Headed up the East Coast

June 20, 2016

As we are making our way up the ICW through North Carolina, I can’t help but feel somewhat like a turtle. We are motoring at a slightly faster pace than that turtle, and we are like snowbirds in that we seek warmer weather in the winter and cooler temps in the summer.  Yet, we only have one home and we have to move it to those places at a relatively slow pace – hence, the turtle. This part of the trip up north is sort of like driving up and down I-95; a bit boring, not a lot to look at in places, with miles and miles to go. I’ve taken a multitude of pictures of osprey and their young, a few dolphins and egrets.  There is plenty of time to do nothing. We read lots of books. It’s going to be a long day, 70 miles at 7 knots. The math is simple... 

We hope to visit with people we know along the way and spend a few days along the coasts of Long Island and CT where we are looking forward to seeing my family again. We stop every year on the way to Maine and on the return trip, whether we cruise or drive and always have much fun catching up on all that has transpired over the past several months.

The last time I added a new post to my blog, my son Brian had just visited us in Abaco. That was such a special time. After he left, we stayed a few more days in Hope Town, then began our journey northward to cross back to Florida. Our overnight crossing on May 23rd was going very smoothly and we had a well lit ride; the moon was full. Our engine decided to quit around midnight in the Gulf Stream and the 8 knots we were making was reduced to 4, with our sails out. We had been making such great time up until then that we thought we could sail right to St. Augustine. We instead, sailed to New Smyrna Beach and got a tow into a slip. It turned out our idler pulley disintegrated and the serpentine belt shredded. We ordered a new idler pulley and since it couldn’t be drop shipped to New Smyrna Beach, we had to rent a car and drive to St. Augustine to pick It up. Jeff installed the new parts and we were off again the next morning thankfully and in our old slip at Camachee Cove in no time. So began all the medical appointments over the course of a few days. Mayo Clinic gave me the 1 year “all clear” bill of health. 

Sunrise in the Atlantic

Land ho!

Getting towed into New Smyrna Beach City Marina

We're never at a loss for entertainment

We spent time with our Florida children and grandchildren as well as getting together with some friends. It doesn’t ever seem like we have enough time to visit, but it takes us a month (at least) to traverse the east coast so we have to push on.

Grandson Raymond Jack is a real happy guy!

Brooke and Daddy Brandon being silly

Brooke loves visiting us on the boat!

Friends Craig and Judith came up from Gainesville for dinner at Kingfish.
Our friends Jack and Carol from Punta Gorda docked their Catamaran at Camachee Cove for two nights
so we were all able to have a fun dinner together. 

We were delayed a bit leaving St. Augustine due to VHF malfunction and wound up buying a new one. We still haven’t received the old one (still under warranty) back.

On the 11^th of June, we departed offshore and had a pleasant sail to St. Simons Island. The heat has been brutal! With temps in the upper 90’s and feeling like 104 with no wind, we left early the next morning and arrived at Windmill Harbour in Hilton Head around 5:20. We got together with our friend Dean Haskell for dinner and it was great catching up and enjoying a yummy dinner out.

Good Morning sunshine!

Hanging out

Interesting sky

Starry sunshine leaving St. Simons

Now THAT'S a rooster tail!

Harbour Town Lighthouse in Hilton Head

Entrance to Windmill Harbour lock

Fun with Dean

9:00 the next morning after fueling up we exited Windmill Harbour via their lock and set the anchor in South Edisto River 7 hours later.

A kayak spinnaker with a window! 

Another long day on Tuesday the 14^th. We anchored in the South Santee River.

Scouting for dinner

Getting ready to strike

Splash!

Passing Charleston

Mega Yacht Dock 

Our next destination was Barefoot Landing Marina in Myrtle Beach and much to our surprise, as we were about to pull along the face dock for the night, I heard someone calling my name. Turns out, our friends Gaye and Wayne who we met in St. Augustine several years ago were in the restaurant there. What fun to catch up again after two years. We spent the next five days together, spending three nights at the Seapath Yacht Club waiting for the wind to lay down, then on to Spooner’s Creek Marina for our last night, one we’ll have to stop at again. We didn’t have much time to explore the area but it looked quite nice. 

No wonder they call it Alligator River!

Egrets are plentiful in this area

Osprey too

Hitchhiker

Another one

The Waterway Guide says that "Dragonflies are common on the ICW and often will 'hitch a ride' from one destination to another aboard passing boats". " They are some of the fastest insects on earth; they can fly over 30mph but usually 'cruise' at around 10 mph."  I'd like them to stay onboard all the way to Maine... They eat mosquitos, flies, bees and ants!

A storm is brewing up ahead

Getting darker and darker so we slowed our speed and it passed right by us!

Mom and baby

Birds, birds, birds

And in the middle of nowhere...

Gaye

Wayne 

No empty nesters here

See her baby?

Small reprieve in the middle of a body of water

Time for a cool one with Gaye and Wayne at South Harbour Village Marina after tying up at the dock

On our way to Seapath Marina, Celebration is on our tail!

"Jeff Finn" on his raft cleaning the ICW moustache off the bow at Seapath Yacht Club

Chasing Gaye & Wayne to town for lunch in Wrightsville Beach

Local fun on the sandbar

The gazebo at Belhaven Waterway Marina. Lovely place!

The highly recommended restaurant in Belhaven, Spoon River Art Market was closed. We'll have to make it a point to stop there on the way south Wednesday thru Sunday.

We are currently holed up at Coinjock Marina in SC waiting for the storms north of us to pass. We spent last night here and will stay tonight as well. Hopefully we'll be underway in the morning, headed to the Norfolk area. 

One last note: our granddaughter Brooke is growing up so fast!! Keep the pictures coming Becky!