Monday Jeff from Ikitesurf called from Boston to say that the power from the solar panel driving the sensor at the Egmont channel wind had dropped off. He thought a bird might have nested on the panel and asked if I could get a boat to go check it. As it turned out my brother and I planned to fish the next day offshore for Kings. Our rout out after catching bait off Ft. DeSoto would take us right by the Coast Guard's Nav Market holding the sensor.

Tuesday morning after catching bait we went to the site to see the solar panel covered with dried bird droppings. With no rain for a month the droppings had dried. As Jeff told me he had gotten clearance from the Coast Guard to clean up the solar panel I climbed up with a fish knife, dirty rag and a couple of bottles of water. Way up on Nav Marker scary to say the least with a rickety ladder covered with bird droppings with rusty flimsy gratings on top. Cleaned the panel and called Jeff who said it would take a few days to recharge the system. After coming home have to say he didn't count on the power of the Florida sun. It recharged and came up again around noon to show enough wind to kite Tuesday afternoon.

Will try to keep an eye on solar panel when we go fishing next. None the less am hoping we get enough rain to keep it clean and operable. Jumping to and from heaving boat to a rickety ladder and climbing up a crumbling Nav tower not much fun....

Regards,
Tim