Boats .. Vessels of Freedom, Harbors of Healing

Friday was our final day on the water and another beautiful day of cruising filled with dolphins on our bow, osprey and eagles overhead, crabbers and fisherman plying their trade, other boats transiting the waterway, all amongst bright sunny skies and delightfully calm seas. While this was one of our longest days of the trip (both in terms of miles and time), we thoroughly enjoyed the closing hours of our 1,070 mile journey. We arrived at our new home port, Cocoa Village Marina, late in the afternoon. After getting settled in, a "boat drink" or two and a celebratory dinner, we began the process of packing up and cleaning up before heading home to Orlando. 

We were very fortunate not to have any major "issues" on this trip -- the boat ran exceptionally well, the engines and systems worked flawlessly, we had great weather and sea conditions (with the exception of a couple of days in North Carolina), no one got sick or was injured, and no "courtesy boardings" by the US Coast Guard or other local maritime authorities! Not that I like to measure success by what "didn't" happen, but when traveling on a boat, I've learned to count ALL my blessings! 

Now that we are home (and it is good to be home), the trip becomes a wonderful memory -- not so much about what we did or the places we visited, but of sharing this time and experience together and the many rewards of life on the water. 

For me, it can best be summarized in the Kenny Chesney song, "Boats".

When the sun's at his back and the wind's in his face

It's just him and the wheel

He wouldn't take a million for the way it makes him feel

Boats, 

Vessels of freedom, harbors of healing

Boats.

The best place on earth

Back in the Sunshine State

Please excuse my tardiness in providing an update, but we have been busy having fun!!!

We left Beaufort, SC on Tuesday morning and headed toward Savannah, GA for the day. It was a relatively short trip and the seas and weather conditions were perfect! We arrived fairly early docking ENCORE in a maritime suburb called Thunderbolt and from there staged our visit to Savannah. 

The beautiful homes of Beaufort

Savannah sunset

Thunderbolt Marine - a new favorite

What a great day we had seeing the city on a two hour guided tour, seeing all the historical points of interest, old homes and then visiting the shoppes along the River Walk. From pralines, to sourwood honey, sweet tea, peaches and vadilia onions, we were absorbed in Georgia treats. That evening we dined at the "world famous" Old Pink House, which was both delightful and delicious! There is something to be said for gracious living and southern hospitality. Not to mention, I think I can say I've had my fill of collard greens, grits and buttermilk biscuits!

On Wednesday, we awoke to a complimentary morning newspaper and a box of Krispy Creme Doughnuts on our stern steps. After a cup of hot coffee (and Chai for the Admiral), we were ready to take on anything the day might hand us (sugar highs do that you know). The good news is, we had VERY calm winds and seas as we departed Thunderbolt and headed toward our next port of call at St.Simons, GA. 

We made such good time and the conditions were so favorable, that we contemplated going on but that meant we would have to navigate Jeykll Island Creek at dead low tide. While only a few miles long, this creek is notorious for its very narrow channel and shallow water. Once again, discretion being the better part of valor, I opted to call it day and enjoy the afternoon in St. Simons, GA.

This morning, we left St. Simons and traversed Jeykll Island Creek at HIGH tide and cruised through without a care. Again, the seas were incredibly calm and ENCORE ran beautifully. There were times when we almost felt like we weren't even moving the waters were so placid. I guess this was part of the "payback" from our otherwise difficult cruise conditions when we traveled north in the Spring. 

After another wonderful day on the water (and listening to Radio Margaritaville), we crossed over into the Sunshine State early this afternoon arriving in St. Augustine for the night. After refueling, a quick wash down (for the boat and for me), a cocktail in hand and temperatures back in the 80's, it's starting to feel like home.

Tomorrow, we make our longest (and final) run of the trip to Cocoa, FL and our new "home port" at Cocoa Village Marina. A final update to follow this weekend.

Full moon - St. Augustine, FL

South Carolina Cruising

On Saturday, we had a great day on the water running from Southport, NC to Charleston, SC. The seas were cooperative, the winds moderate, and the Admiral was in a good mood (I consider two out of three as a good day).

Upon arriving in Charleston we were faced with very strong currents at the city "mega-dock" marina (4-6 knots), but with a really good dockhand crew, the Admiral adeptly handling the lines, and the ever-wonderful Zeus pod drives, we docked with ease, refueled and got settled in for a couple of days. 

Now there is a reason they call this a "mega dock" -- not only because it is HUGE (you actually need a golf cart to get from one end to the other), but it routinely docks MEGA yachts. Just to put it in perspective, ENCORE is 45 feet long and 14 feet wide (beam). A typical mega-yacht is over 110 feet long and close to 30 feet wide with a Captain, first mate, engineer and cook employed FULL time!! It's easy to get "boat envy" in such circumstances, but I subscribe to the old adage that "it's not the size of the ship, but the motion of the ocean" that matters. (no comments please)

We spent two wonderful days in Charleston. Shopping along Market Street, enjoying horse drawn carriage rides through historic old town, a day-long visit to Magnolia Plantation & Gardens and their "Autumn on the Ashley" craft fair, and of course lots of delightful "low country" southern cooking including fresh grilled fish, shrimp 'n grits, fried chicken, collard greens, homemade biscuits  and fried greens tomatoes.

Charleston charm

"Welcoming Arms" stairway - Charelton old town

Through the marshland of Magnolia Plantation

On the front porch - Magnolia Plantation

This morning, we awoke to an overcast sky with brisk winds out of the North. Since most of of travel today was "inside" and a fairly well protected section of the ICW (and we were going a relatively short distance), we left Charleston this morning at a very leisurely 9 am. The only downside, was we would traversing some of the narrow and shallow "cuts" between the rivers at dead low tide. Keep in mind the tidal swing in this section of the ICW can be as much as 8 feet! In fact, one such section of water that connects two rivers is called the Ashepoo - Coosaw Cutoff. After SLOWLY passing through water in as little as 5 feet (ENCORE has a 4 foot draft), Rachel decided to rename it the "Assapucker Cutoff". Indeed!

Our destination today was the historic and beautiful waterside town of Beaufort, SC (pronounced "Bew-fert"). Home to some of the most amazing homes (Antebellum style) from both the revolutionary and civil war periods, Beaufort is a real step-back-in-time town. The people here are friendly, proud and very down-home southern. Beaufort is where they shot the movies "Forest Gump", "The Big Chill", "GI Jane" and "The Great Santini".  After another horse drawn carriage ride, a little shopping and a delightful dinner along the waterfront, we ended another great day on the water. 

Tomorrow we plan to head to Savannah, GA. 

Morning fog (and a Pirate Ship!)

Beaufort, SC

The Admiral handling the lines

On The Road (ICW) Again

After three fun-filled days just sitting in the rain, wind and cold in Oriental, NC, we finally got back "on the road" yesterday morning under cloudy skies, a light drizzle, brisk (but tolerable) winds, choppy (but not rough) seas and pointed ENCORE south once again. As we completed our crossing of the "nasty" Neuse River, Rachel declared, "Im done with that". Hmm, looks like I may need a new crew member next year?

As the low pressure system SLOWLY moved to our north, conditions improved gradually through the day. We made excellent time, managed to hit the bridge openings at the right times and pretty much enjoyed the day. Well, almost. 

It seems they are working to repair the Wrightsville Beach Bridge and only open on the hour. We, unfortunately, arrived at 7 minutes after the hour which meant we would be "sitting" for almost another hour until the next opening. ENCORE needs 14 feet 6 inches of clearance to get under a bridge. The Wrightsville Beach Bridge was showing 14 feet of clearance. What to do? While Rachel slowly steered the boat, I climbed up on the roof and removed the antenna affixed to the radar mast. That removed a full three feet of height. We were then able to scoot under the bridge without a problem. Not really sure "The Admiral" approved of my problem solving skills, but it worked and we were soon on our way.

We completed our 8 hour run yesterday in Southport, NC., just off the Cape Fear River (please don't ask me why they call it that, but it's not exactly the most comforting name now is it?). After a great dinner at a local seafood cafe we enjoyed our first night's rest without pouring rain and blustery wind. 

This morning, we awoke to moderate winds, party cloudy skies and very calm seas. The forecast called for continued clearing and warming temperatures. We had an absolutely delightful day on the water, highlighted by one of our very favorite sections of the waterway, the beautiful and meandering Wacama River. The density tree lined river punctuated by the bursts of sun glistening off the water made for a very special and peaceful ride. We finished today in Georgetown, SC.

Tomorrow we head a relatively short distance to Charleston, SC, where we plan to spend a couple of days enjoying the city and taking in some of its rich history and culture.

Nothing better than this!

Here We Sit

When we last updated you, we had arrived in Oriental, NC just east of Cape Hatteras and the Outer Banks. The wind continued to increase throughout the afternoon on Monday as a large low pressure system worked its way further east. Monday night, it brought rain and wind (and a lot of it). Fortunately, we were not on board ENCORE but staying at a small "cottage" at River Dunes Marina. And there we stayed all day Tuesday and Tuesday night as the wind and rain persisted eventually reaching Gale Force status early Wednesday morning.

Upon awakening today, the weather continued to be pretty nasty but the forecast was for "improvement" during the day. In other words, the rain went from torrential downpours to scattered showers and the wind went from 40 mph gusts to 25 mph sustained. We contemplated leaving late this afternoon for a short run to Morehead City, NC, but after talking with the folks there, quickly determined that things had not improved along the ocean. 

Since we are not in any particular hurry on this trip, we opted to stay another night (our third) in Oriental in a well protected and safe harbor. If the forecast for tomorrow holds up (and that's a big "if"), we will leave River Dunes in the morning and make a run to either Wrightsville Beach or Southport, NC. That will be determined in route based on the conditions and the time.

Meanwhile, I sure am glad I stocked on Pinot Grigio for the Admiral and Jack Daniels for me. Maybe tonight I will break out my guitar and we can sign "camp songs" to pass the time. "The answer my friend is blowing in the wind, the answer is blowing in the wind…."

Portsmouth VA to Oriental, NC

First off, we (and the boat) are doing fine despite the VERY nasty storms that battered the east coast last night. I'll tell you more about that later, but first a quick recap of the past few days.

After a wonderful dinner in Portsmouth Sunday night, we left Norfolk Monday morning at Mile Marker "0" of the ICW around 8am. Our destination, Coinjock, NC just 50 miles south. I know that doesn't sound like much (and its not) but this particular stretch of the waterway is filled with lots of low bridges on restricted schedules, a lock, and plenty of "slow speed" zones. As a result, what would normally take us about 90 minutes, actually takes four and half hours. None the less, we had a good trip with lots of other migrating boats. Coinjock is not much more than a pit stop -- fuel, food and supplies, but is always a good place thanks to their on-site restaurant known for their 32oz prime rib (even a double dose of Lipitor couldn't convince me to eat that!).

Great Bridge Lock

Feeding time in Coin Jock

Yesterday, we departed Coinjock bright and early for a 125 mile run to Oriental, NC. The weather forecast was not the best with strong SE winds blowing 15-20 knots. We knew we had a number of open water crossings to make and that the seas would be "on the nose" the entire trip, but if we got an early start, it might not be too bad. While nothing compared to our northbound crossing in April, the Albermarle Sound, Pamlico Sound and Neuse River lived up to their reputation as being some of the nastiest pieces of water on the entire east coast. None the less. we were able to moderate ENCORE's speed and trim to make the passage as pleasant as possible (in other words, tolerant!). 

We arrived in Oriental, NC in the early afternoon at one of our favorite little ports called River Dunes. It is a very protected harbor, in lovely setting amongst the pines. The best part, is it also has a few small, but luxurous "cottages" right at the marina available for rent. As luck would have it, we happened to meet one of the managers of River Dunes at the Annapolis Boat Show last week, who invited us to be his guest if we stopped there on our way south. So last night, as those storms, wind, rain and lightening pummeled the coast, we were safe and comfortable in our little cottage. 

And here we plan to stay for at least one more day until some of this rain moves offshore. 

Waiting out the weather in Oriental, NC

Underway - Headed South

We departed Bay Bridge Marina this morning at 8am under clear skies and light winds. The Chesapeake Bay is a large open body of water which can be easily influenced by wind and weather. With an unusual "Indian Summer" high pressure system sitting over the mid-Atlantic the past few days (it was 87 degrees here today), the Chesapeake Bay today was exceptionally calm. In fact, it was about as calm (flat lake-like calm) as I have ever seen it. 

So while Mother Nature often changes your boating plans because of bad weather, this time she changed our plans because of GOOD weather. As a result of these exceptionally calm sea conditions (and the threat of very strong winds on Sunday afternoon and Monday), we decided to bypass The Tides Inn off the Rappahannock River and run all the way to Norfolk / Portsmouth in one day. It was a delightful first day on the water!

We are also keeping a close eye on Tropical Storm Karen as well as an approaching cold front from the mid-west. Both are expected to impact the northeast region on Monday and Tuesday. Hopefully, by getting a little further south now, we stand a better chance of less rain and wind (although we will no doubt get our share).

Farewell to Maryland

As you know, we have been on the Chesapeake Bay most of the summer, enjoying family, friends and just being back "home" in Maryland. It has been quite a summer filled with reunions, barbecues, day trips, steamed crabs, museums, shopping, and exploring the many wonderful towns and tributaries along the Bay. We have had a great summer and hate to see it come to a close!

With October just a few days away, we are completing the final plans for our southbound return to Florida on the Intracoastal Waterway (which will hopefully be a little more relaxed than our rather adventurous northerly sojourn!). 

Following some final provisioning and engine service, our plan is to get underway next Saturday October 5th from the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Marina.  We expect to take about three weeks to make the trip south this time, with a few two day visits along the way including The Tides Inn at Irvington Virginia, Downtown Charleston South Carolina, and Historic Old Savannah Georgia. We also hope to stop at a couple of our favorite ports and perhaps discover a few new ones. As always, the weather and sea conditions will dictate our days journey and timing, but rest assured we won't be venturing out in 6 foot seas again (at least not intentionally!).

Once we reach Florida, we have decided to dock ENCORE on the "east coast" in Cocoa Beach for a few months. Not only will this location give us some new cruising ground to explore but Cocoa is just an hour drive from our home (versus 2+ hours to Longboat Key). This will make for an easy drive from Orlando for us or if I want to just go to the boat for the day and "putter" (an old nautical term).

If all goes as planned, we will be home around October 21st.

As before, I will provide occasional Captain's Log updates along the way. If you would like to "track us"  on Google Earth in real time or would like to see our route for the day, just click on the link to the right. It is only active while we are actually underway starting October 5th.

A final toast to the great state of Maryland

Sunset ar Baltimore Harbor

Chesapeake Bay provisions!

Havre de Grace at sunrise

An Ocean City "must have"

Davis Pub - Annapolis with the "locals"

Good friends, good times on Kent Island

The Cheasapeake Blue Crab -- the BEST!

Kent Island, MD - Summer Home Port

Well, we did it! Our 1,300 mile boat trip is now complete!!

As you have probably figured out, we opted to stay two days in Portsmouth to allow some of this nasty weather to move around us. We spent yesterday just "puttering" around the boat, running a few errands and walking over to the Portsmouth Naval Museum -- which, while small, was done extremely well. I just love all that maritime stuff!

By waiting a day we had light winds out of the SE today for our 160 mile journey out of Norfolk up the Chesapeake Bay. Actually, it would have more accurate to call it Lake Chesapeake today as the seas were calm and most pleasant. It was indeed a final treat for our final day.

But that's not where the treat ended. It seems my younger brother and his wife (who live just over the Maryland line in Pennsylvania) had been following us in real time on our SPOT tracker, so when were just about 5 miles from our final destination, I got a text that said "Don't eat lunch, we are on our way to meet you -- bringing crab cakes and National Boh". And so, with great enjoyment we all ate on board ENCORE our first Maryland meal with G&M crab cakes (the best!), some champagne and some cold National Boh in the cooler. First class welcome!

I have to take just a moment to thank and acknowledge The Admiral for her very able assistance and companionship over the past two weeks. It's not many women who would put up with all this boating stuff, but fortunately for me, we share a common love of the water, a sense of adventure and genuinely enjoy this special time together. 

So now we have docked ENCORE for the final time (at least for this journey) and are looking forward to our "summer home" here on Kent Island visiting good friends and family. We do plan to travel back and forth from Maryland to Florida (by airplane!) and of course, to Connecticut over the next few months. 

Then….. well, who knows what we'll do next! 

Portsmouth / Norfolk, VA

Finally --a decent day on the water! (but it won't last long).

Today we traveled a mere 50 miles from Coinjock NC to Norfolk, VA. But it took us FIVE HOURS to cover the same distance we could normally do in 90 minutes. The reason is due to one of the most congested areas of the waterway with restricted bridge openings and a lock that only opens hourly on the half hour. So you have to be willing to pace yourself (in other words, slow down) so don't you get to the next bridge opening too early and have to sit around and wait. Then, there are a few places, where you need to make sure you're a little early, as the bridge tenders don't wait for you for even 30 seconds. So it's a bit of a game to navigate each section "just right". Oh yeah, and then there are the 300 foot commercial barges being pushed by 60 foot tugs down a narrow and shallow channel that you have to pass (coming and going).

Looking back on a beautiful day

The Admiral handling the lines at Great Bridge Lock

Even still, the wind inside the ICW today was relatively benign except for those moments when we had to wait our turn to pass under a bridge or enter the lock. And when stopped and waiting, it is easy to drift with the current and the wind requiring constant attention to maneuver the boat back into position. But that is where the coolest piece of technology on ENCORE pays for itself. It is called "Skyhook", which when activated, takes the boats exact GPS position and heading and then automatically "holds" that position without any oversight or manual intervention from the Captain. It makes the waiting a whole lot easier and less stressful, not to mention the "wow factor" by other boaters who see us basically hover in the water.

So now we are tied up at the Tidewater Yacht Basin on the Portsmouth side of the city. Based on the forecast for tomorrow however (strong winds and rain all day with 3 head foot seas), I think we may just stay and two nights here before our final long 160 mile run up the Chesapeake Bay. The forecast for Wednesday is for light and variable winds out of the south with waves 1 foot or less -- and that would be a really nice reward for our final day.

Looking toward Norfolk and the Elizabeth River from Portsmouth

Coinjock, NC

After a great dinner at the River Dunes Club, the Admiral thoroughly enjoyed her "land side" night in the marina cottage complete with king size bed, a big soaking tub, HDTV, and no wave action (or any other kind of action). It's a good thing too, because today she had to endure one of the worst days yet!

First of all. I want to assure all of you, that while we never in any danger today, we had one of the most unpleasant trips from Oriental NC to Coinjock NC. I am sure you are ALL getting rather weary of our "lousy weather" reports and conditions, but this is one for the record books and WILL NOT be repeated by this Captain again. 

Knowing that that the forecast winds and seas were to continue to be out of the NE at 20-25 knots with gusts to 35 knots, we decided to try and get out ahead of the worst of it early this morning. As we entered the open waters of the Neuse River we were greeted with 3-5 foot waves right on the nose. We were only out in it for about 7 miles (with seas splashing not only over the bow, but over the entire boat) when I seriously contemplated something I have never done before -- turning around. I asked the Admiral how she was doing and what she thought we should do -- maybe it was the nice bath and good night's rest the night before, but she said, "whatever you want to do, I am fine". 

And so we persevered on, knowing that there were a number of places ahead where we would be in well protected waters and calm seas. But that didn't last long when we finally had to cross Albermarle Sound - a notorious nasty body of water. Today, it was very rough, very angry, and very unpleasant. Even the Captain got a little "green" but managed to keep it together.

But we finally made it to Coinjock, NC -- perhaps the most unusual, smallest, best equipped, great little restaurant, funky marina along the entire route of the ICW. The restaurant is known for their 32 oz prime rib, but I think tonight, given the days adventure calls for something a little more "moderate" -- like maybe 16 oz?

Oriental, NC

Good grief!

Another day of strong winds out of the NE, which meant rough seas on our nose all day long. Some of the protected waterway was quite tolerable, but much of the open rivers and sounds continued to beat us up. Even the local folks throughout the Carolinas can't believe how miserable (and how long) the wether has been,

We left Wrightsville Beach, NC this morning at 730am trying to plan our travel to hit the three bridges (with restricted times) that we needed to have opened "right on time". Between the distance between the points, the speed of the boat, the winds and the number of boats on the ICW (even on a lousy weather Saturday) that we had to slow down for, it was indeed a challenge. But make them we did, and with as much a 5 minutes to spare! 

One of the more interesting places we crossed today was the LIVE FIRING RANGE at Camp Lejune. This is where they fire real munitions over the ICW to hit practice targets on the outer reef islands. Large warning signs, flashing lights and well armed patrol boats always make this section of the waterway a bit surreal. Fortunately, today we went through without issue and without any "close calls"!!!!

One of the more "challenging" moments was after we passed Moorehead City, NC and had to traverse a narrow cut between Beaufort and Oriental. When we travel at "idle speed" ENCORE typicallly moves at about 6 mph. Today, the tide in that cut was coming in at max flood, which meant for us the current was running against us at about 4 knots. The wind was also blowing on the bow at 20 knots, which created an additional opposing force. So as we had to navigate much of the cut at "IDLE SPEED - NO WAKE ZONE" -- the boat was actually sitting still, if not going backwards!!! Needless to say, I quickly determined that today was a "screw the no wake zone" kind of day and increased the throttle enough to at least move through at 6 mph. 

As we entered the Neuse River, we were once again faced with head seas, rain and strong winds out of the NE that caused us to take the course at a much slower, but more tolerable pace. The boat was covered in salt spray and we were both exhausted from the days travel. 

But the reward is a wonderful first class marina called River Dunes in Oriental, NC, where we have tied up for the night. We plan to enjoy some cocktails in the club house watching the Kentucky Derby and dinner overlooking the river.

And as a little "thank you" to the Admiral for the past week of putting up with all this, I booked a "marina cottage" for the night  -- on dry land, with a nice bath tub, big comfy bed and no sounds from the waves or marina. Now, I just have to hope she let's me join her! 

Tomorrow we head for Coinjock NC. Yes, Coinjock :)

Wrightsville Beach, NC

We had a delightful dinner last night in Georgetown, SC at a local restaurant called the Rice Paddy. No, it wasn't asian, but was actaully very "southern" with wonderful local fresh seafood dishes complimented with homemade cornbread and creamy cheese grits. Yummy!

This morning we awoke to light rain and overcast grey skies, but the winds had diminished somewhat from yesterday. While the forecast called for continued strong winds (ENE at 15-20 knots with gust to 30 knots), the morning was calmer and gave us a window to head up Winyah Bay and into the Wacama River. While not as pleasant as it might have been with sunny skies, there was still something magical about the Wacama River, the sprawling cypress tree swamps and the peace and solitude of the meandering waterway. 

The beautiful Wacama River

We then worked our way through Myrtle Beach, Little River, past Southport and then finally up the Cape Fear River -- which fully lived up to its name today, as we faced 6 foot head seas and wind for about 15 unpleasant miles. Then, once we cut back east and onto the narrow ICW, life returned to "normal" finally arriving in Wrightsville Beach about 6 hours later.

As we have traveled north, it has gotten a little bit "cooler" each day. Tonight, we actually have the heat on as it is 58 degrees with NNE winds at 12 knots. This is MAY, right? 

Tomorrow we head for Oriental, NC some 135 miles north. 

Georgetown, SC

Do we stay or do we go? Will the winds be better or worse tomorrow? If we leave early in the morning, can we get ahead of the storms? If we wait, are we willing to wait until Sunday when the weather is supposed to clear? Do we have enough Jack Daniels and wine on board? These are just a few of the many questions we pondered last night before calling it a night. 

The answers were -- we go, about the same, most likely, no, of course.

So this morning we left Harbor Town Yacht Basin (Hilton Head) at 730am and started our journey toward Georgetown, SC. about 160 miles north The winds were not too bad early this morning but like yesterday, got progressively worse during the day. Steady NE winds at 15-20 knots with gust to 35 knots. We only had a few "open" sounds and rivers to navigate, so as long as we could manage them, the rest of the ICW was reasonably well protected. 

Open water run

Some rough seas

I must confess, the boat did very well in some pretty ugly conditions. Being built in Maine as an coastal "downeast" cruiser, ENCORE is well designed to handle some pretty rough seas. It is a matter of selecting the right speed, trim tabs and angle of wave attack to make it tolerable. Now don't get me wrong, it is still a rough ride but NOTHING compared to some other boats I have been on or owned over the years. Sabre makes a very seaworthy vessel and she has shown her worth the past few days. Oh yeah, did I mention that the Admiral has been beyond helpful, supportive and most encouraging? I am a fortunate Captain!

So now, after dinner, a few drinks and some time to let the day's travels mellow a bit it's that time once again to ask the question -- Do we stay or do we go……..?

Stay tuned… more to come.

Hilton Head, SC

Wow… what a day!

Last night while we were in Fernandina Beach, the talk on the docks was all about the forecast incoming "brisk" winds from the NE. As is often the case, NOAA doesn't always get it right, but this time they were spot on! This morning (at 630am) we awoke to strong winds coming offshore toward the land. Under normal circumstances, that wouldn't be a big deal as the ICW is often well protected from the elements. But today, our route took us through four different open inlets and sounds fully exposed to the Atlantic Ocean -- and the "brisk" wind. Which for those of you so nautically inclined, it was blowing at 18-20 knots with gusts to 30 knots. 

That resulted in seas that ranged from a "light chop" in the protected ICW to 4 foot angry seas right on our nose. We adjusted our speed and angle of attack accordingly, but even then, we were taking seas and spry over the bow. Thank goodness for a well built boat capable of handling such conditions, not to mention a very supportive and helpful Admiral in the navigation seat! 

Needless to say, we were delighted to finally reach Hilton Head, SC some 7 hours laters -- come to think of it, we actually ran through the entire state of Georgia in just one day! It was a meandering day going north, west, east and even south at times. 

Upon arriving at the Hilton Head Yacht Basin, ENCORE drank up 180 gallons of diesel fuel followed by a thorough washing from stem to stern. Tonight we are looking forward to a relaxing evening at the Topside Restaurant overlooking Calabouge Sound. 

Oh yeah, we are docked about a 9 iron away from the 18th green of the Harbor Town Golf Club, home of the RBC Classic.

We haven't made a final decision about tomorrow quite yet. The forecast calls for the winds increasing, so unless we can stay inside the well protected ICW, we might opt for another day in Hilton Head.

More to come….

Fernandina Beach, FL

Last night In Daytona Beach we were treated to some fierce thunderstorms just as we were were going to bed. Rain, lightening, thunder and strong wind. While a bit "disturbing" on a boat, it eventually passed and we got a good nights rest.

We left this morning with overcast skies and a slight drizzle which gave way to sunshine and blue skies as we progressed north.

I was a bit concerned this morning that the Admiral might take advantage of being so close to "home", but I think by waking her at sunrise, she was in too much of a stupor to call her dear friend to come and get her! It wash't until we were well underway that she realized she missed her opportunity for mutiny! 

Our day on the water was simply delightful! We had light winds and very calm seas the entire route. It was one of the "picture perfect" days on the water. We arrived in Fernandina Beach (Amelia Island) about 3pm this afternoon, gave ENCORE a quick wash down, and then spent the rest of the afternoon strolling around the charming historic town. We have never stopped here before but I think we have found a new "favorite" spot along the ICW.

The forecast is calling for strong east winds (15-20 knots) to build during the day tomorrow. Since our route takes is into a couple of open sounds / inlets on the Atlantic Ocean, we are going to get and early start in the morning to try and beat some of the incoming weather and sea conditions. Our planned stop for tomorrow is Harbor Town on Hilton Head Island, some 155 miles to the north.

Daytona Beach, FL

It's a sort of crazy and a little bit frustrating to think we left Orlando last Thursday, drove to Longboat Key, traveled on the boat for 3 days some 400 miles and tonight we are in Daytona Beach, less than 45 minutes from home?!?!  But the good news is, we ARE now officially on the east coast and headed north on the Intercoastal Waterway!

Knowing we had a long day ahead, we left Stuart this morning at 7:15am.  After a short 8 mile run down the St. Lucie River, we turned north on the ICW. The winds were quite strong today at 15-17 knots out of the the SE -- which meant the winds were "at our backs" and gave us delightful following seas the entire day. It was a great day on the water filled with dolphins, manatees, eagles and butterflies. There were lots of places where we had to go slow… really slow. No wake zones, manatee zones, marina safety zones… it was a zone filled day! 

We arrived in Daytona Beach 9 hours after we started the day this morning, washed the salt spray off ENCORE (and ourselves) and enjoyed a nice dinner at the Chart House. Now, it's time to review the next day's routing, watch a little TV and then early to bed.

Approaching St. Augustine

Okeechobee Waterway, FL

We left Fort Myers this morning at 730am (a tad bit early for the Admiral but she was none the less cooperative), and headed east across the Okeechobee Waterway. We had brisk winds our of the ESE but other than the actual lake crossing, it really wasn't all that bad. We navigated all five locks successfully, and except for a brief delay at Port St. Lucie, we timed our arrivals and lock openings perfectly. 

After almost 8 hours on the water, we arrived in Stuart for the night. After refueling ENCORE, a good dinner at Sailor's Return, along with a couple of Jack's for me and wine for the Admiral, it will be early to bed to night. Tomorrow, is one of our longest milage days as we head for Daytona Beach some 160 miles north. 

Inside the Lock

Flooding the lock - +8 feet

The Captain waiting on the next lock

Fort Myers, FL

We said farewell to Longboat Key this morning and started our journey north (well, actually we have to go south first, then east and THEN we go north). Anyway, winds were brisk at 10-12 knots but coming from the east so I expected the shoreline would protect us from unpleasant seas in the Gulf of Mexico. Well, I was partially right. As long as we stayed relatively close to the shore (less than half a mile), the ride was bumpy but not bad. Problem was, we had to go out pretty far to clear the Boca Grand sea buoy, so those 20-30 miles weren't so "grand". We had 2-3 foot head seas with a fair amount of spray over the bow. None the less, ENCORE handled it with grace and style -- and so did the Admiral!

Upon arriving at Fort Myers Yacht Basin, I discovered that their docks were permanent concrete and pretty high from the waterline. Realizing that we are dealing with an extreme lunar tide this week, it occurred to me that the only way the Admiral would be able to get off the boat at low tide was with a ladder. Fortunately, there was another marina just to the west that had floating docks (which rise and fall with the tide) and they were able to offer us dockage for the night. Phew… that was close!

Tomorrow we transit the Okeechobee Waterway. It is 130 miles from our current location to the other side in Stuart. We will go through five locks -- the first three locks "lift" us up a total of 16 feet before crossing Lake Okeechobee (about 35 miles across). We will then go through two more locks that "lower" us back down another 16 feet to join the Atlantic Intercoastal Waterway. Forecast is for winds out of the SE tomorrow at 12-15 knots. Other than the actual lake crossing we are basically riding in a manmade ditch that is well protected. Well protected may not be the best choice of words since it is full of alligators and Florida crackers (a.k.a. Rednecks). If we don't make it to the other side, be sure and look for us on the next episode of Swamp People.

If all goes to plan, we will be enjoying dinner at one of our favorite restaurants tomorrow night, appropriately named, "Sailors Return".

Leaving Longboat Key

After an unexpected delay in our original departure date, we are finally getting our journey to Maryland underway. It appears that the weather and seas will be in our favor at the start so we plan to make a few "long runs" over the next few days. 

In addition to our final provisioning and safety checks for the trip, I spent a good part of today doing a final check-out of all the systems. I was fortunate to have the able help of my "almost 90" year old Dad, who quite honestly, is responsible for my love of boating in the first place.  It was a fun few hours together … and the price was right too!

For those of you interested in the more technical kind of stuff, ENCORE is equipped with twin 380 hp Cummins diesel engines, that are designed to run at 2800 RPM -- which is 80% of power (load) at cruise speed. At that RPM, ENCORE burns 28 gallons / hour while moving through the water at 30 mph (which is considered pretty fast!). The engine drive shafts are attached to matching Mercury Marine Zeus pod drives with counter-rotating props. These are independent turning pods that allow for better running efficiency and more control when turning and docking. We have a 11.5 kw generator on board that powers all the AC electrical systems when not connected to shore power.  

Tomorrow we will depart Longboat Key and work our way to Fort Myers where we will stay one night before crossing the state through the Okeechobee Waterway. The forecast for tomorrow calls for winds out of the East at 8-10 knots so I expect to run outside in the Gulf of Mexico a good portion of the day before cutting back inside at Red Fish Pass (Captiva) and through Pine Island Sound. It will be about 100 mile run to Fort Myers.

If you are interested in following us on Google Earth, you can click the link on this page which will take you to the SPOT tracker page. While ENCORE is actually underway, it will leave a "trail" every 10 minutes as to our position. You can see our location in either a standard map or satellite view (select view in upper right hand corner of web page).

We are both really looking forward to being back on the water, enjoying the beauty and serenity of our surroundings, and appreciating the opportunity to spend this time together. 

Away we go!

Heading North on the ICW

We had planned to take our boat on a couple of extended trips this winter in the warm southern waters of Florida and the Bahamas but due to some unexpected family events, those plans had to be scuttled. Now, as Spring approaches, we have decided to cast our eyes toward more northerly climes, seeking out cooler summer weather and hopefully out of harms way for what is expected to be a robust "hurricane season" here in the tropics.

We plan to depart Longboat Key on April 20th and begin our sojourn to the Chesapeake Bay where m/v ENCORE will spend the summer on Kent Island Maryland. Having made this trip a number of times before, we are looking forward to visiting a few of our favorite places on the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) as well as discovering some new ports of call along the way. The trip will span some 1300+ miles and should take us about two weeks -- provided we don't get waylaid due to weather or mechanical issues!

For the next two weeks, ENCORE will be going through the necessary service intervals for the engines, drivetrains, generator, air conditioning, water and electric systems. All of the electronic charts have already been updated, the radar calibrated, radios checked, emergency life raft re-certified, ditch bag repacked, and all the necessary Coast Guard requirements met (yes, you really have to do all that stuff before venturing out on the water too far!)

We will soon do our provisioning and final checklist before casting off on the 20th. I will keep you updated as we get underway! You can "follow us" by clicking the LIVE TRACKING icon ion the right side of this page. It will be active whenever we are underway.