More Observations Along the Way

As I write this addition to the blog, we are anchored in the Bull River, about 15 miles north of Beaufort, SC. Lots has happened since the last blog up at an anchorage called Mile Hammock Bay in Camp Lejeune. We've spent a night in Wrightsville Beach where we enjoyed a meal at one of our favorite Mexican restaurants. We also spent a night at Carolina Beach State Park where we managed to acquire more of those long pine needles that work so well in Sandra's Baskets. The next day we crossed over the state boarder into South Carolina. We passed by Myrtle Beach, but we couldn't really see any of it from the ICW. On another day we traveled down a river through a cypress swamp. It would have been beautiful with lots of fall colors if it wasn't for the cold rain.

At a marina in Charleston. While you can't see our boat, our yellow dinghy shows up well.

From there we spent the next two days traveling to Charleston where we spent a day enjoying the sights. Our day there included a carriage ride to learn about some of the history of Charleston. It was a fascinating tour of this beautiful city.

On a neighbor's boat - not even a pirate!

Tomorrow we'll drop the anchor by one of the prettiest towns along our route and enjoy a lunch with Janelle and Bob Proctor. Janelle was a teacher at Hampton Roads Academy during my time there. We've visited with them in the past during our travels to Beaufort.

While I'll usually avoid any political commentary on this blog, I must comment about those who are now likely to pay a bit more in taxes. The homes we've seen in North and South Carolina along the ICW are quite impressive. I know I've commented on these signs of conspicuous consumption before, but the recent political advertisements have made me think again about that group who might add to the tax revenue a bit. Unlike the impressive ones, we saw a house for sale with the price advertised of $550,000 for a nice ranch with a dock. In other areas away from the water, this home would probably sell for a quarter of that price. Based on that advertised price, most of the homes we noticed would likely cost at least four times that price and go up from there. The word that most often comes to mind is mansion. And there are so many of them. It just boggles my mind that so many people can afford such accommodations. What makes matters more difficult to grasp is that many of these appear to be second homes.

OK. I'm done with that.

One might think that our 7 mph speed would allow us to travel between 50 and 60 miles each day as we head south even though the sun drops down below the horizon pretty early now. Of course this is a good starting point, but there are issues that influence each day's travel. For instance, one day we dropped the anchor at about 1 PM. This was because we would be traveling through some shallow areas beyond this point but wanted to avoid them at low tide when we might run aground. There were no good anchorages within reach to get us past that stretch on this day, so we decided to wait till the next day so we could get through the whole stretch and then to a good place to anchor for the night. Today, we had to deal with tidal and river currents that really impacted our progress. At one point we were bucking tidal current that was in the 4-5 mph range. Since we normally travel at 7 mph, this stretch cut our progress by more than half. On the other hand, there were times today when we were doing close to 10 mph. These stretches helped to make up for the times when we were bucking the strong current.  Each day we must look at such influences and determine how far we should plan to travel.  In a way, it's like driving someplace knowing that you are likely to hit an area of construction and other busy highways during rush hour.

Life on the water can be challenging.

Over the next several days as we travel through the remainder of South Carolina and all of the Georgia coast, tidal current and shallow stretches will be at the forefront of our planning. Of course there will be compensating factors. We continue to see more and more dolphins along the route. Today we were lucky enough to pass close by a navigational aid with a bald eagle sitting on it checking us out. The scenery is ever changing and at times spectacular. And of course we'll be traveling slow enough to get a good look at most everything we pass. Till the next entry, Carpe Diem!

Captain Bob

Anchoring Entertainment

Today was a travel day that went pretty smoothly, but the most interesting part of the day was the entertainment provided by other boaters in their attempts to anchor. This anchorage is part of Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, and it's one of very few acceptable spots between Beaufort and Wrightsville Beach. When we arrived, ten other boats were already here with one hard aground. The boats arrived in a pretty steady stream for the next couple of hours. By the time the sun set the anchored boats totaled 23. Several had trouble anchoring either because their anchoring technique left something to be desired or the anchor used just wasn't up to the job.

About a third of the boats.  We couldn't get them all in one photo, since they were all around us.

One was single handing the first boat to come in after us. He threw the anchor down just behind our boat and paid out about a third of the anchor rode required. When I questioned his location, he thought about it some and then moved...twice. He just couldn't seem to get it right. Either he ended up too close to another boat, or the anchor wouldn't catch hold. Another larger boat with a couple aboard tried at least three times in different places to get their anchor to catch before they were finally successful. They then came on the radio to tell everyone that they'd finally made it. Next time they'd plan to charge admission for the entertainment they provided.

The boat that was hard aground got help from Towboat US, the same organization we get towing insurance from. When the skipper finally got free with Towboat help, his first attempt at anchoring was so close to another boat,  the Towboat US boat moved in between the two so he wouldn't hit the other boat already anchored. He then tried in another spot, but made a nearby boat owner so nervous, that this second skipper pulled up his anchor and moved to a new spot. Variations of this same sort of entertainment played out again and again while we watched. Then we heard on the radio of one boater who ran aground twice today and then was involved in a collision. This was just not a good day for a number of cruisers.

One could use these experiences as instructional for proper anchoring techniques or for discussing the pros and cons of particular brands of anchors. That is not my intent, although I'd be happy to share my thoughts with any willing listeners in another setting.

For me this provided a reminder to me that one can never get too complacent while cruising. I'm sure that several of the key performers today were not new to cruising and were generally pretty successful at securing their anchor. While I chuckled a bit at what I saw, I know that tomorrow I could make some equally foolish mistakes. Like in many settings in life, cruisers must always remain alert and focused on the task at hand.

So I'll end this with the hope that tomorrow I won't be writing about my own foolishness.

As with many days, this one ended well.

Carpe Diem

Captain Bob

All Clear in New Bern

Well Sandy spared us much of the trouble that others further north suffered through. The National Weather Service had it pegged pretty well. Winds never rose above the predicted levels but it has remained a bit breezy into yesterday (Wednesday). The sun is shining now, but the last couple of days have been a bit chilly for this time of year here in North Carolina. Of course, it's been about the same temperatures all the way down to north Florida, so we can't complain much.

The visits with boating friends have been quite enjoyable. While we missed seeing one couple, we were surprised by the visit of Bo and Joyce on Dream Catcher that we met two years ago in Marathon and we were able spend an enjoyable day with long time friend Priscilla. The boating community is truly a mobile one with meetings taking place in some unlikely places like New Bern, a town we'd never been to before.

Maddie's always ready and waiting for us to take her out to meet new people.

And speaking of New Bern, it's a town worth a visit. Bern apparently means bear, so there's lots of them around the streets of New Bern. I've included one photo to give you an idea. The downtown area has lots of interesting shops and restaurants.  As an added bonus, one of the art/craft stores is now selling Sandra's pine needle baskets, so we have developed another connection with this cute town.  One unusual aspect of the downtown is the train track that runs down the middle of one of the streets. At first we thought it was an old trolly track, but the photo will clue you in that freight trains actually force cars off to the side as they come through town. I can't end my comments about the town without mentioning how friendly the people are throughout the town – really unusually so. This just adds to the attraction.

Note the car up on the right had to move over to the side to allow the train to
pass down the street.

We continue enjoy good fortune on many fronts. This hurricane we dodged was the sixth such storm we'd had to deal with in the last four years. We had to look out for half of those while we were in New England - a part of the country that doesn't usually get too many hurricanes. In each case we seemed to be in the right place to avoid big problems. It helps to convince me that we're not making these decisions on our own, but perhaps we're getting some extra help along the way. That's just one of the thoughts that comes my way along the Waterway.

It was difficult to leave our friends Dick and Libby, but today we left for Beaufort. Tomorrow we'll continue on down the ICW to Camp Lejeune. We've never been stopped at their firing range, but there's a first time for everything. After leaving Beaufort, we'll be more attuned to the water depth than concerned about the Marines. This next stretch has a few shallow areas we hope to pass at some point other than low tide. We'll see how that goes.

Till the next report, Carpe Diem!

Captain Bob

Storm Preparations

As reported in the last entry of the blog, we arrived in New Bern on Wednesday. We had planned to stay here a few days, since our boat insurance doesn't want us to sail south of Cape Hatteras until November 1^st – hurricane issues. Well it seems that a hurricane will keep us here that long at least. As all of you on the East Coast already know, Hurricane Sandy is working up our way. But it only began raining this morning (Saturday), so we've had a chance to check out New Bern. It turns out to be a really nice big town with lots of friendly people. And they all love dogs including Maddie.

Since the hurricane was headed this way, we decided to get a slip at one of the local marinas for some added protection. It's located on the Trent River just behind a hotel, thus getting some extra protection from north winds. We can get in to the hotel to use their facilities which include morning Starbuck's coffee and a newspaper for free in addition to showers, laundry and health club. We've tied extra lines on the boat, put up all our enclosure panels and moved the dinghy over to a dinghy dock. I think we'll be fine. It's interesting to wander around the docks and hear all the different theories on storm preparation. Some are taking sails down and all canvas off the boat, while others are doing nothing special. Their thinking is that it won't be any worse than it is during local storms that develop along the Neuse River during the spring. Of course there are variations of preparation that run the whole gamut between these two approaches.

For the record, the National Weather Service is predicting winds in the low 30s through tomorrow night before they begin to taper off a little. But part of our dilemma is that a front will push the storm around and remain here providing strong winds through Wednesday. So we are likely to remain here till Thursday.

Although today will be somewhat rainy and windy, we'll be enjoying a gathering of friends at the home of George and Carol whom we met in Marathon a couple of years ago. We have yet to meet up with Sandra's friend Priscilla who is supposed to come tomorrow. That meeting is likely to get postponed a couple of days, since Sandy will be at her height here at that time. Then another of our Marathon friends who lives in the area has contacted us about getting together before we leave. We're not sure that will work, but we're hopeful.

So all in all, this stop in New Bern will work out pretty well, just a little wetter than hoped for. Another entry will update all on how the predictions match up with the reality. Till then, Carpe Diem

Captain Bob

Different Worlds

Since we left Hospital Point across from Norfolk, Mother Nature has been kind to us, but we did begin with a couple of man-made issues. For those who are familiar with this portion of the route, you know that we must deal with several lift bridges and a lock. At the first stop, two bridges must open at the same time, since they are so close together. One is a railroad bridge. When we arrived, we learned that the railroad bridge wouldn't open due to an electrical issue caused by someone stealing wire during the night. A repair crew was on hand to get the bridge up...an hour later than planned. However, the highway bridge then wouldn't open – another electrical problem. After another hour of waiting, the second repair crew got the problem solved and the bridge up.

By this time, there were 22 boats waiting, one of which was nearly 100 feet long. For those of you who've not experienced this sort of challenge, let me add a couple of comments. First, while waiting, we can't just park the boat. Dropping the anchor would mean blocking the path for another craft. The channel is not that wide, so we must keep the boat under control with the engine while preventing the wind or currents from pushing us into another boat or out of the channel. So now imagine 22 boats ranging in length from 30 feet to 100 feet all slowly dancing around each other without hitting one another or running aground in a somewhat restricted area. Great fun! This number of boats also became an issue when we got to the lock and most of these boats wanted to get in. The number was down to sixteen of us and they all squeezed in, but three boats had to raft up with those already tied to the wall on either side. All cooperated, and the locking process went smoothly.

The rest of the day went well, but our time for getting to our planned anchorage was really shortened. Fortunately, the Centerville Tpke bridge no longer is restricted on weekends. It opened as we arrived, so we got beyond all the bridges a bit more quickly. However, the time was still tight. We pushed the engine a bit and still just managed to drop the anchor just as the sun disappeared below the horizon.

Even if we're busy dropping the anchor, we still take time to enjoy the sunsets!

Miles to go in one direction

The next two days were easy by comparison. We managed to cover 70 miles the first day and 60 the second. (That may not seem like much to most people, but keep in mind that we travel at 7 -8 mph – not 65 mph.) The sun was warm and the winds were light, so our travel was smooth. The first day included traveling through the Alligator – Pungo Canal, a man-made canal for the ICW about 20 miles long with only one minor bend in the entire length. We could see little evidence of civilization during the entire stretch, but we also generally see no signs of wildlife beyond a vulture or seagull. On this occasion, a boater ahead of us saw a black bear swim across the canal, just as we had in a similar canal last spring. Then we saw two bald eagles seeking supper in the canal just in front of our boat. What a treat!

The canal shoreline appears untamed.

So here we are out in wild and our day influenced so much by what Mother Nature throws our way. Little of our life impacted by civilization. Then we tune in to the news and presidential debate and hear about all that has been going on in the world as well as so much that might possibly go on in the future. This represents a world so different from what we see each day; it just makes me wonder which is more real. The rational side tells me that they both are, and what I see on TV will impact my life, but it all seems so remote from that which is all around me each day. My concerns relate to weather, tides and resulting water depth, fuel consumption and how much water remains in our boat's tanks. Of course, all this reminds me of how fortunate we are to be able to experience this. For so many around that other world, the day's concerns are quite different and less appealing...even tragic for many.

So we'll continue to appreciate our days as we travel. We've arrived in New Bern, NC where we met up with two other boating couples we first met in Marathon two years ago – Libby and Dick Mills and Carol and George Myers. We'll also meet up with a long=time friend of Sandra, Priscilla Temple, whom we've had the good fortune to meet up with before as travel through the state. We'll be here for nearly a week enjoying good company and waiting for some stormy weather to pass by before continuing our journey south. So till my next update...

Carpe Diem

Captain Bob

On the Road Again...

We've just completed our first 24 hours away from the slip. Aside from a brief run out the Severn River earlier this week to test the systems on the boat, This is our first real outing since we returned in June and put the boat up in the boatyard for the summer. We left the slip last night and anchored close to the marina. The tide was to be pretty low when we'd want to leave today, so we moved early to avoid any stress over the possibility of running aground at the very beginning of our travels.

A beautiful sunset provided a good omen for the beginning of the trip.

Perhaps it's at least partly an age thing, but I'm amazed at how much of the normal routine tasks related to cruising that I'd forgotten. I had to sit and think about all such tasks to be sure that little things like the anchor light and anchor alarm are turned on. I also had to spend a few minutes with the GPS to remember how its various functions are performed.

The cruise ship at dock prior to its impressive departure.

But in spite of my forgetfulness, it seems that our first day of travel went smoothly. We are now anchored securely at Hospital Point on the Elizabeth River across from downtown Norfolk. A cruise ship was docked across the river from us and provided us with some music while we relaxed after securing the boat. A bit later the ship left its berth. What an impressive demonstration of control! I complain at times about controlling our 35 foot boat in tight areas. This ship, perhaps 900 feet long, did a 180 degree turn in the river where there was probably not more than 1200 feet available, and this was done without the assistance of a tug – just bow and stern thrusters.

In some ways, it seems that the run into the Elizabeth River from the Chesapeake Bay is as impressive and more challenging than NY Harbor. As I've probably reported in the past, rather than tall buildings and the Statue of Liberty, we get up close and personal with ships from the Navy's Atlantic Fleet. The area is full of pleasure craft as well as an occasional cargo ship or tug pushing a barge. Once in the river, one must be alert for ships or tugs that pull out from a dock and are suddenly in the channel. Our AIS system provides us with a bit of early warning for such encounters. Ships, tugs and some pleasure craft send out an AIS signal that I can pick up. This signal tells me among other things the craft's course and speed and how close it will come to our boat if neither changes course. AIS doesn't help us locate Navel vessels.  They don't send such signals as you might expect, since they are not interested in broadcasting their position or course.

Since this is our fifth trip south, it has become a part of our lifestyle. When September rolls into October, I begin looking at the boats arriving at the marina. Are they heading south? As the weather cools, we begin to get more focused at preparing for travel. We've spent the past week getting all the details taken care of. Sandra does the provisioning and does a VERY thorough job. I never am concerned about having food to eat. I'm responsible for the mechanical aspects of the boat and the acquiring of spare parts that might be needed. Then we go to our storage unit and pull out anything we think we'll need and try to eliminate all that isn't really necessary. This year, for example, we've decided not to take the kayaks with us. We just don't seem to use them much during the winter, and they take up a lot of space on the bow of the boat. As we relax after one day of travel, it would seem that we did a good job. So far nothing appears to be missing that we really need.

This fifth trip will take us over familiar territory. Prior to leaving, we had some fun sharing thoughts and stories with Bill and Ruth who will be making the trip for the first time on their trawler Ware Two. We spent so long quizzing others about cruising south, it actually felt good to now be sharing a bit of information with others after many shared their experiences to help us.

Of course, this is only after Day #1. We may feel a bit less confident after we've been traveling for a while. But I'll report on it all in future blogs covering our travels.

Captain Bob

Carpe Diem

Preparations Continue

As I write this, we are back in the water, having completed the bottom painting and waxing of the hull. As mentioned in the last blog, we also had the upper bearing of the rudder replaced. The new one – a piece of hard plastic – cost a hefty $300 – unbelievable! But it's for a boat, so why should I expect a low price?

Now that we're back in the water, it might appear to the non-boaters who read this that we are near ready for our departure. That's not quite true. We actually have lots of projects to complete prior to our departure. They range from checking out the sails and restitching any weak areas to replacing the tablets in our inflatable life jackets. (These are tablets that are designed to dissolve when they get wet. Our spares did.) Also included are checks on the engine, batteries and rigging as well as radios, GPS and other electronic equipment. We want to begin the trip at least with most everything in working order. We know from past experience that the wear on the boat and equipment will result in breakdowns somewhere along the way. Of course we hope that we won't see major issues like the engine we had last year.

We also must provision the boat. This includes the obvious items like food, but it also includes spare parts that might be needed during the trip south. For instance, we may need to replace fuel filters, and these filters are not available in many places. I'll be changing the engine oil before the end of the trip, so I'll need oil and the filter on board as well. We add extra cans for fuel and water as well as loading our folding bikes onto the boat. (We've decided not to take our kayaks this year. We just didn't use them much in the Keys, and they take up lots of space on our foredeck.) We'll make decisions about clothing to take. We want to be prepared for cool weather during the trip through the Carolinas in November. Even northern Florida can be pretty cool in the morning. We saw temps in the 40s last year. Shorts and T-shirts just won't be enough for that portion of the travel.

Having gone through this process a few times now, I find that I have a new mindset for this time of year. With the morning temperatures moving down, this change of seasons tells me that it's time to move south. As I see boats come to the marina, I wonder if they too are heading south and just leaving sooner than us. As I review the charts, a picture of each stretch comes to mind. I also am reminded of where we were concerned about shallow water and where the anchorages were most crowded. We usually manage to visit with friends and family during the trip, so I've begun to think of how each of those will work out and where the meetings are most likely to take place. Of course we've begun talking about places we hope to visit on the way. Beaufort, NC, Beaufort, SC, Charleston, St. Augustine and Vero Beach always make it onto that list. There are others, though, that we don't always get to. It just depends on weather and how well the travel goes.

We still have a nearly three weeks to wait for our departure. In addition to the insurance limits, I have jury duty for the next two weeks. At least I'm on the list. The nightly phone calls will tell me whether I actually have a good chance to serve on a jury. My last day of service is supposed to be the 19^th. If all goes well, we'll hope to leave the next day, so we can get through the Norfolk area with its bridges during the weekend. (During the work week, the bridges close each morning for a couple of hours to accommodate rush hour. That delay would make it difficult for us to get to our first planned anchorage south of there in North Carolina.)

As a final note for this addition of the blog, I'll mention that I've decided to begin using synthetic oil with our new engine. A fellow cruiser spoke highly of this move awhile back. As I've wrestled with the issues that might have contributed to the “early” engine failure, I've thought that a better lubricant might have made a difference. After talking with some diesel engine people and doing a bit more investigation, I've decided this would be the right move. Any comments from cruisers who have made the change or decided against it would be appreciated before I actually make the change.

The next blog will likely show up before the end of the month.

Carpe Diem

Captain Bob