Day's log for Friday, August 10th, 2001 - Bellwood, FL

0846 - raised anchor, started motor, and got underway

0900 - 1790 RPM - 5.6 kts on the GPS

0920 - passed SM 890

1009 - passed SM 895

1016 - noted slight increase in engine temp

1017 - reduced to 1700 RPM

1050 - passed SM 900

1105 - slight engine speed variation occurring

1112 - stopped to check out a shipwreck

This apparently has been there for a while. It was marked on the chart and it appeared that some attempt was underway to salvage it

1119 - resumed course and speed

1134 - engine running cooler now

1142 - engine temp shows entire "T"

1143 - engine slows down from 1800 to 1700 RPM

1146 - passed SM 905

1152 - reduced to idle to investigate temp problems. These weren't large variations but they are an abberation from what was there before. Thus they indicate that there may be a problem.

1157 - resumed course and speed

1237 - passed SM 910

1255 - docked at Diamond 99 Marina

1306 - took on 14.3 gal of diesel and 2 10 lb blocks of ice

1325 - left dock. Observed normal flow of seawater out the exhaust

1414 - passed SM 915

1500 - raised jib and secured main

1503 - passed SM 920

1605 - dropped sails and started motor

1655 - dropped anchor near #27

1705 - watched Space Shuttle Discovery launch. Picture to come.

1716 - raised hook, started motor, got underway

1745 - passed SM 930

1841 - passed SM 935

I wandered around a marina at Sebastian. I wanted to anchor but there were a lot of boats there already and I didn't want to bump into one during the night.

1945 - passed SM 940

2000 - dropped hook and secured motor

Here, the chart showed 7 feet of water. I was relaxing and I heard a boat going by really closely. I thought, ok, I'm too close to the channel. I pulled the anchor up and started the motor. I idled further west of the channel, watching for that awful feeling of the boat shuddering as I scrape the ground. It didn't happen. I dropped the hook, secured the motor, and took soundings. These showed 5 feet of water. An hour later I took more soundings. Slightly less water. I rigged the sounding rope through the skylight so I could check for any change in the water depth. I noticed very little change, then a slight rise in the depth. I figured I was at the bottom of the tidal cycle. I slept soundly after that.