Updated on February 21, 2026
December 2023- October 2023
OUR FIRST CRUISE
Apex Marine where we moored and have our work done hosts an annual boat show during the first week of January and we were asked to leave for the duration of the show. So ready or not, we were going on our first cruise.
On December 23rd at 10am we departed Apex for Fort Pierce City Marina, arriving late in the afternoon. The cruise was uneventful until I decided to check the engineroom. As soon as stepped inside the engineroom, I felt the deckboards floating. There was at least a foot of water in the bilges. Oh my, we are sinking!!!!
But wait. The water is clean, not salty and warm. I soon found the culprit—a leaky hot water heater valve that began to leak when the engine heated the water in the hot water tank, something that probably had not happened for a while.
We enjoyed our stay in Fort Pierce which included celebrating Christmas and New years, taking time to see “Swan Lake” put on by a Ukrainian ballet company and a show by an ancient Engleberg Humperdinck.
On January 21 we returned to Apex, almost uneventfully. The only exception was that just as we were approaching the marina, a railroad bridge that we need to pass through closed, which in general is a few minutes wait for the train to pass. But this time, the bridge stayed closed with no word from the remote bridge tenders when it would open again. There must have been a dozen boats on our side of the bridge and a more on the far side. Some of them were getting pretty agitated complaining to the highway bridge tender who had nothing to do with the railroad bridge. Finally after two hours the train passed and the bridge was opened and we were able to get into the marina before dark.
PREPARING FOR THE TRIP NORTH
Throughout the remainder in January 2023 through to mid -March we remained at Apex Marine in Stuart and completed the remaining repairs including the replacement of the relief valve on the hot water heater. We targeted mid-May as a date we wanted to be back in our homeport and decided that we would depart on March 16th.
We immediately ran into a problem. The shaft seals that prevent water from entering the boat from outside through the shaft log where the propeller shafts exit the boat. Our next stop was about 30 miles from Stuart, in Vero Beach, well within driving distance. We asked our trusted mechanic, Austin, to make the trip and evaluate the problem. He made a few adjustments to tighten up the seal and then got underway to test the fix. All was well and we were prepared to begin our northbound odyssey.
The 2023 Trip North
Leaving Vero Beach on March 18, we made the following stops
March 18 – March 21 – Vero Beach to Titusville and moored at Titusville City Marina
Stayed for a strong front to pass through, met with Carol and Frank.
March 21 to March 27 – Titusville to Daytona Beach and moored at Halifax Harbor Marina.
Took on 225 gallons of fuel ($980)
Maintenance Items:
Some leaking on the starboard shaft
Leak remains on fuel polishing system
Horn is not working
March 27-April 5 – Daytona Beach to St. Augustine and on the mooring ball at St. Augustine
Moored on Ball #27
Jamie, Manny, Zoe and Ellie visited
April 5 -April 14 – St. Augustine to Fernandina Beach and moored Fernandina Beach
Drinks with Ron and Laura on “joint Venture”
Farewell to Jamie, Manny, Zoe, and Ellie
Issue with Shore Power, could not charge batteries or run air conditioners
April 15- April 16- Fernandina Beach to St. Simons GA
Moored Golden Isles Marina
Ran generator to top off batteries
April 16-April 17 – St. Simons to Thunderbolt GA
Low voltage alarm at 1600. Turned off autopilot
Evening of April 15 anchored in North Newport River
Received low voltage alarm several times
While attempting to raise anchor, popped the anchor current breaker. Cause was jammed links in the anchor windlass.
Took on 224 gallons of fuel ($1176)
April 18-24 – Thunderbolt to Beaufort SC and moored Beaufort City Marina
Visit from Scott and Kirsten
April 24-April 28 – Beaufort to Charleston and moored at Charleston City Marina
Found fuel under water tank. Traced to valve on site glass on port tank
Getting U/W was a challenge with two very wide boats forward and aft of us. Twisted and gunned the boat forward. Only a few feet of clearance as we pass the forward boat.
April 28-May 1- Charleston to Wacca Wachee Marina
Anchored Wynah Bay evening of April 28
Difficulty backing into slip. Took three attempts
Stayed an extra day at Wacca Wachee due to weather
Took on 140 gallons of fuel ($503)
May 1-2– Wacca Wachee to Myrtle Beach
Moored Barefoot Marina
May 2-5 – Myrtle Beach to Southport NC
Moored South Harbor Village Marina
May 5-7 – Southport to Swansboro
Anchored at Wrightsville Beach evening of May 5
Moored at Casper’s Marina
May 7-11 – Swansboro to Oriental
Moored at Oriental Inn and Marina
Dinner with Butch and Vickie
Took on 131 gallons of fuel (($613)
Waited two days for weather
May 11-12 – Oriental to Coinjock
Anchored at south end of Alligator River evening of May 11
Moored Coinjock Marina
May 12-22 – Coinjock to Hampton VA
Celebrated anniversary with Frank and Carole
Left Bella to conduct Survey of SOPHIA in HHN. Survey successful.
Returned to BELLA on May 20
May 22-26 Hampton to Tracey’s Landing MD
Moored Fishing Bay Marina, Deltaville on May 23-24
Anchored Mill Creek Solomons
Arrived Slip E-8 Herrington Harbour North at 1600, completing Northbound 2023 cruise
Port engine hours 2693, Starboard engine hours 2686
June 26 – July 9, 2023
Zoe and Ellie on board for two weeks including sailing camp.
July 30 U/W to observe fireworks at HHS
July 10 – 2023 Refit begins
Heat Exchangers”
All heat exchangers removed for maintenance including acid cleaning
Aftercoolers replaced
“On the hard” maintenance:
Bottom Sanded
Bottom Painted – 3 gallons Micron CSC
Zincs changed
Hull cleaned and waxed
Trim Tab Motor replaced
Transducer replaced
Oct –4 Launched
During launch, port dripless shaft seal leaked significantly. Phil (A/R Diesel) shook it significantly and the leak stopped
Oct 11— Conducted dock trial
Anchor windlass failed to payout. MTS determined gear box was binding
Oct 12—Decided to replace windlass with new Loftrans Tigress 1500W
Oct 25 –Windlass work complete. Conducted sea trials. Refueled at HHS.