The night proved calm and there were no issues at the anchorage. We immediately started working on obtaining our needed parts. We were planning to buy a starter motor, a starter key switch and a remote starter switch whereby we could start the motor without a key.
We contacted Chris at Diesel Direct, an online diesel parts distributor. He has helped us before and is very good at tracking down parts. He also knows what new parts are compatible with our old motor. As he set out working on the starter and key switch, we started looking for the remote switch. He can only help with parts that are part of the original motor.
We found a remote starter switch on the northern tools website and decided to look for a real store. We found one in Pompano Beach about 30 miles from here. They had the part and put one aside for us for the day. It was calm in the harbor and the perfect tide cycle to leave the boat so we found an uber to take us there. We secured the part! Then Chris called back and the other parts were ordered. Progress.
I was sorry not to see more of Pompano Beach than the strip of home improvement stores (very impressive, by the way) but the cashier in the tool store did recommend a tiny restaurant at the end of their strip that was the perfect lunch stop. The Smackin’ J’s Deli and Grill was a well run local establishment and the Smackin’ J’s logo reminded us of boats in the harbor. We got a little smacked with the price of the uber back but it still was less than a rental car or the train bus combo.
Trevor and Denise had texted a plan to host a New Year’s Eve gathering on their boat and we were assigned dessert. I thought about making key lime pie but I only have very tiny pie pans and time and refrigeration were also issues. We set out for a walk and to find a bakery. We decided on a blueberry tart from Loic Bakery and carried it very carefully from store to dinghy to boat.
On the way back we looked at the sand sculptures along the waterfront and some other boats in the harbor. We had salad for dinner after our big lunch and looked at charts of the Bahamas as we now feel we will be able to move again. David texted his concerns to Jeff on Nautilus who has been so helpful to us. We made a decision for our next moves.
Once parts arrive here and we install the remote starter switch, we will make the move to Key Biscayne area on the next available weather window for outside travel. We will anchor near the inlet waiting for the weather and leave very early in the morning hoping to cover the 60 miles before it is too dark on the other end.
We are thinking of then sailing to Chubb Cay and then on to West Bay. This is the most direct route to the Exumas where we most want to go. It will be an overnight but we have good advice on the route and the timing works well to get to a nice stable anchorage at the end. We are very excited to have a plan.