Ft. Pierce, FL October 27

     We left Bald Head Island (Southport, NC) and ran offshore overnight all the way down to Fernandina Beach, FL.  It was a little sloppy and with higher seas than forecast offshore, particularly off Savannah, but at that point we were about 50 miles out.  Seas were aft of the beam, so it really wasn't an unpleasant ride.  We spent a couple of nights in Fernandina Beach, then headed down the ICW toward our destination of Ft. Pierce.  Another couple of nights in St. Augustine provided sightseeing, and then we moved on with one-night stops at or anchored near New Smyrna Beach and Melbourne.  We met some new friends, owners of a Kadey-Krogen 39, in New Smyrna Beach, and then arrived at our berth for the next few months in Ft. Pierce early in the afternoon.  BUT, the low temperature in Ft. Pierce was higher than the high temperature in Solomons, MD!  I promptly toured the town by bicycle, and located a barbershop to relieve me of significant overgrowth. 
     The water in this marina is amazingly clear, and schools of catfish (unfortunately, the salt-water, non-edible kind of catfish) abound.  We have met a number of new friends who winter here, and also renewed friendships with previous acquaintances.  We have had a car at times, and attended the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, one of the premier shows in the world.  It has five venues, and we didn't even scratch the surface of what was there to be seen, but we did spend a fair amount of time in the equipment and electronics tents (but not on the 200-foot super-yachts).  We will shortly take a break from cruising and return to Texas to visit family for the holidays.

Old Friend--Fernandina

Ft. Pierce



Ft. Pierce



Marina Denizens



New Ft. Pierce Friend--Winston
 

Headed South October 19

      After the lunar eclipse, vividly visible from the remote and dark-sky area of Deltaville, we finally caught a day with acceptable weather and traveled north to Solomons, MD in preparation for the annual Kadey-Krogen Rendezvous.  While there, we not only continued to experience weather from the low pressure area stalled just offshore, but had the threat of Hurricane Joaquin.   In the end, the threat mitigated and a wonderful Rendezvous was enjoyed by approximately 100 attendees and 40 boats.  There was, however, a very noticeable cold front, and so we know it is time to be headed south.
     We left Solomons and headed for Florida, spending thus far nights in Deltaville, Chesapeake, Coinjock, Slade Creek, and Morehead City.  Lauryl Anne has been traveling with us some of those days, and it has been a great experience to get to know David and Tricia better.  At Morehead City we were able to visit and have dinner with the Poags--friends who previously lived in Corpus Christi--and had a wonderful opportunity to catch up on old times.  We thought we would be trapped there several days by a potent cold front, but awoke to find we could squeeze in one more travel day, so we hopped offshore and made it down to Southport, NC where we are comfortably docked at Bald Head Island Marina.  The major force of the wind and the much colder temperatures that had held off for a day behind the passage of the original front came through last night, and so we will stay here a day or two before traveling again.  The annual migration of yachts down the ICW is in full swing, and, once again, no dredging has occurred since our last transit.

Kadey Krogen Rendezvous

Kadey Krogen Rendezvous

Bald Head Island

Old Baldy

Old Baldy
 

Deltaville...still? August--September

     We spent some time on the boat as various small projects were tackled.  One that required some improvisation by the boatyard folks was redesigning and reinstalling the name boards on top of the pilothouse roof.  These also contain the navigation lights for port and starboard, and the original design leaves the possibility of water intrusion as time and wear occur.  A number of boats have lamented similar problems, but I decided to tackle a redesign, and the DBY technicians did a great job of devising a solution.  With that, and several routine maintenance items well in hand, Kay and I returned to Texas to visit kids and grandkids, and do various projects at home and in Houston.  We also kept the grandkids for a weekend while their parents escaped to take in a Baylor football game in Waco.
     On September 22, we drove to Houston, and the following day flew, via a long layover in Atlanta, to Richmond.  Everything ran on schedule, all bags arrived with us, and we were soon picking up a number of items at Sam's Club en route to the boat.  The following morning we made a major grocery store run, and then returned the rental car.  The plan was to depart on the next day, but a low pressure area stalled off the East Coast is providing lots of wind and rain.  Since the strong winds are predominantly from the north and northeast (our direction of travel), the fetch of the waves all the way down Chesapeake Bay would make for a very uncomfortable ride.  We, along with a lot of other boaters, many of whom are already headed south, have elected to wait for calmer seas.  I have used the time for several projects, including changing oil and transmission fluids.  When better travel conditions arrive in a few days, we will head for Solomons, MD and the annual Krogen Cruisers Rendezvous.  It is obviously no longer summertime in the Chesapeake!

Washington, DC to Urbanna to Deltaville, August 12--16

After a delightful week with Stacy and Jordan visiting aboard in our nation's capital, they hopped into a cab at 0430 in the rain to fly home to hot Houston.  We had anticipated leaving, but heavy rain was forecasted, so we elected to wait another day to depart back to the Chesapeake.  We had favorable current for most of our ride down the Potomac, and anchored at nearly the last anchorage on the Virginia side in The Glebe.  It was a peaceful, serene, and isolated anchorage, complete with a bald eagle and a local man who rode by to visit with his grandson who was visiting him from Sugar Land! 

The following morning we traveled to Deltaville for one night, and then up the Rappahannock River to Urbanna, a quaint small town we had not previously visited.  We enjoyed Friday and Saturday nights there (the town closes up except for the latter part of the week), with good restaurants, a pharmacy with a lunch counter complete with milkshakes, and an interesting general store and other shops.  On Sunday afternoon we returned to the Jackson Creek side of Deltaville where the boat spent the 2013-2014 winter, and we will spend some time and have some minor maintenance issues attended.  We may even travel home before venturing north into Maryland. 

Mount Vernon

St. Clements Island

Urbanna Courthouse 1748

Lee Home, Urbanna 1750

Deltaville, VA to Washington, DC August 1 -- August 11

Though we have been to many large and historic cities on our boat, we had not been to our nation's capital aboard Texas Ranger.  We traveled from Deltaville into the Potomac River, and anchored in Canoe Neck Creek off of St. Clement's Bay on the Maryland shore.  It was a beautiful, pastoral setting and a quiet stop.  The next day we traveled upriver past Quantico to anchor across the river from Mt. Vernon.  The following morning we traveled in the dinghy to the Mr. Vernon dock, and toured George Washington's estate.  After returning to the boat, we continued on to Alexandria.  This old historic town survived the Civil War without destruction because it was occupied the entire war by Union forces, and we enjoyed touring the pre-Revolutionary War streets and houses.  Of course, the river past Alexandria is the approach/departure flight plan for Reagan National Airport, so jets went overhead almost constantly.

After a couple of days, we continued the short distance to Washington, DC, and docked at the Capital Yacht Club.  Though there is ongoing major reconstruction of the DC waterfront, and temporary quarters of the club are perfectly fine, and the docks are brand new.  The members and staff were all gracious hosts, and it was an excellent setting for a visit from our granddaughter and her aunt, our eldest daughter who lived and worked in DC for over five years before returning to Houston.  She was the official "tour guide" to introduce the granddaughter to DC and its many monuments, memorials, museums, buildings, and other attractions.  Of course, with a five-year-old, we couldn't see everything, but the scope of what we were able to see was impressive!   In addition, she rode almost all forms of modern transportation during her stay, and learned about navigating airports, subways, and bus routes.  I'm sure that some day when she returns with her parents and brother, she will view herself as the expert tour guide.  We also had a great visit with Kay's cousin and family who live here.  And not to have quiet airspace, government helicopters frequently fly (at very low altitude) right along the harbor channel where we are docked en route to their destination near the Ellipse.  The northern flight path to Reagan is a bit farther off, but not beyond hearing!

Large and Small

Tourists

The Ladies

About to Tour my Aunt's Former Workplace

Seeking my Roots

Star of the Zoo?

The REAL Star of the Zoo

New Bern, NC to Hampton, VA to Deltaville, VA July 19 -- 31

     We didn't have much faster progress returning to the East Coast than Harald was having with the brightwork.  Rent House issues, etc., significantly delayed our return, but finally we arrived in Bridgeton just after Harald finished his beautiful handiwork on our teak!  Again, trying to move ahead of deteriorating weather, we departed Bridgeton July 19 and made a long day run up Pamlico Sound inside the Outer Banks (avoiding Alligator-Pungo canal, Alligator River, etc.).  We anchored in Croatan Sound, and had a bouncier night than ideal because the wind was SE, and not SW as forecast.  The next morning we crossed Albemarle Sound, and arrived early afternoon in Coinjock, NC.  This is our first time to actually stay overnight there and partake of their renowned prime rib; it was indeed special.  The next day we made a short passage into Virginia, stopping in Chesapeake at Atlantic Yacht Basin.

     The following day we moved up the Elizabeth River through the conglomeration of multiple bridges that is Norfolk-Portsmouth.  We slipped past the Norfolk Naval Station between the arrival of one submarine and the departure of another.  Across the entrance channel coming from sea into Norfolk was our destination--another we had never visited--Hampton, VA.  We stayed at a nice public dock, and enjoyed unwinding and touring area attractions.  The Virginia Air and Space Center associated with NASA and Langley AFB was very interesting, and we also found a store of a dying breed--a stationer, well-stocked with fine writing papers and beautiful fountain pens.  Alas, as courtesies such as written correspondence are supplanted by electronic communication, the ability of such small niche businesses to survive is vanishing.  While I was not enamored by Hampton's Saturday night block party, some of the downtown eating establishments were outstanding!  Marker 20 served a spicy "Atlantic Jambalaya" (with asparagus spears in it) and a delicious paella that comprised a couple (enough for 2 meals) of the best meals we've had all year.

     After four nights in Hampton (stay 3, get one free) we departed for Deltaville, a favorite stop we've visited several times.  We stayed at Dozier's Regatta Point Marina, and retrieved our car from New Bern.  A car is almost essential if one is going to spend much time in Deltaville, as, other than boatyards, there is little in town.  There is always a great parade of transient boats passing through, however, and so we met many new boating friends. 

Hampton Public Piers Office

Virginia Air & Space Center

Virginia Air & Space Center

Jacksonville, FL to New Bern, NC May 1 -- May 7

     After two months in a wonderful marina (Ortega Landing) in Jacksonville, with numerous side car trips to places like Stuart, St. Augustine, Amelia Island, and Corpus Christi, we began to move north.  We had about had our fill of the shallow Atlantic ICW on our previous journeys, so this one entailed a lot more offshore time.  We moved over to Mayport, the area just off the Atlantic on the St. John's River entrance toward Jacksonville, and at dawn the following morning headed offshore bound for the Cape Fear Inlet at Southport, NC.  Other than some choppy seas the first few hours, it was a delightful passage with a near full moon.  We arrived in Southport late the following afternoon, and tucked into the same slip which we occupied for so long last winter.  It was good to see the great Southport Marina staff again, and even some townspeople we had met on our previous stops there.

     As the weather appeared to be deteriorating, we didn't stay long, but moved up the Cape Fear River and then offshore again at Wrightsville Beach.  That same afternoon we arrived at the Beaufort Inlet, and docked at another of our favorite spots, Morehead City Yacht Basin.  We had a delightful dinner at nearby Floyd's Restaurant, and after a couple of days we moved up the Neuse River to New Bern, NC.  New Bern, and Edenton, NC which we visited a couple of years ago, are where just about all of "pre-Revolutionary War" Carolinas history took place.  We actually stayed in a more remote marina across the river from New Bern in the small town of Bridgeton.  It is a great facility, but not much is going on in Bridgeton.  Since we retrieved the car from Jacksonville, that didn't pose too great a limitation, and we were able to adequately sightsee the area and the city of New Bern.  While there, I had engaged a brightwork expert, Harald Christianson, to refresh Texas Ranger's cap rails.  After riding out the rather non-eventful Tropical Storm Ana, we headed home to Texas for family reunion, visits with kids and grandkids, weddings, etc., while Harald tried to work between all of the rainy days that the New Bern area endured during May and June. 

On Watch

On Patrol

I See You!

Brunswick, GA to Fernandina Beach, FL to Jacksonville, FL Mar 2-3

     We departed Brunswick in moderate fog, but visibility in the river was adequate, so we pressed on.  A strong cold front is due in 2-3 days, and we want to be securely situated in a longer-term location by that time.  Also, it is quite possible that daily fog will be a factor until the passage of that front.  We passed down behind Jekyll Island in moderate fog, with the radar, navigation lights, and fog signal all going.  We only thought the fog was dense…we passed behind Cumberland Island, and I doubt we saw a thing!  We certainly did not see the horses which were clearly visible on our northward passage.  The King’s Bay naval submarine base was cleared, and fog was somewhat lighter as we crossed the St. Mary’s River into Florida.  We docked at the Fernandina Harbor Marina, and went off to renew our acquaintance with this quaint, downtown stop.

     The following morning we were off early, at high tide, to traverse a very shallow area that lies just south of Fernandina Beach.  With the high tide and careful attention to suggestions from those passing before us, we had no difficulty.  We traversed Sawpit Creek, cleared the Sister’s Creek Bridge, and entered the St. John River about 0945.  Our travel upriver through Jacksonsville was uneventful and faster than we had anticipated.  We passed a number of large vessels, and after passing the downtown area we turned out of the St. John River into the smaller Ortega River, the location of our destination marina.  Once out of its center, the St. John River was shallower than admitted on charts, but we had no difficulty passing through the little Ortega River Bridge and docking at Ortega Landing Marina before noon.  This is a very nice facility with pool, hot tub, and nice facilities, and we are glad to be in Florida, only four months after the arrival anticipated in our original plans last fall!

Fernandina Beach, FL

On Watch

Jacksonville, FL

Jacksonville, FL

Jacksonville, FL

Jacksonville, FL

Ortega Landing Marina

Ortega Landing Marina

 

 

 

Isle of Hope, GA to North River, GA to Brunswick, GA Feb 28-Mar 1

We departed Isle of Hope at first light to maximize our tide height at Hell Gate.  Though we were above half-tide, it was still a difficult entrance because strong winds and a lot of waves were behind us, and an entrance marker was missing.  We cleared the area, and the rest of the day was spent in rain and driving wind (not forecasted).  We anchored in the North River, just north of the difficult Little Mud River, and had an uneventful, very rural, evening.  The anchor dug in well, and with the high winds was retrieved the next morning in a huge glob of clay.  We had no real difficulty in the Little Mud River this year, unlike our trip north a couple of years ago, because we were traversing it at absolute high tide.  There was some fog, but we arrived in Brunswick shortly before noon.  After getting situated, we rode bicycles around the old downtown area.  Many of the old buildings and homes are impressive, but obviously “town” has moved to the suburbs! 

Downtown Brunswick, GA

Old City Hall, Brunswick, GA

Brunswick, GA

Brunswick, GA

Brunswick, GA

New City Hall, Brunswick, GA

Historic Courthouse, Brunswick, GA

Texas Ranger, Brunswick Landing

Charleston, SC to Beaufort, SC to Isle of Hope, GA Feb. 25-27

We left Toler’s Cove at dead low tide, creeping out through the shallow channel and barely clearing the bottom, so that we could reach other downstream shallow areas with better tide.  We crossed Charleston Harbor entrance, ran up the Ashley River past historic downtown, the Coast Guard base, and the massive Charleston City Marina, and then turned out of the river into the ICW southbound.  Our early start and careful time and distance calculations allowed us to traverse many of the notoriously shallow areas of the South Carolina ICW at nearer to high tide.  It also allowed favorable tidal currents to speed us along for the majority of our travels.  South Carolina, for whatever political reasons, has not been allotted funds for the Army Corps of Engineers to perform dredging work in the ICW in many years, and this is why it is such a difficult area to traverse.  After about nine hours, we arrived in Beaufort, SC at the Downtown Marina, impressed the dock staff with a backing maneuver in brisk current, and tied up in the exact same spot we occupied while traveling north about 18 months ago!  We “ate in” due to the heavy rain just beginning (which lasted all night), and then the next morning explored the town.  We had really seen Beaufort pretty well on our first stop, but we hiked up to the post office to mail a birthday card to a friend back home, and then toured all the shops in the historic downtown area.

After a second night it was time to move on.  Kay opted against departing at 0300 and going offshore to Brunswick (only the one day was forecast to be good weather), so we left about 0830 and traveled down the ICW, again timing our arrival at some shallow areas near Savannah to occur nearer to high tide later in the day.  We passed by the Marine Corps recruit depot at Parris Island, down behind Hilton Head Island, and crossed the Savannah River into Georgia about 1300.  We then worked our way farther south past Thunderbolt Marina where we stayed traveling north, and docked at Isle of Hope Marina.  There are some beautiful tree- and moss-enshrouded homes, and we drove around in the loaner car to see the area.  This location gets us an hour farther south, an advantage tomorrow as we depart at first light to pass a treacherous shallow spot known as “Hell Gate” as near to high tide as we can arrive.  There was some moderation in the extreme cold today, and the sun even tried to divulge itself at times.  As should be obvious, EVERYTHING related to travel on a boat revolves around weather, tides, and currents!   



We Are In Georgia Now!

Isle of Hope, GA

Isle of Hope, GA



Isle of Hope, GA



Isle of Hope, GA

Isle of Hope, GA

 

Myrtle Beach, SC to Georgetown, SC to Charleston, SC February 16-24

         We traveled from Osprey Marina in Myrtle Beach to Georgetown, SC on a COLD day.  Upon arrival, Kay asked the dockmaster if he cared where on the dock we tied up, and his response was, “well, did you see anyone else out on the water today?”  Georgetown has a quaint old downtown area which, but for the cold, misty weather, we enjoyed touring.  Our second night there, we did find a very good restaurant, and Kay finally got to eat out after cooking aboard for the better part of a week.  The microwave got a rest!  (Very) cold fronts are coming through about every 48 hours, so we can travel only every 2^nd or 3^rd day.  We are also entering areas where tidal height is critical…many are not passable during the lower half of the tide cycle, so careful planning is necessary.             We left Georgetown early (based upon tide predictions) in fog, and worked our way down the ICW towards Charleston.  By early afternoon we had reached an area just north of Isle of Palms, and pulled off into a creek where we had anchored overnight on our way north a couple of years ago.  We anchored for a couple of hours waiting for the tide to rise, and then crept along at about 2 knots through the stretch of ICW from Isle of Palms to Ben Sawyer Bridge—one of the worst on the waterway.  We made it, due to careful tide timing and patience to wait for that time, and tied up at Toler’s Cove, a small marina just north of Charleston Harbor about 5 p.m.  The next day we rented a car, and drove round-trip to Southport, NC to retrieve the Element.  For almost a week we stayed at Charleston…partly to unwind, restock, and sightsee, and partly because the weather wasn’t fit to travel (or take photos)!  We actually got up early one morning to leave, and realized the weather was much worse than predicted, so we just had an early breakfast and stayed another day!  Twenties every morning, 30’s every afternoon, usually with mist or drizzle!  For some of these days the Charleston airport was even closed!  We did have good electricity, a secure dock, decent TV (off-air), and every grocery store chain in the state within a mile, so what more can one ask for?  Well, lunch at Jestine’s, a quintessential downtown spot for Southern home-cooking, was a special stop, as was Poe’s Tavern on Sullivan’s Island (listed as one of the best burger spots in the country).  It’s hard to beat the culinary treats of Charleston, even in yucky weather!  

Charleston Architecture

Relic From the Retail Past