Solomons Island and Heading South 10/28/09
After sitting out the cold front Dun Cove, we had a great sail over to Solomons, only using the jib because it was down wind. The wind, which had been steady most of the day, laid aback some as we approached the Patuxent River. This made stopping at the free pump out station easy, and, after we had emptied the holding tank, we headed up Back Creek to find a spot to anchor.
There were a lot of boats already anchored as we threaded through them heading upstream. Maybe it's a sign of the economy when you see large power boats anchored rather than plugged in at a dock. We've seen more of that this year than in the past. It'd got to be less expensive to use a generator than pay a couple of bucks a foot for dock space, and then even more for the 50 amp power service they require.
We found a spot a bit further up the creek than we've usually anchored which meant we'd have a quiet night with little traffic going past. We launched the dinghy and headed to shore. I wanted to pick up a few things at the store and check out the laundry facilities. Seemed the laundry closed a short time ago, so we walked into town. After passing the Maritime Museum, there is a boardwalk along the Patuxent River that we've always enjoyed and a bit of a loop that hooks along the shore at the harbor entrance. All told, it's about 4 miles round trip, and it felt good to stretch our legs.
Sunset at Solomons
We got back to the store, with just enough time before it closed, to pick up what we needed before returning to the boat for the night. We were treated to a spectacular sunset as we left the store, with the sun finally making an appearance at just the right time to light up the clouds. The sun has been in short supply this trip.
Our outboard has been acting up, dying rather than idling, which has made for some interesting takeoff and landings. Leonard had looked at it at Dun Cove and decided the carburetor wasn't something he wanted to tackle. On line he found a place at Solomons that sold Nissan parts which meant if something broke, he could get parts or help. After taking the idling jet apart he realized it was blocked, which didn't make sense. After clearing the blockage with a small wire, he reinstalled the jet and, voila, it idled like it should.
We hadn't decided what we wanted to do for the day, so we took a dinghy ride over to Mill Creek to see where our friends on Release had docked, and then planned to head for an anchorage across the river. After we had everything stowed but the dinghy, Leonard saw we'd missed a call. With an invitation for dinner at Francie's sister's on Mill Creek that evening we changed plans.
We put the outboard back on the dinghy and went ashore to pick up some wine for dinner. I also took advantage of the shore time to get my hair trimmed, something that hadn't gotten done before we left home. We also picked up spare fan belt and some alligator clips to use when we deploy our "fish", a large zinc we use at anchor, that helps make the smaller zinc on the prop shaft last longer.
With the invitation to arrive anytime, we motored over to Mill Creek around 1500. Cal and Nancy aboard "I Needa Wind", who have been traveling with "Release", had arrived from Annapolis and were already anchored. We had a great time meeting Francie's family, including her 96 year old Mother. Everyone sails (as they should since naval architect, Olin Stephens, was Francie's Uncle), and a number of us have made trips to the Bahamas in the past, so there was a lot to talk about and the food was delicious.
The Bushees were still installing our old radar aboard "Release" and they wanted to spend some time with her family. Cal was looking for Honda generator parts before heading further south, so we departed by ourselves in the morning. Once out of the harbor we ran the jib out and had a great downwind sail in spite of the gray, drizzly day. The point of interest for the day was someone calling to the red sail boat headed south. We could see what looked like a military vessel ahead of us and we knew there was a restricted target area used by the Navy pilots. They requested us to keep clear of them, and, as they headed north, we could see they were operating a remote control vessel, maybe 4 or 5 feet long. Reminded me a bit of the model boat contest in the swimming pool we'd seen on our cruise around Cape Horn!
I'd understood Leonard to say he wanted to explore an anchorage in the Little Wicomico River. But when I looked at the chart, it wasn't a place I'd attempt, especially with the NE winds we were experiencing, since the approach is over 6 and 7 foot shoals. I was relieved to learn he'd meant the Mill Creek up the Great Wicomico River. It's a stop we've used in the past, with good protection and secluded surroundings. We joined another boat already at anchor. It rained most of the night, but we had little wind which made for a peaceful night.
We deemed it warm enough in the cabin for us to take a quick shower in the morning. I'd hoped to head for the Corrotoman River, up the Rappahannock, but with the winds forecast to be S, SW going to W later, made that destination all upwind, and not one Leonard wanted to explore. We decided to wait until we were out on the bay to pick a destination dependent on the wind conditions.
To avoid the shoals at the mouth of the Rappahannock, we sailed a tight reach, heading south. The conditions were once again delightful, especially since the sun made an appearance as we ate breakfast. With an ebb current and good winds, we clipped along at about 7 knots and could head for a number of great anchorages.
A bit south of the Great Wicomico entrance we saw a number of large vessels grouped together along our route. It was the menhaden fleet out of Reedville, which still has a processing plant in operation. Actually we'd smelled them "cooking" as we sailed past the evening before. There were 10 of them out fishing. The large vessels (100 foot-long) carry 2 smaller vessels that deploy the seine nets. There were 3 spotter planes circling overhead as we passed the fleet. It was interesting to watch them deploy the nets, the 2 smaller boats working in tandem to get it set. If we could be sure of being upwind of the processing plant, Reedville would make an interesting stop. They have been processing menhaden there since 1873, and the town has a museum devoted the industry. Being down wind would not make for a pleasant stop, fishy hardly covered the smell we caught on the bay!
Netting Menhaden
and the birds feasting
We'd heard the Jordan Bridge, one of many heading south of Norfolk, was in the process of being torn down, and had a 4 hour advance notice requirement to be opened on weekends. We'd thought of heading south on the weekend but were flexible to changing plans if necessary due to weather or other circumstances. This sounded like it might be one of those "other"s. We've also been forewarned, thanks to Paige Caldwell, that the Ben Sawyer Bridge just north of Charleston Harbor will close on Nov. 13 for at least a 2 week period making an off shore run necessary for anyone heading further south at that time.
With the going so good, Leonard suggested we keep heading south, possibly to Mobjack Bay, with a late afternoon arrival. This would put us at Hospital Point, Norfolk on Thursday, with the possibility of running the gauntlet of bridges on Friday. In spite of a brief lull, known to us as the 2 o'clock flats, which lasted less than 5 minutes before filling in again a bit more from the W, we had nice wind all day. Although this year has been cooler and wetter than in the past, we've had better sailing winds on the Chesapeake, and the run to Norfolk should be good too, if the forecast is correct.
We ended the day back at another anchorage we've used in the past, up the NW branch of the Severn River in a cove off Free School Creek. As we approached the anchorage, we were hailed on the VHF radio. He said he was a trimaran, but we couldn't see any anchored in the area. He was calling from shore, his boat up in a lift, wondering if we were part of the Caribbean 1500, and was offering help. Apparently he is part of the group of boats who will leave the area in early November, heading for the British Virgin Islands. We thanked him for his offer (actually, 36 feet is below the length they now accept for the regatta) and agreed with him that we were headed for a pleasant anchorage. With the small craft advisory lifted, there should be no problem with the spot we selected for the night as the cold front passed
Leaving the Chesapeake 11/2/09
I learned you can't trust weather adages. We had a beautiful red sunset, not a cloud in the sky, but in the morning, instead of bright sunshine, we were greeted with clouds and drizzle. At least it had been a peaceful night with no neighbors and very little wind. Unfortunately, the wind wasn't quite a strong as had been forecast, and since it was almost dead down wind, there wasn't quite enough to keep us moving fast enough without relying on our diesel for a boost to reach Norfolk in a timely fashion.
Dredging Oysters
We cut across the flats north of Hampton as it saves time rather than keeping to the big ship's channel further east. We've done it in the past, and after sailing in the Bahamas, 10 feet of water can feel more than deep. We joined a bunch of other boaters and a huge freighter heading into Norfolk, going past the Navy repair and dry dock facilities.
The Navy has devised a new method of maintaining a security zone around the docks. On past trips several large inflatable boats armed with guns traveled along the perimeter. Now a floating fence marks the restricted zone, leaving no doubt where it is. As we went past, a tug pushing a barge loaded with scrap metal came out. It was interesting to watch a boat open the fence and then literally zip it shut after the barge departed.
With the big freighter coming behind us, we stayed well over to the side of the channel. We watched two big tug boats head over to it, one on either side. The one on our side came alongside and may have picked up a crewman before heading to the stern where they tossed a line and then tied on with a huge hawser. The tug actually went sideways trying to maneuver the freighter and slow it down. Eventually they got it stopped, and as we passed, we watched the other tug come along side, and help back it into the dock for unloading.
By then we were almost to Hospital Point, our anchorage for the night. A number of boats were already at anchor and we looked for a spot where we'd fit. After being too close to a boat behind us, we had just reset the hook when a real old graybeard, on the boat next to us started to talk to Leonard. He claimed we were over his anchor and that he had no engine, so would we please relocate. The bottom was a really soupy mud, black and sticky. We did move, and the guy gave us a thumbs up. The hailing port on his stern read London, and he was flying a Union Jack. We enjoy visiting Norfolk, but didn't even bother to launch the dinghy given the weather and the time of day.
We had a bit of a surprise the other morning when we noticed the Link 10 battery monitor indicated we'd really used the batteries over night. This was unusual since we've replaced most of the lights we regularly use below with LEDs which draw about 1/4 the power of the old ones. Apparently the 'fridge had run all night, and that was a major drain on the batteries. Usually it cycles on and off, and although it does draw the batteries down, not all that much, and they easily recover with solar, wind or the engine.
Unfortunately, none of the West Marine stores in this area aren't conveniently located within hiking or biking distance, and without a car are almost impossible to get to. We discussed staying over a day in Norfolk to see if we could find a replacement thermostat for the 'fridge. The problem wasn't critical, just annoying, as the 'fridge was working well enough to keep the dwindling food supply cold (the few things in the freezer are still frozen), but was gradually warming up day by day. I haven't bought a lot of food on the trip so far, but have been using up everything I'd brought from home and only getting small amounts of fruit and vegetables. At any rate, we decided to head down to Great Bridge and see if the large marina there would have the part we needed.
Running the bridge gauntlet out of Norfolk has always been a challenge. Every year there are new restrictions and changes in opening times. This year we learned the Jordan Lift bridge had been removed. Great news, one less bridge to deal with. The Gilmerton Bridge was a different story, and a rather confusing one, given the number versions we've heard. They are working on the bridge abutments with, divers in the water and rumors about needing a 4 hour advance notice to go through on weekends were heard. Local Notice to Mariners indicated that weekends also included Fridays and would run for 2 or 3 weeks and required 2 hour advance notification.
Luckily we were able to find a phone number for the bridge tender and when Leonard called the night before, the tender wasn't sure what the restrictions would be as he wasn't working Friday. A quick call in the morning verified there would be an 0830 opening, after the normal rush hour restrictions. So we were underway by 0725 to be sure to arrive in time, and hoping none of the several RR bridges, which are normally open, would have a train scheduled causing them to be closed.
We were one of the first boats in line, like so many ducklings, heading for the bridges. By the time we'd gone the 5 miles, there were 10 power boats and 9 sailboats that went through the 0830 opening. We were hoping a number of folks would choose the Dismal Swamp route, an interesting alternative that is a bit slower due to speed limits, but more scenic. Unfortunately only one boat headed that way.
By the time we reached Great Bridge Lock, the only lock on the ICW, most of the boats had passed us. It doesn't make a lot of sense to hurry up and wait, which is what happens if you arrive early. However, the lock, which is large, can only hold so many boats. Several boats ahead of us had to back out as there wasn't room on the lock walls and the lock tenders didn't seem interested in rafting. Four of us were left to wait for the next opening, in an hour. We tied up at a fender board and eventually got chased off by the powers that be.
Tugs and Dredge Pipe in Great Lock
The bridge, Great Bridge, after the lock is on a busy 4 lane highway, and will only open at official times. Having already been open for longer than normal getting everyone south and the tug entourage north, they weren't about to open at 15 minutes past the scheduled time for the likes of some pleasure boats (it's a different story for commercial vessels, especially if they've made a reservation). So we sat in the lock until the official 1200 bridge opening. We were glad we hadn't planned on reaching Coinjock that night, as it would have been dark by the time we arrived. It can be more than an inconvenience to folks as there are few viable anchorages between Great Bridge and Coinjock.
Being early in the day, we were able to get a spot to tie up on the wall before the bridge. It's rather bare bones, no power or water, and the traffic, both commercial and pleasure slide past at regular intervals. The marina carried no parts, but did give us phone numbers for the man they use for repairs. It took a while to get our call returned, but for a fee, he would deliver a thermostat and hopefully that would solve our problem. He did, and, after Leonard made some adjustments, the fridge is back to working normally.
We walked to the local shopping center, about 1/2 mile away and located a laundromat and picked up some items Leonard has been trying to get at a Radio Shack. The grocery store was also upscale with lots of goodies and nicely prepared foods, so we were able to fill in our provisions. We bought food for dinner and other goodies for snacks in the following days.
Next morning, we took the 0900 bridge opening with 2 big power boats and headed for the next bridge. We were surprised to hear he was opening on demand - he let the 2 power boats through and then opened about 10 minutes later for us. The next, and last, bridge on this portion of the ICW was sticking to his schedule, but it was only a short wait.
About 45 minutes after clearing the second bridge, a huge line of power boats caught up with us, each seeming bigger than the next. It was our first "short sleeve" day of the trip, which brought with it a fairly strong south wind, making for a splashy ride heading into the waves. Most of the power boats were nice enough to slow as they passed us, but one guy acted like we didn't exist. He called another power boat close to us to let him know he'd pass him on the port side, which brought him between the 2 of us. If he slowed at all, it wasn't apparent, in spite of had signals to back it off. Reminded us why we prefer not to travel on weekends when the "weekend warriors" are out!
We'd made dock reservations before we'd left in the morning to be sure of having a place to stay in Coinjock. We arrived earlier than usual and after taking on fuel and getting a pump out, we were ushered to the head of the dock, right by the restaurant. In the past we've landed out in the boonies with a long walk to the facilities. After rinsing some of the accumulated salt off the decks we checked out the dinner choices on shore.
We chatted with the folks on "Mojo", who were tied up behind us, and decided to share a table for dinner. They were heading back to the coast off Colombia on a new to them sailboat. They lost their old boat to fire down there about a year ago. I can't imagine returning to your boat after scuba diving and finding it engulfed in flames. They thought it was an electrical fire, but since it burned to the water line, the cause couldn't be determined. A friend had been able to rescue their dog, but other than that all they had was their diving gear. The cruising community rallied, raising money and donating clothes and other essentials.
The forecast showers accompanying a cold front arrived during the night, along with some gusty N winds. Should have known the short sleeve thing was an anomaly! Not wanting to spend the day in Coinjock, we headed out, taking advantage of the extra hour with the time change. We hoped the winds would remain below 35kts, at which point the Alligator River bridge wouldn't open. John, from Mojo, came to check our plans and said they'd likely follow us.
Probably the best thing about being out on the Albemarle Sound in windy conditions, was almost none of the numerous power boats joined us. This meant we didn't have to slow down for them to pass us and then bob through their wakes. We ran out some jib once we were out in more open water. It was a fast trip. Sometimes we wished we'd had a bit less sail out as we corkscrewed through the seas. Six sailboats had headed out, 3 in front of us.
The approach to the Alligator River is always a crap shoot. The old paper chart didn't have any marks printed on it due to constant changes in shoaling. Leonard was hoping the chart plotter would be accurate, so he turned on the radar to see if the buoys were they appeared on the plotter. It was nice to see that part was accurate. Most boats skipped going around 1 green, but Leonard didn't trust the depths, so after furling the jib, we motored around all the marks, staying in the deeper water.
We had negotiated the entrance and were about to roll out some jib when we got a call from Mojo. They had gone aground behind us. With help from TowBoatUS 2 hours away, we motored back to see if we could help, or at least show them where the deep water was. They had a 6 foot draft, but even drawing only 5, we didn't want to join them on the shoal. They were frustratingly close to deeper water, but the wind and current kept pushing them onto the shoal. It probably took 30 - 45 minutes for them to slowly work their way off. By then, another sailboat, Second Wish had arrived and was also standing by, so the 3 of us headed for the bridge and passed through together.
Our destination for the night was a small area by Bear Point. As we made the last course change heading up the river, the rain and wind arrived. Somehow this seems most likely to occur when we're about to anchor or dock. Although it looked like we might lose visibility, we had enough to spot Mojo and Second Wish already anchored. We decided to join them rather than go to our usual spot about a 1/4 mile further. It felt good to get the anchor down and be able to take off our wet gear.
The wind blew most of the night, but with minimal fetch, it was a peaceful night. Hoping to avoid dealing with all the big power boats in the Alligator Pungo Canal we planned on an early morning departure which would give us several hours head start. But when we looked out, there was enough fog to warrant a bit of a delay, so we had breakfast at anchor rather than underway.
The Fog is lifting
After several hours the string of power boats began to overtake us. Since many appeared to have sat out the windy conditions the day before, there weren't quite as many as had been on the Currituck Sound. Protected from any fetch, it was a calm passage, especially compared to the day before. The excitement for the morning was noticing the batteries to be below 12 volts when I went below to wash the dishes. This didn't make sense as running the engine should have had them topped off, over 13 volts. The culprit was a connection between the old alternator wiring and the new wires Leonard installed a number of years ago which had vibrated enough to no longer connect things. It was a quick fix, and with a few more hours before we could set sail, the situation was remedied.
Once we reached the Pungo River we rolled out the jib and shut the engine off for a fast sail to Belhaven. Leonard was right in his prediction, it started to sprinkle as we approached the harbor. More boats than we'd seen in the past were anchored a short way in from the breakwater. We headed further up river, which requires avoiding several shoals, but put us closer to the dinghy dock. When Leonard checked our position as compared to the last time we were here, he realized we were within 12 feet of the old position. It's a nice spot, and had no other boats around us to worry about being too close.
Belhaven Anchorage - the hospital and barge in the background
We've seen less wildlife this year, and I don't know if it's because of the wet, windy weather we've had, or if there has been a decline. On other trips we'd have seen scores of bald eagles by this point, but have seen less than 4. We did see a few brown pelicans in the southern portion of the Chesapeake, hopefully the numbers will increase as we head further south. There were several large flocks of swallows flitting along the Alligator Pungo Canal. Observing wildlife as we pass through the marshes and coastal areas has always been a high light of the trips, and we are looking forward to encountering dolphins as we approach Beaufort.
Our plan was to spend 2 nights at Belhaven before heading out to Ocracoke. I also want to see if the local crab processing plant is still operating, as I'd love to pick up some fresh crab to add to the menu.
Outer Banks 11/5/09
We spent 2 nights anchored at Belhaven. It was nice to wake up in the morning and not be in a hurry to get underway. After a leisurely breakfast we spent some time cleaning the boat before launching the dinghy and heading ashore. It's been a while since we've stopped at Belhaven, having taken the Outer Banks route the last few trips, and we were curious to see what, if anything, had changed in this quiet southern town.
As we approached shore we realized just how high the water was. What had been the "official" dinghy dock was under about a foot of water. Apparently the persistent NE winds, aided by the frequent rains, have really been piling the water up along the shore and in the sounds. We tied up to a piling by the hospital and were able to get ashore with dry feet.
A walk up the main street revealed a surprising number of vacant store fronts. I was sorry to see what had been a small, but viable, town center in the past, had fallen on hard times. Farm Boys, a small local eatery that has been operating for some 40 years was still up and running, The hardware store and drug store were still in business along with a smattering of other shops, but there were more empty windows than businesses.
Not having any set agenda, we walked down to the marina by the breakwater before wandering down the street that parallels a creek. We found the crab processing/fish store but it was closed Mondays and Tuesdays, so there would be no fresh crab cakes for dinner. We had better luck finding pecans, gathering about 2 pounds as we walked. I promised Leonard a Belhaven bourbon pecan pie in the near future.
A working ship yard was on the small creek next to the crab plant. It was amazing to think a vessel of any draft could navigate up the "ditch" that borders the back side of town, but there were a number of good sized sail boats up on jack stands. A local fishing boat was also tied up at the fish market indicating the seafood must be delivered by water too. It would be interesting to see a chart that included the creek and entrance, but the ICW chart book doesn't cover that area.
Our walk took us to the local Food Lion, more for something to do than because we needed provisions. Upon inquiring if they cut men's hair at a salon next to the supermarket, Leonard opted for a quick trim (saving me from having to do it on board later), while I wandered through the grocery store. By the time we got back to the dinghy it was mid afternoon.
As we reached the boat it was interesting to see that most of the arriving cruisers had opted to anchor up by us. I wonder if seeing a boat already anchored tends to draw others to the same area, or if, like us, they had used that anchorage on previous stops.
It was wonderful to have had a warm (low 70's), sunny day at last. We were treated to a glowing red sunset over one side of the creek and the almost full, Hunter's Moon, rise over town. With the dinghy already stowed back on deck, we planned an early morning departure, heading to Ocracoke.
Belhaven Sunset
We were the first out of the Belhaven anchorage, but joined the fleet already headed south. At one time Leonard counted 25 boats, not including us, heading south, either ahead of or behind us. We were the only one that broke rank and head east rather than continue on the official ICW.
I tried to come up with a number that applied to breezy versus windy. The local forecast called for breezy conditions, but they gave no speeds. Gale force, which we also heard for offshore, would mean in excess of 35 knots, but breezy was a bit of an unknown. I can vouch that it was breezy as we went out on the broad sound. Leonard figures the wind gauge currently reads about 30% high, and we saw consistent winds in the mid to upper 20's for most of the trip, with gusts into the 30's, which would put the winds in the range of about 20 plus knots.
We went from full sail, to reefed main and full jib, to dropping the main and reefing the jib, and motor sailing with the reefed jib, and back to raising the reefed main, shutting down the engine, and unrolling all the jib trying to find the best combination for the conditions . Because Pamlico Sound is shallow, around 20 or less, the waves tend to be short and sloppy. We had a long, splashy sail with the boat speed varying between 3 and 7 knots, the lower numbers occurring after we encountered particularly big series of waves.
Spotting the twin stacks (from a wreck just east of the channel that mark the entrance into Ocracoke) was a welcome sight. An outbound ferry passed us as we approached the harbor with several dolphins playing in the bow wake. Spotting dolphins has always a day brightener that we consider to be a good omen. We were also treated to several squadrons of pelicans flying in tight formation along the shore.
The chart plotter indicated we could take a short cut just before entrance to Silver Lake which we took at slow speed, just in case. With only one boat at the park docks, we had our pick of places to tie up. As we finished tying up, a man walked over and asked if we were locals. As an ex sailor, who now had a trawler, he was interested in our trip.
Ocracoke Entrance and Another Sunset
The park service docks are a real bargain with my Senior Park Pass. We won't see $.60/ft anywhere else on the trip, and we opted for shore power, a chance to have lots of hot water for showers and to keep the batteries charged. We rinsed the salt off the decks before heading out for a walk before dinner. Both the fish market and the Thai take away were closed on Wednesdays, but both will be visited before we depart.
Wow, the third sunny day in a row! This could become addictive (and expected). After breakfast we unpacked the bikes to go exploring. With less wind than forecast (also out of the south which had not been mentioned in the forecast either) we toured most of the streets in town before heading off to Springer's Point Preserve, a 122 Acre tract protected by the NC Coastal Land Trust, with a 3/4 mile nature trail. The area, one of the first places settled in the Outer Banks, also has a connection to Blackbeard who frequented the area. It was an interesting trail through woodlands going out to the shore with a view of the Ocracoke inlet. There were a lot of migrating warblers flitting in the trees.
Fisherman on the beach at Ocracoke
We also rode out to the Hammock Preserve, a trail on the Sound side of the island, about 4 miles out of town. We did this on our first trip here, and I can report the ride is much easier in light winds on an 8 speed bike than in strong winds on a 1 speed bike. This trail had a number of board walks that wound through an area of dunes and marsh with signs explaining the evolution of island growing from a beach. What we hadn't thought to bring was bug repellent and there were enough mosquitoes to keep us moving. On the way back to town we stopped at one of the many beach access areas on the Atlantic side for a walk.
The park service was in the process of paving a bike lane out to the Hammock Preserve which will be a welcome addition. At this time of the year, traffic isn't a major problem, but I suspect that isn't the case during high season. Even now it is obvious when a ferry has arrived, and most we've seen have not been filled to capacity. That would not be the case in the middle of the summer, and I suspect the traffic on the narrow streets and lanes would get jammed when a ferry arrived.
Four local sail boats had joined us at the docks when we returned from our ride. After dinner a power boat tied up in front of us, so the locals must also enjoy visiting in the off season.
With strong (vs. breezy) N winds forecast for the morning, we'll need to decide whether to stay put for one more day, or get salt covered in the entrance channel which would be dead into the wind. The route back to the official ICW would be mainly down wind, but likely would be lumpy in the seas given the shallow depths. Already the wind is moaning in the rigging, and the wind is to build during the day with gusts into the 30's.
Beaufort and Beyond 11/10/09
After walking over to the boat launch area which faced north, Leonard decided we would wait until after breakfast to leave Ocracoke. It was still blowing but not as hard. A portion of the channel was protected by a shoal running along the east side which broke up some of the seas. (The shoal is a bird nesting spot, filled with cormorants and a variety of gulls, which produce some of the fishiest smelling guano I've smelled.) We departed shortly after a ferry arrived, hoping to reach the end of the channel before he did on his departure. It was a splashy motor out, depositing a fresh coating of salt on our recently washed decks, but we did manage to exit the channel ahead of the ferry.
We set sail once we were out on Pamlico Sound, sailing mostly on a reach or running for the rest of the day. With our late start, it would be dark before we'd reach the Adam's Creek anchorage, so we diverted to the South River, about 10 miles closer. Between the chart plotter and having stopped there on an earlier trip, it was easy to thread our way past the entrance shoal, and the anchor went down with the setting sun. One other sail boat had also chosen the anchorage, an alternative to Oriental, about 6 miles across the sound. Oriental, touted as the sailing capital of North Carolina, is a very boater friendly town, but much of its small anchorage has been taken up with marina docks, causing crowded conditions. We've avoided it since stopping there with Gulf Wind when it was a sleepy southern town in 1978.
With only wisps of fog on the river, we got an early start planning on arriving at Town Creek in Beaufort by early afternoon. Given all the other folks we've seen heading south and the fact that it was a beautiful sunny Saturday, there was very traffic on the ICW. We passed a huge phosphate barge headed north, giving him all the room he needed. We called the marina that advertises a free pumpout to BoatUS members, but the answer was the same as last time we asked, the pumpout was not working. Made us wonder if it's a lure to get boaters to stop and possibly buy fuel, or if the BoatUS folks that publish the services guide know it is frequently not working. Since we didn't need fuel, we didn't stop, pumping out could wait until we were off shore.
With a bunch of errands and chores to do in Beaufort, we chose to stay at the marina in Town Creek. It is about half way between the town attractions and the grocery stores out on the highway. Using our bikes we made a pass along the town docks on Taylor Creek and saw that our friends on Release we still in town, anchored out front. The the Food Lion is a couple of miles out a busy 3 lane highway, making it a less than pleasant chore, but the bikes were faster than walking and the traffic was manageable. A man approached Leonard in the store commenting that those little bikes really could move - he'd seen us riding them and was impressed.
A gathering of Corvettes
House Art
It was a disappointment, but not a shock, to find Little Mama's Laundromat, a convenient dinghy ride away, had closed. We'd seen another one our bike ride, but didn't want to haul the laundry that far on the bikes, so we used the marina facility, convenient, but not in the greatest working order. With the chores completed, we road our bikes to town, locked them up and walked around. Luckily we found the bakery just before it closed so we could stock up on goodies for the week. It would be worthy of a stop come the spring return trip.
A Decorated Local Bar
We had been enjoying a string of warm, sunny days and with the forecast predicting more of the same, we took a look at our options for the next segment of the trip. While traveling in the ICW is a good alternative in less than ideal weather, the chance to avoid 2 days of restricted bridges, weekend warriors, and a steady stream of boaters, the prediction for calm seas and light winds was too good to pass up. Under those conditions, doing an over night offshore run is easy, and probably more fuel efficient since there is no need to go fast to keep up with the fleet to catch the bridges, and sailing might be possible. The shorter days make it more difficult to time departure and arrival to coincide with daylight, but a late afternoon departure would give an arrival at Masonboro Inlet at Wrightsville Beach around daybreak.
We'd been keeping track of Ida and knew her track would likely have an impact on our weather in a few days. It would have been tempting to depart at first light on Sunday and head directly for Winyah Bay and Georgetown, but we'd been unable to take on fuel upon arrival, because the marina was out of diesel. They expected delivery between 0600 and 0900, so fuel would be available when the fuel dock opened in the morning. Another option was to stop briefly at Wrightsville Beach for a rest before heading on the ICW to Southport, avoiding the detour around Frying Pan Shoal, and doing another overnight to the Winyah Bay. That option stretched both the weather window (predictions for 20 - 25 kt N winds with gusts to 35 and 8 - 10 foot seas) and possibly our stamina if the weather man was right with the timing.
A TowboatUS boat being towed in Talyor Creek
We took the prudent choice and planned to head out in the late afternoon. Check out time at the Marina was 1400, which gave us time for a chore free bike ride. We rode out to the end of Taylor Creek and looped back through town before packing up the bikes, and taking on fuel. We caught the 1400 bridge opening at the Beaufort bridge. The brief wait for the bridge to open was made interesting by the presence of a number of fishing boats, anchored in and around the channel. Beaufort County has opened a huge, small boat ramp facility next to the marina (it used to be a private boat club with much more limited use) that was hopping from day break to dusk.
The passage out to sea was also filled vessels of every size and shape, anchored and fishing or running full bore, a typical sunny, Sunday afternoon. Things calmed down after we reached deeper water and we able to leave the channel. Much to our surprise, there was enough wind from a favorable direction for us to set sail. This has been an unusual year in that the only day we didn't set sail and shut down the motor for part of the day was Saturday, in Adam's Creek when it was calm. Since we left earlier than planned, we could even sail slowly without an eye on the clock. I finally turned the key on after 2100 when our speed dropped to .2 kts, I don't mind drifting, but with light and variable being the forecast it was time to go.
It was one of those wonderful nights - the reason we do these things - we'd seen schools of dolphins cavorting in the water as we left Beaufort, we saw a flash of green as the sun sank below the horizon, (even Leonard had to admit he'd seen something green), the sky was filled with stars, the seas were gentle and the half moon made an appearance at 2300, giving enough light to cast shadows. There was no traffic, just us. Our track took us past a restricted area, but there were no calls on the radio to indicate the military were conducting night time exercises. I did watch one star rise in the east and was convinced it was another vessel since it I saw red and green with the white that would indicate a mast head light, it just didn't appear on the radar.
Toward dawn the sky had mostly clouded over, but through the one big break, the morning star looked like a distant spot light. We saw a number of fishing boats heading out to sea as we approached the entrance channel. It was early enough that most of the cruisers hadn't started their day, so rather than head directly to the usual anchorage, we dropped the hook out a ways and went below for a couple of hours sleep.
By the time we finished breakfast, we had our pick of places to anchor and chose a spot reasonably close to the town dinghy dock. We launched the dinghy and headed for shore for some exercise. After a walk along the beach, we headed over to a local store that carries just about everything but groceries, looking for a new cap for the out board gas tank, which has a proclivity to leak occasionally, perhaps due to ethanol added to the gas. They didn't have one.
Lawn Art
Being almost to the ICW we walked over to the bridge just in time for the 1400 opening. I told Leonard it would be a hoot if we saw "Release" and "I Needa Wind", who'd departed Beaufort early on Sunday, come through. It was when they did. Francie was surprised to hear me yell her name as they went past us. There was also a very interesting water craft (this term used advisably) making its way through the bridge. It was a small geodesic dome, constructed out of a variety of materials, on a raft, propelled by 2 ancient outboards (which stopped working) with an old, gray bearded salt at the helm. Last seen he was frantically pulling on the starter while drifting down stream.
Release coming through the bridge
Cruising in a different style
After a stop for fresh fish for dinner, we made our way back to the boat. Release was anchored next to us, and we went over for a chat. Apparently they'd taken on some bad fuel in Oriental and had been having problems with the engine, enough to dissuade them from going off shore to get here. Another boat headed to the Caribbean also had fuel issues from the same marina, and was forced to turn back after they got 35 miles off shore. They were back in Beaufort getting the fuel polished. Ken was trying to locate replacement filters for the engine with little luck. The closest ones were in Norfolk, and would take a day to arrive. Time wasn't really an issue since the weather was reverting back to predictions of rain and high winds until the end of the week, as Ida, with copious amounts of moisture, met up with a cold front. This was as good a spot to sit out the weather as any.
We are also sitting tight. We'd rather not do the next section of the ICW that runs past Myrtle Beach. We did it on the last trip north when we crossed paths with the first named tropical depression of the season, which made going off shore unwise, and that time was enough. The "good" prediction for heading off shore slowly creeps later in the week. With strong NE winds and rain, 2 - 3 inches in the next few days, limiting visibility, not even the ICW appears to be a good choice. Far fewer boats arrived on Tuesday, indicating folks are probably sitting tight somewhere else. We would like to do the short hop on the ICW to Southport and then an overnight run to Winyah Bay and up to Georgetown. We just don't know when the weather off shore will improve enough to make it safe.
It's raining again
We did manage to take a long walk in the beach before the steady rains arrived today. We were working on the water line which was more exposed due to the current and the wind when the first sprinkles arrived. The port side is clean, but the starboard side will wait for a break in the rain which became steadier as the day progressed. Several dolphins have been feeding in the anchorage, and we can hear them breathing when they glide past the boat and the occasional splashes as they leap out of the water.
The latest weather forecasts call for more rain and wind for the next two to three days so we will just stay put. That all for now. Lynnea
Beyond Wrightsville Beach 11/13/09
Here we sit with most of the fleet, hunkered down for the duration of Ida's weather. Four boats departed this morning, but so long as the wind gusts over 30 kts, there is no guarantee the bridges will open in the ICW. So most folks are just sitting tight while the forecasters stretch out the nasty forecast one day at a time. When we arrived on Monday, we thought we'd be able to head out on Thursday, but Saturday seems a better bet now. We still plan on taking the ICW to Southport and heading out the Cape Fear River entrance for Winyah Bay, we just don't want to do it with the strong winds we've been experiencing, and the seas that have built up.
We've received about 4 inches of rain in the past few days and the sun is once again only a faint memory. On Wednesday, when it rained hard all day, we just sat aboard rather than get drenched going ashore. By Thursday we'd had enough sitting, so we walked to the post office to mail letters and then to West Marine and the big grocery store, about 2 miles west, in a heavy drizzle. Getting exercise was great. On Friday we did the "loop", a several mile walk across the 2 bridges at Wrightsville Beach, before heading to the beach to watch the surfers play along shore.
Leonard has been trying to watch old movies on the little HDTV he got before we left. As the boat swings, it's like watching them in a cubism format, sometimes little colored squares, other times the actors may have 4 eyes and 2 noses, and then there are the moments of "no signal".
The wind, which arrived several days later than forecast, has kept the wind generator humming, actually producing more power than consumed, so we don't have to run the engine to charge the batteries. The down side is no hot water for showers, although with the cabin temperature hovering below 60, the desire to get wet isn't all that great. The reappearance of the sun to warm things up and dry them out is eagerly anticipated.
We'll keep you posted on our departure which is tentatively planned for Saturday afternoon with a Sunday morning arrival in South Carolina. With our luck, the winds will go too light to sail, but at least the only direction mentioned is from the northern quadrant, so head winds shouldn't be an issue. Leonard is threatening to skip Georgetown since it's an upstream jaunt of about 10 NM from the ICW which always seems to have the current running against us. I've been looking forward to the Kudzu Bakery, the used book store, and taking walks to look at the lovely old homes.
Beyond Wrightville Beach 11/18/09
As planned, we departed Wrightsville Beach around noon, after another walk along the beach. The sky was still overcast, but at least it had stopped raining and it wasn't quite so windy - a step in the right direction! A number of other cruisers had departed bright and early, planning in taking the ICW.
Our timing could have been better, as it was, we hit the intersection with the ICW at noon, just in time for the bridge opening, which put us into channel with 4 sailboats heading south. The north wind was still blowing, but it wasn't bad on the ICW, so we unfurled the jib, like the others already heading south, to make better time. Since we weren't in a hurry (they all were) we let them pass us so we'd have the channel to ourselves. The traffic was light, especially given the lack of movement while Ida meandered up the coast. There were the usual moments of searching for the channel, when the depth heads into the single numbers and we hold our breath while slowly searching for the deeper water,
Once we got into the deeper water on the Cape Fear River, we shut the engine down, in keeping with this year's unusual wind conditions which have allowed us to sail more than usual. We jogged east at Southport which took us out of the ICW for another offshore passage. We were a bit surprised to find a dredge working on our track which took us off on the old channel. It was light enough to see there was a raft of dredge pipe in the water next to the dredge, so we altered course slightly as we headed out.
A break in the overcast to the west
We saw the first real break in the clouds as we headed off shore and enjoyed a great sunset. The night turned out to be a great passage with enough wind to sail until 0000, when we reverted to the iron jib to keep our arrival time at Winyah Bay at first light. Given the gale warnings that had been issued all week, the sea state was better than expected. There was some swell but the waves were under 2 feet, making for a smooth passage.
Once again, there was very little traffic, I saw 2 fishing vessels that were no problem. It sure beats 2 long days with cross currents, skinny water, boat traffic and restricted bridges., It's also one of the sections where it is actually shorter to go offshore than to follow the ICW. We don't understand why more cruisers don't follow suit.
Entering Winyah Bay at Dawn
NOAA forecast the possibility of flooding, given the recent rains, on shore breezes and spring tides associated with the new moon. The water was high - the docks at the fishing access on the Sampit River into Georgetown were under water. The ramps to the floating docks attached to the fixed boardwalk at Georgetown went down to the dock rather than up. We had our choice of spots in the anchorage, arriving just after those headed further south had left. Having run the engine there was plenty of hot water for showers, and with the sun shinning, the temperature was pushing the 70's, so we cleaned up after a short nap before heading ashore for a walk.
Our fellow Vermont cruisers joined us later in the day, having taken the inside track. We spent 2 nights anchored just off the town docks at the clock tower. We once again enjoyed the town and its gracious historic area. It's amazing to see the number of homes that date back to the early 1700's. After walking in the morning, we paddled the bikes ashore in the afternoon for a bike ride. The only amenity the town lacks is a decent bike path to the outlying shopping areas. This may be the hospitable south, but the drivers don't always seem to be aware of anything on the highways but other cars - not my idea of a pleasant ride.
Georgetown church yard
Tuesday morning, once again, our Vermont boating buddies departed at first light, along with a number of other cruisers, pushing further south. Our trip has slowed down as we plan to connect with my niece and her partner in Charleston over the weekend. This gives us time to explore some of the anchorages in the Cape Romaine area with a stop at Capers Island before heading into Charleston on Friday.
A stop at a fuel dock in Georgetown to take on water and top off the fuel tank, alerted us to the possibility of a different destination in Charleston - both major marinas have raised their transient dockage rates since our last trip. Another cruiser recommended the Maritime place on the Cooper River, saying the folks there were great, with the location 2 blocks from the grocery store, and reasonable rates that can't be beat. We were happy to get a reservation for the weekend. We won't have to worry about bridge clearance with high tide, or be stuck at the end of the megadock at the city marina, with a half mile hike to the heads and laundry.
With a noon departure from Georgetown, we caught a significant boost from the current headed downstream. The entrance into the ICW had less water than we remembered, but we eeked our through the skinny water and past the cable ferry landing. There was significantly more wild life along the shore - lots of white herons, pelicans and a couple of golden eagles perched in trees. We did a short day, heading upstream at the South Santee River, looking for an interesting anchorage. The chart plotter charts extend further upstream than the old paper chart book, so we worked our way several miles upstream and anchored just upstream from a boat launch and fishing pier. Since the 2 fishermen on the pier left, we're only sharing the anchorage with a number of herons feeding on on the river banks.
Eagle
Toward Charleston and Beyond 11/23/09
After a quiet night on the South Santee River, we headed toward Capers Island, one of our favorite stops on the trips south. Once again, there was a lot of wildlife along the way as we passed through the Cape Romain area. I'd read there was an access area, via boat, but didn't see anything that looked doable from Antares, and from what I'd read, think it was probably located at Bull Island, just north of Capers. Cape Romain consists of 66,000 acres and 120 miles of shore line, and is one of the shallowest portions of the Carolina coast. There is one marked channel out, used by the local shrimp boats, but it's not one we'd try, even with local knowledge
We arrived at Whiteside Creek early enough to make a quick trip to the island hoping to find the impoundment filled with birds feeding before night fall. Unfortunately, the consistent NE winds had driven the water level up (Leonard thought perhaps 12 - 18 inches over the usual depth when he looked at the conduit pipe that drains the pond) and the bird life was nonexistent. No so mosquitoes, which were out in force! Luckily we'd grabbed the bug goop and liberally dosed all exposed skin to ward them off, and it was cool enough to wear jackets as another deterrent.
This was the first time that we didn't spot Mama Alligator basking on the shore. With the high water there wasn't much of a bank. Given the hordes of mosquitoes, we didn't linger, but headed off to the beach to check it out at low tide. Luckily there was enough of a breeze on the beach that the mosquitoes weren't a problem.
A crab with a moth on the beach at Capers Island
Wood Stork
Sunset from Whiteside Creek
Although we'd been disappointed in the lack of wildlife at the impoundment, we'd planned for another day at Capers to time our arrival in Charleston for the weekend where my niece and her partner planned to join us. So we packed up a lunch in the morning and headed back to the island for a longer walk in the beach. We thought we spotted the tail of an alligator flopped up on the bank as we headed toward the beach, and a pair of king fishers entertained us while they sorted out territorial rights as we passed the impoundment.
Dead Trees on the Beach
Ghost Crab
The beach appeared to still be eroding, and with the wave action over the years, the beautiful ghost trees on the beach have dwindled in size, if not in number. I was disappointed by the lack of shore birds as we walked. Other than some foot prints in the sand at either end of our walk, we had the entire beach to ourselves, and we walked most of the length of the island. We watched a number of ghost crabs streak across the sand from the water's edge to the top of the beach. They are amazingly fast.
Hoping to see more dolphins, we checked out the inlet before heading back to the dinghy. There were no dolphins, but there was a fishing boat that must have gotten a bit too close to the edge of the channel during the morning high tide. It was sitting high and dry on the beach with an anchor, ineffectively dangling at the edge of the water, with the flukes not dug into the sand. We figured that accounted for the footprints we'd seen at the start of our walk. The boat was high enough on the beach that we doubted if the next (and lower of the day) high tide would float it off. It would be a chore to push toward the water with the 250 hp outboard sitting on the stern.
Stranded Boat
Another boat had anchored just off the channel and we saw several folks busy digging clams or oysters in the flats. Another dinghy landed on the beach rather than using the dock. But they had a problem since they'd neglected to bring dinghy anchor and had no way to secure it to the beach, and only (wisely) did a very short walk. Once back aboard Antares, we found we had a few new neighbors for the night.
We'd made reservations at the Charleston Maritime Center on the recommendation of another sailor we talked to in Georgetown. There had been a significant increase in marina rates since our last trip, and the Center had the best rates. We've looked at the location from shore several times in the past, usually when there was wind from the N or E, to which it has a fair fetch. The dock master was great in assisting us with docking, and other than the wake from the passing freighters it was quite comfortable. As the dock master said, it's more of a working location, being tucked in between the commercial docks, and not quite so "yachtie" as the other side of town, but it was very convenient to the grocery store, Saffron (the neat bakery), and town as to not need courtesy van service.
Maritime Center Docks and New Bridge
After checking in and a quick lunch, we went exploring. We always enjoy walking through the various neighborhoods and looking at the beautiful homes and gardens, no matter what season we're in town. After hiking down to the battery and back, I gathered up the laundry and made use of the free washer and dryer provided on sight, while Leonard dug out the bikes and headed off to explore the suspension bridge. I'd read that the new bridge had been constructed with a dedicated pedestrian/bike lane which could also be used for the annual foot race over to Mount Pleasant.
In the morning we had enough time to ride up to the middle of the bridge to see a different view of town before my niece was due to arrive. It was an interesting ride, a long gradual uphill, with a convenient viewing spot by one of the piers. I was surprised by the number of people walking on the bridge. Several people stopped to ask about our bikes. They are a bit of a novelty with their 12" wheels and mint green color.
Charleston from the Bridge
Question about our folding bikes
Rachel and Laurie arrived just in time for lunch, after which we spent the afternoon wandering around town, being amazed by some of the houses and gardens. Quite a few of the homes date back to the 1700's and most places of significant historical merit have plaques giving the history of the homes and the inhabitants. Although they have visited Charleston, Rachel and Laurie had never seen the campus of Charleston College, so we did a quick tour of campus. The main mall has interesting buildings situated on what once had been a street, but has now been laid out as an interesting walkway.
Fancy Gateway
In town we walked through one of the tour carriage barns where we saw 2 very young kids in a pen with mama goat, a fancy rooster with a white top knot, and some of the mules used to pull the carriages. We also checked out a few art galleries that had interesting things in the windows. We were weary and foot sore by the time we got back to the boat, but we ventured back into town for dinner.
Carrage Barn
Baby Goats
We ate at one of the local brew pubs and dawdled over dinner hoping to catch the live music act that was setting up by our table. We explored all 3 levels of of pub, which features darts and pool tables on the top floor and a great overview of the kitchen and brewing facilities from the 2nd floor, all accessible via a glass elevator. In spite of all our lingering, we didn't manage to see the performance, we only heard the unmiked practice session before their banjo player arrived. They were enjoying their dinner when we finally called it a night and headed back to the boat.
A cormorant with a flounder
that is to wide to swallow. It was eventually released.
This was the latest in the day that we've been in town - the mile plus hike from the Ashley River side of town has deterred us from lingering in the past. It was interesting to see all the people on the street, catch some of the buskers, check out a few stores that stayed open late and note that the market was still open, albeit with fewer vendors and tourists. Back at the marina, we walked out to the end of the pier to look at the schooner,"The Sprite of South Carolina", that is docked there when it's in town. It's used as a training vessel, and we saw it under construction back in 2006 in the athletic field behind the Maritime Center. We enjoyed spending the day with Rachel and Laurie. We emptied out the back cabin that tends to accumulate everything that doesn't seem to fit anywhere else, to give them the experience of a night on board. They saw us off after breakfast.
Lynnea, Rachel, Laurie and the schooner
We headed on our way just before high tide, late morning, after a stop at the fuel dock to pump out the holding tank. Unfortunately our timing was just a bit off. We missed the noon opening of the Wapoo Bridge by less than 10 minutes. Realizing we couldn't make it, we motored very slowly, and still had to spend time trying to stay in position while the current pushed us toward the bridge. Luckily Elliott Cut was easy, with a bit of a push from the current to assist us on our way.
The weather, which had rain in the forecast, was better than expected, with only a bit of light rain in the morning. By afternoon however, it turned into a steadier rain, making for a cold and damp sail. We ran the jib out shortly after we exited Elliott Cut and enjoyed a boost from both the wind and the current. We discussed stopping when the rain filled in, but we were moving so nicely we decided to tough it out until we reached Toogoodoo Creek, our intended anchorage for the night, knowing the current would be against us in the morning. We were surprised to find the creek quite a bit deeper than charted, but we finally picked a spot and the anchor caught nicely. It was nice to get out of the rain.
Morning brought fog, limiting visibility to less than 1/4 mile at times. The current wasn't as strong as expected, and with almost no boat traffic, we made good time. We were glad to be going through this section of the ICW on a rising tide as there are a number of shoals to be avoided. Having 5 plus more feet of water under the keel is a real plus. The scenery was beautiful as the fog came and went.
Our timing for the other bridge on this section of the ICW was perfect, we arrived with minutes to spare before the bridge opened. With Beaufort, SC, just beyond the bridge, we had the anchor down before 1400 with plenty of time for a walk through town before dark.
South From Charleston 11/26/09
We
spent 2 nights anchored at Beaufort along with a bunch of other
snowbirds. The town has placed a "No Wake" zone along the entire
shore which is enforced to the tune of $1050 per violation, so we
didn't have a problem with folks charging past. The weather,
however, was not so great, more gray, drizzly days, with no sign of the
sun.
Beaufort, SC Anchorage at high tide
During a break in the drizzle, we toured the town, looking for a bakery. We found the Magnolia Bakery Cafe which we've visited in the past, but I was looking for some good bread and they only do fancy treats. Unfortunately the Twice Baked Bread place I'd visited years ago had closed, and with no other bakery in town it looks like I'll be baking bread. We were also looking for the used bookstore that had been in the same area, but that seemed to have disappeared too. We did find more pecans which we've added to the stash.
In our wanderings we came across the Beaufort National Cemetery, a beautiful place designed in the shape of half a wheel, with oyster shell paths being the spokes, and row upon row of simple white crosses marking the grave sites of soldiers and their spouses. What I found most disturbing was the sound of distant gunfire from Paris Island where basic training was underway that would likely add more grave sites in the all too near future. Soldiers from every conflict since the Civil War to the present ones in Iraq and Afghanistan have been laid to rest here. There was a work crew raising and resetting the markers in one part of the cemetery.
National Cemetery
In order to get a boost from the tide and current, we got underway early the next morning. We got a nice lift down the river and crossed Royal Sound at slack water before heading behind Hilton Head. There was very little traffic which made being on the ICW pleasant. We also had a rising tide which always makes things easier. As we approached the Savannah River, we could see a big ship heading up river. Turned out we met where the ICW crosses the river, but it wasn't just any big ship, it was a methane tanker with 4 tugs, several security boats patrolling the waters and a helicopter flying overhead.
Methane Tanker with Escorts
We were requested to hold our position, which we did, thankful the water was up as there are a number of shoals that make transiting the area tricky at low water. The tanker appeared to have stopped by some storage tanks just up river from the ICW. From all appearances, the river was closed to all traffic in the vicinity of the tanker. We were glad we hadn't planned on heading up to Savannah! Some of the most recent literature we've seen indicates overnight dockage is no longer allowed at the town dock, and the price for dockage at the hotels on the river front is more than we're willing to pay.
We'd been experiencing intermittent light rain most of the day so we were more than ready to drop the hook when we reached Herb Creek, just past Thunderbolt. There are trolleys to take into Savannah if you stayed at the marinas, but being the day before Thanksgiving, we didn't think much would be going on late in the day. The tides throughout Georgia run 6 - 10 feet, and being almost high tide, we found a lot more water in the creek than indicated on the charts. We joined a handful of other boaters strung out in the middle of the creek.
I spent the remainder of the afternoon baking. I had hoped I could fit the bread and pie in the oven at the same time, but found that wouldn't work. Since it was a cool, damp day, having the oven running did dual duty, Leonard got the bourbon pecan pie I'd promised him and the cabin was warm and smelled good.
We debated heading out one of the inlets in the morning, but, with the wind picking up behind a cold front, decided to take our time. It was the first sunny day since Saturday which was most welcome. The only traffic that passed us were 2 boats headed north. We could see the other boats that had left the anchorage before we did a couple of miles ahead of us. I guess everyone else was busy eating turkey. Not dealing with wakes and overtaking vessels makes traveling on the ICW pleasant in spite of the twists and turns in Georgia. With the wind were even able to sail the portions that weren't into the wind.
After a bit of discussion we decided to stop at Walburg Creek behind St. Catherine Island. The last time we tried, we'd come in from the Atlantic in the late afternoon, on a falling tide and couldn't seem to find the entrance to the creek. With the new chart plotter and high tide it would be a lot easier. It was. Leonard thought he saw the place where we'd turned back last time when the depth was less than charted. There would have been a lot less water, and not knowing where the channel was, turning back then made sense.
St Catherine Island
It's a beautiful anchorage. The island was first settled by the Spanish in 1566 when they established a mission here. The island has a long complicated history and is currently owned by the New York Zoological Society and is a sanctuary for rare and endangered species. We looked, but didn't see any of the animals. Landing is by permission only, which is not frequently granted.
We did spot a number of dolphins feeding in the creek and were treated to the spectacle of a golden eagle riding the wind just above the island. It was quite a sight with the late afternoon sun high lighting his feathers.
Eagle overhead at sunset
In the morning we'll either have to back track several miles (which Leonard doesn't like to do) or attempt to get past the shoal at the other end of Walburg Creek. There's a 4 foot spot at low water, we need 5, but the morning low tide will be the slightly higher low tide for the day. Normally one of the low and high tides is slightly higher than the other. Maybe if we get a really early start, we can squeak through, otherwise we'll be waiting for the incoming tide to float us off later in the day!
Happy Thanksgiving to All, Lynnea
Going Thru Georgia 11/29/09Beaufort, SC Anchorage at high tide
During a break in the drizzle, we toured the town, looking for a bakery. We found the Magnolia Bakery Cafe which we've visited in the past, but I was looking for some good bread and they only do fancy treats. Unfortunately the Twice Baked Bread place I'd visited years ago had closed, and with no other bakery in town it looks like I'll be baking bread. We were also looking for the used bookstore that had been in the same area, but that seemed to have disappeared too. We did find more pecans which we've added to the stash.
In our wanderings we came across the Beaufort National Cemetery, a beautiful place designed in the shape of half a wheel, with oyster shell paths being the spokes, and row upon row of simple white crosses marking the grave sites of soldiers and their spouses. What I found most disturbing was the sound of distant gunfire from Paris Island where basic training was underway that would likely add more grave sites in the all too near future. Soldiers from every conflict since the Civil War to the present ones in Iraq and Afghanistan have been laid to rest here. There was a work crew raising and resetting the markers in one part of the cemetery.
National Cemetery
In order to get a boost from the tide and current, we got underway early the next morning. We got a nice lift down the river and crossed Royal Sound at slack water before heading behind Hilton Head. There was very little traffic which made being on the ICW pleasant. We also had a rising tide which always makes things easier. As we approached the Savannah River, we could see a big ship heading up river. Turned out we met where the ICW crosses the river, but it wasn't just any big ship, it was a methane tanker with 4 tugs, several security boats patrolling the waters and a helicopter flying overhead.
Methane Tanker with Escorts
We were requested to hold our position, which we did, thankful the water was up as there are a number of shoals that make transiting the area tricky at low water. The tanker appeared to have stopped by some storage tanks just up river from the ICW. From all appearances, the river was closed to all traffic in the vicinity of the tanker. We were glad we hadn't planned on heading up to Savannah! Some of the most recent literature we've seen indicates overnight dockage is no longer allowed at the town dock, and the price for dockage at the hotels on the river front is more than we're willing to pay.
We'd been experiencing intermittent light rain most of the day so we were more than ready to drop the hook when we reached Herb Creek, just past Thunderbolt. There are trolleys to take into Savannah if you stayed at the marinas, but being the day before Thanksgiving, we didn't think much would be going on late in the day. The tides throughout Georgia run 6 - 10 feet, and being almost high tide, we found a lot more water in the creek than indicated on the charts. We joined a handful of other boaters strung out in the middle of the creek.
I spent the remainder of the afternoon baking. I had hoped I could fit the bread and pie in the oven at the same time, but found that wouldn't work. Since it was a cool, damp day, having the oven running did dual duty, Leonard got the bourbon pecan pie I'd promised him and the cabin was warm and smelled good.
We debated heading out one of the inlets in the morning, but, with the wind picking up behind a cold front, decided to take our time. It was the first sunny day since Saturday which was most welcome. The only traffic that passed us were 2 boats headed north. We could see the other boats that had left the anchorage before we did a couple of miles ahead of us. I guess everyone else was busy eating turkey. Not dealing with wakes and overtaking vessels makes traveling on the ICW pleasant in spite of the twists and turns in Georgia. With the wind were even able to sail the portions that weren't into the wind.
After a bit of discussion we decided to stop at Walburg Creek behind St. Catherine Island. The last time we tried, we'd come in from the Atlantic in the late afternoon, on a falling tide and couldn't seem to find the entrance to the creek. With the new chart plotter and high tide it would be a lot easier. It was. Leonard thought he saw the place where we'd turned back last time when the depth was less than charted. There would have been a lot less water, and not knowing where the channel was, turning back then made sense.
St Catherine Island
It's a beautiful anchorage. The island was first settled by the Spanish in 1566 when they established a mission here. The island has a long complicated history and is currently owned by the New York Zoological Society and is a sanctuary for rare and endangered species. We looked, but didn't see any of the animals. Landing is by permission only, which is not frequently granted.
We did spot a number of dolphins feeding in the creek and were treated to the spectacle of a golden eagle riding the wind just above the island. It was quite a sight with the late afternoon sun high lighting his feathers.
Eagle overhead at sunset
In the morning we'll either have to back track several miles (which Leonard doesn't like to do) or attempt to get past the shoal at the other end of Walburg Creek. There's a 4 foot spot at low water, we need 5, but the morning low tide will be the slightly higher low tide for the day. Normally one of the low and high tides is slightly higher than the other. Maybe if we get a really early start, we can squeak through, otherwise we'll be waiting for the incoming tide to float us off later in the day!
Happy Thanksgiving to All, Lynnea
We got an early start and got over the 4 foot spot with plenty of water under the keel. The numbers didn't even get to the single digits, much to our relief, and we headed south on the ICW.
The ICW in Georgia crosses a number of sounds, zigging, zagging and almost going out into the Atlantic. Consequently the current is helping or hindering depending on the direction. The depths are usually pretty good, and we used the jib when ever we weren't headed into the wind, which helped the miles add up. We managed to catch high tide which also helped in those few places that really need to be dredged again.
Goats feeding on an island
Trying to run the Muddy Creek in low water would be a bit hair raising. We did see single digits there in a number of places, but managed to keep from poking the bottom with the keel. We were glad to see a dredge hard at work in the section that Skipper Bob talked about 2.5 feet on the edge of the channel, and 4 in the middle at low tide. Newly dredged part had depths of about 20 feet, much to our relief. Perhaps this is stimulus money being put to good use as the projected depth of the ICW at low water is 12 feet.
We spent the night anchored with a number of other boats in the south end of the Fredricka River, just down the river from Brunswick. Our choices for the next day called for an early departure whether we tackled the ICW behind Jekyll Island, or headed offshore for a day hop down to the St. Marys River. We chose the offshore hop, it's a tad longer, but more relaxing not dealing with traffic and the issues with currents. We have noticed considerably less traffic this year which makes running the ICW easier and more pleasant. We don't know if this is due to our timing, or if there are fewer boats heading south.
We caught the tide running out which gave us a boost of up to 2.5 knots at times, making the run out a breeze. We set both sails once we were beyond shoals and headed south. There was enough wind for us to sail several hours before the wind diminished and the waves and swell left us rocking, the sails flopping and the speed dropping. The timing was perfect, as we caught the flood tide when we got to the channel into the St. Marys River. Wish we could manage timing like that more often!
We joined a big fleet already at anchor up by the dinghy dock at Cumberland Island. We'd hoped most of the folks that had spent Thanksgiving at St. Marys (the town holds a big holiday dinner for cruisers) would have headed south, but it looked like a number decided to take advantage of a spell of decent weather to visit the park.
The weather had turned sunny again, which was a vast improvement over the cold, gray drizzle and rain that began the morning we left Charleston. However, it was a real cold front, complete with fairly strong persistent north winds and cold temperatures. With the cabin temperature hovering around 50 in the mornings, we still neede our cold weather gear to stay warm, not dry! We couldn't even duck behind the dodger to get out of the wind when the current held the stern to the wind. This is Georgia, and it's supposed to be warmer than this! There were freeze warnings out for everything but the immediate coastal areas for several nights running, and along the coast the overnight temperatures dropped into the low 40s.
The up side of the cold weather was the lack of bugs once we got ashore at Cumberland. We had brought the bug spray just in case, but it was unnecessary, besides we had multiple layers of cloths covering most of our skin. We did the walk over to the Sea Camp beach and south to the trail to Dungeness along the board walks and through the dunes. We saw some wild horses grazing on the lawn by the mansion and also saw 3 deer standing just past the trail. There was evidence of the armadillos, but none were seen.
Deer
Sanderlings resting
Turnstone
Its a really great park, and since our last visit, everyone 62 and over gets in free. We learned that this was the 2nd sea shore that the National Park Service preserved, the first being Cape Cod. More land will be added to this park as some of the grandfathered residence rights begin to expire in the next few years. There is also talk about making the northern end of the island more accessible to visitors. Currently it is too far for most people to access, as it is about 18 miles past the park dock and cars aren't an option unless you live here as a resident.
Cumberland Island trail
We spent Sunday walking north along the beach and then back along the Parallel Trail, through the woods behind the dunes. The recent rainy weather seemed to have sprouted a number of mushrooms, which even appeared in the dunes. It was such a nice day, warmer and with light winds, that we walked back down the beach and did the loop we'd done the day before. Once back at the rangers station, we caught part of a talk by a ranger about the history of the island which was an informative and interesting end to one of the nicer days of the trip.
Mushrooms
Mushroom
Star fish crawing on the beach
On Monday we'll head to Fernandina Beach where we plan to pick up a mooring for the night. We need to get a few more provisions which will require using the bikes since the supermarket is 3 miles away. We also enjoy visiting the town which has remained vibrant with a nice mix of stores and eating places.
Then we'll head for the St Johns River and head up to Jacksonville, eventually ending up at Green Cove Springs where we'll leave the boat while we return north for a couple of months of winter. We'll need a couple of days to do some cleaning and getting the sails and gear stored.
Change of Plans 11/30/09
We awoke to another sunny day in paradise (one of the few this trip) but the weather forecast gave us pause, and after a brief discussion, we hauled the dinghy, fired up the engine, and headed south. A strong cold front is expected to cross northern Florida from the Gulf sometime Tuesday or Wednesday and may be accompanied by strong thunderstorms with strong winds. Not something to be taken lightly when transiting skinny waters. So rather than spend a more leisurely day in Fernandina Beach as planned, we headed for the Fort George River, about 5 miles north of the St. Johns River, effectively shortening our travel time by a day.
We did need diesel, and, while fresh fruit and veggies would have been welcome, propane to cook the food on board was deemed more vital. It was a zoo at the municipal marina. Leonard had trouble raising the dock master, so we neatly slide the boat into the somewhat limited space at the fuel dock without help. It can be a bit dicey with the current running when the space is tight, but Leonard let the current nudge us into the dock without incident.
The dock hands had all been busy helping other boats tie up elsewhere, and when one arrived to turn on the fuel pump, he apologized for not having answered our radio call. He decided not to charge us for dock space for a few hours ($.20/ft for up to 4 hours) while walked to the local propane station, a bit under a mile away. For our short stay we got shifted to another tight spot, but had a hand in docking. The dock guy claimed it was 60 feet, but it was the shortest 60 (or else Antares has grown in length) we've ever encountered. The current just slid us past a large commercial vessel, an unforgiving metal hull with tires for fenders and behind one of the charter fishing boats. Once again we just slid in and impressed the dock hand.
Unfortunately things took time, first to make sure we could get the tank refilled and not just exchanged, and then for a quick stop in town at the coffee shop for some treats. We debated unloading the bikes and heading for the supermarket, about 3 miles out of town. But rather than spend what would likely be another 2 hours, we opted to make do with the food on board.
We did accept help in departing as the current was still flowing, making it a bit tricky to get turned around and headed out. The guy helping us was impressed with Leonard's skill. They'd had a number of not so skillful dockings during the morning rush, including one good sized sport fisher that had his fender deflect under the dock, making a nice new scrape on the bow where he hit the dock. The comment had been heard that someone was glad they weren't driving when it happened.
We got underway around 1130, with 20 some nautical miles to a convenient anchorage. It was also just about dead low tide, but the current, which lags the tidal changes was still running strongly against us. We went under the high rise bridge/rail combination with 2.8 knots of counter current, and a number of nasty whirlpools and current swirls in the narrow channel. That was the easy part.
We haven't done this portion of the ICW for the last few trips. It needs to be dredged, not in just a few places, but a whole lot of them. We saw more single digit depth readings than we've encountered for the rest of the trip. It is pretty exciting to watch the depth gauge nudge under 7 feet numerous times. Thinking light while zigging and zagging looking for more water, worked for the most part, but approaching Nassau Sound we slithered over a less than 5 foot spot, feeling the keel drag through the sand. Leonard usually has a knack for finding just enough water to carry us along, and after skidding for a brief, heart in the throat moment, we continued on our way. The tide was up about .6 feet by this time, making us wonder what we'd have done at low tide!
White Pelican
We were happy to reach the Fort George River, a somewhat narrow river that requires 2 anchors to keep in the deeper water when the current switches. We were early, only 1 other boat was already anchored, one that headed for the fuel dock at Fernandina Beach as we maneuvered to the other dock space. After we were anchored we also saw another boat arrive that had also wanted a bit of time on the dock for errands at the marina, but got sent to the far end of the marina as we got the last of the more convenient spots. A number of other boats also arrived after us, all anchored in a string in the center of the river.
With a full replacement propane tank, I was able to bake another loaf of bread to tide us over until we reach Jacksonville. It made the cabin smell good. Hopefully the night will be peaceful, although the wind is forecast to switch back to the north after midnight. In the morning we hope to head out at first light to avoid spending more time fighting the ebb current in the St. Johns River and to beat the thunderstorms forecast for the afternoon.
We plan to spend tomorrow night on the Ortega River where we've stayed in the past, but the cell phone coverage wasn't good enough to make a phone reservation. We'll also have to deal with the Main Street Bridge which has mixed information - opening on demand except during rush hour restrictions, and requiring an hour's notice to open (hardly on demand!).
Up the St Johns River 12/2/09
Skipper Bob was right! The anchorage at Fort George River had a lot of no see'ems. We got the screens in, but not fast enough. These guys also manage to sneak in through the screens, so we are dealing with numerous bites and itches. I suspect the recent rains may have caused a population boost.
Knowing we'd have current in our favor early in the day was enough to roll us out of our bunk before sunrise. One multihulls that had anchored by the creek entrance left as we got both anchors stowed and we threading our way out. With the water level up, it looked the ICW was nice and wide, but as Leonard commented, if we happened to run aground it would be a long wait until we'd get off. It was a fast trip. We went through Sisters Bridge with the multihull and then turned west to head toward Jacksonville.
Much to our surprise, the current gave us a boost all the way upriver. It's much nicer to have a 2 plus knot boost than header. We even managed to sail when the wind wasn't from dead ahead. We saw a number of dolphins hunting along the river, and went past the largest dredge we've ever seen. There were 3 big pumping station barges, a number of tugs moving the dredge pipe, and a huge dredge that looked like it could swallow Antares in a single gulp. Looked like they had been busy improving the big ship channel into Jacksonville.
Dredge work in the St Johns River
After trying and failing to find a phone number for the Main Street Bridge to check about restrictions, Leonard reached him on the big VHF. The problem can be hearing the bridge tender when we're not close since they tend to broadcast on low power. We were glad to hear him loud and clear. There was not a hour notice required, but since he had painters working on the bridge he wanted us to call when we were about 15 minutes out. We did and he timed the opening so we hardly had to slow down.
The problem was a train on the bridge ahead of us. Usually rail road bridges are open unless a train is coming, so we did a few circles until the train had passed and the bridge reopened. The current was strong enough that we could easily see our sideways slip as we slowly circled. Then it was only a matter of avoiding some shoals, squeaking over the shallow entrance into the Ortega River, and going through the Ortega River Bridge. It's the most frequently opened bridge in Florida, and is good about opening the bridge for boat traffic.
I'd been able to get a reservation at the Ortega Yacht Club Marina for the night. I think Leonard was hoping I wouldn't get through so he'd have an excuse not to stop since we already had a slip available down in green Cove Springs. The wind, which had been a nice sailing breeze most of the morning, decided to blow as we approached the dock. The dock master was motioning for us to pull into a slip that would have been both down wind and down current with the added problem of being a starboard tie up (the stern kicks away from the dock when we use reverse, we like port tie up which pulls the stern of the boat into the dock when we back). Luckily he realized that would be really difficult and asked if we'd like to go to the other side of the dock. It would still be a starboard tie up, but at least we could use the wind and current to slow the boat. Leonard breathed a big sigh of relief. He handles the boat better than many, but there are some things that just don't work, and down wind, down current docking is right up there no matter how skillful you are!
Ortega's History
We had the best part of a day to run errands and revisit old haunts. We visited the Goldmine Bookstore, the biggest used book store I've ever seen. It's so big it can be a bit overwhelming when you're looking for books. It's also great having a top of the line Publix store just blocks from the boat. Late in the afternoon we walked the loop over the bridges and checked out the condo development that displaced ORBY, the really neat marina/boat yard where we got Antares. They built one of the planned condo units, put in a lot of docks, and a "club house" with a pool and facilities for boaters. The condo units appeared empty and about a quarter of the slips looked unused. After looking at the facilities, we headed off for Harpoon Louie's, a local pub that's been a traditional stop. It didn't disappoint, good food at reasonable prices.
With the threat of a strong cold front arriving on Wednesday, we opted for another early start. It was about 20 NM to Holland Marine in Green Cove Springs where we're storing the boat this winter. Once out on the river, we picked up a bit of a boost from the current and ran out the jib. We kept a sharp eye on the weather, wanting to get tucked in before the front arrived. We were tied up on the dock before noon, and while the humidity was climbing, along with some wind, but the storm wasn't imminent. Just like at home, the fronts tend to arrive more slowly than forecast.
At Holland Marine
After checking in and eating a quick lunch, we dug out the bikes and went exploring. Luckily there was only a short section along the highway that didn't have a sidewalk. Riding on a highway with traffic doing 60 plus, including a lot of semis, isn't my idea of a bike ride. We rode into town but found very little of interest. We did find a laundromat, a small bakery/cafe, and several liquor stores, but no grocery stores. Good thing we stopped at Ortega! Leonard had me convinced we'd find everything we needed down here, maybe, but not without a car which we won't have until Friday.
Two small cruise ships on pier1 and boats and cars on pier 2
This year I thought we'd managed to get south without the threat of tornadoes. Not so, there is a tornado watch for the area until 2000, although from the weather radar it appears the worst of the weather will go north of us. We are securely tied up at the facility here, and it is a bit more than just a marina. There are a number of huge piers that have big ships that are either built here, or in for reconditioning. The big ships might act as a bit of a breakwater, as will the piers. There is some exposure to the NE, but the storms should come from the west.
Back Home 12/13/09
We haven't dropped off the face of the earth, but as many of you may guess, I've been joined at the hip with my mixer and the oven working on this year's edition of cookies.
We lucked out this year with the timing of our flights home. The TV monitors at the airport in Jacksonville were predicting a lot of nasty weather for the next day. Given the strong winds and snow in Burlington on Wednesday, I doubt if we'd have made it home, but we squeaked under the wire, arriving without delay or problems on Tuesday.
Back at Green Cove Springs, the crew knocked on the hull to say they were ready to haul us before I was ready. We backed into the haul out slip, and with a bit of maneuvering, the wind generator cleared the beam on the travel lift. Surprisingly, the bottom was cleaner than expected, causing us to wonder why we were having it painted. Even Tom, the owner of the yard, was impressed at how clean the prop was. After it dried, we could see where the paint is pealing off. It was 5 years ago that we had him paint it for us, making us really due for a new bottom job.
We managed to get everything pulled together by mid afternoon. Since it's out of the water and not that close to the ocean, Leonard ran anti freeze through the engine and the water systems to prevent any problems in our absence. We put up a tarp to protect the deck aft of the mast and stowed everything that could be removed, sails, dinghy, bimini, etc. After the yard guys arrived with the portable pump out system to empty the holding tank, we were ready to head for the motel by the airport for our early morning flight.
On the Hard
Some interesting facts Leonard discovered on the internet about Green Cove Springs. There is indeed a hot spring that has been used as a spa for many years. Currently the spring feeds the municipal swimming pool which is chemical free. We checked it out, but with the temperatures hovering under 60, the pool was closed. Leonard did feel the water where it ran into the pool and said it didn't feel all that warm. Maybe if its warmer when we return in February we'll try it out, but I'm not holding my breath since it's always been cold when we've been there at that time in the past. Seems like when we're in the Jacksonville area they have freeze warnings posted.
The Spring and Park
We also learned the area where we're staying was an active Naval base during WWII and also used for a moth balled fleet in the not too distant past. Originally there were 13 piers as well as an airfield in the complex. Currently 12 piers remain with a mix of commercial boats that were in for repair (there was a dry dock) and a number of marinas. One section was occupied by a dredging company with lots of pipe and gear stored on land and barges on the pier.
Holland Marine, where we are, is between piers 2 and 3. They are mainly a full service yard that does some storage. That meant the amenities usually found at a marina weren't there, but they partner with Reynolds Park Marina off pier 2, which gave us access to their facilities that included a nice skippers lounge with a kitchen, showers and laundry. The problem was it located about 1/4 mile away.
We also checked out Green Cove Springs Marina, a bit further south in the complex. I talked with someone who was staying there when Leonard got our rental car. He said the pier there had been condemned, removed, and replaced with a large mooring field. His complaint was the moorings used 3/8" line as pennants which seemed a bit on the small side. It was a "do it yourself" yard with a large number of boats on the hard. People were busy working, reminiscent of spring at home. The mooring field had number of boats too, as did the limited dock space along the wharf.
We took a drive to St. Augustine and looked at Salt Run where we usually anchor. It had a few more moorings than in the past, but it looked like there would be space to anchor. The anchorage on the river by town was packed on both sides of the bridge. Although it's been 3 years, the Bridge of the Lions was still being repaired. It's a landmark bridge that's being rehabbed, with a "temporary" bridge next to it. It will be interesting to see how much work will have progressed in the spring.
Lynnea