Still in St. Marys!

---

Easter Monday & Tuesday
When last we chatted things were looking much better: No tranny leaks and radio nirvana. Still prudence dictated a more serious test before making the "let's go" decision. We upped anchor and headed out against the current, towing the dinghy so we could put some serious effort on the engine and transmission. The good news was that the speed was normal. A powerboat friend had said a sure sign of serious transmission woe is if you cannot maintain normal speed. That would mean the transmission is slipping... "on the roof" as brother Tom would say when death was eminent.

The VHF started to buzz as our buddies thought we were actually leaving. The "captains meeting" at Trolley's Sunday night had determined we weren't, after all. Our test run produced a couple tablespoons of tranny oil in the pan Christian had placed under the area so we decided we would make the fix here. The alternative would be to buy out the oil supply and top up every day. That would work in an emergency but isn't how we wanted to START the trip! A call to a local mechanic Christian trusts determined he could "come look" Tuesday morning. We saw the courtesy dock was free and the troops were there (Edge, Kairos and Ken and Bob from the Yacht Club) to take our lines. With one hour to high slack (current is the main issue when you have a 7-10 foot tidal range) Christian and his Yacht Club buddies scoped out a couple of spots in the marina and we decided to move I Wanda to an inside slip since "real weather" was in the forecast and the courtesy dock would be pretty exposed. The line crew had grown with Ahquabi and Myosotis and some new folks offering help so the "audience" for the maneuver was at least a baker's dozen. The wind was piping (no instruments so no proof to cause undue worry) and Christian asked if I thought we could go stern in. "I can sure give it a try..." All those Med moorings came back in a flash with two American dinghies playing the role of "Joker Boat" to nudge us in if we missed the shot. Some days you are good and then there are the ones you'd rather forget. Monday morning was good. I Wanda slid her bum right into the spot I wanted her and the audience seemed pleased, though they had perhaps though it would be more of a circus! Ken from the Yacht Club decided it was time to move his boat Sparrow so everyone stayed to help him, too. Christian went on board with Ken and the rest of us were on the dock and in dinghies prepared to fend and nudge. Ken too had the right touch, making it in bow-to with his first try-- He only mentioned AFTERWARDS that it was his first maneuver under Swallow's own power. A good day indeed!

A quick call to Britta on Anum Cara filled my brain gap with the name and telephone number of the Yanmar supplier in Jacksonville and a call there determined they DID have the aft shaft seal Christian determined was needed to stem the leak. So after a yummy lunch of home-made soup and some GREAT olive bread (if you pass through Titusville FIND that bakery!!) on Edge we took off with Chuck from Kairos to get the part and make another run by West Marine and Total Wine (cruisers seem to have insatiable need to buy their wares). We were about 5 miles from the dock when the tornado warnings started. There was more than one, and they SEEMED to be running north of us, but not by much! It is now 3 am and the wind is singing in the rigging of all the boats but I think the front has passed out to sea.

Mary / I Wanda

---