North to Annapolis 2023

      Our 2nd day in Carolina Beach started out very foggy. We had debated leaving after one night on the mooring but because of the complicated forecast and serious wind coming in a few days we decided to stay. This is what we awoke to and had the next 3 plus hours.

Not much to see here. Imagine the waterway. Staying meant one less day hiding out and hunkered down somewhere less comfortable. Also, the fog made it extremely dangerous. A boat we know left after a 2 hour delay. In my opinion they should have waited 3 hours but that puts arrival at the next anchorage late in the afternoon. Something we avoid. 

     We got underway the next day slightly later than normal due to a bridge opening schedule around 90 minutes away. We made it to the 0900 opening of the Wrightsville Beach bridge but it was a closer call than planned due to an adverse current. Then we were more than 20 minutes early (or 10 minutes late) to the Figure 8 Island bridge opening but after that we had good current the rest of the day. We got to Mile Hammock Basin before 2pm and anchored. A bit breezier than forecast but not terrible. We had gone through the nearby New River Inlet intersection about an hour before low tide. This would have been near impossible a year or so ago but we just had a brief bump as we got a little closer to the red side of the channel than we should have. All good. Mile Hammock is at Camp LeJeune, the Marine Base. Sometimes it is very noisy with Osprey flights, gunfire or things being blown up but it stayed quiet and the wind died overnight. 

     We got up very early the next morning and started the anchor raising process while it was still dark. We wanted to avoid the construction obstructions at the Onslow Beach swing bridge that could start at 0800 or even 0700 when work often starts. The day before the bridge tender told us via VHF they had not been restricting the channel width lately but he couldn't be sure. We were let through the bridge at 0650 with two other vessels. Interestingly, even though it was clear when we got up, fog formed just before we went through the bridge. At times it was quite dense but it lasted less than an hour. We were in a narrow ICW area so we could see to either side of us even though straight ahead was all gray. Getting underway early turned out not to be neccessary but it got us going before the forecast wind picked up. The rain, too. It was quite pleasant until we got near to Morehead City and Beaufort (Bo firt), NC. It got dark, cold and windy but no rain came. We had hoped to get to Oriental and a free dock there but the webcam showed the slips were taken. Would have been a nice, safe place to hide out from the Gale Watch weather forecast. Plus there are restaurants, groceries, supplies and walks to go on. Nope. Not this trip. We ended up in our usual place at Cedar Creek off of Adams Creek a few miles from the Neuse River and anchored. The predicted wind direction made this an okay spot but we were concerned with the upcoming days of bad weather that were forecast. Boredom is rarely fatal. Gale force winds can be. 

     It was already windy when we arrived on Friday afternoon. Overnight it started raining and did not stop until mid-morning on Sunday. The wind also increased with the rain, in the 20kt range with higher gusts. When the rain finally stopped the wind actually increased, with gusts that were on the sporty side. Very sporty. Attention grabbing. 1ft waves, too, even without fetch. Although it was noisy, we slept okay. We were reasonably confident in our anchor system holding us in place. After a few days of wind you figure you are dug in and will continue to hold. Hope anyway. It all held. On Monday, it was mostly sunny and the wind was under 20 but not by much. If the direction was behind us (southish) we might have departed but it was exactly, precisely, smack-dab and perfectly on target to be the worst possible direction for the upcoming passage. On the nose. We know from experience how bad it could be on the Neuse. Several experiences. From this very spot. Decided not to depart. Wiser? Or just older? Later reports said it was over 4ft seas. No thanks. 

     Tuesday we got underway before 0700 and had some difficulty raising the anchor. It was well dug in (this is good) and very heavy with a lot of mud stuck to it. Yuck! Very light north wind and very cold to start. Blue skies make it seem nicer, however. The Neuse was not quite as nice as it should have been because even though the wind was lightish it was still from the north to northeast, a bad direction. We had around 1ft seas. On the nose. Not uncomfortable but we were slowed down a little. We can only imagine the seas on the Neuse the previous few days with the 20-30kt winds. I saw a 4 1/2ft wave report near shore but they were likely higher in the open areas we were crossing this day. We anchored up the Pungo River in a swampy area near the Pungo-Alligator Canal. It was a beautiful, cloudless day that eventually approached being warm. 

     Clouds were on the horizon, however. We had been following bridge issue information for Gilmerton, a few days away, but suddenly the nearer Great Bridge Lock closed due to a power failure. Not being able use that route for sure, we had to look into going the Dismal Swamp Canal route. This will make for longer days because we cannot do it more leisurely like we normally would, taking extra stops. Taking extra days would mean getting into the weekend closed periods of the Gilmerton Bridge near Portsmouth, VA. The N&S #7 railroad bascule bridge seems to also be having problems with its operations so our worries were building. We also have a marina reservation up the road. 

     We got up very early to get underway before sunrise. 

Gilmerton Bridge at sunrise. Been underway for a while.

Besides being beautiful this got us ahead of all the anchored boats near us and the powerboats at the various Belhaven marinas. None passed us while we were in the narrow Pungo-Alligator Canal. The Alligator River Swing Bridge made us wait a few minutes to let a group of those powerboats catch up to us to make a single opening. 

     After the bridge, it was decision time. The usual route or the Dismal Swamp route? A final check on the Great Bridge Lock situation said we could not take the chance so we went to Route 2, the Great Dismal. The only real problem is it is farther to the Elizabeth City stop, about 10 hours, vs. our first stop on the Virginia Cut route (about 7 hours). The days after that are not too bad lengthwise. We got to Elizabeth City about 1600 but had to wait until 1630 for the bascule bridge to open. We tied up at a free dock provided by Middle Atlantic Christian University. Free showers, water and dumpsters included. Nice deal. The other free dock in town is nice, too, but showers are $5. We decided we could not make the next morning's first lock opening at 0830 because it is 18 miles away and would take almost 3 hours from our predawn departure time of 0615. Our 0715 departure got us to the lock at 0945 which meant more than an hour of waiting for the 1100 opening. In the past the South Mills Lock has opened early for us due to the lack of other traffic. Not today. The lock operator seemed to think we boaters mess up his day by requiring him to do his job. Seems it has always been the attitude of the personnel of this lock even though they have changed over the years. The lockmaster at Deep Creek, our next lock, may have been the best anywhere. He was helpful, courteous and friendly and had lots of knowledge about the canal and the Great Dismal. Unfortunately, he died at a very young age a few years ago. 

     Since it has been at least 6 or 7 years since we took the Dismal Swamp Canal route, some info: George Washington was involved in the surveying of the canal, mostly hand dug by slaves. Today's name doesn't make sense because a dismal is a swamp so the name means 'swamp swamp'. The older name is the Great Dismal which makes more sense. Back to our travels... 

     The passage up the canal was slow and we bumped the bottom, or the logs at the bottom, frequently.  We only hit one tree overhead. Not me. This time. The new (to us) guy at the lock seemed helpful and nice at first contact. A bit chatty but we discussed our previous visits and our deaĺings with the late Robert Peek. We spent the night at Elizabeth's Dock outside the Deep Creek Lock. We have tied up here several times in the past but it has been improved since our last visit. Nice. We went out for a great pizza and some grocery shopping and were ready at 0830 for the first lock opening. 

 Elizabeth's Dock, Deep Creek, Chesapeake, VA. 

  Deep Creek Lock. Lowered down to river level. 

     After clearing the lock we went back to the 'regular' ICW and turned SOUTH. What??!!??? We actually needed some fuel and the marina was only a mile or so in the wrong direction. No problem. Then it was a trip through Portsmouth and Norfolk, VA. The first bridge encounter had some equipment attached to it making the clearance 10 ft less. Oops. But, fortunately the platform was narrow and only blocked a small part of the overhead and we made it through okay. The next bridge was the dreaded Gilmerton Lift Bridge with the associated Norfolk and Southern #7 railroad bridge. Luckily they were both open as we approached and the bridge tender was nice enough to hold it open a couple of extra minutes to let us through. Very nice. The Norfolk and Western railroad bridge was closed as we approached even though we had never seen it closed before. We only had a minor slowdown as it opened before we got to it. Lucky again. If we didn't have some light rain showers it would have been a very lucky day. We ended up at our planned stop at Hampton City Marina. Had to pay for the tie up because we did not have a free coupon this year. Oh, well. Cleaned out our head, got water, did deck cleaning, laundry and took showers. All set for our push home and entering the Chesapeake Bay from Hampton Roads. All set except for maybe future shore showers for us somewhere.

     Leaving Hampton Roads and entering the Chesapeake Bay was easy this year. Very calm and not cold. It was all gray with thick overcast, fog ahead of us and gray oily seas. Oily seas do not have oil. They are calm with left over energy from past winds. Makes for easy, slow movement. Smooth and shiny. Gray because of the overcast. Later, a little breeze picked up and seas built to 4 or 5. Inches. We anchored in Cockrell Creek in Reedville, VA. Near the Memorial Chimney. 

     We got underway just before sunrise with blue skies and a light SW breeze. Nice. Seas were almost flat, a few ripples. We had the current with us when we crossed into Maryland and started across the mouth of the Potomac River. The current only got better and our arrival time to Solomons was before noon. It was so nice we decided to continue on to Annapolis. Of course it got cloudy within an hour or so and the seas built up. To 8-10 inches. And behind us. At times our speed over the ground (SOG) reached 8.5kts. Very fast. Combining two day-passages into one passage let us beat an increase in the wind and a switch to a slightly worse direction. It would not have been bad but our last day before Annapolis was great and we took advantage of it. Well after we decided to continue to Naptown they posted Small Craft Advisories for the next day, probably for gusts, not sustained winds. We arrived to a City mooring in Back Creek. Eastport, MD at about 1630 so not too late of a day. 10 hours. Not too bad but only because of having great current with us. The current cut roughly 2 1/2 hours off the trip. 

     We plan to spend about a week in Annapolis. Depends on the weather forecast for the push to home. Relax. Maintenance. Groceries. Restaurants. Fuel. New stuff, maybe. 

     

Northbound 2023

      We left Marathon in the hoped for benign conditions. Near calm. Sunny. The downside was it became very hot. Uncomfortably hot. Blazing hot. We ended up at Tarpon Basin at Key Largo, a regular stopping place. From there it was another hot day to Miami. A strong breeze on the stern picked up towards the end of our passage. Got choppy but still okay because of the direction (behind us). The Marine Stadium Basin anchorage at Virginia Key was crowded and very breezy but it was fine for us. Good holding. 

             Miami from Virginia Key. 

     From Miami we must go outside into the ocean because of a @##$&$@$ bridge in the Miami area that was allowed to be built lower than the ICW standard 65ft. Someone paid off? Uh, this is Florida. Anyway, the forecast was for a brief drop in the winds and for once, the forecast was correct. 6" seas max. for the passage to Port Everglades Inlet (Ft. Lauderdale) and the wind did not start to pick up (on the nose) until we were about to exit the ocean towards the Waterway. Small Craft Advisories (SCA) started about then and continued for a few days. That's why we take the inland route when neccessary even though the ocean route is nicer and shorter. It would be good to have that option through Miami but...        that @#$%#$ bridge.

     North winds on the ocean when northbound are no fun at all. Remember we got beat up pretty badly last spring attempting to go to Charleston directly from St. Augustine. Anyway, we anchored for the night in Lake Boca, Boca Raton. A nice spot if a bit crowded. Spring break crowds? Maybe. After the big rat 🐁 we had a windy, rainy day going through all the bridges in the entire Boca, Delray, Palm Beach and Jupiter areas. It is impossible for a sailboat to make all the scheduled openings for the bascule bridges but we did all right. Only one long delay. We ended up in a wide spot in the road in Hobe Sound, Jupiter, FL. I had to make an urgent replacement of one of our raw water cooling pump impellers. This is a lot of fun in a very hot engine compartment after a long travelling day. Sigh. 

     The ICW from Jupiter is narrow so the wind direction and strength is not an issue but once we got to the St. Lucie Inlet area a lot more fetch made the waterway lumpy in the strong breeze. Fetch is the distance the wind blows without trees or other obstructions to block it or slow it down. It's why the wind is stronger on the ocean. From St. Lucie it was choppy all the way to Ft.. Pierce but north of Jensen Beach we put out our genoa and our speed really picked up. A lot. 😁 Fun. ⛵

     We stopped in Ft. Pierce to get fuel and picked up Mike Guay for the rest of the ride to Vero Beach. We got a mooring at the city marina for a few days to get supplies but ended up staying longer waiting out some inclement weather. We prefer clement weather. 

     We got groceries, went to the farmers market, met up with Mike and Carol Guay a few times and went out to a couple of restaurants with them. We also topped off our water and went for some walks. The weather turned out not to be as bad as forecast (less rain) but still was very breezy. It would have been rough on the Indian River. We could have left several days before we did but we would have had to hide out from some of the winds and there are few places better than where we were in Vero. We've been burned in the past with bad experiences pushing on into marginal conditions. Perhaps we are wiser now. Perhaps just older. 

     We left Vero after 5 nights on the mooring. Another catamaran was rafted with us but he wanted to depart the same time as us so no issues. Heading up the Indian River was easy. The north wind was light to begin with and never got too strong with less than 6 inch wavelets. We were a little slower than last year due to the wind direction and an adverse current until Sebastian Inlet so we got to the NASA Causeway bascule bridge 15 minutes later than planned. This only gave a 15 minute cushion before the closure for rush hour traffic. We made it through, however, and anchored just to the north and east of the causeway. 

     Our passage to Daytona was simple and easy. Mostly calm until Daytona. We saw many manatee in the Haulover Canal, made it through the George Musson bascule bridge without much delay and stopped for fuel in Daytona before anchoring in our usual spot just south of Memorial Bridge. 

     Our trip to St. Augustine was smooth except for a few moments in the mud on the side of the channel. Sigh. Met up with friends Bob & Jane for dinner. Sleeping was rough on the mooring due to wind and current but it faded before midnight and all was quiet. We got underway before 0700 and headed out into the ocean. 

Light winds but a swell from the SE at 2-3ft. or so. Not uncomfortable and not a cloud in the sky, either. We turned into the St. Marys Entrance channel and it got lumpier for nearly all of the hour it took to get inland. It was slow because of the current ebbing against us. This negated the fast passage we had at sea. We anchored at Cumberland Island, Georgia. Wild deer and horses were sighted near the shoreline. 

     We left Cumberland Island about low tide which meant going aground in the middle of the channel a little before the Cumberland Dividings area. Soft mud so we got right out and went to the extreme right (green) side of the channel to get through. By the time we got to Jekyll Creek the water was higher and we got through that shallow area okay. We stopped early in the afternoon in the Frederica River along St. Simon's Island so we would have good cell coverage to watch a basketball game. Priorities. 

   Photo of us by a passing vessel. St. Simon Sound.

     While anchored in the Frederica we endured a heavy thunderstorm and a UConn WBB loss. First one at this NCAA stage since 2005. Simply outplayed. ☹ 

     We got underway and headed south on the Frederica. The north entrance has a shoal we've hit before so we went the long way around. Poor choice. We went aground briefly in the Fred (and that's hard to do) and the long way added nearly an hour to our passage. The shallow areas on the ICW require close attention by two people making it a stressful morning. The tide was rising so we made it through all the troublesome spots. We anchored in Lincoln Creek off of Kilkenny Creek. Not sure if this former regular spot is legal anymore. It's legal if there are no shellfish beds on the bottom. No idea. Sure was buggy 'tho. Georgia. Sigh. 

     From Kilkenny the former shallow areas were fine for us as the tide was rising. The Hell Gate passage was not fine but it was about 2ft. above low water so the low spot was about 9ft. Phew. We tied up at Thunderbolt Marina for fuel and to have our windlass checked by a mechanic. They never got back to us with options, information or a repair schedule so we left first thing in the morning. We did go out to eat again at Tubby's. Good, but not as great as the past. We topped off our water and got showers and did some laundry so not entirely a waste of money. The mechanic did get back to me with info about a day later. 

     We went through several low water areas at or near low tide as we finished with Georgia and entered South Carolina. Slowed down at those spots but made it through rather easily. But carefully. We ended up at Factory Creek in Beaufort, SC. (Bew fert) We anchored there because the nearby marina said they were full. Saw an open spot on their docks but...                    It rained the last hour or so of our passage but not too hard. The forecast was for storms a couple of hours after our arrival which is why we looked for a slip. We've anchored in this spot many times but it's deep and narrow with limited swing room. It got breezy overnight but we looked fine at 0300 when I got up to do some checking. In the morning it looked like we may have dragged some but we were not any longer. All was fine. We picked up the anchor a few minutes late in hopes the wind would drop a little. It wasn't too bad but in fact it later picked way more than forecast and was a bit choppy down the Coosaw River. Normally we would take the Ashepoo-Coosaw cutoff to go between those two rivers. However, we got there close to dead low tide and there were dredges and other equipment working on the passageway making it difficult at best to get through there. Impossible at low tide. So instead we went down the Coosaw River to St. Helena Sound, around Combahee Shoal and up the Ashepoo River to Fenwick Cut. A 90 minute long cut (opposite of a short cut) that got us around the troublesome area. It also got us to two other shallow areas much later in the tide cycle (deeper water) and we had no further trouble. Well, except for getting briefly confused by buoys not matching the charts. Luckily no bad results other than stormy weather aboard our boat. We ended up anchored in Church Creek maybe ten miles before Charleston. A few days later we heard of a power boat that had both his props damaged in the Ashepoo-Coosaw cutoff. 

     The next morning was very cold but with very little wind it didn't feel bad. Very pretty, also. There was sea smoke coming up the creek and some on the ICW. 30 or 40 minutes later visibility dropped to near zero. Fog. Well technically it was still sea smoke. Dense sea smoke. Not fog. Still for 10 minutes we slowed to crawl and sounded our fog signal. No such thing as a sea smoke signal. It is very rare for sea smoke to be so dense and so high off the surface. Sea smoke happens when the water temperature is higher than the air temp. The rest of the long day went nicely. We timed our bridge openings well and only the area near Isle of Palms at Charleston was particularly shallow. Made it though there just fine and the other area near McClellenville that is bad was reached near high tide. All good. We ended up at Duck Creek off of Minim Creek which is kinda near Quarantine, SC. Kinda. There was another cruising boat there. First time we were not alone here but Carol says she remembers a small boat here once. Maybe.

     We got underway later than normal. Because we could. Short day planned. The trip up Winyah Bay and the Waccamaw River is really pretty and easy. Ok, we once had a really rough Winyah Bay day but, hey, nothing's perfect. The only issue was the current. We went against it all day. It happens. Mostly under 6kts the whole time. We stopped at Wacca Wache Marina for fuel. They have become the cheapest on the ICW recently. Under $4/gal. for the first time in a long time. ($3.65) After fueling up we crossed the ditch and went into our frequent stop, Cow House Creek.

     It got breezy while here which made for some noise at night as the boat swings but it wasn't too bad. Our bridle makes a sound while it stretches, the chain drags across the bottom and halyards can clatter if we don't point into the wind. All minor (usually) background sounds. We got underway even later than the previous day because we had an even shorter day ahead. A gale warning was in effect so we wanted to get to the protection of our planned stop at Osprey Marina but check-in time was a consideration. The Waccamaw River, as I mentioned, may be the prettiest stretch on the ICW. It was gusty but not as bad as forecast and it doesn't much matter anyway. The river is tree lined, narrow and curvy enough to prevent any fetch. It was a short and pleasant passage. Only 90 minutes.  We tied up at Osprey Marina which is an extremely protected marina. Surrounded by tall trees. The gale never arrived although there were some wind gusts we barely noticed. The only downside was the doubling of their price per foot for transients since we were here last spring. Up to $2/ft. now. Sigh. 😞 We did some boat work, computer work, grocery shopping and visited a now local former co-worker of Carol's with serious health problems. 

     We got underway earlier than planned (of course) and had an easy, short day. Cleared all the fixed bridges easily and the swing bridges opened in a timely manner for us. The ICW is the back side of Myrtle Beach. Lot's of construction and new (ugly) houses. We ended up at Calabash Creek right on the SC/NC border, a frequent stop for us. We stop here because we can no longer anchor in the Southport area due to shoaling and the marinas are expensive. It could be a very long, tiring day to Carolina Beach or two short days. Two short days are more comfortable. Hmmm, I wonder why we choose the second option. Going through Shallotte Inlet and Lockwoods Folly Inlet the second day was fairly close to high tide and the channel was straight forward. Easy. For a change. The passage up the Cape Fear River had some chop but not too rough. It was slow with the current against us but with the breeze behind us. That's what makes the chop. We tied up to a Carolina Beach town mooring for $30 per night. Another major price increase. 20 to 30. Inflation is not 100% (Osprey Marina) or even 50% (Carolina Beach).

     We will stay two nights and then move farther north. Bad weather is coming and we will be stuck somewhere for several days. An extra day here means one day less hiding out somewhere norther than here. Because this edition of the blog is getting rather long, I will post it and resume reporting our travels in the next post. Annapolis probably. TTFN from Carolina Beach, NC. 

Marathon early 2023

      As mentioned in the previous post I did a repair of our dinghy transom. Also, just when the kids were coming for the holidays, our dinghy motor started acting up. Tohatsu outboards used to be so reliable but this one has had several somewhat minor issues that cumulatively have been very annoying. Once again it started having starting issues and would not idle. The first time this happened, I replaced the carburetor. Expensive. This time, again suspecting a low speed carb jet issue, I took the carburetor apart and cleaned the parts in a solvent. When I put it all back together again, it worked! I usually feel comfortable replacing things but getting into the inside of engines, etc (a complex carburetor in this case) is more intimidating (and risky). Things don't always go back together correctly, parts get lost or you run out of skill and then you are stuck on the boat and unable to get to service. Not quite the same as having an on land issue. For that reason I waited for the kids to leave before attempting the repair. It turned out successful and the outboard purrs like a kitten. And should, for about two years. That's how long it seems to take before ethanol in the gasoline causes problems. Again. Sigh. 

     The Celtic Fest was early in January and we again volunteered. It is hard work for about 3 hours each day of the weekend. We work at the beer station pulling beer and taking in the money. Hard work but it is also fun. In exchange for volunteering we get entry to the concerts and the grounds of the festival. Free t-shirts, etc., too. Two of the musical acts are first rate. The others are good but Albanach and the Screaming Orphans are top of the line. Especially the Orphans. Google or YouTube them. The energy they both bring in their live shows is amazing. 

     About 2 weeks into 2023 our first norther came through. A classic. The Christmas cold spell wasn't really a norther, what we call a cold front down here. A rapid wind shift to the north, 20 mph or more with a sharp drop in temperature. 60° or less. Brrr. It was 80 again in less than a week, however. 

     Cleo started rapidly losing weight recently despite always being hungry. Drinking and peeing a lot, too. Suspecting diabetes, we did a couple of blood sugar tests. They read low but we learned that cat blood does not test accurately with some human glucometers. After a $700+ vet visit we learned she has hyperthyroidism. Manageable with pricey meds. Sigh.  

                          Cleo at the vet.

     In mid-January we went under the boat to clean the bottom and the props. We need to do this at least monthly in these waters or the boat will be hard to get underway. The props will not generate thrust and the barnacles and plant growth make for too much drag. Friction. Tried out a new system for us, an extra long air hose so the compressed air tank does not have to be carried on my back. That is getting to be impossible for me on the boat. The tank stays on deck or some people put it in a dinghy. The downside is it is more work to breathe, harder, but the upside is it is less work than surface breathing and then diving and scraping. 

     While underwater I was confronted by a Giant or Goliath Grouper. He was only about 2 1/2 or 3 ft. long and a foot tall so a little on the young side. A few years ago I met one closer to 4 ft. long while under the boat. He really got my attention but left me alone. This one pushed on me several times and came at me (slowly) when I backed away from him. I left the area for a bit but when I went back to work he kept getting between me and the hull I was scraping. He came up to my facemask and stared at me, too. These are generally slow and non-aggressive fish but their mouths are big enough to swallow an arm and they have several rows of teeth. An amazing encounter for sure but I prefer to observe a creature I meet if it's safe to do so. Him reaching out and touching me was a bit more worrisome. 

     I am not entirely sure we agreed on our places in the food chain. 

     Carol's brother developed a hiatal hernia and required hospitalization (where he got Covid) and surgery. She flew up to New Hampshire to help the family out and was away from Marathon quite a while. This left me to deal with the cat's health issues (giving pills) and to get in (or cause) trouble regarding the community's desire to protect the local grass flats and Monroe County's desire to follow their bureaucratic rules and procedures which are more important, it seems, than actually protecting this critical environmental habitat. I served as a conduit for information between the person who took action to protect our neighborhood, the County Marine Administrator and our local boating community. Took some heat, got some praise but did little compared to the guy laid out over $3400 of his own money and put his neck on the line. I helped raise a few dollars to help offset a small part of his cost. Being annoying is a skill set I possess. You can ask Carol. 

     When Carol returned to Marathon from New Hampshire, she had some vision issues. A local ophthalmologist suspected a retina tear but after an urgent trip to a Miami specialist it was merely a symptom of old age. Vitrial thinning. We will need to keep an eye on it. Ok, that was bad. It was a very stressful day and a half. Scrambling to get a rental car, arranging for someone to watch the boat and fighting the traffic on the round trip. Did get shopping at BJs at Homestead in, however. 

     The last couple of weeks of February were very warm and humid. Mid-80s and above. Playing pickleball became a health hazzard for old people. Did it anyway but after a low blood pressure scare I got more cautious and took more rest periods and doubled my hydration. Survived. Didn't stop. 

     The end of February and into March had great weather. Warm (85ish) and less humid. We will probably leave just as the weather starts to go downhill. Wrapping up our winter stay gets a little rushed as we try to get prepared for departure: stock up on food, get taxes done, have the boat bottom professionally cleaned, change the engine oils and more. It's tough dragging ourselves away from here. We enjoy the weather, the activities, the people, the entire lifestyle too much. 

     Although we do not get to our northern home until May just thinking about the cold up there now is depressing. Makes us want to stay but we do know how hot is here in the summer. Oh, BTW, there are hurricanes then, too.  

     Our departure date changed several times. We were going to leave on Saturday, the 11th. Then the weather was deteriorating, with a strong cold front on the mainland. The weather window kept moving to earlier in the week. First Friday, then Wednesday, then Tuesday. Tuesday was too soon, we would not be prepared, so we started looking at the next window... Sunday the 12th of March. This would mean we would not be in the Miami area on a weekend. This is a positive. It is very crowded on the water and in the anchorages in South Florida on weekends. Extremely noisy, too. Everyone feels they have to blast their own personal favorite 'music'. $50,000 boats with $30,000 sound systems added. Not fun to be around. 

     So, we will see how our decision works out in the first few days of our northbound passages. 

Marathon 2022 to 23.

      November started out extremely warm. New high-temperature records warm. We do like it warm but mid to upper 80s is beyond our comfort level. Waking up to mid 70s is nice, however. Playing pickleball above 85° is not so great either. I do it anyway 😓. 

     About 2 weeks into our season a tropical system developed in the Bahamas. Worried us for a bit but then it targetted central Florida after the northern Bahamas. We got wind but not too much. Got rain. But not too much. As mentioned in the previous blog posting, we got to Marathon early after mostly great weather after we left Annapolis. Folks travelling after us have not had the same good luck we had. Strong winds and storms in the Carolinas down to Florida have made difficult passages for many. Hurricane Nicole then messed up plans for a good part of Florida then up into Georgia and both Carolinas. This delayed many an arrival into the Keys and a lot of people had trouble finding places to safely hide. Happy to be lucky. For a change. The storm came ashore near Vero Beach and towns north of there, like Daytona Beach and St. Augustine, were hit very hard. Again. Glad that some shore based friends in those areas came through okay. 

     In mid-November we had to rent a car and drive to Miami for regular follow-up medical 'stuff'. We could not get a CT scan, Evusheld injections and my oncologist visit scheduled together so we spent 3 days and 2 nights in South Miami, Doral, Coral Gables and Coconut Grove for shopping, dining, touristing and the medical 'stuff'. The medical was all positive, the dining was interesting, if expensive, and the tourist exploration was fascinating. We went to a Peruvian restaurant and had ceviche and a fish soup that were both great. Hadn't had first rate ceviche since being in Ecuador in 1999. We also went to Fairchild Gardens and saw thousands of exotic plants, a rainforest, saltwater crocs and butterflies and moths bigger than your hand. We also chatted with volunteers there who do what I do at Crane Point here in Marathon... lead tours and educate visitors. Fun to be on the receiving end of the knowledge exchange.

The medical reports were great and we discussed with the doctor the likely timing of my future lymphoma return but also the likelihood of dying (well into the future, we hope) with lymphoma but not of lymphoma. An important distinction. 

     Thanksgiving went okay. We volunteered to help at the community dinner for the first time. We haven't participated in the meal every year we've been here due to guests aboard or Covid or other forgotten reasons. This year the number of participants was down a little but it seemed everyone had a good time. Carol's side dishes vanished quickly. I was unable to stuff myself as my weekly Ozempic injection for Type II diabetes really makes you feel full quickly and doesn't let you overeat. What's the fun in that? Of course, we don't eat dead birds or pigs but the side dishes were always the highlight for me at past family dinners. And the deserts. Somehow I managed to check out a few deserts in spite of being stuffed. No leftovers made it back to the boat, including our vegetarian stuffing.  

     It really didn't cool down much into December, just a few degrees but still above 80°. About a week before Christmas it got a little cooler with some unsettled weather. We went to the Marathon Community Theater's Christmas/Holiday production of 'Sparkle', guests of our friend Gwyn. It was... uh... amusing. Fun and funny but perhaps not in the way they intended. A rare night out for us. We left the boat after our usual bedtime. Later nights became more frequent when the kids came to visit us for Christmas. It dropped to 60° for a few days in honor of their arrival and the weather was poor (by our standards) for two days but they got a trip to Key West and a couple of beach days in. The first full day of their visit was rainy so we were stuck aboard, cold and damp, with a restless 5 year old and a 10 month old expanding her mobility. What fun! Cobbe enjoyed his visit to our local aquarium and I got my usual activities in, pickleball and my work at Crane Point. Our friends Mike and Carol came down from Ft. Pierce to visit the kids while they were here and we had a pleasant lunch at Burdines. 

     Our dinghy transom was damaged by old age and overuse but I managed to make repairs after the family left. Poor quality dinghy brand (Zodiac) but we got it cheap. 

     So 2022 came to an end but we have half a winter season yet to come. The Celtic Fest is upcoming and more stuff will happen, I'm sure. 

Last leg to Marathon

      We dragged up the anchor in Faber Cove, Ft. Pierce and got underway in nice conditions. Fort Pierce Inlet was slow due to the incoming current but the ocean was calm with a long, slow swell. Comfortable. An easy day ended anchored in Lake Worth, Palm Beach, FL. 

     In order to get to the Miami area in  daylight we got up at 0400 to head back out to sea. Lake Worth Inlet is an all-weather, all hour waterway. Wide and well lit. And we've been in and out in the dark here several times. Heading out was easy and the sea was mostly calm. Started out with seas of 4 to 6. Inches, that is. Then they went down to ripples from there. The only issue was in calm conditions powerboat wakes can travel for miles. Wind driven waves knock down wakes but we got quite a few big ones from boats that had long passed out of sight. We ended up in No Name Harbor on Key Biscayne. It's Baggs State Park and where Carol went for the first swim of the 'season'. A tiring 11 hour day but it got us past Fort Lauderdale and the boat show congestion (FLIBS). 

     When we get to Key Biscayne we feel that we are finally in the 'Keys' even though Key Biscayne is really Miami. The park is 'the Keys', the rest is Miami. When we leave there to head south in Biscayne Bay we are 'in the Keys'. Clear water. A clean scent in the air. Feels like home. The passage is a bit tiring as it is a long day to Upper Matecumbe Key (Islamorada) where we anchor for our last night southbound. The gap between good anchoring spots for us make it a short day or a long day and we choose to go further and end our day between 3 and 4 o'clock. About 8 hours. Not too bad. A cleansing swim in clear, shallow, almost warm water let me find and cut some fishing line caught in a saildrive zinc. We may have a hull/saildrive rubber seal issue to deal with in Marathon. Nothing crucial, just an annoyance. Another one. Our night at anchor got a little rough as the winds got up near 20kts. Made for 1ft. waves and noise. There were also professional fireworks on shore for some reason. And after 10 o'clock, too. Kinda late. Oh, well. The winds eased about 0400 as forecast and we got underway at our usual time. The water in Hawk Channel was calmer than forecast. Lighter winds. Nice 1-2ft seas on the stern. Not a bad last day. Warm. Sunny. NE breeze. Would be a nice all-winter forecast. Not likely.

     We arrived at the Boot Key Harbor City Marina in Marathon, FL. about noon. Our earliest arrival day by a few days and we got the smallest number mooring ball we ever had, too. C-1. Probably the closest we've ever been to the dinghy docks. 

     Because we arrived earlier than usual it seemed a little quiet. It will get busy in the next few weeks. Activities will ramp up. 

     Let's sum up this year's cruise south: It went fairly well. Fairly easy. Our first couple of days in Long Island Sound were mostly rough. Then our passages off New Jersey were nice and smooth. So were our days in the Chesapeake Bay before our haul-out. Our time in Annapolis was nasty due to the remnants of hurricane Ian but once we started south again it was nice. We had one extra day in Oriental for rain and thunderstorms but even that was brief and we still got some walks and shopping in. Dining out, too. That was it for lay days until Ft. Pierce where we stopped for an extra night to visit friends. Our offshore passage off South Carolina and Georgia was a snap as were our hops off the coast of Florida. All that added up to no delays and our early arrival to Marathon. Now we have to hope no late season tropical weather gets us. 

Autographing my Points East article. Not quite sure if they were yanking my chain in requesting the autograph. 2nd time ever for a request. Weird. 

  

Offshore and to Ft. Pierce

      We left Charleston at first light. Sunrise wasn't until we were in the shipping channel headed out past Fort Sumpter.

 It was almost totally calm and not quite as cold as it had been. The forecast was for near calm at Chucktown with a north or northwest breeze and 2ft seas in Florida waters. That is pretty much what happened. Go figure. At times the sea was glassy with a very small, gentle swell. At other times there were ripples on the water. The breeze picked up as we neared the St. Marys channel, at first on the beam, and then later on the stern. St. Marys Inlet is the border of Georgia and Florida. The seas were up to 2ft but because they were behind us we were quite comfortable. 

     During the first day we had 3 different large pods of dolphin come to us and play in our bow wave. Stern wave, too. The ocean was so clear we could see down into the depths and it seemed the dolphin were swimming in air. We've had this happen a few times over the years but it is still amazing to see. The thrill hasn't faded. 

      I don't know if this dolphin video will play for you. 

We ended up in St. Augustine as planned after 27 hours at sea and got a city marina mooring. The seas entering the channel were a workout for the arms but at 2ft we were not uncomfortable. We caught up on some of our sleep, showered ashore and did some shopping in the tourist traps. We also went out to dinner at A1A restaurant out on their balcony. Even though it was 70°, it got a bit chilly. Good food, however. 

      The next morning we got underway about 20 minutes later than usual because the sun is getting up later and later. We had an easy time dealing with the bascule bridges and the George Musson was nice enough to hold the opening a couple of minutes so we could get through there without a 30 minute wait. They do not have to do that but some tenders are nice enough to help the boaters out if possible. We appreciate it when they do. A couple of the fixed bridges were very low (okay the water was high) and we had to crawl under them. We made it without hitting anything. We stopped for fuel at Daytona Beach. It was the most we have ever paid. Over $400 for 78 gallons. Highest rate we have ever paid, too. Ft. Pierce will be only a dime cheaper per gallon but we won't take on as much. Sigh. 

     So we anchored at New Smyrna at a wide spot in the road. I left some kidney stones and half my prostate here 6 or 7 years ago. The anchorage was a bit rough due to the wind and the wakes from passing-by local weekend boaters. Both were forecast to fade overnight and did. 

     Crepuscular rays at sunrise at New Smyrna. 

     Departure from New Smyrna was problematic. Our windlass woes got worse. Sounds like a gear issue on retrieve and an electrical issue on lowering. Makes no sense. Not going to be fun the last stretch to Marathon. We went down to Eau Gallie and anchored around Dragon Pt. This is just north of Melbourne and a regular spot for us. This passage seems long when it is nice out like it has been recently and endless when it's dismal as it has been a few times in the past. Our nice weather stretch was forecast to continue. Going to Fort Pierce was tricky because the water was very high at several of the bridges. We barely made it under the Wabasso and the 2 Vero Beach bridges. It was a very close call but we made it. The fact that we are finally into 80° weather made it better.  After a stop at the City Marina for fuel we crossed the ICW to anchor in Faber Cove, Ft. Pierce. This is a favorite spot but while we were here we observed a boater dinghying back from someone's personal dock after trespassing through their yard. Those are people who end up ruining it for the rest of us. Powerboaters. From the midwest. Sigh. 

     We will stay in Ft. Pierce 2 nights, visit old friends, and then head out on our last segments to Marathon. The weather forecast is great so we will probably inlet hop... go offshore each day and come in each night. Next posting will be from our winter home. 

Great Bridge and beyond

      We left Great Bridge very early, about an hour earlier than normal. Being a holiday, the Centerville Turnpike Swing bridge did not have the opening restriction until 0830. Went through it by 0725. I had to call the bridgetender to convince her it was a Federal Holiday and that they should be opening on request. It wasn't until we were through that I told her the holiday was my birthday. #70.

      We sighted multiple eagles along the way. Other raptors, too. It was very, very cold but calm. 

     As mentioned in the previous post, we got the new Covid booster while in Great Bridge and of course, I got very sick the next day. Chills, fever, sore eyes, sore shoulder. I'm used to it. Happens every time. Still sucks. 

     We ended up in a usual anchorage in Broad Creek, just before Albemarle Sound. We were between Shiloh, NC and Jarvisburg, NC. We did not get the bug swarm Carol feared. A transient in Great Bridge said they got them 2 or 3 weeks ago. All dead, I guess. Cold snap was good for something. The Albemarle Sound crossing was uneventful. Light breeze behind us. It isn't always this nice. Blue skies but cool. Warming up! Basically uneventful all the way to Belhaven, NC. I bumped the bottom of the Alligator-Pungo Canal when I squeezed to the side to give room to a northbound barge. I guess that's an event. No big deal. We went aground in the same spot 10 years ago. Not this time. Our passage on the Neuse/Pamlico waters was also uneventful. Not quite calm but light 1ft seas were mostly astern. We ended up in Oriental, NC at a free town dock. We got there early enough to get a spot as we watched the live camera feed on the internet as we were travelling on the Neuse River to be sure there was space for us. Of course someone scooted in after my last check of the feed just before we entered the harbor. They were just there to get coffee at the shop across the street but it forced us to switch our tie-up side at the last moment. An annoyance but no big deal. We planned to stay 2 nights due to forecast thunderstorms. 

     There is a slightly strange theme in Oriental. They have dragon eggs, okay painted rocks, all around the area. On our walks we sighted at least 6. Then there is the actual dragon. No, not the one painted on the bench. 

   

 The town is named for the sign board from the wreckage of a ship lost near Cape Hatteras in the early 19th century and found by the then newly appointed postmaster's wife. Yes, she found the name board along the outer coast 25 miles away and suggested the name of the town be changed to match it. Not strange at all. This is likely the origin of the oriental dragon themes that abound here. 

     Anyway, after one partly rainy day, we got underway again. Our passage to Camp LeJeune, the Marine Corp base, was a little cooler and a lot cloudier than forecast. We had good current most of the way so, in spite of a fuel stop, we made good time. Our trip from Camp LeJeune, Mile Hammock basin, was nice. Great weather, with blue skies, if a little cool to start. Our passage through the New River inlet area was taken slow because it is shallow and difficult to navigate but we did okay. It's been dredged (ongoing) but it's still an adventure. We just barely made the 1100 Figure Eight Island swing bridge opening but, having done so, the Wrightsville Beach bridge 1200 opening was easy to make. We got a municipal mooring at Carolina Beach again for one night. At $20/night, the cost is reasonable. We sat out weather and did some exploring here this past spring. Not this time. We departed Carolina Beach slightly later than normal to try and time the currents. It worked reasonably well. The Cape Fear River had ripples building to 6". Nice. The current when rejoining the ICW at Southport was good and stayed mostly good all day. Lockwoods Folly only caused minor agita and Shallotte Inlet was a breeze. We anchored at Calabash Creek just into SC once again. Our trip through the Myrtle Beach ICW area after that was slow due to adverse current most of the day. Started off wearing short pants but with a sweatshirt and it warmed up from there. We stopped at Wacca Wache Marina for fuel and then went right into nearby Cow House Creek where our anchor winch failed. I thought it was the down switch but after investigation apparently it's not. The relay clicks but does not engage. The 'up' function works, however. Strange. Still investigating/guessing. Our passage down the Waccamaw River was swift and smooth. Winyah Bay had small waves behind us so that was comfortable, too. Once back in the ICW at the Estherville-Minim Canal we passed by our usual anchorage at Minim Creek because it was very early in the day and a new-to-us anchorage at the South Santee River would get us closer to Charleston for the next day. We got a few repairs done including getting the windlass working properly. No great genius of mechanical ability was involved. I have no idea why the relay was kicking in correctly. Or why it stopped previously. A future problem coming I suspect. I reconnected the wires I had snipped while testing it the day before. Boating is fun. Anyway, the South Santee anchorage is exposed to the wind and has a lot of current but conditions were benign and posed no problems. 

     When we got underway for Charleston it was very, very cold. Not quite freezing but with the breeze... brrr. Wore many layers. The shallows of McClellanville were less worrisome because we anchored 45 minutes closer to it in the South Santee. We beat the low tide. By just a little. Once again, for the 2nd year in a row, we anchored in the Ashley River where we used to regularly stop years ago. It was a 'fly off and work' stop for Carol. Not a great anchorage due to wind and current. Not a great place to be alone like I used to be. Great city, however. We haven't visited it in a while. 

     We are going to head offshore from here. Small weather window again. Remember, this past spring didn't work out so well. Supposed to be nice here and a bit south but northern Florida may not be so great. We shall see. 

     The next posting will be from Florida, maybe Marathon. Uh, if we survive. Funny, we never used to question that.