Ready To Go

     After a good time at the SSCA (Seven Seas Cruisers Association) Annapolis Gam Weekend, it's time to go. We met a few friends, and made some new ones. We found a good deal on some used stuff at the SSCA flea market and learned a few things at the mini-sessions. Stacie got a few good shots and they've been shared on the Lasata Facebook page. 

     I've plotted the first few hours of our trip for tomorrow, and am looking forward to making Norfolk VA as soon as possible. The weather forecast is favorable, and we have new sails and plenty of fuel. The only decision at this hour is whether to go straight to Norfolk / Hampton VA or make our way into the small anchorage at Solomons to meat up with a few cruisers we met today. 

     We'll be turning the Spot Tracker on in the morning, so stay tuned, we'll be updating soon. 

Almost ready again

We had such a great time of it last year, we're doing it again. 
The time spent going south last year was a comprehensive mix of many emotions and experiences. Slightly bored at times, slightly lost at times, completely tired at times, miserably cold at times, completely content many times, awestruck by the sights (both good and bad) at other times, and all the time learning. The experience was wonderful, and we're doing it again this year; differently! 

First of all, I'll say that everyone going south for the winter by boat should try the ICW at least once in each direction. That said, I'll probably choose to take coastal hops of 24 to 36 hours at a time going forward. Our tentative schedule this year is to meet up at the SSCA Gam near Annapolis the last few days of September, then head off and be in Florida before November 15th. 

The following is a rough idea of the days we'll be on the move. Remember we'll be using a Spot Communicator for those of you who have the URL. If interested drop me a note or make a comment here on the blog and I'll get the link out to you. 
Schedule: 

• Sep 29 - Leave South River for Reedville or Deltaville Virginia. 
• Oct  01 - Leave Reedville or Deltaville Virginia for Portsmouth Virginia. 
• Oct  04 - Leave Portsmouth Virginia for Grandy North Carolina via the Virginia Cut.
• Oct  05 - Leave Grandy North Carolina for Dowry Creek North Carolina. 
• Oct  06 - Leave Dowry Creek North Carolina for Oriental North Carolina. 
• Oct  07 - Leave Oriental North Carolina for Beaufort North Carolina (spend the week).
• Oct  19 - Leave Beaufort North Carolina for Charleston South Carolina (anchor a couple days) 
• Oct  24 - Leave Charleston South Carolina for Amelia Island Florida (City Marina for a few days)
• Oct  30 - Leave Amelia Island Florida for Lake Worth or Ft Lauderdale (arrive Nov 4th for the season). 

** Like I said before, this schedule is subject to change at anytime**

A few new things / boat maintenance

So what have we been doing since returning from our trip? Well we got back to the Chesapeake Bay and spent July 4th weekend at Lasata's summer home Scuttle Butt marina, Cobb Island. 

We had a couple improvement projects in mind for for our trip south this year: 
- New Cabin Sole, deck.

- New Remote mic for the VHF (Newer model VHF for better AIS)

- New Para Anchor (WWII style direct from 1943) with cool RIT Deployment bag. 

- New 150% Genoa. 
- Added ventilation. 

Back in the Chesapeake Bay

Lots of rain and wind along the way;
So we've made it into the Chesapeake for the 4th of July. Lasata is in her temporary slip in Cobb Island, near a friends boat. It's a bit far from Annapolis for my taste, but it is in an inexpensive place and we have may have access to a good workspace and tools.

Taking 5 days to run up the ICW we encountered lots of rain and wind along the way (every day!).
With stops in Belhaven, Alligator River Marina, Elizabeth City, and on the Dismal Swamp; we can say we did the ditch (mostly) both ways. As for next year, it't going to be mostly coastal. And yes, we are potentially looking for crew and buddy boats.

Final leg (2012-2013) ICW Trip

We're Back on the boat

After a long month away, we woke up on the boat this morning and bummed a ride to "The Bean" in Oriental, NC. Though, like Stacie, they don't cook much we had a nice cup of coffee and watched as a Shrimp Boat came in to off load it's catch. ...I guess we'll be having shrimp tonight?

Off loading the catch

 

The Bean

Planning & Working

Or as one of our friends we met along the way calls it "...that's logistics..." Any way you slice it, or what ever you call it; doing the ICW and the trip up and down the coast the way we do it requires lots of patience and planning. Neither of which do I have a continual reserve of...

As it turns out one project I am on is winding down the current phase, and another project I am working on will probably not start up again for a couple weeks. This should give us the time to quickly move the boat to Norfolk and the southern Chesapeake Bay. Who knows, maybe we'll do the Fourth of July Fireworks near the Naval Base in Norfolk?

Back; only for the moment.

Well, we're back in body but not in spirit. After 190+ days, we find ourselves in Annapolis, MD. Leaving the boat temporarily in Oriental, NC Stacie and I have some business to attend to. I think Stacie might even miss the simpler "boat life" already.

Our plan is to finish up our obligations ASAP and head back to the boat. We're unsure how we will do this at the moment. We might fly down to Key West and retrieve the car left behind and drive to Oriental, NC. Or we might just go directly to the boat and fly down for the car later? In either case our intention is to run the boat up through the Dismal Swamp route and be back in the Chesapeake by July 4th weekend.

Once in the Chesapeake Bay, we hope to make the best use of our time here and take a few trips around the bay with some friends. With all the updates and repairs made on our trip down the coast, the bay should be a breeze!

Meanwhile, here are a few photos of our trip up from Fernandina Beach, FL:

Amelia Island Light

Stacie and I left from Amelia Island early in the morning, and soon heard from one of our fellow snow birds (Ladd & Denise from Blue), and we went through the night up the coast to Charleston, SC. After a quick dinner in town we retired to Lasata for the night and departed early in the morning heading for Wilmington, NC.



Sunset at Winyah Bay

Dredging at Carolina Beach

 After leaving Carolina Beach & Wilmington, NC we had a great run up to Oriental, NC. with lots of interesting sights along the way. For example:

Huge helicopter from Camp Legune

 

This'd be a great investment along the ICW. 

 

Can't wait to get back to NC and the boat!

On the way back to the Chesapeake

Well, we are on our way back... slowly toward Annapolis. We spent two days going to Miami from the Keys to pick up crew. Eventually we made our way off shore from Ft. Lauderdale going north in the Gulf Stream.

After 24 hours in pounding waves and very large swells due to a North Wind, Casey and I decided it is best to just head back toward Ft Pierce. Being met by the US Coast Guard, we found slightly smoother water and were on our way, following our sloooooow track "coastal" northward.

The morning of the fourth day, we found our way to the Fernandina Beach inlet (against the early morning current). Heavy winds, big boats, and a leaky water pump didn't dissuade the crew and we had a great arrival. Now everyone has gone their separate ways and Stacie and I are left to get the boat ready for the run to Charleston, SC and onward to North Carolina.

By the way, we did finish up our boat lettering. Here is what the finished product looks like:

Now that's more like it!

New lettering

Getting ready to head north up the coast. Decided to freshen up the transome with new lettering.