SHIP'S LOG:
THURSDAY: Wrightsville Beach, NC
I left the last place with the word "Beach" in the name pretty much for the rest of the trip. I wanted to get an early start but it was bloody cold. It got down into the high 40's overnight, which might not sound "bad" to most of you but it was a shock to my system. Unfortunately, I am in North Carolina which means that while there are less brodges to be opened so I can pass through than say Florida, these bridges open only on the hour and if you miss one it is a bloody long wait. The first one was in Wrightsville Beach and set the tone for the day. I got to the bridge as it was starting to close and once started they would not stop nor open again for an hour. Damn!
There is not a lot you can do waiting for a bridge to open. In this case, the current and the wind were moving toward the bridge at a good clip so it was not a matter of just sitting and bobbing about.I constantly had to helm the boat, keep it under control and keep a eye on the clock so that I would be close enough to the bridge at the right time so that the tender would open it. Too far away, no opening!
The next one was seven miles away at "Figure 8 Island" and I missed that by 15 minutes. So for 45 minutes I did the back and forth and up and down and bobbed about before I got through.
The next one was the incongruously named "Surf City Swing Bridge." Sound like it really should be in California but no, it is in good old North Carolina. I missed it by a mere 40 minutes. While at that bridge, I got into a conversation with the owner of "SUMMER SKIS," a trawler from Tiverton. RI. He and his wife have been doing the ICW for about 10 years, usually going to the Bahamas from Fort Lauderdale. I asked him why he didn't become a "Looper" and he said that going down the Mississippi River really didn't interest him in the least.
I missed the next bridge at Onslow Beach, not because I was too fast or too slow but because it is on the base at Camp LeJune and beyond it is the firing range that crossed the ICW and let's just say that the Marines were busy. That was a 45 minute wait. Just short of that bridge was Mile Hammock and I would have gone back and dropped the hook there but it was already jamed with boats some of which probably got the word at Onslow about the "gunnery practice" and decided to pack it in early. I and three others waited it out and eventually continued north.
There are a lot of small inlets and creeks along this stretch of the ICW and the all seem to produce shoals at the entrances into the ICW. It is angst producing in the least to watch the depth sounder rise 10 feet in an instant and it takes a moment to decide which way you are to turn.(always away!) There are also lots of curves in the ICW in North Carolina and that means you get a lot of practice "turning like a tug." Tugs with barges use the ICW here andthey groove the turns. You have to remember that the deep water is always on the outside of the turn. If you forget, just form you hand like the turn, left hand for a turn to starboard and right hand for a turn to port, and remember that the outside is where your knuckles are and there also is the deep water. It is always important to remember that "deep" is a relative term. Since there is not really a standard depth to the ICW, even though there is supposed to be. you can never be sure just how "deep" the "deep water" is. Some places 20 feet, some place 8.2 feet, then again you can drown in six inches of water and so long as the deep water exceeds 5 1/2 feet, I am happy.
I pulled into Swansboro and nchored about 5:30pm. This little harbor was crowded on my way down and I was concerned that the northeren migration might make it so again. Indeed, the two couples I ran into on Wrightsville Beach were heading here, as I am sure others would be and I didn't like to aspect of anchoring in a tight spot especially with the river current and the wind. When I turned the corner and headed into Swansboro, lo and behold, the anchorage was empty. The two couples from Wrightsville Beach were in the Marina and i had the place to myself. I got to pick my spot and a good thing too, as the weather for Friday was to be windy and rainy, and ABISHAG likes to dance in the wind.
FRIDAY, SWANSBORO, NC 34'41.156N/ 077'07.067W
I got a quick tour of Swansboro before the rain set in. Small and quait, it was a hamlet rather than a village. Its historic district was three books along one street and like I said, "Quaint." They do have great fudge here though. The rain and the wind came early and I had to contend with spend the day reading while ABISHAG danced in the rain. I could have made Morehead City but the place where I would anchor is too exposed and so there was no need. I stay and enjoyed a day of leisure!
Friday, May 6, 2011
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Time To Move
SHIP'S LOG:
I have spent a wonderful four days here in Wrightsville Beach and if NOAA had been anywhere near accurate, it would have been less. Indeed, I would have left this morning but I believed them and once again they were wrong! The promised winds showed up . . .sort of . . . .but the rain never came. I spent the day waiting but nothing!
In any event, I had a chance to spend some time with Vin & Anne. It was good to see them again and even though Anne never got a chance to cook me one of those "home cooked meals," the time was well spent and the visit wonderful.
I had a chance to do some maintenance on ABISHAG - oil change, filters, shroud tensioning, a little rewiring, replacing the raw water pump strut - nothing major ,, just enough to keep me busy and to make me feel that everything is good with her. ABISHAG has performed exceptionally well with far fewer problems and breakdowns than I had expected. I still get a lot of comments about how nice the boat is, design-wise, though it is tough for me to really appreciate it as I rarely see her from other than onboard. Still, I am comfortable with how things have been going and really have no complaints, though the list of projects to be done continues to grow. It never really ends so I don't worry too much about it. . . . as long as the water stay on the outside!
Ashore today I ran into two couples, one from Maine and one from Vermont, who are anchored nearby by and who are headed north like I am. I will be leaving tomorrow and if they are as well, we will probably travel in company at least for the day, perhaps longer.
If the weather, tide, gunnery practice and time allows, I will sweep past Camp Le Junne(?) and go straight to Swainsboro. I was unable to go ashore the last visit as the dinghy was holed and I was trapped aboard. It is supposed to be a rather interesting little village and I would like to take a look around. I may actually get caught there a day or so as the weather is supposed to go bad but then that is NOAA's prediction so you can take that for what it is worth.
I think tat the reason this return is going so fast is that the days are longer. When I was on the way down, I was usually underway by 9 and had to stop by 4pm. Now that i get up automatically at 6AM and sundown is almost 8PM, the 20-30 miles I used to do have become 40-50. So even with a couple of days spent here and there that I didn't spend on the way down, the mileage is eaten up faster. I would expect, without making the commitment, that I should be on the mooring at TYC by Memorial Day. I try not to think about it too much and try to just enjoy the day as each one happens. It almost seems like this has been going on forever and the idea that it is coming to an end seems rather far fetched. Who knows, maybe I'll get back and tun around and start back down the ICW. Maybe I'll become "a Looper!" Heck, all I know is that it is Wednesday and actually a little chilly and I am in Wrightsville Beach,NC, and that tomorrow I hope to make it to Swainsboro. And that is as long as that dance goes!
I have spent a wonderful four days here in Wrightsville Beach and if NOAA had been anywhere near accurate, it would have been less. Indeed, I would have left this morning but I believed them and once again they were wrong! The promised winds showed up . . .sort of . . . .but the rain never came. I spent the day waiting but nothing!
In any event, I had a chance to spend some time with Vin & Anne. It was good to see them again and even though Anne never got a chance to cook me one of those "home cooked meals," the time was well spent and the visit wonderful.
I had a chance to do some maintenance on ABISHAG - oil change, filters, shroud tensioning, a little rewiring, replacing the raw water pump strut - nothing major ,, just enough to keep me busy and to make me feel that everything is good with her. ABISHAG has performed exceptionally well with far fewer problems and breakdowns than I had expected. I still get a lot of comments about how nice the boat is, design-wise, though it is tough for me to really appreciate it as I rarely see her from other than onboard. Still, I am comfortable with how things have been going and really have no complaints, though the list of projects to be done continues to grow. It never really ends so I don't worry too much about it. . . . as long as the water stay on the outside!
Ashore today I ran into two couples, one from Maine and one from Vermont, who are anchored nearby by and who are headed north like I am. I will be leaving tomorrow and if they are as well, we will probably travel in company at least for the day, perhaps longer.
If the weather, tide, gunnery practice and time allows, I will sweep past Camp Le Junne(?) and go straight to Swainsboro. I was unable to go ashore the last visit as the dinghy was holed and I was trapped aboard. It is supposed to be a rather interesting little village and I would like to take a look around. I may actually get caught there a day or so as the weather is supposed to go bad but then that is NOAA's prediction so you can take that for what it is worth.
I think tat the reason this return is going so fast is that the days are longer. When I was on the way down, I was usually underway by 9 and had to stop by 4pm. Now that i get up automatically at 6AM and sundown is almost 8PM, the 20-30 miles I used to do have become 40-50. So even with a couple of days spent here and there that I didn't spend on the way down, the mileage is eaten up faster. I would expect, without making the commitment, that I should be on the mooring at TYC by Memorial Day. I try not to think about it too much and try to just enjoy the day as each one happens. It almost seems like this has been going on forever and the idea that it is coming to an end seems rather far fetched. Who knows, maybe I'll get back and tun around and start back down the ICW. Maybe I'll become "a Looper!" Heck, all I know is that it is Wednesday and actually a little chilly and I am in Wrightsville Beach,NC, and that tomorrow I hope to make it to Swainsboro. And that is as long as that dance goes!
Sunday, May 1, 2011
You May Fire When You Are Ready, Gridley!
SHIP'S LOG:
After a LOOOONG Day, I made it up to Wrightsville Beach, NORTH CAROLINA. While it was only 51 miles, and the first half went quick enough, going up the Cape Fear River and up Bank's Sound was a long hard slog.
I had to arise and be underway at 6:30, dawn in these parts these days, for the long trip. In that its was the weekend, the locals were out in fore on the ICW fishing and doing all sorts of water fun stuff. They also were not paying attention to anything but what they were doing and didn't seem to care about anyone else. It is probably a very good thing that I don't carry a gun because I would have been sorely tempted to use it many a time yesterday. It simply amazes me how these people do crazy things in boats and are still around to do still more of them.
This is also the land of the PWC - Personal Water Craft - and I gather they come with only one speed, as fast as possible. Three of them went by me at that high rate of speed, each carrying an adult with a small child sitting in front of them. They disappeared up the ICW and a half hour later they came back but the children were missing! An hour or so later, they went by me again and returned, once again carrying the children . . . . . I assume the same ones . . . in front of them.
Bubba and Cooter and Billy Ray and Skooter were drift fishing between the fenders of one large bridge through which I had to pass. There is not a lot opf room between bridge fenders and the water is often turbulent with a quick current. It is a dangerous spot just to pass through, but to sit there drifting while boat are trying to get through makes it beyond dangerous to the point of being life threatening. And as I tried to get by without hitting them - I was successful - they looked at me like I was crazy!
When I made the turn into the Cape Fear River, the tide was going out the inlet, made even worse by the current of the river itself. About 30 miuntes of going up river at 2knots!, the tide turned and the speed picket up to a whole 4 knmots. The current in the river battled the tide from the ocean and you would have thouhgt that the tide would win and over come the current. Not so, at least not completely. What they did do was clash and cause a lot of turbulence in and around the channels and islands of the river. It was not the most fun of trips. Snow's Cut was even worse! Bank's Sound and the ICW feed into Snow's Cut and they were flooding out when I was coming in. Once again, the local boaters dash thither and yon with no regard for anyone else or even the markers in the water. I cringed any number of times and they nearly sideswiped me and other cruisers and one another. When I made the turn out of Snow's Cut, I was still fighting the ebb, but the wind was off the water and I could actually get sails up and drawing for the trip up to Wrightsville Beach. I actually made pretty decent time for the last part of the day and got anchor down at 5:18. I am right up by the bridge, not 100n yards from the dinghy dock and in a perfect spot. The reward for a long, long day.
Vin and Anne, who live in Wilmington, came by and we went out for dinner and had a great time. The last time I came down, Anne ended up in the ER with heart palpitations. This time, Vin took a tumble over a garden hose and gashed his eyebrow costing him 15 stitches on his eyebrow and the bridge of his nose. And Anne has developed a sore ankle for some reason and is limping around. I think I am going to have to get out of town before either experiences anything any more serious . . .medically.
After a LOOOONG Day, I made it up to Wrightsville Beach, NORTH CAROLINA. While it was only 51 miles, and the first half went quick enough, going up the Cape Fear River and up Bank's Sound was a long hard slog.
I had to arise and be underway at 6:30, dawn in these parts these days, for the long trip. In that its was the weekend, the locals were out in fore on the ICW fishing and doing all sorts of water fun stuff. They also were not paying attention to anything but what they were doing and didn't seem to care about anyone else. It is probably a very good thing that I don't carry a gun because I would have been sorely tempted to use it many a time yesterday. It simply amazes me how these people do crazy things in boats and are still around to do still more of them.
This is also the land of the PWC - Personal Water Craft - and I gather they come with only one speed, as fast as possible. Three of them went by me at that high rate of speed, each carrying an adult with a small child sitting in front of them. They disappeared up the ICW and a half hour later they came back but the children were missing! An hour or so later, they went by me again and returned, once again carrying the children . . . . . I assume the same ones . . . in front of them.
Bubba and Cooter and Billy Ray and Skooter were drift fishing between the fenders of one large bridge through which I had to pass. There is not a lot opf room between bridge fenders and the water is often turbulent with a quick current. It is a dangerous spot just to pass through, but to sit there drifting while boat are trying to get through makes it beyond dangerous to the point of being life threatening. And as I tried to get by without hitting them - I was successful - they looked at me like I was crazy!
When I made the turn into the Cape Fear River, the tide was going out the inlet, made even worse by the current of the river itself. About 30 miuntes of going up river at 2knots!, the tide turned and the speed picket up to a whole 4 knmots. The current in the river battled the tide from the ocean and you would have thouhgt that the tide would win and over come the current. Not so, at least not completely. What they did do was clash and cause a lot of turbulence in and around the channels and islands of the river. It was not the most fun of trips. Snow's Cut was even worse! Bank's Sound and the ICW feed into Snow's Cut and they were flooding out when I was coming in. Once again, the local boaters dash thither and yon with no regard for anyone else or even the markers in the water. I cringed any number of times and they nearly sideswiped me and other cruisers and one another. When I made the turn out of Snow's Cut, I was still fighting the ebb, but the wind was off the water and I could actually get sails up and drawing for the trip up to Wrightsville Beach. I actually made pretty decent time for the last part of the day and got anchor down at 5:18. I am right up by the bridge, not 100n yards from the dinghy dock and in a perfect spot. The reward for a long, long day.
Vin and Anne, who live in Wilmington, came by and we went out for dinner and had a great time. The last time I came down, Anne ended up in the ER with heart palpitations. This time, Vin took a tumble over a garden hose and gashed his eyebrow costing him 15 stitches on his eyebrow and the bridge of his nose. And Anne has developed a sore ankle for some reason and is limping around. I think I am going to have to get out of town before either experiences anything any more serious . . .medically.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Out Of The Dead Zone
SHIP'S LOG:
Wednesday- Location: Minim Creek 33'1.383N/079'16.387
I hatred to leave Charleston as the weather did not promise goodness in the immediate future, but leave I had to as an overnight, electricity, pumpout and fill up cost $202.67 and who can sustain that amount of expenditure. In other words, I didn't have the money, at least not enough to spend there as there is still fuel and food to buy up ahead.
Crossing Charleston Harbor in the wind was "rollicking" to say the least. The storms of yesterday were gone but the wind remain, out of the south and with the out going tide, it produced a nasty chop. Bouncy, bouncy,bouncy. To continue up the ICW, i had to cross the harbor directly and that meant across all the traffic as well. The big ships have good radar, I suppose, or at least they have someone actually using it.
Getting into the river on the other side of the harbor means going from 40 and 50 foot depths to 10 feet. Hey 10 feet is plenty, but it is nice not to have to worry about the bottom. I had to pass"through" the Ben sawyer Bridge, which as a swing bridge, doesn't open if the winds are above a certain sustain speed. I believe it is 25 miles an hour, a number we were fast approaching and I hated to think that I would get there and they would say, "Sorry, too windy." But either the winds was slower than I thought, or the bridge tender was a sailor, because he opened and I got through. The next bridge some miles up was a fixed bridge(65ft. high) so there would be no further problems. I passed the guy in the canoe heading to Indiana. . . again!
The wind continued to blow and the water over the next stretch got thin. I spent a lot of time looking for deep water, moving side to side, trying to stay off the bottom. The only consistency to water depth in the ICW is that there is none at all. The numbers jump all around and seem to lower quicker than they rise. In addition, the wind was stirring up the water sufficiently so that it was stirring up the bottom and sometime the mud in the water was enough to really screw up the depth sounder reading. It would go from "14.5" to "3.7" and you didn't know whether to believe it or not. Then again, the depth sounder reads what is directly under your boat and but then, it is too late.
Got to Minim Creek just south of Georgetown about 5pm. The wind was still blowing but the trees of the creek cut it down some. I set the hook in the perfect spot but ABISHAG danced around in a figure "8" through the night. The wind picked up some as the tide went out and I sat up again watching the little boat move around on the GPS. AT midnight, I left it to God and went to bed.
Thursday-April 28, 2011- Enterprise Creek: 33'40.690N/ 079'04.145W
The weather report for today, from the night before, was "Torrential rain, near 100%." This morning, it hadn't improved, save for the winds which were supposed to increase. There was sure to be "thunder and excessive lightning" and there was no sense in leaving . . . . Yet, I didn't like Minim Creek. too exposed, and had a course laid in all the way to Enterprise Creek which was very sheltered, and it wasn't raining yet though the wind was blowing. At 8:34 it didn't look like it would rain any time soon and as I had four fall back anchorages on the course, I decided to chance it and try and out run the weather. Foolish but what the heck.
I took off and up the rive to Winyah Bay and Georgetown, The wind and the tide were good and really moved me along. . . .until I got to the bay. Then it was slow going. A little bit of sail steady the roll that was coming in the bay and up my backside, but not too much as it was blowing about 25, with gusts to 35. Did a little bit of surfing but I had too work hard not to broach so the sail got furled.
North of Georgetown, passing the "Great Pee Dee River," a good portion of the wave subside but not all. The wind up the Waccamaw River was still sufficient to produce some serious waves when river course and wind were in agreement. Passed my first anchorage off Butler Island but decided to continue. The next one was Thoroughfare Creek where I had to call TowBoat/US to retrieve my fouled anchor. No way I was going in there again, not without a gun to my head. I kept going. The next spot was a place called Cow House Creek which was right across the river from the Wacca Wache Marina and a golf course. Talk about out in the middle of nowhere.
By now the wind had decreased a bit and while cloudy, it had not begun to rain. Traveling on this portion of the ICW you get "optical Illusions." You can be heading down a straight and see the far end but you can't see any place to turn. Even when you know that it is a left or a right, you still can't see it. Even when the GPS says turn, you still can't see it and then, BANG, suddenly there it is and you turn, but carefully. Sharpe turns are usually bad for the "insides" of corners are usually shallow while the "outsides" is where the water is deeper."
Once again, it is important to remember that "Crab Pots Rule!" They tell you where the deep water is NOT! Another strange thing in this stretch are the gates people put up to keep people from anchoring in creeks. You would think a "No Trespassing" sign would do the trick.
Got to Enterprise Creek and drop the hook at 4pm and nary a rain drop fell. By the time dinner was finish so was the wind. ABISHAG sat unmoving all night. NOAA could not have been more wrong on their forecast, at least as I experienced it. If I had stayed in Minim Creek and had the day that I experienced, I would have been angry with myself for not going . . . . so I hope it rained like hell in Georgetown.
April 29, 2001, Friday Calabash Creek :33'52.338N/ 078'34.188W
I almost hated to leave Enterprise Creek. It is a beautiful spot. But it is also out in the middle of nowhere with no cell phone service or Internet access. I had a jaunt of 30 miles to make and then a decision. I would be heading to Calabash Creek and then I would decide id the next day I would try for Wrightsville Beach or duck into a marina in Southport. There are not a lot of places to anchor for a small boat between Calabash Creek and Carolina Beach. A lot will depend on the travel today.
The GPS had me sailing on land for a good part of the day. The GPS screen presents a picture of the chart and you location on it and it is supposed to accurately plot your over the chart. It probably does but reality and the chart don't always jibe. Today, if I never took my eyes off the GPS, I would have gone aground constantly. It really just provides information and you have to take it and relate it to the world you see outside the cockpit. The best piece of info is actually the depth but again, you have to take that with a grain of salt too. what made this of "concern" was a stretch of three miles where the ICW transits rock barrier know locally as the "Rock Pile". There is no soft sand or gooey mud should you stray from the channel , simply a flat rocky shelf that will open up any boat like a can of peas should you stray aground on it. Thank goodness it was low tide for you could see the cut through the rock and all one had to do is stay in the middle. Easy enough when no one is coming the other way or wants to pass you from behind. . . .both of which happened. But as far as I can tell, everyone made it through unscathed. It doesn't help that there are snags - partially sunken trees - and "deadheads" float (and so moving) partially sunken trees all over the place. These "wheel inspectors" have to be watched for or one could ruin your whole day.
Pass by Myrtle Beach, I passed through the land of ugly condos facing lovely home across the ICW. And there were ugly houses facing even more ugly houses across that water way. It is also the land of GOLF, and I passed 7 golf course that were on the ICW, including one that you take a cable car across the ICW to go from the parking lot to the first green. I can't even begin to contemplate how may courses there were out of my sight.
Dropped my hook in Calabash Creek and laid out the course for Wightsville Beach. Southport is on the way. When I get to Southport, I will decide then whether to go or stay. In any event, it means rising early tomorrow. Ugh!
Oh, by the way. It "snowed" down here today. I am not sure what it was,milkweed or something like that, but for awhile it was everywhere. It looked like the real thing . . . except for the temperature!
Boat Names: AWOL; Hugit; Dirty Laundry; Pagan Chant; The Plan; Lost Naviogator; Haven On The Water;
Wednesday- Location: Minim Creek 33'1.383N/079'16.387
I hatred to leave Charleston as the weather did not promise goodness in the immediate future, but leave I had to as an overnight, electricity, pumpout and fill up cost $202.67 and who can sustain that amount of expenditure. In other words, I didn't have the money, at least not enough to spend there as there is still fuel and food to buy up ahead.
Crossing Charleston Harbor in the wind was "rollicking" to say the least. The storms of yesterday were gone but the wind remain, out of the south and with the out going tide, it produced a nasty chop. Bouncy, bouncy,bouncy. To continue up the ICW, i had to cross the harbor directly and that meant across all the traffic as well. The big ships have good radar, I suppose, or at least they have someone actually using it.
Getting into the river on the other side of the harbor means going from 40 and 50 foot depths to 10 feet. Hey 10 feet is plenty, but it is nice not to have to worry about the bottom. I had to pass"through" the Ben sawyer Bridge, which as a swing bridge, doesn't open if the winds are above a certain sustain speed. I believe it is 25 miles an hour, a number we were fast approaching and I hated to think that I would get there and they would say, "Sorry, too windy." But either the winds was slower than I thought, or the bridge tender was a sailor, because he opened and I got through. The next bridge some miles up was a fixed bridge(65ft. high) so there would be no further problems. I passed the guy in the canoe heading to Indiana. . . again!
The wind continued to blow and the water over the next stretch got thin. I spent a lot of time looking for deep water, moving side to side, trying to stay off the bottom. The only consistency to water depth in the ICW is that there is none at all. The numbers jump all around and seem to lower quicker than they rise. In addition, the wind was stirring up the water sufficiently so that it was stirring up the bottom and sometime the mud in the water was enough to really screw up the depth sounder reading. It would go from "14.5" to "3.7" and you didn't know whether to believe it or not. Then again, the depth sounder reads what is directly under your boat and but then, it is too late.
Got to Minim Creek just south of Georgetown about 5pm. The wind was still blowing but the trees of the creek cut it down some. I set the hook in the perfect spot but ABISHAG danced around in a figure "8" through the night. The wind picked up some as the tide went out and I sat up again watching the little boat move around on the GPS. AT midnight, I left it to God and went to bed.
Thursday-April 28, 2011- Enterprise Creek: 33'40.690N/ 079'04.145W
The weather report for today, from the night before, was "Torrential rain, near 100%." This morning, it hadn't improved, save for the winds which were supposed to increase. There was sure to be "thunder and excessive lightning" and there was no sense in leaving . . . . Yet, I didn't like Minim Creek. too exposed, and had a course laid in all the way to Enterprise Creek which was very sheltered, and it wasn't raining yet though the wind was blowing. At 8:34 it didn't look like it would rain any time soon and as I had four fall back anchorages on the course, I decided to chance it and try and out run the weather. Foolish but what the heck.
I took off and up the rive to Winyah Bay and Georgetown, The wind and the tide were good and really moved me along. . . .until I got to the bay. Then it was slow going. A little bit of sail steady the roll that was coming in the bay and up my backside, but not too much as it was blowing about 25, with gusts to 35. Did a little bit of surfing but I had too work hard not to broach so the sail got furled.
North of Georgetown, passing the "Great Pee Dee River," a good portion of the wave subside but not all. The wind up the Waccamaw River was still sufficient to produce some serious waves when river course and wind were in agreement. Passed my first anchorage off Butler Island but decided to continue. The next one was Thoroughfare Creek where I had to call TowBoat/US to retrieve my fouled anchor. No way I was going in there again, not without a gun to my head. I kept going. The next spot was a place called Cow House Creek which was right across the river from the Wacca Wache Marina and a golf course. Talk about out in the middle of nowhere.
By now the wind had decreased a bit and while cloudy, it had not begun to rain. Traveling on this portion of the ICW you get "optical Illusions." You can be heading down a straight and see the far end but you can't see any place to turn. Even when you know that it is a left or a right, you still can't see it. Even when the GPS says turn, you still can't see it and then, BANG, suddenly there it is and you turn, but carefully. Sharpe turns are usually bad for the "insides" of corners are usually shallow while the "outsides" is where the water is deeper."
Once again, it is important to remember that "Crab Pots Rule!" They tell you where the deep water is NOT! Another strange thing in this stretch are the gates people put up to keep people from anchoring in creeks. You would think a "No Trespassing" sign would do the trick.
Got to Enterprise Creek and drop the hook at 4pm and nary a rain drop fell. By the time dinner was finish so was the wind. ABISHAG sat unmoving all night. NOAA could not have been more wrong on their forecast, at least as I experienced it. If I had stayed in Minim Creek and had the day that I experienced, I would have been angry with myself for not going . . . . so I hope it rained like hell in Georgetown.
April 29, 2001, Friday Calabash Creek :33'52.338N/ 078'34.188W
I almost hated to leave Enterprise Creek. It is a beautiful spot. But it is also out in the middle of nowhere with no cell phone service or Internet access. I had a jaunt of 30 miles to make and then a decision. I would be heading to Calabash Creek and then I would decide id the next day I would try for Wrightsville Beach or duck into a marina in Southport. There are not a lot of places to anchor for a small boat between Calabash Creek and Carolina Beach. A lot will depend on the travel today.
The GPS had me sailing on land for a good part of the day. The GPS screen presents a picture of the chart and you location on it and it is supposed to accurately plot your over the chart. It probably does but reality and the chart don't always jibe. Today, if I never took my eyes off the GPS, I would have gone aground constantly. It really just provides information and you have to take it and relate it to the world you see outside the cockpit. The best piece of info is actually the depth but again, you have to take that with a grain of salt too. what made this of "concern" was a stretch of three miles where the ICW transits rock barrier know locally as the "Rock Pile". There is no soft sand or gooey mud should you stray from the channel , simply a flat rocky shelf that will open up any boat like a can of peas should you stray aground on it. Thank goodness it was low tide for you could see the cut through the rock and all one had to do is stay in the middle. Easy enough when no one is coming the other way or wants to pass you from behind. . . .both of which happened. But as far as I can tell, everyone made it through unscathed. It doesn't help that there are snags - partially sunken trees - and "deadheads" float (and so moving) partially sunken trees all over the place. These "wheel inspectors" have to be watched for or one could ruin your whole day.
Pass by Myrtle Beach, I passed through the land of ugly condos facing lovely home across the ICW. And there were ugly houses facing even more ugly houses across that water way. It is also the land of GOLF, and I passed 7 golf course that were on the ICW, including one that you take a cable car across the ICW to go from the parking lot to the first green. I can't even begin to contemplate how may courses there were out of my sight.
Dropped my hook in Calabash Creek and laid out the course for Wightsville Beach. Southport is on the way. When I get to Southport, I will decide then whether to go or stay. In any event, it means rising early tomorrow. Ugh!
Oh, by the way. It "snowed" down here today. I am not sure what it was,milkweed or something like that, but for awhile it was everywhere. It looked like the real thing . . . except for the temperature!
Boat Names: AWOL; Hugit; Dirty Laundry; Pagan Chant; The Plan; Lost Naviogator; Haven On The Water;
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Doing The Charleston!
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! ! ! !
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! ! ! !
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!"
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