Thursday, May 5, 2011
North Carolina
May 2nd, Monday Again we got up early to catch a good tide and were on the waterway by 7:00 a.m. We traveled along the Waccamaw River at break neck speeds with the sails flying. The river is a beautiful wildlife preserve and we saw many, many eagles and birds. We also sailed the ICW through Myrtle Beach. We are anchored with Release in Little Neck, SC. Less than a mile away is the NC/SC border, so South Carolina is behind us. We were in this same anchorage last year with Mike and Youla Cole on Kismet. We cut the corner too wide leaving in the morning and went aground. However, we did manage to kedge off.
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May 3rd Tuesday We did the waterway through Cape Fear today and it was a struggle against the tide most of the way. We did have wind, but most of the time in the wrong direction. However, we did manage to put in 51 miles to the anchorage in Wrightsville Beach, NC.
May 4th, Wednesday Ashore at Wrightsville Beach we had pizza with Release and met some of the other cruisers. We did anchor checks all night as the wind blew hard, and so we slept in. After doing some catch up aboard, we went ashore and walked to Harris Teeter for groceries. The weather threatened but it blew over and we didn't get wet. We hope to travel tomorrow with Release, weather permitting. It is supposed to be in the 60's though and that is COLD!
May 5th, Thursday. Yes it certainly was cold this morning. 51 degrees as we hauled the anchor at 8 AM. We dug out the foul weather gear, warm gloves, wool caps and SHOES. I haven't worn long pants and shoes forever. We now feel as though we have been skiing on a sunny day. The temperature never went above 62 degrees, but our faces have wind burn from the cold North wind. Please keep your North wind up North. We tried to anchor off Swansboro but the current was running one way and the wind blowing another and we just couldn't set the anchor. So we pulled into a marina here in Swansboro. Skipper is visiting Snow Goose as I write this. He is mad at Release because they shut him in the cabin while they were docking. We will keep him and report his owners to the SPCA.
May 3rd Tuesday We did the waterway through Cape Fear today and it was a struggle against the tide most of the way. We did have wind, but most of the time in the wrong direction. However, we did manage to put in 51 miles to the anchorage in Wrightsville Beach, NC.
May 4th, Wednesday Ashore at Wrightsville Beach we had pizza with Release and met some of the other cruisers. We did anchor checks all night as the wind blew hard, and so we slept in. After doing some catch up aboard, we went ashore and walked to Harris Teeter for groceries. The weather threatened but it blew over and we didn't get wet. We hope to travel tomorrow with Release, weather permitting. It is supposed to be in the 60's though and that is COLD!
May 5th, Thursday. Yes it certainly was cold this morning. 51 degrees as we hauled the anchor at 8 AM. We dug out the foul weather gear, warm gloves, wool caps and SHOES. I haven't worn long pants and shoes forever. We now feel as though we have been skiing on a sunny day. The temperature never went above 62 degrees, but our faces have wind burn from the cold North wind. Please keep your North wind up North. We tried to anchor off Swansboro but the current was running one way and the wind blowing another and we just couldn't set the anchor. So we pulled into a marina here in Swansboro. Skipper is visiting Snow Goose as I write this. He is mad at Release because they shut him in the cabin while they were docking. We will keep him and report his owners to the SPCA.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Leaving Florida
April 19th We left the mooring at St. Augustine saying goodbye to one of our favorite stops. Traveling with Release, they pulled off the waterway in Jacksonville Beach to pick up a new anchor. We attempted to anchor that afternnon by the railroad bridge outside of Jacksonville Beach, but Snow Goose didn't want to catch and it was close quarters. We headed down the ICW along with Release in search of better anchorage. Forgetting it was a moon tide which drops low tide by about 18 inches lower than normal, the boats started to experience low water. After bouncing over numerous shoals, Snow Goose managed to make it through. The Release who draws 6 ft (we draw 5 ft) was not that lucky and had to sit on bottom until the tide came in. We anchored just below them in nice 15 ft of water to watch Release. Beyond our anchorage was a yawl sitting on bottom, although he had poorly navigated. The tide came in to Release in a couple of hours and they were freed to anchor just beyond us.
April 20th We traveled on to our last stop in Florida and took a mooring off Amelia Island in Fernandina Beach. It was a short sail from our previous day and so we had all afternoon to enjoy Amelia Island.
April 21st Again we did a very short cruise to Cumberland Island in Georgia. We anchored off the island with the dolphins playing all around us and spent the afternoon touring the island, playing on the beautiful beach and watching the wild horses. We saw the Georgia 30 to 50 lbs. deer and Skipper had a wonderful time chasing turkeys.
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April 22nd We decided to take a break from the shallow waters through George, so we left Cumberland Island and had an enjoyable sail outside. We had 10 to 15 knot winds, beautiful sunshine, trailing seas and managed to tuck away another 50 miles. We came back in at Doboy Sound, Georgia and dropped anchor about 5 miles into the inlet.
April 23rd Motored out of Doboy with the sails flying heading for St Catherine's inlet. Another beautiful day with light sailing winds. Anchored just inside St. Catherine's across from a busy beach for small boaters. Prepared Easter eve dinner shared with Release.
April 24th Calm winds and beautiful sunshine. We flew the main sail. We have been having problems with navigation system. We suspect it might be the batteries. We anchored in Broad Creek off Hilton Head where sailors were celebrating Easter. Skipper, Ken and I went in for a dog walk and purchased ice. After doing some investigating, we have decided to purchase new batteries.
April 25th We made some phone calls this AM and ordered new batteries from West Marine. They will bring them down to the dock here at Palmetto Bay Marina. Bill cleaned out the locker, pulled out the old batteries to make room for two additional larger batteries throwing out more stuff and cleaning up more exhaust leak soot. Anyway, Hilton Head is a nice place to be stuck for the day, and we should be all set to head North tomorrow. We need to find a place to settle in for the Wednesday and Thursday's front with high winds.
April 26th We are in Beaufort in a hurricane hole tied up at a private dock. Long story short, Snow Goose did not want to hold at anchor. The first night I woke up to look out the V berth port only to find that we were snuggled up to another anchored unmanned boat. This was at one o'clock am. At 2:30 pm freed finally from the anchor tangle, we again tried to anchor. It was a no go two more times; Finally, at 5 am we rafted to Release. We waited for the tide wind and current to take another direction in the morning and anchored again. By 2 pm we started drifting and within seconds were alongside another abandoned boat tangled in their mooring line. Once freed from there, we headed for a dock very kindly offered to us by a resident of the river. The storm system bringing wind and rain/thunderstorm has in fact hung around for two days. Hopefully tomorrow, Friday, April 29th, we will be heading north again on our way toward Charleston. We have never had anchoring problems before, and I hope we never have them again like this. It was a combination of tide and wind setting and resetting our anchor. Anyway, another adventure I do not care to repeat.
April 29th We said goodbye to the Montreal friends who loaned us a dock. We started out up the ICW again from Beaufort and did the 40 plus miles to Steamboat Creek. We rafted with Release in the anchorage and had a pan of nachos and rum together. 7:30 AM we pulled anchor and headed for Charleston and beyond. The sailing was beautiful both days. We did a top speed of 8.1 knots along the way although we had to wait one and one half hours for bridges. We ended up doing 10 hours, going beyond Charleston, with another 40 miles to go tomorrow to get to Georgetown. We will go into a marina in Georgetown and stay overnight. We are again rafted to Release tonight -- it is so fun to be with our friends and Skipper. We connected our chart plotter directly to the battery and all is now fine.
April 30th We had a slow day today against the tide the whole way. We pulled the head sail in and out all day trying to get some help with power. We FINALLY spotted allegators--many of them!!! And also two bald eagles. We are in a marina tonight in Georgetown SC. The shower was wonderful! We needed fuel and water. Tomorrow we are off again.
April 20th We traveled on to our last stop in Florida and took a mooring off Amelia Island in Fernandina Beach. It was a short sail from our previous day and so we had all afternoon to enjoy Amelia Island.
April 21st Again we did a very short cruise to Cumberland Island in Georgia. We anchored off the island with the dolphins playing all around us and spent the afternoon touring the island, playing on the beautiful beach and watching the wild horses. We saw the Georgia 30 to 50 lbs. deer and Skipper had a wonderful time chasing turkeys.
April 23rd Motored out of Doboy with the sails flying heading for St Catherine's inlet. Another beautiful day with light sailing winds. Anchored just inside St. Catherine's across from a busy beach for small boaters. Prepared Easter eve dinner shared with Release.
April 24th Calm winds and beautiful sunshine. We flew the main sail. We have been having problems with navigation system. We suspect it might be the batteries. We anchored in Broad Creek off Hilton Head where sailors were celebrating Easter. Skipper, Ken and I went in for a dog walk and purchased ice. After doing some investigating, we have decided to purchase new batteries.
April 25th We made some phone calls this AM and ordered new batteries from West Marine. They will bring them down to the dock here at Palmetto Bay Marina. Bill cleaned out the locker, pulled out the old batteries to make room for two additional larger batteries throwing out more stuff and cleaning up more exhaust leak soot. Anyway, Hilton Head is a nice place to be stuck for the day, and we should be all set to head North tomorrow. We need to find a place to settle in for the Wednesday and Thursday's front with high winds.
April 26th We are in Beaufort in a hurricane hole tied up at a private dock. Long story short, Snow Goose did not want to hold at anchor. The first night I woke up to look out the V berth port only to find that we were snuggled up to another anchored unmanned boat. This was at one o'clock am. At 2:30 pm freed finally from the anchor tangle, we again tried to anchor. It was a no go two more times; Finally, at 5 am we rafted to Release. We waited for the tide wind and current to take another direction in the morning and anchored again. By 2 pm we started drifting and within seconds were alongside another abandoned boat tangled in their mooring line. Once freed from there, we headed for a dock very kindly offered to us by a resident of the river. The storm system bringing wind and rain/thunderstorm has in fact hung around for two days. Hopefully tomorrow, Friday, April 29th, we will be heading north again on our way toward Charleston. We have never had anchoring problems before, and I hope we never have them again like this. It was a combination of tide and wind setting and resetting our anchor. Anyway, another adventure I do not care to repeat.
April 29th We said goodbye to the Montreal friends who loaned us a dock. We started out up the ICW again from Beaufort and did the 40 plus miles to Steamboat Creek. We rafted with Release in the anchorage and had a pan of nachos and rum together. 7:30 AM we pulled anchor and headed for Charleston and beyond. The sailing was beautiful both days. We did a top speed of 8.1 knots along the way although we had to wait one and one half hours for bridges. We ended up doing 10 hours, going beyond Charleston, with another 40 miles to go tomorrow to get to Georgetown. We will go into a marina in Georgetown and stay overnight. We are again rafted to Release tonight -- it is so fun to be with our friends and Skipper. We connected our chart plotter directly to the battery and all is now fine.
April 30th We had a slow day today against the tide the whole way. We pulled the head sail in and out all day trying to get some help with power. We FINALLY spotted allegators--many of them!!! And also two bald eagles. We are in a marina tonight in Georgetown SC. The shower was wonderful! We needed fuel and water. Tomorrow we are off again.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Waiting for the North to warm up
April 11th We waited for the tide to leave Palm City Marina as we would be passing through very shallow water. I called TowBoatUS to get local knowledge as to the passage on the Matanzes River. The tide was with us and we were advised to hug the red buoys from 82 through 79 and we made it safely, although tense the whole time. This was the area last year at this time when we had to call TowBoatUS to tow us off a shoal which we hit while in the middle of the channel. Sometimes you just can't do anything right! Release contacted us during the sail and we advised them of our knowledge. They bounced once but made it off the shoal with some finesse at the wheel. We pulled up to the St. Augustine Marina fuel dock, filled our tanks and ice box and picked up a mooring. Release came in after us and picked up a mooring. Skipper recognized us as they came in and we took the dinghy over, picked him up and took him to shore for a swim and all the other necessities.
April 12th We needed a new anchor line and Release needed a new anchor, so Bill and Ken took the bikes and rode 10 miles to and from the marine supply stores. Of course, we ended up with more than the necessities, but what are marine supply stores for! Francie and I and Skipper walked to the hairdresser for very needed hair necessities. We met for lunch at one of our favorite outdoor restaurants we discovered in December (dogs allowed), but then the rains came and we headed back to the boat to make sure all those marine supplies purchased worked.
April 13th. Bill and I hiked to the grocery store and pharmacy. We met Ken, Francie and Skipper there. They had ridden their bikes. We shopped and called a taxi -- Skipper opted to ride in the taxi too. Laundry was next and that pretty much took care of the day. We ran into Mile and Youla, cruising friends we met in Coinjack on our trip down who live here in St. Augustine. They were out working on their boat. We plan to connect with them again before heading out. Snow Goose and Release had a couple of games of cribbage in the evening.
April 14th. Still enjoying St. Augustine and will through Sunday.
April 12th We needed a new anchor line and Release needed a new anchor, so Bill and Ken took the bikes and rode 10 miles to and from the marine supply stores. Of course, we ended up with more than the necessities, but what are marine supply stores for! Francie and I and Skipper walked to the hairdresser for very needed hair necessities. We met for lunch at one of our favorite outdoor restaurants we discovered in December (dogs allowed), but then the rains came and we headed back to the boat to make sure all those marine supplies purchased worked.
April 13th. Bill and I hiked to the grocery store and pharmacy. We met Ken, Francie and Skipper there. They had ridden their bikes. We shopped and called a taxi -- Skipper opted to ride in the taxi too. Laundry was next and that pretty much took care of the day. We ran into Mile and Youla, cruising friends we met in Coinjack on our trip down who live here in St. Augustine. They were out working on their boat. We plan to connect with them again before heading out. Snow Goose and Release had a couple of games of cribbage in the evening.
April 14th. Still enjoying St. Augustine and will through Sunday.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Tt. Pierce, Palm City, Daytona to Isles of Palm
April 4th
Saturday Daniele the diver scrubbed Snow Goose's bottom and said our paint was holding up well We had a lot of barnacles and some grass. We took the shuttle to Walmart and bought supplies again, hopefully for seven days.
Sunday we topped off the water tanks at the fuel dock (Bill had filled up the jerricans on Friday).and headed for Ft. Pierce. It was a little tense for the first few miles after leaving Manatee Bay heading north on the ICW as we had only 6 to 8 inches under our keel (close to grounding out) which makes for holding your breath. It seemed to go on forever. Then it opened up, we furled our headsail and had a beautiful sail into Ft. Pierce. We anchored early and enjoyed the downtime.
Monday, April 4th, we woke up to winds of 25 to 30 knots. We decided to hang out here and do some bright work. While doing bright work sanding, we saw a large fish come out of the water, do a 180 flip and go back into the water and it was big! We managed to get the stern done with one coat of varnish and the toe rail (the first one third) sanded. While sanding the toe rail we spotted a very large sea turtle and hundreds of little yellow tailed fish swimming along the hull. At 8 pm the wind is finally subsiding. We received a phone call from Ken, Francie and Skipper that they had crossed the gulf stream from Grand Bahama and had arrived safely in Ft. Worth. The winds picked up again and didn't die out until some time early AM. Bill and I took turns up during the night checking the anchor. Another boat here in the anchorage had a bad night, dragging anchor into the swallow water. However, they got off bottom with the tide and moved to a deeper area.
Tuesday, April 5th, as predicted the cold front came through about noontime, blowing and raining with a little thunder, but we missed the high gale winds and lightening. It is 4 pm now and the temperature has dropped from the morning high of 78 to 62 degrees. The rain has stopped but a lighter wind continues to blow at 15 mph.
Thursday, April 7th. We left Ft. Pierce on Wednesday AM April 6th. The wind continued to blow and the waterway was choppy. We had to wait for a couple of bridges, but we managed to get in 30 miles and anchored behind a spoil in Palm City. We promised dinghy he too would have his bottom cleaned, so we took dinghy into the beach on the spoil island and have him a good cleaning.
Today, we probably set a record in Florida with the bridges and actually traveled better than 50 miles! We are anchored in Titusville .The day was sunny and traveling much easier as there was a whole lot less wind. We did experience the typical Indian River lack of water and managed to clean the kelp off the bottom of the keel in a couple of places. There was also a dolphin who I am sure got a thrill when he came right up out of the water next to the boat and Barb at the helm. Tomorrow we plan to fill the tanks, get ice and continue on Daytona.
Saturday, April 9th we had an uneventful trip to Daytona -- again doing over 40 miles. The waterway was very busy with weekend boaters. We picked our anchor spot before the first of three bridges over Daytona. As we were positioning the boat to drop the anchor we hit a shoal and bottom. However, those weekend boaters came to our rescue creating rolling wake that lifted us off. We chose another spot to anchor but it was silty and holding was not great. We decided in the middle of dinner to move again. I felt like Release. Anyway, it was a restless night on anchor watch.
Sunday, April 10th, we started through the three bridges only to find the last one, Main Street bridge out of order. We pulled over to one side of the waterway and dropped anchor with two other Northbound sailing vessels. However, luck was with us because as soon as the anchor was overboard the bridge tender called that they were putting up the bridge. Just a little anchoring practice. We fought the tide all morning and decided we were not going to make St. Augustine. We have pulled into Isles of Palm Marina and treated ourselves to showers and a meal of very tasty pizza at a place we discovered in January.
Monday, April 11th, we are waiting for the tide so it will be coming in when we get to Devil's Elbow in the Matananzes River--the shoal we had to be towed off last year. We should see St. Augustine today.
.
Saturday Daniele the diver scrubbed Snow Goose's bottom and said our paint was holding up well We had a lot of barnacles and some grass. We took the shuttle to Walmart and bought supplies again, hopefully for seven days.
Sunday we topped off the water tanks at the fuel dock (Bill had filled up the jerricans on Friday).and headed for Ft. Pierce. It was a little tense for the first few miles after leaving Manatee Bay heading north on the ICW as we had only 6 to 8 inches under our keel (close to grounding out) which makes for holding your breath. It seemed to go on forever. Then it opened up, we furled our headsail and had a beautiful sail into Ft. Pierce. We anchored early and enjoyed the downtime.
Monday, April 4th, we woke up to winds of 25 to 30 knots. We decided to hang out here and do some bright work. While doing bright work sanding, we saw a large fish come out of the water, do a 180 flip and go back into the water and it was big! We managed to get the stern done with one coat of varnish and the toe rail (the first one third) sanded. While sanding the toe rail we spotted a very large sea turtle and hundreds of little yellow tailed fish swimming along the hull. At 8 pm the wind is finally subsiding. We received a phone call from Ken, Francie and Skipper that they had crossed the gulf stream from Grand Bahama and had arrived safely in Ft. Worth. The winds picked up again and didn't die out until some time early AM. Bill and I took turns up during the night checking the anchor. Another boat here in the anchorage had a bad night, dragging anchor into the swallow water. However, they got off bottom with the tide and moved to a deeper area.
Tuesday, April 5th, as predicted the cold front came through about noontime, blowing and raining with a little thunder, but we missed the high gale winds and lightening. It is 4 pm now and the temperature has dropped from the morning high of 78 to 62 degrees. The rain has stopped but a lighter wind continues to blow at 15 mph.
Thursday, April 7th. We left Ft. Pierce on Wednesday AM April 6th. The wind continued to blow and the waterway was choppy. We had to wait for a couple of bridges, but we managed to get in 30 miles and anchored behind a spoil in Palm City. We promised dinghy he too would have his bottom cleaned, so we took dinghy into the beach on the spoil island and have him a good cleaning.
Today, we probably set a record in Florida with the bridges and actually traveled better than 50 miles! We are anchored in Titusville .The day was sunny and traveling much easier as there was a whole lot less wind. We did experience the typical Indian River lack of water and managed to clean the kelp off the bottom of the keel in a couple of places. There was also a dolphin who I am sure got a thrill when he came right up out of the water next to the boat and Barb at the helm. Tomorrow we plan to fill the tanks, get ice and continue on Daytona.
Saturday, April 9th we had an uneventful trip to Daytona -- again doing over 40 miles. The waterway was very busy with weekend boaters. We picked our anchor spot before the first of three bridges over Daytona. As we were positioning the boat to drop the anchor we hit a shoal and bottom. However, those weekend boaters came to our rescue creating rolling wake that lifted us off. We chose another spot to anchor but it was silty and holding was not great. We decided in the middle of dinner to move again. I felt like Release. Anyway, it was a restless night on anchor watch.
Sunday, April 10th, we started through the three bridges only to find the last one, Main Street bridge out of order. We pulled over to one side of the waterway and dropped anchor with two other Northbound sailing vessels. However, luck was with us because as soon as the anchor was overboard the bridge tender called that they were putting up the bridge. Just a little anchoring practice. We fought the tide all morning and decided we were not going to make St. Augustine. We have pulled into Isles of Palm Marina and treated ourselves to showers and a meal of very tasty pizza at a place we discovered in January.
Monday, April 11th, we are waiting for the tide so it will be coming in when we get to Devil's Elbow in the Matananzes River--the shoal we had to be towed off last year. We should see St. Augustine today.
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