Storms in the Atlantic

Danielle is history but there are three to take her place.  We now have Earl, a true threat at this time to this area, Fiona also a potential threat to the area and old Invest 98 just off Africa.  And I thought the Gulf was a storm magnet.  Looks like we stopped short, for the time being, of the most likely zone for these storms, but the trend is to gradually move more westward before the recurve.  If that continues, sooner or later, we will have to make some hard decisions.  The upper Atlantic coast wakes up today with increasing concerns and preliminary plans to prep for devastation.  Come on, end of season. 

Visiting Heroes

Monday, August 30, 2010

Given the hurricanes and storms in the Atlantic, Bear and I decided to celebrate our anniversary a bit early lest we be busy trying to save WK next week or so. We drove to Savannah for one more visit to see what she has to offer. We had a good time Saturday and Sunday morning Bear got to sleep in. I was up at 0700 and decided to visit some heroes at the Colonial Cemetery in Savannah. Coffee in hand and a sweat towel, I hoofed it to the hallowed place, final resting place of some of our forefathers. General Nathaniel Green and I visited. Who he is, you might ask. He is second in command to General George Washington. He rests in Savannah with a few other fellows and Ladies who had a bit of influence in giving us this great nation. Capt Denis Cottineau resides in this place. He served aboard USS Bon Homme Richard with Capt John Paul Jones when they defeated HMS Serapis. There are others there such as the first Governor, first State Historian and two Continental officers that decided to discuss tactics after a few pints. Seems they were good friends but got into a bit of an argument which was settled on the dueling field. Capt. Roswell Johnson and Lt. Wildet took a crack at each other four times before the Lt. fell to a ball in the heart. The good Captain paid dearly for the event on a career basis. The cemetery is a history book all to itself.

Tombstones in the wall

Sherman's Hdqs when he presented Lincoln with the city

Now the story gets a bit weird when Sherman billeted his cavalry in the cemetery. They, being a bit put out at the war thingy, took some revenge. First, they knocked down many grave markers. Some opened crypts and removed the residents so that they could get out of the winter. Yup, they actually slept in the structures whilst the rightful occupants were lying about. After the tussle was over, locals collected the tombstones and since there were not records as to where they should go, planted them in the brick yard at the back of the cemetery. Those dang Yankees! At least they did not burn the town. Why, you might ask? Seems that on Christmas day, General Sherman presented the city of Savannah to President Lincoln as a gift. Lincoln accepted thus General Sherman could not burn the city he just gave the President.

Back aboard WK, we are following the weather, mostly Hurricane Earl. Seems old Earl is slipping west a bit and that starts the exercise of those who might be in the crosshairs of mental prep. Hugo really thumped Charleston and that was a long time ago. We should know more in the next few days but it has to be some relief to those on the Gulf Coast. For now, only the little fuzz on the back of my neck is starting to twitch.

Uncertainty

Sitting aboard yesterday looking at the weather map we were discussing what to do and how to do it.  That is where our motto comes in.  We are not compelled to do anything in particular right now and so we decided to celebrate our 42nd wedding anniversary a bit early.  It  is on the 6th of September but the storms in the Atlantic might jeopardize a peaceful dinner at that time, so we hatched a plan for the weekend; rent a car and head back to Savannah to see more of the city.  We only spent a few hours here during our first visit.  That is what we did.
Sitting here early morning in the hotel watching the Bear make Bear sounds (not what you think), I am trying to work out a plan by which we see the city in detail without jolting her back on some springless trolley.  We did that in St, Augustine. Last evening she said that it would be good to have no schedule and be able to sleep late on Saturday.  I pointed out that is exactly what she has been doing for several months.  "Good point" says she.

The drive from Charleston to Savannah is a pleasant one of about 90 minutes through some of the finest scenery South Carolina's Low Country has to offer.  Of course there is an adequate supply of knuckleheads to make it interesting.  Savannah has a very active commercial maritime port right down town.  So, at 0400 this morning a freighter gives the required "long" blast on ship's horn and pulls out.  Thing is that said blast is 4 to 6 seconds long and of a volume to melt fillings in camel's teeth in Iraq.  We are on the sixth floor facing the water and that puts us at about the same level as the ship's horn.  It has been a long time since either of us have wet out pants but we came as close as ever when it went off.  I was about to get under the bed when it occurred to me that Gabriel had not been present at the horn blowing.  It was back to sleep with an ear tuned to the port.  No other ships left last night.

During the drive down, we made a decision regarding the cruise.  We will continue after some things happen.  First, we feel boxed by the Atlantic Hurricane season to stay put for at least a couple of weeks.  We know.  We know!  That is one more week than mentioned in our last post but we are not finished.  Given the success of Bear's surgery and the deteriorating situation with the other crew member's neck, we are investigating the possibility of heading back to Tampa to get it fixed.  Been putting up with it forever but mostly the last two years.   That way, we can serve out our required down time somewhat together.  Of course Bear will have had a few weeks head start.  As is the case, the longer such a situation is ignored, the worse it gets.  I hoped to put this off until the spring but why waste spring?  We are late getting to the Chesapeake anyway this year.  That being the case, we think the best thing to do is cool it in Charleston, maybe run for city council or dawg catcher or perhaps pick up a paper route then head out as overhauled scruvydawgs in early winter toward the warmer climes. In early spring head north with the idea of getting as far north as possible before next windter.   In the meantime, twix the storms and the laser, we will get to know the Low Country.  Certainly, we feel it to be a really cool place.

A plug for Savannah-  if you have never been here, put this place on your bucket list too.  This place oozes southern hospitality and grace.  It is unbelievable how friendly folks are here.  They come close to Texans.  Will post more later since the Bear is out of hibernation and ready to hit the streets, so to speak.  Pictures later.

M/V Innisfail

Sitting topside today, the yacht M/V Innisfail pulled along side the other side of the dock.  I posted a picture of this beauty a few times back but after yacking with the crew, I thought it worth a few other words.  Originally built the the Mathis-Trumpy yard in 1939,  she has changed owners several times.  Once named the El Presidente, she had received all Presidents from Roosevelt to Clinton.  She hosted Jacky Gleason and Marylin Monroe for several visits each.  She spent a five year period as a conscript of the US Navy as a armed coastal patrol boat with 20 mm cannons and depth charge racks.  She was brought to state-of-the-art status and granted "new boat" status by the USCG.  Now she has all the charm of old with seaworthiness of a new ship.  What a beauty.  Take a trip to this link: http://www.yachtforums.com/forums/trumpy-yacht/2408-trumpy-el-presidente.html  This is what can happen if one has the right wrist action (check writing skills). 

To leave or not to leave

 One of those wonderful dock encounters:  an elderly crew that did it.  Did what?  They made it around the mud ball.  Yesterday late, I noticed a boat tied along the dock way out at about position 1300.  There were no other boats near.  I noticed the female of the crew crossing the dock with a gallon water jug making trips between the boat and the water faucet.  I decided to offer them our water hose as it would take about 140 trips to fill water tanks a gallon at the time.  A glass of rotten grapes in hand I strolled way out there to make the offer.  As I approached, it was clear the couple has many miles under their keels.  Both appeared to be in their late 70's.  She, on the small fragile side and he a bit withered but hearty.  The boat name was Das Sine Wir, of Holy Island, Ga. I spoke, she answered in a quiet voice barely loud enough to hear.  I did not understand her reply as it was in German.  Then she replied that they only needed a few gallons to get home and thanked me for the offer.  She switched to proper English, which I recognized since Bear taught it for years and I have cat like reflexes in that way. I continued in modified English which she tolerated.  The gentleman cautiously joined the banter. They were just returning from the Chesapeake and encouraged us to visit and have plenty of time to enjoy that area.  They then told me that their 31 feet Beneteau was a fairly new to them and that they decided to make this their last boat and confine their exploits to the Atlantic coast for the duration.  Said they had their adventure back when they were younger.  The story they then told was out of the book of legends.  One summer many years ago, they climbed on a 32 feet sloop and literally sailed the world.  They left Germany and spent the next four years circumnavigating the world.  They completed their voyage in Germany then decided to head to the place that impressed them the most, the Atlantic coast of the US.  Then they immediately got aboard and crossed the Atlantic landing in Georgia, their new chosen home.  They became US citizens late in life then sailed to Mexico, again to the Caribbean and to Central and South America. Now, they plan to spend the final years of their life simply cruising near here.  To look at them, one can see the marks left by high seas, broken boat stuff, long, wet, cold nights mid ocean and also the joys of seeing that same stuff at first light. As the saying goes, the idea is not to arrive at the end of life perfectly preserved but totally used up and proclaiming "wow what a ride".   I said good bye and headed back to Why Knot.  A few steps away, I turned for another look at their boat name and they were gone-  mid channel heading south.  They have done it all.  

Well, boys and girls, it is decision time.  Ordinarily, it would be a no-brainer to leave after five weeks in one spot.  However; we have some usual and some unusual considerations in the mix.  The usual includes where to go next.  If we have any type of goal it is to make the Chesapeake before turning around with the crowds and heading to the islands in the fall.  Had we not stopped for a total of over two months for stuff beyond our control, we would already be there and beyond.  From here, stops get a bit distant for the next hundred miles or so which is at least two plus days underway (more on that later).  Then there is weather related geography.  Huh, you ask?  If one considers the Atlantic coast relative to the normal track of Atlantic storms, Jacksonville, Florida is about as far west as one can get on the Atlantic coast.  Going north from there brings one ultimately to Cape Hatteras which sticks way out east toward the normal track of late season storms.  We are just over half way out of the notch from Jacksonville to Cape Hatteras.  To me, we are effectively increasing the chances of getting in harms way by heading east at this time.  That brings us back to the why we cannot simply put the pedal to the metal and whip past Cape Hatteras area.  First, Bear has to take it easy for the next 20 weeks or so to protect the healing process underway in her back.  That really means no offshore work until around the end of the year.  Another reason contributing supporting that decision is that Danielle will be throwing huge waves ashore as early as this weekend (9 footers offshore).  Eric will follow close behind and there is a third one leaving West Africa now.  The pattern is full and it looks like we are in the active part of the season.  At least for the next several days, we might as well settle for weather driven decisions.  Even with optimal weather,  we cannot do really long days underway at this stage of her recovery. We have not made the decision to stay  in Charleston yet but will do so today depending on something-  not sure what.  After all our credo is No plan, no destination and no schedule.  Food, folks and forts are all good here.  Coffee at the dock office is free and gourmet.  Dang!  What to do--- or not.

Underway soon

We rented a car for two weeks so that we could get to Tampa and have some spare time built into the schedule for unknowns.  As it turned out, we did not need the extra time and we return the car tomorrow.  That also means the cruise resumes and feet and bicycles become the methods of land travel.  We have been in this place way too long even though this is a charming city in which we could stay for a long time were we not cruising.  We are reminded that hurricane season is here and we should get north soon.  Our friends aboard Keeln Time are back aboard in Jekyll Island some 100 miles south of here.  They plan to set sail tomorrow and that makes it possible for us to meet them here on Wednesday.  Perhaps they can stay clear of lightening and we can head north together separated of course by sufficient distance so that if lightening does happen again, we won’t be near the lightening rod known as KT. 

The events of the past six weeks were trying for Bear and now that the repair has taken place, we are amazed at the success of it.  She is painless for the first time since leaving Key West.  The overall success depends on her taking it according to directions and taking it easy for the next 24 weeks.  It is a joy to see that that sparkle I referenced so many times is truly back.  We cannot say enough about the place that did the work.  While there, we met a family from the Amarillo area.  Dad and mom were both there for surgery while the daughter was the care giver for both of them.  Neither had been without pain for years until the visit. 

We started provisioning WK yesterday and during the process, we visited the old Charleston Navy Yard, where the CS Hunley museum is located.  Bear was not interested in seeing the Hunley so we rode around this facility once the pride of the Navy.  This yard dates back to the earliest days of this country but was closed in 1995.  Many of the buildings and homes  are of great historical significance.  The community has started redevelopment of the facility and private businesses are moving in.  The great thing is that part of the redevelopment is the renovation of the quarters that consists of grand homes once occupied by Naval officers and senior noncoms dating back a hundred years or more.  Good to see this history is not lost.

Our dock rental is up on Wednesday.  We sail on Thursday weather permitting.  We are trying to put our sailor face back on and start the preparations for getting underway.  That means all the stuff that has become “un-stowed” must find a place.  That might be the challenge of the month.   Of course, we start watching that little disturbance near the Azores. 

Reminders

When we left Tampa something happened along the way that we cannot stop thinking about.  In the midst of all the good feelings about the success of Bear’s surgery we stopped for fuel.  When we came up the ramp to the freeway, we found ourselves in the middle of a funeral procession.  It was a special one because the honoree’s casket was draped in our Flag.  The procession was led, followed and flanked by the old vets on motorcycles that escort the fallen home.  We extracted ourselves from the procession and proceeded slowly past it showing as much respect as one can on a freeway.  The salute was returned.   We will always remember that scene with profound gratitude for Sgt. Paul Cuzzupa II (known in his unit at Care Bear), Army Medic who paid the ultimate price on August 8, 2010 in Afghanistan. 

The huge sailboat docked near us yesterday was the Aime  Sea.  Turns out that she is a charter boat of some 115 feet in length and displaces some 135 tons.  What a beauty.  According to her website, the going fee for chartering her is over  43,000 Euro  per week.  If you are thinking about a luxury cruise, why not just go for it?  ---- or not. 

A regatta is planned for this weekend by the locals.  It is similar to Harvest Moon where the 25 boats race to a party in Savannah.   They started in a raging thunderstorm and all are into the event with some seriousness.  We are tied here at the dock and our sister boat Pied a Mier is in the race.  Methinks tis better to be here.   Weather threatened to postpone or cancel the event but it was moving away so the race was on.  The hard part of it is the run up the Savannah River some 13 miles from the sea buoy.  It would be like finishing the Harvest Moon at City Marina in Corpus. 

Relativity

Mr. Bird, one cool and very friendly angler

We returned to Why Knot yesterday afternoon late.  The plan to stop half way back from Tampa faded quickly as we decided we wanted to be aboard our "home" again and off of land based quarters.  We found WK hot but we think the de-humidification setting on the a/c worked well.  It was good to be back.  Bear walked the 1500 feet or so unassisted and except for soreness in the area of the incisions, everything was fine.  She is cautioned that for the next three weeks she should not sit, stand or walk for more than about 15 minutes at a time.  Suits her just fine as she has adapted to the horizontal book scan method of life.  We cannot say enough about the Laser Spine Institute and the success we had there.  Typically, one submits MRI and history for review prior to the initial visit. If they think they can help, and they do turn folks down, they will set up an interview in one of several places around the USA.  Once interviewed, some of which is to discuss the funding aspect of the adventure, they schedule "surgery".  One arrives the day before for some pre-op and further discussions.  The day of surgery, one arrives to begin the wind down which includes happy juice.  They never put one out completely.  Once into the happy zone, the procedure takes 45 minutes to an hour and one gets to walk out of the OR to recovery.   Once one can stand and use the head, one is realeased to go back to the hotel.  They call several times to see if all is hunkey dorey.  On day two after the surgery, a doctor looks things over and post-op instructions given.  You are free to go-- anywhere after the appointment.  We drove 400 miles.  Of course there is discomfort following the event but in Bear's case, no pain from the nerve side of the equation.  This is day three after the event and Bear is sore but mobile.

We are in front and our masthead comes to their second spreader

Walking down the dock toward the boat yesterday, we noticed another sail boat along side WK.  Boat is not the right word, "ship" is.  Our 58 feet from the waterline to the masthead is nothing compared to the other boat.  I would say ours is one third as tall as theirs.  There are five spreaders compared to our two.  Each are no less than 30 feet apart.  Now that sort of emphasizes relativity, huh?  We are doing just fine with a 50 amp cord.  They have two 100 amp cord.  We we do have it over them is the fact that we can actually cruise the ditch when we want.  They don't even think about it since they most likely draw 15 feet of draft with keel and definitely cannot get under most bridges.  Trade off is the thing.

Outta Tampa

Shore leave is canceled. and after a short stop for at the doctor, we are heading back to Charleston.  We will take two days this time so that Bear does not have to sit so long.  Once back aboard, we add a few provisions and make preparations to get underway again AT LAST!  Bear's back is fixed for the most part and now there is normal soreness with which to contend.  A few laps around the Megadock and she might be able to work out that part of the recovery.  For the next few weeks she is restricted to lifting no more than five pounds but the ability to walk has been restored.  Guess I will break out the dinghy soon.

The Day After

Bear is pain free today.  It is amazing technology to take one of invalid to cruiser in one day.  Today, we do nothing.  Tomorrow, we have a final check up then head back to Charleston to restart the cruise. 

Thanks to all who have expressed best wishes.   The events of the past few months have emphasized the importance of the old cruisers mantra “Go.  Go now before it is too late”.  This week, we got a second chance and we plan to make the most of it.  Bear can now enjoy shore liberty and walks on the beach.  We will now launch our dinghy and explore those little coves around the bend.  Maybe the week in the comfort zone was just the thing to help us get past the heat of this time of the year and it gave us the opportunity to have the life lines fabricated and installed on Why Knot, locate a spare prop and add some additional communications equipment to ship’s inventory.  So, it has not all been hospitals merely a chapter in the life of ships crew.

Bear is out of the shipyard

It is 1400 and Bear is back in the hotel room.  She walked under her own power and is feeling much better.  The surgery went as expected and we are in hopes that it has relieved the bulk of the back pain she has suffered so long. It appears at this time that there has been a vast reduction but we have a couple of days yet to deal with the actual incision part, which is not really big.  She is being cautious in claiming success at this time due to disappointments of the past but from my observations at this early date, she will be re-joining Why Knot as Admiral and crew.  The post-op appointment is Wednesday and if it goes as expected, we will leave Tampa and head back to the boat.  She will have several weeks in which she cannot do crew stuff but if it is without pain then the mission is a success.  During the interim, we will of course, be putting her though a refresher course in boat life as a non-guest.  Exercises will include but not limited to wax-on/wax-off dry runs, knot tying, navigation skull sessions and stainless steel polishing theory.  Lectures on rodent/insect control, mold eradication, and freezer defrosting techniques will also be held in the interest of reinstating the high order of proficiency she once held aboard.  Of course, floggings are suspended until further notice. 

Looking Back

Do you know what an “earworm” is? It is one of those tunes that you cannot get out of your mind sometimes for days on end. It might be a commercial tune or something someone said. In my case it is a phrase from a song written by Michael McCloud of Key West. He wrote it for the A&E documentary about Mel Fisher, the fellow that discovered the Atocha just off the coast in Key West. Mel looked for that ship for thirty years and finally found it. It was laden with something like $400,000,000 in gold and silver. Every day, in order to keep the divers energized, he would say “Today is the day boys, we discover the past”. So what does that have to do with the crew of Why Knot? Well, today is the day that we do discover Bear’s past so to speak. It is today that we hope to return her back to sometime in the past without pain. Just got a call from pre-op that she is heading into surgery now. Wish I could be with her to hold her hand. Of course, I would have to look the other way. More later.

Tampa- D-1

Bear is still asleep and I am munching on some wonderful cold Texas style brisket for breakfast with hot coffee, and peanuts.    I tell ya, it was a real find to actually locate a fellow from Bulverde that owns a BBQ joint her in St. Pete.  Turns out that he is kinfolk to a fellow with whom I worked many years ago.  Glad I did not open my chops about that dude.  Anyway, it is the first real BBQ we have had since leaving Texas, the Republic Of. 

Settled in and all the tests are done in prep for Bear’s surgery tomorrow at 0830. The weekend is free time since nothing takes place over the two day period.  We spent the day yesterday doing some tourism stuff thanks to pain killers.  Bear had a good day yesterday and we capped it off with dinner with the crew of Breezin.  Good visit and so good to see fellow boaters from Texas. 

The Tampa Bay area has about a dozen or so communities all based on beaches, boating and golf. We visited the Clearwater area and drove by the City Marina where we spent several days.  Talking about different perspectives, the view of the marina from the car is entirely different and gives one the impression that marinas are not important to the beach activities. The beaches were almost empty compared to the last time we were here.  School and the heat have reduced the visitor count here to very small numbers.  Wait until the snow flies up north. 

Life aboard a cruising boat brings the world into a small circle whereas our few days in this hotel with a car expands it well beyond the horizon.  We drove down the peninsula past St. Petersburg yesterday and happened to wind up at Fort De Soto (imagine that).  This fort is just across the inlet from Fort Dade on Egmont Key.  Without getting too historical, this place was first surveyed by Col. Robert E. Lee.  It boasted several twelve inch seacoast rifled mortars and 2-six inch rapid fire Armstrong rifled guns.  They were never fired in anger.  A little tidbit I found interesting is that Mullet Key upon which Fort De Soto stands was used as a bombing range during WWII.  Colonel Tibbett actually trained here.  Who is he you might ask?  Well, he was the pilot of Enola Gay, the B-29 that dropped Little Boy on Hiroshima. 

We have today to cool our heels, tomorrow is the surgery then we have another layday in this hotel during which Bear must cool it.  Last evening, we agreed that as comfortable as this place is, we are definitely looking forward to boarding Why Knot and getting underway again.  Although the facilities are nice, we are away from WK and the cruise.  The life of seeing what’s next aboard a boat is in our soul now and there is something just not right about life on land at this point.  While we have not roughed it during the cruise, we like our little water world.  There is something about the cruising community that we really never knew while boating in Port A and CC.  It was more like weekend visits to a boating world but this is different.  We sail away as does other we have met.  It is not unusual to see them again at anchor or in a marina.  Several boats are going the same direction and yet it might be days between sightings.  We wonder what has become of boats we met in the Gulf that had different goals.  We always enjoy seeing those we have not seen for several months.  Our plan is to make the Chesapeake this season.  We had hoped to range north of that but given the events here, we might run out of time. Long range, we will head back north next year if we are capable.  For the next few days, we are focused on the Bear like a road runner on a grasshopper.  ‘Twill be so nice to have her back aboard as Admiral rather than guest.  That’s what she(we) is looking sooooooo forward to.  Thanks to all for the good wishes.  The results will be posted tomorrow late after we get back to the hotel room.

Countdown

Arrived in Tampa yesterday tired from the nine hour drive.  The strange thing about that is the fact that when we are aboard Why Knot underway sometimes we are underway for much longer periods.  Doing so aboard is much easier, if the weather is not a factor, than driving nine hours.  Aboard, one can stand up, move around, eat and observe more.  There are fewer fools to attempt to run one over.  Granted, said fools on the water tend to have bigger vehicles but they also usually do not pass withing two feet head on. 

We are on short final to the event that we have anticipated for over 5 months.  What happens Monday will determine the nature of our future cruising but we don't think it will end it even if it does not turn out the way we hope.  Certainly, good health is most important to any such endeavor and I have watched Bear make the best of a bad situation for so long.  Growing up together as we have has given both of us the ability to know the others feelings without even asking.  There is a certain look in her eyes that lets me know when there is pain, sorrow, happiness and joy.  When all is well, there is a wonderful sparkle.   Haven't seen much of that sparkle lately.  Been seeing a lot of that pain thing lately and yet she wants to stay underway stating it is better to endure whilst aboard than sitting at home.  It is sort of a take on "If it's gonna happen, it's gonna happen out there".  We have met many folks that have back pain and have had "procedures" to correct same.  Some have worked and some have not.  Few we have met know of the "procedure" Bear will undergo.  We have researched this place and know of actual cases of success.  So, we charted the course and will loose the dock lines Monday, so to speak.

The last time we saw this area was in late April.  Much water has passed under Why Knot's keel since then.  We did not sail into Tampa Bay but did anchor at Egmont Key at the entrance.  This is a huge bay and we missed some remarkable ports and anchorages here.  Perhaps we might return to this place aboard Why Knot some day. 

I canvassed our sailing friends while we were still in the Gulf: "Where to next?".  We got many suggestions and have taken some of them with no disappointments,  Walking the docks we have spoken to sailors going everywhere.  All have "this one particular harbor"  that is a must see. I would say to those contemplating cruising that they all are must see.  All the miles of possible anchorages between here and Port A hold great possibilities.  All have some type of reward and all need sailors to climb aboard and come out here.  As we said originally, we shall sail until we cannot.  Don't wait too long.  We almost did.

Big Galleys Unusued

Been talking to boats on the dock, all larger, much larger than WK.  Most are fully paid crew and some are aboard alone.  Many owners don't want to be in this heat and are having boats delivered elsewhere, presumably into cooler climates.  One thing that seems to prevail, especially on delivery status:  galleys are not used.  Most crews are not allowed to use the galley, hence they hit a port every night and go ashore for meals.  Same thing in the morning before leaving.  The captain parked in front of us aboard a 100 footer said that the boat is several years old and has never had a meal prepared aboard.  Now meals are consumed aboard but mostly catered.  Here is a three million dollar boat with a very nice galley that is as fresh as delivery day.  What's with that?  The captain has been aboard for 75 days and has yet to see the owner or take the boat out of the slip. 

We contacted a local rigger and had the lifelines of Why Knot replaced with uncovered stainless steel wire.  Looks really great and she now conforms to ORC specifications for lifelines.  The reason for the change is that WK is now 12 years old and that, friends and fellow scruvs is the lifespan of lifelines.  One would not want to fall overboard because of old lifelines.  Now there is not excuse for unauthorized departures from the boat as sea.

Tomorrow will be the start of our week long shore liberty.  That will be really strange to us since we have not had extended shore liberty for five months.  Then there is the little benefit of endless hot water, stable sleeping quarters and room.   Of course, this comes at a price but hopefully Bear's back will benefit greatly from the surgery on Monday.  Don't know if we can sleep on a stable big bed, but we will try.  That brings us to a place we have not experienced since leaving Why Knot in New Orleans in March:  putting her to rest for our absence.  It has been a long time but we are looking forward to seeing Tampa/ St. Pete since we skipped it on the way to Key West.  Closest we came was a small island at the entrance to the bay.  The other thing we are definitely looking forward to is a visit with the crew of S/V Breezin. 

Hopefully, the tropics will stay calm and we won't have to rush back to make ready for a storm.  The Atlantic is very hot and ripe for a really active hurricane season.  Those things can materialize in a couple of days then threaten any area along the Gulf and Atlantic Coast.  The later into the season, and the more likely storms will track further north along the Atlantic coast.  Maybe Mother Ocean will grant us a reprieve until we can get back aboard.

Decorum

Milestones for the week are the procurement (legally of course) of ground transportation , some minor repairs, and getting the Bear to Tampa for festivities to be determined at the end of the week. Bear has been wearing a really weird back brace that has done some miracle stuff for her pain. She was not supposed to wear it more than a few hours a day yet that did not suffice. Now, for the first time in weeks she is relatively comfortable and looking forward to getting off the boat to do a bit of shopping. That says a bunch since she does not like to shop but it is a wonderful thing to see a smile on her face. She even did dishes today. I warned her about jeopardizing her status as guest.

 Hooter Patrol IV

Having been on this dock for over two weeks now, I think we are the longest tied up here. Thus, by default, methinks we are now the mayors. As such, it falls on us to enforce the standards on this dock and be mindful of nare-do-wells. One such example is a 110 feet boat that sneaked alongside last evening late. It looks most gracious in form and size but there is one thing that is of concern to the dock. She sports a name that may well indicate intent to diminishes the demeanor of this place and may well re-define the general morals hereof. We will have to keep a close eye on her to make sure that she lives up to the standards of her name and not let any such activities “spill over” onto the rest of us. To do that, we will monitor the visitors that board her. By “we”, I mean I. Bear thinks there may be employment opportunities for some along this doc. I mentioned most diplomatically that the wearing of a back brace automatically disqualifies one from contention. In the interest of fairness, we will see how this is played out. Come to think of it, there are two boats that fit into this category.

One very expensive graphite race boat.  Spars, bowsprit, wheels, decks and hull all graphite.

This just in:

While finishing up this posting, we were smacked pretty hard by the tender to Champaign Cher.  The tender is parked on our side of this long dock just ahead of as the morning ebb tide is running.  Bham! We felt a doozie of a lurch toward our dock fenders which absorbed the shock.  Once again, calling on my cat-like reflexes, I headed topside whilst offering no good will to the offending boat.  Just as I emerged from the hatchway I might have muttered something like "Get you checkbook out A*****hole!"  in something other than low tones.  Just then, I noticed a fellow standing at the bow of Why Knot on the dock who looked most offended and surprised at my statement.  He had nothing to do with the incident but appeared to be reaching for his wallet. He wasn't aware of the event, just strolling down the dock enjoying the morning.  Then I emerge from a silent boat with the above comment.  Once I started toward the starboard side to survey the damage, he was relieved that he "owed" nothing and could go on.  Meekly, he did offer to assist if needed.  As it turned out, we got a rub rail smudge from the offender and the helmsman will be back to remove it.  No harm, no foul. 

Hunting and Gathering

Dateline:  Charleston, SC

The Bear and I are about to wear out the view through portlights but since the Megadock sees lots of transients, at least the lies told hereon are variable.  I met the captain of a large boat docked nearby today and we compared notes about the mysterious stuff growing in the sea strainers.  One fellow came by the boat with a giant Clorox tablet and suggested I put it in the strainer to see if I can murder the critters taking up residence inside.  Said strainer requires cleaning every 4 days or so and it is not sea grass or stuff like that.  It is some slimy stuff like the Blob (some us you might remember that movie).  So far, it is Blob 2, Bligh ½. 

Since Bear does not leave the boat due to the back thing, it falls on me to designate a shore party (me) to forage nearby areas for variety in our diet.  I have utilized Dobbin (one of our fold up bikes) to range near and far for museum visits but more importantly to hunt and gather.  There is a restaurant chain of sorts in these parts that, we were told offers true chicken fried steak.  The place is called Barbra Jeans.  We confirmed this fact back in the Jekyll  Island area and I noticed one here in Charleston.  Bear suggested that I drag ole Dobbin out of the barn and head over to the place to trap some grub for lunch.  The round trip is about 4 miles yet the day was overcast and the temp a balmy 90/90 (temp and humidity).  I have been doing about 10 miles plus per day on ole Dobbin so we truddled  (not really a word), on over to Barbra Jeans to grab the prize.  I tell ya, that CFC is a good as anything from Texas,  ‘cept for Bear’s  own and well worth it.  It turns out the owner was a Marine pilot in the Nam and as such, did some time in Kingsville, Texas during training.  It was there that he mastered the CFC.  To us, it was like a bit of Texas, the Republic of.  Did I mention the crab cake?  Said crab cakes are made of about 95 % crab, not cornbread.  In short, it was worth a 4 mile bike ride.  How many restaurants can claim that?  Now if we could only find beef BBQ.  That might be worth a 10 mile round trip. 

We are having all of WKs lifelines replaced since the originals are starting to fail.  Supposedly, they will be done on Monday.  ORC rules call for bare wire life lines thus we will depart from the vinyl coated white variety.  Folks were right about stuff getting easier to acquire, parts wise, the farther north we get. 

Getting some good ideas from the BB Captains since we have been here nestled amongst them for a couple of weeks.  They sort of consider us a novelty since we have a mast and speak of 60 mile days the way they speak of 150 mile days.  The BB plans revolve around the Chesapeake and north for summer and the islands or Fort Lauderdale south in winter.  However; the can make the distances in a few days but are excluded from some areas in the ditch due to shallow water, especially through Georgia. 

This morning a charter boat pulled along side the dock and boarded about 30 or so young adults.  Seems that there is a regatta just south of here that has been conducted the first weekend in August for over 115 years and they are to be part of what has become the largest raft up party along the Atlantic Coast.  The Rockville Regatta takes place on the Bohicket Creek and there will be only about 50 boats actually in the event.  The spectator fleet is expected to be in excess of 3.000 boats rafted up for the party.  I wonder how many will actually see the sail boat race?  The game wardens will have over 50 officers there to “assist” the boaters.

Up early

One thing about cruising is that it conforms to our mission statement: no plan, destination or schedule. That said, it is not uncommon to give way in the early evenings and simply hit the rack. For us last evening, it actually happened before sunset. We did not even watch any tv, just had dinner (supper in Georgia) and hit the rack. It is not really all that hard to sleep with sunlight in the cabin. The flip side of that early to bed thing is that one of the crew sleeps only at most about 7 hours and it makes no difference when it starts. Seven hours, give or take, later and the old eyes fly open like a cheap roll up window shade. No amount of wallering (is that a word)in the rack will return me to sleep. It only irritates the Bear. So, at 0415 this morning, I am up and awake. The Bear, of course is just getting to the deep REM part of her night.


That time of the day is an excellent time to stroll the dock. The round trip is 3,000 feet and there is much to see. Flat water flowing silently past the dock marks the incoming tide. There are a few birds walking the dock and they are looking for breakfast: fish. No one is awake on the dock this morning except for me. Our favorite little brown bird is not yet on station on the dock line of a nearby boat where he swings back and forth looking for a meal. Not sure what bird he is but there is no fear of humans.

The end of the dock is nearest to sea and one can see the lights at Fort Sumter from there. Lights of any kind in 1861 would have been deadly there. Now, the five bare flag poles are visible waiting for the flags that will greet visitors today. One cannot fully appreciate the fact that when the South unloosed the first volley there, it was thought the war would last only a few weeks at most. Six hundred and ten thousand KIA and no telling how many wounded later and it did end. Dang!

Having completed the walk and all that it offered so early in the morning, it was time for breakfast. Like our little brown friend on that dock line, it seemed a good idea to have some fish, tuna fish to be exact. Bear makes a great tuna salad and that sounded good. So, my day started with a Sugarless Red Bull and a tuna salad sandwich. Hot diggedy seadawg! Perhaps our mission statement should read; no plan, destination, schedule or particular menu. Ever try Red Bull and tuna salad for breakfast? Ok, tomorrow morning, why not try it--- or not.

Pumps and early morning

Not much goes on early mornings around a pleasure boat dock. Unlike docks with commercial operations, where boats leave at all hours of the night, these docks see very little movement until “breakfast” times. This is particularly true for the larger boats where the crews have cleaning duties, then meal prep for the owners then for the crews and finally a casual departure from the docks at more “civilized hours”. After all, one would simply not enjoy ones latte before, oh say, 1000. And the misses may not be awakened at any earlier hour for she has been shopping ashore for two days straight.

Now for scurvy sailing vessels such as Why Knot, formal hours are not observed. There was no shopping ashore yesterday and we have no boat pet with which to contend other than the occasional fiddler crab or some sea bird. It is reasonable to assume (I hate that word) that if any sort of breakfast is served, it will be by one’s own hand and not on the poop deck, for we have none. For some reason, I was done sleeping at 0500 this morning and simply sitting in the main cabin wondering why it was that I was not horizontal at the hour when I heard a pump cycle. That usually is not a good thing as it represents a leaking faucet, an a/c condensation drain or the bilge pump which means we are SINKING. One by one, I am relieved to find that they are not the cause. Humh, why is the mystery pump still cycling and, more importantly where is the pump that keeps making noise. I know this boats systems and have never discovered a pump in the direction from which the noise is coming. Could I have missed one? Then the noise stopped, but for only a minute or two.

Just as I was thinking that the boat troll, Little Prick, is messing with me again, it started. First, the pump came on for a good twenty seconds. Then a few seconds more. Then it changed in pitch and came on again, this time a bit muffled. I start switching off, then on the dc circuit breakers. Nothing! The pump stopped. Just as I was about to start pulling stuff out of the aft cabin, I noticed some lights on a boat across the main pier from us. They were backing out of the slip. The boat is about 100 feet long and then the source of the pump sound made sense. It was their bow and stern thrusters which I could hear through our hull. Who would have expected to see a biggie boat leaving at such an hour? It is not civilized.

Laydays in Charleston

Ok, scurvs, we are marking time until we get to Tampa for the "Big Fix".  I am starting to ration museum visits so as to stretch out long enough to the date for departure.  We learned yesterday that the crew of Keeln Time is planning to return to their boat at Jekyll Island and be underway this direction around 20 August.  That means that they may well catch up with us again. Given the fact that we have attempted to sail together for over six weeks  yet we have not accomplished that yet, we are looking forward to attempting same again.

The heat is down to a balmy 95 degrees today and that actually is much better than a few days ago.  We are keeping an eye on the tropics and the tropical waves leaving the African coast and hopefully, no dragons will be born any time soon.  If one does approach Charleston while we are away, we will have Why Knot secured to this floating dock which has about 15 feet of extra pilings at high tide.  We are told that large boats seldom leave this dock for hurricane prep.  Not sure what that really means, but this is a sturdy dock with huge cleats.

 Fort Moultrie looking across Charleston Inlet

Until the trip for the "Big Fix", we are tugging on the leash.  The extended time here actually takes us out of the cruising mode and into the live aboard mode.  There is a difference for sure.  As and example, we do not stow stuff for sea if we are to be in one spot for several days.  That means that we are like sort of messy ground hogs in that we consistently decrease our living space by leaving stuff out.  Every now and then, we stow stuff just to keep from dealing with it.  There is no better way to ding your pinky toe than kicking the folding bike at 0300 hours when it is not where it is supposed to be.  We are gradually consuming the over provisioned food locker that we really did not need to so provision.  After all, we were not planning an ocean crossing.  We have found that red wine does not disappear as fast as the whites so we still have a rather generous supply of Merlot and Cabernets which must be aging nicely in the middle head locker.  We are also into sharing dine out meals so as to eliminate the doggy boxes that take up so much room in our whopping 3 cubic feet refrigerator.  We buy stuff in square containers so that they stack nicely and not smash toes as we dig for things.  A can of peas can actually cause one to invent new words when it achieves terminal velocity on the trip from the cabinet to your big toe.  For sure there are new dings in the dance floor which is preferable to a purple toe nail.  To achieve that one must be somewhat act like Kato in the old Peter Sellers movies.  By that, I mean one must detect the change in air pressure as said can departs the shelf and accelerates to full damage mode in mid-air.  Then if one is fully awake, one can sometime switch to cat like reflexes and move said toe just prior to impact.  If not, one can speak to one's inner self with newly invented words whilst apologizing to one's mate that just awoke to the commotion.

 The Charleston Harbor Control Bunker circa 1944 embedded in Fort Moultrie.  The rooms above were operational during that time and controlled shipping, sub nets and mine fields guarding the approach. 

One constant procedure we have yet to perfect is the necessity to answer the call of nature at night while trying not to awake the mate.  One of us must crawl over the other to make the trip.  The one on the outside is in the preferred position since no crawl over is required.  Our cabin has a rack that is smaller at one end than the other, so we have tried head to toe sleeping but the crawl over requires a direction change by the inside person prior to exiting the rack.  Not good.  This usually results in some sort of attack by the feet on the face of the other.  This is especially not good if Bear is the kickee.  The evolution has thus far gone through several changes with the best option being the one on the outside moves to the inside if the inside one leaves- sort of like log rolling.  I know, I know this is TMI.

Today, two French flagged boats arrived sans quarantine  flags.  Methinks they have been here in the US for some time.  They managed to dock down current along the Megadock without taking out any other boats.  The first boat captain stepped off the boat, thanked me for helping with his lines then said "Damn what a current".  Ya think?  It was about 4 knots.  Does not seem like much but if one is trying to be dead stopped in a particular spot along the dock, it can get interesting.  The other boat came by the cleat I was manning and tossed me a big dock line.  I expected to see him back down and stop forward progress.  He did not do so and we tested burst strength of his line and the cleat.  It worked but I was thinking about the whip lash if it had parted.  It was braid on braid and made some really funny sounds as it stretched.  Did I mention that both boats were steel?  It reminded me of the fellow we met who had a unique way of docking.  He would pull along side a finger pier and toss a small grapnel hook with a dock line attached across the finger pier.  The other end was around a winch.  Once it snagged the other side of the pier, he would winch himself to the dock.  Did not need "no stinking dock lines fore and aft" that way. 

One negative about the cruise in this area:  the absence of brisket BBQ.  There ain't any available, jest pig.  I tell ya, it ain't right.  Jest ain't right. 

BF (Big Fix) minus 14 days.  More later.  Still chewing on the leash.