Thursday, March 31, 2016

This is our last night in Daytona, Halifax Harbor Marina.  There are live boards here that are very friendly, we had offers for the use of cars and such but we decided to rent one for three day.  How cute were we in a bright yellow KIA  Reo!  Yes, it was appropriate, it looked like and Easter egg.

We spent Easter weekend doing things with Dave’s cousins and extended family.  They were a bright spot on a rather rainy weekend.  The only pool time I got with the girls at the hotel was on a cloudy afternoon but the water in the heated pool must have been 85 degrees.

Dave has spent numerous hours cleaning the boat exterior and the bilge and also the dinghy.  Our spot in the boat yard was next to the street and boats next to us  were having  their bottoms sanded.  Add that to all the maintenance men climbing aboard and iron shavings from cutting off the coupling on the prop shaft.  He took the time to reseal the forward hatch over our bunk.  Thank You!  The insurance company reimbursed us on a graduated scale for the secondary  anchor I had to cut loose when we were being pulled off the sand bar.  (A correction:  We were towed by BOAT US not Sea Tow as I stated in a previous blog.)  A trip to West Marine and the surplus boat store has us prepared with new anchor, chain and rode.

We have ridden our bikes and I love my new big, wide seat.  I feel fortunate that I feel no pain after I ride.  There are some new interesting restaurants in the historic section.  Zappi’s Italian would be on the top of the list. The food is very good, nice selection and reasonably priced.   We will leave the others for our return trip.

Yesterday Dave and I explored the Sugar Mill Plantation.  The old trees were spectacular but there was not much in bloom.  (http://dunlawtonsugarmillgardens.org/index.html)  The remains of the sugar mill and the explanations were very informative.  Dave was amazed at the kettles and the size of the cast iron gears from that time period.

Yesterday afternoon my good friend from Kempton  days, Theresa Nilles, stopped by the boat for a visit.  We hope to get together with her and Bill on our return trip.  They are super busy people.

This morning Dave returned the rental car while Jim Ballard could still drive him back to the marina.  During the trip he found himself in a liquor store and they carried Ezra Brooks, his preferred bourbon.  It was $2 less than at home.  I did 2 loads of laundry; got it dry after losing $1.50 because I put my money in the washer slot instead of the dryer slot.

More boat washing and filling water tank for our leaving tomorrow.  I updated my computer and had to relearn my pictures program before I could edit photos for the blog.  We took a break and went for a bike ride through downtown and over to Bowman Street and said goodbye to Ricci Ballard.  The temperature was 91 degrees but the breeze made it comfortable.

We were waiting to hear the results of Adrienne’s surgery, all went well but recovery will take some time.  Knowing that all is well we will move on south.   Tomorrow we leave for   Melbourne  for two nights.  This is a new stop for us and should be fun.

L to R   Ken Hebert, Dave, Jim Ballard

Suerae Ballard, her granddaughter Theresa Ballard and Great-grandson Liam

L to R  Jane, Jim Ballard, Suerae Ballard, Dave and Lloyd Fisk

L to R  Thomas and Susan Rachel Hebert, Ricci and Allison Ballard, Rachel Hebert, Geof Ballard, Ken Hebert

Diagram of the Sugar Mill  ,R toL  the boilers that ran the rollers to crush the sugar cane, the liquid was put into the kettles with fires under them to reduce the liquid.  The crystals were barrled and left to dry in the structure on the right.

Rollers run by super large gears

Kettles 

This shows the area where the fires were lit under the kettles

Young sugar cane plants

The Confederate Oak, It is said that the soldiers slept beneath her branches

3 remaining dinosaurs from a former amusement park

Prop going back on. 

Boat ready to go back in the water

Todd

We are getting closer       Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Tuesday at noon we called the boatyard and they assured us that the boat would be in the water Wednesday afternoon.  Dave and I drove to pick up the rental car for the trip back to Daytona.  We arrived too early for the 24 hour rate so we had time to shop.  There were no economy cars available so we chose a 2016 red Ford Edge.  We own a 2015 red Ford Edge, coincidence.  After dinner we loaded the car and did last minute prep for our departure.

5 AM departure, and it couldn’t have been a more beautiful early morning for a drive heading into the setting full moon.  The truck traffic was heavy but we made good time; arriving at 1 PM.  The prop had not been delivered.  That arrived at 3:30 and need to be installed, etched and bottom paint applied.  Obviously we would not be back in the water.  We got the car unloaded, schlepping everything up the 8 foot ladder.   Dave’s cousin picked us up after we returned the car to Avis.  (renting there was discounted, another perk from BOATUS)

During the day we met the lady, Doreen, who runs the kitchen at the Dayton VFW.  She recommended we go there for their Chicken Parmesan special, $6.50.  The Ballards joined us for a nice dinner; although we were not members we were told to come back with a schedule of their special events.   They told us that they recognize the American Legion Memberships.  Dave’s membership was approved while we were home and the card should be in the mail.  The Ballard took us back to the boat yard and a cool night.

At 8 AM they were painting the bottom paint on the prop.  I moved into the office area and tried to upgrade my Kindle.  The date to do the upgrade was the 22^nd of March, mine was on the boat.  I missed it.   I could not get a long enough connection to do the update so hopefully I can get the fix through the internet.  Meanwhile, Dave was monitoring the work and soon we were in the travel lift.

Dave is very pleased with the work done here.  Before the boat was put in the water they did another inspection of the bottom.  New bottom paint was applies to the keel and repair was done to the hull where the blade had nicked it in the grounding.  We are in the water, the alignment of the prop shaft and the engine was off by .005”.  They have us in the water for the hull to settle in to form and will check the alignment in 24 hours it should read .002” that will be followed with a sea trial.  Dave has the damaged prop to display in is work area…..!!!!

Hopefully we will be in Halifax Marina (next door), our original destination.  Jim Ballad has again provided us with a car from the auction that will then be shipped to Springfield, VT; put in resale there.  The plan is to be here until about the 1^st of April.

Saturday, March 25, 2016   Good Friday

Thunderstorms came through during the night but nothing serious in this area.  The rain was badly needed.  During a break in the rain the professional, Todd, checked the alignment again.  The settling of the boat in the water brought the tolerance to where it should be, .002”.  When he gets it back together we will go for the sea trial.  Because we have an internet connection at the moment I will post this installment.  The boat yard has invited us to their Friday employee/costumer lunch.  Nice idea and welcome.

Update on repairs and return to Florida

Things are coming together with the insurance company and the repair at the boat yard.  Work had to be stopped while getting damage pictures to the insurance company and approval of the repairs.  All parties were very cooperative.  We are grateful to Jim Ballard who asked, “Don’t you have insurance on the boat?”  It does seem odd that the boat yard did not ask that question.  Foremost Insurance Company paid the claim before the week’s end.  They also included a depreciated 5% rate for the lost anchor.  We couldn’t be more pleased.

Repairs consist of a new four blade propeller, replacement of the cutlass bearing, straightening the strut, shaft and rudder.  The stuffing box will be redone and water replaced.  Dave has asked them to reapply the bottom paint that was sanded off!  We had to contact our original contact in NC for the lead for a new propeller.  Wonder of wonders, their source is in Florida.  In defense of Daytona Marine and Boat Works, their typical repairs are on much larger ‘yachts’.

Dave’s sister was going to drive us back to Florida but they have their dog, a small car and are awaiting the birth of Katie’s first child.   They would have had to return here for their things before driving back to Lynchburg, VA.  Renting a car with the discount from our BOATUS membership will be the easier solution.

Dave has kept busy tweaking the Mustang, just a start.  He and Leo did some wiring in the garage and put up more siding on the garage walls.  The table from my mother-in-law now has an umbrella hole and new umbrella.  We planted tomatoes and peppers, I job we did not think would happen.  Never a dull moment, he is now cutting out tile to seat the cabinets for the wet bar.  Me, well, Joyce and I went consignment shopping and she did most of the grocery shopping a cooking.  I guess that it still is vacation time for me. 

Of course I should also mention that we were home for the pollen drop.  With no rain in 10 days or so it has even turned the ocean and beach yellow.  Rain on Sunday washed some surfaces and hopefully  the air will be clearer now.

The Run to the Sun car show was held in Myrtle Beach this weekend.  Dave and I drove the Mustang there on Saturday.   I think the exhibitors gave up on keeping their cars pollen free.  There were 3,800 some entrants, $40 to 45 for entrants and $10 parking should show a nice profit benefiting Children’s Miracle Network.

Ocean yellw with pollen

Our driveway washed with rain

A fun truck at the show

                I wish we still had the one we owned.  It towed our possessions to Grove City , Ohio from Milford CT after Dave Graduated from the University of Bridgeport in 1966.

So some folks lost and hour with Daylight Savings time but I guess I lost a day.  OOPS!

Sunday, March 12, 2016

Day 12

We are not on the boat at this time.  The travel lift at the Daytona Boat Yard was finally repaired on Friday morning.  They got us into the travel lift at noon; the prop was not pretty.  One prop was sheared off and the others appeared nearly folded.  (see photo)  Cross/Over was blocked on the hard and the multiple damage was accessed.  To date we need a new four blade prop, a new flange and a cutlass bearing.  When all is dissembled the strut will be examined for cracks/stress.  Putting us back in the water was not an option so we needed to find lodging.

The Mustang  needed to bedriven home to NMB for register within 45 days so this moved up the plan.  We left Daytona yesterday morning at  7 AM.  (ahead of the 500,000 bikers that had upped the economy in the Daytona area 30% over last year’s bike week.)  An hour backup on I 95 South of Santee, SC and speeds between 80 and 55 mph factored  the fuel consumption of 23 mpg.  Not too shabby for a high performance engine and a loaded car (three of the second set of tires and wheels).  We arrived at the house at 3:30 PM. My sister and bother-in-law, Joyce and Leo, are house sitting and had a wonderful meal in the works for us.  My memory foam mattress felt very good last night.

Dave has read and reread our boat insurance policy and we may have good coverage.   Time will tell!!!  Today he is rearranging cars and boats in our garage areas.   Tomorrow Dave will register the car.

This visit will give us the opportunity to get some tomato and pepper plants in the ground.  I am also getting to enjoy my jonquils.  Florida folidge is nice in the winter but does not equal spring in the North.  We did see lots of Carolina Jasmine in bloom along our route home.

We will return to Daytona when we have word that the boat is ready to be put back in the water.  Joyce and Leo have offered to drive us down and return with the fourth tire. 

Some of my readers were disappointed that there we no pictures of the Mustang engine.  Here you are fellows.  (1987)

Missing blade and collapse

5.0 engine

Our boat is in front of the car.

March 10, 2016

This is day 10 of our trip. 

Our boat is still in the marina waiting for the travel lift to be repaired.  At our last contact with them they had not received the part for the hydraulics.   The waiting and not knowing about the damage and how we are going to be billed by the marina for our stay is a bit unnerving to me, that’s life!

Monday the marina took us to a better location to wait for the haul out.  We are closer to the facilities/laundry. Our friends Mary and Walt Keith drove into Ormond Beach to meet us for dinner at Mario’s Italian Restaurant.  They are headed home to Reedville, VA after two months in Marathon, FL.  Their company is always fun and being boaters who have traveled the Inter Coastal Waterway themselves they enjoyed and commiserated with our adventure and mishaps.  They had to stay 20 miles west of I 95 to get a decent priced room.   This is Bike Week and Spring Breakers are here also.

So Tuesday was exciting. Several weeks ago Dave was checking Mustangs on EBay. (Weeks before he had worked on his Mustang and thought he had repaired the problem and it did not make a difference.  Many things need work and he was discouraged.  Identifications did check out that the engine was a Cobra engine and he could part out the car for a good amount.) That day he called me home, hurry there is only 3 hours left on the auction and I have to make a decision.  He showed me all the other prices and cars and this was a peach and a good price.  He bid and won the auction.  He convinced the seller to hold the car until we reached Florida, agreed.  The Ballards agreed to drive us to Port Charlotte to take possession of the car.  Everything checked out, the second set of tires and wheels and two tunnel covers,  not to mention that it was FAST!  Money exchanged and we were off.  Dave was like a kid with his first car, 4^th Mustang.

The Ballards went off to visit friends on the West Coast and we realized we were going by Sun City Center, home to our friends Nancy and Jess Shrom.  We called and they most graciously invited us to spend the night with them.  It was a fun time catching up and a good meal.  Thank you Nancy and Jess.

The drive back to Dayton Beach was tiring at high speeds and I was scrunched in my seat with the tires in the back.  We spent about an hour getting by a place outside of Daytona called the Cabbage Patch.  This is a campground for the bikers and scheduled activities.  Come to realize they were having the girl’s wrestling match in coleslaw that day.  Then we missed the turn and got in to the bike traffic going to events at International Speedway.  Even the frustration of the traffic did not dampen Dave’s excitement of having a good Mustang.  Now we are looking at scenarios to get the car back to North Myrtle Beach and return to the boat.  Flights in to Orlando and Sanford are booked with Spring Break and Easter.   The car must be registered in 45 days.  I will have to inform you later of the outcome. 

We have enjoyed several Face Time sessions with our grandson Nathan.  He watches THE VOICE  and was excited to hear that we were watching too.   He also sang for us, lots of inflection and good pitch.  Maybe one day it will be his turn.

Today Dave and Jim Ballard are looking at a truck and going to Pick and Pull looking for parts.   Suerae and I walked the beach and enjoyed the sun and the 80 degree temperatures.  Oh, and of course watching the Spring Breakers, both boys and girls.  How times have changed!

I am glad we are not on the water traveling the winds are 8 to 16 MPH.  with white caps on the Halifax River.  A 101 footer never got to our marina yesterday because of travel conditions.  He marina lost a fuel sale of over 1000 gallons.

Monday, March 07, 2016 

My apologies for the delay in giving you all some news regarding our trip.  The blog goes up each day so you might want to page down and start with Day 1.  

55 degrees and sunny, less wind today; expected to reach 75.  Up, dressed, breakfast and Dave checked in with the yard master.  (Found out he had run aground at the same spot in his sports fisher and 80% of the prop and bottom repair here is a result of groundings at the same spot.)  They are repairing their lift and hope to pull our boat tomorrow, remover the propeller and check for other damage.   I am keeping my fingers crossed.  If it is just the prop they can put us back in the water until the prop is repaired.  They moved us to a more central location. on the wall and closer to the facilities.  (and the smells coming from the kitchen at the Chart House.)

What a beautiful day this is

We are meeting Walt and Mary Fraser for dinner.  They are headed home to Reedville, VA after two months in Marathon.

Sunday, March 6, 2016

Up around 7 AM temperature 52 and sunny.  Dave made coffee and I wrote postcards to the grandchildren.  Jim and Suerae Ballard, Dave’s cousin, picked us up for breakfast where we met their son and his wife.  The restaurant was crowded with bikers, yes we arrived for Bike Week in Daytona. 

Back at their hotel we visited, watched the ocean and the Spring Breakers in their swim wear braving the stiff cool breeze and getting sunburned.  Lunch was with coupons at Steak and Shake and back to the hotel by the biker area. Back at their hotel to watch the NASCAR race.  A relaxing and uneventful day, thank goodness.  Ballards lent us the 1993 Dodge Dart to go back to the marina.   We had dinner and read. A quiet night and the first on that we did not use heat on the boat.