Intuition Log – 29 May
FL to SC
Memorial Day started with a review of our weather data and confirmation of our plan to sail from Fernandina Beach to Charleston. By 0900 we dropped the mooring pennant and headed for the inlet. We raised the main and deployed the staysail while passing the cannons of the fort guarding this northern approach to Florida. The St Marys current was opposing the wind so our exit to sea was a bit uncomfortable. By 1100 things had settled down and we were sailing through 4 ft seas with a period of 8 seconds
as reported by the sea buoy off Fernandina Beach. We lost side of land at 1232 in a light rain. Gave Noah Benadryl and the iPod with a story on it as a preventative for seasickness, although I expect he is fine as long as he stays away from chocolate or cookies for breakfast.
By 1500 the rain had ceased and we had an apparent wind of 040 making good 6.3 kts over the ground with a little unfavorable current. We noticed small black birds with white markings on their wings skimming the surface of the water in the troughs between waves. Not a species we recognized. At 1611 we passed a big sea turtle swimming along on our same course. A big yellow weather buoy (ODAS) came into view at 1750, so we now know what these valuable sources of information look like at close range.
ODAS
After dinner Noah and I were on watch while Beth went below for a little rest in the lee cloth. The apparent wind angle narrowed a little so we were on the edge of being able to sail at 030, but with the help of the engine we were making 6.8 kts. Just before sunset Noah and I were startled by a big splash right beside the boat. A large dolphin had come alongside leaping completely out of the water and splashing down on his right side within a yard of the boat. He repeated this four times and then
disappeared. We wonder if he was trying to tell us something or was just trying to dislodge some sea louse.
With two adults, we alternate three hour watches overnight. Beth was back up and on watch until 0100 when it was my turn. There were between two and six ships around us most of the night making it easy to stay awake. Between radar, AIS, binoculars and the radio conversations we knew where they were, but it still provided a bit of anxiety. Most were headed for Savannah.
Sunrise at Sea
Sighted land at 0620 and passed a large ship that appeared to be sucking sand from the sea bed with the help of several tug boats that were moving huge hoses. It may have been for beach “re-nourishment.”
Off Charleston
At 0820 I called into the Waterway Radio & Cruising Club net to report our position off Charleston on the Ham radio. A few minutes later our VHF radio rang and it was Wayne on Born to Cruise who had heard us check in. He and Jill are in Charleston and welcomed us to South Carolina. We tried to get a slip near them for the night, but with the holiday week there was no room, so we decided to press on north into the ICW.
By 0916 we were approaching the Charleston entrance channel and took the sails down so we could slow down and wait for a big container ship to go in ahead of us.
We’ll Let You Go First
0933 had us in between the breakwaters where we pulled Noah away from the Lego catalog that he has been memorizing since Aunt Brenda brought it aboard back at Green Turtle. He stayed out in the cockpit long enough to find Fort Sumpter and Fort Moultrie and check out the cannons.
Passing out of the first swing bridge heading north of Charleston at 1055 we slowed to a stop as I had mistaken a square warning sign for a square green marker and had gone a little to far to the right of the channel. A local fisherman grabbed a line and pulled our bow over so that we were underway again by 1109.
At Least I Wasn’t As Far Aground As This Guy!
Since the water was flat we emptied three of our jerry jugs of fuel into the main tank while motoring along a straight stretch of the ICW. Noah stayed in the cockpit to make sure we didn’t get off course while Beth and I filled the tank. The remote control for the autopilot allowed us to steer while working on the deck. Using our favorite jiggle tube we didn’t spill a drop.
Noah entertained himself most of the afternoon by reducing the population of big green flies that descended upon the boat. We were lucky that they weren’t biting us. Maybe it was due to the pile of fly corpses that Noah accumulated in a corner of the cockpit. Both his fly gun and the fly swatter got a real workout.
The Mighty Hunter
We were in the backwaters of South Carolina weaving through the area that was once rice plantations. A couple of big alligators were floating along the side of the ICW just before we anchored at 1715 in the South Santee River.
Gator Country
We were ready for a relaxing night after covering 195 miles in the last 32 hours. Nobody else was around and all we heard were birds and mosquitos outside the screened hatches. It didn’t take long for all of us to fall asleep.
Mark