We have a new problem that we do not yet know how to solve. Intermittently, when we turn the key to start our motor, no power is getting to the starter motor. At first we thought maybe we didn’t turn the key far enough as sometimes we are reaching to do it at odd angles. But this am, it happened several times to David and then finally started. We are thinking it could be the key switch or a solenoid. It could be just a connection that is loose but it is disconcerting and we feel we need to fix it before we move forward. We called several marine part stores and auto part stores and marine part stores are closed for the holiday, opening again on the 30th. This means, we will probably stay in West Palm into next week.
We could leave with a motor start and head down the waterway but the stretch to Fort Lauderdale has 21 bridges 18 of which need to open. That is in 30 miles. The bridges are on different time schedules but most opening twice an hour. Waiting for bridges will definitively affect our travel time. In addition, it is a narrow channel with lots of boat traffic and few places to anchor if we run out of daylight or bridge openings. This does not sound ideal and we would rather do the 40 mile outside stretch to Ft. Lauderdale, or better yet, skip Ft. Lauderdale and do the 60 mile outside stretch to Miami/key Biscayne. At any rate, we are here through the weekend and maybe longer and will leave the marina on the 28th as planned and anchor again.
With the motor running, we left our anchorage and headed south a few miles to our marina. We had to go through the Flagler Memorial Bridge which opens on the quarter hour and 3/4 hour. We timed our arrival for the 1045 opening. The bridge operator wanted to know our air draft, beam, length and draft. We communicated with a north bound boat waiting for the same opening and they came through first.
The marina was right after the bridge. We pulled up to the fuel dock and landed safely. No dock hands were there but there was little current and no other boats there so it was easy for us to pull up and tie our own lines.
While we were there, a catamaran came up and pulled up in front of us. David helped them dock. His name was Trevor and he and his wife live on the boat but come in occasionally for fuel and water. She had their water filling before the last dock line was tied. They have this down to a science.
It took awhile for the dockhands to come to run the fuel pumps so we talked for awhile. They are going to the Keys after getting some work done in Ft.Lauderdale. They have been here for awhile, and recommended the anchorage here. They called this “the most boat friendly stretch of water in South Florida.” There are dinghy docks with good access to shore, and a larger dock where you can park your boat for 3 hours if you are provisioning. It is also walking distance to the grocery and other stores and restaurants. They even have a Saturday farmers market close to the public dinghy dock.
Our orders arrived safely. A spare alternator! There was also a fancy spotlight, flashlight and solar lantern spare from John, the package padded not with foam peanuts, but by snacks from Asheville! A back up remote for our anchor windlass also arrived. We are still waiting on some mail from home which should arrive today.
David had decided to rent a car for the two days we were at the marina. We walked to the rental office at the train station. It is a very upscale and clean downtown here. Somehow, the rental lady, talked us into getting a tesla. She offered us the same price as the tiny compact car we had rented and urged us to try it. We would not have to stop for gas or recharge as we were just staying local and would be well in the range. Just what we needed, a new learning curve!
It has a giant computer monitor and when you hit the car button, you can customize it. If you move your seat or steering wheel, you have to hit save or the next time you get in, you have to reset. There is a theater mode you can play but only if parked. The car turns on when you get in and off when you get out. You can only lock it from the outside by tapping your key card on the outside of the door. We tried to find the cruise control but only saw something called autopilot and quickly avoided that. We successfully navigated and drove our way to Trader Joe’s , the bank and west marine.
Our new friend Trevor from the catamaran, it turns out, is also the master of the happy hour. He texted David a list of restaurants with happy hours, including their happy hour menu favorites. We opted for Elizabeta’s , a lovely Italian place right across the street. They have four kinds of $10 pizzas on their happy hour menu. When we got there, they only gave us the regular menu but I asked if it was still happy hour. They brought me the happy hour menu and there were the $10 pizza options. Happy hour is from 4-7. This is a game changer. I remember from my youth, we had a series of travel books, “How to see someplace on $10 a Day” I would definitely put a happy hour section in there, and Peanut Island.
After dinner, we walked around the city and watched kids playing in the park. they had great lights and a great fountain. And we found gelato. It shared a space with a fancy clean bright marijuana dispensary.
