11-30-07

Date:11-30-07
Start Time: 0830
End Time:1400
Cruise From: Georgetown, SC
Cruise To: Awendaw Creek, SC off of buoy r"48"
Weather/Sea Conditions: It started out cloudy, then turned to sunny Mid to upper 60's
Captain's Log: When it got sunny, it got "Hot" in the cockpit. The chart plotter and vhf went out while traveling. We got the system back on line. We could not find the plug for the back-up chart plotter. We finally found it. We won't make that mistake again! We used the paper charts and the back-up hand held VHF. We turned the radar and chart plotter and radar off at the switch. When we turned it back on, everything started to work. We saw a bunch of Dolphins while traveling. All in all, we could not have asked for a better day.

11-29-07

Date:11-29-07
Start Time: 0830
End Time:1400
Cruise From: Bucksport Plantation Marina, SC
Cruise To: Georgetown, SC
Weather/Sea Conditions:Cloudy/cool temperatures were 65 + with no winds
Captain's Log: Sue saw two alligators and a family of snappers.

NO SWIMMING TODAY

This was a real relaxing trip. We had good deep water. All we had to do was stay in the middle. 24 to 38= feet of water.NOTE: Bucksport has great sausage sandwiches. We got here in Georgetown and
took a dinghy ride into town.

Date:11-28-07
Start Time: 0630
End Time:1300
Cruise From: Shallette, NC
Cruise To: Bucksport, SC
Weather/Sea Conditions:Beautiful


Captain's Log:The trip went great!!! We got off the anchor with no problems at all. We got into a rhythm. The water was smooth and it felt like we were driving the boat into the woods. There are cypress trees so close you could almost reach out and touch them on both sides of the boat at the same time. We are staying at the Bucksport marina for the night. At 80 cents per foot plus 5.oo for electric. This should give the boat's system a rest. We got fuel today. We are both feeling great and enjoying this adventure. We can not wait to see what is around the corner.

11-27-07

Date:11-27-07
Start Time: 0830
End Time:1630
Cruise From: Wrightsville Beach, NC
Cruise To:Shallette NC
Weather/Sea Conditions:Great Weather! Warm and sunny with just a little breeze


Captain's Log:It was a little tricky anchoring in 6 feet of water at low tide. We have 100 feet of chain out. Our stern is close to the channel but we can't get in any further. Probably won't sleep good tonight. Moving the boat today was a lot easier even though there were a lot of shoals. We slowed down a lot and aimed for the buoys, then wiggled around until we got a max. depth. We could not post last night because we did not have a connection. Will post tomorrow.

11-22-07 through 11-26-07

11-22
With high winds we decided to stay here at Wrightsville Beach. We are looking at strong currents from one side and strong winds hitting us also. We worked on the generator. A piece of debris floated into the through haul and lodged in the through haul. We are staying here until Saturday. We are waiting for West Marine to open on Friday.
11-23
We went into town to get parts for the generator, it will not start. We will stay until the generator is fixed. and this cold front goes through.Hopefully we will leave on Sunday.
11-24
Note: The fuel filters were "BLACK" with dirt! We changed the filters but there is too much air in the line. We got an electric fuel pump. We will install it tomorrow as it is late and after walking for more than two miles plus a taxi ride into Wilmington,NC, we are tired. There was a parade of boats go through here. hundreds of boats came in and anchored around us. What a mess. Take the fourth of July at Concord Point light house and multiply the boats by 5, then reduce the anchorage. There is only enough safe anchorage for maybe 30 boats here. The parade was beautiful and the fireworks were great. A couple boats almost hit us and one pushed our dinghy around but other than that we did okay in the mess. None of the pictures turned out.
11-25
Everything is working fine! (knock on wood) the generator is working great and we changed the fuel filters for the main engine. We will leave tomorrow.
11=26
High winds and extreme heavy thunderstorms equals: staying put until tomorrow. It feels like Wrightsville beach has a firm hold on us. According to the weather forecast, we will leave tomorrow one half hour before high tide. That is, around 0800.

November 21

The fog cleared and off we went at 0700. We motored to new inlet marina. We got diesel and a few provisions. Just as we left the marina, we noticed the water under the boat disappearing. I headed to the green buoy thinking that was where the deeper water was. We ran aground. Called U. S. boats. After about a half hour, we were on our merry way with my pride a little bruised. Just after we went aground, I looked over to the port side of the boat and there were seagulls walking. (thanks Captain Steve) Sue saw them but did not want to say anything until I mentioned it. We had a few one hour bridges and the Figure Eight Bridge that was closed from 1300 until 1600. We got there at about 1330. We went at idle speed and then waited. At the next bridge, it was another 1 hour bridge. We got smart and got behind a tug boat pushing a barge. They opened the bridge so that he would not have to slow down. Just past the bridge we went into Wrightsville Beach. We stayed over night. This morning our anchor alarm went off. We were awakened just before we hit a bridge. The anchor alarm was the saving grace for the day/night. It seems that the trip line for the anchor got tangled in our rudder and when the tide came in, it lifted the anchor. Nothing bad happened and we did not hit anything so, I guess like they say: No harm, No foul. The wind was busting over 20 knots and we are looking at some rough currents so we decided to say another day and let this front pass. We got a piece of debris caught in the generator through haul. We fixed that and just relaxed for the day. We are going to stay here tomorrow and go into town to get some needed things from West Marine. This will let this front get through and hopefully we can be on our way once again. We are both safe and sound. It was a nice day spending it here in Wrightsville Beach.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL

We don't plan on leaving here until Saturday. Looks like Driven and his group just might catch us before Florida.

November 20

We have traveled to The Camp LeJeune North Carolina . When we got up this morning it was too foggy to leave so we spent the day on the hook and did not try to leave in that soup. Some boats tried and in a couple hours they came back. That is the ones that did not run aground. We will leave tomorrow if it is not foggy. We have had a wonderful trip and saw a lot of neat things. We were not able to post before now. We are going to up date our captain's log when we get things together and can do the blog. This is an example of some of the views we were able to see.

Date:11-15-07
Start Time: 0720
End Time:1200
Cruise From: Buck Island on the Virginia Cut
Cruise To:Elizabeth City, NC
Weather/Sea Conditions:Windy/cold and turned into cold nasty hard rain


Captain's Log: When we left Buck Island we had to decide wether to go across the Albemarle Sound or head up the Pasquotank River to Elizabeth City. After going into 4 to 5 ft. waves, the decision was real easy. This storm is going to leave the weather wet and windy for a while so we plan on sitting it out here in Elizabeth City. There are a few modifications we are going to do to the boat while sitting here. Between the rough water we had in the Chesapeake Bay then on the Albemarle Sound, we decided we need to re-think some things about the boat. We are going to adjust the anchor also. The way we have it set up is a little difficult to use the anchor. The bruce anchor hits the CQR when bringing it back on board. The snubbers get tangled with the CQR when high winds pull on the anchor chain. The chain that holds the CQR in place is in the way when we dock the boat. As we cruise, we learn! The bad weather has not dampened our spirits. We are loving the cruise.

day five

Date:11-14-07
Start Time: 0800
End Time:1620
Cruise From:Hospital Point Norfolk, VA
Cruise To:Buck Island, NC
Weather/Sea Conditions:beautiful


Captain's Log: We anchored off Hospital Point in Norfolk VA. The unique thing about this is; Hospital Point is where I was born back in 1951. It took 56 years to make a complete circle. (anyway) We had a great time cruising from Hospital Point. We went through numerous bridges and one lock. It was very interesting. We played with the big boys to day. Check out the size of this boat that we saw in the ICW.

day four

Date:11-13-07
Start Time: 0700
End Time:1700
Cruise From:Great Wicomico, VA
Cruise To:Hospital Point, Norfolk, VA
Weather/Sea Conditions:
Rain in the morning for a few minutes. It became sunny and warm. The seas were a little choppy.


Captain's Log: We were lucky that we did not have to hit the waves head on. We hit them at a slight angle and did not bounce around like we did yesterday. After the sun came out it was a beautiful, sunny, warm and relaxing trip to Norfolk, VA. While traveling the open water, a kodak moment did not appear.
Tomorrow is supposed to be another beautiful and warm day. Thursday's outlook is for rain with high winds. We are considering going to Elizabeth City and let the storm get out of our way. We are not positive about heading to Elizabeth City, it all depends on what happens going down the Virginia Cut. The Dismal Swamp is closed so we can't go that way.

Date:11-12-07
Start Time: 0700
End Time:1620
Cruise From:Solomons Island
Cruise To:Great Wicomico, VA
Weather/Sea Conditions:
Rain in the morning, turning cloudy until 1430 with heavy seas

Captain's Log: It was raining when we left Solomons. Once we got into the bay, the rain stopped. The wind was coming out of the south and the tide was going out. This created HUGE waves. Occasionally the waves broke on our dodger! Water was everywhere in the cockpit. At about 1100 hrs. the engine lost power. We put the head sail out and sailed north while sue climbed into the engine compartment and changed the fuel filter. (raycor) Once dne we put the head sail away and motored to Reedville, VA. on the great Wicomico River. The resturant was closed so we went back out o the river and anchored in a protective cove.

Day two

This is a picture we took of the Thomas Point Lighthouse. We took the picture south of Annapolis, Maryland. We left Annapolis at 0700 in the morning. We traveled to Solomons Island, Maryland. We got to Solomons at 1400. We Fueled up and decided to anchor here for the night. The weather was great. It was sunny and warm in the cockpit of the boat. We raised the main sail and let the head sail out. Keeping true to our luck, the wind died down and we put the head sail away. We decided to leave the main sail up even there was no wind so we could at least look like a sailboat and not a motor boat with a big stick in the middle of it.

day one the adventure begins

Well we are finally off on our adventure. We left Havre de Grace Maryland at 1054. We motored all the way to Annapolis Maryland. We got in Annapolis at 1630. It was a cold trip but we made great speed. We ran at 3000 rpms. The tide was going out so we stayed around 8 knots and occasionally saw 9 knots. The weather was cold, breezy and overcast. The water was choppy but with all the weight we have in food supplies, we did not bounce around very much. We are looking forward to getting south so we can find some warmer weather.

three days to go

With the on vent of some nasty weather prognosticated for Friday, it was determined that we wait until Saturday. We plan on sailing to Annapolis for our first night. We have taken on 17 gallons of gas for the dinghy motor and 40 gallons of Diesel fuel. The fuel was secured to the topside of the boat. Saturday come what may is the date of departure.