With a bit of arm twisting I convinced Leonard to spend a day at Ocracoke. He was concerned the next weather front, bringing winds out of the south and rain, would make for a miserable trip across the Pamlico Sound. He figured the 15 - 20 Kt SE winds would turn into 20 - 25 Kt S or SW winds since the forecasters have the wind direction wrong so much of the time. It didn't help that when looking at the various weather forecasts on the web that some did call for S or SW winds. I asked if he kept looking he could find a forecast that called for N or NE winds.
After breakfast he remembered one of the switches on the anchor windlass had been acting up last time we used it. Once he got it apart it was obvious the fuse holder had corroded and the little spring that holds the fuse in place had disintegrated. A stop at the local variety store yielded replacement parts after much looking. It's been longer than usual since we anchored out and with less than ideal weather forecast the next few days it is good to have things in working order again.
I got my requested walk on the beach. There were a number of folks surf fishing, but we didn't see anyone catch anything. We managed to pick up some fresh flounder Sunday evening at the fish market on our walk through town. That route is more likely to put fish in the pan than hauling gear in hopes of getting a keeper and then cleaning it. When I asked if it was fresh I was told that at this time of the year the fishermen use fish traps rather than lines, so the fish are still flapping when they reach the dock. It was a tasty dinner.
In the afternoon we tried finding what looked like a path on the map that would connect the point by the ferry dock and the road heading north. I guess the little dots didn't quite go all the way because we couldn't find the link across a canal and had to return the way we'd come.
Sunset over the channel into Ocracoke
Sunrise the next morning in Palmico Sound
Watching the clouds build to the south of us, we did the prudent thing, and motor sailed across the sound. We thought about going to Beaufort, NC, but it became obvious that the rain would reach us before we got that far. The Beaufort anchorages would probably be packed too, as it's a jumping off place for the Caribbean as well as a popular stopping place for south bound cruisers on the ICW. Instead we decided to tuck into an anchorage just south of the sound off Adams Creek, but the rain got to us before we got there.
We were anchored by 1430, along with a handful of other like minded folks. It rained quite hard for most of the afternoon and evening, but the wind wasn't as strong as forecast. By sundown there were about a dozen boats anchored around us. We'd worked our way further into the anchorage than we have in the past and were surprised to see several commercial fishing boats tucked in one of the little coves when we looked around in the morning. I guess we could get in even further if we tried.
Morning brought fog instead of wind and rain as forecast, so rather than rushing off with most of our neighbors, we had a relaxed breakfast of fresh fruit and pancakes instead of eating while underway. Once the fog lifted there was more blue sky than clouds making the day look much better than forecast. We planned to just sit tight if it was going to rain much of the day, but given the conditions we headed to Beaufort.
We arrived shortly after noon and spent almost an hour checking out Town Creek for a place to anchor. We thought about going to Taylor Creek on the other side of town, but from the VHF conversations, it sounded like space was tight there too. After a couple of attempts we got the anchor down and holding without interfering with the boats already anchored.
We hope to fill our empty propane tank to insure hot food for the rest of the trip south. Now that the weather has warmed up some, the tank we're using has been reading the 110 pounds of pressure we expected, but we aren't sure how much gas we really have. I think we'll also pick up a 20 pound fish scale so we can weigh the tanks and take out some of the guess work. I'd probably be cranky if I didn't get my morning coffee.
Our ride to shore while not completely dry, wasn't as wet as some we've had. In the past there was a place on Front Street that handled tanks, but rather than carry the tank we decided to make sure they could fill and not just exchange tanks. A good thing, because they'd moved. It looks like we'll spend another day here and borrow the "cruiser" car from the local Maritime Museum which will save us a long walk. Moreover, the coffee house where I like to get bread and treats closed at 1400 and the co-op is out of fresh produce expecting a delivery in the morning. So Back to the boat for the night.
Sent Nov.10th from South of Beaufort, NC
Thursday
was a lay day in Beaufort, NC, since the wind was still really blowing
from the west, and the next section of the ICW actually runs
east/west. We've done it before under similar conditions and it
is a wet slow slog through the Bogue Sound, a narrow channel that runs
through a wide shallow (1 - 3 feet for the most part) body of water.
We learned that the internet isn't always perfect. Leonard had looked up the name of the place that did propane refills on the net and the address given was in Havelock, a town about 10 miles away, not exactly within walking distance. However in the morning when he checked by phone, one of the stores was about a mile away. Go figure. So off to the dinghy dock we went with the empty tank for a refill. Looks like I'll have to keep cooking since I won't have the excuse of limited propane. (Info added later: The place was "Country-Aire Rentals" at the northern intersection of US 70 and NC 101 and the refill cost $6).
Since we were in the vicinity of a hardware and a grocery store we checked those out for a bit more fresh produce and a piece of line to replace our furling line for the jib which has one very thin spot that will tempt the fates when we really need to roll in the jib. We had luck with the produce but not the line or a scale. On the hike back to the dinghy we were given a ride by a fellow cruiser to be.
Beaufort seems to have a lot of friendly folks and it was nice to have a lift back to the dinghy when we had our arms full. Our driver plans to pick up a boat in the Virgin Islands in December and sail it back to Beaufort while he has time off from classes. Not necessarily the nicest time of year for a trip north, but it sounded like he'd done it before. He was finishing up a nursing degree with lots of experience as an EMT and he, his wife, 2 young kids and a dog were going to go cruising. He figured his training would lend itself to cruising life for providing income where ever they went.
After dropping our load off at the boat, we dinghied over to Taylor Creek to see if the Maritime Museum loaner car would be available to take over to the West Marine store in Morehead City. Seems it's a busy time of year for cruisers, the next available time for the car was on Saturday, so we spent the afternoon touring the museum again, checking out Scuttlebutt, a really good marine bookstore and watching the big boats tie up at the docks. That's always interesting since the current in Taylor Creek can make docking problematic for even good skippers.
It looked like a number of boats had departed both from the docks and the anchorage from the day before. We'd heard a number of boaters chatting on the VHF and those who were heading offshore were planning to depart on the afternoon tide when the wind and waves off shore would have had some time to settle down. The forecast had been for gale force winds off shore Tuesday and Wednesday. The weather window should last long enough for them to clear the Gulf Stream before the next cold front arrives, possibly Sunday.
As we approached the boat we saw several dolphins feeding in Town Creek. It was interesting to be close to them in the water. We went over to the marina to see if they would have the line we need, but no such luck. Hopefully we'll be able to find what we need in Wrightsville Beach since we won't be doing much sailing in the narrow channels the next few days.
In the morning, we departed Beaufort before 0700, hoping to take advantage of the current that would be pushing us south in the ICW. It was a beautiful sunny day and since a lot of folks had the day off for Veterans Day Weekend, we had little fishing boats buzzing around us all day long. At one point we had a commercial fisherman working the channel. He'd slowly move to the side of the channel with his gear to let the cruisers past, then return to center channel. It was the first day that could be classified as warm on this trip, with temperatures reaching the upper 70's.
Commercial fishing boat working the channel
I'd hoped we'd stop at Swansboro, but figured Leonard would veto that
idea when we got there before noon. It looks like an interesting
little town, but the anchorage is in a short section of river just off
the ICW and subject to strong currents. As it was, we had none of
the usual delays. The firing range at Camp Lejeune wasn't in
use. We arrived about 10 minutes early for the one swing bridge
at Onslow Beach that we have to clear. We heard the bridge tender
warn boaters that the bridge opens very slowly. It did. We
also heard a boater had hit the bridge earlier in the day when he
misjudged how slow it was opening. A real oops, but apparently he
didn't damage either the bridge or his vessel!
We reached Hammock Bay and had the anchor down by 1415, an early day for us. There were already a number of boats anchored, and by dark the number had risen to 23. It is a dredged harbor, part of the Marine base at Camp Lejeune, and is the only available anchorage along this portion of the ICW. With the shorter days it is hard to reach Wrightsville Beach, about 30 miles south, either offshore or in the ditch at the speed sail boats and trawlers travel. So it is interesting to see how many boats can squeeze into the anchorage on a given night.
Sunset from Hammock Bay
We'll head to Wrightsville Beach in the morning. Hopefully we'll pick up the line we need there. If the weather cooperates, we'll do an overnight hop offshore to the Waccamaw River in South Carolina.
Nov. 15th from Georgetown, SC
Time to catch up on chores, including getting a note off, as we sit here in Georgetown, SC, waiting for another in a series of strong cold fronts to blow through. It is a repeat performance as we seem to hunker down here every year for a few days waiting for weather to improve, and like past years, the mention of possible tornados has been issued for the general area. Hopefully, like past years, they won't bother us.
We departed Hammock Bay following a couple of sail boats. Crossing the New River here is easier behind someone; if they run aground, go elsewhere, if not, just stay behind them. The channel is a bit confusing as there are markers crossing the ICW, heading offshore or up river and neither channel is particularly straight forward. Since the channels can change from year to year, the buoys aren't always as charted.
Getting the timing right in this portion of the ICW is difficult for sail boats as you have to clear 3 opening bridges with schedules. The first and last open only on the hour while the middle one opens on the hour and the half hour. Figuring the current effects is almost impossible as it switches every time there is a cut out to sea, so when it appears you have the timing perfect, you suddenly either have a boost in speed, or it's like some one stepped on the brakes. The distances between them is also less than ideal for us slow types. As a general rule, we try to arrive a bit early, preferring to hang out a bit and practice boat maneuvers to arriving late and seeing the bridge close when we're a quarter a mile a way.
We heard the first boat call to the ship on channel 16 that they were out of the channel and hard aground, perhaps a wake could help them break free. The ship's captain said he'd see what he could do. What was really interesting was watching the next 2 boats follow the exact same course that had grounded the first. It took a while, but they all eventually got free after we passed them.
It was a beautiful warm sunny Sunday, the last day of a long weekend for a lot of folks, so the channel was filled with a variety of boats. Some fishing just off the channel, others headed for the various inlets, a bunch of power boats out for a Sunday ride, a batch of cruisers, both power and sail, headed south, and a few jet skis zipping about. It was especially crowded as we approached the Wrightsville Beach bridge since there is a launch ramp just north of the bridge that was packed with people jockeying for position to launch or retrieve boats. We finally cleared the bridge having hung back a bit in the pack since we needed to make a left turn to get to the anchorage and boats don't come equipped with turn signals.
We threaded our way out Mott's Channel, a series of 90 degree turns past a number of boating facilities. We planned to take on fuel before anchoring and had to wait while a power boat filled both his tanks, which took almost 10 minutes of circling. After taking on fuel and water and pumping the holding tank we headed for the anchorage. As we approached we saw we'd have to work our way across a race course set up by the Carolina Yacht Club that was filled with Lightenings, half with spinnakers set on the downwind leg, the other half tacking back and forth on the windward leg. Once clear of the racers, we saw the anchorage was packed.
Boats in the Wrightsville Beach Anchorage
We set about trying to find a spot that would hold us and allow for a wind switch forecast to arrive during the night. The spot where we've anchored in the past was open, but we couldn't get the anchor to hold. It turned out a channel ran between us and shore and was deep enough so the anchor merely slid down rather than catch. After trying out a couple of spots and finding them less than desirable, and dodging a wind surfer who seemed oblivious that some of us were maneuvering, we finally got anchored. But by now, it was too late in the day to dinghy ashore.
The timing of the cold front was par for the course. It came howling through about 0330 with winds in the mid 20s and rain, providing for a less than restful night. We took turns getting up and checking that we were clear of the boats around us and no one was dragging. After daylight another wind line rotated through nudging the winds up into the 30s. It looked like a good morning to just stay put. The forecast indicated the winds would drop back during the afternoon with a possibility of some clearing. For once the wind generator got the batteries recharged.
After lunch we launched the dinghy and went ashore. The woman at the marina had indicated the West Marine store wasn't all that far west from the ICW. Leonard figured it would be about equivalent to walking into town at home, so off we went. On our way we stopped at a funky store carrying marine supplies, fishing gear, clothing, and souvenirs where we got the line for the roller furling. After reaching the bridge I suggested we continue walking to see where the shopping center was and if it had a Harris Teetor supermarket. It was closer than Leonard thought, however most of it was still under construction. We did find a neat home-made ice cream shop and the West Marine store. Talking with the guy who got our cones, the super market has long been promised, but slow to get finished. Maybe another trip.
Once back at Wrightsville Beach, we took a walk on the beach and back along the anchorage. The edges of the anchorage are filled with private docks, but at the end of every street there is public access. The only problem was signs forbidding blocking the access with boats, etc.
In the morning the anchorage began thinning out. It looked like one or two hardy folks headed offshore, but most went back over to the ICW to head south. In the past we've gone offshore, around Frying Pan Shoal and on to Georgetown from here. But given the reported offshore conditions this year we decided to head to Southport before heading offshore. It's about 5 miles shorter in distance and we hoped the wind forecast calling for NW to W winds, lightening up during the night was correct. This called for an early afternoon departure, so we went back ashore for another walk before putting the dinghy away.
There had been good winds most of the way down the ICW, just not enough room in the channel to set sail. We're hesitant to sail while running down the channel since if you happen drift off channel, running aground becomes all too likely. Once we reached the big ship channel in the Cape Fear River we set the sails only to have the winds become fluky. We rode the tide out to sea and were joined by a 44 foot sail boat with a crew of young guys heading offshore.
The ship channel was not what our 4 year old chart showed. It appears that they have dredged a whole new channel further east from the original one. The charts Leonard downloaded from the internet showed the changes. Once we reached deeper water we departed the channel and headed toward Georgetown with all the sails up. Naturally the wind forecast was wrong. Instead of NW or W, we had SW winds, bang on the nose, so we rolled in the jib and eventually dropped the main as well since it wasn't doing anything.
Sunset departing Southport
This route takes us across a large bay. Once we got further offshore the swell left over from the cold front made the seas lumpy, with the bow occasionally catching one wrong. What should have been a pleasant sail became a motor, with the wind teasing us by going almost to a direction we could sail before returning to dead ahead. We were glad we hadn't gone around the shoal since the seas would have been larger. There was no traffic to contend with and the air temperature was warmer than expected. We reached the entrance to Winyah Bay about daylight. It took us several hours to work our way up river as our timing was off and we fought the current all the way. We were passed by a big ship who was headed for the commercial part of the harbor.
Since we arrived early in the day we had our choice of spots to anchor. Once again we had some problems getting the CQR to catch in the mud bottom here. For some reason the Danforth seems to grab quicker under these conditions, but we managed to get both anchors set so as to keep us out of the channel, away from the moored boats and out of the shallows. After a quick lunch we went ashore. We didn't need much, but I wanted to pick up enough fresh produce to keep us in salads until we reach Charleston later in the week. We did make a stop at the local bakery for bread and treats. Since we were both tired we only got what we needed and headed back to the boat. Further exploration could wait until morning.
Georgetown Anchorage
We discussed heading out for a different anchorage Wednesday afternoon, but decided we'd spend the afternoon doing the laundry which would free up time in Charleston. We'd taken a walk through town, out to the point in the morning where we chatted with a couple using metal detectors on the beach. We also stopped at the fish markets on our way back to pick up local shrimp and crab meat. By the time we had everything done ashore, it was looking like rain, so we headed back to the boat. Another strong cold front was due to pass through the area during the night.
After dark the wind picked up causing a couple of the boats anchored along the channel to swing into it and close to the docks on the other side. It looked like we would be good for the night, but with storm warnings posted around the general area we'd be getting up and checking things out during the night. This morning just about daylight the wind picked up into the 30s which got just about everyone up and checking things out. A number of boats set second anchors or repositioned. As we watched folks running their dogs ashore in the rain, we are reminded why we travel sans pets.
For now, we plan on spending another night at anchor here in Georgetown before heading toward Charleston. There are still severe weather warnings out until late this afternoon although the conditions here are rather benign at the moment. We've noticed that the cold fronts seem to be passing through faster this year than in the past. So far we've been able to avoid being underway when the arrive. We've heard calls on channel 16 for help from folks that weren't as lucky. The various tow boats were busy last Sunday, in that was mainly for boaters in the ICW. There was one report of a sail boat off Frying Pan Shoals with problems in deteriorating conditions. Not my idea of a good time.
Sent Nov. 21st from Charleston, SC
We were glad to be in Georgetown when we heard that a tornado had gone through the Wilmington area early Thursday morning. Other than a checking things occasionally during the night, we'd missed any severe weather and avoided any wee hours anchor drill. Once the rain stopped we went back ashore for a walk and to see about selecting a few more treats at the local bakery. The Kudzu Bakery is one of those hard to stay away from places, so it's probably a good thing we'll be heading on our way. We thought about heading out for the Santee River for a change of scenery in the afternoon, but decided it was too late in the day.
We departed Georgetown on Friday morning, a bright cool day, heading for Whiteside Creek for the night. As we rejoined the ICW on Winyah Bay, we joined the fleet of boats heading south. There was enough wind that we used the jib to get us to where the ICW leaves the bay, and seeing our sail out, most of the boats behind us did too.
We arrived at Whiteside Creek before 1500, plenty of time to launch the dinghy and check out Capers Island before dark. There were 2 other boats already at anchor when we arrived, and by the time we got back from our shore visit at sunset, there were 12, the most we've ever seen here. What surprises me is that we seem to be the only boat that goes over to the island, but I certainly don't mind having the place more or less to ourselves.
Flocks of birds at Capers Island impoundment
The impoundment on Capers Island had almost as many birds as we'd seen on our first visit which was great since in the last few years it was disappointing not to see the numbers or the variety I'd remembered. That had also been before we got a digital camera so photography had been more hit or miss. There were white, great blue, little blue and tricolor herons, brown and white pelicans, a flock of black skimmers, gulls, cormorants, a bunch of wading shore birds and some wood storks. It doesn't seem like there could be enough fish to feed all the birds in this shallow pond, but we saw fish, some fairly large, jumping out of the water. There were also flocks of migrating birds flitting overhead in the trees and butterflies. The big alligator was hunkered down in the usual spot. I'd think it was a decoy, but on the way back from the beach, it had turned around.
We decided to spend Saturday on the island which would give me time for a long walk on the beach and more time bird watching. On our way to the beach we saw 3 alligators snoozing on the far bank. One was sharing his perch with a wood stork who didn't seem the least it concerned about the presence of a predator. There have been new signs posted warning people to keep a close watch on pets and children. Alligators are a protected species in South Carolina, and their diet consists of fish, birds, turtles, raccoons and occasionally deer, they don't differentiate between domestic and wild animals.
Alligator
We had the beach to ourselves most of the day. We arrived just about low tide and it appeared the beach is still in the process of eroding. I walked to the inlet at the north end of the island while Leonard found a comfortable spot to read his book. Realizing that once the tide came back in there would be very little beach left to walk I kept a close eye on the state of the tide.
Checking for birds on the way back to the dinghy, we startled a large flock of white herons and wood storks that had gathered in a small pool off the trail. It was impressive to hear the wing beats as they took off. They also fight over territory, and must have some kind of pecking order like chickens, as to who is top bird deserving of the prime fishing spots and tree roosts.
Wood Storks
On the dinghy ride back to the boat we saw 2 small dolphins busy getting dinner in the changing tide. Saturday night there were just 3 of us anchored in the creek. Two of the boats had spent the day anchored there also, but we didn't see them ashore. We took a ride through the marsh in hopes of reaching one of the clumps of trees, but the channel just twisted and turned in the reeds, so we turned back before we ran out of water.
Being a weekend, the Ben Sawyer swing bridge that connects Mount Pleasant to Sullivans Island, about 7 miles south, only has hourly openings. We thought we had the timing down perfect, but the varying currents got the best of us again. It's hard to figure the current flow at the different inlets. You can be doing almost 7 knots over the ground one minute, and then creeping along at 4 knots the next. There were 6 of us that caught the 1000 opening and headed for Charleston Harbor.
Given the number of boats we've seen, I made reservations at the Ashley Marina since we planned on a major reprovisioning stop and I didn't want to find no room at the inn. With a new moon we need to keep an eye on the state of the tide here too. We fit under the 55 foot bridge just fine, except for those few hours a month when the tides are higher than normal. At least we got that right, and slid easily under the bridge, but know we'll have to time our exit as well. We were in our slip before noon which gave us time to get our errands done and still have time for sight seeing.
Our original plan was for 2 nights in Charleston. We'd like to reach Beaufort, SC for Thanksgiving and since we'd finished things up we thought about leaving early Monday morning rather than spend the second night. At least we did until we listened to the weather report and looked at the NOAA web sight. The beautiful weather window we've enjoyed since departing Georgetown appears to be closing with a bang sometime Monday night or Tuesday. All the cold fronts have come with accompanying gale force winds along the adjacent shore waters, but this one is calling for storm force winds, with hurricane force winds in the Gulf Stream and proportionally large seas.
Most of the anchorages along the ICW in these parts offer very little in the way of land or tree protection. The marshes break up the fetch so the waves aren't a big issue, but they don't break the wind much at all. We've sat out 20 - 30 knot winds, and if the anchors have a good hold on the bottom (no guarantee in some of the soft mud) it's not what I'd call restful, but it's okay and the wind generator keeps the batteries well charged. Gusts to 50, especially since these things tend to take place during the wee hours of the morning, could be downright unsettling and there would be no place to go to get out of the wind.
Knowing if we go, they will have gotten the forecast right and we'd get nailed. However, if we stay, where we have good protection, the forecast will have been overblown. After hemming and hawing, we chose to sit tight. It appears that the marinas are filling up with like minded folks who are putting out extra lines and fenders.
So we took the last beautiful day and spent the afternoon touring Charleston. We were surprised to run into Miro Balcar, a friend from Montreal who races with our yacht club on Lake Champlain. We last saw him on the docks at LCYC the morning we got the mast stepped. He is crewing on a friend's multihull that's on the dock at the city marina. They are headed for San Juan, Puerto Rico and, while they planned on a single long hop from New York, are now on the third leg having lost several days at various stops waiting for better weather. He tried to convince them to head offshore last Friday, which in hindsight would have been a perfect weather window, but the owner's weather information (he uses a weather net in Montreal) made him hesitate. He has problems loosing crew that have set times they are available and still needs 9 - 10 sailing days to reach his destination. I'm glad we don't have that worry.
So far the wind is nudging the 20 knot mark, causing the fenders to rub on the dock and halyards on some of the boats are clanking. Tuesday brought cold rain which made for one of those mornings that's easy to stay under the blankets. We did manage to get our propane heater fired up which definitely helps take the chill out of the air. The forecast has included 2 of the "S" words, possible sleet and snow, with temperatures not getting above 40 during the day and dropping into the 30's at night. Neither one of us thought to check for a little electric space heater when we stopped at the hardware store yesterday. That would be a great addition for the times like this when we're at a dock with power.
The forecast hasn't changed a lot other than to have increased the likelihood of rain. The storm is still in the process of winding up along the coast and it will be Tuesday night or Wednesday before we'll see what's in store for us. We thought about going to the aquarium, but neither one of us was anxious to take a hike in the cold rain. We picked up a couple of DVDs in town, so we can wrap up in a blanket and watch movies.
Fernandina Beach FL, December 2, 2006
While we were in Charleston waiting for the cold front to go through we received the news that Leonard's Mother had passed away. Luckily we hadn't headed out to sea on Sunday morning in an attempt to avoid some restricted bridges and get to Brunswick, GA. But had decided the possibility of getting caught in the storm force winds offshore (hurricane force for the Gulf Stream) that were predicted wasn't worth the risk. We made arrangements with the marina to leave the boat for a week and and got flights back to Minnesota the day after Thanksgiving for a Monday funeral.
On Wednesday the skies cleared and we spend the afternoon enjoying more of Charleston. On Thanksgiving day, we picked up a rental car at the airport and went to the Folly Beach for the afternoon.
Enjoying Charleston
The Submarine "H. L. Hunley"
Along the boardwalk
Fountain in the park
Rainbow Row in Charleston
Sculptured courtyard
After the funeral, we returned to Charleston on Wednesday the 29th and realized the cold front that had brought thunderstorms then freezing temperatures while we were in Minnesota on Tuesday would be breathing down our necks as we headed south. With flight reservations on December 5 to return to Vermont, we no longer had the cushion of "weather" days to wait for favorable winds and weather. Since we plan to store the boat on land at Fernandina Beach, FL this year, we need to coordinate details with the marina which may take more, rather than less time than in the past.
Plan "A" to go offshore at Charleston was out of sync with the approaching cold front since we'd have strong southerly winds ahead of it. Plan "B" was for an early start, but the one restricted bridge on this section of the ICW, less than 2 miles away, didn't open from 0600 to 0900 to facilitate rush hour traffic and we wouldn't fit under the 55 ft bridge with the high tide at 0500. So 0900 it was, and by then, the opposing current in Elliot's Cut had died back some. We wanted reach Beaufort SC, but with the late start and short days, there aren't enough hours of daylight to get that far at this time of the year, so we anchored at Sam's Point in the Cousaw River, about 12 miles north of Beaufort.
An eagle along the ICW
An early start got us to the Lady Island bridge at Beaufort in time for the first opening at 0900. It was blowing hard enough that we were afraid the bridge might not open at all. Opening is at the bridge tender's discretion and the sign said it didn't open in sustained winds of 25 MPH or greater. We were seeing gusts higher than that at the mast head which registers in knots rather than MPH. Two other sail boats came out of Lady Island Creek to go through with us, but we were the only one that continued on to Port Royal Sound in the south winds.
The south winds dashed any thoughts of heading offshore at Port Royal Sound, so we continued past Hilton Head Island while keeping a weather eye on the clouds to the west. We managed to get through Calibogue Sound and decided to anchor off Daufuskie Island until the front line passed before continuing through some of the narrow cuts to the Savannah River. Spending an hour at anchor was preferable to loosing visibility and risking going aground.
With time getting short, we decided to believe the forecasters when they predicted the wind to switch to the west during the night and headed out the Savannah River for an off shore run to the St. Mary's River. The seas were lumpy when we left the big ship channel and we prepared for a long night of motoring into the wind. At least the clouds were broken and the almost full moon shed enough light for reasonable visibility. The wind toyed with us for several hours, going just about far enough to the west to tempt us to roll out some sail. About 0100 it finally went enough westerly for sailing and lasted most of the night before going to the north and going light, making it hard to keep the sails filled.
There were several hours of wonderful moonlight sailing before the clouds filled back in. We watched the moon set just before 0430 just below the cloud bank. Then it really got dark and our luminescent wake could be seen for some distance. Other than 3 ships anchored off the Savannah River entrance and some fishing vessels closer to shore, the only thing we saw were some high power strobe lights on shore towers that were visible for most of the night. It also began raining at which point I woke Leonard up for his watch. When he called me four hours later, we were in the entrance of the St. Mary's River along with another Sabre, heading for Fernandina Beach.
Since the yard we're using this year doesn't have fuel, we went to the municipal dock to top off the tank. I also called Tiger Point to see if we could tie up on their dock for the weekend, before getting hauled on Monday. I was assured there was enough room (just) if we tied across the hoist slip. We'd have 20 feet of floating dock at the stern and could tie the bow off on the dock across the slip. It looked almost impossible, but it was slack water and the wind wasn't blowing, so Leonard decided to go for it. The folks on a motor sailor across the slip helped by taking a bow line, but it was rather like threading a needle. The boat on one side had 2 anchors hanging of the bow ready to gouge our hull, and the boat on the other side had a bow sprite that looked like it could impale us. But, as Leonard observed, they'd have to deal with us before hauling anyone else since we're blocking the travel lift slip.
Across the travel lift slip
Unfortunately the weather is not cooperating. I'd hoped we could
get the sails off and stored, but they're wet and it continues to rain
lightly. The forecast for the next few days is not helpful, more
rain and then wind which will further complicate things. We did
get the engine oil changed and Leonard put new antifreeze in the
cooling system. With luck we'll get every thing done before we
depart Tuesday for our winter vacation.
We learned that the internet isn't always perfect. Leonard had looked up the name of the place that did propane refills on the net and the address given was in Havelock, a town about 10 miles away, not exactly within walking distance. However in the morning when he checked by phone, one of the stores was about a mile away. Go figure. So off to the dinghy dock we went with the empty tank for a refill. Looks like I'll have to keep cooking since I won't have the excuse of limited propane. (Info added later: The place was "Country-Aire Rentals" at the northern intersection of US 70 and NC 101 and the refill cost $6).
Since we were in the vicinity of a hardware and a grocery store we checked those out for a bit more fresh produce and a piece of line to replace our furling line for the jib which has one very thin spot that will tempt the fates when we really need to roll in the jib. We had luck with the produce but not the line or a scale. On the hike back to the dinghy we were given a ride by a fellow cruiser to be.
Beaufort seems to have a lot of friendly folks and it was nice to have a lift back to the dinghy when we had our arms full. Our driver plans to pick up a boat in the Virgin Islands in December and sail it back to Beaufort while he has time off from classes. Not necessarily the nicest time of year for a trip north, but it sounded like he'd done it before. He was finishing up a nursing degree with lots of experience as an EMT and he, his wife, 2 young kids and a dog were going to go cruising. He figured his training would lend itself to cruising life for providing income where ever they went.
After dropping our load off at the boat, we dinghied over to Taylor Creek to see if the Maritime Museum loaner car would be available to take over to the West Marine store in Morehead City. Seems it's a busy time of year for cruisers, the next available time for the car was on Saturday, so we spent the afternoon touring the museum again, checking out Scuttlebutt, a really good marine bookstore and watching the big boats tie up at the docks. That's always interesting since the current in Taylor Creek can make docking problematic for even good skippers.
It looked like a number of boats had departed both from the docks and the anchorage from the day before. We'd heard a number of boaters chatting on the VHF and those who were heading offshore were planning to depart on the afternoon tide when the wind and waves off shore would have had some time to settle down. The forecast had been for gale force winds off shore Tuesday and Wednesday. The weather window should last long enough for them to clear the Gulf Stream before the next cold front arrives, possibly Sunday.
As we approached the boat we saw several dolphins feeding in Town Creek. It was interesting to be close to them in the water. We went over to the marina to see if they would have the line we need, but no such luck. Hopefully we'll be able to find what we need in Wrightsville Beach since we won't be doing much sailing in the narrow channels the next few days.
In the morning, we departed Beaufort before 0700, hoping to take advantage of the current that would be pushing us south in the ICW. It was a beautiful sunny day and since a lot of folks had the day off for Veterans Day Weekend, we had little fishing boats buzzing around us all day long. At one point we had a commercial fisherman working the channel. He'd slowly move to the side of the channel with his gear to let the cruisers past, then return to center channel. It was the first day that could be classified as warm on this trip, with temperatures reaching the upper 70's.
Commercial fishing boat working the channel
We reached Hammock Bay and had the anchor down by 1415, an early day for us. There were already a number of boats anchored, and by dark the number had risen to 23. It is a dredged harbor, part of the Marine base at Camp Lejeune, and is the only available anchorage along this portion of the ICW. With the shorter days it is hard to reach Wrightsville Beach, about 30 miles south, either offshore or in the ditch at the speed sail boats and trawlers travel. So it is interesting to see how many boats can squeeze into the anchorage on a given night.
Sunset from Hammock Bay
We'll head to Wrightsville Beach in the morning. Hopefully we'll pick up the line we need there. If the weather cooperates, we'll do an overnight hop offshore to the Waccamaw River in South Carolina.
Nov. 15th from Georgetown, SC
Time to catch up on chores, including getting a note off, as we sit here in Georgetown, SC, waiting for another in a series of strong cold fronts to blow through. It is a repeat performance as we seem to hunker down here every year for a few days waiting for weather to improve, and like past years, the mention of possible tornados has been issued for the general area. Hopefully, like past years, they won't bother us.
We departed Hammock Bay following a couple of sail boats. Crossing the New River here is easier behind someone; if they run aground, go elsewhere, if not, just stay behind them. The channel is a bit confusing as there are markers crossing the ICW, heading offshore or up river and neither channel is particularly straight forward. Since the channels can change from year to year, the buoys aren't always as charted.
Getting the timing right in this portion of the ICW is difficult for sail boats as you have to clear 3 opening bridges with schedules. The first and last open only on the hour while the middle one opens on the hour and the half hour. Figuring the current effects is almost impossible as it switches every time there is a cut out to sea, so when it appears you have the timing perfect, you suddenly either have a boost in speed, or it's like some one stepped on the brakes. The distances between them is also less than ideal for us slow types. As a general rule, we try to arrive a bit early, preferring to hang out a bit and practice boat maneuvers to arriving late and seeing the bridge close when we're a quarter a mile a way.
This year we had an interesting twist
added to the trip. We heard the
first bridge had opened for commercial traffic - they don't have to
wait
- and a couple of boats had been able to clear the bridge at the same
time. As we continued south, a number of larger boats passed us,
and
eventually we saw the commercial boat behind us. It was a cruise
ship,
and while Leonard thought we might be able to catch the middle bridge
with it, it soon became apparent he would be long gone by that
time. We
eased over to the side of the channel and let him pass us. Three
of the
sail boats that had passed us did like wise, only they were
concentrating more on his location than theirs, which happened to be at
one of those tricky inlets that cause the current to switch and can
push you out if the channel where they intersect with the ICW.
The cruise ship "Grand Mariner". The three sailboats
in the distance just have or are about to run aground.
The cruise ship "Grand Mariner". The three sailboats
in the distance just have or are about to run aground.
We heard the first boat call to the ship on channel 16 that they were out of the channel and hard aground, perhaps a wake could help them break free. The ship's captain said he'd see what he could do. What was really interesting was watching the next 2 boats follow the exact same course that had grounded the first. It took a while, but they all eventually got free after we passed them.
It was a beautiful warm sunny Sunday, the last day of a long weekend for a lot of folks, so the channel was filled with a variety of boats. Some fishing just off the channel, others headed for the various inlets, a bunch of power boats out for a Sunday ride, a batch of cruisers, both power and sail, headed south, and a few jet skis zipping about. It was especially crowded as we approached the Wrightsville Beach bridge since there is a launch ramp just north of the bridge that was packed with people jockeying for position to launch or retrieve boats. We finally cleared the bridge having hung back a bit in the pack since we needed to make a left turn to get to the anchorage and boats don't come equipped with turn signals.
We threaded our way out Mott's Channel, a series of 90 degree turns past a number of boating facilities. We planned to take on fuel before anchoring and had to wait while a power boat filled both his tanks, which took almost 10 minutes of circling. After taking on fuel and water and pumping the holding tank we headed for the anchorage. As we approached we saw we'd have to work our way across a race course set up by the Carolina Yacht Club that was filled with Lightenings, half with spinnakers set on the downwind leg, the other half tacking back and forth on the windward leg. Once clear of the racers, we saw the anchorage was packed.
Boats in the Wrightsville Beach Anchorage
We set about trying to find a spot that would hold us and allow for a wind switch forecast to arrive during the night. The spot where we've anchored in the past was open, but we couldn't get the anchor to hold. It turned out a channel ran between us and shore and was deep enough so the anchor merely slid down rather than catch. After trying out a couple of spots and finding them less than desirable, and dodging a wind surfer who seemed oblivious that some of us were maneuvering, we finally got anchored. But by now, it was too late in the day to dinghy ashore.
The timing of the cold front was par for the course. It came howling through about 0330 with winds in the mid 20s and rain, providing for a less than restful night. We took turns getting up and checking that we were clear of the boats around us and no one was dragging. After daylight another wind line rotated through nudging the winds up into the 30s. It looked like a good morning to just stay put. The forecast indicated the winds would drop back during the afternoon with a possibility of some clearing. For once the wind generator got the batteries recharged.
After lunch we launched the dinghy and went ashore. The woman at the marina had indicated the West Marine store wasn't all that far west from the ICW. Leonard figured it would be about equivalent to walking into town at home, so off we went. On our way we stopped at a funky store carrying marine supplies, fishing gear, clothing, and souvenirs where we got the line for the roller furling. After reaching the bridge I suggested we continue walking to see where the shopping center was and if it had a Harris Teetor supermarket. It was closer than Leonard thought, however most of it was still under construction. We did find a neat home-made ice cream shop and the West Marine store. Talking with the guy who got our cones, the super market has long been promised, but slow to get finished. Maybe another trip.
Once back at Wrightsville Beach, we took a walk on the beach and back along the anchorage. The edges of the anchorage are filled with private docks, but at the end of every street there is public access. The only problem was signs forbidding blocking the access with boats, etc.
In the morning the anchorage began thinning out. It looked like one or two hardy folks headed offshore, but most went back over to the ICW to head south. In the past we've gone offshore, around Frying Pan Shoal and on to Georgetown from here. But given the reported offshore conditions this year we decided to head to Southport before heading offshore. It's about 5 miles shorter in distance and we hoped the wind forecast calling for NW to W winds, lightening up during the night was correct. This called for an early afternoon departure, so we went back ashore for another walk before putting the dinghy away.
There had been good winds most of the way down the ICW, just not enough room in the channel to set sail. We're hesitant to sail while running down the channel since if you happen drift off channel, running aground becomes all too likely. Once we reached the big ship channel in the Cape Fear River we set the sails only to have the winds become fluky. We rode the tide out to sea and were joined by a 44 foot sail boat with a crew of young guys heading offshore.
The ship channel was not what our 4 year old chart showed. It appears that they have dredged a whole new channel further east from the original one. The charts Leonard downloaded from the internet showed the changes. Once we reached deeper water we departed the channel and headed toward Georgetown with all the sails up. Naturally the wind forecast was wrong. Instead of NW or W, we had SW winds, bang on the nose, so we rolled in the jib and eventually dropped the main as well since it wasn't doing anything.
Sunset departing Southport
This route takes us across a large bay. Once we got further offshore the swell left over from the cold front made the seas lumpy, with the bow occasionally catching one wrong. What should have been a pleasant sail became a motor, with the wind teasing us by going almost to a direction we could sail before returning to dead ahead. We were glad we hadn't gone around the shoal since the seas would have been larger. There was no traffic to contend with and the air temperature was warmer than expected. We reached the entrance to Winyah Bay about daylight. It took us several hours to work our way up river as our timing was off and we fought the current all the way. We were passed by a big ship who was headed for the commercial part of the harbor.
Since we arrived early in the day we had our choice of spots to anchor. Once again we had some problems getting the CQR to catch in the mud bottom here. For some reason the Danforth seems to grab quicker under these conditions, but we managed to get both anchors set so as to keep us out of the channel, away from the moored boats and out of the shallows. After a quick lunch we went ashore. We didn't need much, but I wanted to pick up enough fresh produce to keep us in salads until we reach Charleston later in the week. We did make a stop at the local bakery for bread and treats. Since we were both tired we only got what we needed and headed back to the boat. Further exploration could wait until morning.
Georgetown Anchorage
We discussed heading out for a different anchorage Wednesday afternoon, but decided we'd spend the afternoon doing the laundry which would free up time in Charleston. We'd taken a walk through town, out to the point in the morning where we chatted with a couple using metal detectors on the beach. We also stopped at the fish markets on our way back to pick up local shrimp and crab meat. By the time we had everything done ashore, it was looking like rain, so we headed back to the boat. Another strong cold front was due to pass through the area during the night.
After dark the wind picked up causing a couple of the boats anchored along the channel to swing into it and close to the docks on the other side. It looked like we would be good for the night, but with storm warnings posted around the general area we'd be getting up and checking things out during the night. This morning just about daylight the wind picked up into the 30s which got just about everyone up and checking things out. A number of boats set second anchors or repositioned. As we watched folks running their dogs ashore in the rain, we are reminded why we travel sans pets.
For now, we plan on spending another night at anchor here in Georgetown before heading toward Charleston. There are still severe weather warnings out until late this afternoon although the conditions here are rather benign at the moment. We've noticed that the cold fronts seem to be passing through faster this year than in the past. So far we've been able to avoid being underway when the arrive. We've heard calls on channel 16 for help from folks that weren't as lucky. The various tow boats were busy last Sunday, in that was mainly for boaters in the ICW. There was one report of a sail boat off Frying Pan Shoals with problems in deteriorating conditions. Not my idea of a good time.
Sent Nov. 21st from Charleston, SC
We were glad to be in Georgetown when we heard that a tornado had gone through the Wilmington area early Thursday morning. Other than a checking things occasionally during the night, we'd missed any severe weather and avoided any wee hours anchor drill. Once the rain stopped we went back ashore for a walk and to see about selecting a few more treats at the local bakery. The Kudzu Bakery is one of those hard to stay away from places, so it's probably a good thing we'll be heading on our way. We thought about heading out for the Santee River for a change of scenery in the afternoon, but decided it was too late in the day.
We departed Georgetown on Friday morning, a bright cool day, heading for Whiteside Creek for the night. As we rejoined the ICW on Winyah Bay, we joined the fleet of boats heading south. There was enough wind that we used the jib to get us to where the ICW leaves the bay, and seeing our sail out, most of the boats behind us did too.
We arrived at Whiteside Creek before 1500, plenty of time to launch the dinghy and check out Capers Island before dark. There were 2 other boats already at anchor when we arrived, and by the time we got back from our shore visit at sunset, there were 12, the most we've ever seen here. What surprises me is that we seem to be the only boat that goes over to the island, but I certainly don't mind having the place more or less to ourselves.
Flocks of birds at Capers Island impoundment
The impoundment on Capers Island had almost as many birds as we'd seen on our first visit which was great since in the last few years it was disappointing not to see the numbers or the variety I'd remembered. That had also been before we got a digital camera so photography had been more hit or miss. There were white, great blue, little blue and tricolor herons, brown and white pelicans, a flock of black skimmers, gulls, cormorants, a bunch of wading shore birds and some wood storks. It doesn't seem like there could be enough fish to feed all the birds in this shallow pond, but we saw fish, some fairly large, jumping out of the water. There were also flocks of migrating birds flitting overhead in the trees and butterflies. The big alligator was hunkered down in the usual spot. I'd think it was a decoy, but on the way back from the beach, it had turned around.
We decided to spend Saturday on the island which would give me time for a long walk on the beach and more time bird watching. On our way to the beach we saw 3 alligators snoozing on the far bank. One was sharing his perch with a wood stork who didn't seem the least it concerned about the presence of a predator. There have been new signs posted warning people to keep a close watch on pets and children. Alligators are a protected species in South Carolina, and their diet consists of fish, birds, turtles, raccoons and occasionally deer, they don't differentiate between domestic and wild animals.
Alligator
We had the beach to ourselves most of the day. We arrived just about low tide and it appeared the beach is still in the process of eroding. I walked to the inlet at the north end of the island while Leonard found a comfortable spot to read his book. Realizing that once the tide came back in there would be very little beach left to walk I kept a close eye on the state of the tide.
Checking for birds on the way back to the dinghy, we startled a large flock of white herons and wood storks that had gathered in a small pool off the trail. It was impressive to hear the wing beats as they took off. They also fight over territory, and must have some kind of pecking order like chickens, as to who is top bird deserving of the prime fishing spots and tree roosts.
Wood Storks
On the dinghy ride back to the boat we saw 2 small dolphins busy getting dinner in the changing tide. Saturday night there were just 3 of us anchored in the creek. Two of the boats had spent the day anchored there also, but we didn't see them ashore. We took a ride through the marsh in hopes of reaching one of the clumps of trees, but the channel just twisted and turned in the reeds, so we turned back before we ran out of water.
Being a weekend, the Ben Sawyer swing bridge that connects Mount Pleasant to Sullivans Island, about 7 miles south, only has hourly openings. We thought we had the timing down perfect, but the varying currents got the best of us again. It's hard to figure the current flow at the different inlets. You can be doing almost 7 knots over the ground one minute, and then creeping along at 4 knots the next. There were 6 of us that caught the 1000 opening and headed for Charleston Harbor.
Given the number of boats we've seen, I made reservations at the Ashley Marina since we planned on a major reprovisioning stop and I didn't want to find no room at the inn. With a new moon we need to keep an eye on the state of the tide here too. We fit under the 55 foot bridge just fine, except for those few hours a month when the tides are higher than normal. At least we got that right, and slid easily under the bridge, but know we'll have to time our exit as well. We were in our slip before noon which gave us time to get our errands done and still have time for sight seeing.
Our original plan was for 2 nights in Charleston. We'd like to reach Beaufort, SC for Thanksgiving and since we'd finished things up we thought about leaving early Monday morning rather than spend the second night. At least we did until we listened to the weather report and looked at the NOAA web sight. The beautiful weather window we've enjoyed since departing Georgetown appears to be closing with a bang sometime Monday night or Tuesday. All the cold fronts have come with accompanying gale force winds along the adjacent shore waters, but this one is calling for storm force winds, with hurricane force winds in the Gulf Stream and proportionally large seas.
Most of the anchorages along the ICW in these parts offer very little in the way of land or tree protection. The marshes break up the fetch so the waves aren't a big issue, but they don't break the wind much at all. We've sat out 20 - 30 knot winds, and if the anchors have a good hold on the bottom (no guarantee in some of the soft mud) it's not what I'd call restful, but it's okay and the wind generator keeps the batteries well charged. Gusts to 50, especially since these things tend to take place during the wee hours of the morning, could be downright unsettling and there would be no place to go to get out of the wind.
Knowing if we go, they will have gotten the forecast right and we'd get nailed. However, if we stay, where we have good protection, the forecast will have been overblown. After hemming and hawing, we chose to sit tight. It appears that the marinas are filling up with like minded folks who are putting out extra lines and fenders.
So we took the last beautiful day and spent the afternoon touring Charleston. We were surprised to run into Miro Balcar, a friend from Montreal who races with our yacht club on Lake Champlain. We last saw him on the docks at LCYC the morning we got the mast stepped. He is crewing on a friend's multihull that's on the dock at the city marina. They are headed for San Juan, Puerto Rico and, while they planned on a single long hop from New York, are now on the third leg having lost several days at various stops waiting for better weather. He tried to convince them to head offshore last Friday, which in hindsight would have been a perfect weather window, but the owner's weather information (he uses a weather net in Montreal) made him hesitate. He has problems loosing crew that have set times they are available and still needs 9 - 10 sailing days to reach his destination. I'm glad we don't have that worry.
So far the wind is nudging the 20 knot mark, causing the fenders to rub on the dock and halyards on some of the boats are clanking. Tuesday brought cold rain which made for one of those mornings that's easy to stay under the blankets. We did manage to get our propane heater fired up which definitely helps take the chill out of the air. The forecast has included 2 of the "S" words, possible sleet and snow, with temperatures not getting above 40 during the day and dropping into the 30's at night. Neither one of us thought to check for a little electric space heater when we stopped at the hardware store yesterday. That would be a great addition for the times like this when we're at a dock with power.
The forecast hasn't changed a lot other than to have increased the likelihood of rain. The storm is still in the process of winding up along the coast and it will be Tuesday night or Wednesday before we'll see what's in store for us. We thought about going to the aquarium, but neither one of us was anxious to take a hike in the cold rain. We picked up a couple of DVDs in town, so we can wrap up in a blanket and watch movies.
Fernandina Beach FL, December 2, 2006
While we were in Charleston waiting for the cold front to go through we received the news that Leonard's Mother had passed away. Luckily we hadn't headed out to sea on Sunday morning in an attempt to avoid some restricted bridges and get to Brunswick, GA. But had decided the possibility of getting caught in the storm force winds offshore (hurricane force for the Gulf Stream) that were predicted wasn't worth the risk. We made arrangements with the marina to leave the boat for a week and and got flights back to Minnesota the day after Thanksgiving for a Monday funeral.
On Wednesday the skies cleared and we spend the afternoon enjoying more of Charleston. On Thanksgiving day, we picked up a rental car at the airport and went to the Folly Beach for the afternoon.
Enjoying Charleston
The Submarine "H. L. Hunley"
Along the boardwalk
Fountain in the park
Rainbow Row in Charleston
Sculptured courtyard
After the funeral, we returned to Charleston on Wednesday the 29th and realized the cold front that had brought thunderstorms then freezing temperatures while we were in Minnesota on Tuesday would be breathing down our necks as we headed south. With flight reservations on December 5 to return to Vermont, we no longer had the cushion of "weather" days to wait for favorable winds and weather. Since we plan to store the boat on land at Fernandina Beach, FL this year, we need to coordinate details with the marina which may take more, rather than less time than in the past.
Plan "A" to go offshore at Charleston was out of sync with the approaching cold front since we'd have strong southerly winds ahead of it. Plan "B" was for an early start, but the one restricted bridge on this section of the ICW, less than 2 miles away, didn't open from 0600 to 0900 to facilitate rush hour traffic and we wouldn't fit under the 55 ft bridge with the high tide at 0500. So 0900 it was, and by then, the opposing current in Elliot's Cut had died back some. We wanted reach Beaufort SC, but with the late start and short days, there aren't enough hours of daylight to get that far at this time of the year, so we anchored at Sam's Point in the Cousaw River, about 12 miles north of Beaufort.
An eagle along the ICW
An early start got us to the Lady Island bridge at Beaufort in time for the first opening at 0900. It was blowing hard enough that we were afraid the bridge might not open at all. Opening is at the bridge tender's discretion and the sign said it didn't open in sustained winds of 25 MPH or greater. We were seeing gusts higher than that at the mast head which registers in knots rather than MPH. Two other sail boats came out of Lady Island Creek to go through with us, but we were the only one that continued on to Port Royal Sound in the south winds.
The south winds dashed any thoughts of heading offshore at Port Royal Sound, so we continued past Hilton Head Island while keeping a weather eye on the clouds to the west. We managed to get through Calibogue Sound and decided to anchor off Daufuskie Island until the front line passed before continuing through some of the narrow cuts to the Savannah River. Spending an hour at anchor was preferable to loosing visibility and risking going aground.
With time getting short, we decided to believe the forecasters when they predicted the wind to switch to the west during the night and headed out the Savannah River for an off shore run to the St. Mary's River. The seas were lumpy when we left the big ship channel and we prepared for a long night of motoring into the wind. At least the clouds were broken and the almost full moon shed enough light for reasonable visibility. The wind toyed with us for several hours, going just about far enough to the west to tempt us to roll out some sail. About 0100 it finally went enough westerly for sailing and lasted most of the night before going to the north and going light, making it hard to keep the sails filled.
There were several hours of wonderful moonlight sailing before the clouds filled back in. We watched the moon set just before 0430 just below the cloud bank. Then it really got dark and our luminescent wake could be seen for some distance. Other than 3 ships anchored off the Savannah River entrance and some fishing vessels closer to shore, the only thing we saw were some high power strobe lights on shore towers that were visible for most of the night. It also began raining at which point I woke Leonard up for his watch. When he called me four hours later, we were in the entrance of the St. Mary's River along with another Sabre, heading for Fernandina Beach.
Since the yard we're using this year doesn't have fuel, we went to the municipal dock to top off the tank. I also called Tiger Point to see if we could tie up on their dock for the weekend, before getting hauled on Monday. I was assured there was enough room (just) if we tied across the hoist slip. We'd have 20 feet of floating dock at the stern and could tie the bow off on the dock across the slip. It looked almost impossible, but it was slack water and the wind wasn't blowing, so Leonard decided to go for it. The folks on a motor sailor across the slip helped by taking a bow line, but it was rather like threading a needle. The boat on one side had 2 anchors hanging of the bow ready to gouge our hull, and the boat on the other side had a bow sprite that looked like it could impale us. But, as Leonard observed, they'd have to deal with us before hauling anyone else since we're blocking the travel lift slip.
Across the travel lift slip
Dec.7th from Burlington, VT
We flew home Tuesday leaving the boat out of the water at Fernandina Beach, FL. It was a somewhat hurried departure as the first attempt to haul the boat on Monday morning was delayed due to a strong current in the travel lift slip. We did get hauled about noon and then proceeded to scrub the bottom, clean the in sides, dry the sails (it was finally a sunny day), and drain and winterize the water system (local people said it wasn't necessary but I would rather be safe than sorry as below freezing temperature have occurred in the past.) We were so busy we didn't get any pictures of the boat on land. Our flights on Tuesday were delayed because of windy conditions in Newark but we arrived home only about an hour later than scheduled. Our trip will continue at the end of February 2007.
Leonard and Lynnea Rosner
We flew home Tuesday leaving the boat out of the water at Fernandina Beach, FL. It was a somewhat hurried departure as the first attempt to haul the boat on Monday morning was delayed due to a strong current in the travel lift slip. We did get hauled about noon and then proceeded to scrub the bottom, clean the in sides, dry the sails (it was finally a sunny day), and drain and winterize the water system (local people said it wasn't necessary but I would rather be safe than sorry as below freezing temperature have occurred in the past.) We were so busy we didn't get any pictures of the boat on land. Our flights on Tuesday were delayed because of windy conditions in Newark but we arrived home only about an hour later than scheduled. Our trip will continue at the end of February 2007.
Leonard and Lynnea Rosner