Today dawned bright and sunny and a whole lot less humid. Yesterday was so damp that I just didn’t even want to stick my nose outside. That little issue did not deter Mary and Jackie from venturing forth both on foot and bicycle (yes, two trips) to explore the nearby downtown area.
Jim installed a new antenna to correct a nagging VHF radio problem, and I did the same today thanks to the lady next door who chauffeured Mary and me to West Marine and WalMart this morning. It seems that a lot of the radio-to-radio interference here aboard Calypso has ceased with the removal of the old antenna and its attendant coax splice right above the radios.
Yesterday I occupied myself with a bit of laundry (yes, I do that with Mary’s permission when she’s busy shopping) and mechanical and electronic work.
The starboard engine has had an annoying oil leak, which might collect a few tablespoons worth of oil in the drip pan every day of running. I think I tracked it to the vicinity of some cover bolts on the front of the engine, but I could not get to them all without removing the coolant pump hose, meaning I needed to drain the nearly 20 quarts of antifreeze solution from the engine via the tiny drain cock. Running back and forth with laundry occupied the time of coolant draining. Hopefully, the tightened bolts will result in a stopped leak – it takes a bunch of steaming hours to determine if it is so.
Jim and Jackie picked a fine day today to go to the Edison and Ford summer homes and museum a mile down the river and said the tour was well worth it.
Heavy rain last night was as predicted, and more is due later tonight.
We will hopefully get an early start tomorrow in order to get fueled down in Fort Myers Beach and on our way north.
