The final leg north and home
Saturday, May 14, 2016
We began another leg of our homeward bound journey from Daytona. Cross/Over went under the Memorial Bridge, maybe for the last time. Work is to begin to replace the bridge with a high rise bridge. Construction will hamper many cyclists who use the bridge to commute to work.
Underway headed to St Augustine. This time, we maneuvered past Matanzas Inlet successfully.(the site of our grounding on our way south) It was interesting to see what the sandbar is really like at low tide. So glad we got pulled off before it go as low as the picture shows.
This was a short day, only 54 miles. River Edge Marina is next to a restaurant, Hurricane Patties, and they give the slip holders a discount. When Dave suggested we have our meal at noon why would I argue? Dave had a good burger and I had their shrimp and grits, not bad! Everywhere you go the chef has a different variation. Later Dave assembled the bikes. First, we rode to the produce stand to get a few fresh items. Next, we rode to the San Sebastian Winery. Of course, you can’t leave without buying wine! We were pleasantly surprised at the difference in the taste of the wine using the muscadine grapes. Our experience with the flavor of the same grapes at a winery in North Caroline was completely different. One of the pourers explained that the growing location changes the flavor of the grape considerably. A wine made with the same grape that was grown in the mountains of North Caroline would also be different in flavor. Unfortunately, the wines made at the San Sebastian winery are not sold in South Carolina and the boat is already overloaded.
We did some sprucing up of the boat in preparation for a visit from the Dorseys the following day. Dave spent some time reading in our new” screened porch”. I personally preferred the AC that afternoon. Later in the evening we enjoyed the music from the Patties.
Sunday, May 15, 2015
We had heard so much about the diner, Georgie’s, in St.Augustine, we had to give it a try. No disappointment there, but Greek restaurants have ever let us down. The morning was cool and it would not have seemed like we visited St Augustine without riding downtown. Church bells were ringing but the tourists had not begun to stir.
The Dorseys arrived at 11 o’clock and we sat on the boat, after their tour of the latest upgrades, and caught up with health issues, a book Jim is writing, our travels and their travel plans. They drove us out to the beach, to the Salt Life Restaurant. From the rooftop we could see the beach. Just a hint, if you like shrimp, they make a yummy shrimp taco salad.
Joan and Jim invited us to stay with them, in their condo at World Golf Village. A night off the boat was welcome. We walked through their neighborhood and Joan achieved her goal for steps taken that day. More conversation and good libations; followed by one of Joan’s good meals completed a wonderful evening with good friends.
Monday, May 16, 2016
After a light breakfast, they drove us back to the boat for an early departure. The tide gets very low in the San Sebastian River and we did not want to miss our chance to get out of the marina. Our departure at 8:25 was problem free. We saw one of the boats that we had locked through the lake with, it would have been the third time we had overnighted in the same area.
The current was against us big time, reducing our speed by 3 MPH. North of the St John’s River, Jacksonville area, the ICW took us into Sawpit Creek. It was rather strange seeing the crab pots exposed on the bank. The tides in this area are 6 to 9 feet and we were in the phase of the moon making them very high and very low.
Later we approached a shallow area with tricky markers in the Little Amelia River. Two sail boaters had their sails up and were not able to change direction quickly enough to avoid the shoals; both were aground on opposite sides of the channel. Sea tow had his hands full.
We waited off the fuel dock in Fernandina for a long while before we could get in to take on fuel. It was after we crossed St Mary’s Sound that we had hitchhikers come aboard; we were attacked by biting flies! We did spot other more interesting wildlife in the form of 5 wild horses on Cumberland Island. In the middle of St Andrews Sound Dave spotted two turtles that appeared to be mating??? I believe they were loggerhead turtles. They had chosen rather rough condition. That day we did not have any unusually rough inlet crossings.
This was our night to anchor out. The wind was steady from the east, keeping us cool. The day had been a long one. Dropping the anchor at Jekyll Island, after 93 miles, and shutting down the engine was welcome. What a treat we had in store for us. There were dolphins all around us in pairs and threes, a single one came up to the boat and way out of the water. Sometimes it is hard to know which is best, just watching and enjoying them or trying to capture the moment. The evening was quiet with no bugs to annoy us.
Tuesday, May 17, 2016
The temperature was 76 as we began the morning. There seemed to be a battery issue, possibly the alternator, so we called ahead to the marina in Thunderbolt, Georgia. (near Savannah) If we arrived after 4 PM they could put us on the fuel dock.
We fueled at the Jekyll Island Marina and mentioned the biting flies. They sold us NONATZ, allegedly it repels gnats, mosquitoes, so-see-ums and biting flies. I can’t swear to it but you can order it from NONATZ, PO Box 1044, Dublin , GA 31040. The fly swatter detail was a challenge, they were fast. The racket we had with the electric shock would have worked but we had left it home because the batteries were bad. While fueling we learned during our conversation that both dock hands were from Myrtle Beach.
This day had current with us, against us, and wet crossing of sounds and rivers and on two occasions blinding rain. Our only way to steer was by the instruments. Stopping was not an option. During one storm we made a wrong turn into another river. Dave caught it rather quickly when the visibility improved. The ICW markers have a yellow/gold square on the top of the numbered day marks.
During the day we found our water tank empty again. Dave found later that the fitting on the pressure tank had come off, possibly due to the pounding through the waves. The waves certainly did a number on my back and hip.
We got to the dock at Thunderbolt at 3:15, refueled and tied for the night just as the next deluge let loose. Dave got soaked going up to register. Meantime, I was wiping up leaks in the cabin. Our trip that day covered 105 miles. After the rain, we showered and got into some dry clothes. The TV picked up the info channel from Myrtle Beach that tells the tourists where to eat and shop on their visit. How interesting that we would see that in Georgia!
Wednesday, May 18, 2016
Off again, this time with the current and the flies. Those bites are nasty and itch for days. It is nice to be back in south Caroline and familiar places like Hilton Head, Parris Island, and Beaufort. Dave likes going by Marine Air Station and watching the F/A-18s do touch and go’s with military landing approaches.
In the Ashopoo Coosaw River Cutoff students were offloading net bags with oyster shells and making a buffer along the bank. I wish I knew what they used to ward off the flies. Is this why cruisers head home earlier in the year?
Finally, we were in the Charleston Harbor and avoiding the ferry boats going to and from Fort Sumter. Approaching the other side of the harbor we were lucky to have an opportunity to pass a tug and barge before the ICW narrowed at the Ben Sawyer Bridge.
Our last night on the waterway we docked at the Isle of Palms Marina. There were two busloads of school children there on a marine outing. They didn’t seem to mind the rain shower but we were lucky to be in the boat. We had a drink aboard with a toast to 125 miles on the water that day. The shower stopped and we walked to the restaurant to celebrate a good trip. Their shrimp and grits were not to my taste but Dave had wonderful juicy, local clams. Dave and I discussed our feelings about this trip on the ICW and each of us had a slightly different outlook on our expectations.
My back and hip were feeling better and I slept well.
Thursday, May 19, 2016
Dave thought he was up early but realized we were further east and the sun came up earlier. Overnight he decided it was time for me to be more comfortable piloting of the boat. This boat is quite different than our sailboat, which I used to captain on women’s cruises. He reviewed the procedures and we were under way on this cool morning. Our tasks were reversed; he made the snacks, got the drinks and made lunch. I diverted to him if I had questions and spoke up when the alligator swam to the shore.
I slogged through the heavy chop and current in the river by Georgetown.
The trip up the Waccamaw River was calm and beautiful as always. I made this observation: Georgetown is the Mason/Dixion of this trip. To the south the area is marsh, meandering narrow and shallow waterway, salt water, pelicans, dolphins, palm trees and biting flies. On the other side of the river, you have the Waccamaw
River that is very wide at the mouth for many miles and very deep, even as it narrows with twists and turns. This water is fresh and is the culmination of many large and small rivers to the north and west. Here there aren't any dolphins; the sea birds have stayed behind and the banks are lined with Live Oaks and Cyprus trees on islands that once had been cleared for rice plantations. There are water lilies along the banks and in small streams. They get torn loose by small fishing boats. When they float in your path you always check to be certain it is not hard debris. Dave termed them exploding lilies.
I managed to pilot with opposing current until we came to the inhabited areas of the South Grand Strand with no wake areas, here my endurance ebbed. Dave had finished his book and was willing to take the wheel. He told me I had done well and I should feel more confident. The day went as expected until we got to Barefoot Landing and the barge we passed yesterday was just entering a section of the ICW in Myrtle Beach known as the “rock pile”. This section of the ICW was blasted out of the Coquina stone to join the Waccamaw River and Little River to the north. There is no way to pass without endangering your vessel. The captain was very nice and chatty. He was coming from Georgia and headed to Beaufort, North Carolina. He advised us and the vessel behind us not to pass until we reached the high rise bridge in North Myrtle Beach. Dave did find the patience to stay back and we arrived in our slip safely.
Susie and Don were on the office steps, waving to welcome us back. Don came to help tie the boat. Our neighbor, Dave answered our call for a ride to bring us to the house for our car. The unpacking began and went on again today. I put things away and did laundry while Dave cleaned the boat. We are far from settled back into a routine but it is nice to have lots of space, our own showers and big beds.
In the last three months, we have traveled 1,872 miles on the water. Our longest day was 135 miles. Will I stick with my idea that we should make a weekend trip north or south once a month, time and weather will be a determining factor?
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