Friday - October 22, 2010

lat - 34 47 24 Long 87 40 46; Fuel 113 gal; eng 486.45

Happy Birthday Joe!

We left Florence at around 8:30 with the intention of arriving in Aqua Marina around 1. Again it was cool in the morning but it warmed up to 30 by 11 and it was a again a beautiful cruising day - sunny and warm. It sure is nice her because it gets warm in the day but the nights are cool and nice for sleeping.

As we were cruising along a call came through on Channel 16 from Serendipity sho we had not heard from since we left Green Turtle Bay. We had a good conversation and passed one another as they were heading to Joe Wheeler where we would see them when we drive down tomorrow.

We continue on and did arrive in Aqua around 1. Makes it easy to calculate the arrival time when you are traveling at 9 knt or around 10 miles per hour and you have to go around 45 miles.

We got in and who was helping us tie up to the dock but John Haluska from The Emery El. We last saw him in Penetang and as we were leaving he was waiting for repairs on his boat. He finished the Loop as he is from Tennessee and Aqua is his home port. I asked him if he missed the journey and admitted yes and he was thinking of maybe doing it again. I can see what happens after finishing the trip, you start asking what next?

We went over to the repair shop to get some work done before we continue. As we will soon be going into salt water, I want to get the bottom painted, the hull waxed and the zincs changed. The bottom has not been painted for three years and since stuff grows on the hull a lot more quickly in salt water, I thought it would be prudent to refresh the bottom. I had some good recommendations from a few folks along the way about the marina and its service group. They certainly have a good parts shop and marina store.

The car rental people brought a car to us and Brenda and I went into town to do a little shopping. Tomorrow we head for Shiloh - another Civil War battle site and then over to Joe Wheeler. We can't check in until 4 so we decided to do a little touring.