28 Feb 2009 2335 hrs GMT (sunset)
Lat 24º 34.95' N Long 81º 48.21' W
At anchor Key West Florida
Wind 7.7 knots ESE
Sea State -Light Chop
Air Temp 76.7ºF Barometer 29.91 and falling
Eve and I had breakfast on the aft deck this morning. Well actually I had breakfast and Eve kept me company.
Cleaned up the galley went to work on replacing the fuel return lines on the generator. Checked the electrolyte in the batteries and started the generator to charge the house banks. After about an hour I noticed a smell like the way styrene would smell when I used to build plastic models and would take the soldering iron and melt the plastic for some reason or another. After checking the engine room several times I shut the generator down to inspect for the cause. Nothing out of the ordinary made itself apparent. I was puzzeled.
Ralph called and said that he was loading up his boat and would be over in a while with a load of water. I called Patty to see if she would run me to home Depot so I could look at the potential boost pump for the water maker. I got her voice mail so I left a message.
While waiting for Ralph I watched a 25 something foot sport fishing boat in the channel. There were three men aboard, one obviously a pro guide and the other two his clients. A very round young black man had a rod in his hands that was connect to what seemed to be a large fish. His even rounder friend was pointing and taking pictures. The drifted slowly past Second Stars transom with the fish in the lead. On by and down the channel, then back and across towards the shoals to the West. I watched with the binoculars until I got a glimpse of a very large tarpon doing a head shake on the surface then return to the depths. For the next 40 or so minutes the fish dragged the boat slowly nothward and eventually out of side around the key the sits about 2 miles away. I didn't witness the end of the fight, but I can attest that the angler was changing hands on the rod and resting against the helm or gunnel at every opportunity.
Ralph showed up with about 60 gallons of water which we transferred to the main tank. It is good to have extra water aboard again. Tonight I plan a real shower and tomorrow to do some laundry. Hopefully by tomorrow evening I will have the water maker working and will be back to normal.
Earlier in the week Ralph had mention that the City of Key West has a moorage field set up just east of the key to my immediate east. Since the weather forecast is calling for some serious W to NW winds tomorrow afternoon I thought it would be a good idea to move Second Star to a mooring. Ralph ran me around there in his Cobia and it was a perfect spot. We went on into Garrison Bite and sought out the harbor master. Where I inquired as to cost and availability. Everything was fine until he said that nothing over 50' was allowed.
I told him Second Star was documented at 50', but it seems that they measure LOA (length overall) including Bow Pulpit and swim platform. I tried to cajole him into letting me moor but he was as adamant as he was pleasant. A true bureaucrat.
Since Patty hadn't called back Ralph suggested a little fishing on the way. We tried several locations but didn't produce anything we could keep except a 4' lemon shark which we didn't want.
Came back to Second Star and gave the generator a very close going over. No more fuel leak, but I was unable to locate the source of the styrene smell. Started the genset to continue the interrupted battery charging. I kept checking the engine room and after about 40 minutes the smell had returned. Just as I shut the genset down again a piece a melted plastic bounced out on the engine room sole. A close inspection revealed that the internal cooling fan on the generator head had begun to melt. I will take it apart after dinner and formulate alternative cooling. Ahhh the peaceful life of a boater.
This evening the moon is a crescent above Venus, but I trust the gap will narrow as moonset approaches. And the last day of February fades towards midnight.
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This began many years ago for Johne. Somewhere along the way, he decided that someday he would have a boat and sail around the world. Through the years bits and pieces of the dream have changed, but the one thing that has remained the same was the desire to see the world from the deck of a boat. In July of 2000 the opportunity presented itself. Johne found a boat in Florida that was literally a "fire sale." The galley had caught fire and destroyed the housing, but the potential was there. Johne and Susie made the leap. They bought the boat and moved from Reno, NV to Ft. Myers, FL. Immediately they began the process of tearing down the old and rebuilding the new. By December of that year, all that was left, was a good, solid hull. For the past several years, Johne has build Second Star almost entirely by hand. Built with love and fueled by desire. Now that the construction has nearly reached completion we would like to share our dream with you. Please join us as we head out for the adventure of a lifetime.
What's in a name? It is supposed to be bad luck to rename a boat. In this case, however, the old boat died, and a new boat has reemerged from the ashes. "Second Star" comes from a quote, "second on the right and straight to morning." Recognize it? It is Peter Pan's directions to Neverland.
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Where is Second Star.....
https://maps.findmespot.com/s/ZL56/G4
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The Dream....
This began many years ago for Johne. Somewhere along the way, he decided that someday he would have a boat and sail around the world. Through the years bits and pieces of the dream have changed, but the one thing that has remained the same was the desire to see the world from the deck of a boat. In July of 2000 the opportunity presented itself. Johne found a boat in Florida that was literally a "fire sale." The galley had caught fire and destroyed the housing, but the potential was there. Johne and Susie made the leap. They bought the boat and moved from Reno, NV to Ft. Myers, FL. Immediately they began the process of tearing down the old and rebuilding the new. By December of that year, all that was left, was a good, solid hull. For the past several years, Johne has build Second Star almost entirely by hand. Built with love and fueled by desire. Now that the construction has nearly reached completion we would like to share our dream with you. Please join us as we head out for the adventure of a lifetime.
What's in a name? It is supposed to be bad luck to rename a boat. In this case, however, the old boat died, and a new boat has reemerged from the ashes. "Second Star" comes from a quote, "second on the right and straight to morning." Recognize it? It is Peter Pan's directions to Neverland.
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