Wednesday, April 11, 2018:

Finally some sunshine! But it’s still cold; only 44 this morning.  I finished the last blog and got it posted.  I’m not a writer and it’s a tough chore because I’m so slow, but determined to keep documenting this delightful journey.  Jane took care of completing the switch of the MMSI registration number from the former owners.  I guess that will help the searchers know who they are looking for in the event of emergency.  We decided that we’d be leaving Charleston in the morning and Jane got our reservations switched from Myrtle Beach Yacht Club to the Marina at Grand Dunes on the advice of friends.  It will help keep the Uber costs down being more centrally located there.  The ship’s bursar has noted that we spent $137 on Uber in the month of March.  We used the marina’s courtesy car to go up to the Harris Teeter grocery (adequate, but not Publix) and got lunch at a Mexican restaurant, Zia Tacqueria (filling, but not remarkable).  After we returned, Jane did another load of laundry and we waited for our friends, Jerry and Susie Pick whose boat the Happy Ours has been here at SJYH awaiting their return from home in Tennessee.  They had to go home to do taxes like the good citizens they are. We said screw it, filed an extension, and sent Uncle Sam a lot of money. We hope enough but we’ll know the answer in October.  Once they arrived at docktails hour we chatted a bit before heading out in their rental car to Wild Olive (yes, Wild Olive again – it’s that good).  It was great to see them again.  We had not visited with them since we started the Loop.

Thursday, April 12, 2018:

We got up early and made the decision to leave on the high tide instead of waiting until 1300 for the slack low. We scrambled around a bit skipping breakfast and extracted from the slip at 0816 without help as the tide had not yet begun to move.  We needed a pump out of the holding tank so I eased her over to the fuel dock that doubles as the pump out station.  I tried radioing, but Jessica and Stan saw me coming and rushed down to help secure us.  By the time we were pumped out and ready to go at 0830, I was surprised by the amount of current that had picked up in just that short time.  As we were facing down current, I couldn’t get the bow to swing around fast enough to keep from hitting the lift docks, so I kept backing up to return along the fuel dock.  Jessica was awesome and kept helping get us back far enough so I had the room to turn.  The third time was the charm and I was able to goose it hard to port to get away from the dock and not have to file an accident report.  Once clear of the marina we headed north up the Stono River to rejoin the ICW at Elliot Cut.   After we entered the Ashley River on the east side of Charleston proper, we could see that we would encounter some interesting traffic in the area of Fort Sumter.

It was a pretty day and by 1000 we entered Breach Inlet. There are some nice homes here.

We intended to go and dock with Leland Oil Company in McClellanville and by 1400 we passed Jeremy Creek and changed plans cancelling our reservation with Leland and continuing towards Georgetown. We realized that we wouldn’t make it to Georgetown before the marina closed so we researched and found what looked like a good anchorage just off the waterway in Minim Creek.  It sounded like an ideal spot without houses and surrounded by nature.  We crossed the South Santee River at 1510.  When we arrived at our targeted anchorage we discovered that another vessel flying the AGLCA burgee, Babe, was also anchored there.  I felt bad that we had to encroach on their private spot, but there was plenty of room and we set the hook at 1552 in 13 feet with an ample 120 foot rode well off their bow.  Once we had everything set, I tried to contact Babe on the VHF.  I just wanted to get acquainted and somewhat apologize for disturbing their peaceful spot.  Apparently, their radio was off for the night.  I wanted to give them something, but not to the point of launching the dinghy and take ‘em a bottle of wine, so that’s when I hatched the idea to give them some entertainment.  I went online to the AGLCA website and looked them up in the member roster and got the cell phone number.  I called the number and got no answer, but left a voice message that went something like this:  “This is Sargent Leslie O. Bobo of the South Carolina Department of Wildlife.  I’m trying to reach the captain of the motor vessel Babe. Our radar and monitoring system have determined that your vessel is anchored in a restricted area protected for the mating habitat of the rare Minim Creek Squid.  We require you to remove your vessel and appreciate your assistance in the protection of the very rare Minim Creek Squid species.  I will call back shortly to make sure you have received this message.”  I waited several minutes observing to make sure they weren’t pulling anchor and then called back.

I had to leave another message, this time instructing them to call me. Shortly, Mrs. Wheeler called and wanted to know what to do.  I quickly let them know that it was a spoof and we all had a great laugh.  Apparently, Mr. Wheeler is also a practical joker so I’m sure there will be some payback later.  They sound like a fun couple and we are looking forward to meeting them in person at the AGLCA Rendezvous in Norfolk.

Friday, April 13, 2018:

It was sunny and the high predicted at just above 70. There is a slight SW wind of 6 to 13 mph.  The run to Georgetown should only be about two hours.  We pulled up the anchor along with lots of tiny creatures (possibly the rare Minim Creek Squid?).   So I left the rode and chain out on the deck to wash off later when we dock.  By 0945 we passed the floating pontoon swing bridge.  You don’t see these too much anymore.

It got warm and we both changed to shorts. No sense arriving at dock in the tighty whities.   We docked at Harbor Walk Marina in Georgetown at 1105.  We were arriving midway of the falling tide which made me a little nervous especially when I saw the tight spot they had for us, but we snuggled right up to the dock gently and safe.  I cleaned the boat and called Tommy Howard.  Tommy is a distant relative that I’ve never met but had talked to him a few months ago after doing some genealogy research.  Our mutual antecedent is James Bush Howard, my great grandfather and Tommy’s great-great grandfather.  Tommy used to be the editor of the newspaper here and wants to write a story on our navigation of America’s Great Loop.  Tommy arrived and we walked to a long time local breakfast and lunch spot that looked like it probably did in the ‘40’s.  They offered home cooking and we stuffed a gut on large veggie platters.  Then Tommy gave us a personal walking tour of the town.

It is darling cute and loaded with history.  We saw places where George Washington visited and went to the South Carolina Maritime Museum.  There were throngs of locals at the Kaminski House getting their prom photos with the beautiful house and gardens for backdrop.

We returned to the boat and later Tommy arrived to pick us up to go to a BBQ place over near Debordieu. There we were to meet the rest of the Howard bunch and there was quite a crowd.  There must have been 20 altogether.  They are all wonderful folks and a loving and huggy bunch.  We swapped stories about ancestors and enjoyed getting to know each other.

Saturday, April 14, 2018:

We are on the move again, slipping out of the marina with several others on the 0902 high tide. Pete from Safe Haven gave us an assist getting off the dock.  It is a beautiful day, but rain and cold is expected tomorrow.  There is flat water but wind gusts to 22 mph are forecast for later.  Being a Saturday, there is noticeably increased traffic in the river.  At 1315 we had the Socastee Swing Bridge open and followed this little tug through.

At 1420 just south of the Robert Grissom Parkway Bridge, a cruiser came up behind and asked to come by on our port side. I obliged and moved over to the right of the narrow waterway in six feet of water.  No good deed goes unpunished and my six feet quickly became nil and we were aground.  Thank goodness the bottom was mud or sand and we were only at idle speed.  I was able to back off and we were underway again in just a few minutes, resolving to stay in the middle of the channel.  In another 25 minutes we were safely docked on a T-head at the Marina at Grand Dunes.   We seem to have friends to see everywhere we go and in Myrtle Beach we are seeing one of my Howey Academy schoolmates, Lyn Sue Kennedy Tayloe.  Lyn Sue came right over and took us to the mall so Jane could get some make-up (heaven forbid she would run out!) and then toured us around Myrtle Beach.  We got to see all the touristy honky-tonk area and then drove by some beautiful beachfront homes including hers.  Then we went to Publix (YEA!) and stocked up on groceries (and wine).  She dropped us off at the marina and pledged to return with her husband to take us to one of their favorite local restaurants.  Lyn Sue and Artie arrived back at the boat bearing a really nice chardonnay and a tin of cheese straws.  We enjoyed a glass of wine and got into the cheese straws before we departed to The Flamingo Grill.  The restaurant did not disappoint and we met both of the owners (2 Greek guys both named Dino) who are reportedly on hand at all times.

They have a large establishment (220 seats) and a great business going.  They obviously take care of every detail.  Sue and Artie wouldn’t let us pay for anything because that’s just how they are.  I hereby appoint them Myrtle Beach’s Ambassadors to the World!

Sunday, April 15, 2018:

We needed some exercise so we rode bikes around the Grand Dunes resort and development for an hour and a half. We came up on a black racer on the bridge.  He was quick to move on off.

Later, Jane did some laundry (didn’t really have many dirty clothes but it was a free washer and dryer and she couldn’t pass it up) and I attended to some marine maintenance and together we planned out the route for the next week.  After a needed nap, we visited the Anchor Cafe for salads.  A storm was coming in and we got back to the boat before it hit.  We just got the tail end of it, but there was plenty of rain, wind and lightning.

Monday, April 16, 2018:

The forecast is for sunny skies with a high in the low sixties and wind out of the SW at 11 to 16 mph along with gusts to 23. I have chosen an anchorage at Pipeline Canal that looks good.  It is 46 miles which by my estimate would be a run of about 6 ½ hours.  Unassisted, we untie and let the wind help us get off the dock and then spin around in the fairway to exit the marina at 0937.  At 1111 the Little River Swing Bridge opens for us and sometime around noon we realize that we are in North Carolina.  We’ve got the waterway mostly to ourselves today and we’re enjoying the boating.  By 1315 we have crossed Shallotte Inlet.  We find ourselves in that water where the current is running against us and the wind at our back that creates a washboard effect on the surface.  At 1420 we’re in Lockwood’s Folly and it is slap low tide.  The wind has shifted, the waves are high and we bumped the bottom two or three times coming across in the rough water.  At one point, I thought we were stuck because we stopped and I took it out of gear, but the wave action was quick to help and we moved on again.  I was very thankful that the keel extends lower than the propeller and we’ve only just removed some moss growth or a little bottom paint on the sand.  We got beyond the inlet and decided to forego the anchorage at Pipeline Canal continuing on past Southport and into the Cape Fear River at 1600.  Cape Fear River seems to be aptly named as it was rougher than a cobb.  Here again with the current going out and the wind coming in.  We checked and found out we were operating in small craft warnings.  No wonder steerage was difficult.  We saw the ferries passing and got by the Archer Daniels Midland plant.   There was a restricted area by the Army base to steer clear of and a couple of tugs moving a dredge operation.

By the time we got to Snow’s Cut all was calm and we arrived at the Carolina Beach Municipal Marina to pick up a mooring ball. Jane registered us and paid on line for the $20 fee.  It had been a very long day filled with excitement and we were both worn out having gone 64 miles; our longest day yet.  We turned in after showers and a boatcooked meal.

Tuesday, April 3, 2018:

I spent the morning writing while Jane organized and got some exercise. We finally left the boat at the mooring ball and rode (rode not rowed) the dinghy in to further investigate Beaufort.

First up was a rather lengthy walk to have lunch at Herban Market. It was simple and simply incredible.  Jane had a taco salad and I chose the BLT wrap.  Both selections were whole-food, plant based and were fully appreciated.  That necessitated some more walking around the pleasant town of Beaufort during which we did a little shopping followed by the 4:00 pm carriage tour.  Our tour guide/carriage driver was a Beaufort native and seemed to have a complete knowledge of the history.  Beaufort is so charming because Sherman did not burn it.  All the local population fled before it fell to the Yankees and so the town was used for most of the Civil War as a Union installation.  Once in the historical section, one of the first antebellum homes we stopped at was the Stoney House.  I wondered and imagined that it could have been built by an ancestor of my friend Laurence Stoney from Charleston.  I’m hoping to see Laurence when we get there.  Our guide related a most interesting story about a slave named Robert Smalls who, during the Civil War, stole a Confederate gunship, sailed his family to freedom turning over the ship and information to the Union, and later became a member of the House of Representatives.  Most interestingly, he was able to return to Beaufort after the war and buy the house of his former master for the unpaid taxes.  When the former lady of the house returned and thought she still owned the home, he took her in and never told her any different, caring for her as long as she lived.

After, at the Old Bull Tavern we enjoyed libations and black-eyed pea hummus with grilled pita bread.

We had a bouncy ride back in the dinghy since the wind had picked up, but I set the throttle at lickity-split and we only touched the tops of the white caps.

Wednesday, April 4, 2018:

Beautiful sunrise over Beaufort this morning.

By 0855 we were underway in the ICW. The weather forecast shows SW winds of 10 to 15 knots with gusts to 20 and a slight chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon.  I got some pictures of the historical homes along the river.

Within an hour we had entered the Coosaw River and by 1030 made it to St. Helena Sound. It was a warm day and when the captain gets hot – layers are shed.

As we entered Tom Point Creek at 1345 to anchor, the wind had picked up and it was getting cloudy, but we had Pandora-provided Beatles on the stereo, so we were undaunted.

We located the best spot to anchor with some wind protection provided by the trees. The creek is a little narrow here and it makes me nervous.  Even though the tide change creates current, we anchored in 13 feet of water with just over 5 feet of help from the tide.  I have become so confident in our Manson Supreme anchor that I only put out 62 feet of rode.  Normal anchoring guidelines recommend the depth plus the height to the bow sprit (in our case 6 feet) to be multiplied by 7.  So it would be 13+6=19; 19 x 7 = 133 feet of anchor rode.  I’ve got out less than half of that due to my concerns about the narrow creek.

There were only a couple of houses, but they were well up the creek so it is very private here.  Apparently, some well-heeled creek dwellers live here. There was no boat traffic on the creek with the exception of one crabber that came in right behind us checking his traps and continued on up the creek.  I wondered how far up the creek his traps run, because we anchored at 1400 and it was happy hour before he came back by.  I love these anchorages with the expansive surrounding marsh.  They are so private and quiet.

As the tide dropped the creek got even narrower.  

As I was readying the shower on the fantail, a small dolphin announced his arrival with whooshes from his blow hole feeding, no doubt on the falling tide. I’ve heard about the technique they use around here called strand feeding, but I have yet to witness it.  We ran the generator for hot water and I showered on the stern (no pics of that.  You’re welcome) while Jane bathed inside due to the no-see-ums.  The carnivorous little bastards love her.

Thursday, April 5, 2018:

Low tide was around 0720 so we pulled up anchor at 1010 (from the same spot we dropped it), and pleasantly, it emerged clean. The morning was clear and cool with light winds out of the east.  We enjoyed a short cruise for the 25.6 miles and arriving with the tide, gently docked at St. Johns Yacht Harbor in the Stono River just south of Charleston at 1317.  SJYH proved to be a great choice in terms of restroom and laundry facilities, but can be a difficult spot to obtain an Uber.  We ran into Ken and Ruth from Horizons. Jane borrowed the courtesy car to go grocery shopping while I cleaned up the boat.  There was no Publix nearby, but she did well by visiting both Food Lion and Harris Teeter.  Later we were able to catch an Uber and went to Basic Kitchen for dinner.   Another excellent restaurant with great healthy vegan options.

Friday, April 6, 2018:

We decided it was time to go into Charleston for the day and thought it would be fun to go by dinghy. From SJYH it is only five miles to the City Marina going through Elliot Cut.  It takes about 15 minutes to deploy the compact inflatable and another 20 minutes to make the trip.  We stopped by the Post Office to mail some things and visited their Postal Museum.  It’s free so why not?

We walked further and settled on lunch at Basil Thai.  Excellent.  My friend, Harry Benedict works as a tour guide on the Gray Line bus tours and signed us up for his 3:00 run.  We were the only ones on the bus and received a tour unavailable to the public.

Charleston has so much history and Harry is truly an expert.  He dropped us back off at the City Marina where our dinghy was secured.  We stopped into Salty Mike’s for a beverage and to catch up on the Masters Tournament before motoring back to SJYH.

It was a warm sunny day, but we were glad to have our windbreakers for the ride back as it was cooling off and the 9.9 hp Tohatsu zips it right along.

Saturday, April 7, 2018:

Jim and Debbie Anderson came all the way from Columbia to visit and showed up at 10:00. We imbibed bloody marys on board before going over to Charleston Crab Company for lunch.  It is always great to visit with such good friends.

While we were at lunch the cruise ship American Star reappeared and steamed by under the bascule bridge.  Is this ship following us, or what?! Once back at the boat, the rain started and we played Jenga while reminiscing and catching up.   They left around 4:00 and Jane and I got a nice nap before round two.

Our old kindergarten classmate Patty Potter Baucom and her husband Mike came to pick us up for dinner at 7:00. We had expected to host them on the boat, but since it was still raining, we jumped in and went with them to the Maybank Public House for drinks before dining at Wild Olive (truly fine dining).  They wouldn’t let us pay for anything and dropped us off with a gift bag of really nice wine (Rombauer!!) and goodies.  Old friends are best and Patty is too sweet.  I think we got back to the marina around 11:00.  It was a long day, but filled with love.

Sunday, April 8, 2018:

Patty is not done with us and has Mike pick us up while she is preparing lunch. They have a gorgeous home on Seabrook Island on the marsh with a tidal creek.  We enjoyed BM’s on the dock (that’s bloody marys, you sicko) and some awesome corn chowder to stifle the chill.  After lunch we stopped by to see Bohicket Marina and that looks like a spot I’d like to visit next time.  After returning to SJYH we caught an Uber ride over to a reception on the city dock at St. Bart’s Yacht Sales for Loopers.  It was good to see so many familiar faces and meet some new folks.  I got to meet the captain of Ariel who anchored behind us in New Teakettle Creek and teased him about it.  We returned to our vessel in time to watch the end of the Masters and our little HD antenna brought in the CBS station for us clearly.

Monday, April 9, 2018:

It is rainy and cold. Jane did lots of laundry (including sheets and comforter) and defrosted the fridge.  I did some maintenance in the engine room.  Overall just a slimy day with the cold wet weather.  Finally, we went out to see a movie (The Leisure Seeker) at the Terrace Theatre. Couldn’t get an Uber for the 4PM show so had to wait until the 7PM showtime.  It’s a very poignant movie about an older couple (our age) struggling with dementia and cancer starring Helen Mirin and Donald Sutherland.  We both loved it. The Terrace Theater is one of those fancy theatres where you can get wine to go with your popcorn. And senior tickets were only $8.

Tuesday, April 10, 2018:

We had thought we’d be leaving today, but the weather is not cooperating. It is still rainy, cold and a little windy.  I’m not one to get in a hurry, so we’re staying put for today.  We did a good deal of route planning and finding spots to anchor or dock through to Norfolk.  As a result of our next intended marina not having room for us tomorrow (will still be cold anyway) and we can stay here for free because it will be the 7^th night, we are opting to stay through Thursday morning before shoving off for points north.  The highlight of the day was my Howey classmate, Laurence Stoney, a Charleston native, came to pick us up and took us over to the Tomato Shed for lunch.  What a great place.  He had worked at the packing shed out back in the summers as a teen.  The comfort food was just what was needed. I hadn’t seen Laurence since school (1969) and it was very cool to spend some time with him again.

 

Tuesday, March 27, 2018:

The forecast is for mostly cloudy with winds out of the east at 7 to 10 mph and a high of 67. The tide at the Frederica Bridge is low at 1236, so I’m trying to wait until near then to shove off from the dock.  We borrowed the courtesy car from the marina and went over to Winn Dixie (mind you, it’s no Publix, but it’ll do nicely for what we want to stock up on).  We get all the heavy items we can, like water and wine and laundry detergent and bleach.  We also stock up on $30 worth of quarters for the laundry machines and go straight back to the marina.  Jane got all our goods stocked while I washed up the boat and refilled the water tanks.  We untied from the dock at 1205 without assistance and eased out into the Frederica River radioing the Morningstar Marina that we enjoyed their hospitality especially the Times Union and fresh muffins each morning.  The cruising was delightful and we had picked a spot to anchor that we could reach in only a few hours.

We were fighting the tide as we churned through Buttermilk Sound. After crossing Altamaha Sound and Doboy Sound, we arrived in New Teakettle Creek at 1645 to anchor in 15 feet of water with only 100 feet of anchor rode out.  It was very private with only the marsh surrounding us for miles.

The afternoon was breezy and the skies partly cloudy.  I remarked to Jane that it is so private, we could skip around the decks in our birthday suits, but she wasn’t game.   After a while, the sailboat, Ariel, that we had passed earlier, came into our private anchorage and anchored just downwind from us.  I kept an eye on our points of reference to make sure we weren’t slipping down towards him, but finally discretion got the best of me and we cranked the engine and moved about 300 yards up the creek to the east.  We thoroughly enjoyed our evening and danced on the fly bridge.  It was a perfect anchorage with slight winds, calm water, and no bugs.

Wednesday, March 28, 2018:

Another beautiful forecast for a high of 74 and south winds of up to 14 beginning in the afternoon. We were late to rise, but didn’t care and pulled up the anchor at 1110.  As we exited New Teakettle Creek two boats were passing ahead of us and the lead boat turned out to be our friends, Susie and Jerry Pick, on Happy Ours. The cruising was so nice we kept resetting our plan on where to anchor.  We traversed Sapelo Sound, St. Catherine’s Sound, and kept chugging along to get through Ossaba Sound via the dreaded Hell Gate on the rising tide.

At 1715 we anchored in the Vernon River near the village of Montgomery.  We will only have to go about 14 or 15 miles tomorrow to get to Thunderbolt Marina in Savannah.

Thursday, March 29, 2018:

Looks like another perfect day for cruising with the forecast of SSW winds at 10 mph. The low tide at Thunderbolt Marina on the Wilmington River will be at 1354 hours. We took our time getting ready in the morning to time our arrival with the slack tide.  Docking in the current can be a real challenge with only the one screw and no thrusters for control.  We pulled anchor about 1030 and it was a nice day for a short boat ride.  We meandered past some beautiful homes on Skidaway Island.  We’ve heard other boaters complain about the  arriving at Thunderbolt Marina so at 1235 it was close enough to slack tide that the current was a non-issue and we nestled easily against the inside floating dock by the seawall.  We immediately ran into AGLCA legend Eddy Johnsen and his wife Linda.  Their Grand Banks 36, Spiritus was moored just ahead of us.  Eddy writes Eddy’s Weather Wag which gives looping boaters wishing to cross the Gulf from Carrabelle, Florida, going east to Steinhatchee and other ports south.  His advice on whether to cross or stay at dock is greatly respected among our members.  We also met the Loopers on Hydrophilic (John & Ann Marie Tyrell) who had been running just ahead of us for a couple of days.  At one point I wanted to hail them on the radio as Hydrophallic, but Admiral Jane would have none of that nonsense.  Later on the dock, they said that one of the boats that had previously travelled with them kept calling them Homophobic. Apparently, John and Ann Marie are good sports.

We cruised around the Thunderbolt area on our bikes for the afternoon to get some exercise. Later, we met the other Loopers at Tubby’s Tank House for dinner and enjoyed getting to know them and a new Looper, Jim Grenade, who’s preparing for departure soon aboard his recently purchased trawler, Idle Time.

 

Since we are docked so close to the seawall, the oak trees are dropping their stuff all over the decks and Jane got out her battery powered blower to clear them. Twenty minutes later it was a mess again.

We woke up early and went for a run-walk around the neighborhood passing a Thai Restaurant that beckons our return. Some weather blew in and I spent some time on boat maintenance repairing a split A/C duct to the forward cabin.  Then I turned my attention to the Northern Lights generator and changed the oil and oil filter and both primary and secondary fuel filters.  I got some needed advice from Eddy on priming the fuel filters.  Once I was done, I cranked up the genset and it purred happily.

After showers in the adequate marina facilities, we grabbed an Uber into Savannah for dinner at Alligator Soul. This place is in a basement, but it is upscale.  The hostess asked if we had reservations and of course I told her that yes we did, but we came anyway.  She got it with a smile and directed us to the bar.  They encourage dining at the bar, so we were happy.  We have been here before and know that the chef always has something special for the vegan diner.  It was awesome and Dan and Bridget, the bartenders, did a superb job serving us.  After dinner we walked down to River Street where most of the action takes place.  We found our way onto the only free stools at the piano bar in Vic’s Supper Club and imbibed therein a couple of the specialties.

Some more strolling along the riverfront gained us some souvenir T-shirts before Ubering back to the marina.  On board, we broke out the cards for a game of Gin which I won getting lucky on the last hand.

Saturday, March 31, 2018:

Saturday involved another lengthy bike ride, this time to O’Reilly’s Auto Parts to exchange what I had bought in St. Augustine as white paint. It turned out after I had the primer applied to the generator pan, that the paint I had was some sort of peel off product.  I’ve got way too much work invested for any peeling off.  The exchange was painless (unlike the biking), and I got cash back.  We also stopped at River Marine for other various boat maintenance items.  It’s a great store, well stocked with good prices and near the marina.

For the evening, Uber is our friend again. Uber whisked us over to dinner at the Atlantic with our friend Sam.  She is a Savannah resident, who has just returned from her wedding trip.  She delivered us back so that she could see Sabbatical and we visited on the fly bridge.

The full moon brought a ten foot swing in tide.  Note the pictures taken from the same spot.

Sunday, April 1, 2018, (Easter):

I whipped up a batch of walnut pancakes for breakfast which were met with rave reviews from the entire crew. (ok, it’s only Jane, but still….) Then we’re off on another biking adventure to attend Easter Service at Connexion Church.  We needed to go through Savannah State College campus, but the gates were closed so we trekked the long way around, but still made it in plenty of time.  Connexion Church is the result of three churches that merged just over a year ago.  They were two black churches and one white church.  The congregants were most friendly, but their youth-led Easter service was less than spectacular.  In the afternoon we rode our bikes over to nearby Bonaventure Cemetery and walked around the beautiful grounds.  Didn’t find any dead people we knew.

We have continued to meet other Looping boaters and Docktails at 1700 in the screen porch of the marina was attended by Jean and Jerry Coleman (Making Memories) from Tarpon Springs, Jim (Idle Time), Dan and Jenny Lynn Girvan (Melody in Sea) from Michigan, and Ken Purcell and Ruth Frank (Horizons) from Chicago.  We were lucky to have such a group to share their knowledge and experience of various places on the Loop.

Later that night, we chanced upon Jesus Christ, Superstar on the TV, which we hardly ever watch, but we were trying to see if we would be able to watch the basketball game on Monday night. That is one great musical.  Amazing energy.

Monday, April 2, 2018:

We spent time prepping to leave with Jane doing more laundry and I filled the water tanks and attended to engine room checks. The forecast called for fog before 1000, but afterwards sunny with a high of around 83.  South winds around 10 mph should boost our cruising.  With the high tide scheduled for 1043, I’m in no hurry to escape the dock.  We cranked up at 1000 and eased on over to the fuel dock, not for fuel but for a pump out of the holding tank.  Patrick was there to help, but we were not getting suction.  Finally, I noticed that the other end of the hose was not connected to their pump.  Patrick screwed it back in and then the two of us wrestled the giant twisted anaconda (poop hose) to get it straightened back out.

With the tank drained we eased out into the river at 1030.  By 1125 we were crossing the Savannah River and into South Carolina.  While the crow may only have to fly 100 miles to cover the coast of Georgia, our circuitous route through the marshes and creeks seems like twice that.  Crossing the river, there was no commercial traffic to contend with.  At 1222 we were in the Cooper River and decided that we might as well enjoy cruising further and Jane called the Downtown Marina in Beaufort to see if we could have a mooring ball.  It looks good so we abandon our plan to anchor out and continue on.  At 1425 proceeded into Port Royal Sound.  There is some light boat traffic and ferries operating.  It also appears that we have spotted the cruise ship American Star again, but this time it was Independence.

We made it around Parris Island and into the Beaufort River and picked up a mooring ball at 1630.  With the dinghy deployed we putted into the dock, got registered and after walking about a bit stumbled into Luther’s for dinner.  We took a bar-height table near the bar.  I recommend Luther’s for drinks. (They have a help wanted sign up, and I think they’re desperate.)  The bartender seemed personable though, but she was a little overworked.  There was a couple sitting at the bar very near us and as we finished up our repast he eked out one clearly-audible flatulence.  Unembarrassed, he spun around, held up his hand and looking at Jane said, “My bad”.  Frankly, that’s an ice-breaker.  Turns out they are from Long Island, NY, and looking to move to Beaufort.  He was enthralled about out trip and we left him a card to follow the blog.  Now he’s in it.  We returned to the boat with the dinghy at giddy-up throttle and bathed aboard in the tiny tub.  We couldn’t get the NCAA championship basketball game on the TV and turned in after a long day.  We better be able to get the Masters this weekend, wherever we are.

Tuesday, March 20, 2018:

We were visited on the dock by David, the harbor master. He’s an English dude that professed to full knowledge of our vessel and our intended next stop at the Jacksonville City free dock at Sisters Creek.  He was gracious enough offering us the use of their dock for another night since there was a big storm approaching.  David advised us against going to Sisters Creek as the dock there is always packed with sailboats that don’t leave ignoring the 72 hour maximum tie-up.  We took it all in with a shaker of salt and then called the AGLCA harbor host for Jacksonville, Browne Altman.  Browne said he was about to drive right by the Sisters Creek dock and would call us back with info about what space might be available.  Soon enough, he called back to report that only one sailboat was at the dock.  So we untied from Queen’s Harbour at 0930 and spun around in the narrow basin to head out their channel.  The weather appeared to be holding off for a few hours and Sisters Creek was only four miles including crossing the St. John’s River.  As we exited the channel back to the ICW, I spotted Nellie Mae chugging along just ahead of us.  We found out over the radio that they are headed to Amelia Island.  As we approached the St. John’s, green buoy #7 appeared to be out of place.  It was way over to the west side.  Nellie Mae was ahead and kept it to starboard, but radioed me and advised that it may have been displaced.  Keeping an eye on the depth sounder, I kept my heading as if that was the case.  I had no issue and plenty of water under keel.  I’m sure we will encounter more situations like this and staying alert is imperative as soon we will be cruising in unfamiliar waters.  At 1005 we docked at Sisters Creek with help from Loopers, Kurt and Barbara Jean Walter (In His Time).  We were the fourth boat to dock and met Captain Rodger & Lorrie Swink (Reality) and Dale and Debbie Montgomery from the sailboat Prosperity. I spent the rest of the day catching up on the blog and had technical difficulties moving pictures from our phones to the computer.  Later, two other sailboats came in to dock and we met Peter and Kathy from Gentle Presence and Stefan and Jojo from Gibraltar in their 22 ton sailing vessel, Radiant Spirit.

They were most interesting to talk to during spirited docktails aboard In His Time. We enjoyed hearing about their Atlantic crossing and they loved learning about our American culture and expressions.  We turned in around Looper Midnight (9:00 PM), but with the wind howling, the dock lines groaning and the water drumming on the hull, sleep was fitful until I remembered to use my earplugs.

Wednesday, March 21, 2018:

We stayed in bed well after 8:00 am. The wind is continuing to blow and there are whitecaps in the creek from 30 to 35 mph gusts.

Due to the forecast of continuing high winds, we elect to stay put for another night and then move on up to a mooring ball at Fernandina tomorrow.  Reading the AGLCA forum this morning, Jane noted that a member boat, Hearken, was just beginning their loop today from Jacksonville.  I saw them passing our dock and tried to radio with the handheld, but me thinks the captain was too busy trying to maintain steerage in the high winds.  It reminded me of our first day on Charlotte Harbor.  I wanted to cheer them on and welcome them to looping and let them know that we understand that when you’re ready to go, you go.  The rest of the day was route planning and readjusting fenders to accommodate the winds that were pushing us onto the dock.  The wind got to a point where I tied the burgee up to keep from losing another.  Evening time was spent with the same group this time on Reality. Staying here, we relished in getting to know our co-loopers and the sailboaters.

Thursday, March 22, 2018:

We escaped the dock with help from Stefan and Jojo at 1005. The wind was pushing us into the dock, but once I got the stern moving to starboard and the portside bow away from the dock (thanks to Jojo’s fending), all was well.  We turned left coming out of the creek and encountered a few boats occasionally, but pretty much had the waterway to ourselves poking along on a crystal clear day.  The forecast was for a moderate chop on the inland waterways, but the ICW was no problem.  There was a bit of NW winds when we traversed Nassau Sound to make the sharp left at marker 46 to continue up the waterway.  As we approached the A1A Bridge we noticed that the railroad bridge on the other side was closing.

No biggie, we get to see another train.  After the freight train was gone the railroad bridge began to open.  As I’m maneuvering in between the bridge fenders, I notice that there is a go-fast day cruiser coming up beside on my port.  We look over and he motions that there’s three others with him and he barrels on under the bridge moving ahead with too much speed and way too much wake.  Then the boats two and three (Livin’ the Dream) follow right up and pass us while we’re trying to negotiate the bridge and they’re rocking us violently while accelerating and the wakes bounce off the fenders.  I’m too busy to call them on channel 16 and too stunned to think about photographing these SOB’s.  Finally after I’m through the bridge without hitting anything, boat four (Indie), calls on the radio and asked for a starboard pass.  We tell him to come on ahead and give us a slow pass and I cut speed for him to come on by.  After he got by, I radioed him and thanked him for the slow pass and asked if he wouldn’t mind giving his friends a lesson in boating safety and etiquette.  I was about in channel rage, but outwardly remained composed.  It was the worst part of the day, so it’s a pretty good day.

We arrived to moor on buoy number 9 in Fernandina Harbor at 1310. Even though we had to wait about 20 minutes on the RR bridge, we still covered the 23 miles in less than 3 ½ hours.  I got the dinghy ready to go and we packed our shower gear for land based showers.  After checking in and getting cleaned up we putted back out to drop off our things and then came right back to the dinghy dock and walked up to the Palace Saloon for a much needed adult beverage.  The Palace is Florida’s Oldest Bar and was the perfect spot to set free the tension that the four boats from Hilton Head caused.

Then we walked around a bit and did some window shopping and settled into Café Karibo for an early dinner on the patio until we decided that it was too cold and moved inside.  We had eaten here a couple of times before on previous trips and they did not disappoint.  Great food.  We eased on back out to the boat well before sundown and hung out on the fly bridge reading.

 

Friday, March 23, 2018:

We cranked up at 1045 and eased over to Port Consolidated Fuels just north of the marina.  I put Jane in the engine room to watch the sight glass and let me know just before the starboard tank was full.  This keeps our fuel from sloshing up and out the vent tube.  That took 87 ½ gallons, so we also put 87 ½ in the port tank.  This is the first time we have refueled and having covered over 520 miles, I’m delighted with our consumption.  The friendly attendant, Bob informed us that the cost was only $2.80 per gallon and we wouldn’t be subject to Florida Sales Tax if we completed the form that we were leaving the state.  We bid Bob a fond farewell and good to our word, crossed the Florida-Georgia line less than 45 minutes later.  As we cruised up between Cumberland Island and the ICW, we  spotted 3 USCG high speed chase boats headed out the St. Mary’s Inlet.  The first two had what appeared to be 50 caliber machine guns on the bow with a gunner at the ready.

We arrived and set anchor in about 13 feet of water with only 125 feet of rode at the Cumberland Island anchorage just west of the Sea Camp Dock. Again we ran onto  our friends on the Gentle Presence.  We dinghied into the dock and and checked in with the ranger on duty.  We are welcomed to the Cumberland Island National Seashore without cost showing our National Park Senior Passes.  These things have already proven to be a great purchase.  We had thought about bringing the folding bikes on the dinghy, but figured that would be too much trouble and opted to walk.  The ranger let us know that a sub would be coming in soon and I realized that’s why the chase boats went out.  During our walk down the River Trail to the Dungeness Ruins we spotted the submarine coming in flanked by two war ships and being escorted by a sundry of smaller attack boats for additional security.

During our hike, we encountered the wild horses by the Dungeness Ruins. Dungeness was built in the late 1800’s by Thomas Carnegie.  They really did it up right.  They had lots of recreational buildings and even a heated pool.  We also visited the original grave of General Henry “Light-Horse Harry” Lee III.  He died here in 1818, but the remains were later removed to Virginia.

We crossed the sizable dunes and walked back up the beach without anyone else around and made it back to our dinghy around 4:45. We used the grill for the first time for cooking potatoes and grilled eggplant.  Jane outdid herself in the little boat galley whipping up a gourmet dinner including sautéed asparagus.

Kings Bay Submarine Base is across the water from our anchorage and at sundown, I could hear them play colors.

Saturday, March 24, 2018:

We slept in a little but up at 0800 and could clearly hear the National Anthem coming from the Navy Base prompting me to stand at attention and salute, knowing the flag was being raised.

It was a perfectly clear day with flat water and we pulled anchor at 1020 delighting in the lack of mud. We had the waterway mostly to ourselves and a southerly wind so we went right across St. Andrews Sound and avoiding the extra time of the meandering Floyd Creek.

As we exited Jekyll Creek into the Brunswick River I could see the top of a cargo ship coming into harbor. As Patriot neared, I kept well clear of the channel in ample water to avoid this behemoth.

We docked at Morningstar Marina at Golden Isles at 1500 with assistance from Chic Candler. We negated any issues with the current since high tide was at 1514.  After checking in for three nights, we cleaned up the boat and Jane did three loads of laundry and by then it was time for the showers.  We were excited to be hosting our old friend, Kathy Swift and her new husband, Craig Hall aboard for libations.  They arrived at 6:00 and after our time on board, we were chauferred by Craig to the island for a drink at their local watering hole, Marsh Point, and then on to Travici Restaurant which is managed by Craig’s brother, Galen.  That’s right. This guy’s name is Galen Hall.  If you’re not an SEC football fan, it might not mean anything to you, but apparently, he has used this to win a few bar bets and may have received hotel room without charge.   We got the primo table and great service.  Craig had caught a bunch of Red Fish that afternoon, so that’s what we had.  Fried for appetizer grilled over pasta for entrée.  It was simply fantastic.  We caught an Uber back to the boat.

Sunday, March 25, 2018:

Found on the deck first thing in the am: the Florida Times Union newspaper and two blueberry muffins all wrapped up in a plastic bag.  This is a very nice and unexpected lagniappe indeed.  Jane made grits and then we headed out on our bikes the 2.5 miles to St. Simons Community Church.  It was a large church and we both enjoyed the service.  Then it was on to the Harris Teeter Grocery Store where we got some needed items and ate lunch from their hot bar at a table out front.  When we got back on the bikes the wind started to blow and the temperature dropped.  There’s a storm acomin’ and who’s gonna grab Toto?  We pedaled back as fast as we could and made it to the boat before getting soaked.

Craig picked us up at 6:00 for dinner at their house and it was a fun time getting to know him better and catching up with Kathy.  We celebrated our second month on America’s Great Loop.

Monday, March 26, 2018

With the wind whipping and the temperature dropped to 55 with pelting rain, we’re happy to just stay aboard at the dock. We route planned, Jane finished all our laundry and I worked on this blog.  We had left the aft curtain off the fly bridge enclosure and the north wind had blown the rain in and soaked most of it.  The wind took my hat while I was trying to dry things up.  Jane made a big pot of yummy soup and we’re looking forward to better weather tomorrow.  The Intra Coastal Waterway through the Georgia coast meanders mazelike through the of marsh of the low country.  It’s best to only travel on days with the fairest weather and a rising tide avoiding shoals and bars.

 

Friday, March 9, 2018:

It was a beautiful sunny morning, but a chilly 44 degrees. We flipped on the heater and after breakfast I finished up the last blog post.  I never realized how much work writing is.  Late in the afternoon we got all spiffed up for the Marshall Tucker concert.  Our first plan was to walk to the St. Augustine Amphitheater, but then Jane thought she’d get too windblown so we opted for an Uber.  Since we were all ready to go and it was still early, we quaffed a vino on the flybridge and over the course of about 15 minutes watched the Uber price jump from $6.00 to $23.00.  Oops!  I guess we failed to recognize that all the Uber drivers would be busy just before the concert.  Just another 20 minutes for Roberto to show up and few dollars more we arrived just before the 5:30 start time.  We grabbed a pretty good mushroom vegi sandwich from a food truck (converted Air Stream Trailer appropriately named The Bullet).  I must say though that the tater tots were perfectly crispy and well-seasoned.

 

The amphitheater seats just over 5,000 and the concessions offer all manner of adult beverages.  Jane had done a great job getting us awesome seats on the third row and we sat down as the Outlaws were beginning their second song.  They totally rocked the house.  They were followed by Marshall Tucker Band who is one of our favorites, and then Charlie Daniels.  At 81 he can still work that fiddle and put on a great show.  Travis Tritt was batting clean-up and of course, he put on a hell of a show.  I was feeling pretty good about catching a guitar pick from one of the Outlaws until the guy in the front row got a tambourine from the Marshall Tucker band, but also Charlie Daniels’ fiddle bow!  The entire concert was over at 10:30 which I’m sure is a condition of noise enforcement on the venue.  Gainesville has toyed with the idea of building an amphitheater and if they can make it anywhere near as nice as this one, they should do it.  Getting great acts like St. A does consistently is key to the success.

We walked all the way back after the concert and while it was not necessary and may not have even been advisable, we paid a visit to the Tradewinds before retreating to the vessel. For those of you unfamiliar with Tradewinds, when you leave your hair and clothes smell very smoky but the bands are always rocking and the drinks are good. The town is filling up with bikers since it is Bike Week in Daytona and half of them were at the Tradewinds that night.

Saturday, March 10, 2018:

Our friends, Jeff and Beth Siegel, drove over from Gainesville to see the boat and visit for a while. We all walked a circuitous route to the Floridian Restaurant following Jane and her not-so-smart phone.  By the time we got there, we all had a great appetites and the food was awesome again.  Meredith was also due to arrive with our grandsons to stay the night.  She called during lunch and they had gone on out to the beach and promptly got her car stuck on the beach.   AAA failed to show up with the proper truck, but a nice deputy helped dig her out.  Later, on the boat, we all enjoyed the champagne that the Siegels had brought to toast our adventure.

Since there is a great old Putt Putt course right at the marina, we took the kids to play Putt-Putt.

It was quite competitive but Riley was sick so we returned to the boat and had some leftovers.

 

Sunday, March 11, 2018:

With our clocks sprung forward (for the last time, I hope), Jane whipped up a breakfast of grits and garbanzo flour and veggie omelets. It was surprisingly good.  Riley was feeling better after a good night’s sleep, so we all walked over to the fort.

The Spanish soldiers fired the cannons while we were there.  It was quite exciting and we had a hard time convincing Riley that the noise would be tolerable with hands on the ears.  He hates loud sounds so it was scary for him but he did fine.  After we left the fort we took the kids over to the big playground and that happened to be right next to where the Scottish games were in progress.  We enjoyed watching them toss the 100 pound pole.  Jane and Meredith especially enjoyed the very muscular men in their kilts.  Not short enough according to them.

Soon, it was lunch time, and back we went to the Floridian.  The food was wonderful as usual, but there was one grumpy six year-old at our table.  After lunching leisurely, Meredith took Jane on a grocery run.  We bid goodbye to Meredith and the kids for what seems like a long time coming and then we cleaned up the boat and Jane did laundry in the marina.  On her way to the laundry, Jane got to talking to another Looper who was speaking with a guy that Jane thought looked familiar.  Turns out it was Lloyd Clarke who owns the store where we buy our running shoes.  He accepted an invitation to join us on the boat for happy hour.

Monday, March 12, 2018:

Jane got up very early (4:30 am!) and I slept in while the rain poured down. We just hung out on board most of the day, while I did some genealogy research and fixed the loose hot water handle on the aft head sink.  We walked over to the Ace Hardware and found a couple of items.  Talked to Scott on the phone and found out he was giving the talk at the YL Capernaum Club that night in Nashville.  After walking all over and fixing a few things, the wind outside had picked up to 20-25mph, and so a big pasta dinner on the boat was cozy and yummy.

Tuesday, March 13, 2018:

We woke up to almost freezing weather and had to turn on the heater for a while. We are getting used to reading the Gainesville Sun newspaper online and always like to read the AGLCA and MTOA forums to keep up to date on the latest news.  Bill and Martha Kloeppel arrived with a bag full of fresh vegetables from Hastings.  A perfect boat-warming gift! We found out we needed to move to a new slip at the marina since we had been there so long and they are short on dockage with access to electricity.  So Billy and Martha had a short boat ride from slip 42 to slip 33. We were thankful for slack tide and no wind. Tommy and Diana arrived about 12:30 and we all visited for a while before sauntering over to the Blue Hen in Lincolnville for lunch.

Great local restaurant with vegan options so we were all happy with the food.  Wine was enjoyed and naps were needed after our company departed.  Oh, the afternoon naps certainly are lovely. Just before sundown, the 200’ cruise ship, American Star, came to dock at the fuel dock for the night.   Quite the commotion watching them dock that monster ship with the monkey fists to get the lines ashore – I even helped!

The ship made the 68ft Nordhaven that had moved in to our previous slip look small.  Apparently, they had cruised all the way from the Marshall Islands.  That’s a different kind of cruising.

Wednesday, March 14, 2018:

Another cold morning. We’re tired of this and refuse to move further north until it warms up.  Without shore power to run our heater, we justified sleeping in late.  I didn’t totally waste the day and cleaned the bilge and then wire brushed the generator pan and motor mounts.  Then I turned my attention on the main engine mounts and the transmission.  Having the right brass brushes for the drill and dremel really made a tough job fun.  It looks like a new engine room now.  Even Jane was impressed and she was most helpful handing me tools and towels.

We enjoyed getting to know Mary and Tim when they joined us for docktails. They are doing the Loop on their 25 foot red tug, Nellie Mae.

They are from South Dakota and had to trailer their tug 600 miles to get it in the river system to begin their loop in Illinois.  That’s perseverance.

Thursday, March 15, 2018:

This morning we ran the generator to get some heat since the inside of our boat is the same temp as the outside, which was 42, but then decided to get in a run before breakfast. We went over the Bridge of Lions and around the neighborhoods on Anastasia Island.  Walked through the Conch House Marina and holy cow, the damage.  Sad to see. Later we biked out to US 1 for shopping and then joined Tim and Mary at Ann O’Malley’s for trivia night.  He is great at trivia, and we almost won but blew it on the final question ranking the popularity of dogs according to the AKC.  Who knew Beagles and Dachshunds were more popular than Shitzus? Not us.

Friday, March 16, 2018:

We rode our bikes about 4 miles to the Manatee Café for breakfast and then on the return trip, stopped by O’Reilly Auto Parts for some primer and paint for the generator. The path we chose through the neighborhoods west of US1 was picturesque and we rode home a different way near the water. I got the pan and mounts all taped and painted and again Jane was impressed.

Saturday, March 17, 2018:

Jane woke me up at 4:30 am and was adamant about wanting us to bike over to Vilano (in the dark) and run the Vilano Bridge 5K Run. I don’t need to bike 4 or 5 miles just to run.  Nor do I need to pay $35 to get some exercise, but alas, I chose correctly and decided that it’s better for me to be grumpy for a little while than for Jane to get pissy all day.   Riding over the bridge and seeing the sunrise was super.  We met our friends Ed and Lesley Myers waiting for the race to start and enjoyed our requisite post-race beers with them after.

Later after naptime, we hosted Ed & Lesley and their friends, Paul and Joyce aboard for docktails at 4:00. Then we all went back to their condo in South Ponte Vedra for dinner.  They have a penthouse on the intracoastal side which yields a great sunset which I failed to capture here.

We put the Gator vs Texas Tech NCAA tournament game on but by halftime Jane and I Ubered back to the marina.  I watched the end of the game in the boaters lounge by myself.  We lost by three.  Oh well, wait’ll next year.  Jane’s fitbit recorded more than 25,000 steps today so she was satisfied with the amount of exercise and let me go to sleep at an appropriate time.

Sunday, March 18, 2018:

I installed the new ventilation cover on the generator. It is like a metal belt that wraps the flywheel and was an ordeal, but I got it slipped through correctly with a good bit of pushing, pulling, tapping and cussing.  It was a beautiful sunny day and Captain Josh Metcalf came over and gave us lots of great advice and encouragement.  It’s great to talk to someone who knows all about boats and whom you can trust. I ran the generator for over an hour to get the batteries all charged up.  We got a pump out of the holding tank and I refilled the water tanks so we’d be ready to leave tomorrow.  Then we gave Sabbatical a complete bath before getting our own showers.  We’re all cleaned up but worried about the approaching storm tomorrow.  Leaving St. Augustine may have to be delayed, but we’ll decide that in the morning.

Monday, March 19, 2018:

The storm blew through early, so we backed out of the slip at 1015. There were four other boats that needed the Bridge of Lions raised.  Three coming south with the tide were first and then we followed the sailing vessel Meanderer after they cleared the bridge.  Once past the bridge Meanderer called us to come on and pass when ready.  When we got even, he called on the radio to ask about Sabbatical and was very complimentary about her lines and good looks.  As we neared Vilano, I called my real estate partner, Todd Rainsberger, to see if he might be at their house on the waterway.  He was and came out to wish us well and watch us pass as we chugged on north under the Vilano Bridge.  I miss working with Todd but I think he understands why we are doing this now.  It was fun to be in St. Augustine but after two and half weeks it sure feels good to get some water passing under the hull.  We had a beautiful cruise up the waterway and passing the airport we were entertained by a bi-plane doing touch and goes.  Being Monday, we encountered very few boats and enjoyed the balmy, partly cloudy day.  Near the end of our run to Queen’s Harbour, a larger faster boat, El Capitain, came up from behind and radioed to give a gentle slow pass.  It really is nice when other boaters are so kind.  Jane pointed out that he is also going to Queens Harbour.  I had to doubt that, but she claims to have a sixth sense about these things.  Sure enough, right before we got there, I heard him radio for a lock-through.  How does she know?  It’s spooky.

The lock operator on duty is my friend from Howey Academy, Harry James. Harry arranged for us to stay the night at the floating dock outside the lock.  It was a nice accommodation with electric in the protected harbor.  After Harry was done locking through El Capitain he came down to the floater to take our lines and help get us tied.  We were all secured by 1515 and Harry’s relief showed up, and he suggested that he take us out to Publix.  We did a major resupply and got back to the boat just before the rain came back.  Soon after that, Borden (another old Howey friend) and Sue Hawkins arrived for boatdrinks on the flybridge while the rain pelted the canvas.

Once it let up, we all went off to Parsons for dinner.  The food, service and company were all perfect.

Harry mentioned that we’re in for more rough weather tomorrow and suggested that we might want to just hang tight at Queen’s Harbour, but we’ll check it out in the morning.

A lot of the other boaters we have met have highly encouraged us to get auto-pilot, so it would be a good idea to install one.

Friday, March 2, 2018:

Jane took a long walk after breakfast while I worked on the last blog post. She explored downtown and enjoyed seeing Travis’s former house on Mulvey.  We had fond memories of painting and moving him in to that 3^rd floor fire hazard for his senior year at Flagler College in 2009.  It was really a cute spot and great location.  Meredith and grandson Evan arrived in the mid afternoon and then went off to pick up her friend, Staci and family, flying in on a private plane.  Must be nice to be married to a pilot.  Jane and I walked over the Bridge of Lions and decided to check out Marker 8 motel and marina.  This was the old Anchorage and it has been totally redone.  We got info on docking there and walked back just as the sun set.

It was a little chilly, so we finally used up 3 cans of the soup that we had aboard and played Jenga. Thanks to Garrett Bell for the games.  When a wake hits the boat, it’s all just part of the game.

Saturday, March 3, 2018:

Meredith was staying at the Hampton Inn out at the beach, but came and took Jane to Publix at Vilano for provisions. Not the best Publix but they do carry wine.  Jason showed up in the late morning and on board we watched the Gators whip Kentucky on TV via our HD Mohu antenna.  (When it works, it’s great.)  Watching the TV with the horizon waving (it was really rough in the bay with lots of wind and current) in the background  caused a slight motion sickness for Jason so instead of sleeping on the boat with us that night as planned, he spent the night with his friend, Steve,  who lives on the golf course at St Johns. Jason drove us over to the Hampton Inn to hang with Meredith et al around the pool at the Hampton Inn.

There were some college students on spring break there that needed some counseling on life so I regaled them with some yarns and advice.

Evan and Kenzie played Jenga with GJ and walked on the beach to show her the hole they dug that was heading to China.

After catching a ride back to the marina, we walked over to the Floridian Restaurant (Southern comfort food) for dinner.  We ate at the bar upstairs and it was incredible.  I got Tofu and Grits.  Might not sound right to you, but I loved it.

Sunday, March 4, 2018:

More grits. Yes, we like grits. And then off to Memorial Presbyterian for service at 1100.  It is a beautiful old church and the final resting place of Henry Flagler.

After church we met Jason, Meredith, and Evan along with Staci’s family for lunch at the Conch House. Then we all came back over to the boat.  Evan loved showing off “his” boat to Kenzie.

After a short nap we hosted Mike and Carol Oyenarte along with Lyla and Whit Springfield for docktails.  They brought beautiful platters of appetizers!  Who needed dinner after all that?  We all had a great time!

Monday, March 5, 2018:

I changed Big Red’s oil and filter. The previous owner, Tim O’Neill, set up a handy tube connected to the oil pan drain plug hole to which I could attach the pick-up tube from the changing pump.  It is then an easy and clean process to pump the old oil into the saved jugs from the previous change and then get them to the used oil bin on shore for proper disposal.

Then I replaced the pencil zinc and replenished the batteries with distilled water.  It requires some real engine room yoga to get the batteries serviced.  Afterwards, we rode our bikes to Target to pick up a few things.  We called our grandson, Jake, to wish him a happy 16^th birthday.   We failed to send the requisite $5 bill in a card, but I bet he’s gonna love having Jane’s old Yukon instead.  A safe car for a teenager and it’s neat it previously belonged to his great granddaddy.

Tuesday, March 6, 2018:

Enterprise picked us up and we took a rental car to Gainesville for a quick trip. We both got our hair did, took our dog to the vet and I was able get by the hospital to visit Annette who is like a second mother to me.  Got takeout from Grill Fresh which is located in the old Everyday Gourmet next to Café Gardens. Wonder if any business will ever make it there. Oh well. I also got a chance to stop by the office and see some of my old real estate cohorts.  It was good to hear that I look “rested and relaxed”.  I didn’t imagine that I would actually miss working, but I really do miss the team interaction with Tracy, Todd, Beau and Dean.  After picking up some stuff at the house, we hustled on back to St. A and greeted Scoot and Debbie Gallagher along with Chip and Mary Ann Williams aboard for drinks before walking over to O.C. Whites for dinner.  It was a great visit with fun friends.

Wednesday, March 7, 2018:

Got up early to return the rental car.   Met other mariners here that were also returning their car so Enterprise could return both of us to the marina with one trip.  Jane did laundry in the morning and then our old boating buddies, Larry and Linda Awbrey, arrived.  It was fun showing them around the boat.   We hung out on the boat for a while and then sauntered over to A1A Ale House for lunch.

After the Awbreys left it was nap time for us.  Sometimes, one just feels tired without having really done much.  For dinner, Jane created another masterpiece salad from our Tuesday lunch leftovers.  We enjoyed reading in the evening and I finished Dan Brown’s Origin.  That was tough to put down.  Unlike this blog, it’s a real page-flipper.

Thursday, March 8, 2018:

Cold again this morning and we turned on the heater for a while. We spent a couple of hours planning possible stops between here and Norfolk.  My brother, Mike, and his wife Cam drove over to meet us for lunch and brought along their daughter, Kelly .  We met up at O.C. Whites and dined upstairs in cozy warmth.  Mike brought us a loaf of his home-baked sourdough bread.  It was great to see them, but I neglected to take any pictures.  Where is my brain?  After they left we decided to walk over to Castillo de San Marcos.  Construction began on the fort in 1672 and today it looks very much like it would have when completed in 1756.  The Castillo is a National Monument so we could use our National Parks Senior Pass for free admission.  I always enjoy visiting the old fort and (avoiding the tour groups of school kids) and we took our time to read all the historical placards.

After a little happy hour back aboard Sabbatical we thought we should check out Captain John’s favorite restaurant in St. Augustine, so we set off on our bikes bundled up against the cold bound for Hurricane Patty’s.  It was less than a fifteen minute ride from the marina and we gobbled up some good grub.  Hurricane Patty’s is a casual island-inspired, waterfront seafood spot on the San Sebastian River.  We were happy with a booth inside since it was so cold and getting dark by the time we arrived.  Those headlamps certainly came in handy for the ride back in the dark, especially after enjoying some wine.  No BUI this visit.

 

Friday, February 23, 2018:

There was a light shower as I filled the water tanks in the early morning. It was hardly enough to get us wet.  I was glad to see the water beading up on the part of the teak bow rail that I repaired yesterday.  The wind was inconsequential and the forecast was for Southeast winds of 10-15 knots and the Intracoastal a moderate chop.  We departed the dock at Cocoa Village Marina at 0915 without assistance or incident.  As we cruised north soon the Rocket Assembly Building at Cape Canaveral came into view.   I knew it was miles away and it was in view for hours.

 

The cruise of the day was easy and as the day wore on, the clouds continued to dissipate as it turned into a beautiful day. Apparently, in this area, fishermen think it is a good idea to fish between the fenders of bridges.  That’s not a recommended practice, but I always practice courtesy and caution, slowing to not rock them too much.

Eventually the channel turned east toward the Haulover Canal. As we entered the canal it became apparent that many manatees were harboring there.  I have never seen so many at one time.  They seemed to be having a great time playing with each other and just lulling around.

 

Approaching New Smyrna Beach, I happened to glance down on the starboard side and see a school of rays also moving north. There may have been 50 or more of them seeming to swim in unison.  I couldn’t grab the camera quick enough though, but we did catch these two choppers about to refuel in flight.

We made it to the NSB City Marina at 1535 and had a very easy slip assignment straight ahead and downwind on the floating dock.

  Pelican Rookery Island at NSB

We showered and rested up before hosting Rick and Deedy Crossland for docktails and then walked with them to dinner at Yellow Dog Eats. They will begin the Loop from Ponce Inlet April 1^st.

Saturday, February 24, 2018:

I made blueberry pancakes for breakfast. Around mid-morning one of my old Howey Academy classmates, Jim Simpson showed up on the dock.  He lives in Pennsylvania, but has a condo in NSB, so it made sense to meet up here.  The three of us knocked around the art show and farmer’s market just across from the marina.   We hadn’t seen Jim since 1985 so there was a good bit of catching up and trying to remember old times at school.  Later he returned to the condo and Jane and I caught up on nap time.   Jim’s wife Georgia was flying into Sanford around 6:00, so on their way back from the airport they picked us up and we all went to their 8^th floor condo at Minorca on the north end of the island.  We brought salad and Jane’s infamous 7 layer dip, so we all enjoyed the evening with dinner and some wine may have been involved.  It was wonderful reconnecting with my old friend.

Sunday, February 25, 2018:

We left the dock of NSB Marina at 0956 and stayed in the ICW to avoid the shoaling around the NSB inlet. The tide was pushing against our headway and soon enough I knew that we would not arrive as early as I wanted.  Our destination was only about 15 miles and we completed the run up to Daytona docking at the Halifax River Yacht Club at 1215.  I had made repeated calls by phone and radio to the HRYC (all to no avail), to make sure they would have a temporary tie up for us.  Finally, once we pulled into their basin, I saw a spot on the dock and just pulled in like it was there just for us.  Turns out the dock master had fallen in the water a few days prior and his cell phone and handheld marine radio were both out of service.  He was fine with the spot we took, and directed us to the Tiki Hut to meet my Uncle, Gator Bert Reames, his wife, Julie, and their son Roosevelt along with my sister, Susie, and her boyfriend, Jay.  It was a leisurely lunch and we all enjoyed the food, fresh air and the company.  Regrettably, I neglected to get any pictures of our group.

After lunch we pulled out of the HRYC at 1400 and motored up to just south of the L.B. Knox Bridge and set anchor next to Highbridge Park and North Peninsula State Park. I have no idea why it is called Highbridge Park since the L.B. Knox draw bridge has a vertical clearance of only 15 feet.  As the sun set, the few fishermen left in their boats and we were all alone anchored just about 2/10 of a mile south of the bridge.  I rigged up my new shower for the stern deck and just after dark we slipped out on deck au naturale to get cleaned up.  Jane was ok with this since it was dark and was sure the bridge tender couldn’t see us.  Of course, afterward I did let her know that any bridge tender worth his salt would have night vision binoculars.  We slept well and the anchor alarm never sounded.  I was a little concerned about the possibility of swinging into shallow water since we were so close to the east shore of the waterway.

 

  This guy seemed curious.

Monday, February 26, 2018:

We got up at sunrise, but stayed inside reading the Gainesville paper on line and having breakfast. We have changed from running the generator at anchor to make coffee to simply boiling water on the gas stove and then pouring it over the grounds in the coffee maker.  We cranked Big Red at 0900 and by 0910 we had the anchor up and all the mud washed off the anchor and chain with the handy shower head on the expanding hose.   I radioed on channel 9 to request opening the Knox Bridge.  The tender was jovial and asked if we were bankers since he thought we just rolled out of bed.  By 0915 we had cleared the bascule bridge and were heading on northward through the narrow ICW passing a great many grand waterfront estates.  We found out we could get a slip at Marineland Marina for only $1.25 per foot so felt like we couldn’t afford not to stay there.  Jane made contact by phone and we reserved the slip for three days.  A three day slip rental here also gets you two free passes to the dolphin show, so we were good.  It was a nice day for cruising, partly cloudy after a brief shower just before we pulled anchor.

  L.B. Knox Bridge

By 1145 we had docked at Marineland with the help of marina manager, Eric Ziecek (UF alum) in slip #42 just down the ramp by the office. The entire marina was rebuilt last year so all the facility is in primo shape.

  Marineland Marina Sunset

Just across the dock from us was an Albin 43 that looked to be of similar vintage as ours, so we went to say hello and compliment their boat.  You can meet the nicest people this way and we did.  The owners, Mike and Mercy Byrd, are living on board and have their Portuguese water dog, Ike.  Mike’s a Georgia Bull Dawg from Atlanta, but I couldn’t hold that against him.  After just a few minutes, they had offered us the use of their car.  Quickly, Jane was summoning her mental grocery list and we accepted for a run to Publix.  You can pack a lot more stuff into a Subaru than you can a backpack, so we wisely provisioned up, taking full advantage of the motor coach.   We had Mike and Mercy come over for docktails at 1800 and we all enjoyed it.  Even Ike made an appearance and like a true waterdog, had no problem making it up to our top deck.  Apparently dogs like hummus.

Tuesday, February 27, 2018:

A pretty lazy day. We went for a walk on the beach, Jane made dill potato salad and awesome grilled “cheese” sandwiches for lunch, and then we took a nap after reading.  Later, Jane made a really great vegi-pasta dish and we turned in early.

Wednesday, February 28, 2018:

We walked across the highway to see the dolphin show at Marineland. Marineland is the world’s first Oceanarium.  It’s not Sea World, but we both had come here as kids and it has a lot of history.   After that, Eric gave us a good pump out and I refilled the water tanks so we’d be ready for departure on Thursday.

 

Thursday, March 1, 2018:

In the morning I scrubbed off our tannic stain from the bow with lemon juice. With some good help from Eric on the dock, we departed at 1003.  The forecast was showing SW winds of 9 to 17 knots and increasing after 1300.  Slack low tide for St. Augustine would be at 1407, so I was a little torn between arriving early to avoid higher winds or showing up at 1400 to avoid the current.  With the wind at our back we made the Crescent Beach Bridge by 1107.

  Matanzas Inlet from the ICW

  White Pelicans

Soon the tide was also helping move us along and at one point we hit 11 MPH!  That’s flying by trawler standards.  By 1215 we had docked into slip #42 (again) easing in bow first downwind and with the current.  Our dockhand, Mike provided excellent assistance.  The city-owned marina was torn up by the hurricane and they are in process of obtaining funding for a rebuild.  A large portion of the slips are in disarray and unusable.  We lucked out and got one with electric.

 

Bridge of Lions                                                                  St. Augustine

Sabbatical was looking pretty awesome on the dock until the 75 foot Hatteras, “Corporate Approved” moored next to us.

 

In comparison, she made our trawler look like a toy boat.  The owner and crew were very friendly and we shortly found out that he owns a marina (Donovan’s Shady Harbor Marina) on the Hudson River in New Baltimore, NY.  Around happy hour, they invited us and another couple who were just walking the dock aboard for a tour and libations.  Very friendly guys!  His marina closes each winter so that’s his personal boating season.  When the river freezes over I guess there’s just not much boat traffic.  They reopen around the first of April.  “Corporate Approved” will leave in the morning and running in the ocean, they’ll arrive in Charleston tomorrow night.  That’s a different kind of boating.  We left them and went to Cellar 6 for a nice dinner of pasta.

This full moon is working the tides here in St. Augustine

 

It is the evening of February 22nd. I’ll try to catch you up on our antics.

Thursday, February 15, 2018:

When we got up, Jane insisted that we have to get some exercise. After a night on anchor, I figured that we might need the batteries charged, so we rigged up one of the folding bikes and I let her charge ‘em up.

The kicker was I had to take a turn too, but it was a nice breezy morning and it did me good. (Editor’s note: No batteries were actually harmed or charged during this event)  Just wondering if I can run a bike chain to the prop shaft?

I wasn’t happy with this anchorage for a number of reasons (wind, high voltage lines sparking, and the crab trap, so we moved over to the other side and other end of the Eau Gallie Bridge to a much better location just south of Dragon Point at the mouth of the Banana River. I swear I am not making these names up.  They are real places.

  Dragon Point

We launched the dinghy in the afternoon and found our way to a public park where they had a bunch of crew shells. I knew we couldn’t land on the crew pier, so we tied to a sign post that said “No Mooring”.  Sometimes, ya just gotta take your chances.  From there we hoofed it about ¾ mile to the Publix for stocking up and due to the load, Ubered back with Gramps.  (Doesn’t Uber have an age limit?)

We were enjoying wine on the fly bridge and I was trying to get some good pictures. After a while I looked back over my shoulder and realized I was missing a great sunset shot.  Jumping up (as one should never do on a boat) I left some shin skin and hair on the corner of the bench seat frame, and grimaced while shutter clicking my way through the pain and beauty.

 

 

Friday, February 16, 2018:

We got up and decided to move on up to Cocoa Village Marina. They had good reviews in Active Captain.  Mike met us on the finger pier of our slip and was excellent in both helping us tie up and giving us the lay of the land.  Getting into the marina was not difficult and we eased into the slip bow first like old hands.  Amazingly, we were berthed next to another boat named Sabbatical.  What are the odds of that?

 

The marina is right by the cutesy part of Cocoa with lots of independent dining options and shops. We met Floyd Tapp and his wife, Elaine on the dock.  He is the author of The Saga of the Sailing Hillbillies. They’re experienced sailors and an interesting couple.  We hope to see them again.  That night we walked over to Ryan’s Pizza and had a fried cauliflower appetizer and a thin crust pizza done just our way (with almost no cheese).  Afterward we walked the village and ended up at Murdock’s Pub  since they had a great band playing an assortment of rock and blues.  On the way back to the boat, we stopped into the Café Margaux for a nightcap and Dragon (from Serbia) concocted a great one for us.

Saturday, February 17, 2018:

It’s exercise time again, so off we trot for a five miler along the river road. Lots of cool old homes to see as we hoof it down into Rockledge and back.  Breakfast had to wait until after and then we got cleaned up and planned a trip to Publix to restock.  There is one on the east side of the river, so we checked out the bus schedule and thought that would work.  Once we get to the bus stop we realize that it’s going to be 50 minutes before the next bus so Jane summons Uber.  Three minutes later here comes the bus, so we cancel the Uber ($5.00 penalty) and hop on the bus to go over the bridge.  We know that we get the senior citizen discount on the bus so it’s only 75 cents, but, sorry no change given so it’s a $2.00 ride for us to get to Publix.  No two seats together and so I sit down next to Mr. Stinky.  Mr. Stinky proves to be very helpful about where to get off and where to catch a bus for the return trip.  After we get our provisions, my lovely wife thinks it would be a good idea to walk back the two miles to the marina.  It is after all, exercise day.  So, on we truck while I keep a keen watch over my shoulder in case another bus might be coming by.  As we approach the bridge, we realize that there is no walkway and the cars are flying, so we stop short at the fishing park and opt for another Uber.  Directly he shows up in his Ram pickup and we get back to the boat for only another $8.00).  At this point I’m just wondering if there is a grocery delivery service that could bring us this stuff with less time and expense, but what the hey, it’s an adventure.  We rewarded ourselves with another walk to Paisley for a great vegan meal and then returned for a well-deserved nap.  That night we attended the show “42^nd Street” put on by the Cocoa Village Playhouse.  The theater was built around 1924 for the silent films and it is gorgeous.

 

Sunday, February 18, 2018:

Attended St. Mark’s Episcopal Church. Historic church by the riverfront with friendly congregants.  In the afternoon we saw that Captain Terry and Dorothy Godbold had moored at the marina.  They are gold loopers, so they’ve already been the full way around and they are going for another loop.  We had them over for docktails and really enjoyed getting to know them.

Monday, February 19, 2018:

Maintenance day for me, so I cleaned out all the raw water strainers, changed the fresh water filter, and spent some quality time with Big Red while Jane did some shopping. We had to make a trip to the S. F. Travis Company hardware store.  Established in 1885, and I believe that they still have some of the original stock, it is huge and if they don’t have it, you don’t need it.  It grew into 7 buildings that are all joined.

Tuesday, February 20, 2018:

Mack and Dolly McReynolds came over from Oviedo for lunch with us. They were both at Howey Academy with me and it was good to catch up and reconnect.  We ate at Café Margoux and it was delicious.

We introduced Mack to the Travis Hardware store and he found some needed wood stove pieces for his hunting camp. That evening Mark and Lezlie from Antonio drove their dinghy over from their anchorage across the river and we all went to Ryan’s and sat on the upper deck for dinner.

Wednesday, February 21, 2018:

While Jane defrosted the refrigerator again, I got what I needed from Travis Hardware to replace the short shower hose from the swim platform with our 50 foot expandable hose. Of course, my fumble fingers had to let one $6.00 brass fitting drop into the water so I had to return to the store for another, but that’s just par for the course.  I did get it done and now have a fantail shower and a fresh water wash-down hose.  Jane did the laundry as I piddled about on the boat.  We spent a good bit of time planning for the next runs through St. Simons Island, Georgia.  Dinner at Thai Thai was fabulous and spicy.

Thursday, February 22, 2018:

Another trip to Publix – this time by bike to the Rockledge Publix on our side of the river.

After that we attended to maintenance on the boat and among other things, I worked on re-varnishing the damage to the bow rail. We checked weather for our departure tomorrow and figured for an early shove off due to the 52 miles we plan to cover to get to New Smyrna Beach.

I realize another week has already zipped by, so here’s another blog installment:

Thursday, February 08, 2018:

Sunrises here were beautiful.  We rose early and started a new on-board exercise routine that’s sure to be short-lived. After breakfast we got the dinghy ready and dropped it in the water to cruise over to the island.  This would be Jupiter Island.  By our anchorage at Peck Lake is the Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge and we found the spot to tie up the dinghy and walk over to the beach.

   

Since it was the middle of the week there were very few folks around and we enjoyed walking on the beach, swimming and a picnic lunch.  A dinghy ride tour followed around Peck Lake and through Loblolly Marina on the west side of the waterway.  After returning to the boat we cleaned up with showers on the fantail and just dozed for the remainder of the day.  Later, as we planned ahead, Jane found that Marshall Tucker Band would be playing in St. Augustine while we’re there.  By mutual agreement tickets were purchased under the rationale of Valentine’s gifts for each other.

Friday, February 09, 2018:

  Chester came out to help weigh anchor.

We pulled anchor at 1130 under light east winds and set off for the Fort Pierce City Marina 26 ½ miles north. It was a beautiful sunny day.

   

We eased into the Pier A alongside the floating dock at 1500.  Jane did laundry and we cleaned up the boat.  We reconnected with Mark and Lezlie as the Antonia was already there when we arrived.  The marina had been completely rebuilt after the storms in 2004 and it is very nice.  There must be around 300 boats at dock here.  We met some really nice people on the dock.  All the neighbors are very friendly.  Ilona and Bob from Minnesota were just to our stern and since they have their sailboat on the market, directly she is offering us poo powder.  I’m just going to let you google that, but suffice it to say that boaters will offer information on all sorts of subjects.  Later, we joined Mark and Lezlie for dinner at Cobb’s Landing and then went back to their boat for a game of Quiddler.  Word games for folks who can’t spell are just crool.

Sunset at FPM

Saturday, February 10, 2018:

Slept in and once up enjoyed an incredible farmers market in the waterfront park by the marina.

We found one booth with Jamaican ladies cooking and chowed down on a large order of conch fritters.  Best we’ve ever had.  Also, we couldn’t pass up buying some excellent guacamole for later.  After some housekeeping we walked around the area and ducked into The Second Street Bistro for a snack and refreshing adult beverages.  On the recommendation of Phyllis and Brian on “Heat Wave” we bought tickets to Brian Regan at the Sunrise Theater for Sunday night.  The dockhand showed up and we got the holding tank pumped out.  Dinner was at Thai Pepper with Mark and Lezlie and it was great.  Afterwards we all slipped across the street and discovered Rizzo’s for a glass of wine on their back patio listening to an awesome blues singer.

Sunday, February 11, 2018:

We biked to The Common Ground Vineyard Church. They have a very friendly and most enthusiastic congregation.  Afterwards we biked on to Publix to pick up some groceries.  As soon as we got back and put the food on board, off we biked again to meet Mark and Lezlie where they were just finishing lunch at Buoy 12. People always comment on our little folding bikes with their tiny wheels.  We should just wear clown suits.  We caught an Uber with Mark and Lezlie to the Navy Seal Museum.

It is very well done.  If you go, take some tissues.  By then it was time for dinner so we returned to Cobb’s Landing and this time we actually used our 20% off coupon.  Then we got showered and off to the Sunrise for the comedy of Brian Regan.  He’s a very funny guy with a clean show.

Monday, February 12, 2018:

It was time to leave Ft. Pierce, so we shoved off at 1020 with assistance from Ilona and Bob. We arrived at the Vero Beach Municipal Marina and prepared to pick up mooring ball #17.  The wind and the tide were working together from the south so we got Sabbatical turned and nosed up to the ball with Jane on the bow and me at the upper helm.  There were some difficulties for Jane picking up the line from the ball and she got the boathook stuck in the eye of the line.  Once she got the extendable hook, she was able to get the first one free, pick up the line and pass one of our bow lines through to get it tied.  At this point, I come down to assist with the other line, but before I can get it through the eye, I realize Jane has untied the first one, we’re unable to hold it by hand and moving back toward the two sailboats rafted on ball #18.  I’m yelling and scrambling back to the bridge to attempt to avert the impending collision. I’m able to get the ship under control in plenty of time while patting myself on the back for having not turned off the engine.  Jane takes it all in stride and there are no tears and nobody is angry.  We make another run at the ball and she picks up the line and gets it tied.  I invoke the oft used line, “We always knew it would be an adventure”.  After the dinghy ride in, we walk over to the Riverside Café for lunch.  We stayed on the boat for dinner because I couldn’t get the outboard to crank.

 

Tuesday, February 13, 2018:

The dinghy was still very hard to start, but I finally win the battle of wills with Mr. Tohatsu. Jane defrosted the fridge while I’m making friends with the little outboard.  We load up laundry and shower gear and ride in to get the washing done.  It became a little dicey coming back because the drain plug in the dinghy leaks, but we arrive back at the boat with clean dry laundry.  My solution for the drain plug was to wrap it with Teflon tape.  That proved to be a perfect fix and later we ride our freshly bone dry dinghy over to Antonia and go with Mark and Lezlie to dinner at Waldo’s on the beach.  A great dinner and when we return we stay long enough for another glass of wine with them.  The dinghy motor cranks right up and we agree that it was a great night.

Wednesday, February 14, 2018:

It was cloudy this morning, but cleared somewhat in the early afternoon. We dropped the mooring ball at Vero at 0915 and enjoyed cruising up the waterway to anchor just south of the west end of Eau Gallie Bridge at 1445.  It’s breezy and cool, but we’ve got plenty of rode out and a great anchor.  After we got set I noticed that we’re swinging close to some guy’s crab trap, but it doesn’t bother me as long as I can spot that thing before we re-crank.  Jane is cooking us a Valentine’s dinner (not crab) while I write and Nora Jones serenades us via Pandora.  I don’t know whether to feel guilty or blessed so – blessed it is.

 

Today is Wednesday, February 07, 2018. It has been a week since my last blog entry.  Here’s the recap:

Thursday, February 1, 2018:

We left the glamourous LaBelle City free dock and the crusty but sweet sailors that seem to frequent there on the allowed 3 days in, 8 days out city required schedule. The water was like glass in the early morning and I got a shot of the bridge clearance gauge. At first glance, the unadvised captain would think he’s got 53 feet of clearance.  Alas nay, it is only 23 as the image is mirrored.  Mental note to stay aware.  Shove off was 1120.

 

We arrived at the Ortona Lock at 1235. There was some westbound traffic entering the lock so we had to wait.  By 1325 we cleared the Ortona Lock with Antonia and another vessel, The 3 B’s.  This raised us nine feet.

At 1600 we cleared the Moore Haven Lock bringing us up an additional four feet. The port side lock door on exit was inoperable, but we slipped right through the starboard door with room to spare.   Along with Antonia, we wasted some time looking for a suitable anchorage, but elected to tie to the dolphins in the waterway.  It became what we now refer to as the Great Dolphin Rodeo of 2018.  Dang those things are hard to wrangle.  We got tied up to one with bow and stern lines both acting as spring lines as well and one big red ball fender to hold us off.  Jane made us a great salad and then decided to make garlic bread on the stove top.  Glad I installed those smoke/CO detectors and I guess it’s good to know they work.  We needed some excitement anyway.  It was a beautiful night with a big moon, but buggy so we stayed inside.

 

Antonia catching a dolphin                                   Sunset over Moore Haven Lock

Friday, February 2, 2018:

We rose early and I got a great shot of Antonia with the rising sun. There were some big gators around and the early morning exposed the millions, and I’m not exaggerating, millions of tiny dead bugs all over the decks.  We ran the generator just long enough to make coffee since the coffee maker makes the inverter complain.

 

At 0935 Big Red cranked without complaint and we shoved off the dolphin which was way easier than tying up to it.  After about 2 ½ hours we made it down to Clewiston and arrived at the Roland and Mary Ann Martins Marina.  The nice gal that came out to greet us on the dock was very complimentary of my docking skills as I pivoted Sabbatical in the narrow canal.  (Thanks again to Captain Billy).  A huge iguana came out to great us.

Chester came out but went back under the ice chest. It was good to see he is still with us. Martins Marina is geared for bass fishermen and the facility presented facilities that I would characterize as fishcamp-like.  The Tiki Bar had great ambiance and the server, Libby, was nice but they were extremely slow getting the simplest food out of the kitchen.  We spent a good amount of time cleaning up the boat then showered in their basic facilities (best described as a latrine).  It was warm and we were on shore power so we put on the A/C.  Later we walked with Mark and Lezlie to dinner at the Mexican Restaurant, Tacaqueria.  We stuffed our guts and still had food to take back to the boat.  Real Mexi, no lie.

Saturday, February 3, 2018:

Needed some exercise, so we went for run-walk of about 6.5 miles. Then I made walnut pancakes and we read the Gainesville paper online.  It was time to do some maintenance, so I cleaned all the raw water strainers and replaced a hose while Jane went with Mark and Lezlie to Walmart in the marina loaner car.  I had to sacrifice some skin trying to get the new hose on.  Jane returned from the store and we now have a leaf/trash blower on board and a nifty grocery/laundry cart.  Later, we went up to the Tiki Bar to watch the Gator basketball game vs Alabama.  UF lost and we returned to the boat and Jane whipped up another batch of great pasta which we enjoyed with some wine.  Directly, the band in the Tiki bar beaconed and we responded by dancing till closing time.

Sunday, February 4, 2018 (Superbowl Sunday):

It is blowing a little harder than we’d like to cross the Okeechobee, so we opt for another night at Roland Martin’s. We watched the on-line sermon from Northpoint then biked to the Ace Hardware to get some Terro to combat some stowaway ants.  I just knew that we’d get the Superbowl game on our digital TV antenna, but negatory.  Some other CBS channel comes in fine, but no game.  We didn’t want to revisit the Tiki Bar nor really care about the game anyway, so we read and turned in early.

Monday, February 5, 2018:

The forecast is cloudy, with winds from the NE at 6 knots. The lake is reported to have a light chop, so we left the dock at Clewiston at 0955 followed by Antonia.  Flights of Teal move across our path from north to south.  The duck population seems substantial.  It begins to turn sunny as we near the far shore and we entered the lock at Port Mayaca at 1322.  This lock dropped us one foot.

 The Admiral at the helm.

At 1500 we reached the RR bridge and had to wait for the CSX workers to clear off the span and then we’re advised of an approaching train.  Big freight train with lots of cars, amazingly, some are not tagged by graffiti.

At 1715 we docked at the St. Lucie Lock Campground and Marina.  We had one reservation and knew that slip #7 would be available on a first-come basis.  Slip 7 was encroached by the wide berth of the trawler in #6 so we opted for the courtesy dock while Antonia took the reserved #2 slip.  We met some other Loopers,  like Gene who’s on the slow track since he started in 2004.  After docktails aboard Sabbatical’s fly bridge, Jane made yummy potato salad for our dinner.

Tuesday, February 6, 2018:

We pulled out early at 0730 to head to Jupiter to visit my cousin Henry and his wife, Kathleen. Locked through the St. Lucie lock which dropped us 14 feet down to the river level.  Lockmaster Jim was very friendly and helpful.  As we made our way through Stuart and down the ICW the water became a beautiful turquoise green.  Just as we’re at Hobe Sound, Jane gets a Tsunami warning alert on her phone for Hobe Sound.  None of my safe boating courses prepped me for this situation, so I just stayed the course.  A few minutes later she anounces it was bogus.  Henry met us at 1300 at the Jib Club Marina to “harbor pilot” us into Sawfish Bay to dock at their home, Mullet Run.  We were docked by 1330. It was great to spend some time with them and enjoyed a great dinner out. The time with family is always too short.

 

At dock Mullet Run                                              Cousins

Wednesday, February 07, 2018:

We cast off the dock at 1345 with a high tide of 1418. No problems getting out of Sawfish Bay (it’s tricky).  We motored north to Peck Lake to anchor for the night.  On the way, a boat heading south we noticed was Sadie A.  We knew we had seen her somewhere and directly they radioed to ask if we had been at Safe Cove.  Connections like this are cool and we switched radio channels to catch up.  They’re headed to Bahamas.  At 1535 we anchored in Peck Lake with 8 feet of water.  It’s breezy and not too hot.  We’re set for the night or maybe two.