Travelling North, Happy Easter! March 22- April 1, 2018

We departed Palm Coast on Thursday after waiting out the thunderstorms and then a day of wind, and travelled to the Palm Cove Marina in Jacksonville Beach.  Here we are passing  through St Augustine and the Bridge of Lions. 

And here is a cruise ship we have started too see along the way.  We will see these ships at a number of our stops.  They are part of the American Cruises Line.  So you too can do part of the Great Lop on a cruise ship if you desire!  This one is anchored in Saint Augustine.

Further along the way, we were hailed by the Grand Banks in front of us.  “Sum Escape, Sum Escape this is Spritus.  I’ll slow down and you can go around my port side”.  He must have receive only AIS as I could not “see” him on our AIS.  But I was gaining on him and he did not want to be waked, thus the call.  Julie and I agreed that this boat name was familiar.  As we got close, Julie and I surmised this was the “world famous Eddy and Linda” the Big Bend weather forecasters many Loopers rely on to pick the right day to cross from Carabelle to Clearwater or Tarpon Springs.  So as we passed Spiritus (36’ Grand Banks) I called him by name…”Is this the world famous Eddy?”  Laughter and “Yes it is”.  So we had a nice conversation on 17 and we bid them safe travels. 
Checking the current forecasts along the way.  Don't want to traverse certain narrow areas at full ebb.  The old Raymarine can still have these updated regularly.

We got to the marina early enough to scrub some of the salt off the boat as the winds were still kicking up a pretty good spray at times today and Sum Escape was pretty salty.  As we were doing this Spiritus pulled into the same marina.  So we were able to talk to Eddy and Linda, the famous weather forecasters and Gold Loopers, and learned they had just sold their “dirt” home and were heading out on another Loop. They will be speaking at the AGLCA rendezvous in Norfolk at the end of April. We are not going to attend this event as we want to be flexible enough in our travel dates to be able to take some side trips on the way to Canada.

We had time to walk the ¾ of a mile to Publix to get some groceries too.  We must be blending into the fabric of the community.  Why you ask?  Well, as we checked out and packed our back packs and canvas grocery bags while dressed in our big sun hats and sun shirts, a check out packer asked if we had by chance left a blue bungy cord in the store during our last visit.  Hmm, not us we replied…boy, I guess we look like locals!

Passing through Fernandina Beach we spotted this container ship...hey maybe we can just jump aboard and get to Singapore for our upcoming cruise a lot cheaper!

Brickhill River anchorage near the north end of Cumberland Island was our next destination.  Along the way we had to pass through Cumberland Sound near the Kings Bay Naval Station area.  We heard Navy “escort planes”, lots of Coast Guard chatter and such.  Yes, a submarine was coming in through the inlet just after we passed into Georgia.  I slowed down so the two naval vessels and the submarine would catch up a bit so we could get a better look.  Not!  As soon as I slowed one of the many Coast Guard boats sped up, came beside us and radioed “I assume you are going to the ICW, please keep up your speed and head directly to buoy G79”.  We resumed speed and he followed us about 2 miles all the way to the buoy.  And yes, there was a person attending the machine gun on the CG boat!

Here are the three naval ships and numerous Coast Guard escorts.  This is a close as they would allow us to get.

As we arrived at our intended anchorage, we took advantage of the tide state (high) and entered the shallow southern end of the river, went past the Plum Orchard mansion we visited by dinghy a couple years ago

and then found a nice spot to drop the hook. A very scenic side trip off the ICW. As we dropped the hook, dolphins were already fishing the area and we had the place all to ourselves.  As soon as the sun went down it was quite chilly but that just makes for restful sleeping.  No wind, no boats and just a reversing current to deal with.  Our anchor seems to reset itself nicely as we have anchored in the tidal currents many times now.  I hope writing this does not jinx us! 

We relaxed and had a relatively slow start to the morning as we needed to wait for some tide help to get through the shallow Jeckyl Creek on our way to Brunswick.  It only carries about 3.5 feet at low tide and that was around 8:30 AM so we needed to wait a bit.  We waited to target about an hour after low tide which should produce a foot and a half of help.  All went well, and yes it was that shallow…about 5 feet with the tidal help.  Just right for our 4 foot draft.  Passing through Jeckyl Creek as a plane is readying to take off.

We got to Brunswick about 11:30 or noon and fueled and pumped out.  As Tom was pumping fuel "Barefoot Pete" a marina live aboard came to greet us.  He explained to Julie he was a retired corporate attorney from Michigan....I guess that explains the need to kick back and be barefoot!
Our arrival here marks a milestone for us.  We have now travelled over 10,000 miles since leaving Muskegon MI in August 2015. The Loop is 5500-6000 miles depending on one’s route so we have definitely been distracted along the way with side trips and such. But that is the beauty of not having a cast in stone schedule!

We hustled off to the farmer’s market next door before they closed at 1 PM.  Had to get some fresh veggies and Earline’s world famous crab cakes.  Oh, they are so good!  Had a couple for lunch as they were still warm (sorry Julie, no gluten free available) and a couple are in the freezer for another day.  Kevin M, I really like your crab cakes but….oh boy, you need this recipe! We got laundry done (free laundry here!) the boat scrubbed and cleaned up inside as we had company coming at 4 PM.  Our old neighbors John and Becky now live in St Simons Island and we have been able to meet up with them on three of our four trips through the area over the last three years.  We have a beverage and appetizers aboard while we watched Tom's alma mater Ferris State win the National Men's Basketball, Division II title!  Go Bulldogs!.  They then took us to a new restaurant, Corsair, by the Westin on Jeckyl Island.  Very good.  Had wood fired oysters for an appetizer…wow, they were fantastic.  And everyone enjoyed their main course as well.  Nice spot.  Thanks so much for the hospitality John and Becky, it is always a pleasure to spend time catching up with you!

We both talked to a number of other couples on Looper boats but the conversations were brief due to the cold and rain on Sunday and Monday.  We will likely see these folks “up the waterway”...at least we hope to.  A rainy day in Brunswick....oh and cold too!  And we did not see if Barefoot Pete was today....


48 degrees outside.  Windows are steaming when Julie cooks!

On Palm Sunday we walked over to Saint Francis Xavier for the Mass.  Nice facility and a young thirty something priest with a full black beard and the start of a man bun.  Nice to have a younger priest for a little change of pace.  He was a very good speaker and we enjoyed the Mass very much.  We took a long walk on the way back to the marina and got home before the rain started.  Sunday and Monday turned out pretty cloudy rainy and cold (especially Monday).  But on Monday we got more laundry done and found a few minutes between showers and wind to take a walk.  The walk included a stop at Pam Pam’s cupcake shop.  Yes, the red velvet was gluten free!  So, we had great cupcakes for dessert with our dinner Monday night.   And the cruise ship is following us.  Here it is docked in Brunswick.

Tuesday we left at first light destined for Queen Bess Creek anchorage on the north end of Ossabaw island.  Lots of twists and turns.

This is a good staging area to be in a position to transit Hell Gate, another shallow area just a few miles away, in a higher tide state.  We spent election night in November 2016 here on our way south.  It is an easy in and out and has lots of singing birds.  We will leave early morning and take advantage of the 8 foot tides in the area. We should have 6 feet of help for the 3.5 foot MLW spots there.

Wednesday we left as planned and targeted Station Creek, just inside Port Royal Sound across from Hilton Head.  It was a little rough in Port Royal Sound so we cranked up the speed a bit.


We are now the furthest north we have been by boat in two years!  Upon arrival across the sound, the southerly direction wind was forecasted to hold and we did not want to have to beat into the waves in the morning.  A quick “consult” with Active Captain reviews showed a number of anchorages in Cowen creek a bit further north.  We snaked our way past some nice homes and dropped the hook in an area with some swinging room as the wind and changing tidal currents were going to produce some wide swings with the change of tides.  We did move about 175’ (had anchor alarm set for 200’ so at least we didn’t get awakened) with the wind and tides.  About right for our 80 foot of scope, 12’ low and 20’ high tide depth and the 20+ knot winds we were experiencing (26 knot max recorded).  Love it when a plan works out.  

Thursday, March 29 we had a short trip to the downtown Beaufort marina.  We arrived before strong southerly winds (25 knots recorded) and currents would impede our docking.  Another plan that worked out.  We took a nice walk to BiLo grocery store to restock a bit.

Remember when we said a bit earlier in this post we to meet up with some of the Loopers from Brunswick.  Well we did.  Frank and Cally (Jubilee) pulled in not long after us.  And we also met Tim and Mary (Nellie May) and Jerry and Susie (Happy Ours).   We invited the three couples aboard for docktails on the fly bridge.  They are all headed to the AGLCA Rendezvous in Norfolk at the end of April.  We hope to be further north by then but may see them later in Canada or the Great Lakes.

Friday we took another walk to BiLo grocery store and restocked some more for further anchoring out next week.  In the early evening, Frank and Cally (Jubilee) had us over to their brand new Ranger Tug for some conversation and beverages.  These tugs are really well designed from a use of space perspective and are quite the impressive vessel.  We had a great conversation learning about their careers and family.  As we have said before, we meet the nicest people on this trip.
There are lots of Loopers heading to Norfolk and the AGLCA is holding a cocktail party on April 8 in Charleston.  We have signed up as we intended to be in Charleston already.  We expect we will meet many more “class of 2018” Loopers in our next 6 months of travels as we finish up our three year journey. 
And of course other Loopers did show up.  Eddy and Linda (Spiritus) joined us aboard to ask questions about Door County favorites.  So we gave them a "Wisconsin Briefing"  as a sort of partial payback for the great weather forecasting work they do for Loopers.  We hope to continue to see Loopers along the way north, spending time with interesting people is one of the most enjoyable parts of this adventure.
A night view of Beaufort waterfront.

Saturday we took a nice walk and just enjoyed shopping in the community. 

Saturday night we watched Michigan win their final four basketball game.  Go Blue!

Sunday we walked across the swing bridge to Lady's Island and St Peter's Catholic Church for Easter Sunday Mass. 

The 30 something priest had a good message and it included a "challenge" to folks to come the next 7 Sundays for the "Seven Week Mass is Awesome Challenge".  He said to think of it as a science project and that if it wasn't what you thought at the end of seven weeks you should come and talk with him.  A very good speaker and energetic young man. 
Oh, and our exercise for the day is taken care of as it was over two miles each way! On the walk back from the famous "Forest Gump bridge".  Yes this bridge was where the famous scene in the movie was filmed.


Another view of Beaufort from the bridge.  Note that the cruise ship is following us again!

A couple closer photos of the cruise ship following us.  Glad we have not encountered a pass of one of these in a tight part of the ICW!

We were reading the Church bulletin and the pastor's message had the heading "From the Poker Table" and was signed "All in for Jesus".  Seemed a little strange.  So Julie did a little Google work and found the priest had been in a Vegas poker tourney in 2009 and won $100,000 for his parish.  His name is Father Andrew Trapp.  Google it and you will find a YouTube of the poker event.  Interesting.
We had a little time to reflect on life a bit after Easter Mass.  The booklet on the table is one shared at Easter Mass.  Everyone was challenged to share its message with another.  We do thank God for His blessings and our ability to experience this wonderful adventure.  A nice reflection spot on the stern tied to the dock in Beaufort.

We plan to anchor out the next three nights on our way to Charleston.  Short travel days but no hurry to get to Charleston.  We will be staying in Charleston through Sunday night and then continuing our trek north.  

March statistics:

Miles travelled:  Month: 702 / Trip to Date: 10203

Travel days:  15 / 219
Engine hours: 83 / 1164
Locks:   4 / 526Bridges opened:  8 / 90

Days on hook or free wall:  7 / 97
Gallons of diesel:  506  / 8254
Loopers we are meeting along the way....too many to count!