ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL PELICAN.

I admit, when we lived in Florida, I never really "saw" the pelican. After living on the water for almost two years, you can't help but notice and appreciate them (and other sea and land creatures). This beauty landed right by our boat this afternoon as we sit anchored off Cayo Costa State Park.

NOW HERE'S A BIRD THAT DESERVES A HIGH FIVE!

It looks to be a five pound snook.

I wonder if he won the fishing tournament.

CHARMED FOR SALE

It's all good!  However, the end of the hiatus from work is near.
After two years of extended cruising Debbie and I are landing on the
west coast of Florida, with intentions of making the
Bradenton/Sarasota/Tampa Bay area home again.  From the starting point
of southern New England, we got down to the Florida Keys, then back up
to Maine.  Then we did the Bahamas:  the Exumas, the Jumentos all the
way to Duncan Town as far south as insurance allowed, the Abacos.  We
did the Chesapeake the three times we passed it.  In the middle of it
all we got to Bermuda and back, with great friends on their boat.  The
adventure has been grand.  Not as grand as some of yours, but grand
enough to last us until real retirement.

So Charmed will soon get a slip assignment in the Twin Dolphin Marina.
 And as was always the plan, Charmed will soon go up for sale.  Until
she sells, we will weekend and vacation on the west coast of Florida.
Once she sells we may think about an AE 33 or a J105 that will get
around the buoys on Wednesday evenings and Sunday afternoons a bit
better than the IPs.  Hopefully, we will still get to sail Island
Packets, cruising with some of you and delivering for some of you. IP
makes the best boats. IPers make the best friends!

(As a footnote, Debbie moves ashore a tad sooner than me.  In May I am
off across the Atlantic, from Florida to Portugal via Bermuda and the
Azores as crew on an IP 485. Yee Haw!)

Craig and Debbie Roser
CHARMED IP 440.33
Lying Pelican Bay east of Cayo Costa
www.svcharmed.blogspot.com

OIL PRESSURE SENDER R AND R

It turns out it was just the oil pressure sender on Charmed that had
failed, leaving us with a gauge on the engine instrument panel that
always read zero. It also turns out that Mastry is attentive and
provides wonderful service!

Once near Miami where we had reasonable access to marine services, we
called Mastry. A short discussion on what might be wrong left me
first thinking I would work on the issue myself, even though the
engine is in warranty. However, after studying connections and
guessing at the worst possible outcomes once I began removing things,
I asked Mastry to remain involved. A marvelous man came to the boat,
removed the sender, checked oil pressure with a mechanical gauge known
to read right, replaced the sender, and voila, all was back good! The
panel gauge on Charmed reads lower than the mechanical gauge that was
temporarily installed. It reads the same with the new sender as it
did with the original sender.

I am told Yanmars just don't have oil pressure system problems unless
something really goes bad, like getting salt water in the engine.
Charmed will continue to get new oil and new filters every 100 hours.
With good treatment and proper maintenance how many hours will she go?

Craig
Charmed IP 440.33
www.svcharmed.blogspot.com

ALLIGATOR?

On our way to the West Coast of Florida, we stopped to anchor at Little Shark River. We heard the mosquitos and noseeums were bad up the river, so we decided we would anchor outside the river. Before we did, however, we took Charmed up the river for a look-see. We heard a splash in the water and thought we saw an alligator. On second look, we saw it was a very large turtle!

Before we were back out of the river, we had seen at least five turtles. While it would have been better to see the turtles in the dinghy, I for one was glad we didn't take the dinghy. Although we saw no alligators, we knew they are there!