Tidal currents and poor timing...

 

Yesterday was one of those days. Today was just one of those mornings.

 

Tidal currents can make entering or leaving a dock very interesting. This morning we had a very strong tidal current crossing directly behind our boat. We needed to back out of our dock without allowing the current to push the boat into the mangrove trees just 10 feet to our starboard. No problem. We just push the stern out from the dock, engage the starboard engine in reverse, and pull out. A perfect plan as long as the starboard engine doesn't decide to quit running just as you leave the dock (AKA poor timing).

 

   When the starboard engine quit, we drifted directly into the Mangroves and had to pull back into the river with just the Port engine. We limped across the river to a large marina and Jeff went to work on the engine. It seems there was air in the diesel injection pump. How in the hell it got there we don't know. As soon as Jeff bled the system the engine fired up and we were on our way ( with a few scars).

 

The bay side of the Keys is beautiful and loaded with wildlife. We arrived in Miami at 4:00.

 

We have the floor removed to access the starboard engine and bleed the injectors.

Many of the ICW channels in the bay side of the Key's wind in, out, and around small islands or Keys.

Other stretches of the ICW (Intra Coastal Waterway) in the Key's are straight as a poker. We saw a manatee in this area.

Old Florida.

This water is at least 15 feet deep and you can clearly see the bottom. Butch spotted a Bull Shark darting from under our boat in this area.

Having just to much fun.

Miami as we approached from the South.

"Whatever It Takes" in Miami, hanging out with the big boats.

"Bobby" our Alabama Gator with dinner he caught in the Keys.