Leg XIV     Florida to New York City

(Logs are posted with the most recent entry first) 

This is the end of Leg XIV.  It started in Florida just two months, over 1,400 miles ago.  ,.  It has been a quick trip to be sure but much less daunting doing it for the second time.  Probably, one could argue, we traveled too fast through some delightful places where others tend to stop for weeks but it is all part of the master cruising plan and we know we’ll be back through here again, probably a couple more times as we continue to enjoy the East Coast in 2010.Leg XV will take us all the way from New York through the New England States to Maine thus completing “The Big U,” the planned Alaska to Maine through the Panama Canal cruise.  Hope you will stay on board as we explore, what promises to be one of the most beautiful maritime areas in the Americas.

Manasquan Inlet to New York City - End of Leg XIV

7/11   Saturday

From: Latitude: 40:06.41 N    Longitude 074:02.93 W

To:   Latitude: 40:43.54 N    Longitude: 074:01.88 W

Weather: sunny Wind: 095⁰ at 6-8 kts. SEA:  2

Barometer: 1016   Passage time:  6 hrs.

Start Engine Hours: 2109   Fuel used/on board:  5283/759

End Engine Hours:  2115   Fuel used/on board:  5298/744

Distance trip/to Date: 41/13,345

Verrazanno Bridge entrance to New York Harbor

The home stretch run today was as nice as yesterday’s was ugly.  Smooth seas, no wind, with clear, blue skies . . . what a way to finish the last 40-miles to New York City.  Off the Hoffman’s dock at 0515, we are out the breakwater even before the fisherman this morning. Then we hugged the coast till the end of Sandy Hook; cut across the shallow flats to the deep water, big ship channel; passed under the Verrazanno Bridge; then into the busy NY harbor at last.  Next, WS passes close by both the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island where our  friends Jim & Pam are out on the veranda to wave us in  (they are here for a wedding this Sunday and will join our crew for next weeks cruise of Long island Sound).

We’ve booked into the new Newport Marina on the Jersey side of the Hudson River for the weekend after staying at the pricy Liberty Landing, right across from where the World trade center use to be, on our previous visit.  What a pleasant surprise, not only is it cheaper here by almost half, it is in a much better location, walking distance close to high-end stores, the subway, ferries and most everything you would expect  from life in the big city.  While there is no fuel, chandleries or other boat services, that’s not why we are here anyways and we can’t wait to get off and hit the malls.

First, we need to get the salt off WS and give her a good general clean-up after a week on the move and the rough day at sea.  In a couple of hours, she is looking presentable again and we can head off with a clear conscience.  After shopping and a much needed hair cut,  Jo and I return to clean out the ship’s pantry.  There was stuff down there that has been on board since Mexico so it was not hard to fill three shopping bags with food for the local homeless. With Jo just recovering from a chest cold, we’ll take it easy tonight so we are in good shape to head over to explore the Big Apple tomorrow.

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Cape May to Brielle, Manasquan Inlet

7/10   Friday

From: Latitude: 38:57.04 N    Longitude 074:54.31 W

To:   Latitude: 40:06.41 N    Longitude: 074:02.93W

Weather: sunny Wind: 095⁰ at 6-8 kts. SEA:  4

Barometer: 1017   Passage time:  14 hrs.

Start Engine Hours: 2095   Fuel used/on board:  5248/555

End Engine Hours:  2109   Fuel used/on board:  5283/521+238

Distance trip/to Date: 86/13,304

The peaceful and calm of the early morning belies the long, wet, rough day at sea ahead for we mariners.  Thankfully, it is going to be sunny with very light winds all day which certainly helps make this 14-hour, 86-mile Atlantic Ocean bashing into 3′ to 6′ waves, mostly right on the nose, much more palatable. With the forecast getting worse for the weekend, this is the best weather we could expect till way into next week which would really mess up our schedule for meeting friends in NYC, Jim & Pam and heading north.

I’m really getting to like our pre-dawn departures. It’s just me and the fisherman usually moving out to sea in the mist and blue-grey light that often turns into a spectacular sunrise with the promise of adventure to come.  So it is this morning as our 0530 start  also takes advantage of some ebbing tide to help glide us out of the long harbor entrance in short order. Once we are clear of the breakwater though, it all breaks loose.

One might think that after 13,000 miles (thankfully not all of it like this), we would get conditioned to the constant movement and need to hold on for dear life just to stay seated much less move about but I don’t think your body ever does.  It is just physically very tiring using every muscle hour after hour to stay vertical.  Laying down is not easy either as you tend to roll around or even off a moving flat surface too.

We were about 5-miles offshore when we passed Atlantic City by sea for the second time (the last was in June 2000) without stopping in.  We’ll need to put that on the list to do on our Fall trip back south. By noon we seem to be through the worst of it as, at least, the seas are not quite as confused (coming from several directions at once).  My concern was that our course needed to gradually turn more and more to the north as we round the widest part of New Jersey.  This would make the present uncomfortable seas on the bow downright miserable directly on our beam.

The sea gods were very kind to us today.  It seemed with each turn we made all afternoon, the waves slowly diminished until our beam seas really were not as bad as they started and were even downright mellow as we made the final turn into the setting sun towards Manasquan Inlet.

It was 1930 (7:30 PM) by the time we finally came in the breakwater and reached our dock at the newly redone Hoffman’s Marina.  This is a small game fishing marina which wants to become known for tournaments and has a Mako shark one starting tomorrow at fist light.  The semi-resort town of Brielle is located here not far from Point Pleasant, New Jersey.

Once we are secured to the end of fuel dock where they will keep us for the night, we decide to put on a couple hundred gallons of fuel to bring us back up to full since it is so handy and notoriously expensive in New York State and beyond.  Then Jo and I head out for a short walk up the street to the Sand Bar Restaurant for a late dinner.  The local bars along the way are jumping with Friday night celebrants but we are not even tempted to join in and are just happy to get a hot meal and ino bed early for tomorrows final 40-mile jaunt to New York City.

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C & D Canal to Cape May, New Jersey

7/9  Thursday

From: Latitude: 39:31.56 N    Longitude 075:48.51 W

To:   Latitude: 38:57.04 N    Longitude: 074:54.31 W

Weather: partly cloudy Wind: 090⁰ at 10-16 kts. SEA:  Bay

Barometer: 1014   Passage time:  8.5 hrs.

Start Engine Hours: 2085   Fuel used/on board:  5224/575

End Engine Hours:  2095   Fuel used/on board:  5248/555

Distance trip/to Date: 566/13,218

Yet another early departure, this one to catch the flood tide and get a big push through the canal into the Delaware River. I weighed anchor and was out of our small cove by 0555.  The strategy worked great as we hit speeds of over nine knots with less RPM’s then we would ordinarily use to make 6-knots. This rush lasted about 20-miles down the River too until to tide inevitably turned and we were back in a struggle to make 6-knot against it’s 1.2 knots on our bow.  At the end of the day, it all balances out to some degree but without the early start, it would take an hour or two longer to make the same distance.

The rest of the 66-trip down the river is about as boring as boating can ever get..nothing to see on either side, especially during the lower half when it is so wide you can’t even see the shores.  Only the occasional challenge of sharing the narrow deep water center with a barge and tow or a huge oil tanker heading up river make for a relief from the tedium.

That all changes as you make the turn for the Cape May Canal, the “back door” into Cape May Harbor.  I had an adventure when here last in’00 too.  As I recall, our new Mainship 390 was on the third-day of our one-year Great Loop cruise when I turned too soon for the marina and went aground, filling the salt water cooling strainers with mud and while we got unstuck on our own having the engine shut down due to overheating - all within 10-minutes of entering this harbor.

Today’s drama, involved having a dredge’s hose stretched across the charted canal entrance channel with no indication of any sort telling us which way to go, only that there was shallow water in every direction.  As our luck would have it, some kind soul noticed our dilemma - probably because we stopped all forward progress and were just sitting there in center channel trying to figure it out - took pity and gave us some directions on the VHF radio.  While our chart showed only 4′ of water and our depth sounder showed only 5′ we slide over the former mud bar into deeper water on the other side.

We had toyed all day with the idea of going for another over nighter all the way to NYC. But with Jo not feeling well (cough and cold), the weather kicking up outside (4′ seas with 20-knots of wind), it was an easy decision just to stay here and start fresh in the early morning yet again.

One phone call and we find room at a very friendly Utsch’s Marina, followed by several more calls for some round about instructions that took us back over the shoal we had just crossed to finally get into their place and our slip for tonight.

Hopefully getting out of here in the morning will be easier with some newly gained local knowledge - even in the before dawn light.  For tonight, it will be early to bed again with the bright lights of Manhattan still over 100-miles away.

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Annapolis to Chesapeake City Anchorage, C & D Canal

7/8    Wednesday

From: Latitude: 38:58.58 N    Longitude 076:29.13 W

To:   Latitude: 39:31.56 N    Longitude: 075:48.51 W

Weather: sunny  Wind: 280⁰ at 10-16 kts. SEA:  Bay

Barometer: 1005   Passage time:  8 hrs.

Start Engine Hours: 2076   Fuel used/on board:  5204/585

End Engine Hours:  2085   Fuel used/on board:  5224/575

Distance trip/to Date: 50/13,152

Off to a rough start this morning.  The waters on the Bay were churned up with a 3′ chop on the nose and a 16-knot wind on the beam as we passed under the Lane Memorial Bridge heading north.  This is not easy to face after a night of revelry in old Annapolis. Fortunately, things continued to get better, both internally and outside as we continued up the Chesapeake and by early afternoon downright mellow again.

Today’s relatively short run of 50-miles in eight hours took us to the beginning of the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal built in the days of Ben Franklin. It shortcuts the passage between these to large Bays making it possible to save the miles and time it would take to go the long way around.  It is a busy ditch with lots of commercial barge traffic mixed in with we fun boaters all going in both directions.  As you might imagine, the tides play a huge role in whipping up a strong current that head east on the flood and west on the ebb.

Not much room to stop along the canal itself so we opt to anchor for the night at Chesapeake City’s small anchorage just a few miles in on the Maryland side. The only other option is a rather pricey marina at mile 8 from the Delaware end. Our choice will make for a good start in the morning with a favorable current to push us through the 12-miles in a hurry.

We set the anchor in about 9-feet of water. After a very skinny water entrance, the cove opens up with room enough for about a half-dozen boats. Tonight we will share it with just two sailboats. I have the dinner roast on the Barbie before the sun sets over the quiet little town and we settle in for a much different night than the one in our most recent past. The contrasts of cruising are truly amazing!

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Smith Creek to Annapolis

7/7   Tuesday

From: Latitude: 38:07.27 N    Longitude 076:24.58 W

To:   Latitude: 38:58.58 N    Longitude: 076:29.13 W

Weather: sunny  Wind: 225⁰ at 6-10 kts. SEA:  Bay

Barometer: 1002   Passage time:  9.5 hrs.

Start Engine Hours: 2066   Fuel used/on board:  5176/623

End Engine Hours:  2076   Fuel used/on board:  5204/585

Distance trip/to Date: 67/13,102

We are out of the Potomac River by 0630 and on our way north again to Annapolis which is pretty much a straight run from here.  It is a perfect day, smooth water, light wind, and plenty of sunshine. A real day of leisure for the crew with not much to do or worry about.

We do begin to notice that small boat traffic is increasing some as this area we are entering is the yachting capitol of the Chesapeake.

Things get more interesting once you make the final turn towards Annapolis harbor.  The water gets shallow, lots of buoys and floats are everywhere, and suddenly boats of all sizes are heading in multiple directions.  For our dockage tonight, we made reservations at the Marriott “Marina” which turns out to only be a side tie to the wharf right in front of their waterfront Pusser’s Rum Bar on Ego Alley and not a marina at all.  Ego Alley is a long, narrow channel extending from the harbor 100-yards into the heart of downtown Annapolis and is notorious for the power boaters who like to cruise in and out to showoff their boats, nubile girlfriends, or own shirtless physiques.

Once we spot the Marriott dock boys and figure out that this is where they waqnt us to go (they even have cute little signs made saying “Reserved for Wandering Star” all along the dock), we back into the Alley and parallel park WS blocking the view of most of the drinkers at Pusser’s. Not to worry, we are close enough so they can look right through our windows and portholes anyways…life in a fishbowl at its best.

Acting as nonchalant as possible, Jo and I climb off WS around the tables filled with happy hour revelers’ to head into town for a look around, ice cream cones, and to take some photos. We’ve been here many times before when commissioning our first Wandering Star across the Bay so it’s like a coming home of sorts and still one of our favorite boating destinations.

By seven o’clock, the Naval Academy Rock Band is play full tilt in the park next to us on the Port side and the Pusser’s Rummy band is playing on the dock to our Starboard.  We are back on board WS trying to have a meaningful conversation with our new friends, Chuck and Andrea, the owners of Selene Annapolis. There are not any newer Selene 43’s in the Chesapeake area so they jumped at the chance to see ours and talk about how much we are enjoying her on our cruise.

Once on our own again, Jo and I have cocktails on the flybridge and enjoy the ciaos around us for an hour before ordering dinner which is delivered, plates, dinnerware and all right to our boat by our friendly bar staff.  It’s a full moon night, the bands have died down and peace again has captivated the city by the time the WS crew turns in for some much needed sleep after a very full day of boating Chesapeake style.

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Washington, D.C. to Smith Creek, Potomac River

7/6   Monday

From: Latitude: 38:31.70 N    Longitude 077:00.83 W

To:   Latitude: 38:07.27 N    Longitude: 076:24.58 W

Weather: sunny  Wind: 195⁰ at 3-8 kts. SEA: River

Barometer: 1002   Passage time:  12 hrs.

Start Engine Hours: 2054   Fuel used/on board:  5145/652

End Engine Hours:  2066   Fuel used/on board:  5176/623

Distance trip/to Date: 29/13,035

We spent a long day running some 85-miles of Potomac River today to within 5-miles of its end in the Chesapeake Bay.  A first light (5:30AM) departure was necessary and we still did not set the hook in Smith Creek till 5:30 PM after an uneventful day of trawlering down the gradually widening river.  With a buoy to buoy course set on the nav system, all the steering responsibility is up to the auto pilot so on watch you just watch out for the occasionally passing go fast power boat cutting too close on the turns.  There is not even any commercial traffic to worry about so I was even able to get some waxing done on the topsides gelcoat.

Of course, it is always exciting to go by the live fire area of Quantico Marine Base.  Here, as we learned coming up river, we need to hug the Maryland shore in 8-12 feet of water to stay out of the impact area.  Range patrol boats standby to be sure no one encroaches on their firing range which is something of a comfort as the bombs are splashing in full view just across the river.

Smith Creek is a small, woodsy, tributary and the last protected place to anchor before going out on the big Bay so we needed to stop here for the night as the Solomons are just too far to get to before dark.  Jo has not been feeling well all day with a bit of the flu or cold so once we settle in she’s back to bed and I’m on my own devices for the evening.  Nothing too exciting to do 100-yards from shore and no place to go anyways so it will only be some network TV, a quiet dinner and then early to bed with another long, 65-mile day ahead to Annapolis.

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Washington, D.C.

7/2 - 7/6   Thursday to Sunday

We are spending the long holiday weekend with son Kevin and girlfriend Jenn here in Washington.  Boats are being cleaned up and decorated, the Capitol Mall is set up full of music and food pavilions, a big parade is planned down Pennsylvania Avenue followed by the traditional evening fireworks we will see from the fly bridge on Wandering Star.

We’ve been busy seeing the sights too including taking in the play “Shear Madness” at the Kennedy Center, having dinner in Georgetown, and meeting boating friends past and present that have gathered at the Capitol Yacht Club. I even managed to work in a day of boat maintenance so even WS looks happier.

While the fireworks on the 4^th here were no more spectacular than the fireworks we have at home in Big Bear, there’s just something special about being in the Capitol for the countries birthday celebration.  After visiting some new friends, Alan and Kat on their beautiful 65′ Andale for cocktails, we had a up market 4^th BBQ on WS of steak & lobster with Kevin & Jenn.  Our slip was in the perfect position for watching the fireworks from the fly-bridge (they are launched from the Capitol Mall by Washington’s Monument), sipping on a cold beer, all while listening to a little of Sousa’s Stars & Stripes on the ships system.

Sadly, on Sunday afternoon, Kevin & Jenn left for home in California after a very nice week of having them on board and sharing the DC experience.  Later, old cruising friends from the Great Loop in 2000, Gary and Dawn dropped b for happy hour on WS followed by a casual dinner from the locals fish market which is convenient to have next to the CYC (unless the wind shifts).  It was great to see them again and we had fun catching up before lights out.  Tomorrow it will be a long day as we try to make the entire 100-miles of the Potomac on our way to Annapolis.

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Belmont Bay to Washington, D.C.

7/1   Wednesday

From: Latitude: 38:39.30 N    Longitude 077:13.94 W

To:   Latitude: 38:31.70 N    Longitude: 077:00.83 W

Weather: sunny, rain late   Wind: 190⁰ at 8-12 kts. SEA: River

Barometer: 998   Passage time:  4 hrs.

Start Engine Hours: 2050   Fuel used/on board:  5137/661

End Engine Hours:  2054   Fuel used/on board:  5145/652

Distance trip/to Date: 25/12,948

George Washington’s home at Mount Vernon is the morning’s first stop once we have tip-toed out of the shallow Belmont Bay at low tide.  We anchor WS just off the main Potomac channel in 8-feet. drop in the dinghy, motor in to George’s dock to tie up and then explore the picturesque estate on foot.  Knowledgeable staff, a great job of restoration, and a well laid out tour really helps make it a worthwhile experience for our entire crew.

By early afternoon, we are back on board, dinghy and anchor are up and WS is back on her way up the river. It is only a few more hours till we are under the newly rebuilt Woodrow Wilson Bridge with the Capitol rotunda and Washington Monument visible over the trees ahead. We will spend tonight at the James Creek Marina just south of the mall before moving on to The Capitol Yacht Club by the Jefferson Memorial in the morning.

The rest of the afternoon was devoted to R & R on board and a long walk to check out the neighborhood which ended at the CYC for a beer.  Then it was an even longer walk back home for dinner on board, all well before the forecast rain finally hit the area.

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Solomons to Belmont Bay, Potomac River, Va

6/30    Tuesday

From: Latitude: 38:19.96 N    Longitude 076:27.52 W

To:   Latitude: 38:39.30 N    Longitude: 077:13.94 W

Weather: lt overcast   Wind: 225⁰ at 8-12 kts. SEA: River

Barometer: 994   Passage time:  14.5 hrs.

Start Engine Hours: 2028   Fuel used/on board:  5076/406

End Engine Hours:  2050   Fuel used/on board:  5137/661

Distance trip/to Date: 96/12,923

A really early start (0545) this morning. Before most of my crew even were awake enough to realize we were underway, we slipped the dock lines and headed back down the Pax River, out into the Bay to the south, then turned right to head up the Potomac. It’s over a hundred miles to Washington and we want to get as far as possible this first day so that we can coast on into the Capitol tomorrow at leisure.

The weather sure cooperated today with light winds and a mostly clear sky till late afternoon. The river was smooth and calm with only to tidal flow to impede our forward progress late in the afternoon. It flows a substantial 1.5 knots here on the ebb so when it’s against you, 7-knots of speed through the water is cut to a dismal 5.5 knots over the ground.

Once we past the 301 bridge, some 70-mles up river, it occurred to us that there were not many good options for an overnight at anchor or even any marinas in the last 30-miles before DC. It was all we could do to make Belmont Bay and a well off the river marina there before lights out.  So it was some 95-miles and 14.5 hours, not to mentions the extra 3-miles to get up into a very shallow side bay to our dockage for the night in our long days run.

Needless to say, it was a short, quiet evening with a light dinner, our crew turned in early. Kei & Jenn are still recovering from there red-eye flight here as well. With only 21-miles to go, we’ll be able to have a much more time for a fun-filled day tomorrow.

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Solomons - Zahniser’s Marina

6/27 - 6/29   Saturday-Monday

Taking a couple of days off here to get Lexie back home, stay over at her house with sister Audrey & brother Don Sunday night in Spotsylvania where Gigi, Brock, sister Michelle and David joined us for dinner.

Early Monday morning we picked up Kevin and Jenn at Dulles Airport before returning to WS in Solomons where we spent the rest of the day settling our new guests in on board, using the pool, and then having a nice sunset dinner at Pier Solomons Crab Grill overlooking the Pax River.

Note:  Took on 325 gallons of fuel at $2.40/gallon to bring the total on board back up to 714 gallons.

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Reedville to Solomons, Patuxent River, Md

6/26   Friday

From: Latitude: 37:50.25 N    Longitude 076:16.78 W

To:   Latitude: 38:19.96 N    Longitude:  076:27.52 W

Weather: lt overcast   Wind: 225⁰ at 8-12 kts. SEA: Chesapeake Bay

Barometer: 1002   Passage time:  7 hrs.

Start Engine Hours: 2028   Fuel used/on board:  5076/406

End Engine Hours:  2035   Fuel used/on board:  5093/389

Distance trip/to Date:  42/12,827

A soft departure at 0700 this morning with my crew still asleep for the last section of this week’s run to Solomon Island, a yachting center just north of the entrance to the Potomac River.  Here we will arrange for WS to spend a couple months in the Fall getting some of the more serious cosmetic warranty work done, some of which has been delayed since our departure from Seattle  in the winter of ‘07.  This weekend we will also change crew exchanging niece Lexie for son Kevin and girlfriend Jenn for the 4^th of July cruise up to Washington DC.

Still, calm, and hot best describes our Bay passage today.  If fact, it was so still the bugs could fly the 5-miles out to WS and to make pests of themselves.  It was 42-miles taking seven hours for the run between Reedville and the Solomon’s.  As you head into the harbor, yacht marinas line the shores on both sides for several miles. Washburn’s Boat Yard, our stop for the estimates and overnight, is the next to last facility up this waterway on the starboard side.  It is a Selene’s commissioning and warranty center for this area of the east coast.

It took us a couple of moves to finally get WS to our side tie for the evening due to the need to shuffle boats by the yard.  Once safe and secure to our dock for the night, Jo went off to pick up the Enterprise car we’ll need for the next few days, while yardboss Eric and I went over the hit list for the needed warranty quote.  He’ll contact Brad at Selene Seattle to work out a cost.  Then, hopefully, we’ll be able to get the work done at the end of this summer’s cruise.

When Jo returned with our rental car, we headed over to Lexington, at Navy Airstation town across the river for dinner and a movie.  Dinner was mediocre at best but the movie, “Proposal” made up for it and was most enjoyable and funny.  Back on board by 10PM for desert and bed for all hands.

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Crown Pointe Marina to Reedville, Wicomico River

6/25   Thursday

From: Latitude: 37:15.97 N    Longitude 076:25.48 W

To:   Latitude: 37:50.25 N    Longitude: 076:16.78 W

Weather: cloudy   Wind: 210⁰ at12-18 kts. SEA: Chesapeake Bay

Barometer: 1003   Passage time:  7.5 hrs.

Start Engine Hours: 2020   Fuel used/on board:  5056/426

End Engine Hours:  2028   Fuel used/on board:  5076/406

Distance trip/to Date:  49/12,785

Sure enough, WS was sitting on the mud in the morning with the -.2′ tide.  As our good luck would have it, we were able to wiggle off after some anxious moments of full forward throttle with nothing happening before slowly easing off at last.  I was concerned about some other low spots (off the fish factory pier) we had crossed yesterday at high tide when entering the narrow channel to the marina.  After talking with some of the local toothless waterman and following the track they used departing before us this morning, we were able to slip over the shoaling (probably pushed through some soft mud) and were able to reach the deep water beyond.

The rest of the morning was uneventful if not downright boring.  It is always surprising how little boat traffic there is on the south end of the Bay during the week.  Oh sure, there is the occasional fishing boat or crabber but very few pleasure boats or fellow cruisers.  We did see the famous menhaden fishing fleet, down to about 8 boats now.  Their forefather’s have been working these waters since 1873.  The fleet processing factory is near our marina for tonight and I can almost smell the ambiance already. Otherwise, a huge Navy transport that past us within 100-yards off our starboard quarter just before turning into the Wicomico River was the day’s only excitement.

The short course up the channel to Reedville was easy and much more straight forward then yesterday’s shallow water experience. It takes us past a rather large and fragrant menhaden fish processing plant, past the ruins of the old previous 1800’s plant, then it’s a straight shot over to The Crazy Crab, a restaurant/marina, and our stop for the night.  As soon as we are secured by the owner Charles, it’s off to explore the village with a nice ice cream store and excellent “Fisherman’s” Museum.  This all volunteer built panoramic history of the area is really worth a visit with an intact period home, complete pictorial time line of the events establishing Reedville, model shop with a room size HO train layout, and even an area were they teach the local kids to build their own 8′ dinghy.

Dinner, of course, was at the Crazy Crab since we are tied up literally on the doorstep.  We ate outside on the porch and had a great crab feast featuring both King and local Chesapeake crabs and even paid for our night’s dockage right on the meal check.  Back on board, it’s an evening of Batman and the “Dark Night” on HBO with niece Lexie.

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Kingsmill Resort to Crown Pointe Marina, York River

6/24   Wednesday

From: Latitude: 37:12.23 N    Longitude 076:39.76 W

To:   Latitude: 37:15.97 N    Longitude: 076:25.48 W

Weather: clear   Wind: 140⁰ at 8-12 kts. SEA: Chesapeake Bay

Barometer: 1002   Passage time:  8 hrs.

Start Engine Hours: 2013   Fuel used/on board:  5038/444

End Engine Hours:  2020   Fuel used/on board:  5056/426

Distance trip/to Date: 49/12,746

Our newest crew member was up early with her uncle getting WS ready for today’s voyage down the James’s River and out on the Chesapeake Bay.  By 0700, she was joined by Aunt Jo and we were on our way. Today’s trek will take us some 49-miles to our overnight stop at the nice sounding, Crown Pointe Marine on the York River.

There was a fair bit of traffic coming up the James as we headed back down towards Norfolk including a couple of Army ferry boats and a tug with tow plus the normal array of fishing boats.  Most notable was passing the George H. W. Bush, our newest fast attack aircraft carrier which was at the docks in Newport News after just completing her sea trails. Once around the bend and heading north on the Chesapeake itself, the Bay waters were unusually calm with very light boat traffic for the rest of our passage.

It takes several miles to go up the wide mouth of the York River just to get to Crown Pointe, the first marina in the river.  We are only stopping here because it is 1/3^rd of the way to the Solomon’s and it’s ad in the cruising guide promised some nice amenities like wifi, free use of a car, movies. shopping, restaurants, and a Boaters US discount.  The shock and disappointment was that none of these were true.  It was miles to the nearest store etc. and there was no car available.  To add to the insult, the slips were too small for WS so the rather blasé young dockhand stuck us on a side tie over very skinny water.

Once we uncovered all of the false advertising, we would have probably left if we were not so far up the channel, distant from anything else, and so tired after the early start and the 8-hours in transit. Making the best of it, Lexie spent a Huck Finn afternoon catching crabs with some old chicken pieces on a string off the back swimstep. We did manage to land about six blues but most were too small even to catch in the net to get on board let alone try and eat.  A nice evening meal on board and a rousing game of Rummy Cube rounded off a nice evening anyways.

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Kingsmill Resort

6/22 - 6/23   Monday - Tuesday

We’re going spend a few days here in Kingsmill catching our breath from the run up the ICW.  WS is now due for her 2000 hour oil change and a new set of fuel filters.  In doing this task, I accidentally disconnected the Fireboy engine room fire suppression system which, of course, keeps the engine from running or even starting again and causes the captain several hours of frustration.  I finally had to get some consultation from Cummins in Portsmouth to figure out what went wrong and to help get her started again.

On Monday, thirteen year old niece Lexie arrived just after noon.  Her Mom and my sister, Audrey drove her down from Spotsylvania with her grandma and cousin Luca also came along for the ride. After a quick, sightseeing drive around Williamsburg and doing some provisioning at the local market, they all said goodbye and Lexie officially became a part of the Wandering Star crew for the next week as we move the boat up the Chesapeake to Solomon Island, about 200-miles to the north.

Tuesday was Busch Gardens day. This is a major amusement park laid out in countries similar to Epcot in Orlando but in a much more scenic setting. Acres of hills, trees, lakes, streams and waterfalls cover the property with bridges connecting the represented countries.  Besides a variety of shops and stage shows built around national themes, the park is best known and loved (by the younger generation) for its wide selection of roller coasters.

Innocent sounding names like Griffon, Alpengeist, and Apollo’s Chariot actually disguise these terror laden, high-speed monsters with hundreds of feet of vertical drop, inverted loops, and hairpin turns, some without even floors to provide some small sense of security. Your captain, lead on by Lexie managed to ride every one of these beasts for an entire day of body abuse to say nothing of frayed nerves and stressed libido.

By evening, a very tired crew was back on board WS after a nice dinner at the Kingsmill Marina Gill.  Alvin and the Chipmunks was the movie of the night and it was all I could do to stay awake but too tired to drag my bones to bed after the “fun filled” day at Busch Gardens.

###

Hampton Roads to Kingsmill Resort on the James River

6/21   Sunday - Father’s Day

From: Latitude: 37:01.48 N    Longitude 076:20.48  W

To:   Latitude: 37:12.23 N    Longitude: 076:39.76 W

Weather: clear   Wind: 330⁰ at 18-24 kts. SEA: River

Barometer: 996   Passage time:  4.5 hrs.

Start Engine Hours: 2008   Fuel used/on board:   5027/455

End Engine Hours:  2013

Fuel used/on board:   5038/444

Distance trip/to Date: 11/12,697

It is always tough to spend Father’s Day without your kids close by but I did receive a nice card from Heather who is very busy putting on the annual Big Bear Lake Yacht Club Waterman’s Party (usually our job) and I had a long talk to Kei on the phone in the afternoon - always a treat.  The mission today is to move WS up the James River 28-miles to the very fancy Kingsmill Resort Marina. Here for $100.night, we get full use of all resort facilities including, pools, spa, many restaurants, and even free transportation to area attractions including Busch gardens and Colonial Williamsburg.

What should have been an easy ride up a calm river turned ugly early as the wind piped up to 20 to 24 knots with a few gusts hitting even 30.  This, of course, blew right down the long fetch of the river kicking up wind waves that hit us right on the nose most of the way.  We turned off the river’s narrow ship channel at buoy #40 and headed for the North shore towards the resort’s marina.  After some concern over the depth of a spoil area, a fellow boater assured us that he crosses it all the time without a problem.  It did turn out to be 14′ deep all the way to the entrance.  Once behind the wooded breakwater, it was all our thrusters and crew could do to get us backed into the slip and secured against the nasty wind.

However, by late afternoon, the wind died down, the sun came out and soon Jo & I were enjoying Father’s Day with a view from the peaceful flybridge.  We’ll stay put for a few days to enjoy the amenities of the area.  Tomorrow, our young niece Lexie will join our crew for the next week as we move WS further north on the Chesapeake.

###

Deep Creek to Hampton Roads, Chesapeake Bay

6/20   Saturday

From: Latitude: 36:44.88 N    Longitude 076:20.28  W

To:   Latitude 37:01.48: N    Longitude: 076:20.48 W

Weather: Partly cloudy   Wind: 230⁰ at 8-14 kts. SEA: ICW

Barometer: 1000   Passage time:  3 hrs.

Start Engine Hours: 2005   Fuel used/on board:   5021/461

End Engine Hours:  2008 Fuel used/on board:   5027/455

Distance trip/to Date: 21/12,669

It was a nice quiet night with only the occasionally curious jet skier cruising by to break up the absolute quiet of the swamp.  Hard to believe that only two weeks and 700-miles ago we were still in Florida and here we are about to arrive at the Chesapeake Bay. We’ll spend a couple of good weeks exploring the Bay before we move on to New York City.

There is only a few miles to go this morning before we are out of Deep Creek and back into the main ICW which here is also the deep water port for Norfolk and Portsmouth. Leaving the creek, you turn left, pass under several railroad bridges that are usually left open, call for an opening of one last bascule bridge, go through a second opening bridge that was under repairs so is always open and we are free of the Intercoastal Waterway at last!  I like cruising by the busy port of Norfolk docks as they are mostly Navy shipyards and much of our Atlantic Fleet seems to be here in various stages of refit.

A 300 boat sailing race is just getting started as we pass the Portsmouth Yacht Club.  The racing fleet soon fills the entire channel shore to shore for the next several miles.  Once you think you are finally clear of the racers, they turn around the downwind mark and all start coming at you, back to the starting line.  Of course, mixed in with this ciaos, the normal big ship traffic is trying to get into or out of the ports as well as Navy ships under armed Coast Guard escort with a 500-yard security zone around them are all trying to force everyone out of the way so they can pass.  What fun!

Once clear of it all, it is only a couple of miles north across the bay to Hampton Roads’ buoyed entrance and then up stream to our destination for tonight, the Hampton City Docks. It is still before lunch so as soon as we are backed in and tied up, Jo & I are off the explore town and find some lunch. Hampton Roads is a nice town that has tried hard to reinvent itself as a tourist destination but seems to be struggling from lack of interest.

We’re in luck though; a street fair is planned for tonight so after a rest we are back downtown to see the festivities.  Live bands, beer for sale on the streets, and more Great Danes (a local animal rescue project) than I’ve ever seen in one place are the evening’s main attractions.  We find a likely pub, have a decadent meal, a couple of local beers and are ready to call it a night just as the street party seems to be finally getting started. Feels good to just go home to WS…hope we’re not getting old.

###

 

Elizabeth City to Deep Creek Lock, Dismal Swamp

6/19   Friday

From: Latitude: 36:17.86 N    Longitude 076:13.11W

To:   Latitude :36:44.88 N    Longitude: 076:20.28 W

Weather: cloudy   Wind: 130⁰ at 4-6 kts. SEA: ICW

Barometer: 1002   Passage time:  7 hrs.

Start Engine Hours: 1998   Fuel used/on board:   5009/473

End Engine Hours: 2005   Fuel used/on board:   5021/461

Distance trip/to Date: 35/12,648

We sort of knew going into the Dismal Swamp that it would be a long, slow day.  To make the first 0730 opening of the Elizabeth City Bridge, we needed to cast off by 0715.  Then, as we progressed up the ever narrowing channel, I soon was reduced to hand steering as nothing automated could keep is in the winding, Pasquotank River.  At mile-37, 13-miles up stream from EC, Turner’s Cut of the Dismal Swamp Canal begins. By now it is just 50-feet wide and 6 to 9 feet deep if we are lucky.

This is the oldest manmade waterway in the US, its hand digging by slaves began in 1793 and was completed in 1804.  As you might imagine, it has had a tortuous history surviving the civil war, various bankruptcies, and the politics of being in two states, Virginia and North Carolina. Edgar Allen Poe wrote “The Raven” while staying at the canal’s state-line hotel popular in his day for marriages, duels, and with criminals escaping the law in either state.

While the controlling depth (maximum draft for passage) is six feet, WS never hit bottom but she did bump her way over dozens of logs that, when finally saturated with water, have found their way to the bottom. Nothing gets the old heart racing like a resounding bump on the keel as you slide over yet another snag, hopefully without it hitting the prop.  This drama makes for a very long day indeed.

Added to the whole canal experience is the South Mills Lock that raises you 8′ up into a fresh water fed section that lasts for some 23-miles before dropping you the same at the Deep Creek Lock just 10-miles for Norfolk. The trick here is that the locks only operate on a very limited schedule so unless you want to spend the night up on the Swamp, you need to maintain a solid 5-knots to make the second locks last opening at 3:30 PM.

Once we are through Deep Creek, after a tiring day of thumping bottom and hand steering, here for the night so with the blessing of the friendly lockmaster Robert, we drop anchor in the center of his 10 foot deep channel just outside this last lock.  Here we can still enjoy the quiet beauty of the Swamp for the evening and be on our way early for the morning run and dozen  lift bridges that still await us before Norfolk.

###

Alligator River Marina to Elizabeth City

6/18   Thursday

From: Latitude: 35:54.35 N    Longitude 076:01.78 W

To:   Latitude: 36:17.86 N    Longitude: 076:13.11 W

Weather: cloudy   Wind: 180⁰ at 10-14 kts. SEA: ICW

Barometer: 1007    Passage time:  5 hrs.

Start Engine Hours: 1992   Fuel used/on board:   4998/484

End Engine Hours: 1998   Fuel used/on board:   5009/473

Distance trip/to Date: 33/12,580

We just used our 5,000^th gallon of diesel fuel since we began our trip 12, 500 mile ago…still getting 2.5 miles/gallon.  Even at an average cost of $2.00/gallon we’ve only spent $5,000 a year on fuel - still a bargain when you consider we are moving our home right along with us and seeing this incrediable part of the world in the process.

We were up and away early to get as far as possible across the often nasty Albemarle Sound before the wind picks up again.  We don’t need to wait long this morning for our first obstacle, a shoaling problem around the day markers just off Long Shoal Point.  The shallow water has moved into the waterway and encroached on the Red #8 day marker instead of the Green #7 as shown on the charts.

Most trouble is being caused by a problem with the ICW preferred track as displayed on the electronic charts. It now goes right over the new shoal and, you guessed it, any one following the track precisely goes hard aground.  Sure enough there was a sailboat stuck fast in the mud already this morning as we passed this area.  Local knowledge says that if you just follow directly between Green #9 and Green #7, you will stay in 12-feet of water the whole way.

Once past this excitement, you come to the fork in the waterway with the choice of two ways to get to Norfolk.  To the left is the Great Dismal Swamp adventure past Elizabeth City and the other direction is the normal ICW trek up through the North Carolina Cut, passed Coinjock, and eventually into the Albemarle-Chesapeake Canal leading to Norfolk.  Both routes are about 50-miles long. Since we did the “normal” route in 2001 it will be the Dismal Swamp for us and the left turn for this trip.

The last 20-miles of the sound, while only 10 to 20-feet deep most of the way, is covered with crab traps so this keeps you busy on what should normally be an easy crossing. After the Sound ends, you will start up the Pasquotank River.  Soon we were sliding by a huge Coast Guard Air Base and even a blimp hanger left over from World War II before finally getting to our destination, Elizabeth City.

Elizabeth City in known for it’s hospitality to boaters. To encourage tourism, the city fathers have provided free dockage for all boaters along the main city waterfront.  By noon, we were backed into the first convenient pole slip right on Mariners Park and ready to explore our new city.  We walked the historic walk through the quaint town, visited the heritage museum, and had a free van pick us up for a grocery run.  Later, we tried something new to us, dinner while watching a movie.  It is a converted movie theater with 30 dining tables instead of theater seats. Each table has a phone for calling in your order and you dine while watching a first run movie…in our case we saw “Hangover” and it was a laugh riot, sometimes crude guy film.  Then Jo and I walked back to WS just before a torrential downpour that, I’m sure, cleaned the last of the salt off our girl as we head into more protected waters.

###

Belhaven to Alligator River Marina

6/17   Wednesday

From: Latitude: 35:31.95 N    Longitude 076:36.85 W

To:   Latitude: 35:54.35 N    Longitude: 076:01.78 W

Weather: cloudy   Wind: 135⁰ at 17-21 kts. SEA: ICW

Barometer: 1012    Passage time:  7 hrs.

Start Engine Hours: 1986   Fuel used/on board:   4981/500

End Engine Hours: 1992   Fuel used/on board:   4998/484

Distance trip/to Date:   46/12,580

Our challenge today is to navigate without our electronic charts.  Of course, we still have the backup paper charts so doing it the old fashioned way will not be a problem just inconvenient. Your skipper did not realize the C-Map charts for the Nobeltec do not cover all the way to the Chesapeake as would seem logical but instead cleverly, for increased sales perhaps, end at Cape Hatteras or around ICW mile-100.

The good news is that the rest of the charts are all furnished on the CD’s with the original Admiral software so you need only to have an internet or a phone to purchase the “Unlock” codes to access them.  The bad news is that they are very pricey at $499 for each section which only covers us for the next leg to Long Island Sound before we need another $499 to get the charts for the rest of the way to Maine.  You can rent them at $150 for 4-months which works if you don’t plan on spending longer time in the area.

Much of the early morning was spent in the narrow Alligator-Pango River Canal so navigation was all line of sight in the narrow channel.  In open water, our journey up the wide open Alligator River was still easy using the visual day markers of the ICW just like boaters did for the hundred years before GPS driven chart systems. Between mile-102 and our destination for today at mile-84, I was able to place waypoints on the day-board markers using coordinates given in the chart book.  Then it is just a matter of connecting the dots (waypoints) to get there.

Our stop for tonight is literarily in the middle of no where, 12-miles from the nearest town.  As soon as you come through the last highway swing bridge of the day, it’s a hard left into the marina which is actually a truck stop gas station on a main highway.  Alligator River Marina is renowned for having the lowest fuel prices on the ICW so most experienced boaters can’t resist the bargain they get by stopping here and it is convenient for starting the next leg across the wide and exposed Albemarle Sound in the morning.

Friends from the FUBAR (the boat rally from San Diego to La Paz last year) on Annaruth, Jake and Suzanna were already secure at the dock when we arrived.  They were quick to invite us over for Happy Hour once WS was snuggled in for the night.  With no where else to go, it was back to our boat for the evening after a very nice visit with them. It is so different to go to sleep to the sounds of trucks on the highway after months of just the quiet rustle of wind and water.

###

Oriental to Belhaven

6/16  Tuesday

From: Latitude: 35:01.47 N    Longitude 076:41.74 W

To:   Latitude: 35:31.95 N    Longitude: 076:36.85 W

Weather: rain    Wind: 090⁰ at 18-20 kts. SEA: ICW

Barometer: 1009    Passage time:  6.5 hrs.

Start Engine Hours: 1979  Fuel used/on board:   4966/515

End Engine Hours: 1986 Fuel used/on board:   4981/500

Distance trip/to Date:   42/12,534

This morning’s fare took us from ICW mile 182 at Oriental to mile 160 up the big and broad Neuse River.  Then a narrow canal and a couple of creeks bring us out on the Pungo River where we go to mile-136 and the Belhaven turn-off. It was a day of nice, rustic scenery only marred by higher winds and waves then we would like on the open stretches and a consistent sprinkling of rain most of the morning.

The River Forest Marina and Shipyard at Belhaven is a bit past it’s prime but still serviceable and a pleasant place to stop before heading through the long Alligator-Pungo River canal tomorrow.  Not much in the town either, which is an easy walk from the marina and even lacks a grocery store.  The off and on rainy afternoon kept us from wandering too far and soon we were back on board catching up on computer chores.

We had dinner on board rather than at the small but pleasant grill in the old hotel on the marina grounds where we would have been the lonely only guests.

###

Beaufort to Oriental

6/15   Monday

From: Latitude: 34:42.97 N    Longitude 076:30.92 W

To:   Latitude: 35:01.47 N    Longitude:076:41.74 W

Weather: sunny    Wind: 135⁰ at 8-10 kts. SEA: ICW

Barometer: 1009    Passage time:  4 hrs.

Start Engine Hours: 1975  Fuel used/on board:   4958/524

End Engine Hours: 1979 Fuel used/on board:   4966/515

Distance trip/to Date:   23/12,492

Brother Raymond was at the helm for most of today’s short, 23-mile run to the small shrimping town of Oriental. The waterway this morning took us past the marina with the high and dry Dreamweaver just off the ICW.  Wandering Star managed a rather forlorn farewell toot salute for her old friend of so many, many miles as we past her by.

Our 9AM departure allowed us to make this next port in time for lunch and a nice afternoon walk around the very quiet, two street village. The marine store and a much sought after ice cream shop where about the only establishments open worth mentioning.  All to soon, Ray and Kathy had to depart with their truck and trailer to drive back to Beaufort and pick up their other car they deposited there for the cruise  before heading back home to Raleigh.

Jo and I spent the rest of the day doing some boat chores and laundry before we were joined again by Steve and Bard as they docked their boat in the next slip. This lead to an hour of trading tours and comparing notes of each others 43’s which is always a favorite activity of boaters.  Later, just the WS crew had a pleasant late dinner in the marina’s handy restaurant before retiring for the evening.

###

Topsail Bay to Beaufort

6/13   Saturday

From: Latitude: 34:23.16 N    Longitude 77.38.26 W

To:   Latitude: 34:42.97 N    Longitude: 076:30.92 W

Weather: sunny    Wind: 220⁰ at 12-16 kts. SEA: ICW

Barometer: 1003    Passage time:  9 hrs.

Start Engine Hours: 1967   Fuel used/on board:   4936/545

End Engine Hours: 1975 Fuel used/on board:   4958/524

Distance trip/to Date:   58/12,469

Today was about heading to our weekend destination where we will pickup Brother Ray and wife Kathy for a couple of day of fun together.  The 58-mile run is just more of the same ICW except with a remarkable increase in small boat traffic enjoying the perfect weekend weather.  By the time we hit the outskirts of Beaufort, this became complete pandemonium.  Hundreds of small, center-console fishing boats, the local favorite, four and five abreast were heading in both directions on the waterway.  It is nice being in the biggest, slowest boat here as the rest had to give way so we could stay our course.

Beaufort Docks was waiting for us with a nice slip right in front of the Dockyard Restaurant, one of the favorite night spots for folk music for the town’s visitors.  Once secure and her salt hosed off, WS was ready for company.  Soon after Ray and Kathy arrived, Ken and Dottie stopped by in their fully loaded U-haul with everything but the “California or Bust” sign needed for their cross-country trip home.  Dreamweaver is on the hard just up the river from here where she will wait patiently for their return.

After saying our final goodbyes to D&K, our expanded crew spent a great evening just walking the waterfront of Beaufort.  We checked out every eatery in town before making a decisive decision to have a great meal at the waterside “Front Street Grill” before returning to WS.  Minutes later, after dinner cordials in hand, we were all on the top deck where we listened to the bluegrass music by tonight’s local band on the nearby porch.

Sunday morning was at leisure followed by brunch at the landmark “Grocery” with an afternoon of shopping along the docks.  Steve and Barb on our sister ship, a Solo 43′ “Maerin” pulled into our marina just after naptime. Solo’s were the original name of our design before the molds were sold to Jet-tern and the name changed to Selene. Otherwise it is the identical boat and they have number 4 to our #23. They were assigned to the slip directly across from WS and by 5PM had joined us for a cocktail party that was already in full swing.  After they departed, the evening continued with a sumptuous dinner on board, and a late, unrequited search for ice cream in the now sleeping town of Beaufort..

###

Calibash River to Topsail Bay, North Carolina

6/12   Friday

From: Latitude: 37:52.38 N    Longitude 078:34.19 W

To:   Latitude: 34:23.16 N    Longitude: 77.38.26 W

Weather: sunny    Wind: 145⁰ at  8-12 kts. SEA: ICW

Barometer: 1005    Passage time:  10.5 hrs.

Start Engine Hours: 1956   Fuel used/on board:   4911/560

End Engine Hours: 1967 Fuel used/on board:   4936/545

Distance trip/to Date:   69/12,411

A nice long, 69-mile day on the ICW. Weighed anchor at 0600 to make the 1st of three bridge openings we will need today.  Unfortunately, none operate on demand which means we must carefully plan our arrival at each bridge so it is exactly on the hour or wait until the next opening up to an hour later.  Our first bridge is the oldest design left on the waterway, a floating pontoon monstrosity which also is the slowest opening and very seemingly very cumbersome to operate. At extreme low tides, it can’t open at all.  Good to see that they are finally building a new, 65′ high, fixed bridge next door so this relic can finally be retired.

The scenery through out the day is a nice mix of beautiful homes, meandering rivers, and lots of fellow travelers…jet skies, tubers, joy riders, and fisherman, as the pace of the water sports begins to pick up in earnest for the first real weekend of summer. We manage to time our second bridge, an older swing bridge, to arrive just minutes before the scheduled opening.  To make it happen, we had to start an hour ahead and average our speed up to an unheard of 9.2 knots with the help of a flooding tide much of the way.

We’re early for our last bridge late in the day and only an hour from our destination for the night, Harbor Village Marina.  Ironically and quite by coincidence, we stayed here nine years ago with WSI too.  We should have remembered that while it is located in a nicer, high-end residential community,  it’s miles away from even a decent restaurant . So after a nice long walk and some boat chores, it is dinner on board again and another quiet evening. Fear not fellow partiers, things are sure to pickup again soon.

###

Georgetown to anchor in the Calibash River, mile 342

6/11   Thursday

From: Latitude: 33:21.80 N    Longitude 075:11.91 W

To:   Latitude: 37:52.38 N    Longitude: 078:34.19 W

Weather: partly cloudy - some sun    Wind: 145⁰ at  8-12 kts. SEA: ICW

Barometer: 1003   Passage time:  9 hrs.

Start Engine Hours: 1947 Fuel used/on board:   4893/578

End Engine Hours: 1956 Fuel used/on board:   4911/560

Distance trip/to Date:   55/12,342

Up and away early again but this time with our friends on Kasekuchen right behind us as they move on today to Myrtle Beach.  The ICW is a lot more interesting in this section with lots of beautiful homes and tourist facilities along the stretch past Myrtle Beach and the town of Little River.

Just after lunchtime, we bid our friends farewell as they turned off at the posh Marina at Grand Dunes to spend some a couple of weeks there with visiting friends.  Soon after their departure, the ICW gets very interesting between miles 347 and 365 as you must go through a section called “The Rockpile.” Here the channel was cut through solid rock so it is very narrow and unforgiving should you stray at all from dead-center of the slender waterway.  It is still high tide for us through this section so depth was not a problem just hoping you don’t need to pass a larger boat coming the other way keeps your anxiety level at the top of the chart.  Once through this, the worst of the ICW is behind…or so we thought.

Hoping to get closer to the North Carolina/South Carolina boarder before calling it a day, WS continued on till mile 342 (in case I didn’t mention it before, ICW statue miles are measured starting with mile1 in Norfolk, Virginia and ending with mile 1095 in Miami). Our chart shows a designated anchorage here just a short way north on the Calabash River.  What it failed to show and was not made clear in the cruising guide was that the channel markers for this stretch of river are the opposite of the ICW with red back on the right instead of the left as it is in the rest of Intercoastal Waterway heading north.

Well before we realized what was happening or could reverse course, WS was hard aground.  We were literarily stuck in the mud in 4.5 feet of water with the tide still rapidly departing.  No amount of forward or reverse throttle could get us off so instead of just waiting for the tide to come back in a couple of hours and hoping it floats us off, not further aground, we hailed a passing SeaTow tug (most boaters belong to this service - it’s like AAA for boaters) and our new best friend Brian spent the better part of the next hour using his prop wash to get WS unstuck and off the infernal sand bar.  Once back afloat, he was nice enough to show us how we should have gone up the river and soon we were comfortably swinging at anchor with only our pride the worse for wear

We’ll hopefully spend a quiet night here so we can up anchor at first light and continue on to North Carolina tomorrow morning.

###

Charleston to Georgetown

6/10   Wednesday

From: Latitude: 32:46.65 N    Longitude 075:57.13 W

To:   Latitude: 33:21.80  N    Longitude: 075:11.91 W

Weather: partly cloudy - some sun    Wind: 140⁰ at  8-12 kts. SEA: ICW

Barometer: 1005   Passage time:  9 hrs.

Start Engine Hours: 1937 Fuel used/on board:   4871/600

End Engine Hours: 1947  Fuel used/on board:   4893/578

Distance trip/to Date:   57/12,287

Up early to squeeze in an early morning bike ride around Charleston’s downtown while Jo took a nice long walk.  We were still off the dock and on our way across Charleston Harbor before 8:00 AM.

Once back in the ICW, we immediately had our first bridge encounter but at 32′ off the water, we could sneak under it without an opening (we are 30′ tall).  From then on it was mostly a rather featureless day on the Intercoastal…mile after mile of either swamp land or thick forests right to the water’s edge.  This section is mostly a national wildlife preserve but other than seeing an occasional heron, I’m not sure what we are preserving.

It was late afternoon by the time we finally pulled out on Winyah Bay and headed up the several last miles to Georgetown.  We almost decided to anchor out in the bay instead of heading up the channel to the town itself but were very glad we didn’t!  As we made the final turn toward our marina, there sat our good friends, Bob & Cheryl on Kasekuchen on an end tie dock.  We hadn’t expected to see them till tomorrow in Myrtle Beach.  It didn’t take but a few minutes for Cheryl to show up on board with her famous, hot from the oven, Passage Cookies and to invite us over for cocktails and dinner.

A great dinner it was too!  Bob out did himself whipping up the best parmesan crusted fresh grouper in a lemon caper sauce I’ve ever had finished with a homemade cherry pie…heaven! All followed by dancing on the aft deck, needless-to-say it was a tired but very full happy WS crew that walked the mile back to our marina and a good nights rest.

The evenings last dance…

###

Brunswick to Charleston, South Carolina

6/8 - 6/9   Monday to Tuesday - overnight passage

From: Latitude: 31:9.48 N    Longitude 081:29.99 W

To:   Latitude: 32:46.65 N    Longitude: 075:57.13 W

Weather: partly cloudy - some sun    Wind: 180⁰ at  8-12 kts. SEA: 2

Barometer: 1009   Passage time: 24 hrs.

Start Engine Hours: 1914 Fuel used/on board:   4826/348

End Engine Hours: 1937 Fuel used/on board:   4871/276+324=600

Distance trip/to Date:   155/12,232

Okay, so we cheated and snuck put to do yet another “overnight passage” on the high seas.  Well, hardly high in this part of the Atlantic where depths 20-miles offshore only reach down about 40-50 feet.  True, the benign weather, soft wind, and ripples for waves are also hard to resist after the months of bashing north through all manner of crumby conditions we had in the southern Caribbean. Our true motivation this time however, was speed.  Much as we love meandering up the ICW, we needed to really make some time these two weeks if the rest of our summer plans are going to all fit into three short months.

Frankly, it was nice to spend a rather leisurely day out on the salt again.  With WS happily steering herself, one only has to glance up occasionally from a novel or Sudoku to be sure all systems are still functioning well and nothing bigger than us was in our immediate future.   The gentle south easterly swell carefully rocked WS so as not to disturb her occupants from their quiet repose as well. Nighttime brought the promise of a beautiful night only a full moon can deliver. With little or no big boat traffic the dark hours radar watching proved no harder then the daylight’s hours of rest and relaxation.

I like to spend my night watches with rousing episodes from the TV series “24.”  Jack and company keep me wide awake, adrenalin pumping, and make the time pass quickly all in one. Tonight was so perfect, I just enjoyed the quiet and read my current book.  Jo took the 9 to 1 watch so I got some good rest and then stayed awake till we were secure at the Charleston City Marina in downtown.  They put us out on the mega yacht dock so WS is in some big company. We also needed to put on 324 gallons of fuel at $2.45/gal. - the first fuel since leaving San Juan, Puerto Rico - not bad!

The rest of the day was spent at leisure enjoying Charleston, one our favorite cities on the whole East Coast.  We started with a great seafood lunch at “The Landing” one of the better locals spots at the end of Market Street. After that I was able to go on board the USS Freedom, our Navies’ newest fast attack frigate.  At 300, long this jet turbine driven  ship can do 47-knots from a standstill in 5 minutes and still turn in her own length.  All systems on board are fully automated cutting the normal frigate crew size down from 300 to 40 officers and enlisted men and it only takes three of these to run the entire ship at sea.  Fully equipped with the latest and greatest in anti sub and anti aircraft gear she and eventually 55 sister ships with take over the duties of guarding our aircraft carriers.

Jo and I spent the afternoon on board followed by a nice BBQ dinner and a movie on the Direct TV.  Tomorrow, it will be back on the ICW early heading for Georgetown .

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Jacksonville to Fernandino Beach (Florida/Georgia Boarder)

6/6  Saturday

From: Latitude: 30:16.61 N    Longitude:081:42.83 W

To:   Latitude: 30: 40.18 N    Longitude:081:28.17 W

Weather: CTS (chance of thunder storms)- rain   Wind: 200⁰ at  10-15 kts. SEA: ICW

Barometer: 1005   Passage time: 6 hrs.

Start Engine Hours: 1902 Fuel used/on board:   4801/372

End Engine Hours: 1908 Fuel used/on board:   4814/360

Distance trip/to Date:   40/12,033

Back on the water again…

Out of our slip at the posh Marina at Ortega Landing and escaped the clutches of Ortega River and by 10:30.  We got a late start since Jo did not get back from the west coast until 9:30 last night and we needed to turn the rental car back this morning before we could leave.

Spotted sunshine this morning right up until we cast off, then it proceeded to go down hill with rain and threatening thunder storms much of the afternoon.  Today’s objective is to make the long, 20-mile passage back down the St. Johns River and pick up the ICW north just a mile or two from the rivers opening on the ocean. Making it almost to the Georgia boarder was an added bonus but not without some high anxiety.  The waterway is very shallow in many places as it makes the long sweep around Amelia Island.

We bumped the bottom about a half dozen times including one patch were we had to literally plow our way through the soft mud for 10 or 15 yards. In these spots, you just need the courage to push the throttle down and hope for the best   You either get good and stuck then delayed until the next high tide or you get through it and keep on truck’ in.

Happily, we got through it and made a total of 40-miles to the boarder before calling it a day at 1630 and grabbing a mooring buoy off the town of Fernandino Beach for the night.  We would have preferred to anchor but the current is too swift, the channel is narrow, the wind is blowing 20+ knots and we want a good night’s sleep for an early start in the morning.  We tried on several different moorings to find one that did not swing too close to our neighbors in the contrary wind and current but finally one that worked and settled in for the night,

Some work on the internet, a good BBQ dinner, some Comedy Central and Jo and I are ready to call it a day…only 718-miles to go till we’re back in the Chesapeake!

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Ortega Landing Marina, Jacksonville

5/15 - 6/5

Time out…Son Kevin is graduating from College!   His proud parents are flying home to California to duly celebrate his commencement from Chapman University on the 23^rd of May with a degree in Creative Writing.  He plans on becoming a screen play writer, a passion he developed as a young, captive lad on our previous year-long voyage around the Great Loop in 2000/2001.

I was back on board doing boat chores by the end of May and spent a week on my own just getting things done while Jo did the same for our Las Vegas home. Finally, by June 5trh, we are together again, refreshed and renewed and ready to continue our long journey North.

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St Augustine to Jacksonville

5/14   Thursday

From: Latitude: 29:53.52 N    Longitude:081:48.55 W

To:   Latitude: 30:16.61 N    Longitude:081:42.83 W

Weather: cloudy and cool   Wind: 0125⁰ at  10-15 kts. SEA: ICW

Barometer: 1014   Passage time: 7 hrs.

Start Engine Hours: 1893 Fuel used/on board:   4781/388

End Engine Hours: 1902  Fuel used/on board:   4801/372

Distance trip/to Date:   55/11,993

We hit the ground running this morning.  If we are to cover the 55-miles to Jacksonville in one day, we need to get out on the ICW early…especially with the restricted openings of the Lion’s Bridge due to morning traffic and construction.  So by 0630, we had called the bridge tender for a  0700 opening and were on our way at first light. Weather calls for possible isolated thunderstorms later in the afternoon too so we would like to be safe in a slip before they start up as well.

The ICW continues to wind its way up the coast looking much the same these past hundred miles.  Narrow isolated stretches followed by miles of modest waterfront homes, each with its own boat suspended on davits from the family dock followed by wide, natural lagoons with all manner of wild life everywhere.  We have seen lots of dolphins  and even a few Manatees along this section of waterway and more than our share of deerflies that get so thick we need to keep WS closed up for hours at a time.

By 1:00 PM it is starting to get dark ahead and Cumulonimbus clouds continue to build on the western horizon as we make the turn up the St John’s River toward Jacksonville.  The bad news was that the marina we selected and made reservations thinking it was a safe place to leave WS for the trip home turned out to be anything but safe.  After a very difficult time and several attempts to back WS into a crosswind challenged dock, your captain was not very happy with the new accomodations. Short rickety docks, inadequate and poorly positioned bow pilings, few cleats and, worst of all, miles of exposure to the wind and waves blowing in off the St John’s River made the marina very marginal even for an overnight stop let along two weeks without us on board.

In less than an hour, we were on our way again up river as we frantically called every marina we could find for a better place to leave WS.  We felt bad deserting our new friends on Full Circle at the unsafe marina since we were indirectly responsible for them staying there too but a skipper must do what is best for his boat. Finally, we were able to make arrangements with Ortega Landing to stay at their new marina past Jacksonville just up the Ortega River.  The only problems now are the isolated thunderstorm forecast has turned into severe storm warnings for the Jacksonville area…and already we could here them rumbling off in the distance and the chart we need for the upper St. John River just ran out of its detail on my chart plotter.

So basically flying blind, we had to make the run across the wide shallow bay past Jacksonville with no idea where we were going or what lies underwater only by reading directions from a paragraph in the cruising guide.  Next we had to get the Ortega River Bridge to open up so we could get through and finally make the dash to find our marina and back into our assigned slip on D dock just as the full fury of the storm was about to hit.  Definitely an SPM (sweaty palms moment)!

Once safe and snug, we relaxed while waited out the storm on WS over a couple of beers and two fingers of rum before checking into the marina office and finally settling down for a simple night of  BBQ  chicken and the last regular episodes of Survivor.

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Palm Court Marina to St Augustine

5/13   Wednesday

From: Latitude: 29:34.63 N    Longitude:081:11.62 W

To:   Latitude: 29:53.52 N    Longitude:081:48.55 W

Weather: cloudy and cool   Wind: 0125⁰ at  10-15 kts. SEA: ICW

Barometer: 1012   Passage time: 3.5 hrs.

Start Engine Hours: 1890 Fuel used/on board:   4774/395

End Engine Hours: 1893 Fuel used/on board:   4781/388

Distance trip/to Date:   22/11,938

We had a much enjoyed leisurely morning. Jo was able to take a long walk and I dusted off the old folding bike and did about 5-miles along the ICW we had just come up yesterday. By 0930 we were back on board and ready for today’s short, 22-mile ride to St Augustine.  This is the birthplace of our first Wandering Star and we had visited the Mainship factory here back in 1999 and again when we came through on our great loop cruise in 2001.

St Augustine is a great tourist town filled with gift shops, historic buildings, museums, and good restaurants so by 1:00 we were tied up to the city dock right down town so we could walk to it all.  And walk we did!  Up and down all the old streets, past the oldest school house in America, the old fort, art galleries and, of course dozens of t-shirt and souvenir shops.  The real find was a gallery of world artifacts an ex-school teacher and his wife had gathers to sell from all over the far-east.  Here I found the small, grieving Buddha statue make of carved coconut wood I had been looking for since I saw a full size one of teak in an ashram style beach resort in St Maarten.

Part of the afternoon’s mission was to find a great restaurant for our dinner later. Out of many candidates, we returned later to ‘The Tasting Room” which specialized in fine wines and great Spanish and international appetizers meant to be shared.  It was a memorable two-hour dinner of many flavors and inspired wines to complement each course.  A happy and satisfied crew walked the mile back through now empty St Augustine streets to our less than quiet marina.

We soon figured out that the bridge construction to remake the Bridge of the Lions that crosses the river right behind Wandering Star’s slip goes on 24-hours a day.  Thankfully, running the stateroom air-conditioning masked all sounds for sleeping so it was still a peaceful night for tomorrow’s early morning departure.

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Titusville Marina to Palm Court Resort Marina

5/12   Tuesday

From: Latitude: 28:37.26 N    Longitude: 080:48.31 W

To: Latitude: 29:34.63 N    Longitude:081:11.62 W

Weather: cloudy and cool   Wind: 050⁰ at  15-20 kts. SEA: ICW

Barometer: 1010   Passage time: 10 hrs.

Start Engine Hours: 1880 Fuel used/on board:   4751/418

End Engine Hours: 1890 Fuel used/on board:   4774/395

Distance trip/to Date:   65/11,916

A long day on the water is planned for today.  We got an early start despite all the fun of yesterday’s “launch” party.  I was up and had WS ready to cast off by 0700.  In fact, Les was even up to do the dockline honors one last time as he and Rose head back to Georgia by car today and then mothball Voyager before they head home to Wisconsin for the summer.  It is doubtful we will be together again, as boaters, in the foreseeable future.

It has been an incredible experience traveling together with Les & Rose these past two years…the many memories and adventures we have shared have made us family and it is hard to finally say goodbye.  One can only hope that it is only a matter of time and circumstance till we’re all together again.

I wanted Jo to be able to sleep in a bit but, like a good mate,  she was up in a flash as soon as she felt the engine start.  We had planned to just go the 47-miles to Daytona today but we made such good time, thanks to good currents and few bridges, we didn’t even stop there but just pressed on another 20-miles to Palm Court Resort.  This quaint marina is just a small turnoff on a long and narrow stretch of the ICW with no place even to anchor and about half-way between Daytona and St Augustine.  We pulled in to our slip just before closing at 1645, tied up quickly, and took off for a nice walk to stretch our legs after 10-hours behind the wheel.

Back on board, it was a dinner of BBQ steak, a quiet night of TV, and early to bed for a very tired crew.  Since we did so well with a 65-mile run today, we can afford to take it a little easier tomorrow with a more leisurely departure.  I might even get the old bike and go for a early morning ride for the first time in months,

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 Titusville Marina - Kennedy Space Center

5/11   Monday - Atlantis launch day

The gang was all here for the big day.  Bob & Cheryl on Kasekuchen, Les & Rose from Voyager, Dot & Ken on Dreamweaver, Tim & Jan on Full Circle were on hand at the marina nearest the Canaveral Space Port for our celebration to mark the launch of the shuttle Atlantis’ mission to rescue the Hubble Telescope. Actually Tim & Jan took Full Circle out to the ICW marker 38 where they can see the actual launch pad since they can fit under the now, pre-launched closed bridges over the waterway.  Dot & Ken are anchored out in front of our marina and will join us for the watch on board.

While the launch itself was great and exciting, it was not as spectacular as the one we watched on WSI in 2001.   The were just too many clouds in the way that obscured much of the ascent.  We still had the full effect of the ground (water) shaking power and roar of the rockets even from 13 miles away.  As soon as the shuttle was out of sight, the party really got started on Kasekuchen as the champagne corks popped and the snacks were unveiled.  Girls on the top deck and guys on the rear cockpit partied on till well past dark and a great time was had by all.

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Cocoa Village to Titusville Marina

5/10   Sunday - Mom’s Day

From: Latitude: 2828:21.49 N    Longitude: 080:43.55 W

To: Latitude: 28:37.26 N    Longitude: 080:48.31 W

Weather: sunny, hot   Wind: 135⁰ at  3-5 kts. SEA: ICW

Barometer: 1013   Passage time: 3 hrs.

Start Engine Hours: 1877 Fuel used/on board:   4745/424

End Engine Hours: 1880 Fuel used/on board:   4751/418

Distance trip/to Date:   17/11,851

My crew was a little slower getting going this morning but we did have our traditional omelet breakfast and still were on the water by 0900. It is still and hot today - even hotter already than yesterday for the short run up to Titusville.  Other boats are already heading that way for the coming launch of Atlantis tomorrow. There are just two bridges to open including our first old style swing bridge this trip, the Max Brewer at Titusville.

The marina is just off the ICW on the left once we are past the bridge and we pull into our assigned dock at the end tie right behind Kasekuchen stern to stern.  Once secure, we greet our old friends again (Les & Rose are on board K for the launch too), then Jo gets our Budget car while I check in and we are soon loaded up, on our way back to Melbourne Beach.  The plan is to take Lorelei and Conrad back home from their cruise with us then spend the afternoon with them there and have dinner before coming back to WS.  Conrad is an excellent chief and the Osso Bocco is awesome!  After an impromptu stop at Cold-Stones, It is very late by the time Jo & I return to the marina for bed.

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Melbourne Beach to Cocoa Village

5/9   Saturday

From: Latitude: 28:04.67 N    Longitude: 080:36.06 W

To: Latitude: 28:21.49 N    Longitude: 080:43.55 W

Weather: sunny, hot   Wind: 135⁰ at  3-5 kts. SEA: ICW

Barometer: 1012   Passage time: 3 hrs.

Start Engine Hours: 1874 Fuel used/on board:   4737/431

End Engine Hours: 1877 Fuel used/on board:   4745/424

Distance trip/to Date:   19/11,834

While I thought this morning would be a good morning for our guests to sleep in, both were up soon after first light so the day started early.  After a light breakfast, we were back on the waterway by 0800 heading north just the 19-miles  to Cocoa Village for lunch, some shopping, and watching some of the Players Golf Tournament on the satellite.

It is hot today and the outside air is virtually still - a first in longer than I can remember. Once settled into a slip at the newly refurbished Cocoa Village Marina, it was batten down all the hatches and turn on the air conditioning to make the coming afternoon heat more bearable. A nice walk through town to the local pub, a couple of pints of Guinness with lunch and then Conrad and I were heading back on board for naps and TV as planned while the ladies took their time doing some shopping in the now sweltering heat.

Tonight’s dinner was on board featured a homemade Bermuda Bouillabaisse with shrimp, mussels, lobster, and Mahi Mahi from a recipe collected by fellow Caribbean boater Morgan Freeman. It was delicious!  The evening passed learning a new bridge-like card game from our guests called Eucher and a good time was had by all.

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 Vero Beach to Melbourne Beach

5/8   Friday

From: Latitude: 27:39.49 N    Longitude: 080:32.22 W

To: Latitude: 28:04.67 N    Longitude: 080:36.06 W

Weather: mostly sunny   Wind: 110⁰ at  10-12 kts. SEA: ICW

Barometer: 1010   Passage time: 4.5 hrs.

Start Engine Hours: 1869 Fuel used/on board:   4727/442

End Engine Hours: 1874 Fuel used/on board:   4737/431

Distance trip/to Date:   29/11,815

Sorry if these days on the ICW are not as exciting as the Caribbean but in fact, we prefer to keep them that way.  Here the biggest two dangers are running aground or being run into by someone else…neither one are very good options.   The center channel water is shallow with an average depth of around 10′ and shoaling quickly to 3-4′ or less on both sides of the day board waterway markers.  If you pay attention and stay in the center you should be alright with only the occasional high spot that has silted in to give you concern.

Passing boats are another matter entirely.  Most pass carefully and with concern for the damage their wake can cause by violently rocking your boat from side to side but there are always a few that roar by you at 20-30 knots and knock on your beam.  Some pass as close as a boat length in the narrow stretches of the channel.  This causes a corkscrew response as our boat struggle to maintain course as it passes over their mountainous bow wave.  The danger is that the bow of your boat can actually swing into the stern of the passing boat in this out of control process. We had one such close encounter today and just missed the swim step of a passing boat by only several feet.  Not much you can do except pull back on the throttle quickly to hope you avoid a collision.

Our quests, Conrad and Lorelei arrived this morning from their home in Melbourne Beach at 0900 and by 1000 we were off the dock and on our way the short haul to Melbourne Beach. .  Today was another 40-miles of narrow waterways followed by wide, lake-like bays.  Only a few bridges on the way, all over 60′ clearance, so no problem there with WS only being 30′ tall.  The day started out hot, in the 90’s, but gradually cooled as we moved north to a pleasant 81-degrees.

It was around 1430 when we pulled off the ICW at day-marker number “8″ and made the turn for Melbourne Harbor.  We called ahead on the VHF so Dockmaster Dave was waiting on the assigned dock to greet us.  After squeaking bow first into a very tight slip (6″ to spare on each side), it was discovered the dock was not long enough to reach the aft railing so we could get off WS. So it was back out again turn WS completely around and do it all again, stern first this time.

Once settled in our slip, the boys watched some golf and news on the satellite TV while the ladies took a long walk around greater downtown Melbourne.  Evening dinner was at the Chart House of the same chain we always enjoy in California.  Food was great but in its corporate evolution it has lost what was once the greatest salad bar to be found anywhere.  The surburb yet reasonable priced wine selection more that made up for the change and there Ceasar salid with anchovies still is one of the best.

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Hobe Sound to Vero Beach

5/7   Thursday

From: Latitude: 27:01.54 N    Longitude: 080:06.23 W

To: Latitude: 27:39.49 N    Longitude: 080:32.22 W

Weather: sunny   Wind: 110⁰ at  10-12 kts. SEA: ICW

Barometer: 1011   Passage time: 6 hrs.

Start Engine Hours: 1863 Fuel used/on board:   4712/456

End Engine Hours: 1869Fuel used/on board:   4727/442

Distance trip/to Date:   41/11,786

Up early after an especially quiet and restful night. Got the anchor up, engine started and on our way again before Jo’s feet even hit the deck. Today, promises to be much easier than yesterday…only a handful of bridges and 40-miles to go to get to our stop for the night at the Vero Beach City Marina.  Lots of wide spots on the ICW today made up of large inland salt water lakes a mile across in places.  These would get a bit boring were it not for all of the traffic in the narrow, ICW channel, going in both direction.

Passing and being passed was the order of the day which keeps you on the alert at all times.  Even our new friends from Nassau, Tim & Jan on Full Circle managed to pass us on their way north. Most boats are very considerate slowing down from a plane and passing with slow care but there are always a few maniacs that seem to delight in seeing how much they can rock a slower boat. Well that’s what God gave us a middle finger for I guess.

By 1:30 PM we were tied up along side at our marina on a back slew in Vero Beach. Jo took off immediately to get a rental car and provision while I got the salt off and got WS ready for company.  Jo’s best friend Lorelei from Melbourne Beach and husband Conrad our coming on board in the morning for a couple of days of waterway experience. It’s the first company we had on board since Bob & Pat in the Virgins and we are looking forward to some group fun as we share the Intercoastal experience.

This evening, once Jo was back, we finished clean-up chores and had a nice BBQ dinner on board resisting the temptation to dine at the lovely Vero Beach Yacht Club next door who were nice enough to extend us their hospitality.  It’s also “Survivor” night and we have not seen a episode since we were home for the Board meeting in March and it is the only TV show I think we really miss.

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Fort Lauderdale to Hobe Sound

5/6   Wednesday

From: Latitude: 26: 08.49 N    Longitude: 080:06.56 W

To: Latitude: 27:01.54 N    Longitude: 080:06.23 W

Weather: sunny   Wind: 135⁰ at  10-12 kts.  SEA: ICW

Barometer: 1013   Passage time: 10 hrs.

Start Engine Hours: 1853  Fuel used/on board:   4693/475

End Engine Hours: 1863 Fuel used/on board:   4712/456

Distance trip/to Date:   55/11,754

Today was the day of bridges.  As we moved north 55-miles along the Intercoastal Waterway, we passed under 26 bridges…22 of which were draw bridges we had to have open for WS to fit through with her 30′ of height.  The trick was that most only open on a fixed schedule so you must time your arrival to coincide with the scheduled opening or you are stuck trying to hold your 24-ton boat in place against wind and current for a half hour till the appointed next opening.  Some of these bridges are only a few hundred yards apart and others can be several miles so it is quite a navigational challenge to get the speed and distance timing to work out.

Most of the day, Jo did the math and the radio (yes you must call each bridge and request an opening even though the operator can see you out the bridge control room window) while I steered WS along the waterway.  Even staying in the middle of the charted channel, we still managed to bump the bottom on two occasions.  Luckily with our momentum and narrow keel we able to keep her moving over the shallow spot to deeper water on the other side.

Once we were past Jupiter Inlet, we started looking for a wide spot in the channel to anchor for the night. We were much relieved (and tired) when we finally dropped our Rochna anchor in 8′ of water along the western shore in the wildlife sanctuary of Hobe Sound.

Tomorrow should be much easier with fewer bridges and lots more space between each. Tonight, we are just glad to swing quietly on the hook, have dinner, watch some normal US Direct TV (just got it working again after over a year of Spanish programming out of Trinidad), and enjoy OUR almost full moon.

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