I feel good in my soul!
It’s so nice to be in a real cruisers community again and out of the dirty river in Fort Myers. I met a lot of good people in Fort Myers, but I must say it wasn’t my favorite place in the world and I’m happy to be moving on.
Chuck and I spent all of Tuesday working on the diesel generator with no avail. We got it started for a moment and that was it. We spend half the day tearing it out of the engine room along with the old water heater. We both agree the rings are shot. Chuck is bringing it to his house to open it up and take a peek. It is a really good, one cylinder, Kubota diesel. With a rebuild it should provide power for many years to come. I was thinking I would sell it as I’m all about simple ships and systems, however it only uses 1/4 gallon of diesel an hour as opposed to my main engine which burns closer to a gallon an hour. I don’t really feel like maintaining and servicing two diesel motors but it is surly the “green” and cost effective way to go. I don’t plan on using much diesel as I’m really going to deck Splendid out with solar power and a wind generator. I’m also planning on using the wind vane as much as possible and living with out refrigeration unless we have a good stock of fish. I can deep freeze the freezer with the compressor attached to Splendid’s main engine in a matter of a few hours.
Chuck’s family came to pick him up day before yesterday and spent the night. Chuck and his wife Lesley went out on the town while I stayed home and watched his two great boys Zack and Brice (4 and 7). We had a good time watching movies.
Sam and Guin are still in New Jersey (Happy Birthday Guin) she just turned 4, Darrin’s girl friend is visiting from Canada and I’m drinking coffee by myself for the first time in a long time. It’s kind’a strange and quiet.
I have a bunch of projects to knock out before I leave for a 3 week job in April. I need to wire up the windlass, install another bilge pump, do some wiring at the helm and about a hundred other things. I am planning on taking the rest of the week kind of slow as I’m feeling pretty “tore up” from giving Splendid all of my energy.
I’m going to the dive shop today to price a spear and new bands for my gun. I hear there are a few good spots to shoot fish around here. I’m flat broke but I just may have to fork up the money for a fishing license. I think it’s inherently wrong to make a man pay to shoot his own food, but what the hell, “when in Rome”, right?
I don’t think I’m going to fair and paint Splendid until I’m in Colombia and can hire a few guys to sand, sand, sand! I think I need a break!
Peace, Love, and Spear fishing.
– Alex
Published in Alex Dorsey
Hey,
just wanted to let you know that I’m reading this log, I think it’s really cool what you’re doing. I’m still in the phase where I work my ass off just to scrape up enough money to leave my job and cruise until I run out of them again… I know about being flat broke, it sucks but somehow things just work out just the same…
I still don’t think you should pay for the license, you’re gonna eat all the fish you catch right? Anyways, love the expression “When in Rome” because that’s where I work at the moment. It’s nice here, spring is coming…
Well, take care and “Buon vento!”.
/Rickard
hi alex
its been a long time since weve spoken….since ive purchased a 42 vagabond ketch…..getting her ready for my dreams….i dont have a whole lot to do but i do have the “LIST”…..which as we know never ever is done or complete……the biggest tthing on the list is to RETIRE…….thats in oct or at the latest jan……..its tough leaving ….im 51 and its a bit nerve racking with the economy the way it is ……ive been a cop in houston for the last 25 yrs and its time to get the hell out of dodge…..as the saying goes……
my take on tthe fishing license question………ive speared fish in the keys for the last 25 years….and there hasnt been a single time ive been in the upper or lower keys that i havent been stopped, boarded and searched by the FLORIDA MARINE PATROL…..they are everywhere down there……..and believe me they dont care who u are or what u do for work….they will write u a ticket…..and they arent cheap…….u coould pay for 10 fishing licenses by the time your done paying for one ticket….
just be careful and be safe……
oh make sure u spear a HOG FISH…..THEY ARE THE VERY BEST U CAN GET DOWN THERE…….
BRUCE
Hello
Try the Hogfish bar in Stock island ( next one in) . Its a small, open air, local bar in a small cruising marina adjacent to a working dock. Not touristy, you know? possible resources? Maybe you could post a pic of the mural out back (at the hogfish, a personal request of a favorite) Or some pics of the colorful houses in the area. The keys are so unique.
Some real nice nautical museums around town, We could be “wreakers”!
It’s nice to get the longer logs from you,,,,,,thanks……Are you saving logs or writing notes for a book in the future?
Take care & enjoy