Bye, Bye, Pensacola

5/16/13
Pensacola, FL
hazy and calm, light winds from the south

Left Pensacola around 4:30 p.m. yesterday and had a lovely sail into the night.  We heated up some leftovers and enjoyed some tunes with 1' seas and trucking along (motor sailing) at an average of 7.4 knots, so we were making really good time.  My (Saundra) watch was from 11:00-2: 00 am and there was absolutely nothing on the radar the whole way, calm seas but the wind was 30 degrees off our starboard so the "kicker" was a necessity.  Oh, and the autopilot is now working after purchasing a new compass.  And, that was after hours of Charlie brainstorming and 2 days with an electrician in Pensacola, then Charlie contorting his body into a tiny hole to install the new compass...yes, again, he is my hero.  Charlie took over the helm around 2:30 and I went below for some sleep.  But, around 3:00 I awake to the engine going off and finding out that the oil indicator was lowering.  After pulling off the engine cover, Charlie found that the "professional diesel mechanic" in Kemah, who checked our engine, did not torque down the valve cover and the gasket was not set, thus throwing oil all down under the engine. Not really sure how long all of that took, but finally got back underway and I woke up at the sea buoy to Panama City.  We docked at the Municipal Marina, got a shower, a Bloody Mary and some sausage and now we are retiring till who knows when.  Should be departing here tomorrow morning as we have a good weather window to make Tampa Bay.

Music in City Park

On the dock