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Tuesday April 21
Under way by 6:45 AM. We are at the point of "it is time to go home".
"Who Let The Dogs Out?"
Remember that song? That is how we felt in Florida the last couple of days! As we go through northern Florida, we see that there are TONS of small boaters out, fishing and just running around. The governor has opened the beaches and boat ramps but no one is working yet! So they are all out here!
Florida is very pro Trump. As you can see even the barges support Trump.
Finally, we cross the Florida border into Georgia, which was quite interesting as the Navy was doing live fire exercises and we had to deal with Navy helicopters, police boats, currents, shoals and renegade small boaters... all at the same time. It was definitely ALL HANDS ON DECK time.
We finally to Cumberland Island, GA. This has been one of our favorite stops in the past as we love to walk the trails and beaches and suddenly walk upon some wild horses grazing and not bothered by us at all. Sometimes we see them, sometimes we don't. This time, we are not allowed to get off the boat (at least we are allowed to anchor there still where the new GA laws left that as an uncertain), but as we putt putt along to our anchorage spot, we see one of the buildings of the national park with the big PARK CLOSED sign and the wild horses just grazing to their hearts content.
We anchored close to our Serendipity friends, Larry and Erin. They came to meet us in the Toogoodoo Creek last fall before their journey south and here we are!
So, we have a social distancing happy hour with our stern to their bow and our hand held VHF radios. Next time or some time soon, we hope to do so within 6' of each other!
Yes we are looking kinda scruffy!
Sunset at Cumberland Island.
Miles today 80, a long day after 3 days of no travel.
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Wed April 22
Under way 6:40 AM from Cumberland Island.
Serendipity behind us at dawn.
It was a very calm night and morning with 8 boats in the anchorage. So much for Georgia's no anchoring laws!
It was planned as another long day to make up for the weather delays.
This bridge was a little too close for comfort but we have to trust our own measurements from water line to the top of our boat thingies that stick up in the air to make sure they don't hit a bridge. There are great fines to deal with otherwise.
One bridge we got to was so close that we realized that as we were about to go under that we might only have inches, so we called the bridge tender and thankfully, she was accommodating. Their published information on clearance was not what was on the waterline day board! They quite often are not accommodating!
As we go pass the Golden Ray (?) huge car freighter that sank in the sound, we see that it is still there but at least being worked on removal.
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Steve and Ann, Sassy Kat (ex Sassy Kat) live close to Melbourne and let us know that there was to be a Space Ex launch today. We really didn't think that we would be able to see it this far north but we did!
Bella wants to know "when will I see grass again?"
She has been a real trouper and has been well!
Anchored at Crescent River, GA.
Storms coming tomorrow so we will hunker down one more time and wait for them to pass.
Miles today 65
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Thursday April 23
Well, we did hunker down for the upcoming storm line that most of the US dealt with. It was mid afternoon by the time it hit us. We chose our anchorage as a safe place to be. Deep enough but not too deep, lots of marsh with no structures around for us to bounce off if we get loose.
And then they came. Severe T storms including hail and tornado going through GA. Winds reported up to 60 mph. We had hail and strong winds with a tornado reported to have touched down 6 miles from us. We actually took precautions with our life jackets on and hunkered by the engine room door and stairwell during the hail storm.
We had storms all night but not as severe.
See where she is pointing to with the pretty pinky purple color? That is where we were. EXACTLY WHERE the worst part of the storm hit.
After this part of the storm, Rosie did what she does when she is nervous and anxious. Bakes!
I made a homemade chocolate cake. I had no idea I even had all the ingredients to make it but it is awesome!
Sunset after the storms. In between the storms, really.
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Friday April 24
Under way 7:45. Waited for last of storms to pass. It was a beautiful and calm morning.
But new surprises, the anchor chain jumped the windlass gypsy and ditched 50’ of chain before Bruce could stopped it. We have no idea why that happened.
It was another long travel day, going through Georgia mostly at low tide plowing through. Some places have been dredged but not all.
We got to Bull Creek off of Dafuskie at 6 PM and we had trouble with anchor. This time it would not deploy but Bruce managed to get it down and secure. It is always handy to have a hammer along with the wench handle that didn't seem to do the job. So we will see in the morning about getting it up. We have at least one if not two more nights before getting home.
Sunset cruise is back in business in Georgia. They came by us playing "Proud Mary"
We danced on our deck with them.
Miles today: About 73ish!
Almost home.
