Calm waters in Mobile AL

It's Tuesday, May 5th and we pulled into this little marina last night about 4:00 p.m. in Mobile AL.
Lisa steered Great Mates up the channel which was about 7 nm long, keeping her steady between the markers and then docked her with Captain Larry's great coaching. I just have to keep reminding myself, she backs to starboard and turns to port.
Once Larry and Ed tied her up, we all had a few cocktails then headed over to the marina restaurant for a nice dinner. MAN, it tasted good and oh, it was so nice eating without hanging on to our plates and cups. TIP! We learned a new use for duct tape. A half or third used roll of duct tape makes a great cup holder!
We shut down the engine and connected to shore power and all slept well. Poor Larry and Ed had been up since about 4:00 a.m. Monday morning.
Friday, Saturday and Sunday we cruised from the Keys around the Dry Tortugas and through the Gulf of Mexico straight up to the Mobile Bay. We all took our watch times keeping an eye on the radar and out the windows for other ships.
During one of my times on watch, (8:00 p.m. to 12:00 midnight) I went up to the flybridge chair and just gazed at the stars. I looked around 360 degrees and all I could see was water. Not one other ship, bouy, NOTHING but water. How humbling to be on a 55' motor vessel in the middle of the ocean all alone. (not!)
During the days, we sure enjoyed watching the flying fish scamp across the water in bunches. Seeing them reminds me of seeing a rock skip. Then a few times a day we'd have dolphins visit us and make us laugh with their acrobatics in the water. They would take turns jumping in front of the bow and swimming along side, manuvering for the lead. Lisa would sing to them but who knows if they could hear.
I got to see a flying fish up close and personal when I opened the starboard side pilot house door and one was dead on the deck. They are very colorful fish, deep blue and are about 12 - 14".
On Sunday we had a delightful baby bird visit us. He just sat on the rail and rested. I don't know what kind of bird it was but it looked similar to a blue bird with an orange throat and blue wings and a squished little face. He would come an go over several hours. Lisa got him some bread crumbs and a bowl of fresh water but we never saw him eat or drink. Larry told us it's not a good sign for a bird to stay aboard long as it will get sea sick and not be able to fly away. So, we were glad when he left.
Meals have been very simple. Captain Larry told Lisa to stay out of the galley as that was contributing to the quezzy feeling. So, for Saturday and Sunday he and Ed cooked simple meals.
Of course, we lost mobile phone service once we were south of the Keys and didn't regain it until we got into Mobile Bay, so the blog couldn't be updated then.
We had two mechanical failures. One was the sea water circulating pump which cools the fresh water in the engine and hence lost about half of the impellor which caused the engine to run warm (about 205 degrees) (normallly about 192). So about 5:00 a.m., Captain Larry woke Ed and said, "we've got to change the impellor". (Ed had just gotten off watch at 4:00 and slept for about 40 minutes).
Second, the starboard paravane wench failed, right in the middle of operation. Therefore, Ed took the motor off, covered the box and manually raised the pole with ropes. Fortunately, most of the time, we needed the port paravane since the wind was coming from that side so it kept us from rolling a bit more.
Beyond that, while at dock today, we've hired a diver to check out the propellor for a vibration Ed felt. (Lisa thought our bed was just one of those beds that you put a quarter in and it vibrates) The diver says it's fine but possibly the stern bearing needs replacement. No worries, it can be done once we get to our final destination.
Today is a sad day for me and an anxious day for Ed as our wonderful Captain Larry Briggs will be leaving to fly back to Ft. Lauderdale to tend to his boat, Neptunes Chariot. She is a 75' custom-built trawler yaght that is magnificent. He has to continue her renovation which is nearly complete. He will take her to Malasia to complete the job and depart FL before hurricane season starts. He will take a crew of about four with him. They will leave Ft. Lauderdale, go to the Panama Canal, then cross the Pacific to Malasia. That will take him about 10 weeks. They will stop 6 - 8 places for 2 to 3 days each. Of course we will keep in touch as we've become good friends during this journey.
Friends Vince DeFelice and Barry Aydt are in flight on their way to meet us at the marina here in Mobile and will be our crew to take "Great Mates II" up the rivers to Kentucky Lake.
Once I figure out how to add video or pictures to this blog, I will do so.
God's blessings and peace to all,
Lisa