It Can Happen

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. 

The Cruise

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?

Good Guys taking on fuel

What Earl?

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.

Hurricanes

Very calm water departure yesterday

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.