ICW Day 54 Boca Raton Anchorage, Monday, December 12, 28nm STM 1048, Total miles 1148
Left a little later than the group as we were again waiting for low tide to get under the next two bridges. Atheria left about an hour earlier and lost their VHS antenna on the very last bridge for the ICW!!! First fixed bridge, Blue Heron Bridge was charted as 63ft, Brad read that the bridge was actually higher if you went under the structures to the east and not the center span, it did look higher but was very narrow, we chickened out and went for the center…just made it by inches again. Celebration!!! Last fixed bridge, unbelievable, truly. Now only a million bascule bridges to go today.
I finally took the helm for most of the day and Brad handled all the radio calls to the bridges, it worked out well. Valentine, then Doc’s Orders were in front of us, we managed to stay together for most of the openings and it worked out well.
The anchorage was tricky and shallow, Let It Be luckily posted some great instructions to get in, and once we were there they coached us in on the radio, teamwork again! Brad and Sandy with their 6ft draft on Doc’s Orders were worried again, we radioed to them to follow us in, they did and we decided to just raft up together.
Brad and I had a nice dinner in the cockpit, scenery beautiful here at night. Sticky night but we didn’t turn on the AC because we didn’t want to bother Doc’s Orders with our generator noise:)
The Engine Mounting!
On our way into the anchorage, we noticed that the bilge pump was a bit overactive and pumping water. That should not happen! It was clear that we had a leak somewhere. Once anchored, the investigation began. Salt water, particularly in the sump under the engine. Not good. Further investigation revealed that three of the starboard engine mounting bolts (into the engine block) had worked themselves loose and had fallen out, and the final bolt had sheared off. The engine was canted to the side causing the sail drive seal to leak. OMG! Wally Moran, Brad & Sandy Fisher, and Tom Wood to the rescue.
Main sheet 4 to 1 from Blue Lady, 4×6 from Wally plus his expertise, and tools and expertise from Brad. We took things apart, rigged a hoist across the companionway, and hoisted the engine back into position, so we could reinsert the three good bolts. Back in business. What a group! Tomorrow, either under our own power or via Tow Boat US we will arrive at the new home for Reflection in Ft Lauderdale, Royale Palm Marina off the Dania Cutoff Canal.
