Feb. had been a very cold month and all I could think about was maybe it would be warmer if we got further south. However, there were things Tom wanted to have done on our boat before we started. One of the things was to get a three blade propeller. Of course you have to order it then get it installed, which takes time. On Feb 23, Joe Bob put it on for us. I hated to think he had to dive into that cold water....but he did have a special diving suit for the job.

Next another man Kingsley, helped Tom check the engine. Just to be on the safe side, better to find out something while you are in a marina. Tom also changed the oil.

The boat pretty much looked like a grocery store, and the longer we stayed in Panama City the more we loaded onto the boat. In fact the water line was now 6 inches below the water.

The last thing we planned to get was fresh water, which can be hard to get while you are traveling, as we planned to anchor out most of the time, we couldn't afford to stay in marina's all the time.

It's Feb 20 and it has warmed up a little, with a chance of rain the following day. It was so cold that year.

With the new propeller on and tested Tom feels more confident in the performance of the boat. There was a small leak found, which hopefully will not cost too much to fix.

Tom also bought all kinds of belts and things you might need ...who knows what will lie ahead, or what you will need. We both were anxious to get going, with more stress on Tom to make sure things are right before we start.