Florida in images!

Mooring Field

From Fort George creek to St Augustine. That's 44.1 Miles!!  Another great day with the current and breeze in my favor. It's almost to much to ask.

Looking back at going through St Catherine's Sound in Georgia with fog that rolled in and I couldn't see the bow. Of course it didn't matter much since I was against a 8' tidal ebb. At 1.8 knots I wasn't worried about having to make those razor sharp quick decisions in a second's notice!

But here I am, not only in St Augustine but in a mooring field, hanging on one of those moorings, (for free) with a huge old light house behind me. And then with the Atlantic ocean crashing on the beach only a couple of hundred yds. in front. 

I'm very tempted to stay - for just a day or two.....

But I got to get going again tomorrow and be at the bridge at slack so my little boat can get thru the big currents that run here. 

Great if there in your favor but a bear to go up against. 

They say the breeze will be in the east again tomorrow - one can only hope

Sent from my iPhone

The Race! No Motors!

Last day at the Morning Star marina, got to get going again. Even two days is to much without moving!

Roger the owner of the 40' Cat threw down the gauntlet. He came by and asked when the last the time the sailcover had been off. Ok maybe three weeks but I had used the jib almost every day. Really - I think...

Rogers a real sailor and the look in his eye made me cringe. I had become "one of them"- I didn't mean to, it just happens. It evolves that way. One day you stop using the main and the next thing you know the jib hasn't been out in days. Come to think of it I did start looking longingly at some powerboats. 

Ok, enough is enough!  I challenged mister big catamaran sailor to a race out the harbor. He was going all the way out to the ocean. I had to turn right to continue down the ICW. But that still left us a couple of miles to find out who was best. ( I had a sneaking suspicion who that was). No matter it was on, except Roger being Roger added a twist. We would take off from the dock under full sail. No motors. 

Ok fine-- except it was mid tide(8'full) coming in against us at a full rip, and the cold front had just gone thru so the wind was dead behind us out of the north but  was light an well light!  

Just getting the sails up was a challenge for me seeing as we were down wind. But the mainsail on a 40' cat is huge, boy was he going to have a time of it!  Oh gee too bad!

It's amazing how things get easier with an electric winch( the rules commity has my protest)

Saint Simons Island

Brought the boat into the dock at the Morning Star Marina on St Simons Island this morning. 

There is a big cold front coming through with lots of rain and big wind. Don't need to be out in the open harbor for that one. 

I have been invited to go on a tour of the island given by Chuck and Deb, with Roger the owner of the big catamaran we sailed on yesterday. 

We drove around the island and because Chuck and Deb are looking for a new house, we got to go to all the places you might not take someone on a small tour. 

There is needless to say a lot of money here(at least 5-6 golf courses). If you were looking for a place to retire to this would definitely be one of them. 

We went to a historic site where Fort Frederica and an entire community was established and it's all gone now except for some foundations that were found in the 1940's. Between this place and Wormsloe I'm getting a good history of the Sea Islands. 

It's about 9:00pm and I for one am very glad to my boat at a dock right now. It's starting to blow and even at the dock were starting to bounce around. 

Make Southing

Endless Beautiful Marshland

A short clip to show how huge this marsh area is it just goes on forever. 

Now That's Some Tide!!

Chuck is actually a lot bigger than he looks!  

Saint Simons Island, GA

Catamaran Sailing

Woke up this morning to a nice warm day and thought I would row into the marina on St Simons to find out about dockage.

There is a big cold front coming thru, I need to do some laundry, shower, etc. Plus I really could use a break and some solid ground. 

At the dock I met Roger who has a big catamaran out in the harbor. Actually we are the only ones out there. 

We got to talking which seems so easy to do with other sailors, and out of the blue said that he was taking some friends sailing would I be interested in coming along. Absolutely I would!  To be able to go on a modern 40' cat and out into the Atlantic past the islands - in a heart beat. 

His friends were Chuck, and Deb who live on the island. Deb had sailed with her ex husband for ten years in the carribean with their two daughters. She knew her stuff.   

It ended up being a great day with lots of dolphin sightings, breeze, and an introduction to Cat sailing. This is clearly the future of live aboard sailing. 

Roger the owner has lived and breathed these boat for 20yrs and he knew exactly how talk with us about what had to be done without barking orders. It was very calm and pleasent. 

Getting back on Star I looked around I thought how little she is. And yes it would be nice to have a bigger boat with all amenities  But Star does the job quite nicely. 

Cabin Comforts

I'm sitting in the port bunk facing aft. I have my hand-spun and hand-woven wool blanket doubled up and on my legs. I have light on behind me, which gives plenty of nice warm light for reading or just sitting and thinking. 

Right now I'm writing up the days events for the blog.  I have my water and ginger snaps for desert. Dinner was a slice of homemade bread with butter, summer sausage,and cheese. I did have two beers after the anchor went down and I was sure that it was set. 

I'm now up cattle pen creek, which is part of St Catherines Island  The tide is still coming in, and wind is from the top of the creek. So what happens is the the wind pushes the water and tide pushes the wind. You get short choppy waves that have whitecaps on them even though the creek is maybe 100' wide. Needless to say the boat is getting bounced around a lot. 

I have great confidence in my anchor. I have to because the boat tonight is really in the middle of nowhere. 

Throughout these islands there are not a lot of people, since many of the islands I  think are privately owned. And they're really hard to get to(believe me). 

In the entire day I saw one shrimper way down one of the sounds and a barge coming up a cut. It's as if I have the whole waterway to myself. This is after 35 miles of motoring and sailing. 

I'm looking forward to Florida where there will be some people. It's very beautiful here but you are far and deep away from anything. I know I've said this before about other places but this is especially true here. 

Sent from my iPhone

Make Southing

400 trees and a new home

I'm at the Wormsloe Museum.  Just got here and am at he beginning of a live oak avenue with 400 planted trees!
Dearest Sue,
I glad to tell you I got a great deal on our new house, you're going to love the kitchen, with all the new appliances

400 Live Oak

I'm at the Wormsloe Museum. Just got here and am at the beginning of live oak ave with 400 planted trees

.

Dearest Sue,
I glad to tell you I got a great deal on our new house, your going to love the kitchen, with all the new appliances

























I'm sorry these are actually the appliances. The broker is a bit shady, likes to dress in 1700's clothes. To each his own I guess. 

Across the river and aground again!

Sailing across the Savanna River...then

Across the river and aground again!  

In the middle of making dinner last night a rather large barge and tug came thru this small cut where I was anchored. I never thought that something so big would go thru this place yet here he was bowling down with me way to close for comfort. He made it past and I immediately pulled the anchor and went into a creek. I tried to think if I had let out too much scope and it was the middle of the night. Egads!

This morning I woke to a bald eagle sitting on top of a utility pole, cool although I don't know which was more out of place.

I was able to put up the jib as I went thru the last cut on my way to the mighty Savanna River. On the way down looking over yhe grass marshes at the ships going by made them look as they were going over on the next cut. It was a bit intimating to think I might meet up with one of them on the river. I thought the barges were big.

Getting to the river looking up an down there were noire ships, but where did the river go?  I was expecting it to take me along time to get to the other side but it's smaller than the Thames!  I cross without problem as the last of the ebb was taking place. I entered the waterway again and couldn't hold the jib with the wind direction. So simply leaned over to pull the line that rolls in the job. Great that's all done but why is the dinghy going faster than the boat?  Oh I know why because it's still moving and were not!

Once again we were aground. A large casino boat came around the corner from the south and hailed me on 16. He said he'd slow don for me so wouldn't bump from his wake. He also said that right where I was sitting not two days ago was a day marker that was taking out by a barge. I'm really beginning to not like barges!

So it was my fault because I wasn't paying attention. But it was also the Coast Guard's fault because it was a rather crucial navigation aid that they didn't replace. How long does it take to put down a temporary bouy? I hope they're not like the post office.

Anyways it was the last of the Ebb and I got off easily enough after about an hour with the help of the anchor - yes I did tie it off first!

I've landed at a place called Isle of Hope. I think I'll take Saturday and explore. I just wish Sue was here. 

From Beaufort to Ramsheared cut.

Hilton Head

I've just finished dinner(which almost didn't happen), and was standing outside when all of a sudden a dolphin very close by takes a breath.  

It's pitch black out and the stars are out in strength. There is a slight glow from the north that would be Beaufort, and to the west Savanna. I'm in a creek and the tide is going out. 

This is prefect feeding time for the dolphins. But difference between here and rock creek(read grounding) is there are a lot more and their real close to the boat. 

So it's dead quite, and dark, once again I feel like I'm in the middle of nowhere, when all this breathing takes place. It sounds like someone is coming up for air after being down for too long, but over and over. You can tell these are big animals. 

It's fun but a little bit spooky. 

The trip down here was great with lots of loons, ibis, dolphins, not to mention the osprey sitting right on a day marker not 20' away!

I passed Hilton Head and have to say the properties ( cause they ain't just houses) are pretty amazing. There just different to the point where you have to ask where is all this money coming from?

I passed thru a river and a sound today. Both of which If you looked east you could see the Atlantic. That hasn't happened much since New Jersey. 

Tomorrow I cross the Savanna river and enter Georgia where I'm sure it's much warmer than here - right?

Beaufort

Beaufort is a beautiful place. It's a small Charleston. The anchorage was nice and open, the town had a dinghy dock for free, which is not something that happens everywhere.  

There are houses where major movies where made like The Big Chill and The Great Santini. But it's the whole history of the place that sets your northern mind to thinking that there truely is something beyond the civil war and slavery. 

While I was there I had a rainy day and decided to try my hand at making some bread I sent along a picture to prove that it actually came out ok. 

Live Oak canopy

Thank goodness they'll do anything to save a tree! This says 10' clearance. If you look at the underside of the branch there are clearly people who didn't believe it. 

Beaufort Live Oak: for the next Morgan restoration?

Don't miss the January 14 post

Another Star adventure involving tides and marshes can be found with the story of Shanken Flukes, January 14.
Susan

The freshest oysters

A lay day and a day of discovery. Still in Rock creek due to the breeze out of the north. 

Spent the morning studying charts and guides for the section down to and thru part of Georgia. It's truly a maze of creeks, cuts, rivers, islands. It also has 8 - 9' tides which means lots of currents. 

I know it's really cold up North, but I am looking forward to warmer climes down here. It's in the 30's in the morning then climbs to the mid 50's in the afternoon. 

As I write this on the morning of the 16th guys are hunting with really big shotguns not too far away. Little scary. 

In the afternoon I decided to go for a row up the river to investigate what's around the bend. I a mile or so and found an area that was mostly land with cedar, palm, live oak, and what looked like azalea. Very beautiful but I didn't get out of the dinghy, snake bites when one is 20 miles from civilization does not appeal. 

I the way back I just drifted along the edge with the tide and breeze. There are large clumps of oyster beds. I had no idea how to open them but thought I'd give it a shot. I pulled out a clump and brought it back to the boat. I had to scrub the shells to get rid of the muck and then tried my hand at opening them. They grow on top of one another so the big ones may have 5 little guys on the outside shell. Once you get s big one open it's had to believe this thing was in a muddy silt. Their beautiful inside and clean so much so you don't have any doubts about eating them. I have not had a lot of oysters but I'll bet these were the freshest I've had!

Shanken Flukes top secret gear

AP. WS Beaufort SC

4TH Generation anchor hunter to disclose long held secrets!!


It has come to this reporters attention thru long held sources that Mr. Shanken Flukes famed anchor hunter has reached his bitterend and has agreed to come forth and reveal the secrets of his family's success in the endeavors of hunting rare and lost anchors. Enclosed in this article is a photo taken as recently as one day ago showing the business end of the gear "ole" Shanken uses on the anchor hunts. 

It has also come to this reporters attention that the US government may use this in Top Secret Ops(or is it oops)

Says Shanken " I"m only to glad to get the world of lost anchors out of the mud" 

A line that will go down in history!

Reported by Worrn Rodes
While the boat was high and dry I thought it a good idea if I took my anchor, chain, and rode out to help pull star off the mud bank if the tide didn't come up enough. There had been and still was a strong northwest breeze pushing all the water out of the creek.

I ran the bitter end thru some blocks and back to the cockpit winches. I then put the rest of the gear into the dinghy and rowed out to the opposite bank letting the line and chain out.  I dropped the anchor over and while drifting down stream clean the mud and muck out of the dinghy I looked back and knew something was wrong. 

It was one of those times your brain says this is reality but your emotions say no this can't be this didn't happen. I had forgotten to attach the bitter end! As I pulled and let the anchor rode out of the dinghy I was also pulling it thru the blocks and out into the creek. 

I was really mad and upset(although I don't think those were the words I would have used at the time). I took off as much clothing as I could and waded into the water trying to search with my feet to see if hopefully the end didn't go out to far. 

I kept sinking up to my calfs in this really thick mud and was having trouble pulling my legs out with each step. Not worth it I wasn't going to drown for an anchor. I made my way back to sandbank where the boat was, got out the small danforth and tried to drag for it. No go 

Here I was my boat completely out of the water, up a creek on a sandbank 20 miles from civilization, I just lost 400.00 worth of anchoring gear because of a really stupid mistake, and to top it off it was my Birthday aaaaggh!


Stay tuned for part two of the story of Shanken Flukes

The morning started out cold about 36• the cold front had gone thru and with it the usual wind. I'm getting used to it. With lots of current and wind opposing the current it was easy to get the anchor in. Now I was on my way to Beaufort. Or about half way.winding my way down thru a maze of creeks and cuts I can see how if you weren't paying attention you could take the wrong turn and find your way in a predicament. I was really in the Sea islands now. 

Halfway thru the last cut into a big body of water around the corner comes a barge being pushed by a tug. I don't know how wide this cut was but there was going to be barely enough room for both. I don't care how many times you do this it still puts your heart in your throat. They call these things cuts for a reason. All worked out and he even waved, sounds silly but it means something. 

I got to the end of the cut turned the corner and turned right back. With the elements against the boat it doesn't make any sense to try get somewhere at 1.5 knots. The northwest breeze makes for a beautiful day but....

Getting back to the beginning  of the cut I turned left up the remaining part of the creek and found a place out of the wind. I slowed the boat down ready to jump forward let go the anchor. The boat really slowed down actually it stopped on its own, current I thought because the chart said 17'. It wasn't current, I was caught on a sand bank and the tide was going out like gang busters. Before I could do anything I knew the boat wasn't going anywhere. At least it was a nice spot to be On my birthday, and I assumed the boat would just stand up as the water went out. 

The problem is a 7' tide and with the northwest breeze pushing more water out I wasn't going to be straight up and down, quite the opposite! I hope the pictures show the tides effect. 

I had gotten stuck around 3/4 tide with it unfortunately going out so I had to wait for it to go all the way out and then come back in. 

The cool part was, this is when the dolphins come in to catch what ever was hiding in the marsh grasses and gets swept down stream. As the dolphins made there way up the creek they went on either side of the sand bar I was "temporally resting" on. As they went by they would blow and cock their head sometimes and give me one of those side glances that said "humans - how did they last this long?" then on their return they had to go on one side only, it was like a little parade, very fun. 

By 10:00 that night I was back to floating (a great birthday gift)and moved the boat farther down the creek towards the cut, making sure I was dead center between sides. Oh well!

Sent from my iPhone

A fresh brownie and 30 bags of groceries

Weather is coming, I'm in a good spot so I think I'll stay the day. NOAA says 25 to 35 in the gusts. No reason to go anywhere. 

This morning I got a visit from the owner of a boat behind me which is a 40 catamaran. He handed over a tin foil package containing a corn muffin and brownie that his daughter had made.  

What a surprise! He along with his wife and two teenage kids were on there way down south to the keys. The kids are home schooled, mom and dad are both graphic designers and work from the boat. What a life!  They are traveling in tandem with the couple on the boat in front of me. They have been doing this ( the waterway ) for 27 years. Both boats left Washington DC in the beginning of December. That's cold!

After the weather cleared David from the cat came by and offered a ride into town for fuel and groceries. On the way we picked up Steve from the other boat and all crammed into an old VW sedan, fuel cans and all. Once again the generosity of people who cruise... They just understand because they've been there or still are. 


So in a 1980 VW jetta(read beat) three grown men, three five gallons jugs of gas, and what had to be thirty bags of groceries, the poor thing would bottom out on every other bump. Only people who live on boats would think nothing of it.

        


I left the dock at exactly 8:00, with a slight tide against star and no breeze making it an easy start to next part of the adventure. It was nice to be free of the boatyard and on my way down the river. I didn't have a chart of the upper wando river but it was well marked and I made my down without any problems. 


The loons were there as were the pelicans. The trees had definitely lost all there leaves if you told me I was going down the Connecticut river I wouldn't have argued. 


Star passed three container ships being loaded and unloaded, it's quite a sight. Thousands of containers that all have to be put on trucks and all done in the right order!  Up ahead were the two huge bridges that span the Wando and further south the Cooper river. As I looked down thru the bridges a very large container ship was making his way up the harbor and into the river. I decided that maybe he would want the whole center section and moved out of the way. But even with plenty of time and me in another section we passed each other at the bridge, it's amazing and scary how fast they move!

Container Ships have right of way!

Now all that I had to do was go around Charleston head up the Ashley river and find the entrance to the Wappo creek. Easy except now the tide had turned and was coming against me again, no matter it was warm with a light breeze and I had all day. Finding the entrance and going under the highway bridge I now had to go thru the Wappo creek bridge. As I got closer the current was stronger and I really didn't  know if the little engine that could- could. 


I came up on the bridge hailed the tender and she opened it right away for me. As I finally came close she said come along and bring her thru captain, I had to explain that I was giving her all's she's got and we were getting there!  Finally I got thru ,hailed the the tender and thanked her for her patience. It was by far the most stressful bridge opening cause I really didn't know if it was going to happen. Getting caught on the other side and being swept onto the bridge abbutments could ruin your whole day. In the end it all worked out and I pulled in behind an island not to far down the creek for the night, enough excitement for the first day back. 

The voyage continues

     As I opened my eyes this morning, it was a bit of a stretch to figure out that I was actually back on Star and in Charleston. But here I am armed with my IPod and ready to continue on. 

 

     The first thing on the list was to put the dinghy overboard again. I had it all planned out with halyards, spinnaker pole, guy lines, everything one would need to launch one of the Queen Mary's lifeboats. In the end I flipped it over while still on the foredeck, raised it with the halyard, pushed it overboard, and lowered it to a very soft splash. Not what I expected, but I'll take it. 
     Next was would the engine start?  If not I would become a customer at this yard-- not a good idea, since most boats here would use Star as a dinghy. As usual my fears were false, starting up on the first try and running as if it had been going everyday. 
     My chances for getting a ride to the grocery store weren't looking to good so I took inventory of what I had in my cooler and three storage bins, and clearly had enough to last to either Beaufort or even Savanna. I apparently have a thing for green cut beans, who would of thought?
Before leaving for the northern tundra I made sure everything would be ready to go when I got back for the rest of the trip south, I'm glad I did because I'm getting funny looks from the yard guys and I think it's time for the Yankee to take leave!
     Thank goodness for Bill Livingston I would like to thank him here and say that this part of the trip would have been a lot different had it not been for his generosity. Without knowing it he probably added a whole month to the trip. Thank you. 
Tonight we're going to go get a beer,I'll come back turn the boat around with the help of the tide and have Star point down river for an easy take off and say good bye to Charleston.