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THE AUTO PILOT HAD STOPPED WORKING IN THE MORNING AND AFTER ANCHORING I WAS REMOVING THE CONTROL UNIT IN THE COCKPIT WHEN ITS LCD SCREEN BROKE CAUSING A BLACK BLOB IN THE DISPLAY. WE THEN WENT ASHORE AND HAD A 4 MILE HIKE TO GET KEROSENE FOR OUR ANCHOR LIGHT. BACK AT THE DINGY, WITH OUR FEET WORN OUT, THE SECURITY WIRE AND PADLOCK HAD NOOSED ITSELF AROUND THE BOTTOM OF A PILE AND BEING FLOOD TIDE WAS THREATENING. SO, AFTER MUCH MENTAL RESISTENCE I JUMPED IN FULLY CLOTHED AND WENT DOWN THE 7FT TO RELEASE IT. BACK IN THE DINGY WET AND COLD, POOR SU GOT THE WRONG END OF MY TEMPER FOR NOT UNLOCKING THE PADLOCK QUICK ENOUGH, NEEDLESS TO SAY IT WAS A COLD EVENING IN FRONT OF A HOT FIRE! THE MORROW FAIRED BETTER WHEN I MANAGED TO FIX THE AUTO PILOT ALTHOUGH UNFORTUNATLY NOT THE BLACK BLOB IN THE LCD SCREEN, HOW IT OPERATES AT SEA IS YET TOBE TRIED. WE ARE STILL ANCHORED OFF OF APALACHICOLA WAITING FRO THE RIGHT WIND TO CROSS THE 160 MILE OF THE BIG BEND TO TAMPA BAY
FLORIDA PANHANDLE AFTER LISTENING TO THE WEATHER FORCAST ON THE VHF, I PREDICTED THAT WE HAD A WEATHER WINDOW OF 3 DAY’S BEFORE THE NEXT FRONT BRINING BAD WEATHER WOULD CROSS FLORIDA. SO, WE MOTORED 25 MILES EAST TO CARABELLE ARRIVING AFTER DARK WE ANCHORED OFF OF THE BEACH READY FOR AN EARLY START TO CROSS THE “PANHANDLE” 150 MILES TO TARPON SPRINGS. SATURDAY THE 30TH JANUARY 09 WE WERE UP AT FIRST LIGHT BUT THE COLD 15KNT NORTH WIND MADE US THINK, SHOULD WE REALLY BE DOING THIS THIS EARLY. SO WE RETREATED BACK DOWN THE CABIN AND HAD A COOKED BREAKFAST SITTING BY THE WOOD STOVE, TO LET THE DAY WARM UP A BIT. 10AM, BOTH FEELING MUCH BETTER WARMER AND FITTER WE HOISTED FULL SAIL AND SAILED OUT OF THE PASS INTO THE GULF OF MEXICO. NOW, BARBAROSSA NEEDS A GOOD BREEZE TO GET HER IN ANY WAY EXCITED ABOUT DOING SPEEDS ABVE 6 KNTS AND SU AND I (OR PERHAPS JUST I) HAVE THIS BITTER SWEET MOMENT, WHEN THE OLD GIRL IS CREAMING ALONG AT 7 TO 8 KNTS BEING OFF SET BY IT BEING WINDY AND ROUGH. ONCE CLEAR OF THE “LEE OF THE LAND” THE WIND INCREASED TO 20KNTS AND WE HAD TO TAKE IN THE MIZZEN THIS WAS OUR FIRST SALTY SEA TRIP, SINCE COMING UP THE ATLANTIC SEABOARD TO NEW YORK ALMOST A YEAR AND 3,000 MILES AGO, BUT DESPITE THE COLD WE SEEM TO SETTLE IN QUITE WELL EVEN CATCHING A NICE TUNA IN THE AFTERNOON FOR DINNER, BUT AS THE TEMPERATURE DROPPED AT NIGHT SO DID OUR SPRITS AND IT WAS A LONG, COLD, WINDY, NIGHT BEFORE DAWN EVENTUALLY STRUGGLED OUT OF THE EAST US, SOMEWHERE OF TARPON SPRINGS. AS THE DAY WARMED HOWEVER AND THE TIDE TURNED IN OUR FAVOR OUR SPRITS ROSE AND WE DECIDED TO MAKE THE MOST OF TIDE AND WIND AND CARRY ON ANOTHER 30 MILES TO PASS A GRILLE JUST ABOVE TAMPA BAY WHICH WE MADE AT 1500HR. VERY PLEASED TO BE BACK IN THE LAND OF SKIPPER BOBS EXELLENT, NO NONSENCE, “ANCHORAGES ALONG THE INTRACOSTAL WATERWAY” PILOT BOOK WHICH DIRECTED US TO AN EXELLENT ANCHORAGE AT ST PETES BEACH WITH HANDY DIRECTIONS FOR THE DINGY DOCK AND GROCERY STORE. AS FORCAST THE FRONT ARRIVED THE NEXT DAY BUT WE WERE READY WITH 2 ANCHORS DOWN AND THE LOG FIRE BLAZING. WE DID HOWEVER MANAGE TO GET ASHORE AFTER 2 DAY’S AND RE-STOCK AT THE EXELLENT PUBLIX SUPERMARKET RIGHT ON THE WATERFRONT. FRIDAY 6TH FEBRUARY 09, UNDERWAY FROM ST PETES BEACH WE SAILED 20 MILES DOWN THE COAST TO LONGBOAT PASS WHERE SHORTLY AFTER WE RAN AGROUND IN THE GICW, BUT AFTER AND HOUR OF FLOOD TIDE AND A BIG WAKE FROM A STINK POT WE GOT OFF TO RETRACE BACK A MILE OR SO AND ANCHORED BY THE BRIDGE IN 8FT OF WATER. AFTER EXITING LONGBOAT PASS EARLY NEXT MORNING WE HAD A GOOD SAIL SOUTH 50 MILES TO CHARLOTTE HARBOUR ENTERING IN THE DARK AT 2100HR TO GROPE OUR WAY INTO CABBAGE KEY AND ANCHOR.
LAKE OKEECHOBEE AT FORT MYERS WE HAD TWO CHOICES OF HOW TO GET BACK TO THE ATLANTIC COAST, 300 MILES AROUND THE FLORIDA KEYS, OR THE SHORTER BUT SHALLOWER 150 MILE LAKE OKEECHOBEE ROUTE. WITH THE NEED TO BE NEAR AN AIRPORT WE, DESPITE OUR 6FT 6Iinc DRAFT CHOSE THE LATER AND TUESDAY THE 10TH FEB SAW THE OLD BARBAROSSA CHUGGING THROUGH FORT MYERS WITH AN ARMED ESCORT ON EITHER SIDE AND A HELICOPTER AT THE MASTHEAD, ON ACCOUNT OF PRESIDENT OBAMA’S PRESENCE IN ONE OF THE RIVERFRONT VENUES. I REMBER THINKING AT THE TIME THAT I WOULD NOT SWAP HIS LIFE STYLE FOR MINE FOR ALL THE TEA IN CHINA. ONCE CLEAR OF THE CITY LIMITS THINGS QUITENED DOWN AND WE HAD AN ENJOYABLE MOTOR UP THE RIVER TO FRANKLIN LOCK TO ANCHOR FOR THE NIGHT. AFTER SPENDING THE NEXT DAY RE STOCKING AT THE FREE DOCK IN LA BELLE WE PROCEEDED ON UP THE RIVER, THROUGH THE LOCK AT MOORHAVEN ANS ONTO CLEWISTON, WONDERING HOW OLD BARBAROSSA FELT FLOATING AMONGST SO MANY ALLIGATORS AND WE ARE SURE WE FELT HER DO THE ODD SHIVER. FRIDAY 13TH, FUNALLY ENOUGH, I GENERALLY HAVE GOOD BLACK FRIDAY’S AND THIS WAS NO EXCEPTION, STARTING EARLY MOTORING THROUGH THE CLEWISTON APPROACH CHANNEL. NOW, THIS IS THE SHALLOWEST PART OF THE OKEECHOBEE ROUTE AND HAD BEEN PREDICTED AT 7FT, SO WITH OUR 6FT 6 DRAFT THINGS WERE GOING TO BE BIT TIGHT. SO WITH FORE THOUGHT WE HAD ALREADY LAUNCHED THE DINGHY AND FILLED IT UP WITH THE SPARE ANCHORS, PUMPED OUT OUR FRESH WATER TANKS AND WERE DOWN TO OUR LAST 20 GALLONS OF DIESEL. THIS OFF SET THE EFFECT OF GREATER DRAFT OF BEING IN FRESH WATER AND ALTHOUGH A HASSEL IT PAID OFF AND ALTHOUGH AT ONLY 2KNTS WE GOT THROUGH THE PASSAGE WITHOUT INCIDENT THEN MOTORING ACROSS THE 25 MILES OF LAKE OKEECHOBEE IN A MORE COMFORTABLE 12FT, AFTER ANCHORING AT THE ST LUCIE LOCK OVER NIGHT WE MADE OUR WAY TO A MOORING BUOY AT THE TOWN OF STUART BUT NOT BEFORE WE HAD KISSED THE GROUND SEVERAL MORE TIMES. AT LAST WE HAD MADE IT ACROSS TO THE EASTERN SEABOARD AND COULD NOW RELAX A LITTLE BEFORE STARTING BACK ACROSS THE ATLANTIC IN MAY.
FERNADINA BEACH HEADING NORTH UP THR I.C.W WE COMPLETED OUR GREAT AMERICAN LOOP AT TITTUSVILLE FLORIDA, ANCHORING SOUTH OF THE BRIDGE CAUSEWAY FOR 2 DAY’S TO RIDE OUT SOME BAD WEATHER. MANAGING TO GET ASHORE TO DO SOME STOCKING UP. 24TH FEBRUARY WE WERE UNDERWAY HEADING NORTH UP THE I.C.W IT WAS GOOD TO SEE FAMILIAR LANDMARKS AND VISIT OLD ANCHORAGES THAT WE HAD LAST USED NEARLY 2 YEARS AGO, THIS WAS ONLY A LITTLE OFF SET BY MY THIRST FOR PLACES NEW. FOR SUSANS BIRTHDAY, WE ANCHORED AT ST AUGUSTINE GOING ASHORE SHOPPING THERE WAS NEVER GOING TO BE A CHEAP AFFAIR. THE NEXT DAY AFTER GETTING FUEL WE MADE OUR WAY UO THE I.C.W THE AFTERNOON FOUND US MOTOR SAILING WITH A SPLENDED BREEZE AND WARM SUNSHINE, WHEN, SUSAN SPOTTED A RACOON SWIMMING ACROSS THE RIVER, GREAT SHOT I THOUGHT GRABBING THE VIDEO CAMERA AND ZOOMING IN. BARBAROSSA TOOK A GREAT SHEER TO STARBOARD AND LEAPT OUT OF THE WATER 6 INCHES, BY THE TIME WE HAD GOT THE SAILS DOWN THE WATER HAD DROPPED ANOTHER 3 INCHES IT BEING EBB TIDE WITHIN AN HOUR IT HAD EBBED DOWN OUR SIDE ABOUT 3 FOOT BUT BARBAROSSA WAS STILL BOLT UPRIGHT BUT WHEN A STINKPOT WENT BY AT ABOUT 12 KNOTS HIS WAKE CRASHED BARBAROSSA OVER TO 20% SENDING POOR SUSAN FLYING ACROSS THE CABIN. BARBAROSSA CONTINUED TO DRY OUT AND IT SEEMED LIKE AN ETERNITY UNTILL THE WATER WAS AT IT’S LOWEST EBB AND I COULD ANOUNCE TO SUSAN AT 1800HR THAT THE TIDE WAS AT LAST FLOODING. WE WERE STILL NOT TAKING ANY CHANCES AND PUMPED OUT ALL OF OUR FRESH WATER AND RUN OUT OUR BIG ANCHOR INTO DEEP WATER . 1 HOUR BEFORE HIGH WATER ABOUT MIDNIGHT WE MANAGED TO WINCH HER OFF THE MUD AND ANCHOR IN DEEPER WATER. THE NEXT DAY WE FOUND A SNUG ANCHORAGE AT MILE 744 TO RIDE OUT 2 DAY’S OF NORTHERLY GALES, EVEN WHEN WE DID GET UNDERWAY THE COLD BITTING NORTH WIND HAD US ANCHORING AT MIDDAY TO RETREAT BELOW TO THE WOOD STOVE, AT LAST WE MADE FERNANDIA BEACH ON THE 4TH MARCH 09 GOING ASHORE FOR A WELL EARNED BEER OR TWO.
LOG 31ST MARCH BEST LAID PLANS ? WE HAD INTENDED ALL ALONG AND WERE GREATLY LOOKING FORWARD TO RE-VISITING TURNERS CREEK IN GEORGIA . WE INTENDED TO RAISE BARBAROSSA’S TOP MAST THERE AND PROVISION FOR OUR FORTHCOMMING ATLANTIC CROSSING AT THE PUBLIX GROCERY STORE AND THE ACE HARDWARE ONLY A STONES THROW FROM THE ANCHORAGE, AN IDEAL PLACE. BUT WITH STONE THROWING IN MIND IT WAS NOT TO BE, UPON ANCHORING IN THE CREEK WE WERE GRILLED AS TO HOW LONG WE WERE GOING TO BE THERE AND WHAT WE INTENDED TO DO BY ANOTHER VISITING YACHTIE, MYSTERIOUSLY AN HOUR LATER WE HAD A VISIT FROM THE WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT OFFICERS WHO FIRST WORDS WERE “YOU ARE ONLY ALOUD TO ANCHOR IN THE STATE OF GEORGIA FOR A MAXIMUM OF 5 DAY’S“. I REPLIED “WELL, WELCOME TO GEORGIA, AS SOON AS I GET MY TOPMAST UP I SHALL GO SPEND MY 1,500 PROVISIONING IN THE CAROLINA’S”. LATER THAT DAY ON RETURNING FROM THE HARDWARE STORE THE POLICE WERE WAITING FOR US. ADMITTEDLY, BARBAROSSA HAD SWUNG ON THE TIDE AND HER STERN WAS IN THE CHANNEL. BUT STILL WE WERE BOARDED AND OUR PAPERS THROUGHLY CHECKED. THANKS TO SUSAN ALL WAS WELL IN ORDER. I MUST ADD THAT THE INSPECTION WAS DONE IN A CURTIOUS AND FRIENDLY MANNER BY THE OFFICER WHO WAS ONLY DOING HIS JOB AND IT WAS OBVIOUSE ALTHOUGH NOT ADMITTED THAT SOMEBODY HAD COMPLAINED. AFTER WE HAD RE ANCHORED TO THE SIDE OF THE CREEK MORE THING QUITENED DOWN AND SU AND I SET UP THE NEW TOPMAST RIGGING AND PREPARED THE CHAIN HOIST FOR RAISING THE TOPMAST. THE NEXT DAY AFTER A COAT OF VARNISH THE TOPMAST WAS IN PLACE WITH ITS NEW RIGGING. LATER WE WERE INVITED FOR AN EVENING DRINK AT ONE OF THE WATERSIDE RESIDENCES WHERE A NICE TIME WAS HAD BY SU AND I IN GOOD COMPANY, THEREBY OFFSETTING SOME OF THE RECEPTION WE HAD HAD EARLIER. SATURDAY 14TH MARCH. MOTORED OUT OF TURNERS CREEK AND INTO THICK FOG WHICH HAD US ANCHORED OUTSIDE OF THE CREEK ENTRANCE FOR 2 DAY’S BEFORE WE WERE ABLE TO CONTINUE ON UP NORTH TO SOUTH CAROLINA, STOPPING AT BEAUFORT AND CHARLSTON WHERE WE MET UP WITH THE GAFFER “MOON GLOW”, WHO WE HAD LAST MET ANCHORED AT DELTAVILLE V.A 18 MONTHS EARLIER AND SHE LOOKED AS PRETTY AS EVER, MOVING ON UP THE I.C.W IN LOUSY WEATHER WE RE-VISITED GEORGETOWN BUT WE FOUND THE ANCHORAGE EVEN TIGHTER THAN THE LAST TIME WE WERE HERE. STILL WE MANAGED TO SPEND A DAY THERE NOSEING THROUGH THE SHOPS IN THE HIGH STREET. IT WAS THERE THAT SU RECEIVED THE SAD NEWS THAT HER SISTER HAD PASSED AWAY, SHE HAD LOST THE 2 YEAR FIGHT AGAINST CANCER AND WAS NOW PAIN FREE AT REST. AFTER LOOKING ON THE INTERNET IT WAS DECIDED THAT RALEIGH N.C WAS THE BEST PLACE FOR SU TO FLY HOME FROM, WITH THE EXELLENT ANCHORAGE AT WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH A GOOD PLACE TO LEAVE BARBAROSSA HIRE A CAR AND TAKE SU TO THE AIRPORT. WE COULD EVEN DRIVE VIA BEAUFORT N.C TO SEE IF WE COULD ARRANGE A HAUL OUT FOR BARBAROSSA. THESE EVENTS, LEAD US TO BE OUT ON THE CAPE FEAR RIVER ON SATURDAY THE 28TH MARCH PUNCHING A 3KNT EBB TIDE WITH A VERY BAD IMPENDING WEATHER FORCAST, TRYING TO MAKE THE 25 MILES TO WRIGHTVILLE BEACH BEFORE DARKNESS, THIS MADE POOR OLD MR GARDNER (OUR ENGINE) SWEAT A FAIR BIT DOWN THE ENGINE ROOM WHILE WE BRAVED THE WINDS AND TORRENTIAL RAIN ON DECK. WHEN, ON RE-ENTERING THE I.C.W THE WIND AND RAIN PROMPLY STOPPED AND THE FOG SHUT IN ! FINALLY AFTER GROPPING ABOUT IN THE FOG AND DARKNESS WE ANCHORED AT WRIGHTVILLE BEACH ,SET 2 ANCHORS AND WERE READY FOR THE FORCAST STORMS WHICH WERE DUELY RECEIVED ABOUT MIDNIGHT AND THE FOLLOWING DAY.
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