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 Stuck on Stock Island —

Easing out of Marathon and pointing toward Hawks Channel, we were enjoying smooth seas and clear skies. We settled into a nice quiet 1200 RPM and slowly made way toward Key West.
No hurry, it was a short day.

Mel had read good things about Stock Island Marina Village so we thought we’d check it out for a couple of days before going to Key West.
We eased into Safe Harbor, hailed Stock Island Marina, and backed into a nice new floating dock.
All good.

Surveying our surroundings, we see a gritty industrial area with fishing boats, research vessels, boat yards, and in the middle of all this is a little oasis of a marina, Stock Island Marina Village.
The marina was teeming with seemingly bright young folks, eager to help catch lines, and standing by with smiling faces.

We like the authentic, no nonsense, feel of Stock Island, it’s not at all busy like Key West Bight and  we’re thinking it’s our kinda place.

There’s a funky more Keysian/Conch side to the marina.

Walking down the road at Coconut Row is interesting. This is the Conch Republic and probably the last bastion of that lifestyle left in the Keys. Of course, gentrification rules just like everywhere else so…

After looking around Stock Island, we think this is gonna be alright.

Then I go down to the engine room…

Before leaving N Palm Beach I had replaced a keel cooler hose and lost coolant. Slowing topping that off to the appropriate level, it’s not unusual to add small amounts of coolant till the engine finds it’s happy spot. Add too much and it spits it out; that’s messy.
You can probably tell where this story is going.
The coolant level had dropped out of sight and I was concerned so I made a call. A knowledgeable buddy told me to check the engine oil. “There could be an issue with the oil cooler or something and it may be dumping coolant into the oil pan. Probably not, but check” my learned friend advised.

Surely not, I reckoned.

I reckoned wrong.

There on the dipstick, to my horror, was an extremely high oil level.

In my mind I was nervously sorting through all the possibilities: Cracked block, Head gasket, exhaust manifold, turbo… oh shit… large amounts of money… oh shit… stuck in the Keys, at their mercy… oh shit… oh shit…

I call my friend back and he validates my thoughts and fears… oh shit… oh shit… oh shit…

How could this be? We had such a nice run, the engine was humming like always, not overheating, no high oil pressure alarm, reading normal on the gauge, how could this be?

The next day I manage to find a John Deere authorized mechanic… things were looking up. (Thanks, Next Dance)
This guys shoots down the oil cooler diagnosis and leads with the more ominous and expensive causes. “You’ve got a serious problem”, he says and he says it in the flat monotone voice of an oncologist.
But, if there’s a bright side, he’s right next door and he can have a guy over the next morning.

So to make a long story shorter, it wasn’t any of the really bad things, it was the coolant/water pump. A relatively quick fix and inexpensive ($1200) part.
Istaboa doesn’t have cancer!!

Now for the rest of the story:

I’ll do it in emotional bullets:

• Relief that the problem wasn’t catastrophic
• Surprised that they could have part shipped overnight and start fix the next day
• Happy to see the mechanic early the next morning
• Patient when he says he’ll have some new hoses shipped overnight to replace old ones.
• Peplexed when he doesn’t show the next day.
• Annoyed when he doesn’t show the second day
• Anger when I call Key West Engine Service and they tell me my mechanic won’t be back for two more days because he has to work on another boat 
• Indignant – What’s wrong with my boat and all the overnight shipped parts sitting, waiting?
• Frustrated when the power keeps going off at our slip
• Weary from lack of sleep because I must go out on the dock to reset GFI breaker at all hours of the night
• Exasperation when the seemingly bright young marina folks tell me the power problem is my boat and my fault, not the GFI. “Use your generator”, they say.
• Elation when the mechanic returns, installs pump, and coolant problem is fixed (fingers crossed)
• Respite – We move the Istaboa to another slip with good power (Obviously Istaboa’s not the problem)
• Comfort – All ACs work in all room
• Relax – I’ve slept all night without resetting a GFI or starting the generator.
• Guarded optimism – The whole ordeal is over… we hope

So that’s where we are now. It’s Sunday and this all started 9 days ago.

We’ve spent much time in the Bahamas and we’ve done a lot of work over there. We understand Island Time.
The Keys operate on a completely different style of Island Time.
In the Bahamas that’s the way the islanders were raised … in the Keys, people from all over the world come here to get away from something… not work. And, for the most part they don’t or if they do it’s at their pleasure, not yours.

Kinda like a New Yorkers with an island attitude.

In the Bahamas: It’s de islands, Mon
In the Keys: It’s the Keys, asshole! Get over it. We’ll get to you when we get to you.

We did find a nice fellow who fixed a head pump.
The Head Honcho
305-923-7861
kwheadhoncho@gmail.com

Oh yeah…  the fritz list after a week on Stock Island?  Vacuflush Head Pump, a dead, (brand new), TV, and our poor generator just got older while at the dock.

Bad timing or a black hole? Don’t know.

We did find a few nice restaurants. Shrimp Road is a food truck with a bar that’s a cool place to hang out. Roostica has great pizza and other Italian dishes, Hogfish Bar and Grill is exactly what it sounds like with good fish and a good hang.

So today we’re booked into Conch Harbor in Key West Bight where we hope things will return to normal. We know we’ll have better WiFi; that’s something we control.
It’s rainy today, that’s nice for a change, and the forecast temps are going to be in the upper end of the 80s.

So, all good? We hope.

Adios,

Like coming home.

We left Miami early in hopes of catching favorable currents that would put us into Marathon before closing time. And, we made it. At exactly 5:00 PM we were greeting Dennis, Marathon Marina’s manager, and tying up. They gave us a great slip.
I’d already finished desalting Istaboa and we’d walked the boys, just in time to catch a famous Marathon sunset. We’ve forgotten how pretty this spot is.

Over the years we’ve spent much time here. Faro Blanco Ocean Side Marina was shelter in our early days of cruising, it’s long gone now. Nothing left but the bones of what was once our offbeat hideout in the Keys. 

Faro Blanco was homeport to some of the most interesting folks we’ve ever met. Live-aboards from all walks of life and different parts of the world inhabited this weathered old marina.
The official Happy Hour on the dock started everyday at 4:30 and ended when the sun disappeared behind 7 Mile Bridge. -BYOB- It made no difference if you were old, young, rich or poor; or if your boat was sail or power, big, little, —new (like our fancy SeaRay) or old and barely floating. If you cared to sit and drink and sincerely get along you were made to feel welcome.
Almost always ending with a discussion about the mythical Green Flash and “Happy Days” was the final toast as the gathering dispersed.

I think it was Hurricane Wilma back in 2005 that destroyed much of the marina and finally lead to it’s closing. By chance, we happened to be there for their last week as many of the long time live-aboards were sadly moving on.
Not, “Happy Days”.

But not all has changed. The skeletal remains of an old wreck still lies in the shallows just to the west of the marina; it’s the gathering place for the many Cormorants and Pelicans, who like those at the  Faro Blanco happy hours, seem to casually coexist.

We’re, once again, TCB and enjoying our surroundings while we do. The Keys are fairly sleepy this time of year. The large groups of boaters have all migrated back north leaving The Keys quieter and friendlier. Local folks aren’t so busy and have time to breath and enjoy themselves so the vibe is definitely more laid back.

Though it’s mighty hot, we find pleasure in the peaceful summertime at Marathon.

Key West is up next — So much for peaceful.

Happy days,

The South Florida ICW is completely different than other portions of the long and winding waterway. We’ve swapped naturally green, tree lined rivers teeming with flora and fauna for the concrete, glass, and steel of the canyonlike canal that separates Miami from it’s beaches.

It’s been interesting in it’s own way though, not necessarily 100% to our liking, but this leg of our trip has lent a one-of-a-kind texture to our customary cruising life.
The rumors of many shallows are just that. We’ve found deep water pretty much this whole trip. If, you stay in the channel.

Today, we’re tied up at Miami Beach Marina, taking care of biz and experiencing all that goes along with South Beach, Miami. Interesting and entertaining.

Tonight — South Beach Saturday Night… — I don’t even need to say it.

Chao,

P.S. It is a small world after all. Our Tennessee River friends will get a kick out of this.
While walking down the dock here at MBM we spotted a familiar face. A fellow named Eddie Trimble, a former marina manager from our Pickwick Lake days, is the Captain on the boat next to us. Fun catching up with Eddie.

Before leaving home we noticed an addition to the menagerie at Spearfish.   This pretty little Dove has setup housekeeping on a light fixture out next to the pool.

We’re sure she’ll appreciate our absence. We startle the hell out of her (or him) every morning when letting the dogs out the back door.

So, restarting our Marina Tour after a short hiatus that produced a shiny new dink atop Istaboa, we left our little abode in Jupiter and made way south.
Starting at North Palm Beach Marina, where we stayed a few days doing a bit of work while preparing for this trip, we left for Bahia Mar in Ft Lauderdale.

4th of July at Bahia Mar is a busy, crowded, and very noisy celebration. Though I didn’t see the fireworks, the reports shook the boat for about 30 minutes. The show was just across the street at the beach.

After a couple of days there, minding to biz and enjoying company, we’ve moved on.

Having never run the ICW south of Ft Lauderdale, I’ve been warned about shallows, but that’s not been a issue yet.
Bridges? Yes… but once you time one, the rest fall into order. Just idle through and you’ll hit them all as they’re opening… so far.

Today, we’re in Hollywood at Loggerhead Marina.  A nice marina, friendly staff, and Hollywood is surprisingly cool. Totally different environment.
There’s a huge Jimmy Buffet, Margaritaville complex here, (we’ll pass on that) and we motored by the famously funky Saloon Le Tub . (looks like our kinda place)
Cut from Le Tub’s site:

Established November 2nd 1959 as a Sunoco gas station…. Closed by the energy crunch of the early seventies, your Host purchased the barren property in 1974 and dedicated a concentrated year personally hand building LeTub totally of Flotsam, Jetsam and ocean borne treasures all gathered daily over 4 years of day break jogging on Hollywood Beach. All landscaping, planting and decor by your host.

About Let Tub

Today, we’ll stay in Hollywood — doing what we do.
Me thinks our new dink will be splashed and a famous Le Tub burger enjoyed.

Tomorrow? Another marina. Loggerhead Aventura. 2 miles away.

Different than our usual summer cruise, but so far so good.

Next up – – Miami, The Keys… and ?? — We’ll see

I know, I know — all work and no play — Tough job, but somebody’s gotta do it.
Right?

Cheers,

While rummaging through Istaboa, tossing off the unneeded/unwanted, we came across this.In our younger days, starting in 99, several times we attempted to run our boat from homeport on the Tennessee River, down the Tenn-Tom Waterway, across the Gulf of…

We think it time for us to begin the southern leg of our trip. The area’s rivers and lagoons are turning into something that’s not the water we in Jupiter know and love.  This part of Florida is known for it’s beautifully clean waters.For us, this…

One of my first digital pics from a trip to New York… ages ago.

Thought it fitting — here and now.

It’s amazing what one finds when cleaning junk out of your boat.

And we’re tied up at Ft Pierce City Marina waiting on a new dink.Hopefully these weather conditions hold and we’re making way soon.But, while we’re waiting, chores are being attended to. Istaboa is really starting to look good again.And, as we always s…

We had the countdown online and we were watching in the general direction.Then we saw the smoke. WOW!!No, this is not what we saw. But, I did send this pic to a couple of old buddies just to get them excited.(This shot was done by Jack Krause of Americ…

Yep, we were heading north, but as we often do,  we altered course and plans. A new inflatable in being built for us by Novurania in Vero Beach so we’ve reversed directions and we’re heading for Ft. Pierce.By chance, there was a rocket launch sche…