GL: This Weekend & Last

[Frye, Gaither]

9-29 Friday I took possession of a 33' Egg Harbor in Jacksonville.
We got out of the dock at Lambs Marina Just a bit south of the Ortega River
Draw Bridge at 11:30am.
My fishing buddy Gene and a Capt. friend of his John joined me on this
"first" trip in many years.

We missed the first turn on the ICW to head north with New Bern the final
destination.  We ran outside for a couple of hours into head winds & a 2'
chop.  We then turned inside.  I found the ride inside much more to my
liking.  

Our goal was to get as far as we could over the weekend.  The first night we
stopped about dark at Hampton River Marina - about a mile off the ICW.  The
dock was 50% full. Bought fuel.  Found out the showers had not worked in a
year.  The heads ashore were not the cleanest.  The dock side store had a
very limited stock.  

We were underway before the sun was up Sat.  Friday we had run the boat at a
max of 20 knots.   Sat. we opened her up to full throttle & did up to 28
knots with following seas.
Fuel stop at lunch time & made Charleston at dark.  City Marina was
excellent.  They let us tie up to the fuel dock as we were their last
customer before going home.  The Variety Store 2 doors down had very good
seafood & a good hearty breakfast the next morning.

About noon thirty - the oil pressure on the starboard engine started to
drop.  Killed the engine, peaked into the hold & found oil in the drip pan &
not in the engine.  Darn!  No likely spot that was leaking.  Put in 3 qts.
to get it back on the dip stick.  Started it up. & immediately it was
leaking from  the oil pressure port on the block.  The fitting was loose.  I
took off the sensors & "tightened"  the nipple pipe into the block & it
broke off in my hand.  "double DARN"

We motored back about 3 miles to the Marina at Pawley's Island where some of
the most helpful folks ran me into town for a replacement nipple, easy outs,
& more motor oil.  3 hours later with new fitting in place and a hearty
thanks to all at the marina, we were back underway.

We finished the weekend at Myrtle Beach and a long drive back to our various
homes.

This weekend with a couple of more friends we will try for New Bern.
Any thoughts on transit times?

Gaither
"Scout"