Hi everyone,
After several days of getting thoroughly beaten and demoralized by strong winds and ferocious currents I decided a day of rest was in order. I pulled into Oriental and was exceedingly fortunate to score one of two free, public dock spots in the small protected harbor. These spots are highly coveted and come with a 2 day limit. Last night I enjoyed a really wonderful sleep. It was absolutely flat calm, completely quiet, and bug free. I slept until 6:45, an amazing luxury. Oriental is lovely. It would probably be described by many as 'dead' but they would be missing the essence of a small, out of the way, southern town. There are a number of folks from out of town, mostly sailors, who have chosen to settle here. A really nice combination of folks. A mix of pleasure boats and work boats in the harbor. Wikipedia says the population is around 900, although it looks like more than that to me. I guess I'm just a small town guy, but this is the kind of place that really resonates with me!
Here's to small towns,
Charlie
Tuesday, April 30, 2019
Sunday, April 28, 2019
Relentless wind
Hi all,
Well now, I am thoroughly pooped. 75 miles today, and not by choice. The wind built up strong in the afternoon of the past 3 or 4 days. This meant that by 1PM the wind was howling, and stealing a great deal of energy from yours truly. I had hoped to anchor in Swansboro, but the 30 knot wind, combined with a very strong tidal current rendered the anchorage untenable. The 2 marinas there were very exposed, with non floating docks, and I could see there would be problems with the well being of the boat. Great, no marinas for 30 miles. One possible anchorage, but the guidebook said shoaling was a problem. Looking at the chartbook, which was apt to be torn from my grasp by the wind at any second, I noticed a spot of deeper water just outside the channel, about 25 miles away. I had no other option so I went for it. I was ashamed of myself for motoring in such a fine breeze, but I would have been aground in 30 seconds had I tried. Got to the spot about a half hour before dark. Completely exposed, but it will suffice for the night. A bit like anchoring last night, in Wrightsville Beach, another woefully inadequate anchorage. Will be heading more inland tomorrow. Can't wait!
Best to all, Charlie
Well now, I am thoroughly pooped. 75 miles today, and not by choice. The wind built up strong in the afternoon of the past 3 or 4 days. This meant that by 1PM the wind was howling, and stealing a great deal of energy from yours truly. I had hoped to anchor in Swansboro, but the 30 knot wind, combined with a very strong tidal current rendered the anchorage untenable. The 2 marinas there were very exposed, with non floating docks, and I could see there would be problems with the well being of the boat. Great, no marinas for 30 miles. One possible anchorage, but the guidebook said shoaling was a problem. Looking at the chartbook, which was apt to be torn from my grasp by the wind at any second, I noticed a spot of deeper water just outside the channel, about 25 miles away. I had no other option so I went for it. I was ashamed of myself for motoring in such a fine breeze, but I would have been aground in 30 seconds had I tried. Got to the spot about a half hour before dark. Completely exposed, but it will suffice for the night. A bit like anchoring last night, in Wrightsville Beach, another woefully inadequate anchorage. Will be heading more inland tomorrow. Can't wait!
Best to all, Charlie
Friday, April 26, 2019
Hunkered down
Hi everyone,
Based on the forecast I decided to lay low at my anchorage here at Dutchman Creek in Southport, North Carolina. I did an oil change this morning and finished a book this afternoon. But I could have made a few miles since the thunderstorms have not yet materialized. The wind is really howling though, and it may just be a matter of time before the weather hits. Time to look for a new book.
Best, Charlie
Based on the forecast I decided to lay low at my anchorage here at Dutchman Creek in Southport, North Carolina. I did an oil change this morning and finished a book this afternoon. But I could have made a few miles since the thunderstorms have not yet materialized. The wind is really howling though, and it may just be a matter of time before the weather hits. Time to look for a new book.
Best, Charlie
Thursday, April 25, 2019
Into North Carolina
Hi everyone,
Not much to report, another 65 mile day. Doesn't sound like much, but remember, I am going at a brisk walk, or maybe a slow jog.
So here is something noteworthy. Earlier today I transited the infamous Rock Pile, a notoriously narrow and rocky area of the ICW near Myrtle Beach. I called ahead and found that there was a southbound tug and barge coming thru but I was confident I could get thru before it showed up. Sadly, I was almost thru when I encountered it coming round the bend. It was big and bad, taking up 90% of the channel. I slowed to a crawl and moved over to the right as far as I dared. BAM! My keel hit a ledge. I put it in reverse and backed away. I had found myself a pocket of deep water, and I stayed there till the barge squeezed by. I could have touched it with the boat hook. Thankfully, it was a light hit, but I shall be looking at the keel closely come bailout time.
I should start a dredging company. I seem to be pretty adept at scraping the bottom on this trip!
Best to all, Charlie the dredger
Not much to report, another 65 mile day. Doesn't sound like much, but remember, I am going at a brisk walk, or maybe a slow jog.
So here is something noteworthy. Earlier today I transited the infamous Rock Pile, a notoriously narrow and rocky area of the ICW near Myrtle Beach. I called ahead and found that there was a southbound tug and barge coming thru but I was confident I could get thru before it showed up. Sadly, I was almost thru when I encountered it coming round the bend. It was big and bad, taking up 90% of the channel. I slowed to a crawl and moved over to the right as far as I dared. BAM! My keel hit a ledge. I put it in reverse and backed away. I had found myself a pocket of deep water, and I stayed there till the barge squeezed by. I could have touched it with the boat hook. Thankfully, it was a light hit, but I shall be looking at the keel closely come bailout time.
I should start a dredging company. I seem to be pretty adept at scraping the bottom on this trip!
Best to all, Charlie the dredger
Wednesday, April 24, 2019
Skinny water
Good evening everyone,
The first 5 miles between my anchorage and Mcclellanville were done at dead low tide, and it was shallow! I had the depthsounder alarm set at 7 1/2 feet and it emits a high pitched whine when I reach that level. The alarm was sounding probably half the time during those 5 miles. You could see shoals sticking right out into the channel. Fortunately, at that hour there was nobody else on the ICW. And if I had run aground, no big deal, the tide would lift me off in short order.
I am in a different sort of environment here, since leaving Charleston. The water is the color of root beer, a far cry from the Exumas! The trees are different. Less Spanish Moss, and fewer palm trees. Beautiful areas abound, although development continues relentlessly. I am anchored at the north end of the Waccamaw River with a couple of other boats. Looks like one more decent day, then rain on Friday. Was able to sail for a while today, but still mostly motoring. Hope to do more sailing on the big waters of North Carolina.
Cheers, Charlie
The first 5 miles between my anchorage and Mcclellanville were done at dead low tide, and it was shallow! I had the depthsounder alarm set at 7 1/2 feet and it emits a high pitched whine when I reach that level. The alarm was sounding probably half the time during those 5 miles. You could see shoals sticking right out into the channel. Fortunately, at that hour there was nobody else on the ICW. And if I had run aground, no big deal, the tide would lift me off in short order.
I am in a different sort of environment here, since leaving Charleston. The water is the color of root beer, a far cry from the Exumas! The trees are different. Less Spanish Moss, and fewer palm trees. Beautiful areas abound, although development continues relentlessly. I am anchored at the north end of the Waccamaw River with a couple of other boats. Looks like one more decent day, then rain on Friday. Was able to sail for a while today, but still mostly motoring. Hope to do more sailing on the big waters of North Carolina.
Cheers, Charlie
Tuesday, April 23, 2019
Aground at high tide
Hi everyone,
It was a harrowing 10 minutes when I ran aground at almost high tide a mile or so north of the Ben Sawyer bridge outside Charleston. I was in the channel, a bit over to one side, and the alarm went off as I was moving along at 6 knots. The boat hit less than a second after the alarm sounded, indicating a steep bank. I knew I was in trouble. With 5 or 6 feet of tidal range the boat was going to be high and dry if I didn't act fast. I put the rudder hard over and gave it a lot of throttle. The boat pivoted, pointing towards deeper water, but she was stuck. So, in record time I shackled on a 20 pound Danforth and ran it out in the dinghy, dropping it in deeper water. Dashing back to the boat, I led the anchor line back to my big cockpit winch. About this time a powerboat zipped by and gave me a much welcomed wake. The boat bumped to freedom, I hoisted the anchor, and continued on my way. If I were a drinking man I would have poured myself a stiff drink!
Other than that, not much to report. I got fuel at the megadock, 10.2 gallons worth. The guy that pumped it said that the day before he pumped 6000 gallons for a megayacht. Said it took 2 hours to fill it with a high speed pump, and the bill was over 18 grand! That would heat our house for 10-15 years!
Best to all, Charlie
BTW, I am anchored near McClellanville, SC.
It was a harrowing 10 minutes when I ran aground at almost high tide a mile or so north of the Ben Sawyer bridge outside Charleston. I was in the channel, a bit over to one side, and the alarm went off as I was moving along at 6 knots. The boat hit less than a second after the alarm sounded, indicating a steep bank. I knew I was in trouble. With 5 or 6 feet of tidal range the boat was going to be high and dry if I didn't act fast. I put the rudder hard over and gave it a lot of throttle. The boat pivoted, pointing towards deeper water, but she was stuck. So, in record time I shackled on a 20 pound Danforth and ran it out in the dinghy, dropping it in deeper water. Dashing back to the boat, I led the anchor line back to my big cockpit winch. About this time a powerboat zipped by and gave me a much welcomed wake. The boat bumped to freedom, I hoisted the anchor, and continued on my way. If I were a drinking man I would have poured myself a stiff drink!
Other than that, not much to report. I got fuel at the megadock, 10.2 gallons worth. The guy that pumped it said that the day before he pumped 6000 gallons for a megayacht. Said it took 2 hours to fill it with a high speed pump, and the bill was over 18 grand! That would heat our house for 10-15 years!
Best to all, Charlie
BTW, I am anchored near McClellanville, SC.
Monday, April 22, 2019
Swamp creature
Hi everyone,
Before I discuss the last couple of days on the waterway I need to share something really disturbing that I saw earlier today. I was motoring along, enjoying weather that allowed me to utilize a t-shirt, when I saw a flying critter land on the bow pulpit, about 25 feet away. I lashed the helmet and went forward to inspect my visitor. Looking at it closely, I realized that it was not a small bird, but rather something that looked horribly like a horsefly. Now I have seen many horseflies, and in fact, have been bitten by more than a few, but this thing was a monster. You could see the mandibles on this horror show and I expect their action would be akin to a drilling rig. The fly was about the size of a half dollar. I thought about killing it, but my fly swatter is rather wimpy and I didn't want to piss it off. The heavy stainless winch handle might do the job, but I couldn't risk a miss. In the end, I went back to steering and regarding the fly nervously. Eventually, it got bored and left, lumbering off like a Sikorsky Blackhawk. I hope it never returns!
Back in Savannah I had enjoyed a really nice visit from my friend Kim Blodgett from Vermont, and her boyfriend Jim. They were spending the weekend there, looking at houses in preparation for moving there, and I joined them for a walk around the downtown. Great visit. Next morning I got up early and made it to Beaufort, SC, about 60 miles. Had the chance to walk around yet another beautiful old Southern town. In the morning the bridge didn't open till 9 so I had a late start, but still knocked off a few miles, and am anchored maybe 20 miles south of Charleston. Betsy, if you are reading this, I will be stopping at the megadock for fuel around 10:30 or 11. Would love to say hi if you are in town. Will probably continue onward though.
Best to all, Charlie
Before I discuss the last couple of days on the waterway I need to share something really disturbing that I saw earlier today. I was motoring along, enjoying weather that allowed me to utilize a t-shirt, when I saw a flying critter land on the bow pulpit, about 25 feet away. I lashed the helmet and went forward to inspect my visitor. Looking at it closely, I realized that it was not a small bird, but rather something that looked horribly like a horsefly. Now I have seen many horseflies, and in fact, have been bitten by more than a few, but this thing was a monster. You could see the mandibles on this horror show and I expect their action would be akin to a drilling rig. The fly was about the size of a half dollar. I thought about killing it, but my fly swatter is rather wimpy and I didn't want to piss it off. The heavy stainless winch handle might do the job, but I couldn't risk a miss. In the end, I went back to steering and regarding the fly nervously. Eventually, it got bored and left, lumbering off like a Sikorsky Blackhawk. I hope it never returns!
Back in Savannah I had enjoyed a really nice visit from my friend Kim Blodgett from Vermont, and her boyfriend Jim. They were spending the weekend there, looking at houses in preparation for moving there, and I joined them for a walk around the downtown. Great visit. Next morning I got up early and made it to Beaufort, SC, about 60 miles. Had the chance to walk around yet another beautiful old Southern town. In the morning the bridge didn't open till 9 so I had a late start, but still knocked off a few miles, and am anchored maybe 20 miles south of Charleston. Betsy, if you are reading this, I will be stopping at the megadock for fuel around 10:30 or 11. Would love to say hi if you are in town. Will probably continue onward though.
Best to all, Charlie
Friday, April 19, 2019
Survived the storm
Hi all,
A quick post to let you know I got through the storm with no problem. I would estimate the worst of the wind at about 45 knots in the worst gusts. The spring tide was ebbing hard and controlled the position of the boat, keeping it at about 70 degrees away from the wind. This meant the boat was heeled over quite a bit, but posed no problems. The Rocna and Danforth anchors held great. Had a lot of lightning and rain. I almost lost my boathook, which blew off the cabin top, but the hook managed to get caught on a stanchion and I was able to grab it before it went over. So all is well!
Best, Charlie
A quick post to let you know I got through the storm with no problem. I would estimate the worst of the wind at about 45 knots in the worst gusts. The spring tide was ebbing hard and controlled the position of the boat, keeping it at about 70 degrees away from the wind. This meant the boat was heeled over quite a bit, but posed no problems. The Rocna and Danforth anchors held great. Had a lot of lightning and rain. I almost lost my boathook, which blew off the cabin top, but the hook managed to get caught on a stanchion and I was able to grab it before it went over. So all is well!
Best, Charlie
Thursday, April 18, 2019
Hunkered down
Hi everyone,
Anchored close to Ossabaw Island in Big Tom Creek and will probably stay here tomorrow if the weather is as bad as forecast.
I just read some of the comments and I would like to thank everyone for their kind words! There is probably a way for me to respond, but if so I haven't figured it out. Feel free to email me at charlielangworthy@gmail.com if you would like.
These Georgia sea islands are really cool. Several of them have been heavily developed, also in neighboring South Carolina, but several others are still pretty wild. The one I am next to is in the latter category. It appears to be uninhabited. Would love to go ashore but there would be about a quarter mile of swamp to negotiate first. I will have to read up about them.
Tide changing soon, gotta check anchors. Special note to Will Patten, the Rocna has worked out well! Except for the time it landed directly on top of a discarded crab trap. Crab traps don't hold well!
Best, Charlie
Anchored close to Ossabaw Island in Big Tom Creek and will probably stay here tomorrow if the weather is as bad as forecast.
I just read some of the comments and I would like to thank everyone for their kind words! There is probably a way for me to respond, but if so I haven't figured it out. Feel free to email me at charlielangworthy@gmail.com if you would like.
These Georgia sea islands are really cool. Several of them have been heavily developed, also in neighboring South Carolina, but several others are still pretty wild. The one I am next to is in the latter category. It appears to be uninhabited. Would love to go ashore but there would be about a quarter mile of swamp to negotiate first. I will have to read up about them.
Tide changing soon, gotta check anchors. Special note to Will Patten, the Rocna has worked out well! Except for the time it landed directly on top of a discarded crab trap. Crab traps don't hold well!
Best, Charlie
Wednesday, April 17, 2019
Storm coming
Hi everyone,
Another lovely day, motoring thru the Georgia lowcountry. I did run hard aground, at close to low tide, and I sat there for about 30 minutes with my head hung in shame. Fortunately, no one happened along while I was thus compromised, and I finally kedged myself off with an anchor off the stern. Other than that little mishap it really was nice, and I logged 50 miles. The previous day I had lingered at Plum Orchard, where I was welcomed by Chris and Greg, the delightful volunteers that look after the fabulous Carnegie mansion there. They remembered me from last fall, which was really nice.
The weather forecast is looking rather grim, with small craft warnings for Thursday night and a gale warning for Friday. I have identified a half dozen potential anchorages on the chart, from about 20 miles to 40 miles from where I am located now. So I will get underway before sunup and go as far as I comfortably can, and then hunker down for at least 36 hours. There is also a spot about 45 miles away that I will not attempt, as it is subject to shoaling, and I want to transit that spot on a rising tide, at least halfway thru the cycle. Probably wait for Saturday to do that.
Best to all, Charlie
Another lovely day, motoring thru the Georgia lowcountry. I did run hard aground, at close to low tide, and I sat there for about 30 minutes with my head hung in shame. Fortunately, no one happened along while I was thus compromised, and I finally kedged myself off with an anchor off the stern. Other than that little mishap it really was nice, and I logged 50 miles. The previous day I had lingered at Plum Orchard, where I was welcomed by Chris and Greg, the delightful volunteers that look after the fabulous Carnegie mansion there. They remembered me from last fall, which was really nice.
The weather forecast is looking rather grim, with small craft warnings for Thursday night and a gale warning for Friday. I have identified a half dozen potential anchorages on the chart, from about 20 miles to 40 miles from where I am located now. So I will get underway before sunup and go as far as I comfortably can, and then hunker down for at least 36 hours. There is also a spot about 45 miles away that I will not attempt, as it is subject to shoaling, and I want to transit that spot on a rising tide, at least halfway thru the cycle. Probably wait for Saturday to do that.
Best to all, Charlie
Monday, April 15, 2019
Beautiful day
Hi everyone,
I was underway before sunup this morning, having anchored a few short miles north of St. Augustine. I had picked the spot in expectation of getting hit with a thunderstorm, and indeed, we did. Not too bad, maybe 35 mph winds and the boat got a nice powerwash out of it.
This morning was clear, dry, and windy. It was also cold, which I came to regret later as I stood in the cockpit shivering and wondering where I had stashed my heavy clothing. But it was stunningly beautiful, 2 words I do not customarily employ when describing Florida. You see, Florida used to be a beautiful place, about 200 years ago, before it became absurdly overpopulated and carpet bombed with all manner of misguided and short sighted construction projects. But for a few glorious miles along the ICW in this part of Florida, you can see what it was like. And with a small craft warning in effect, I had it mostly to myself. Bald eagles, lush vegetation, exotic birds, it really was nice. Then, sadly, I returned to the developed areas. Once again, I was struck by all the docks and boathouse that created what looked like a shantytown in a third world country along the shore. It appeared as a veritable thicket of posts and roofs protecting a rather motley armada of boats that stretched for about 10 miles. These were all in front of really quite spectacular homes, which you could barely see through the forest of pilings. Pressure treated pilings, concrete pilings, pilings knocked askew from bad boat handlers, broken pilings, pilings painted to look like barber poles, pilings with Trump flags, weathered pilings in need of replacement, I mean the whole sorry mess was really something. And almost every house had this farcical erector set on the water. I think I saw 3 houses that didn't. But, I think I get it. They got the place on the water, and by gum, gotta get the boat. And now, I need to shut up, and apologize to all Floridians, because it was a beautiful day!
There were some busy areas. Crossing the St. John's River is a fearsome prospect, and it lived up to its reputation today. There was commercial traffic and the usual strong current. In fact, my speed over the bottom while crossing was only 2 and a half. It was really windy today. The forecast was for 10 to 15, with gusts to 20, but the reality was 20 to 25, with gusts to 30. Another case of NOAA lowballing the windspeed. When I went up Cumberland Sound I was motoring with a favorable tide directly into this wind and the waves were shockingly steep and vicious. Fortunately, there were no other boats out there to complicate things, so navigation was pretty easy. Tonight, the wind has died, and I am at one of my favorite spots, Plum Orchard on Cumberland Island, Georgia! I will definitely spend some time here tomorrow.
Best to all, Charlie
I was underway before sunup this morning, having anchored a few short miles north of St. Augustine. I had picked the spot in expectation of getting hit with a thunderstorm, and indeed, we did. Not too bad, maybe 35 mph winds and the boat got a nice powerwash out of it.
This morning was clear, dry, and windy. It was also cold, which I came to regret later as I stood in the cockpit shivering and wondering where I had stashed my heavy clothing. But it was stunningly beautiful, 2 words I do not customarily employ when describing Florida. You see, Florida used to be a beautiful place, about 200 years ago, before it became absurdly overpopulated and carpet bombed with all manner of misguided and short sighted construction projects. But for a few glorious miles along the ICW in this part of Florida, you can see what it was like. And with a small craft warning in effect, I had it mostly to myself. Bald eagles, lush vegetation, exotic birds, it really was nice. Then, sadly, I returned to the developed areas. Once again, I was struck by all the docks and boathouse that created what looked like a shantytown in a third world country along the shore. It appeared as a veritable thicket of posts and roofs protecting a rather motley armada of boats that stretched for about 10 miles. These were all in front of really quite spectacular homes, which you could barely see through the forest of pilings. Pressure treated pilings, concrete pilings, pilings knocked askew from bad boat handlers, broken pilings, pilings painted to look like barber poles, pilings with Trump flags, weathered pilings in need of replacement, I mean the whole sorry mess was really something. And almost every house had this farcical erector set on the water. I think I saw 3 houses that didn't. But, I think I get it. They got the place on the water, and by gum, gotta get the boat. And now, I need to shut up, and apologize to all Floridians, because it was a beautiful day!
There were some busy areas. Crossing the St. John's River is a fearsome prospect, and it lived up to its reputation today. There was commercial traffic and the usual strong current. In fact, my speed over the bottom while crossing was only 2 and a half. It was really windy today. The forecast was for 10 to 15, with gusts to 20, but the reality was 20 to 25, with gusts to 30. Another case of NOAA lowballing the windspeed. When I went up Cumberland Sound I was motoring with a favorable tide directly into this wind and the waves were shockingly steep and vicious. Fortunately, there were no other boats out there to complicate things, so navigation was pretty easy. Tonight, the wind has died, and I am at one of my favorite spots, Plum Orchard on Cumberland Island, Georgia! I will definitely spend some time here tomorrow.
Best to all, Charlie
Friday, April 12, 2019
Combat anchoring
Hello again,
Made my way north today, to Daytona, which equates to about 49 miles. And I have rediscovered the joy of anchoring along the ICW. Happily, the anchorage had plenty of room, and current and wind were in perfect harmony. I dropped the Rocna and paid out chain and line. So far, so good. I cleated the line and returned to the cockpit. I put the engine in reverse and backed down at about half throttle. And the boat started to move aft, towards the bridge abutment, as if there was no anchor down at all. Moving quickly, I returned to the forecheck and started pulling up the anchor, which seemed much heavier than usual. As it broke the surface it was evident what the problem was. The anchor had gotten stuck on a rusty old crab trap and was unable to bite into the bottom. This would require some effort, but in the meantime the bridge abutment was coming up fast. So I secured the chain and left the anchor, the trap, and a large amount of putrid mud hanging off the bow, and hustled back to the engine controls. After getting the boat to a safer spot, I put it in neutral, went forward and cleaned up the whole sorry mess. Then, I reanchored successfully. But, I knew the tide would change. But there was plenty of room to swing, and the weather was stable. Then, 3 other boats came and anchored near me. So, I dragged out another anchor, shackled it to another rode, and ran it out in the dinghy. Now, White Seal, is resting comfortably, while the other boats swing wildly about, as current and wind oppose each other. But now, the dinghy is bumping the side of the hull and driving me nuts, so I will haul it out of the water for the night. Boy, am I having fun, or what?
Best to all, Charlie
Made my way north today, to Daytona, which equates to about 49 miles. And I have rediscovered the joy of anchoring along the ICW. Happily, the anchorage had plenty of room, and current and wind were in perfect harmony. I dropped the Rocna and paid out chain and line. So far, so good. I cleated the line and returned to the cockpit. I put the engine in reverse and backed down at about half throttle. And the boat started to move aft, towards the bridge abutment, as if there was no anchor down at all. Moving quickly, I returned to the forecheck and started pulling up the anchor, which seemed much heavier than usual. As it broke the surface it was evident what the problem was. The anchor had gotten stuck on a rusty old crab trap and was unable to bite into the bottom. This would require some effort, but in the meantime the bridge abutment was coming up fast. So I secured the chain and left the anchor, the trap, and a large amount of putrid mud hanging off the bow, and hustled back to the engine controls. After getting the boat to a safer spot, I put it in neutral, went forward and cleaned up the whole sorry mess. Then, I reanchored successfully. But, I knew the tide would change. But there was plenty of room to swing, and the weather was stable. Then, 3 other boats came and anchored near me. So, I dragged out another anchor, shackled it to another rode, and ran it out in the dinghy. Now, White Seal, is resting comfortably, while the other boats swing wildly about, as current and wind oppose each other. But now, the dinghy is bumping the side of the hull and driving me nuts, so I will haul it out of the water for the night. Boy, am I having fun, or what?
Best to all, Charlie
Thursday, April 11, 2019
WOW!
Hi again,
Well now, that was certainly a life changing event! I guess I can see why 100k people show up for a launch like that. I was amazed at the absolutely staggering power on display. At 7 or 8 miles away you could feel it, big time. And the pillar of fire with the shiny white rocket on top, amazing. The whole thing didn't take all that long as the rocket climbed out of sight. I would like to suggest that anyone who doubts what the space program has done, come to a launch like this. Pretty tough to fake. And a doff of the hat to Elon Musk. That guy can get stuff done. He probably has to go back to his car factory tomorrow, but shooting off a rocket like that has got to be a great little break from the grind. I bet he had a good seat for the launch!
Your inspired scribe, Charlie
Well now, that was certainly a life changing event! I guess I can see why 100k people show up for a launch like that. I was amazed at the absolutely staggering power on display. At 7 or 8 miles away you could feel it, big time. And the pillar of fire with the shiny white rocket on top, amazing. The whole thing didn't take all that long as the rocket climbed out of sight. I would like to suggest that anyone who doubts what the space program has done, come to a launch like this. Pretty tough to fake. And a doff of the hat to Elon Musk. That guy can get stuff done. He probably has to go back to his car factory tomorrow, but shooting off a rocket like that has got to be a great little break from the grind. I bet he had a good seat for the launch!
Your inspired scribe, Charlie
Waiting.....
Hi everyone,
Hanging out here in Titusville waiting for the Falcon Heavy rocket launch. It was postponed yesterday and I have decided I dont have the patience to be a rocket launch afficianado! I could have made a 100 miles to the north over the last 2 days but here I am, sitting in Titusville. I will let you know a bit later how it went.
Best, Charlie
Hanging out here in Titusville waiting for the Falcon Heavy rocket launch. It was postponed yesterday and I have decided I dont have the patience to be a rocket launch afficianado! I could have made a 100 miles to the north over the last 2 days but here I am, sitting in Titusville. I will let you know a bit later how it went.
Best, Charlie
Tuesday, April 9, 2019
Goodbye Mary
Hi everyone,
I'll be honest. This morning was tough. I am not ashamed to say that I cried. Mary has been aboard with me for almost 3 months and I said goodbye to her as she headed back to Georgetown for 3 more weeks. We have had so much fun cruising together on White Seal. How many dads get to do something like this? All I know is that I am very, very grateful. Mary will be spending the additional time in the Bahamas on a friends boat and will attend the Family Islands Regatta at the end of the month before returning to Vermont. I hope she has a wonderful time. And I miss her.
Best to all, Charlie
I'll be honest. This morning was tough. I am not ashamed to say that I cried. Mary has been aboard with me for almost 3 months and I said goodbye to her as she headed back to Georgetown for 3 more weeks. We have had so much fun cruising together on White Seal. How many dads get to do something like this? All I know is that I am very, very grateful. Mary will be spending the additional time in the Bahamas on a friends boat and will attend the Family Islands Regatta at the end of the month before returning to Vermont. I hope she has a wonderful time. And I miss her.
Best to all, Charlie
Friday, April 5, 2019
Vero Beach
Hi everyone,
Mary and I are spending a couple of nights tied up to a mooring in the cruiser friendly town of Vero Beach. I am embarrassed to reveal that I just had my first real shower since January 13, when we were at the Nassau Yacht Haven. Plus, we each got haircuts today! I had developed a rather shaggy appearance that made me look a bit like an aging hippy, down on his luck.
We are rafted up with another boat which is regular policy here in the marina and our mooring mates are a couple from England who have circumnavigated on their boat, over a period of 7 or 8 years. Great folks, Glenys and Neville, and I doff my hat to them and their accomplishments. Hope to run into them on the trip north.
We will head out in the morning, after our leisurely showers. I did replace the second battery, which had been slowly circling the electrical drain. Thankful to do it here rather than in the islands. The other one had been replaced in Solomons on the trip south. Nothing fancy, no lithium, AGM, or gel, just conventional lead acid.
Rocket launch potential in a few days time has us motivated to get up to the Titusville area. Plus, Mary flies out on the 9th. Crew would be great if anyone would like to join me. Cramped quarters, hard usage, and mediocre food plus plenty of terrible weather. Let me know if this sounds appealing!
All the best, Charlie
Mary and I are spending a couple of nights tied up to a mooring in the cruiser friendly town of Vero Beach. I am embarrassed to reveal that I just had my first real shower since January 13, when we were at the Nassau Yacht Haven. Plus, we each got haircuts today! I had developed a rather shaggy appearance that made me look a bit like an aging hippy, down on his luck.
We are rafted up with another boat which is regular policy here in the marina and our mooring mates are a couple from England who have circumnavigated on their boat, over a period of 7 or 8 years. Great folks, Glenys and Neville, and I doff my hat to them and their accomplishments. Hope to run into them on the trip north.
We will head out in the morning, after our leisurely showers. I did replace the second battery, which had been slowly circling the electrical drain. Thankful to do it here rather than in the islands. The other one had been replaced in Solomons on the trip south. Nothing fancy, no lithium, AGM, or gel, just conventional lead acid.
Rocket launch potential in a few days time has us motivated to get up to the Titusville area. Plus, Mary flies out on the 9th. Crew would be great if anyone would like to join me. Cramped quarters, hard usage, and mediocre food plus plenty of terrible weather. Let me know if this sounds appealing!
All the best, Charlie
Tuesday, April 2, 2019
Goodbye Bahamas
Hi everyone,
It was a sad day yesterday as we watched the island of Bimini disappear below the horizon. We had left Morgans Bluff the day before and made the long passage across the Great Bahama Banks. That was close to 80 miles and we anchored near the north end of Bimini at about 11PM, after 16 hours underway. It was a rather miserable nights sleep as the boat rolled around restlessly. I had taken advantage of a 2 day weather window which provided stable conditions but light wind so we ended up motorsailing the entire way both days. Day 2 was much better because we had the giant conveyor belt known as the Gulf Stream in our favor. 16 hours for 80 miles on day 1, 11 hours and 75 miles on day 2. At times in the Stream we were making in excess of 9 knots! And it was probably the smoothest crossing I've ever made. There was a storm as we approached Palm Beach and we did see a waterspout so we doused our sails and used the motor solely the last 3 miles.
Coming in the inlet resulted in serious sensory overload. A cruise ship was coming out and a plethora of smaller craft were speeding to and fro in the choppy waters. The VHF radio was crackling with voices, and truth be told a number of them were rather snooty sounding, with one person yelling at another, threatening to report the evil doer to the Coast Guard for some perceived transgression. One thing that we noticed as we came in was the smell of the land. It was a potpourri of scents, a whiff of various pollutants and other toxic substances for sure, but mostly a smell of rich soil. After having spent a bunch of time on what are essentially desert islands and on the water, you really notice the difference. Today, we don't notice it, but yesterday, we did.
After anchoring, the first thing we needed to do was to clear in with customs. This was the beginning of what was to prove a really miserable experience that consumed many hours, and the wasting of money on Uber and taxi rides. We were both pretty disappointed in the whole process. The next time I am not even going to bother. I mean, millions of people don't bother already. The entire thing was a farce, involving failed apps, buildings impossible to find, Customs officials whose English was extremely difficult to understand, endless phone trees, etc. I thought Mary was going to lose it, and I was not far behind. But, we are in.
Enough ranting! We were so delighted to be back in the land of cheap, plentiful food that we went a couple of miles north and anchored near a big Publix supermarket. Talk about sensory overload! But first, a trip to a Starbucks, so Mary could procure some coffee and wifi to catch up on errands. While there I noticed the sky getting dark, and looked up the weather. In an act of downright negligence, I had failed to check the weather forecast this morning. Yesterday things had sounded pretty benign, so I had not given it any attention. But this report really opened my eyes. A special alert was calling for a severe thunderstorm, with a chance for a tornado in our area. As I was reading this, the storm hit, and it was a doozy. Winds were supposed to reach 60, and it appeared they did. Hailstones were part of the mix, along with torrential rain. All we could think of was the boat. Would she be OK? After the storm blew itself out over the course of an hour, we made our way back - and she was fine! I had forgotten about these Florida thunderstorms, but I will remember now! There was a good bit of flooding, debris everywhere, and we saw a large palm tree snapped off at about 10 feet off the ground.
We will make another trip ashore for provisions in the morning, then make our way north for a few miles.
Best to all, Charlie
It was a sad day yesterday as we watched the island of Bimini disappear below the horizon. We had left Morgans Bluff the day before and made the long passage across the Great Bahama Banks. That was close to 80 miles and we anchored near the north end of Bimini at about 11PM, after 16 hours underway. It was a rather miserable nights sleep as the boat rolled around restlessly. I had taken advantage of a 2 day weather window which provided stable conditions but light wind so we ended up motorsailing the entire way both days. Day 2 was much better because we had the giant conveyor belt known as the Gulf Stream in our favor. 16 hours for 80 miles on day 1, 11 hours and 75 miles on day 2. At times in the Stream we were making in excess of 9 knots! And it was probably the smoothest crossing I've ever made. There was a storm as we approached Palm Beach and we did see a waterspout so we doused our sails and used the motor solely the last 3 miles.
Coming in the inlet resulted in serious sensory overload. A cruise ship was coming out and a plethora of smaller craft were speeding to and fro in the choppy waters. The VHF radio was crackling with voices, and truth be told a number of them were rather snooty sounding, with one person yelling at another, threatening to report the evil doer to the Coast Guard for some perceived transgression. One thing that we noticed as we came in was the smell of the land. It was a potpourri of scents, a whiff of various pollutants and other toxic substances for sure, but mostly a smell of rich soil. After having spent a bunch of time on what are essentially desert islands and on the water, you really notice the difference. Today, we don't notice it, but yesterday, we did.
After anchoring, the first thing we needed to do was to clear in with customs. This was the beginning of what was to prove a really miserable experience that consumed many hours, and the wasting of money on Uber and taxi rides. We were both pretty disappointed in the whole process. The next time I am not even going to bother. I mean, millions of people don't bother already. The entire thing was a farce, involving failed apps, buildings impossible to find, Customs officials whose English was extremely difficult to understand, endless phone trees, etc. I thought Mary was going to lose it, and I was not far behind. But, we are in.
Enough ranting! We were so delighted to be back in the land of cheap, plentiful food that we went a couple of miles north and anchored near a big Publix supermarket. Talk about sensory overload! But first, a trip to a Starbucks, so Mary could procure some coffee and wifi to catch up on errands. While there I noticed the sky getting dark, and looked up the weather. In an act of downright negligence, I had failed to check the weather forecast this morning. Yesterday things had sounded pretty benign, so I had not given it any attention. But this report really opened my eyes. A special alert was calling for a severe thunderstorm, with a chance for a tornado in our area. As I was reading this, the storm hit, and it was a doozy. Winds were supposed to reach 60, and it appeared they did. Hailstones were part of the mix, along with torrential rain. All we could think of was the boat. Would she be OK? After the storm blew itself out over the course of an hour, we made our way back - and she was fine! I had forgotten about these Florida thunderstorms, but I will remember now! There was a good bit of flooding, debris everywhere, and we saw a large palm tree snapped off at about 10 feet off the ground.
We will make another trip ashore for provisions in the morning, then make our way north for a few miles.
Best to all, Charlie
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