Just wait'n

We're in Ft. Lauderdal and should hit south Miami tomorrow where we will wait for our crossing to Bimini.  13 bridges went up for us today and about 7 yesterday.  The Intercoastal Waterway keeps us off the ocean but people need to get to their homes on the barrier islands, hence the bridges.  Not so bad,  you just have to have patience.  Nice anchorage near the heart of town.  Misstickle our old boat buddy is here and Crazy Lady who we met at Hinkley is here also. 


Blood psi was up a bit leaving the slip in a blow today but in the morning I stalled a couple of hours as I figured out the plan to get out without causing damage to other boats or my ego.  None of my logistics worked but in the end we actually looked like we knew what we were doing.  I'll take it. 

Night before last we had a dozen inches of rain at an anchorage near North Palm Beach, perhaps more.  Some areas close to us showed anywhere from 12 to 22 inches, INCHES.  A real mess it was on land.  When the gusts hit we thought our anchor was breaking loose. Chris and Linda went out in PJ's (with life jackets) to check things out but we were just moving differently than the sailboats around us.  Chris stayed up most of the night for anchor watch anyway.  Sopped like wet puppies they were. Bilbo Baggins said something like " adventures are seldom comfortable      or maybe it was Winni the Pooh,  I get confused,   but who ever it, there is probably something to it.

Generator took a c*** yesterday again.  The raw water pump impeller 'sploded.  60 hours,  man, we bought the best...     couple of hours to fix it.  I'll tell ya,  it pays to be a, well, a, on the small side physically with a, well, a, tiny hands if you're going to do the impeller job.  Ain't no way a 6 footer could do the job,  no way.  And the Belle had the man on board to do the job.  ME.

OK,  we're on to No Name Harbor south of Miami tomorrow.  Then we wait for a weather window.  Maybe Monday, maybe Tuesday.  Even the forecasters don't know for sure what's going to happen right know.  I ain't turning the key in any less than 2 to 3 feet in the day light and the forecasters have to be willing to fall on their sword if they are wrong.  Not %50 or %60 percent stuff,  I want the forecaster to say,  "Kerm,  go now,  and if I'm wrong there will be 10 cases of beer waiting for you in Bimini".