St. Augustine and fog

A quick update from St. Augustine, FL. We left Charleston on Wednesday afternoon and a beautiful day. A short run to Bass Creek (off Parrot Creek which is off the Coosaw River). All of our anchorages have been outstanding and this was no exception.  Our routine is boring. We get to an anchorage, clean the boat, have some adult beverages, cook dinner, eat dinner, and go to bed generally by 2030 (8:30 for the land lovers). From the Coosaw River, back down the ICW to Lincoln Creek (off Kilkenny Creek just before St Catherine's Sound). Weather changed on Thursday and it rained all day. By rain, I mean it poured and poured. Visibility was ofter minimal (which in hindsight was good practice for Friday). Another typical night (which we very much enjoy). Off early on Friday. We went outside at St. Catherine's Sound to avoid the shallow and snake like rivers in GA. Once we got into the ocean, we had pretty much zero visibility until we anchored that night. Good radar practice. Shirley kept commenting that we had not seen that much fog in Maine. The ocean was lumpy (left over winds from the day before) but the trip to St.Mary's inlet at Amelia Island was uneventful. Coming in the sound was something. We would pass buoys within 50 feet and not see a thing. Ships would pass going out and we would not see a thing. We passed Fernandina and hardly saw a thing. We anchored in the Amelia River a few miles past Fernandina and the winds shifted, the fog lifted and we enjoyed a wonderful sunset. Today we had a short day in the ICW to St. Augustine. We took on fuel (man does this thing drink more fuel than our sailboat), took a slip and went to town to eat at Pizza Alley. Best pizza on the ICW! Tomorrow will be more of the same...down the ICW to South FL and on to the Keys before heading up the West Coast of FL to Ft. Myers. After a brief trip home in February, we will leave the Keys and head over to the Bahamas...always looking for warmer weather. The winds are going to kick up tomorrow, but the temps are going to be in the mid-70s. It has been awhile since we have experienced the 70s. I already have my shorts on.

Charleston in a hurry!

Plans have changed again (and we love it). Originally, our plan was to leave Wacca Wache after one night. On Sunday we went to the restaurant for the bloody mary bar (with over 100 things you can stuff into a glass). The first one was good - we could sit outside and enjoy the weather - so we had another. Then, the football games started and the proprietor asked all the patrons to claim their team and when 'your' team scored a touchdown he gave you a free concoction that he makes up. Well, my team scored a few touchdowns quickly and our second night at Wacca Wache was pretty much settled. The restaurant is called Hanna Banana'a Cabana. If you get a chance, drop in.
We did leave Wacca Wache on Monday and anchored mid-afternoon in Dewee's Creek about 12 miles north on Charleston. What a treat. We were completely alone in  the 'low country'. Nothing but marshes and wetlands. Not a sound (other than what we made and birds). A peaceful and restful night. Yesterday we arived in Charleston in the morning with the goal of spending 2 days sight seeing. We are not the best sight seers. Years ago, on the was to PA to ski, we stopped at the Museum of Natural History on DC and did a complete walk through in 20 minutes. We were parked illegally right out front so we were in a hurry. Yesterday, we did Charleston in 4 hours. We saw the historical area, toured a mansion, did the market and shops on King Street and had a beer. Last night, we went back with friends (Rusty and Katherine Pickett - I went to camp as a boy with Rusty) to Hanks Seafood Restaurant (great low country food). So, instead of staying another night, we are getting under way again later today. The weather is still outstanding (for January) with sunny skis, light winds, and temps in the hight 60s. More later.

Snugglies

You may be wondering about the title of this post. More on that in a minute. On Thursday (1/14) we drove to Jarrett Bay Boatworks in Beaufort, NC to rejoin Persystence. Garth Fry accompanied us and drove our car back to Virginia Beach. The boat had been in Jarrett Bay since December so that the window tracks could be replaced and a water maker added. When we arrived, we couldn't find the boat in the water so I drove to the shed where we last saw it in December. On the way, we saw it in slings being moved to get her back in the water. Timing couldn't have been better. Shirley and I spent the night at the dock at Jarrett Bay and was it ever cold! Shirley had given everybody a snuggly for Christmas - you have seen these things advertised on TV. I wouldn't wear mine because the guy on TV looked so dorky in a snuggly. Even with the heat on, it was cold when we went to bed. So, Shirley has on pjs and her snuggly. In the morning she announced how comfortable and warm she was. The next night at bedtime, I begrudgingly put the dorky looking thing on while we were anchored in Carolina Beach Harbor and not running the generator. It is hard to admit but the dumb thing is comfortable and warm. My only complaint is that the back is completely open like those hospital things they make you wear in the hospital. Why can't there be backs? It would make the dumb thing less dumb!

Friday morning at first light we left Jarrett Bay and went out in the ocean at Beaufort Inlet. The day was cool, but there was no wind and the ocean was flat calm for the run over to Masonboro Inlet just south of Wrightsville Beach. From there we went to Carolina Beach Harbor to anchor for the night. Saturday we left early again to get through the Cape Fear River and back to the ocean at Cape Fear Inlet. From there we went to Little River Inlet and down the ICW to a little marina we are familiar with named Wacca Wache on the Wacamaw River (South Carolina). The weather was forecast for awful storms and high winds so we opted for a marina rather than anchoring. We planned to stay over Sunday due to the forecast, but this morning  the sun is out, the winds are not awful and after lunch we will move on to an anchorage somewhere between here and Charleston. When the sun is out the temps are in the 60s and I may be able to put my snuggly away.

We enjoy having both an upper and lower helm to drive the boat. When it is cold or raining, we drive below with heat and all the comforts. It would be easy to forget to pay attention. We also are making our own water (at least when we are in the ocean where the water is clean). This power boat cruising isn't so bad. And to think we spent years disdaining "stink potters" No we are one!