Christmas Down South

Our time in Vero flies by. After a lovely and delicious Thanksgiving dinner with friends under swaying palms (accompanied, unfortunately, by voracious no-seeums) we are back at work on Exuberant.  Burt undertakes the huge task of refinishing the companionway of the boat.  That includes burning off years’ worth of varnish, removing the sliding hatch and accompanying hardware, sanding the teak down to bare wood, and applying ten coats of two-part varnish. Two weeks later the finished teak absolutely glows; the quality is worthy of a professional, but in the meantime, we also have a boat full of sanding dust and varnish fumes.  Cruising isn’t always a “paradise experience”.

With the boat reassembled and well provisioned, we make an overnight passage down the coast, arriving at Key Biscayne and No Name Harbor the following noon.  It is a Sunday, so we anchor outside the state park harbor as inside is pure chaos with locals vying for every square inch of anchoring room and salsa music blaring from impressive stereo systems. Trust me, you won’t hear any English spoken here.   

Skyline of Miami's South Beach as seen from the anchorage just outside No Name harbor

The next morning we motor inside as the last of the weekend revelers departs and score a prime anchoring position. 

No Name Harbor with only a few boats - at some times it seems you can walk across the harbor on all the boats.

We want to be inside as Burt needs to snorkel on the bottom of the boat and change out the zinc on the prop; this is the first time we have seen clear water with no current in ages. With the task complete we spend the remainder of our visit bicycling through the park and the lush, upscale community of Key Biscayne. And as the harbor begins to fill with more boats and swing room becomes minimal, we are anxious to get underway before there is an unfortunate crunch of fiberglass hulls.

It is cool and breezy with another cold front descending upon us, but that makes for excellent sailing further down the Keys.   

Burt is bundled up for the trip into the Keys - it has been a surprisingly cool winter-not what you would expect for South Florida weather

We leave No Name Harbor at first light, get bounced a bit as we head out into Hawk Channel, but then have a memorable sail that makes the Keys so special. Once in the lee of the islands, the water goes flat, the wind gusts into the mid-20’s, and we are making close to 8 knots of speed over clear turquoise water on a beam reach.  It is utterly heavenly! 70 nautical miles later we drop anchor in the protection of Long Key, have a leisurely grilled dinner, and watch a spectacular sunset that is typical of the Keys. 

Sunset off Long Key - and yes, I think I saw a green flash despite the clouds at the horizon

The next day it is an easy motor sail the remainder of the way to Boot Key Harbor on Marathon Key.  We pick up a mooring ball in the crowded harbor and are pleased we have arrived before all 226 spaces have been taken, as this is a very popular location for cruisers.

We will be in Marathon for over a month. And what will keep us here so long?  Burt still has a few maintenance tasks before we feel prepared to head to the Bahamas. I have a sewing project, covering some cushions in the cockpit, and the material awaits me in the mail room.  We try to find time each day for a fun activity.  Sometimes we dinghy to Sombrero Beach, a ten minute ride in the dinghy through mangrove lined channels and past some of the lovely homes in the Sombrero neighborhood.   

A portion of Sombrero Beach which is actually a city park

Other times we get a bit more exercise by riding our bikes nine miles out and back along Highway 1 and on the old Seven Mile Bridge to Pigeon Key, home to Henry Flagler’s work camp that supported the construction of the original bridge and now is an historical landmark. 

The end of the bike path to Pigeon Key, seen in the background

And why you can't go any further along the bridge, although this section has been used in movie sets

Along the way we frequently stop to see what critters inhabit the clear waters below.  On our first trip out we see three sharks, the largest being around 7 feet long, one huge spotted eagle ray, several barracuda, many tarpon, an assortment of tropical fish, and two iguanas resting on the bridge abutment. 

One of the iguanas we saw, now considered like squirrels in the Key - there is actually an abatement program for ones which become nuisances

When we return to our dinghy, two manatees are lollygagging near the dinghy dock. Not all the wild life in the Keys is human! We often gather with friends who are passing through this harbor or plan to spend their entire winter here. We are beginning to think the music scene in Marathon is surpassing that of Key West.  Many of the musicians who play at the local venues reside on boats in the harbor.  Eric Stone (of the Eric Stone Band, made famous by links to Latts and Atts ((now Cruising Outpost)) magazine and appearances at many national boat shows) owns a waterfront restaurant and features talent from all over the country. Several other establishments have music almost all nights of the week, so we have plenty to choose from.

But it is also the Christmas season and, while different from a northern Christmas, we still get into the spirit.  Our boat is decorated with solar powered LED lights on the exterior, and we have a small lit Christmas tree in the salon. One evening we attend a performance of the Messiah at a local church with community wide talent participating – it is surprisingly professional - and we bike back to the dinghy in the dark, admiring all the Christmas lights in the nearby park. Another evening we are invited to a friend’s boat for a holiday party and a prime view of the Boot Key Harbor Lighted Boat Parade. 

Lots of fun in the boat parade

And finally, friends with a car drive us to the local Catholic Church which has transformed their prayer garden into a Christmas fantasy – a gift to the greater community. Unlike most light displays, this is a lovely and extensive tropical garden with winding pathways and water features, artistically enhanced by millions of lights – breath-taking!

The fairy tale scene at San Paulo Church's garden

An arch of blue lights leads into another hidden garden

Red lights are chosen to highlight this red hued croton

We will remain in Marathon until mid-January and the next appropriate weather window to sail to the Bahamas. In less than a week, both of our sons and their families will be joining us for a week in a house we rented in the Sombrero neighborhood.  When you are always on the move in far flung locales, it is hard to gather family together, so we are especially looking forward to this time to reconnect and to show our grandchildren the wonders of this world which we explore.

So, in the spirit of the season, we want to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and all the best in the coming year! 

From the magical gardens of San Paulo, we wish you a Merry Christmas

Exploring the South – Part 2

We have an uneventful 26 hour ocean passage south from Charleston, but when we arrive in the morning at the St. Mary’s River inlet, we find all the docks in nearby Fernandina Beach have been taken.  This would not normally be a problem as we enjoy anchoring out, but what may be the worst storm of the season is predicted for the next day.  We decide to anchor on the west side of Cumberland Island and spend the remainder of the day walking through live oak shaded sand streets 

Live Oaks and Spanish Moss provide a canopy while palmettos cover the ground

Imagine having a beach like this all to yourself

and along the ten mile, totally unpopulated ocean side beach.  Cumberland Island is part of the National Park Service, and it is being preserved as an intact barrier island. Wild horses and armadillos populate the interior,

One of the wild horses grazing in the dunes

and shells and other ocean debris decorate the beach which has almost as many hoof prints as foot prints. The sand is like white powder and rivals the best of the Bahamas. 

The strong winds have sculpted the powdery sand around this solitary shell

The Carnegie family once had a vacation home/mansion on the island, and its ruins anchor the southern end of the island.

The ruins speak of a much grander time

That night the wind begins to howl and by morning our supposedly sheltered anchorage is full of waves, wind blown spray, and streaks of foam on the water.  We are rocking and rolling, and the wind continues to build – we see a gust of 45 knots (over 50 miles per hour for the non-nautical).  At one point we begin to slowly drag or, perhaps better phrased, slide towards shore.  We pull anchor and move to a location where the bottom is less scoured by the fast moving tidal currents, and we fortunately stay put.  The temperature is taking a nose-dive too; we will see lows at night darn close to freezing, something that’s not fun when you don’t have central heating.  But further north, we hear the “S” word and know we are fortunate to be able to spend Halloween weekend in a slightly warmer climate.

After the front passes, we make a several mile hop down to Fernandina Beach at the north end of Amelia Island. The docks have emptied out, but we choose to take a mooring a little further out. We are finally in Florida; our arrival marks another milestone in our quest for warmer weather.  This is our first visit to Amelia Island, and we enjoy strolling Fernandina Beach’s historic waterfront and biking along the interior creeks and oceanside beaches. One day we venture over to Fort Clinch State Park. After entering the park, a three mile live oak shaded road meanders out to the fort making for some delightful biking.  Fort Clinch is one of the best preserved forts we have ever visited. No wonder, it was never fired upon since completion during the Civil War. The brick work is superb, 

An arched pathway leads to the fort's interior

and its cannons provide an imposing defense over the St. Mary’s River inlet. 

Mighty cannons from Fort Clinch keep guard over the St. Mary's River

By today’s standards the fort is obsolete, but we suspect the St. Mary’s River still has some impressive yet undetectable defenses in place as just upstream lies the King’s Bay Submarine Naval Base.

We take advantage of a period of calm weather and make one last day sail down the coast to St. Augustine. As we exit the St. Mary’s River, the Overstreet Pride, with nets on full display, motors past. 

This vessel is on a mission

Commercial fishing is a mainstay of the economy here, and we are able to purchase fresh shrimp right at the docks in Fernandina. The day trip to St. Augustine would be unremarkable except about half way there, our chartplotter gives up the ghost.  We stew over the malfunction since the entrance to St. Augustine is not straight forward, and like most cruisers, we have become very dependent on our electronics. Yet, all seasoned sailors should be able to navigate via traditional means.  We take a deep breath, get out the paper charts and plotting tools, and safely make our way through the entrance. In full disclosure, we have another chart plotter below decks along with the ability to navigate via computer, but this did provide good practice in case all our electronics died simultaneously.

St. Augustine is always an enjoyable stop. Known as American’s First City, some of its streets date back over 400 years.  We stroll past historical buildings on cobbled alleys 

Shapes and color make this a charming entrance to someone's courtyard

and take the opportunity to tour several sites.  First stop is Flagler College, housed partly in the original Hotel Ponce de Leon.  Henry Flagler made his fortune as a partner in the old Standard Oil Company.  Later in life, he became the original “resort developer” by first constructing a rail system to bring tourists to Florida and then building a series of elegant hotels and resorts along the coast to entice the northeast upper class to winter there.  For years it catered to the rich and famous but eventually, by the mid-1900’s, fell into hard times. Rather than allow the exquisite buildings and grounds to be razed, the Flagler heirs founded a liberal arts college in the facilities with part of the tuition fees contributing to needed restorations.  Today the college is thriving and this architectural gem is often open for public tours.

The dome of the rotunda that was once the reception area for the hotel

Frescos and Tiffany windows in what is now the college cafeteria - this room houses the largest intact collection of Tiffany windows in the world

We spend another afternoon touring the waterfront fort, Castillo de San Marcos, with fellow cruisers Sally and Ted. With construction beginning in 1672, it is still amazingly in tact. 

View from a corner bastion over the north mooring field with the Bridge of Lions in the distance

Somehow Ted works his magic and the next thing we know, we are taking a personal tour with one of the National Park Service historians. Our guide, Kevin, is a wealth of knowledge, and we leave with a much better understanding of the history of this region. 

Sally, Ted Kevin, and the crew of Exuberant - a requisite picture after an amazing tour

After we say our good-byes, a voice from an adjoining room asks “Would you like to see some interesting tools?” Another costumed interpreter, this time a volunteer, has collected a number of engineering tools of the era including something called a Gunther Scale which, after some study, we realize is the precursor to the modern slide rule. 

The Gunther Scale on display - instruction freely given by the interpreter

It has indeed been an interesting and informative afternoon.

We reluctantly leave St. Augustine for several days of motoring down the ICW, stopping at Cocoa for two days of exploration. The guys all love Cocoa as it is home to a remarkable hardware store. The winding aisles are packed with every imaginable tool in every possible size with, for example, some crescent wrenches over three feet long.  And everything is incased in heavy dust.  You will never find anything on your own, but the helpful staff takes great pleasure in seeking out hidden treasures. The next day we head over to Cocoa Beach on the local bus.  First stop is Ron Jon’s, a huge, world famous surfing shop that actually attracts bus tours. Just down the street is the Cocoa Beach fishing pier where perched over the water you can catch lunch while the surfers below catch a wave. 

Memorable sign at the Cocoa Beach Fishing Pier

But it is not all fun and games. While at Cocoa, Burt becomes concerned that the zinc on our prop may be wearing too fast.  The water of the ICW here is murky and unappealing so snorkeling the boat bottom is not a choice to relish. We have a problem and fortunately, with two engineers present (Burt and our friend Anthony), the boys are determined to invent a solution. Supplied with a section of PVC pipe, saran wrap, zip lock bags, and the ever present duct tape, they proceed to construct a “prop scope”. The ensuing chatter and intermittent failures make for an entertaining afternoon. Fortunately, they experience a brief period of success and find the zinc is just fine, but it is safe to say the “prop scope” is not ready for prime time.

Geniuses at work - wouldn't advise buying stock in this concept!

We motor a bit further south to Melbourne and spend a long weekend at another Seven Seas Cruisers Association Gam, learning a few new tidbits and gathering with many cruising friends that are also racing the cold south. And finally, it is on to Vero Beach for a longer stay to do some significant projects, serious provisioning, and trips to the dentist. We know once we leave Vero for the Keys and eventually the Bahamas, we will not have access to big box stores and bulk provisioning. Least we have all work and no play, we also socialize with friends who have settled on shore in Vero, friends on the nearby moored boats, and the over 200 friends with whom we will celebrate Thanksgiving at the community and marina sponsored Cruisers’ Thanksgiving. Tomorrow we will have much for which to be thankful.

Exploring the South, Part 1

It’s raining cats and dogs…..and frogs here in Carolina Beach.  The next morning as we prepare to cast off our mooring we find a little, bright green tree frog on deck.  

Pretty cute, but dangerous???

 How it got there one can only imagine.  But, since it looks amazingly similar to the poisonous tree frogs on display at the North Carolina Aquarium, we decide it needs to go for a swim. Now frog-less, we head down the ICW, overnighting at North Myrtle Beach and the Waccamaw River, 

Moss draped live oaks, cypress, and remnant rice fields edge the Waccamaw River

And a bald eagle soars overhead

and continuing on to Georgetown, South Carolina where they are holding their annual Wooden Boat Show. It is the second largest wooden boat show on the East Coast, and we are impressed with what is on display.  The craftsmanship in some of the recently constructed boats is extraordinary. 

Hard to imagine this beaut out on the water, but the owner actually does use it.

Out on the docks we are delighted to find Gabriel, a fifty year old wooden sloop we encountered last winter in the Bahamas.  And, we are happy to announce, Gabriel won the awards for Best of Show and Best of Class – our friends may be getting swelled heads from the notoriety!

Gabriel - winner of "Best of Show"

From Georgetown, it is a long day’s sail on the ocean to Charleston Harbor. We arrive at our anchorage just off the City Marina’s Megadock and immediately begin to gawk at the vessels tied up there. There’s a replica of Atlantic built in 2010.  The original Atlantic was constructed around 1905 and she held the trans-Atlantic crossing record until well into the 1990’s. She is at the dock for some polishing and varnish work – work we would not enjoy as there is much varnished teak on deck including all wooden blocks in the rigging and wooden booms and gaffs.   

Almost 200 feet of speed and classic beauty

Right down the dock is the 332 foot motor yacht Attasea, owned by a self-made billionaire. Several days later a helicopter lands on one of its two helicopter pads. 

Attasea - note the helicopter on aft deck - there is room for another on the foredeck

We do feel pretty small here on Exuberant, but that doesn’t detract from all the fun one can have in Charleston. We take daily bike rides through the historic neighborhoods.    

Cobbled streets take you past homes over 200 years old

Hidden gardens become visible through an arch in the bricks walls

A stately home along the Battery

Charleston is unique as the pre-civil war buildings have been preserved, and people actually live in the central downtown area. One day we take the National Park Service boat out to Fort Sumter for a tour. The Fort was heavily damaged during the Civil War but there has been enough restoration to preserve its basic structure and buildings’ foundations.   

Rows of cannons keep watch over the harbor entrance

The view from Fort Sumter back towards Charleston

Several days later we cross the harbor on a water taxi and take a long bike ride out to Sullivan’s Island and another historic fort, Fort Moultrie.  Forts Sumter and Moultrie, along with some smaller batteries, guarded Charleston Harbor from attack from the sea.  Moultrie’s origins date back to the Revolutionary War, and it was in service through World War II. Structures and foundations illustrate its role through almost 200 years of potential invasion of the homeland. 

Interior grounds of Fort Moutrie

 

After touring the Fort, we need some sustenance so we stop at Poe’s Tavern in the resort village of Sullivan’s Island for an alfresco lunch.  Poe may not have slept there, but he was stationed at the Fort for over a year. We bicycle back to the taxi pickup and admire the aircraft carrier, destroyer, and submarine docked nearby at Patriot’s Point while awaiting our ride back to the central city. 

Aircraft carrier Yorktown with our cross harbor water taxi dwarfed in the foreground

The knife edge bow of the destroyer, again dwarfed by the aircraft carrier

Between times we enjoy meals out and happy hours with many friends who have also found themselves in Charleston.

Leaving this wonderful city is difficult, but we have a weather window to go out into the Atlantic and make our way to the St. Mary’s River which forms the boarder between Georgia and Florida.  Twenty six uneventful hours later, we drop anchor off of Cumberland Island, Georgia, spitting distance from Florida.

Back in the Saddle Again

It is mid-September, and we are beginning our trek south.  By skipping the Annapolis Boat Show, we have allowed ourselves to travel at a more leisurely pace, absent the crowds of south bound boats that generally leave a little later.  Rather than sprint down the Chesapeake, we make the trip in three shorter hops, even spending an extra night at Solomon’s Island with friends, giving us an opportunity to visit Burt’s favorite Tiki Bar that offers complimentary all you can eat popcorn.  After cruising by the Newport Naval docks which are surprisingly empty, 

Destroyer row with the hospital ship Comfort to right - wonder if it is off Liberia now

we are fortunate to get a free dock in Portsmouth, allowing us to spend an evening at the historical Commodore Theater for a movie and, in Burt’s case, more popcorn.  And it is here that we officially start the ICW. Eleven miles later and a frustrating holdup with a tug and barge that get priority over the other cruising boats at a well known bottleneck, we make it to Great Bridge for two nights, giving us access to groceries, laundry, other stores, and an opportunity to chat with the director of the now expanding Great Bridge Historical Park.  Right next to our tie up along the wall of the ICW, the Battle of Great Bridge, a turning point in the Revolutionary War, was fought. The park expansion will include indoor areas to compliment the outdoor interpretive displays and even some enhanced facilities for the many cruisers who stop here on their way north and south. And for the residents of Great Bridge, we are the display as many locals stop by to chat while strolling through the park.

So, refreshed and replenished, we head down the ICW into the swamp lands of southern Virginia and northern North Carolina.  It is a cold morning and the “smoke on the water” makes navigating through the cypress swamps challenging.   

A crisp early morning motor down the ICW

Since it is a Sunday, we don’t have to deal with bridges timed for rush hour traffic, and we make good time, allowing us to cross the Albemarle Sound just before sunset.   

Sunset along the Alligator River, just south of Ablemarle Sound

One more day, in which the wind cooperates enough to give us a few hours of motorless sailing, we are poised to leave the ICW and head over to Ocracoke Island at the south end of the Outer Banks.  The National Park Service maintains docks there, and with our senior citizen park pass, we spend three very inexpensive nights at the facility. 

Ocracoke is a magical place off season.  There are few tourists and the locals are more relaxed and friendly.  It is a place that transports you back in time; some streets are paved in oyster shells and life just seems simpler and slower as the only way to get here is by private boat or ferry.  We enjoy a day at the endless beach, rimmed with natural sand dunes – there are no condos or high rises here to spoil the view.  

Oceanside beach at Ocracoke

 

A shrimp boat right off Ocracoke Beach  - Burt really enjoyed the fresh shrimp bought in the harbor

 It has gotten warm and humid, so the water, kept temperate by the nearby Gulf Stream, feels especially pleasant.  We bike and hike back to the site of Blackbeard’s capture and decapitation by the US Navy. After all, this area was a favorite hideout for pirates.   

Hiking trail along the bay at Ocracoke where Blackbeard was captured

And one night we visit the small local theater to see a wonderful performance by Molasses Creek, the Ocracoke bluegrass/folk band that made the national scene as part of Garrison Keillor’s Prairie Home Companion.

As always, weather controls our cruising itinerary, so with a window that will allow us to head offshore, we reluctantly leave Ocracoke and head past Beaufort, NC to Cape Lookout. One of three major capes along the southeast coast, Cape Lookout forms a 270 degree protected anchorage that extends out into the Atlantic.  Just a narrow bank of sand dunes separates us from the ocean, but inside it is calm and populated by dolphins, sea turtles, and, we hear, plenty of bull sharks - no swimming for the crew of Exuberant! 

Sunset at Cape Lookout, looking towards the Shackleford Banks and mainland

We have anchored here to allow a front to go through during the late evening which does happen, accompanied by an impressive display of lightning. After the wind clocks north and dies slightly, we leave long before dawn to head to Masonboro Inlet near Wrightsville Beach. The wind holds for most of the passage, and we have a wonderful sail to the southwest. We head through the inlet and rejoin the ICW for a short hop to Carolina Beach and four nights in their mooring field.

This is our first visit to Carolina Beach, and we want to have time to explore the area while awaiting what has been predicted to be a significant storm system to pass through. Carolina Beach is a typical ocean front resort town with some impressive houses, but also many smaller motels and cottages along the beach and boardwalk. It is a place that is trying with small steps to become more upscale.  But we have come for other reasons.  I have become intrigued with pine needle basket making, and the hard to find Carolina Long Needle Pines grow here.  We bike over to the State Park that abuts the Cape Fear River and ask if it is permissible to gather needles in the park.  The friendly ranger tells us removing anything from the park is illegal, but later comes back to say we would be welcome to take needles from her yard as actually they are a nuisance this time of year.  Meanwhile, she recommends a few hikes through the park and even takes us to a hidden spot where we can see Venus Flytraps growing in the wild.  

Venus Flytraps at Carolina State Park - they are actually quite small

 

It may be fall, but wildflowers are still blooming nearby

This is the only area of the world where they and several other carnivorous plants grow naturally in the boggy soil. We take another hike along the Cape Fear River through marsh and pine woods to a sand dune generated by the ever changing river bed. 

Hiking along the dunes at Carolina Beach State Park under a canopy of Live Oaks

The next day we again hop on our bikes and ride to the remains of Fort Fisher, a huge fort that guarded the entrance to the Cape Fear River and access to Wilmington during the Civil War.  Towards the end of the War, Wilmington was the only seaport not successfully blockaded by the Union forces.  It took two tries for the Union Navy and ground forces to finally take the fort, providing what was probably the death knell for the Confederacy.  Only ten percent of the fort remains today as shore erosion has staked its claim. 

Live Oaks, permanently bent by the ocean wind, obscure remains of the fort

Nevertheless, the earthen works are most impressive.  Just down the road is the North Carolina Aquarium, and we are suckers for aquariums.  Before entering the main building, we stop at a butterfly pavilion to admire the many varieties of butterflies on display.  Hundred of blue ones flutter around our heads in quite a spectacle. 

Blue butterflies from Central America flutter around a dish of fruit where other butterflies have already perched

Inside, like most aquariums, there are tanks with regional fish and some that are more exotic.  

An albino alligator is sheltered at the aquarium - in the wild it would die due to UV exposure

Burt is entranced by the many varieties of jelly fish.  

Luminous jelly fish seems to be otherworldly

 

A solitary jellyfish displays its tenacles

The invasive lionfish - the scourge of tropical reefs everywhere due to it voracious appetite

Black clouds are gathering, so we madly pedal up to the nearest town for lunch and an opportunity to wait out a passing squall.  With a break in the rain, it is another several mile sprint back to the dinghy. Just as we cast off the dock, the rain lets loose, and we get a good drenching.  And that’s the way it is going to be for the next day, with torrential rain at times but none of the gale force winds that were predicted.  We spend the next day confined to the boat, reading, doing chores, and sorting and cleaning the treasure trove of needles that someday will become baskets.