Coming back in with the mechanic after sea trialing the repairs to the fuel systems
We arrived at the Port St Joe Marina and met gusty winds to test our docking skills (or lack of!). Ray's wife, Jean, drove down from Atlanta to spend some time with us and be available to take Ray back to his car in Destin sometime after we make the Gulf crossing.
The last couple days have been problematic in that the starboard/right side motor was running very rough after about 3 hours on our cruise from Destin to Panama City and now from Panama City to Port St Joe. We were lucky to get a call ahead to Port St Joe and schedule a visit from the local marina mechanic and are hoping that he will find the problem and fix it before we leave for the +24 hr crossing.
The next day the mechanic does come and with his son does his magic to find that the problem seems to be with the carburetor settings. After adjustments and number of other checks we take the boat out and sea trial it. With continued gusty winds I am too scared to handle the boat in the tight confines of the marina. Our mechanic offers to drive us out but even with his years of experience almost nails one of the seawalls on the way out. Later Ray tells me he called my boat, "a %^&* cow!" when it got out of control on him. Ha! Maybe it's not just my docking skills, I just have a @#$%^& cow for a boat (hey wait a minute, that's our boat he's talking about!). Either way problem solved!
We celebrate with a trip to Indian Pass, a place we car camped regularly in the 80's (yes we're old!), to visit the old fish/campground and eat the best oysters at the Raw Bar (a converted gas station). This was also a place Pat visited last year with Duke, who was adopted by the local Harley bikers and later as a K-9 with the Carabelle police department.
The next day we start up the motors to warm up for our trip to Appalachicola (the jumping off point for the Gulf crossing AND.................................... the port/left side motor dies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
After 5 calls to the local mechanic (remember he fixed the other motor), we determine that there is a blockage somewhere in the fuel lines. We are able to clear the blockage with a bicycle pump and the motor starts!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The local mechanic and our Tennessee "prep" mechanic are now scratching their heads to figure out why we're having this problem. Obviously bad gas and debris, long term storage in Mobile are possible sources, but now there's also some concern that there may be an anti-siphon/check valve located somewhere in the fuel tank that is sticking.
The weather window for the Gulf crossing is good for leaving from Appalachicola tomorrow, but after that it may be up to a weeks wait. We decide to cruise on to Appalachicola and monitor the engine operation for a final GO/NOGO decision.
Scenes from a visit to our old stomping/camping grounds at Indian Pass off St Vincents Island.
Duke gets adopted by the local Harley club from Carabelle at the Indian Pass Raw Bar
