Saturday, December 26, 2009

Dec. 13-27. Thunderbolt, GA, MM 582 to St Augustine, FL, MM 780

This post takes you through southern SC through GA into northern FL. The good news-tide ranges decrease from 8-9' in GA to only 5.3' in St. Augustine.

Last photo from Hinckley Yacht Service's marina.

About half way through this post the pictures have a lot of white space between them. Consequently you will have to scroll down a LOT.
blogspot is a pretty poor website!



















Shrimp boats on Wilmington R. south of Thunderbolt.






















MM 584. Thunderbolt Marine. Services larger yachts.










MM 586. Another large home. Light fog.










Dolphin.





































Fog returning.











Chartplotter makes it easy to pilot the ICW. The concern-- is anyone else around? I was using radar too.





















MM 590. Near Isle of Hope. Reminded me of the Chesapeake.











Home at Isle of Hope, GA.











MM 591. Mast of a sunken sailboat.



























Osprey.









MM 603. Ogeechee R. just after Hell Gate (yes there is a Hell Gate in GA). Chartplotter shows 9.8sm, per RPMs should travel at 7.0 sm. Also, note the clarity of the screen.
























MM 614. Sign for a marina in Kilkenny Cr.Bear R.






















Current in Bear R.












Shrimp boat in St Catherines Sound.










MM 623. Entering South Newport R.











MM 625. Bristol Channel Cutter anchoring in Cattle Pen Cr.
It's Dec. 15th. No one should be heading south and we share this little NARROW creek with SEVEN boats and an 8 foot 4 inch tide.









Shells along the bank of Cattle Pen Cr.




















MM 631. Looking East out Sapelo Sound.













Shrimp Boat Sapelo Sound.











Two photos showing following waves in Sapelo Sound created by a 2 knot current.

















Unique sky.













MM 670. Mackay R. Very unique individual. He moved this mess 18 miles down the river to Jekyll IS.




































MM 675. Brunswick, GA.










MM 677. Range markers (150') for St Simons Sound.





















St Simons LH, 104', 18M.

















MM677. Marc in BCC crossing St Simons Sound. Photo cannot capture the 18-25 kts as we crossed the sound.


















Brunswick, GA.







MM 683. Jekyll Cr.










Jekyll Is.



















Christmas decoration on Jekyll Is.









In Elizabeth City the pilings were very hard on my new docklines. I now have two docklines with 5/16" chain to put around any questionable pilings.








MM 685. Jekyll Harbor Marina, with fog approaching. Happy to be in a marina.








Floating dock Jekyll Harbor. Note the tide line on the piling. Tide range is 7 feet 7 inches.













Twenty plus year friend, Herb Reese from Solomons Is. Herb stopped by Jekyll Is. on his way to Key West for a month. He had LOON's second Christmas present--125' of 3/8", 3B chain @ 1.8 lbs/ft.




Jackets--Dec. 17th low 44, Dec 18th low 37!
Note the water on the pier. Friday night wind blew on the beam 19 to 29 kts. I had in place four fenders-- 2 12x35 inch and 2 10x28 inch-- wish I had two more. Sent Bill Small an email at 12:45 am stating can not sleep-- boat healed at 20 degrees , bouncing off the dock and waves are breaking over the dock. Next day Bill responds-- yea I know all about it-- Small Favors popped two fenders at that dock.













Next photos from Herb's truck as we drive around Jekyll Is.
























Daymark near ocean entrance to Jekyll Sound.









MM 687. Looking NE to Atlantic side of Jekyll Is.









Shrimp boat Jekyll Sound.
















BCC in Jekyll Sound.






















From Cumberland Sound, looking at Naval facility Kings Bay, GA.











Dec. 20th--finally in FL!
MM 714 Crossing Cumberland Sound, GA/FL line. Looking SE towards Fernandina Beach FL.






Fernandina.












Fort Clinch, FL side of Cumberland Sound.






MM717. Fernandina Beach waterfront.




















MM 717. Bells R. One mile west of Fernandian.





Anchor windless photo. With 7' tide range, I sleep better with all chain.






Industrial port of Fernandina, from anchor in Bells R.







White pelicans on South Amelia R.





Around MM 720. Home marina for friends Steve and Sandi, Hinckley B40, PRINCESS.









































































































































































































































































































Jacksonville, FL power plants.



























































































More white Pelicans.





























































































































































































Closer look at Jax power plants.






































































































































































































































































































Sisters Bridge, North of Jax.




































































































Below Sisters Bridge, Atlantic Marine Drydock.



































































































LOON's cabin.





































































































North Fl.






































































































Looking for dinner.








































































































Easy to tell your in FL, almost all homes have screened in patio and pools.




























































































































































































































































































































More homes with screened pools.











































































































In FL, simply cut a canal and call it a marina.



























































































































































































































Dredge, on ICW.





























































































































































































































Osprey in center of photo. I thought all Osprey fly to South America for the winter, but there are many Ospery in FL.
















































































































Sofa with a shade--your thoughts?




































































































































































































































Dredge in center of ICW. Which side do you pass? Note the vertical balls and diamonds. See next photo.




















































































































Per my good friend Don (who has sailed across both the Atlantic and Pacific) "diamonds are a ladies best friend" SOOO--pass on the side with DIAMONDS!






















































































































Around MM 755, Tolomato R. See many concrete docks. Solid and permanent.













































































































































































































































The next four or five pictures are just before MM 765 for Pine Island Anchorage. Enjoy.



































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































MM 765. Anchored in Pine Island. Daily log.
































































































































































































































































French Canidian friend Marc. One of the very few times we could raft--then broke for the night. Tide range was down to 5' from 8' in GA--almost relaxing.




































































































































































































































































Pine Is at sunset.









































































































































































































































































MM Plus 150-- somewhere around Annapolis.





































































































































Nice christmas tree. Note: do not try this on a boat... However, it IS ok to gather the bottles on a boat.





































































































































Ben's truck at SH, Annapolis.







































































































































Marc's Bristol Channel Cutter in Pine Is. anchorage.


















































































































































































































































































Even the birds leave their nest and head South for the winter.










































































































































MM 775. St Augustine airport. Very busy--see next photos.





































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































My kind of crab shack-- MM 776 just before the St Augustine Inlet.

































































































































































































































































































Large home just before St Augustine Inlet.



















































































































































Looking West at St Augustine.




















































































































































MM 778. Bridge of Lions- lots of construction.










































































































































































































































































































Light House South side of St Augustine Inlet.





















































































































































Looking East out St Augustine Inlet. Boat speed increased about 2.8 sm.
























































































































































Sailboat entering St Augustine Inlet.












































































































































































































































































































































































































































































Right of photo twin spires of the Catholic cathedral.



























































































































































Fort Castillo de San Marcos.


























































































































































































































































































































Fort closeup.






























































































































































St Augustine waterfront decorated for Christmas.































































































































































Closer look at Christmas decorations. December 24th.