Day's log for Friday, August 24th, 2001 - Tierra Verde Marina, St. Petersburg, FL

I got up early when I noticed the boat bumping against the dock. The tidal current ran sideways and was so strong that I had to use the winch to pull in the dock line. Unfortunately the last three days I did not get to see how the boat sat with the current running both ways. Also the pilings were extremely tall so the lines sat at an angle, making it more difficult to tell how the boat was going to lay. Evidently it had been bumping there at 12 1/2 hour intervals the entire three days - especially when boats went by. It scraped paint off and looked like it dented the steel slightly. I was pissed.

I went to the boat store, then the grocery store. Finally to Walmart to get everything I needed. Then I went to the boat, unloaded it, then had to take the truck back. Considering that the night before when I drove in I went past an intersection where there were police cars at a filling station and police tape around, I think someone may have been shot. I decided to use a cab to get from the rental place back to the boat.

At this point I noticed that the tidal current had stopped.

Replaced broken battery switch. I think it got broken when I put the engine cover on or took it off in a hurry. The switch handle was busted off. I had only a few minutes to do this or have a very difficult time undocking.

1315 - left dock, proceeded to Gulf.

1400 - position N 27 deg 41.2' W 082 deg 46.4' course 322 speed 5.4 kt

1420 - short diversion to look at possible shipwreck

1428 - resume course. A shipwreck symbol was on the chart but nothing was actually showing. Nonetheless I did not want to get to the exact position as there might have been something just below the surface.

1505 - position N 27 deg 45.4' W 082 deg 49.5' course 346 speed 5.2

1608 - position N 27 deg 50.8' W 082 deg 51.7' course 345 speed 4.9

1630 - changed course to 355

1700 - position N 27 deg 54.7' W 082 deg 52.5' course 351 speed 5.1

1708 - changed course to 005

1745 - changed course to 005

1804 - position N 27 deg 59.7' W 082 deg 52.2' course 011 speed 4.9

1843 - changed course to 000

1858 - position N 28 deg 3.8' W 082 deg 51.6'

2020 - dropped anchor east of Three Rooker Bar

2025 - pull off control did not stop motor. I had to go below, remove the engine cover, reach back, and actuate the part manually to shut down the motor.