 80.10.17N)- The weather forecast is looking good for a crossing tomorrow. We motored out to the Atlantic to checkout the area. After stopping at a local marina to fill up on water and fuel, we returned to an anchorage near Palm Island. It's next to Government Cut, which leads to the ocean, and started making DNA ready for sea.

12/30 Miami Beach FL (25.47.40N 80.08.55N) - Today we raised anchor at 6:30AM and along with another boat started out for the Bahamas.
     The weather forecast was wrong. The wind was still out of the north. To cross the Gulf Stream, this is a NO-NO. About five miles out we made the decision to return to Miami. With no other window in sight, we returned to our original anchorage.
     Andi pointed out it was a three hour tour. Combine that with the fact our tiny ship was tossed and without the courage of the fearless crew.....  Sounds filmier.
     Update 12/31 - We took a walk through town and went to the beach, about a mile away. Everyone was gearing up for new years. Streets blocked off and lots of state and local police on foot, in cars, and motorcycles. On a lighter side, we saw a topless sun bather on the beach. On the way back, we left a small sack of DNA stuff sitting on a stage in a crowded square. When we went back it was still there.
      Were we are anchored, we could see four major-20min+ firework displays. The one on Miami Beach was three separate barges firing in sync. We went out on the front of DNA to enjoy the spectacle. Happy New Year to you and yours from DnA.

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