Northern Florida

After the brutal hurricane season that just ended, I'd wager that dock building and boat salvaging businesses in Florida are finding themselves very busy. We've seen so many twisted docks with portions missing and wrecked boats left for dead - it's a sad sight to behold but clean-up efforts are underway to rid the waters of these bad relics. 

The bow of a boat protrudes out of the water.

 

Dinner Key Marina in Coconut Grove has a whole parking lot repurposed as a temporary boat graveyard. We stayed for a few days in the mooring field. We wanted to refill our water tank and were told to wait while they found us an appropriate dock to tie up to. I commented that plenty of them looked available for this quick task, but we were informed that many of the docks that seem free, are in fact occupied by a sunken vessel that lies just below the waterline. Yikes - good to know!

Dinner Key Marina boat graveyard.

Dinner Key Marina had 137 boats sink courtesy of Irma; 50 of them were in the marina and the rest in the mooring fields. Damage seems inflicted so randomly - one boat can be battered to its demise while another next to it can get through without a scratch. Bella is a beautiful example of a boat that survived unscathed. She's a brand new 2018, 43 foot Tartan that we were anchored close to in No Name Harbor, Key Biscayne. The couple who live aboard bought her only two months before Irma hit. They tucked her in an anchorage and hoped for the best. She came out as perfect as she went in while the boat anchored just behind her sank. I have just a little bit of boat envy for Bella. She's a beauty! 

A tug with barge full of wrecked boats.

 

At least the boat's okay...but how to you get to it?

My only shot of Bella, leaving No Name Harbor.

Another common sight for us now that we're in Florida - which is much more pleasant to see - are the manatees! Posted signs say manatee season is May 1st to September 7th but no one told them that. It's the end of November and the big galoots are everywhere; we kept our eyes open for the telltale bubbles and the hump of a back - always ready to slow down or turn to avoid them. Unfortunately, the scars on their backs and tails reveal that collisions aren't always prevented. In No Name Harbor, there was a huge one munching weeds off the harbour wall and we got a great look at the massive sea-cow.

Cruising Florida has been great, especially since a current has been flowing with us for the last three days, speeding us up for short day passages and leaving afternoons free for visiting ashore. There's so much wildlife to observe, including an alligator sighting which we've never had from the boat before. We thought it was a manatee until it looked too bumpy to be that.

Since the American Thanksgiving holiday weekend was approaching, the perfectly sheltered mooring field at Vero Beach was quite full. To make the best use of space, we were directed to a mooring ball that already had two other boats on it. They say 'three's a crowd' but we had great neighbours and it was fun to chat with them in the evening and pet their boat cat named Blue (who can be seen on deck at night thanks to the blue light attached to his collar). Vero Beach is a good full service marina so we got laundry done, topped up on fuel, did our chores. We also made time to go to the beach. It's really like summer here with lush vegetation and warm water to swim in. Wonderful!

S/V Kianda, First Love and Jule III in Vero Beach.

These three are on the ball!

Walking to the beach in Vero!

We did a day sail on the ocean to get to Fort Lauderdale - in part to avoid the slew of bridges on the ICW and also because we were starting to miss it! It was a great day for a sail and we stopped the boat 3 miles offshore for a quick dip, which is a favourite thing to do when possible on passage. We're now in place in Lake Sylvia, ready for the arrival of a very special guest - my mom is coming to visit. 

If you can't decide between a sailboat and a motor boat, just do
what this guy did: get both, plus your own ship to carry them on!

I can't see this one making it through another storm.

Manatee tail with a notch cut out of it, likely from a boat prop.

Alligator!

So slow he's got moss growing on him.

No moss on this guy!

Perfect sail to Fort Lauderdale!

Dave setting the spinnaker.

 

Georgia!

It was a 24hr sail to get from Charleston, South Carolina to St. Simons Island, Georgia - a trip that would take only 3 hours by car. But getting from point A to B in the fastest and easiest way possible is not in the spirit of adventuring, now is it! It isn't the destination but the journey that matters most - as the saying goes. Time passes differently on the boat; the scenery drifts by slowly yet the hours quickly. We lose focus on the future as the present is so striking. There's infinite opportunity for life experience (some of it good, some of it less good...) I'm not a huge fan of the overnighters at sea, but I can't deny there's a quality to the time spent on the ocean that is absolutely in no way comparable to driving a car on a highway to get somewhere fast, down the road. (But would I take a boat that can do a couple knots better? Yes, yes I would.)

On this particular passage, once we were away from land and on the open sea, the wind was favourable as forecasted with the predicted wave action (it's never a given that reality will match the marine forecast). I'd agreed to the overnight passage; that this weather window was acceptable. But then, facing those rollers, I thought: 'we won't be able to sleep in this' and 'can my stomach hold tight for the journey?' Rough seas don't automatically mean I'll be sick, and calm seas don't mean I won't be. It depends. As they say: the only cure for seasickness is to sit under a tree. So the ticket is prevention and I try to avoid the known seasickness triggers. And... I'm happy to report there was no issue at all, even with the larger seas because the motion just wasn't a disagreeable one to me.

We sailed whole day and much of the night before adding the motor at low RPMs to help when the wind died down. A full moon brightened the sky and even when it clouded over it was still light grey enough to see our surroundings. Complete blackness at sea isn't my cup of tea; an Earl Grey is much preferable. Around midnight we were both up, each with earphones on, Dave listening to a podcast and me to music. I don't know why we'd never done this before! Turning my mind over to music during the 'harder hours' made it so much better! I'll do this every time from now on. 

Sunset at sea.

The welcoming committee upon entering the channel.

When we arrived to Georgia it was...so...hot! And beautiful! We both liked it right away.

St. Simons Island has been named the best place to retire by Money Magazine. While sitting on a bench outside the ice cream shop, we chatted with some real-life retirees who backed up the claim. They love it here. One couple had been vacationing in St. Simons for years and when came the time to retire, they knew it was the place to settle down.

One older man was amazed by the story of our year of adventure. "I read about people like you in magazines!" he said (as any sailing magazine will reveal, there are thousands of people like us doing this, and much greater pursuits by far!) His parting advice to us was: "do it while you're young". As I watched him - so jovial and energetic, with his ice cream in hand matching his pink polo shirt and a little dog under his arm, the golden years don't look too bad either. No one ever said getting old is fun but we're meeting so many older people seeming to thrive. It's inspiring. He also told us where to go for the best 'hot cakes' in town and precisely how to order them. We went and he wasn't wrong!

We anchored off St. Simons in a creek near a park with a dock. From there we could easily bike to town. One evening we picked up a rental car, put the bikes in the trunk and left it all in the park parking lot for a road trip to Savannah the next day. 

The moment you hope the published bridge height is accurate.

Creek near St. Simons, Georgia.

As we were dinghying to the dock in the morning, a man on the only other boat in the creek waved us over. He had no dinghy and wanted a ride to shore. We said 'sure' but were both thinking this could be a bad idea... Our dinghy is 8 feet long (i.e. small) and we had bags on board for our road trip. Dave, unsuccessful in sounding confident, said "the dinghy is rated for three people." "We're gonna find out!" said the man, as he tossed us a big duffel bag that landed with a thud. The large man got onto his boat ladder, swinging over his prosthetic leg for Dave to secure while he set himself in the dinghy. We made it to shore but it was all Peli could take. None of us moved for fear of rocking the boat - holding our uncomfortable poses like yoga. When we arrived to the dock to told us that if he were to go over, he'd "sink like a stone". Glad it didn't come to that.

Savannah is another jewel of a city with much to offer for a fun visit - a great way to kill some time while awaiting our visitors. When Remembrance Day weekend came, we skipped over from the creek near St. Simons Island to a marina in Brunswick, to greet Jan and Maxwell! We met the two of them while cruising in Bahamas five years ago when they were taking time off to live aboard as well. A great bond formed and we've met up somewhere every year since. These crazy kids drove from their current home in Mississippi to come and hang out with us for a few days, since we were only a 7hr drive away! 

Have a great time at The Bee Co. mead tasting. Savannah.

Forsyth Park, Savannah.

Savannah, Georgia.

The good times rolled with our buddies, as we knew they would! The best was hanging out on Jekyll Island, St. Simons Island, and on the boat itself at the marina in Brunswick (so basically 'the best' was all our time spent with them!) The marina offers social hours with free wine and beer for all its guests so we stopped by. We were the youngest there by about twenty years. These cruisers form a tight community. They're free as the wind to come and go as they please. If you ask them their cruising plans, they can't really tell you beyond winter because the plan will change with the tide. It's motivating to see these fun-loving, adventure-seeking, cheap wine-drinking old salts continue to do what they love. Hopefully there's some of that well into the distant future for all of us!

Happy reunion!

Driftwood Beach, Jekyll Island

Mother Nature goes gothic on this beach.
Extra beautiful on this grey, blustery day.

I'm posting this next picture of Jen and Maxwell so that A) you can see how adorable they are and B) it's the only picture I have with motor vessel Wabi Sabi in the background. One afternoon while Dave was doing maintenance in the cockpit and I was napping in the forward cabin, Wabi Sabi went berserk! We don't know the cause of the trouble but he gunned it toward our boat, then in reverse, then peeled out of his slip. Dave ran to fend him off Kianda. Running on deck means something is wrong and the sound awoke me immediately with such a jolt, I knocked my head on the cabin bulkhead with full force; I saw stars. Wabi Sabi ended up hitting our ladder then pulling out an electric cable from the dock he backed into. Accidents happen, control can be lost; we all know this. How you handle the aftermath is important and obviously you have to own up to it. I couldn't believe that the captain left without coming over to talk to us! He just...took off! If we run into him down the road, I'll have to tell him that there was no damage to our boat, in case he's curious. The egg on my temple was tender for 4 days from the hit to the wall though.

Jen & Maxwell sit, while Wabi Sabi lurks...

When Jen and Maxwell left Brunswick, we did too. We moved to another creek where we installed our new satellite communication system (for Cuba!) for the better part of three not-so-fun days. It was cold, the wind blew like stink and we had to work! Once it was done, we were eager to make our way across the Florida border. There were two ways to do this: go through St. Andrew Sound with its huge waves, or take an alternate route through shallow creeks. The tide was rising (7ft tides in this region!) so the creek seemed a viable option until we got into it and decided to abort when we only had a few inches of water under our keel and daylight running against us. It was so windy and we didn't want to get caught here in the dark. We turned away from the creek and toward the ocean of St. Andrew Sound. The waves were monstrous but we knew we only had to 'turn the corner' - we would have to plough into them for a short time, round a buoy, and then we would run with the waves back into sheltered water. Just 'out and back in'. So we went for it.

Stuffing wires into a pole.
Some days you gotta pay so that other days you get to play!

We took on some of the largest waves we've ever experienced. I had the helm the whole time because it's the best place for me in wicked waves. Kianda would climb up the waves and then free fall into the trough. A few times my feet came clear off the cockpit floor as we dropped off the crest of waves. To say we held on tight is an understatement. So much for our freshly washed foul weather gear! We were soaked with salt water spray within seconds. I kept saying "almost there!" It lasted 35 minutes and thankfully no longer. Once in calm water again, I went down below to assess the cabin. I had stored everything away but whatever could get loose did and there were cushions thrown about, an open drawer, a mug that got away and landed in a box, unbroken. Most surprising was that the force of impact into the waves was such that it pulled the wood trim from walls of the head! Nails expelled from the walls! Dave said he's been on a Coast Guard vessel when the waves were so rough the trim came off as well. I didn't realize that was a thing.

This way was too risky as we couldn't find deep enough water.
So we turned to the insanity that was St. Andrew Sound...

Dave in the calm after the waves!

We didn't regret the decision to go for it though; it was a calculated step. When you're prepared for madness it's more easily taken than when surprised. The conditions were the same the next morning so we were happy to have that part over and done with. I fixed the trim and we were no worse for wear. It was smooth sailing the ICW into Florida. Hello Sunshine State!

Lowcountry

Magnolia Plantation, Charleston, SC

A good motivator to keep moving south: temperatures of 13ºC. One morning it was 6ºC! I'll be the first to admit our Canadian resilience to cold was left in Canada - in storage with the rest of our winter stuff, I guess. We've put Kianda's new heating system to use and it has turned out to be our greatest upgrade (second only to the new oven which I'm really lovin'). We won't again own a boat with no heater. Our best evenings onboard have actually been the cool ones when we hunker down and turn the heat on; it makes the cabin feel so wonderful.

In spite of the chill, most of our days in North Carolina have been clear and sunny and we continue to feel very lucky weather-wise. The marine forecast hasn't been good for the ocean passages we were considering however, so we've been trucking along the Intracoastal Waterway rather than waiting around for a weather window to go to sea. Besides, the Carolinas are beautiful and we enjoy the scenery offered by the ICW.

Perhaps less thrilling were the stretches transitioning straight, narrow dredged channels (or land cuts). These sections are where the ICW really lives up to its nickname "the ditch". Many a mile was spent motoring through residential areas in which colossal houses line the channel, each one more extravagant than the last.

Dave: "Smell the air here - it smells so good!"

Being close to an ocean inlet, I knew he meant the fresh salty breeze but I jokingly said:
"That's the rich."

Dave added: "Is that what money smells like?"

Example A

Example B

Why is your house so big??

Nearing the state line into South Carolina, the mansion miles eventually gave way to an abundance of natural landscaping in the form of swampland and salt water marches. The anchoring options in adjacent rivers where plentiful and we spent evenings anchored in some very beautiful places, without any sign of civilization. On nights like these we forget cities even exist.

We had the lovely Schooner Creek, South Carolina to ourselves, or almost... After securing the boat at anchor, we used the last hour of daylight to launch Peli (our Pelican dinghy) and go explore further down river. Almost immediately, movement on the riverbank caught our eye. The tall grass partially blocked our view but we could make out a dark hump of fur. We both thought it was a bear until we saw big pointy ears. A dog? No, couldn't be... And then we heard a loud 'OINK' which left no doubt! We were looking at wild pigs - two big ones chowing down on roots. They were completely engrossed with their dinner. We heard fanatic gnawing, crunchy chewing, snorts of satisfaction exchanged between them (remarkably similar to me eating the ribs at Southern Soul BBQ in Georgia - more on that in a later post). The quietness of our electric engine allowed us to get very close (another favourite boat upgrade); you can't be so sneaky with a gas powered outboard engine.

Entering Schooner Creek, SC

Schooner Creek

See the two furry backs?  (Click for larger view)

We would have loved to stay in Schooner Creek for a full day at rest but we stuck to our plan and pressed on. We had been going pretty steadily, 'making miles' south each day and we were looking forward to a break but, as agreed, not until we reached Charleston. That's where we wanted to stop for a while to recharge our (proverbial) batteries. Our schedule is normally pretty loose but some upcoming commitments will require us to be in specified locations, so that's playing into our decision making. Also, Halloween was 2 days away and we thought Charleston would be a fun place to spend it. We had costumes!

After entering Charleston Harbor, we made our way to the Ashley River to seek a spot to drop the hook. As Skipper Bob says: "Wonderful city to visit, unfortunately isn't near a really good anchorage". We settled on the Ashley River anchorage because it's handy to downtown Charleston and we could land our dinghy at the marina dock (for a fee of $5 per day). We took care to pick a spot on the very edge of the anchorage in attempt to avoid the tangled mess of wrecks that lay on the bottom of the anchorage proper (i.e. take our chances while being cautious about it).

I lowered our anchor, 100 feet of chain and 30 feet of rode from the bow, allowed it to set and we had a look around. We weren't happy with our placement; we 'felt' too close to the snag zone that we pictured below. We're aware of anchors that would not come up from this anchorage (RIP Bruces and Rocnas), caught on debris on the bottom, and how chain had to be cut to set the boats free. Seeing sunken masts protruding from the water isn't reassuring either.

So we decided it would be best to reset our anchor and I hauled up the ground tackle. We circled around, eyeballed a better position and I lowered the whole kit and caboudle again. What's my secret to silky soft hands? Remove dead skin cells by lowering heavy anchor chain hundreds of feet in succession. An electric windlass has been added to the purchase list for future boat upgrades - in case I'm not forever the robust powerhouse I am today.

It can get shitty when birds rest in your rigging like that. 

We love Charleston! We stayed put for a week and it was a real vacation (I know what you're thinking: "vacation from vacation" but anyone who sails knows the difference). This is a very picturesque city with so much to offer visitors. I couldn't walk 20 feet without stopping to admire the houses and gardens and wonder how I can recreate what I see into my future home. It's so beautiful! How do I get a Live Oak with Spanish Moss to grow in my region's hardiness zone? Is cobblestone, prefereably a historic ship's ballast, a viable option for my next driveway?

Dave in Charleston.

Folly Beach, SC at sunset.

Since there is also much to see beyond the city, we rented a car to explore the Lowcountry. Can I just say once more how beautiful it is? The days were warm and sunny, we found amazing places to eat and the scenery was awe inspiring.

One of the highlights of our day trip with the car was strolling the grounds of Magnolia Plantation. The property is extremely pretty. Many pictures were taken. Dave, the biologist, is a fan of swamps and was pleased as punch to see turtles, an alligator, frogs, and a big black, yellow dotted snake. As for me, not so pleased to find myself on a dead-end bridge when Dave pointed it out, folded over itself at the edge of both my entrance and my only exit (I had unknowingly walked within 3 feet of it a moment earlier). "That was a big guy!" Dave said with a smile after it slithered off. Enthusiasm not reciprocated. 

 

Dave observing turtles at Magnolia Plantation.

Spanish moss hanging from the branches.

The dead-end snake bridge I was trapped on.

Botany Bay Beach on Edisto Island was an amazing place to spend the afternoon. I love a beautiful deserted beach and this one is special because of the added visual interest that the washed up Live Oak trees bring. (Are they still called Live Oaks when they're dead?) The massive structures rest in the sand like sculptures, turning the beach into a natural art gallery. This beach takes driftwood to a whole other level! It's stunning.

Me with tree.  Edisto Island.

One more...

Back in Charleston, as we headed to shore from our boat (a five minute ride to the designated dinghy dock), our path was intercepted by a derelict boat dragging so fast in the strong wind it looked like it was motoring backwards! The unmanned sailboat was headed directly for the marina (toward million dollar boats) and we were the only ones around seeing this unfold! We tied Peli to the nearest dock while calling out for anyone to come help. At that point, the derelict boat smashed up against the end of the marina docks, turned broadside and bounced over to meet the bow of a beautiful sailboat tied there. With the wind and waves driving it, the derelict boat did a bump and grind number on the beautiful boat and it wasn't pretty to witness (as can happen with grinding). Dave and I both jumped onboard the derelict boat. Dave searched around, grabbing fenders and lines while I tried to push us off the beautiful sailboat's bow, with all my might, while hearing screeching, thumping and cracking sounds. Then suddenly, it was like I had the strength of 100 men and the boats separated from each other! I quickly realized I didn't become the Incredible Hulk in that moment; our shouts for help had been heard and a crew member from the beautiful sailboat had the quick-wit to get into an inflatable dinghy and use it to nudge the derelict boat off and away from their bow.

In the end, the derelict boat didn't fare well. It was pretty banged up from being repeatedly bashed into the dock. Once it was secured to the end of the dock, I raised the anchor (as I started to wonder why am I always the one doing this?) and we were semi-shocked to find a dinky little chain and anchor. No wonder the boat didn't stay put in the wind and current.

All day I wondered about the reaction the man who lives onboard would have when he returned to find his boat in its new location and condition. Not a nice surprise but, for goodness sake, get some decent gear to hold it in place.

The beautiful sailboat was okay; the metal bow rail and raised anchor on the bowsprit took the impact. The crew member who came to help was not much concerned about damage anyway. He's not the owner so, not his problem.

With only my phone on me, the pics aren't great but you get the idea. 
This is the beauty boat - too big to capture fully in one shot. 

Once we had it secured, the derelict boat (white one) ended up here, like this,
at the end of the dock.  Dave is sitting where we landed our dinghy
& my backpack is where I dropped it when the boats were hitting and we boarded
the white one to fend off the dark one.

Once the show was over, we circled around in the dinghy to take pics.

For Halloween we were sailors! 'How original' you sarcastically say? But here's the morbid twist: we were drowned sailors. Blue lips and fingertips! The pictures turned out less funny and more macabre than I'd imagine. Dave said I shouldn't post them as it might upset my mom to see me dead in a lifeboat (so I'll attach just one of the milder ones for your viewing displeasure). 

The Ashley River anchorage turned out fine for the week. The current was very strong and the boat spun around at every tidal shift. Wake from passing traffic rocked the boat but we were mostly on shore all day anyway and it died off at night. On the morning of departure came the moment of truth: the anchor came up nice and clean! We headed off to sea. From Charleston we sailed offshore to land in St. Simon's Island, Georgia. And we were right on time because company's coming!

Sunset in Folly Beach.