The Good the Bad and the Ugly

The judges gave us a perfect ten on our Megadock dismount yesterday morning, and we waved goodbye to charming Charleston and the Atlantic Cup sailors about 8:00a.m.  Yes, we are learning to get a little later start some days, which was good because unbeknownst to us our first bridge was closed between 7:00 and 9:00.  After making our way across the harbor past Fort Sumter and northward into the ICW, it was perfect timing, gliding under the Ben Sawyer Bridge behind two Benetaus at exactly 9:00 without having to wait for the next opening at 9:30.  Arriving five minutes later would have made us tread water in the currents for twenty-five.   Pure luck!

Wind in the northeast, we were able to roll out the main sail for a little boost to our motoring average 6.9 knots.  Tide was high helping us snake cleanly through what the captain thought would be some shallow areas.  As some of you know, the currents would be with us for a while giving yet another boost of a couple of knots, then against us, slowing us down some.  After fifty miles in seven hours we arrived at our anchorage Minim Creek.  Later two other sailboats joined us for a quiet evening swinging among the crab pots.

Now for the bad and ugly.  First bad, the South Carolina green flies (small horse flies) are more prolific than the Missouri mosquitoes or Punta Gorda Noseeums.  Picture this, Aurora has the main sail up with wind about 9-12 knots, heeling about 10 degrees, Dennis manning the helm through the shallow water with one hand on the wheel while wildly swatting one pesky fly after another with his other, yelling, "Dirty rotten xxx xx a xxxxxxx."  More bad, I am limping from a bruised hip acquired when I pushed the island of sludge off the anchor rode two mornings ago.  Big bad and ugly, Dennis, upon inspecting the engine noticed a big pile of salt collecting on the mixing elbow, obviously a crack in it somewhere.  (This is the part of the engine that uses water to cool the engine keeping it from getting overheated.)  Our anchorage here is so remote we have no internet or we could have started last night searching, calling, getting a jump on the repair before we get to Georgetown, eighteen miles away.  Waiting for the tide to go up, means leaving here at 8:00, putting our ETA there 11:00a.m.   Last, the very ugly, but not sooo bad, when we tried to take Fritz to shore there was only one muddy bank and he refused to do his business jumping politely back into the dinghy with inch-thick muddy paws. Yuck!  So he has been sitting cross-legged ever since anticipating his dry grassy Georgetown walk.  Again, what a patient dog!

Down, but not out.  Mama said there’d be days just like this! 

Found out this afternoon the worst wasn’t so bad after all, just a plastic fitting.  Once we arrived at the Hazzard Marina in Georgetown I went to work on the engine since the mechanic never called me back.  After scraping all the salt deposits away from the engine parts I found a plastic fitting on the vented loop for the engine exhaust was broken and causing all the salt deposits.  Of course I could not find the part in the area so I ordered one on-line and it should be here tomorrow.

The afternoon was very restful when the rains came.  This evening we had a nice walk downtown and dinner at a local establishment, Buzz’s Roost along the harborwalk.  Hopefully the rains will end tomorrow  and we will be able to explore Georgetown. 

         

Last night we knew it would be a short trip to Charleston so planned an early start without taking Fritz to shore.  So we secured the dingy up on the davit last night and were set to go this morning.  Up and ready to leave, we looked at the anchor rode and saw it had a huge sludge of reeds surrounding it. Hanging over the bow we tried loosening the pile with the boat hook, but no luck. The anchor rode was as tight as a drum and would not budge.  Our only solution was to get the dingy down and try to loosen it by hand.  It appeared the pile was about 2-3’ deep and 10’ in diameter.  After about ten minutes of pulling the mucky reeds apart with our hands, and pushing with our feet it finally gave way.  Another new experience to add to the cruising firsts.

We then had a pleasant trip up the ICW to Charleston, arrived here around 11:30 and tied up to the City Marina Mega Dock.  The dock is 1,530 feet long and they say this is the longest floating dock on the East coast that has complete fuel service the entire length of the dock.  Speaking of fuel we walked passed a yacht filling up and it was still filling at 1500 gallons (at $4.50/gal….).  I said something to a dock hand and he said they once filled a yacht that took 17,000 gallons!  Tucked in among the many yachts was a Hinkley, the sailing world’s answer to the Rolls Royce.  On Friday Charleston will host the starting lines of the Atlantic Cup featuring 40ft. monohulls with 2 person teams racing on the first let to New York City by late Monday.  Many of these sleek sailboats from all over the world are already docked here making last minute preparations and giving interviews to news media.  Their excitement is contagious.   

 As soon as we got the boat settled we headed in town on the marina’s free shuttle.  We had a great time stopping at the Old Slave Mart Museum (where domestic slaves were bought and sold), The Powder Magazine (oldest building in South Carolina), and enjoyed the beautiful old homes and how well they are kept up.  Our town trip ended with a stop at the grocery store where the free shuttle again gave us a ride back to the Megadock.  We are now sitting on the boat and for the first time since we left home watching TV as the marina has cable service. 

While much of Beaufort, South Carolina was still asleep we called for the Ladies Island Bridge tender just north of our anchorage for an opening.  You could hear southern in the tender’s almost unintelligible drawl, but his hospitality was clear as a bell thanking us for coming to Beaufort. 

Flooding current and high tides helped us quickly get through some tricky spots on the  Coosaw, Ashepoo, South Edisto and Dawho Rivers along the ICW towards Charleston.  There were even some wide spots and wind for a bit of sailing.  When the current and tides began to ebb we made the decision to save Charleston for tomorrow.  Making good time put us past where we had intended to anchor, so we again took a look at where to spend the night, finally deciding on Steamboat Creek after reading the positive reviews and a good dock to take the dog ashore.  Two words describe this little tributary, absolute serenity.  Some say this was originally a plantation, and as we walked under the cool shade of huge live oak trees, with moss draped to the ground it was easy to imagine the activity of plantation life.  We have thoroughly enjoyed this detour away from the hurried activity of sightseeing. 

Ladies, you will love this just-like-home scenario.  This evening after eating Dennis needed ice for his drink so instead of drying the dishes, which were draining right where he needed to open the freezer, he restacked all the dishes to the side, then proceeded to get his ice.  To his credit though, he had washed the dishes. After wiping down the cockpit from the brief shower we’d had just minutes before, was finally able to sit sip his Denny Crane and smoke his cigar. After watching a dolphin at sunset come right up by the boat he commented and I agreed, ”It just doesn’t get any better than this.”

Ending our evening with Dennis drying the dishesJ and listening to the Family Radio hymn sing.

Once the diver cleaned the cruds off the bottom and many our boat chores were finished on Friday morning we took a short bus ride into town.  Savannah, home to the cotton gin’s inventor, Ely Whitney, Juliette Gordon Low, founder of 100 year-old Girl Scouts, TV chef, Paula Deen, the filming of several well-known movies, “Forrest Gump,”  “Cape Fear” and “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil”   

James Oglethorpe established Georgia as the 13^th colony, Savannah as the first city.  His unique design for the city, originally twenty-four parks, now twenty-two serene green havens under towering live oaks draped with Spanish moss, twenty-two mini Central Parks within a 2.2 mile square area.  As you walk along, you know in a block or two you will come to an oasis in the concrete jungle.  It being 90 degrees, we made use of everyone we came upon to read about its namesake, and savor any fountain or forefather under its lush canopy.  I do not have adequate words to describe the homes.  You must indeed walk among them yourself to live and appreciate their amazing historic past and their present graceful beauty.

Along the river walk a variety of vessels, in town for the Tall Ship’s Challenge, blocked our view of the Waving Girl statue and the riverfront, but not the delightful food fare found along the cobbled street.  I guess the nice thing about not getting to see something is having an excuse to return and take it in later. 

Today we left Georgia, tried to stop at Hilton Head, but confusing charts and misinformation from some source, I won’t say who, took us too far past Broad Creek, and on into Beaufort, South Carolina, not to be confused with Beauford, North Carolina.  We think there is something called “Taste of Beaufort” going on in town, but it’s so hot, we’ve decided to hang out here for a while before dinghying over to check it out.

To the many of you who keep checking up on us, thanks.  We appreciate you following along.  Send us an email at shirlaanddennis@yahoo.com if it’s easier than commenting on this website.  And as Forrest Gump says, “That’s all I have to say about that.”  Take care and fair winds,  Dennis and Shirla.

The evening trip for Fritz to the abandoned cabin across the little channel was uneventful.  But as we started across the channel first thing this morning Dennis does a 90 degree dinghy turn and whispers “there’s a guy on the dock.”  Fritz had to settle for a shell bank down river.

Doboy Channel presented a new challenge, almost a crisis.  It was our typical ride with the current going out and the wind coming in.  The breeze was so good we put up both sails.  The captain then decided we don’t need “no stinking motor” and shuts it down.  Unfortunately, the wind was more on the nose and not enough to keep us going against the waves.  So the captain turns the key to start the engine, NOTHING HAPPENS!  Now what?  Waves are pushing us towards the shoals with frothing water, the boat speed in the water is slowed to, ah, zero. 

“There is no battery,” says the admiral. 

“There is nothing wrong with the batteries,” shouts the captain. 

“Let’s start the generator,” says the admiral. 

“It won’t do any good,” shouts the captain, “but okay, try it.” 

Generator starts but it does not help, still nothing happens when the key is turned.  Well, after almost tacking in the channel because we were getting close to the frothing water Dennis was able to slowly coach the boat to the deeper water.  Shirla then took the helm while Dennis went below to trouble shoot the problem.  Meanwhile down below Dennis finds the wire that has come off the starter solenoid but before he can fix it Shirla yells, “Help, I don’t know what to do, we are headed for a shrimp boat!”  The captain temporary attaches the wire, jumps up to the cockpit and starts the engine, crisis avoided.

The rest of the day was very calm as we motored slowly to catch the current and tide going into Wassaw Sound, GA.  We did have a challenge finding the buoys to the Wassaw Channel but a call to Boat US was helpful and we eventually found our way in.  The anchorage we were going to stay at did not appeal to us so we motored into Thunderhead Marina and plan to spend two nights here as we explore Savannah.  A diver is scheduled to clean the boat bottom tomorrow morning.      

Couldn’t talk Captain into trying to find the wild horses on Cumberlin Island north of our Fernandina Beach mooring.  Instead, we were off to chase horses of a different variety.  We both agreed Captain is a “sailor” not a “sight-seer.”  So we left my new favorite, Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island.  Sorry Saint Augustine, love your history, but your climate is more like bustling Branson, MO. 

It was a little rough exiting through the St. Mary’s, FL channel, with ebbing tide and an eight knot easterly.  Winds and skies were fair and we sailed into Doboy Sound, Georgia at 3:00p.m. anchoring all alone along the Back River and two rundown cabins.  Nice feeling, isolated, but not lonely.  Fritz explored the cabin property on his trip to the shore, and we retired soon after when the green flies came calling. 

 

A Morning in the Life of the Sailing Cesaris

Who:  Captain Cesari, First Mate/Admiral, and Fritz, adorned with life jackets,

sailing gloves, sunscreen, binoculars and sunglasses

Where:  Saint Augustine, Florida

When:  May 1, 2012   6:50a.m. EST

                            

Scene 1-Leaving the Mooring field and clearing the Lions Bridge

(Captain starts the engine, First Mate drops the mooring ball from the line on the bow of the boat.  They slowly make their way past the other boats moored in the field.)

Captain—Lions Bridge tender, Lions Bridge tender, Lions Bridge tender, this is

sailing vessel Aurora.

Tender—This is Lions Bridge tender.

Captain—This is northbound sailing vessel Aurora requesting a bridge opening.

Tender—Hold your position in the channel, we will be opening shortly.

Captain—Thank you bridge tender.  Aurora, standing by on channel 09.

(From the bridge five consecutive horn blasts sound.  Within a few minutes the center section of the Basquel bridge splits apart and ascends skyward.  Aurora and two other vessels slip cautiously through the opened bridge one at a time.  Once again five blasts send the warning and the bridge sections descend into their horizontal positions allowing cars to be on their way.)

Captain—This is Aurora, thank you Bridge tender.

Tender—You’re welcome Aurora, and have a good day.

Scene 2-Clearning the Saint Augustine Channel

Captain –Marina staff said, “Stay towards the red markers going out.”

Admiral – I’ll get the charts to help.

Captain – Don’t bother, they don’t show markers on the chart as the channel is

always shifting.

Captain –Look for the next marker, it is difficult to see them in these seas [ebbing tide

(going out) and an easterly wind coming in causing some 6’ plus waves in the channel]

Captain – We finally made it out, let’s put the sails up!

Scene 3-Putting Up the Sails

(As the first mate takes the helm and turns Aurora into the wind the captain uses 3 lines to pull the main sail out of the mast.  It catches the wind, fills and flies.  He then securely wraps the outhaul line around the winch to tighten the mainsail foot.  Next, the captain loosens the genoa (front sail, also called the genny) furler line, and pulls the downwind genoa sheet unfurling the sail. It also catches and flies.  His final job is to secure the sheet around the winch and adjust the sail to the wind.  Time 7:30)

First Mate—Now that was easyJ

Captain—(He gives her a look.)  Now for coffee and breakfast!

The End

Traveling over fifty-two miles today and navigating St. Mary’s Inlet on the Florida/Georgia border we took another couple’s advice and turned southward to visit the quaint little town of St. Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island.  The proud volunteer at the welcoming center sweetly thanked us for coming and sent us off on a walking tour of his historic hometown.  Knowing we only had a couple of hours he commented, “Maybe you need to come back again when you have more time.”   Right off it was hard not to notice the striking contrast of the quiet peaceful tree-lined streets to Saint Augustine’s touristy atmosphere.  No one seemed to be in a hurry to go anywhere or too busy to stop and chat for a moment.  There was hardly any traffic anywhere.  Many of the buildings are a hundred and fifty years old, and still have shops or restaurants open for business in them.  It was refreshing.  After getting a small taste of the history and peacefulness here, we agree with the sweet volunteer, we’ll come again to this quaint little town.