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© NENTOA 2008
From Marblehead to Florida
on the Eritad
Chapter 7 Key West to Jupiter - Feb 7 to Feb 17
Feb 7, Tuesday
Air temp 72, water 71, miles traveled 115, left 7:00 arrived 4:20.
After waiting for three days for the wind to subside we finally left on Thursday. The wind decreased to 10 knots from the south which means that it would be on our stern all the way to Naples. We ran the engine at 2100 rpm and depending on how the waves caught us we did anywhere from 10 to 15 mph. Fifteen was when we were surfing down a wave. It was kind of tricky; you had to be attentive to the wheel at all times. The autopilot made the boat zigzag too much so we opted to manually steer. We finally made it to Naples around 4:20. By 4:28 we were all tied up and secure when at exactly 4:30 the sky opened up with a heavy shower. This was the first shower we've had since near Cape Canaveral on Dec 7th. We stayed at the City Dock the first night and Susie Baker, Paul Earl's sister, came by to visit. We could not stay at the City Dock the second night because a fleet of boats were coming in and all the slips were taken. Susie called Pip's father, Peter Eschauzier, and he made arrangements for us to spend the second night at the Naples Yacht Club. Quite nice, I might add. Pip is going to be married to Jeff, the Earl's son his fall. Peter and his wife Jan stopped by and joined us in a glass of wine. Earlier in the day Susie picked us up in her convertible and gave us the grand tour of Naples including her condo. She took us to the market and out to lunch at the Dock Restaurant, a popular waterfront restaurant.
Feb 9, Saturday
Air temp 69, water 66, miles traveled 34.5, left 10:00 arrived 2:00.
We left Naples and headed for Sanibel Island. We pulled into Sanibel Island Marina into a slip that is normally occupied by a green Nordic Tug named Tuggy Bear. We were able to use his electrical hookup as well as his dock lines as everything was all set up. We bicycled to the J. N. "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge. We decided to do the tour the next day, because we did not have enough time to do it now. On the way back we went along the beaches and picked up a few dead shells. There were lots of people collecting shells as this is one of the most popular places for shell collecting. Prolific shell deposits here are the result of Sanibel, Captiva, North Captiva and Cayo Costa Islands forming a shallow crescent that lies at an angle to the current. Collectors are prohibited from picking live shells, starfishes and sand dollars. We had a small shower on the way back and the bikes got wet and muddy. The next day we biked up to the Refuge and saw our first alligator. We were afraid that we would never see one. The Refuge was such a beautiful, peaceful place; luckily there were not many tourists. We saw numerous alligators, snowy egrets, wood storks, turkey vultures, great blue herons, little blue herons, terns, anhingas, roseate spoonbills, white Ibis, common and snowy egrets, white and brown pelicans. We wanted to bike to Captiva Island, but were told that it was far and there was not much to see. Furthermore the roads were only two lanes wide with no room for bikes and no bike paths, unlike Sanibel which had bike paths everywhere. We went to Billy's Bike Rental and rented a motor scooter for one hour and went to Captiva and back. We didn't have enough time to stop there so we turned around and came back. After all this biking and scooter riding our asses were sore. We biked 12 miles yesterday, 17 miles today and drove about 34 miles on the scooter. The marina supplied us with warm blueberry muffins and a newspaper every morning.
Feb 11, Monday
Air temp 63, water 63, miles traveled 19.6, left 9:30 arrived 11:45.
We arrived at Ft. Myers and tied up at the City of Ft. Myers Yacht Basin. We called Ruth and Bette, Flemming, and the Cunninghams to let them know we were here and arranged for them to visit, not all at the same time, of course. Then we walked around town and by Thomas Edison's and Henry Ford's summer homes. Later in the evening Flemming, a friend who used to live in Sandown, picked us up and took us to Shooters at the Holiday Inn. We called Roy Herk, a mutual friend who also used to live in Sandown, to join us. We went back to the boat for a while and talked. The next day Bette and Ruth, Nordic Tug owners of Annie B, whom we met at the Nordic Tug rendezvous in Essex, CT, last summer, drove down from Anna Maria Island. We talked with them about the details of our trip because they might want to do it next year. They drove us across the bridge to Wally's restaurant by the water. Wally's had a great menu, many choices and at reasonable prices. They also took us shopping to the Publix Market to stock up on food. We went back to the boat and did more talking before they left. That evening we called Roy Herk. He picked us up and took us to property he owns where he is planting 3600 palm trees covering four acres. He figures he can sell half of his stock in 3-4 years, the rest a couple of years later then the retire. He was in the process of installing a computer-controlled irrigation system over the entire area. After, he took us to his house where we met his wife and daughter and they served us a spaghetti supper.
Feb 13, Wednesday
Pete and Helen Cunningham, friends of ours who live in Plaistow, NH, visited. They have a house in Pinellas Park, which is near Clearwater. We talked, went out to lunch, then went for a tour at the Edison - Ford summer homes. The grounds were beautiful. The Ford house was very simple and modest. We went through Edison's lab where he did a lot of his work. Edison had over 1000 patents to his name. He is the only person to get at least one patent every year for 65 consecutive years. If you are ever in the Fort Myers area be sure to go; it is really worthwhile. Pete then drove us to see Carl McGrath's new house. Pete and I used to work with Carl. New house with a new dock out back.
Feb 14, Thursday
Air temp 53, water 60, miles traveled 31.3 left 8:25 arrived 12:45.
We left Ft. Myers and headed for Labelle about 30 miles east. This was the beginning of our trip across Florida through Lake Okeechobee. We went through the Franklin Lock and were raised about 4 feet, then cruised to Labelle. The town has a free dock, first come first served. It accommodates about 6-8 boats using a Mediterranean moor. That is, stern into the pier. Free tie up, free electricity and water; what more could one ask for. You can only stay a maximum of 3 days then you have to move on so others can take advantage. We called Flemming, who lives in Labelle, and he came down to have lunch with us on board the boat. Then he took us for a tour of the area. We stopped off at a friend of his and picked oranges and tangerines from his trees. After, he took us to a small, local, and crowded restaurant. The prices for entrees ranged from $4.95 to $7.95 and the food was good; it's no wonder it was crowded. This is our kind of restaurant and they're hard to find. After supper we went back to the boat. While visiting Flemming at his house, we met his cat Harry. He was also feeding a three- legged stray cat that was missing his right rear leg. The cat had been hanging around for some time and one day he was so hungry he followed Flemming into the house. He had been feeding him for about a week. The stray cat ate everything Rita fed him. She felt sad for the cat because when Flemming was gone the cat would be on his own again. The cat was skinny, you could feel his ribs. But there was nothing we could do about it. We already had a cat on board named Zeke and we did not need another cat. So that was that.
Feb 15, Friday
Air temp 57, water 76, miles traveled 37.3 left 8:55 arrived 2:45.
We left Labelle and headed east on the Caloosahatchee Canal. We went through the Ortona Locks where the boat was raised 9 feet. The lock tender gave us pamphlets that had information about the waterway, canal system, recreation, etc. Lake Okeechobee is 14 feet above sea level; that is why we have to go thru the locks to get up. On the other side of the lake we will be going down. We are traveling thru the waterway at a leisurely 7 - 8 mph. Very little boat traffic so this has been one of our most relaxing legs in our journey. That is not to say that we didn't have other relaxing times, but this is the least boat traffic we have encountered. At the end of the Caloosahatchee Canal, we went thru Moore Haven Lock which brought us up another foot. In all we went up a little more than 14 feet. We are now on Lake Okeechobee and have stopped in Clewiston, a small town that is called the sweetest town in the US because it is the sugar cane capital of the US. We tied up at the Roland Martin Marina and Resort for $1.25 per foot. We took our bikes and rode to the other end of town to mail some letters at the Post Office. The dockmaster apologized because they were burning the sugar cane fields and the boat would probably get dirty from the ash in the air depending on wind direction. As we were traveling across we could see several places with big clouds of smoke rising.
Feb 16, Saturday
Air temp 68, water 66, miles traveled 65.1, left 8:47 arrived 4:20.
We left Clewiston and crossed Lake Okeechobee which was a little over 25 miles. It is the second largest fresh water lake in the US. Then we reached the Port Mayaca Lock and were locked thru to the St. Lucie Canal. We were only lowered about 6 ft or less. It started raining before we reached the lock and has been raining hard and steady. This is the most rain we have had since we left in October. We reached the St. Lucie Lock and were lowered about 14 ft. The rain stopped mid afternoon. It was good because it washed off all the dirt from the burning sugar cane field. We continued down the St. Lucie Canal and arrived in Stuart. We anchored in Manatee Pocket for the night.
Feb 17, Sunday
Air temp 54, miles traveled 21.8, left 8:10 arrived 10:50.
We left Manatee Pocket and headed south to Jupiter to visit Red and Mary Lou again before heading north. It will give us a chance to visit and stock the boat, etc. We arrived at their house just before 11:00. We ate lunch and then went to a British Car show in the afternoon. It was neat to see all the cars I remember when I was younger. Triumphs, MG's, Austin Healeys, Jaguars, Morris Mini Minors, Morgans, Rolls Royces and many others. Some cars were restored and some were original. The people showing their cars were definitely proud of them. Rita went to bed early that evening. Red and I watched the Olympics on TV. I finally went to bed and when I got there Rita was still awake which was unusual. She is usually asleep when she goes to bed first. She said that she had not been able to sleep the past two nights thinking about the three-legged cat not having food and she wanted to go back to Labelle to get him. I knew I was in trouble. I could tell by the tone of her voice that she was determined and it was fruitless to argue with her. I did my best to convince her otherwise but to no avail. The next morning Rita started calling rental car companies and was told there were no cars available. It was school vacation week. She finally found a car that would be available at 1:00 PM and located just north of Jupiter. Red and Mary Lou drove us to the rental agency; when we arrived all we found was a telephone building. Rita called the Enterprise Car Rental and was told that the address in the phone book was wrong and they were located in Stuart which was a considerable drive from where we were. We finally got there, picked up the car and drove to Labelle about 115 miles away. We arrived at Flemming's house and could not find the cat. After searching the yard to no avail, we went on the front porch and the cat took off like a bat out of hell. We could not believe that a cat with three legs could run so fast. He ran down the driveway into a yard across the street. One thing in Rita's favor was that the cat was very hungry and she was able to entice him with food. But every time she tried to get him into the carrier, he would break loose and take off. I was convinced that it was a waste of time to pursue it any further so I sat in the car watching Rita try and try in vain. She finally ran out of food so she called Flemming who was on a trip, to ask where he kept his key and where to find the cat food. She got some food and started trying again. I called Red and Mary Lou to fill them in on our progress because they wanted to know. There was no answer so I left a message on their cell phone saying we couldn't get the cat, but Rita was not giving up and it was getting dark. Red called a little later and while I was talking to him Rita came up to the car and said the cat was in the bag. Success, much to my surprise. We drove back and the cat was extremely docile, calm and quiet for the entire trip back. We put him on the boat and Rita slept on the boat that night. The cat adapted very well and was extremely well-behaved. We took him to the vets the next morning to have him examined and given all the necessary shots. The vet removed a deeply imbedded tick from the cat's neck without a flinch or cry. The vet said that the cat must have come from a good home to be so docile. He said that it was a male and suggested that we call the cat Tripod because he had only three legs. I thought that name was neat but Rita had decided to call the cat Belle if it was a female. So when she found out it was a male she called him Beau. She reasoned that in French la belle means beautiful but is the feminine gender; beau also means beautiful but is the masculine gender. So the cat's name is Beau.
Chapter 8 Jupiter to Daytona, Feb. 21 to Mar. 2
Feb. 21, Thursday
Air temp 74, water 72, miles traveled 31.5 left 12:19 arrived 4:05.
When we were snorkeling in the Keys, I checked the zincs and found the one on the end of the propeller was just about disintegrated, so I decided to replace it before we left Jupiter. We were in Jupiter for four days and when do you think I finally got around to doing it. Right at the last minute, of course. I put my bathing suit on and goggles and went under the boat. The prop zinc was completely gone so was the screw holding it on. I had bought some 5/16" bolts to use but when I got under there I found out that they were too small. I dried off, put my clothes on and Red drove me to West Marine to get some 3/8" bolts. Back to the boat and into the water again. I had to hold my breath and was able to replace it, and I only had to come up for air twice. It should be ok for now but when I get home I will have to replace all the zincs on the boat. Well with that unpleasant chore completed we finally got underway at 12:19. We were in no hurry and took our time to get to the anchorage at Hutchinson Island. We were the only boat in this quiet anchorage. Tomorrow we will be heading to Sebastian. I am sad to say that this starts our journey home.
Feb. 22, Friday
Air temp 74, water 69, miles traveled 39.8, left 7:45 arrived 12:30.
We headed for Sebastian to visit friends who used to live diagonally across from us in Atkinson, Jack and Jean Holbrook. We bought Amy's first horse from them. We tied up at Captain Hiram's Marina for 90 cents per foot which included two tickets good for two free drinks at their bar or restaurant. We called Jack and Jean; Jack was on his way to pick us up. The skies looked threatening. The forecast was for heavy rain and possible thundershowers. We brought Jack out to look at the boat along with his son-in-law and grandson. As we left the boat the skies opened up. Even though we had rain jackets on, our shorts and shoes got soaked. We went to their house and visited with the family for a while. Jack suggested that we go to what he called the executive soup kitchen. It was a nice restaurant just down from the marina. They served cheap nachos and cheap drinks. We ate and drank - six adults and three children and the bill came to $17. They go there almost every Friday night. Too bad they don't have anything like that at home. They invited us back to their home but we declined, said our goodbyes and walked to the marina. A little later in the evening we went to the tiki bar and had some appetizers and our free drinks, then went back to the boat. This was a place worth stopping at: inexpensive marina, nice bar, good music and a nice restaurant all at reasonable prices.
Feb 23, Saturday
Water temp 69, miles traveled 31.4, left 8:25 arrived 12:30.
We left Sebastian and headed for my brother Tom's house in Satellite Beach. We have put 1045 miles on the boat since we were here in December. It was raining hard all morning with the wind blowing about 10-15 mph. Sometimes it was difficult to see the markers ahead. Yesterday and today was the most rain we have encountered since we started the trip. We pulled up to Tom's and tied up. After we tied up the boat the wind picked up to 20 mph and gusting over 25. Glad we made it when we did. The wind is blowing from the north, the temperature is 60 and still pouring. I had to put my dungarees on because it was so cool. This is the first time since early December that I have not been able to wear shorts. I changed the oil just before we left home, changed it again the last time we were here and now I changed it again. I will have to change it when we get home. The timing worked out to be just about at the recommended intervals.
Feb 27, Wednesday
Air temp 60, water 62.5 miles traveled 31.4, left 10:15 arrived 2:30.
We left my brother's place and headed for Cape Canaveral. A cold front just came in and the temperature is 60, the high for the day, with the wind blowing quite briskly out of the NW at 10-15 mph. We went up the Banana River to Cape Canaveral. The wind was blowing 20 mph and gusting over 25. We could not find a suitable anchorage. One good anchorage had about five sailboats but they were open to the wind and were bouncing around. We didn't feel like bouncing around all night so we went thru the Canaveral Barge Canal over to the ICW and anchored behind the NASA Causeway Bridge where it was calm. The shuttle is scheduled to launch tomorrow morning at 6:48. We can see it from the upper deck but we want to be much closer, so we will move closer early in the morning before the launch. The temperature is supposed to be in the high 30's to 40 degrees. If it gets too cold the launch will be delayed. We have been watching a powerboat going around in circles for the past two hours waiting for the NASA Bridge to open. The guidebook says it does not open between 3:30 and 5:00. The vertical clearance is 27 feet. It pays to have a smaller boat at times like this.
Feb 28, Thursday
Miles traveled 4.84, left 2:35 arrived 3:15.
I listened to the radio early in the morning and the launch was delayed, so we didn't have to move the boat until later. We moved the boat after we had a leisurely breakfast to an area that the waterway guide said was a favorite anchorage for viewing the launch. The wind had died down and changed from West to N-NE. We had an excellent view of the rocket from here and we were the only boat in the anchorage. We would have preferred to have anchored in the Banana River where we were yesterday but the wind was blowing too hard and it was too far to go back. There was talk of scrubbing the launch tomorrow morning because of cloud cover. We were hoping that they wouldn't.
Mar 1, Friday
Air temp 57, water 59, miles traveled 42.6 left 8:00 arrived 1:25.
We awoke early in the morning and listened to the radio. The launch was still scheduled but could still be cancelled if the cloud cover came in. Well it went off at 6:22. It was awesome. The flames were bright and the rumble was loud but not too loud as we were 8-1/2 miles away but it was still spectacular. I got some real nice pictures on my digital camera. Due to security reasons, this may be the last launch that is publicly announced. I always wanted to see a launch and now I have. After the launch we ate breakfast and then headed for Rockhouse Creek near Ponce De Leon Inlet. We anchored here before and liked the spot so we decided to anchor here again.
Mar 2, Saturday
Air temp 65, water 60, miles traveled 13.3, left 9:30 arrived ?
We took early morning showers. Early, the wind was NE 10-15 mph, by the time we left the anchorage the wind had picked up to 15-20 out of the SE. This was good because the wind and the current were behind us. We were going over 10 mph and the engine was only running at 1200 rpm. As we approached Daytona we noticed a lot of motorcycles, trucks and tents, etc. BIKE WEEK! Talk about luck. I always wanted to attend the Daytona bike week at least once in my life but never thought I would get the opportunity. We couldn't have timed it better if we tried. Rita did not seem to share my enthusiasm. We originally were going to stay overnight but decided (that is, I decided) to stay two nights. We looked for a marina listed in the Boat US guide and found English Jims ideally located, but when we got there all we could find was Caribbean Jack. We stopped and were told they were formerly English Jims but are now under new management and still honor Boat US discounts. Fuel with the discount was 99 cents per gallon so we filled up with 63.11 gallons, because the next place with reasonable prices is Beaufort NC, about 500 miles further north. Dockage was $1.50 per foot per night and $3.00 for 30-amp electrical hookup, but with a 25% discount for Boat US members. The marina is all new and beautiful. The showers were the best so far. The $6 million in renovations include holding tank pumpout at every slip, new pool, new hot tub and a new restaurant not yet built. We decided to tour. We walked across the bridge and down Main Street. It was only open to motorcycles for Saturday and Sunday. Bikes were everywhere. We were told that during bike week there are about 500-600 hundred thousand bikes that show from all over the country as well as from foreign countries. The noise was deafening. Rita was glad she was wearing her ear plugs. The bikes were extremely loud and many of course would rev up their engines to make as much noise as they could and, no doubt, to annoy. It was a steady parade of bikers driving up and down Main Street with bikes parked on both sides along the full length of Main Street. It was fun looking at all the different bikes and the people who own them. There were doctors, lawyers, judges, policemen, businessmen, etc., from all walks of life even the skuzzies but not many of them. Some of the bikers looked surprisingly old, many of which were married couples. Many have been coming here for years and wouldn't miss it for anything. We saw one woman wearing chaps with the cheeks of her ass exposed. She was causing quite a stir walking with her husband who didn't seem to mind the attention that was being given to his wife. When people would stop to take her picture, they would both pose. We got a picture. Rita took it. I was too embarrassed to take it. Not that I am a prude, but I didn't want people to think that I was a pervert although under the circumstances it really didn't make any difference. We stopped at one stand and had a chicken pita sandwich. We continued to walk down Main Street and out to the restaurant on the pier. We looked at the menu and decided to have lunch there tomorrow. We walked back down the other side of Main Street and across the ICW bridge. We could see our boat from the bridge. We looked at all the displays put on by companies such as Miller, Dodge, motorcycle manufacturers, etc., and then went back to the boat. You could hear the rumble from all the bikes all night.
On Sunday we walked down Main Street to the pier restaurant. Today was our 36th anniversary so we were going to celebrate. We wanted to eat outside and watch the waves roll in but we had to wait for an available table. After a while we were seated. We waited and waited, finally after about 15 minutes we got menus. After another 5 to 10 minutes we ordered. I asked for a draft beer, Rita ordered a Sprite and we ordered our meals. After about 15 minutes, I asked the waitress when our food was coming and if it was soon, I did not want the beer as it would be too late. I enjoy a beer while I am waiting for the meal to be served. Once the meal is served, I want to eat not drink. We waited another 10 minutes and we noticed that the waitress had been at the computer terminal for quite some time. We both looked at each other and decided to leave. The people at the table next to us came in well after us and they were finishing their meal, and we hadn't even gotten our drinks yet. We had waited about 45 - 50 minutes. We went back down Main Street and ate at the Main Street Cafe with better food at a lower price. After we ate we continued to walk and noticed that things were quiet with no motorcycles going down the street. Something was going on and we did not know what it was. I asked someone and they said that the Budweiser Clydesdales would soon be coming down the street towing the beer wagon then things would pick up after that. A short time later we saw them coming with motorcycle police clearing the way. It is a beautiful site when you see these horses up close. After they went by, I went into a Kodak store to see if I could buy a video of bike week and purchased one of last year's event for $9.95. When I came out of the store Rita asked me if I had seen the young female with her significant other wearing chaps with her ass exposed. I said no. She said you must be blind; you walked right past her in the store. I went back into the store and there she was. We waited for them to come out and I took a picture. Soon afterward we heard all kinds of yelling and cheering coming from the street. We looked and saw a topless woman brazenly exposing the striking tattoos on her breasts riding on the back of a motorcycle. They had stopped so people could take pictures. A policeman went over and asked her to come with him. I quickly took pictures of her when she came through the crowd. I don't know where the policeman took her but everyone was booing him. Soon she came back and everyone was cheering but there were so many people I couldn't see if she had anything on or not. Like I said before, you see all kinds. It started to sprinkle on our way back down Main Street. We stopped just before the bridge to have a beer and enjoy the sights; there were many. It started sprinkling heavier so we headed for the boat. It rained lightly all the way back. Later the sky opened up and it poured along with lightning and thunder. It poured off and on all night. Here it is only 6:30 PM, the wind is blowing out of the NW, the temperature is 44 and it is hailing. You can see and hear the hail bounce off the boat. I thought we were in Florida!
I neglected to say that yesterday when we walked across the bridge toward the boat it was closed to traffic with all kinds of flashing lights. We suspected a motorcycle accident. When we got to the part of the bridge that opens, we could see police measuring and examining the area where the gates come down to prevent cars and pedestrians from going thru when the bridge is up. We couldn't see anything wrong. I asked a person that was standing there. He told us that about an hour earlier a 63 year old man was either standing under or walking by drinking a can of Pepsi when the gate came down and hit him on the head and killed him. There was a spilled can of Pepsi lying on the sidewalk that he had in his hand when he was hit. Kind of scary, especially the fact that he was the same age as me. Glad I wasn't there when it happened. It was in the newspaper the next day but no one knew exactly what happened. The bridge tender that closed the gate was so upset that he went home.
Chapter 9 Daytona to St. Simons, Mar. 4 to Mar. 11
Mar 4, Monday
Air temp 50 - 54, water 57, miles traveled 54.2, left 9:15 arrived 3:40.
We had our holding tank pumped, filled up with fuel and left. On the way we passed Duet, a 43 ft trawler that we passed going from Naples to Sanibel Island. We talked to him briefly on the radio and he followed us into Salt Run which is behind Carolina Beach. He decided not to anchor there and went to a marina. We anchored, the wind was blowing 15-20 and we bounced all night.
Mar 5, Tuesday
Air temp 37 - 54, water 53, miles traveled, 43.75, left 8:05 arrived 1:40.
We rocked all night at anchor. We were in a relatively sheltered anchorage for all wind directions except for NW and as luck would have it, that was the direction of the wind. The temperature went down to 37 and the wind was blowing 20 mph which made it feel like winter. We hoisted anchor and headed for Jacksonville. We anchored in the Ft George River about five miles north of the channel to Jacksonville. It is a long trip up the river and we will do it tomorrow. We anchored just past a ketch from Liverpool, England. The name was Shaharazad. Later when they were going by in the dinghy, Rita went out and talked to them. They were going back to their boat for lunch and then back ashore to visit the Kingsley Plantation, which is owned by the National Park Service. They invited us to go along with them so we would not have to launch our dinghy. Later they picked us up and we went to the plantation which was only about 500 yards away. They had a new dock but it was not open yet. It was an interesting tour. There were pictures of what it looked like back in the 1800's after slavery was abolished and many of the slaves stayed on as hired hands. Many of the former slaves were skilled carpenters, farmers, metal workers, etc. There were 23 small tabby constructed buildings for slave quarters, all but one which was fully restored, had only the tabby walls standing. The walls were partially deteriorated from time and weather. They were constructed about 1830 and were used until the early 1900's. The main house was in very good condition. After touring we invited Roger and Trudy on board for a glass of wine. They obliged and we had a great time talking and exchanging information.
Mar 6, Wednesday
Air temp 48-75, water 55, miles traveled 23.8 , left 8:40 arrived 12:15.
We left the anchorage. Trudy and George left a bit earlier and I called them on the radio to say goodbye and wish them well. We went back and up the river to Jacksonville, a 23-mile trip with the current against us all the way. We tied up at the River City Brewing Company and Marina. It is right in the heart of downtown. We walked across the bridge and visited Jacksonville Landing, a shopping center complex on the water with stores and eating establishments. We also walked the mile-long boardwalk along the river called the River Walk. Early in the evening, after showering in the worst showers on the trip, we went to the bar at the brewery and tried some different brews. Luckily we were there during happy hour and all drinks were $2. We decided to stay for supper. Jacksonville is not a pretty city and we would never bother to come back. All the while we were there you could smell the Maxwell House Coffee factory everywhere we went. I guess the smell is the processing of the coffee.
Mar 7, Thursday
Air temp 52-73, water 45, miles traveled 33.1, left 10:00, arrived 1:35.
We decided to visit San Marco Square in Jacksonville before we left. We walked down San Marco Ave., about eight blocks, to a square modeled after St. Marks Square in Venice. It had some very nice, expensive stores and shops but being early nothing was opened, so we walked back to the boat and got underway. This time the current was with us but the wind was against us blowing 15-20, which made it very choppy with constant spray on the windshield. We traveled up to Alligator Creek and anchored. It is not far from Fernandina where we will stop tomorrow to pick up our mail. A large Coast Guard work barge came and anchored near us. They were hoping the wind would subside by morning and they would continue toward St. John's River in Jacksonville. I heard them talking to a tugboat captain that we had been following about conditions and when the tug captain told them how bad it was they decided to anchor and wait till morning.
Mar 8, Friday
Air temp 66-72, water 60, miles traveled 16.8, left 1:20, arrived 4:55.
We left Alligator Creek and anchored in Fernandina and went ashore in the dinghy. We walked up one side and down the other. We looked to see if there was anything we missed when we were here before. We picked up the mail, returned to the boat and continued our trip to Cumberland Island, our favorite island, where we anchored for the night. The next morning we took the dinghy with our bicycles ashore. The last time we were here on December 1, we wished we had bicycles. Now we can cover more of the island and see areas that we couldn't see last time. We biked about 20 miles and ate lunch on the beach. The sand was hard so it was easy biking down the beach which was miles long. We met another couple on bikes from the sailboat anchored in front of us. They were from Canada and ran their business from their boat. They were able to successfully combine cruising and work. Periodically, they would fly back to Canada to do things for the business that couldn't be done from the boat. Their trips could be as short as one week or as long as two months, then they would return and continue their cruise.
Mar 10, Sunday
Air temp 60-66, water 57, miles traveled 36.5 left 7:15, arrived 11:35.
I woke up around 5:15, the wind was blowing, the boat was bouncing up and down. I checked the wind speed, it was blowing 15-20. We finally got up around 6:00. I wished we had brought the dinghy in last night even though it was dark when we returned, but I didn't feel like it at the time and I thought I would do it in the morning daylight. Last night there was almost no wind and it would have been a lot easier. I had to take the gas tank out and the motor off, then attach the dinghy so that we could pull it up on the swim platform while it was bouncing up and down. We got underway early and headed for Brunswick, GA. We went by the Navy nuclear sub base and saw NR-1, a deep sea experimental sub that Admiral Rickover was responsible for getting built. The reason I recognized it was for the past several days, I had been reading the book Blind Man's Bluff which is all about subs and it has all the info on NR-1. A very interesting book. We arrived at Brunswick and tied up at the Brunswick Landing Marina. Nice concrete floating docks, excellent showers and a comfortable lounge with complimentary washers and dryers. The cost was 75 cents per foot per night. We did some walking around and then returned to the boat for our bikes so we could see more. We saw a large tree called “Lovers Oak,” which is estimated to be about 800-900 years old. The amazing thing was the absence of people and traffic. We almost had the town to ourselves. Nothing was open so all we could do was look. I guess everything closes on Sunday even restaurants. Out of all the eating places: restaurants, sub shops, pizza parlor, cafes, etc., there was only one restaurant open and that was from 5-9 PM.
Mar 11, Monday
Air temp 48-62, water 58, miles traveled 10.7, left 9:10, arrived 10:25.
It was a cool morning, temperature was in the 40's early and slowly warmed up to the 60's. The wind was blowing 10-15 out of the NE. When we entered St. Simons Sound the wind was blowing 15+ mph against us and the current was with us. Needless to say it was choppy. We had constant water on our windshield until we approached the opposite shore then we headed up to the Golden Isles Marina. The current was flowing at three knots so it was tricky pulling up to the dock, but someone was there to give us a hand with the lines. The guide book warns you about this. It cost $1.25 per foot plus $4 for electricity. The marina was very nice, one of the better ones that we have seen. The dockmaster said that bikes were the best way to see St Simons Island so we took our bikes. There are concrete bike paths all over the Island. We took our bikes and shopped at the Winn Dixie supermarket, which was about 1-1/2 miles. After packing the food into the boat we went into town to sightsee. We came back and ate at Steamers, one of the two restaurants at the marina. The next morning we found a newspaper and two blueberry muffins on our door step. They do this every morning. After we ate breakfast we pedaled 7-1/2 miles to Ft. Frederica, a national historic site. It was built in 1736 and repulsed a Spanish invasion in 1742. The population reached about 500. The fort was no longer needed by 1749 and the troops moved out. Without the income from the troops the town slowly died. We could have visited the fort on our way down because we anchored in Federica River and could see remnants of the fort from the boat but the guidebook said that landing there was not allowed. I asked the woman at the desk and she said they encourage boaters to visit and they have a small dinghy dock to tie up to. She said that the guidebooks are wrong. From there we pedaled to the site of the Bloody Marsh where many Spanish were attacked and killed. Then we went into town and climbed the 129 steps of the lighthouse built in 1872 and still in use.
Chapter 10 St. Simons to Cape Hatteras, Mar. 13 to Mar. 24
Mar 13, Wednesday
Air temp 64-78, water 59, miles traveled 71, left 7:55, arrived 4:04
It rained during the night but cleared in the morning. We leisurely got underway since we will be anchoring and there is no need to hurry. On the way, a 42' sports fishing boat came up on us fast and I didn't see him coming. Just as he started to pass, I slowed down and he slowed down too, but still left a big wake. After passing us, he speeded up again. This happened somewhere before mile marker 650. Some time later, I heard someone calling a marina on channel 16. Then they switched to channel 68 so I switched also and listened in. It was a powerboat called Kimosabi looking for a towboat because they had gone off the ICW channel and went aground. They said that they were located just after mile 640 which was ahead of us around the next bend. Well, when we got there, guess who we saw hard aground? Yep, you guessed right. It was the boat that went flying by us. It was a brand-new boat which was being delivered to the new owner and the name was not yet on the stern. I am sure the new owner will not be too pleased if he finds out. A short time later, I noticed a vibration. I checked everything and found that the engine was skipping and causing the vibration. I ran the engine wide open and the tachometer only went to 2350 instead of 2600. I slowed down to 1400 which is what we have been doing since we left. I crossed my fingers and kept going. After about a half hour it seemed to smooth out again. We pulled into Redbird Creek and anchored. Soon after, I heard many birds, went outside to see dozens of grackles on the boat. I chased them off but they kept returning. This went on till dark. They made a mess on the boat.
Mar 14, Thursday
Air temp 54-?, water 59, miles traveled 44.2, left 8:05, arrived 1:15
Here we are first thing in the morning chasing the birds off the boat again. We pulled up anchor at 8:00 and headed for Hilton Head. We arrived at 1:15 in the Harbor Town Marina which is part of a resort. They greeted us at the slip with all of the paperwork and a bottle of Chardonnay wine. This is the only marina that I did not have to walk up to the office to sign in and fill out all the paperwork. As nice as this marina was, the slip fees were relatively reasonable at $1.50 per foot. The first thing I wanted to do was wash all the bird turd off the boat. After that we took showers and we walked around to see the sights. We had supper at the Europa Cafe. They had an early bird special from 5:00 to 5:30 for $13.99 which included everything, so we took advantage of it. The next morning we took off on our bikes and pedaled for 24 miles. They have beautiful bike paths and people were biking everywhere. We went to South Beach and had lunch at Salty Dogs. We saw an alligator sunning itself and a couple of dozen large turtles. We went to Sea Pines Forest Preserves and saw many large birds nesting: egrets, herons, ibis, etc. The alligators cruise under the nests waiting for a baby bird to fall out of the nest.
Mar 16, Saturday
Air temp ? water 73, miles traveled 75.1, left 8:38, arrived 3:40
It was warm, clear, sunny with no wind when we left Hilton Head, a perfect day. The daytime temperature did reach into the 80's. We anchored in Church Creek, 20 miles south of Charleston, SC. The anchorage was nice except the midges ate us alive. They came right through the screens.
Mar 17, Sunday
Air temp 71-83, water 65, miles traveled 19.3, left 8:30, arrived 11:25
We tied up at the City Marina in Charleston, SC. They remembered us from when we were here over Thanksgiving in November. I washed the boat down and we took showers. The new showers were being built when we were here in the fall and are now complete. They are in a floating building near the dockmaster's shack, so we didn't have to walk very far. They had six clean, beautiful showers; most marinas only have two showers. In November we had to walk about 1/8 mile to get to the showers and heads. They charged $1.50 per foot per night plus $4 electricity charge. We stayed two nights. After we ate lunch we took our bikes, toured and stopped at Harris Teeters supermarket to stock up on a few supplies. Entertainment that night was cable TV provided free by the marina. Most marinas charge $3 per night for cable. The next morning we had the courtesy van take us back to Harris Teeters to get heavy items that we could not get yesterday. In the afternoon a tour van picked us up for a tour of the Pickney Plantation. Mr Pickney was a signer of the Declaration of Independence and is responsible for the “innocent until proven guilty” clause. We also toured the Boone Hall Plantation. The plantation is still producing crops but it only has 738 acres from the original 17,000 acres. It was established in 1681. It still had nine of the original slave cabins in excellent shape because they were built of brick that was made on the plantation. We ate supper at the Sticky Fingers restaurant. They are known for their ribs and I really enjoyed them.
Mar 19, Tuesday
Air temp 59-62, water 60, miles traveled 87.7, left 7:40, arrived 6:30
We left Charleston at 7:30. Lucky we did not have to leave yesterday morning because there was fog. Several other boaters stayed another day because of the fog. The wind was blowing 5-10 out of the NE. We anchored in Bull Creek, a nice, quiet anchorage that we anchored in on the way down. On the way down, we noticed the nests built on the ICW markers and in the trees. Now on the way back, spring time, we see many more nests and every one has an osprey nesting in it.
Mar 20, Wednesday
Air temp 61-71, water 60, miles traveled 28.2, left 7:00, arrived 10:30
We left Bull Creek and headed for Barefoot Landing, which is a long dock on the side of the ICW with free tie up and no electricity or water. On the way down all the dock space was taken so we couldn't stop. This time there was plenty of space. The dock abuts a dining, shopping (outlets) and entertainment complex. It is a nice place to walk around. Of course the free dockage is to get boaters to stop and spend their money. It is worth a stop but there were no supermarkets. The nearest one was a mile and a half in either direction and we were out of cat food. Beau, our new three-legged cat, eats three times what Zeke eats. I guess he is still making up for when he was hungry. I was going to take the bike but the highway was too dangerous. I noticed a Wal-Mart sign when we were coming up the ICW about 1-1/2 miles back with a small dock nearby. We launched the dinghy and went back to that spot. When we got there we read the sign more carefully. It read Wal-Mart 3/4 mile ahead. We noticed a supermarket in a shopping center about an eighth mile down the road. Rita walked while I watched the dinghy. She wasn't too happy when she returned. The store was like Shaw's back home; you have to have a savings card that you sign up for in order to get the sale prices. Well she wasn't going to sign up, because we would never be shopping there again. We have been paying anywhere from 29 to 34 cents each depending where we shopped for the particular brand of cat food that we feed Zeke and Beau. This store was selling them for 40 cents each or two for 70 cents with the card which is 35 cents each. She asked and was able to get the discount without the card. Big savings. They jack up the price and make you think you are saving money by using the card and it is still more than we had been paying at other stores without card. Big savings!
Mar 21, Thursday
Air temp 60-61, water 61, miles traveled 59.2, left 7:59, arrived 3:35
The couple from Liverpool, England, that we mentioned earlier told us that the lowest diesel prices they had seen was north of Barefoot Landing. I had not gotten any fuel since Daytona Beach. I was planning to fill up where the prices were low. Some of the prices we saw were $1.09 to $1.29. Then we saw a big sign at a marina for 84 cents per gallon. We stopped and filled up. We took 162 gallons and we traveled 483 miles since Daytona. This also includes use of the generator several times. That works out to be around three miles per gallon. I was feeling real good about my purchase until about a mile further up we went by a huge sign for the Myrtle Beach Yacht Club that read “lowest fuel prices in the area, diesel 81 cents per gallon.” Oh well, I missed out on 3 cents per gallon. It rained most of the morning and into the early afternoon, then it cleared and the sun came out. The temperature was around 60 degrees. We anchored just below the Carolina Beach inlet, mile 295.5. We anchored here on the way down.
Mar 22, Friday
Air temp 44-58, water 56, miles traveled 50.6, left 7:00, arrived 1:20
I woke up about 1:22 am, the wind was blowing very hard. I went into the pilothouse, looked around and everything was OK. I got up again around 4:00 and everything was still OK. At 5:00 I turned my walkman on and listened to the radio until about 6:45 when I decided to get up. I went up into the pilothouse, looked out the rear window and saw grass. Our anchor had dragged and our stern was aground. I didn't know if the tide was going up or down. I yelled to Rita to get up that we were in trouble. I dressed, started the engine, put it in forward but we did not move. I figured I would try to power off and gave a lot more throttle. The boat moved so I kept it up and could feel the boat slowly move across the bottom and finally the depth sounder started to read 4 feet then 5 feet. I put the boat in neutral, with Rita at the wheel, I went forward to haul the anchor. Part way up, the anchor line jammed in the windlass and I could not get it free. The wind was still howling at this time. We drifted back onto the bottom and I tried to haul the anchor line by hand but could not budge it with the wind blowing like it was and the boat weighing about 16,000 pounds. I told Rita to give it some throttle, the boat slowed and listed slightly and finally we were free. I ran into the pilot house and just kept going, anchor and all until we were clear. I let the anchor grab and got some tools, took the windlass apart and cleared the jam. The temperature was 44 and the wind was blowing 20-25 gusting to 30. I cleared the jam, put it back together, raised the anchor and we were on our way. This is not the way I like getting up in the morning. The rest of the trip was uneventful except for a couple of idiots who don't know to slow down to give you an easy pass so you don't rock back and forth. We anchored in the Mile Hammock Bay which is a small dredged rectangular area at Camp Lejeune where the Marines launch tanks and practice landing maneuvers. There were tanks, trucks, helicopters, troops, etc., on shore. It was great watching them. Anchoring is allowed if you anchor out of the way and no one is allowed ashore. We saw an encampment consisting of tents and trucks and could hear explosions every once in a while. They close the ICW when they practice firing because sometimes they miss and the shells land in the water. Boats use this anchorage until they open it again. Usually they try not to delay the boats for more than two hours. A patrol boat is positioned at either end to stop boat passage when the troops are firing. Tomorrow is Saturday; hopefully they will not be practicing and we will not be delayed.
Mar 23, Saturday
Air temp 33-65, water 49, miles traveled 65.1, left 7:30, arrived 2:45
We woke up in the same spot where we anchored last night, a good start. The temperature was 33 degrees with clear blue skies. It was 43 degrees inside the boat so I turned on the heat to warm up the cabin. I think this is one of the coldest mornings so far. We got underway and passed the warning area, the lights were not flashing and there were no patrol boats so we went through with no problem. We tied up at the Oriental Marina in Oriental, NC. A nice small marina for $35 per night including electricity, water, cable TV, showers, etc. It is a small, sleepy town where no one is in a hurry. No industry so no jobs, either is why it hasn't grown. They claim that Oriental is the sailing capital of NC. The man at the marina said that someone did a nice sell job on that claim.
Mar 24, Sunday
Air temp 44-?, water 60, miles traveled 64.8, left 8:20, arrived 2:45
We left Oriental and headed for Pamlico Sound. Rita wanted to go to Cape Hatteras to see the lighthouse but it is way out on Pamlico Sound which can get very rough if there is any wind. Today turned out to be a beautiful, warm, sunny day with a light SE breeze, forecasted to increase to 5-10 later. This means that the wind would be behind us so we decided to do it. Monday is supposed to be nice and we plan to go to Ocracoke, which is also on the outer banks. Thunderstorms are forecasted for Tuesday. We are not sure when we will be coming back. We tied up at Hatteras Landing Provision Co. It was $40 for the slip and $6 for electricity. This is the most expensive electricity charge for the trip. We will probably use all of 20 cents’ worth, another rip off. We got on our bikes and pedaled 12 miles to see the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. The lighthouse was closed because of broken steps which will not be repaired until some time this summer. We knew this before we went but wanted to see it anyway. We saw its original location before they moved it 2900 feet to its new location. The lighthouse was built in 1870, originally 1600 feet from the ocean. By the 1930's the sea was encroaching. It was abandoned in 1936. Over the years various attempts were made to stabilize the coast but the sea kept encroaching. In 1987, it was only 120 feet away. In 1989, the decision was made to move it 1/2 mile inland again putting it 1600 feet from shore. The move began in June 1999, and twenty three days later it reached its new home. Three months later hurricane Dennis had water washing where the lighthouse previously stood. After seeing the lighthouse and visiting the museum we headed back. The wind was against us which slowed us down and being so far East the sunset was 20 minutes earlier than it had been farther south. We had only made it 6 miles and it was getting dark. I spotted a local in a pickup truck checking his tire pressure in a gas station. I asked him if he would be willing to take us to the ferry which was right next to the marina for $10. He couldn't believe that we would pay $10 for that. He was a fisherman and was heading home after a hard day of fishing but for $10 he was willing to go in the opposite direction. So we made it back OK. I had a couple of cold ones. We had supper, watched a little cable TV and fell asleep. Around 10:30 we woke up, turned the TV off and hit the rack.
Chapter 11 Hatteras to Solomons, Mar. 25 to April 5
Mar 25, Monday
Air temp 58-?, water 54, miles traveled 28.7, left 8:10, arrived 12:00
We left Cape Hatteras and headed for Ocracoke an island further south. The channel out from Hatteras is 7-1/2 miles long, changes direction several times and the markers are very confusing. Well I got off course just a bit and ran aground. I knew something wasn't right so I slowed down to a crawl and when I ran aground I put the motor into reverse too late. I didn't know where the deep water was so I launched the dinghy and found deep water about four feet from the port side of the boat. I was right at the edge of the channel. A fisherman came over and asked if everything was OK and I told him about our situation. He put his small outboard boat against my starboard bow and pushed the bow right into the channel. I put it in forward and we were underway again. I realized afterwards that we were looking at the wrong buoy. We got to the entrance of Ocracoke which was also very confusing and shallow. Some spots were only 6-7 feet deep with turns and several new temporary buoys because of the shifting sand. With a little apprehension we made it into Silver Lake and tied up at the National Park Service docks which were built during WWII for PT boats. There were many German subs in the area at the time and they were sinking an average of one ship per day. It cost 40 cents per foot for dockage. We biked around town and saw all the sights. It was like taking a step back 50 years in time. The long time residents strive to preserve its quaintness. We ate at the Pony Island Restaurant. The prices were more reasonable than the other restaurants we looked at. Rita had heard of hush puppies and wanted to try them. Well hush puppies came instead of bread, and we finished them. When the waitress brought the meal she brought another basket full of hush puppies. We ate enough hush puppies to last us for a year. We were stuffed and there were still a lot of hush puppies left. We walked back to the boat; it was about 7:30.
Mar 27, Tuesday
Water temp 57, miles traveled 58, left 6:25, arrived 11:56
The weather forecast for today is not too good, S-SE winds ten miles per hour in the morning with showers and thundershowers around noon and later in the day possible severe thundershowers with one inch hail and gusts to 50 mph. We decided we either leave very early or stay here for another day or more, because the extended forecast was not good. The sky looked clear so we left at 6:25. I followed a ferry out through the channel so I wouldn't have to worry about running aground. We were traveling at a leisurely 10 mph for about an hour and we noticed increasingly black clouds and lightning off in the distance. Looks like the bad weather was going to start earlier than forecasted. Pamlico Sound is not a place to be during a storm. It is like the open ocean because it is so large but it is only 10-15 feet deep and the chop can build rapidly. I increased the speed to 16 mph and we kept it there until it looked like we outran the storm. It passed to our south. I was a little concerned because the engine was acting up. While going along at a steady 1800 rpm the engine would suddenly jump to 1900 for about a minute then jump back to 1800. When doing 2400 the engine would drop by 100 rpm and the boat would vibrate then after a while it would smooth out and return to 2400. It would do this off and on, but I just kept going. Eventually it stopped. I suspect it was a fuel problem but there is nothing I can do about it right now as long as the engine keeps running. After it looked like we beat the storm, we slowed down to 10 mph and the sun came out. Later around 10:30 more dark clouds appeared. It started raining and the wind picked up. But now we were in the more sheltered Pungo River. We anchored at the head of Pungo River as the wind blew and it poured.
Mar 27, Wednesday
Air temp 57-59, water 61, miles traveled 45.4, left 7:03, arrived 1:05
When we left in the morning it was still raining. We were following two other boats. A sailboat which was leading the way, followed by a trawler, then us. When we got to the Alligator River the wind was blowing straight down the river head on. We took constant green water over our windshield. Finally as we were getting near the end of the Alligator River we decided we had enough and turned into the Alligator River Marina. The Albemarle Sound was ahead and it would have been worse. We filled up with fuel: 129.97 gallons at .929 per gallon, did laundry and some reading. One good thing we found out here at the marina was that the Dismal Swamp Canal had just opened yesterday. It was closed when we came down so we were hoping it would be open on our return trip. We didn't think it would open because of the seasonal lack of rain, but the past couple of day's rain made it possible to open, lucky for us. Tomorrow we head for Elizabeth City and the following day we go through the canal.
Mar 28, Thursday
Air temp 42-60, water 53, miles traveled 33.5, left 7:30, arrived 11:30
The wind was still blowing when we left. We crossed the Albemarle Sound and again had constant water on our windshield. The sound is noted to be rough if there is a wind from any direction as it is shallow and the waves build quickly. After about two hours we were through the rough stuff and continued on to Elizabeth City which is the last stop before the canal. They encourage boaters to stop. They offer free dockage and the Rose Buds greet you. This is a group of elderly gentlemen who greet boaters at the dock with a rose for the women and wine and cheese. Unfortunately they only do this if there are four boats or more, we were only one. We took a couple of walking tours, came back to the boat and saw a Grand Banks, Osprey II, having trouble trying to dock because of the wind. We helped them dock then went to our boat. Later, an 88-year-old Rosebud member came down to greet us. He has been doing this since 1983. He invited us and the couple from Osprey to his house for wine and beer. The roses were not in bloom yet, so no roses. Ray and Elaine were the names of the other couple. The four of us went and we enjoyed ourselves. On the way back Rita and I stopped at a restaurant for supper because our LP tank was running out of gas.
Mar 29, Friday
Air temp 41-75, water 55, miles traveled 23.7, left 8:20, arrived 12:15
We woke up and heated water for tea. We weren't sure we could boil the water as the tank was just about empty. Hopefully we can fill it at one of our stops. We left together with Osprey and headed for the canal. Construction of the Dismal Swamp Canal was begun in 1793, taking 12 years to complete with slave labor. It is the oldest continually operating canal in the US and is included in the National Register of Historic Places. It was surveyed by George Washington. At the first lock, South Mills Lock, mile 33, there was a sign pointing north reading 738 miles to Boston and south 1217 miles to Key West. We went through the locks which raised the boat eight feet. We continued down the canal to the North Carolina Welcome Center. It serves vehicles coming into North Carolina on the Highway adjacent to the canal and offers a free dock for boats. All you have to do is register. To prevent the banks from eroding, the speed limit in the canal is only 7 mph. You can get through the canal in one long day, but many people stay overnight at the welcome center. We talked to Ray and Elaine most of the afternoon. Ray joined the Navy one month before me and went to boot camp in Bainbridge, Maryland, at almost the same time as I did. We were on active duty at the same time. Even more amazing, he was in the same squadron as I was in Newport, Rhode Island. We traveled together for two years without knowing each other. We reminisced about things we did and places we went to like the Med, the Persian Gulf, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, etc. It was great considering that all this took place about 43 years ago and here we meet on boats in the Dismal Swamp Canal. It was a beautiful day, about 75 degrees, clear and sunny.
Mar 30, Saturday
Air temp 75, water 59, miles traveled 28 statute miles and 11.9 nautical miles, left 8:08, arrived 2:36.
We left the Visitors Center and arrived at the Deep Creek Locks about 10:30 for the 11:00 lock thru. We were lowered about eight feet and then we were on our way. We passed the mile zero on the ICW, from here on the miles will be nautical miles. We followed Ray and Elaine until we turned off to go to Hampton, VA. In a couple of days we will be tying up at their marina to spend a day or two with them. They said that they would take us around. We tied up at the Downtown Hampton Public Piers which is right in the city near most everything. The dockmaster was very friendly and helpful. He said his name was Splash. I said there must be some significance to that name. He said that five years ago he was the first mate on the tour boat when one day he was fending off the boat from the pier and the boat and pier separated and he fell in the water. The captain said I have a good name for you, Splash. He said that since then Splash is what everyone calls him. We took our bikes and went to the supermarket to pick up some supplies. Later in the evening we walked around town and had supper at an Indian restaurant; the food was very good. The next day, Sunday, we did more walking and then went to the NASA Space Museum and spent the rest of the day there. We saw three Imax movies: Destiny in Space, which was excellent; the Grand Canyon, which we had seen once before but was worthwhile seeing again; and then we saw Egypt. It poured most of the afternoon until the next morning, so the museum was the perfect place to be.
April 1, Monday
Air temp 61+, water 55, miles traveled 8.17, left 10:25, arrived 11:45
Well today is April Fool's day. When Rita woke up I told her that it was going to snow 3-4 inches that night. She was shocked and then I told her April Fool. We left for the Salt Ponds which are on the other side of Hampton peninsula. There we met with Ray and Elaine and a couple of their friends on sailboats from Seneca, NY, where they used to live. Elaine and Ray took all of us food shopping and then the wives stayed on the boats while the guys went to West Marine. Later the two sailboats left and anchored. We were invited to supper at Elaine and Ray's house. They said they would take us to see Williamsburg and Fort Monroe the next day so we stayed another day. The next day, Tuesday, we toured Williamsburg. We have J. D. Rockefeller to thank for beginning the restoration of the dilapidated buildings in the 1920s. Today the 173 acre site re-creates the colonial capital and consists of 88 original houses dating back to the 17th century and hundreds of replicated structures. After, we went to Fort Monroe and arrived there just in time to watch the firing of a cannon at 5:00 pm which is called retreat. The Fort now houses the Army's Training and Doctrine Command. It is a polygonal-shaped moated fortress with sod roofs. There is a lot of history here and everything is in very good condition. Since it is occupied by the Army base, vandals do not have the opportunity to destroy it. Thank heavens.
April 3, Wednesday
Air temp 62-77, water 58, miles traveled 53.3, left 7:40, arrived 2:30
We said our goodbyes and headed for Tangier Island in the Chesapeake. The guide book said that Tangier and Smith Islands have not changed much over the years. Electricity and TV are recent arrivals. The Islanders retain their distinctive English West County accents brought over by their ancestors 300 years ago. Neither island has a formal government. Discipline is maintained by family rule, town fathers, and the Methodist Church. Crabbing is the islanders' only livelihood. Alcohol is not available on either island. There are about 600 inhabitants on Tangier. We tied up at Parks Marina, a one man operation. Mr. Parks is 70 years old but works hard and is in very good shape. He charges $5 for a short stay, $15 overnight for boats up to 30 feet, and $20 for boats over 30 feet. This includes water, electricity and clean, new restrooms and showers. The people are very friendly; golf carts and motor scooters are the mode of transportation. We walked the town in about half an hour. The clouds became threatening while we were walking so we hurried back to the boat. We made it just in time because there were dark clouds, lightning, thunder, rain and wind. The wind was gusting over 30 mph. The wind was blowing from the south when it started and from the north when it ended. I hope it dies down by tomorrow because we will be heading north right into it.
Here we are the next morning and the wind is blowing 15-20 from the north so we decided to stay put for another day. We used our time to do boat chores, addressing post cards, cleaning, writing and typing the log, etc. After lunch I heard a fire horn. I recognized it right away because I am on the volunteer fire dept at home and am familiar with the sound. I looked into town and saw smoke so we walked toward that part of town and when we got there, we saw the firemen putting out a large grass fire behind some homes. I talked with the pump operator and he said that kids playing with matches were responsible. The fire truck wasn't very big but it was the only piece of apparatus they had. On the way back to the boat, we stopped in a store and bought a few food supplies. I stopped at Mr. Parks’ house and paid his wife another $20 for the second night. She said that he was nearby but she didn't know where, but she would give him the money when he returned. Later just after dark, we heard someone calling outside the boat. I went out and it was Mr. Parks. He said that the second night is half price, gave me $10, wished us a good trip and told us to come back. This is definitely the cheapest marina. He said that during the summer months he is usually full. I can see why.
April 5, Friday
Air temp 40-53, water 48, miles traveled 39.2, left 7:15, arrived 12:55
We left in the morning. The wind was still blowing 10-15 mph from the north right in our face. With the water constantly breaking over our bow, the bouncing up and down most of the way, we did not have a comfortable trip. We pulled into Calvert Marine in Solomons. We were here last Nov. 7th. I got 50 gallons of fuel at $1.10 with a 10% discount for Boat US so it was an even $1 per gallon. When we stopped here last November, the fuel was $1.19 per gallon. We borrowed the marina's courtesy vehicle, a Mercedes 500 turbo diesel. This is the fanciest courtesy vehicle, even though it was 12+ years old, I have ever seen and it gave me a chance to drive a Mercedes for the first time. We went to the Solomons Post Office to pick up our mail but we're told that they did not have a package for us, but to call in the morning to see if it came in.
Chapter 12 Solomons to Marblehead, April 6 to April 16
April 6, Saturday
Air temp 36-49, water 54, miles traveled 44.4, left 9;39, arrived 3:10
Early in the morning I tried to call the Solomons Post Office but my cell phone would not work in the area. The package should have made it to the Post Office by now. We checked the Post Office address that we used in the guidebook and it was for a different Post Office which was relatively close to the boat. I took a bike ride to it but they did not have any mail for us either. I told them if it comes to send it back because we will be on our way shortly. We headed up the Chesapeake, the wind on our nose again at 10-15 mph, waves breaking over the bow with constant water on the windshield. This is one reason why we sold the sailboat. Every time we cruised somewhere, the wind was on our nose. At least in this boat we are inside, warm and comfortable under these conditions. This lasted for about two hours, then we neared land and it wasn't so bad. We pulled into Good Harbor Creek, a quiet anchorage behind Kent Island. On the way we received four messages in our voice mail. We listened to them and were going to answer them when we anchored but the phone read extended area and we could not call out. Usually we can. I guess we will try tomorrow.
April 7, Sunday
Air temp 33-60, water 48, miles traveled 61.6, left 8:30, arrived 3:55
We left Good Harbor Creek and headed for the C&D Canal. The wind was coming from the north on our nose again, but only 5-10 mph. Then it shifted to the NE and died for a couple of hours. The bay was flat calm, then the wind started coming from the south which was OK. We decided to go all the way through the canal and tie up at the Delaware City Marina. We pulled in and tied up but there was no one there. The boats were all stored on land for the winter and there was only a couple at the dock. We met another boat owner working on his boat and he said that the boating season has not begun but maybe someone might be here in the morning.
April 8, Monday
Air temp 38-55, water 47, miles traveled 51.9, left 6:29, arrived 11:45
We left early in the morning. No one was around so I guess we got a free night. The trip down Delaware Bay was a bit wet. The wind was from the south right on our nose. Too bad we couldn't have made the trip yesterday, conditions would have been better. The wind was blowing about 10-15 but the forecast was for it to increase later in the day to 15-20 and tomorrow 20-25 so we had to do it this morning or wait until Thursday or Friday when the wind would subside. We tied up at the Miss Chris Marina in Cape May, NJ. One of the men working on the whale watch boat called the owner and he came down. We wanted to purchase fuel. He apologized because his son had the keys to the fuel pump and he was away at college. Someone would be here first thing in the morning to sell us fuel. He said because of the inconvenience we could stay there for the night free. We bicycled into town and Rita got a flat tire. It was a long walk back so we stopped at the nearby fire station to asked if there was a bike shop in the area. We were told that there were many bike shops but they were not open yet because it is too early for the tourist season. The fireman offered us air to fill the tire. We tried it but it immediately went flat. He directed us to a hardware store in town that might carry tires, etc. He gave me directions and I went on my bike and bought a tube repair kit, a new tire and a new tube. I went back to the station and asked if I could borrow a couple of tools to work on the bike. He got the tools and helped me replace the tire and tube. We put the new tire on even though the problem turned out to be a bad seam in the tube. I thanked him and told him I was a volunteer fireman in Sandown and I would send him a fire department patch. All fire departments have shoulder patches and many collect them from all over the country. We did a little more touring then went back to the boat.
April 9, Tuesday
Air temp 51-60, water 60, miles traveled 41.6, left 8:02, arrived 5:29
We filled up with fuel, pumped out the holding tank and were on our way. The wind was blowing 15-20 so we took the inland waterway route. Tide was on its way out and in some places the depth was down to 4-1/2 feet. We were doing well until we reached mile 81.6 right beside channel marker 264. The charts show going close to the marker. Well, I thought I was pretty close, but I guess I was wrong and went hard aground in 2-1/2 feet at 12:15. Low tide was at 1:27 so we had to wait it out. I was going to launch the dinghy to see where the channel was because I thought I was in it. A local boat came by about 20-30 feet away and said that he was in 12 feet of water. He said that you almost have to touch the marker to be in the channel at that spot. The channel almost touches shore at this point. He asked if we were OK and we said yes. He said to wait it out and we should have no problem. The wind would blow us into the channel when we lifted off so we didn't have anything to worry about. I estimated that we would be off around 3:00 to 3:30. It was a strange feeling to be on the boat with it listing to one side. It certainly did not seem normal. While we were grounded the wind increased from 15-20 to 15-25 and the waves were getting bigger and hitting our stern. At almost exactly 3:30 we floated free. We continued and went through three bridges that had to open for us including the Dorsett Avenue bridge that we had so much trouble with on the way down. The bridge tender had been replaced. We did fine until we reached the railroad bridge in Atlantic, NJ, which is normally open unless a train is coming. The bridge was closed so I called on the VHF radio, requested a bridge opening and was told that the bridge was out of service until further notice. He said to call in the morning and they might be able to give us more information. We went to a nearby creek and anchored for the night. We could see the Trump Plaza, Tropicana, Caesars, Ballys, Taj Mahal, Sands and Claridge. The wind was still blowing 15-20.
April 10, Wednesday
Air temp 58, water 60, miles traveled 59 , left 9:20, arrived 6:35
We waited until after nine before hoisting the anchor. We went around the corner to the railroad bridge and there were several men working on it. I called and they didn't know when it would be fixed. We had to go back to Ocean City and go out Great Egg Harbor Inlet, which looked ferocious yesterday. The guidebook said to only use this inlet if you have local knowledge, but we did not have any other choice. We went out and it was tense, waves were breaking on both sides and ahead. There were shoals and rocks ahead but with both of us looking carefully and using the computer we made it through. We went up to Atlantic City and went in the Absecon Inlet, which was a piece of cake compared to Egg Harbor Inlet. It took us 18 miles to get to mile 65 when it should have taken four miles if the railroad bridge was working. We continued up the ICW which was tricky because some spots are very narrow and shallow, as we have already experienced. We got a late start so we only made it to Barnegat Bay mile 20 where we anchored for the night. We had our anchor light on. At 2:25 am I heard a helicopter fly low overhead flashing a bright light. Then I heard him return again and flash a bright searchlight on the boat. It looked like they were looking for someone or something. By then Rita was up and wanted to know what was going on. I told her I didn't know but the helicopter keeps going back and forth all over the bay and over us at least three times. We could see blue-flashing lights off in the distance so we knew something was up. The helicopter came back again and hovered off our stern and came down so low that the air from the blades was causing the water to spray around. We went out into the cockpit so they could see us. They stayed for a minute and went off. I think they were trying to read the name of the boat on the stern. They kept searching the bay but never came back to the boat. We heard on the news the next day that a policeman had gone berserk and shot five people in the Barnegat Bay area not far from where we were. That must have been the reason for the helicopter. After the excitement wore off we went back to bed.
April 11, Thursday
Air temp 46-54, water 56, miles traveled 50.7, left 6:35, arrived 2:00
We got an early start because we wanted to go through the Manasquan Inlet during slack tide to avoid any problem with big waves. We made it through with no problem - perfect timing. We headed for Sandy Hook, NJ, and on the way the wind shifted from north to northwest and picked up a bit. As we approached Sandy Hook the waves just kept getting bigger and bigger. By the time we reached Sandy Hook it was so bad that I had all I could do to control the boat. The waves were so big that they were breaking around us. It was a confused following sea which picked up the stern and sent the boat riding down the front of the wave and burying the bow. I was worried that if they got any bigger we could pitch pole. The prop came out of the water a couple of times and kind of gave me a scare. The ordeal lasted about two hours and I think it caused my hair to turn a shade grayer. We finally made it, headed for Atlantic Highlands and tied up at the marina there. The slip cost $1.50 per foot. We filled the tank with fuel 52 gallons @ $1.12. This will be the last place for cheap fuel. New York and Mass are much more expensive. I also had my holding tank pumped out for $5.00. I have a clog somewhere in the hose so my overboard discharge pumps but nothing comes out. I will fix it when I get home.
April 12, Friday
Air temp 46-54, water 54, miles traveled 51, 7:22, arrived 12:45
We left at 7:22 in order to time our passage through Hell Gate at slack tide. I have heard that it can be pretty rough along with eddies and swirling currents. Everything went perfect for a change and we continued to Oyster Bay. We got a slip at the Oyster Bay Marina for $3.00 per foot, a bit on the expensive side but this is Long Island, NY. I also took a look at their diesel price. It was $1.699, a lot more than the $1.12 I paid yesterday. We rode our bikes into town and then several miles to Sagamore Hill, Teddy Roosevelt's house, for a tour. A couple of years ago, I purchased a National Parks Golden Age Pass and it has saved us quite a bit of money. We used it several times on this trip. The pass allows the holder free admission to most of the National Park Historic Sites, so this tour was free. Teddy Roosevelt helped design this house following his graduation in 1884. It was his main residence for the rest of his life as well as his summer White House. This was the very first summer White House. The advent of the telephone allowed him to still be in contact with Washington. He had six children and he was a devoted family man. This was a working white house and business went on as usual: treaties were signed, dignitaries hosted, etc. Even though he had visitors he would, at a designated time of day, stop whatever he was doing and take two hours to play with his along with any visiting children. If someone was visiting, it did not matter who they were or how important they were, he would say to them you can join us, watch us or just wait until we are done. Everything in the house is exactly as it was including the furniture. This is because Roosevelt had the house built, he and his family were the only ones that lived there. It was a worthwhile tour.
April 13, Saturday
Air temp 54-76, water 49, miles traveled 49.4, left 8:10, arrived 2:22
The forecast was for south winds blowing 5-10 and increasing to 15-20 from the SE in the afternoon. It was flat calm till about 9:30 then the wind picked up a little. It did not start getting a little rough until after 12:00 and it was coming off our rear quarter which is no problem except that the boat was constantly zig- zagging. It was a relaxing trip at 7.5-9 knots depending on whether the current was with us or against us. We had it on autopilot until the boat started zig- zagging too much. We pulled into Mattituck, Long Island. The narrow canal is about 2-1/2 miles long and there is an anchorage at the head where we anchored for the night. It is a very well protected anchorage and we were the only ones there. I measured the wind and it was blowing 10-20mph. The weather sounds the same for tomorrow so I am not sure what we are going to do. We will decide tomorrow morning.
April 14, Sunday
Air temp 53-64, water 52, miles traveled 55.4, left 7:20, arrived 12:55
We left Mattituck and headed for Point Judith, RI. The weather forecast sounded worse than what we experienced. The wind was behind us and the current was against us but the waves were not bad. We used the autopilot most of the way. We anchored inside the breakwater, took stern showers when there were no boats around and had a relaxing afternoon. We could have gone to Newport but decided not to. On Monday morning we awoke shrouded in fog. Visibility was almost zero so we waited. The fog finally lifted around 1:30 and the wind was blowing 10-15. It was rough and the current would have been against us. We decided to wait until tomorrow when the wind is supposed to be lighter early in the morning and the current will be with us. We will head for Onset, MA, tomorrow. We just took it easy and caught up on some reading. The sun came out and the rest of the day was nice.
April 16, Tuesday
Air temp 46-68, water 51, miles traveled 104, left 6:00, arrived 3:30
I listened to the weather early in the morning. Fog was reported in most places which wasn't too reassuring. I looked outside; it was clear but looked like fog was getting ready to roll in. I woke Rita up and said let's go while we can still see something. We got underway at 6:00. The wind was light out of the SW and there were huge swells. We cruised at 12-13 knots with the current in our favor. The seas were not bad except for the big swells. Everything went fine until we reached Buzzards Bay and fog. Using the computer and the radar, the fog didn't slow us down much. When we reached the southern end of the canal the fog was lifting. We originally planned to stop in Onset but we had made such good time and the current was still in our favor that we decided to continue to Sandwich and stop in the Harbor of Refuge at the other end of the canal. When we got there the water was calm. It was only 11:30 so we decided to continue to Marblehead. The water was like glass most of the way. Off Boston I got concerned because the engine started acting up. We had been cruising at 2200 rpm. The engine would drop to 2100 then go back to 2200, back and forth. Then it dropped to 2000 and fluctuated between 2000 and 2100 and a few times it would drop to 1900. All I needed was for the engine to quit within eight miles of Marblehead, right at the end of our trip. I just left the throttle alone and crossed my fingers and we made it. We tied up to our mooring. It seemed strange to see the harbor devoid of boats. I took the dinghy ashore and got the mooring painters that David, our son, had put in the locker along with the necessary tools, then came back and attached them to the mooring. We called Red Hawkes to let him know we had arrived and as soon as I hung up the phone, I received a voice mail message from Dale and Paul Earl saying they were at the yacht club. The cell phone stopped working at this point so on the way home the next day we bought a new one. We had been having a lot of trouble with the phone the past few weeks. I took the dinghy in and picked the Earls up and came back to the boat. We talked about the trip, showed them our pictures and served cheese and crackers, etc. Paul let me use his cell phone and I called David. He was having supper and said he had our car and would bring it up after supper. We hitched a ride to David and Brenda's house with the Earls. It was a happy reunion; we got to see our grandson Connor. He certainly grew since we saw him in Miami during their visit on the boat. We went back to the boat and slept. The next morning I had trouble starting the engine. It eventually started and we took the boat to the Commercial Street dock because the yacht club floats were not in the water yet. We unloaded the boat and returned it to the mooring. I checked the fuel filter bowl for the engine and it was pretty dirty so I suspect that the filters are clogged and causing the engine to starve for fuel. A lot of fuel has passed through the filters since we left so I am going to replace them when we return on Saturday.
Here is a summary of our trip
We departed at 6:30 on October 19, 2001 and returned at 3:30 on April 16, 2002. The reason we came back so early was to attend Brad Earl's wedding. He is Dale and Paul's son and also one of David's best friends. We traveled 1452.7 nautical miles and 3088.3 statute miles. If we convert it to all nautical miles, it is 4170.4 miles. If you convert it to all statute miles it is 4739.1 miles. We used 1870.09 gallons of diesel fuel, which cost $1864.30. This works out to be 2.5 statute miles per gallon or 2.23 nautical miles per gallon.