Nellie D.'s Cruising Log

Journey's End--Naples!

2011-11-23T20:21:00.001-05:00

Day #34: To cover the 76nm to Naples and arrive during daylight hours we had to weigh anchor at 0420 this morning. Since Bicki's at the helm I'm relegated to foredeck duty. Usually I'm fine with this. Today, not so much. The noseeums had massed, sensing, perhaps, breakfast. Not only do the beasties have big teeth but good memories too; last time we anchored here I was breakfast. While I'd forgotten the chainmail I settled for a long sleeved shirt, jeans, socks, gloves, and a noseeum bridal veil held in place with a ball cap. Hey, don't laugh, this outfit is all the rage among us hehene matadors--¡ole!
There's something magical about being at sea beneath a full canopy of stars. It was hard not to look up even though crab pot watch demanded our full attention. The seas were as calm as only the Gulf of Mexico can be. Just to make things a little more exciting, Mother Nature brewed up a squall, pictured above, and had it race us to the dock. We won.
It took 203 engine hours to cover the 1320nm from Church Creek to Naples, FL. By all accounts a great trip. DBH

Shark River

2011-11-23T10:20:00.000-05:00

Day#33: The Hehene Coast is what we euphemistically called the waters off San Blas, Mexico. That was after a friend grew to Michelin Man dimensions from a multitudein of hehene bites. Hehene, you see, is Spanish for noseeum, and by any name, a miserable creature. In fact, that's why I sit here now, in the dark, all windows closed tightly, although the cabin temperature is in the high 80s, and cower in fear. We are in the middle of Florida's Hehene Coast, more popularly known as the Everglades. Tonight's anchorage in the Little Shark River is about as far from civilization as you can get in Florida--40nm from both the Keys and Marco Island. This estuary is a gateway to Florida's Tenthousand Islands. Today's picture is of Bicki exploring the area aboard her 'African Queen'.

It was a nice 39nm run from Long Key to Little Shark River. The east winds pushed us along but created white caps and lumpy seas around Cape Sable. Rounding the Cape put us in the lee and the waters calmed dramatically. It's a birthday of sorts for Nellie, she just went over 5000 hours of being underway, 3000 of that since we've owned her. For this trip there are 1244nm under the keel so far. DBH

Shallow

2011-11-21T19:41:00.000-05:00

Day #32: We're cruising in the Keys! The water is 80F, warmer even than the air, and a beautiful green-blue. On a map the Keys look simply like a long chain of islands. But cruising in the area you learn that there's a huge difference between the Keys' Atlantic and Gulf sides. Most notably, how shallow and calm the Gulf side is. That's why we're cruising on the Gulf side. The depth sounder never got above 9' and most of the time it showed 6' or less. This water is too shallow for big boats which is why they transit on the Atlantic side. It's nice to only draw 3'-6".

Today's picture shows Mini-Ne keeping track of our position while worming through the shallows. We dropped the hook off Long Key after a relaxing 54nm run. We're up to 1204nm for the trip.

Moving

2011-11-20T20:55:00.000-05:00

Day#31: Our book fair comes to an end after attending three more sessions this morning. Then, with the winds back under 20kts, but not by much, we head Nellie south into Biscayne Bay. Leaving Miami with only 3 hours until civil twilight we still managed to make 20nm before dropping the hook off Elliott Key. Today's picture is sunset in the Keys. We're up to 1150nm on the trip. DBH

Longitude

2011-11-20T00:19:00.000-05:00

Day #30: One of the things I enjoy most about cruising is the connection with the past. For example, much of our understanding of the night sky comes from the work of early navigators who were simply trying to figure out where they were. Using the north star they could determine latitude, i.e. their distance north of the equator, with great accuracy. To make landfall in Veracruz, Mexico, a Spaniard sailing from Seville would head south until the north star was 19 degrees above the horizon and then head due west. The only problem with this solution is that the sailor had no idea how close he was to Veracruz--in other words, his longitude remained a mystery. It wasn't until the British, in the 18th century, developed the chronometer (i.e. the watch) that the problem of longitude was solved. Dava Sobel's Longitude is an excellent book which covers this entire topic. It was therefor a great pleasure to hear Dava speak at a session of today's Miami Book fair.

We did a 10nm cocktail cruise of Miami harbor today; sure is a pretty place. Total mileage is 1129nm thus far. DBH

Wind and Rain

2011-11-18T22:43:00.001-05:00

Day #29: Knowing there was severe weather coming, last night we dropped the hook in an anchorage known as Marine Stadium. We then settled in and waited for the gale to arrive. Still calm at midnight we gave up and went to bed. This morning it was gray and overcast but Nellie sat in calm waters. It wasn't until we heard a radio report about Miami's on-going gale that it dawned on us how good the anchorage really was. We were being completely sheltered from both wind and waves. Priceless.

So how hard was it blowing and raining? The picture of Ann Howard, Bicki, and Susan Howell was taken while lunching outdoors, but under a large cover. Obviously it was a damp affair.

Three nautical miles today to get into Miamarina in downtown Miami, FL. A total of 1119nm under the keel. DBH

El Dorado!

2011-11-17T17:59:00.002-05:00

Day #28: The ICW between Ft. Lauderdale and Miami is like Venice's Grand Canal--without the quaintness, ancient structures and gondolas. Actually it's a very scenic, narrow waterway chock-a-block with houses and condos. We must be in south Florida because for the first time since leaving Maryland the translucent blue-green water is clear enough to see the white sandy bottom.

For Spanish Conquistadors El Dorado was a fabled golden city--while never found, those who looked were sure it was just over the next mountain or around the next river bend. Today we arrived at our El Dorado, aka Miami. Ok, so it may lack the majesty, but hey, by aiming our sights lower, we actually found it!

When we started this trek 28 days ago, the goal was to be in Miami for the book fair that starts tomorrow. Now we're at anchor just 1-1/2nm southeast of the mark. 31nm today and 1116nm total.

Errands

2011-11-16T19:56:00.001-05:00

Day #27: Our intentions were good: a quick run to West Marine and then continue the journey south. West Marine is a short bus ride away and we got there two minutes after their doors opened at 9 am. The thing about Ft. Lauderdale is that everything, boat wise, is available here, but maybe not in the first place you check. Sure enough, our broken little paddle wheel, which tells us how fast we're moving through the water, wasn't available at West Marine but they recommended we go visit Electronics Unlimited. This brings up another great thing about Ft. Lauderdale, everything is fairly close together. So, a short walk later we find ourselves talking to Captain Henry, who, after 35 years as a yacht skipper, had swallowed the anchor and found work ashore. During the course of our hour long conversation I asked if he could recommend a cocktail cruise route through Miami. His eyes lit up and then with an efficiency only years of practice can hone he laid out a fun and interesting trip. Oh yea, he found the paddle wheel we needed too. By now the sun was fully on the yardarm and any thoughts of continuing south forgotten. Lunch, a nice walk along the beach, and then just hanging out aboard Nellie did in the rest of the day. We'll move south tomorrow, maybe.

As the picture shows, we're still in the very comfortable mooring field in Las Ollas, Ft. Lauderdale, FL. 0nm today and 1085nm so far. DBH.

OMG

2011-11-15T19:57:00.000-05:00

Day #26: In the picture above, see that little 100'+ yacht on the far left? Pity its owner. He's rich--but lives in the land of the really, really rich. Here 200' yachts fill marinas. Welcome to Palm Beach! Mega Yacht marinas and mansions line the ICW from here to Miami. If Disney World and Architectual Digest teamed up, this stretch of water would be the result.

Not 500 yards from the heart of Ft. Lauderdale beach is the Las Olas mooring field. Its 10 moorings are highly coveted and can rarely be found vacant. Well, guess what? Yup, here we sit, surround by palm trees, a warm breeze blowing, and wondering how we got so lucky! 44nm today and 1085nm so far. DBH

Moving

2011-11-14T20:05:00.002-05:00

Day #25: This must be what a delivery trip feels like; off at dawn (the picture is the proof) we dropped the hook just north of Palm Beach, FL, at sunset. Just a lot of pointing the nose south today. 69nm today and 1041nm for the trip. DBH

Picnic

2011-11-13T20:28:00.002-05:00

Day #24: "The day you buy a boat it begins to sink--how quickly is a matter of the maintenance practices." This, and other words of wisdom, percolated-up at today's Waterway Radio Cruising Club (WRCC) picnic. The members of this club bridge what otherwise are two disparate hobbies: cruising and amateur radio. One thing for sure, they're a fascinating bunch. One couple is on their way to Georgetown, Bahamas, making this their 21st winter cruising there. Rick Muething, who sailed his boat from California to Florida via the Panama Canal, is the developer of Winmor (which enables email via ham radio). Many of the attendees we knew by voice only, it was nice to finally meet them face to face.

Florida, perhaps justifiably so, is the butt of many jokes; a fair proportion focused on its large senior citizen population. For example: 'Florida, God's waiting room.'; or, 'Florida's number one imports? Old people and empty coffins.'; finally, 'You know you're in Florida by its drivers: two hands gripping the wheel; blue hair barely visible above the seat; and driving 35mph in the interstate's left lane--with the turn signal blinking incessantly.'. It was while listening to a local FM radio station today that got me thinking about Florida and its seniors. The station was playing 'easy listening' a euphemism for old folks' music. But it was the music from my youth: ELO, Beatles, Beach Boys, Queen, etc. Oh, oh, ...

We've dropped the hook just north of the Sebastian Inlet. The inlet is about halfway between Melbourne and Vero Beach, FL. 20nm today and 971nm for the journey. DBH

Hamsters

2011-11-12T22:21:00.001-05:00

Day #23: After filling the fuel tanks and emptying the holding tank we escape the comforts of Cape Canaveral marina life. Vero Beach was a long 60nm away, doable, but not meant to be.

Ham radio has always been a big part of our cruising life. In Mexico we regularly checked into three morning nets. We'd speak to friends back in the US and keep track of cruising friends as they circumnavigated. Aboard Nellie we have a nice ham shack. One of the radios is interfaced to the shipboard GPS and sends out our position report every three minutes. This same radio supports the ham version of 'texting'. With our high frequency radio we've been checking in with the Waterway Radio Cruising Club (WRCC) almost every day since we left home. In short there's no end to the many different ways to communicate aboard Nellie.

So this afternoon were chugging along and I'm ham-texting with a friend in Melbourne, FL when another friend, Terry, calls me on the VHF radio. Terry is from Western Florida and I was surprised to hear him. Turns out he's here in Melbourne for tomorrow's Waterway Cruising Club's (WRCC) Annual picnic. How serendipitous. We just couldn't pass up an opportunity to finally put faces with the voices we've been hearing for so long on the radio.

It was a short 21nm day that brought us to the anchorage off Eau Gallie, FL, but it puts our total at 952nm under the keel thus far. DBH

New Toy

2011-11-11T22:44:00.000-05:00

Day #22: Lots of chores got done today. The most work was getting the toilets new 20' long hose snaked back through the boat. Now with a rebuilt vacuum pump, rebuilt head, and a new hose connecting the two all is right with the world again--at least today ;-)

Today's picture is of the devastation caused by the installation of a new piece of electronics. The Garmins, acting as multifunction displays, cut down on the visible clutter in the wheelhouse, but do nothing to help with the 'behind the scenes' clutter. In fact, because they're so versatile, they make the 'behind the scenes' clutter worse as there's always just one more thing to be digitized. Today's effort was the beginning of getting the Garmins to display engine RPMs, voltage, temperature, oil pressure, and transmission oil pressure. I find that working with sensitive electronics is best done while consuming beer...

Still in the Harbortown Marina Canaveral, FL. 0 miles today and 930nm thus far.

Errands

2011-11-10T23:56:00.001-05:00

Day #21: When a car is made available after three weeks cruising, we go shopping. Top of Bicki's list was a new cap for an aching tooth. It took all day but she's good to go now. Bsides the dentist, we visited Noland Engineering. Noland makes the RS11, a circuit card that will allow Nellie to display engine data (rpm, water temp, oil pressure, etc.) on her Garmin displays. The advantage of this is that all nqvigation and engine data are displayed on the same screens. Truth be told you also get 'cool points' for having all the data in one place.

Today's picture is of John Mackie with one of the four iron fuel tanks, removed from his LNVT, which he's repaired. John's been insisting that it's possible to repair the rusting 23+ year old tanks. I have to admit the tanks do look good.

Still in Harbortown Marina Canaveral, FL. 0nm today and 930 total.

Lazy Day

2011-11-09T21:28:00.001-05:00

Day # 20: It was nice not be in a hurry this morning. Harbortown Marina, where we'll hole up for the next two days, is only 3 miles away. So, reading and a few chores occupied us fully. When the winds piped up to about 20kts we weighed anchor and moved on.

Marinas are a necessary evil. There we can plug into120v power, get water and do the laundry. It's also a good time for boat projects.

Just down the dock from us is John William, a 37' LNVT, owned by John and Sue Mackie. The Mackie's are always very gracious. This evening they had us over for dinner. The picture above shows John, Sue and Lucy receiving the coveted LNVT Traveling Gull trophy.

At the dock in Harbortown Canaveral Marina, Cape Canaveral, FL. A whooping 3nm today and 930nm total.

Duck Bill

2011-11-08T20:14:00.000-05:00

Day #19: What does the term 'duck bill' or 'joker valve' bring to mind? If you're a cruiser you're rolling your eyes and moaning. It's not the function that causes consternation for a duck bill is simply a type of check valve. No, what strikes fear in the heart of cruisers is having to replace them for they operate in the bowels of the head (toilet). A friend, who while an apprentice plumber, was advised to smoke cigars when attending to sewer systems. So, along with my rubber gloves, eye protection, and disposable Tyvek suit, I lit up a stogie. Bicki kept us moving south, the windows open and billowing smoke, while I fought with effluent filled hoses and replaced the duck bills. I'm happy to report that while there may be crossed legs aboard Nellie, it's not now out of necessity.

With the winds expected to continue from the northeast we dropped the hook in the lee of Bennett Causeway, Cocoa, FL. 57nm today and 927nm thus far. DBH

Tomorrow, Tomorrow ...

2011-11-07T20:03:00.000-05:00

Day #18: Look closely at the picture, there's a rainbow! It took two days and three nights to show up, but better late than never. With the winds down, the sky brightening, and the engine purring, we continued our trek south. Even the temperatures, which got almost into the 80's, cooperated.

This part of ICW feels like we're on a small, meandering river. The only challenges are staying within the channel markers, which are few and far between, and making sure the mast and antennas are down for the low bridges. Lots of very nice real estate lines the banks.

We dropped the hook in Daytona, FL, after a very relaxing seven hour cruise. 45nm today and 870nm total.

The smoking gun

2011-11-06T23:31:00.002-05:00

Day 18: Yesterday's big winds continued until about sunset today. But now, for the first time in two days, I don't feel like I'm in a washing machine. In fact the silence is eerie after all the howling wind and waves slapping the hull.

Despite the weather we dropped the dinghy this morning and motored into town for breakfast. The ride kind of felt like taking our lives in our hands; the waves, wind and current were conspiring to get us wet--if not worse. Nothing beats a big dinghy with a powerful engine.

On Friday's trip from Fernandina Beach to St. Augustine we ran on the last untested fuel tank. A few miles short of St. Augustine we had to bleed the filters of air. This was pretty conclusive evidence that this fuel tank was the source of the engine's hiccups. Today we found the smoking gun--a cracked brass fitting.

Still in St. Augustine's mooring field. 0nm today and 825nm total.

Bell Ringer

2011-11-05T19:36:00.001-04:00

Day #17: While being passed by a comparable sized American Tug yesterday, I opened the Dutch door, leaned out, smiled, and waved a jaunty hello. In response a hand, divorced from any semblance of a human body, appeared through a small aperture in their wheelhouse door and waved back. I had to chuckle--it might as well have been a bobble-head hand. The LNVT's Dutch door not only facilitates friendly gestures but definitely gets cool points too.

Nellie's ship's bell is mounted just forward of the starboard Dutch door. Winds over 20 knots can cause it to ring. Today it's performing a solo rendition of Flight of the Bumblebee while Nellie and her mooring ball dance the Jitterbug. Windy? Yea! Sustained winds over 30kts. Other than a 0300 mooring line reposition, today was a down day. Much needed I may add.

In a very windy and rocky mooring field in St Augustine, FL. 0nm today and 825nm total. DBH

O-dark-thirty

2011-11-04T20:35:00.001-04:00

Day #16: According to Captain Ron, hero of the eponymous movie, Dawn comes early on a boat. By this I think he means that reveille often precedes sunrise. That was certainly the case today. When the anchor alarm sounded at 0530, I went from sound asleep to standing in the wheel house--and wondering how I got there. The alarm meant that Nellie might be adrift, her anchor dragging. It wouldn't be impossible as a squall, boasting 25kt winds and rain, was upon us. The wind driven waves had riled Nellie and she was fighting her leash like a junkyard dog. While the leash was taught, it hadn't let go, so the hours until dawn were spent on anchor watch. No rest for the weary.

Today's picture doesn't do justice to the conditions, which were foul, but after sunrise Nellie's crew recovered her anchor in Force 6 winds and got underway.

This evening we're happy to be moored just off St. Augustine, FL. 54nm today and a whole 825nm thus far. DBH

Florida!

2011-11-03T20:17:00.000-04:00

Day #15: An easy run today. We started in Georgia's remote and isolated 'low country' and are now anchored off Fernandina Beach, FL, a resort community. They've got a great hardware store, which was our first stop once ashore. We picked up some parts to help diagnose the cause of our recent fuel problems. Nellie has actually been running well, but until we find the cause of the 'unpleasantness', we'll keep looking.

Today's picture was taken just after dawn as we left last night's anchorage in Teakettle Creek, GA. Blue sky and calm seas--this is what cruising is all about. 59nm today and 771nm so far. DBH

Georgia on my mind

2011-11-02T20:04:00.001-04:00

Day #14: This was a day of cruising dichotomy. We woke to the smell of hot Krispy Kreme donuts, which were delivered, along with the newspaper, right to Nellie's companionway (for you landlubbers that's the front door). Now we're gliding by golden grass coved hammocks without a sign of civilization in sight--not to mention a Krispy Kreme. South of Savannah the ICW becomes more like island cruising than river cruising. One large island after another is all that separates us from the Atlantic. Sounds, the big bodies of water between the islands and open to ocean swell, have names like St. Catherines, Sapelo, Doboy, and Altamaha. The winds are 20kts from the north but Nellie cuts a clean path through the moguls and gives her crew a comfortable ride. The tide here has an 8' swing. At anchor in Teakettle Creek, GA, we get used to hearing the rapidly rushing water. Its lapping sound reassures us that the anchor is holding; in these waters it's silence we fear. 53nm today and 711nm total. DBH

25 cents

2011-11-01T21:30:00.001-04:00

Day #13: Nellie's engine ran for six hours without a hiccup today. We suspect that a faulty $.25 o-ring was allowing air into a fuel filter. While never much fun at the time, we always learn a lot from the hiccups along the way.

Today's picture is of Bicki loading groceries. Reprovisioning is one of the necessary evils of cruising. In the Thunderbolt Marina, near Savannah, GA. 37nm today and 658nm total. DBH

90 minutes

2011-10-31T23:03:00.002-04:00

Day #12: Underway early, with a purring engine, we looked forward to a 'routine' day. And the engine did purr, for two hours--then it didn't. The routine day? It wasn't. Every hour-and-a-half we dropped the hook, stopped the engine, and removed the air from the three fuel filters (a filter is pictured above). We can look forward to repeating this process until we fix the problem. Hey, there's a motivator! Oh well, cruising has been defined as fixing your boat in new and interesting places. To this saying we can add: and doing so every hour-and-a-half.

We dropped the hook for the evening in Port Royal, SC. Port Royal is just a few miles south of Beaufort. 47nm today, 3 anchorings, and 621nm total. DBH

Nellie gets the hiccups

2011-10-30T20:36:00.002-04:00

Day #11: The day dawns clear and brisk. We're especially grateful to have escaped the Chesapeake and yesterday's snow storm. The routine of this cruise is comfortable: up before dawn; check the engine; plot the day's route; and enjoy the first cup of coffee. This routine was shaken-up a little when, right after weighing anchor, Nellie's engine started to hiccup. I hadn't noticed before but my heart rate and Nellie's are in sync. It was apparent today though; as her RPMs fluctuated, so did mine. Lack of fuel, either from a blocked filter or air in the line, is the first suspect in situations like these. Since Nellie was running ok, if not wheezing a little, we headed to Bohicket Marina on St. Johns Island (just south of Kiawah), SC. Once moored the investigation began. Sure enough, there was air in the secondary fuel filter. Changing the filters and priming the system was rewarded with a successful engine test run. Liberty was then announced and the crew, which hadn't been ashore in a week, headed to a pizza parlor. So, today wasn't quite the 'routine' we're accustomed to, but I must admit it was a very pleasurable diversion.

At the dock, Bohicket Marina, St Johns Island, SC. 10nm today and 574nm so far. DBH

Where are we?

2011-10-29T22:25:00.000-04:00

Day #10: Just before we first started cruising in 1994 we bought a $1000 sextant and an $800 GPS. It took me weeks to learn to use the sextant. We lived in Utah at the time and I was happy, if after a practice session, it located me anywhere within the surrounding four states. Months went by before I could determine my position as actually being within the borders of Utah. The GPS? Turn it on and read the latitude and longitude--it gave an accurate position within 100 yards. (Henry the Navigator would have killed for a GPS.) Our poor sextant. It was only used once at sea and even then we were hundreds of miles from land where a large position error wouldn't matter. Today GPS' are ubiquitous. The photo above, taken of an iPhone's screen, not only shows Nellie's position but also the houses that are for sale around her. Nope, no way a sextant can do that. Good riddance.

Update: our sextant is mounted on a walnut plaque and hangs in a prominent place in the house. That first GPS? It was relegated, long ago, to the silicone junk heap in the sky.

Irony aside, thanks to our GPS we know we anchored in Toogoodoo Creek, SC, which is 22nm south of Charleston. 67nm today and 563nm into the trip. DBH

Time and tide ...

2011-10-28T21:02:00.001-04:00

Day #9: Today, for the first time on this trip, there was no big water to cross. The ICW is a fairly narrow canal as it winds through Myrtle Beach, SC. Then, on the approach to Georgetown, SC, it's a good sized river. Finally it becomes one canal among many that crisscross the tidal grasslands north of Charleston, SC. The tidal range, which is 2' in Maryland has grown to 6' here in South Carolina. When large tidal swings are coupled with narrow waterways, big currents can result. The effect on Nellie is pretty dramatic. Without current she cruises at 7 kts. With today's currents we saw ground speeds anywhere from 4 kts to 9.5 kts. To put all this in perspective, it takes almost 2.5 times longer, and costs 2.5 times more in fuel, to get somewhere at 4 vs. 9.5 kts. Getting there faster and cheaper, that's why the crew is always happy to be carried along by a favorable current. (Truth be known, it might not be so much the expedited arrival as an earlier happy hour that thrills the crew.) Since cruising on the ICW is dictated more by daylight hours than tides, it's always a joy when the two line up. Today's photograph was taken when Nellie, aka Speed Racer, hit 9.5 kts.

At anchor in the South Santee River, 37 miles NE of Charleston, SC. 68nm today and 496nm thus far.

Eye of the beholder

2011-10-27T19:29:00.001-04:00

Day #8: We've been traveling in lockstep with a beautiful Trumpy by the name of Hummingbird. For those not familiar, Trumpy is to yachts what Rolls Royce is to cars--the epitome of class and style. Of the 400+ Trumpys built, fewer than 90 exist today. This morning Hummingbird was cruising just behind us when a third boat, Feeling Free, radioed to say they'd be passing us both. In mid pass Feeling Free radioed again to say they were going to take some pictures. Sure, I thought, Hummingbird is indeed a beautiful boat. Imagine my surprise then when Feeling Free pulls next to Nellie and starts snapping away. Oh yea, life's too short to own an ugly boat!

Thank you to Scott Akerman, of Blue Water Sailing magazine, for emailing us the photos he took from Feeling Free. One of which appears at the top of this posting.

At anchor 12 miles east of Myrtle Beach, SC. 51nm today and 427nm so far.

Weather on my mind

2011-10-26T21:38:00.001-04:00

Day #7: Since departing Maryland the weather has been nothing short of perfect. The barometer has been steady and the winds fair. And, since departing Maryland, I've done nothing but worry about the weather. Specifically, when will it change. It's ironic in the midst of a seven day winning streak that all I'd think about is rolling snake-eyes. I've got a feeling I'm not alone among mariners for being caught out is a 'significant emotional event'. So much so that there's a saying aboard Nellie: "I'd rather be on the beach wishing I was out cruising, than be out cruising and wishing I was on the beach." So, with all this in mind, tomorrow we tackle the Cape Fear River knowing the barometer has started dropping. Anyone want to blow on these dice?

Today's picture was taken just after dawn on Adams Creek Canal about 10 miles west of Beaufort, NC. The fog was thick enough at times that we were navigating on instruments alone.

At anchor in Wrightsville Beach, NC. 84nm today and 376nm to date. DBH

There is an App for that

2011-10-25T19:36:00.001-04:00

Day #6: The vast expanses of the ICW, which can hold millions of boats without their crews feeling cramped, is in stark contrast to its many narrow channels. In the tightest confines there's often barely enough room for two boats abreast. Proximity like this causes lots of problems and problems like these are fertile ground for the innovative mariner ;-) Case in point, why is it that cars have rearview mirrors but boats don't? Boats could use the mirrors because it's common courtesy to make room when being overtaken. Ok, so how do you put rearview mirrors on a boat without losing cool points? Or better yet, get rearview capability using only those things you have aboard. Apple to the rescue. The iPad in the above picture doubles as a rearview mirror by displaying what an iTouch, duct taped to Nellie's stern, sees! Now if we can only find some way to safely steer the boat while we play with all the toys ...

At anchor 10 miles west of Beaufort, NC. 66nm today and 292nm to date. DBH

Baby it is dark outside!

2011-10-24T21:56:00.001-04:00

Day #5: The weather is perfect and there's big water ahead. That's why we've decided to press on well after dark. The photo is pretty accurate as to what we can see. There's no moon so our searchlight, which is focused 100 yards in front of the bow, is our only light. The birds and bugs swirl and dive though the light as though performing for an audience. We can see those darn, green-pooping, midges congregating by the thousands on the bulwarks. Clean-up duty will be arduous tomorrow. There aren't many channel markers in Albermarle Sound so mostly we're hoping to spot crab pots. Our ETA at the Pongo/Alligator River canal is midnight. There we'll drop the hook. We'll be sure to lock all the doors too for it was at this spot, in May, we saw a black bear swimming across the canal.

Our watch schedule after dark is half an hour on and half an hour off. Staring at the limited, illuminated, area ahead, all the while scanning the chart-plotter and instruments, gets tiring. We are, however, rewarded with an incredible view of the stars.

Underway on Albermarle Sound, NC. 67nm so far today and 211nm on the trip. DBH

Old friends

2011-10-23T23:58:00.001-04:00

Day #4: The dead calm last night made for great sleeping on the hook. Sunrise came with a stiff breeze. Underway at first light we were amazed to find ourselves in the midst of 11 other cruising boats. We've never been part of the annual migration of cruisers seeking warmer climes--until now.

Norfolk always has a busy waterfront and today was no exception. We danced with loaded tugs, armed navy guard boats, two 1000' cargo ships, and hundreds of littler boats. All the while it felt like we were racing the other cruisers for the limited number of free slips in downtown Portsmouth. Free slips, you see, are like honey to a cruiser. As luck would have it we managed to snag the last available slip.

Returning late to Nellie after dinner at the Bier Garden and a movie at the Commodore, yea, this cruising life is pure hell, we hear our names being called. We'd first met Dave and Nancy Poorvu in 2009 when weather pinned us all down on Grand Bahama Island. Now here Dave was with his crew-mate Billy. They'd departed Ocean City, MD this morning and had just arrived. As luck would have it they spotted Nellie while out on a walk. The picture shows Billy on the left and Dave on the right.

At Portsmouth's northern basin dock. 51nm today and 137nm to date. DBH

A classic plastic boat?

2011-10-22T20:59:00.001-04:00

Dawn may come early on a boat but it's not like we noticed. Can't imagine why but Nellie's crew was tired. Rising well after sunrise we topped off the water tanks and began, in earnest, the journey south. The winds, which delayed our departure for three days, had allegedly blown themselves out. Well, almost blown themselves out. We found 20kts on the Bay and a bit of a chop. No problem though as it fell on the stern quarter. After arriving at our Gwynn Island, VA anchorage, we were approached by a classic, gaff-rigged, Hoopers Island sharpie. At the helm was Eric Hedberg. Eric is a wooden boat builder of the old school, but while admiring his beautiful craft he told me he'd made it of PVC. Plastic--no way! He explained that since PVC comes in boards, fabrication isn't all that much different than working with wood. Adhesives like Plexus and epoxy hold everything together. For paint, he used Rust-Oleum. Since the PVC expands much more than wood he'd had problems with buckling metal rub strakes. With PVC Eric can build a 'traditional' boat which doesn't suffer from traditional wooden boat problems. Eric's sharpie is six years old and looks brand new. See some pictures at: http://www.rionholdt.com/Hooper%20Island%20Sharpie.html

At anchor on the west side of Gwynn's Island, VA. 57nm today and 84nm total. DBH

The gale diminishes

2011-10-21T17:57:00.000-04:00

Day #2: Fifty percent of the distance covered today was from where Nellie sat on the hard to the water. The tyranny of the yard is over thanks to the completion of the last two jobs, i.e. new bottom paint and a repacked rudder gland. After splashing, Nellie moved a whole 100 yards more. She could have gone farther but her crew is tired. So, this evening will be spent in the comfort of a slip with electricity. Our planned departure was delayed a few days by a gale but all looks good for tomorrow. Miami, here we come. At P. L. Jones' Boat Yard, Hoppers Island, MD. 200 yards today and 25 nm total. DBH

Underway ... sort of.

2011-10-09T16:39:00.000-04:00

Day #1: Our journey to Miami begins with a short sea trial of the new fuel tanks and exhaust hose. The 4.5 hour trip to Hoopers Island was easy and enjoyable as all systems operated nominally. Nellie's now on the hard to have her bottom painted and the rudder packing gland renewed. The trip to Miami will continue again in a few weeks. DBH

Midges!

2011-06-12T06:43:00.000-04:00

On day #24 of Nellie's trip north we cross paths with Joe and Punk of Carolyn Ann. Discussing that night's possible anchorages on the VHF Joe mentions a new one to us just on the NE side of the Alligator River bridge. Turns out this is a big, well protected spot in an area not otherwise known for shelter. After anchoring there we dinghied over and had cocktails on Carolyn Ann. The first sign of trouble appeared as we got back into the dinghy. Midges, which look like mosquitoes but don't bite, were everywhere. I'm not talking just a few either. Nellie's otherwise white surfaces were now black and undulating. Clouds of the critters encapsulated us too. We couldn't get below decks fast enough. Unfortunately the best was yet to come. That many little bugs can cumulatively leave a big 'calling card'. Dawn revealed bright green fly-specs--everywhere. It took hours to get the staining stuff off. Lesson learned, if you hear there may be a slight midge problem in an anchorage, steer well clear of it. DBH

A quiet morning

2011-05-31T09:32:00.000-04:00

31 May 2011. Anchoring south of Savannah has always proved troublesome. But as the picture shows we've found a nice spot 1nm from ICW up the Vernon River. The tidal range here is 8' so even on a windless night there's a worry about the anchor's ability to withstand the strong currents. The advantage of this spot is the river's width. The wider the river the slower the tidal currents. DBH

Jekyll Island Club

2011-05-30T05:25:00.000-04:00

29 May 2011. Before continuing the trek north this morning we dinghied ashore and walked to the Jekyll Island Club. Once the exclusive domain of J.P. Morgan, Goodyear and the likes, this beautiful 250 acre complex is now a resort. It was at the Club in 1910 that a meeting between the US government and private bankers led to the formation of the Federal Reserve. During our visit we were satisfied simply by a nice walk and breakfast. DBH

Sixth time is the charm

2011-05-28T15:50:00.000-04:00

27 May 2011--When we anchored behind Jekyll Island a few years ago the Babeth anchor held fine. Our new Danforth specializes in mud and sand. But apparently not in soft mud. As the picture below shows it took determination and six tries to get the hook to hold. 28nm today and 340nm total. DBH

St. Augustine

2011-05-27T08:31:00.000-04:00

A nice 60nm cruise from New Smyrna to St. Augustine, FL yesterday. There's a big new mooring field in town. As the picture shows, proximity the the historic sites is good. DBH

New Bomar Hatch Handle

2011-05-27T07:27:00.000-04:00

Thanks to John Mackie Nellie now has matching hatch handles. This is the old-style hatch handle. The new ones, made of stainless steel rod, are stronger but to my eye not as appealing.

Getting Ready

2011-05-14T19:37:00.001-04:00

Nellie will be a new girl after these past few weeks of upgrades: new turbocharger; salon and stateroom cushions; air conditioning (well, portable units, but still ...); dodger; and as the picture shows some fun beach umbrellas. We hope to leave Ft Lauderdale and and head towards the Keys on Tuesday. As soon as a weather window opens up for the crossing we'll be Exumas bound.

Little Shark River to Naples

2010-05-21T17:18:00.003-04:00

The route shown above is for yesterday and today, as recorded by the APRS system. Temp was only 70 at sunrise this morning in Little Shark R. Once underway, saw two large Loggerhead turtles out in the Gulf. Took the 'outside route' around Cape Romano, past Marco Island and into Wiggins Pass, Naples. A very nice conclusion to this 460 nautical mile jaunt around the Keys and Everglades. - JSH

Key West to Little Shark River

2010-05-20T17:03:00.002-04:00

Decided to go to Shark River instead of further north to Indian Key / Everglades City due to storms and the possibility of stronger winds from the East. -JSH

In Stormy Key West

2010-05-19T11:36:00.008-04:00

The winds are down generally, but staying on the mooring ball until the t-storms clear. -JSH

Marathon to Key West

2010-05-15T16:25:00.010-04:00

Blues and greens were jumping out of the clear water everywhere on today's "back way" to Key West. The bottom was visible for much of the meandering 60+ mile track. Started by going west in Hawk Channel on the ocean side, then turned north under the 20' bridge at Bahia Honda. Then up Big Spanish Channel, past Big Spanish Key and then west at Harbor Key Bank for a 28 nm run in the Gulf to the Northwest Channel entrance to Key West. -JSH

Fine Dining In Marathon

2010-05-14T21:04:00.006-04:00

One of the select fine dining establishments here in Marathon - had to try it. And it is true, upon leaving I felt like a..... When not eating, spent the day touring on foot trying to regain pre breakfast dimensions. -JSH

Duck Key to Boot Key Harbor, Marathon

2010-05-13T10:45:00.005-04:00

Interesting to note that slack current runs about 3 hours after each tide shift at Duck Key! Nice ride in Hawk Channel to Boot Key Harbor in Marathon. Seas 2 ft, winds and waves from the east pushed Nellie on her way. - JSH

Islamorada to Duck Key

2010-05-12T16:43:00.008-04:00

Headed West from the Islamorada anchorage to Duck Key and the Hawks Cay resort. Nice place where you can even swim with bottle nose dolphins.

Adam and Bobbie Mink, original owners of #56 B.J. Stone, (now Our Villa) live here and stopped by to say hello. They took delivery in Annapolis, MD came down the ICW and lived aboard for several years cruising the keys and Bahamas. They have retired from cruising and now own a flats fishing boat and enjoy playing tennis.

Ocean Reef to Islamorada

2010-05-10T20:54:00.007-04:00

A small fleet of these guys came zooming by today just off the coast of Key Largo. Nice run today from Ocean Reef via Hawk Channel to Islamorada. Went through Snake Creek to get back on the inside. - JSH

Nellie's new GXM 51 Sat WX

2010-05-09T22:32:00.004-04:00

-JSH

At Ocean Reef for a few days

2010-05-03T20:15:00.005-04:00

Staying at the Ocean Reef Club for a few days with our friends from the NYC - a great resort with restaurants, hotel, tennis, golf, a beautiful protected marina. - JSH

Islamorada to Ocean Reef

2010-05-02T20:00:00.001-04:00

The dolphins were playing in Nellie D's wake today (some on video). A nice ride up the inside ICW channel from Islamorada to Ocean Reef. Strong winds from the E but water is calm and clear. Depth sounder produces some false readings from grasses that grow up several feet from the mostly sandy bottom. Through Card Sound to pretty Angelfish Creek and then back S in Hawk Channel for two miles to the well marked but narrow Ocean Reef entrance. - JSH

Little Shark River to Upper Matecumbe Key (Islamorada)

2010-05-01T20:00:00.003-04:00

Arrive in the Florida Keys! Nice sunny day. Windy from the E @ 15-20. First time through "yacht channel" which is the northernmost marked route around the southern tip of Florida. Mostly shallow the whole way but no problem. Anchored near Little Basin and the World Wide Sportsman Marina/Rest. in the lee of Upper Matecumbe Key. Dinghied in for dinner. - JSH

Indian Key to Little Shark River

2010-04-30T20:00:00.001-04:00

Indian Key to Little Shark River. A bit windy all day - 20+ knots, but no problem for Nellie. Took a nice cruise upon arrival up the Little Shark River - "Olde Everglades" for sure. Plenty of anchoring space, burgers on the grill. - JSH

Naples to Indian Key (Everglades City)

2010-04-29T20:14:00.002-04:00

Departed Naples bay after lunch. Headed south on the channel behind Keewaydin Island to Marco Island, through to Goodland then anchored at Indian Key, at the northern end of the 10,000 islands and right off the channel to Everglades City. - JSH

2010-02-08T07:56:00.002-05:00

8 February -- Day #66. We still plan to spend time visiting Key West, but we've decided 'Nellie D.' is quite comfortable here at the dock in Boca Chica for 1/5 the price. After studying the charts and talking with fellow cruisers, we decided to navigate the short distance in the shallow waters with the dinghy to see Key West. We quickly abandoned that plan today when our dock neighbors offered to take us on a tour of Key West in their car. We spent the day with Hank and Ann, 'Queen Ann's Revenge' as our guides. There wasn't an area of the Key we missed, we now know where to find best restaurants, where to take walking tours, and where to find the favorite cruisers' haunts. We celebrated our arrival at Mile 0, the most southern point of the US, with a conch sandwich at the famed Bo's Restaurant. At the Boca Chica Naval Air Station marina. 0 nm today and 1582nm total. BJH

2010-02-07T07:34:00.001-05:00

7 February -- Day #65. By the end of the day we're napping and listening to the Superbowl game on the radio. We'd spent the entire day stripping and sanding cetol off the exterior brightwork. The marina's Beach Club put on a Superbowl party with free hot dogs, we naturally had to go. By half time we were both dragging so we returned to the boat. An early night at the Boca Chica Naval Air Station marina. 0 nm today and 1582nm total. BJH

2010-02-06T07:18:00.001-05:00

6 February -- Day #64. The docks are near the runway and there are two frequent sayings here at the marina when the F-18s and F-5s scream by overhead: "I love jet noice" and "That's the sound of freedom." The sound will temperarily deafen and all
conversation stops until the jets have passed. The winds quickly picked up today and we were quite happy to be securely tied to the dock. We've been assigned to A Dock--the party dock. Tonight we had a pizza party. Happy at the dock in Boca Chica Naval Air Station. 0nm today and 1582nm total.

2010-02-04T18:21:00.001-05:00

4 February - Day #62. Good thing we made some mileage down the Hawk Channel yesterday. Today's East winds have things churned up but it's only a four run to Boca Chica. By some miracle we got a slip for two weeks at the Boca Chica Naval Station's docks. The picture says it all. From here it's a 25 minute dingy ride to downtown Key West. 23nm today and 1559nm total.

2010-02-03T18:05:00.000-05:00

3 February - Day #61. Clocking winds in a crowded and shallow anchorage always makes for fitful sleeping. After checking on things several times last night we woke this morning to calm waters, blustery winds and an overcast sky. As predicted the winds now pushed us towards a lee shore. The anchorage shoals quickly so I turned on the depth log to see how much water was beneath the keel. Three things immediately became clear: Nellie pointed in a different direction than everyone else; Nellie wasn't bobbing like everyone else; Nellie's depth gauge read zero. Individually these factors could be discounted. Combined they pointed to an irrefutable and alarming conclusion. Nellie was aground. So much for a lazy morning. The first good news came after a quick scan of the tide tables. We were less than an hour into the rising tide and in the next five hours could expect a foot of lift. Being abeam to the shoal the immediate problem was how to keep the winds from blowing us farther onto it. Using the dingy we set a kedge anchor and attached its rode to Nellie's stern. Then both the bow and stern rodes were drawn tight. Since the stern draws more water than the bow it was important to keep the stern anchor's rode as tight as possible. Today's first photo shows Bicki modeling our block and tackle solution for keeping the kedge's rode tight. Fortunately a rising tide does indeed raise all boats and about an hour after the excitement started Nellie was back in deep water. A little later Jack and Mirka, S/V Zeiggy, who were anchored just upwind of us, stopped by to say hello. After they said they hadn't even noticed Nellie's predicament we were hopeful that her crew's incompetence might have been missed by the rest of the fleet too. Fortunately all the morning's excitement didn't prevent us from attending the Waterway Radio and Cruising Club's (WRCC) luncheon. We've been talking to Chuck (ND7K) for over a year now and it was nice to finally put a face with the voice. After lunch it was with pleasure that we weighed anchor and left Boot Key Harbor behind. On a well set anchor and all by ourselves on the west side of Ramrod Key, FL. 21nm today and 1559nm total.

2010-02-02T18:11:00.001-05:00

2 February - Day #60. Just south of the city of Marathon is one of the best anchorages in the keys. Because it's protected on all sides Boot Key Harbor attracts all types: Bahamas bound sailors; snow birds; Keys cruisers; and a fair share who've found Nirvana and whose boats are slowly being reclaimed by King Neptune. The bay's prime real estate is consumed by 248 moorings which means what area is left for anchoring is both small and marginal. Since there were no moorings available we found some room and dropped the hook. Here's a picture of one of the dingy docks--talk about crowded! On the hook in Boot Key Harbor, FL. 6nm today and 1538nm total.

2010-02-01T18:10:00.000-05:00

1 February - Day #59. No doubt about it the boat was tailing us. He'd been back there for about an hour, in the haze, but was catching up slowly. Now he was just 100 yards astern and hovering. We checked the chart and assured ourselves that Somalia is indeed 4500nm distant--so he's probably not a pirate. Still ... Playing it safe we altered course, left the channel and headed directly for Marathon. He did too. Then came a radio call, "Nellie D. by any chance are you headed for a marina?" Well, that answered that, he's not a pirate just navigationally challenged. On the hook in pirate free waters, Marathon, FL. 62nm today and 1532nm total.

2010-01-31T19:10:00.001-05:00

31 January - Day #58. Putting out of Ft. Lauderdale I couldn't help but wonder if we're well enough insured. With huge yachts lining the ICW, it feels like running a gauntlet lined with Ming vases and Fabergé eggs. Usually I only fret about Nellie's engine quitting during open water passages. Now I'm wondering if we can get the hook down before the rapid current pushes us into one of these Picassos. I'll bet Buba's Paint and Body wouldn't be the first place called for a quote. The yachts are beautiful but even if we had the money we've decided we're not big boat people. For one thing their owners insist on wearing uniforms while going about their daily boat chores. We're more the t-shirt and cutoffs crowd... The bridges get more plentiful, and oddly, lower and lower as we approach Miami. With her mast and antennas down Nellie only needs 14.5'--we think. On two bridges we hold our breath and reflexively duck, greatly relieved by what we don't hear--crunching sounds from Nellie's superstructure. Today's picture is of Miami with her necklace of bridges. At anchor behind Pumpkin Island and finally in the Keys! 51nm today and 1470nm total. DBH

2010-01-30T21:24:00.002-05:00

30 January - Day #57. John drove over from Naples and we visited all our favorite chandleries. Bill and Heidi, S/V Act III, who we first met Christmas eve (Day #23), although it feels like we've been life-long friends, such is the way while cruising, are dock mates. This evening we dinghied with them to a sailors' haunt called the Raw Bar. Amoung other things we celebrated our parting as they're Bahamas bound. Today's picture shows the crew of Act III trying to rig dinghy running lights. At the dock in the Ft. Lauderdale Municipal Marina. 0nm today and 1419nm total. DBH

2010-01-29T21:16:00.003-05:00

29 January - Day #57. Ft Lauderdale's waterfront is a lot like Disney World, but without the admission fee. Everything here is larger than life. Tour boats filled with wide-eyed tourists ply the waters. The major attractions are the myriad yachts and huge houses. To rise above the crowd a yacht must exceed 200'; there are lots of them. And, just about every house belongs in Architectural Digest. Today's picture sums it all up. At the dock in the Ft. Lauderdale Municipal Marina. 39nm today and 1419nm total. DBH

2010-01-28T21:02:00.003-05:00

28 January - Day #56. We slip the mooring line just after dawn. It's nice to be underway again. Bernie Madhoff called Plam Beach home--at least when he wasn't in NY City managing his clients' money. I can't help but wonder, as I survey the many large yachts and estates here, what Bernie's impact has been and will be. Today's photo is of two tall tall ships visiting Peanut Island. On the hook in Palm Beach, FL. 61nm today and 1379nm today. DBH

2010-01-27T16:54:00.003-05:00

27 January - Day #55. You have to love a town that has free bus service right in front of the marina. This morning we caught the bus into town and then walked a few miles to the mall--all in a futile search for a Chinese restaurant. We had to settle for our second favorite, the $1.70 hot dog and Coke at Sam's Club. Could the day get any better? Well, yes. Seems the bus stops at Walmart too. While on the bus fellow cruisers told us about a killer pub named Dockside. In the afternoon we dinked over as it's just across the ICW from the Marina. With four beers we went through their entire appetizer menu: crab dip; artichokes; ribs; mussels; and, calamari. Still on the mooring ball in Vero Beach. 0nm today and 1319 total.

2010-01-26T08:53:00.002-05:00

26 January - Day #54. Ron Knaggs, N1GYX, is a twice former Commodore of the Waterway Radio and Cruising Club and has spent many hours facilitating ham radio nets--a job akin to aircraft controller. Done well it's like a ballet. I watched him simultaneously and seamlessly work the broadcast portion, an internet messaging program, which handles behind the scenes communications, and CQ100 which is an internet based HF radio. Saying good bye to Ron and Shelley we headed north to Vero Beach. Vero is known as Velcro Beach to cruisers and we wanted to find out why. On mooring ball #15 in the Vero Beach Municipal Marina. 10nm today 1319nm total.

2010-01-25T06:25:00.001-05:00

25 January - Day #53. Very heavy winds and rain this morning with a forecast for more of the same. Things looked bad all around us and we were pretty sure we'd be stuck at the dock for the day. But, amazingly, by 09:30 the winds clocked around and then literally seemed to go from a near gale to a light breeze. By 10:00 we were unplugging the power cord and releasing the dock lines. The day even improved as we headed south and by mid afternoon the sun broke through the clouds and light winds pushed us along. Yup, we're spending a lot more time at docks than we ever have before. But, it's especially hard to pass up offers to dock at fellow cruiser's homes. In the few days that we've been members of the "Waterway Radio and Cruising Club" we've already been graciously invited us to two docks for the evening. Tonight was one such invitation from Ron and Shelley Knaggs. They grabbed our dock lines and gave us a warm welcome when we pulled up to their home this afternoon. Our docking was promptly followed by a social hour aboard where we got an opportunity to chat and get to know each other a bit better. Today's picture is of the channel into Queens Bay--so Ron, where's your dock again ... At the Knaggs' dock in Queens Cove, FL. 43nm today 1309nm total

2010-01-24T18:50:00.000-05:00

24 January - Day #52. Today was a real challenge to Nellie's new paint job--in a nutshell the problem was big winds combined with tight spaces: out of one marina and into another; and, in and out of a fuel dock too. Another cold front is blowing through. Winds are a solid 20kts with gusts into the 30s. It was from the south so we beat into it. While underway we were contacted on the 2-meter by KJ4ERJ (Lynn) who'd been following Nellie's trip south via APRS (advanced packet reporting system): http://lnvt.wikidot.com/nelliedlocation/. Lynn invited us to join him and his wife Marta for dinner. We'd orginally planned to anchor out, but with heavy winds, rough seas and a dinner invitation we had no trouble heading for a marina (this marina trend is getting a little worrying however ;-). Lynn and Marta joined us aboard Nellie and then their son Paul, who will graduate with a BS in electrical engineering degree this spring, and his friend Thomas also joined us. Everyone aboard had ham licenses so the conversation may have been a 'little' techie. Lynn's a partner in a company that writes automated warehousing software. As A hobby he's applying his considerable software talent to writing some cool, new APRS applications. His excitement in digital modes of communication was also apparent in Paul and Thomas. They each built and are using custom APRS rigs. Marta's parents are from Central America and she lived for awhile in the Canal Zone. All in all it was a delightful evening with new friends and all thanks to ham radio. Today's picture is of a little 'fixer-upper' just off the ICW. At the dock in Telemar Bay Marina, Eau Gallie, FL. 22nm today and 1265nm total.

2010-01-23T08:32:00.000-05:00

23 January - Day #51. There are more boats along the waterway now may be indicating we're further south or that the weather has improved enough that everyone is moving around. There were lots of bridges today and having a mast that comes down means meant no waiting for bridge openings. When calling marinas to determine the best fuel prices, Dave also found a great deal on slip fees. We decided to come into the dock and I called via the cell phone to get directions for our slip assignment, but things didn't make any since at all. The description of where to turn looked nothing like what we were seeing. Finally we realized there were two marinas in two different counties with the same name! We eventually got it sorted out and found our way to our slip. Today's highlight was seeing good friends (and fellow LNVT owners) John and Sue Mackie who stopped by and joined us for dinner. Today's picture is of fresh buttermilk bread dough going into the oven. At "C" dock in Harbortown Marina, Merritt Island. 58nm today and 1243nm total. BJH

2010-01-22T22:51:00.002-05:00

22 January - Day #50. It's usually not a good thing if you're taking apart a boat while it's underway. However, when you're underway all the time there's not an option. That's why, on a beautiful and calm day like this, I find myself in the lazarette removing the autopilot's drive arm. Our autopilot is almost in constant use. So, when it stops working that's something the crew notices. A very smart freind claims that "99% of all electrical problems are mechanical in origin." That was certainly the case here--a failed retaining clip inside the drive arm. After putting in a spare clip, reassembling and reinstalling the drive arm, the autopilot was back online. A happy crew on the hook in Daytona Beach, FL. 28nm today and 1185nm total. DBH

2010-01-21T19:55:00.004-05:00

21 January - Day#49. Today was a bit more exciting than we really like. We left St. Augustine at 12:30 PM and promptly heard weather warnings. The HAM radio was a buzz with talk of the winds, hail and rain hitting Jacksonville. We've learned that we much prefer to be underway rather than at anchor and so continued south. The first two hours of the trip were beautiful with clear skies. Then the radar showed the storm was gaining on us. At 2:30 the winds hit 50 knots with sustained winds in the 30s. Coming from behind they simply pushed us along. When the rain hit it looked more like a sand storm. The ICW was a boil. We slowed to idle but still sped along at 5 knots. It was all we could do to see five feet in front of us. Then the thunder and lightening started. But hey, we lived, how bad could it have been? Anyway, it was nice tying up to Jeanie and Bill Schreiber's next door neighbor's dock--thank you Bob. We used every towel and rag aboard to mop up all the water that had blown in through Nellie's pores. A nice social evening with Bill and Jeanie was followed by an early 'lights out'. In Palm Coast, FL. 22nm today and 1157nm total. BJH

2010-01-20T09:30:00.000-05:00

20 January - Day #48. Maybe it's a sign of the times but even though we moored in front of Hooters and several other loud bars things quieted down early last night and the sleeping was good. The St. Johns is very narrow here in downtown Jacksonville and the current can get over 4kts so catching the ebb is important. Which is why we're up before dawn and shoving off. The bridges are lit colorfully, purple, red, and white, it almost feels surreal. Just east of town the river becomes very industrial. Huge barges, ocean going freighters and tugs litter the northern shoreline. We pass an incoming car carrier. It looks more like a floating sky scrapper than a ship. Shortly thereafter a thick fog rolls in and visibility drops to 20'. Big ships have deep drafts so like any minnow we head to the shallows for protection. Nellie's radar and chart plotters become our eyes and we continue undeterred down river. By 1000 we're back in the ICW and this marks the end of our 300nm cruise of the St Johns. Anchored in St. Augustine, FL. 49nm today and 1135nm total. DBH

2010-01-19T17:33:00.004-05:00

19 January - Day #48. With the laundry done and the provisions stowed it was time to leave the Naval Air Station docks and head north along the St Johns river. It's a beautiful day with Spring like temperatures and hardly a puff of wind. Too bad we only had to cruise for less than 90 minutes before tying-up at Jacksonville Landing in downtown Jacksonville. We spent the afternoon walking around town, touring the maritime museum and then finding a fabulous Italian place for a late lunch. All in all a relaxing day docked at the free dock in downtown Jacksonville. 7.5nm today 1086nm total BJH

2010-01-18T17:41:00.000-05:00

18 January - Day #47. We peek out of Six Mile Creek to find the river much calmer. It's a short day with the Jacksonville Naval Air (NAS) Station as our destination.
We need to do a bit of laundry and get a few provisions, not to mention our internet fix. We arrive before noon and our docklines are taken by our neighbor, Mike. He told us that a few days ago the marina experienced really high winds and some boats were practically thrown onto the docks. Glad we missed that adventure! It's a beautiful day for our routine walk to the Navy Exchange and the internet pub. The temperatures are warm enough today that we used the grill for the first time this trip for Dave's favorite, hamburgers. Surrounded by drying laundry at the NAS Jacksonville docks. Today's picture is of a fiery sunset in the Chesapeake--hey it's pretty who cares if it didn't happen today ;-) 20nm today and 1079nm total. BJH

2010-01-17T15:57:00.002-05:00

17 January - Day #46. Yesterday's winds are predicted to really pickup today so we debate a bit but decide to cross Lake George. In the Chesapeake it seems that every channel marker has an osprey on it. Here it's eagles and they seem to be as prolific as in Sitka, Alaska. The winds don't pipe up until we're well clear of the lake but when they do it's with a vengeance. Constant 20kts with gusts well into the 30's make it bumpy and wet. We'd heard good things about the Outback Crab Shack (and it's 1000' long free dock) and decide to check it out for ourselves. As the picture shows their southern boil has plenty of food. At the dock in Six Mile Creek (24nm south of Jacksonville, FL). 65nm today and 1059nm total. DBH

2010-01-16T15:16:00.001-05:00

16 January - Day #45. Our trip north and out of the St Johns begins in earnest today. After the cold spell it sure is spoiling to have morning temperatures in the 60's! It's a short trip to Deland where we slow enough to drop the dinghy and get John ashore--he's driving back to Naples today. This sure is a pretty area with all the lillies and hyacinths lining the riverbanks. The winds are up and rather than cross Lake George we call it a day at 1400 and drop the hook in Astor. Being in early means there's enough day light to install the new water pump and even bake some home made bread (which was pretty tasty). Today's picture shows John and Dave strategizing on how to install the next new toy on Nellie. Anchored in Astor. FL. 20nm today and 994nm total. BJH

2010-01-15T10:49:00.002-05:00

15 January - Day #44. A short distance from the Hontoon State Park is the Blue Springs State Park with its large manatee viewing area. A natural spring pours 1.1M gallons of crystal clear, 73F water into the St. Johns River. Manatees come to bask in the warm waters by the hundreds. We'd been told the park gets busy on the weekends. It being Friday we were ill prepared for the number of people visiting. School children crowded the viewing areas to look at the lazy mermaids napping on the bottom. It was a beautiful day and we decided to continue south along the St Johns river to Sanford--we had no plans to stay there but we felt it important to make the journey all the way to the end of the navigable river. We did an unceremonious U turn and started to retrace our steps north. The RR bridge 6 miles north had closed and did didn't look like they were opening anytime soon. We were told 10-15 minutes three times and after the first hour Dave contacted them and learned the bridge was broken. We waited another 2 hours and decided we should re-anchor in a small cove for the night. As we began to get the anchor settled, a call came over the radio indicating the bridge was repaired. We were grateful not to be spending the night in front of the RR bridge and restarted out trip north in the dark. It was an easy 2 hour trip back to the Hotoon Island State Park Marina. 34nm today and 974nm total. BJH

2010-01-14T16:07:00.002-05:00

14 January - Day #43. This morning, for the first time in what seems forever, Nellie wasn't covered in frost. It's a scenic three hour cruise to Deland, home of Stetson University. John is joining us for the next few days and we dingy ashore to pick him up. Robert and Kay, M/V Sea Life, told us that the Hontoon Island State Park, which is only 5 miles south of Deland is a great place to stop for the night. Right they are and at only $20.25/night it's a deal too. Docked at the Hontoon Island State Park. 20nm today and 940nm total. DBH

2010-01-13T07:22:00.001-05:00

13 January - Day #42. Last night Murphy Island was quiet, the silence only being broken by the occasional train whistle. It was cold this morning as evidenced by Nellie's thick frost jacket. Without a cloud in the sky the sun warmed things quickly and we saw 60F by the afternoon. The scenery changed dramatically today. A wide open river gave way to a narrow, curvatious, stream protected by lush woods. we've reached the "mecca" of fishing grounds and what boats we do see are runabouts. Lots of little fishing villages spring up along the river making for a colorful backdrop. We idle back for posted manatee areas but have yet to see a manatee. We've heard they're farther down the river basking in the warm spring waters. We drop the hook just north of Astor, a small riverfront community, where just about everyone we met was talking about their day on the water and the fish they caught--or the big one that got away. Today's picture is of hyacinths floating past Nellie. 35nm today/920 total. BJH

2010-01-12T14:14:00.001-05:00

12 January - day #41. Ice dancing. I don't know what else to call it. That's what I'm doing as I raise and clean our mud-encased anchor chain. The hoses' overspray is freezing the second it hits the deck. Thus my feet are doing a jig to a melody only they can hear. Because sleeping well at anchor means putting out a lot of chain, I'm now paying the price by having to clean each inch of it. The good news is we're on the way south once again--cold weather be damned. We drop the hook off the quaint little town of Palata about noon. Ashore we enjoy its pretty historic district and then marvel at all the shuttered downtown buildings. Back aboard and continuing south we settle for the night at the state park on the north end of Murphy Island. This marks the halfway point down the St. Johns River. Today's picture looks like a lot of laundry got away. In reality it's the extent that many folks are going to keep their plants warm in these very chilly nights. At a the free, state park dock on Murphy Island. 35nm today and 886nm total. DBH

2010-01-11T14:56:00.003-05:00

11 January - day #40. Stephanie and Pete Peterson, S/V Brilliant are an interesting couple. After he retired as the XO of Rota Naval Base, Spain, they bought a Moody 425 in Greece and for the next five years cruised the Med. To say they loved it is an understatement. A highlight was the Eastern Mediterranean Yacht Rally where some 70 boats cruised from Greece through Turkey, Syria and Israel. Three years ago they crossed the Atlantic in 21 days and have been cruising the US east coast ever since. Now, the grand-kids draw them to Maine in the summer while the promise of warm weather drives them south in the winter. Even with the Peterson's as a good excuse not to push away from the dock, we manage to cast off the lines at noon. Here, some 25nm 'up' river the St. Johns is very wide, mostly shallow and lined with moss covered live oaks. Going ashore in Green Cove Springs the effects of the recent cold snap are obvious. Brown plants are everywhere and even some that have been reduced to pools of cellular Jello. Warm, natural springs feed the St Johns and we finally got to see one close up. I was hoping for a warm bath. That bubble was burst by the prominent sign stating: beware of snakes. Just off the town of Green Cove Springs. 14nm today and 850nm total.

2010-01-09T16:52:00.000-05:00

9 January - Day #38. It's spoiling being at a dock and how quickly we've come to enjoy the luxuries of a hot shower, the Base Exchange and Commissary within walking distance, a pub with wifi and even DVDs via a Red Box concession. We spent this morning doing chores and in the evening made our now routine walk to the Exchange, Commissary and then the pub for our internet fix. We never thought we'd still be wearing foul weather jackets, hats and gloves this far south. We went to bed glad for electric heaters and with the hope that some day soon we'd find warmer weather. Still in JAX Naval Air Station's Mulberry Cove. 0nm today and 835nm total. BJH

2010-01-08T19:42:00.006-05:00

8 January - Day #37. Last night the winds piped up requiring fender checks from 0230 until 0400. No scratches on the hull--no way ;-) Today it is cold and raining. We decide to enjoy a lazy day aboard: met a few neighbors; played with the 2-meter ham radio; read our books; got some laundry done; and Bicki may have gotten a nap. A walk to the "Liberty Club" for cocktails and a light dinner was a nice way to cap off the day. Docked at Jacksonville Naval Station. 0nm today and 835nm total. DBH

2010-01-07T18:58:00.002-05:00

7 January - Day #36. Having the winds die down last night made for a wonderful night's sleep at the Fernandina Beach, Florida anchorage. Before pulling up the hook this morning, we had a coffee hour with Heidi and Bill aboard S/V Act III. A subsequent walk revealed a nice, quaint little town. The mood of which was exemplified by a very charming "older" woman in her red hat. She approached us and with a sweet smile asked, "Which way is it to Florida? I could swear I was there, but the temperature seems to indicate otherwise." We chatted a bit, finished our walk, said our good-byes to Act III and dinghied back to the Nellie. We motored south without regard to time or tides . The St Johns river leading to Jacksonville is large and notorious for it's fast currents. For a while the temperature improved and actually reached 50 making it feel like we'd rounded the corner and maybe leaving winter behind at last. To our amazement, the complete lack of planning was rewarded with an average of 1.5 knot current pushing us along all the way to Jacksonville. The crowning achievement of the day was when Dave landed the mother-load of a marina--for a mere $8.15/day we got a slip (with water, electric and hot showers) at the Jacksonsville Naval Air Station. We arrived after a very relaxing cruising day and treated ourselves to a 2 mile walk to visit the Liberty Club. Typical Navy, the beers are cheap and the food is good. Enjoying the cruising life, docked at the Jacksonville Naval Station. 43nm miles today, 835nm total. BJH

2010-01-07T17:49:00.002-05:00

6 January - Day #35. My brother John and I have a been ribbing each other. He'd very much like me put the first scratch in Nellie's new paint job while I intend to deliver her to Naples unscathed. John almost got his wish today, not once but twice. Leaving the dock in Brunswick, GA there was both wind and current to contend with. No sooner had I backed out and had Nellie heading down the fairway, when the current pushed close to the end of the dock we'd just left. Fortunately, Bicki's quick action with the boat hook kept us off enough to slink out slowly. Not my best display of seamanship--but hey, no scratches! Our second attempt at marring the hull came as we left the fuel dock here in Fernandina Beach. Naturally, a 10kt wind and wind driven waves, waves big enough to soak the deck through the freeing ports, pinned us to the dock. In situations like this there's a tried-and-proven technique called springing-off where the engine is used in conjunction with a single dock line to get either the bow or stern away from the dock. Problem is, this exposes the bow, or stern, to being scratched by the pilings. No way, not on my watch. Instead we manhandle Nellie 40' backwards, against the wind, waves and current, to the end of the dock. We thus escaped possible injury by backing clear. Dinner was a treat as we caught up with Bill and Heidi, pictured above, from S/V Act III, and enjoyed a good seafood restaurant ashore. At the nice, calm, and now windless achorage in Fernandina Beach, Amelia Island, FL. 36nm today and 792nm total. DBH

2010-01-05T17:57:00.003-05:00

5 January - Day #34. Cold! Very, very cold! How can it be this cold in southern Georgia? We woke to temperatures in the 20s yet again. But we smiled and started the day with nice, hot marina showers, did a load of laundry and took a short walk to a local cafe for a bit of breakfast. Our plans to cut the dock lines and head farther south faded as the winds built. The forecast was not very encouraging and indicated the winds would continue to increase throughout the day. Oh well, another day in the marina. For some strange reason we cruisers never seem to get enough of going to chandleries--even when we don't need anything. So a walk to West Marine was in order after lunch. We stopped by the marina office for directions. The gal behind the counter got out a map, but before handing it to us drew a yellow line between the marina and West Marine and then drew an "X" through half the town, saying, "You'll be tempted to take a short cut through this area, but don't. You need to stay on the main road. It's safe. Do not walk in this area (pointing to the "x"ed out half of town). It's not where you want to be." We dutifully walked along our map's highlighted road and arrived at West Marine. We spent a bit of time looking at various boat things but there was nothing we needed and so left the store empty handed. Heading back to the marina we decided not to heed the warning and began walking down one of the streets in the map's "X"ed out areas. There were beautiful trees and some small business--it seemed just fine, but within a few blocks the scenery started to change, the neighborhood looked more forlorn, dark and unkempt. In our imaginations we could hear the gal at the marina explaining to the missing-persons cops, "I told them not to go into the "X"ed out area but they just didn't listen." With that happy thought motivating our pace we quickly returned to the 'safe route'. So today's lesson is when a local puts an "X" on a map and says "don't go here", it's like being told about an unmarked shoal--don't go there. Still happily docked at the Brunswick Landing Marina, GA for the night. 0nm today and 757nm total. BJH & DBH

2010-01-04T19:21:00.004-05:00

4 January - Day #33. After not getting a perfect night's sleep because of the current bubbling against the hull, we pulled up the anchor at daybreak and began heading south. There was frost on the boat and we knew we needed to continue searching for warmer weather. We made our plans for a nine hour cruising day but along the way we decided to take a detour and visit the town of Brunswick, Ga. The rule of being anchored before dark was replaced with being at the dock in time to find a place for lunch in town. We easily met our goal and found a very nice pizza place along main street. The city was laid out in 1771 by the Royal Province of Georgia in the same strong grid pattern General James Oglethorpe used in establishing the City of Savannah. This makes it an easy town to walk, with the added scenic benefit of historic buildings and beautiful live oaks everywhere. The picture is of a monument to the war dead from the Confederate States of America. We're happily docked at the Brunswick Landing Marina, GA for the night. 30nm today and 757nm total. BJH

2010-01-03T12:04:00.001-05:00

3 January - Day #32. We managed to escape the dock this morning. The brisk temperatures, as low as 20F, are motivating us to get to warmer climes. As we head southeast the heavily treed river banks slowly give way to millions of acres of grasslands. This is shrimp country and the grasses are their nursery. Big shrimp boats become a very common sight. In this stretch of the ICW the number of ocean inlets goes up dramatically; there's practically one every five miles. This has several impacts: the currents are strong; the waters are shallow; the channels are constantly moving; and, there are lots of big bodies of water or sounds to cross. The area is also a maze of small islands and oh so easy to get lost in. The GPS keeps us on track while the currents vary our speed from 4.0kts to 10.2kts. At 5pm we anchor in the 200 yard wide mouth of the Darien River. In only 15' of water we use 125' of chain--the current is fast and we want to sleep well. However, at midnight we're both wide awake thanks to the hisses and gurgles of the flood tide's crescendo. The picture above is the sunset in the Darien where we're currently at anchor, 5 miles southeast of Darien, GA. 57nm today and 727nm total. DBH

2010-01-02T18:28:00.003-05:00

2 January 2010 - Day #31. Finally this afternoon the winds calm down so we started the engine and laid the course in. A quick engine room check uncovers an engine hose leak--nothing more complicated than a loose hose clamp. A little more looking turns up yet another hose leak. This time it's a slit in the raw water hose. We shut down the engine, replace the hose and then restart. As we're pulling in the electrical line our neighbor Jim, who owns an Albin 36 trawler, M/V Southern Belle, stops by for a chat. Just the excuse we need not to leave the dock. Bicki and I look at each other, shrug, and turn off the engine to give Jim our full attention. Heck, there are only two hours of daylight left anyway and, more importantly, a Mexican restaurant which serves Negra Modelo beer is a short half-hour walk away. Satiated and happy, even though not making much headway south, and still at the dock in Sail Harbor Marina, Savannah, GA. 0nm today/670nm total. DBH

2010-01-02T12:02:00.003-05:00

1 January 2010 - Day #30. Happy New Year! NOAA's still predicting a gale so we use the day to do some maintenance: vacuum the bottom of the fuel tanks and work on a leaking freshwater pump. A nice long walk caps the day off. Safely at the dock in Sail Harbor Marina, Savannah, GA. 0nm today/670nm total. DBH

2009-12-31T08:51:00.004-05:00

31 December - Day #29. Today is dedicated to provisioning, laundry and a Walmart run. Dad drives us all around and we even tour some of Savannah's very scenic areas. Many of the roads are beautifully canopied by live oaks. Wisps of tinsel-like Spanish moss hang from almost every branch. We have cocktails aboard before going out for a New Year's celebratory dinner with Dad and Claire. Safely at the dock in Sail Harbor Marina, Savannah, GA. 0nm today/670nm total. DBH

2009-12-30T21:52:00.002-05:00

30 December - Day #28. Tomorrow there's a blue moon so the tidal range is near maximum--8' here in southern SC. This makes the 1.5 mile long Field's Cut, already infamous on the ICW, all the more challenging. Among its charms are rapid tidal flows, very shallow water, and of course, there's no maneuvering room because it's hallway narrow. Naturally we arrive at the gauntlet just before low tide. Several hundred yards into the Cut we see a sailboat aground. He asks us to wake him, i.e. to go by quickly so our wake will give him a few seconds of altitude to try and free himself. We offer to pull him off but he decides to wait for the tide to rise. Definitely a safer decision. What's left of the ebb is pushing us down the Cut so if we do go aground it'll be all that much more dramatic. The Cut's southern exit is by far the shallowest section. At idle, but with the tide pushing us at 5kts, we skim over a bottom which is just a foot under our keel. Safely at the dock in Sail Harbor Marina, Savannah, GA. 46nm today/670nm total. DBH

2009-12-29T09:51:00.005-05:00

29 December - Day #27. Some days it's better not to plan--just go and see what happens. We pulled the anchor in Charleston, headed south, and had the current behind us almost the entire trip. Nellie D. acted like a race horse when she was pushed along at 9.6 knots in the N. Edisto River. It was all very relaxing with opportunities for naps and reading when not on watch. We saw only a few other boats along the way, including the "Earth Ball" which is pictured above. The skipper looks like he's one go wake away from swimming. I always wonder how close to cut channel markers. Do they mark deep water or shoals? The picture above gives me pause. As for us, we had no particular destination in mind, but with an average speed of 6.5 knots we were pleasantly surprised to be in Beaufort, SC late in the afternoon. Beaufort is another antebellum town with amazing houses and the biggest live oaks I've ever seen. Anchored off Beaufort, SC. 56nm today/624nm total. BJH

2009-12-28T09:39:00.006-05:00

December 28 - Day #26. A cruiser thinks about their dink (dingy) like anyone shoreside thinks about their car--its how you get around. Being stranded by a broken down car is never fun, but it's usually not life threatening. If a dink's engine quits in the wrong place it can be disastrous. While we were in Mexico a fellow cruiser was returning from the beach in Cabo San Lucas to his boat anchored just off shore. When his engine quit he got the oars out. To his horror no amount of effort could overcome the wind and current--he was going out to sea. Luckily, the next day a helicopter found him--12nm offshore. Today, as we dingied back from downtown Charleston, our engine decided to test our mettle in the middle of a mile wide section of the Ashley River. There was a 20kt wind and a strong ebbing current when the engine's RPM dropped off precipitously. Normally an event like this is followed rapidly by the outboard's deafening silence. At this point I'm thinking "No tools and no VHF radio--great." Luckily the Yamaha kept running, albeit at greatly reduced power. The closest refuge was a desolate area of marsh. We headed for it; any port in a storm. Only after getting to within rowing distance did we parallel the marsh and continue heading in Nellie's general direction. After what seemed like an hour we reached a more populated area. Here, just in case, we motored close to the ends of the docks. Nellie never looked so good as we approached. Ok, so realistically our chances of getting swept all the way out of Charleston harbor and into the open Atlantic were slim and none. However, knowing that doesn't keep the adrenalin from flowing when the RPMs drop unexpectedly. The engine's autopsy is inconclusive thus far. Anchored in Wappoo Creek, Charleston, SC. 0nm today, 569 nm to date. DBH

2009-12-27T09:09:00.002-05:00

27 December -- Day#25. It's a relaxing 20 mile trip to Charleston through low marshy grass lands. Rivers and inlets weave aross the ICW in every direction. We see countless dolphins who greet us by leaving their feeding grounds to come play off our bow. Charleston Harbor can be a busy place with countless frieghters, naval ships, fishing boats and the like. This Sunday morning the harbor is nice and quiet with only two tour boats transisting from Liberty Square to Fort Sumter and maybe a dozen or so sailboats enjoying a liesurely day on the harbor. This lack of traffic makes it a perfect day for us to go investigating. We first cruise by Fort Sumter where history claims the Civil War started. Then we head southwest to get a close look at the aircraft carrier Yorktown. Interestingly, it's the most visited tourist attraction in Charleston with over 700,000 visitors a year. Across the Cooper River to Liberty Square we see the aquarium and the maritime museum buildings. With old town Charleston to starboard we round the Battery, on the city's west side, and pass the City Marina. Not ones to pass up a free wifi connection we drift for a few minutes while checking email. It's then time to head to our favorite anchorage just beyond the Wappoo Creek Bascsule Bridge. We cap off a great day cruising by walking to a little strip mall where there's a Chinese Resturant. Anchored in Wappoo Creek, Charleston, SC. 24 nm today, 569 nm to date. BJH

2009-12-26T12:17:00.000-05:00

26 December - Day #24. We set a new record yesterday--a whole .2nm traveled. The Christmas day gale finally blew itself out at 5pm. While we'd planned to cruise to Georgetown, SC, which is 20 miles away, the late hour coupled with the crew's laziness meant we were lucky to get away from the dock and across the river. The tidal range, or the number of feet the tide goes up and down, has increased from the Chesapeake's one foot to five feet here. Running with the current has a dramatic effect on our speed this morning as we see our normal 6.5kts not drop under 8kts for several hours. It may be hard to believe but this speed change is as dramatic to us as going from 65 to 80 mph in a car. This evening's anchorage is just 20 miles from Charleston and is very close to an ocean inlet. We drop the dink and go exploring. The beach, which is only accessible by boat, is great for shelling. Back aboard, Bill and Heidi, S/V Act III, who are coincidentally in the same anchorage, join us for cocktails. At anchor in Price Creek, SC. 55nm today and 545nm total

2009-12-25T11:43:00.003-05:00

Merry Christmas! Nellie D. is decorated in honor of the season (Dave's doing) and today we celebrated Christmas aboard. I always love a holiday where I get presents:-) Last night, it was sure nice to have no anchor watch, in fact we slept quite soundly tied to the dock even while the winds kicked up to 25kts. Since we had shore power I figured it was time to do a few loads of laundry aboard and now the saloon is decorated with four clothes lines full of drying clothes--not quite as festive as Dave's decorations. The rain is falling now and we're hoping it will stop when it's time to cut the dock lines early this afternoon. We're off to the anchorage in Georgetown, SC--just 20 miles to the south. At the Dock, Wacca Wache Marina, Murrells Inlet, SC. 0nm today and 489nm total. BJH