Sue and I took full advantage of our weather day in St Augustine. After breakfast on our boat we walked across the historic Bridge of Lions to Anastasia Island to find a produce market and health food store. The walk was good exercise but the market did not live up to the advertising. We made it back across the bridge and decided to be tourists in the oldest city in the country. It almost seemed like New Orleans without Bourbon Street. Well not quite... We rode a make believe trolly to see the highlights of the area. The place is neet and clean - and old - but very interesting. After dinner at a Cuban restaurant we made it back to the boat to make plans for today. The weather forecast called for fairly strong winds and moderate chop in the ICW. We were tempted stay another day but I was anxious to get to Jacksonville to have the electronic engine controls looked at. Actually a few other boats left the marina before us heading north.
This morning we left early with the tide change, joined the ICW and made it under the Bridge of Lions and passed the St Augustine Inlet to the Atlantic Ocean in fairly clam winds and seas. At this point the tide turned and we had a good push along the Tolomoto River for a few hours. As the day progressed the winds picked up but we still had a good ride until the electronic controls acted up again. We went through the Chinese fire drill to get the anchor down to stop drifting into docks in front of private homes in the Ponte Vedra area. At this point the current was really strong and trying to push us along.
This time I discovered the controls on the fly bridge were still active so we retrieved the anchor and continued north. That's when the winds really picked up but we were able to make it to a fuel dock before another Chinese fire drill to get the boat into a slip due to the winds that were gusting to thirty - all part of the adventure. Incidently, this is the first time we have taken on fuel since way back in Ft Meyers. And as I watched the dollar amount rise rapidly on the pump I wondered why we gave up our sail boat.... But then again we never would have made a trip like this in a sailboat.
When the engine controls quit it just so happened that I was on the phone with the Cummins service rep in Jacksonville to coordinate a service call. How's that for timing? I had to cut the call short for the anchor drill and call back when we figured we might be able to continue to Jacksonville. The bad news was that to only technician qualified on our controls system was not available until next Monday or Tuesday. Ugh! The thought of loosing another five days was not too appealing. After exchanging a few phone calls to Cummins to plead our case of lost time and dock fees the service rep said he could have the technician here at eleven o'clock tomorrow. But at this point I can say I have lost faith in the control system and Cummins. We, and the boat's previous owner, have already put a great deal of time, effort and money into attempting to resolve this issue. How many times can we be informed that the system is working properly? But tomorrow may be different..... Yeah, right!
Y'all stay vertical,
Captain John and First Mate Sue
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