Ahoy All: Had a mechanic check over the 135hp Ford Lehman diesel. The diagnosis is that the small amount of engine coolant that I need to replace while cruising, plus the white steam that sometimes comes out the exhaust, are due to a very small leak in the heat exchanger. Since I figure the leak won't fix itself and the exchanger is the original on the 1988 Miss Happ, the yard at Eastern Shore Marine will bolt a new one on Monday. I was planning to replace the original one anyway when we get back to New Bern. Everything else on and around the engine checked out OK. There's a boat here, the Alice Solomon, that contracts with the U.S. Coast Guard to train Coasties in air-sea rescue in addition to other programs. The captain's brother is the moderator of the Albin website. One of the crew members "rescued" us last night as 4 of us were on our way to a wine tasting in the marina's courtesy car. Well, the car broke down in the dark and rain about a mile or so from the marina. The crew member stopped his car, waited for us to push to clunker to the side of the road, and then drove us to the wine shop. Another boater at the tasting gave us a ride back. Back in Mobile, while we were docked there ALFA (Alabama Farmers' Association) was having a big winter meeting at the convention center and nearby hotel. They drive some of the newest, biggest trucks and SUVs that I've seen. I guess the fed. gov't farm subsidy program is doing its job. Also in Mobile, a cruise ship normally docked there is being used as temporary housing for Katrina refugees. It's been brought further west to Mississippi or Louisiana. Hurricanes did a lot of damage in the Mobile Bay area this summer too. Trying not to keep to a schedule, but we do have reservations in the FL Keys for Jan. and Feb. I'm going to call on Saturday to see if I can move the reservations back a week or two. Wade Ehlen Albin 36 Miss Happ Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com