Captain’s Log – Fri 5/16/25
We had to sail into the anchorage yesterday evening when the engine overheated. I took a look at it this morning to find that the coolant circulation pump had seized, torquing the pulley shaft and shearing it off. Not a simple impeller change that I expected. We need a new water pump. The log showed one spare aboard, but that was not the case. We have extensive spares onboard and would have had this part if not for the documentation error.
With my friend Art’s help, we tracked down one in stock front a supplier willing to overnight it to Key Largo. Tomorrow morning I will dinghy ashore, catch an Uber to Key Largo and wait for the UPS truck. Hopefully I will get back in time to install it and depart Sunday morning. Right now there isn’t enough wind to sail out of the anchorage, so I’ll have to catch a ride there.
Since the engine is also our supplemental power generator in addition to the solar, we shut off all nonessential systems until the engine is back online. The refrigeration takes priority now.
Not one to let an otherwise beautiful day in the keys go to waste, we launched the dinghy and went to the local sand bar. Well they call it a sand bar, but it’s not like the one’s were used to in St Pete. It was pretty rocky. But it was hot out, the beer was cold and the water felt good!
With this delay, that wouldn’t put us into Key West until Memorial Day weekend and the marinas appear to be booked up. We could get there sooner but then we’d be skipping a lot of the keys. Something may open up, we’ll see. We’re also considering skipping Key West on this trip, cutting through at Marathon to head north. It’s suddenly getting really hot.
✌️❤️⛵️
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