Saturday January 25: Checking Out the Battery Installation

Since the kids have come and gone, it's been mostly working to get boat systems online.

We picked up 4 golf cart batteries at Sam's Club in Miami on our way to drop Becky off at the airport so the project has been to get these installed.

There's been a lot of under the floor work for sure and as always when work is going on the cabin is a wreck. With 20 feet of new 2/0 wire (about the thickness of your finger), it was measure, measure again, then cut and attach a terminal lug on the end of it.

Amazingly enough, no major errors and the resulting new battery bank of four 6 volt golf cart batteries hooked up in series and then paralleled into a 2 battery bank should serve us well.

Wow - isn't that such a nice regal red engine? And nicely organized battery system?

Now if we only knew how it would work at anchor. Best way to find out was to go anchor, right?

So we left today about 10:30 or so as the weather is predicted to be pretty settled. We headed to Horseshoe Key - about 16 miles west of Marathon.

The day was pleasant but cool in the shade so the flybridge canvas was the first thing to go!

Once anchored Steve headed off for a kayak around the key - while I settled in on the flybridge with a book in hand and a nap in mind :-)

The mangroves grow right to the water's edge around most of the island. There were a few fish but plenty of birds - although Steve said they were quite skittish.

The underpass did not have enough water with the tide being too low so there was no attempt to cross under. I think even a kayak can get stuck in this small opening!

More fishing but again no catching ....

Good thing the salmon was on sale at Winn-Dixie last week :-)

 The sun was setting quickly as I looked out the port door.

A close up showed the sliver of cloud the sun was passing behind.

Wonderful night - clear sky so I look for lots of stars to be visible tonight!

Batteries are living up to our expectations so far ....