South = shorts

Last heard we were relaxing in the winter cold weather anchored just outside Wrightville Beach NC – “relaxing” meant staying in our boats (Reboot and HOBOII) while the winds and cold blew around us – so cold and windy that we could only look out our pilot house windows at the once (I am assuming this) warm and inviting beach area. Although many boats sailed by us en route down the ICW to the next debacle, bridge, current and/or grounding, we however, decided to stay one more day to wait for a warmer weather window, which thankfully arrived the next day.

Beaufort, N.C.

We motored down the ICW (will we ever learn?) to Southport, where we stayed the night preparing for a two day coastal sail to Savannah. The company on the dock were mostly Canadians, from Toronto none the less, which was quite entertaining (our second sun downer party, ever.)

Next morning we set sail south with a nice breeze that eventually disappeared.. A group decision was made to make port at Charleston and motor a bit down the ICW – which turned out to be, non-eventful. We all got some much needed sleep and left again to sail along the coast to Savannah, ETA after dark.

The Savannah channel is a Class A inlet, which means that it is deep and easily navigable in the dark. Another addition to a class A inlet is that ocean vessels use it as well. Upon our arrival in the channel we first passed 3 anchored container ships, secondly, 3 vessels were departing Savannah and passed us by in the channel – now in the dark with lights everywhere it was difficult to know what was a huge vessel (and they are especially large when they suddenly appear out of no where) what lights were on land and which lights were the navigation buoys. The vessels have only a few bright lights to distinguish them and well, sometimes they look as though they are the red buoys you think you are to aim for....and they are quiet, they can easily sneak up behind or in front of you without you even knowing they are there – thank goodness for AIS and Reboot. Reboot (Roger) is very good with the radio and always broadcasts security calls to advise ships that he and his troupe of Hobo’s have arrived.

Savannah

Once past the vessels, we were blinded by a manufacturing plant that was lit up like Shanghai – it completely destroyed our night vision, and made it difficult to determine the channel. Up crept a container ship behind us, that saw our dilemma (actually the pilot saw our dilemma not the ship) and radioed us the correct coordinates and suggested he make a 'slow pass' and that we follow him into the Savannah harbor...it was quite surreal. The pilot showed us his southern hospitality, by slowing his boat down to pass, providing a lead to follow, and then having one of his colleagues (who was passing by the downtown Savannah dock) to check out if there were any empty spots for us to tie up to - his colleague was piloting a similar container vessel and took the time to have a look outside for dockage space for the HOBO troupe.

We ended up with three perfect spots right in the old town on River Road – we were however part of the tourist attractions as everyone (tourists and locals alike) promenade down River Road, to view the harbor, the ships and have a drink/dinner/or purchase souvenirs.

Savannah 

Savannah, Georgia

Savannah is a beautiful city, that has an American revolutionary, civil war era feel about it and George Washington did actually sleep in a few places here, or so the plaques say. The city is easily navigable with a grid pattern of streets that are interspersed with 22 park like squares. The squares honor historical figures who supported, fought and/or contributed to the south - the trees are old and huge with the Spanish moss hanging from their branches.

Savannah city's architecture and historic buildings are well kept and interesting, likely due to the Savannah College of Art and Design who own many of them. The college also owns most of the older hotels (1960-1980) that are used as dormitories and two movie theaters used to showcase students films and art. What a great campus for a college.

Shripper in Doboy Sound - can you see Mr. Gump?

After three days we left Savannah and traveled down the ICW to Doboy Sound, preparing for an offshore sail to Daytona Beach. The ICW itself holds its own stresses without the need of crazy boaters who pass you too close, too fast and in the narrowest of channels – and of course the chart plotters that lead you one way but the buoys say something different, which to choose, which to pick? I now just practice the 'close your eyes and go trick” that I so often did while driving in Toronto...just kidding, really, just kidding.

Roger

Doboy Sound is an easy access the ocean and/or ICW depending upon your whereabouts. It was a beautiful evening and we left the shore behind as the sun went down – Reboot and HOBOII sailed to Jacksonville and we continued south to St Augustine, where we flew into the harbor with an east wind blowing up standing waves, shoals on either side and a very narrow channel – once through we breathed a little easier. And for awhile, all was peaceful on the ICW...until we grounded not once but twice in the same place. Our plotter showed us on land but our boat was in the middle of the channel, the channel had silted up in this curved part of the ICW and well, we just stopped. Thank goodness we are a sailboat and there was a wind blowing – we basically sailed ourselves over the silted area to deeper water. Happy to be over the hump, so to speak – we ended up in the Palm Coast and spent the night at the Hammock Beach Marina, which was so nice and inexpensive, we stayed an extra night. Mostly to recuperate from the night sail and the ICW, and well they had a pool and a gym and laundry....

said pool....

Yesterday we arrived in Daytona Beach and as we motored past the Memorial Bridge we got a call on the VHF from our friends Diane and Richard, who were on shore waiting for us. What a wonderful welcome! We sailed with Richard and Diane on Cap Oceane from Quebec City to the Magdalene Islands - it had been awhile since we had seen them and were looking forward to spending time with them here in Daytona. They left their boat in Quebec City and traveled down in their RV to spend part of the winter in Florida.

Will let you know about our adventures with Cap Oceane in the next blog.


P.S. currently we are wearing shorts... yeah!