Beaufort bound

That is pronounced Bewfert, by the way. Not Bofert, like the town in NC. Should get there tomorrow and do some grocery shopping. Never got around to it in Charleston, since I was having too much fun walking around with Doug Ford, another Vermont boater I met at the megadock. He is also singlehanding his boat south with an eventual goal of the Bahamas. Great to run into other Vermonters! I was also surprised and delighted to have a visit from Betsy Etchells, who was visiting her mother in Charleston, saw on my blog that I was nearby, and came to pay me a visit at the megadock. She will corroborate my account of the number, size, and value of nautical toys of the .01 percent! Betsy is a resident of Ferrisburgh and an active member of the Historical Society along with me.

Tonight, I have left behind the glam and glitter of Charleston and am anchored again in a lovely area of the lowcountry near the Ashepoo and Coosaw rivers.

Cheers, Charlie

Charleston

What a lovely town! Like Georgetown this place is the antithesis of Myrtle Beach. It is a smorgasboard of lovely architecture. I may try and stay another day. The only challenge is that the marina is booked solid for tomorrow and the anchorage is a bit sketchy. One thing that is rather hilarious is that the marina put me on the mega dock, where all the megayachts congregate to see and be seen. The boat next to me is a 120 foot Benetti, with  a Feadship at least that big next in line. Both of these boats are at least 10 million dollars. And there are at least a half dozen more, probably in the 90 foot range, and another dozen at 80. Sandwiched in between is the humble looking White Seal, looking a bit out of place. But also on the mega dock, I met another Vermonter, with whom I had a great visit. He has the second smallest boat on the dock. But we are ok with it all. We don't have full time crews to keep everything shiny, but we sure get a lot of good use from our boats.

Best, Charlie

Low country

I just love it down here. Even though I was motoring all day against wind and tide it is just beautiful. Down Winyaw Bay, then through a series of interconnected marshes, with tree covered hummocks scattered about. Most of it was devoid of human habitation. Occasionally a small fishing boat hove into view and we would exchange a wave as we passed. Another lovely anchorage this evening that looks familiar. I bet I've stayed here before. But the tempo will pick up tomorrow as I enter Charleston harbor. I will keep you posted!

Charlie

Deep south

In Georgetown, South Carolina, with live oak, Spanish moss, lovely architecture, a traditional main street, and a real sense of place. The polar opposite of Myrtle Beach! I was able to stock up on provisions at the local Piggily Wiggili and procure a couple of articles of clothing at a delightful clothing store on Front Street. Walking around the old part of town is delightful. Bit of a smell from the paper mill, though.

The next portion of the trip is through what I consider to be a really beautiful area, from Georgetown to St. Augustine. This will include Charleston, Savannah, and the sea islands of Georgia, most notably the gem of Cumberland Island.  If anyone would be interested in joining me for some or all of this, let me know. I should be in Charleston in a couple of days.

Best to all, Charlie

Secret anchorage

Looks like a day or two of poor weather coming up so I decided to push through to my favorite anchorage on the East Coast. I discovered it 34 years ago just after having bought my boat and sailing north in the spring. Here is why I like it. 360 degree protection. The largest waves will be about 2 inches high in a gale force wind. It is completely surrounded by mud and soft grass. Steep banks prevent groundings. Nothing manmade. Nobody else comes here, that I have ever seen, therefore no one can drag in to me. Depth is perfect, a consistent 9 to 10 feet at low tide. If there is a negative, it is that a fairly good current runs through the creek and that can cause the usual annoyances when wind and tide oppose. The only hint I will give is that it is in South Carolina. The first time I came here I remember climbing the mast after dark and being able to see just 1 light off in the distance. Sadly, that is no longer true, but it is still a pretty quiet place.

Best to all, Charlie

Architectural critic

Hi everyone,
Here is an area in which I have zero qualifications but I can no longer keep my mouth shut. As I am motoring along the developed parts of the ICW I cannot help but be struck by the shockingly bad taste on full display. The houses, in most cases are placed as by jowl next to each other, and they are mostly huge, yet screaming cheap. Every sort of embellishment and doodad is sprouting up in all directions. The houses are typically separated by 15 or 20 feet and they all hire the same landscapers. But what really kills me are the docks. Everyone just has to have one. They consist of innumerable pilings marching out for hundreds of feet to the edge of the channel. There will be some sort of tacky turnabout in a lift, and then a gazebo. So you go no more than 40 or 50 feet and you have another 2 or 3 hundred foot dock with another crappy boat and a gazebo with a fake eagle on top. I don't think these folks realize how trashy and soul sucking the effect is. And these places cost a ton of money. Meanwhile, the undeveloped shoreline is simply sublime. Maybe it's just me.....

In South Carolina now!

Best to all, Charlie

All tuckered out

Too tired to blog! In Carolina Beach. More bad weather coming Friday. Stay tuned!

Charlie

Quiet night.....I hope

This evening finds me anchored in the belly of the beast, Camp Lajeune, that is. Actually, the military is kind enough to let cruising folk anchor in a basin just off the ICW. The only drawback is that you may get disturbed during the night by maneuvers. I just know I misspelled that word!

I did survive the latest gale and awoke this morning to light winds, which meant another day of motoring. I am feeling quite remorseful about how much I have run the motor. When I was younger, I sailed a much higher percentage of the time. But the waterway was less crowded and I had the motivation and strength to do the constant work involved. It is too easy to hit the starter button. Probably more of the same tomorrow, given the light winds predicted.

There has been a great deal of blue poly on rooftops around here, a legacy of Florence. And I wonder, as I travel through the area, what are these people thinking? The flooding was bad enough, but what if a storm like Michael hits this area? It is only a matter of time.

Charlie

Hunkered down, again

The last time I received a forecast that called for 45 knot winds, we got hammered by much higher. We are under a gale warning so I decided to seek shelter in a well protected marina here in Beaufort.

Pulled in here at about 10:30 AM. I was happy to see that hurricane damage did not seem that bad. There is still some debris around town, and there were a number of men repairing the marina building's roof so there is no doubt there was a storm, but not devastation. There was also the sobering sight of a couple of good sized sunken sailboats getting raised out in the harbor.

I plan to stay for a couple nights and head out Monday morning. Need to do laundry, too up fuel, water, and so on. Plus, this is a real nice town to just walk around in!

Best, Charlie

Oriental.......someday

Started off the morning with a couple of lovely hours under sail but that came to an end as I turned dead downwind into the Pamlico River and slowed to a crawl. The wind became quite light and I motored for the rest of the day. It was my hope to stop at the town of Oriental, which I have failed to stop at over the years. Nowadays, they have a webcam that you can check the status of the free dock with. Check it I did, and was happy to see it was empty. Checked later, uh oh, one boat. Then, as I was actually approaching the town I checked one last time . Filled up. I was crushed. So much for fresh groceries and camaraderie. Instead, I am stuck in an unappealing anchorage with boring food and no entertainment. No matter, on to Beaufort tomorrow!

Best to all,  Charlie

Out of the swamp

It was great being in the swamp, known as the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. It is a big place, and hard to believe it can exist here on the East Coast given the unrelenting pressure of human population growth in this country. Here is an idea of the size. I sailed into the Alligator River yesterday from Albemarle Sound in the late morning. Other than the navigation Mark's the only thing man made that was visible was the busy bridge headed to the Outer Banks. The bridge was at mile 84. The next manmade item was a house at about mile 123 with a for sale sign on it. Otherwise, just trees and marsh, with a few low flying fighter jets. I guess the wildlife constituency is poorly represented.  People wouldn't put up with the noise. This land contains a handful of the only red wolves in the world, and a large number of black bear. I anchored for the night in the middle of the refuge and it was pretty nice. This morning I continued on to Belhaven, a nice little town where I have stayed before.

Cha

Wine and cheese

Spent the day in Elizabeth City and did some routine maintenance on the engine. Also visited the Museum of the Albemarle which was a real treat. And finally, a few other boats arrived, precipitating one of the famous Rose Buddy gatherings for which the city is known. See, a few years back, a couple of local retired gents took it upon themselves to greet the visiting boaters with a party on the docks and Rose's for all the women. These two men have passed on, but their memory is alive and well, with protege carrying the torch forward. When 5 or more boats show up, a nice little party ensues and everyone gets to meet their fellow companions on this southbound trek. Afterward, I joined Dave and Paul, of a Stone Horse sloop, and an Alberg 35 yawl for a nice meal and conversation aboard Paul's yawl. These two guys are a wealth of knowledge on North Carolina waters and I hope I get to cross paths again.

I may head out down the Albemarle tomorrow if the weather is acceptable.

Till then, Charlie

Through the swamp

Lovely day! Quite warm, nice breeze. But it was on the nose and the route was generally very narrow, so it was all motor, for almost 9 hours. The drug portion f the canal is rather monotonous but you really have to be on your toes to avoid hitting trees overhead and submerged logs below. This part of the canal is so narrow it is very difficult to turn the boat around. I know, because I had to do it at one point. The Pasquotank River is the real gem. Gorgeous! Felt like passing through the forest primeval.

Arrived in Elizabeth City  around 3 and was very surprised to find myself the only boat. No greater as in previous years. A couple of demolished boats adorning the pier next door. I schlepped into town with a big load of rancid laundry and when I came back met Paul, who had come in with an Alberg 35 of a vintage similar to mine. We will get together tomorrow for a visit.

I am in the south now. I was passed by a little Jon boat that had 2 gigantic flags flying, one US, and one Confederate. At the courthouse there was a monument to the Confederate heroes and a sign that referred to the burning of the original by Federal troops. There are also some of the small palette trees around,  first I have seen. And, the first mosquitoes I have seen on the trip. Time to put up the netting!

Take care, Charlie

Into the swamp

Bid farewell to Tom Hickley this morning. We had a really great time together aboard and I will miss him very much. He didn't plan on getting walloped by the storm, but accepted the punishment with grace. Hoping he joins me again. And we have both become infatuated with the traditional small craft of Chesapeake Bay.

Tonight I am tied up to a bulkhead on the Dismal Swamp canal and am hoping to push thru to Elizabeth  City tomorrow. No worries about storms on this body of water!

Best to all, Charlie

Wow

Two days ago my friend Tom and I hunkered down in a little creek in Reedville, Virginia and awaited a visit from Tropical Storm Michael. It was a lovely day with no outward sign of what was forecast to come. We enjoyed a visit to the Fishermans Museum there and both of us decided we really need to build a Chesapeake style boat. It is hard not to be seduced by the lovely working watercraft around here.

Back on the boat, we ran a second anchor out to the northwest, based on the forecast. We had selected a spot in the bend of the creek that offered great protection, and soft muddy shores that would offer a cushion should the anchors fail and we were to blow ashore. There were a couple of potential hazards in the form of a private dock, and 3 pilings set up as bird nesting platforms. We were the only boat anchored in the cove.

The rain began at 6:30 and quickly became torrential in nature. The wind had been forecast to be SE at 15 to 25 but as the daylight disappeared it came from due east in the 30 to 40 range. Thankfully there were no real waves. And then, as the guests increased in strength, we started to drag. Soon, we were aground, and my memory becomes a bit blurry at this point. Tom and I worked feverishly in the driving rain to deploy  a third anchor, and to winch the boat away from the shore with the aid of the engine. Eventually, we were successful and got refloated and holding well. After a brief respite we then got an anchor redeployed to the NW, which is where the forecasters said the next blast would come from. And come it did, a little before midnight. This was a whole new order of magnitude, and sounded like someone had turned a fire hose into the boat. On deck we had to really hang on and avert our faces from the force. I realized immediately there was no way to do much of an ything and we just kind of hoped for the best.  We did drag the anchor for a ways, and then, it held. A 20 pound Danforth Hi Tensile, by the way. Before it grabbed we had ended up between 2 of the bird nest pilings, and by sheer stupid luck not hitting either. For the rest of the night we tried to rest down below, checking our position regularly, and listening to the intense gusts blasting the boat. The power on shore had gone out and there were only a handful of lights visible due to generators. As dawn approached the wind died down to a pleasant 25 and around 7am we reanchored the boat in her original spot. The day found us too wiped out to do anything so we took it easy and recovered. 

Today we sailed down to Hampton where we are tied up at a nice solid dock with zero chance of inclement weather in the forecast. Looking forward to a peaceful nights sleep!

Pleasant anchorages to all!

Charlie

Memories

Some of you may not know that I have been doing this cruising thing for quite a long time. In fact, the first time I made this trip was 46 years ago, in 1972, aboard my father's schooner. And I was the captain, from Norfolk to Charleston. There has been enormous change in the intervening years, mainly due to the unbridled population growth of the US. Huge areas have been developed into marinas, condos, golf courses, restaurants, and luxury homes. Much of this development should not have occured and will likely be removed by hurricane action over the next few decades. Amazingly enough, there are still some stunningly beautiful areas along the east coast, a testament to forward thinking people to whom I am eternally grateful. 

Best to all, Charlie 

Solomon's Island

Pleasant day, with about a third of it under sail, rest under power. Definitely feeling a bit like a motorboat. Going to wait here for my friend Tom Hickley, who will come on Tues. While waiting for him I hope to do some projects, and also monitor tropical storm Michael, which may impact us on Thursday.

Charlie

Boat show and onward

I was shocked to see just how big the Annapolis sailboat show was. And exhausted after having walked miles during the course of the day. It was actually quite a bit of fun, especially going through the various tents and talking to ancillary product vendors. As far as the boats themselves, I would have to say that I have seen the future, and by and large I do not like it. Smoked plexiglass, decals, drink holders, cavernous interiors, and all manner of unnecessary complications seem to be the order of the day. Hundreds of years of slow and careful ev olution in yacht design have been consigned to the   rubbish heap, as bean counters, marketing people, and interior designers have taken over. But since I no longer have to work on these boats, I am OK with it all. As I walked along the docks I thought of how the boat buying public is trying to buy a dream, often at a cost of hundreds of thousands of dollars, and yet here I am, actually doing it, at a fraction of the cost. And I see the huge marinas, filled with hundreds of boats, that never go anywhere. And feel a bit of sadness, for all those thwarted adventurers, hoping, one day, to cast off the lines, and free themselves from the shackles of modern day life.I wish they could all experience a long cruise in a small boat.

Left Annapolis this morning and mostly motored to Galesville for a change of scenery. Quiet town, Lots of marinas. Will head further south tomorrow.

Best to all, Charlie

Annapolis

Left the anchorage at Still Pond this morning and made my way down the bay to Annapolis where I anchored in our old spot at Weems Creek. A half mile walk brought me to a supermarket where I was able to replenish the larder. The plan is to attend the boat show tomorrow, and it should be quite the event given all of the tents, flags, and banners visible to the left of the Naval Academy as I came in.

Met a delightful couple on the Plover last evening at Still Pond, and one of the great things about cruising is that we share mutual friends on other boats. They were returning from a summer in Nova Scotia. We also made an exchange of books, as it appears we are all voracious readers. Hope to run into Bill and Chris again soon. I might see them at the show along with fellow Vermonters Linda and Nile, who are anchored over at Spa Creek.

Also at the show, I am hoping I might be able to procure a hamburger, something I have been dreaming about for days. Another interesting bit of dietary information, especially for those that know me, is that I walked right by the chocolate in the store, with no desire to partake. I will confess that I have had a mug of hot cocoa on several occasions, but I am trying to reduce my sugar consumption.  But boy, I am going to enjoy that burger!

Best, Charlie

Chesapeake

Another great day! Nice to have 3 days of good weather in a row. Enjoyed great alignment of tide and wind to make it all the way from Cape May, up the Delaware Bay and thru the C&D canal. Nice quiet anchorage on the Bohemia River . A nice dollop of corned beef hash for dinner an I have retired to the forepeak for a restful sleep. But remember, I haven't had a real shower for a week, the laundry needs to be classified as a potential biohazard,  and the food....well I did just mention hash. Some of the less romantic byproducts of cruising on a small boat! Anyone want to come along for a few days?

Charlie