Jersey Buoys

In my last post I included a photo of a yacht, the "Grand Barossa". I found additional information regarding the ship and it's journey along the east coast. We have been at 2 marinas with it. The ship's owner also owns a vineyard and winery in the Austrialia's Barossa Valley. He is traveling to promote his Château Tanunda wines.

http://grapegrowerandwinemaker.wordpress.com/2014/05/13/chateau-tanunda-navigates-unchartered-territory/

We stayed at Utsch's Marina in Cape May, NJ for 3 days. This is a view from the marina's office looking across at the USCG Training Center.

We left before 6am and headed out into the Atlantic Ocean. It was a perfect day on the water.

Arriving at Atlantic City (above) and an addition of a new crew member (below).

 

The morning we left Atlantic City, the fog was very heavy and we had it for 50 of the 62 miles we traveled. Our last stop in NJ was at Hoffman's marina. Our boats were docked by the transit train bridge.

An extra day was spent at Hoffman's due to the waves. I had a guest joining me for lunch. Lynn drove from Pennsylvania to visit. It was especially nice that she drove us to the store so we could stock up our food and supplies.

It was a hot and sunny day but the only one swimming in the marina's pool was a duck.

 

Crossing the Delaware



Entering the Delaware City Marina

    

We were at the Delaware City Marina for a week waiting out storms. Even when it wasn't raining, the winds and waves were too rough to attempt a crossing.

 

The marina's office

 

Russ and Elaine

 

100 ft yacht at the marina

Finally there was a window so we took it and left a 5am this morning and headed into the Delaware Bay in a bank of fog.

 

Russ & Elaine took the lead and I followed along with a few others behind me.  They took this photo.  After the long wait, it was a smooth crossing and we were riding with the current. We arrived at Utsch's Marina in Cape May, NJ.  From tomorrow's weather report, it appears we will be here an additional day befoe we can head north to Atlantic City.



Chesapeake Bay, Part II

From Calvert Marina on the Paxtuxent River I got back on the ICW and headed north on the Chesapeake Bay, stopping at Herrington Harbour North marina in Herring Bay.

I'm the odd man out among all the sailboats at Herrington Harbour

The following day I was Baltimore bound. I passed under the Chesapeake Bay Bridge.

I turned off the Intracoastal and went up the Patapsco River.



Tanker passing me

Came upon 2 more Baltimore landmarks, the Francis Scott Key bridge (I 695) and the historic fort, Fort McHenry.

"Oh, say can you see . . ."

although it wasn't at dawn's early light, but at noon time.

 

Dragon boat traing on port side

I arrived at Anchorage Marina in Baltimore and met up with fellow loopers Russ & Elaine. I spent an extra day in Baltimore due to a small craft advisory.

The boat behind me at the marina was a 60 ft long cat with a 85 ft mast

We left Baltimore and continued on the Chesapeake Bay and onto the Elk River. We turned off the river and went on the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal.

On the canal, photo by Elaine

Where the canal exits into the Delaware Bay, we stopped at the Delaware City Marina. We're still at the marina waiting for another storm to pass before we get out in the bay and head to Cape May, NJ.

Chesapeake Bay

On my last post I was leaving Brunswick, GA heading to Savannah and Isle of Hope Marina. I'm currently in Dowell, Md at the mouth of the Patuxent river. Since that day in Georgia I have been to:

Beaufort, SC  /   Port Royal Landing Marina

Charleston, SC  / St. John’s Marina

Georgetown, SC  /   Harbor Walk Marina

Little River, SC  /  Myrtle Beach Yacht Club 

Wilmington, NC   /  Harbour Village Marina

Morehead City, NC  /  Portside Marina

Belhaven, NC  /  Dowry Creek Marina

Coinjock, NC  /  Coinjock Marina

Portsmouth, VA  /  Ocean Marina

Deltaville, VA  / Regatta Point

Dowell, MD  /  Calvert Marina

Early morning departure from Brunswick, GA

 


The ramp to the office at the Port Royal Landing Marina was over 2000 ft long

The Oscar Meyer weiner mobile was spotted in North Myrtle Beach, SC

Myrtle Beach Yacht Club

Departing Harbour Village Marina at 6:30am and heading to Morehead City, NC. Spent an extra day in Morehead City on account of the weather. The winds and waves were rough.

The view across from the Ocean Marina in Portsmouth, VA

  

 

Ship happens

The morning started out fine on our way to Brunswick, GA but it progressively got worse. It was great going the first couple of hours but by the time we were in Jekyll Sound and St. Simons Sound it was choppy with a heavy current. We went through some rain squalls. We reached Hidden Harbor Yacht Club on the Troup creek about a mile off the ICW.

After we were docked I checked the engine and found a leak. Unfortunately the part needed has to be sent from Maine. It’s a special hose with an unique shape, a hose within a hose. I didn’t want to take a chance with jerry-rigging something as the next leg of the trip is 81 miles. I was told the part would arrive Friday - it was sent out Wednesday by FedEx 2 Day express. It didn’t arrive Friday, or Saturday and so now I’m hoping it will be delivered Monday.

Hidden Harbor Marina has a nice guest lounge. The marina is run by very nice folks; everyone is very friendly and helpful.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We’re here for more days than planned so I caught up on some small projects on the boat and also reorganized.

 

 

The lounge is on the first floor of the building. The top floor is the marina’s office.

 

 

 

 

Monday: The part was delivered, now it’s a lot more work to put everything together and get the engine up and running. Found out that the part was ordered from Maine, but was sent out from Duluth, GA (4 ½ hour drive).

Tomorrow we're ready to get back on the Mackay River and head towards Savannah.

A view from the deck.

Conference break

The first night at the Comachee Cove Yacht Harbor, we spied this sight - an osprey keeping a watchful eye over the marina.

We took a break to take care of a few things: have maintenance done on the boat; change crew; and to attend the AGLCA (America’s Great Loop Cruisers’ Association) Spring Rendezvous & Reunion.

A group photo taken at the conference. In attendance were newbies, first-timers and veteran loopers. The lectures and speakers provided plenty of valuable information so that anyone can plan and do the loop. 

We leave behind St. Augustine and head up the Tolomato River. We had long stretches of slow speed zones.

We passd Jacksonville Beach, the mouth of the St. Johns River and continued on to tonight’s stop at Amelia Island Yacht Basin. It was difficult getting into the marina as the tide was so low. We do like marinas with floating docks.

 

 

 

 

Sunset at Amelia Island

Full Moon

Departing the marina the next morning we spotted the “Chesapeake”, we had seen her before on our overnight stay at the Cocoa Village marina.

The forecast calls for afternoon thunderstorms so we want to reach Brunswick, GA by early afternoon. Along the way we passed a maritime archeology vessel.

We're back

Took a break in the blog entries after arriving at St. Augustine. So we’ll try and catch up where we left off:

Another 8am departure and another great morning. Our sailboat neighbor watched us go.

We left Palm Coast and the canal opened up into the Matanzas River. As we did the other day, we were going against the current. Here's a video of the dolphins that followed us, riding in our wake.

Not many boats out on this morning. When there are other boats, they usually pass us but we found a boat we could pass -

On the rivers eastern bank is Rattlesnake Island. I’m guessing whoever named it must of made an unfortunate discovery. At this point, we’re about 14 miles south of St. Augustine. We spotted a fort structure and later learned it's Fort Matanzas.

The fort was completed in 1742 by the Spanish to guard St. Augustine from the south and prevent the British from invading through the Matanzas inlet. http://www.nps.gov/foma/historyculture/index.htm   (btw: Matanzas is the Spanish word for slaughter. The founder of St. Augustine executed 250 French Huguenots in 1565 at the inlet.)

St. Augustine Lighthouse

Approaching the oldest city in the U.S., St. Augustine, you can see a full-sized replica of a 17th century Spanish galleon, the Andalucía. It’s similar to the galleon that St. Augustine’s founder sailed on in 1565.

The Bridge of Lions was was named as 4th among the U.S.’s top ten bridges. It was completed in 1927 and named for the 2 marble lion statues on it.

A water view of the Castillo De San Marcos National Monument. The fort was completed in 1695 http://www.nps.gov/casa/historyculture/construction.htm

We arrived at the Comachee Cove Yacht Harbor where the boat stayed docked for 2 weeks (on the far left).

A smart pelican taking advantage of a free meal from someone's catch.

These guys enjoyed watching the show.