Marsh Harbor Day 2

Fairly calm in the harbor, finally. Went to the “Corner Store” to drop off our propane cylinder for a refill. Walked around town and stopped at a bakery for some coconut bread and then back to Maxwell's Supermarket for some more provisioning.

As we were heading to the Conch Inn Marina on the south side of the harbor we noticed “Carrie May” on the dock at Harbor View Marina. We stop by to visit. Bob and Marie are heading back to the States for a couple weeks and are leaving their boat there. We finally move on to Conch Marina to fill two diesel cans and water jugs. I drop Linda and the containers off at the boat and make a quick run back to shore to pick up our propane can, while Linda makes lunch.

In the afternoon I finally make contact with someone at ProMarine, via Skype, to explain how to get our new charger to equalize our batteries. The instructions in the manual are not correct. His directions are correct and I am able to equalize the batteries. Equalizing charges the batteries at a higher voltage with a fixed current. The higher voltage generates gases that remove some of the oxide build up on the plates in the batteries from longer term use. These oxides fool the charger into thinking the batteries are properly charged when they are not. The equalizing works fine, but now my new solar panel controller stops working. Not sure how equalizing the batteries could of caused the controller to fail. Anyways, I swap out the solar controller with the old less sophisticated controller that I kept on the boat.

Late in the afternoon we take the dinghy to Marsh Harbor Marina on the north side of the harbor to go for a walk. On the way back we stop at the dock side bar for Happy Hour and run into Maris & Linda on “Amekaya” an Island Packet 420. We met them previously at Black Point in the Exumas. I did not realize at the time they were full time sailors, no home to currently sail back to.