SHIP'S LOG:
Monday's location: Church Creek 32'42.556N/ 080'11.022W
Well, I finally left beautiful Beaufort behind. I hated to do it but it had to be done. I killed millions of gnats and I am sure that i am on their "Most Wanted List." It must be why they seemed to come at me with such a vengeance!
Monday's jaunt wasn't particularly long as it was more for positioning than for real travel distance. I wanted to get to Church Creek , the nearest decent anchorage to Elliot's Cut. I wanted to be close enough do that I could guarantee that I would be there to catch the slack water and so get through the Cut unscathed. I did leave rather early, 8:44 to be exact. This was necessary so that I could get through the Lay's Island Bridge at 9am. The next opening would be at 10Am and the previous had been at 6am. So 9am was key so I that I would get in at a decent time.
W, especially where there are a loot of twists and turns and that trying to relate what you see on your chart and on your GPS screen with what you see outside the cockpit. It isn't always clear where your turns are. Sometimes I anticipate where I am going to turn too far in advance and what I take for my turn isn't it. Each day I lay in a course and the course is produced waypoint by waypoint as a magenta line on the GPS map. If you have the screen zoomed too far out, you can lose detail and if you have it zoomed too far in, you gain detail but often find yourself at a turn before you really realize it is approaching. Of course, the course you so carefully lay in doesn't always take you into safe water as the data on the maps can't possibly be undated to cover all the changes in the the water way. As it is, your "Magenta Highway" is more a reference that a strictly followed course. This can get you into trouble if you start shadowing another boat as he may not be going where you are. It happened today where a boat I had been following went right and the course went left. I almost followed the boat figuring the guy had made the turn before my plotted way-point. After all, how could be know. But zooming out, I found that the course was indeed bearing left and he was going I don't know where.
I was lucky enough to have a sailboat in front of me for a good part of the trip. His gyrations let me know when the water started getting a little thin. Tugs and barges rearrange the bottom depths by their passages so one must spend a lot of time looking for where the deep water might be. It is a good thing to have someone "break trail" as it were. It doesn't always work as I did "kiss" bottom today.
Speaking of tugs and barges, I had to deal with one making a turn int eh river just ahead of me, coming down stream while I was headed up. The tug was towing two barges, the first with excavating equipment and the second with long pieces of large pipe and I mean LoOOOOOOONG! They must have dragged a good hundred feet off the back of the barge so this was one heck of a long tug & tow. As he approached me he had to make a hard right turn and watching him swing this whole thing through the turn was something. He kept it marvelously under control and passed with know problem. Very impressive.
Got to Church Creek at 14:44 and dropped the hook, had supper, read a book and went to bed early. NOAA predicted the low tide, and so the slack water, would be at 9:50am Leaving at dawn (6:30) and maintaining 5 knots would get me there at 9:30 and give me 20 minutes of fudge time. And Oh How I hate to get up early in the morning!
Tuesday:
Curent location: Charleston City Marina: 32'46.520N/ 079'56.958W
Up bright and early, I made it to Elliot's Cut WITH AN HOUR TO SPARE!!!!! Once I got into the pull of the out going tide, ABISHAG just flew.At one point I had her at idle speed and was still doing 5 Knots! Suffice it to say that I had all the time in the world to set up for the passage through the cut which went off like nothing. No problems whatsoever.!!
On the way to the Cut, I met a guy paddling a canoe. He had paddled all the way to Florida from INDIANA! and now he was paddling back. He sure beats all us cruisers and loopers in our boats!
Just beyond Elliot's Cut is the Wapoo Creek Bridge(Bascule) and wouldn't you know it, they had eletrical probelm s adn it wouldn't open. Waited an hour for them to get it fixed and finally got through a little after 11 which is went the skies sent forth their voice. It was the usual, thunder, lightning, torrential rain and wind - no hail or tornadoes this time. There were three other boats waiting to get through the bridge and when we got into the harbor they continued north across the harbor and up the ICW. I have know idea where they were going but I hope they made it safe. Me, docked at the Charleston City Marina and that's the name of that tune. Once I was safely ensconced, I had a glass of wine and took a nap. It rained on and off all afternoon but I am safe and sound. NOAA said there was only a 30% chance of rain in the Charleston Listening area. Once again, we were just plan luck. NOAA is calling for rain on Thursday, but there is only a 40% of it happening. Thank goodness I am on a boat! ! ! !
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Beaufort, SC . .. . Why Leave?
SHIP'S LOG:
Current Location: Still tied up to the dock at BYSC in Beaufort, SC
It really has been a beautiful stay here in Beaufort. I still think it is the best spot on the ICW and I am loathed to leave it but leave it I must. Yes, I suppose that I could stay but as I've mentioned before, "Good harbors rot ships and men." It is still about 550 miles to miles marker "O" so it will be awhile getting "out of the ditch." If all goes to form, I'll be out of South Carolina by week's end and into North Carolina with its dearth of Cell phone coverage and Internet access. I have been shamelessly feeding of the WIFI at BYSC and probably saving minutes and money as a result. Getting back on the phone card means typing like a maniac, trying to compose and type at the same time. It certainly explains the rather strange prose formations, along with the grammar flaws and punctuation mistakes. It also adds to the charm of the blog, I guess.
Hopefully I will be way by 9am so that I can catch the first opening of the Lady's Island Bridge. This will make it possible for the wind and the tide to get me to Church Creek at a reasonable hour. If things don't quite work out , I'll stop in the South Edisto River where I anchored on the way down. The weather for the week looks fair. There is a possibility of rain on Tuesday and again later in the week . . . if one trusts NOAA's "guesses," but again, I'll handle what comes when it comes. Once I get through Elliot's Cut successfully, I'll spend the night at the Charleston City Marina. That's actually as far as I have anything planned. When I get there I will sit down and plan the next jump. Rain or not, I will have to leave Charleston after one night as it costs $2/ft and that is a big chunk of change.
As I get farther up the ICW, I am more and more looking for the end of it. It had been a nice trip back but there is the desire to get home and it is growing. Even though I talk to people on the phone every day, it is not the same as knowing that they are right around the corner or just a shot hop in the car away. I am looking forward to seeing people and being appropriately "shocked" at home much they have "changed."
I got to see Guy yesterday and he looks well though he is still under the weather. For a gentleman in his 70's he is a ball of energy so it must have taken a lot of him as he tired so easily. Unless he makes it up for the Force 5 Nationals at TYC this summer, I doubt that I will ever have the opportunity to see him or his family again. Same with Dave "Dr. Fix-It" Dixon, though in Dave's case, he is talking about sailing with his wife to New England "in the future." Truth be told, most of the people I have met on the trip, so many of them really wonderful, I will probably not see again. Time and circumstances and situations just mitigate against it, . . . .then again you never really know.
Current Location: Still tied up to the dock at BYSC in Beaufort, SC
It really has been a beautiful stay here in Beaufort. I still think it is the best spot on the ICW and I am loathed to leave it but leave it I must. Yes, I suppose that I could stay but as I've mentioned before, "Good harbors rot ships and men." It is still about 550 miles to miles marker "O" so it will be awhile getting "out of the ditch." If all goes to form, I'll be out of South Carolina by week's end and into North Carolina with its dearth of Cell phone coverage and Internet access. I have been shamelessly feeding of the WIFI at BYSC and probably saving minutes and money as a result. Getting back on the phone card means typing like a maniac, trying to compose and type at the same time. It certainly explains the rather strange prose formations, along with the grammar flaws and punctuation mistakes. It also adds to the charm of the blog, I guess.
Hopefully I will be way by 9am so that I can catch the first opening of the Lady's Island Bridge. This will make it possible for the wind and the tide to get me to Church Creek at a reasonable hour. If things don't quite work out , I'll stop in the South Edisto River where I anchored on the way down. The weather for the week looks fair. There is a possibility of rain on Tuesday and again later in the week . . . if one trusts NOAA's "guesses," but again, I'll handle what comes when it comes. Once I get through Elliot's Cut successfully, I'll spend the night at the Charleston City Marina. That's actually as far as I have anything planned. When I get there I will sit down and plan the next jump. Rain or not, I will have to leave Charleston after one night as it costs $2/ft and that is a big chunk of change.
As I get farther up the ICW, I am more and more looking for the end of it. It had been a nice trip back but there is the desire to get home and it is growing. Even though I talk to people on the phone every day, it is not the same as knowing that they are right around the corner or just a shot hop in the car away. I am looking forward to seeing people and being appropriately "shocked" at home much they have "changed."
I got to see Guy yesterday and he looks well though he is still under the weather. For a gentleman in his 70's he is a ball of energy so it must have taken a lot of him as he tired so easily. Unless he makes it up for the Force 5 Nationals at TYC this summer, I doubt that I will ever have the opportunity to see him or his family again. Same with Dave "Dr. Fix-It" Dixon, though in Dave's case, he is talking about sailing with his wife to New England "in the future." Truth be told, most of the people I have met on the trip, so many of them really wonderful, I will probably not see again. Time and circumstances and situations just mitigate against it, . . . .then again you never really know.
Friday, April 22, 2011
August In Connecticut . . . Sort Of!
SHIP'S LOG:
Current Location: Still tied to the dock at BYSC
I know that you do not like me to talk about the weather I am experiencing but I have too. While you may be freezing, I am dealing with weather that is much like Connecticut on a Mid-August Day. It is hot, in the 80's; it is humid, in the high 90's, and yesterday, and again today, we got major thunder & lightning storms. And like Connecticut in August, the rain did not coll the temp nor drop the humidity, though it did keep the gnats away . . . at least as long as it was raining.
The lightning last night, before the rain hit, was spectacular. It lit up Beaufort like a pinball machine. Lots of great colors and some great thunder. There is really something special about a storm like this. You can really feel the power of God in it. I love to sit(ashore) and watch such a storm smack into the water. It always boosts the energy and from an open pavilion, like the one at the end of the BYSC dock, I could just relax and enjoy the show. It was some of God's best work.
Today was more rain than anything else. Most of the thunder was provided by the Marines on Parris Island. Again today they were firing off big guns and making a terrible racket. Whereas last night there was also a lot of wind, today there was none. The rain fell straight down with no breeze to circulate the cooling effects of which, as I said, there were little anyway.
The guy, Jim Travis, who so graciously loaned me his truck the other day, has express some interest in ABISHAG, that is in "possibly" purchasing ABISHAG. He must be interested as he is bringing his wife by to have a peak. They own a Swiss Runabout of 40 feet that is moored near by but for some reason they are looking "to move up" to a sailboat and he said, "That's exactly the kind of boat I am looking for." It would be weird to suddenly be "Boatless In Beaufort" but if that's what's going to happen, so be it. It would make a rather strange ending to the trip but then the whole trip has been "strange" in one way or another. I am not sure which way I feel about this but, like everything else, I'll take things as they come.
Hopefully, Guy will be up for lunch tomorrow. It will be good to see him. They man is a "spellbinder" in the best sense of the word and I could listen to him talk for hours. If he wasn't married, he and Peggy MaGee down at Archie's in Fort Pierce would make a very, extremely interesting couple. For now, I just hope that he is on his way to a full and complete recovery.
OOPS! Here comes the rain again! "Hello, Rain! Goodbye, Gnats!"
Current Location: Still tied to the dock at BYSC
I know that you do not like me to talk about the weather I am experiencing but I have too. While you may be freezing, I am dealing with weather that is much like Connecticut on a Mid-August Day. It is hot, in the 80's; it is humid, in the high 90's, and yesterday, and again today, we got major thunder & lightning storms. And like Connecticut in August, the rain did not coll the temp nor drop the humidity, though it did keep the gnats away . . . at least as long as it was raining.
The lightning last night, before the rain hit, was spectacular. It lit up Beaufort like a pinball machine. Lots of great colors and some great thunder. There is really something special about a storm like this. You can really feel the power of God in it. I love to sit(ashore) and watch such a storm smack into the water. It always boosts the energy and from an open pavilion, like the one at the end of the BYSC dock, I could just relax and enjoy the show. It was some of God's best work.
Today was more rain than anything else. Most of the thunder was provided by the Marines on Parris Island. Again today they were firing off big guns and making a terrible racket. Whereas last night there was also a lot of wind, today there was none. The rain fell straight down with no breeze to circulate the cooling effects of which, as I said, there were little anyway.
The guy, Jim Travis, who so graciously loaned me his truck the other day, has express some interest in ABISHAG, that is in "possibly" purchasing ABISHAG. He must be interested as he is bringing his wife by to have a peak. They own a Swiss Runabout of 40 feet that is moored near by but for some reason they are looking "to move up" to a sailboat and he said, "That's exactly the kind of boat I am looking for." It would be weird to suddenly be "Boatless In Beaufort" but if that's what's going to happen, so be it. It would make a rather strange ending to the trip but then the whole trip has been "strange" in one way or another. I am not sure which way I feel about this but, like everything else, I'll take things as they come.
Hopefully, Guy will be up for lunch tomorrow. It will be good to see him. They man is a "spellbinder" in the best sense of the word and I could listen to him talk for hours. If he wasn't married, he and Peggy MaGee down at Archie's in Fort Pierce would make a very, extremely interesting couple. For now, I just hope that he is on his way to a full and complete recovery.
OOPS! Here comes the rain again! "Hello, Rain! Goodbye, Gnats!"
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Sultry South
SHIP'S LOG:
I am still in Beaufort and will be probably through the weekend. Guy McSweeney, they "guy" I met on my way down was in the hospital Tuesday and Wednesday and is not quite feeling up for visitors just yet. I talked with him today and he said everything went perfectly but that he is a little sore and the pain meds put him to sleep. I will probably get to see him on Saturday.
it is just as well as tonight it is supposed to rain and right now I am looking at some seriously nasty clouds. There has been thunder and a little lightning but so far, no rain. Just a lot of threatening sky! Friday it is supposed to be much the same, nothing in the morning but the "potential" for thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening. It was hot and humid and still all day. If it is this bad down here in the Spring, I can't imagine what it is like in full Summer.
as for the future, I am am planning to do a bit of a push when I leave here, to cover, if possible, wind and tide permitting, about 45 miles which will put me in Church Creek. That is only a short hop from the dreaded Elliot's Cut. For those who don't remember, Elliot's Cut is a 500 yard canal that is a little over two boats wide, lined with concrete sidewalls through which a current, running as high as 6 knots, shoots through. It is a dangerous spot for underpowered boats( read sailboats) for if you make a mistake there is really no second chance. you will hit the wall and do damage. You must pass through at slack tide and sprint to get from one end to the other. By getting to Church Creek, I will be able to time my arrival at Elliot Cut so as to be able to do just that. This will be as much fun as root canal! I hit it perfectly coming down and it was still not a lot of fun. I would hate to see what it is like at the wrong time.
The people here have been marvelous. A guy I had never met before, Jim Travis, when he found out that I had to go and do some shopping, gave me the keys to his pickup! Dave "Dr. Fix-it" Dixon, repaired my boat hook. And several people from the neighborhood who are members of the Club, stopped by to say "Hello." It is really a great place. . . .except for the gnats. But then you can have everything, and good enough is perfect!
I am still in Beaufort and will be probably through the weekend. Guy McSweeney, they "guy" I met on my way down was in the hospital Tuesday and Wednesday and is not quite feeling up for visitors just yet. I talked with him today and he said everything went perfectly but that he is a little sore and the pain meds put him to sleep. I will probably get to see him on Saturday.
it is just as well as tonight it is supposed to rain and right now I am looking at some seriously nasty clouds. There has been thunder and a little lightning but so far, no rain. Just a lot of threatening sky! Friday it is supposed to be much the same, nothing in the morning but the "potential" for thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening. It was hot and humid and still all day. If it is this bad down here in the Spring, I can't imagine what it is like in full Summer.
as for the future, I am am planning to do a bit of a push when I leave here, to cover, if possible, wind and tide permitting, about 45 miles which will put me in Church Creek. That is only a short hop from the dreaded Elliot's Cut. For those who don't remember, Elliot's Cut is a 500 yard canal that is a little over two boats wide, lined with concrete sidewalls through which a current, running as high as 6 knots, shoots through. It is a dangerous spot for underpowered boats( read sailboats) for if you make a mistake there is really no second chance. you will hit the wall and do damage. You must pass through at slack tide and sprint to get from one end to the other. By getting to Church Creek, I will be able to time my arrival at Elliot Cut so as to be able to do just that. This will be as much fun as root canal! I hit it perfectly coming down and it was still not a lot of fun. I would hate to see what it is like at the wrong time.
The people here have been marvelous. A guy I had never met before, Jim Travis, when he found out that I had to go and do some shopping, gave me the keys to his pickup! Dave "Dr. Fix-it" Dixon, repaired my boat hook. And several people from the neighborhood who are members of the Club, stopped by to say "Hello." It is really a great place. . . .except for the gnats. But then you can have everything, and good enough is perfect!
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
SHIP'S LOG:
Current Location: Beaufort Sailing & Yacht Club: 32'24.405N 080'40.148W
Now I don't want to say that I am a bit slow on the uptake, but as I was plowing through all the palm fronds and water reeds in the water, it finally dawned on me that they probably got there as a result of the big storm they had in the area on Saturday. And there were considerable amounts of the floating detritus to get through today, including one fair size tree that probably could have done some serious damage had I not managed to avoid hitting it. I was really surprised by that one. A branch I could see, even a couple of branches, perhaps even some large branches, but an entire tree? I must have been overhanging a bank somewhere and the water simply washed away the underpinnings and "SPLASH" and instant obstacle. It was good that it happened to show up when it did as there are several places, earlier and some ahead, where the room to maneuver would have been far less, along with the ability to avoid it. But it went its merry way with a "security" call from me warning those behind of the approaching menace.
Calibouge Sound, which run most of the length of Hilton Head, looked like a good opportunity to stretch some sail clothe. Alas, when I got there there was no wind. I could have used it as the Sound was ebbing and it made the 3 mile passage just a bit slow. There were lots of locals on the water and I got to thinking, don't these people work? Perhaps they have "Easter Vacation" or something, but there seems like, during the whole trip I now realize, that there are a lot of people out boating and fishing during the week.
Passing North along the western shore Daufuskie Island, I was sorry to see that even it had not been spare the ravages of "McMansions." The island was once so isolated that most of the population didn't speak English, couldn't swim and had never seen a car. Cars were not allowed on the island for a long time but now it seems that all the stuff that comes with "gentrification" has hit the Island big time. Another quaint, American treasure has gone "Bye-bye!" thanks to the almighty dollar. Though I don't know for certain, I would suspect that the "newcomers" who now infest the island, found Hilton Head "too common" for them.
What couldn't be done in Calibouge Sound for a lack of wind, certainly was done in Port Royal Sound. With the wind and tide working in concert, speeds of 8.6+ knots were achieved. Of course, it was probabiamoly COG as opposed to SOG or VMG, but 8.6+ knots is wonderful no matter what is is so long as it isn't taking you over the edge of the world. Whatever it was all disappeared as I entered the Beaufort River from Port Royal Sound at Parris Island(Yes, THAT Parris Island. Semper Fi . . . . Hurrah). This makes twice I have gone by Parris Island and I have yet to see a Marine. I am sure they are there somewhere though.
I got to dock all by myself in a nice 15 knot wind at the Beaufort Yacht and Sailing Club and I didn't damage the dock or ABISHAG. The current in the rivers in South Carolina are something else, especially here in Beaufort where all the cruising guides hand out all sorts of warnings about docking. Well, I made it safe and sound once again, but then again, it has never been the arrival at but the departure from the dock that has never been my strong suit.
Boat Names of the Day: Gulliver; Knot On Call; Knot A Nuff; Andiamo
Current Location: Beaufort Sailing & Yacht Club: 32'24.405N 080'40.148W
Now I don't want to say that I am a bit slow on the uptake, but as I was plowing through all the palm fronds and water reeds in the water, it finally dawned on me that they probably got there as a result of the big storm they had in the area on Saturday. And there were considerable amounts of the floating detritus to get through today, including one fair size tree that probably could have done some serious damage had I not managed to avoid hitting it. I was really surprised by that one. A branch I could see, even a couple of branches, perhaps even some large branches, but an entire tree? I must have been overhanging a bank somewhere and the water simply washed away the underpinnings and "SPLASH" and instant obstacle. It was good that it happened to show up when it did as there are several places, earlier and some ahead, where the room to maneuver would have been far less, along with the ability to avoid it. But it went its merry way with a "security" call from me warning those behind of the approaching menace.
Calibouge Sound, which run most of the length of Hilton Head, looked like a good opportunity to stretch some sail clothe. Alas, when I got there there was no wind. I could have used it as the Sound was ebbing and it made the 3 mile passage just a bit slow. There were lots of locals on the water and I got to thinking, don't these people work? Perhaps they have "Easter Vacation" or something, but there seems like, during the whole trip I now realize, that there are a lot of people out boating and fishing during the week.
Passing North along the western shore Daufuskie Island, I was sorry to see that even it had not been spare the ravages of "McMansions." The island was once so isolated that most of the population didn't speak English, couldn't swim and had never seen a car. Cars were not allowed on the island for a long time but now it seems that all the stuff that comes with "gentrification" has hit the Island big time. Another quaint, American treasure has gone "Bye-bye!" thanks to the almighty dollar. Though I don't know for certain, I would suspect that the "newcomers" who now infest the island, found Hilton Head "too common" for them.
What couldn't be done in Calibouge Sound for a lack of wind, certainly was done in Port Royal Sound. With the wind and tide working in concert, speeds of 8.6+ knots were achieved. Of course, it was probabiamoly COG as opposed to SOG or VMG, but 8.6+ knots is wonderful no matter what is is so long as it isn't taking you over the edge of the world. Whatever it was all disappeared as I entered the Beaufort River from Port Royal Sound at Parris Island(Yes, THAT Parris Island. Semper Fi . . . . Hurrah). This makes twice I have gone by Parris Island and I have yet to see a Marine. I am sure they are there somewhere though.
I got to dock all by myself in a nice 15 knot wind at the Beaufort Yacht and Sailing Club and I didn't damage the dock or ABISHAG. The current in the rivers in South Carolina are something else, especially here in Beaufort where all the cruising guides hand out all sorts of warnings about docking. Well, I made it safe and sound once again, but then again, it has never been the arrival at but the departure from the dock that has never been my strong suit.
Boat Names of the Day: Gulliver; Knot On Call; Knot A Nuff; Andiamo
Monday, April 18, 2011
New Day, New State
SHIP'S LOG:
Current Location: New River 32'06.790N/ 080'54.346W
Well, it's "Goodbye Georgia!" and "Hello South Carolina!" It was a trip of a little over 20 miles and it brought me to New River, north of Savannah and just off of Daufaskie Island. It is a quaint little place that has no cars and not lots of modern conveniences, though it does have a championship golf course - - go figure.
The trip wasn't particularly difficult. The toughest things were keeping down the speed and staying in deep water. As you leave Isle of Hope, you eventually run into the pull of the Savannah River and when a mass of water decides it wants to move, it moves. I actually got up over 8 knots according to the GPS . It would have been wonderful if I had had a long way to go, but I didn't so it really wasn't. What made it not wonderful was that this little section of the ICW was full of twists and turns which made for a lot of shoals and sand bars and the current made it a bit dicey staying on course. In addition, there was a lot of stuff floating in the water, palm fronds, water reeds and the like, and they tended top clump together. The clump together around other floating debris - some soft and some hard, like the ocasional log, and they also tended to clump around crab pot buoys making them invisable. In the ICW crab pots RULE! They are the most accurate sign of the where the deep water is and where it is not, and the not part is important. But the palm fronds and water reeds also clump around themselves so that you couldn't tell if they were hiding something important or not.
The current also made turns interesting. You tend to slide sideways through turns and with this you have to be careful for one side of a corner is always shallow and the other is always deep(mostly) and figuring out which is which can be a bit stressful. The whole thing can be something akin to skidding on ice at a real slow speed in your car..
Crossing the Savannah River itself is also a bit dicey as there is a southern branch line with nasty rocks and the main branch which has most of the current. I had to cut accross the river, avoiding the traffic up and down, and "dive" into Field's Cut, an unnatural channel connecting the Savannah with New River. As it is not "natural" but man made, it tends to fill in and does so especially where in joins the Savannah River. It has little or no current and one goes from lots of current to none, from 40 - 50 feet of water to 9, and the point of transition is exciting to say the least!
After that it was a few more miles of trying to stay in the deep water as I wended my way up Field's Cut into New River. I can see Savannah off in the distance and the airport is a mile or so ahead off the river. Planes are coming in and out. Actually this anchorage is a nice little spot. I spent a couple of days here back in November. It was when I left here two days after Thanksgiving that the weather began to go into the crapper. Hopefully it will now continue the other way.
I will be in Beaufort tomorrow all things being equal and will dock at the Beaufort Yacht Club as I did on my way down. It will be another chance to meet "The Outrageous Guy McSweeney" and Dave "Dr. Fix-it" Dixon, two real highlights on this whole trip.
Current Location: New River 32'06.790N/ 080'54.346W
Well, it's "Goodbye Georgia!" and "Hello South Carolina!" It was a trip of a little over 20 miles and it brought me to New River, north of Savannah and just off of Daufaskie Island. It is a quaint little place that has no cars and not lots of modern conveniences, though it does have a championship golf course - - go figure.
The trip wasn't particularly difficult. The toughest things were keeping down the speed and staying in deep water. As you leave Isle of Hope, you eventually run into the pull of the Savannah River and when a mass of water decides it wants to move, it moves. I actually got up over 8 knots according to the GPS . It would have been wonderful if I had had a long way to go, but I didn't so it really wasn't. What made it not wonderful was that this little section of the ICW was full of twists and turns which made for a lot of shoals and sand bars and the current made it a bit dicey staying on course. In addition, there was a lot of stuff floating in the water, palm fronds, water reeds and the like, and they tended top clump together. The clump together around other floating debris - some soft and some hard, like the ocasional log, and they also tended to clump around crab pot buoys making them invisable. In the ICW crab pots RULE! They are the most accurate sign of the where the deep water is and where it is not, and the not part is important. But the palm fronds and water reeds also clump around themselves so that you couldn't tell if they were hiding something important or not.
The current also made turns interesting. You tend to slide sideways through turns and with this you have to be careful for one side of a corner is always shallow and the other is always deep(mostly) and figuring out which is which can be a bit stressful. The whole thing can be something akin to skidding on ice at a real slow speed in your car..
Crossing the Savannah River itself is also a bit dicey as there is a southern branch line with nasty rocks and the main branch which has most of the current. I had to cut accross the river, avoiding the traffic up and down, and "dive" into Field's Cut, an unnatural channel connecting the Savannah with New River. As it is not "natural" but man made, it tends to fill in and does so especially where in joins the Savannah River. It has little or no current and one goes from lots of current to none, from 40 - 50 feet of water to 9, and the point of transition is exciting to say the least!
After that it was a few more miles of trying to stay in the deep water as I wended my way up Field's Cut into New River. I can see Savannah off in the distance and the airport is a mile or so ahead off the river. Planes are coming in and out. Actually this anchorage is a nice little spot. I spent a couple of days here back in November. It was when I left here two days after Thanksgiving that the weather began to go into the crapper. Hopefully it will now continue the other way.
I will be in Beaufort tomorrow all things being equal and will dock at the Beaufort Yacht Club as I did on my way down. It will be another chance to meet "The Outrageous Guy McSweeney" and Dave "Dr. Fix-it" Dixon, two real highlights on this whole trip.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
More On "The Loopers"
SHIP'S LOG:
Another beautiful day here in North Georgia! The effects of the front are gone, the sun is bright, the humidity is low and there is a gentle wind blowing. You couldn't have asked for a better day. . . . . . . except for the gnatz! So much of the area along the ICW here in Georgia, and I am afraid also in South Carolina and North Carolina too, is marsh and swamp. It is also the home of billions and billions of gnats! They stay away when the wind blows as they probably can't overcome the force of the moving air, but let the wind cease to blow, for even a moment, and they are on you like white on rice! A generous application of OFF or NO Natz or some other bug spray and they stay off you but only just. The swarm about a foot and a half away, just waiting. Occasionally some daring gnats will make the attempt at a meal , bravely battling through the chemical barrier only to die after the first bite. If you have any body hair, the bug spray sort of stiffens it and so you feel the little critters crawling on it which is almost as bad as them actually landing for lunch. And like I said, there are billions and billions of them.
Worse, while not as numerous, are the green flies. These little buggers bite like horseflies and can draw blood. They are so nasty they will attack through your clothes! Luckily they too don't like OFF and the other chemical defenses, but there is always one or two who try for a meal anyway. They too tend to hover just over there, waiting, looking for a chance to snack. I don't think I will ever complain about mosquitoes again!
Some "Loopers " departed this morning and more "Loopers" showed up to take their places. They all seem to be from the mid-west - Michigan, Ohio, Illinois - and most of them travel in Trawler styled power boats. Most have, as they put it, "no dirt homes," that is their boat is there home and everything , except for what might be in storage, is on board. Of course, it doesn't stop the "kids" from visiting Mom & Dad. Two of the boats got visits today. . . all the way from Ohio!
Most of the "Loopers" have very comfortable boats with lots of the "necessities," like flat-screen TV, satellite dishes and washers and driers. One particular boat, the trawler"Jeremiah," actually has a lawn on the back deck. Not artificial grass or a green carpet but honest to goodness sod. Harry the owner says he likes to "walk on grass" every now and then. I asked him if he "mowes the lawn," and he said," No. But every now and then, when it gets too unruly or starts to burn up, I simply dump it and go to a gardening store for a new lawn."
Looper" also seem to really be into dogs. They all seem to have at least one. Many have two. I have never been a big fan of dogs on sailboats though I do know some people who wouldn't think of leaving "Spot" or "Mr. Jingles" ashore when they "yacht." I would just be afraid of loosing the dog over the side or stepping on it or having it get in the way in at some crucial moment. Perhaps they work better on power boats, especially trawlers.
I noticed the other day that I am down to 590 miles to Hospital Point in Newport News VA, mile marker "O" for the ICW. even with the stays of a couple of days here and there, the trip seems to be passing faster than it did on the way down. I suppose that is just perception, that I was going " into the unknown" while now I have seen all these places before and they seem familiar and so they just seem to come more quickly.
I got to meet Kim's husband, John. Kim is the woman who handles the boast coming into the Isle of Hope Marina. Her husband is an Army office and when I was here in November, he was due back shortly from Iraq. She had been anxious and concerned but he got back safe and sound. He's very tall and has a voice that starts in his shoes. He came by early this morning to visit Kim at work . . . just before he went off to play golf! He has a close friend who is the local pro and they guy got Titlist(sp?) to donate 12 sets of clubs and 800 golf balls to his unit back in Iraq. The had created an 18 hole course in Iraq for the troops to play. No grass, all sand. And they had to play in combat gear and boots. But hey, it was tension reducing.
Tomorrow it is off to South Carolina!
Another beautiful day here in North Georgia! The effects of the front are gone, the sun is bright, the humidity is low and there is a gentle wind blowing. You couldn't have asked for a better day. . . . . . . except for the gnatz! So much of the area along the ICW here in Georgia, and I am afraid also in South Carolina and North Carolina too, is marsh and swamp. It is also the home of billions and billions of gnats! They stay away when the wind blows as they probably can't overcome the force of the moving air, but let the wind cease to blow, for even a moment, and they are on you like white on rice! A generous application of OFF or NO Natz or some other bug spray and they stay off you but only just. The swarm about a foot and a half away, just waiting. Occasionally some daring gnats will make the attempt at a meal , bravely battling through the chemical barrier only to die after the first bite. If you have any body hair, the bug spray sort of stiffens it and so you feel the little critters crawling on it which is almost as bad as them actually landing for lunch. And like I said, there are billions and billions of them.
Worse, while not as numerous, are the green flies. These little buggers bite like horseflies and can draw blood. They are so nasty they will attack through your clothes! Luckily they too don't like OFF and the other chemical defenses, but there is always one or two who try for a meal anyway. They too tend to hover just over there, waiting, looking for a chance to snack. I don't think I will ever complain about mosquitoes again!
Some "Loopers " departed this morning and more "Loopers" showed up to take their places. They all seem to be from the mid-west - Michigan, Ohio, Illinois - and most of them travel in Trawler styled power boats. Most have, as they put it, "no dirt homes," that is their boat is there home and everything , except for what might be in storage, is on board. Of course, it doesn't stop the "kids" from visiting Mom & Dad. Two of the boats got visits today. . . all the way from Ohio!
Most of the "Loopers" have very comfortable boats with lots of the "necessities," like flat-screen TV, satellite dishes and washers and driers. One particular boat, the trawler"Jeremiah," actually has a lawn on the back deck. Not artificial grass or a green carpet but honest to goodness sod. Harry the owner says he likes to "walk on grass" every now and then. I asked him if he "mowes the lawn," and he said," No. But every now and then, when it gets too unruly or starts to burn up, I simply dump it and go to a gardening store for a new lawn."
Looper" also seem to really be into dogs. They all seem to have at least one. Many have two. I have never been a big fan of dogs on sailboats though I do know some people who wouldn't think of leaving "Spot" or "Mr. Jingles" ashore when they "yacht." I would just be afraid of loosing the dog over the side or stepping on it or having it get in the way in at some crucial moment. Perhaps they work better on power boats, especially trawlers.
I noticed the other day that I am down to 590 miles to Hospital Point in Newport News VA, mile marker "O" for the ICW. even with the stays of a couple of days here and there, the trip seems to be passing faster than it did on the way down. I suppose that is just perception, that I was going " into the unknown" while now I have seen all these places before and they seem familiar and so they just seem to come more quickly.
I got to meet Kim's husband, John. Kim is the woman who handles the boast coming into the Isle of Hope Marina. Her husband is an Army office and when I was here in November, he was due back shortly from Iraq. She had been anxious and concerned but he got back safe and sound. He's very tall and has a voice that starts in his shoes. He came by early this morning to visit Kim at work . . . just before he went off to play golf! He has a close friend who is the local pro and they guy got Titlist(sp?) to donate 12 sets of clubs and 800 golf balls to his unit back in Iraq. The had created an 18 hole course in Iraq for the troops to play. No grass, all sand. And they had to play in combat gear and boots. But hey, it was tension reducing.
Tomorrow it is off to South Carolina!
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