Wrightsville Beach work break

     We are in Wrightsville Beach, NC again for Carol's work schedule. Be here about 2 1/2 weeks because we got here a little early as usual. Have to have a safety/weather buffer.

     This year we had a few adventures getting here. Boy, I hate those!

     When we left Marathon we had a very good offshore passage to Fort Pierce. Very quick and fairly smooth. More than 200 miles in about 26 hours. The Gulf Stream can be your friend. We visited with the Guays, shopped and also drove to see Sue and Al on Gelato who were in Velcro Beach... Vero Beach to non-boaters.

     After three or four days, we left. Then the fun started. Sigh. After we went through the bascule bridge we noticed the cabin starting to fill with smoke. This is not a good sign. It turned out the port side alternator was burning up. No flames yet but only because we shut down the engine quickly. Then came hours of phone calls to diagnose the problem and to find a replacement. We guess that water spray or mist from an earlier raw water pump leak coated the outside of the alternator and some water must have gotten in to the wiring inside. Or the salt. We were lucky to find a Yanmar dealer in Cocoa, FL. who could have a new one on hand the next day, and maybe install it.So we parked there for two nights and because we could not get into the marina near there we just took the part and went on our way to install it at a later date. By disconnecting the wiring we could run the port engine without the chance of fire. Our alternator on the starboard side would continue to charge the batteries just fine. Al on Gelato, Jeff from Bay Shore Marine in Annapolis, and the Yanmar guy in Cocoa were all very helpful with info and advice.

     So we moved on. But not after watching a night time launch at Cape Canaveral from our nearby anchorage. Very cool. Unfortunately our adventures were not over.

     After getting past Matanzas on our way to St. Augustine the bascule bridge at Crescent Beach failed as it was opening for us. It made a loud clunk we could hear from the boat as it opened and it was stuck, unable to pass cars either. After a while we realized it would not be opening soon so we went back to Marineland Marina a few miles behind us. It took a day and a half for repairs to be completed. We went on a couple of hikes and had dinner with our St Augustine friends, Bob and Jane.

     So two days later we were back on our way. We were the third opening of the morning and we were still worried about the bridge not working for us. But, we made it through. The next bascule bridge is at St Augustine and as we waited for its opening schedule the bridge tender told us the Crescent Beach Bridge failed to close properly behind us and was out of order again. Kinda funny but still a close call for us.

     From there it was a passage to the free dock on Sisters Creek near Jacksonville, FL. On the way we bumped a crab pot float but it didn't seem to be a problem. At the time. The next morning when we started the starboard engine we could not engage the transmission without the engine stopping. Arrrrr. We had caught a pot warp the day before and now it was wrapped around the propeller so we could not move. We had to wait for the current to ease before I went into the cold, dark water to cut away the lines. I have a wetsuit for cold water but I didn't put on the air tanks, just held my breath. It took an hour. It was very hard to see underwater in the early morning light and hard to cut away the line. I actually wasn't too cold because of my suit and the exercise but it was not exactly fun. So we got underway about two hours late which wasn't a problem because our next anchorage (Cumberland Island, GA.) wasn't too far away. The passage there was a problem because we had gone aground on that route two years in a row. I consulted the TowBoat/US operator, my guidebooks and online sources to decide on the proper way through the area. Although not all the sources agreed with each other we got through and were in Georgia that night.

     From there we had fairly short days underway to time the tides through Georgia. The ICW there is pretty shallow but the tides are six to eight feet so there is water enough to get through, just not all the time. We plowed some mud up in Jeckyll Creek but made it through. Other passes were timed fairly well to have enough water, including Hell Gate in GA. and McClellenville in SC.

     When we reached Winyah Bay south of Georgetown, SC we were boarded by the Coast Guard for a safety check. We passed inspection just fine and I was able to resist telling them what they forgot to ask about. I'm learning. Slowly.

     Our next stop was Osprey Marina near Socastee, SC in the southern Myrtle Beach area. We stayed two nights, fueled up, did laundry and had dinner with Carol's former co-worker, Laverne, and her husband. Leaving there, it was very difficult getting under some fixed bridges due to flooding. We made it but it was close. Just squeaked by. Another night at a marina near Southport, NC and then here we are in Wrightsville. I installed the new alternator successfully but ended up up with severe back spasms due to bending, lifting and trying to crank wrenches in poor posture positions. Tough getting old but at least, for the time being, I am actually doing that. Getting older.

     Next are oil changes and stocking up on food, etc. for the next push north.