St. Augustine

Settling in for the next few days at St. Augustine. 

On the offshore leg 2 days ago Duane tested the water maker for the first time this year.  We test it offshore because the water is clean there.  (You don't want to suck in harbour water to make fresh water - all kinds of nasty stuff is in harbour water!!)

Unfortunately, the water pump bearings had frozen over the summer of non-use....so after some troubleshooting Duane decided the best course of action is to get a new pump.  We're having that shipped to Ed and Cathy's PO box just a 1/2 hour away.

This is where the pump is mounted - the board is kindof yucky with stains and rust......

Nothing a little white paint won't fix!

Normal chores - washing all the "long pants" we'd worn this last week.  I took them in to the marina laundromat.  It's cheaper to pay the $4.00 per load than run the diesel generator on the boat.  Plus we're in water-conserve mode until we get in clear water again.

At the marina was a cool boat.  It's called Eagle - and it has a huge vertical wing exactly like an airplane wing.   You can read about it here.


Looks like a wild ride and it can reach speeds of 25-35 knots! 

After the laundry was done I schlepped it back to the dinghy dock....waiting on me there was this huge heron.   You'll note in the background if you look close,  another white heron.  They seem unconcerned about us humans, just moving a short way away to perch at another spot.  Don't know why they stand around on the docks as it doesn't look like anyone feeds them.

And the end of the day was at the White Lion for a cruisers happy hour.  Lots of folks we already knew from last year's Bahamas.  Most everyone is headed back again this year so we'll probably run into most of them at some point.

The 3 Manta couples - Sojourn, Now & Zen and What If.

And this morning - this is the view in the anchorage.  Lots of wave action and wind - effects of the cold front that has the rest of the country in an icebox.  We are still in shorts but the  highs today will be in the 60's.  Probably a stay-on-the-boat day today since a dinghy ride would be wet and chilly!