Not a day in paradise

I thought I had checked everything and that we were as ready as can be to go for the shake down cruise.
Well, having cast off at 7:30, we managed to sail for 1 mile before the high temperature alarm on the engine went off. We went back to the marina, to find out that the hose leading to the water heater from the heat exchanger had cracked and the heat exchanger was actually empty.
Don Johnson and Mike were there when we tied back on our slip and at 10:30, we sailed again.
We got as far as the Gilmerton bridge to find the railroad bridge down, waiting for trains to go through. This took another hour and my hope to make Coinjock rapidly vanished.
From bridge to bridge, we eventually got to the Great Bridge lock in time to be able to make the Pungo Ferry bridge before dark.
We tied up at the old Pungo Ferry marina at 4:45 p.m. and after taking care of the lines, we started the generator and found out that the batteries were almost empty. That means that the alternator, for some reason, did not do its job. Too early to diagnose the problem. We'll see that tomorrow and if need be, try and get it fixed in Jacksonville.
We ended the day with a nice dinner, courtesy of David, with fish (from the freezer, rice pilaf cooked by the skipper, and salad, washed down with a nice Pinot Noir).
I am hopeful that tomorrow, since we only have the Alligator River bridge to contend with, we will be able to reach the anchorage at the entrance of the Pungo/Alligator canal.
Time will tell.