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Our first journey is complete.
2800 miles and 170 days
Details below
More new pictures in the next day or two
Sunday, November 18, day 170
A dock hand has come down to help me with the lines and getting us safely out of our space. I keep a spring
line around a post for security until I know Barry has cleared our spot and our neighbor's anchor which sticks
way out. Barry does super guiding our boat, I let loose the line and we' thanking the man who came
down to help. For a treat Barry went to Dunkin Donuts earlier and bought us breakfast I don't know the
last time I had a donut but this morning, with our coffee they hit the spot I guess a little morning
sugar won't hurt. I take the helm while Barry eats and organizes stuff to bring home including his drill to
remove the storm shutters. Everyone is in a hurry on the water today from little fishing boats to large
cruisers it's fun trying to cross their wakes so our boat doesn't rock too much. I do the best I can unless,
of course, there are boats coming at you in each direction then it gets a little tricky and rocky so much so
that our bell rang!
When Barry and I think about this trip we both agree we learned a lot, about boating and ourselves and that
we will definitely take more cruises. There is something about being out on the water whose color is always
changing as well as the currents and tides it never stays the same. We think about all the fine people we
have met and some we are keeping in touch with and those who have helped physically and also by adding
knowledge and advice. We look back at a few mishaps that in hindsight were really not bad, we are thankful
we came together to work as a team sharing responsibilities and encouraging each other. Small towns were
fun to explore, people have been so very helpful and kind and boaters are the best. There have been a couple
towns and areas we didn't get a chance to visit, yet. Jekyll Island Marina has been like a second home for
us and it was a stroke of misfortune that we arrived there, misfortune that has turned into great memories.
And so after 2800 miles on board our home "Coastal Runner" we cross our own wake at 1:40pm.
Sat. 11/17 Day 169
Florida has very distinct architecture, gawdy condos, stucco houses with large windows and circular rooms,
lots of arches swimming pools and lawn ornaments. Many have boats bigger than the house itself and docks
decorated with painted Adirondack chairs and some even have a little beach. The boats along the ICW here
are constantly being hit by the wake of speed boats and fast boats many owners have them on lifts. It is
indeed looking more and more like So. Florida, lots of sea patrols and bridges some we can fit under and
others we have to wait for the next opening. Barry and I work together to check distance and speed so we
aren't stuck at a bridge for half an hour waiting and since lowering our antennas we can fit under some
we couldn't before. We pass through Jupiter and the Jupiter light house and head to our Dock in Lake Park
which is nearby to Lake Worth. For some unknown, dumb reason they don't put us on the face dock where
we transients usually stay if just for one night. Instead, they have assigned us a dock way inside on
the very end. It is windy and Barry and I squeeze into our space as the boat gets blown around and I fend
off a boats bow that is sticking way out. A lot of people were watching, Barry did a great job but no one
could believe the man that put us way down here for just one night! We go out for a quick dinner, grab a
local paper and catch up on some news. The water in this marina flows with the tide yet the docks are
stationary; lines need to be tied to move with the water and keep the boat secure.We do have a nice view
of the ICW and the Lake Worth skyline, we are definitely closer to the end of our trip!
Tues. 11/13 Day 165
Our route continues along the Mosquito River on another beautiful day at sea. Soon we can see the tall
buildings of NASA to our port. The vehicle assembly building is one of the largest in volume in the
world. The shuttle launch pad was empty, unlike when we passed heading north and saw the liftoff of
the space shuttle and even the separation of the rocket booster, it was awesome. Our marina for the night
is directly across from NASA though separated by miles of marsh and the ICW. Kennedy Point Marina is
full of liveaboards and a few odd folk, but very nice. Some friends from Jekyll pull in to spend a month
here before heading to Ft.Lauderdale to sell their trawler as they just bought a sailboat. They have a
really neat dog name Lucy who spends her time on the very edge of the bow so everyone can stop and see her,
we have to lift Daphne up so they can say hello. The marina is kind of in disrepair though it could be
very nice... it's a great location. It was sold to a developer who was going to build condos before
real estate kind of sagged, and now he has the property on the market for $10 million! Ah well. The high
light of the marina is a pod of about 20 manatees who live here, big slow moving, loveable creatures who
enjoy being sprayed with a hose and must be getting fed by the fisherman to stay in one place. They
really are beautiful and I tried to get some pictures but they can be shy; I had a wonderful time
watching them.
Wed. 11/14 Day l66
An easy cruise down to the Eau Gallie Basin and our anchorage for the night. Two boats can anchor in this
small harbor but we are alone. The park is a short dinghy ride for boat dog, who loves to ride in the
dinghy every chance she can. Barry would start the motor every couple of days at Jekyll and take her
for a ride! There is on very large dolphin here in the harbor who is great fun to watch, and of course
pelicans who can stand so still you may think they were wooden. The night was so calm and still, I am
used to a little rocking to sleep by.
Thurs. 11/15 Day 167
As we pull up anchors and head South we see a cold front coming but luckily no rain. We do have heat on the
boat if needed, but if we keep it closed up during the day, especially the sundeck, we get a lot of solar
heat inside. We plan on picking up a mooring in Vero Beach and find out the moorings are double tied ...it's
that busy with boats heading South or to the Bahamas. We get our mooring number and tie up with a trawler
from Connecticut. Fenders and lines are left on the port side of the first boat a the mooring, and we snag
their lines, put out our fenders, also and tie together. Barry gets in the dinghy and brings a bow line I
have tossed him to tie to the mooring and we are secure. The Office and dinghy dock is almost a 10 minute
ride so Daphne is in her glory. I walk her while Barry registers us and then back to the boat.. Our neighbors
are heading to the Bahamas for a year and a half , they've been living on their boat for almost 4 years full time.
It gets very chilly over night and Daphne's dinghy ride is in very cool conditions with a north wind.
Fri. 11/16 Day 168 PO
After Daphne's chilly ride we bundle up and off we go. The north wind has picked up, but the sun is strong.
The palm trees are getting taller and thicker and the hibiscus more prevalent as we head south. It is not
an easy day. We find ourselves in the wide Indian River with 2-3 foot swells and white caps luckily they
are coming from behind and not hitting us sideways! We had planned on dropping anchor at one of a few
anchorages that are available but the wind and current quickly change our minds and we are able to grab a slip
at a marina near Port St. Lucie. The inlet at St. Lucie is a favorite spot for boats to wait out for the
best tide, current, and wind to cross to the Bahamas. Sometimes they can wait for weeks and the inlet is
very tricky itself. The Islands are only 60 miles away yet often boaters need to go way north or head
south to reach them, not very often a straight course across. It is another chilly night but the wind dies
down a little. We went into our slip stern first to make it easier to leave and the dinghy wouldn't
cooperate so I had to go down on the swim platform and hold it sideways while Barry backed us in neat as could
be. Luckily we had some help from a dock hand. Barry was very busy with work, I made a cake then took Daphne
to the little gazebo nearby and we watched pelicans and diving anhingas. Hard to imagine we'll be home by
Sunday and that our trip has been almost 6 months long. Our neighbor said that our house looks great from
the outside, a few plants have grown upwards(!), but the yard looks good from all the rain we've had this
summer. It was a very humid, hot and rainy season which we really needed because So. Florida, as well
as many other places, was in a drought. This cool front has extended into our areas but the temps are still
warm, not like Jekyll which was in the 30s last Night.
Sun. 11/11 Day 163
We got a late start today due to the tide and very strong currents that are a constant here at the
St. Augustine Marina. We finally get underway, and it's a beautiful day. A few clouds, shinning sun, light
breeze, perfect. As we head further South we recognize a lot of the surrounding areas. Sand islands in
the middle of the ICW covered by birds, mansions with turquoise tiled roofs it's beginning to look a lot
like Florida. Some parts of the ICW are really narrow and you need to stay on course or you'll be on a
sand bar before you know it. People zip by in their fast boats, waving to us and leaving a wake that sometimes
leaves Daphne a little distraught. A few boats pass that we recognize from other stops along the way.
We have learned the Dismal Swamp is now closed due to lack of water in the lake that feeds into it. Northern
Georgia is in a bad drought situation as is a lot of the interior mid states. We are so happy we were able
to traverse the Swamp both ways it is one of my favorite parts of the trip. Barry and I will never forget
Robert, the lock manager at the northern locks feeding us breakfast and playing his conch shell. If We should
go to the Keys we shall find him another to add to his collection. We had hoped to see Zach while in
St. Augustine, but he was unable to get a ride over from Gainesville and we needed to keep to schedule to be
home in time to cook Thanksgiving Dinner. He's got a ride home and back for the Holiday. Zach's been running, going
to the gym, taking yoga and keeping up with all his Psychology classes. He may be doing research with one
of his professors next semester and because of his credits is a 'rising junior'. Sam is going to Chicago this year.
for Thanksgiving with his beau, Stephanie, a very nice girl he met a while ago. A few times we had dinner
with Sam and Stephanie in Washington she also goes to the Elliot School of International Affairs as Sam did.
Sam's roomie in Arlington is great; Steve and Sam get along very well. Their apartment overlooks Georgetown,
and for Sam is only 2 stops on the Metro into DC to work. Their apartment is on the 10th floor of a great
building, very nice with security and such. They have 2 bedrooms, each a full bath, laundry, kitchen with
a bar area, dinig room and living room with a gas fireplace; not too shabby for a first apartment! With the
two of them rent is reasonable and Sam is doing well at work. It's been a long day, we arrive at our dock for
the night in Daytona Beach about 5:30.
Mon. 11/12 Day 164
One afternoon, shortly before departing Jekyll and our friends, a couple of shrimpers came down the dock toting
large coolers filled with just caught, big shrimp. They said they had forgotten to bring money for
groceries (beer!) and needed to sell what they had. Barry came running back to our boat for freezer bags and
returned in a few minutes with 5 lbs. of shrimp bought for $20.00. Such a deal the shrimpers must have been
very hungry(thirsty!). Sara told us smaller shrimp boats used to stop at the end of the dock often. Boaters,
generous with our help wherever or whoever needs it, would by shrimp very cheeply or give the shrimpers a
few bears. Either way the crew was thrilled and left happy. Last nite was very cool and late when we docked
at Daytona Beach so I put together a shrimp stew with corn, tomatoes, peppers, onions, red wine and a pound
of shrimp served with challah it was delicious and warmed us up on a very cool evening.
We had a very short cruise today from Daytona to New Smyrna Beach City Marina arriving about 10:30, but always
by the time we set our lines as we like them, secure the dinghy and adjust the bumpers and register it is
after 11;00. We always ask, when radioing ahead for our slip assignment what side the tie is on so I can get
lines and bumpers ready. Barry won't enter our tie up until I tell him all is ready, and I won't let him leave
the helm until I know the boat is secure, works for us. New Smyrna Beach is a great little town and we walk
around. It's a beautiful day and already the sun feels warmer and more like Florida!
Fri. 11/9 Day 161
Yesterday afternoon we cruised to the end of the Marina for a pump out and fuel. Gabe and Wes then pulled us
back a space for the night, boats were coming in and since we were leaving today it was easier to stay at
the end. We are up at six, boat dog was walked, dingy secured. Friends had come to say goodbye last night,
but Mike was here this am to help us with our lines; he and Sarah are the kind of people who go out of their way
for others. As we swung around and headed South, a group of friends had gotten up to wave us off; hard to
leave such good people but Barry and I know we'll go back to Jeckyll next year. We cruise along the south tip of the
Island into Jekyll Sound; a litti echoppy due to the tde change and wind. St Andrew's Sound is notorious, calm
one minute, churning the next but we made ith through with no problems though Daphne didn't like it very much.
Once again, King's Bay Submarine Base appears though no subs this time, and it's into Cumberland Sound and
past Cumberland Island. When we were heaing north you could see the wild horses on the beaches. At 11:30 we
crossed back into Florida and Fernandina Beach. South of here is St. George National Park and EState, where we
arrived about 3pm. We anchored in the River, dingyed ashore and had a great walk around the area, Daphene had
a blast. Turned out to be a beautiful, sunny day after a very cool shart. After sunset we had to turn on the
heat, but we barbequed salmon and sweet potatoes for dinner and we able to eat out on the sundeck. The night
was so clear, a zillion stars and no wind at all I can't remember when the boat has been this still.
Sat. 11/12 Day 162
I awoke early to the sound of the crazy fishermen flying by in their flat bottom boats, before sunrise. Barry
was amazed they go out this early. When it was light enough, he took boat dog in the dinghy for an early
romp. I took the helm while Barry pulled the anchors; we had set 2 last night as recommended in this area. The
main anchor came up a little hard, the chain twisted and Barry had to pull the last 20 feet by hand and it's
not light weight. The other comes up on rope with some chain near the anchor and that was no problem. As the
anchors were up I steered us down the river back to the ICW. It really feels good to be cruising again. Much
as Barry and I loved Jekyll Island, we also love it out on the water. We pass St. John's River which is the only
river in the U.S. that flows northward. So nice out after lunch I am out for some sun on the bow; needed my
long overdue dose of vitamin D. The sun is stronger here, and not being so high in the sky it twinkles and
dances on the water. Lots of dolphins cross our bow, playing and spitting. We enter St. Augustine Marina
early this afternoon. 290 miles to Deerfield Beach where we will keep our boat as before. Of course I do
laundry, Barry washes down the boat and Daphne. He also lowers our antennas; there are a lot of bridges in
Florida we want to make it under as many as possible. After an early dinner we walk across to downtown, grab some
ice cream and wander. The Florida National Guard has an early Veteran's Day concert going on at the park so we
stop for a while. Then it's back to the boat to walk Daphne, fill the water tanks and plan tomorrow.
Sat 11/3 day 154 to Thurs 11/8 day 160
Barry spent most of the day on the phone and getting ready for his trip to New York. I went for a long walk
and picked up fresh fruit and vegy's at the local grocery. We are in for a cool spell which is unusual for
this time of year on Jekyll. Barry left early Sunday morning to catch a flight out of Brunswick to Atlanta
then on to New York. Sunday I did my laundry. I wash here on the boat but dry in the large dryers here at
the Marina; they run for an hour and work real well. My dryer stopped drying a few days ago, but it's no
big deal right now. Often I do shirts and sweaters and hang them to dry on the sun deck where they're done
really quick. Monday I woke to really cold weather with a north wind. I bundled up to walk Daphne who, of
course, was invigorated by the weather and walked all the way down the dock, up the ramp and spent half an
hour wandering the woods behind the office. Actually, when we left the dock the wind wasn't too bad. I baked
bread, made some cards for gifts and planted some herbs I had bought. Didn't go out except to walk Daphne.
By Tuesday I had to get off the boat. Walked boat dog, bundled up and walked down to the beach, with Marci,
which is a mile away. The beach on Jekyll, my favorite, was blessedly out of the wind. The tide was coming
in and we walked forever until the tide turned us around. The sun was warm, we found a couple neat shells, and
felt good. Back at the Marina the wind was strong, boats were having a hard time docking. One boat came in
and was to turn the end of the dock and pull into an inner slip. The captain didn't keep his radio on, he was
taking on his cell phone to Wes in the office who couldn't see what was happening. Sean, the main man
started yelling at the Captain who was oblivious and became aware too late. He broke the bow sprit off a docked
sailboat and ran into the Cumberland Island ferry boat that is always docked here. People nearby could hear the
crunch; I came upon it seconds after it happened. The couple in the sailboat were hysterical, they had just
put on a new metal piece and now the whole thing was ripped off. The Captain of the small ferry, which goes
back and forth to Cumberland Island for residents there, feared damage to his hull. After all that happened,
everyone was able to get the boat into an end slip. When the time came for the captain to pay his dock fee, he
refused to sign the damage waiver and Sean kicked him off the dock, worrying about this captains next venture!
Most boat people are friendly and outgoing, helping others with what needs to be done. I couldn't get my heat
to turn on in the evening and was offered help or a warm boat to stay on. Graciously I declined, and kept warm
at night with comforter, blankets and Daphne on the bed. The sun was warm on Wednesday despite a strong breeze.
I did a lot of laundry then went with my friends out for coffee. While walking Daphne, I had seen this crazy man
on the docks fishing and crabbing in shorts and t-shirt. He is from Vermont, came via Lake Champlain, and his
son is a freshman at Maine Maritime Academy; small world. I also met some people from Newburyport and others
from Barry's Brooklyn neighborhood. Barry arrived late Wednesday evening and Mike picked him up in Brunswick.
He was able to get the fore heating system to work so the boat became nice and cozy. We had a "Low Country Boil"
at the pit. Boiled shrimp, potatoes, carrots, sausages and lots of spices. It is served dumped on newspaper covered
tables and everyone digs in; delicious! Thursday Barry and I said goodbye to Marci and Bob who left for Augusta,
where their house is under contract, to retrieve warm clothes and clean. I took a long last walk around and about
Jekyll then we got the Coastal Runner ready for the trip South. Sarah and I had gone to Brunswick to stock
our boats. She and Mike live aboard a catamaran with their cat. Barry checked everything down below; he has
spent a lot of time organizing and cleaning, you could live down there! I made sure all items were secure including
some new plants and arts supplies.
Sat. 10/13 day 133 thru Fri. 11/2 day 153
Life is pretty mellow on Jekyll Island. Every evening at 7 pm the ciccadias start in; you can't hear anything
else around they are so loud. They settle down at night fall after another beautifullsunset over the
river and marshes. The days are real warm and breezy; the wind dies at sunset so most of us have our air running.
We met a great couple from Augusta who now reside permanently on a small houseboat here on the docks. Marcy
and I became fast friends. We spent a lot of time walking the beach, collecting shells for my projects. She
takes me with her when she needs to go to Brunswick, and We went to Darien, where I had had my hair done
and really liked it, and she got hers cut also. Barry has spent a lot of time scrubbing the decks and walkways.
I have cleaned the interior pretty much top to bottom. There is an area of picnic tables and gas grills by
the pool with a deep pit for fires. Every couple of weeks it seems we have a bar-be-que. Everyone brings
something to cook on the grill and a dish to share. Usually the group is all us long term folk and live aboards,
but we've also encouraged anyone on the dock, even those just for the night, to join us. It's al ot of fun and
you get to meet some new, interesting people. I do a lot of walking, can't quite get on my bike yet. I've
discovered neat shops in the Historic District and down at the center of town, also. I've almost finished all my
holiday shopping. In the main hotel in the Historic District is a neat coffee shop, and flower store, also a
gym that boaters can use for free. I don't like gyms myself, but my friends go over everyo ther day and we
walk together days in between. Friday before the time change. Macy, Bob, Sara and Mike joined us for a sunset
cruise to the southern tip of the Island. Beautiful night, but when we turned to head home the wind kicked up
and all of us on the bow grabbed sweaters and wraps. Back at the dock we had burgers and salads and home made
brownies and a great time. I don't look forward to the time change, but it does mean Barry and I will be able
to head off from our nightly stops, when we head South, earlier.
Wed 10/10 day 130 to Thurs 10/11 day 131
Barry is super busy with work. The boat got really dirty on the inside after sitting in the boatyard a week, so I
am busy cleaning up inside, doing windows which never stay clean, dusting and mopping the floors. When Barry
and I were bike riding just before we went to Darien, I took a spill and landed on the seat of my shorts.
I had a lot of bruising, and though it was sore for the week we were away, I figured it was just that. But
over the course of the past couple of days the pain has increased, so Wednesday I got in touch with a clinic
to be seen. My friend Marci took me over on Thursday; the clinic is right near Brunswick airport,(there are no doctors
practicing on Jekyll). The people who work there are very nice. Marci waited while I saw the doctor and had
x-rays. Well, it turns out I fractured my coccyx, and there's not much you can do. I was told I would be in
discomfort(!) for quite a while as it healed. Already stairs had been uncomfortable, and it took me a while
to warm up just going for a walk, but I could do it. They gave me some pain medication with instructions to
call if I need a refill and home we went. To be honest, I take as little pain med as I can as sometimes it
just doesn't mix well with antidepressants. But then it hurts so I take the full dose and go for a walk.
Barry said he knew it was broken cause it was getting worse; I said thanks a lot!
Tues 10/2 Day 122 thru Tues 10/9 Day 129
Tuesday morning there was still a great wind and strong current; yet the 3 big dock hands and the
manager, Charlie, walked our boat around and onto the travel lift. Up it went and over to a space in
the yard where they blocked the boat to work on it.The dinghy was also lifted and brought to a shed and
the handles need to be glued. Vanessa, Charlies right hand, gave us a ride to Brunswick Airport to pick
up our rental care and we arrived at The Sailfish early afternoon. We have the place to ourselves, a
nice room, private bath, there's a large living room with TV and breakfast area. Suits us just fine.
There's a great path along the waterfront and about 3 dozen large shrimp boats at dock. We get back to our
room, and the rain starts. For dinner we walked a few yards, down the hill to a local restaurant, which
was delicious, and then hung out for a while over coffee and dessert because it was pouring out. We made
a run for our place, walked Daphne, and crashed. Wednesday was rainy, we did some errands in Brunswick,
and then walked along the waterfront with boat dog. There are old ruins made of shells and cement,called
"Tabby" buildings. Darien was a great port for supplies, but burned down during the Confederate War.
It's amazing how the shell/cement has withstood time. We get in an good stroll, feed Daphne then go to a
local buffet for dinner. It is impossible to get bad seafood around here, even at a place that doesn't look
like much. If the locals are eating there, so do we and are never disapointed. Anyway, for the rest of the
week we have rain off and on, the boat sits in the yard waiting for good weather to be painted and polishes.
We do fine at the B&B; Daphne is comfortable there so Barry and I can go out for a walk between rain storms.
On Thursday I went to a recommended hair salon and got my hair done and trimmed; I feel much better! We
drop by the boatyard this weekend but nobody is around.We get on board to retrieve some clothes, then into
Brunswick for an errand. Here's a little bit of nostalgia. One of many churches in Darien has a bell that plays the
'Bell Song," then tolls the hour just like Lawson Tower in Scituate did! When I heard the bell I immediately
thought of this. Anyway, by Monday the boat is almost done and looks great. The prop was sent to be cleaned and
shined, the bottom of the boat is getting it's last touch of paint and the hull is clean and glowing. No
black marks, they did a great job sanding and buffing. Tuesday and the boat is almost done. We pack up and head
over just Charlie and company are putting her on the travel lift and placing her gently in the water. The
dinghy's motor is back together as well as the handles and we secure it to the stern. Not one plant or dish
or anything was knocked over or down and I am pleased. I put everything away while Barry returns the rental
car and off we go, glad to be "Home." From Jekyll Island to Darien is a half hour drive. On the ICW, with the
tide and current in our favor it takes us 31/2 hours to get back. We wanted a starboard side tie, which was
not the best considering the conditions. Sean (aka 'THE BOSS'), talked us through a parallel parking and
we made it safely against the dock. With the port side facing out, I can be at my computer or cooking and
see the Water, and the boats going by, and the sunsets. We have a slew of mail to go through, laundry to
do so we're busy for the next couple of days settling back
. And, of course it is rainy. We stop at the boat yard. Whey were able to
scrape the bottom and apply one coat of paint before all this rain came. The boat yard is flooded with
huge puddles, of course they can't buff it standing in a puddle or rainy! We get a ladder and hop on board at
the stern. I water my plants and we both grab some more clothes.
Friday it rains again,so Barry works while I take a walk. Fort King George is about 1.5 miles out of town.
It was the southernmost outpost of the British Empire in North America, built in 1721. After the fort was
abandoned, Scottish Highlanders, brought by General James Oglethorpe, settled and named their town Darien.
Saturday turns out to be beautiful, Barry and I walk, take Daphne for her stroll, then drive to St. Simon's
Island. You can see it from Jekyll, and from Darien it's just 30 minutes away.
Mon. 10/01 Day 121
It is very windy and cloudy this morning. We wait until there's more daylight at 7:30 to leave Jekyll.
Our friend Mike is up and helps us . We make it up to Darien. The current is unbelievable.
It tries to carry us sideways under the bridge, but
Barry is able to head her to port to the dock. It takes 3 huge men, and me jumping off the boat, to
keep us from crashing into the dock. I always have our fenders down and in place as we approach any
dock, so after I threw the lines I was adjusting the fenders so they were at the right height. Pretty
hectic for a bit but we got her secure. There was no way they could put the boat on the lift in this
current so we spent the night on the boat at the dock.
Sun. 9/30 Day 120
Barry and I cruised around the Island for a while on our bikes. We spent the rest of the day
getting ready to leave on Monday. We are taking the Coastal Runner to Two-Way Fish Camp to have
her bottom cleaned and painted and the hull polished and waxed. They will also put the metal handles
back on the dinghy and the motor together. The prop will be taken off and cleaned and polished. They
figure 2 -3 days to complete the work. Barry, Daphne and I have reservations at "The Sailfish" bed and
breakfast in Darien, Georgia; a 30 minute drive from Jekyll but about 4 hours by boat as the ICW winds
and turns all the way there. I have a bag to pack for Daphne of food, treats, and her allergy meds.
I water the few plants I have, making sure they are in a safe spot.We clean up the inside and secure
anything that's out of place. It has been very breezy today, and it's going to be the same tomorrow.
Sat. 9/29 Day 119
Very windy today, the air conditioner is off and the windows and hatch open, feels great. The sun is just
not getting as high in the sky but the days are still warm. Barry and I head off on our bikes, and find out
just how windy it is. We went the wrong way; most of the time against the wind. We got a good workout.
I made brownies and caught up on some reading on our upper sun deck while Barry put new electric plugs on
our Shore power cords. Tonight we decided to go on Monday. We figure a rough sound is better than a rain
storm which is not fun. We need to secure everything on the boat for the trip and also because 2-Way will be
lifting it out of the water as I stand there holding my breath it goes ok. We got a room at a bed and
breakfast for the 4 days the boat takes. A friend of mine recommended it, and they take pets. We'll get
a rental car as we will actually be in a town that has stores such as Harris Teeter and West Coast Marine.
And, the place we are staying is not down town, but on the water, yeah! Easier for Daphne, and if we go
out she will bark for 15 seconds then fall asleep as she does when we leave her on the boat. That decided,
we have dinner, Barry watches some football and I start planning what we need to take off the boat. Barry
said that we will have access to the Boat; they put up a ladder in case we need to get aboard. Monday they
haul it out and clean the hull and let it dry overnight. Tuesday they put on 1 coat of paint and Wednesday
the second coat. By Thursday the hull will look like new, our dinghy will have a motor and handles and
we will head back to Jekyll; weather permitting!
Fri. 9/28 Day 118
While Barry got a much needed haircut, I defrosted our fridge; I have to do it a couple of times a month.
This afternoon Barry had a lot of work to catch up on so I went for along walk. Jekyll has a neat pathway
for biking that goes nearly all around the island. Barry and I did it once, a lot of fun. It is also
a good walking/jogging path, so I took it for a while. Goes past marshes and areas where you could easily
be in Maine except for the batches of palm trees! We are scheduled to take the boat back north threw
St. Simon Sound on Monday, to 2-Way Fish Camp. We need to have the bottom cleaned of barnacles and other
schmutz, painted, have the dingy motor put back together. They have a reputation for doing the best job
and the price is very reasonable. Our problem may be the weather. A low over Florida is making it
extremely windy; a high tide today like no one has seen in a long time. And with high tide again at midnight
they are predicting coastal flooding. Thank goodness Jekyll Marina as a floating dock! We are deciding
whether or not to go on Monday. With the wind, we'll be doing a lot of tacking to get across the sound though
the tide will be in our favor. If we wait, there is a chance of a rain storm later this week. Monday won't
be stormy, just windy, and after we get through the sound we will be following the ICW further away from
the ocean where wind shouldn't be much of a factor. We decide to sleep on it.
Thurs., 9/27 Day 117
Barry's flight from Atlanta to Brunswick was canceled, broken plane, and all flights for Friday were
overbooked. So he jogs over and gets a flight to Savannah, along with a few others heading to Brunswick.
Delta has said they will provide transportation to Brunswick, and and then Barry has to get a cab to
bring him over to Jekyll. All in all he arrived safely in the wee hours of the morning. Tired, but
his business meetings went very well. I threw in some laundry, and later went to the beach. It is a
20 minute walk, and the day is beautiful but warm. Walked the beach, collecting shells and drawing and
taking pictures. One day next week I will organize and caption the pictures on our site.
Wed. 9/26 day 116
Daphne got me up at 4am to go out, so I needed my coffee this morning. A warm and lazy day today. Worked on
some painting and knitting. Threw in some laundry then went to the office to check for any mail. My cell
phone is dying and I am due for an upgrade and it should be here any day. Spoke to Barry, his meetings went
very well and he's due home about 9pm.
Tues, 9/25 Day 115
Barry is off early this morning to catch a flight from Brunswick to Atlanta to Philly for business. He'll be
back Wed. Night. Did some laundry, swept out the boat and the sun deck, rinsed our Daphne's pupgrass and
hosed off the bow. The boat is actually pretty clean with all the rain we went through. This afternoon I
walked over to the Historic District, there is a great bookstore/gift shop right in the middle. Barry's
brother Marty's twin girls turn 2 and he wanted to get them a gift. I strolled around the District and saw
leaves changing color, allemanders that had stopped blooming, but now the gardens are planted for the Fall
and Winter. I've been told it can get real cool here, but not like the mainland. Looked like rain last night
so I closed up the sun deck, gave Daphne a much needed bath, and caught up on my work.
Mon. 9/24 Day 114
I sleep in a little, Barry is doing work. Laundry gets done, there is mail waiting for us. I walked into
town for some fruit and send off all our mail. We spend time talking with fellow boaters, some new poeple
and some that have been here for years. Just a day to get organized, clean up the bridge, fill up the
water tanks. Barry is able to hook our TV on the sun deck into cable so now we can catch news and weather
clearly.
Sun. 9/23, Day 113
The morning is nearly cloudless, it rained a little last evening. An early rising dock hand helps us on
our way at 7, as there is enough light from the sun just rising. Nowhere have I seen more beautiful
sunrises on our trip than Kilkenny Marina. The sky is expansive, there are just enough clouds to
reflect the sun, and nothing blocking the light but acres of marshes. It's been a while since we've been
able to leave right at 7 due to shorter days.We have along way to go, and St. Catherine's Sound is our first
expanse of water. It is a little choppy, but not too bad. The current is helping us. The day is beautiful,
the sun glistening on the water and a nice light breeze. Daphne does well this long trip. We pass lots of
familiar spots; birds resting on sandbars, houses out in the middle of nowhere, then through Sapelo Sound.
Sometimes the tide is with us, but the ICW meanders all around so for a while we're with it then we're not.
We pass our option, and keep heading south, we can see the bridge to Brunswick in the far distance. St. Simons
Sound is a bit rough, but Barry keeps us as steady as possible. Even Daphne didn't seem to mind the swells.
We arrive at Jekyll Harbor Marina at 5:30, a 10 hour day. Fran helps us tie up. Daphne recognizes the place
and we all get off to stretch, secure the lines, set the fenders, tie up the dinghy and collapse a little.
We are glad to be able to return to such a wonderful place; beautiful island and good people.
Sat. 9/22, Day 112
Our departure from Thunderbolt Marina was delayed for about an hour due to fog. We haven't encountered
fog but maybe 2 or 3 times this whole trip. We read our free newspaper and had donuts with our coffee.
Once we set off, we were with the tide and current. Was a beautifull day. Lots of dolphins all
around, leaping and crossing under the bow. It's amazing how smart they are; they seem to know how
close they can get then how deep they have to go to avoid being hit! I am always thrilled to see them.
We are heading for Richmond Hill, Ga. We have been in "low country" as they call this part of the South.
Richmond Hill is where we dock at Kilkenny Creek Marina, we've been here twice before. It is a favorie
stop for fishermen for beer and bait. Today they are hosing a fishing tournament and the place is
jumping. There seems to be fisherman from all over. We've never seen so many new pick-up trucks in one
place except a dealership. We walk around; there is a weigh table, and people coming and going with
fish to be weighed and judged. We don't know what the biggest fish ended up to be, but tournament
fishing is really big around these parts; it pays to get the winning catch. We settle in early after
our evening walk with Daphne. We have a long day ahead if we want to make Jekyll Island. If it
turns out we can't, we will spend the night at 2-Way Fish Camp. So we do have an option.
Fri. Day 111, 9/21
We have to cross Port Royal Sound to get into the waterway where it is more sheltered from the wind. It's
a little rough going, but the winds have definitely subsided some. We pass Paris Island, the Marines
training base, which is huge. After Hilton Head we then cross the Calibogue Sound and into the rivers and
creeks that make up parts of the ICW. Ahead we see clouds, and before we know it, it's raining. We
first secure the bridge with all its electronics, then I run down and close up the main cabin and the
sun deck. It pours. I turn on our spotlight and running lights. For the next 2 hours we have intermittent
rain, with thunder and lightening. We have to cross the Savannah River. Savannah is a large shipping port
with comings and goings of freighters 24 hours. We are lucky, the rain stops so we can see clear to cross.
Barry sounds our horn a few times, and off we go, making it safely across the north and south Savannah
River branches. Despite the weather we arrive at Thunderbolt Marina early afternoon. Our friends for
Lighthouse Point are here and help us tie up. They passed us at Port Royal the rainy 2nd day we were there.
Thunderbolt is a large marina, full of multi-million dollar yachts that "go outside" the ICW. The staff
is friendly and every morning you receive the day's paper and Krispy Kreme Donuts! One of their perks as
well as a large clean marina. We had passed a sailboat with a broken mast. Breck, from Lighthouse Point,
tells us the story. Apparently the sailboat saw a bridge he had to pass under was open. Without calling
the bridge tender, he made a run for it as the bridge was closing. Snapped his mast in two with no one
to blame but himself! Case made for notifying the tender of your presence. My dryer broke, so I washed
and then dried up at the laundry. It's a washer/dryer and the washer works just great but the drying
cycle started making a weird noise. Barry will take a look at it, it's great to have on the boat. We
are seeing more and more dolphins lately. I took the helm today and was surprised and delighted to see
2 criss-cross right off the bow. Barry saw dolphins totally leaping out of the water. I love it when
they follow alongside the boat, so close you can almost touch them! After dinner we took BoaT Dog for
a walk around the marina, and checked out all the yachts. I spent some time speaking with a woman who
has been delivering boats all over the world for the past 30 years. She and 2 crewmates, one a former
San Fransisco 49er, were taking one to Ft.Lauderdale then home to St. Martin. She loves her job, has
spent time in the Mediterranean and all over the world. Neat Person to talk to!
Wed. Day 109, 9/19 and Thurs. Day 110, 9/20
Today we crossed mile marker 500 on the ICW. It was a windy day, whitecaps and a little rain. We took
turns piloting the boat; at least the current was in out favor and we made it to Port Royal Marina
safely. The deck hand was great as Barry turned the boat so we were docked into the wind, I threw lines
then jumped off to get the boat secured. This wind has been blowing for days, making our trip in open
water a little rocky, but okay in the smaller rivers. We settled in then used the courtesy car for a few
errands. I cooked dinner inside as it was too windy to grill. Thursday we awoke to wind and rain and
decided to just stay another day since the weather was so bad. This is such a nice marina to hang out in.
We did laundry, took a good walk between rain storms around the neighborhood. Nice houses on the marsh,
some with long docks, very neat and liveable. There are lots of islands around including Hilton Head,
Pinckney with its southern mansions on the water, and the main town of Beaufort is just across the
bridge. All along the ICW we see beautiful houses with large front porches, typical Southern style with
brick and lots of chimneys, and docks to stretch forever across the marsh to reach deep water. Sometimes
we see a dock and not the house, or the house is so far back we see only a glimpse of it. Thursday
we chart our course for Friday hoping the wind will finally settle down.
Tues. Day 108, 9/18
Here in Charleston the boat was rocking and rolling all night,even though we were docked on the
inside. That's how strong the wind was. Barry and I set out at sunrise, it was tricky getting off
the dock with just the 2 of us but we did it. Most dock hands don't show up until 8 am or so. We like
to be on our way early. We did almost wait for the help, but we got off without hitting anything! The
wind made for a rough start, but soon the weather calmed down and we had an uneventfull day trip
to Bennett Point, SC. We've been here before; it is like anchoring out; no electricity or water hook-ups,but
we are tied to a dock instead of our anchor. The place is called B&B Shrimp. They have the best fuel prices
around. We know it's fresh because all the shrimp boats fill up here as well as the local research vessels.
You don't want fuel that's just been sitting in tanks for who knows how long, so we fill up here. Since
shrimp boats unload here as well, we stock up on fresh from the boat shrimp for dinner and the freezer.
At $5 per pound, right from the boat it's the best! We enjoyed a walk for a while, there is nothing here, but
Daphne had a good time and met a large lab whose head was the size of her body. He acted like our guide as
we strolled around. The evening and night cooled off quickly and we set our course for Wednesday.
Mon. 9/17 Day 107
We are off with the sunrise and it is chilly. I wear a long sleeve t- shirt, fleece vest and hoodie to pull
lines and fenders this morning. If I had found my gloves those would have been on also. It is 61 out with
a strong NE breeze and the sun is just peeking up. We have a long day today to Charleston. The current is
good, the breeze strong but the sun very warm. Lots of small, indiscrete towns along the way. We cruise
with a national park on one side and a refuge on the ocean side. Pass what seems to be an old fire tower,
a graveyard for old boats, and lots of birds on docks and spits of land. Charleston Harbor is a little rough,but
not bad as we make our way to the Marina. Once again we are across from the USS Yorktown and there is a cruise
ship across the river. The Charleston skyline is ahead, and a Coast Guard vessel is planting new channel
markers. A very busy port with huge container ships coming and going all the time. The marina is close to
shopping so we stock up on veggys, fruit,and treat ourselves to steaks on the grill. It is very windy and cool.
I need to dress warm tomorrow as my job is also to attend to lines and fenders docking and leaving, while
Barry pilots us out of our space; we're a good team!
Sun. 9/16 Day 106
Myrtle Beach is very long. We plan on meeting Deb at the Wacca Watchee Marina. It takes us a little over
3 hours to get there. The ICW winds and curves, not at all a straight line like a direct road. Deb
arrives just as we're tying up. The marina gave us the okay to dock for an hour or so, boaters are the best!
I made lunch and we had a great visit catching up on all the family news. And yes, you folks in Maine, Barry
and I are doing great. Every day we learn something about cruising and our boat. Barry has become an
electrician, plumber and captain. As admiral, I don't get to do the fun things. These include unstopping
a plugged toilet, going in the water to untangle a dinghy line, and other assorted fun jobs. I get to be
his right hand lady, I pilot the boat, I go after moorings in strong currents, I help pull up anchors and
guide Coastal Runner when she hits an uncharted sand bank. As a team we are the best. Of course Boat Dog
has adapted ; when the engines are started in the morning, she has to go up on the bridge with Barry.
If we stay an extra day, up on the bridge she wants to go until realizing we're not going anywhere. She
has to go with Barry when he registers us at the marinas, God forbid he didn't take her! She will walk all
around the marina, in grass and sand but she has to do her business on the docks.We always carry a "bag".
Soon we have to say our goodbyes to Deb or it will be late for us at our next stop. Barry took some
pictures, I will post them soon. We cruise down the PeeDee River to Georgetown and the Landing Marina.
This is the #1 sport fishing capital of So. Carolina. Some of these fishing boats sit taller than a house.
As often is the case, this marina is near a large bridge. The land is considered unusable for home
development, so marinas find the land perfectly suitable for their business. It's inexpensive real estate,
can you imagine? Some of the nicest marinas are near bridges. We are so tired, an early long day .
Barry takes a walk and brings home pizza. That, along with the Sunday paper Deb got us and we're happy.
Sat., Day 105, 9/14
Easy cruise into So. Carolina and Myrtle Beach. My sister Deb is flying down tonight, we hope to have her over for
a visit and dinner. I cleaned the boat, washed the floors, windows, (which do not stay clean), and
baked some goodies. Unfortunately Deb got hung up in Charlotte, so we try to make plans for Sunday before
we leave. Laundry gets done, Barry does some grocery shopping. We stayed at this marina heading north,
very nice, friendly people. At that time you could count the number of boats docked. Now it is almost
full as boaters have discovered it. There is a restaurant, huge pool and lots of grass for Daphne to
explore. As before, a great visit.
Fri. Day 104, 9/14
The days are a bit shorter and the nights cooler; we often leave as the sun is coming up, and
our running lights are turned on. The current today is too much on our side as we approach a
swing bridge not scheduled to open for a half hour. Twice Barry approaches the bridge, the height
is just to close for our clearance so twice I tell him to back off! The bridge tender says we can
make it but I say no way, too close. Barry cruises us around until it opens and we're off on the ICW.
This is to be our last full day in No. Carolina. Overcast outside, then it rains, just enough for me
to run around and close everything up, then it stops so I open the sun deck and inside windows. Weather
is warm and humid. We are cruising the Cape Fear River, and we see one of many, many lighthouses along the
coast. We stop in for the night at the Southport Marina, with new slips and gangplanks. Some places
the gangplanks wobble and dip when you walk, makes me nervous with Boat Dog. Southport is a neat, very
historic town, we enjoy it. In search of the Post Office we walked all over the downtown district with
neat restaurants and shops. The waterfront is very busy. Of course we had to stop at the local fish
market for dinner to grill. There are a few serious fishing boats, but not like other harbors. Real
Estate is very old south, broad porches, fences, flowers everywhere. After we grill our dinner, delicious
salmon, and feed and walk Daphne off we go back to the waterfront for homemade ice cream. Barry goes back
to the boat and I take a side trip along a walkway that stretches out through the marshes. Wish we could
spend another day here, but we have lost a few due to weather and we need to get to Jekyll Island as
Barry has business to attend to.
Wed., Day 102, 9/12 & Thurs., Day 103 9/13
The winds have abated during the night, though it may rain today. We leave Morehead City and travel
along Bogue Sound which is quite wide. There are just spits of land between us and the ocean, but
with the wind and current in our favor we cruise right along. Houses on the Bogue Banks are built on
stilts, as are most houses along the intra coastal and ocean side. Storm flooding is very common
around here, the higher you are the safer and less damage. The ICW narrows as we leave the Sound; there
are beautiful houses,inlets and islands. We are entering into Camp LaJeune's restricted area again, where
they can stop ICW water traffic if conducting certain exercises. As we near the Onslow Beach Bridge, which
is too low for much of any boat traffic, we call the bridge tender as we always do. We give them our
boats name, our direction and let them know we are awaiting the next opening. Timing is everything. We
learn the bridge is undergoing repairs and will not open until 8am Thursday. We explore our options,
neither of us want to backtrack 20 miles to the last marine. We call the tender again, and are told
there would be no problem anchoring where we are for the night. That's what we do. We see a beach to
port, aim the boat, set 2 anchors and settle in. We take Daphne for a dinghy ride to the beach and she's
thrilled. We can see we are safe from restricted areas and are soon joined by 2 other trawlers and can
see a couple of boats heading north anchored. It is really serene here, but not for long. Helicopters
buzz over us, checking us out. What follows until 10pm is a constant sound of helicopters and blasts in the
distance from LaJeune. They even are flying Ospreys, and rather low, too. Then all is quiet and the
night is cool and we sleep well. We don't even have to leave at 7am so Daphne gets another ride to the
beach. Then at 8am the bridge opens as promised and we are on our way, thanking the bridge tender as we clear
the span, which we always do! After I guide us under and through the bridge, we are off on a quiet day.
There is a good a anchorage to our right, where we could have stayed had the bridge opened, but it is
restricted access and we wouldn't have been able to use the beach. The ICW twists and turns all day.
The marina we plan on spending the night doesn't have pump-out facilities,so we call ahead to a marina
along the way and are "treated" to a pump out, very nice marina and a great hand helping us. Barry gives him
a tip since the service was for free, as well as one of our cards. He e-mails us the next day and thanks us
stopping by! Boaters and boat people are the best. We cross Alligator Bay and into Wilmington,N.C.
for the night.
Tues., Day 101, 9/11
Awakened by our dinghy banging through the night, I was up at 5:30 and knew we were not cruising
anywhere today. The wind was gusty, there were whitecaps on the river, and this had nothing to do
with the storm which was now way north. I see a trawler and a few sailboats that had anchored in
the river late last night, and they we keeling and rocking in the wind and waves. With wind gusts
over 25mph, we will spend the day right here! It is a sunny day, and even with the wind the temp
is about 90. Barry and I decide to hike to the grocery store for perishables; turns into a 6 mile
excursion. We enjoy the exercise, glad it's not pouring rain. We manage to grill burgers for dinner,
and get Daphne out for a good evening walk. A sleek, fast fishing boat is docking, getting blown
against the pier he has a hard time. Another boat has to go out to pull it's traps, we wish them
good luck.
Mon., Day 100, 9/10
Last night we received some wind and rain, but not anything like our strong thunderstorms
back home. We did learn that 850 people live in Oriental, and there are over 2700 boats,
making this little town the sailing capital of No. Carolina!As we head south, we cross over
the Neuse River onto Adams Creek. Many rivers parts of the ICW have been named. This is a
quiet river; marshy banks, sand islands popping up, a great quiet trip. As we head into
Morehead City, there is a small island with a smokestack on it. Across the way is a large
pile of sand, maybe a cement factory. We cross the Newport River and arrive in Morehead City, which
is a large shipping port. We dock at Key West Seafood, like we did coming north. I need to
go to Walgreens which was a 3 mile round trip hike, past quaint cottages and parks near the
waterfront. And fishing boats, lots of fishing boats, high tech fast ones that take people out
for serious deep sea fishing! Dinner at the restaurant was delicious as before, then we stroll the
waterfront with Daphne. It's a small world. A man asks about our boat, and we get to talking to
him. He was an assistant to the DA in Limerick and Scarborough! He knew some people Barry knew
as well as retired judge Lou Scolnick from up northern Maine, who is Barry's cousin. They
toured our boat, we had a nice visit.You just never Know who you'll run into!
Day 99 Sun. 9/9
I am amazed at the number of boats that are open to the elements. All day yesterday was a steady
stream of boat owners come to cover and secure their boats. Yet many are still open to the elements,
possibly their owners live too far to attend to them in this kind of last minute weather. A walk this
morning was warm, not very humid but sunny. The direction of Gabrielle, now named, is still unclear. Last
heard she was heading for the Outer Banks and then drift off north, sparing the mainland coast of No.
Carolina. The wind and rain around Pamlico Sound was supposed to be minimal, with very little impact
inland. This afternoon is supposed to be the beginning of the storm for us, and sure enough the rain
starts and the wind is picking up early afternoon. Daphne has had plenty of exercise this morning, and
so should be all set for a while. While we were walking, a tall masted sailboat attempted to go under
the fixed bridge near the marina. I guess he maybe had no binoculars to read the height on the
bridge, or just ignored it and thought he could fit under. We heard a loud crunch and yelling, his
mast got hung up on the light under the bridge and bent it. Everyone on the docks was hollering for
the boat to stop. We could all see there was no way his mast could clear the bridge height. The sailboat
turned around, obviously looking for a safe place during the storm, and you could see the captain
was obviously upset. No one knows where he ended up, but he didn't come here.After Florida, most all
bridges are a fixed height to acommodate tall masted sailboats. But the bridge here is not on the
Intra-Coastal, it is just a connecting bridge to an island.
Day 98 Sat., 9/8
Well, we are still in Oriental. We made the decision to ride out the storm here instead of
traveling up river to New Bern. Here at Oriental Marina we are securely tied on both sides of the
boat to deep pilings, as well as our bow. There is no way of knowing what kind of dockages we
would find elsewhere. Often it is just a one-sided tie. Anyway, today is a beautiful day, so
off we go exploring the town and surrounding area; great day for a long walk. Of all the small
towns we've stayed at, so far this impresses us the most. Nice waterfront with all the shrimp
boats and small businesses. We found a great source of fresh seafood and had salmon on the grill
that was delicious. Taking to a lot of locals and slip owners this town has its draw. Many
boat owners came for a nite and ended up buying a slip, or a house and slip, it is just that
nice and friendly here. Dogs are allowed at the local coffee & ice cream shop and every business
has a water bowl out. Our slip is a walk to the office and downtown, but Daphne trucks along, enjoying
her walks. Winters here are usually in the 40s and 50s with rain and often ice, which is probably why
most of the houses we've seen have tin roofs, so the ice slides off. High water signs are out along
the waterfront in anticipation of the storm and tide, and our friendly fish market is putting the
fridges up on bricks. Barry and I suspended our dinghy between 3 posts in the empty slip next to ours.
The motor is securely attached to the swim platform and the coolers we use for seats and life jackets
are on the sun deck. After dinner we secure the rest of the boat, the bridge's electronics are
covered or in the v-berth, the cover is on the settee, all my knitting and art supplies are downstairs.
Anything that can move or become a projectile in the wind and rocking of the boat is put away.I am glad
we have so much storage space and the v-berth for breakables. Our neighbors from Lighthouse Point have
taken a room downtown, she refuses to stay on the boat if it is going to get rocky and windy with waves
over the docks. I can understand; some of our crossings have not been fun for any of us on Coastal Runner.
With the boat and everything secure, we retire and wonder what tomorrow will bring.
Day 97, Fri. 9/7
We do leave early, it could be a long day! We cross the Pamlico River, which is wide open to the ocean,
and into the Neuse River. This river is very enjoyable as it winds its way past marshes and an
occasional dwelling of some sort; quite mellow and senic, not a lot of boat traffic. Next we have to cross
Pamlico Sound which is a different story. The wind was blowing and whitecaps were more and more
frequent. Daphne hid, she doesn't like this. It is hard to keep the boat on course, trying to navigate
so you hit the waves head on so the boat doesn't rock side to side. It took us an hour and a half to
cross 9 miles. We headed into Oriental, No Carolina; a shrimping, boating, tourist community; very nice and friendly.
We end up in a slip next to some people from Lighthouse Point, which is just west of Coral Springs.
All the talk is of this depression off the coast, and will it become a hurricane or tropical storm. Barry
and I walked around the waterfront, bought some just caught salmon for dinner and afterwards went out for
ice cream. Daphne was so tired from the day I don't think she knew we left. We decided to backtrack a
couple miles and head west up the Neuse River where it turns inland for about 20 miles to New Bern and
ride out whatever happens way inland in a sheltered area. This marina has no protection from even a tropical
storm, and whatever happens there will be a lot of wind and rain. Having lived in Florida for 10 years, we
don't feel like taking any chances. New Bern is a historic town with a thriving art community, museums, fresh
markets, and crafts, maybe a nice place to hang for a while if the weather lets us see any of it! Barry and I
are closely monitoring the weather, as is everyone around here. So we get a good nites sleep tonite and
early tomorrow we will head for safer dockage!
Day 96, Thurs 9/6
Early today we left and headed across the Alligator River, which is like a sound and not too rough at
all. Then it's down the Pungo-Alligator canal to Dowry Creek, No. Carolina and the marina. It's so
peaceful here, very beautiful with few houses on the water. We use their car and drive into
Belhaven to do some much needed shopping for perishables. When we came north we stayed at a marina
in Belhaven and used their tandem bike to shop! Barry, brave as he is will go into almost any pool and
takes a quick dip in the Marina's. We first hear of a approaching storm, but as it's still a few days
away we decide to leave tomorrow, early!
Day 95, Wed 9/5
Today we have to cross through Albermarle Sound which forced us to turn back when we were heading north.
But by starting early, we hope to avoid the afternoon breezes that kick in and we are in luck. The
Sound is pretty smooth, very enjoyable! We arrive at a safe marina with a protective jetty by early
afternoon. And, within 2 hours the Sound is rocking and churning and we are glad we left early to avoid
this. Barry has a lot of work to catch up on, so I do laundry and knit. The lighthouse is right by us
and a walk down the dock leads to a beach of solid clay! The edges of the ICW are full of clay from about
here through Georgia. I suppose that's why there are so many ceramic artist in these states. Daphne enjoys
plenty of room to run around, though her favorite place to pee, being a boat dog, is on the docks. We have
been here to Alligator Marina heading north; we had to spend an extra day because the sound was too
rough to cross.
Day 94, Tues. 9/4
Robert, the lock manager comes by and invites us all over for omelets and coffee! He is really quite
a nice guy, loves his job, it's all he's ever done. After bidding him farewell, we make our way down
the Dismal Swamp. It is the oldest hand-dug canal in the U.S. The Army corps of Engineers oversees it's
upkeep. They used to bottle the water as it's dark color comes from all the nutrients in it, but the Corps
put a stop to that.At 11:30 we are at mile marker 25 of the ICW, cross into No.Carolina and stop, as we
did before, at the visitor's center. We all get off for a walk; as so often happens people want to
talk and ask questions about our boat and trip. As well as our boat dog, who is, in her older age, very
friendly with stranger and will actually let them pet her! Soon we have to leave to catch the southern
locks by 2:20. All this green on the black water is not algae. Robert explained to us due to the water
algae can't grow. What it is is actually million of tiny plants, each dot it's own gtowth.We
Thought that was pretty neat, the whole Dismal Swamp is a trip in itself. At 5pm we are at mile 50 and are
1,000 miles from where we left in Deerfield Beach. We cross under the Elizabeth City Bridge and pull into
The Pelican Marina for the night. This is the city of hospitality, very friendly to boaters. But, it's been
a long day, and after tying up, dinner and showers we're beat and need to get an early start tomorrow.
Day 93 Mon., Sept. 3 Labor Day
We left at 7 this morning to catch the tide through the end of the Bay,and into Hampton Roads, then
the Elizabeth River. Being a holiday the Shipyards were quiet and only one or two tankers in the
channel unlike when we come north! At 10 a.m. we pass Norfolk City Hall and reach mile 1 of the
ICW. We had passed the boat being built for H.W.Bush, the carrier JFK and many others, and the
Battleship Museum. We stop for fuel before entering Deep Creek which brings us to the first set
of locks on the Dismal Swamp Canal. Robert, the canal tender is great. He brings donuts and
coffee in the morning as we are docked just after the locks at a very nice park. This time we have
company, a couple from San Diego, very nice. We had to wait an hour for the locks to open so Barry
turned on the generator and I did some baking and cooking; tomorrow in Elizabeth City we again
will have no hook-ups for water and electricity. But we are very self-contained with a generator,
large batteries and lots of water stored in tanks under our bed. It is 3 pm so Barry is working,
and I have to clean up a gas spill on the floor. Tomorrow Robert will open the bridge and we will
begin our journey through the Dismal Swamp which is actually wonderful.
Day 92 Sun., Sept. 2
We continue along the Chesapeake Bay, which is fairly calm this morning.
Sailboats are everywhere, as the Labor Day weekend is the end of boating
for many people. As we pass Wolf Trap Lighthouse, the winds pick up and
we start having swells, but nothing like yesterday. Amazing, but we catch
sightings of lots of schools of dolphins playing and squirting, the farthest
north we have seen them! Boat's auto pilot is cooperating, keeping us in a
somewhat straight line through the Bay which is becoming choppy. As we turn
into our marina for the night, we are happy the morning is done. SouthHall
Landing Marina is where we spend the night, in Salt Ponds, VA. Barry wanted to
dock at Salt Ponds Marina as we did coming north; even had a part for our
dinghy motor sent there. But, because of the holiday weekend they were already
full. Boat people are very friendly, and the staff at our marina let Barry
use his car to drive over and retrieve his part! We could see the Marina from our dock,
but you couldn't get there from here, was a 4 mile drive out and around. We went
to the pool for a bit, then Barry did some work and I baked goodies. We'd been
up since 5:45 so we were tired.
Day 91 Sat. Sept 1
We left our dock early on Thursday and had a gorgeous day at sea. The Potomac was
smooth as glass. We spent the night at an older, but very friendly southern hospitality
marina; Olverson's Lodge Creek Marina in Callao, VA. For a small marina they had courtesy
cars so Barry and I picked up some perishables at the local market. We were surrounded by
nesting osprey and enjoyed a gorgeous sunset.
Friday we left with the tide in our favor, but the winds weren't. We leave the Potomac River
and enter into Chesapeake Bay. With swells and a northeast breeze it was a little rough, but
not too bad. Daphne doesn't like the rocking and finds a new hiding place on the bridge,
underneath, behind the radio! I couldn't find her for a while. We had a slip waiting for us
at Regatta Point Marina in Deltaville, VA and we pull in early afternoon. Despite the Bay, we
had made good time. This is a brand new marina, floating docks, well lit with all the amenities
such as pool(which is freezing), courtesy cars, lounge with TV and laundry. We do a load, of course,
and take a walk around. Barry goes to the pool, I give Daphne a bath, then we both get some work done.
Saturday, September 1 already! This morning we take the bikes for a long, hilly ride into Deltaville.
It's very windy and only about 75 out, but we get in about 2 hours of biking. Back at the boat we take
a walk to the end of the docks and you can see all the whitecaps, the sailboats are heeling over, and
a bunch of nuts are out on their jet-skis! But, as predicted the wind eases somewhat this after
noon and shouldn't be this rough tomorrow with a southeast wind. We are glad we spent the day here, as
we most likely would have turned around and returned had we gone out this morning. This marina is one of
two called "Dozier Yachting Centers" and yes, it is the same Dozier that owns and publishes
"The Waterway Guides" of which we have a few. They deal with travel along the entire Intra Coastal Waterway,which
runs from Miami to Norfolk, VA., a total of 1089 statute miles. So far in our travels up to
Washington DC back to our current location, we have gone about 1400 miles! And, there never a dull
moment or lack of anything to do or see. A trawler just pulled in near us, and we remembered each other
when they spent a few days at Jekyll Island! It's seems a small world when you meet people from Cape Cod, or
Boston and Brooklyn, and those who have either vacationed or lived in Maine.
Day 88 Wed.,Aug 29
Leaving our dock this morning was determined by tide. it was a little shallow for our liking coming in, but we made
it out with more depth to spare. Soon we were cruising, the tide in our favor. We pass Quantico, VA and see all
the new helicopters. I took the helm for a while today while Barry did some boat work. There is sewing to be done
on some of the seams so I worked on that. Daphne freaked during some rough wakes and now in hiding under the
cabinet where the radio and other necessary things are stored. She keeps poking her head out to see if it's safe.
She needs to get her sea legs back after 3 weeks in D.C. The sky is overcast today and a little cool which
actually feels refreshing after all the hot, humid weather we've encountered. Except for the first 2 days, the
weather in D.C. was beautifull; warm but dry and breezy. Our new flag is flying on it's stern pole;looks great and,
after research I learned we need to burn the old, tattered flag which we'll do tonite. As we approach Capt. Jack's
Marina, Cobb Island, Maryland, the osprey that have nested on the channel markers dive-bomb us protecting their
nests. Wecould see some of the chicks being fed. Quite a neighborhood of nests in one area! The boat gets a
pump out then we tie up for the night. Needed a walk so I went over the bridge to the Cobb Isl. general store,
bait shop, post office, liquor, pizza store for milk and cheese a a newspaper. Docking is free tonight if we
dine at Capt Jack's which just happens to have an all you can eat seafood buffet Wed. nites. We don't have any
water or electric hook-up here but we do just fine on our own with water tanks full and a generator. This really
is a pretty spot to spent the night.
Day 71 8/12 Sunday
Zach and I both slept in. Barry went out for a run. A day to see the sites. We walked over to the National Mall and up to the Washington Monument, past the Reflecting Pool to the Lincoln Memorial. We walked through the WWII Memorial, Korean War and Vietnam War Memorials. 3 hours later we were back on the boat, tired, but happy. B
a
rry barbequed burgers and we made plans to go to the Spy Museum and then meet Sam after work for dinner.
Day 70 8/11 Saturday
Barry went for a much needed run this am. I did some grocery shopping and read out on the bow. Barry leaves for the airport to meet Zach. Sam has made dinner reservations for us at Old Ebbitt Grill
, the oldest restaurant in Washington. The food was delicious.
Day 69 8/10 Friday
A quiet day today-even Daphne sleeps in...Barry works on his computer and I cleaned the boat in preparation for Zach's arrival. Sam is going to meet us for dinner tomorrow night.
Day 68 8/9 Thursday
Some habits are hard to break. After her morning walk, Daphne is wants to go up on the bridge and assume her normal "Boat Dog" position. She stays up there for a while and then realizes we aren't going anywhere. The air-conditioning unit at the front of the boat had stopped working last week. Troubleshooting determined it was a bad pump. We had ordered one and had it shipped to Sam's apt. He brought it over and Barry took out the old one and installed the new one. We now had lots of welcome cold air. The marina is located in the Washington Channel which is parallel to the Potomac River. Helicopters use it as a flight path to the Capital and White House. There is a constant steam of them from Marine One, Homeland Security, Coast Guard, Park Police and more. They fly at about 200 feet. Low enough so that we can feel the boat move from the air pressure as they zip overhead.
Zach is due to arrive on Saturday.
Day 67 8/8 Wednesday
We're on our way to the Gangplank Marina in Washington, DC. It's just a short walk to the Capital and all the Monuments and Memorials. The Potomac is narrowing as we get closer. We pass George Washington's homestead, Mt Vernon, and only 15 miles to go. The new Wilson Bridge is under construction and the old one is being demolished. We weave our way around construction barges and tugboats to get through. Up ahead is Reagan National Airport and the planes are taking off and landing right over the top of us.
The marina gives us directions to our slip and we tie up. It's 1300 miles we started the trip in FL.
Sam and his friend Stephanie join us for lunch at the Marina's restaurant. We catch up on all the news about his new job and new apartment.
It is HOT! 102 degrees + high humidity. The Washington Monument stares out at us through the sundeck, so close you can almost reach out and touch it.
Day 66 8/7 Tuesday
Timing is everything. When we pulled into the small cove yesterday where the dock was located, the water was a little skinny. As we left this morning it was low tide. We get hung up on a small sandbar as we head to the channel to get out. the bow and stern are floating, but the middle of the boat is stuck. Barry hollers to a couple of guys in a speedboat to zoom close by us and throw a wake to try and dislodge us. We rock quite a bit, but can't get off. It was low tide and the tide is now coming in. After about 20 minutes there is enough water and we float off. As the tide is rising and moving up the Potomac we catch a favorable current that helps move us along. As the river narrows, there is a loud horn blast and then over a loudspeaker we hear, "fire in the hole" and then BOOM! We are passing a military bombing range.
With the favorable current, we reach our dock at Belmont Bay, VA an hour earlier than projected. Very hot and humid. We plug in the power and crank up the air-conditioner.
Tomorrow we'll be in DC!
Day 65 8/6 Monday
We bid an early good-bye to Reedville and head up into the Chesapeake Bay. The wind is blowing from the South and we need to head East. This causes us to have to fight through 2'-3' seas and rolling swells. We spend an hour rocking through the seas until we turn and head northward and the seas are on our stern. The motion is enough to cause the table on the sun deck to slide o one side and the pepper in the galley to fly everywhere. Daphne is not happy and has curled up on Barry's bedside table. At 8:45am we enter the Potomac River and cross into Maryland. The river is much calmer and I take the helm for my afternoon stint at the wheel. It's an easy, but long run up the river. We pull into Cather Marine, a family owned dock and boat repair facility. They have a 42' space for our 40' boat, but Barry squeezes us in like the pro he has become.
Friendly and helpful father and son help us secure the boat and run the power cords. Daphne gets a bath to help cool her off. She insists on being on the bridge, even though it is the hottest place on the boat during the day.
Day 64 8/5 Sunday
This week has gone by so fast. We leave by 6:30am as we have a long cruise ahead. Was great to spend a relaxing day at the marina, boat dog is tired. Hazy this morning, but nowhere near as foggy as a couple of days ago. Surprisingly we see quite a few dolphins on the Chesapeake. Thankfully the auto-pilot is in a good mood today as our course takes us far from land to avoid the many crab pots. It is like being out at sea, but not too choppy or rough. I'm at the helm while the Captain and Daphne take a nap. It's very warm, but hazy, so that gives us some relief from the summer sun. We dodge a thunderstorm and arrive in Reedville, VA an hour earlier than planned. It is a real fishing town with a fleet of large trawlers and a fish processing plant. When the wind blows just right, it smells like money :) Just after we dock, a good old-fashioned summer thunderstorm comes blasting through. Before we can get the boat buttoned up, rain pours in through doors and windows. We spend some time mopping up and drying out. The inside of the boat is now nice and clean.
Day 63 8/4 Saturday
We decide to spend another day at the Salt Ponds Marina. Barry went for a walk to the grocery store to pick up a few things and I went to the beach on the Chesapeake-no one else there-got some great shells. A hot day, hosed down Daphne on the bow. We went to the pool for a swim, Barry worked on the blog. A quiet day, tomorrow will start early and end late. Real estate around here is diverse and really neat. 3 stories, sky lights, balconies, no 2 alike. There are all part of the marina development.As usual, all the boaters are friendly and everyone love Daphne, the boat dog.
Side note from Barry-Why is it that when we travel by boat, all the other boaters wave and use all 5 fingers, but when you travel by car and someone waves they usually only use 1 finger???
Day 62 8/3 Friday
Robert, the lock master, brings us coffee and donuts, what a treat. He also opens the lock for us first, although the usual schedule is to lock the southbound traffic first. Barry had befriended him on the radio the day before when talking to him about opening the bridge and getting permission to stay at the City Dock, all of which he was responsible for. He gave us his life story. He had been working at the lock since he was 14. His keeper's cottage had palm trees and dozens of conch shells. He told us he was the self proclaimed world's greatest conch shell player. He grabbed a shell out of the garden and began to play. The most amazing sounds came out of that shell. He sounded like a concert trumpet player. He serenaded us as the water flowed out of the lock. We said we'd see him on our way back south in a few weeks and promised him a conch shell after we visited the Keys. A few miles after leaving the lock, we turn a corner and are in Portsmouth, VA. It's a large commercial port with a huge Navy presence as well.
(There are 2 ICW routes. Route 1 more closely follows the coastline and Route 2, which we took, goes inland through the Great Dismal Swamp.)
As the 2 routes converge again, I look behind us and "Dress White" is there. An amazing coincidence. They had taken Route 1. At 10;30am, we officially exit the ICW and are on the Elizabeth River. Navy ships, aircraft carriers, warships, homeland security, helicopters, EVERYWHERE!
At 12:30pm, we pass through Hampton Roads and into Chesapeake Bay. An hour later we are pulling into the Salt Ponds Marina. Very nice. Barry and I head to the pool to relax and go for a swim. Barry does some work and goes for a walk. I take care of the laundry. We decide to spend Sat here as well. The forward AC unit is not working. Barry talks to CJ, the former owner and figure out that the pump has stopped working and needs to be replaced. Barry calls the company to order a new one.
Day 61 8/2 Thursday
We need to pay attention to the clock as the Elizabeth City Bridge, which we must cross under as soon as we leave the dock, has a restricted schedule. At 6:55am, we are in front of the bridge awaiting the 7am opening. It had cooled off during the night and there was some fog. After we cross under the bridge the fog envelopes us and visibility quickly goes to zero. On come our running lights and our floodlight. Barry holds the boat steady in the channelas there is really no place to go. We wait about 40 minutes and the fog begins to lift and burn-off. We make our way into the "Great Dismal Swamp," the longest hand dug canal in the country. It's 22 miles long and about 1 boat length wide, which means it's very narrow. Trees and vegetation grow right to the banks making it seem even narrower. It is listed as having a minimum depth of 6' and with full water and fuel tanks we draw 4', not a lot of margin for error. About 4 miles in there is the NC Visitors center. It has a beautiful dock with water. (There was no water available the day before and we like to keep our tanks full. (We get thirsty and the extra weight acts as ballast and helps our stability. We carry 150 gallons, approx 1300 lbs) Daphne gets a nice walk and the visitors center gives us some nice booklets and magazines.
Back on our way through the swamp, there are several "thumps." We assume they are "deadheads," partially submerged logs. When we stopped at the visitors center, we were passed by "Drama Queen," a sailboat that had been following us for a couple of days. I called out to their Captain and asked him about "bumps." At that point we had hit one, and he had reported hitting 6. mOur depthfinder shows 9-10ft of water in most places and we have now trouble staying off the bottom.
At 1:45pm we leave NC and enter the Commonwealth of Virginia. We are now in Deep Creek, VA. Lots of beautiful butterflies.. There is one more lock we need to pass through to get out of the swamp. We will do that in the morning. Tonight we will stay at Elizabeth's Dock a free city owned dock adjacent to the lock. It's a new dock and a great lcoation.
Day 60 8/1 Wednesday
Barry and I are up and going and the boat is off the dock by 6:30am. The winds have slackened and we want to get across before they pick-up. It's a beautiful summer day, with light breezes and only a very light chop on the sound. Today we have the current and we get across 30 minutes faster than planned. We pass a Coast Guard Air Station with an enormous blimp hangar. We're headed to the famous Free Dock at Elizabeth City, NC, Harbor of Hospitality. It's located near Mile 55 of the ICW. This means we are nearing completion of 1,000 miles since we left Deerfield Beach. Gus the Harbormaster helps with the lines. It's a tight fit, 17 ft slip for our 14 ft wide boat, but Barry gets us backed in okay. I get roses from the "Rose Buddies" rose garden. A local couple has just picked fresh fruits and vegetables from their garden and brings them to the dock for the visiting boaters. We end up with eggplant, zucchini, summer squash, tomatoes and melon. Wow, what a treat.
Day 59 7/31 Tuesday
We leave at 7am for the short trip to the mouth of Alligator River and then into Albemarle Sound. The wind is blowing 15-20 knots on our bow and there is a 1-2ft chop. It takes us about 45 minutes to get to the sound and when we do, the wind picks up and the chop increases. The boat is now pitching and rolling in a very uncomfortable fashion. In addition, we are running into a 1knot current, which increases the intensity of the motion. At our current speed it would take 3 1/2 hours to complete the 18 mile crossing. Too long to get beaten up by the seas. Barry turns us around and we head back to the dock at the marina to waitifor better weather. As we head back we see our friends in "Dress White," a 40' Sabre sailboat that we have been playing tag with for the past several days. They had ended up at the same marina. They left about an hour after us. Barry called them on the radio and gave them a heads up as o the conditions we encountered when we got out in the sound. They decided to press on. We received an email from them later in the day after they made it across. They regretted their decision. They said the crossing was very rough and unpleasant. We spent the day at the dock and Barry got a lot of work done. (The internet and cell service came as mysteriously as they had gone.)
Day 58 7/30 Monday
The water is smooth as glass as we head out for the Pungo River/Alligator River Canal. It's like driving through the Everglades. nothing but dense vegetation and evidence of old fires and a long straight waterway. There are several barges and dredges working so we standby for a few minutes until they move over for us and several other boats to pass. It is stormy to our South and as soon as I take the helm a downpour begins. There is no wind, but lots of bright lightning, loud thunder and very heavy rain. At some points the rain is so hard we have to slow way down due to limited visibility. We make it through the canal and into the Alligator River. More rain and now as the river widens, it starts to get choppy in the storms. For the past 3 days we have had no cell phone or Internet service. We finally get service and reconnect with civilization. We head up river towards teh Alligator River Marina, our home for tonight. Very nice place. We grill some of the fresh shrimp we bought at a dock the other day. They are huge and we eat them with some black beans and rice I made up-a delicious dinner! Tomorrow is a big day. Crossing the Albemarle Sound. Even through the marina is in sight of a cell tower, phone and internet access disappear...
Day 57 7/29 Sunday
Daphne and Barry take an early dinghy ride to the mainland, then off we go. A great many of the channel markers we have passed are filled with osprey, pelicans and tern's nests. We can often see them diving into the water to feed. Today we are lucky, we have a nice breeze and calm waters. We make it into Belhaven, NC and dock at the Waterway Marina, a small family run place. The do a great job of getting fenders on theri fixed docks and are ready with boat hooks to grab our lines. The owner is a former Merchant Seaman. The marina has a 2 seat side by side recumbent bike for us to use. So, we take a ride into down and do some shopping and run errands.
Day 56 7/28 Saturday-
Happy Birthday Ilene!
Today's trip was like being out in the ocean-though a calm one. We cruised on the Neuse River;the Western part of Pamlico Sound. We are going to anchor in Broad Creek near Paradise Cove Marina. We can dinghy in and use their laundry and they have a pot luck dinner Sat nights. We can't dock directly at the marina do to their very shallow water-4'. We nned at least 5' or we'll be sucking dirt into the engines and sitting on the bottom. We cross Mile 175 of the ICW. Timing is everything. It starts to rumble just as we drop our anchors and secure the roll-up windows around the boat and seconds later there is a huge thunderstorm that comes rolling across the sound. Barry and Daphne take the dinghy into the marina, such as it is; a very funky place, but we are happy to have a safe anchorage for the night. I clean up the boat a bit and do my monthly defrost of the fridge.
Day 55 7/27 Friday
An early short day as we bid goodbye to our gangplank. We cruise up to Mile 204, Morehead City, NC. We grab a free dock at the Key West Seafood Company Restaurant. It is situated amongst all the sport fishing boats on the waterfront. I hike close to 4 miles to Walgreen's for some Rx refills. We dine at Key West-absolutely great-the seafood is fresh and delicious. We both have surf and turf; filet mignon covered with fresh crabmeat. Take Daphne for a stroll down the boardwalk, then batten down as it looks like thunderstorms. We are fortunate to have had such good weather and smooth cruising and we all sleep well.
Day 54 7/276Thursday
We leave by 7am to make the bridge opening and off we go. Beautiful out, not a lot of traffic-some real nice areas. At some points we can see across to the beaches and Outer Banks of NC. After some thought on our Camp Lejeune anchorage, we look for an alternative. The shoreline is military property and we can't dinghy in with Daphne. With currents and shoals in the Carolinas, it is near impossible to find a safe secure place
to anchor out. Camp Lejeune also conducts artillery practice and training exercises and blocks the ICW at times. So we find a dock nearby to spend the night. It is a working dock for fishing boats,so this should be interesting.
And last night as I'm taking the batteries out of broken camera-there's the memory card. We plug it into Barry's computer and hooray, we have all of our pictures. We will get a new camera as soon as we reach civilization.
Well this wall we're docked at tonight is great. The NEw River Marina in Snead's Ferry, NC. We are the only non-fishing boat in the marina. Directly across the ICW is Camp Lejeune, all 156,000 acres! They've been flying all kinds of planes and helicopters, including their Osprey. The plane with tilt rotors that can act like a helicopter. The dock has lots of pilings and we can't get real close. So we end up with an 8" 2x10 as our gangplank. Daphne discovers a friend on the dock;another Yorkie named Chester. At the marina office/bait shop/marine supply store, we are told of a great restaurant in town about 5 miles away. We call and make reservations at the Green Turtle, and the owner comes down and picks us up. We have a superb dinner. The place is busy and there's a line when we leave. Then the owner drives us back to the boat. What a trip. Back at the dock Daphne plays with Chester, while we shoot the breeze with the locals who are hanging out on the porch of the office drinking beer. The marina has lots of boats and trailers for serious fisherman who come down on vacation or after work. This whole evening has been great-one of my most favorite dockings so far. Mile 247 already! The week has gone by so fast.
Day 53 7/25 Wednesday
Last night cooled into the 60's, so we aired out the boat, no a/c needed. We're off our dock by 7am, I, of course have on a warm hooded sweatshirt. We are so upset, while taking a picture Tuesday afternoon, the camera jammed and we can't turn it on. We are on the Cape Fear River. It's choppy and we're driving into a stiff current. It's slow going, but soon we'll turn back into the ICW. After we get on our way in the a.m., I take the helm so Barry can get some breakfast and gt himself ready for the day. We review our route and he. goes below. I like the helm in the morning, usually the waterway is quiet. I always see dolphins or diving pelicans or jumping fish. I get a lot of stares from the fishermen who are up early wondering what am I doing piloting this big boat.
At 1;30pm, we dock in Wrightsville Beach at the Dockside Marina and Restaurant. The bartender is the dockmaster
An Abstract of our Journey
After a delay of rain and wind from TS Barry, we finally set off.
Day 1, Sun 6/3
Off we go on our adventure, the boat packed with food and essentials. It is a beautiful day as we head N in the ICW from Deerfield Beach. Tonite we anchor at MM 992 in Peck's Lake. We dinghy ashore to stretch our legs and for Daphne to do the same and more. She does pee on the "Pup Grass" we have placed on the sundeck for her.
Day 2, Mon 6/4
The tide lowered drastically overnight and we find ourselves at a drastic tip. TowBoatUS comes to check us out. We just wait for the tide to rise and we're off. No harm done, but a little scary. I am learning more about the workings of the boat and feel more confident taking the helm when Barry needs to do some work. Tonite we grab a mooring at the Vero Beach Marina and Daphne gets 2 walks!
Day 3, Tues 6/5
The weather is beautiful as we continue northward. Daphne gets a bath on the bow. There are Dolphins all around us and huge pelicans. Most nites we barbeque dinner with leftovers for lunch or another dinner. We have to use fresh foods first and save the canned goods. Daphne likes it up on the bridge. If it gets choppy she wedges herself into a corner-but she's doing rgeat. We are enjoying our boat! Tonite we anchor in the Eau Gallie River Harbor in Melbourne. Very small, lots of beautiful houses and a park for Daphne to run around.
Day 4, Wed 6/6
We have secured a spot at the Harbor Square Marina at Merritt Island, thanks to Barry's friend Steve Caylor. He pulls the boat into a slip with only inches to spare on port & starboard! It's amazing! Steve takes Barry to do errands. I take a shower and walk Daphne, then it pours and pours. Steve picks us up and we go to his house for dinner with his wife Barbara and their kids, 4 birds. Daphne comes along; gets a taste of ribs and chicken and crab and is very well behaved. A great time, very nice hosts.
Day 5, Thurs 6/7
After leaving a thank you bottle of wine on Steve's boat, we slip out of our slip and head back into the ICW. The weather is nice, no rain. To the East is NASA. We can see their buildings and even the Shuttle on the launch pad, ready for liftoff. I pilot the boat quite frequently as Barry has to work and perform boat maintenance and gets a break. He doesn't get bored at all piloting and neither do I. It's kind of mesmerizing and you never know what you're going to see. There are of course boats that speed by, leaving a huge wake to steer into, but we've had nothing on board spill or break. Everything is very secure. Tonite we anchor at New Smyrna Beach and watch the Space Shuttle launch. We can even see the booster rockets separate. Nice place to dinghy ashore. Daphne loves the dinghy!
Day 6, Fri 6/8
North on the ICW, this area is sparse compared to South FL. We have books on marinas and anchorages along the ICW. We are learning there are a lot of variables. After a nice trip we anchor at Ft Matanzas. There's a nice beach and other boats anchored or tied together for a party. We drop our anchor and dinghy ashore. As we leave the beach, we notice our boat is not quite where we left it! It had dragged anchor and floated North. Barry can't get the motor on the dinghy to start, so he rows and rows and we finally catch up! Unknown to us, the current has become very strong, plus we can't find Wilson, our anchor buoy! I move the boat back and forth while Barry tries to bring up the anchor, dreading that it may be caught in the propeller. We finally bring it aboard, minus Wilson. We then drop both anchors in a new spot, which hold for the night. Another learning experience!
Day 7, 6/9 Sat
The days are warm as we cruise. We don't go fast and often the current dictates our speed. I've done some knitting and reading and of course piloting. Daphne is content. We get going by about 7am and cruise until about 3pm, when thunderstorms are most likely to occur. At nite we plan our next days trip, where we need or want to get to, meal's, Barry's work. There's a washer/dryer combo on the boat, thank goodness. Florida is not so much palms as it is scrub pines and marsh up here, could be Cape Cod or Maine! There's lots of birds nesting on channel markers, dolphins swimming around the boat and jumping fish! We pull into St Augustine, set anchor and dinghy in. A nice old town, plenty of space for Daphne. We walk the sea wall and check out the old town. During the night the current changes. Barry feels the boat dragging, so he pulls up anchor and we take a slip in the marina. It's great, a new laundry to handle our heavy towels and other perks for staying there. Barry goes to the marina store to line up and electrician to check things as our batteries are not charging well.
Day 8, 6/10 Sun
After a restful night, a warm day has us renting a car to drive to Gainesville to see Zach. You can get there from here, but you go through lots of little towns, such as Spuds, FL, potato capital of the state. We find Zach's dorm, no problem and Daphne goes berserk. Have a great visit with "The Zach," the back to the boat.
Day 9, 6/11 Monday + Day 10 6/12 Tuesday
I take a long walk by the fort and to a beautiful park. Our new alternator is installed. I do laundry. Then surprise, a pod of 6-8 manatees spend the better part of the day around our dock. Beautiful and huge, very playful. What a treat! After a nasty thunderstorm we take aim to leave St. Augustine. But our way under the bridge is blocked by a construction barge until 7am the next day. So it's back to our dock for one more night. Barry goes for a walk and brings back pizza.
Day 19
Thursday June 21, 2007
Today we are headed to Kilkenny Creek. The route requires us to pass through St Catherine's Sound. The mouth of the sound is exposed to the open ocean and that becomes a problem. A low pressure system has developed south of us, off St Augustine. It's rotation is setting up a stiff 20-25 knot easterly wind with higher gusts. As we start the trip, we are protected by the trees within the narrow banks of the ICW. As we head out into the sound, conditions take a dramatic turn for the worse.
Coastal Runner begins to get tossed around pretty good. Seas are running 4-6 feet and water is coming over the bow. For those of you who have been aboard, you may recall a large brass bell on the sundeck. The rolling is so severe that the bell begins to ring of its own accord.
For whom the bell tolls, it tolled for our dingy. Somewhere in St Catherine's sound we parted company with our beloved and very new dinghy (and motor. Unbeknownst to us, at some point in the crossing the line breaks and they drift away. With the wind blowing out of the East, they should end up ashore somewhere. We notify the Coast Guard and various other agencies, but no dinghy is found.
With no dinghy to get ashore we are forced to stay at a marina. The only choice is the Kilkenny Marina, also known as a fish camp.
Day 18
Wednesday June 20, 2007
Our early morning start is delayed by a morning thunderstorm. We are headed to an anchorage in the Duplin River.
It is a smooth easy cruise. Very peaceful and secluded place, just off the main channel of the ICW.
We drop anchor and head out to a small beach area to give Daphne (and us) a chance to strech her legs (and more.)
On the way back in the dinghy it starts to rain and we all get a little wet. Nothing serious, just a passing shower.
We have a nice barbeque for dinner and a relaxing night.
Day 17
Tuesday June 19, 2007
The repaired prop arrives.
Take a look at the previous picture...hard to believe it's the same prop.
Days 14-16..
Sat-Sun Mon June 16-18, 2007
We spend the days doing chores and exploring the island. Shawn takes the prop and rudder control arm in for repair on Monday. The company says they'll have them ready on Tuesday afternoon. Wow! Some great news.
Day 13
Friday June 15, 2007
I get Shawn the GM of the marina and resident mechanic/diver out to take a look at the boat. He starts going the systems and that's when we discovered the broken rudder control arm and dinged up prop. Forunately, Brunswick, GA about 10 miles up the road, has a world famous prop shop. Shawn believes they can weld the rudder arm and he knows they can recondition the prop. The boat does have a spare prop, so he dives and pulls off the dented one and replaces it with the spare. He'll take the two items into Brunswick on Monday and see what the time frame will be for repairs.
Day 12
Thursday June 14, 2007
Today we are headed to Mumford Creek. A secluded anchorage off the Brickhill River and just off the ICW.
Little do we know what will be in store for us. With chart plotter and software all fired up, we have no problem finding the entrance to the Creek.
The depthfinder shows plenty of water, but as we wind our way "up the creek," we hit bottom right in the middle. We got a little stuck, but managed to back out and move around and find some deeper water. Hitting "bottom" at that time will prove to be more serious than we thought.
It is a very windy afternoon with gusts to 20mph from the East. This anchorage is listed as having good protection from easterly winds. Don't believe everything you read in the guide books. We're now in the creek and the wind is really blowing. As we start the process to drop and set the anchor, I put the boat into reverse. We then hear a very loud clanking and believe it to be a major transmission issue. I try reverse again with the same effect. I shift into neutral and we find ourselves getting blown into the bank of the creek. We don't have time to drop anchor and there is no room to maneuver. Before we know it, we are aground or "up the creek, without a reverse gear." It is what is known as a soft grounding. Under normal circumstances, I would put it in reverse and back off. That was not possible.
We were stuck.
The picture below is the following morning after the tide had gone out and literally left us high and dry.
What happened to our reverse gear? Here's what transpired. When we entered the creek and "hit bottom" while we were in the middle, we did not actually hit bottom. We had hit a mussel bed that was submerged during high tide. Hitting a mussel bed is like plowing through partially hardened cement. That event caused the rudder control arm to snap. This left the rudder flapping around. When we put the boat in reverse the prop wash caused the rudder to bang into the prop and that's what caused the noise. We discovered this the next day.The good news was that we didn't have a problem with the transmission. We didn't know it that night and it didn't make us any less stuck.
Broken Rudder Control Arm
Banged up prop. Notice the areas in the rectangles. This is the damage that occurred from banging against the rudder.
An important note, it was a very high tide this evening. This grounding occurs at 7pm and high tide will be at 11pm. I radio for TowBoat US (the AAA of the water) and they send a boat to pull us off. By the time they get to us the tide is in and they can't find the creek mouth, because the entire area looks like a huge lake due to the abnormally high tide. Using their GPS and depth finder, it takes them 2 hours from the time they see us until they can actually get to us.
They reach us just as the tide is going out and are unable to pull us off. They return the next morning at the 10am high tide, but this one is 1 1/2 feet lower and again can't pull us off. I have them take Susie, Daphne and myself off the boat. We get Susie and Daphne a hotel room on Jekyll Island. I plan on going back out that night with the TowBoatUSA crew for the 11pm tide which will be very high once again.
We leave at 7pm, so they can find their way into the creek while it is still light. The tide is now coming in and the wind is blowing once again. In this case it is a good wind, in that it is blowing more water into the creek. I am checking the water depth around the boat with a boat hook and at 9:30pm I announce that I think there is enough water to merit an attempt to pull us off. We reconnect the towing bridle and get in position. With barely a tug the Coastal Runner floats free.
We now begin the journey to tow us to Jekyll Harbor Marina, which is the closest dock. It is 12 miles away and we don't arrive until 2am.
As we approach the dock I have the task of attempting to get us in between 2 other boats with no reverse gear to slow my forward progress. Luckily the tide is flowing against us at a pretty good clip (1.5 knots) and we use that to our advantage. I get us to the dock without a scratch or a bump. Whew!
An exhausted sleep follows and wondering about what we will find out tomorrow when we check the boat.
Day 11
Wednesday June 13, 2007
We get out in front of the channel at 6:55am and are ready to go when the work barge/crane are moved out the way. We're headed to Fernandina Beach our last stop in Florida.
It's a 52 mile trip and makes it the longest distance we've covered in a day.
Long dock stretching over the marshes at Amelia Island. There were some more than 1/4 mile long.
There are numerous thunderstorms but we manage to skip by them on the way up. It is very windy with a stiff and steady breeze blowing at 15-20 from the East. Exposed areas are a little choppy. It does present a major challenge when it comes time to snag a mooring in the harbor. It takes 6 passes before we can latch on. If we go too slow, the wind blows us away from the mooring. If we go too fast, we can't grab it.
Apparently there is a major problem with bulls falling into the Intracoastal Waterway
And yes, once again it is a rough day for the Boat Dog.
The first stop in Fernandina Beach is at the the fuel dock for Florida Petroleum. We top off the tanks with 148 gallons @ $2.58/gal incl tax. I haven't calculated our usage yet, but it appears to be under 2 gal/hour which is outstanding.
Day 10
Tuesday June 12, 2007
We wait impatiently to hear from the electrician letting us know that our alternator has arrived. He finally calls at 11am, but is in the middle of another job at a marina just up the river. He says he'll be by after lunch to do the installation. The Boat Dog gets a walk, the Admiral works on her knitting and I head off to get a haircut. While in the barbers chair the talk turns to the weather and a huge thunderstorm that is bearing down on us. About 30 minutes after I get back to the boat, the storm comes ripping through town.
Torrential rain (we get 1.65" in about 90 minutes) 50mph winds, with reports of funnel clouds, power outages and trees down. I'm glad we are tied to the dock. We make it through unscathed. Our electrician arrives and reports that he was down below in a boat during the storm and was not happy about it.
He tells us he was able to find the exact same model as the original and for $50 less than the original quote. It takes him only 15 minutes to bolt the new unit into place. I fire up the engine and he tests all the systems and we're good to go.
Alternator
Fly in the ointment
The Bridge of Lions, immediately adjacent to the marina is being rebuilt. Unbeknownst to us the channel under the bridge is close all day except for 3 specific times. When we finally get ready to go, the channel is now blocked by a tugboat and work barge. The next opening is not until 7pm, which is too late for us to get anywhere. So it is one more night in the marina.
We need to be in front of the bridge at 7am for their next opening.
Tugboat and barge block the way under the bridge
Day 9
Monday June 11, 2007
The electricians show up at 9am and pull out their testers and start testing away. The batteries are good. They should be as they are brand new. He does start to shake his head when measuring the voltage from the alternator to the batteries. (It is never a good sign when someone who is checking something for you starts shaking their head.) He suspects the alternator and pulls it off the engine to take it back to the shop where he has more sophisticated testing equipment. This is the original and thus is 18 years old. I get a call back in 2 hours and yes the alternator is bad. He can't find one in the area and orders one for delivery tomorrow.
St Augustine Harbor
We spend the day at the dock in the marina and explore the town.
There is also a parade of manatees around our dock. These creatures are enormous.
Day 8
Sunday June 10, 2007
We are secured to the dock at the St Augustine City Marina. Today is the day we plan on visiting Zach at UF in Gainesville. Hertz picks us up at the marina and off we go through the hinterlands of Florida. There is no highway between St Augustine and Gainesville. We take the most direct route through Palatka and over the St Johns River. We pass through the town of "Spuds," the potato capital of Florida. There are also lots of sod farms along the route.
We have a great visit with Zach and get a chance to meet his summer roommate.
Mom, Zach and Boat Dog at UF
When we get back to the boat later that afternoon, I am still not pleased with the state of our electrical affairs. I head to the ships store at the marina and find out there is a marine electrician on staff. I make an appointment for him to come down on Monday morning and scope out our system and see if he can troubleshoot the problems(s).
Day 7
Saturday June 9, 2007
From Fort Matanzas to St Augustine is only about 18 miles. We make it to the harbor by 10:30 in the morning. I hail the dockmaster on the radio and reserve a dinghy slip. There is a very strong current flowing through the mooring field and we have a very hard time getting our anchors to set. We try a couple of different combinations before they finally take hold. However, I am up several times during the night to check on them. At last check at 3am all was well. At 5:30am it was a different story. Apparently when the tide changed and the boat swung the 180 degrees, the anchors dislodged and started to drag. We got a little to close for comfort to a sailboat. At 6am I fired up the engines and pulled up the anchors. I reset them and waited until I could reach the dockmaster and grabbed a slip.
We planned on driving to Gainesville for the day to visit Zach and didn't want no worry about the boat.
Day 6
Friday June 8, 2007
It is a winding and leisurely trip up the Indian River from New Smyrna Beach to Fort Matanzas.
Dolphins and Manatees painted on bridge overpass.
Old Tug on the river
The current and tide ebb and flow and our speed fluctuates accordingly. The Boat Dog enjoys hanging out on the bow with the Admiral and catching some rays.
Boat Dog bath time
We have some still unresolved battery/electrical issues we are working on. The generator is running fine, so we have electricity when we need it. A diesel engine only needs electricity to start after that it just keeps going as long as you feed it fuel.
We find Fort Matanzas and after some challenges, we get the anchor to set and hop on the dinghy for a short ride to a sandy beach.
One of our neighbors on the river tells us he caught a whopper and we tell him we'll put it on the internet for the whole world to see. He pulls it out of the tank...and it's a whopper!
The water in the river is fairly deep (20'-24') right up to the shore. Everyone stretches their legs and we're ready for dinner.
Fort Matanzas
I'm starting to get the feel for starting the 4 stroke 5hp engine on the dinghy. The right combination of choke and throttle and away she goes. I just have to make sure there is fuel in the tank. I've already had to row back twice after running out.
After dinner we have a big thrill. We get to see the Space Shuttle launch from about 80 miles to our south.
Space Shuttle Launch
Day 5
Thursday June 7, 2007
The day starts more slowly than planned. After a night at the marina, we are ready to go. However, we need to top off our water tanks after doing laundry, etc. The pressure isn't as great as we would have liked and it takes a while to get that 150 gallons of water into our tanks.
Railroad Swing Bridge
Once that's done, all we need to do is slide ever so slowly and gently out of that tight slip. The tide and winds cooperate and we get out unscathed. We're now on our way to New Smyrna Beach. It's up the Indian River, past the Kennedy Space Center.
NASA dominates the area with over 4400 employees and thousands of related contractors.
NASA Vehicle Assembly Building
NASA Bridge
Yes, and they even have boats.
From there we go through the Haulover Canal and into the Mosquito Lagoon.
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