Moving down the St. Johns

[captd]

We have gone up north but down river, back to Astor. Pumped out the honey bucket, washed clothes, and now to get some more groceries. Next move will be to Silver Glen Springs. I think we will spend a whole week right there. Water is 72 degrees all year around. It is like swimming in gin. I am worried about constantly wanting to take a gulp. Jack, in the Dog House, says he will run down river with us. It will make great pictures.

I winched up the dink on the dive platform with the motor mounted on the transom. I posted pictures in the album. By turning the Honda, handle down, as in their instructions, oil should remain in the crankcase. Why not???? At least on the river. Crossing the Gulf Stream I would put the motor on its mount on deck.
Have you tried this , Mac?
captd

[JamesTXSD]

Looks to me like that should work. Of course, I am not a Honda tech, nor do I play one on TV. You're gonna put that tiller handle in so it isn't sticking outside the tug, right?

Sure enjoying the tale of your trip.

[captd]

Right Jim,
Handle swivel 360 degrees. The book says it can set in either of two positions, upright and laying on its handle. From there I can swivel the handle in any direction.

captd

[Island Ranger]

No reason I can see - should work. Instructions say you can lay the Honda on it's side. I've stored it down below on its side - ....

Besides, now you've already tried it. I'm guessing it worked, right? Making it look awfully easy..... but it is only 28 pounds.

Mac

[captd]

Left for Silver Glenn Springs Friday about noon. Enroute we seen a 22 C-Dory ( Green) being loaded on the trailer in Astor. We swung by and tooted . No name on the boat. Must have been a new purchase or at least a sea trial.

Water gets pretty skinny going in. Especially when we came in on the wrong side of some pvc markers. Later we seen they had a little red paint here and there.

What a magnificent spring. Hundreds of fish schooled over the spring itself. Ladyfish, mullet, bass and numerous other types on the outside. Huge sun fish, gar, and carp. A small duck that had a four stroke outboard stuck in his butt. You could see it for a couple hundred feet, the water was that clear. When it came up to breath , just the bill came out of the water and was back down again, going like a bat out of hell. Been snorkeling and diving for years , it was a first. Bald eagles, cormorants, anhingas, coming and going, and vultures were cleaning up the dead fish, carp, that someone would spear or angle. The channel was a sea of grass. Every boat chopped up a little and was floating down the run.

Picked up a good trick while watching all the weekenders. They buy pool vac hose ( about twenty to twenty-five feet ) connect it to the generator. Attach a foam float to the end with a weight to keep it in place behind the boat. You could hardly hear them run. It was said that a man and wife died from the exhaust of another boat as they were rafted up right there at the springs. They didn't stir in the morning, upon checking they found them dead. Another couple just about bought the farm that same night. Lady woke up with a headache, fell down decided something was wrong. She had a hard time waking her husband. Another 15 minutes they both would have been dead. The fumes traveled along the tunnel between the boats.

No cell service or internet available there. At least for us with Alltel . After a cold night we decided to head back to Astor. The water was a lot warmer than the air. Lake George was quite lumpy. It was a good long fetch to build those short white caps. The Ranger is a bit rolly polly in a beam sea. I played around out there until Mis Dee put a damper on it.

We will now prepare for the Keys. Will load the boat tomorrow.

I'll see if I can post some pictures.
captd