SHIP'S LOG:
Current Location: Bell's River, Fernandina Beach, FL 30'40.283N/081'128.874W
Gone before dawn. . . away at 6:51 am with dawn at 7:08. A significant moment came at 7:34am when I passed the site of one of my groundings, just outside of St. Augustine. It was approaching low tide as I passed and it was easy to see why I grounded. Despite the MLW(Mean Low Water) depth on the chart of 16feet, sand bars were peaking out all over the place. And so began the search for deep water that will continue until I hit Mile Marker "0" at Hospital Point in VA. I am once again the salve of the depth sounder.
Getting a much earlier than usual start, I neglected to check the condition of the dinghy which was in need of a pump up. As a result of its flaccid condition. it began to drag in the water, a fact that was revealed to me by a passing boat. There was no way to blow it up as there4 was no place to stop to do the deed. Anchoring in the middle of the ICW is a no-no. So I drifted, unhooked the dinghy from the davits and tied the painter to the stern cleat, all the while praying that ABISHAG would suddenly take it into her head to run aground somehow.
There was lots of northbound traffic and unfortunately we were all headed into the current and into the wind( despite what the boys and girls at NOAA had proclaimed that very morning). As a result it was a rather slow slog up the ICW, getting a few boost, one at the St. John River and the other at Nassau. But what they gave with one hand, they took away with the other and the boost only lasted for a mile or so before it was back down to slogging.
There was a lot of "tag playing " between boats, people catching up and passing boats from previous anchorages and marinas. Lots of joshing on the radio back and forth. During the trip through Palm Valley, I saw my first and, so far, only Alligator swimming in the ICW. Probably a couple of feet long. Truth be told, you can't see much but there is no mistaking what you do see.
I am heading into a portion of the ICW where there is some serious barge traffic. I had to avoid two today. I also had to avoid a mini-cruise ship, American Glory, on its way to Jacksonville or St. Augustine. Talk about a tight squeeze.
After leaving at 6:51am, I dropped the hook at 4:45pm after a little over 55 miles as the dolphin swims. The worst part of the whole day, aside from the times of crushing boredom, was the constant passing of powerboats at unacceptable speeds that produced big wakes and rocked me all over the place. May one out of 30 actually did a slow pass. After awhile, I was wishing for a canon!
Some of the boats today were: Keep It Reel; Knot Enough; Smile Doctor; Livin Large; Poor Frog(from Montreal);No Payment Due; Paper Trail; Slice of Life; Sunday Funday; Over Budget; Getting Better All The Time; It's About Time;Wet Wings.
Tomorrow, weather permitting, I shall leave Florida behind an head into Georgia
WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!
Cell phone coverage and Internet access in Parts of Georgia, North & South Carolina is a bit spotty. There will be days when I will be "out of touch." Just a head's up!
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Friday, April 8, 2011
Onward Northward
SHIP'S LOG:
Current Location: St. Augustine : 29'53.175N/ 081'18.245W
Today got off to a rather exciting start. About 7Am, a fire truck, siren howling and lights aflashing,came roaring into the marina. Naturally it got every one's attention. I look around to see what boat was on fire, after first checking my own, and it turned out that none were. Several firemen went rushing down the far dock carrying, not fire fighting equipment, but obvious medical equipment. As they did so, an ambulance roared up, so it became clear that it wasn't a fire but a medical emergency. Eventually, word got around that the wife of one of the boaters had had what appeared to have been a "small stroke." At last report, is was alive even if not too well and in the local hospital.
What actually woke me up this morning were the birds. Not the gulls and pelicans and other sea birds, but real birds, song birds and they were singing up a storm. Last night it was the peepers. They too were singing long and loud. Spring is definitely here for "love is in the sir." It is probably not the case further north, but today, down here, it certainly was!
It was an easy jaunt from Palm Coast to St. Augustine, a little over 20 miles. The only place of concern was the Matanzas Inlet. There has been a lot of shoaling recently and the buoys in the water are far different than those on the charts. I remember that when I came down here in December, it was a hairy passage of a little over a mile which ran you, or appeared to, right up along side a bank on the western shore. Taking the passage slowly and following the track I made in December that was still in the GPS didn't necessarily take the jitters away but it turned out that it took me through with no real problems at all.
Speaking of the GPS, it seems to have developed a"glitch." As it loads each new map section, it slowly "greys-out" the top 10% of the screen and they clears it, only to do it again a few seconds later. And again, and again. If I set it out at a range of 200 feet or more, it does do it, only at 120 or closer. Of course, right now the most useful settings are those of 120 or less. Of Course. It is more of a nuisance than a real problem. On the way down, it went through a couple of hours of feezing( didn't everyone in December) but eventually unlearned that trick. I am will to bet that the same will happen this time. Maybe it just doesn't like the maps of northern Florida.
Had a great time with Martha and Rich last night, along with their friends Kathy, Frank and Debbie. It was well worth the wait for them to get back from the Left Coast. Rich is/was a dentist who loves to kid around. He even looks like a dentist. You know, the one played by Laurence Olivier in "The Marathon Man," . . . . "Is it safe?" Truth be told, he and Martha are really warm and wonderful people who opened their home to me. And I am honored to call them friends.
The northern migration has definitely started. Lots of boats heading north including some I encountered on the way south. Among the more original names: Hops & Scotch; Wings & Jeans; Knot Too Late; Sea Yawl; Doyle's Elbow; Ol' Spice; Tourist; My Time Too; The Office; Cat Ching(a catamaran) ; Biech to Beach(from Beich, NC) Sea Dick & Jane; Happy Feet; Chubby Ducky; Iffin; Reel Luv; Liquidity; Official Business; Bewitched; Long Haul; Gravity Storm; Run Tum Tiger; Moonlight; Moon Struck; Tropical Blend; Gail Winds; Anadante; Two Gether; Brat; Watts New( an electric powered boat).
Most marinas have a book exchange. Cruisers drop off books they've read and pick new one for the trip ahead. I picked up three, though one I'll never read. It was a James Clavell book Guaw Jin . . .. but what I didn't realize until later was that it was in SWEDISH! ! !! ! ! !
Current Location: St. Augustine : 29'53.175N/ 081'18.245W
Today got off to a rather exciting start. About 7Am, a fire truck, siren howling and lights aflashing,came roaring into the marina. Naturally it got every one's attention. I look around to see what boat was on fire, after first checking my own, and it turned out that none were. Several firemen went rushing down the far dock carrying, not fire fighting equipment, but obvious medical equipment. As they did so, an ambulance roared up, so it became clear that it wasn't a fire but a medical emergency. Eventually, word got around that the wife of one of the boaters had had what appeared to have been a "small stroke." At last report, is was alive even if not too well and in the local hospital.
What actually woke me up this morning were the birds. Not the gulls and pelicans and other sea birds, but real birds, song birds and they were singing up a storm. Last night it was the peepers. They too were singing long and loud. Spring is definitely here for "love is in the sir." It is probably not the case further north, but today, down here, it certainly was!
It was an easy jaunt from Palm Coast to St. Augustine, a little over 20 miles. The only place of concern was the Matanzas Inlet. There has been a lot of shoaling recently and the buoys in the water are far different than those on the charts. I remember that when I came down here in December, it was a hairy passage of a little over a mile which ran you, or appeared to, right up along side a bank on the western shore. Taking the passage slowly and following the track I made in December that was still in the GPS didn't necessarily take the jitters away but it turned out that it took me through with no real problems at all.
Speaking of the GPS, it seems to have developed a"glitch." As it loads each new map section, it slowly "greys-out" the top 10% of the screen and they clears it, only to do it again a few seconds later. And again, and again. If I set it out at a range of 200 feet or more, it does do it, only at 120 or closer. Of course, right now the most useful settings are those of 120 or less. Of Course. It is more of a nuisance than a real problem. On the way down, it went through a couple of hours of feezing( didn't everyone in December) but eventually unlearned that trick. I am will to bet that the same will happen this time. Maybe it just doesn't like the maps of northern Florida.
Had a great time with Martha and Rich last night, along with their friends Kathy, Frank and Debbie. It was well worth the wait for them to get back from the Left Coast. Rich is/was a dentist who loves to kid around. He even looks like a dentist. You know, the one played by Laurence Olivier in "The Marathon Man," . . . . "Is it safe?" Truth be told, he and Martha are really warm and wonderful people who opened their home to me. And I am honored to call them friends.
The northern migration has definitely started. Lots of boats heading north including some I encountered on the way south. Among the more original names: Hops & Scotch; Wings & Jeans; Knot Too Late; Sea Yawl; Doyle's Elbow; Ol' Spice; Tourist; My Time Too; The Office; Cat Ching(a catamaran) ; Biech to Beach(from Beich, NC) Sea Dick & Jane; Happy Feet; Chubby Ducky; Iffin; Reel Luv; Liquidity; Official Business; Bewitched; Long Haul; Gravity Storm; Run Tum Tiger; Moonlight; Moon Struck; Tropical Blend; Gail Winds; Anadante; Two Gether; Brat; Watts New( an electric powered boat).
Most marinas have a book exchange. Cruisers drop off books they've read and pick new one for the trip ahead. I picked up three, though one I'll never read. It was a James Clavell book Guaw Jin . . .. but what I didn't realize until later was that it was in SWEDISH! ! !! ! ! !
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Rainy Day IV: Man The Pumps!
SHIP'S LOG:
What is it with Florida? Anybody know? It seems as if it can't just rain down here. Today(Tuesday) we had another one of those "special storms". It started about 8am and finished up here in Daytona about noon. It was typical, you know rain(torrential), wind(gusts to 60mph), thunder( LOUD!), lightning("frequent and excessive" according to NOAA), hail(only "dime size" this time), and tornadoes(though these all showed up as waterspouts). Can't it just bloody rain!?
Actually it would be easier to deal with if it all happened basically at the same time, but it doesn't do that either! It seems as though you get the wind first. This morning, it was clear skied but then the wind came and blew in the clouds and kept blowing, running up from a mere nothing to a solid 30-35, and then the gusts. This time, the early wind oriented ABISHAG and the others in the anchorage to the right direction before the onset of the gusts so that the first indication that the storm was really here was not getting laid over.
Then suddenly the wind stopped, or at least dropped below 20 and then came the rain. I don't know how much but it is always a lot when it blocks you from seeing any of the other boats around you. I think NOAA reported about 2 inches all told by the time the storm went its merry way out to sea.It fell like some one playing with a faucet. Hard and fast, slow and light, hard, slow, light , hard . . . . you get the idea.
It was funny that the thunder and lightning came when the rain was light. There some really fantastic bolts, though all for the most part seemed none too close. The thunder you felt through the air and then through the hull of the boat. A real one - two punch..
Then there was the hail. Not much of that, thank God, and it was pretty light. Even at "dime size" it rather stings should you get struck by it.
It appears that the major parts of the "squall line" went more south of Daytona. The places I was just some weeks ago really took a beating. There were few spots down there, around Titusville and Melbourne, that I would have like to have ridden out this storm or the ones last week.
Just before the curtain riser at 8am, a sailboat left the Aquamarina right near by and headed north. I really couldn't think of what he was doing. At that time, the weather from the north was awful according to the NOAA reports. He was basically ridding right into the teeth of another line of thunderstorms with all the fun features of the ones we would later experienced. I hope he got to where he was going all right. I wonder if he even checked the weather before he left for it didn't make a whole lot of sense to take off with what was in the offing.
I will have to admit that the boys and girls of NOAA, as badly as they seem to be at times, really have their act down when they deal with a serious and immediate weather problem. If they say something will begin at such and such a time, they are right on; if they say that it will move in such a way, it does; if they say it is going to end at this time, it does. Now if they can only get that good with the regular forecasts!
O well, the sun is out now and though the wind is still a bit up(15-20), the skies are clearing and tomorrow is supposed to be just fine. It will be good to be moving again, though the wind, what there will be of it, will be right on the nose. No Sailing tomorrow, unless NOAA got it wrong and what are the chances of that happening?
What is it with Florida? Anybody know? It seems as if it can't just rain down here. Today(Tuesday) we had another one of those "special storms". It started about 8am and finished up here in Daytona about noon. It was typical, you know rain(torrential), wind(gusts to 60mph), thunder( LOUD!), lightning("frequent and excessive" according to NOAA), hail(only "dime size" this time), and tornadoes(though these all showed up as waterspouts). Can't it just bloody rain!?
Actually it would be easier to deal with if it all happened basically at the same time, but it doesn't do that either! It seems as though you get the wind first. This morning, it was clear skied but then the wind came and blew in the clouds and kept blowing, running up from a mere nothing to a solid 30-35, and then the gusts. This time, the early wind oriented ABISHAG and the others in the anchorage to the right direction before the onset of the gusts so that the first indication that the storm was really here was not getting laid over.
Then suddenly the wind stopped, or at least dropped below 20 and then came the rain. I don't know how much but it is always a lot when it blocks you from seeing any of the other boats around you. I think NOAA reported about 2 inches all told by the time the storm went its merry way out to sea.It fell like some one playing with a faucet. Hard and fast, slow and light, hard, slow, light , hard . . . . you get the idea.
It was funny that the thunder and lightning came when the rain was light. There some really fantastic bolts, though all for the most part seemed none too close. The thunder you felt through the air and then through the hull of the boat. A real one - two punch..
Then there was the hail. Not much of that, thank God, and it was pretty light. Even at "dime size" it rather stings should you get struck by it.
It appears that the major parts of the "squall line" went more south of Daytona. The places I was just some weeks ago really took a beating. There were few spots down there, around Titusville and Melbourne, that I would have like to have ridden out this storm or the ones last week.
Just before the curtain riser at 8am, a sailboat left the Aquamarina right near by and headed north. I really couldn't think of what he was doing. At that time, the weather from the north was awful according to the NOAA reports. He was basically ridding right into the teeth of another line of thunderstorms with all the fun features of the ones we would later experienced. I hope he got to where he was going all right. I wonder if he even checked the weather before he left for it didn't make a whole lot of sense to take off with what was in the offing.
I will have to admit that the boys and girls of NOAA, as badly as they seem to be at times, really have their act down when they deal with a serious and immediate weather problem. If they say something will begin at such and such a time, they are right on; if they say that it will move in such a way, it does; if they say it is going to end at this time, it does. Now if they can only get that good with the regular forecasts!
O well, the sun is out now and though the wind is still a bit up(15-20), the skies are clearing and tomorrow is supposed to be just fine. It will be good to be moving again, though the wind, what there will be of it, will be right on the nose. No Sailing tomorrow, unless NOAA got it wrong and what are the chances of that happening?
Monday, April 4, 2011
Rollicking! ! ! ! ! ! !
SHIP'S LOG:
It has been a rollicking day down here in Daytona! This morning at sunrise, there was barely a stirring in the air. By 8am, the wind had cranked up to a solid 25 and remained there all morning. During the afternoon, it got up as high as 30. Now these aren't especially "terrible" numbers, but in the shallow water of this anchorage, such "breezes" do set up a nasty chop. It is tough to put anything down and have it remain in place and if a liquid, to remain un-spilt. It does not appear that it will die down all that much tonight as this wind is the harbinger of a front that will move through later tonight insuring, according to the boys and girls at NOAA, that it will be another one of those days. You know, rain, thunderstorms, hail, high winds, possible tornadoes. Right now, it is making snow sound good.
I replaced the final hinge on the doors to the windlass locker. All four of them gave up the ghost on this trip and have had to be replaced It is a weird item to break in the first place but to have all four of them go in the space of a few months is hard to believe. But believe it or not, they all went and, even stranger, I had replacements available in my "What not" locker. With all the other odd items located there in, the prospect of more "weird" replacements in the future is not fun to contemplate.
I am starting to think in terms of fall. It is as though I have gone through my "summer" and am now approaching the end and what "should" be ahead is fall. But actually, it is SPRING! I think my biological clock is going to go a bit off in the weeks ahead.
For a few weeks now, I have been trying to locate the source of a tapping that seems to come in the early evening. It is as though there is a "mad" woodpecker tapping away somewhere. Y p until today, I have only heard it at night and I have actually conducts hunts to try and locate the source of the noise. I narrowed it down to the port side of the boat near or around the engine somewhere, but couldn't get any closer than that . . . . until today. I was sitting up in the cockpit reading when I heard it and it was right next to me. I looked down and it turned out to be a unsnapped metal snap on the dodge. The wind was causing it to "tap" against the retaining stud. Well that's one "mystery" solved, a 1,000 more to go.
It has been a rollicking day down here in Daytona! This morning at sunrise, there was barely a stirring in the air. By 8am, the wind had cranked up to a solid 25 and remained there all morning. During the afternoon, it got up as high as 30. Now these aren't especially "terrible" numbers, but in the shallow water of this anchorage, such "breezes" do set up a nasty chop. It is tough to put anything down and have it remain in place and if a liquid, to remain un-spilt. It does not appear that it will die down all that much tonight as this wind is the harbinger of a front that will move through later tonight insuring, according to the boys and girls at NOAA, that it will be another one of those days. You know, rain, thunderstorms, hail, high winds, possible tornadoes. Right now, it is making snow sound good.
I replaced the final hinge on the doors to the windlass locker. All four of them gave up the ghost on this trip and have had to be replaced It is a weird item to break in the first place but to have all four of them go in the space of a few months is hard to believe. But believe it or not, they all went and, even stranger, I had replacements available in my "What not" locker. With all the other odd items located there in, the prospect of more "weird" replacements in the future is not fun to contemplate.
I am starting to think in terms of fall. It is as though I have gone through my "summer" and am now approaching the end and what "should" be ahead is fall. But actually, it is SPRING! I think my biological clock is going to go a bit off in the weeks ahead.
For a few weeks now, I have been trying to locate the source of a tapping that seems to come in the early evening. It is as though there is a "mad" woodpecker tapping away somewhere. Y p until today, I have only heard it at night and I have actually conducts hunts to try and locate the source of the noise. I narrowed it down to the port side of the boat near or around the engine somewhere, but couldn't get any closer than that . . . . until today. I was sitting up in the cockpit reading when I heard it and it was right next to me. I looked down and it turned out to be a unsnapped metal snap on the dodge. The wind was causing it to "tap" against the retaining stud. Well that's one "mystery" solved, a 1,000 more to go.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Another Dull, Hot, Sunny, Boring Day In Daytona!
SHIP'S LOG:
Well, though I am still in Daytona, I did travel today . . . just a little bit. I had to do a "Pump & Dump & Fuel-up" as I was running out of fuel and filling up with garbage and . . . . "black water!"
Those are some of the things people who don't live on boat never think about. Flush the toilet and that's that. Put the garbage out by the curb once a week and it magically disappears. And the fuel truck comes to your home! And when the wind blows and the rain pours most people hardly notice it is happening and unless you live in a "double-wide," they never have to check and make sure that their "home" won't blow away!
Some poor fellow in a Catalina 25 sailed away from the dock at the Halifax Sailing Club and
"discovered new land." Evidently he strayed to close to shore and found one of the many sand bars that dot the Halifax River outside of the ICW Channel. He could sail off and couldn't power off and was lucky that one of the coaches from the sailing club was tooling around in a skiff and was able to pull him off. Major "whoopsies" like that cause the loss of "Harbor Face" and usually only happen when there are lots of people around to see it happen. Such was not the case today though and aside from the embarrassment he might have experienced in front of his crew, no other serious damage was done.
I sort of had my own experience with possible loss of "Harbor Face" today. Coming back to the anchorage after my "journey", I was headed up to the bow to drop the hook when I somehow snagged one of my "alligator shoes" or whatever they call those rubberized clogs, in the jackline and it flipped overboard. It was beyond boathook reach in seconds and getting the anchor down and set was primary. I kept look back as the bloody "shoe" floated down wind. No way I could take ABISHAG toward it or I would have gone aground, so i kept an eye on it during the anchoring process. Once the hook was down and set, I lowered the dinghy and went off in search of the most recent "crew" to abandon ship. Truth be told, I can't remember the last item lost overboard, it has been awhile. It took about 10 minutes to find and finally "rescue" the floating "shoe." And that was the extent of the excitement today.
Tuesday's departure is now in the "iffy" category as the boys and girls at NOAA are giving a "50% chance of rain on Tuesday. Well then, departure will be Wednesday. I'm flexible!
Well, though I am still in Daytona, I did travel today . . . just a little bit. I had to do a "Pump & Dump & Fuel-up" as I was running out of fuel and filling up with garbage and . . . . "black water!"
Those are some of the things people who don't live on boat never think about. Flush the toilet and that's that. Put the garbage out by the curb once a week and it magically disappears. And the fuel truck comes to your home! And when the wind blows and the rain pours most people hardly notice it is happening and unless you live in a "double-wide," they never have to check and make sure that their "home" won't blow away!
Some poor fellow in a Catalina 25 sailed away from the dock at the Halifax Sailing Club and
"discovered new land." Evidently he strayed to close to shore and found one of the many sand bars that dot the Halifax River outside of the ICW Channel. He could sail off and couldn't power off and was lucky that one of the coaches from the sailing club was tooling around in a skiff and was able to pull him off. Major "whoopsies" like that cause the loss of "Harbor Face" and usually only happen when there are lots of people around to see it happen. Such was not the case today though and aside from the embarrassment he might have experienced in front of his crew, no other serious damage was done.
I sort of had my own experience with possible loss of "Harbor Face" today. Coming back to the anchorage after my "journey", I was headed up to the bow to drop the hook when I somehow snagged one of my "alligator shoes" or whatever they call those rubberized clogs, in the jackline and it flipped overboard. It was beyond boathook reach in seconds and getting the anchor down and set was primary. I kept look back as the bloody "shoe" floated down wind. No way I could take ABISHAG toward it or I would have gone aground, so i kept an eye on it during the anchoring process. Once the hook was down and set, I lowered the dinghy and went off in search of the most recent "crew" to abandon ship. Truth be told, I can't remember the last item lost overboard, it has been awhile. It took about 10 minutes to find and finally "rescue" the floating "shoe." And that was the extent of the excitement today.
Tuesday's departure is now in the "iffy" category as the boys and girls at NOAA are giving a "50% chance of rain on Tuesday. Well then, departure will be Wednesday. I'm flexible!
Saturday, April 2, 2011
SHIP'S LOG:
Daytona . . . .Still! ! ! ! !
Hey, it could be a lot worse. I could be "rotting" on the hook in Cape May, NJ! At least here it is sunny and bright and WARM. The mornings and evenings have been cool, but the days are hot and sunny . . . . except for those storms, that is.
The Halifax Sailing Club ran another "Learn to Sail" Event for adults today and got a pretty good turn out. There must have been pretty close to 20. They got a morning of instruction and some sailing in before noon, got a lunch and then more sailing afterward. The after lunch part consisted of everyone lining up and sailing in formation - 100 yards this way, everybody tack - 100 yards this way everybody jibe - follow the leader around the marks and don't crash into any anchored boat. This group was better than last week's, less capsizing, fewer T-Boning incidents and crashes. Everyone appeared to have fun.
The anchorage has filled up with big boats, both power and sail. Ia ma beginning to think that the actual bottom bear no resemblance whatever to the charts. Of course, after 7 years of hurricane and other storms, it is doubtful that the charts most people have are anywhere up to date, me included.
More boats passed by today heading north. The great migration northward has begun in earnest. I get the impression from the cruisers I have met, especially those from Canada, that while they might go north, the boats do not. Somewhere between here and home, the boats are put up for the "summer" and will be returned to the water only in the late fall for the run south. Seems quite the reverse of what we do at home. The again, if you are making this trip every year, it saves a lot of wear and tear on the boat if you pick it up half way to your sunny destination. Easier on you as well.
I laid out the courses that will take me out of Florida, well at least to Fernandina Beach which is within spitting distance of Georgia. St. Augustine to Fernandina Beach is 55 miles and that is really a push. I might have to break it in half if I can find some good anchorages. I have a couple mapped out but until you see the "real ground," you never quite know what you have. I am not all that concerned about it though. It will all work out in the end. I still have a couple more "grounding sites" to get by, though I don't expect them to be a problem either . . .unless I find new ones!
Daytona . . . .Still! ! ! ! !
Hey, it could be a lot worse. I could be "rotting" on the hook in Cape May, NJ! At least here it is sunny and bright and WARM. The mornings and evenings have been cool, but the days are hot and sunny . . . . except for those storms, that is.
The Halifax Sailing Club ran another "Learn to Sail" Event for adults today and got a pretty good turn out. There must have been pretty close to 20. They got a morning of instruction and some sailing in before noon, got a lunch and then more sailing afterward. The after lunch part consisted of everyone lining up and sailing in formation - 100 yards this way, everybody tack - 100 yards this way everybody jibe - follow the leader around the marks and don't crash into any anchored boat. This group was better than last week's, less capsizing, fewer T-Boning incidents and crashes. Everyone appeared to have fun.
The anchorage has filled up with big boats, both power and sail. Ia ma beginning to think that the actual bottom bear no resemblance whatever to the charts. Of course, after 7 years of hurricane and other storms, it is doubtful that the charts most people have are anywhere up to date, me included.
More boats passed by today heading north. The great migration northward has begun in earnest. I get the impression from the cruisers I have met, especially those from Canada, that while they might go north, the boats do not. Somewhere between here and home, the boats are put up for the "summer" and will be returned to the water only in the late fall for the run south. Seems quite the reverse of what we do at home. The again, if you are making this trip every year, it saves a lot of wear and tear on the boat if you pick it up half way to your sunny destination. Easier on you as well.
I laid out the courses that will take me out of Florida, well at least to Fernandina Beach which is within spitting distance of Georgia. St. Augustine to Fernandina Beach is 55 miles and that is really a push. I might have to break it in half if I can find some good anchorages. I have a couple mapped out but until you see the "real ground," you never quite know what you have. I am not all that concerned about it though. It will all work out in the end. I still have a couple more "grounding sites" to get by, though I don't expect them to be a problem either . . .unless I find new ones!
Friday, April 1, 2011
What Is That Bright, Shiny Object In The Sky?
SHIP'S LOG:
Still on the hook in Daytona!
It actually got down into the 50's last night. Yeah, I know, I know, but down here that's cold. It made up for it during the day by getting up into the 80's. That was a good thing. i could open up the whole boat and let her air out and dry out. By late in the afternoon, the dampness had gone and thing were more back towards normal, at least for down here.
Rowed ashore and picked up some ice and a few odds and ends and then curled up with a good book in the sunshine. It was actually a bit "breezy" today as NOAA likes to say, blowing in the 20's but the fact that there wasn't a cloud in the sky and the temp was warm more than made up for it. I did a little repair work on my "Swedish" flag and the ensign. Both have gotten rather tattered from being blown against the shrouds and I will probably have to retire them once I get back. But they have been up everyday of the trip and they won't come down until it is over, if there is anything left to them.
I called Annie in St. Augustine and let here know I would probably be there by the end of next week. She seemed excited that we would have the chance to get together, especially since I missed her on the way down. (I didn't even know she lived in St. Augustine!) I am still waiting for Rich & Martha to get back from the left coast and they should be in Monday or Tuesday and I'll make a stop in Palm Coast.
Other than that there is not much going on . . . and I am enjoying that!
Still on the hook in Daytona!
It actually got down into the 50's last night. Yeah, I know, I know, but down here that's cold. It made up for it during the day by getting up into the 80's. That was a good thing. i could open up the whole boat and let her air out and dry out. By late in the afternoon, the dampness had gone and thing were more back towards normal, at least for down here.
Rowed ashore and picked up some ice and a few odds and ends and then curled up with a good book in the sunshine. It was actually a bit "breezy" today as NOAA likes to say, blowing in the 20's but the fact that there wasn't a cloud in the sky and the temp was warm more than made up for it. I did a little repair work on my "Swedish" flag and the ensign. Both have gotten rather tattered from being blown against the shrouds and I will probably have to retire them once I get back. But they have been up everyday of the trip and they won't come down until it is over, if there is anything left to them.
I called Annie in St. Augustine and let here know I would probably be there by the end of next week. She seemed excited that we would have the chance to get together, especially since I missed her on the way down. (I didn't even know she lived in St. Augustine!) I am still waiting for Rich & Martha to get back from the left coast and they should be in Monday or Tuesday and I'll make a stop in Palm Coast.
Other than that there is not much going on . . . and I am enjoying that!
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