From: "Capt Jon & Ruby" <papillon31@earthlink.net>

Subject: PAPILLON UPDATE

Date: Tue, 27 May 2003 21:36:40 -0500

N 29 ƒ 53.53

W 081ƒ 18.57

Hello

Departed Daytona Beach this morning at slack tide so we could get out of the slip with minimum effort. It takes some getting use to these higher tides and current running fast. Sometimes there is little you can do but stay put. Made the run to St Augustine with only one little scare. Where the Matanzas river begins its passage to the Matanzas inlet (to Atlantic Ocean) the navigation aids are moved as the channel wanders. (We hope). Just before I was to cross the inlet a large power boat that had just passed me called me on the radio and told me that another boat had recommend they stay to the right of the marked channel as it was shallow where they had the markers. Decision time, I decided to follow the power boat since he was right in front of me and would hopefully be my depth sounder. I was doing pretty good until I found the bottom. Fortunately it was probably just a bar as I bounced over it and bounced one more time and then was back in 6' of water. All in a days work.

I went in to the St Augustine Municipal Marina and called my brother, Joe. He is going to take the day off tomorrow and come down for the day.

While I was backing the boat out of the slip this morning I thought I felt an unusual vibration. The more I thought about it the more I thought a closer look at the motor and shaft might be warranted. So I found a quiet spot later this morning and stopped for a look. Turned out to be a very wise decision. One of the bolts in my engine coupler (couples the engine to the drive shaft) had come out and the other three were loose. The vibration I felt was the shaft moving back and forth from the reverse prop torque. I will put some locktite on them tomorrow and retighten them.

Next stop Jacksonville. Will probably spend another day or two with my brother before heading for Fernandina Beach. The last stop before entering Georgia.

Hagd

Capt Jon & Ruby