Blog of Events & Happenings

Riding Out Weather and Chasing a Window North
We pulled anchor at Duplin and set our sights on a sixty‑mile run to the Herb River anchorage. The day unfolded quietly and beautifully—Georgia’s waterway winding mile after mile through more than 368,000 acres of coastal marshland, one of the East Coast’s most important wetland ecosystems. It’s scenery that makes you ease back on the throttles and just let the boat glide.
As we made our way north, the weather forecast kept tightening. A strong system was expected overnight, bringing damaging winds and heavy rain. First came a small‑craft advisory, then a gale warning. Herb River in Thunderbolt/Savannah is a known well‑protected anchorage, so we stayed with the plan, added extra chain and set up a watch schedule in case the storm arrived early or stronger than predicted.
In the end, the worst of the wind never hit us. The storm slowed down, and that opened a window. Instead of sitting and waiting for it, we decided to get ahead of it and make Beaufort, SC before the system caught up. By 7:30 the next morning we were underway, radar up—an invaluable tool when you’re trying to stay one step ahead of weather.
Most of the run was comfortable, but Port Royal Sound delivered a lively ten‑mile stretch. Three‑foot Atlantic swells met 20‑plus‑knot southerly winds pushing up 2–3‑foot whitecaps, creating confused seas. Not pleasant, but manageable, and soon enough we were turning the corner toward Beaufort. Everything calmed down, and we slid into Ladies Island Marina just after noon.
Two quiet days in one of our favorite towns felt like the perfect reward after the push north. That first night we ate at Dockside—our second‑favorite restaurant with the same name as our first‑favorite back in Colonial Beach. My swordfish steak was excellent, and Carey’s meal was just as good. Tuesday was a workday for her, with a little help from me. She made a grocery run to restock the boat and tackled the laundry. She loves boating, but laundry days are not high on her list of joys.

Continuing North
Turned in early and were up at first light to continue north. The plan was an easy forty‑mile day to Steamboat Creek, where we anchored with two other boats tucked in nearby. From there we’ll do the 45-minute cross of Charleston harbor on our way to the next anchorage above Isle of Palm, then onto our favorite stop .., Georgetown S.C. for a 1-night stay. Still taking it slow, steady, and relaxed—just the way this stretch of the ICW should be. However, we have a tight schedule to meet with a couple of upcoming events in April.

Pictures show a Georgia island home with access only by water, Dockside restaurant, over our stern to one anchored boat, and, finally, the Nordic tug off our port side that was our neighbor last night at Lady’s Island Marina in Beaufort. Nice day to relax at anchor. Meatloaf dinner tonight.

Northbound
Leaving Pine Island, we pointed the bow toward Fernandina Beach, FL — an easy 50‑mile hop under sunny skies and a perfect 70 degrees. Once tied up, we stretched our legs and grabbed dinner at a busy little spot across from the marina. The service was fast, the tacos… not so great. One of the few misses of the whole trip. A quiet glass of wine back aboard fixed the mood, and we turned in early. We’ve stopped here many times in the past, so we had opted not to do a walk-around.
Into Georgia and a Little Engine TLC
Our next stop was Brunswick Landing Marina in Brunswick, GA — our first step out of Florida and the place we’d planned for engine service. We’d logged 200 hours since leaving Colonial Beach in November, so it was time for an oil change and a good look-over.
On Thursday the 12th, the mechanic — now our new friend Mark — climbed aboard and got to work. While checking the engines, he spotted some fine belt filings. Turned out the serpentine belt was the wrong length, and the tensioner was starting to weaken. Not what you want to hear, but better to find it here than in the middle of nowhere.
Parts came through quickly, and by early afternoon we had a proper‑length belt installed, a spare on board, and the tensioner behaving well enough to get us home. Oil change done, engines buttoned up, and all work wrapped by 1 PM. With everything squared away, we decided to shorten our stay from three nights to two and get moving again. BTW, we highly recommend the marina, as it has free laundry and sponsors happy hour every Monday, Wednesday and Friday with complimentary beer and wine.
A Tide‑Timed Run to Duplin River
We didn’t get underway Saturday until 11 AM — timing the Little Mud River for after 2 PM so we’d have enough water. At low tide there’s a notorious 4‑foot stretch that demands a rising tide to clear safely. The plan worked: we slipped through without issue and dropped the hook in the Duplin River by 4 PM.
Anchored in a quiet bend, Manhattans in hand, we settled in for the evening. The northbound leg is officially underway, and we’re aiming to make the trip home slow, careful, and fun — just the way it should be. Traveling thru Georgia is a series of winding rivers joining a series of sounds. Pleasant but a lot of the same wetlands scenery.

Saturday, we got together with Carey’s cousin Pam for lunch at a local Irish Pub. I’m beginning to love those Irish Pubs! After lunch we toured an Art Festival being held in Cocoa Fl and also stopped by Pam’s daughter’s workplace for a visit. She is a Tattoo artist and a true artist she is. Beautiful work. We enjoyed the day and then back to the boat. Sunday was up and greeting new friends on the dock. Talking to boaters from different places and walks of life is an amazing thing we really enjoy. Today it was a couple from Richmond. He is a retired Navy Captain who flew helicopters and commanded the squadron that supplied the Helos for the ship I commanded. Small world. Monday, the 9th, was get moving day and we headed out for our 55-mile trip to New Smyrna Beach. This will be only the second stop in this place. We loved the first visit and are really looking forward to the second. Once stopped we made our way to the local restaurant for dinner, then back to the boat and bed. Tuesday had that long faraway look — we had committed to an 80-mile day to anchor at Pine Island. Daylight savings time gave us daylight until 7:30 PM so off we went. A really long day but we worked together to stay focused, awake, and on track. Safely moored by 7 PM, Carey fixed a grand meal, and we caught up on the local “almost war news.” More traveling tomorrow ….

Up on Thursday the 5th, we continued north on the ICW, covering 55 miles to Eau Gallie—home of one of our favorite stops, the Eau Gallie Yacht Basin. On our last visit we discovered the Cottage Irish Pub, a cozy spot where local Irish musicians gather to sing and play the old songs. We returned as soon as we tied up, and with Peggy alongside we had another wonderful evening of music, laughter, and that unmistakable Irish charm.

Friday was an easy morning. With only 18 miles to travel to Cocoa Village Marina, we took our time with chores, coffee, and catching up on the news. After nearly three weeks together, it was bittersweet to see Peggy head off. Her son Kyle drove over from Orlando to pick her up for a weekend with the grandchildren, and from there she’ll make her way back home—hopefully to a warm Colonial Beach.

We’ll be here a few more days visiting Carey’s cousins who live nearby. Below are a few photos from our night at the Cottage Irish Pub, where the musicians sat in a circle and played their hearts out. A truly great evening.

Crossing Back to the States

On Wednesday the 25th, we left Green Turtle and made the run to Great Sale Cay and anchored in a quiet, isolated spot off the Grand Bahama Island shoreline. Enjoyed a peaceful dinner aboard—just us, calm water, and a wide‑open sky. Next morning we continued on to West End and Old Bahama Bay, our final stop before crossing back to the States and a past retreat for John Travolta and family. We stayed two nights, soaking up those last warm, tropical winter days, and final rounds of Bahamian goombay smashes.

A Tough Start, a Tougher Crossing

At 0700 on Saturday the 28th, we attempted to begin our crossing, but the seas were stacked 3–4 feet, with a 3 second interval and ugly. After a short attempt we turned around and returned to our slip at Old Bahama Bay. By noon the weather had settled just enough to make another try. It still wasn’t the most pleasant, but it was doable, so we pushed on.

The six‑hour run to Lake Worth was a full experience. Weather predictions were for 2 foot or less. Instead the sea rose to steady 3–4 foot seas, plenty of rolling, a nasty thunderstorm near the Florida coast that dropped visibility to zero at times, and a surprise visit from the U.S. Coast Guard. They boarded us for a safety inspection, which we passed without issue. As they departed they rode alongside to give us a photo op … waving as they swept by.

Back in Florida

Once safely anchored in Lake Worth, we treated ourselves to a good meal and a few toasts before calling it a night. Next morning brought more rain and thunder as we got underway for Fort Pierce, where we planned to stay four days. We arrived in the early afternoon just in time for a phone call from dear Diane McKee. “Come join me at the inlet” she said. And we did … for fun and music and some old-fashioned bar hopping! As always, great fun with Diane.

Friends, Family, and a Few Chores

Fort Pierce gave us the chance to reconnect with familiar faces. We visited with Bonnie Scanlin, Ronnie Farmer and Diane McKee, and my cousin Jan. We didn’t have enough time to see Randy and Barbara Semper or Sam and JoAnn Hess, all from Aquia Harbour, and Steve and Kim Donnock, transplanted from Lake Barcroft in Falls Church, but we’ll make up for that when we return in the fall and spend more time in that area.

Between visits, we tackled the usual chores to keep BenjOllie ready for the trip home. As we turned in Wednesday night, we both agreed: next time, we’ll plan for a longer stay in Fort Pierce. A few pictures of people we visited are below.