Friday, November 30, 2007
Monday, November 19, 2007
Malabar And Heritage Arrive at Harbortown Marina, Ft Pierce, Florida Thursday, November 15th.
Details and photos to follow....
Sunday, November 11, 2007
ICW Mile 205 to 716.5 Morehead City, North Carolina to Fernandina, Florida
"Noel" moves off the coast of North Carolina...and heads north.
Friday, November 2nd, we "hunkered down" and awaited the arrival "Noel"...Friends from Chatham, Betty Lou and Malcolm 'M', with a home up the Neuse River, in New Bern, N.C., picked us up for dinner in Oriental.
Saturday, November 3rd, after a stormy night tied up to the fixed dock, at Whittaker Pointe Marina, (with all the lines and fenders we had and multiple visits during the night to adjust lines) the high winds (40 - 50 Kts) subsided to 20 kts and we headed south to Morehead City and the Dockside Marina. Beaufort/Morehead City, on the coast was hit hard (50-70kts) so staying in Oriental was a good decision. "Noel" headed north to visit New England and Cape Cod...
ICW mile "205"
Sunday, November 4th, as we left Beaufort and Morehead City, we entered Bouge Sound, the waters separating the coast of North Carolina and the barrier islands. Long low marshes, fish piers and lots of company as other "Snow Birds" joined the parade south. Interesting folks from as far north as Prince Edward Island, Montreal, Quebec and the mid west. On to a small Harbour Village Marina in Topsail, N.C.
ICW mile "267"
Monday, November 5th, on to the Cape Fear River N.C. and the Southport Marina. The weather turned cooler, 40's in the evenings and 60's during the day, but we have been lucky with clear blue sky's and a light North Easterly wind. The Captains and second mates dined on Oysters Rockefeller and fabulous fish dinners at a local hot spot.
ICW mile "309"
Tuesday, November 6th, we push on to north of Charleston through the forested ICW to Osprey Marina, on the Wiccamaw River, South Carolina, where Mrs. Mud negotiated a visit to the local supermarket to fill the larder...The weather remained "cool" during the evenings and we took to the sleeping bags and the propane stoves for extra warmth. I thought we were in the south.... maybe Georgia will be warmer... Blue sky's and light winds continued. Passed through Myrtle Beach numerous golf courses and more expensive summer homes condos and hotels.
ICW mile "373"
Wednesday, November 7th, we arrived (late) at the Isle of Palms Marina. We rushed to make the 6pm bridge opening, (at 5:30 pm there was a little light, at 6pm it was totally black). After a 12 hour day, during which Capt. Mud lived up to his name, he went hard aground and had to be keged off and towed off a bar. A passing Canadian Samaritan, who quickly launched his dingy "Boat 2 Go" as Malabar towed. No one thought to take pictures. Everything on board Heritage was rearranged!
ICW mile "456"
Thursday, November 8th, Downtown Marina, our last stop in South Carolina,..Beaufort South Carolina...spelled the same as Beaufort North Carolina...but pronounced differently..ask the "locals". Getting into "grits and biscuits" country. Very friendly folks. The first mates are enjoying the local galleries and shops. River Dolphins appear often to follow the boats... a fascinating sight.
ICW mile "536"
Friday, November 9th, passing the cemetery from "Midnight in the Garden of Evil" we tie up at Thunderbolt Marina. Thunderbolt Georgia, once the playground of Savannah, now a sleepy little burb. Their claim to fame, morning newspapers delivered with a box of Krispy Kremes. We also got "local information" about negotiating Hell Gate and the numerous narrows. Following a winding series of channels we pass Johnny Mercer's "Moon River" as well as the Vernon, Ogeechee, and South Newport Rivers.
ICW mile "583
Saturday, November10th, we traverse the wider St. Catherine and Sapelo sounds. This night we anchor up the Duplin River, Georgia. The night sky is brilliant with millions of stars as we are in the middle of nowhere..no towns or cities within 50 miles and ambient light. Shrimp boats are everywhere, as they drag their nets through the rivers and sounds. Interesting to see them anchored in the middle of marshes and along the banks. Local fisherman, spin casting and commerical fisherman working the fish and crap traps.
ICW mile "649"
Sunday, November 11th, as we head out for Florida in the morning we greet a mooring neighbor headed out into the Atlantic toward Jacksonville inlet. We take the opportunity to join him and sail the "outside" route to St. Mary's/Fernandina inlet. We hit the high seas out Doboy Sound, passing inlets at Altamaha, St. Simons and St. Andrew ... literally rolling into Fernandina, Florida. North East winds 10 to 15 kts, not the problem...but seas, sometimes 5 to 7 feet, make it a "bumpy" ride, (life jackets and tethers), especially as we roll in to St Mary's inlet. ( no soup and sandwiches for lunch, it's whatever snacks we can snatch from the galley on the few trips below).
But the good news ..it's Florida and it's warm.
ICW mile "716"
Florida. At last. Two hundred and fifty miles to go!!!
Friday, November 2nd, we "hunkered down" and awaited the arrival "Noel"...Friends from Chatham, Betty Lou and Malcolm 'M', with a home up the Neuse River, in New Bern, N.C., picked us up for dinner in Oriental.
Saturday, November 3rd, after a stormy night tied up to the fixed dock, at Whittaker Pointe Marina, (with all the lines and fenders we had and multiple visits during the night to adjust lines) the high winds (40 - 50 Kts) subsided to 20 kts and we headed south to Morehead City and the Dockside Marina. Beaufort/Morehead City, on the coast was hit hard (50-70kts) so staying in Oriental was a good decision. "Noel" headed north to visit New England and Cape Cod...
ICW mile "205"
Sunday, November 4th, as we left Beaufort and Morehead City, we entered Bouge Sound, the waters separating the coast of North Carolina and the barrier islands. Long low marshes, fish piers and lots of company as other "Snow Birds" joined the parade south. Interesting folks from as far north as Prince Edward Island, Montreal, Quebec and the mid west. On to a small Harbour Village Marina in Topsail, N.C.
ICW mile "267"
Monday, November 5th, on to the Cape Fear River N.C. and the Southport Marina. The weather turned cooler, 40's in the evenings and 60's during the day, but we have been lucky with clear blue sky's and a light North Easterly wind. The Captains and second mates dined on Oysters Rockefeller and fabulous fish dinners at a local hot spot.
ICW mile "309"
Tuesday, November 6th, we push on to north of Charleston through the forested ICW to Osprey Marina, on the Wiccamaw River, South Carolina, where Mrs. Mud negotiated a visit to the local supermarket to fill the larder...The weather remained "cool" during the evenings and we took to the sleeping bags and the propane stoves for extra warmth. I thought we were in the south.... maybe Georgia will be warmer... Blue sky's and light winds continued. Passed through Myrtle Beach numerous golf courses and more expensive summer homes condos and hotels.
ICW mile "373"
Wednesday, November 7th, we arrived (late) at the Isle of Palms Marina. We rushed to make the 6pm bridge opening, (at 5:30 pm there was a little light, at 6pm it was totally black). After a 12 hour day, during which Capt. Mud lived up to his name, he went hard aground and had to be keged off and towed off a bar. A passing Canadian Samaritan, who quickly launched his dingy "Boat 2 Go" as Malabar towed. No one thought to take pictures. Everything on board Heritage was rearranged!
ICW mile "456"
Thursday, November 8th, Downtown Marina, our last stop in South Carolina,..Beaufort South Carolina...spelled the same as Beaufort North Carolina...but pronounced differently..ask the "locals". Getting into "grits and biscuits" country. Very friendly folks. The first mates are enjoying the local galleries and shops. River Dolphins appear often to follow the boats... a fascinating sight.
ICW mile "536"
Friday, November 9th, passing the cemetery from "Midnight in the Garden of Evil" we tie up at Thunderbolt Marina. Thunderbolt Georgia, once the playground of Savannah, now a sleepy little burb. Their claim to fame, morning newspapers delivered with a box of Krispy Kremes. We also got "local information" about negotiating Hell Gate and the numerous narrows. Following a winding series of channels we pass Johnny Mercer's "Moon River" as well as the Vernon, Ogeechee, and South Newport Rivers.
ICW mile "583
Saturday, November10th, we traverse the wider St. Catherine and Sapelo sounds. This night we anchor up the Duplin River, Georgia. The night sky is brilliant with millions of stars as we are in the middle of nowhere..no towns or cities within 50 miles and ambient light. Shrimp boats are everywhere, as they drag their nets through the rivers and sounds. Interesting to see them anchored in the middle of marshes and along the banks. Local fisherman, spin casting and commerical fisherman working the fish and crap traps.
ICW mile "649"
Sunday, November 11th, as we head out for Florida in the morning we greet a mooring neighbor headed out into the Atlantic toward Jacksonville inlet. We take the opportunity to join him and sail the "outside" route to St. Mary's/Fernandina inlet. We hit the high seas out Doboy Sound, passing inlets at Altamaha, St. Simons and St. Andrew ... literally rolling into Fernandina, Florida. North East winds 10 to 15 kts, not the problem...but seas, sometimes 5 to 7 feet, make it a "bumpy" ride, (life jackets and tethers), especially as we roll in to St Mary's inlet. ( no soup and sandwiches for lunch, it's whatever snacks we can snatch from the galley on the few trips below).
But the good news ..it's Florida and it's warm.
ICW mile "716"
Florida. At last. Two hundred and fifty miles to go!!!
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Norfolk Va. InterCoastal Waterway "ICW" mile "0" to Oriental Va. Latitude 35 Degrees North.
The Saga Continues....
Tuesday October 23th... We left Cape Charles, the tip of the "Delmarva" peninsula....we had a smooth crossing of the lower Chesapeake Bay. The Bay Bridge across the entrance of the Chesapeake was off to our southeast as we dodged tankers and warships sailing into Hampton Roads and Norfolk harbor.
Thursday, October 25th... After a rainy morning, conversing with bridge tenders, waiting for trains and traffic to pass for bridges to open, we realized we were not alone on the migration south ... we made all of 28 miles to Pungo Ferry along the Virginia Cut south, rather then the Dismal Swamp...there is a major drought in Va. and N.C. and not much water in the swamp.
Pungo Ferry Marina was a grand place 20+ years ago...not today...Capt Mud repeated many times that the zip code here was "00000"... friendly folks. The big event for the dock master was anticipating his evening's TV dinner. This is where we had our first invasion of swamp flies ... Mrs. Mud noted that these are educated flies ..."knowing how to avoid the fly paper".
Friday October 26th...We left the Pungo River (and the flies) sailed across the Currituck Sound (crossed over to North Carolina) to the North River canal and docked at Coinjock Marina on the canal. Highlight here was a prime rib dinner at a good restaurant in the Marina ... it was the only game within 50 miles...we had to make reservations. (opting for 16oz. rather then the 32 oz. prime rib).
ICW mile "49"
Saturday October 27th ...We had a good weather window, winds NE at 15 to 20 to cross the Albemarle Sound to the Alligator River. The sound is shallow and can develop a 3-4 ft chop with a strong SE wind ... a 30 mile sail took us to the Alligator River Marina where "Miss Wanda" greeted us and Capt Haborwatch saw the Red Sox take a 3 to 0 lead in the series...(his grandson Sam, a devoted Sox fan was happy in Duxbury, Harborwatch, a Yankee fan, is still recovering)...
ICW mile "84"
Sunday October28th ... Weather turned cool ... 40 degrees ... time for gloves and foul weather gear... strong NE winds 15 t0 20+ continued for most of the day, although it warmed up by noon. A sleigh ride down the Alligator river to the Alligator river canal, (a 30 mile passage) to Bellhaven, N.C....
Southern Style Hospitality... River Forest Marina was part of a complex including a circa 1890 Victorian mansion Hotel ...must have been a great place to stay in the 40's and 50's when it was visited by James Cagney, Tallueh Bankhead, and Walter Cronkite... True southern cooking, fried chicken, ham, yams and pork chops ...Grits and eggs for breakfast. In town, the Capt's got haircuts and the mates shopped ... Boston won the series ... all's well in the world.
Stayed an extra day...took two golf carts, (that was a kick, you can drive on the highway ) and went shopping to resupply the galley.
ICW mile "135"
Tuesday October 30...Headed across the Pamlico Sound, favorable NE winds continued, 10 to 15kts and made Oriental (the sailing capitol of North Carolina, they say there are 900 people and and 2500 sailboats), by early afternoon. A neat little town with good marine supply and hardware stores...The mates "shopped til they dropped" in the many galleries.
We are now in shrimper country...expected to see "Bubba" or "Forest Gump" on the decks of the shrimp boats or the docks. Watching the shrimpers with there spreaders and long nets in the sunset was a beautiful sight. We dined at "Steamers" with all you can eat shrimp...but service was sooo slooow ...we're learin' th't in the south, nothin' happens fast!
Stayed a second day at Oriental Marina, and enjoyed the local scene...Halloween, Capt Mud's favorite holiday! Hay rides, pumpkins and all....We're waiting for 1 November, so we could go below latitude 35 and keep the insurance company happy...and a nice tiki bar.
ICW mile "181"
On to Beauford/Moorehead City and the Bogue Sound...
OOPS....Mother nature had something to say! "NOEL"....that's not a Christmas Carol....
Thursday November 1st....Forecast NE 35 to 50 kt winds...heavy seas on the outside, wind driven tides and flooding on the inside, ICW...Strong high pressure front tonight and the tropical storm, Noel, coming up the coast... We had to leave Oriental Marina, our reservation ended and "everyone" is coming off the Ocean and picking up hooks and heading for marinas...could not get into Moorehead City, south, so we were able to find a new marina nearby, Whittaker Pointe Marina, just opened ... not yet in the books, but a great spot for the next two nights...
We are hunkered down, extra dock lines and fenders. Expect the wind driven tide to flood the docks tonight...
......and I had time to write the blog....photos to follow....I will set up a site on "web shots . com" with all the photos...easier then posting on blog...
Hope to leave Friday/Saturday and make Swansboro N.C. ICW mile 239...
Tuesday October 23th... We left Cape Charles, the tip of the "Delmarva" peninsula....we had a smooth crossing of the lower Chesapeake Bay. The Bay Bridge across the entrance of the Chesapeake was off to our southeast as we dodged tankers and warships sailing into Hampton Roads and Norfolk harbor.
ICW Mile "0"
We docked at Ocean Marine Yacht Center in Portsmouth Va. on the Elizabeth River, the beginning of the ICW, mile marker "0". The Insurance Companies will not let us be below Latitude 35 degrees North, before November 1st, (Hurricane Season), which is Oriental, North Carolina/Cape Hatteras. So we stayed two days in Portsmouth/Norfolk area.
The warships, aircraft carriers, destroyers and supply ships were docked along the river; most in dry dock, undergoing refitting ... an impressive sight. Often the river was closed as a ship was being moved or heading out to sea. Needless to say security was obvious, with patrol boats everywhere. Dinners ashore and touring the Naval Museum and the battleship Wisconsin were the highlights of our two days in Portsmouth/Norfolk.Thursday, October 25th... After a rainy morning, conversing with bridge tenders, waiting for trains and traffic to pass for bridges to open, we realized we were not alone on the migration south ... we made all of 28 miles to Pungo Ferry along the Virginia Cut south, rather then the Dismal Swamp...there is a major drought in Va. and N.C. and not much water in the swamp.
ICW mile "28"
Pungo Ferry Marina was a grand place 20+ years ago...not today...Capt Mud repeated many times that the zip code here was "00000"... friendly folks. The big event for the dock master was anticipating his evening's TV dinner. This is where we had our first invasion of swamp flies ... Mrs. Mud noted that these are educated flies ..."knowing how to avoid the fly paper".
Friday October 26th...We left the Pungo River (and the flies) sailed across the Currituck Sound (crossed over to North Carolina) to the North River canal and docked at Coinjock Marina on the canal. Highlight here was a prime rib dinner at a good restaurant in the Marina ... it was the only game within 50 miles...we had to make reservations. (opting for 16oz. rather then the 32 oz. prime rib).
ICW mile "49"
Saturday October 27th ...We had a good weather window, winds NE at 15 to 20 to cross the Albemarle Sound to the Alligator River. The sound is shallow and can develop a 3-4 ft chop with a strong SE wind ... a 30 mile sail took us to the Alligator River Marina where "Miss Wanda" greeted us and Capt Haborwatch saw the Red Sox take a 3 to 0 lead in the series...(his grandson Sam, a devoted Sox fan was happy in Duxbury, Harborwatch, a Yankee fan, is still recovering)...
ICW mile "84"
Sunday October28th ... Weather turned cool ... 40 degrees ... time for gloves and foul weather gear... strong NE winds 15 t0 20+ continued for most of the day, although it warmed up by noon. A sleigh ride down the Alligator river to the Alligator river canal, (a 30 mile passage) to Bellhaven, N.C....
Southern Style Hospitality... River Forest Marina was part of a complex including a circa 1890 Victorian mansion Hotel ...must have been a great place to stay in the 40's and 50's when it was visited by James Cagney, Tallueh Bankhead, and Walter Cronkite... True southern cooking, fried chicken, ham, yams and pork chops ...Grits and eggs for breakfast. In town, the Capt's got haircuts and the mates shopped ... Boston won the series ... all's well in the world.
Stayed an extra day...took two golf carts, (that was a kick, you can drive on the highway ) and went shopping to resupply the galley.
ICW mile "135"
Tuesday October 30...Headed across the Pamlico Sound, favorable NE winds continued, 10 to 15kts and made Oriental (the sailing capitol of North Carolina, they say there are 900 people and and 2500 sailboats), by early afternoon. A neat little town with good marine supply and hardware stores...The mates "shopped til they dropped" in the many galleries.
We are now in shrimper country...expected to see "Bubba" or "Forest Gump" on the decks of the shrimp boats or the docks. Watching the shrimpers with there spreaders and long nets in the sunset was a beautiful sight. We dined at "Steamers" with all you can eat shrimp...but service was sooo slooow ...we're learin' th't in the south, nothin' happens fast!
Stayed a second day at Oriental Marina, and enjoyed the local scene...Halloween, Capt Mud's favorite holiday! Hay rides, pumpkins and all....We're waiting for 1 November, so we could go below latitude 35 and keep the insurance company happy...and a nice tiki bar.
ICW mile "181"
On to Beauford/Moorehead City and the Bogue Sound...
OOPS....Mother nature had something to say! "NOEL"....that's not a Christmas Carol....
Thursday November 1st....Forecast NE 35 to 50 kt winds...heavy seas on the outside, wind driven tides and flooding on the inside, ICW...Strong high pressure front tonight and the tropical storm, Noel, coming up the coast... We had to leave Oriental Marina, our reservation ended and "everyone" is coming off the Ocean and picking up hooks and heading for marinas...could not get into Moorehead City, south, so we were able to find a new marina nearby, Whittaker Pointe Marina, just opened ... not yet in the books, but a great spot for the next two nights...
We are hunkered down, extra dock lines and fenders. Expect the wind driven tide to flood the docks tonight...
......and I had time to write the blog....photos to follow....I will set up a site on "web shots . com" with all the photos...easier then posting on blog...
Hope to leave Friday/Saturday and make Swansboro N.C. ICW mile 239...
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