We're baack!

We returned to Jekyll Island today with some mixed feelings; a bit down about leaving Blackie & his buddy to hang out on their own; somewhat excited about getting back to Scooter and continuing the journey; and, finally, happy to have had the time with friends & family in PA, not to mention the great winter vacation we had! Many thanks to Big Fran k and roomie Wayne for the heartfelt celebration last night; absolutely mahvalous; thanks again.

We'd also like to thank Tom & Arden for taking the time to get us back from JAX. We're looking forward to catching up to you in Carlisle during your next visit.

Someday, somewhere, I hope I can get an explanation on the hows of airline scheduling & terminal planning. I'd really like to see an airline honcho scurrying down a crowded terminal aisle, carrying luggage, fighting the need to hit the bathroom, and praying that he/she can make the flight. Might wonder why they can't have all the RJ's in the same terminal; come in gate A1, depart gate A26, or gate A5. How hard can that be? Sorry, I digress a bit.

Some interest was expressed in just what Scooter is, or looks like in real life. Scooter is a 1984 Californian 34 LRC; LRC being the builder's gimmick to get cruisers interested. Stands for "long range cruiser". Originally they were built with 85 hp engines, and might get 2 or 3 mpg, or some where in the neighborhood of 3 - 400 miles. Scooter has a pair (Frick & Frack) of 250 hp school bus engines. We don't get quite that range. Normal cruise is 8 - 9 knots, or about 10 mph. In a pinch, she'll do 19 - 22 kts. You can see why having a set time frame is a disaster on a trip like this. We go when the weather is comfortable, stop when we must for fuel, water, sewage removal, or food. Most of our stopping time is spent at anchor. The admiral's barge, shown tied to the stern, is used for runs ashore, exercise, etc.

We plan to depart for Florida waters shortly; probably Wednesday or Thursday, depending on the weather. Tomorrow will be spent provisioning, repairing, & cleaning, then South we go.

Catch you later, stay warm & safe!

From Jekyll Island; 2/10/10

How's this scene; neat tropical bird, in a pleasant semi-tropical setting. No snow in sight! Should give you some warm thoughts, eh? Actually they are calling for the possibility of snow here on Friday. Last memorable snow in Jekyll was in '89 or so. So, we'll be trying, again, to head North to PA tomorrow. United cancelled our flight for today on Tuesday; probably just as well. Hopefully, we'll get out tomorrow. So far the status shows as confirmed & good to go. We'll keep our fingers crossed.

Let's see; this week has been busy. We had the birthday bike ride; a most memorable experience. I don't think I've ridden a ballon tired, fixed speed, wide handle barred bicycle since I was 12 years old. 'Specially one with an almost flat rear tire. 'Twas not a fast ride. Ginny, of course motored along like it was a mere ride in the park. In spite of all the new and different nerve & muscle responses, it was a pretty neat ride. Parts of it were like riding thru the land of the hobbitts. You've seen the pictures of the Spanish moss in this blog, so you'll easily be able to imagine a tunnel like ride along a twisting trail under the moss draped tree limbs with the sun shining thru the moss and mist. Looking to your left, you can see glimpses of the gold colored marsh grasses. Almost spooky, no noise, just the whir of your tires, the wheez of your breath, and the thump of your heart beat. Sorry, but I forgot the camera on this trip. Not really sure I could have kept the muscle tremors from blurring the picture anyway!

Back at the marina life moved on. There is a marina, or boating people, phenomenon called the "potluck party". Sort of like it sounds, but since we had never been to one, we had no clue. You bring a dish, sometimes an agreed item; your own drinks, which may be shared with permission; and your own silverware, napkins, etc. Some of these party people are so well prepared that they keep a bag handy with all the required goodies. Cook, grab it & go! It was a blast. Great boat, neat people. Usually these functions are held on a dock, or in a picnic area at the marina, or on a beach that you dinghy into. Due the cold and threatening rain, this gathering was held on a boat. Thanks guys.
Today, the 10th was really windy and quite cold. Acclimatization, I guess. Was a 2 heater day in the boat. Part of the day was spent shutting systems down, cleaning things up, generally getting Scooter ready to hang out here while we're gone. Yesterday we moved from the face (outside part) dock to an inside slip. Less rock & roll, which means less worry about damage , and wear & tear on lines & fittings. The prevailing winds seem to be from the NW or W

There is also enough fetch to create some healthy wave action against the boats located on the face dock. You also have large vessels like

good ol' Captain Jerome, cruising by. They don't always observe the NO WAKE signs posted prior to the marina. Anyway, we elected to move the boat inside. Same price & we got the docking practice. Nothing like $ 500,000 of boat 2' away from you to provide inspiration

Hopefully, but with some regret, we'll head to the frozen North tomorrow, returning here the 28th. Then further South. Looking forward to seeing everyone. Turn the heat up please, and be safe!

Super Bowl Day

Wide screen viewing & $2.00 drafts! Boy Howdy & doggone if that don't beat all! Doesn't look good for the Colts right now tho'. A game is a game, but there were some serious fans in SeaJays tonight; mostly Saints people. The sun tried to come out & warm things up for a few minutes midday; not much luck. Beach was cold & windy. Why is it that when you are walking toward a target on the beach; lifeguard stand, set of steps, the item never seems to get any closer. Particularly when you are bucking a cold north wind. To warm up, we stopped at Blackbeard's restaurant for liquids & a snack. Blackbeard was a pirate right?Ice tea was great tho'. Continuing our walk back to the marina, we faced a choice; cut thru the woods or go down the road. Marina rumor has it that an alligator was spotted on this trail just the other day by some bikers. Being walkers, we figured we'd wait a day, become bikers and take a shot at it. Anyway, we elected to walk the road rarely travelled by the alligator crowd.

Imagine our surprise this afternoon as this rather large chunk of horsepower and iron slid by our window. They pass by about 100' from the dock. Fortunately, they don't leave much wake. Tomorrow is forecast (don't you just hate that word these days) to be a bit warmer (again). Perhaps we'll move Scooter up to the pump out station, then see about a slip on the inside of the face dock; little bit less rock & roll.

The British boat & the Canadian vessel left today. Talk about word play; the British boat was named Shiver. Her dinghy was named Timbers. (Come on, Chuckie, that isn't so hard). The Canadian boat had a neat graphic; least I thought so. They were heading north to St. Simons Sound, turning right to the Atlantic, then right again to head South to Panama. Sounds like a great trip to take with three kids and a 40' boat.

Winds have finally died down, but it is still cold. Frost is predicted for tonight in Jekyll Island, Carlisle is calling for more snow Tuesday & Wednesday; geez; I can't get away from this winter stuff. No matter where I go, there it is! I know, I know; suck it up & press on!

Stay warm, drive carefully, we'll be seeing you.

Super Bowl minus 1

The UHLA G, bound for the Florida Keys, by way of: wherever & whenever. Seen here departing Jekyll Island marina this morning. Good trip guys, hope to see you in Marathon. Lots of boats here are simply waiting for a weather window to head to points South; some to Panama, some to the Bahamas. At least one boat is from England, one from Canada, one is from Newville, PA. Talk about an international gathering!

Today was a read & repair day. get up, clean up, read a book, eat lunch, take a break; then do some repair stuff. In this case it was more of an improvement. Simply put, I lengthened the water system's pick up tube by almost an inch. That will result in: A. More available water; or B. Less available water as the dirt in the tank jams the pump filter. Ya' makes your choice, and takes your chances; the joy of life! Also took this opportunity to clean up some bare spots and do some touch up painting in the engine room. That lasted until the fumes got obnoxious. I'll get the other side another day . As you can imagine, the planned bike ride & hike on the beach was postponed 'til a calmer, warmer day. Speaking of warmer days, I see from the pictures that some of you sent that there is a lot of snow on the ground in the Northern tier. I also see that more will be arriving mid-week. Did I tell you how thrilled we are about that forecast? Guess how much!
Might hit the beach tomorrow; photo ops and all that. If I elect to post some of those, it is not motivated by cruelty, rather by our wish to share what we see. I won't even gloat, or go on, about the temps they say we'll be experiencing. Anyway, be safe, stay warm and enjoy the winter beauty that surrounds you.

Rainy Friday; 2/5/10

Saw this little guy the other day; he just sat there and dared me to make the wrong move. Today is Friday, February 5, 2010. It is raining, blowing, and the waves are rocking the boat. Rocking of the boat can be a good thing, but not this kind of rocking. The sky has that weird yellowish tint that says something is going to happen that we humans probably won't like a lot. We managed to get to the grocery store this morning; one mile to the sightseeing, one mile to the shopping; well planned location. tonight is live music night at SeaJay's cafe here at the marina. Lo' Country Boil night as well. $17.95 and all the good ol' boy music you can handle. Them that survives can come by in the morning and play Scrabble. Seriously now, it is just that kind of place; laid back with atmosphere! Super Bowl Sunday will feature $2.00 beer and $5.00 snackers whilst you watch the Bowl on the new wide screen. Go Colts! I see from the forecast that PA is gonna get whacked with a ton of the cold white stuff. Part of me misses that sort of event, part of me is glad I'm here getting the warmer end of the system. Please be careful driving in it or digging it. We'll be thinking about you! Our best to all, and to all a goodnight!

More Jekyll Island

This place continues to grow on us, even tho' all the locals tell us that we are not seeing the true Jekyll Island, 'cause it is waaay to cold. Looking beyond all the tourist things like the old houses & posh hotel, it is still a fascinating spot. Today we walked that extra mile & travelled to the Georgia Sea Turtle Center. Talk about yanking on your heartstrings; Geez. It is absolutely amazing how mush time & care the folks here put into rehabbing the turtles that are found and brought to the center. Looking into Amy's eyes as she swims around her little tank, staring right at you, is profound. Incidentally, Amy is a baby turtle being kept safe until she can be released into the wild. Then going to the treatment part of the Center and seeing the "patients" in their tanks, hearing the discussions on the ailments & prognosis is wrenching, but inspiring. It is good to know people care.

So much for the soul stuff; we have decided to leave Scooter here until the end of February. It was sort of 6 of one & 1/2 dozen of another as to whether we moved the operation to Jacksonville or kept it here. Logistically speaking the biggest hitch is getting to & from JAX for our flights. Operationally, the dockmaster here is fantastic, as are most of the boaters in residence. We feel that Scooter will be in good hands. So, we'll spend the next few days cleaning things up, repairing the water system, painting rust spots, in preparation for departure, and to assure that the boat is ready to sit for a week or two. Once that is done, we'll be off to explore the woods. I'm told we're going to do some bike riding, hit the beaches for some shell hunting. Kinda like vacation stuff, I guess. Altho' the weather report has rain and T'storms forecast for tomorrow, the rest of the weekend looks good; temps in the low 60's, something called sunshine, and mild breezes. That will certainly be a pleasant change. I suspect that a lot of the boats here now will vanish as they head South with the clearing weather. Ironic that we will be getting used to warm weather & will have to head North to real winter stuff again. Ain't life grand. Catch you later

.

February 2nd & 3rd, 2010

Hi all;

Some management items first; please remember that the blog bosses list all the stories in ascending order. That is, oldest posts last, newest posts on top. To see the first January posts, click on January, then scroll down the list, etc. Could be that is descending order; I suppose that is a perspective issue. In order to enlarge a photo, just double click it.

After a couple of dreary days we now find ourselves docked at Jekyll Island Harbor Marina, just off Jekyll Creek in Georgia. It has been interesting to note that a lot of the books tend to be a bit pessimistic about the ICW thru Georgia; shoaling in particular. Our opinion, perhaps as yet untested, has been that this has been a faster, smoother, trip than the leg thru South Carolina. The marshes have ranged from lovely, prairie like masses of color to gloomy gus like misty mounds of grasses & sand. Could be the weather has influenced my outlook on this a bit. Although the drizzle hasn't dampened our sense of adventure, it does make one long for a ray of sunshine occasionally. Speaking of sense of adventure, there is nothing quite like hissing and rumbling thru the fog & drizzle looking for a little red triangle that some coast guards person stuck on a pole in the middle of the swamps, hopefully on the correct edge of the channel. Find that one, then find the next one. Tug & barge coming? Dunno, press on! Radar helps, but one of the aging traits it is displaying is a lack of stamina. Boy, is that a bummer sometimes!
Wind and current have been our biggest and most interesting learning experiences. Look at the rooster tail (OK, feather) on the anchor chain in the photo at the left. Shortly after that was taken the boat swung sideways 'cause it couldn't deal with the wind on port side stern vs the current from the starboard side bow. Cool, but a bit unnerving. Newly made acquaintances related how their 46' schooner dragged anchor, went into the mud bank and rolled over onto its side. They were anchored in the next creek over from us last night.
For those of you not familiar with Jekyll Island's history, a quick check on the internet will bring you up to speed much, much faster than I can ever hope to. In short, some really, really, rich folks bought an island to play with in the 30's. It really is a neat place. Old houses surrounded by amazing trees, a working hotel, complete with everything, or anything you might need. Miles of bike trails, acres of lush green grass, and lots of little trains ( wagons) pulled by little red jeeps driven by young folks talking about the really, really, rich folks who built the neat old houses. Still, a great place to hang out. We walked thru the complex, then thru the neighborhood, primarily to just walk after 5 days on the boat. The woods are cool. Lots of Spanish moss hanging from trees, little palm trees, big palm trees, and lots of birds. I'm given to understand that there may also be 'critters around, but as yet, we haven't seen any of those. We may hang here tomorrow; or we may move on, we'll keep you posted. Stay warm & dry. Have a great evening, turn into the skid!

February 1, 2010

So, hey! Here we are in Georgia! Buckhead Creek to be exact, just to the south of the intersection with Cane Patch Creek. We got here about 4:30. Our early morning adventures generally start about 0900. Today's trip, while a bit short on photos had its share of moments. Two docking adventures; the first at Thunderbolt, GA. Really, that is the town's name. Also what your wallet feels after you get their fuel pricing. Docking issue is no longer the wind, but the current. That relatively happy event was followed by a landing at Isle of Hope marina, in, yup; Isle of Hope, GA. Not quite as much fun, but just as expensive. Judging from the size of the boats that are tied up at these places, we have just jumped into the big leagues of yachting. No tip, no helping hands from these big leaguers. Getting in was OK; getting out turned out to a bit nasty with the current & wind pinning us to the now unattended dock. It is all a learning experience! Next adventure for the day was oozing thru the spot referred to as Hell Gate. This is probably now the most feared channel on the ICW due to shallow water & no dredging. Word is, only pass thru here on a rising tide. So, here's good ol' Scooter showing up at a smidgen above dead low tide. 6', 5', 3.9', 3.0', BLANK SCREEN. My depth finder has a way of covering it's eye and proclaiming that what it can't see must be OK; or not there at all. Still moving, no mud, 6.0', 9.3', 12.; Whew! You're gonna take a chance, ya gotta be tough. That done, we now sit peacefully at anchor, having just finished cocktails (by Coors) with c&c snacks. Chicken bruschetta for dinner, lemon meringue parfait (by yoplait), Garrision Keiler on the radio. Can't get much better. Evening & rain are looming over the horizon. We'll deal with the rain tomorrow. Little Mud River, & Jekyll Creek are the next bad spots. I suspect we'll get to them in a day or so. No rush. Enjoy your evening.