Day 14 Dec 31, 2016 Saturday

Marineland Marina     St. Augustine, FL

We enjoyed the heat of our furnace last night and today it took most of the day to get the laundry caught up.  We washed and scrubbed the deck of the boat and filled up the fresh water tank.  There is no fuel here but think we are good for a few days more.  We expect to leave about 7:30-8 in the morning.  The next few days the high temps are supposed to be in the mid to high 70s. We will be in shorts & barefoot soon.  We will be anchoring out for the next several days.
Wishing everyone a great 2017.  Have a happy healthy new year.   

Day 13 Dec 30, 2016 Friday

Marineland Marina    Heading S. on the ICW   mm796

Today was a cold day and knowing that was coming we got reservations to take a slip at Marineland.  It is nice to have electricity for the furnace.  The laundry is only one washer and dryer which were in use when we got here so I will try tomorrow to get our laundry done, after nearly 2 weeks we have several loads.  We were not close enough to a restaurant to go out for dinner but had an Italian place that delivered bring us some food so I got out of cooking.  
The dock is fixed with posts you have to lasso :(.  Like my floating dock at home.  When we arrived a couple of guys were getting ready to go to the grocery store using the dock masters car. The dock master asked if I wanted to go to.  I was not desperate for anything but not knowing when I might get another chance I went too.  Got some essentials that would keep well. 
We chatted a few minutes with some other travelers docked here.  Amazes me how friendly the boater community is. We will probably stay here again tomorrow before heading on south. 

Day 12 Dec. 29, 2016 Thrusday

ICW heading South      St Augustine, FL    mm765

We left the Sister's Creek dock around 8:30 after a leisurely breakfast of french toast.  We knew we had a short day planned since the Friday destination was about 1 1/2 days away.  We had a cloudy morning but warm and by afternoon it was sunny and really warm.  We anchored early afternoon just off the ICW and enjoyed the calm and sun.  About 5 the sky got ominously dark and the wind picked up to over 30s kts. The current was one way, the wind another and we were playing ring around the anchor.  The track of the boat movement looked like yarn a kitten had played with.  The water got to mere inches under our keel too.  The rain finally came and the wind calmed down but it was a fun ride for an hour or so.

Day 11 Dec 28, 2016 Wednesday

Docked at Sisters Creek free dock      Outside of  Jacksonville FL

We left Cumberland Island and headed south on the ICW. We had a partly sunny day and warm weather. We had everything opened up. 
A couple of guys at the dock caught lines for us and after a while a local couple came by and chatted with us.  They offered to take us to a store if we needed anything.  We have been out of bread for 3 or 4 days and so we accepted their generous offer.  
Our plan for tomorrow is to anchor out then go to Marineland on Friday where we can have a slip with electricity and water since Fri night is supposed to be cold.  I could use a laundromat too if they have one.  Nothing exciting to tell.  We did enjoy watching dolphins playing today several times.  

Day 10 Dec 27, 2016 Tuesday

Cumberland Island    FL GA border
We slept late and got up to dense fog.  You could not see past the lifelines on the boat until after 1:30 in the afternoon.  It never went completely away until about 4 in the afternoon.  We never left the boat but got a few odds and ends of things done that needed done.

Day 9 Dec 26, 2016 Monday

Heading South on ICW  Cumberland Island mile marker 710

We headed out early hoping to go off shore and make it to the GA FL border.  We traveled about an hour in light fog and overcast sky before we got to St Simon Inlet where we went off shore.  We had checked the stats and we were supposed to have 10 or 11 kts winds, seas 4+ ft, waves at 11 sec intervals and that was not too bad.  We would be arriving at St. Marys Inlet about 4 to come up to Cumberland Island state park to anchor. 
We went out St Simon Inlet and the wind was 17-23 kts and wave interval more like 3 seconds and waves were about 4 as expected. It was a tossy and tippy ride. You had to hold on to something to keep on your feet.  Things below scattered everywhere. After a couple of hours of that we decided it was not fun.  Not dangerous, but not fun. We headed back to the waterway coming in at St Andrews Inlet.  We were going off shore mainly to avoid the extremely shallow water at Jekyll Island, and we had passed Jekyll by that point.  
Once in the waterway things again got calm. We motored for a good while then a cat in front of us hailed us and said the water where they were was very skinny and they were reading less than 4 ft on their depth gauge.  Cats have shallow draft but even they were getting anxious. Lee tried to watch carefully but managed to go hard aground.  He wiggled and went up and back and worked his way off.  While he was doing that a large power boat, maybe 45 ft, came up behind us and tried to go around us.  He ran hard aground too. We got off and went on our way.  
It continued to be cool and dreary until we were almost to St Marys, our inlet to where we planned to anchor. Then suddenly the sun came out and the drizzle stopped and a double rainbow appeared.  We wound our way up the river to Cumberland Island and dropped anchor with sun shining and a belief that the rainbow was telling us tomorrow would be a better day. Today was certainly a physical and emotionally stressful one. 

Day 8 Dec 25, 2016 Sunday

Another great weather day.  Sunny and warm.  We traveled 38 miles today.  We traveled lots of very narrow, very shallow water today. Once for a second it felt like we touched but the depth gauge said 6' so...Nothing exciting happened until we anchored.  Then for no apparent reason a flock of black birds came and lit on our boom and life lines.  It looked like something out of Alfred Hitchcocks The Birds movie.  Fortunately they did not stay long, but I am sure they left a deposit or two. The solar display had not been working but Lee seem to have it registering again, and we turned the wind generator back on.  We will see tonight if it starts making excessive vibration or noise again.  It took a bad hit during the hurricane in Oct. 
Our Christmas dinner was not turkey.  I am ashamed to say it was mac & cheese and hot dogs.  We had two more beef roasts and no more ice and not room in freezer and I just could not face pot roast for the 4th time in a week.  I am cooking the last 2 roasts now and figure they will keep a few days in the frig. Next year I will not bring more meat than I have room for in the freezer.  Live and learn. 

Day 7 Dec. 24, 2016 Saturday

Heading South on ICW mile marker 629    Georgia
Merry Christmas Eve

We had a beautiful sunny warm day to travel.  The water was smooth a glass and during part of the day the current helped us and we made 8 kts. Early we saw a dolphin playing ball with himself. Or as near as a dolphin can.  He was coming up out of the water and throwing a fish up in the air, catching it then diving again. He came up, threw the fish in the air and caught it and went down again over and over.  Finally he swallowed it.  We see lots of dolphin but never have seen that before.  He was clearly playing. 

We went through Hell's Gate today and saw a 4.4' on the depth gauge. With a 4 ft draft that is a scary number. But today nobody bumped the bottom. 

We were both in a better mood today. Although I have several health issues. For one I have a urinary tract infection.  This is a frequent problem so have medication with me and am taking it today but I did not get much sleep last night because of it. Hopefully everything will improve over the next few days. 

Tomorrow is supposed to be another warm sunny day. We have been so much luckier with the weather this trip than last year.  
Since you will not be reading this til the 25th MERRY 
CHRISTMAS  everybody. 

Day 6 Dec. 23, 2016 Friday

Heading South on the ICW mile post 585
We had a rocking and rolling night.  We anchored off the ICW in a not very protected spot. Neither of us slept much so we got up on the wrong side of the bed so to speak. The weather was nice, sunny and relatively warm.  It got hot enough in the cockpit to open both sides.  We seemed to get on each others nerves all day.  We stopped for diesel and to top off water.  We had gone 5 1/2 days on one tank of fuel and still had some fuel. A sail boat is easy on fuel if nothing else.  We are anchored out in the open again tonight but so far does not seem like a rough night. Tomorrow should be a nice day weather wise. let's hope we have a more pleasant day. A decent nights sleep will help. 

Day 5 Dec. 22, 2016 Thursday

Traveling South on ICW   Mile 546

We left our anchorage in bright sunlight at 7:30. Our day warmed up quickly with the passive solar heat created by the canvas surround. By noon it was hot and we opened a section of canvas and I went out on the bow to relax and enjoy the view, in short sleeves even.  Lee was waiting for a bridge to open and was making circles in the waterway when I felt, thump, thump. He had run aground, twice.  Just touched but there was plenty of space to have avoided it.  He was not paying any attention to the depth gauge. 
We traveled until about 3:15 and put out the anchor for tonight. I was so sleepy I crawled under the covers and took an hour and a half nap. Then got up to see what else had thawed and needed cooked before it spoiled.  We are having roast beef again.  Left overs will be used for vegetable beef soup tomorrow night. 
I am afraid to brag too much about the good weather for fear I will jinx it.

Day 4 Dec 21, 2016 Wednesday

Traveling South ICW Mile 570

What a glorious day to be on the water.  We caught the current just right as we left Charleston and flew through Elliot Cut. It was sunny and warm and with the canvas closed it got hot enough we unzipped some of the panels.  The new windows Jack (Sunset Canvas) put in are as clear as real glass. We took turns in the afternoon sitting on the bow just enjoying the sun, warmth and view.  Lee even went up top at sunset and blew the conch shell.  A tradition in the Bahamas. It will get cold tonight, 30s and we are anchored out so will have to bundle up and use the propane heater until we burrow into our sleeping bags.  But we both prefer anchoring over being in a marina so we will tough it out as long as we are comfy in the daytime. Nothing exciting to report.

Day 3 Dec. 20, 2016 Tuesday

We left shortly after 7 from McClellanville. We had another cold cloudy day. We came into Charleston City Marina before 3 and hooked up to power.  Although the thermostat is still not being responsive and the furnace needs to be  manually  turned off and on it still is better than using the Little Buddy propane heater.
We were about to eat dinner when we got a call from the couple who are house sitting for us.  Apparently the sewer was backing up into one of the bathrooms.  This happened last spring on our first day back from our winter on the boat.  It also effects our neighbor as the condo is a duplex. It was a mess overflowing in the floor and out into the hall.  The city claimed it was not their problem and we got a plumber to come fix things.  He never did know what was wrong just that it quit backing up.  There was permanent damage to the hall floor and the front bedroom. We are glad someone was there to know it happened because if there had not been it is hard to know how much damage would have been done.  The floor would not have survived water standing on it indefinitely.
We are sorry our house sitters are having to deal with this as they have had their fill of water in the house.  They were destroyed by the flooding with Hurricane Matthew.
We hope to be off by 9 tomorrow. A nearby bridge is closed from 6:30 to 9 for car travel so we will have to wait to depart.

Day 2 Dec. 19, 2016 Monday

Heading South on ICW

In Leland Oil Co. Marina

McClellanville, SC

What a difference a day makes.  Hot and sunny one day and cold, rainy, and dreary the next.  It got colder and colder as the day passed. Really seemed worse because of how beautiful and warm yesterday was.  We decided we were wimps and wanted our furnace all night instead of just a few hours of heat from the little Buddy propane heater. Just too old to tough it out.  

The day was uneventful except for getting into the marina.  I turned so as I approached the face dock I would be positioned right to head out in the morning. Low tide is 7am and this is a shallow marina. We arrived at about midtide and should have had 8 ft.  We draw 4ft.  I was in the midst of turning and 6.2 suddenly turned to 4.2 then 4 and I was aground. I got off in a minute but had to go straight forward which did not put me in a good position to approach the dock.  Why when you pull everything off with the greatest of ease and like a total pro is no one ever watching, but when you are awkward  there is always and audience? Just is not fair.  

We hope to get to Charleston to the city marina tomorrow night to have power again since it looks like another cold night.  By then it starts to warm up some and we should be able to anchor out comfortably for a few days again. 

Day 1 Dec. 18, 2016 Sunday

Heading South on ICW
anchored at Bull Creek

Today was a great day to start our winter journey.  It was foggy early but cleared about an hour after we left our marina.  It was sunny and warm, 70s all day.  It got to 78 for several hours in the afternoon.  We encountered a lot of boat traffic, as many people were out enjoying this unusually warm Dec. day. Unfortunately we are expecting much colder and rainy conditions for the next several days starting before dawn Monday. 

It was the night before departure and all through the boat is stuff piled everywhere, clutter galore.
The sailors are tired and grouchy and anxious to depart and begin to relax and enjoy the journey- the trip.  It is about the sunset and sunrises and the peace and the warmth and the sand,  The silence and sense of independence and freedom you have.
Lightkeepers Marina    Little River SC   Dec 17, 1016