March 3, 2011

WE ARE UNDERWAY!!!  Can you believe it?  We’re having a spot of bother (as Winnie-ther-Pooh would say) with the concept ourselves!  To catch up—

After Orlando we did make one more trip to the fuel dock at Shelter Cove—again for a pump out.  For you non-boating readers, a boat’s septic stuff needs to be transferred from the boat’s holding tank to the land sewage treatment system—pumped out, as it were. After that it was ‘get ready to cruise’ time. 

We had done some local things—went to the Art Center/Theater where Fred’s cousin Betty exhibited her paintings in a recent show, and saw the local production of Alfred Hitchcock’s “The 39 Steps”.  They made it into a well- choreographed farce and it was really funny.  We had wine and cheese with the UU’ers of the LowCountry at a ‘Palace’ (6500 sq. ft. home) with a lovely view of the setting sun.  We dined at Moe’s and at Charley’s and at the HH Diner, and from time to time I prepared a meal or two for us.   We went to a Hilton Head Power Squadron meeting and enjoyed a photo tour of cruising in Puget Sound, and one evening we went to the movies to see—and really enjoy---The King’s Speech. Two of my high school classmates, Paula and Judy, visited one Saturday.   Fred and I walked and walked and walked—it is nearly 2 miles around the marina and we did that trek almost daily.  So we’re about as fit and fat and full of culture as we can get here, so we’re off.

Headed south on Saturday, Feb. 27, and it didn’t take long to become acclimated to being on a moving boat.  We had a very nice run to Thunderbolt, GA.  Bless that Dockmaster, he still provides Krispy Kreme donuts every morning, and Fred loved ‘em.  Anchored the next night in Randy’s favorite, the Duplin River. 

By 2 pm Monday we‘d tied up at the Marina in Brunswick GA, where Fred allowed the wind to dock the boat.  The marina dockhand kept motioning for us to come to the right, and we smiled and said,  “just wait”.  Sure enough, Fred held the helm steady and we were blown right into the correct spot.  Amazing.   Rented a car and in 2 ½ hours we’d retraced our 2 ½ days on the boat.  We picked up the big red Jeep from Shelter Cove,  Moe’s welcomed us again for a burrito, and by 10pm the rental car was returned, the Jeep parked, and we were fast asleep.

Next morning, as we headed past the Jeckyll Island Sound, YA was boarded by the Coast Guard. It was a routine inspection—they seemed to be training a young fellow.  From their boat they asked if we had any weapons aboard.  We said no, and they came astern and climbed onto our swim platform.  First words were “Without moving your hands, do you have any weapons aboard?”  Fred answered that there was a knife by the door but no firearms.  Correct answer.  Hey, they never know!

We had the requisite documents, fire extinguishers, posted notices about discharge of waste etc., and PFD’s, and we were told that they liked our nice boat with the clean engine room.  And just as they had come, their driver nosed the CG inflatable up to our stern and all three hopped back into their boat.

The tide was out, the water low, and the charted underwater island not where it appeared to be. Sound familiar, Mike????  South of the Jeckyll Island Marina bridge, we came to a very sudden unexpected stop.  Went on deck with boathooks to see how deep the water wasn’t (we draw less than 3’ so there couldn’t be much) and if we could find a deep spot.  We couldn’t.  The wind was blowing so hard it picked up our rug from the stern and we had to pause in the sounding activity to use the extended boathook to bring the rug back aboard!  Fred was able to use the bow thruster, skill and cunning to rock us loose from the sticky gumbo, and we tried again—successfully, to round the curve.  This time, he drove the boat by reading the water instead of the chart.

Uffda.

A few minutes later we passed a small boat who handled being aground in a very different way.  As the song says “If you ain’t run aground, you just ain’t been around.  Du wop, du wop du wop!”  

Wind and current remained really strong all afternoon—thankfully behind us, so we had a smooth ride in the messy water.  By 3 pm we were tied up at the Fernandina Beach, FL Marina.  This time the current was very strong and pushed YA rapidly downstream, away from the dock, while the very strong wind joined in the fun.  Fred maneuvered against both and smoothly came up to our spot.   The dockhands praised his willingness to let the boat sit for a few minutes to test the conditions.  Apparently not all captains do that.  It’s been said that driving a boat is not unlike driving a car on black ice.  Yep, can be.

 Just after we tied up, a sailboat approached with a blown jib. They, too had come from Brunswick, but offshore in the Ocean.  No explanation yet for why the pin gave way and freed the bottom of the sail.   With the wind and current conditions, it took an hour to safely dock the boat.  A young man from the marina was then hoisted up in his bowsun’s chair to cut away the shreds of sail and somehow lower the jib.  The captain of CELEBRATION remained very calm throughout the ordeal. Having the wind whip 20 lbs. or so of roller-furling drum  from side to side on the deck can certainly be unnerving.  During one lull in the wind, the crew managed to secure the drum to the inner forestay, which, thankfully was in place.  George, the captain, agreed with his wife that  they should continue to sail.  I don’t think he considers himself an inexperienced captain any more.  Moral of all the stories is that it certainly isn’t what happens, ‘cuz anything can; it’s how you deal with it that counts.  They did well.

Today we arrived in Green Cove Springs where we’ll be docked for a couple of weeks. YA will celebrate her 3rd birthday on March 6, by having a new central heating system installed.  After these past two winters we have decided that warm is good.

While the boat is torn asunder, with tools and worker bees everywhere, I’ll be in NY joining in the March birthday/anniversary celebrations, and doing various very important tasks.  Most importantly, I won’t be fighting for space with Fred and the furnace!

So until next time, stay well, keep smiling and let’s all pray for peace-- inside each of us, and in the whole wide world as well!