It would seem that the Gulf of Mexico in the vicinity of the Steinhatchee River has it’s own weather system. For a week we watched as the reports from almost every other location showed light winds and quiet conditions. Yet all of the forecasts and buo…
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Revisiting The Florida Panhandle
It would seem that the Gulf of Mexico in the vicinity of the Steinhatchee River has it’s own weather system. For a week we watched as the reports from almost every other location showed light winds and quiet conditions. Yet all of the forecasts and b…
Crystal River and the Withlacoochee River Videos
Beach House and crew would like to share a couple of short videos taken as we cruised some of the rivers in the Big Bend section of the Florida Gulf coast.This one is from the Gulf of Mexico, up the Crystal River to Kings Bay. The Withlacooche River fr…
Exploring Florida’s Gulf Coast
For a couple of days, thunderstorms have rumbled all around us, keeping us from our next destination some 50 miles to the north. This isn’t like the protected waterway; this time we need to cross the Gulf of Mexico from Steinhatchee to St. Marks. “How …
The Passing of Claiborne Young
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| Claiborne during a recent visit to Beach House |
It is with a heavy heart and great sadness that we report the passing of our good friend Claiborne Young. Claiborne was killed in a motorcycle accident on Saturday June 14th. The boating community has suffered a major loss. Very few boaters have not benefited from the contributions Claiborne has made over many years in the form of his excellent cruising guides covering the ICW from Virginia to Alabama and most recently from his website, Salty Southeast Cruiser’s Net. His wife Karen died in October 2013 of what Claiborne called “never smoker’s lung cancer” and Claiborne seemed to recently start getting his life back on track. Just a few weeks ago he purchased a trawler and in an email to us a few days ago, wrote of how excited he was to get back on the water and explore the waters he knew so well. He was a true gentleman and someone that never had a harsh word to say about anyone or anything. He will be missed by so many. The following was taken from cruisersnet.net …
Claiborne Sellars Young [1951-2014] passed away on Saturday evening, June 14, 2014 at UNC Hospital in Chapel Hill following a serious motorcycle accident. He passed into the arms of the Lord at 7:00 p.m. surrounded by family and friends.
Born and raised in Burlington, Claiborne lived there all of his life. He was a well loved, well respected man in all aspects of his life. He was a devoted husband, well-known boating author, speaker, and web publisher. He was also a generous, kind and loyal fellow to the many people who called him Friend. Claiborne will be mourned and missed by family, friends, associates, and fellow cruisers.
Claiborne was a graduate of Walter M. Williams High School in Burlington and NC State University in Raleigh. Following the closing of the Sellars family business in the early 80s, he turned to his next loves – water and boating – eventually authoring a series of books for the cruising community from North Carolina to Florida. His first book, the “Cruising Guide to North Carolina” was published in 1983. He also worked with UNC-TV [PBS] to produce a series of travel videos on the waters and small towns of North Carolina’s coast. More recently, Claiborne went on share his love and knowledge of all things water related and published a successful website dedicated to the boating community and boating legislation. Claiborne was loved by many friends within that community, and always had a place to stay and chat while traveling on his speaking engagements. Those who knew him, found that Claiborne was never at a loss for words!
At home, Claiborne was a loving and devoted husband for 40 years, a motorcycle enthusiast, and animal lover. During the years of their marriage, he and Karen were ardent supporters of the Alamance County Humane Society and the American Humane Society, and surrounded themselves with many four-legged friends. Claiborne was also a self-taught chef who was often found in the kitchen producing the most aromatic and tasty dishes. When Claiborne put on a spread, everyone was happy, full, and sated!
Claiborne was preceded in death by his wife Karen Williams Young who passed away October 2013, and his parents Claibourne Clark Young and Dorothy Sellars Young Brawley. He is survived by family from his Sellars and Young relations, as well as his Williams in-laws.
A service of remembrance will be held at Rich and Thompson Chapel in Burlington on Wednesday, June 18, at 11:00 a.m. with Dr. Genie Martin officiating.
Visitation will be Tuesday evening June 17 from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. at Rich & Thompson in Burlington and other times at the Young’s home [814 Colonial Drive, Burlington].
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials be made to Hospice of Alamance/Caswell, 914 Chapel Hill Road, Burlington, NC 27215.
Condolences may be offered at www.richandthompson.com.
If It’s A Boat, It Will Break
If there is one thing that I am certain of after a half century of boating, it’s that on a boat, something will break. A pesky oil leak in the front of the engine began as a minor thing and an annoyance. By the time we were halfway across the Okeechobee Waterway, the leak increased and since it was the front main oil seal, the belt pulley was starting to fling the oil as it spun. That meant oil was not only dripping under the engine, but slinging up on the engine room walls and everything else around it. Not a pleasant thought and definitely time to make repairs. Replacing the main seal is not a major repair, but it requires equipment most boaters don’t carry on board. We knew a good mechanic from our time living in Port of the Islands near Marco Island, so a call to him arranged the repair when we arrived in Fort Myers. The parts were ordered from American Diesel and would arrive at about the same time as Beach House. All seemed to be set for a short stop and a quick fix. Ah, but this is a boat after all.
No sooner were we docked at Fort Myers Yacht Basin than a familiar face appeared on the dock to greet us. One of our neighbors from a short stop we made at Lamb’s Marina near Elizabeth City, NC had moved their boat to Fort Myers and was a few slips down the dock. It’s always good to see familiar faces when we arrive at a new place. A check at the marina office confirmed that the parts had arrived. We ordered a new front engine oil seal and the replacement gasket for the timing gear cover. The mechanic was lined up to arrive the next day to look over the situation and if all looked good, to make the repairs. Things were going according to plan and that worried us, a lot. But this is a boat after all. The other reason for this marina stop was to take care of some appointments that were made months ago and we needed to rent a car to get from Fort Myers to Gainesville, FL. Enterprise Car Rental in Fort Myers proved to be a little difficult at first, but we finally worked things out and hit the road.
The replacement of the front engine seal on a Ford Lehman 120 requires the removal of the wheel that contains the pulley for the engine belts. This is also known as the balancer. It has a tapered nut holding it on at about 200-foot pounds and requires an impact wrench to get it off. Once off, the plate on the front of the engine that covers the timing gear is removed and the front seal is pressed into that cover. While we were on the road, a call to the mechanic revealed that the repair was not going to be as simple as we anticipated. The timing gear cover had a crack in it and it was probably the crack that was leaking and not the seal. The mechanic planned to take it to a machine shop to see if the metal could be welded, but the location made that repair iffy. We might need to find a replacement cover. These engines are over 30 years old and sometimes finding parts can be problematic. A call to American Diesel resulted in some bad news. They did not have a replacement and had not had one in a long time. This is when we started to worry. There is another provider of parts for the Ford Lehman, and that is a company called Bomac in Georgia. What a relief it was to call them and find out that they had a replacement in stock and could ship it out immediately. During the course of all of this, the new seal was damaged and another was ordered with the cover. It would arrive overnight.
The parts went in the next evening and everything went back together without complication. Running the engine at the dock did not indicate any oil leaking. By now we had been at the marina a few days longer than anticipated and the crew was anxious to get underway again. The next morning the engine was run at the dock for a half hour just to make sure everything was okay, and it seemed so. But this is a boat after all. Dock lines were let go and with a little effort and help from the marina staff ̶we had a strong cross wind ̶Beach House eased out of the slip and continued out onto the Caloosahatchee River with plans to connect up to the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway. But first, we wanted to stop and investigate an anchorage a few miles away in Bimini Basin. Once the anchor was down, a check of the engine room showed the leak was not only back, but worse than before. Remember what I said earlier about boats. A call to our mechanic resulted in him offering to have us bring the boat to a dock behind his home to try and determine what happened. Since he lived nearby, we decided to spend the rest of the day and that night in Bimini Basin. We dinghied ashore to do some exploration and as we sat on a park bench near the anchorage, we spotted our friends cruising around Beach House in their small deckboat. We had just spent the evening before with them at their home for a lovely dinner.
It was a pleasant afternoon and evening, but the next day the problem with the leak had to be resolved once and for all. A short motor back up the river to the mechanic’s dock didn’t take much more than an hour, but when oil is leaking all over the front of the engine and being flung around, it can be a long hour. It wasn’t enough oil loss to be of concern, just enough to make a mess. We tied to the dock behind the mechanic’s home, but he was across the state working on another job and would not return until the evening. There was nothing to do but wait. When the parts were removed once again, it appeared as though the seal had failed. The only thing we could conclude was that it was a defective seal. Rather than ordering another from Bomac, the decision was made to order a new seal, plus a spare, from American Diesel. Any parts that came from them was always of high quality. Once again, the parts would arrive overnight and for the third time, a new seal would be installed.
Great care was taken to be sure the newest seal was installed properly. In order to do that, the seal must be properly pressed into the timing gear cover, taking care to make sure it’s oriented properly. The cover is put in place with the many bolts that hold it on only loosely installed. Then the balancer is put in place until it is just barely seated in the seal. This lines the seal up and centers it on the balancer. The bolts for the cover are snugged up until all are snug, and then they are tightened as much as needed. And of course a new gasket for the cover was installed. Once the cover and seal are in place and everything is tight, the balancer is tightened down using an impact wrench. This time we ran the engine at the dock for over an hour at cruising RPMs. Once again, everything looked fine. But we have been fooled before. The following morning we left the dock and continued on our journey. Our next anchorage was only a couple of hours away just in case there was still a problem, but far enough to give the seal a workout. Hallelujah. After repeated checks of the engine room about every 30 minutes and another thorough check once the anchor was down, all looked fine. We could begin to breath a little easier, but it would still take a few days to feel confident things were finally resolved.
As the days progressed and no oil leaks were detected, confidence in the engine returned to normal. There are still hundreds of miles to cover as we make our way along the Gulf Coast researching our next edition of The Great Book Of Anchorages, The Gulf Coast, including the Okeechobee Waterway. Most days the boat will put in a full day of running, but the distance transited along the coast might only be about 10-15 miles. There are so many anchorages to research and explore that we zig and zag across the GIWW. There will be other days where 50 or 60 miles of the open Gulf of Mexico will be ahead of us as we cross the Big Bend region of Florida. Traveling alone on a boat with a single engine keeps us aware of the need to have everything in good working order. A breakdown miles out in the Gulf and a long distance from any help can be more than an inconvenience. Weather this time of year along the Florida coast also plays an important part in all of our decision making. It’s already the rainy season and afternoon thunderstorms are becoming a fact of life. Some of these storms can be sudden and very violent. We need a boat and equipment we can count on, and we believe Beach House will not let us down. Let the adventure continue. Don’t forget to visit us on Facebook to see lots more photos and the latest news.
Franklin Lock And Dam Campground And Marina
We recently visited the St. Lucie Park and had written about what a pleasant and unexpected gem it was. Imagine, then, our surprise at what we found at the WP Franklin Lock and Dam Park. It is the westernmost lock in the Okeechobee Waterway out of the 5 locks in the OWW. Initially we had thought we might go ahead through the lock and continue on to LaBelle. However, as we approached the lock, the wind began to gust and we decided it was time to call it a day. I had glanced over and realized that the docks were on the east side of the lock and not the west as I had originally thought. Also, they are tucked up in a protected basin and not right next to the river as the docks are at St. Lucie. We spun the boat around and headed for the docks.
A very nice gentleman, Walt Vliet, who was out for a few weeks cruise with his wife June, came to our aid as we docked with the wind blowing us up on the finger pier. No matter how many years of experience one has, it is still difficult to dock with a single engine and a good, stiff breeze on the beam. Once secure, we had the opportunity to visit with Walt and June. Both are about to turn 80 soon and have been cruising for years. They live in Hobe Sound and often travel back and forth across the Okeechobee on either their small sailboat or their Marine Trader trawler. They were a pleasure to meet.
But the real story is the park. It is truly a beautiful little place. The RV park and marina, situated on its own little island, is located on the northeast side of the river and lock. Slow speed buoys are located at the entrance to the marina basin. There are 8 slips here as there are at St. Lucie, with 4 being first-come, first-served and the other 4 able to be reserved. Very little wake makes it into the basin. Trees and a decent size picnic pavilion are very near the docks, and a short walk west past a number of RV sites, takes you to very clean heads and showers. Recycling bins are available just next to the trash.
In the middle of the island is the ranger’s office where you pay your dockage. (Again, the same as St. Lucie – $24 per dock including water and electric, or $12 if you have your Golden Age pass for those 62+.) Just next to the office the ranger’s trailer and little fenced in yard that houses her “babies,” three small dogs. From there, turn and walk due south out to the lock and fishing pier, or turn north to walk over the short causeway to get some exercise or a different view of the island. The other, or west, end of the island has many more RV sites and a larger head and shower facility which also houses a washer and dryer. You can walk beyond that building and find another large covered pavilion at the southern end as well as a bench with a great view to the west.
If the docks are full, no problem. Figure out which direction you need wind protection from. There is plenty of room to anchor in the east basin beyond the docks, then dinghy in to the boat ramp near the heads and showers. Or anchor in the basin on the west side of the locks tucked up near the causeway that leads over to the island for great easterly and southerly protection. On this side, dinghy into the beach near the large trees just behind the building that houses the heads. The ranger is happy to have you come ashore.
You cannot walk across the lock to the other side like you can at St. Lucie Park, so drop your dinghy in the water and visit the beach on the other side as well as the visitor center. The only downside we can see is there are no provisions nearby, so come well-stocked and enjoy this little piece of heaven.
The Okeechobee Waterway Revisited
It’s been three years since our last cruise on the Okeechobee Waterway and this time we planned to do it a little differently. On our last crossing of the Lake, we took the direct route across or what is also known as Route 1. This time we planned to t…
St Lucie Lock and Dam Marina and Campground
The St. Lucie Lock and Dam is located a little more than 15 miles upriver from the “crossroads” at the St. Lucie Inlet, the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway and the St. Lucie River. Approximately 10,000 vessels transit this lock every year and the majority of them are recreational vessels. The Locks are operated from 7 AM to 7 PM, seven days a week. It takes about 20 minutes on average for boats to lock through completely. Signs indicate the arrival point on both sides and the Lockmaster is contacted on VHF Channel 13. He will give instructions to wait for the green light before entering and the Captain can choose the side of the lock on which to tie. Lines are dropped from the lock walls to secure the boat at the bow and stern as the water levels are raised or lowered. The Lockmaster announces when it’s safe to proceed after the lock gates are opened.
Ride along as we transit the St. Lucie Lock.
Immediately after exiting the Lock heading westbound, boaters will see a series of finger piers on their port side with space for eight boats. The finger piers are short, but with some creative tie ups, boats up to 40 feet have used the facilities. The slips are also narrow, making it difficult for two boats with wide beams to tie up in the slip. But if you find the space acceptable, this can be an excellent stopover along the Okeechobee Waterway and an excellent value for transient dockage. Daily fees are $24.00, a flat fee, and include power and water. If you happen to be 62 or over, you are eligible for a Golden Age Passport, allowing you half price entry to any national park, including the St. Lucie Lock and Dam Park. It’s hard to beat $12 per night for dockage that includes power and water! The signs near the docks say that there is a 14 day maximum, but the park has allowed boaters to stay a month or more. Technically there are four slips that can be reserved in advance and four slips on a first-come, first-served basis. The Park Rangers don’t seem to enforce this and at the time we were there, everyone had just arrived and paid the fees with no problem. Some boaters from Stuart make this an annual trek to get away from the hustle and bustle of the town for a while.
The Park is located quite a distance from any kind of shopping or restaurants so without transportation, there is not much to do except rest and relax and maybe get caught up on a few boat projects. As luck would have it, a couple of the boaters there had vehicles and offered rides to anyone that needed one. The campers in the RVs and travel trailers were also a friendly bunch and could be a source for a ride into the shopping centers if needed.
The Park has clean restrooms for the use by the campers and the marina. Each restroom also has a shower. These are cleaned daily by the Park employees and we found everyone very friendly and helpful. A large pavilion with picnic tables, a fire pit and charcoal grills made for an excellent evening get together spot for the boaters and some of the campers. Every afternoon and evening several of us gathered to share drinks, snacks and swap stories. It’s surprising how much the boaters and the campers have in common. We enjoyed the comradery and solitude so much that we decided to stay for a week and take care of some errands. Enterprise Rent-A-Car will pick up and drop off at the Park if a car is needed.
There are several smaller pavilions around the Park, all with charcoal grills and picnic tables. Walking is our exercise of choice and the Park offers a number of walking trails. There is a walkway across the entire lock and spillway to the other side of the river, where more pavilions and walking trails are available. The view from the lock is pretty incredible – just be sure to be off the gates when they open and close for passing boats. All kinds of wildlife can be found around every corner. Hawks, eagles and osprey soar overhead and the gators lounge in the sun along the banks of the river. You might even find a few snakes along the trail, so be ready for just about anything. A good insect repellent comes in handy for those times when the wind drops off and the little pests come out to feed. At the opposite end of the lock on the same side as the campground is a small visitor center. There are exhibits on the wildlife and history of the lock, and videos with interesting information. The Ranger at the center can answer any questions and they post the Lake levels daily from the Corps of Engineers website. We thoroughly enjoyed our time there and looked forward to getting to the park at the W.P. Franklin Lock on the other side of the Lake and farther across the Okeechobee Waterway. The Park there offers the same services. But that’s a story for another time.
Warning on Caframo Fans
We don’t have enough information yet to determine if our experience with the Caframo 747 fans are just an isolated case that only we have experienced, or whether this is a problem with other fans of the same model. On both our Mariner 40 ketch, Sea Tre…
