Thursday – 19 November 2015 - Cumberland Island to Pine Island (Tolomoto River)

This day turned out to be a day filled with anxiety… Three items filled this bill… The shoaled area just South of Fernandina; Bridge Heights (anxiety for Dalmation, not for AB, or SEEKER); and the refrigeration controller for AB.

For the first item we (SEEKER and AB) had the coordinates for a safe passage through the 3 shoals, south of Fernandina… (which by the way worked phenomenally well…) SO… no problem there… even for Dalmatian with their 7 foot draft.

The second problem of Bridge Heights… was a definitely a problem for Dalmatian… (mast hgt 64’-4”)
As the morning drew on, and the tide levels grew higher.. .the problem became critical. Then just after passing the St. Johns River… there are three bridges that are critical… The first was 64’-8”…no problem; The second bridge was 64’-2” or so… PROBLEM !!! With the tide pushing Dalmatian along… the bridge was contacted with the lightning arrester + the anchor light + and the biggest casualty, the windex arrow.
The anchor/ tri-color is now tipped back about 45 degrees, but still works. The anemometer wasn’t touched… (good thing… that’s a lot of $$$ ). The windex is toast.

Tonight… for AB.. .the challenge seems to be an old controller for the refrigerator ( The freezer seems to be behaving itself… touch wood).
The controller can’t decide whether it’s broken or NOT…. Keeps coming back to life…. (Don’t you hate intermittent problems…. Just when you think OK… time to change it out for a new one… the son-of-a-gun comes back to life). Now What ??? So… I’ve been “watching it” for a couple hours….now… Finally decided I’d take a hot shower, and relax…. It’s either going to break during the night… or keep going until morning… (I’d rather change it in the daylight, when I’m rested…. As opposed to after a day on the water.. .at the helm).

WE’re anchored at PINE Island N30 03.062 W 081 21.924 - after about 63 nm (well that counts the trip from St. Mary’s to Cumberland the day before too).

Tomorrow we’ll mosey down to ST. Augustine moorings. The mooring field is FULL because of the city Christmas Light Ceremonies going on over the weekend. I had called the City for reservations and was put on a waiting list. They called AB this morning, and asked if we’d like a mooring starting Friday, but have NOT as yet called SEEKER, or Dalmatian.  BUMMER. Hopefully they’ll call SEEKER and Dalmatian tomorrow with cancellations.