Happy Halloween

Granddaughter Alex requested that I post this poem on the blog for Halloween:

Five little pumpkins

Sitting on a gate

The first one said,

"My it's getting late!"

The second one said,

"There are witches in the air!"

The third one said,

"But we don't care!"

The fourth one said,

"Let's run and run and run!"

The fifth one said,

"I'm ready for some fun!"

"WOOOOOOOH", went the wind,

And OUT went the light;

And the five little pumpkins

Rolled out of sight!

Happy Halloween, Alex! We love you!

Charleston

Tuesday, October 30 - We're at the Charleston City Marina, home of the Megadock. They provide a service we haven't seen before: a free USA Today newspaper delivered to the boat each morning - first newspapers I've read since leaving home three months ago.

Mom and Mary arrived around dinnertime on Saturday and the four of us decided to go out. On our way out we stopped to gawk at Themis, a yacht that was docked nearby.

We were peering into the engine room, the only area we could see into, when a guy standing nearby commented that not too many women are so interested in seeing engine rooms. I replied that we were only looking in the engine room because we couldn't see the galley, to which he responded, "Would you like to see the galley?" We responded enthusiastically in the affirmative, so he brought us inside and gave us a tour of the 156 foot Themis, one of the 100 largest yachts in America and worth 21 million. She is grand, plush, and opulent, and appears to lack nothing you would expect to find in a multi-million dollar house (as if I would know) - she took our breath away: marble floors, exquisitely carved ceilings, beautiful exotic woods, priceless art. She has four guest cabins and five crew cabins; the luxurious owner's stateroom includes his and her bathrooms. Here are some features of the galley (there's a separate galley for the crew):

Gagganeau triple ovens with Gagganeau cook tops, griddle and deep fryer

(2) dishwashers

KitchenAid trash compactor

Dual stainless steel Delfield refrigerators and freezers

Dual microwave/convection ovens

Dual warming ovens

Sub-Zero Ice Maker

Stainless steel walls throughout galley

The full-time crew of seven sign confidentiality agreements and aren't allowed to even say who owns her, but our guide gave us enough clues that we were able to find out on our own: it's renowned lawyer Ronald Motley, the litigator who brought down the tobacco and asbestos industries, and who was profiled in the movie, “The Insider.”

The rest of the weekend was fun, if anticlimactic. On Sunday, Mom, Mary, Wayne, and I took a mini bus tour of Charleston - a beautifully preserved and restored historic city. Gary joined us Sunday afternoon. This was the first time we've had more than one extra person spend the night on the boat. We can accommodate seven people comfortably, as long as no one brings any stuff and doesn't walk around (Lena Bea ain't no Themis). It might have been a little too claustrophobic for Mom and Mary, because they decided to leave Monday morning instead of Tuesday. They said it was because they wanted to stop and see Savannah on the way home.

I spent the afternoon strolling around downtown Charleston, while Wayne and Gary perused the Maritime Museum. They stopped and picked up some fresh salmon, which Gary prepared for dinner. It was magnifique!

We're spending the night in Beaufort, South Carolina at Port Royal Landing Marina. We plan to leave the ICW tomorrow at 3:30-4:00 a.m. for the open waters of the Atlantic and sail to St. Simons Island in Georgia. Because there's been no funding in recent years for maintenance dredging of the ICW from south of Port Royal Sound, SC to Cumberland Sound, GA, there are a lot of trouble spots. Add to that a tidal range of 8-9 feet and the advice of locals to avoid the ICW in that area...well, it didn't take much to convince us. Of course, we checked the weather carefully before making our decision and have noted places where we can easily return to the ICW if conditions outside are unfavorable. Of course, we are keeping a close eye on the tropical storm, Noel. I'm disappointed that this means missing a stopover in Savannah, but we have to weigh all our options and make the best decision based on all factors.

Gary's favorite spot on the boat

Photos

If you go back and look at the posts from the past few days, you'll see that I was finally able to add some photos. They give you an idea of the variety of scenery on the ICW and were all taken this week, but not necessarily on the day of the post you see them on.

Of course, I just had to take a photo of this boat as it passed us:

I get to see my Mom!

Digging for clams

Today we'll be docking in Charleston, where we have a busy weekend planned. Mom and her friend, Mary, are coming to Charleston today and will be staying with us until Tuesday; we plan to do some sightseeing. Gary will join us on Sunday and stay to accompany us on the next leg of our journey.

Today is notable for another reason: three months ago, on July 27, we left the dock in Bayfield, Wisconsin. Wow. Sometimes I can hardly believe we've actually done this and made it so far.

Yesterday I packed up our down, fleece, and woolens to send back with Mom. We're on the home stretch and it feels good.

God's protection

"I think you scraped some paint off your mast on that one, Captain," were the words radioed to us by the captain of the boat behind us, referring to the first of a set of three fixed bridges we slipped under. 

Although we're watching, it is impossible to tell whether we’re going to make it or not until we have actually made it...or not. Yet Wayne expects me to watch and give him a confident thumbs up or down. This was one of the worst so far - it did not look like we could clear it, but we did. Whew! A little paint is a small sacrifice to make.

Radar showed that we were surrounded by thunderstorms today, but we only experienced periodic light showers (excluding the heavy downpour that delayed our departure by half an hour). We were grateful to have missed the storm that left the Waterway littered with leaves and branches.

Inadequate depth was almost not an issue today. Our shallow-water alarm, which we have set to go off at eight feet, didn't go off until the last hour of the day, and even then the water didn’t get terribly shallow. We did get stuck as we were anchoring in Five Fathom Creek, but the rising tide freed us within minutes.

Yes, we certainly felt God's protection today.

More ICW

Sand dunes

We’re really enjoying the Intracoastal Waterway; there is lovely scenery and it is far more interesting than sailing in the Atlantic, miles from shore. We are seeing more wildlife, too: the first dolphins since Canada,

Out for a swim with the kids

many birds, and today we even saw a bunch of goats. There's evidence that we are farther south, including palm trees (in North Carolina? That's pushing it), the first pelicans of the trip, and yes, even no-see-ums.

It’s slow-going on the ICW, though, and requires vigilance. With shallow water due to shoaling in many places, we often have to slow down; we scraped bottom a couple times and came close several more times today. Because of that, it is easier and more relaxing to travel during high tide, but it's less stressful going under bridges at low tide. I must say, though, that the bridges have almost become a non-issue; we have gone under so many that we've gotten used to them, and of course it helps that we have not hit one yet.

The weather continues to be hot and muggy and cools off very little at night, but we don’t complain, considering what the weather could be. Today we were supposed to be in thunderstorms all day and they totally missed us; more are predicted for tomorrow.

Because the ICW is so narrow and shallow (so far, anyway), there are very few places to anchor, but tonight we had planned to anchor in Calabash Creek in Little River, South Carolina, which we were told is a very nice anchorage. Well, we tried to get into the creek but ran aground at the entrance (how did all those other boats get in there?). Wayne managed to get us free and was not about to try again, so we ended up at Harbour Village Marina in Hampstead.

It annoys me to have to dock when we would rather anchor and then have to pay for it besides. Many of these marinas have wonderful facilities, which we pay for whether we use them or not, which we don't. All we need is a place to tie up the boat so we can sleep. It's like being on a road trip and staying at a Marriott when all you want or need is a bed and a bath. Or traveling in an RV when all you need is a truck stop or WalMart parking lot, but being forced to pay for a campground with all the amenities. Tonight is pretty cheap, though - only $1.00/foot ($45).

On a tragic note...

Our son, Joey, called us on Monday with tragic news: Jeremy, a friend of Joey and his roommate, lost his mom, Tammy, and his brother, Jayson (his only parent and only sibling) in a car crash. Jayson's friend, Nicholle, was also killed.

Please remember Jeremy in your prayers, and also ask God to show Joey and Kyle how they can best support their friend during this unspeakably tragic time.

ICW, bridges, and schedules

Wayne again. Of course, each time I go to write something Michele has beat me to it, but I thought I would add a few thoughts anyway.

So far we have traveled about 200 miles in the ICW (IntracoastalWaterway) since leaving Norfolk. I had hoped to avoid some of the ICW by going outside in the Atlantic. By going outside, I can avoid bridges and shoals. Shoals are submerged sand bars that shift with the currents, and reduced funds for dredging has made the problem much worse in the last several years. The soft grounding Michele referred to on Monday was caused by shoaling. I had turned away from the sand bar and slowed down as the depth quickly dropped, but still caught the edge, which is why we were lucky enough to get off with a little help from a rising tidal current.

As far as going outside (in the Atlantic), sometimes that option gives us a shorter distance and we are able to go faster. Of course, going outside has it's own set of problems, the primary one being weather, so I have to constantly look at the pros and cons. I was hoping to go outside tomorrow to save time, but the weather is not cooperating, so we will take the ICW.

About those bridges! They have been a concern since before we left the marina in Bayfield. It is very scary to go under a bridge that is only one or two feet taller than your mast. It looks like you are going to hit the bridge until you are under it. There are also navigation lights that usually hang down from the bridge that I have to avoid hitting. I need to watch tide levels and currents. It is much easier now that we have gone under several of these, but I will still approach with caution!

Uh-oh!

We were twenty minutes from Beaufort, North Carolina and I was taking a quick shower when all of a sudden, thud! The boat stopped abruptly and the first thought that came to mind was, "Why did he slam on the brakes?" The second thought was, "Oh. The boat doesn't have any brakes. So what made it stop so abruptly?" I grabbed a towel and ran to see what was going on, only to find a very irate Captain...who had just run aground. Again. I shrugged my shoulders and said, "Just call Tow BoatUS." Wayne did not appreciate the suggestion, so I made myself scarce while he figured out what to do. Before long I felt us moving again - he had wiggled and finessed the boat free with the help of the engine and the rising tide. However, because of the shallow water, we were forced to take a detour of an hour and a half to get to the Beaufort Docks Marina, where we docked for two nights.

Change of plans

Yesterday and today we have been in the company of many more sailboats than we were over the weekend - fellow cruisers heading for Florida, the Bahamas, the Caribbean, and other points south. Much of the channel through this part of the Intracoastal Waterway is so narrow - not unlike a two-lane road - that boats will radio each other if they want to pass, so the increase in traffic definitely has an impact.

Last week we got word from our insurance company - which has had the policy of making absolutely no exceptions in this regard - that they have given us the go-ahead to travel south of 35 degrees latitude before November 1. Yesterday we were en route to Oriental, NC to get the official approval, but Wayne was able to talk to them by cell phone and get the written confirmation via satellite phone and email while underway. Don’t you love it when technology works?  This impacts our plans in a big way: instead of traveling nonstop from Oriental, North Carolina to Miami, we have time to stop in Charleston, SC and Savannah, GA.

I may have already mentioned this (it's hard to remember what I’ve said in the blog and what I have only said in emails), but we have a deadline of making it to Punta Gorda, Florida before Thanksgiving because two of our kids (Michael and Suzanne) and their families are coming to visit. I want to get there the weekend before Thanksgiving at the latest to allow us time to regroup, catch our breath, and get the house opened up and ready for company. Being able to head south earlier should allow us more than enough time.

Morning at the beach (Shackleford Banks)

A big disappointment in North Carolina is that we are not able to go to the Outer Banks because of shallow water. With that in mind, we decided to skip a planned stop in Oriental, NC ("The Sailing Capital of North Carolina"), and go all the way to Beaufort tonight. From there we can take a water taxi to Shackleford Banks, Cape Lookout, etc., which will give us a small taste of the Outer Banks. When we leave Beaufort on Wednesday, we will leave the Intracoastal Waterway (weather permitting) and sail the Atlantic to the Cape Fear Inlet, which returns us to the ICW.

We plan to arrive in Charleston Friday or Saturday; the best part is that my Mom and her friend, Mary, are planning to drive up from Winter Haven, FL to visit us for a couple days! We are so excited about that. (You can’t back out now, Mom - it's on the blog.)

Gary DeSantis of Sailor's World Marina on Lake Minnetonka in MN - a good friend and the dealer from whom we bought the boat - plans to join us in Charleston and will probably sail all the way to Miami with us.

Disclaimer: all plans are subject to change based on weather, winds, and what-not, including the whims of captain and crew. 

By the way, Gary and we have a beautiful and well-maintained, freshwater Island Packet 37 named Wind Dancer for sale. We can personally vouch for the integrity of both vessel and dealer (and present owner of Wind Dancer, obviously).