The Dismal Swamp Canal trip went well: there are 2 locks to go through on this route. We got through the first one on Sunday, and arrived at the North Carolina Visitors' Center about 12:30 PM. We could have kept going and made it to Norfolk that night, but thunderstorms were imminent, AND there were no boats tied up at the wall when we arrived!! Last fall on the trip south, we were the last of 17 boats to arrive and raft up at this location! This was a treat; we secured our lines, got Colby ashore for a bit, and then the thunderstorms and heavy rain began. We were really glad to be where we were and to have our enclosure in place. A couple of hours later, some of the other boats from Elizabeth City arrived and were were able to help them get tied up. Five of us spent the night here. What a great stop! Lots of space to walk the dog, clean restrooms, and friendly folks!
Through the second lock the next day and on to Waterside Marina in downtown Norfolk. We had stayed here in the fall. It is a great location; step off the boat and into a city. What an abrupt change from 2 days in the Dismal Swamp! Norfolk is a great spot; lots to see and do, and a beautiful waterfront park. We had intended to stay two nights here, but we have opted for a third. Our friends Dave and Linda on Off Islander, dock neighbors from Stuart this winter, arrived last night. They tell us they have been chasing us for weeks, trying to catch up! We stayed an extra day to spend time with them and to avoid the 3 - 4' chop at the mouth of the bay today.
Tomorrow we begin our trip up the Chesapeake! Approximately 200 miles. Some weather is moving in over the next couple of days, so we will monitor that. We did hear reports of a major storm brewing over the Atlantic, with waves to 18'. Glad we are not out there for that!
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Saturday, May 22, 2010
On the move
A short trip from Seagate Marina to Oriental, where we once again put down the hook in the very nice anchorage there. Just a short trip to the dinghy dock and we were all three ashore for a nice walk in this pretty town.
Next day, NOAA called for 50% chance of showers and East winds 5 - 10 knots. Now, remember we sat out a day recently when the forecast was for 90% chance of rain and thunderstorms, and nothing happened, except for a quiet day at the dock! So we set out, and within minutes, it was pouring and the winds were 15 -20, from the wrong direction, of course!! And fog. Sure were glad we had that enclosure and the Garmin! Well, the rain didn't last long, and the conditions improved, and we increased from 3.8 mph to 6.3 mph in the afternoon. We were glad to arrive at Dowry Creek Marina, just outside Belhaven. We had spent 5 days here in the fall when Ida passed through. This is a beautiful spot and Mary is a wonderful hostess! Our friends John, Linda and Roscoe on Triton's Trumpet have wintered here and it was great to see them again. They are the folks who helped us out so much the first time we headed south a year and a half ago. We stayed an extra day here, to clean the boat and use the loaner car to go to town for provisions and propane.
Off the next day for the 50 mile trip through the Alligator River-Pungo River Canal and through the Alligator River Bridge. The Canal passes through a beautiful, remote area. We had heard reports of bear swimming across the canal! We didn't see any, but we did spot some deer. This time we opted for the Alligator River Marina, just past the bridge. A great spot, and helpful dock hand! An alligator had been swimming in the marina within the past year, so no swimming for Colby! We saw some turtles floating around off our stern. Colby had a chance to run and play it the open space here.
Today, the trip up the Abermarle Sound has been completed. This large, shallow body of water is an area to be crossed carefully and not in high winds. Even today with 5-10 knots from the east, it was really bouncy for a while. Then it got calm, so we couldn't sail, and then the breeze picked up just as we were coming in! Tonight we are tied up in Elizabeth City at the free docks. Looks like a full house tonight! Still a bit bouncy right now, but forecast is for a calm night tonight. (We'll see about that!)
Tomorrow we start through the Dismal Swamp Canal and we hope to be in Norfolk by Monday night.
Next day, NOAA called for 50% chance of showers and East winds 5 - 10 knots. Now, remember we sat out a day recently when the forecast was for 90% chance of rain and thunderstorms, and nothing happened, except for a quiet day at the dock! So we set out, and within minutes, it was pouring and the winds were 15 -20, from the wrong direction, of course!! And fog. Sure were glad we had that enclosure and the Garmin! Well, the rain didn't last long, and the conditions improved, and we increased from 3.8 mph to 6.3 mph in the afternoon. We were glad to arrive at Dowry Creek Marina, just outside Belhaven. We had spent 5 days here in the fall when Ida passed through. This is a beautiful spot and Mary is a wonderful hostess! Our friends John, Linda and Roscoe on Triton's Trumpet have wintered here and it was great to see them again. They are the folks who helped us out so much the first time we headed south a year and a half ago. We stayed an extra day here, to clean the boat and use the loaner car to go to town for provisions and propane.
Off the next day for the 50 mile trip through the Alligator River-Pungo River Canal and through the Alligator River Bridge. The Canal passes through a beautiful, remote area. We had heard reports of bear swimming across the canal! We didn't see any, but we did spot some deer. This time we opted for the Alligator River Marina, just past the bridge. A great spot, and helpful dock hand! An alligator had been swimming in the marina within the past year, so no swimming for Colby! We saw some turtles floating around off our stern. Colby had a chance to run and play it the open space here.
Today, the trip up the Abermarle Sound has been completed. This large, shallow body of water is an area to be crossed carefully and not in high winds. Even today with 5-10 knots from the east, it was really bouncy for a while. Then it got calm, so we couldn't sail, and then the breeze picked up just as we were coming in! Tonight we are tied up in Elizabeth City at the free docks. Looks like a full house tonight! Still a bit bouncy right now, but forecast is for a calm night tonight. (We'll see about that!)
Tomorrow we start through the Dismal Swamp Canal and we hope to be in Norfolk by Monday night.
Monday, May 17, 2010
Trefoil gets "mooned" and other adventures!
We've had a busy travel schedule, and haven't been able to update our blog until now. Leaving Charleston, we "cranked it up" to get through the Ben Sawyer bridge for the 9:00 opening. We were the last boat through for that opening! Traveling against the current all the way, we motored to Leland Oil in McClellanville. We had stopped here on the trip south; McClellanville is a very pretty town, and there is a fresh seafood market just 2 blocks from Leland Oil, which provides overnight docking for transients. We enjoyed fresh shrimp for dinner!
Colby has been having some occasional intestinal problems, and we decided it was time to get him to a vet for a check-up. Cruising friends had told us about a good vet in Georgetown, so on we went the next day. We hadn't stopped here on the way south, but we are very glad to have made this stop this time. Georgetown is a very pretty town, with a boardwalk and lots of shops and restaurants along the water. Colby had a very thorough check up with Dr. Judy at Harborwalk Veterinary Clinic; she said he has colitis, and prescribed the same medication our vet from home had prescribed back in February when he had a similar problem. We are glad to have had the checkup and certainly happy that it is not anything more serious. Next time we would anchor here, but this time we stayed at a marina, so that we could get our friend to his appointment easily.
An easy day the next day, on to Osprey Marina, near Myrtle Beach. It was a beautiful day traveling on the Waccamaw River. We had the current with us, and could have easily gone farther, but we decided to stop and we were so glad we did! As we were approaching the fuel dock, we spotted "R Hope". We had met Lorne and Edy last fall in Elizabeth City, had enjoyed time with them, and have been emailing ever since. This is the first time we have seen them since November! We enjoyed dinner, wine and conversation with them on their 40' DeFever.
Then we did 2 "marathon days!" 59.7 miles then 69.1 miles the next day! (Normally we travel between 30 and 50 miles per day, depending on location of anchorages and/or marinas, as well as tide and current conditions.) We didn't really plan it that way, but that's the way it worked out. No good places to anchor, some marinas too shallow to get into, etc. The first day was the day Trefoil was "mooned!" When the sun and the moon are in close proximity, the result is "astronomically" (exceptionally) low and high tides. On this particular day, the tide was so low that the Sunset Beach Pontoon Bridge closed for two hours due to the low tide. So we and several other boats anchored, waiting for the tide to come up enough for the bridge to open. First time we had encountered this situation! This was an 11.5 hour day. On the second day, we had a great ride up the Cape Fear River; tide with us, we motorsailed and made between 7.5 and 8.0 mph all the way! This can be a tricky run, so we were very pleased to have excellent conditions and the current with us. We were making such good time we decided not to stop at Wrightsville Beach, but to keep going. The tide was with us, but the "weekend warriors" were out in full force. Lots of wakes, and boaters looking the other way as boats "flew" by. This area along Wrightsville Beach and Carolina Beach is full of recreational weekend boaters. The marina we had wanted to stop at was full, so we kept going. 11.5 hours under way that day as well.
We decided to do a short day the next day, just 18 miles to Swansboro. We had been here in the fall, and enjoyed the town. So we made reservation at Casper's Marina, and envisioned a restful time. Boy, were we surprised! The southeast wind was blowing directly into the marina, and we were on the outer dock, right into the wind. Add to that the fact that it was Saturday, and lots of boats were in and out, leaving many wakes. Not a restful afternoon, to say the least.
On the next day to a totally different situation! Forecast was for 90% chance of rain and thunderstorms, so we were looking for a "hidey-hole" where we could rest up a bit and have protection from the weather. We found Sea Gate Marina, on the Adams River Canal, between Morehead City and Oriental. A very protected spot, friendly staff, peaceful, good place to walk a dog. We decided to stay 2 nights, due to the unsettled weather. No cell phone service, but great Wifi! So far, grey skies, but no rain or thunderstorms, as predicted. That's OK! Hopefully tomorrow we will move on to Oriental.
A few notes of interest:
1. It is so important to always have the VHF radio on 16. We have seen examples of boaters who apparently only turn on their radios when they want to call someone else. But you try to contact them, and no response! Just today, we heard the Coast Guard hailing a vessel, and there was no answer. Apparently no radio on. Not smart.
2. The dinghy davits have been great, as the dinghy is out of the water, but relatively easy to launch. They do add a maneuverability problem, however, when docking, especially when getting into a tight spot! Also, visibility over the stern is limited. Now we have to stand up frequently to check for traffic astern.
3. Fans are so important in hot weather. We have 2 DC Caframo fans, which we thought might be overkill. We use them all the time in this weather. Also we have two battery powered "personal fans" which get a lot of use as well.
4. We have used the tiller pilot some, and it has been a very welcome break for Richard when it is in use. However, much of the route needs to be hand steered, because of so many turns and also needing to alter course to steer into wakes from powerboats.
5. We have done quite a bit of motorsailing with the jib. The roller furling jib makes this easy. We never roll out more than 70 to 80% of the fore triangle, so as not to put too much stress on the rig. But we do pick up anywhere from a half a mile to a mile an hour when we use it. A real savings on diesel!
Colby has been having some occasional intestinal problems, and we decided it was time to get him to a vet for a check-up. Cruising friends had told us about a good vet in Georgetown, so on we went the next day. We hadn't stopped here on the way south, but we are very glad to have made this stop this time. Georgetown is a very pretty town, with a boardwalk and lots of shops and restaurants along the water. Colby had a very thorough check up with Dr. Judy at Harborwalk Veterinary Clinic; she said he has colitis, and prescribed the same medication our vet from home had prescribed back in February when he had a similar problem. We are glad to have had the checkup and certainly happy that it is not anything more serious. Next time we would anchor here, but this time we stayed at a marina, so that we could get our friend to his appointment easily.
An easy day the next day, on to Osprey Marina, near Myrtle Beach. It was a beautiful day traveling on the Waccamaw River. We had the current with us, and could have easily gone farther, but we decided to stop and we were so glad we did! As we were approaching the fuel dock, we spotted "R Hope". We had met Lorne and Edy last fall in Elizabeth City, had enjoyed time with them, and have been emailing ever since. This is the first time we have seen them since November! We enjoyed dinner, wine and conversation with them on their 40' DeFever.
Then we did 2 "marathon days!" 59.7 miles then 69.1 miles the next day! (Normally we travel between 30 and 50 miles per day, depending on location of anchorages and/or marinas, as well as tide and current conditions.) We didn't really plan it that way, but that's the way it worked out. No good places to anchor, some marinas too shallow to get into, etc. The first day was the day Trefoil was "mooned!" When the sun and the moon are in close proximity, the result is "astronomically" (exceptionally) low and high tides. On this particular day, the tide was so low that the Sunset Beach Pontoon Bridge closed for two hours due to the low tide. So we and several other boats anchored, waiting for the tide to come up enough for the bridge to open. First time we had encountered this situation! This was an 11.5 hour day. On the second day, we had a great ride up the Cape Fear River; tide with us, we motorsailed and made between 7.5 and 8.0 mph all the way! This can be a tricky run, so we were very pleased to have excellent conditions and the current with us. We were making such good time we decided not to stop at Wrightsville Beach, but to keep going. The tide was with us, but the "weekend warriors" were out in full force. Lots of wakes, and boaters looking the other way as boats "flew" by. This area along Wrightsville Beach and Carolina Beach is full of recreational weekend boaters. The marina we had wanted to stop at was full, so we kept going. 11.5 hours under way that day as well.
We decided to do a short day the next day, just 18 miles to Swansboro. We had been here in the fall, and enjoyed the town. So we made reservation at Casper's Marina, and envisioned a restful time. Boy, were we surprised! The southeast wind was blowing directly into the marina, and we were on the outer dock, right into the wind. Add to that the fact that it was Saturday, and lots of boats were in and out, leaving many wakes. Not a restful afternoon, to say the least.
On the next day to a totally different situation! Forecast was for 90% chance of rain and thunderstorms, so we were looking for a "hidey-hole" where we could rest up a bit and have protection from the weather. We found Sea Gate Marina, on the Adams River Canal, between Morehead City and Oriental. A very protected spot, friendly staff, peaceful, good place to walk a dog. We decided to stay 2 nights, due to the unsettled weather. No cell phone service, but great Wifi! So far, grey skies, but no rain or thunderstorms, as predicted. That's OK! Hopefully tomorrow we will move on to Oriental.
A few notes of interest:
1. It is so important to always have the VHF radio on 16. We have seen examples of boaters who apparently only turn on their radios when they want to call someone else. But you try to contact them, and no response! Just today, we heard the Coast Guard hailing a vessel, and there was no answer. Apparently no radio on. Not smart.
2. The dinghy davits have been great, as the dinghy is out of the water, but relatively easy to launch. They do add a maneuverability problem, however, when docking, especially when getting into a tight spot! Also, visibility over the stern is limited. Now we have to stand up frequently to check for traffic astern.
3. Fans are so important in hot weather. We have 2 DC Caframo fans, which we thought might be overkill. We use them all the time in this weather. Also we have two battery powered "personal fans" which get a lot of use as well.
4. We have used the tiller pilot some, and it has been a very welcome break for Richard when it is in use. However, much of the route needs to be hand steered, because of so many turns and also needing to alter course to steer into wakes from powerboats.
5. We have done quite a bit of motorsailing with the jib. The roller furling jib makes this easy. We never roll out more than 70 to 80% of the fore triangle, so as not to put too much stress on the rig. But we do pick up anywhere from a half a mile to a mile an hour when we use it. A real savings on diesel!
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Be careful what you wish for...!
All fall and winter we complained about the cold. We couldn't wait to get to a dock at night so we could plug in the electric heater. People all along the way kept saying that this was the coldest winter anyone has seen in years, especially in Florida. We just wanted warm weather and sunshine.
Well, folks, the weather has changed! For about a week we have been experiencing temperatures in the high 80's and low 90's, and high humidity. Very uncomfortable. Wow! What a difference. Now local people are saying that this is early for this kind of weather, even for the south! It isn't even summer yet; this is July and August weather!
We enjoyed our time at Isle of Hope, visiting our friends there and taking care of some boat chores. Isle of Hope Methodist Church provided a warm welcome on Sunday morning. We left Isle of Hope on Tuesday, headed for Beaufort, South Carolina. It was a grey day with light rain showers and little wind, but we were making fine progress under power. Then at about 1:30 PM, NOAA announced a tornado warning, with severe thunderstorms and heavy rain headed toward Hilton Head. We were about 5 miles south at that point. The sky turned black, and the wind piped up. It just happened that we were near Haig Point, where there was a series of docks. We radioed, and received no response, so we went in to the dock anyway and tied up. Just in time! Heavy rain, gusty wind, then it all passed in a half hour, and we were on our way again! At that point, we didn't want to cross Port Royal Sound in unsettled weather, so we opted for Skull Creek Marina on Hilton Head. We were soaked, and we needed a break.
On the next day to Beaufort, only 18 miles. This made a very short travel day, but we had enjoyed Beaufort in December, and wanted to visit again in warm weather. So we put the hook down near Downtown Marina, and dinghied ashore to enjoy the beautiful waterfront area. It was just too hot to do any sightseeing, but it was nice to enjoy sitting outside along the waterfront.
Next day was again hot and humid we motored to an anchorage in the South Edisto River, where we had anchored on our way south in the fall. Last time we were all alone; this time two other boats joined us! When we got up at 5:30 the next morning, it was 73 degrees in the boat and 93% humidity. Yuck.
On to Charleston, this time to the Charleston Maritime Center. Good choice. This location is close to the center of Charleston: the Battery, the restaurants, and really all of the action! Last night a front moved through, bringing cooler weather, after a day in the 90's. Overnight temps dipped into the 60's and today has been beautiful, with temps in the 70's and low humidity. This morning we were privileged to attend services the the First (Scots) Presbyterian Church. This was our second time here; we had made a special effort to be in Charleston on Sunday so we could return to this beautiful church.
This has been a busy weekend in Charleston; graduation weekend for the College of Charleston, high school prom night and Mother's Day! Flowers and sundresses are abundant! Very colorful and a different flavor from our November visit.
This afternoon we cleaned the boat, filled water tanks, did some provisioning at Harris Teeter, and reviewed the route north. We plan to cross Charleston Harbor and continue north in the AM. While here we have enjoyed conversation with Lynnea and Leonard Rosner on their Sabre 362. They are from Burlington, VT and keep their boat at LCYC. It is a small world!
Well, folks, the weather has changed! For about a week we have been experiencing temperatures in the high 80's and low 90's, and high humidity. Very uncomfortable. Wow! What a difference. Now local people are saying that this is early for this kind of weather, even for the south! It isn't even summer yet; this is July and August weather!
We enjoyed our time at Isle of Hope, visiting our friends there and taking care of some boat chores. Isle of Hope Methodist Church provided a warm welcome on Sunday morning. We left Isle of Hope on Tuesday, headed for Beaufort, South Carolina. It was a grey day with light rain showers and little wind, but we were making fine progress under power. Then at about 1:30 PM, NOAA announced a tornado warning, with severe thunderstorms and heavy rain headed toward Hilton Head. We were about 5 miles south at that point. The sky turned black, and the wind piped up. It just happened that we were near Haig Point, where there was a series of docks. We radioed, and received no response, so we went in to the dock anyway and tied up. Just in time! Heavy rain, gusty wind, then it all passed in a half hour, and we were on our way again! At that point, we didn't want to cross Port Royal Sound in unsettled weather, so we opted for Skull Creek Marina on Hilton Head. We were soaked, and we needed a break.
On the next day to Beaufort, only 18 miles. This made a very short travel day, but we had enjoyed Beaufort in December, and wanted to visit again in warm weather. So we put the hook down near Downtown Marina, and dinghied ashore to enjoy the beautiful waterfront area. It was just too hot to do any sightseeing, but it was nice to enjoy sitting outside along the waterfront.
Next day was again hot and humid we motored to an anchorage in the South Edisto River, where we had anchored on our way south in the fall. Last time we were all alone; this time two other boats joined us! When we got up at 5:30 the next morning, it was 73 degrees in the boat and 93% humidity. Yuck.
On to Charleston, this time to the Charleston Maritime Center. Good choice. This location is close to the center of Charleston: the Battery, the restaurants, and really all of the action! Last night a front moved through, bringing cooler weather, after a day in the 90's. Overnight temps dipped into the 60's and today has been beautiful, with temps in the 70's and low humidity. This morning we were privileged to attend services the the First (Scots) Presbyterian Church. This was our second time here; we had made a special effort to be in Charleston on Sunday so we could return to this beautiful church.
This has been a busy weekend in Charleston; graduation weekend for the College of Charleston, high school prom night and Mother's Day! Flowers and sundresses are abundant! Very colorful and a different flavor from our November visit.
This afternoon we cleaned the boat, filled water tanks, did some provisioning at Harris Teeter, and reviewed the route north. We plan to cross Charleston Harbor and continue north in the AM. While here we have enjoyed conversation with Lynnea and Leonard Rosner on their Sabre 362. They are from Burlington, VT and keep their boat at LCYC. It is a small world!
Saturday, May 1, 2010
The dog that wouldn't "go"!
Palm Coast was a great stop; friendlly staff, good facilities, great walking. We stayed 2 nights, and while we were there, we had the bottom of the boat cleaned and the zinc changed. Both long overdue jobs!
Then on to St. Augustine, where we decided to anchor out this time. When we first arrived, all was fairly calm, but soon after the hook went down, the breeze really piped up from the south, so all the boats in the anchorage were moving around a lot. It was several hours before we could finally lower the dinghy and go ashore. We went to the same restaurant where we had an excellent dinner on Valentine's Day, but after a long wait, and still no dinner, we finally had to leave to get back before dark. Oh, well, better luck next time!
On to Palm Cove Marina, Jacksonville Beach, another spot we had stopped at on the way down. Two nights here, as the forecast was for thunderstorms. These actually did materialize (NOAA got it right for once!), so we were glad we stayed. It gave us a chance to do laundry, walk to Publix, and clean the boat. Here we met Ted and Malla on their Freedom 33, and enjoyed cocktails with them in our cockpit. That the thunderstorms and heavy rain moved through while they were aboard was not a problem, thanks to our new enclosure!
On to Fernandina Beach. We had planned to pick up a mooring here, but the wind was gusting up to 25 knots from the west, right across the mooring field. Would not be a problem, except that once again, we need to get our good friend Colby ashore, so we arranged for dock space. The dock hands at Fernandina Harbor Marina are excellent! They are skilled at boat handling. Given the conditions, we really needed help getting in. We had not stopped here on the way south, so we enjoyed walking around this pretty town, enjoying ice cream and chatting with the many friendly folks who wanted to talk to Colby. We bought fresh seafood at the Atlantic Seafood Market, right next door.
Underway the next day, we were hailed by "Black Powder," a Navy ship (200+ feet long) that was out doing manuvers along with another ship just as large. We were under sail at that time, and were asked simply to "keep to the red side" of the channel. We passed St. Mary's submarine base, but no subs in sight today. On to Cumberland Island. We had heard from several friends that this was a beautiful spot to visit. We anchored at the Plum Orchard anchorage, in the Brickhill River, and really enjoyed this spot. A great dinghy dock and wide open fields for Colby to run and play!
Next day, on to the anchorage by Fort Frederica, mentioned in Skipper Bob as a dog-friendly anchorage. Boy, was Colby disappointed! Skipper Bob says the dinghy dock is only available at high tide. OK, we could all deal with that. It was low tide when we anchored, so we waited. Then dinghy down, Richard and Colby off to the dinghy dock. BUT, the dock was under construction, and only half of it existed! Fort Frederica is a National Monument. Our federal tax dollars are definitely not at work here. Dick was able to get himself and Colby on the half dock, found a few loose planks lying around (this project had been abandoned a long time ago), and put some in place as a ramp for Colby. He took one look at this, and turned around and jumped back in the dinghy!! Uh uh, not doing that! So back to the boat, and then we walked Colby up to the foredeck, and gave him permission to relieve himself there. He promptly turned around and ran back to the cockpit! Uh, uh, not doing that on MY boat!! So in the AM, we tried again, to no avail, so we set off, both of us feeling bad for our good friend. And this day was a long one, 9 and 1/2 hours on the water. We finally made it to Kilkenny Creek Marina, and as soon as the dock lines were tied, Karen had Colby off the boat. Now this was a happy dog! 36 hours is a long time!!! We all went for a nice long walk.
Yesterday, we traveled to Isle of Hope Marina, near Savannah. This is where we left our boat to go home for Christmas. It was kind of like being back home again! A friendly greeting from the dock staff, and Patty, the office manager, even showed up on her day off to say hello to us and Colby! One of the many nice features about this marina is the courtesy cars; we went to a nearby Mexican restaurant that we enjoyed last time, then to Walmart for some provisions. We plan to be here a few days, to do some boat projects and to be sure that we are well provisioned before we start up through South Carolina and North Carolina.
The weather certainly is different than when we left in February. Today it is 88 degrees! Temps have been definitely on the warm side recently! A down side to this is the bugs; lots of "no-see-ums" especially in the evening. We are certainly glad that we have all opening ports with screens. Today is Saturday, and there is lots of boat traffic, folks out enjoying the beautiful day!
Then on to St. Augustine, where we decided to anchor out this time. When we first arrived, all was fairly calm, but soon after the hook went down, the breeze really piped up from the south, so all the boats in the anchorage were moving around a lot. It was several hours before we could finally lower the dinghy and go ashore. We went to the same restaurant where we had an excellent dinner on Valentine's Day, but after a long wait, and still no dinner, we finally had to leave to get back before dark. Oh, well, better luck next time!
On to Palm Cove Marina, Jacksonville Beach, another spot we had stopped at on the way down. Two nights here, as the forecast was for thunderstorms. These actually did materialize (NOAA got it right for once!), so we were glad we stayed. It gave us a chance to do laundry, walk to Publix, and clean the boat. Here we met Ted and Malla on their Freedom 33, and enjoyed cocktails with them in our cockpit. That the thunderstorms and heavy rain moved through while they were aboard was not a problem, thanks to our new enclosure!
On to Fernandina Beach. We had planned to pick up a mooring here, but the wind was gusting up to 25 knots from the west, right across the mooring field. Would not be a problem, except that once again, we need to get our good friend Colby ashore, so we arranged for dock space. The dock hands at Fernandina Harbor Marina are excellent! They are skilled at boat handling. Given the conditions, we really needed help getting in. We had not stopped here on the way south, so we enjoyed walking around this pretty town, enjoying ice cream and chatting with the many friendly folks who wanted to talk to Colby. We bought fresh seafood at the Atlantic Seafood Market, right next door.
Underway the next day, we were hailed by "Black Powder," a Navy ship (200+ feet long) that was out doing manuvers along with another ship just as large. We were under sail at that time, and were asked simply to "keep to the red side" of the channel. We passed St. Mary's submarine base, but no subs in sight today. On to Cumberland Island. We had heard from several friends that this was a beautiful spot to visit. We anchored at the Plum Orchard anchorage, in the Brickhill River, and really enjoyed this spot. A great dinghy dock and wide open fields for Colby to run and play!
Next day, on to the anchorage by Fort Frederica, mentioned in Skipper Bob as a dog-friendly anchorage. Boy, was Colby disappointed! Skipper Bob says the dinghy dock is only available at high tide. OK, we could all deal with that. It was low tide when we anchored, so we waited. Then dinghy down, Richard and Colby off to the dinghy dock. BUT, the dock was under construction, and only half of it existed! Fort Frederica is a National Monument. Our federal tax dollars are definitely not at work here. Dick was able to get himself and Colby on the half dock, found a few loose planks lying around (this project had been abandoned a long time ago), and put some in place as a ramp for Colby. He took one look at this, and turned around and jumped back in the dinghy!! Uh uh, not doing that! So back to the boat, and then we walked Colby up to the foredeck, and gave him permission to relieve himself there. He promptly turned around and ran back to the cockpit! Uh, uh, not doing that on MY boat!! So in the AM, we tried again, to no avail, so we set off, both of us feeling bad for our good friend. And this day was a long one, 9 and 1/2 hours on the water. We finally made it to Kilkenny Creek Marina, and as soon as the dock lines were tied, Karen had Colby off the boat. Now this was a happy dog! 36 hours is a long time!!! We all went for a nice long walk.
Yesterday, we traveled to Isle of Hope Marina, near Savannah. This is where we left our boat to go home for Christmas. It was kind of like being back home again! A friendly greeting from the dock staff, and Patty, the office manager, even showed up on her day off to say hello to us and Colby! One of the many nice features about this marina is the courtesy cars; we went to a nearby Mexican restaurant that we enjoyed last time, then to Walmart for some provisions. We plan to be here a few days, to do some boat projects and to be sure that we are well provisioned before we start up through South Carolina and North Carolina.
The weather certainly is different than when we left in February. Today it is 88 degrees! Temps have been definitely on the warm side recently! A down side to this is the bugs; lots of "no-see-ums" especially in the evening. We are certainly glad that we have all opening ports with screens. Today is Saturday, and there is lots of boat traffic, folks out enjoying the beautiful day!
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