Saturday, June 24, 2006
Second Wind Arrives . . . .
Timing is everything. After months of waiting, our new (to us) 34-foot PDQ trawler catamaran was finally ready for us to take ownership -- the week before our daughter's wedding! That's almost too much excitement. Bob and I felt fortunate that our excellent broker, Captain Billy Martin of YachtSouth, volunteered to deliver our new purchase, located in Jupiter, Florida, right to the wedding site in Panama City, Florida. Talk about a wild and crazy week! The timing did make it possible for Scott and Anne, our son and daughter-in-law from San Diego AND the newlywedsSusan and Keith from Atlanta, to see it right away. When we climbed aboard Second Wind, we were sure that we had bought the right boat for us. Two milestones were accomplished in less than a week: a wonderful, fun wedding and the delivery of Second Wind.
Bob's adventure on our new boat actually began with the trip from Apalachicola, Florida, to Panama City, arriving on Monday, May 15. The next morning while Liz and family headed north, Bob and Billy headed west toward Mobile. A big advantage of cruising with Billy was that he had already spent several days bringing the boat across the Gulf, so he was totally familiar with all aspects of the PDQ. Also, Billy is a licensed captain! Their first stop that night was Orange Beach, AL. Here is Bob's log . . . .
Wednesday, May 16: We checked the weather and found that the Tenn-Tom was in the process of receeding from flood stage, but it was still out of its banks in some locations. It was approximately 13 feet above normal levels and dropping slowly. Our trip across Mobile Bay was uneventful, and we used the chart plotter to head straight for the Mobile Harbor once we got into the bay. After we cruised through Mobile, we consulted Fred Meyers' Tenn-Tom guide to see where we might stop for the night. We took his recommendation and found a pleasant, quiet anchorage in Bates Lake at Mile 54. No AC needed!
Thursday, May 17: The trip was uneventful except for the discovery that we had not been charging the house batteries while running. Subsequent diagnosis showed a failed relay in the battery combiner. So with unreliable chart plotter, we fell back on the handheld GPS and paper charts. Fortunately the radio still worked fine, and we had several short conversations with southbound tows about passing "on the one" or "on the two." You learn the language fast when you round a bend and are faced with a barge closing on you at 20 knots in very close quarters. That evening, we arrived in Demopolis, AL, at dusk and tied up at the Demopolis Harbor for food, fuel, showers, and a chance to recharge the house batteries.
Friday, May 18: The run from Demopolis to Columbus, MS was an easy, uneventful run, which finished with an excellent BBQ rib dinner in Columbus.
Saturday, May 19: This was an easy run with six locks. We pulled into Aqua Yacht Harbor near Iuka, MS about 5:30 p.m., where we were met by Liz. Billy took Liz's car back to Huntsville, and Liz and I planned to bring the boat the rest of the way to its home port, Alred Marine in Guntersville, AL.
Sunday, May 20: Just as Liz and I were heading out on Sunday morning, Billy called to say that the main lock at Wilson Dam had been shut down for repairs, and barges were backed up on both sides. A quick call to the lock revealed a 6 to 8 hour wait for pleasure craft. Also as you transit from the lower to the upper chamber of the auxiliary lock, a switch from the left to the right wall would be necesary for tying up; definitely NOT the best way to introduce Liz to locking through with the new boat. Because we were eager to take a week's trip to North Carolina by car, we left the boat at Florence Harbor until Tuesday, May 29.
Tuesday, May 29: Good friend John Wencil agreed to help bring the boat the rest of the way home. When our journey continued upriver, we immediately experienced a 3 1/2 hour delay at Wilson Lock (they weren't quite finished with the repair work). Everything went fine until the Decatur Railroad Bridge -- three trains in a row! This was a 1 1/2 hour wait, so the boat spent the night in Decatur Harbor.
Wednesday, May 30: A beautiful day and no one was on the river from Decatur to Guntersville. This is the life! Second Wind finally arrived at Alred Marina, where it will stay while we learn all the systems, show it off to friends, and take short trips in preparation for starting our Great Loop adventure after the AGLCA Rendezvous at Joe Wheeler State Park in late October .
