Cheated certain death... :o)

January 22, 2010
Started out sunny, ended FOGGY!
Lat/Lon 29 53.9 N, 81 18.6 W

This update will have to be really short. I have 2 impatient males waiting outside the coffee shop while I briefly access the internet!

When we were in Jacksonville, we moved the boat from Marsh Island to anchor at Exchange Island so that we could use the Arlington Boat Ramp to dingy supplies back and forth to the boat. (5 dingy loads!)

We got most of our stuff done in Jacksonville. We really struggled with the autopilot, and finally had to call a life line – my wonderful sister Kate, in Spokane, WA. We had her get on the internet and find a tech support number for the type of autopilot we have. When we called the guy gave Sid a couple of things to try, and one worked! It’s not working perfect, it still shuts off occasionally, but it works MUCH better. Thanks Kate!!

I got most of the ‘Kristina’ name off the boat, the ‘Krist’ is gone, the ‘ina’ is still there, so Quest is not on yet. We ran out of nice weather so that work had to stop. We did get to enjoy record rainfall in Jacksonville. HOLY CRAP! He, he,… Lucky us!

Oh, and in case you want to know,… the water in the St. Johns River that flows through Jacksonville,… looks like coffee. Nope not kidding a bit! It is dark reddish brown. Absolutely disgusting! (My apologies to anyone from Jacksonville that may read this – but DAMN - you guys gotta clean up this river!)

We left Jacksonville for St. Augustine at 7am in order to go out to sea with the tide instead of against it. The sun came out about noon, and it was BEAUTIFUL. For about two hours.

Then the fog rolled in, the temperature dropped 15 degrees, the wind picked up, “Otto” the autopilot lost its course, and land disappeared. We knew we were only about a mile north of the St. Augustine inlet. But it was like we were blind. Visibility was down to about 50 yards a good share of the time. Frankly, I don’t mind telling you I was a bit frightened. But Sid and I worked together as a team, using the radar to pick up obstacles, and using the gps to find the course we were supposed to follow. Finally, after drifting 1 mile too far south, we saw a boat going in. We could see it for long, be we were able to follow him using the radar. I had to tether myself to the rail, and watch for channel markers with the binocs as we went in. Wow, it was scary. But we made a good team and made it safely to anchor inside the inlet.

Ok, the boys are chompin’ at the bit. Better scoot. Oh, and yes, we all wear our harnesses and lifejackets, even Bo. (Both pets are doing very well.)