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| 4 Aces crossing St Simon’s Sound |
We’re in Florida tonight! The last four days have been
cool and windy, so we passed through Georgia quickly, anchoring out and getting
moving early each morning. We loosely traveled with s/v Seldom Seen, another
Island Packet 35 from North Carolina and two other boats; s/v Four Aces and s/v
Symmetry. The first day out of Beaufort had us crossing St Simons sound in
winds that gusted to 30 knots with a high temperature of 54, We were bundled in
our foulies and ski masks, thankful for the protection of the dodger. The
Vernon River near Beaulieu was peaceful anchorage with good holding across from
a classic old southern home. Noah picked up doing school on his own while we
are underway and then we do the parts that need “teacher” interaction in the
evening. His spirits are better and he suggested a book title joke: “How to Use
a Compass by Arrow P. Ointsnorth.”
cool and windy, so we passed through Georgia quickly, anchoring out and getting
moving early each morning. We loosely traveled with s/v Seldom Seen, another
Island Packet 35 from North Carolina and two other boats; s/v Four Aces and s/v
Symmetry. The first day out of Beaufort had us crossing St Simons sound in
winds that gusted to 30 knots with a high temperature of 54, We were bundled in
our foulies and ski masks, thankful for the protection of the dodger. The
Vernon River near Beaulieu was peaceful anchorage with good holding across from
a classic old southern home. Noah picked up doing school on his own while we
are underway and then we do the parts that need “teacher” interaction in the
evening. His spirits are better and he suggested a book title joke: “How to Use
a Compass by Arrow P. Ointsnorth.”
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| Full Moon in Vernon River |
Sunday we wound through lots of marshes where you
could see other boats that appeared to be nearby, but it would be a half-hour
before you wound through the river bends to reach them. We did sight a Bald
Eagle early in the morning and were visited by dolphins several times. After
eight hours of winding and crossing St Catherines and Doboy sounds, we anchored
in the South River, fairly close to the Atlantic Ocean. Finished readint “The
Marsh Runners II” with Noah. It is an interesting pair of books, set on Roanoke
Island. Also listened to another episode of Red Skelton’s radio show. Although
there was marsh grass all around us, there were no trees, so we had a restless
night with winds blowing 14-23 knots.
could see other boats that appeared to be nearby, but it would be a half-hour
before you wound through the river bends to reach them. We did sight a Bald
Eagle early in the morning and were visited by dolphins several times. After
eight hours of winding and crossing St Catherines and Doboy sounds, we anchored
in the South River, fairly close to the Atlantic Ocean. Finished readint “The
Marsh Runners II” with Noah. It is an interesting pair of books, set on Roanoke
Island. Also listened to another episode of Red Skelton’s radio show. Although
there was marsh grass all around us, there were no trees, so we had a restless
night with winds blowing 14-23 knots.
Monday we were up at 0530 and traveling before 0700.
This was the day for crossing St Simons and St Andrews sounds, where we almost
go out into the ocean for a while before heading back inland to the ICW.
We were close enough to see breaking waves without the need for
binoculars. Noah was watching Star Wars in the V berth (the bounciest part of
the boat) and it was the first time he told me he didn’t feel so good.
Understandable with 20 knots of wind on the stern and four foot waves in the
sound. Things calmed down as we approached Cumberland Island and could see the
wild horses grazing on the marsh grass. We chose to turn off the ICW and travel
down the Brickhill River so we could visit this protected national park that is
only accessible by boat. We anchored near Plum Orchard, a summer “cottage”
built by one of the Vanderbilt children and took the dinghy to shore. At the
end of the dock was a sign saying the Island is closed to visitors due to a
manager hunt in progress. Bummed out, we hung out on the dock for a bit
watching a colony of fiddler crabs act out their territorial disputes before
retreating to the boat for an early evening. The winds calmed and no one else
was anchored near us, making for a good nights sleep.
This was the day for crossing St Simons and St Andrews sounds, where we almost
go out into the ocean for a while before heading back inland to the ICW.
We were close enough to see breaking waves without the need for
binoculars. Noah was watching Star Wars in the V berth (the bounciest part of
the boat) and it was the first time he told me he didn’t feel so good.
Understandable with 20 knots of wind on the stern and four foot waves in the
sound. Things calmed down as we approached Cumberland Island and could see the
wild horses grazing on the marsh grass. We chose to turn off the ICW and travel
down the Brickhill River so we could visit this protected national park that is
only accessible by boat. We anchored near Plum Orchard, a summer “cottage”
built by one of the Vanderbilt children and took the dinghy to shore. At the
end of the dock was a sign saying the Island is closed to visitors due to a
manager hunt in progress. Bummed out, we hung out on the dock for a bit
watching a colony of fiddler crabs act out their territorial disputes before
retreating to the boat for an early evening. The winds calmed and no one else
was anchored near us, making for a good nights sleep.
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| Jekyll Island Club |
Still not quite used to the ten foot tides. They can
actually be helpful, as it allowed us to depart over a charted four foot shoal
and save us from back tracking up the Brickhill on Tuesday morning. Dolphins
accompanied us as we proceeded down towards the St Mary’s River, the dividing
line between Georgia and Florida. One part I was looking forward to seeing was
the Kings Bay submarine base. The ICW goes right by and I’ve always been
fascinated by subs. We could see the towers and buildings of the base lit up
from out anchorage on Cumberland Island last night. As we approached the base,
there were patrol boats and we spotted a sub docked under a giant crane. As we
exited the area we passed a huge degaussing station where they eliminate the
electrical charge that builds up on submarines before they dock. Leaving
the sub base behind, we were approached by dolphins which we stopped to video
and then were passed by three large power yachts. When faster boats pass slower
boats in close quarters like the ICW, the slower boats back down to an idle and
the faster boats slow down and pass at a slow speed so as not to make too much
of a wake. I was just throttling back up after being passed when I noticed that
all the boats that passed us had come to a stop. When the boat in front of us
moved out of the channel, the reason became obvious — a nuclear submarine was
coming up the channel.We quickly moved over and they passed close enough to us that
the crew in the conning tower returned our welcome home waves. From there we
crossed the St Mary’s river and were welcomed to Florida by the sight of an old
Fort on Emilia Island. Depths and calm winds allowed us to get up slose enough
to see the canons and tourists. The forecast called for a 70 percent chance of
thunderstorms, so we headed in to Fernandina Harbor Marina after one more
detour to go around a cruise ship anchored in the channel. We took long, hot
showers, and then enjoyed the shops, restaurants and restored homes in downtown
Fernandina Beach. Also visited the library where Noah read another book in his
favorite series, “Captain Underpants” by Dave Pilkey. Looks like the rain will
clear out tonight, so we plan to head towards Jacksonville in the morning.
actually be helpful, as it allowed us to depart over a charted four foot shoal
and save us from back tracking up the Brickhill on Tuesday morning. Dolphins
accompanied us as we proceeded down towards the St Mary’s River, the dividing
line between Georgia and Florida. One part I was looking forward to seeing was
the Kings Bay submarine base. The ICW goes right by and I’ve always been
fascinated by subs. We could see the towers and buildings of the base lit up
from out anchorage on Cumberland Island last night. As we approached the base,
there were patrol boats and we spotted a sub docked under a giant crane. As we
exited the area we passed a huge degaussing station where they eliminate the
electrical charge that builds up on submarines before they dock. Leaving
the sub base behind, we were approached by dolphins which we stopped to video
and then were passed by three large power yachts. When faster boats pass slower
boats in close quarters like the ICW, the slower boats back down to an idle and
the faster boats slow down and pass at a slow speed so as not to make too much
of a wake. I was just throttling back up after being passed when I noticed that
all the boats that passed us had come to a stop. When the boat in front of us
moved out of the channel, the reason became obvious — a nuclear submarine was
coming up the channel.We quickly moved over and they passed close enough to us that
the crew in the conning tower returned our welcome home waves. From there we
crossed the St Mary’s river and were welcomed to Florida by the sight of an old
Fort on Emilia Island. Depths and calm winds allowed us to get up slose enough
to see the canons and tourists. The forecast called for a 70 percent chance of
thunderstorms, so we headed in to Fernandina Harbor Marina after one more
detour to go around a cruise ship anchored in the channel. We took long, hot
showers, and then enjoyed the shops, restaurants and restored homes in downtown
Fernandina Beach. Also visited the library where Noah read another book in his
favorite series, “Captain Underpants” by Dave Pilkey. Looks like the rain will
clear out tonight, so we plan to head towards Jacksonville in the morning.
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| Degauzier for Submarines |
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| Make way for the incoming boat! |
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| Returning Crew. |
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| Taking a Walk in Fernandina Beach |