It now looks as though the better decision regarding the immediate future of cruising for us to take a time out. While the recent repairs have gone well, it is very important to take it easy for some time thereafter. To rush this is to jeopardize it and that could end the cruise. In the next two weeks, give or take, we will return to Canyon Lake and sit for a bit. Rumors of exploding can goods in the pantry back home are testament the fact that we have enjoyed the cruise so far, with the obvious exception of medical issues. We planned to come home every 90 days or so. There have been other challenges so far but that is part of life in the water world. We did plan to come ashore more often than we have for visits to our home but never felt the real need to do so until now. Besides that, we are curious about the status of the house. For instance, we have battled squirrels (tree rats as a fellow sailor calls them). They tend to want to eat holes in our house. We cannot wait to see how many have done that.
Typical cottage at the Club on Jekyll Island for the ultra wealthy during the 40's
We will leave WK in Charleston. Upon return we head south in November or thereafter. Hopefully, she will rest well at the Megadock and be ready to go to sea when we return. Given the challenges so far, we consider ourselves lucky to have made it this far north on the Atlantic Coast. Not a stellar performance but acceptable to us. We absolutely enjoy being aboard and visiting the ports and anchorages we have seen so far--- with one exception of course. We look forward to crossing the Sabine and seeing our family and friends soon. We haven't had a plate of steaming greasy enchiladas since we left.
Sitting around the hotel room on a required " rest day" is a bit like being in a detention facility. I started going through some of the photos we have taken along the way and these are some of our favorites..
Now that we both have had framwork repair, up pops the issue of entertaining those around us at the marina. Entertaining? It must look really funny to see two spasmodics getting around. It does not look right when those on the big power boats look down at that little sail boat on the Megadock and notice that the entire crew are having trouble with the total absence of grace when boarding the boat. One BBO (big boat owner) turns to the other whilst having juice and toast on the quarterdeck and mentions the crew bogging down the dock looking like the big bug character in the movie Men In Black. The obvious conclusion would be that sailing, albeit at six knots, will take a toll on auld carcasses. Well, yeah! He with a horse collar and she with a big black back brace must quite a sight. There is a benefit to all of this. We won't be in poor form for not waxing the boat for some time. And there might be some appreciation for a rotten grape bottle in the cockpit after dark.
I have mentioned the little duckys. They are the name we have given the junior sailing program participants. They go by every day in line and all tied together behind a tow boat. They travel out to the training area and sail back. We hope they do not notice WKs crew as it might discourage further participation in sailing. "Gosh Mikey, look at what it has done to those old folks".
It has been 12 hours since the little laser repair job on my neck. Methinks it was way easier than the MRI due to my claustrophobia and the little needle exercise to diagnose which nerve was being the outlaw. Anyway, it is done and the clock starts on the get-out-of-Dodge sail away from Charleston. We were told it would be about the same time requirement as with Bear's back. Thus, it will be about six weeks until I can raise sail. Nothing was said about starting the engine and steering. Will play that one by seat of the pants rules. For the next two weeks or so, Bligh has to wear a horse collar. Bear thinks it is fitting nomenclature since she often refers to me by a two word description starting with the word "horses".
Can't wait to check in on the Hector colony at the Megadock. Well, it 2215 and I think I will go get more sleep. Thanks to those that have offered best wishes. Be well, y'all.
We spent some time with the crew of Breezin and enjoyed an auto cruise of the Tampa area. We drove back to the Clearwater marina where we stayed as boaters. The area is heavily built with condos and there is absolutely no comparison in the feeling one gets approaching by sea and by car. By car, there are glimpses of the waterworld but it stops with the next building blocking the view. The beaches are the only real way to get even close to the feeling. From shore, we could see several sailing vessels in the Gulf but one can only guess if they are out for a day sail or have other destinations. Only by seeing boats up close can one really tell the difference. Those underway are generally not as cute as those that most of their time in a snug harbor. Show me a boat with a few fuel cans on an othewise beautiful deck and you have a sea boat. Show me one with a perfect toe rail and you are looking at either wealth or low sea time.
We get my swivel fixed tomorrow, we hope. I am not looking forward to tomorrow but the day after. Back with more later..
We are back in Tampa to finish that which we should have done last trip here. For the past few days, Bear has been experiencing excruciating “Charley Horses” in her legs. That is a term which I have not heard in 20 years. They were so bad that she was thinking the back repair did not work. After all, it takes all her energy to keep me in line. She finally called the doctors and was told that it is simply a nerve rebuilding thing and they gave her some anti-spasm stuff. By morning yesterday, the symptoms were gone and so was her despair. That little sparkle in her eyes that says so much came back.
I had a chance to grab some really fitful sleep and weird dreams during my turn at the wheel yesterday. Being off Why Knot does present challenges. For instance: how does one get the room to move. The sounds normal to a boat on the water are absent thus challenging to good sleep. For the first time in days, we have not heard thrusters in the early morning, or the pop of the weather deck cooling in the sunset. Another sound that would keep land lubbers awake is that of the dock lines in the early morning hours that stretch and snap when the current caused by tide or some other boat leaving the dock cause WK to tug at the cleats on dock.
The great migration has started. The early arrivals in Charleston are the fast movers that seem to be in some urgent need to get to Fort Lauderdale or Miami to grab that slip reserved for the winter. They talk of three hundred mile days (some actually four hundred plus mile days) and the rough sea conditions caused by the storms offshore. At thirty to forty knots, even those smooth rollers would be uncomfortable. A few sailing vessels are starting to trickle past the area mostly heading to a staging points for the jump to the islands. Favored departure points are Fernandina Beach (Jacksonville, Fl), Forts Pierce and Lauderdale and then on to Miami and Marathon. Of these, Marathon is least spectacular but more boater friendly for those needing some work before the big punch across the Green Monster (Gulf Stream). Gary and Tess, have departed there heading for the Philippines via the Canal. We wonder where Rumba Line is these days. Keeln Time must be in the Chesapeake by now. The point is that like the whales, birds and Winter Texans, folks are starting to move south. We still have two months of hurricane season so some are waiting for the green light to sail south of Virginia as restricted by some insurance. As for Why Knot, the outcome of Monday’s events will determine our sailing schedule. If all goes well, we will come home in mid November then perhaps punch across that Green Monster to the islands for winter. We have done about everything we can think of consistent with our budget to rig Why Knot for the adventure so now she is waiting for crew to come up to speed. We would change some things such as holding off on the heavy provisioning until the need arises and we should have started this cruise much earlier in the scheme of things. Having waited so long to drop those dock lines in Port A has us thinking we only have about 35 more years to do this sailing thing. Then we may have to switch to the dark side and think trawler--- or not.
While I have been able to deal with my old ADD and be comfortable with life at 6 knots, this is life at zero knots being tied to this dock. We have made best use of our time here and Bear is recovering in fits and spurts. Some days she is painless and some days, mostly because of being out of shape she is sore. So, any time we spend relatively still is a good thing. This time next week, we will have the entire crew on the mend so to speak. By the time we drop dock lines once again, methinks we both will be ready to go. Not sure which direction but most likely south.
Being in one spot for two months has given us the opportunity to observe lots of things. It is sort of like looking out a jail cell window given the heat of the past few days. One of our new found acquaintances (actually mine since Bear thinks I am developing cabin fever and wants nothing to do with she, he or it, not sure) is the Hector family. They are a small colony of barnacles growing on piling #190 just on our port beam outside our double port light. We pass them four times a day on our tidal journey up and down the piling. I have noticed them before but only recently introduced us to them. They are a bit shy and somewhat prone to hide when they emerge from the water. They don’t care much for my squirting them with fresh water either because they sort of spit back and wave a tiny tongue looking thingy just afterward. I gotta quit doing that since I was told they are filter eaters. That means they trap stuff in the water as it passes and then consume whatever it holds. There is (are?) lots of stuff passing that piling every day so they should be well fed. When I squirt them, it cleans out their little cupboard and they go without until the water comes back up. Another way I torment them is to wait until it gets really dark and sneak up with a flashlight. Obviously, that is when they are out of the water. Since first noticing them, the colony has grown so I don’t think it is that detrimental to their growth plans. Since I cannot (dare not) do any of the above to Bear, it is good they are nearby. Now, if I could find a way to communicate with them. I am thinking about squirt cheese and my next move. Think of is as a sort of barnacle canapé looking colony. Bet that would feed ‘em for a long time.
The Hector Colony on piling 190
Then there is Dewain, named after Lighthouse Rick’s pet bird by the same name and same color. Dewain is a youngster that hangs around the dock. I posted a pic of him some time back but we are more acquainted now. He (she) is one heck of a fishing bird. The other day, with coffee in hand from the dock office, I watched him fish for about half an hour. He swings on a slack dock line just above the moving water. He acquires the target from the zillions of minnows hiding between boats. Target lock is noticeable as he gets very, very still and aims his long bill at the victim. In less than the blink of an eye, he is standing upright with sometimes a fish bigger than his beak. What to do next is the dilemma. If large enough, Dewain cannon simply toss it in the air and let it slide down like a slimy oyster. No, size determines whether or not D has to jump on the dock and go at it more deliberately. If small, D simply tosses the fish in the air and it always comes down head first thus making quick work of it all. He got one the other day that was way big for his throat. He walked around a good five minutes with a big bulge half way between his head and his bod. Looked like he was wishing he had not done that. As I said, old Dewain and I have worked out how I walk by without disturbing him. As long as I don’t look at him whilst passing, I can do so as close as three feet. Sneak a peek in the process and D leaves with a noisy complaint. Give me another month and I should be able to get much closer.
Dewain, one cool bird
I am sure the Hectors and Dewain will be glad to see our transom getting smaller in the morning mist. Certainly, we are looking forward to that but in the meantime; they will just have to deal with Bligh. As I said, we have been here way too long.
Just found that we have a web cam at the dock. If you have Java, you can pan the thing around and look over the dock. Find the Kathleen M and we are four boats astern of her. Here is the website: http://www.megadock.us/web_cam.html
We are heading to Tampa on Wedensday to get my swivel fixed. More on that later.
Keeln Time, before they left us, gave us a book and a can of hamburger meat. That’s right, a can of hamburger meat. Sounds terrible huh? Well, being a Spam fan in the first degree (not the low salt stuff but the real Spam) it even sounded a bit yucky to me too. Then again, having lived a year on C rations, the idea is not new. Go with me to yesteryear when resupply came in the form of a case of C rats per man for a six day patrol. There were twelve meals, each different, but with some of the same condiments. We got used to the bland nature of those meals and some we would not eat, but they were canned in the 1950’s. Back to the present. Keeln Time said they were first introduced to the canned hamburger in the islands where beef is seldom available. Chickens, pigs and seafood are the main meats there. A fellow cruiser was a bit of a gourmet and he served beef dishes often. Now if it is not available locally, then canned or frozen imports from the mainland are the only sources. OK, say I, how does it taste? Says KT’s crew: “ain’t bad”. They gave us a can. They did say that it is fully cooked in the can and that keeps it from spoiling. Shades of C rats came to mind. They also warned that when first opened, there is a slight “dog food” aroma to it. Once heated and mixed into the spaghetti sauce, it is great. For that matter, tacos are a good use also. With that in mind, I contacted the company that offers the stuff and ordered a case. No refrigeration was the key decision maker. The company is in the Dallas area and they offer canned butter and canned cheese as well as many other “survival” type foods. Mind you, a 14.5 ounce can is over $6. It must be good at that price. Did I mention that we had yet to try the one KT gave us?
Tiring somewhat from our usual method of snacking around, I decided to do a real meal for Bear. You know the routine, dishes, napkins, fake candle on the table and even a Caesar salad. The main course was spaghetti with meat sauce. I might have made a bit of a poor decision by breaking out a can of sauce that we put aboard back in January. Well, the expiration date just passed so it must still be good. After all, they take a conservative approach when applying those dates anyway. Don’t they?
I seated Bear in the late afternoon sunshine in the cockpit with a somewhat mediocre glass of ships wine. Well, we have all this wine aboard also stowed in January. She and I have decided to drink the stuff lest it ruin, so to speak. I charged into the galley with the gusto of a hound dawg and started the food prep thingy. The can of sauce was ok I guessed since the ends were not bulging and it tasted ok. Not exactly what I had hoped but it would do. The pasta was humming along in the water in the microwave and that is when I opened the can of hamburger. To say that it had a “slight” dog food aroma was off by a wee bit. It was mostly the immediate and complete cabin filling smell of more like cat food that stopped me and caused the reaction. The mind immediately went back to the Nam and those C rats. It was good that I was warned lest I chunk that $6 can of meat out the hatch. Ok, thinks I, it looks great and there is no fat in the can. It must have been 99% lean and fully cooked. Wanting, needing, to dissipate that aroma, I dropped it in the sauce and started mixing. The other thing immediately noticeable is that it is not chunky. It is fine ground so when mixed in too much sauce, it sort of disappears, but not the aroma. Spaghetti sauce con dog food is unique. I was able to mitigate some negatives with enough oregano, pepper and other spices such as fajita seasoning and it turned out marginally like spaghetti sauce with meat. The meal went fine, thanks perhaps to an over-serving of ships wine.
Once completed and with a movie in the player, I cleaned the table and the dishes. We still had about half a gallon of sauce left over which would otherwise have been in the freezer. Bear and I decided not to keep the leftovers and thought some harbor dwelling denizen might enjoy it. The bottom line is that we have decided that while near fresh provisioning, we might just stow that meat, all 12 cans we now have in inventory. It might taste much better after being away from beef for a few months whilst we are in the islands--- or not.
PS: We have decided that some of the stuff we “laid on” back in January might, just might have reached a premature expiration date. One sure sign is a can that has bulging ends or maybe crackers that no longer crunch. Then there was that can of exploding anchovies, but that is another story.
Ok so even crew members on mega yachts run out of things to do and when the boss is on shore, things can and do happen. We witnessed last evening one such “departure” from ship’s rules and decorum. Bear and I, waiting for dinner to cook below, were having a glass of grapes topside in the cockpit when we noticed a development. I met the crew and captain of a very nice boat nearby and they were looking forward to a few lay days without guests. It all started when one of the crew sort of swore the boat astern of us to secrecy: “you see nothing, right”. The covers were removed from the cocktail deck chairs and not one of the crew was in uniform. Just then, a number of young female adults were delivered to the boat by golf cart. Pictures were snapping everywhere and much revelry was underway. It was obvious the party was unsanctioned and of a rather casual character. A captain of another boat walked by and whispered to us that he hoped the owner’s nanny cam was not in use lest this crew would be looking for another ship. They were into the liquor locker and knifing corks from Champaign (real stuff not sparkling wine) with much giggling. They were recruiting others aboard with offers of Grey Goose, etc. By the time we retired, there were a couple dozen folks aboard. Fortunately, the music was neither loud nor obnoxious. Early morning revealed several trash bags on the dock. We were reminded of the Jimmy Buffett song: Gypsies in the Palace. I thought at one time of strolling by the boat with my glass held over my head at about the right level of the party deck and just merely suggest that we saw nothing ((Grey Goose)) and wished them a fine evening. Bear thought that they might not take the hint and would not let me do that.
The boat count on the Megadock this morning is at its lowest since we arrived. I am told that after the Annapolis boat show, that will change. Since we have no large mountains between us and the wi-fi antennas on dock, we get a good, free signal. Most of the other mega yachts will be leaving soon and as the weather cools (finally) it is time for us to start the planning. Do we take a right or left after leaving this place?
We had a cool front pass this area last night so at first light this morning, the air was cool and dry. So much so that we turned the a/c off and opened the hatches. It is almost as if to say that relief is on the way in the form of the fall season. Although we are in the peak hurricane season, the cooler air is welcome and might be the time for a positive attitude about the storm future. Who knows? Whatever the benefit, Bear has chosen to take her pre-lunch nap in the cockpit.
There is talk about the increase in dock reservations for the winter months which heralds the great migration soon to take place. Some come just this far south and stay from December through March before turning north again. For some, this port will only be a brief stopover on the trek to the Keys or the islands. We are not sure what we will do. Much depends on how soon my junky butt can get underway after the neck thing. We do not plan to stay this far north and do plan to get to the islands this winter. No plan, no schedule and no destination!
The Captain of Bacalao returned last evening and we were yammering about wazzup when two other captains joined the yammering. All, except the captain of that little sailboat down the dock, operate large vessels. It was entertaining to listen about the plans. One is heading out after their final charter this weekend. They will take the vessel to the Ft. Lauderdale area and resume operations from there for the winter. Another will head directly to the islands in a month. Not sure where Bacalao will go since the owner cannot be aboard for a bit longer. She might stay here for an extended period. It is a bit of a surprise that many of the mega yachts are chartered out between owner visits.
So far as the boats that run before the wind, there are a few fifty feet boats here but most are in the thirty to high forty feet range. Like most ports, most do not leave. The anchorage opposite this dock has a couple dozen boats that appear to never leave judging from the growth on their anchor rodes. There are a couple of boats that appear to be waiting to leave at some signal from Mother Ocean.
We have been making some upgrades and improvements to Why Knot whilst here. We have replaced the lifelines, added fender covers and deck fuel tank covers and will soon unship the CQR anchor and replace it with a heavy Rocna. In addition, we will be moving the SSB from the overhead at the nav station to the nav station panel. That overhead thingy is hard on the neck. My progress in working the dang thing (single side band radio) is slow but I think I am getting the hang of it. Has my ability to understand a manual diminished since being underway or is it simply crumbly setting in? We have added some minor parts such as a check valve to the a/c condensation line to make screen changing easier without all that silt getting into the bilge. The city of Charleston gets a resounding A+ but the mud under the harbor gets an F. This stuff can be used as a weapon, so when it gets aboard we clean for days to rid ourselves of pre-petroleum ambiance. Sort of makes one sympathetic for the cave men that lived during the time of dinosaurs.
We look forward to visiting friends we met along the way and those ports we did not truly enjoy because Bear couldn’t get off the boat. As one bridge tender put it: We look forward to raising this bridge for you on your way back.
After several weeks of seemingly in-activity, this place is starting to awaken. Soon, the grand fleets of south bounders will be here. Sort of reminds you of a Mutual of Omaha spot: While the lion makes quick work of old Jim, Marlan describe the autumn sunset--- or not.
Bear continues to improve by she did have three naps today after sleeping late. Guess that is what one does on a Sunday. I had several projects to do today such as continue the internet class for my 25 ton Masters ticket, work on my SSB skills and clean the a/c strainer. All of that has been interrupted by, of all things a book that Keeln Time loaned us. The book is And The Sea Will Tell by Vincent Bugliosi. I am an avid non-book worm but this one caught me. A true story of "....Murder on as South Seas Island". Those of the boating, particularly sailing ilk will find this one pretty good. The strainer won't wait but the rest of today's duties will have to.
The Megadock was fairly crowded last night with about a dozen mega yachts and about the same number of lesser. One disadvantage of being on the "inside" away from the traffic is that one can have house sized walls of aluminum block the view and the wind. Such was so at rack time last night. I went topside at 0500 this morning just as two of them were leaving. That freed up about 300 feet of view for the morning sunrise. Heavy rains early this morning got me out of the rack and on the lightening damage control mode. That means unplugging almost everything electronic aboard. Bear, trusting me to accomplish the task without supervision slept through a nasty thunderstorm. Some hits were in this marina but as far as I can tell, we escaped.
Getting up that early brings on a powerful urge to raid the refrigerator whilst the coffee maker chatters away in the corner of the galley. Breakfast today consisted of King Ranch Chicken. Ever tried it for the first meal of the day? Good stuff. That and a sugarless Red Bull and one is ready to get-r-done. Next thing I knew and it was lunch time with none of the duties accomplished except four chapters of that darn book. It is 1400 now and there is still time to work on the list---- or not.
When we began this cruise, we said that we would have no plan, no schedule and no particular destination. That has allowed us to enjoy each place, albeit for a night on the hook or, as it turns out, several weeks in Charleston. We have seen the pressure to be somewhere at some particular time as it has affected several other boats. Some are driven to get north, as we were at one period of our cruise. We will soon see the pressure to get south or to the islands. That leaves us with a bit of a decision to make. When we are done with all the medical issues and are clear to taxi, do we head north for the remainder of the warm months or do we cool it a bit and wait until the cool weather chases us south and most likely to the islands. Another factor is the visit to Texas during the holidays. How long will determine where in the great migration we fall.
Apparently, the southern migration causes much congestion along the waterway and in some cases, huge congestion at certain ports where boats wait for the “weather window” to cross the green monster (Gulf Stream) and play in the islands. One favorite staging port is Marathon, Fl where there are several hundred mooring buoys and a facility to accommodate hundreds of crews. When we stayed there, only a few dozen boats were there. We were told that Boot Key Harbor can be a real zoo if weather windows do not come a go regularly. Who knows? This is our first rodeo.
We reached a wonderful milestone yesterday. Admiral Bear took her first unassisted walks on the Megadock. She got off the boat by herself and walked about half a mile or so in two sets. It was the first time in several months that she did not need assistance just to move. Limited walking is part of the recovery process which will take some time. Having been immobile for five months has left her “out of shape” to say the least. We hope to see continuous improvement to the point where she once would walk the beach for hours. Who knows? We might start using the dink again. It has been patiently parked on the bow for over five months and that means we have missed much along the way. We will not miss it on the reverse. That is of course, if we are in good favor with Mother Ocean. We are looking forward to some offshore time and this place has inlets from sea spaced about right for overnighters. Besides that, Why Knot is tugging at the dock lines seeking to be underway once again.
By the way, I still have not done the toe rails. I did re-patch the dink, same hole, for the third time. That about did it for the day yesterday. Wouldn't want to overdo it.
The day started with the departure of Keeln Time toward points north. It was high tide and at a level not seen by us since being here. We were about to start some boat chores when I decided to whip by the dock office for a coffee when I noticed something unusual on the way.
This is not some type of crane
Boys and girls, this is what is left of a once beautiful mast on a new Hunter 45. Seems that the 56 feet bridge just one half mile from here up the Ashley River from this dock took a bit of a revenge on the Capt. and Crew of this boat.
This mast has an "in-mast" rolled main and was barely standing when she docked.
The captain said there was a slight variance between his chart and reality. My guess is that he sailed under the bridge at low tide and attempted departure at high tide. We certainly know what is in the mind of the crew at this time. Since our event, we have seen two others. In the case of a mast this tall and in mast main furling, methinks that the tab will approach $50 k. This boat was heading to Ft. Lauderdale to meet their moving truck for a new home.
Some may think our cruise started in January, 2010. Well it did not. It actually started in 1959 in Merkel, Texas when I first saw Bear. There were no boats in sight in that West Texas town but we were cruising, so to speak, around the universe. Yesterday was our 42 nd anniversary, but counting the 7 years we dated before signing on permanently with each other, we have been on this cruise for 49 years. We have celebrated anniversaries in several home ports such as Merkel, Arlington, Fort Benning, Georgia, Los Angeles, Chicago, Canyon Lake and a few in between. Of all those years, we have been apart on our anniversary only one time. We added Charleston, SC. yesterday to the list. Who knows how many other ports will host an anniversary celebration? Time has taken its due from us but for now, we are still able to keep our vessel in the channel. Obviously, the past nine months have had their moments, perhaps the most active for us in decades. With Bear’s retirement and my oozing out of business, we have managed to challenge our carcasses, our spirits and our imaginations. Even as late as a year ago, we really did not think we would do this. Of course, we kept the story up to our cruising friends. All it really took was to have a friend or two and some relatives to exit the planet and we were motivated. So yesterday was our 49th year in the cruise and Bear has made it a true dream come true. No finer a shipmate ever existed. We would change very little of it if we could. Now, today we continue that cruise started in a dusty little town in Texas almost half a century ago.
The crew of Keeln Time caught up with us day before yesterday when they surprised us by calling only a few minutes before arriving at this dock. It was good to see them and we invited them to our celebration dinner last evening. We did what all sailors do: told stories of challenges, of places visited and of characters we have met along the way. They are motivated to move on to the Chesapeake as soon as possible since this is their second year trying to get that far north. Just as we have had our challenges, in their attempts to get north, they have been struck by lightning two times and had some family business ashore to change the plans. Ah planning, that is the scourge of cruising.
Rick, Vicky and Bear
Early this morning, a Moorings (charter Beneteau) came along side at the fuel dock. There were two old dawgs and a younger female with a British accent. They took on fuel in every type of container imaginable, including gallon water jugs. Given the amount of fuel they were buying, I had to ask their destination. The boat appeared new and had no radar, no solar panels or generators, in fact few signs of a pending voyage requiring that much fuel. The response was that they were heading today for Tortola. Yikes, this is hurricane season! We confirmed our plans to make it into the BVI, but “It might be a bit”. They suggested that we cut loose and go with them. They little suspected that after Vietnam, I have become a bit less inclined to slap the devil. As they pulled away, I bid them Fair Winds. May Mother and their skills deliver them safe to the islands. Who knows? Perhaps we will see them again somewhere. I sure hope we don’t read about them. As for today, I plan to attempt to put off tomorrow that which I should do today, not the least of which is the toe rail redo--- or not.
Update: Noticing several other Moorings boats at the Beneteau dealership just across the fairway, I moseyed over to ask some questions about how they are outfitted, mostly about the anchors. One of the crews was getting ready to leave the dock and they confirmed the same destination as the earlier boat we witnessed. The fellow told me that these are the first of 39 boats sold to Moorings by this dealer. What economy slump?
Yesterday marked the closest approach old Earl made to South Carolina. Here in Charleston there were few signs of old Earl. The tides were more or less normal and the air temp was very nice until late in the day when a wind shift brought some steam in. Folks here were not phased by Earl except the surfers on the Folly Beach. They were treated to some spectacular wave action. The harbor on the other side of the peninsula did get some spectacular rollers. Otherwise, it was a non-event.
Our decision to get my neck fixed will cause us to remain here for at least another month. Gee, that is not all bad. Since mid September is peak season for Atlantic storms, we think any attempt to head north is ill advised for now. Earl surely disrupted maritime interests up north anyway.
Sunrise the day Earl passed
Strolling the dock yesterday, I spoke with a fellow that had a huge mess on his hands. He was cleaning strainers which he claims to do every four days. This place offers amazing sea life some of which love strainers. The really repulsive critter is a sea grape. That is short for a slime ball that grows very fast and those guys love through hull fittings. I had a close encounter with one the other day. They are about the size of a large grape, fairly firm on the outside and slick, almost impossible to hold. Caught one of them growing in our a/c strainer. Says I: just pluck the critter out and toss him overboard. Easier said than done. Without disassembling the strainer completely, it was like trying to grab a greased olive in the bottom of a Coke bottle with chopsticks. Had 'em several times only to drop 'em back in the hole. Just as I was thinking about taking the strainer apart, I got him to the neck of the opening. Just then, he decided to let me have it. Said critter has a way of squirting a really foul liquid over great (relative) distances. I was about to toss him out the companionway and had him in a curve ball grip. He managed to squirt stuff all over the engine compartment and me. OK, suckah, you are outta here. I accelerated him to mach .0000001 but missed the water and he wound up on the cockpit sole. He did it again. Mind you, the stuff could be used to make perps leave the hide out. So, I lined up for to kick him out of the transom opening. Did not work. Seems the non-skid allowed me to spread his remains over about six inches of deck. More smell sorta like the drippings from a seafood restaurant dumpster. Ok, a quick squirt from the swim deck shower and he entered the food chain off the stern, or so I thought. This morning, the stench is still aboard only more subtle. Since today is boat wash day, I hope to remove him completely. The big boat guys all use Cascade dish soap to keep decks clean. Perhaps I will try that-- or not.
It is easy to see how mariners before NOAA were easily caught by hurricanes. Such things have happened for centuries particularly, it seems to Spanish treasure ships along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. For instance, Earl is spinning a few hundred miles from here and we are sitting in nearly clear, hot weather. If one did not have a barometer or access to the news, one would most likely be on the beach or under a tree with a “cold one”. Seems that is what happened to Capt. La Salle and the La Belle just off Matagorda Island three hundred years ago. At fifteen miles per hour, one might easily go to bed in fairly clear conditions then wake to a furious ocean attempting to claim one more for the sea. As I sit here out of the sun, I am listening to the VHF and to boats arriving from “up north”. Some came by sea and some in the ditch but there will be many more boats on the Megadock tonight. The barometer is starting to make the downward move. The rate at which it “falls” gives an indication as to the proximity of the storms. Winds are not expected to be very high here in Charleston yet there are swells making it this far back in the harbor to give a gently roll to the boat. We have not seen winds above 15 knots for some time. Right now they are 16 and gusting. That is nothing for the lower Texas coast but unusual for this place since we have been here.
Looking toward the Folley Beach Bridge on the Ashely River from the Megadock
Locals are saying that we should feel little from Fiona and that should be the case as we will be on the west of the storm track. It should pass well to the east of us, unless something happens. I take little comfort from the forecast thinking back to Ike that came to Texas. It was headed right for Corpus Christi and just as we were making final preparations for the hit, it took a hard right turn and thumped Galveston/Houston. We are fueled, batteries full charged, and provisioned should we have to beat feet. Where to go is anyone’s guess.
Those on Cape Hatteras and the Outer Banks are in the cross hairs as is Cape Cod. Those folks rarely see storms from this direction. Given the sea surface temperatures in the Mid Atlantic, this may well not be the off season for them. As of this moment, we have watched Danielle pass, Fiona is coming as is Tropical Depression 9 soon to me Tropical Storm Gaston and right behind it is Invest 98. For now, it seems the Gulf Coast can relax a bit. Can anyone guess at the traffic jams from having to evacuate the mid and upper Atlantic coast line?
Might not be correct protocol but I couldn't help it. Texans stop by almost every day.
