The Wreck of Rhiannon

December 8, 2013 Sunday.  Foggy, murky, 57 degrees, wind NE 10-15.  We talked with Nite Cap and decide to wait until 8:30 to lift the anchor.  This should still give us plently of tide to make Cumberland Island.  The fog is lifting as we enter Saint Simons sound.

As we make the turn into Jekyll Creek, we miss the channel and run into the rock jetty, which is invisible under the water on the red side of the channel.  BANG!  We are up on the jetty and then fall off the starboard.  The rudder is hung up on the rocks and between the engine and the tide, we manage to get off.  The steering is frozen and we can only turn the boat by putting all our weight against the wheel.  We are still afloat!  We are dealing with a 2 knot current, so we drop anchor and call TowBoatUS.  They arrive 45 minutes later and tow us into Brunswick Landing Marina and tie us up in the well of the travel lift.  We sit there until 9:30 the next morning.  No one is hurt, so we are lucky.  We called BoatUS insurance and reported the accident.

Grounding on Jekyll Jetty 31° 05.63’ N  081° 26.48’W  MM680.5  10SM today

December 9, 2013 Monday.  At 9:30 the boat gets hauled.  The damage is less than we expected.  The hull, prop and shaft are undamaged.  The keel is scraped and gouged, but the repairs needed are relatively minor.  There do not appear to be any stress cracks in the hull, stringers or in the joint between the hull and the keel.  The rudder is another story.  The bottom of the rudder is torn open and the shaft is bent.  I worked all afternoon with the yard mechanic Wayne to get the rudder disconnected and out of the boat.  Tomorrow it will go to a local machine shop to see if it can be fixed. 

31° 09.78’ N  081° 30.02’ W

We rent a car and stay in a hotel tonight.  Dinner at Capt. Bill’s Seafood.

December 10, 2013 Tuesday.  This morning, the rudder went to Dominey Machine and Propeller.  These guys do props, shafts, rudders, in addition to other precision machine shop work.  Dominey said they shaft can be repaired and will provide an estimate for our insurance.  I talked to the yard service manager (Jim) and he promised a complete estimate for the insurance as soon as he gets the numbers from the machine shop.  By the end of the day we do not yet have the estimate.  Hopefully tomorrow morning so these guys can get started on the work.

Lisa and I went over the St Simons Island and walked the beach as a cold front approached - see the pictures.  Wayne (mechanic at the boat yard) suggested at seafood restaurant in Darien, so that's where we had dinner - BJ's Steaks and Seafood.  They have a huge trophy for the best fried shrimp in coastal Georgia, so that's what we had - it was great.  The place is a concrete block hole-in-the-wall on Route 17 in Darien, but if you're in the area, it's worth the stop!

Click here for pictures from Brunswick

Minim Creek to Frederico River 2013

December 3, 2013 Tuesday.  Beautiful sunrise over Minim Creek.  Anchor up at 7:15am.  Tide high. Coyote here too.  Sun Sport on the creek on the other side of the ICW.  Partly sunny 50 degrees.  No wind.

10:45am just before Green 57 – pushed sideways into shallow water (aground) by inlet while giving way to a barge – nice guys get what they deserve.

12:46pm touched bottom at Red 89 – dead low tide – be sure to stay in the center!  MM450.  Sunny 60s no wind.

Cool Out and Half Nelson (large power yachts) stopped in channel by 2 sail boats aground.  This is the same spot we saw folks grounding on the Green side last spring, but now it appears the shoal is all the way across the channel.  It is a new moon and the tide is very low.  By 4:30 pm the sail boats are off as the tide comes in, but now we have missed the opening at the Ben Sawyer Bridge (into Charleston Harbor).  It won’t open again until 6pm.  We make that opening, except now it is night!  We motor across Charleston Harbor in the dark and anchor across from the City Marina at 7:40pm.  Deep water 30+ feet and lots of current – fun!  58 degrees, showers, but no wind.  MM469.  53SM  43NM today. 

December 4, 2013, Wednesday. Sunny and 60 degrees no wind.  Decided not to get up and try to make the 6:30 opening at the Wappoo Creek Bridge leaving Charleston.  The next opening is at 9am.  Coyote called about the 6:30 opening and was told it was a 6am opening before rush hour.  Glad we did not get up.

Weighed anchor at 8:15am and made the 9am opening at Wappoo Creek.  WE approached the Ashepoo/Coosaw Cut at low tide and were told by other boats there was only 3 feet of water at the south end of the cut.  Coyote and us opted to head down the Ashepoo River to the ocean and then back up the Coosaw towards Beaufort.  We had no issues, but Coyote ran aground at a spot where the charts say there is 20 feet of water.  It was just sand and they got off OK.  We saw several spots of 10 feet where the chart said more, but no groundings.  I later read an article on the internet that said a lot of the inlets have changed significantly since Hurricane Sandy and the Coast Guard has not gotten them all remarked yet – or the charts updated.

We made Ladies Island Bridge at Beaufort at 6pm and were tied up at the city docks at 6:15PM.  32° 25.78’N  080° 40.46’W  MM536  66SM  52NM today.  Another long day getting in after dark.

We had dinner with Darrell and Ruth (Nite Cap II) and Lynn Hersfield and Beth Holdane (Coyote) at Panini’s (Italian).  Showers – nice end to the day!

December 5, 2013, Thursday.  Fog this morning, which is common in this part of the country.  It was foggy when we left here last year.  20 gallons of fuel brought on and water tanks filled. 60 degrees no wind.  We depart with Nite Cap II.  Coyote is going on up river to Lynn’s brother’s where there is a community dock where they will leave the boat for the holidays.

Uneventful day.  Stopped just short of Field’s Cut.  We ran aground at each end of the cut last year and will wait for the morning tide.  Anchored in the New River at 3:15pm.  Sunny and 65 degrees.  Wind SW at 10.  Lots of current as this river empties directly into the ocean.  32° 04.70’ N  080° 54.57’ N  MM570  31.4NM  34SM today.

December 6, 2013, Friday.  Anchor up at 7am.  Clear and 60 degrees wind S 5-10.  Tide rising.  Made Field’s Cut with no problems.  Hugged the Green side close to the shore on the North end and the Red side by the range marker on the South end.  The crossing of the Savannah River here is confusing, but as long as you keep the Reds to the right, you are OK.  Made the Causton Bluff Bridge for the 9 am opening.  The next bridge (Skidaway Narrows) has now been replaced with a new high fixed bridge – no waiting!

Noon.  Sunny, 70 degrees,  wind S-SW @ 10.  Beautiful day on the water!

We passed through Hell Gate about an hour past high tide and had no issues.  Anchor down in Wahoo River at 4:30 PM.  MM 630  59SM  48NM today.

31° 36.15’ N  081° 12.92’W

December 7, 2013, Saturday. Fog and 60 degrees. We waited until 10am to depart.  Fog clearing.  10:30am fog clears at Saint Catherines Sound.  10:45am we hit something under water – log? piling? Maybe we were a bit too close to the red marker 36?

We made the Little Mud River at 1:30pm, 1 ½ hours after high tide and passed through with no issues.  Buttermilk Sound at 1:45 and passed through again with no issues.

4:30pm anchor down in the Fredrico River, Saint Simons Island, GA.  77 degrees, sunny, bugs are out in force, wind NW at 6.

31° 10.81’N  081° 24.77’ W  MM673 43SM  36.5NM today.

The shaft seal is leaking and needs to be tightened.  However, I can’t break the locking nut loose.  Darrell tried with his wrenches, but couldn’t get it done either.  Called First Mate Services in St. Augustine.  They will meet us at the dock at City Marina to tighten/repack the packing gland.

click here for pictures Minim Creek to Frederico River

Morehead City to Minim Creek 2013

November 28, 2013 Thanksgiving. Sunny and cold when we awoke.  30 degrees and ice on the dock!  Wind NW 10-20.  This slip is 60 feet long, but we managed to get the boat out with the wind directly astern.  Marguerite (Quicksilver) help us out of the slip.  We could not get turned around in the fairway, so we backed all the way down the fairway to the channel – about 300 yards!  Quite a feat!

Underway at 8am.  Saw 2 pods of porpoises by the bridge between Morehead City and Beaufort.  Slow going against the tide this morning.  11am, foresail out – wind NW 7-10.

This is the same date we left Beaufort last year.  It was cold and windy that day also.

Noon – Grace is aground at R38 (MM223).  They are out of the channel.  They had moved over to let another boat go by.  We offered assistance, but they said they would just wait for the tide.  Later, we heard they had to call TowBoatUS. 

3pm, Onslow Beach Bridge.  3:55pm, Mile Hammock Bay (Camp Lejeune) with Quicksilver.  There are 2 other boats here when we arrive.  3 more show up a daylight ends.  One of them is Grace.

Talked to Darrel and Ruth Richards on Nite Cap.  They are in Carolina Beach and we will see them tomorrow.  Darrell had to have some emergency dental work and they have been there a few days.

For dinner we had turkey tenderloins, sweet potatoes, broccoli.  Hope you had a great holiday!

Beautiful sunset.  Wind N at 3.  temp 44 degrees.  34° 33.11’ N  077° 19.49’W  34.4NM  41SM today.

November 29, 2013 Friday. Cold this morning. 6am 28 degrees.  Brrrr!  Oil in the bilge.  The oil filter is loose and dumping oil into the bilge.  Tightened it down and refilled the engine with oil. The throttle linkage on the generator is off also.  Work for tonight.

Anchor up at 7:15am.  Luds of gooey mud on the anchor and the chain.  Uch!  10am Surf City Bridge with 6 other boats.  Gracie, Grace, Ocean Cowboy, Quicksilver, Amaicus, and a blue sailboat with no name or hailing port (maybe Rhapsody in Blue we have heard on the radio???).  12:30 Figure 8 Island Bridge – missed the 12 noon opening by 5 minutes – we hate when that happens.  2pm Wrightsville Beach Bridge.  Sunny wind NW @ 10.  10 boats at the opening – 7 sail and 3 power.

4pm – on the mooring at Carolina Beach.  Nite Cap is here and Quicksilver.  Getting cold as the sun goes down.  Yelled hellos to Darrell and Ruth.  We will have drinks with them tomorrow at Barefoot.

 November 29, 2013 Friday. Cold and windy overnight.  7am 33 degrees wind NNE @ 13.  Depart with Nite Cap and Quicksilver.  The tide is against us through Snow’s Cut, but with us as we reach the Cape Fear River.  7:35am through Snow’s Cut.  8:35am MM 305 tide pushing us at 3 knots, make 8.5 knots over ground.  The push is lost completely ay we turn back into the ICW at Southport.

11am Lockwood Folly Inlet, pretty much low tide.  Stuck to the middle of the channel and made it through OK.  One reading at 6 feet.

12:25pm aground  on right side of the channel at Green 71 as we moved over for a oncoming barge.  Floated right off again.

12:45pm Shallots Inlet – hugged the reds 7 – 71/2 feet all the way.  Dead low tide.

4pm Brian greets us as we dock at Barefoot Landing Marina along with Nite Cap and Quicksilver.  Cloudy 50 degrees.  Many boats here including Lo Que Sa who we mat last year and last saw here in Barefoot.  33° 48.13’ N  078° 44.71’ W  44.2NM 50SM today.  MM 354.

Dinner at Dirty Dons at the marina with Darrell and Ruth.

November 30, 2013 Saturday.  Today is a layover day.  Darrell and Ruth dart early.  Quicksilver is taking a day off too.  Jen and Nick (Lisa’s cousins) come to visit.  Lisa goes shopping with Quicksilver.  I rebuilt both head pumps, cleaned the oil out of the bilge, repaired the linkage on the generator.  Lisa gave the boat a much needed bath and washes a bunch of the caked on mud from Mile Hammock Bay off the anchor and chain.  Diane and Lauch McKay (our concierge doctor) came for dinner and we ate at T-Bonz at Barefoot Landing.  Nice visit.  We moved the boat to the fuel dock and loaded up on fuel and water.

Monday December 1, 2013 Sunday.  We depart Barefoot at 7:30am.  Cloudy 50 degrees no wind sprinkles.  The tide is with us and we are making 6.8kts over the ground.  Quicksilver is with us this morning.  12:05pm  MM385 The sun is out, still making 6.2 kts over the ground.  Lots of stuff floating in the Waccamaw River as we head downstream (logs, islands of water plants, sticks) and the river is very muddy.

4:30pm anchored in Minim Creek with Quicksilver rafted alongside.  Nice anchorage.  Lisa made pasta for all.

33° 11.125’ N  079° 16.23’ W  62SM  49.6 NM  MM 416.

Oxford to Morehead City 2013

November 11, 2013, Veterans Day.  We rented a car in Meredith and drove to Easton, MD.  The boat is in Oxford, MD (close by) and we will stay with our friends, Jerry and Pan Jana, while we get Rhiannon ready for the trip south this year.  We have had the bottom painted, new injectors put into the generator, a six hundred hour service done on the main engine, a new pulpit installed, and the cockpit enclosure completed.  The are lots of smaller items we will complete before departing.

We are about a month behind on our schedule.  Our original plan was to spend a couple of weeks cruising the Chesapeake and then be in Norfork on November 1.  Instead, Lisa had appendicitis, was in and out of the hospital 3 times and needed time to recoup.  She is much better, but still not 100%.

November 13, 2013, Wednesday.  On the way back to the Jana’s from the boat I hit a raccoon who dodged the same way I did on the highway.  He managed to break the front bumper on the rental car.  Bummer.

November 15, 2013, Friday.  We turned in the rental car and spent the night aboard.  Departed Oxford Boat Yard at 7:20am. Sunny, high thin clouds.  40 degrees.  Wind WSW @10kts.  We watched fighter pilots maneuver over the Solomon’s from Patuxent River Naval Air Station.  We arrive at Calvert’s Marine, Solomon’s Island, MD, at 1:35pm.  38°19.83’ N 076° 27.33’ W.  37 Nautical Miles today.  When we were here in the spring, the marina had an OLD Mercedes diesel as their courtesy car.  It is still here and still running.  We went to the hardware store to get propane.  We had dinner on board.  It rained overnight.

November 16, 2013, Saturday.  Departed Solomon’s at 6:15am.  Dreary, drizzle, wind S @ 3kts.  8am, YC bell buoy, firing range for those fighters we saw yesterday.  Wind still south at 3kts, but moving with the tide we are making 7kts over the ground.    11:30am, Smith Point, we see three pelicans.  This is the same spot where we first saw pelicans last year.  Wind east @8kts.  Put up the main and the wind dies out completely.  Dropped anchor at 3:50pm in Fishing Bay, Deltaville, VA.  37° 32°.3” N  076° 20.18” W.  56.9 NM, 67.4 SM today.

Talked to Darrell and Ruth Richards today (Nite Cap II).  They left their boat in Deltaville for the summer and went home to Nova Scotia.  They are ahead of us and currently waiting on a weather window to cross the Pamlico.  We also heard from Dean and Sue Perry (Autumn Borne).  They are just entering Charleston Harbor.

No wind at all overnight and a full moon.

November 17, 2013.  Sunday.  We weigh anchor at 7:30am.  Heavy fog.  We follow a motor-sailer out to sea.  Once out beyond the land, the fog begins to clear.  12:50pm making 6.5kts over the ground.  No wind, Chesapeake is like a pond.  We see a Northern Gannet.  They look like a cormorant, but a white with black wing tips.  We arrive at Tidewater Marina, Portsmouth, VA, at 5pm.  This is where we spent time last year hiding from Sandy.  Quite different weather this trip.  30° 50.51’ N, 076° 17.96’ W.  51.6NM, 62SM today.  Officiall Mile Marker 0 of the Atlantic Intercoastal Waterway.  A few more boats here headed south late this year like we are.  Nice to have company.  Refueled – 23 gallons.

November 18, 2013, Monday. Departed Tidewater at 8:45am.  Rain and wind overnight, but 60 degrees and fair this morning.  Wind W @ 10kts.  We make the Gilmerton Bridge opening at 9:30am in spite of the fact that to old Norfolk and Southern RR Bridge was down – even though the guide book says it is always open!  We arrive at the Deep Creek Lock to the Dismal Swamp Canal at 10:30am with 5 other boats.

The locks at Great Bridge (Virginia Cut Route) is closed.  There is a problem with the main valve, so they can only operate at low tide.  I guess there is a lot of boats waiting because they are to large to go the dismal swamp route.  Today, the corps of engineers has divers in the lock to assess what repairs are needed, so the lock isn’t available at all.

We make it through the Deep Creek Lock at the 11:30am opening and make the Dismal Swamp Visitor Center at 3pm.  There were already 5 boats on the free dock.  The dock really only hold 3, so other have to raft to boats already there.  3 of us rafted – the raft now three deep – and the other headed for the next lock to tie up to the wall.  We are tied up to GARI, an Island Packet Cat 35 with Richard Mansfield and George Gould aboard.  George had a stroke a few years back and yet still travels the waterway with Richard’s help.Weather had been beautiful all day – 60-65 with sunshine – wind W 5- 10kts.  It was supposed to be blowing 20-25, according the weather experts.  36° 30°.39’ N, 076° 21.35’ W.  23NM, 28SM today.  MM 28.

November 19, 2013, Tuesday.  Up at 6:30am and gone from the raft at the Visitor’s Center at 7:15am.  Made the South Mills bridge and lock at 8:30am.  Sunny and 45 degrees.  Arrived at Lamb’s Marina in Elizabeth City at noon.  High winds in Abermarle Sound today and tomorrow.  Lamb’s is $35 a night, including electric, they have a courtesy car and laundry, showers, etc.  It is a small marina and a tight fit for us, but they put us on their gas dock, which is getting new pumps.  GARI, Gypsy, Samjac (a Black Lace 40 we met in Tidewater) and Mariners Dream are in this marina.  Others are tied to the wall before the bridge in Elizabeth City, anchored behind Goat Island or tied up at the visitors center in Elizabeth City.  With the winds howling out of the east, the docks at the visitor center will be very uncomfortable.  36°19.35’ N, 076° 10.65’ W.  MM46.  Only 18SM, 15NM today.

GAR I(Richard and George) and Samjac (Pat and Ron Brodie) join us for dinner at  Track One, which is right across the street from the Marina.  Great food!  Good Prices!  Prime Rib dinner special $13.95 and it was great and enough for two people.

November 20, 2013, Wednesday.  Winds are NE 15-20kts out on Abermarle Sound.  We stay put.  Went shopping for groceries and clothes for Lisa utilizing the free courtesy car.  Lisa made a stew using veggies and the left over prime rib and we took it over to GARI.  The stew was terrific and the evening done in pleasant company.Samjac left today and we received a text that they really had a rough crossing of the Abermarle and the Alligator River.

November 21, 2013, Thursday. We departed Lamb’s a 7am.  Cloudy and wind N @ 6kts.  We managed to leave our large (expensive) piling fender (bumper) tied to the dock at Lamb’s.  We tried to contact Mariner’s Dream to see if the would retrieve it for us, but they, too, had departed.  We considered going back, but Lamb’s is very tight and the tide was out so there was very very skinny water at the marina entrance.  We called the marina and the dockmaster, Dave, met us a the dock in Elizabeth City with the fender.  We gave him a nice tip so he could go to Track One for prime rib!  The folks a Lamb’s are some of the friendliest and most helpful we have encountered in out travels.

GARI made the 7:30am bridge at Elizabeth City.  We made the 8:30am opening with Norne Gaest (who we met the first time in Vero last May), Mariners Dream (Cathy and Derek Day, Alberta, Canada, a 36 foot converted lobster boat), Outlaw (cabin cruiser), and two other sail boats. There was also a sailboat headed north through the bridge (don’t see a lot of that this time of year).

Abermarle Sound was flat and calm until we got to the other side and the Alligator River Bridge.  Must be the geography, but the wind was NW 15-20 kts at the bridge!  Once in the river, the wind eased to 10 kts and now we have drizzle.  We hear at least 6 boats on the radio who are ahead of us.

We decide to anchor off Tuckahoe Point at the north end of the Alligator-Pungo Canal.  There are three boats already anchored off Deep Point and GARI is anchored off Tuckahoe.  5 more boats anchor off Deep Point and 2 more anchor where we are before dark.

3:50pm, our anchor is down in 8 ½ feet of water.  The sun is peeking out and there are rainbows!  35° 40.38’ N, 076° 05.97’W.  45.3NM, 54.3SM today.  MM 104.

Dinner on board and early to bed.

Mosquitoes tonight – the first we have encountered on this trip.

Some boats in the anchorage:

Sea Major

Oh Hana

Quicksilver

Amber Sea

Mahina

Second Mates

Outlaw

November 22, 2013. Friday. Up at 6am. Anchor up at 6:30am. No wind.  Sunny. Beautiful sunrise and the sound of shot guns as the duck hunters are out.  A bunch of the boats are already gone.  As we traverse the Alligator-Pungo Canal, the shore is lined with huge cypress stumps, some 6 –8 feet in diameter.  They have been here awhile and are deterioting, but at one time, these must have been huge trees.  Strangely enough, there are no cypress trees here now.  8:30am we passs a large tug and tow headed north.  10:30am Richard (GARI) called.  George is seeing double and they are pulling in at Dowrey Creek Marina to have George checked out.  We asked if there was anything we could do or anything he needed, but he said he was all set and would keep us informed.

4pm Anchor down in Braid Creek, north of Oriental, NC.  70 degrees and sunny. Wind W @ 6 kts.  There is a big resort marina (River Dunes) just to our south and three more marinas farther up the creek.  35° 05.38’ N, 076° 36.6 W  57.3NM, 68SM today.  MM 175.

We anchored on the north side of the channel next to R4.  There is supposed to be 8-9 feet of water at least halfway to the south shore.  A trawler comes in and anchors in that spot at dark.

November 23, 2013, Saturday. The wind came up a coupel of time overnight and there were showers when we awoke at 6am.  Underway @ 7am,  60 degrees and cloudy. Lots of mud came up with the anchor and chain, but good holding for the anchor. 8am, some clearing. Wind W @ 8kts.  On our nose – again.  11:30am – south end of Adam Creek Canal.  Misty rain.  Wind N @ 13kts.  12:30pm we arrive at Morehead City Yacht Basin.  Very protected, nice floating docks.  Several other boats a holed0up here also as the next few days are supposed to be stormy.  We tried to get into Town Creek Marina, which is where we stayed and had work done last year, but they are full.  Samjac is there for a couple of weeks.  34° 43.3’ N, 076° 42.27’ W.  28.4NM 34SM today.  MM 204.

Fuel 26 Gallons

The wind builds over night and is blowing 25+kts Sunday.  Monday turns out nice, but high winds and a winter storm moving in from the Midwest for Tuesday and Wednesday cause us to stay put.  We did some shopping and Lisa and Marguerite (Edwards) (from Quicksilver) have been playing cards and board games.  Also on board QuickSilver is her husband Jon and 20 year old son Aaron.  They brought dinner over to our boat on Monday and Benny made George and Susan Barlow’s chicken and pear curry for dinner with the Edwards on Tuesday.

Tuesday night we had gusts in the slip to 45kts and a tornado touched down just two miles from the marina.  We are fine and the boat is fine, but what a night.  At one point there were air-raid sirens, then all the electricity everywhere went out.  Scary.

November 27, 2013, Wednesday. Today is windy and rainy, but it is supposed to clear off and hopefully we will get out of here and head south tomorrow.  We had hoped to get to Myrtle Beach to have Thanksgiving with the cousins, but we’ll be late getting there.

We had dinner tonight at the Ruddy Duck, a tavern, which is walking distance on the Morehead City waterfront.  The food was very good and reasonable.

There are several other boats here waiting out weather, Quicksilver, Aisling, atleast 3 other sailboats and two large power boats.

Click here for pictures of Oxford to Morehead City

Last Leg of the Trip

Saturday, May 25, 2013. It is sunny and cool this morning, but the wind is down
significantly. Timing through the Dismal Swamp is critical, as the bridges and locks
open on a specific schedule - and only about 4 times a day. We plan to leave at 10:30am,
clear the bridge at Elizabeth City and then make the lock and bridge at South Mills at the
1:00pm opening. As we prepare to leave, we notice that there is a farmer's market going
on at the park next to the marina. Not large, but a very nice selection of veggies, plants,
breads, cookies, jellies, etc. Lisa bought a basil plant and we were given a jelly to use as
a marinade.

We are away from the dock at 10:15am and make an opening at the Elizabeth City Bridge at 10:30am. The wind is NW @ 10-15 and it is only about 45 degrees. This area of the Pasquotank River above the bridge is a very pretty area, not over-built like a lot of areas we have seen. The river gets narrower and is very winding as we head north to the lock. As we approach the lock, we are overtaken by Eagles Wings, a Morgan Out Island 40, with Dave and Joan aboard. We follow them from the lock to the Dismal Swamp
Visitors Center, where we stop for the day. The last opening of the lock at Deep Creek is
at 3:30pm, and there is no way to make that opening. These two locks raise and lower the boat 8 feet.  This is interesting, because there is only one lock on the Virginia Cut Route and it only raises the boat one foot.

The Dismal Swamp Visitor Center is unique. There is free dockage for boats - and it is a
rest area for autos on US Route 17. There is a visitor center, museum, rental kayaks and
canoes, walking/nature trails, and exhibits. A nice stop. There are four boats here -
Rhiannon, Alexia (HR42, William and Francis from England), Eagles Wings (who we
are rafted to), and Utopia (Caliber 40, Frank and Diane Albani).

We have dinner on board and then drinks aboard Alexia with the other three boats. Nice.

19.3NM 23SM today. 1 lock and two bridges. Mile Marker 28.
36°30.40'N  076°21.36°W

Sunday, May 26, 2013. We are up and away from the dock at 7:30am with Utopia. It is
chilly, but the wind is down to NW@5. This part of the Dismal Swamp is a very narrow
ditch - and only about 6 feet deep. Lots of flowers in bloom, Magnolias, Honeysuckle,
and others -like cruising through a florist shop - very fragrant. We arrive early from the
11am opening of the Deep Creek Bridge and Lock, and then have to wait almost an hour
until 11 :45am. We also arrive early for the Gilmerton Bridge opening and have to wait ½ hour for that opening as well.

This Memorial Day Week-end and there are lots of people on the water- especially in
small motorboats.

We arrive at Waterside Marina in Norfolk at 3pm. This is right on the Norfolk waterfront
and is very nice. The area has all been redone and would remind you of South Street
Seaport in NYC, or Baltimore. Restaurants, shops, a mall, a park. This marina is right
across the river from the Tidewater Marine in Portsmouth, VA, which is where we waited
out Hurricane Sandy last October. As you might expect, Norfolk is a very busy port, especially with the Navy. 

When we lived in Massachusetts, we used to see the ship “Energy Enterprise” come into Salem Harbor to deliver coal to the local power plant.  We saw that ship in Norfolk being loaded at a coal loading facility.

In addition to Utopia being here, Tinteán - pronounced tent-on (I think) - (Island packet
40, Ken and Sarah Aiken), and Daisy May (Ranger Tug 29, Bob and Bonnie Martin-
their dog is also Daisy May) are here. We last saw both in Elizabeth City. Bob and
Bonnie are doing the great loop. They purchased the boat in Florida. We walked around
town with Bob and Bonnie and then they went to find ice cream and we had dinner at
Hell's Kitchen. Interesting decor. We had seafood nachos that were great.

21.4 NM 28SM today. Mile Marker 0. 36°50.65'N 076°17.58'W

Monday, May 27, 2013. Memorial Day. Our plan was to spend the day in Norfolk, but
everyone is leaving headed north. We helped several boats off the dock and then helped
Tinteán on and off the dock to pump out. At 10am we, too, leave the dock headed north
and shortly catch up to Tinteán and travel with them the rest of the day north to Gwynn
Island (Deltaville, VA). As we left Norfolk, it is 70 degrees and sunny and no wind. At
2pm it has turned cloudy and the wind has gone South 10-15 and we have the genoa out.
At 6:30pm, we are actually rafted to Tinteán for the evening and Ken and Sarah came
over for dinner. Lisa made a lovely vegetarian lasagna for dinner.

47.9 NM 56SM today. 37°30.7'N  076°18.35'W

At 2am, the wind shifts SW and gets a little bumpy in the anchorage. There are now 4
other boats in here and Utopia and R&R are farther up the river. At 5:30am we are up
tending lines as the wind has now built up to 15+.

Tuesday, May 28, 2013. At 7:15am, we drop the lines and head north to Solomon's
Island (Patuxent River). It is cloudy and the wind is SW @ 15+. At 7:45am, we pass
Stingray Light and are making a steady 6-7 knots over the ground with only the headsail.
At 9:30am, we pass the mouth of the Potomac River and get attacked by small black
biting flies - hundreds of them! -  and we are at least 3 miles off shore! The sport of the day is swatting flies and there are at least 100 of them dead in the cockpit and almost as many below. We have run into this once before on Cape Cod Bay and the explanation we got at that time from the locals was there was probably a dead carcass of something large in the water that we passed close to.

At 2:30pm, the wind goes SE and the flies disappear. At 4pm, we are tied up at Calvert's
Marina at Solomon’s Island. Utopia and Daisy Mae are here as well. Everyone who comes in today has piles of dead flies onboard. We have dinner on board and then a walk around the area. There is not much to see or do on this side of the harbor and it is a very long walk around to the other side.

At 9pm, there is lots of lightening and thunder, but not too much rain. It looks like the
storms are passing to our north.

Tinteán is going overnight to Annapolis. We talked to them and they are still south of
Solomon's with the storms ahead of them.

59.9NM  72SM today. 38°19.93'N   076°27.42'W

Wednesday, 5/29/2013. We elect to spend the day here. The weather is questionable
and the anchorage the previous night and yesterday's long day has left us not ready to
face another day of high winds on the Chesapeake. We spend the day cleaning the boat and getting stuff packed, as we have only one more sailing day before reaching our destination for this trip - Oxford, MD.

Calvert’s Marina has a courtesy car and we use it to go to the hardware store for storage bins, then brunch at Happy's Diner. This courtesy car is the oldest living Mercedes on the planet, but it runs and the price is right.

The generator has been acting up again, same symptoms as before - starts, runs, shuts
down. I replaced the fuel solenoid and tightened up the linkage and it now runs as it
should. The injectors will need to be changed over the summer too as we are getting black, icky smoke.

We had dinner at the Black Creek Bistro at the marina. Food was good and a great view.

http://www.calvertmarina.com/gallery.php

Thursday, May 30, 2013. We left the dock at Calvert's at 9:15am. It is sunny and 75
degrees. Wind SW @ 5. The weather folks are predicting small craft advisories for the
Chesapeake, but it is a beautiful day on the bay and the winds never do materialize.

You see military aircraft close by all the time here because of the air station at the mouth
of the Patuxent River. Today, however, we see at WWII B25 doing "touch and goes".
My Dad flew in one of those as a photographer - sitting where the bombardier would
normally sit in the nose.

At 11: 15am, the wind is SW @ 10 and there is not a cloud in the sky. We arrive at Mears
Marina in Oxford to refuel at 3:00 pm. We want the tanks full when Rhiannon is stored for the summer. At 3:30pm we are tied up at Oxford Boat Yard, where Rhiannon will spend the summer having some maintenance done and just being stored until fall.

We meet Mitch (owner), Graham (manager) and Jason (service) and begin the discussion
of the work to be done.

Dinner is at the Tavern at the Robert Morris Inn. Walking distance from the boat. Very nice and the food was delicious. The Scottish Highlands Ice Cream Shop is right next to the marina and they make their own home made ice cream.  I imagine we will be visiting it many times while we are here.  We spend the night aboard.

33.5 NM 40SM today. 38°41.63'N  076°10.14'W 

Friday, May 31, 2013. Our good friends Jerry and Pam Jana, who live nearby in Easton,
MD, pick us up and give us a ride to Hertz. We are renting a car to drive home. We
spend the next 3 days meeting with folks at the marina and cleaning and packing up the
boat. We remove the headsail and will have it re-stitched again.

Oxford is a very pretty town and is somewhat of an artist colony.  Local artists paint sections of picket fences, then they publish a brochure with all the locations of these.  In the fall, they are auctioned for charity.  This week-end, there is a huge quilt show and sale at several venues around town. There is also a charity bike race going on.

Click here to see this week's pictures

Click here for more info on Oxford

We are staying with the Janas and Thursday night we clean out the fridges on the boat and have a bar-b-que with steak, chicken, potatoes, salad. Friday night they barbeque Ribs. Sunday night seafood at The Docks. Monday we drive home to New Hampshire. Now the work and planning begins for the next trip!

Trip Stats:

Shakedown Cruise, July 11 – 16, Georgian Bay, Ontario

Depart Penetanguishene, Ontario, Canada, August 4, 2012

Arrive Oxford, MD (via Marathon), May 30, 2013

Leg 1 - Penetanguishene, Ontario, Canada to Buffalo, NY

Leg 2 – Buffalo, NY to Brewerton, NY

Leg 3 – Brewerton, NY to Catskill, NY

Leg 4 – Catskill, NY to Beaufort, NC

Leg 5 – Beaufort, NC to Vero Beach, FL

Leg 6 – Vero Beach, FL to Marathon to Myrtle Beach, SC

Leg 7 – Myrtle Beach, FL to Oxford, MD

106 travel days

98 Ports-of-Call or anchorages

4426 Statute Miles

3728 Nautical Miles

Elizabeth City

Thursday, May 23, 2013.  We left the dock at the Alligator Marina at 6:30am.  The wind is still howling at 20+ knots.  We are motoring across the waves parallel to the Alligator River Bridge as we head for the channel to take us out to Albemarle Sound.  It is very rolley as we make this short run with 4 foot waves on our beam (coming directly from the side).  Lisa winds up below feeling ill for the rest of the day.  Once in the channel and heading north with the waves and the wind on our stern, it was much more comfortable.  We motorsailed across the sound to Elizabeth City – using the motor to maintain momentum as we surfed the waves. 

The channel leaving the Alligator River shoals frequently and the current channel is different from what the charts and chart plotters indicate.  If you follow the markers, staying close to the green ones, there is plenty of water.  If you follow the charts, you will wind up aground like Tom McGarry.  Coming up the Pasquotank River into Elizabeth City the charts show passing Green#7 to starboard, but if you do that you are aground.  We found that out the hard way.  Luckily we were able to back off.  If traversing this area, stay well north of this marker.

We got rain on and off while crossing the sound and it just stops as we tie u to the free docks in Elizabeth City.  These “docks” are very short finger piers.  You have to climb off the bow to get off the boat.

Tonight was a meet and greet.  The town has official greeters (Rose Buddies) for boaters and if more than five new boats show up, they have a wine and cheese party (beer too) and give out information about the area and give roses to the ladies.  Nice. We met several people and wound up at “Logan Rayes” (a Key West style restaurant) with Paul Herold and Jane Farrel on Aquila (Gulfstar 37).  Nice evening.

29NM 33.5SM today.  Mile Marker     36°17.90’N 076°13.10’W

Friday, May 24, 2013.  We awoke to the wind once again howling this morning.  They are predicting thunderstorms and 25-30 knot winds.  We decide to visit Elizabeth City today.  It rained on and off this morning, finally clearing up in the middle of the afternoon.  I don’t think the wind was as fierce as predicted today – maybe out on the sound it was……..

We had lunch at Sidney’s, very good food – breakfast and lunch only.  We visited some shops, bought the new Dan Brown book “Inferno”, and went to the Albemarle Museum.  It tells the history of this part of the Carolinas and is definitely worth visiting if you are here and have the time.  

Click this link for more info http://www.museumofthealbemarle.com/

This is a pretty town and they are really trying to keep the downtown area vital.  Nice to see.  It is also a very historic area, with markers and plaques everywhere.  Colonial era homes, nice parks, brick streets. 

We had dinner at “Thumpers”, the local watering hole.  Good food and very reasonable.  Local knowledge says get in and get out by 7:30 as the place gets loud and crazy – unless, of course, you are looking for loud and crazy.

Click here for pictures of Elizabeth City

Predictably Lost.  One of the people we met at the meet and greet was Daniel Alvarez.  He has backpacked the long hiking trails in the US (Appalachian Trail - 2000 miles, Pacific Crest – 2650 miles, Continental Divide – 3000 miles, and Hayduke Trail – 800 (very tough) miles).  Now, he has paddled a kayak from the NW Angle of Minnesota (most northern point in the US – except Alaska) to Key West (most southern point in the US).  Now he is paddling back north to Minnesota via the ICW, Hudson River, Erie Canal?????  Fascinating young man.  Here is his website if you want to read more and follow his travels   http://predictablylost.com/

Click here for pictures of Daniel

May 22, 2013 - Barefoot to Alligator River

Saturday, May 18, 2013.  We left the dock at Barefoot Marina in Myrtle Beach at 7:45 this morning.  It was 70 degrees and the sun was shinning and the wind was SW at 5.  Beautiful morning and the tide was with us.  We had no issues until exactly noon, when as we were passing Lockwoods Folly Inlet (what a name!) we touched bottom.  We were on the red buoy side of the channel as Skipper Bob and Active Captain suggest and it was half tide.  Maybe next time we’ll try the center of the channel.  We made Southport, our goal for the day at 2pm and decided to continue on.  We were making good spped all day, but going up the Cape fear River from Southport, we made 8+ knots over the ground with the current and wind helping, as well as the sails.  We hit the end of the flood tide on the Cape Fear River and managed to keep the current with us all the way to Carolina Beach (our second goal) – arriving there at 4pm.  We decided to continue on again (the current still in our favor) and were anchored at Wrightsville Beach at 6pm.  All in all, a very good day on the water!  71 SM, 55 NM today.  Wrightsville Beach 34°12.36’N  077° 48.02’W.  Mile Marker 283.

Sunday, May 19, 2013.  Anchor up at 7am and headed back to the inlet at Shinn Creek.  Partly sunny and 74 degrees.  No wind. For the record, it is 40 minutes from the anchorage to the Wrightsville Beach Bridge, which only opens on the hour.  We made the 8am opening, and in fact had to wait an extra 10 minutes for an ambulance to get across the bridge.

The Honeysuckle is in bloom and the ICW smells like a florist shop.  Nice.  The Osprey are just hatching out here.  In Florida, the chicks are already as big as pigeons, but here, they are brand new, or the mom is still egg sitting.

The ICW here is very wide, but the channel is very narrow.  The water either side of the channel may be a mile wide and a foot deep.

There were eight boats in the anchorage last night, and we saw two head offshore out of the inlet, but where did the rest of them go?

At New River Marina, gasoline is $3.12 and diesel is $3.96.  Cheapest we have seen.

We made all three bridges today (Wrightsville Beach, Figure Eight Island and Surf City) with no delays.

Today, the current was against us all day (making up for yesterday), but the wind picked up from the south in the afternoon  and we made good time motorsailing.  We arrived at Mile Hammock Bay (Camp Lejune, NC) at 2:45pm.  There is one other sailboat here.  By evening 3 other boast have anchored.  The Marines are not around, except for helicopters buzzing us.  39.8NM, 48.5SM today.  Mile Marker 244.5  34° 33.04’ N  077° 19.53’W.

Monday, May 20, 2013.  We had the anchor up and were underway at 8am.  Partly cloudy, no wind, 75 degrees.  It rained and was very wind overnight.  WE made the Onslow Beach Bridge at its 8:30 opening and then through the Camp Lejune Artillery Range successfully. 

The current was against us until the Onslow Beach Bridge and then turned in our favor,  The wind picked up from the SW @ 10-15.  With just the headsail out and the motor idling, we were making 8.8 knots over the ground through Bogue Sound.  We raced through Moorhead City and into Adams Creek.  Believe it or not, we were passed by another sailboat (Autumn Voyager) with Bob and Judy aboard (didn’t get their last name).  They winter in Hilton Head and then head north to Long Island Sound to see grandkids in the summer.

At he entrance to the Neuse River, we saw at least 20 dolphins feeding.

We arrive in Oriental, NC at Oriental Marina at 4:30pm.  We like this place.  It is a marina, a hotel, a bar and a restaurant.  Also, very protected.  The couple in the next slip are from Annapolis.  Dan and Melissa Kenshalo on Slow Dancing.  They are taking another couple with them from here on their (the other couple’s) honeymoon.  They have known them a long time.

Dinner at the Toucan Grill (at the marina).  Very nice.

53NM, 63SM today. Mile Marker 181.5  35°01.48’N  076°41.73’W

Tuesday, May 21, 2013.  Left the dock at 10am after taking care of some business at home.  Nice to be where there was great internet and phone service and they even let us use their fax machine.  We left some mail with them for the US Postal Service as well.  Very helpful folks.

It is partly cloudy and 75.  The wind is SW at 10-15, but there are some very dark clouds on the western horizon.  The wind gives us a nice push and we sail north on the Neuse River to Goose Creek.  As we enter the creek, the showers start and the Coast Guard is on get that far north today, and the storms are movinf northeast away from us, but we are still getting showers.  As we reach the Pamlico River, the skies brighten a bit and the wind shift to the west and dies down to 5-10 knots.

We anchor in Pungo Creek, just west of Bellhaven, NC, at 5pm as the sky starts to clear.  It turns out to be a lovely evening with a cool dry breeze.  40.5NM 45SM today.  Mile Marker 136.5  35° 30.48’N 076° 39.21’N

Wednesday, May 22, 2013.  Anchor up at 8:15am.  There were 5 boats anchored here last night and we are the last one out.  Wind is SW at 15 and it is beautiful.  Sunny and 70.  We make great time to the Alligator-Pungo Canal.  The canal is much cleaner than when we were going south through here.  At that time is was full of debris from Hurricane Sandy.  We did, however “bump” something.  There was 17 feet of water at the time, so it was probably a sunken log or something.

As we enter the Alligator River, the wind has built to 15-20, but is right on our stern and we make great time to the mouth of the river and through the Alligator River Bridge.  We are in the Alligator River Marina and refueled at 4pm.  We will sit here on the face dock out of the wind this evening and then try to cross Albermarle Sound tomorrow morning.

We met some folks from a couple of different boats at dinner at the café here in the marina.  The was Bob Binge (owner of a recently purchased Symbol trawler, Pendragon, in NC) and his paid captain Pete Peterson.  They are taking the boat north to Sandusky, Ohio.  We also met Tom McGarry, who is single-handing an Ericson 38, Ventrail Magh,  north to the Chesapeake.  He ran hard aground at the dog-leg turn from the Alligator River to Albermarle Sound damaging his rudder.  SeaTow rescued him and then ran his boat into the dock here in the marina damaging his pulpit.  Not his best day on the water.  I had a glass of wine with him this evening.  Nice guy.

Dinner in the restaurant was fried seafood.  Fresh and very good.  This is a nice little marina with fuel, dockage, showers, laundry and a store.  The folks are very helpful.  Reminds me a bit of Coinjock.  A good location if you need to hide after a day on the Sound or the Alligator River. Cheap diesel too!

Click here to see the pictures taken this week 20130523 

52SM, 46NM today.  Mile Marker 84.5  35°54.34N  076°01.76’W

We heard from Autumn Borne and they are in Norfolk.  We also heard from Nite Cap and they should be in Deltaville this evening.

May 17, 2013

Wednesday, May 15, 2013.  Today Jeff drove Lisa and I to Boston so we could fly back to the boat, which is at Barefoot Marina in Myrtle Beach, SC.  The flight was uneventful, uninspiring, boring and no fun, but we arrive in Myrtle Beach on time and safe.  We rented a car and headed to the boat.  Afterward, we went to Dinner at T-Bones and ate off the Happy Hour Menu.  Dinner and beers for both of us for $20.  Hard to beat.

This is Bike Week in Myrtle Beach.  One of three they have every year.  Two are in May, one for whites and one for blacks (segregation is alive and well here). A third one is held in October. Not sure what week this is as we see people of all colors and bikes of all kinds.  Strangely enough, most of the restaurants are not full of bikers – although we have been told that the booths selling beer are doing very well.

Click here for some Bike Week images

Click here for more Bike Week info

Thursday, May 16, 2013.  Today is a work day to get the boat ready for the trip to the Chesapeake.  Installed a new raw water filter for the main engine.  The old one cracked, although not sure how.  Changed the main engine oil and checked everything.  Checked over the generator and it and the main engine both started right up.  Filled up on fuel and water. Made grocery lists and did some route planning.  Dinner on board.

Friday, May 17, 2013.  Grocery shopping and other essentials from Walmart.  Stowed everything, changed the raw water filter element for the air conditioners, and returned the rental car.  Dinner at Dirty Don’s at the marina.  Bar food, but good and it was happy hour so another cheap dinner for two.  Tomorrow, we head north to at least Southport, NC.

We talked with four different marinas in the Chesapeake today.  They all pretty much have similar pricing.  It looks like prices have come down in the last 2-3 years compared to what was/is listed for rates on their websites.  Maybe the economy is helping us out in this effort at least.  We are pretty sure we will leave the boat at Oxford, MD for the summer.  We are familiar with the area and have friends there.

Stay tuned for more updates.

Sunday, April 28, 2013.  Terry (Lisa's first cousin) brought dinner to the boat.  What a nice treat.  Brian and Jennifer's kids came too (Lindsay and Nick) as well as Noah (Terry's son), his fiancee Natalie and their daughter Noel.  A boat full of people.  Very nice.  It was great to be able to visit with all these folks that we have not seen in a while.

Click here for pictures of the cousins

Monday, April 29, 2013.  It is RAINING - coming down sideways.  We are up at six. Packed.  We leave the boat during a break in the rain, have breakfast at Dino's Pancakes, then return the rental car.  Hertz was kind enough to give us a ride to the airport.  There is absolutely nothing enjoyable about air travel any more.  I traveled all over the world and really enjoyed it back in the day.  No one seems to be enjoying it these days, not the passengers, not the airport or airline employees, not the security folks..................................It really is like riding a bus (one of our flights today did not serve anything) - but it is the fastest way to get somewhere (most of the time).  Jeff met us in Boston and we made it home in time for dinner.

We are home for two weeks and then back to the boat and continue the trip northward, probably to Deltaville, VA or Oxford, MD.

Stay tuned.

April 28, 2013

Tuesday, April 23, 2013.  We were off the dock in Beaufort, SC at 6:45am, along with Teri Ann (Mainship 40 Trawler with Al and Teri Jensen), Symmetry (Lagoon 380 Catamaran with Lisa Brooks and Tom Schlagel), Baboo (Island Packet 40 with Cindy Lilly and Bob Wenneson) – and a couple of other boats that we did not see again.  The reason for the early departure was to make the 7am opening of the Ladies Island Bridge.  If you miss that, the bridge does not open again until 9am.  This also allowed us to pass some shallow parts of the ICW with a favorable tide – which we managed to do without touching bottom today.  The skies are PC and it is chilly – about 55 degrees.  We have a couple of layers on and the Mr. Heater keeping the cockpit warm.

About 1 PM, our calculations show that we will not make the opening of the Wappoo Creek Bridge at 3:30pm.  Baboo called the bridge tender, and while the publications say the openings are restricted from 4pm to 6:30pm, they don’t open at 4pm.  The last scheduled opening is at 3:30pm.  They will, however, open the bridge at 6:30pm instead of 7pm.  We slow way down and still get close to the bridge by 4:30pm.  Baboo is anchored alongside the channel and we raft to them for cocktail hour.  At 5:45pm, we break up the party and head for the bridge, along with Symmetry, a Trawler Summker Skis and three other boats. 

At 7:30pm, we finally get the anchor to hold and we are anchored across the channel from the City Marina.  Dinner on board.  Tomorrow, we will leave in time to make the 9am opening of the Ben Sawyer Bridge, which is the other side of Charleston Harbor,  Hopefully, we will make it to Georgetown, SC, tomorrow.

67SM, 53NM today.  32° 46.59’ N  079° 57.23’W.  Mile Marker 469

Wednesday, April 24, 2013.  We have the anchor up at 8:10am and are following Baboo towards the Ben Sawyer Bridge.  Lots of dew last night.  A front went through and it is chilly this morning.  Sunny, no wind. We get to the bridge for the 9am opening and head north.  Baboo is aground at Green Marker 119.  He gets off, but I seem to remember that you are supposed to favor the red side along here.  After checking my chart notes and Active Captain, there are lots of shoals between here and Georgetown, so we will have to be extra diligent. 

By 2pm, the wind has gone SE at 10-15.  We put up a sail and are making 7 knots over the ground, even tho’ the tide is against us.  The horse flies must have hatched out as we have about 30 in the cockpit and are using the fly swatter relentlessly.  They aren’t biting, but there are sure a bunch of them.

We arrive at Hazard Marine in Georgetown, SC, at 5:30pm.  This is the second time we have been in here and both times, they had someone wait for us (they close at 5), help us get tied up, plug in the electric and fuel us.  However, there fuel nozzle, is not set up for a sailboat.  It about a foot long and 1 ½ inches in diameter and pumps 15 gallons a minute.  So we wind up refueling from the jerry cans we carry and refilling those.  The attendant helped with all of this.  Nice tip for him this evening. 

Baboo chose to tie up at the Riverwalk Marina.  The dock they put them on was old and falling apart.  They advertise new floating dock, but a lot of those are “coming by the fall”.  We met Bob and Cindy (Baboo) for dinner at the River Walk.  The food was good, but not cheap.  A nice evening was had by all.

32° 21.65’ N  079° 16.80’W.  67SM, 53NM today.  Mile Marker 403.

Thursday, April 25, 2013.  We are off the dock at 8:20am. Cloudy and sprinkles.  Not as cool as yesterday morning.  Someone said on the trip north, you should stop whenever it gets chilly and let the weather catch up to you.  The tide is helping us this morning, and in fact, helps us all the way to Myrtle Beach.  We get a steady 1 to 1 ½ knot push all the way.  We tie up a Barefoot Marina at 3pm.  We will visit with Lisa’a cousins (Brian, Jennifer and their kids, Lindsay and Nick) and hopefully our concierge doctor Lachland MacKay  and his wife Diane.  Brian is one of the dockmasters here at Barefoot Marina and we will be leaving the boat here to head home for a couple of weeks.  Our Lab has to have surgery and Lisa has some meetings to attend.  We will return on May 15 and continue the trip up to Deltaville, VA, where we plan to leave the boat for the summer.

Lachland has been in the hospital, first with bronchitis, then he had an allergic reaction to some meds, then they found a blockage in one of his arteries and put in 2 stints!  He is home now recovering.  We hope to get to visit.  If not, maybe on the return trip.

At 3:30, Baboo passes by, continuing north.  They are meeting grandkids at Southport.  At 4pm, the clouds thicken and rain begins.  It continues, heavy at times all night.

033° 48.14’ N  078° 44.69’ W.  49SM 36NM today.  Mile Marker 354.

Friday, April 26, 2013. We rent a car for the week-end and drive up to Jennifers house in Calabash, NC, pick up the kids and then dive over to the restaurant she manages for a late lunch (The Boundary House).  I had a BLT and it had the most bacon on it of any I have ever had.  When we get back to the marina, across the ICW at Barefoot Landing is Teri Ann.  We wind up going for an early dinner with them at T-Bonez, where they have cheap drinks and eats 4-7.  They are leaving in the morning headed north.

Saturday, April 27, 2013.  Today was cleaning day.  Rhiannon got a thorough bath, including removal of her moustache (the brown stain on the bow caused by the coffee-colored water of the ICW).  I also changed out a pump in the aft head, as it has gotten to the point where it no longer wants to work.  I changed out the forward one earlier in the week and then rebuilt it to I can use it in the aft head.  I also sprayed the dodger and bimini with 303 fabric protector as the were starting to let water through, especially after the very heavy rains we have had.  I find this need to be done about every 4-6 months.

Lisa and I went over to Barefoot Landing and had dinner at “Smokin Hot Southwestern Grill” – just OK.  Too many other restaurants in the area to go back to this one.  There are lots of ice cream places here also, so we had dessert and then back to the boat.  It is raining again.

Sunday, April 28, 2013.  Laundry day.  Showers ashore.  Clean the inside of the boat.  Terri, another of Lisa’s cousins (Jennifer’s mom) and her son Noah and Lindsay and Nick and Brian are coming to dinner.  Tomorrow morning, we head to the airport early.

 Click here for the latest pictures 20130428

Stay tuned!

Saturday, April 13, 2013.  We leave the dock at Cocoa Village Marine at 8:15am, partly cloudy, wind NW @ 5.  There is a ½ knot current pushing against us.  At 10am the wind is NW 10-12.  At 11:30am, the wind is NW at 15-20.  It pretty much stays NW at 15 all day.  Of course, that is the direction we are traveling.  Stan Hedlund says that no matter what direction you are going on the ICW, the wind will be on your nose.

At 11:50 we have passed Cape Canaveral and approaching the cut through Merritt Island into the Mosquito Lagoon.  Both of these bodies of water are very shallow (2 feet outside the channel) and the water is 86 degrees.  We wonder how warm it will be at the end of the summer.  This is the habitat for the Rosette (Pink) Spoonbill, and we see quite a few in flight.  The small islands just west of Merritt Island are their roosting/nesting places, but they are too far away to get a good camera shot.  More info http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roseate_Spoonbill

Between Mile Marker 860 and 850, we saw herd of Manatees.  The most we have seen on our trip.

We planned to anchor off the ICW east of Green Marker 47 and Red 48, but it looks as if the entrance to this anchorage is shoaled to the point where you could walk across it.  We continue on.  The free docks at New Smyrna Beach are already taken, so we take a slip at the New Smyrna Beach City Marine.  We are on the dock at 4pm.This is a nice little marina and we have been here before – Mile Marker 246.  51SM, 47NM today.  29° 01.65’ N  080° 55.22’W  Mile Marker 846

Note:  We touched bottom in the channel at Green 39 (where you turn to enter the Marina).

We had dinner on board, then walked into town.  Tonight is old car night. 

 Click here to see the pictures of the New Smyrna Car Night.. 

Sunday, April 14, 2013.  We are off the dock at 8:15am.  It is partly cloudy and the wind is east at 5.  We clear the Coronado Beach Bridge (aka George Mussen Bridge) at 8:40am.  We made the infamous corner where we went aground twice on the trip south .  Last time, we were “advised” to hug the Red 18 buoy – no water there.  This time we stayed just south of the Red/Green 19 and had 7+ feet at mid-tide.  I believe if you go north of this Red/Green buoy, there will be even more water.  We have between ½ and 1 knot of current pushing us this morning – nice.

Clouds built up all afternoon, and by 3:30pm it is raining.  We planned to anchor at Fort Matanzas, but it is starting to rain and the weather service has just issued an tornado and hail warning for this area.  We decide to continue on to St. Augustine (another 14 miles). By the time we reach St. Augustine at 6pm, it is starting to lightning and thunder.  We get tied up to the dock and everything hooked up, when the storm really hits.  Big crashes of thunder and lightning very close by.  We have dinner on board, watch some of the John Adams HBO Special we have on DVD and to be early. The storm continues most of the night.  68SM, 57.9 NM today.  29° 53.52’ N  081° 18.54’ W.  Mile Marker 778.

There is a new dock going in to the north of the current docks which has a 6 foot skirt and will act as a breakwater also.  There are also lots on new mooring, both north of the Bridge of Lions and south of the marina.  The bathrooms and showers have all been redone, also.

Monday, April 15, 2013.  Patriots’ Day in Boston and the Boston Marathon.  The day is clear and beautiful.  Sunny with a cool breeze.  Lisa and I do laundry, some housekeeping, take showers and then go for a walk around this lovely old city.  See pictures.  A guy named Henry Flagler built many of the public building, churches, hotels, and Flagler College.  All we built using poured concrete construction in the Spanish Renaissance style.  Beautiful buildings. In case you don’t know, Flagler was a business associate of John D. Rockefeller and one of the owners of Standard Oil.  He and his wife honeymooned in St Augustine and fell in love with then area.

Click here for some pictures of St. Augustine

We have a wonderful lunch at Harry’s (New Orleans style food).  Now, mostly I find that once you leave New Orleans and especially Louisiana, the “New Orleans Cuisine” is mediocre at best, but this was very good.  I had a shrimp po-boy and gumbo and Lisa had fried eggplant with crab.  MMMMMMM good!

Jeff called with the news of the bombings in Boston.  I guess there are crazy people everywhere, but this is a little close to home.  Maybe we need to re-institute public hangings – or let the families of the victims stone the perpetrators – I’m just saying………….

Jim and Judy Foster (Tug-a-Long) are in Fernandina Beach.  We will try to make it there tomorrow, so we can see them.  Nite Cap is still in Velcro Beach.

Tuesday, April 16, 2013.  We are away from the dock at 8:15am and make the Bridge of Lions opening at 8:30.  We made plans to stop at Jacksonville Beach, because there is no room anywhere in Fernandina Beach because of the Trawler rally.  At 11am, the marina at Fernandina Beach calls and they have a mooring for this evening!  Great!  Hopefully, we will get to hook up with the Fosters!

Shortly after leaving St. Augustine, the fog closes in.  We are in the company of 3 other boats and using the radar for about an hour, we finally break out of the soup.

We arrive in Fernandina Beach at 5:30pm.  The dockmaster has found us a spot on the face dock right behind a small cruise ship.  It makes a nice wind block!  Jim and Judy come by and we wind up going out to dinner at the Salty Pelican.  Good shrimp.  Today has been a long day and we will turn in early.  30° 40.23’ N   081° 27.99’ W   61.5 SM, 49.2NM today. Mile Marker 716.5

Wednesday, April 17, 2013.  We decide to take advantage of the wind and the tides and leave Fernandina Beach at 9:30am.  We tried to connect again with the Fosters, but they are in a group meeting with the Trawler Rally.  Wind is NNE @ 10 and the skies are clear.  We decide to visit Brunswick, GA, and arrive there at 4pm.  It is actually 5 miles west of the ICW up the Brunswick River.  It is supposed to be the best hurricane hole (place to hide from hurricanes) in the southeast.  However, in town is a big plaque with the story of the 1898 hurricane that wiped everything out in the area with a 16 foot storm surge.  The harbor is well protected from the wind, but is open to the south into the      Brunswick River, which is open to the ocean.  The dock hands were less than helpful and the three of them spent most of the time we were there sitting in the office, smoking, and grousing.  The docks look strong, tho’.  Lots of NoSeeums.

We had dinner at Tipsy McSways.  Mostly a bar, but the burgers were good and the beer was $2.  There is also a store in town that makes cup cakes and has ice cream.  The downtown is trying to make a resurgence and there are shops and restaurants to walk to, but anything else requires a car.

We have been crossing paths with Teri Ann a Mainship 40 trawler since we left Cocoa (Teri and Al Jensen, Massapequa, NY).  They are here in Brunswick tonight along with Hooper (their Golden).

31° 09.07’ N  081° 29.99’ W  42.5SM, 35.4NM today.  5 miles west of ICW Mile Marker 680.

Click here for most recent pictures 4/16/13 

Thursday, April 18, 2013.  We leave the dock at 8am.  Although the dockhands are all in the office, they are too busy to help “until later”.  No problem getting off, skies are clear and there is no wind.  There are some shallow area to deal with today.  We managed OK through Buttermilk Sound at 11:30am and then the Little Mud River at 12:45pm.  Both of these on a mid tide that was rising.  The tides are 9 feet through Georgia.  The south end of Althamaha Sound saw only 6.5 feet on the magenta line, but we did not touch.

At 2:20 (Red Marker 153), we see lots of dolphins and a sea turtle.

At 2:57 (Green Marker 143, there are serious whitecaps as the wind builds 15-20.  Sun and clouds.

We decide to visit Kilkenny Marina.  It is at Mile Marker 614, up Kilkenny Creek.  It is supposed to be “rural”, but have a great restaurant and fuel.  We arrive there at 6pm.  The docks are floating docks and there is good protection from the wind.  Quaint would be the description I would use.  They have a small travel lift for launching the locals’ fishing boats and you can buy live shrimp for bait.

We had dinner at the adjacent Marker 107 Restaurant (named for the green ICW marker at the entrance to the creek).  Nice place, excellent food and cheap beer.  The restaurant also has a dock and you can anchor in the creek either above or below the marina.  Plenty of  water.

031° 47.34’ N  081° 12.16’W  73SM, 61.4NM today.  Mile Marker 614.

Friday, April 19, 2013.  We depart Kilkenny Creek at 10:25am.  It is dead low tide, but we hope to catch a rising tide for the remainder of the day.  PC 77 degrees, wind SE @ 10.  The least amount of water we way in Kilkenny Creek was 8 feet at low tide.  Locals told us to stay in the center or just north of the center of the creek. 

At 11;!0am, the wind is S @ 15-20.  At noon, the wind is S @ 20-25.  At 12:45, we pass through Hell Gate and the lowest water we saw was 7.5 feet.  However, it is mid tide.  We saw 4.5 feet through here at dead low tide on the trip south, but we did not touch bottom.  The wind is now gusting to 30.

We arrive in Thunderbolt, GA at 3:15pm.  We have made great time with the wind howling on our stern and a tidal push most of the day. 

We had an early dinner at Tugby’s (one of the two restaurants you can walk to from the waterfront).  $2 beer and free appetizers.  Burgers and fries.  As we leave the restaurant, thunderstorms arrive and we wind up standing under an awning until they pass.  Lisa heads back to the boat and head “two blocks” into town to get some milk and ice cream.  Two blocks is more like 8 and there are no sidewalks in this town, so you walk in the street or through someone’s yard.  There are apricot trees at the marina, so I picked some.  Very sweet.

Morningstar Bahia Blue Marina 32° 01.89’ N  081° 02.89’ W  32SM, 26NM today.  Mile Marker 582.5

Saturday, April 20, 2013.  We are off the dock at 9:00am, as the skies clear.  It has rained hard all night.  That helped wash some of the salt off the boat, but she is in need of a good bath and her water line cleaned.  The bow and the waterline turn brown from the water when traveling the ICW.  Water ever minerals make the water coffee colored, do the same for the boat.

Our raw water strainer is cracked and leaking.  It is heavy plastic material, but I have no idea how it would crack.  We patch it with Llife Caulk (an underwater sealant), and hope it will suffice until we get somewhere where we can replace it.  There is no water pressure per se, so hopefully this will work.

We had the heat on this morning, it is only 58 degrees.  Stan and Judy said sometime you outrun the warmth going north.  I think we did.  We also have the Mr. Heater set up in the cockpit and jeans and jackets on.

At 10:15, we are exiting the ICW into the Savanah River.  A huge container ship crosses in the river just as we get there.  The chart and chart plotter show the channel on the wrong side of the Red Markers.  Make sure you stay to the right of the Reds heading north, regardless of what the electronics tell you.

As we cross the river and turn north into Fields Cut, we run aground and are stuck fast, in the middle of the channel.  It is low tide here, but the charts say there is 7.5 feet of water, but there obviously is not.  Active Captain says to favor the Red Markers, but that didn’t help us.  Luckily, we sit for about half an hour and are floated off.  Do not try this cut at low tide.

At 10:50am, we are exiting the northern end of Fields Cut and run aground again.  Right in the supposed channel.  The deep water is close to the east shore (Green Side).  A large power boat is behind us and we ask hime to pass us with a learge wake to “bounce” us off the shoal.  Normally, you want a slow pass with no wake.  Magic Queen obliges with a large wake and we are free!

At 11:10am as we turn north from the Wright River to the New River at Red 42, the chart and plotter show the magenta line (preferred course) far to the east of the Marker.  Do Not Do That!  The channel is in the middle of the river and there is plenty of water there.  Whoever drew the magenta line through this area must have been in a flat bottom air boat!

\We received a message from Diane MacKay that Lauch went into the hospital with pneumonia or severe bronchitis and then he had an asthma attack as a reaction to one of the meds, then they found an 85% blockage in one of his arteries.  They put in 2 stints and have him on a broad spectrum antibiotic and is now in ICU.  He was one sick puppy.  Lauch was our conceriege doctor when Lisa had her tonsillitis when we were last in Myrtle Beach.

We arrive at Downtown Marina in Beaufort, SC at 4:30pm.  We have dinner at Luthers, a burger and beer joint on the waterfront.  Food was OK, beer was cheap (happy hour) – some places in Georgia and South Carolina have Happy Hour all the time!  Also, Savanah is one of the four areas of the country that allow “take-out” drinks.  New Orleans being another one.

32° 25.79’ N  080° 40.49’ W  46SM 38NM today.  Mile Marker 536.

Sunday, April 21, 2013.  There are high wind advisories posted for this afternoon and tomorrow – 40+ knot wind gusts.  Sustained at 15-25.  We decide to visit Beaufort until Tuesday, when we will head for Charleston. 

Teri Ann arrives and we say hello to Teri and Al and Hooper.  They went to Savanah and tied up to the wall at the river walk there.  They said they got beat up pretty good by the passing ship wakes and today got beat up coming up Port Royal Sound.  They will probably also be here until Tuesday.  Water Music (a Hunter 35) that we have crossed paths with several times is also here hiding from the wind.  The marina is, in fact, full.

Monday, April 22, 2013.  There are still high wind warnings, so most everyone, including us, is staying put until tomorrow.  We hope to get an early start and make it to Charleston.  There are quite a few boats leaving to make the first bridge opening at 7am.  Hopefully, the weather will co-operate.

Click here for pictures of Beaufort, SC

Stay tuned!