Beaufort SC!

I know I just posted, but we had a fun day today, so I thought I would provide a quick update.  

We had a lazy morning and then our rented bikes were delivered to the marina by Terry, who had been a South Carolina judge for many years. Interesting, very talkative guy!  I thought that judges were elected in the States but it turns out it varies by State.  In South  Carolina, judges are appointed by the Senate but in Georgia, for instance, they are elected.

Michael, Bob, Sheila, Hugh, Bill and Karen ready to bike!

We biked down an old railway line that had been converted to a very nice concrete bicycle path to Port Royal.  In Port Royal we had lunch at Cracked Egg.  Karen and I went healthy, having French Toast Biscuits and bacon!  Yum!  

View from the Sands Observation Tower

Afterwards we biked down to the Sands Beach and the observation tower.  Beautiful views!

Really!

Then it was back into town to walk around the Port Royal Rookery and Cypress Wetlands Trail.  We saw storks, a rabbit, ducks, turtles and a gator!

Port Royal Rookery and Cypress Wetlands

Back to Beaufort, we returned the bikes and got together on the patio at Plums for a beer.  

A whirlwind day but great fun!  

This is cruising!

Cape Fear to Beaufort SC

I need to echo Karen's opening comment from her last post. I too can't believe a week has passed since her last post!

At the end of the last post we were contemplating our first overnight voyage, from Bald Head Island (Cape Fear) to Charleston SC.  We left the marina at about 1000 Monday November 20 and motorsailed in light winds most of the day.  By 1700 the wind had picked up a little bit.  If we were to have kept motoring at 6 knots we would have arrived before dark in the morning so we decided to switch off the engine and see what speed we could make under our single reefed main and working jib.  We started out at between 3 and 4 knots and then slowly sped up to 4 to 5 knots. We wanted to reach the Charleston channel at about 0900 so each hour we checked to see if we were on schedule.  If not, we would have put the engine on, but luckily we were able to sail all night.  

Karen prepared ravioli for dinner (and we snuck a glass of Chardonnay to celebrate) and at about 2030 I went below to sleep and Karen kept watch until 2330.  I had a pretty good snooze and when I came up we were doing over 5 knots!  Karen went below and I began our watchkeeping routine.  I set my watch to alarm every 20 minutes when I would do a 360 degree scan around the boat, check for any AIS signals on the chartplotter, check on our arrival time and check the wind direction and sail trim.  Then I'd sit back, listen to my iPod and look at the amazing stars, identify lights on shore and then do it all again.  I was surprised at how quickly my watch went by, before I knew it, it was 0230 and Karen was coming up on deck.

I went down below again and slept for about an hour until Karen called me up because the wind had shifted and we had jibed. Jibing is when the wind shifts around behind the mainsail and pushes it across the boat.  In strong winds an unexpected jibe can be very violent and cause damage.  In fact our daughter Alyssa was hurt when she was caught by the mainsheet during an unexpected jibe when she was racing in Antigua Sailing Week this past winter! I had our new boom brake rigged and apparently it worked, because I didn't even notice the jibe down below and Karen said it was very slow and gentle.  We re-trimmed the sails and since I was awake anyway Karen went down for some more rest.

About 0630 the horizon started to brighten and by 0700  the sun was up as was the wind.  We were moving at over six knots and an ocean swell was coming from our port stern quarter and the wind driven waves from our starboard stern quarter resulting in a pretty uncomfortable rolling motion.  No matter, Charleston channel was in sight and we were on schedule to arrive at 0900 as planned.  Just as we were about to enter the channel we noticed a container ship coming up the channel so decided to bail out, take down the sails and let him pass.

Container ship in Charleston channel

Once into the Charleston Harbour Marina we had a nice big breakfast and went to bed.  Next thing it was 1500 and we had to get to the showers and get ready to catch the shuttle into historic Charleston to look around and go out for dinner.  We walked through the market and then went for dinner at Low Country Bistro.


Wednesday we walked Charleston, took a horse drawn carriage tour and visited the Old Slave Mart Museum.  

Hugh, Karen, Sheila, Bob

Old Slave Mart Museum

Thursday was a very wet dreary day which was brightened by our having Bob, Sheila, Bill and Michael from Aquila on board for a pot luck to celebrate American Thanksgiving. We began dinner with each of us expressing what we were thankful for.  Common themes were the opportunity to make this trip, as well as the wonderful boaters we have met along the way.

Friday we headed south down the ICW, passing under a posted 67' bridge just south of Charleston harbour and then under a 65 footer that, slightly before high tide showed about 67' on the height board.  Whew!  We anchored up Toogoodoo Creek (mainly so we could include the name in the blog) but it turned out to be one of the most beautiful anchorages I think we have ever been in.  Marsh grass surrounded us for for miles!

Her Diamond at sunrise on Toogoodoo Creek

Saturday we left at 0800 to make it under another bridge at mid tide (nearly 67') and traveled on a rising tide just in case we were to run aground in the shoaled areas of the ICW. We followed the advice of Bob423, a respected contributor to the Active Captain social network in transiting the shoaled areas, staying to the "green side" (port) or in the "visual center" and made it to Beaufort SC (BYOO-fert) without touching bottom!  In Beaufort we went into town for a beer and apps and had dinner back on the boat following which Bob and Sheila came over for Euchre. In spite of the boys jumping out to massive leads in each game the girls prevailed in two games so we are again even ...

Today we walked around town, took a historic horse drawn carriage tour, did some chores on the boat and then we went out to dinner with Bob, Sheila, Bill and Michael. 

Historic Beaufort SC

Tomorrow we plan to rent bikes and pedal to Port Royal and then we are planning another overnight jaunt down to Brunswick GA.   Next stop after that will be Florida!

North Carolina Adventures

I know I've said this before but time is just flying by! I can't believe it's been  a week since I last posted. Sorry, but its been busy!
We are slowly but surely making our way down the coast of North Carolina. We just reached mile 305, meaning we've traveled 305 miles since Norfolk! Its been an interesting ride, with both open water sailing and ICW motoring. I will try to give you a quick summary of events!
As you know we have been trying to slow down to let our Boat Buddies, Bob and Sheila (B&S) catch up. So we have been spending a couple of days in each marina while they have been going full tilt.
After the heart-stopping bridge where we had to heel the boat to get under, we arrived in Belhaven, and stayed at the River Forest Manor and Marina.  It was a lovely spot, with a beautiful old Manor pictured below that has been recently restored and is used for special events. Unfortunately we did not get to see inside. But the marina facility was really nice, and there was free laundry for the marina guests, of which I took full advantage! They also had free golf carts, on a first come first serve basis. If there was one there, we were free to go ahead and take it.

River Forest Manor and Marina

So once we were settled in we took a cart and went into town, which was about a five minute cart ride.  It was a cold evening and I  was quite glad to have brought my down coat! We went to the Tavern at Jack's Neck for a beer, where we bumped into some fellow cruisers, and then over to Spoon River Artworks and Market, a local restaurant,  where we met up with Bill and Barb, a couple who we had met at the Alligator River Marina and with whom we had traveled down the ICW.  The restaurant was amazing, with very funky decor and artwork, not something you would expect in a small town like this and excellent staff. The next day we took the golf cart over to the grocery store. It was a little disconcerting because we had to drive it down the main drag with cars and trucks whizzing by us, and we weren't certain that the cart was going to make it without running out of batteries! But we made it!
The next morning we left Belhaven for Oriental, another small town along the ICW. We were able to sail along the way as we had to go down a couple of large rivers. The Neuse River was quite large, and we got our first look at shrimp boats. They are fascinating looking boats, with huge arms sticking out and nets that they drag along to catch the shrimp. I decided that was going to be dinner that night!!

Shrimp Boat on the Neuse River

We stayed at Whittaker Point Marina, recommended by another boat. It was a bit out of town, but had a courtesy car available for the marina guests. Bill and Michael of S/V Aquila were docked near us so I invited them over for swizzles. The next day the four of us took the courtesy van for a drive to Walmart (about 20 minutes away) and then into the town of Oriental for lunch.  I had heard it was a cute town, but it was much smaller than I expected, with only a couple of stores, a coffee shop, and an eclectic Provisions store that had everything from marine supplies to organic foods and even wine. There was one hotel with a restaurant that we had planned on going to for lunch, but it was closed. So we went to the other restaurant. We had our first soft-shell crab sandwich, which was quite good. On the way back to the car I noticed a little garage type building with a sign that said fish market, so I popped my head in and sure enough, I bought fresh shrimp right off the boat for dinner that night.

Oriental Fish Market

We decided to stay one more day to meet Bob and Sheila and then continue on together. It was a great reunion, sitting and catching up over a chicken curry dinner I made.
From Oriental we went a short distance to Beaufort. Homer Smith Docks and Marina was recommended, so we stayed there. This is not your typical marina, as it is actually a working fishing dock and processing plant. They are trying to get into the transient docking business so have a few docks put aside for travelling boats. It was a very interesting place to stay, and we all got lessons on shrimping and commercial fishing. We were also all handed a 2 pound bag of freshly caught shrimp upon check in!! Dinner!!

Baskets filled with fresh shrimp

Downtown Beaufort was a three block walk so we set off to explore the town. It was very nice and quite historic, with stores and restaurants along the waterfront. We found a pub for a beer and then headed back to our boats for our shrimp dinners. Sheila and I sat in my cockpit and shelled four pounds of shrimp, which took us about half an hour! There was enough for each of us to have three meals. I cooked one batch and froze the other two. It was delicious!

One of the biggest tasks we have to do almost every day is decide where and when we are going next. It sounds simple, but there are a lot of factors that come into play, including distance, tides, currents, bridges, weather, winds, and now daylight hours, since with the time change it gets dark by five.  Hugh and I have decided that we do not like going under these bridges with our tall mast. It truly is heart stopping every time, even though with tides now, if we time it right, we should have a foot or two to spare. Honestly, it looks like we are going to hit it every time! So, the other choice we have to avoid these bridges is to hop out into the Atlantic (and I don't say that lightly as this has been one of my biggest fears) and sail down the coast until there is a good inlet to get back in. After a recommendation from Hugh's brother Adrian, and much discussion with B&S, it was decided that rather than go overnight all the way down to Cape Fear (the name sends shivers down my back) we would leave early morning, and I mean early, (4 am) and go down the coast to Masonboro Inlet, just before Cape Fear. This would take about 10 hours and we would arrive in plenty of sunlight.
So we were up at the crack-of-stupid (3 am) and caught the 4 am opening bridge. The worst part about the whole trip was getting out of Beaufort Harbour. Part of the channel did not have lighted buoys , so we had to rely on our chart plotter and flashlights to see the marks. Then once we were out into the main channel there were so many lighted buoys it was hard to tell which were first. But once we got out into the ocean, and raised the sails, we were off, and  had  a lively sail down the coast. We were treated to a beautiful sunrise and a pod of dolphins greeted us at the other end. We arrived early enough to travel down the ICW to Carolina Beach, which has mooring balls that you can pick up for $20. Best deal we've seen lately. It seemed like a cool beach resort area but everyone was too tired to explore!

Sunrise over the Atlantic

I will admit the night sailing was not as bad as I feared, it was actually quite good. We had a single reef and working jib in 17 to 23 knots wind strength, no bridges or shoals to worry about, and the boat sailed very well in the 5-6 foot waves that were on our aft quarter. We saw 11.3 knots surfing down one wave!
We are now in Bald Head Island Marina which is right at the mouth of the Cape Fear Inlet. It is a nature reserve with no cars allowed (golf carts only) and many sand dunes, a golf course, miles of beaches  and a lighthouse. We rented a golf cart for the day and explored the island with B&S. I was quite surprised at how many homes they have built here. It seems to be quiet the elite vacation area.

Bald Head Island walkway to one of the many beaches

Now that Hugh has had me out on the ocean for part of a night he is planning our next hop, from here to Charleston, South Carolina, which is about a 22 hour run down the coast. I know it is the lesser of two evils, as it is quite a way down the ICW with many, many bridges and shoaling areas (this is when the bottom moves around from current and there is suddenly a shallow spot that boats like us with deep keels can get stuck on!) If all goes according to plan (weather and winds) we will be leaving Monday afternoon and arriving Tuesday afternoon in Charleston. We will spend several days in Charleston, celebrating the American Thanksgiving with B&S.
We are getting there....one day at a time.

Fitting a 64'10 mast under a 64'2 bridge!

In my last update I mentioned that the next bridge was the Coinjock bridge. First thing Thursday November 9 we left the dock in cold drizzle and headed for the bridge. We were ecstactic to see the bridge board reading at least 66'!

Coinjock bridge board 2017-11-09

Nonetheless we crept under, hearts pounding.

Next up was the Fairfield Bridge which is listed as 65'.  Having been under three 65 footers we were beginning to gain some confidence. The confidence quickly evaporated when Seeadler, a boat we were travelling with called back to say "ahhh, there is no bridge board, so not sure what to tell you about the available clearance".  Oh, God, what I had considered suspect information on the interweb turned out to be true.  Now we really were flying blind!  Anyway, we inched up to it, I declared us under the first girder, Karen yelled "no we're not", following which she saw the orange pointer on our wind indicator scraping under the girder!  When we came out the other side it was gone.  Ok, so that made our height 64'10 rather than 65'.

Next was the dreaded Wilkerson Bridge listed as 64'.  The AIS had been showing a vessel named Island Explorer categorized as "Other" sitting at the bridge and as we got close enough to see it with binoculars it turned out to be a barge docked under the bridge. Seeadler called back to say that the bridge board was showing 64'2, and yes, half the channel was occupied by the barge. Then Island Explorer called to say he had heard Seeadler and Trekker talking and were we concerned about getting under the bridge? Now you can take the contracts guy out of the office but it is hard to change behaviours ...  My first reaction was that I was going to be read the riot act and told about the consequences of hitting and damaging a bridge, but all he wanted to say was that from his perspective we'd have "no problem fitting that mast under this bridge".  Hmmm ... well brother Adrian says we'll have to use the bag eventually so no time like the present.   So we idled along rigging the bag to the topping lift that normally holds up the boom, and the main halyard that usually raises the mainsail both of which would raise the bag.  The outhaul that normally pulls out the foot of the main to the end of the boom was attached to a block through which a line from the topping lift ran on its way through another block on the straps of the bag to the end of the main halyard. The outhaul pulls the bag out to the end of the boom. Then my spinnaker downhaul that normally holds the bottom of the spinnaker at the bow was clipped on to the boom to pull the boom out perpendicular to the boat. And of course the main sheet was still attached to pull the boom (bag) back in. Finally we rigged a line to a loop I'd sewn inside the bag on the bottom to retrieve it.  Over the side went the bag and it slowly started sinking and for good measure I tamped it down with the boat hook until it was fully submerged. Karen began hoisting the main halyard (thank goodness for electric winches) and slowly the bag came clear of the water, simultaneously swinging out and healing us to 12 degrees! I  know it doesn't sound like a lot, but it was enough for items not secured below to slide to the low side!  My calcs said we were under 63' so away we went, very slowly.  Now the horizontal clearance is shown as 90', we had a 30' wide barge sitting in the channel and our heeled beam was about 22' leaving us 19' either side. Nevertheless when you stop a boat it goes where ever the wind and current want to take you resulting in my nearly hitting the barge!  Anyway, we fit, following which the barge operator told Karen that we wouldn't have fit straight up!  Glad I didn't take his initial advice!.

The Bag

So we've been called brave, courageous and inspirational for doing this bag thing, but oddly enough, not foolhardy!  

Please excuse the lack of photos or videos, maybe next time!

And down the ICW we go...

I know Hugh already talked about going under the bridges, but he skipped over the past few days, so I thought I would get you up to date!
We spent three nights in Portsmouth, which is right across the river from Norfolk. They have a ferry service that runs between the two towns which is quite convenient to Tidewater Marina, where we stayed. 
I have to tell you I was having my doubts about how nice it was going to be in the area while we were going down the Elizabeth River, as it is a really industrial shoreline  and very, very Naval! I can't tell you how many warships, aircraft carriers and Navy Police boats we saw.  The latter ones make sure you don't get too close to the other ones, and at one point they were watching us very closely!! 

Naval Shipyards along the shore

But once we went around a bend, it became much more like a city, and looked very nice from the shore. There are not many marinas on the Norfolk side, and it turns out Portsmouth was a quieter, quaint town. 
The marina had a nice restaurant with a patio overlooking the river and since it was such a warm day, we met Bob and Sheila there for Happy Hour, along with another couple, Lana and Robert, who are also heading south on their boat "Our Diamond", which is so funny because Bob and Sheila's boat is called "Her Diamond". What are the chances?
We went to the Farmers Market and walked around town on Saturday morning, enjoying the nice shops and antique stores. Saturday afternoon Hugh and I Ubered over to a grocery store to restock, and then we went out for dinner at Legends Brewpub, which was within walking distance of the marina to celebrate his birthday, which was Sunday.
Sunday morning was chores, including laundry and taking down the instruments on top of the mast to get ready for the 65 foot bridges we are going to encounter going down the ICW. Every inch helps!! In case you don't know, our mast is 64'4" ... which is very close. Brave Hugh got winched up the mast to take everything down, with me at the controls. Since it was his birthday, I didn't leave him up there!!! Bob and Sheila gathered a few people from the marina and brought them over to the boat to sing  "Happy Birthday" to him from the dock! He was suitably embarrassed!

Hugh at the top of our mast

Sunday afternoon we took the ferry across to Norfolk and went to the Nauticus Naval Museum, where the warship Wisconsin, which served in WW2, the Korean war and the Gulf wars is moored. You can tour all though the ship, which was quite interesting. 

Wisconsin 

We walked around Historic Olde Towne, then found a brewery for a beer. Dinner was back across the river to finish off Hugh's birthday celebration.

Hughs' Birthday Celebration

We decided to get going Monday and start heading down the ICW. Bob and Sheila are unfortunately having more engine problems so they stayed on in Portsmouth, waiting for a mechanic to come. Our first 65 foot bridge was successfully negotiated (see Hughs previous post) and we continued on to Great Bridge, where they have a free dock for a few boats. Luckily there was space for one more, as with the time change, its getting dark so much earlier, and we arrived just at sunset.  Just after dinner I was talking to my Mom and I saw these big lights passing by the boat. It was a cruise ship!! I guess they have canal size cruise ships like in Europe that go up and down the ICW! 

Amerincan Spirit Cruise Ship

Tuesday morning we set off, under two more bridges (boy, is it ever hard to see if we are going to get under the opening from the boat, until suddenly you are under it!!) to Coinjock Marina. This marina is just one very, very long dock with boats tied up nose-to-tail. They are known for their restaurant and the prime rib, so of course we had to try it!
Today is rainy, windy and gross, so we are sitting at the dock having a very productive day of chores. We are nice and cozy down here with our heater going. We will see what tomorrow brings, its not supposed to be much better.
The next jump is across Albermarle Sound, which they say can be pretty nasty when it is windy because it is so shallow, so we will have to time when we go. Plus we are hoping that Bob and Sheila will catch up to us. Its just not the same without our Boat Buddies!
So we need to keep going south, away from that cold winter weather! We are already in North Carolina, with about 850 miles to get to Florida.
We are on our way ... one day at a time!

Bridges Update

For those who have been waiting with baited breath to hear whether we hit a bridge with our 64'4" mast or not, we have successfully made it under three bridges posted as 65'!  

The first was just after Portsmouth, and subject to a 3' tide, so we timed it to arrive at mid low tide. In addition, bridge heights are measured to the lowest navigable point, and this one had an arch, so that probably gave us an extra 3'. We heaved a small sigh of relief.

Yesterday we tied up at Great Bridge just past the lock and within sight of the first non-tidal bridge. This morning we approached it very, very slowly, with Karen lying down on the bow with the binoculars trying to gauge the clearance.  Height gauge said about 64'8"  but we didn't even lose our cheap wind indicator that I left on top that extends another 8".  To be honest I felt like I was having the big one as we went under ... it's impossible to tell how close you are.

Pungo Ferry Bridge

The second non-tidal bridge today was the Pungo Ferry bridge.  The bridge board read about 64'6" but we cleared it (just, we think!), with my wind indicator still up there, too!

Tonight we are docked looking at the Coinjock bridge.  The marina staff assure me nobody has issues getting under it ... fingers crossed!

Goodbye Chesapeake Bay, Hello Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway!

Solomon's Island was an enjoyable stop. Monday we borrowed bikes from the marina and biked around the island, separated from the mainland by a very short bridge.  There were a few restaurants and shops and many very nice waterfront houses.  

On Halloween we motored down the Bay and anchored in Antipoison Creek which flows into Fleets Bay.  It was well protected and quiet except for the Pride of Virginia Bait and Oyster plant which ran 24/7.  

Many of you know that I have been struggling with how we will safely get our 64' 4" mast (without antenna and wind instruments) under the 65 foot fixed bridges on the Intracoastal Waterway.  Last winter I came across a number of YouTubes showing boats being heeled over to reduce their height with waterbags hung from halyards to dinghies, outboards and kids hung from the end of the boom.  I eventually corresponded with the owner of a boat with very similar dimensions to ours who had been going up and down the Intracoastal for years using a bag made of pack nylon to heel his boat.  Having difficulty finding anyone that would sew such a bag for us, I eventually got a 1 cubic yard soil bag from a local sod farm.  They assured me that the bag would hold water.  I was able to get the straps and bag reinforced, but when we tried it out on Georgian Bay it turned out the material was permeable! As we pulled it out of the lake initially full of water it quickly drained.  Back to the drawing board.  So when we went home for Patrick and Katie's wedding I bought a vinyl tarp and was able to get Art at A-1 Canvas and Awnings to sew it into a liner for me.  Back to Antipoison Creek we decided to try it out.  I used the main halyard to raise it, the main outhaul to pull the bag out to the end of the boom, and the spinnaker downhaul to pull the boom out perpendicular to the boat.  It worked pretty well, except that I hoped it would level itself in the hoisting straps as we raised it out of the water, which it didn't so it was only about 3/4 full, and when I had it out at the end of the boom I tried to raise it a few inches and think that I may have caught the halyard or strap on the end of the boom at which point the wheel in the turning block that the main halyard passes through at the foot of the mast crushed ... whoops ...  Good news though, is that in spite of the bag not being full, nor fully out of the water we got about 9 degrees of heel which I figure had the mast down to 63' 6". 

Test run of the water bag

Wednesday morning I replaced the turning block I had broken and we poked our noses out into the Chesapeake but after plowing into a couple of waves that slowed us down to two knots decided to wait for the light winds forecast Thursday.  I worked on the bag, improving the fastening of the straps so it will come out of the water level, and adding a block to the straps so that I can use both the topping lift that normally holds the boom up and the main halyard to support the weight of the bag.  That halves the load on everything and should avoid any more failures. 
 Sheila and Bob kindly invited us for Matzah Ball soup, Vodka lemonade and euchre in the afternoon.  We started a new round of euchre, with the girls and boys each winning one game.

Watermen harvesting fish stakes in Fleets Bay

Thursday we motored over to Cape Charles. On the way across the bay Karen screamed "look, look" and my heart jumped into my throat as I frantically tried to find the crab pot floats, but it turned out we had dolphins swimming by us!  Very exciting! In Cape Charles we walked around the town, did some window shopping and watched the sun dropping (but not setting) from the fishing pier before going to an Irish Pub for a beer and then back to the marina restaurant for dinner.  

Chesapeake Bay at sunset

Friday we motored back across the bay to Hampton Roads, Norfolk and Portsmouth which is home to Naval Station Norfolk and lots of commercial shipping.  Warship 55 passed us on the way into the harbour and a 740' freighter Golden Pearl also passed just behind us on her way up into Hampton Roads.

Warship 55

We docked at Tidewater marina in Portsmouth.  We met Lana and Robert from Our Diamond, a Catalina 36 MkII, as well as Bob and Sheila for happy hour and to pick Lana and Robert's brains since this is their second year travelling to the Bahamas. We'll  spend the next couple of days touring Portsmouth and Norfolk and preparing for the ICW.