Florida Sea Base News

Today was busy at the Florida Sea Base.  The BBYO (B’NAI B’RITH Youth Organization) is on base.  These young people know how to have a good time.  Their excitement is contagious.  I enjoy having them here.  Sea School is preparing another batch of new captains to take their US Coast Guard examinations.  I taught my first class of the new PADI Emergency Oxygen Specialty Course.  The graduates were Capt. Alex Bergstedt, Bin Lizzo, Dom Alesandrini, Meghann Michalski and Joe Schreiner.

PADI Emergency Oxygen Provider Specialty Course

I saw Captains Joe Wishmeire (S/V Sprindrift), Mike Lucivero (S/V Ciao Bella), Rich Beliveau (S/V Sienna Belle) and Scott Penfield (S/V Chanticleer) on the dock working on various chores.  I spent the morning working on the frayed ends of miscellaneous lines aboard S/V Escape.  Divemaster / Ranger Joe Schreiner went diving in the frigid waters at the Florida Sea Base dock.  He cleaned the bottom on S/V Ciao Bella and cleaned out clogged thru-hulls on S/V Escape, BSA Explorer and BSA Adventure.  He was in the water for over two hours and he was a giant popsicle when he emerged.  Brrrrrr.  Capt. Carol Chapman spent the day at nursing school.

The weather was surprising good this morning.  The forecast called for 49 degrees but it was actually closer to 59.  We’ve been threatened by thunderstorms all day but have been spared so fat.  The wind is currently blowing hard from the southwest.  We will probably get smacked by a squall line in just a few hours.  But for now, it’s not too bad.

I put the owner’s manual to my Mercury outboard someplace safe.  That means I can’t find it.  I need to find it.  I have looked in a lot of places.  I have two remote locations left before I start looking again in places I already looked.  It is driving me a bit bonkers.  Where is that stupid book?