Well, looks like we are going to have to replace the transmission. After having a mechanic take a look at it, he told us there was nothing he could do. The yard has been great with giving us suggestions and letting us know how much and how long this whole process will take. But, it was Brad who did the most research and finally found an alternative to the expensive transmission replacement. He located a guy (one of only three on the entire east coast) who rebuilds marine transmissions and has done extensive work with our brand of transmission.
We soon realized this process was going to take a couple of weeks and after sweating it out in the sweltering heat for two days, we knew that was not an option. So, we decided to rent a car and head up for our "Friends and Family Tour" a bit early. This way, we could enjoy air conditioning and also visit people we hadn't seen since before our Bahamas trip. Visiting everyone now would mean that once we finally stopped for the summer, we would be ready to jump right in to working. So, off we went!
We had to personally deliver the transmission to the repair guy and then made the trip up to Franklin. All of us were thrilled to be in the A/C in the car, especially the fur babies and they were soon passed out in the back seat. It was an easy trip up and we were happy to once again be on dry land and in the comfort of a home. And it was great to see my parents, too. ;-)
The plans from here on out are tentative. We don't know exactly how long the transmission repair will take and we have no plans to return to the boat until she is fully ready to move again - it is just too hot. So, we are playing each day by ear and we will return to the boat once we are either done with visiting everyone or the transmission is fixed - whichever comes first.
In the meantime, we are completely enjoying the comforts of land life and are looking forward to catching up with everyone along the way! We are going to be making stops in Franklin, Baltimore, DC, Richmond, and Corolla - if you are on the way, give us a shout; we would love to see everyone!!
Saturday, June 20, 2015
Tuesday, June 16, 2015
Dataw Help
So on Sunday morning we woke up early, hoisted the dinghy and got the lines ready to tie up at a marina. We called TowBoatUS and then waited for them to arrive. We did have some forward movement with our transmission, but were worried that we wouldn't be able to fight the current. And we pay for the Tow Package every year and never use it, so - Time to Cash In!!
The tow guy was great and we moved along at a speedy 8 knots and made it to Dataw Island Marina in no time at all. The dockhands helped us get all our lines on and we both heaved a sigh of relief once we were safe and secure at the dock. Right after we tied up, I heard my name and looked over to see Caroline and her husband, Rudy, on their go fast boat coming over to the marina. I had apprised them of our situation and told them we would love to see them again since it seemed we were still in their area after all! So, they came over and checked on us and then we agreed to get together for dinner at their place.
We spent the day sweltering on the boat - Summer is upon us and here we sit with no air conditioning. The heat index was 105 degrees and we felt every degree of it. There was not even a breath of air to be felt to help relieve some of the heat. And even though we had all the fans on, the hot air was just being pushed around. So, when Caroline called and told us to be ready at 5 and they would come pick us up, we jumped at the chance to spend an evening indoors. We took cold showers and made sure the pets had plenty of water and fans facing every spot they liked to lie and we headed over to their house.
What a feast! We had fresh local shrimp for starters and then perfectly cooked, extra large steaks with fresh asparagus and potatoes and finished it all off with homemade peach cobbler a la mode. It was fantastic and we ate double our weight in food I think. And the company was fantastic! We all had a great time and we were so grateful to them for opening up their home for us - she even invited us to do a load of laundry!
Tomorrow morning we find out what the problem is with the transmission and how long it will take to fix it. It seems as if first on the list is going to be procuring an a/c unit in the next 24 hours!
The tow guy was great and we moved along at a speedy 8 knots and made it to Dataw Island Marina in no time at all. The dockhands helped us get all our lines on and we both heaved a sigh of relief once we were safe and secure at the dock. Right after we tied up, I heard my name and looked over to see Caroline and her husband, Rudy, on their go fast boat coming over to the marina. I had apprised them of our situation and told them we would love to see them again since it seemed we were still in their area after all! So, they came over and checked on us and then we agreed to get together for dinner at their place.
We spent the day sweltering on the boat - Summer is upon us and here we sit with no air conditioning. The heat index was 105 degrees and we felt every degree of it. There was not even a breath of air to be felt to help relieve some of the heat. And even though we had all the fans on, the hot air was just being pushed around. So, when Caroline called and told us to be ready at 5 and they would come pick us up, we jumped at the chance to spend an evening indoors. We took cold showers and made sure the pets had plenty of water and fans facing every spot they liked to lie and we headed over to their house.
What a feast! We had fresh local shrimp for starters and then perfectly cooked, extra large steaks with fresh asparagus and potatoes and finished it all off with homemade peach cobbler a la mode. It was fantastic and we ate double our weight in food I think. And the company was fantastic! We all had a great time and we were so grateful to them for opening up their home for us - she even invited us to do a load of laundry!
Tomorrow morning we find out what the problem is with the transmission and how long it will take to fix it. It seems as if first on the list is going to be procuring an a/c unit in the next 24 hours!
Monday, June 15, 2015
The day from Hell
Friday morning we slept in a bit and then took Koa in for a stroll along the Riverfront parks. He loved getting off the boat, as usual, and made sure to leave his mark on every tree in the park. Once we were back on the boat, we got her ready to head North. We were trying to time the opening of the swing bridge just North of us as it only open three times during the middle of the day and we didn’t want to miss our chance!
We waited until 10:45 to cast off the mooring line so that we would make the 11:00 opening. Unfortunately, the mooring line had become wrapped around our keel. So, with time pressing down on us, Brad jumped into the dinghy, untied the mooring lines and I allowed the big boat to just drift back off the mooring. Brad caught up with me, jumped on the boat and we revved the boat up to head to the bridge, praying we would make this opening. Luck was on our side and we made it just in time! This was to be the only luck we would find today, however, and perhaps when the mooring line was wrapped around our keel we should have taken it as a sign and stayed where we were….
Once through the bridge, we pointed the bow North and headed up the ICW towards Charleston, our next *INTENDED* destination. After about an hour of motoring, I told Brad that something didn’t feel right and that we were moving entirely too slow, even motoring against the current we should have been moving at a steadier clip that what we were. Brad ran downstairs and took a look at the engine, but nothing appeared obviously out of the ordinary.
Brad took the helm a bit later and I went downstairs to tidy up and get a few things done in the galley, when suddenly the boat lurched forward and then came to a dead stop. Immediately I knew we had run aground so I ran outside and while Brad put the boat in neutral, I let the jib sheets fly so that we would not be pushed farther aground. We checked out our surroundings and realized we must have just barely gotten out of the channel and were probably just sitting on top of the mud. As Brad went to the bow, I saw a trawler approaching from the other direction. I hailed him on the VHF and asked him to speed up and throw some wake our way in hopes that we could bounce off. He gladly obliged and sent a large wake our way. I threw the boat into forward, hard over to the right and felt us bounce along on top of the mud….and come to a stop again, still stuck. Luckily, the very nice people on the trawler flagged down a go fast boat coming up behind us and told them to come see if they could help. They were a very nice couple about our age and were more than happy to help. He ran his boat just off our bow and told us that we must be on a small hump of mud because about 4 feet in front of us the water was 12 feet deep. So, we tied a bow line on our boat and tossed him the other end. It took about three tries, but finally we were off and floating freely in the channel again.
**Side Note: While we were sitting stuck in the mud for those 20 minutes, we were unfortunately directly beside a marine air strip, where very loud fighter planes were doing touch-and-gos every few minutes. They were literally flying directly overhead and the sound was deafening!! The first one was neat to see so close to us, but the ten more after that were just too much for all our ears!
As we motored on again, I realized that whatever was happening with the engine was getting worse – we were going unbearably slow –about 1 knot. Brad went downstairs and took a closer look at the engine and realized the transmission wasn’t running as quickly as it should be. We motored a bit farther, hoping to gain speed, but to no avail.
So, with a large storm cell hot on tail and us barely moving forward at all, we opted just to throw out the anchor and figure out our options. After a few phone calls and a closer inspection of the engine, we soon realized we didn’t really have an option. There was a marina, with a yard (repair guys), just a few miles up and we could be towed there and have them check out our transmission. There was no way we were making it to Charleston. So, hopes dashed, we checked in with TowBoatUS and the marina and made arrangements to be towed in on Sunday (no sense paying for dockage when no one can look at our engine until Monday).
As soon as we got off the phone, we looked outside and there was a huge black cloud approaching. By this time, we had been through three small rain storms, with just heavy rain, but no wind. One check of the radar told us that this was a doozy and that the winds were forecasted to be 40knots. Brad ran out and let out more anchor line and I pulled all our things out of the cockpit just as the wind and rain hit. Within minutes we were laid over on our side from the force of the wind and there were two foot waves - in the ICW! We drug anchor a bit, but luckily the ICW is very wide here so it wasn’t a problem. Once the anchor set though, we were fine. The storm lasted about a half hour and was brutal – heavy rain, strong wind, lightning, thunder.
Once the storm passed, we decided that was the last straw – we were tired, wet and stressed out. Under sail, we moved a bit closer to the marina that we were intending to go to on Sunday and then dropped the anchor and called it a day. Tomorrow will be a “Snow Day” or a day of relaxation and then Sunday begins the fun of being towed and figuring out what exactly is wrong with our engine and how much it will cost to get us back on the water again….
After this long and very eventful day, we had only made it 10 miles up the ICW and were still in Beaufort, just North of Ladys Island. What a slap in the face.
We waited until 10:45 to cast off the mooring line so that we would make the 11:00 opening. Unfortunately, the mooring line had become wrapped around our keel. So, with time pressing down on us, Brad jumped into the dinghy, untied the mooring lines and I allowed the big boat to just drift back off the mooring. Brad caught up with me, jumped on the boat and we revved the boat up to head to the bridge, praying we would make this opening. Luck was on our side and we made it just in time! This was to be the only luck we would find today, however, and perhaps when the mooring line was wrapped around our keel we should have taken it as a sign and stayed where we were….
Once through the bridge, we pointed the bow North and headed up the ICW towards Charleston, our next *INTENDED* destination. After about an hour of motoring, I told Brad that something didn’t feel right and that we were moving entirely too slow, even motoring against the current we should have been moving at a steadier clip that what we were. Brad ran downstairs and took a look at the engine, but nothing appeared obviously out of the ordinary.
Brad took the helm a bit later and I went downstairs to tidy up and get a few things done in the galley, when suddenly the boat lurched forward and then came to a dead stop. Immediately I knew we had run aground so I ran outside and while Brad put the boat in neutral, I let the jib sheets fly so that we would not be pushed farther aground. We checked out our surroundings and realized we must have just barely gotten out of the channel and were probably just sitting on top of the mud. As Brad went to the bow, I saw a trawler approaching from the other direction. I hailed him on the VHF and asked him to speed up and throw some wake our way in hopes that we could bounce off. He gladly obliged and sent a large wake our way. I threw the boat into forward, hard over to the right and felt us bounce along on top of the mud….and come to a stop again, still stuck. Luckily, the very nice people on the trawler flagged down a go fast boat coming up behind us and told them to come see if they could help. They were a very nice couple about our age and were more than happy to help. He ran his boat just off our bow and told us that we must be on a small hump of mud because about 4 feet in front of us the water was 12 feet deep. So, we tied a bow line on our boat and tossed him the other end. It took about three tries, but finally we were off and floating freely in the channel again.
**Side Note: While we were sitting stuck in the mud for those 20 minutes, we were unfortunately directly beside a marine air strip, where very loud fighter planes were doing touch-and-gos every few minutes. They were literally flying directly overhead and the sound was deafening!! The first one was neat to see so close to us, but the ten more after that were just too much for all our ears!
As we motored on again, I realized that whatever was happening with the engine was getting worse – we were going unbearably slow –about 1 knot. Brad went downstairs and took a closer look at the engine and realized the transmission wasn’t running as quickly as it should be. We motored a bit farther, hoping to gain speed, but to no avail.
So, with a large storm cell hot on tail and us barely moving forward at all, we opted just to throw out the anchor and figure out our options. After a few phone calls and a closer inspection of the engine, we soon realized we didn’t really have an option. There was a marina, with a yard (repair guys), just a few miles up and we could be towed there and have them check out our transmission. There was no way we were making it to Charleston. So, hopes dashed, we checked in with TowBoatUS and the marina and made arrangements to be towed in on Sunday (no sense paying for dockage when no one can look at our engine until Monday).
As soon as we got off the phone, we looked outside and there was a huge black cloud approaching. By this time, we had been through three small rain storms, with just heavy rain, but no wind. One check of the radar told us that this was a doozy and that the winds were forecasted to be 40knots. Brad ran out and let out more anchor line and I pulled all our things out of the cockpit just as the wind and rain hit. Within minutes we were laid over on our side from the force of the wind and there were two foot waves - in the ICW! We drug anchor a bit, but luckily the ICW is very wide here so it wasn’t a problem. Once the anchor set though, we were fine. The storm lasted about a half hour and was brutal – heavy rain, strong wind, lightning, thunder.
Once the storm passed, we decided that was the last straw – we were tired, wet and stressed out. Under sail, we moved a bit closer to the marina that we were intending to go to on Sunday and then dropped the anchor and called it a day. Tomorrow will be a “Snow Day” or a day of relaxation and then Sunday begins the fun of being towed and figuring out what exactly is wrong with our engine and how much it will cost to get us back on the water again….
After this long and very eventful day, we had only made it 10 miles up the ICW and were still in Beaufort, just North of Ladys Island. What a slap in the face.
Beaufort, SC
We left Savannah early Wednesday morning and for the first time in awhile, made great time and were able to reach Beaufort (60 miles) in one day! We passed by Parris Island and this infamous water tank reading "WE MAKE MARINES" right around 5pm with the rain clouds hot on our tail. Luckily it had been cloudy on and off for most of the day, so we kept relatively cool and the clouds provided a nice breeze so we were able to use our sails a bit as well! We dropped anchor just South of Beaufort right before sunset and will head in tomorrow morning to see the town!
Thursday morning, we were treated to this entertainment while we had breakfast in our cockpit - summer sailing camp! We must have been right in the middle of their course because they all kept circling around us. It was great! And they all loved seeing Koa on the boat.
Soon after, we upped anchor and moved over to a city mooring right in front of town. Thanks again to the power of the internet, we had learned of a close family friend of the Burgesses who lived right outside of Beaufort. After a quick phone call, we agreed to meet in town for lunch; so off we went! We met at a local favorite, Plums, and had a delicious lunch together while we got to know each other. Caroline was fabulous and we all had a great time, and she gave us some must-sees while we were in town.
So, after lunch we headed over to take a carriage ride around the town, at her urging. It was a carriage ride tour and our tour guide, Bud, was fabulous. The weather was perfect with a breeze to keep us cool and we learned a lot about the city and its history, as well as the fact that many many movies have been made here! We loved every minute of this tour and were sorry to see it end, although I was happy that the tour was over for the sake of our horse, Bob; I can’t believe they run those tours in the hot afternoons!
After the tour guide had familiarized us with the layout of the town, we strolled around for a bit, seeing some of the sites up close, including the old Episcopal Church with a brick wall made from ballast bricks from England and grave stones that were used as operating tables during the Civil War – with old saw marks still visible! We walked along the main street and enjoyed many of the cute little shops there, and then we walked back to the boat via the waterfront. The town has delegated the land right on the water to be used for parks only, so beautiful parks line the River.
We headed back to the boat, fully intending to go back in later, but found that we were exhausted after walking around in the heat of the day and so called it an early night.
Thursday morning, we were treated to this entertainment while we had breakfast in our cockpit - summer sailing camp! We must have been right in the middle of their course because they all kept circling around us. It was great! And they all loved seeing Koa on the boat.
Soon after, we upped anchor and moved over to a city mooring right in front of town. Thanks again to the power of the internet, we had learned of a close family friend of the Burgesses who lived right outside of Beaufort. After a quick phone call, we agreed to meet in town for lunch; so off we went! We met at a local favorite, Plums, and had a delicious lunch together while we got to know each other. Caroline was fabulous and we all had a great time, and she gave us some must-sees while we were in town.
So, after lunch we headed over to take a carriage ride around the town, at her urging. It was a carriage ride tour and our tour guide, Bud, was fabulous. The weather was perfect with a breeze to keep us cool and we learned a lot about the city and its history, as well as the fact that many many movies have been made here! We loved every minute of this tour and were sorry to see it end, although I was happy that the tour was over for the sake of our horse, Bob; I can’t believe they run those tours in the hot afternoons!
After the tour guide had familiarized us with the layout of the town, we strolled around for a bit, seeing some of the sites up close, including the old Episcopal Church with a brick wall made from ballast bricks from England and grave stones that were used as operating tables during the Civil War – with old saw marks still visible! We walked along the main street and enjoyed many of the cute little shops there, and then we walked back to the boat via the waterfront. The town has delegated the land right on the water to be used for parks only, so beautiful parks line the River.
We headed back to the boat, fully intending to go back in later, but found that we were exhausted after walking around in the heat of the day and so called it an early night.
Thursday, June 11, 2015
Savannah!
Finally, on Sunday, we made it to Savannah, officially. We were a bit concerned because all of the marinas were full when we called around - but we finally got one of them to make room for us. We pulled in, got the lines settled and immediately had our friend Adam, who we know from Jacksonville, come pick us up.
He was a fantastic tour guide - taking us all around the city, telling us where everything was and the little bit of history that he knew in his short time of living here (2 months). We parked downtown and went on a River Street Bar and Appetizer Crawl. We strolled down historic River Street and ate and drank our way through all of the local favorites. We were all sufficiently full and exhausted by the time he dropped us back at the boat later that night.
Our own personal Tour Guide:
The following day, we rented a car and toured some of the city ourselves - stopping to admire the squares that break up the city and keep the old southern charm alive and also an extremely old cathedral and cemetery. After some sight seeing, we hit the highway and drive down to Darrien, GA to see one of the doctors who I used to work with in Jacksonville. He has since opened up his own clinic and we were eager to see how it was doing and catch up with him. He took us out to lunch at the local diner and the food was to die for! Brad opted for the buffet which was filled with down home cookin' and delicious desserts, and I had their infamous Fried Shrimp. I seriously cannot get enough of this Georgia Shrimp!!
That evening we ran errands and caught up on a bit of boat work and laundry. Brad streamed the Tampa Bay Lightning hockey game and we watched as the Bolts got another win!! Go Bolts!
Tuesday, we used our rental car to tour some of the surrounding beaches and islands. First, we headed over to Tybee Island - which is where all the Savannah people go to the beach. The beach was beautiful, very wide and had an older beach town feel. We stopped and checked out the lighthouse, although it was closed on Tuesdays (?!) and one of the old Batteries from the 1800s.
Next stop, Hilton Head. Neither of us had ever been here and wanted to check it out, so over to SC we went. The island is very unique, not like any beach town I've ever experienced. It is covered in tall pine trees and although there are the requisite chain restaurants and shopping malls, along with the typical little beach shacks, they are all set back off the road, so the main road is just surrounded by trees. And the area is largely residential - it is difficult to find a road that cuts through to the beach. We did find that there was free beach parking - if you could find one of the parking lots. The beach was similar to Tybee and overcrowded, but the water temperature was divine!
We met back up with Adam for dinner once we returned to Savannah and had one last dinner on River Street overlooking the Savannah River before we all hustled back to our respective homes as a huge storm system came through. There was a downpour for hours and lots of lightning and thunder. We stayed tucked safely in the marina and were very happy not to be stuck out on the hook in the weather!
Wednesday morning came early and we rushed around to get some last minute things done (laundry, filling the water and fuel and walking the mutt) before casting off. We were sad to leave Savannah but are excited to finally be crossing in to South Carolina tomorrow. Our next stop is Beaufort, SC - which will take us about two days due to the tides.
We were very sad to be leaving Thunderbolt Marina as everyone was extremely nice and the amenities were fabulous! And, to top if all off - we got fresh Krispy Kreme donuts delivered to our boat every morning!!
**Side note for my Mom: This is the Juliette Gordon Lowe House - the founder of the Girl Scouts which we visited the last time we were in Savannah, many many moons ago!
He was a fantastic tour guide - taking us all around the city, telling us where everything was and the little bit of history that he knew in his short time of living here (2 months). We parked downtown and went on a River Street Bar and Appetizer Crawl. We strolled down historic River Street and ate and drank our way through all of the local favorites. We were all sufficiently full and exhausted by the time he dropped us back at the boat later that night.
Our own personal Tour Guide:
The following day, we rented a car and toured some of the city ourselves - stopping to admire the squares that break up the city and keep the old southern charm alive and also an extremely old cathedral and cemetery. After some sight seeing, we hit the highway and drive down to Darrien, GA to see one of the doctors who I used to work with in Jacksonville. He has since opened up his own clinic and we were eager to see how it was doing and catch up with him. He took us out to lunch at the local diner and the food was to die for! Brad opted for the buffet which was filled with down home cookin' and delicious desserts, and I had their infamous Fried Shrimp. I seriously cannot get enough of this Georgia Shrimp!!
That evening we ran errands and caught up on a bit of boat work and laundry. Brad streamed the Tampa Bay Lightning hockey game and we watched as the Bolts got another win!! Go Bolts!
Tuesday, we used our rental car to tour some of the surrounding beaches and islands. First, we headed over to Tybee Island - which is where all the Savannah people go to the beach. The beach was beautiful, very wide and had an older beach town feel. We stopped and checked out the lighthouse, although it was closed on Tuesdays (?!) and one of the old Batteries from the 1800s.
Next stop, Hilton Head. Neither of us had ever been here and wanted to check it out, so over to SC we went. The island is very unique, not like any beach town I've ever experienced. It is covered in tall pine trees and although there are the requisite chain restaurants and shopping malls, along with the typical little beach shacks, they are all set back off the road, so the main road is just surrounded by trees. And the area is largely residential - it is difficult to find a road that cuts through to the beach. We did find that there was free beach parking - if you could find one of the parking lots. The beach was similar to Tybee and overcrowded, but the water temperature was divine!
We met back up with Adam for dinner once we returned to Savannah and had one last dinner on River Street overlooking the Savannah River before we all hustled back to our respective homes as a huge storm system came through. There was a downpour for hours and lots of lightning and thunder. We stayed tucked safely in the marina and were very happy not to be stuck out on the hook in the weather!
Wednesday morning came early and we rushed around to get some last minute things done (laundry, filling the water and fuel and walking the mutt) before casting off. We were sad to leave Savannah but are excited to finally be crossing in to South Carolina tomorrow. Our next stop is Beaufort, SC - which will take us about two days due to the tides.
We were very sad to be leaving Thunderbolt Marina as everyone was extremely nice and the amenities were fabulous! And, to top if all off - we got fresh Krispy Kreme donuts delivered to our boat every morning!!
**Side note for my Mom: This is the Juliette Gordon Lowe House - the founder of the Girl Scouts which we visited the last time we were in Savannah, many many moons ago!
Wednesday, June 10, 2015
Surrounded by Help!
So last you heard, we were still sitting at anchor off Sapelo Sound trying to fix our engine. Well, don't worry, we aren't still there; I've just been a slacker at keeping up with the blog. So, here goes:
Brad worked on the engine all morning while I did a few things around the boat, including a bit of blogging. Almost as soon as my blog hit the internet, we had help. A family friend contacted us and gave us the number for a good friend of hers who works on trawlers and is great with engines. Our boating buddies on "Bluewater Cat", who are currently up in Charleston, gave us a few options to mull over and try out. And, our brand new friends on "Iemanga" who loaned us the tools the other night, emailed us to give us some ideas as well.
We immediately contacted the engine guy and Brad spent some time going over the problems with him. With a couple of pictures sent back and forth and a bit of trial and error, he was able to quickly diagnose the problem - it was somewhere down our cable from the batteries to the engine. So, Brad set to work checking out every inch of every cable. Luckily, the problem was very obvious once he knew where to look. One of our connectors at the solenoid had completely corroded, to the point that when he touched it, it just came crumbling off in his hand. And then - as if our lucky streak had changed - we actually had the spare part we needed to fix it on board!! What a miracle!!
This is starting to be a common sight on our boat - Brad with he head in the engine:
Within an hour Brad had the part replaced, hooked up and the engine running. Hallelujah!! We hauled up anchor, even though it was afternoon and decided to get a few miles under our keel. Right as we were pulling back onto the ICW, our friends on "Iemanga" hailed us on the VHF. They were right behind us and had seen us hoist the anchor. They were happy we had gotten the problem fixed as they had been racking their brains for a solution, digging out tools that might help us and were planning on stopping to see if they could help!
So, our luck seemed to have been changing back in our favor and it was all due to the quick thinking of some great friends and a few strangers! The generosity of strangers never ceases to amaze me - especially in the boating world!!
We made it ten miles up the Ditch and then anchored for the night next to our friends on "Iemanga". We headed over to their boat for some sundowners and to finally get to know these people who had been so enormously generous with us!
We traveled with a few other sailboats in the afternoon - one of those is "Iemanga":
The following morning we upped anchor and traveled the rest of the way to Savannah. Instead of heading in to the marina however, we opted to anchor just a mile South and spend the evening on the hook. It was a beautiful evening and we had a few things we wanted to get done before we headed in. Tomorrow (Sunday) we will check in to the marina bright and early - we are eager to finally make it to Savannah!!
Brad worked on the engine all morning while I did a few things around the boat, including a bit of blogging. Almost as soon as my blog hit the internet, we had help. A family friend contacted us and gave us the number for a good friend of hers who works on trawlers and is great with engines. Our boating buddies on "Bluewater Cat", who are currently up in Charleston, gave us a few options to mull over and try out. And, our brand new friends on "Iemanga" who loaned us the tools the other night, emailed us to give us some ideas as well.
We immediately contacted the engine guy and Brad spent some time going over the problems with him. With a couple of pictures sent back and forth and a bit of trial and error, he was able to quickly diagnose the problem - it was somewhere down our cable from the batteries to the engine. So, Brad set to work checking out every inch of every cable. Luckily, the problem was very obvious once he knew where to look. One of our connectors at the solenoid had completely corroded, to the point that when he touched it, it just came crumbling off in his hand. And then - as if our lucky streak had changed - we actually had the spare part we needed to fix it on board!! What a miracle!!
This is starting to be a common sight on our boat - Brad with he head in the engine:
Within an hour Brad had the part replaced, hooked up and the engine running. Hallelujah!! We hauled up anchor, even though it was afternoon and decided to get a few miles under our keel. Right as we were pulling back onto the ICW, our friends on "Iemanga" hailed us on the VHF. They were right behind us and had seen us hoist the anchor. They were happy we had gotten the problem fixed as they had been racking their brains for a solution, digging out tools that might help us and were planning on stopping to see if they could help!
So, our luck seemed to have been changing back in our favor and it was all due to the quick thinking of some great friends and a few strangers! The generosity of strangers never ceases to amaze me - especially in the boating world!!
We made it ten miles up the Ditch and then anchored for the night next to our friends on "Iemanga". We headed over to their boat for some sundowners and to finally get to know these people who had been so enormously generous with us!
We traveled with a few other sailboats in the afternoon - one of those is "Iemanga":
The following morning we upped anchor and traveled the rest of the way to Savannah. Instead of heading in to the marina however, we opted to anchor just a mile South and spend the evening on the hook. It was a beautiful evening and we had a few things we wanted to get done before we headed in. Tomorrow (Sunday) we will check in to the marina bright and early - we are eager to finally make it to Savannah!!
Saturday, June 6, 2015
GOREE
We have been in the ICW about a month and we have repeatedly seen this man, in a strange little boat rowing along the waterway. Same man, same boat. A few weeks back, we googled him and found out that he is rowing for a cause. His brother died of AIDS and so he is raising money and awareness for this cause. He started in Africa, rowed across the Atlantic and is now rowing up the Ditch to NYC, his end destination. Sounds crazy to me, but we have taken to keeping a close eye on him since we cross paths so frequently. Check out his WEBSITE and his FACEBOOK page and support his cause! And watch out for him on a waterway near you! You can also follow along with his travels on Spot (located on his web page).
Can you believe he crossed the Atlantic in this thing?!
Can you believe he crossed the Atlantic in this thing?!
Koa always barks his hello when he goes by:
This time we are actually passing him!
**Side note: this is a huge joke on our boat - this guy, rowing his little boat, has managed to lap us multiple times while we have been in the ICW. Due to either staying in one place visiting friends or boat troubles, we have been moving so slowly that this guy has passed us at least four times! HA!
Friday, June 5, 2015
SERIOUSLY!?!?!
Yesterday we left bright and early and made it about 45 miles up the ICW. It was a slog as we were against the current for most of the trip - this seems to be the story of our travels up the Ditch. I did most of the steering as Brad was up late into the night replacing the sea strainer bolt. The day was a bit overcast, but was perfect for motoring since that kept the temperature down. Brad, thinking to relax a bit while I was steering, soon found he also had a full time job - bug patrol. The horseflies here are insane!! They are everywhere and they are ginormous!! So he sat with the flyswatter in his hand for almost the whole trip.
When we finally got the anchor down around 6pm, the sky was clear and the sun was out. So, we had a few cocktails in the cockpit and watched the sunset. We ate a delicious dinner outside and then scurried in right after dusk when the bugs started to become unbearable.
This morning we were up before the sun trying to get a head start on the day and were hoping to make it to Savannah by nightfall. We took care of the kids, got the boat all ready and then turned on the engine...only it didn't turn on. SERIOUSLY!?!?!?! How is it possible that we have had so many problems in such short time?! Did we really get that lucky in the first five years and now it is all piling up on us? Or are we just cursed?!
So here we sit this morning - every book on engine repair open in the salon, every tool we own spread out on the couches, me scouring the internet and reading articles that I cannot comprehend out loud to Brad in hopes that something will make sense to him. We have called local mechanics and boating friends to avail. We are trying a few last ditch efforts, and then we will have to call Tow BoatUS. Luckily, we have the unlimited towing package and they will tow us to the nearest marina - which is 30 miles away. In the meantime, here we sit.
When we finally got the anchor down around 6pm, the sky was clear and the sun was out. So, we had a few cocktails in the cockpit and watched the sunset. We ate a delicious dinner outside and then scurried in right after dusk when the bugs started to become unbearable.
This morning we were up before the sun trying to get a head start on the day and were hoping to make it to Savannah by nightfall. We took care of the kids, got the boat all ready and then turned on the engine...only it didn't turn on. SERIOUSLY!?!?!?! How is it possible that we have had so many problems in such short time?! Did we really get that lucky in the first five years and now it is all piling up on us? Or are we just cursed?!
So here we sit this morning - every book on engine repair open in the salon, every tool we own spread out on the couches, me scouring the internet and reading articles that I cannot comprehend out loud to Brad in hopes that something will make sense to him. We have called local mechanics and boating friends to avail. We are trying a few last ditch efforts, and then we will have to call Tow BoatUS. Luckily, we have the unlimited towing package and they will tow us to the nearest marina - which is 30 miles away. In the meantime, here we sit.
Helping Hands
So Tuesday was our "Snow Day". We were waiting for the part for our sea strainer to come in and it was a gray and overcast day, so we opted to relax and enjoy the day on the boat.
Wednesday morning, our part wasn't due in until late in the afternoon so we were going to spend the morning touring the island. As we were getting ready, my Uncle Jim called us. He had been following the blog and had seen that we were in St Simon's. Did we know we had a cousin there? Well, I did not, but quickly took down her information and called her as soon as we hung up.
We were in luck - she was available to meet up with us today! Leslie picked us up at the marina where we tied up our dinghy and took us on a tour of the island. It was a good thing she did, because nothing was within walking distance and there were few cabs on the island. She jumped flawlessly into the roll of tour guide and carted us all around the island, showing us the history and telling us stories of her childhood.
The island is beautiful - filled with old live oaks draped in Spanish Moss that are hundreds of years old. Georgia is the birthplace of golf here in the States and this island is no exception - there are probably at least 100 holes of golf on this little island! And the clubhouses are beautiful old dark wood with elegant furnishings that take you back to the early 1900s as soon as you walk in the door.
After the tour was complete, the rain set in and we decided to have some lunch. So we stopped off and picked up Leslie's Dad, "Uncle Dick", and headed out for Mexican - their treat, to our surprise!! Finally, bellies full, they took us to the grocery store so we could stock up on a few provisions. This was a huge bonus for us, as we were running low on fresh food and had just planned to eat canned food till Savannah.
We had a great time with them and were so thankful for her carting us around all day. It was great to meet extended family members and they couldn't have been more generous! We were fortunate that Jim and Leslie were quick to act and helped us out so much while we were here!
We picked up our part from the marina office and headed back to the boat. Brad immediately set to work on fixing the strainer while I tidied up and put away our fresh groceries! But, as with all things boat, Brad soon realized that this project was no easy task. The roll pin that secured the bolt was lodged in place. After breaking a few drill bits and muttering every curse word in the book, the pin remained firmly in place.
A bit before sunset a new sailboat anchored right near us. Brad dinghied over to see if they might have some tools that could help us out, and as most boaters are, they were more than happy to help. He gave Brad a few tools that he thought might work along with some helpful hints.
Finally, after 5 long hours and the use of the new tools, Brad managed to get the roll pin out and the new bolt replaced. Looks like we will be able to leave tomorrow as planned! We returned the tools to the other boat first thing in the morning, along with a thank you note and a bottle of wine. And that is how you make friends in the boating community! They are heading our way, and we look forward to spending time with them when we next cross paths!
Today has definitely been a day we have been blessed to be surrounded by helpful people!!
Wednesday morning, our part wasn't due in until late in the afternoon so we were going to spend the morning touring the island. As we were getting ready, my Uncle Jim called us. He had been following the blog and had seen that we were in St Simon's. Did we know we had a cousin there? Well, I did not, but quickly took down her information and called her as soon as we hung up.
We were in luck - she was available to meet up with us today! Leslie picked us up at the marina where we tied up our dinghy and took us on a tour of the island. It was a good thing she did, because nothing was within walking distance and there were few cabs on the island. She jumped flawlessly into the roll of tour guide and carted us all around the island, showing us the history and telling us stories of her childhood.
The island is beautiful - filled with old live oaks draped in Spanish Moss that are hundreds of years old. Georgia is the birthplace of golf here in the States and this island is no exception - there are probably at least 100 holes of golf on this little island! And the clubhouses are beautiful old dark wood with elegant furnishings that take you back to the early 1900s as soon as you walk in the door.
After the tour was complete, the rain set in and we decided to have some lunch. So we stopped off and picked up Leslie's Dad, "Uncle Dick", and headed out for Mexican - their treat, to our surprise!! Finally, bellies full, they took us to the grocery store so we could stock up on a few provisions. This was a huge bonus for us, as we were running low on fresh food and had just planned to eat canned food till Savannah.
We had a great time with them and were so thankful for her carting us around all day. It was great to meet extended family members and they couldn't have been more generous! We were fortunate that Jim and Leslie were quick to act and helped us out so much while we were here!
We picked up our part from the marina office and headed back to the boat. Brad immediately set to work on fixing the strainer while I tidied up and put away our fresh groceries! But, as with all things boat, Brad soon realized that this project was no easy task. The roll pin that secured the bolt was lodged in place. After breaking a few drill bits and muttering every curse word in the book, the pin remained firmly in place.
A bit before sunset a new sailboat anchored right near us. Brad dinghied over to see if they might have some tools that could help us out, and as most boaters are, they were more than happy to help. He gave Brad a few tools that he thought might work along with some helpful hints.
Finally, after 5 long hours and the use of the new tools, Brad managed to get the roll pin out and the new bolt replaced. Looks like we will be able to leave tomorrow as planned! We returned the tools to the other boat first thing in the morning, along with a thank you note and a bottle of wine. And that is how you make friends in the boating community! They are heading our way, and we look forward to spending time with them when we next cross paths!
Today has definitely been a day we have been blessed to be surrounded by helpful people!!
Thursday, June 4, 2015
The only thing that works on a boat....
They say the only thing that works on a boat is the owner, and I must say that for most of our travels over the last five years, we have not found this to be true. We have had great luck with this old boat and we haven't had too many catastrophes - especially ones that come one right after another.
But recently, we have started tossing around the idea of selling the boat and moving back to dry land. Although nothing is set in stone, I'm convinced that she has heard us talking and has decided to revolt. Ever since we got back to the States, it seems that we cannot stay on top of the problems that arise. So why should today be any different?!
We actually had a really nice motor up from Cumberland Island to St. Simon's Island. We made it past the submarine base (which is spectacularly large!!) with no issues and made good time getting up the ditch. We had the anchor down just after lunch and decided to head in and get some fresh local seafood. Ever since entering Georgia waters, we have seen an endless stream of shrimp boats and I was just dying to get my hands on some fresh local shrimp! We were not disappointed - they were fabulous!
After an evening on shore, we rushed back to the boat to close all our hatches before the impending storm we could see quickly approaching in the distance. Once we had battened down and settled in, Brad decided to check our sea strainer. This is where the sea water comes in to cool the engine while we are underway; the filter is there to keep any debris from coming in and clogging up the pipes. We have been inundated with jellyfish down here and sometimes they can clog the filters, so we just wanted to make sure that we were all clear.
Everything checked out and we only had a few pieces of sea grass in the filter. But then, as Brad went to screw the bolts back in place to secure the lid on the strainer, the bolt sheared off. **Insert expletive here**
So, without the lid securely on the filter, if we turned on the engine the water that was supposed to be filtered through the strainer and into the engine would instead just come pouring out of the top of the strainer and into the bilge - at an alarming rate. Well, we can't exactly go very far when our boat is taking on gallons of water.
So, here we sit, waiting for a part to come in (hopefully tomorrow). Although we are safe here as long as we don't run the engine, this is definitely slowing down our forward progress and putting us even farther behind schedule. And although we don't actually have a set schedule, we do have the impending summer heat creeping up on us and we were hoping to make it up to the Bay before we were sweltering in the summer sun. *Sigh*
At least we get to enjoy beautiful St Simons today and most of tomorrow before we get our part and high tail it up to Savannah. Hopefully this is the end of our streak of bad boat luck for a bit!
But recently, we have started tossing around the idea of selling the boat and moving back to dry land. Although nothing is set in stone, I'm convinced that she has heard us talking and has decided to revolt. Ever since we got back to the States, it seems that we cannot stay on top of the problems that arise. So why should today be any different?!
We actually had a really nice motor up from Cumberland Island to St. Simon's Island. We made it past the submarine base (which is spectacularly large!!) with no issues and made good time getting up the ditch. We had the anchor down just after lunch and decided to head in and get some fresh local seafood. Ever since entering Georgia waters, we have seen an endless stream of shrimp boats and I was just dying to get my hands on some fresh local shrimp! We were not disappointed - they were fabulous!
After an evening on shore, we rushed back to the boat to close all our hatches before the impending storm we could see quickly approaching in the distance. Once we had battened down and settled in, Brad decided to check our sea strainer. This is where the sea water comes in to cool the engine while we are underway; the filter is there to keep any debris from coming in and clogging up the pipes. We have been inundated with jellyfish down here and sometimes they can clog the filters, so we just wanted to make sure that we were all clear.
Everything checked out and we only had a few pieces of sea grass in the filter. But then, as Brad went to screw the bolts back in place to secure the lid on the strainer, the bolt sheared off. **Insert expletive here**
So, without the lid securely on the filter, if we turned on the engine the water that was supposed to be filtered through the strainer and into the engine would instead just come pouring out of the top of the strainer and into the bilge - at an alarming rate. Well, we can't exactly go very far when our boat is taking on gallons of water.
So, here we sit, waiting for a part to come in (hopefully tomorrow). Although we are safe here as long as we don't run the engine, this is definitely slowing down our forward progress and putting us even farther behind schedule. And although we don't actually have a set schedule, we do have the impending summer heat creeping up on us and we were hoping to make it up to the Bay before we were sweltering in the summer sun. *Sigh*
At least we get to enjoy beautiful St Simons today and most of tomorrow before we get our part and high tail it up to Savannah. Hopefully this is the end of our streak of bad boat luck for a bit!
Wednesday, June 3, 2015
Cumberland Island
Today we enjoyed a relaxing day at Cumberland Island. The southern-most island just over the Georgia border is a national park, a preserve for lots of wild horses as well as the ruins of the mansions of the Carnegies, some early Indians and early settlers/farmers. It is a beautiful island, riddled with horseflies and no-seeums. But, despite the local pests, we really enjoyed our day here. We walked around miles of wooded trails - surrounded by old live oaks draped with beautiful Spanish Moss. And enjoyed lots of up close encounters with the wild horses there. They, much like the wild mustangs in Corolla that we are used to, are used to people being around them all the time so do not shy away from those of us following them around with cameras.
This guy was getting a good butt scratching from this low-lying branch:
The ruins were great - the mansion there was huge (40 bedrooms!!) and although it was mostly destroyed in a fire in the early 1900s, you can just see the grandeur and the beauty that once stood. We could practically hear the music on the lawn from all the fabulous parties and retreats that were held there.
The beaches here are gorgeous as there are only campers on the southern part of the island. And the only way to get to the island is by boat. So those that visit either come on their own boats, as we did, or come over on the ferry, lugging all their camping equipment along with them.
We took Koa to wander around the park later in the evening and he loved it! He was so intrigued by all the horse smells and he couldn't seem to get his nose to work fast enough. Lots of ticks here though (as we were forewarned by other boater friends of ours!) and we did our best to keep him out of the underbrush.
Tomorrow we head out for St Simons Island, about 35 miles North, and get to sail past Kings Bay, the base for six of the military's Triton submarines. Although we haven't seen any sign of them, maybe we will get lucky!
This guy was getting a good butt scratching from this low-lying branch:
The ruins were great - the mansion there was huge (40 bedrooms!!) and although it was mostly destroyed in a fire in the early 1900s, you can just see the grandeur and the beauty that once stood. We could practically hear the music on the lawn from all the fabulous parties and retreats that were held there.
The beaches here are gorgeous as there are only campers on the southern part of the island. And the only way to get to the island is by boat. So those that visit either come on their own boats, as we did, or come over on the ferry, lugging all their camping equipment along with them.
We took Koa to wander around the park later in the evening and he loved it! He was so intrigued by all the horse smells and he couldn't seem to get his nose to work fast enough. Lots of ticks here though (as we were forewarned by other boater friends of ours!) and we did our best to keep him out of the underbrush.
Tomorrow we head out for St Simons Island, about 35 miles North, and get to sail past Kings Bay, the base for six of the military's Triton submarines. Although we haven't seen any sign of them, maybe we will get lucky!
Tuesday, June 2, 2015
Disaster Pros
We left early Saturday morning, motored up the ICW and out into the Atlantic. There was rain all around and we knew it wouldn't be long before we got a little wet. Luckily, the rain held off until we were clear of the inlet; the deluge started about 1/2 mile from the jetty.
We had raised the sails and were getting ready to cut the engine off when we heard a loud snap and the boom suddenly flew across the boat and out across the water. We both paused, looked at each other and then sighed. What could possibly have gone wrong now?! I like to think that this is a testament to our getting used to boat emergencies, as neither of us panicked - but most likely this is a sad statement about our boat getting older and us getting used to things breaking on a regular basis. Either way, we suddenly had a big problem. We quickly diagnosed that the problem was that our traveler block pin had snapped - the traveler keeps the boom in place and keeps the sail from flopping all over the boat, it also keep the boom pulled forward so that wind stays in the sail. At this point, the boom was just flapping about in the wind, doing no good whatsoever.
I took the helm and Brad went out to tie down the boom - all done in the pouring down rain. Koa and Moo were freaking out and were both frozen in the cockpit - Moo was curled up in the corner getting soaked and Koa was sitting right in the middle of the companionway, wanting to go downstairs but too terrified. It was a hot mess.
We got the boat under control, took down the sail and Brad secured the boom. While we limped along under motor, Brad scrounged around and found a spare block and was able to replace the necessary parts. But not completely, so we were not able to use the main for the remainder of the day.
Once the rain stopped, we released the jib and motor sailed our way to Cumberland Island, Georgia. All in all, not our best sail, but certainly not our worst either! We were happy to have the anchor down, Brad was able to finish fixing the traveler and tomorrow we will go see what Cumberland Island has to offer.
**Although this is the replaced traveler block, here is a picture of what it looks like, where it goes on the boat and the pin that sheared off:
We had raised the sails and were getting ready to cut the engine off when we heard a loud snap and the boom suddenly flew across the boat and out across the water. We both paused, looked at each other and then sighed. What could possibly have gone wrong now?! I like to think that this is a testament to our getting used to boat emergencies, as neither of us panicked - but most likely this is a sad statement about our boat getting older and us getting used to things breaking on a regular basis. Either way, we suddenly had a big problem. We quickly diagnosed that the problem was that our traveler block pin had snapped - the traveler keeps the boom in place and keeps the sail from flopping all over the boat, it also keep the boom pulled forward so that wind stays in the sail. At this point, the boom was just flapping about in the wind, doing no good whatsoever.
I took the helm and Brad went out to tie down the boom - all done in the pouring down rain. Koa and Moo were freaking out and were both frozen in the cockpit - Moo was curled up in the corner getting soaked and Koa was sitting right in the middle of the companionway, wanting to go downstairs but too terrified. It was a hot mess.
We got the boat under control, took down the sail and Brad secured the boom. While we limped along under motor, Brad scrounged around and found a spare block and was able to replace the necessary parts. But not completely, so we were not able to use the main for the remainder of the day.
Once the rain stopped, we released the jib and motor sailed our way to Cumberland Island, Georgia. All in all, not our best sail, but certainly not our worst either! We were happy to have the anchor down, Brad was able to finish fixing the traveler and tomorrow we will go see what Cumberland Island has to offer.
**Although this is the replaced traveler block, here is a picture of what it looks like, where it goes on the boat and the pin that sheared off:
Monday, June 1, 2015
Back to where it all Began...
We motored up to Jacksonville Monday morning, amidst all the last minute Memorial Day boating idiots. We arrived well after lunchtime, mostly due to going against the current the entire trip. We docked at Beach Marine, right across the ICW from where it all began 5 years ago.
We started our visit off with a night with my cousin Carter, his wife Annie and their 1 year old son Callan. We always enjoy our time with them and before we knew it, it was getting dark and was time for Callan to go to bed and we hadn't even had dinner yet! We had a great time catching up with them and really enjoyed spending so much time with Callan!
We enjoyed Tuesday, spending time with our friend Chelsea and also meeting up with some old Navy buddies of ours from back when we used to live here. It was a coincidence that we were all in the same place at the same time, which made the reunion that much better! We enjoyed dinner and drinks together and then called it a night.
The following three days (yes...three!) were filled with boat work....for Brad. We had some unexpected engine and battery issues that needed to be dealt with immediately so Brad spent hours everyday working on those. We had to polish the fuel (get all the sediment and water out of our tank), change the oil, change all the filters and then replace the batteries. By this time, we had stayed three days longer than we had intended and put lots more time and money into the boat than we had intended. Such is the life of a boat owner....
Meanwhile, I got to spend some quality time with Chelsea and run some errands for things we needed on the boat. But mostly, I spent time at the pool or lounging around Chelsea's air conditioned apartment watching television. Isn't my husband the best?!
Finally, with the engine back up and running and our brand new batteries in place, we were ready to head out! Tomorrow starts our trip into new waters and North into Georgia. First stop - Cumberland Island!
We started our visit off with a night with my cousin Carter, his wife Annie and their 1 year old son Callan. We always enjoy our time with them and before we knew it, it was getting dark and was time for Callan to go to bed and we hadn't even had dinner yet! We had a great time catching up with them and really enjoyed spending so much time with Callan!
We enjoyed Tuesday, spending time with our friend Chelsea and also meeting up with some old Navy buddies of ours from back when we used to live here. It was a coincidence that we were all in the same place at the same time, which made the reunion that much better! We enjoyed dinner and drinks together and then called it a night.
The following three days (yes...three!) were filled with boat work....for Brad. We had some unexpected engine and battery issues that needed to be dealt with immediately so Brad spent hours everyday working on those. We had to polish the fuel (get all the sediment and water out of our tank), change the oil, change all the filters and then replace the batteries. By this time, we had stayed three days longer than we had intended and put lots more time and money into the boat than we had intended. Such is the life of a boat owner....
Meanwhile, I got to spend some quality time with Chelsea and run some errands for things we needed on the boat. But mostly, I spent time at the pool or lounging around Chelsea's air conditioned apartment watching television. Isn't my husband the best?!
Finally, with the engine back up and running and our brand new batteries in place, we were ready to head out! Tomorrow starts our trip into new waters and North into Georgia. First stop - Cumberland Island!
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