A New Day

This is day eleven in Daytona Beach, idle, waiting for a mechanic to grace us with a presence, or even return a call.  We had to do something.  We couldn't just stay in Daytona forever!  Jeff had spent the whole day yesterday fighting with the oil cooler, but without the proper tools he just couldn't get that ridged hose back over the new fitting, which was slightly different than the old one on the oil cooler.

Something had to give. We got on the honker and started phoning every diesel mechanic we could find within a hundred miles or so.  We'd have to pay extra to bring someone in but the problem was already diagnosed and all the parts were here.  It was really just a small job that required a few tools (and maybe a bit of experience) that we didn't happen to have onboard.

Bingo!  One guy said, "Hey, I have my shop right there at that marina.  I can have one of my guys there in half an hour."

Wha?!  Why had no one told us about this guy.  It must have been the jolt Jeff needed because he was so peeved that no one had told us about the competition right there under our noses that he got back down in that hole in the floor and with brute force jammed that wire reinforced hose where it belonged.  The hard part was done.

As refreshing change in our luck, the new mechanic did show up, as promised.  As we still needed a grinder and a few other tools that we didn't have, and with Jeff wincing in pain from his sciatica, we let the new guy take over.  With the use of his tools and the nearby shop, two hours later it was done.  The new mechanic, Wes, who it turns out we have common friends with, was shaking his head.  He couldn't believe that we were kept waiting for so long for such a simple job.  

What was really ironic was that while Wes was working on our boat Chris Brown, the guy who had kept us hanging for ten days, showed up!  For the first time!  It was a little awkward for Wes as they know each other but we got to tell Chris sorry, we've gone to plan B.  B-bye Chris Brown.  Priceless.  I will say that through this whole mess, the marina, Daytona Boat Works, was wonderful and treated us very fairly.  Our issue was with the mechanic they referred us to.

So just like that we were on our way, albeit with a close eye on the gages, waiting for the other shoe to drop.  We couldn't really be out of the woods and back to the mainly trouble-free cruising we've enjoyed for the past six years, could we?  Slowly our anxiety started to wain.  Oh yeah, we thought.  This is why we boat!  We love this!

 We really wanted to make up time so we put in a long day and anchored in a beautiful, wide spot just off the ICW with grass fields all around and a nice shoal breaking up any lingering wakes from the channel.

The night was silent.  The boat was still.  The sky was full of stars.  Even with the five foot tide we didn't hear any of the usual slappy-slap current hitting the hull.  Ideal!  A deep, restorative sleep was finally enjoyed.

We woke just before sunrise to the absolutely most glorious morning ever!  The water was like glass with an ever so slight mist rising.  The dolphins and the birds were all busy around us getting breakfast.  Everyone - us, the birds, the fishermen - were casting a perfect reflection across the mirror-like surface.   In a dreamy, ethereal mood, with steaming coffees in hand, we putt-putt-putted slowly out of our perfect anchorage.  It just doesn't get any better than this.

We saw lots of these poles in the mud.
Not sure what they were.
But a lot of people we looking in the mud for something.
Maybe clam farms?

We motored on for most of the day.  Finally, that nagging weight that had been on our shoulders started to lift.  We were making great time, mostly catching the tides just right to get a boost to our speed.  Ahhh....  we melted into the day.

Then, late in the afternoon just as we were starting to plan our stop for the night, a sudden JOLT, a loud THUD and the boat started to vibrate erratically in a most concerning way.

We locked eyes.  Our spirits sank.

NOOOOO!!!!  NOW WHAT?!

It was going so well!  How could this have happened?!  We had been back in action from our last break down for about thirty hours.

We put her in neutral and Jeff went to investigate.  We certainly didn't see anything we might have hit but we seemed to have acquired an exhaust leak as the salon suddenly filled with more exhaust than was healthy, not to mention safe. We were stumped.  Not good.  Not good at all.  

We set up fans in the salon and with heavy hearts called Tow Boat U.S., yet again.  We were surprised that they didn't great  us like old, familiar buddies.  Third time in a month.  We were able to putt along at idle speed without toooo much vibration until they picked us up for another tow.   A bit of research on Active Captain and I found a boat yard in Fernandina, which was just north of the geographic line which grants us a discount in our insurance.  A little silver lining.  Tail wedged back tight between our legs, we were towed in to Tiger Point Marina and Boat Yard in Fernandina Beach in Florida.

They were ready for us and hauled us right out.  Ugh.  It was apparent what the the problem was.

Ach!  Didn't that prop used to have four blades?!

We had lost one blade from our prop.  Damn.  It had a stress fracture that was diagnosed by a diver and repaired five years ago. The repair wasn't guaranteed but he said they often last many years.  It had finally let loose.   At least it didn't happen out in the Atlantic coming back from the Bahamas!  Another silver lining.  (Note:  Jeff later realized that the new exhaust leak was from an old exhaust clamp that came undone while the boat was vibrating from the broken prop.  Easy fix. Whew!)

I immediately flipped into planning mode.  We could get a rental car and drive to Daytona to pick up our truck while Jeff did a wee bit of research to figure out what size of prop was needed and then find a replacement hopefully between Daytona and Fernandina and then drive back to Fernandina Beach with said new prop and truck and maybe pick up a few more fans to blow out the still-undiagnosed-exhaust-leak and get it all done somehow magically before the weekend was up and we'd be limping on our way.  This would work...  We could do it....    I saw Jeff's shoulders drop.  He shook his head.  I knew it was no use to argue.  Gran Vida was done....   for now.

To complicate issues, well, actually to solidify the situation, we received an email notice that our extended health benefits through the Retired Teachers' of Ontario was calling us all home because of this Coronavirus.  We had ten days to get our behinds back to Canada if we wanted any travel health insurance coverage.  We have been pretty much self-isolated for the past six weeks or so, anchoring out and staying away from shore for the most part, so we weren't too worried about being infected.  But we certainly wanted extended health insurance coverage if we did happen to get sick.  

So the stars were lined up.  We were Canada bound.  Gran Vida will stay here and we'll figure out our next move.  It will be a surprise!  To us included!  That's boating life.  We'll just see how it all unfolds.  

In the meantime we're busy putting GV to bed and looking forward to a road trip.  That's always fun! Our house is rented out to housesitters for the next month so maybe a trip to the Eastern provinces?

This seems to wraps up our sixth season on Gran Vida.  Not at all the way we expected.  We were so looking forward to finishing our Loop this year.  So until season seven, if there is one, thanks for following.  Here's to living a big life!