Monday, December 12, 2011
Fort Myers to Home
In the morning, I picked up anchor and entered the Gulf of Mexico, which was slick calm! A small craft advisory expecting 25 knot winds was forecast for 1 o'clock, so I got off to an early start in the calm before the storm.
Fort Meyers Beach area at sunsrise
Looking shoreward from the Gulf of Mexico
At Naples, I entered the pass, and ran the inside passage from Naples to Marco Island, around Marco, staying on the inside of Cape Romano thru Goodland. I had never been through that waterway before, and it is gorgeous!
Between Naples and Marco, there is an island with properties running from the Gulf to the inside passage. You can still see hurricane damage from years past, and a lot of the places are for sale. If I didn't already live in such a great place....
Marco Island is a pretty place, and I am saying that as someone who doesn't like cities! I didn't explore ashore, though it was hard not to stop somewhere for lunch!
There are so many osprey nests, they have no number their houses! The ospreys sat and stared as we passed. Note the disrepair of the daymarkers... can't work the aid with a nest on top of it!
There were also a lot of dolphins! Dolphins love the Nordic Tug @ 1300rpm (I played with this a LOT on the trip down)
I stayed on the inside past Goodland, behind Romano Pass, and then outside along the coast, protected from the north wind that had blown up down to Ten Thousand Islands. I went up Indian Key Pass and anchored in Russel Pass 25 50 318 81 26 306 There were two trawlers already on the hook there, but I didn't launch the dinghy to go visit.
In the afternoon, when I reached the Little Shark River, I knew I didn't have enough time to get into the Keys by dark, and there were lots of crab traps I didn't want to hit. I've always loved that part of Everglades, so I explored for a couple of hours before returning to the mouth to anchor. One trawler from the night before was already anchored there, so I went back up the river about a mile and anchored. Later, I heard the other trawler come in and anchor.
In the middle of the night I woke up, the wind had calmed, the moon was full, and I was ready to go home. By 0130, I'd picked up the anchor, and was passing the two anchored trawlers. They had to wonder what I was doing in the middle of the night!
I paced to enter the Marathon flats at daylight, so I could watch the bottom, and went through Mozier Channel under the 7 mile bridge and down the outside towards home.
I had neighbors waving to me as the Mercy came home. The canal seems much smaller than with the Miss Vi, I think because my line of sight is so much higher. Boy, some folks need to trim their mangroves, too! Rudy had spent a day earlier in the week snorkelling the main channel coming in, to make sure there wasn't any debris we'd missed during our multiple sweeps this fall.
Pam Borgert was at the house, and caught lines for me as the Mercy came to her new homeport.
I tucked into the dock at the house about 1000, and as much as I love being gone, it sure is fun coming home!
Fort Meyers Beach area at sunsrise
Looking shoreward from the Gulf of Mexico
At Naples, I entered the pass, and ran the inside passage from Naples to Marco Island, around Marco, staying on the inside of Cape Romano thru Goodland. I had never been through that waterway before, and it is gorgeous!
Between Naples and Marco, there is an island with properties running from the Gulf to the inside passage. You can still see hurricane damage from years past, and a lot of the places are for sale. If I didn't already live in such a great place....
Marco Island is a pretty place, and I am saying that as someone who doesn't like cities! I didn't explore ashore, though it was hard not to stop somewhere for lunch!
There are so many osprey nests, they have no number their houses! The ospreys sat and stared as we passed. Note the disrepair of the daymarkers... can't work the aid with a nest on top of it!
There were also a lot of dolphins! Dolphins love the Nordic Tug @ 1300rpm (I played with this a LOT on the trip down)
I stayed on the inside past Goodland, behind Romano Pass, and then outside along the coast, protected from the north wind that had blown up down to Ten Thousand Islands. I went up Indian Key Pass and anchored in Russel Pass 25 50 318 81 26 306 There were two trawlers already on the hook there, but I didn't launch the dinghy to go visit.
In the afternoon, when I reached the Little Shark River, I knew I didn't have enough time to get into the Keys by dark, and there were lots of crab traps I didn't want to hit. I've always loved that part of Everglades, so I explored for a couple of hours before returning to the mouth to anchor. One trawler from the night before was already anchored there, so I went back up the river about a mile and anchored. Later, I heard the other trawler come in and anchor.
In the middle of the night I woke up, the wind had calmed, the moon was full, and I was ready to go home. By 0130, I'd picked up the anchor, and was passing the two anchored trawlers. They had to wonder what I was doing in the middle of the night!
I paced to enter the Marathon flats at daylight, so I could watch the bottom, and went through Mozier Channel under the 7 mile bridge and down the outside towards home.
I had neighbors waving to me as the Mercy came home. The canal seems much smaller than with the Miss Vi, I think because my line of sight is so much higher. Boy, some folks need to trim their mangroves, too! Rudy had spent a day earlier in the week snorkelling the main channel coming in, to make sure there wasn't any debris we'd missed during our multiple sweeps this fall.
Pam Borgert was at the house, and caught lines for me as the Mercy came to her new homeport.
I tucked into the dock at the house about 1000, and as much as I love being gone, it sure is fun coming home!
Friday, December 9, 2011
Vero Beach thru Okeechobee to Fort Myers
I left Vero Beach and headed south down the ICW, passing Fort Pierce inlet about 0850, and arriving at the Saint Lucie River about 1125. The turn into the St. Lucie River left me departing many good friends I'd made on my journey south, most of which had intentions on heading easterly towards the Bahamas, or at least staying on the east coast of Florida.
One of the items on a list I'd made around age 12 or 13 that I wanted to be sure and do in my life was to cross Florida thru the St. Lucie canal, Lake Okeechobee, and the Caloosahatchee River, and here was my chance! Low lake levels the past few years, hurricanes, lock closures, and a couple of years boatless had kept me from this trip earlier. Timing is everything!
The St. Lucie Locks had a 13' 6" rise, and the scramble of single-handing the locks with that much rise kept me from getting any pictures. I was glad to get the hardest lock out of my way first, so I could enjoy the rest of my trip without any lock worries!
Note to non-boaters: Locks are not hard. You enter an area, tie up next to a metal wall, and they close the gate behind you. In the Okeechobee lock system, then they open the gate in front of you slowly, allowing the water to rush in, and all the boater has to do is keep the slack out of the lines as the vessel rises with the water level. If you single-hand, instead of having a person on each line, you need to run both lines where you can pull the slack out of them from one place, which involves a little engineering. Locking down is always easier, since gravity keeps tension on the lines, and you just have to ease the lines as you drop.
The landscape changed from city, to gorgeous suburbs to remote waterway. I cooked a pork loin, baked potatoes, and baked onions on the grill as I headed west. I had to wait 20 minutes for the railroad bridge at Indiantown, and I ate supper as I waited.
I stopped for the night just as it was getting dark, tying between some of the piling clusters on the east side of Port Mayaca Locks, just east of Lake Okeechobee. 26 59.174 080 36 913
In the morning, I locked through to Lake Okeechobee, which was almost no water height increase, and after taking the lock master's recomendation, headed across Lake Okeechobee, to join the rim route further out, instead of following the rim route all the way around, where the channel had shoaled a little. The Lake was pretty calm, and I gave the boat a fresh (raw) water rinse as I ran.
I joined the rim route thru the channel at Pelican Bay. When I heard the term "rim route" in the past, I'd always pictured a canal dug around the outside of Lake Okeechobee, where you could see the lake. Not so! The rim route is cool! On one side of you is the huge levee, that you can't see over, but the other side is marsh grass with creeks and inlets just waiting to be explored! I found several really great anchorages in those creeks, where there are ponds surrounded by dredge spoil from years ago, now lush, low islands... not the kind you'd walk around on, but enough to give protection from wind and waves. Fish were popping everywhere, birds were everywhere, and though I didn't see ANY, I'm sure there were lots of alligators!
At South Bay, there was a great public launch ramp, and enough dock space for us to tie up. Mercy-dog and I walked to the top of the levee and looked around, stretched our legs, and Mercy enjoyed the grass and the opportunity to relieve herself somewhere other than her "litter box!"
Just above the Moorehaven Locks, (drop of 3') there were a couple of giant alligators, waiting on the bank directly across from Moorehaven's boat ramp. I wondered how many fish scraps and bait they get from the boaters.
We continued through the locks, thru the town, and thru a lot of farming community. Here the waterway is not a river or lake, but a canal. It's still interesting, lots of birds, lots of cows, and some orange trees.
We stopped for the night on the pilings east of Ortona Locks. 26 47 485 81 17 976 An otter swam around the boat for a little while, and he was fun to watch, but impossible to photograph!
In the morning, we went thru the Ortona Locks, with a drop of 8 feet and continued west. I spent a little time above the Franklin Locks, which is the furthest east I had been in the canal system before. Cliff and I spent hurricane George there years ago, and it brought back a lot of memories. Cliff would have liked this boat! Things are really different now, lots more houses and development. It didn't seem like the same place.
I locked thru the Franklin locks, drop 3' and continued down the Caloosahatchee River to where I anchored off Fort Myers. 26 29 889 82 01 253 in a deep little channel surrounded by a flat and some mangrove islands. It was a gorgeous night!
One of the items on a list I'd made around age 12 or 13 that I wanted to be sure and do in my life was to cross Florida thru the St. Lucie canal, Lake Okeechobee, and the Caloosahatchee River, and here was my chance! Low lake levels the past few years, hurricanes, lock closures, and a couple of years boatless had kept me from this trip earlier. Timing is everything!
The St. Lucie Locks had a 13' 6" rise, and the scramble of single-handing the locks with that much rise kept me from getting any pictures. I was glad to get the hardest lock out of my way first, so I could enjoy the rest of my trip without any lock worries!
Note to non-boaters: Locks are not hard. You enter an area, tie up next to a metal wall, and they close the gate behind you. In the Okeechobee lock system, then they open the gate in front of you slowly, allowing the water to rush in, and all the boater has to do is keep the slack out of the lines as the vessel rises with the water level. If you single-hand, instead of having a person on each line, you need to run both lines where you can pull the slack out of them from one place, which involves a little engineering. Locking down is always easier, since gravity keeps tension on the lines, and you just have to ease the lines as you drop.
The landscape changed from city, to gorgeous suburbs to remote waterway. I cooked a pork loin, baked potatoes, and baked onions on the grill as I headed west. I had to wait 20 minutes for the railroad bridge at Indiantown, and I ate supper as I waited.
I stopped for the night just as it was getting dark, tying between some of the piling clusters on the east side of Port Mayaca Locks, just east of Lake Okeechobee. 26 59.174 080 36 913
In the morning, I locked through to Lake Okeechobee, which was almost no water height increase, and after taking the lock master's recomendation, headed across Lake Okeechobee, to join the rim route further out, instead of following the rim route all the way around, where the channel had shoaled a little. The Lake was pretty calm, and I gave the boat a fresh (raw) water rinse as I ran.
I joined the rim route thru the channel at Pelican Bay. When I heard the term "rim route" in the past, I'd always pictured a canal dug around the outside of Lake Okeechobee, where you could see the lake. Not so! The rim route is cool! On one side of you is the huge levee, that you can't see over, but the other side is marsh grass with creeks and inlets just waiting to be explored! I found several really great anchorages in those creeks, where there are ponds surrounded by dredge spoil from years ago, now lush, low islands... not the kind you'd walk around on, but enough to give protection from wind and waves. Fish were popping everywhere, birds were everywhere, and though I didn't see ANY, I'm sure there were lots of alligators!
At South Bay, there was a great public launch ramp, and enough dock space for us to tie up. Mercy-dog and I walked to the top of the levee and looked around, stretched our legs, and Mercy enjoyed the grass and the opportunity to relieve herself somewhere other than her "litter box!"
Just above the Moorehaven Locks, (drop of 3') there were a couple of giant alligators, waiting on the bank directly across from Moorehaven's boat ramp. I wondered how many fish scraps and bait they get from the boaters.
We continued through the locks, thru the town, and thru a lot of farming community. Here the waterway is not a river or lake, but a canal. It's still interesting, lots of birds, lots of cows, and some orange trees.
We stopped for the night on the pilings east of Ortona Locks. 26 47 485 81 17 976 An otter swam around the boat for a little while, and he was fun to watch, but impossible to photograph!
In the morning, we went thru the Ortona Locks, with a drop of 8 feet and continued west. I spent a little time above the Franklin Locks, which is the furthest east I had been in the canal system before. Cliff and I spent hurricane George there years ago, and it brought back a lot of memories. Cliff would have liked this boat! Things are really different now, lots more houses and development. It didn't seem like the same place.
I locked thru the Franklin locks, drop 3' and continued down the Caloosahatchee River to where I anchored off Fort Myers. 26 29 889 82 01 253 in a deep little channel surrounded by a flat and some mangrove islands. It was a gorgeous night!
Friday, December 2, 2011
Ponce Inlet to Vero Beach
We left Ponce Inlet and journeyed south along the ICW, past New Smyrna Beach and down the Indian River. We entered Mosquito Lagoon, and as we travelled south, we could see the hanger for the Space Station down at the Kennedy Space Center.
...and Ben said he'd never seen a pelican...
Ben was at the helm until we entered Haulover Canal, at which time he was given the assignment of spotting his first ever alligator; a task that took about two minutes for him to find an eight footer on the bank in the sun!
We went along Merritt Island and entered the Cape Canaveral Barge Canal to get fuel. When we came back into the canal, we idled along looking at birds; herons, ospreys, anhinghas, pelicans, blackbirds. Then we started spotting manatee everywhere! We launched the dinghy to give Ben a chance to meet these “mermaids” up close, while I idled out to the bay to look for an anchorage. I didn’t like the options, and returned to Harbortown Marina, where we had fueled, to dock for the night.
I met Bob working there, who has a home in Big Pine, and we have mutual friends, who we called at seven o’clock that morning.
We continued down the Indian River, and the ICW to Vero Beach, where we joined over a hundred boats in the Vero Beach Marina mooring field. We tied up by the Sawdust, a Nordic Tug 37, and the next hull number to Mercy!
On Friday, Larry and Joan, off the Sawdust, and I looked around on each boat, comparing notes. Larry made a few modifications that I plan to do as well. (Insulating/adding ventilation to the refrigerator.
Friday afternoon I had the privilege of meeting Ben’s parents, who must be terribly proud of the fine young man they have raised. My prayers are for Ben as he seeks God’s direction for his life, and for the entire family that they have the confidence that Ben ends up just where God wants him to be. It must be really hard for parents… I’m missing Ben already!
Friday evening, I dinghyed ashore with the Sawdust crew to watch the Vero Beach Christmas Boat parade. We sat on the fuel pier, where the judges were, so we had a pretty good view!
Saturday I took advantage of Vero Beach’s free bus service and went to the store. I’ve flown and boated all over the world, and figuring out a bus schedule is scary to me! I made it back to marina, which wasn’t difficult, thanks to all the boaters in town who’d already figured out the bus system.
The mooring field at Vero Beach
The free buses don’t run on Sunday, and church is a long ways off, so I’m continuing south today.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Ben's time aboard Mercy
It has been a great experience for me aboard Mercy. I have to say that I am truly impressed with the skipper's abilities!
The wildlife in these parts of the ICW have been very interesting. Having lived in the south pacific most of my life,these animals are quite different! Yesterday we travalled through a canal that had tons of manatees! Linda decided to look for a good anchorage for the night and let me take the dinghy for a bit.
It was easy for me to find a manatees wake in the glassy smooth canal, I crept up, killed the engine and the manatee cruised right by me. It popped up to take a breath (and who knows maybe to say hi) and crusied on by.
The bird life has been amazing!There have been all kinds of seabirds and storks everywhere! The pellicans have been funny to watch as they are quite clumsy with there landings at times haha!
Almost all the wildlife has been very pleasant, untill today when I was taking pictures of birds in the dinghy, I stayed too long and too close to the mangroves, it seemed I was attacked all at once by a well trained army of these tiny bugs! I high tailed it out of there flailing my arms like crazy tourist getting them off me! Come to find out they where called ''no-see-um's'' (now there's a name that makes sense)!
Well Thats a bit of the adventures I have been having on Mercy. Good times that I will never forget!
Thanks
Ben
The wildlife in these parts of the ICW have been very interesting. Having lived in the south pacific most of my life,these animals are quite different! Yesterday we travalled through a canal that had tons of manatees! Linda decided to look for a good anchorage for the night and let me take the dinghy for a bit.
It was easy for me to find a manatees wake in the glassy smooth canal, I crept up, killed the engine and the manatee cruised right by me. It popped up to take a breath (and who knows maybe to say hi) and crusied on by.
The bird life has been amazing!There have been all kinds of seabirds and storks everywhere! The pellicans have been funny to watch as they are quite clumsy with there landings at times haha!
Almost all the wildlife has been very pleasant, untill today when I was taking pictures of birds in the dinghy, I stayed too long and too close to the mangroves, it seemed I was attacked all at once by a well trained army of these tiny bugs! I high tailed it out of there flailing my arms like crazy tourist getting them off me! Come to find out they where called ''no-see-um's'' (now there's a name that makes sense)!
Well Thats a bit of the adventures I have been having on Mercy. Good times that I will never forget!
Thanks
Ben
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Fort Matanzas to Ponce Inlet
Today, Linda and Mercy went ashore in the morning at Fort Matanzas. We ran up the beach at low tide (Mercy's third favorite activity behind eating and sleeping) before returning to the boat and loading her up and getting underway again.
The ICW is a lot straighter and narrower here than it is in Georgia and South Carolina. I''ve sure seen a lot of big herons today.
I heard from the Izzy R, the Sawdust, and the Rachel today. It is fun keeping up with friends.
Tonight we pulled into Inlet Harbor Marina in Ponce Inlet, where we met my (cousin-in-law's brother?) uh, my good friend, Marty. After I'd drug him all through the boat, and was satisfied with his compliments, we let him take us to dinner. Hmmm! Poor Marty! He took us to one of his favorite haunts (how can he have these in EVERY town?) and we all ate good seafood.
We're moored at 29 05.428 80 56.400
The ICW is a lot straighter and narrower here than it is in Georgia and South Carolina. I''ve sure seen a lot of big herons today.
I heard from the Izzy R, the Sawdust, and the Rachel today. It is fun keeping up with friends.
Tonight we pulled into Inlet Harbor Marina in Ponce Inlet, where we met my (cousin-in-law's brother?) uh, my good friend, Marty. After I'd drug him all through the boat, and was satisfied with his compliments, we let him take us to dinner. Hmmm! Poor Marty! He took us to one of his favorite haunts (how can he have these in EVERY town?) and we all ate good seafood.
We're moored at 29 05.428 80 56.400
Jacksonville beach to Fort Matanzas
Ben and I left Jacksonville Beach Marina and headed south on the ICW..
We cruised south, past all the gorgeous homes in Palm Bay, and on down where the canal opened back to a little wider, river/salt marsh environment.
We cruised through Saint Augustine, taking a diversion to check out the new mooring field in Salt Run. The Saint Augustine fort in impressive, but the wind was howling out of the south, and the current was screaming, and we decided that even if we grabbed a mooring ball, exploring much was probably out.
We continued on to the south to the cut that Fort Matanzas is on, and anchored just northwest of the fort. The pass proved to be a pretty constant depth for a wide area, allowing us a great comfortable night anchorage.
Ben went ashore to the fort, which was closed, and returned in time for us to put the dinghy back on the roof before it started raining. The wind stopped when the rain came, so it made for a peaceful night.
Anchored 29 43.038 81 14.470
Ben said he'd never seen pelicans. We changed that! Loads of pelicans. A fee dolphins. Lots of gulls, cormorrNts, herons, ospreys, and. Hawk.
Monday, November 28, 2011
Changing crew again
It has been great fun meeting people this trip, and having old friends on the boat with me.
Saturday was clean-up day. Yes, typical household chores: laundry, make the beds, vacuum, defrost the refrigerator, and wash the dog kind of stuff. We're at 30 17.370 081 25 142
Kenny arrived with his mom shortly after lunch, and I had the privilege of showing this dear sweet lady the Mercy. I loved to see the sparkle in her eye at the helm of the Mercy.
On Sunday, Kenny picked me up for church, and I enjoyed attending St. Paul's by-the-Sea Episcopal church with the congregation there. What a beautiful building, with great acoustics, and a huge pipe organ.
Afterwards we went to lunch, Kenny took me to the grocery store, and then to the airport to pick up Ben.
Ben Carlson is a great young man, the son of missionaries who grew up in Fiji, and Tonga. He's a boater, a surfer, a free-diver extraordinaire, spearfisherman, and an all around great young man that God has great things in store for. (I wonder if I can convince him to do the blog this week?)
As I was putting groceries away, and Ben was unpacking, he asked me if we'd eat much seafood. When we started to cook dinner, a couple I'd met that morning arrived to see the boat. They'd been out fishing for the day, and went home and returned with a redfish, which we cooked on the grill. Isn't it great how God knows the desires of your heart, Ben?
We'll keep you posted as the adventure unfolds.
Saturday was clean-up day. Yes, typical household chores: laundry, make the beds, vacuum, defrost the refrigerator, and wash the dog kind of stuff. We're at 30 17.370 081 25 142
Kenny arrived with his mom shortly after lunch, and I had the privilege of showing this dear sweet lady the Mercy. I loved to see the sparkle in her eye at the helm of the Mercy.
On Sunday, Kenny picked me up for church, and I enjoyed attending St. Paul's by-the-Sea Episcopal church with the congregation there. What a beautiful building, with great acoustics, and a huge pipe organ.
Afterwards we went to lunch, Kenny took me to the grocery store, and then to the airport to pick up Ben.
Ben Carlson is a great young man, the son of missionaries who grew up in Fiji, and Tonga. He's a boater, a surfer, a free-diver extraordinaire, spearfisherman, and an all around great young man that God has great things in store for. (I wonder if I can convince him to do the blog this week?)
As I was putting groceries away, and Ben was unpacking, he asked me if we'd eat much seafood. When we started to cook dinner, a couple I'd met that morning arrived to see the boat. They'd been out fishing for the day, and went home and returned with a redfish, which we cooked on the grill. Isn't it great how God knows the desires of your heart, Ben?
We'll keep you posted as the adventure unfolds.
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Thanksgiving Day at Cumberland Island Sea Camp.
In the morning, we awoke in the Brickhill River to an exceptionally high tide. In addition to the new moon, the northeasl wind piled the water up. Just before good daylight, I looked out, and was startled to see what I thought was a shoal. Closer examination revealed it was just the tips of the grass, that I had seen before over ten feet out of the water!
We cruised down the Brickhill, past Plum Orchard, looking for the Rachel or the Osprey, past King's Bay, and down into Cumberland Island Sea Camp anchorage. We talked to the crew of the Osprey, and made arrangements to join them for a Thanksgiving potluck dinner ashore at three o'clock.
Come to find out, all of the boats had been at Oak Harbor, outside Annapolis, earlier this year, and had made arrangements to meet for Thanksgiving at Cumberland. Talk about a small world! If you remember, I was at Oak Harbor Marina on Dick Ring's sailboat, the Ringle, when this journey was beginning. How cool is that... that all these folks from an itty bitty marina would meet for the holidays all these miles away!
What a glorious feast of Thanksgiving we had.
On Friday morning, Allen and I went ashore, and walked to the beach. Then we returned, and Allen biked with some of the Oak Harbor gang, while I stayed closer home, and visited with Shad, an NPS LE Ranger there. I went out to the boat and secured the dinghy, and things for the trip, and went into the dock long enough to just touch, and allow Allen back aboard.
Fort Cinch off Fernandina Beach
Allen had several shark's teeth he'd found on his trek across the island. He gave one to me!
We pulled into the Jacksonville Beach Marina just at closing, and Fred and Mike (Allen's grandpa and dad) came and stayed the night.
It was sad seeing Allen leave, though I'm sure he loved watching Alabama playing Auburn at his grandparents' television on Saturday.
We cruised down the Brickhill, past Plum Orchard, looking for the Rachel or the Osprey, past King's Bay, and down into Cumberland Island Sea Camp anchorage. We talked to the crew of the Osprey, and made arrangements to join them for a Thanksgiving potluck dinner ashore at three o'clock.
Come to find out, all of the boats had been at Oak Harbor, outside Annapolis, earlier this year, and had made arrangements to meet for Thanksgiving at Cumberland. Talk about a small world! If you remember, I was at Oak Harbor Marina on Dick Ring's sailboat, the Ringle, when this journey was beginning. How cool is that... that all these folks from an itty bitty marina would meet for the holidays all these miles away!
What a glorious feast of Thanksgiving we had.
On Friday morning, Allen and I went ashore, and walked to the beach. Then we returned, and Allen biked with some of the Oak Harbor gang, while I stayed closer home, and visited with Shad, an NPS LE Ranger there. I went out to the boat and secured the dinghy, and things for the trip, and went into the dock long enough to just touch, and allow Allen back aboard.
Fort Cinch off Fernandina Beach
Allen had several shark's teeth he'd found on his trek across the island. He gave one to me!
We pulled into the Jacksonville Beach Marina just at closing, and Fred and Mike (Allen's grandpa and dad) came and stayed the night.
It was sad seeing Allen leave, though I'm sure he loved watching Alabama playing Auburn at his grandparents' television on Saturday.
Blackbeard's Island to Brickhill River
In the morning, the tide in Blackbeard's Creek was exceptionally high, and so I pulled anchored shortly after daylight and went up river. I knew that I needed to come back out of there by about mid-tide, but it was definitely worth exploring!
We passed the Refuge dock, and Allen jumped off and grabbed us some brochures, and we continued up about a half mile further. Then we decided to return to the pier, and Allen went ashore and walked some of the trails while I secured the dinghy, and the vessel for the 30 knot winds, and any rough seas we might meet as we journeyed back south.
While I had the engines shut down, I enjoyed listening to the birds calling everywhere. We were probably the only folks for a couple of miles, and it sure was sweet listening to all the sounds of the marsh, and the woods, and the ocean.
When Allen returned, we ran down the creek, noting how the water had dropped four feet in the creek in the two hours we'd been exploring. The tide there was amazing.
We ran all that day noticing the extremes of the tide.
We finally anchored in the upper end of the Brickhill River at 30 53.279 81 27 311, in a nice wide river anchorage, where we could blow all night in 360 degree circles!
We passed the Refuge dock, and Allen jumped off and grabbed us some brochures, and we continued up about a half mile further. Then we decided to return to the pier, and Allen went ashore and walked some of the trails while I secured the dinghy, and the vessel for the 30 knot winds, and any rough seas we might meet as we journeyed back south.
While I had the engines shut down, I enjoyed listening to the birds calling everywhere. We were probably the only folks for a couple of miles, and it sure was sweet listening to all the sounds of the marsh, and the woods, and the ocean.
When Allen returned, we ran down the creek, noting how the water had dropped four feet in the creek in the two hours we'd been exploring. The tide there was amazing.
We ran all that day noticing the extremes of the tide.
We finally anchored in the upper end of the Brickhill River at 30 53.279 81 27 311, in a nice wide river anchorage, where we could blow all night in 360 degree circles!
Fort Frederico to Blackbeard's Creek
We took the dinghy ashore at Fort Frederico and looked at the old Spanish bastion, and the foundations of the ruins of Gen Oglethorpe's town.
We exited the north end of the Frederico River into the Mackay River and North into Buttermilk Sound. Allen was learning to read the water pretty well as we transitted the Little Mud River at low tide, and learning the charts and the ICW as we went up to Blackbeard's Island.
Blackbeard's Island is a National Wildlife Refuge that I explored a little last week. We went up into an anchorage that I had liked the week before, well up the creek. I didn't want to anchor where I had before, in the opening, due to a swell running in that area, and anticipated 30 knot winds that evening.
We anchored in the creek, which was only about 100 feet wide, and settled in for the evening. We launched the dinghy, and Allen explored up to the nearby fisherman's dock on the north creek. He said the place was loaded with deer tracks, but it didn't appear any people had walked there in awhile.
We exited the north end of the Frederico River into the Mackay River and North into Buttermilk Sound. Allen was learning to read the water pretty well as we transitted the Little Mud River at low tide, and learning the charts and the ICW as we went up to Blackbeard's Island.
Blackbeard's Island is a National Wildlife Refuge that I explored a little last week. We went up into an anchorage that I had liked the week before, well up the creek. I didn't want to anchor where I had before, in the opening, due to a swell running in that area, and anticipated 30 knot winds that evening.
We anchored in the creek, which was only about 100 feet wide, and settled in for the evening. We launched the dinghy, and Allen explored up to the nearby fisherman's dock on the north creek. He said the place was loaded with deer tracks, but it didn't appear any people had walked there in awhile.
Monday, November 21, 2011
Cumberland Island
We awoke to seeing several horses grazing on the beach.
We launched the dinghy and went ashore at Cumberland Island Sea Camp. We moored to the dinghy dock, and walked through the woods, and down the boardwalk to the beach. The tide was pretty low, and it made a wide beach, with gorgeous views of the Atlantic.
We also walked through the woods to the south to the ice house, and some other 1900's buildings. We were glad to see some more horses.
Later we returned to the trawler, and cruised north, past King's Bay Naval Station, and up the ICW to anchor in the evening off of Fort Frederico.
On the way north, we saw more horses and lots of white pelicans
We launched the dinghy and went ashore at Cumberland Island Sea Camp. We moored to the dinghy dock, and walked through the woods, and down the boardwalk to the beach. The tide was pretty low, and it made a wide beach, with gorgeous views of the Atlantic.
We also walked through the woods to the south to the ice house, and some other 1900's buildings. We were glad to see some more horses.
Later we returned to the trawler, and cruised north, past King's Bay Naval Station, and up the ICW to anchor in the evening off of Fort Frederico.
On the way north, we saw more horses and lots of white pelicans
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Back in Georgia
On Sunday morning, we saw Fred and Nancy off, making plans for them to return in a week to pick up Allen.
Nancy, Fred, and Allen
Allen’s school is having a “fall break” for the first time this year, a week out of school the week of Thanksgiving. I’m sure glad they chose to do that this year so that Allen could enjoy part of this great trip with me. Allen is my 13-year old cousin who has spent the last three summers with me in the Keys. He is an avid boater and diver, and I knew he’d love this!
The slave quarters' tabby foundations at the Kingsley Plantation
Nancy, Fred, and Allen
Allen’s school is having a “fall break” for the first time this year, a week out of school the week of Thanksgiving. I’m sure glad they chose to do that this year so that Allen could enjoy part of this great trip with me. Allen is my 13-year old cousin who has spent the last three summers with me in the Keys. He is an avid boater and diver, and I knew he’d love this!
Kenny and Jean Richards met us at the marina, and rode north with us to Fort George, where Kenny had shown me the great anchorage on the way down. The tide was low going in, and it gave us a great chance to see the lay of the land. (I think Kenny is trying to convince Jean that they need a Nordic Tug!) We had a great time visiting, and they brought a picnic lunch for us all.
Allen, Kenny, and Jean
We launched the inflatable, and Allen took the two of them ashore and came back for me and Mercy. We rode in and toured the Kingsley Plantation. The area grew sea cotton, indigo, fruits, and vegetables, with slave labor. There is an arched row of the tabby foundations that were once the slave quarters. Tabby is a mixture of oyster shells and sand sort of cemented together.
The slave quarters' tabby foundations at the Kingsley Plantation
Kenny and Jean left up at the slave quarters, and walked the three miles up to the ferry for their Sunday afternoon stroll. They’d left a car on the other side.
Then, Allen and I continued on to anchor off the Cumberland Island Sea Camp about sunset. We grilled chicken and cooked potatoes and green beans. The weather was perfect!
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