Final Leg of our Adventure

Friday night storms brought northwest winds and Priority sailed up the Bay on Saturday.  We knew we were getting close to home when Turkey Point Lighthouse was abeam on the port side.  After a long day of sailing, anchoring out for our final night of the trip gave us a chance to get organized.  The calm Bohemia River provided a peaceful night aboard.

Our home port at Bohemia Bay Yacht Harbor was fun to return to with many of our I-dock neighbors on hand to welcome us back. Don & Sue and Bill & Joan came to welcome us and give us a ride home. We traveled a total of 4,178 miles on our eight month trip to the Bahamas aboard Priority.  We sailed as much as we could but also accumulated 596 engine hours.  Our trip was a fantastic opportunity - fun to do together since we had planned and worked toward making this journey for lots of years.

What will we do next?  Well, during our trip we have accumulated this list of boat projects that would make Priority even better for cruising.  So we will not lack for things to do when we return home.  We look forward to exploring more of the lower Chesapeake Bay, would love to travel to the northeast US coast and may someday chose to return to the Bahamas. 

Trouble and Excitement

Trouble:  As we motor along Jay often opens the engine hatch to see that all looks well with the engine.  Coming north from Norfolk during one check he noticed extra vibrating motions of the water lift muffler.  We throttled back to lessen the vibration and headed in to anchor in Jackson Creek next to Deltaville, VA.  After we let the engine cool down a bit, he found this broken bracket that supports the water lift muffler. An extra bracket is not a spare part we carry so Jay did what he is very good at doing.  He improvised to create a substitute bracket using the available parts aboard. 

He used the bottom piece of the original bracket and two boards we had on board with some hardware from his parts box.  It fits right in the old space and supports the muffler.  Hopefully it will get us home.  Jay will make a new & improved bracket once we get home.  We'll just add that "little project" to the two page boat project list we have accumulated during our trip. 

Excitement: Friday we felt like a real sailboat again as we had strong south winds to help us travel north 74 miles from the Great Wicomico River to the Rhode River below Annapolis.   Jay made a video to capture a minute of our roaring sail. 

We anchored securely near High Island as bands of thunderstorms passed through in the night.

First time visits to Oriental, Bellhaven and the Virginia Cut

Oriental, NC is a quiet little harbor with a town dock and an anchorage area that were both full of visiting cruisers when we motored through.  All of the rainy threatening weather we have been having for the past week makes many cruising folks seek shelter.  

We traveled on to anchor inside the breakwater at Bellhaven, NC. The town is somewhat protected by a breakwater built all the way across the river with an opening for boats to travel through. We dinghied ashore for a peaceful stroll through the small river front town.

Our daily weather is in a pattern of chance of rain and afternoon thunderstorms.  During the breaks in stormy weather,  we motored north through the Alligator River and across Albemarle Sound.  There are two routes through northern Virginia.  We traveled south on the Dismal Swamp path and decided to come north on the other route called the Virginia Cut.  Getting filled with diesel fuel at Coinjock was a convenient stop along the Virginia Cut.

The Virginia Cut had lots of bridges and one lock at Great Bridge. We were able to lock through just before those dark blue clouds brought a rain squall.  We arrived in Norfolk to anchor off Hospital Point at Mile Marker 0.  This is where we began the ICW portion of our journey on October 12, 2011, almost eight months ago.

North to Georgetown, SC and on to Wrightsville, NC

Rainy weather leaving Charleston,SC led to some cool weather.  We even had to dig out the winter hats buried deep in the bow to get started in the mornings for a few days.

By the time we got to Georgetown, SC on the Sampit River warm weather had returned.  A Sunday morning walk around the historic town and along their revamped waterfront boardwalk included breakfast with the locals at a cafe on Front Street.

The Kaminski House Museum along the waterfront is a stately home built in 1769.  It sits just down river from a paper mill and a steel mill that were in full operation and lit the night with all of their lights.

We left Georgetown and traveled up the rambling and beautiful cypress tree lined Waccamaw River.  Above the Waccamaw the ICW is a narrow channel for several miles.  Most boats travel faster than Priority like this tug pushing a barge.

On Wednesday we met again with our friends, Duncan and Laura, in Wrightsville, NC.  They led us for a walk on the "Loop".   We had dinner at the local South Beach Grille and a refreshing walk on the ocean beach before returning to the Seapath Marina.  Duncan and Laura live in Wilmington, NC which is just across the ICW from the marina where we are staying. Tomorrow we head north towards Beaufort.

Having fun in Charleston, SC

After anchoring along the ICW a few nights, we arrived in Charleston, SC on Tuesday, May 15th, to dock at the Charleston Maritime Center.  Wednesday we gave Capt. Jay a rest from navigating as we boarded a tour boat to visit Ft. Sumter where the first shots of the Civil war were fired.  The guide said we could visit by coming in our own boat but after seeing the swift current flowing and the barnacles covering the pilings at low tide, we were glad we left the driving to the tour boat.

The flags hung limp over the Fort in the calm winds. The park guides and exhibits did a great job of explaining Ft. Sumter's role during the Civil War.  Ft. Sumter saw much more action than Ft. Clinch that we visited in Fernandina Beach. It was interesting to see Charleston Harbor  with its busy boat traffic from kayaks to large freighter ships.

Many original Charleston homes had a main front door like this one opening on to a long porch with several doors opening into rooms of the house. We learned this was to take advantage of any breeze that may be blowing from the north, east or south harbor.  We enjoyed long walks around Battery Park in downtown Charleston.

 

Charleston has a beautiful promenade called Waterford Park along the Cooper River.  A large pineapple fountain is a focal point.  As Jay was snapping a photo, some nice young fellows visiting from Massachusetts came to join me for a kodak moment. 

On Wednesday Tara and Tegan drove to visit us from Aiken.  Tegan enjoyed playing inside and outside Priority and took a dinghy ride.

Tom and Marge came to visit from Delaware and Tegan entertained us all.  His little plastic boat on a string not only was fun in the water but also followed us down the street. We ventured out to the park playground nearby.

Uncle Jay got a turn to give Tegan a shoulder ride, too.

We walked to a play-pool fountain in Waterford Park where Tegan enjoyed the water still pulling the little boat.  He had company at the fountain as other families and children played in the water.  We all needed a nap by late afternoon as Tegan, Tara, Tom and Marge said goodbye. It was a fun visit for everyone.  We will use the marina laundry and water to fill tanks on Thursday before leaving Charleston and heading on north up the ICW.  Afternoon and evening rain and thunderstorms are getting to be a normal occurrence.

North through Georga to Port Royal, SC

Priority flew at 8 knots with the current out of St. Mary's Inlet very early on May 8th.  We motored in calm winds and watched a beautiful sunrise grow out of the clouds to the east.  While on the west coastline storm clouds brewed as we traveled north towards St. Simon's Inlet.

The storms traveled all around us but we were only showered upon.  As we entered the inlet with St. Simon's Lighthouse on our starboard the skies cleared.  All that remained of the storms were raindrops dripping off the bimini frame.

Jay shows he has a good sense of humor since he let me put this photo on the blog.  The temperature climbed along with the humidity each afternoon to make thunderstorms appear.  The calm winds allowed those Georgia horseflies to attack us from the marshlands along the shores of the ICW.  His only defense was to cover up exposed skin and swat the flies close by.  His blue towel cape kept the flies from biting through his long sleeved shirt. That cute butterfly flyswatter we were given in Elizabeth City, NC coming south came in very handy. The daily forecasted thunderstorms kept us traveling on the more protected waters of the ICW instead of hopping offshore. 

We motored by the cemetery referred to in the book "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" that we read about the city of Savannah, GA.  After anchoring out several nights we arrived in Port Royal, NC which is just south of Beaufort, SC.  We stayed at the Port Royal Landing Marina to visit friends, Mary and Roy aboard Gideon. We met them in the Bahamas and they live aboard their boat at the marina during the summer months.  A delicious potluck Friday night dinner was enjoyed by 35 of us from the marina docks and neighboring village.  On Saturday we headed on towards Charleston, SC.

Leaving Florida headed north

We stopped at Beach Marine, a marina near Jacksonville Beach, FL, for Saturday night and had a great visit with Charlie & Fran. Just like on our way south in the fall, they were very  kind to taxi us to dinner and to visit the grocery store again. It made jugs of juice and bags of groceries much easier to get back to our boat.

With the super full moon our low and high tides have been rather extreme, so we had to wait till later morning to leave the marina on Sunday to have deep enough water on the ICW.  While we changed the engine oil and waited until we could depart, we also learned beginning paddleboard techniques as we watched a group next door from a public dock. We see all aged folks on paddleboards as we travel and it looks like great exercise.

Priority went out the St. John River Inlet to the ocean to sail north to St. Mary's Inlet. Thunderstorms teased us but eventually moved west as we sailed by Fort Clinch at the northern tip of Amelia Island.  We motored on in the inlet to a mooring at Fernandina Beach which is the northern most seashore town in Florida.

Monday we rented bikes and rode out to visit Fort Clinch.  It was built after the War of 1812 when it was decided that each inlet along the shore needed a fort so an enemy would not be tempted to enter.

The soldier appeared and acted as if it were 1864 to tell us interesting details about the fort and life within it.  He said he may get in trouble having his photo taken since he was not wearing his full uniform which should be worn at all times on duty.  He was missing his dark blue buttoned up jacket but said it was just too hot today. So don't tell anybody....

We rode out to find Amelia Island Lighthouse but could not get closer than this.  We enjoyed riding around the historic old town for the day.  The mornings are clear and cooler but the hot and humid afternoons make the storm clouds roll in.

Back on the boat as we were putting the dinghy away on the bow we found a surprise passenger hiding in the shade of a fuel jug.  The tiny crab must have washed up onto the boat yesterday as we were sailing out in the ocean and some waves splashed the deck. We helped it get back in the water.  Tuesday we leave Florida as we continue our journey north.

Sailing up the ICW in Florida

After a good night's rest anchored at Ft. Pierce we had beautiful east winds to sail up the ICW to Vero Beach. We stayed at the marina behind these moored boats.  Using fresh water to give Priority and our dinghy a good bath to clean off four months of salt.  Free fresh water was available by the jug full in the Bahamas but we learned to use it sparingly.

We found a lighthouse we had not visited at the Ponce de Leon Inlet.  It is one of the few lighthouses restored with all three keeper's house as well as all of its support buildings.

We climbed the 203 steps up to the gallery deck below the rotating third order Fresnel lens.  We looked out later at night to see the lighthouse beacon shining bright.

The Lens Exhibit Building seemed added just for Jay.  He especially enjoyed the collection of lighthouse lenses that were restored by a team of museum staff and volunteers. We noted in our log on the way south in November that we should visit on the way back north.  It is great to have time to make the stop.  We stopped at Ft. Mantanzas for a breezy beach walk before heading on up to Jacksonville Beach.

Back in Florida

The northern Abaco Cays on Little Bahama Bank are more remote but still just as pretty as the more populated Cays we have been visiting.  We worked our way northward passing through these beautiful stripes of varied shades of turquoise and blue waters.  Usually the lighter colored waters are shallow.  However, these were not and were unusually cloudy instead of clear.  That's because these are called fish muds.  Our charts say the fish muds are where schools of fish have stirred the bottom as they search for mollusks .

Mangrove Cay is an anchor spot for boats waiting for a weather window to cross the Gulf Stream to return to Florida or points north.  We anchored with eight other sailboats.  Norma noted that our Bahamas courtesy flag has grown tattered and torn since we hoisted it on Dec. 18. That must mean it is time to head back north.

We left Mangrove Cay in the Abacos very early Friday morning so we could reach the inlet at Fort Pierce, Florida before dark.  You could tell we were back in the states since there were high rise buildings and navigation buoys that actually exist. Visiting the Bahamas on Priority was a true adventure for us!  We plan to work our way up the East Coast visiting places we skipped on the way south in the fall.

Man O War Storm to Hope Town to Green Turtle Cay in the Abacos

It was good to be moored safely in Man O War Cay Harbor on Sat. and Sun. when the storms blew through.  Jay likes to be ready during the blustery winds, even in the rain, in case some quick action is needed.  Our 4x4x2’ concrete block mooring held our boat with no problem.

After the storm, there is almost always a rainbow to welcome the nice weather to come.  We baked cookies and bread during the stormy waiting time.  We also studied charts and guides to think about the rest of our journey in the Bahamas and back up the East Coast.

On Monday, we left Man O War Cay where they continue to build beautiful wooden boats.  We learned the boat builders did begin to build fiberglass boats for foreigners back in the 1950s and you see a lot of Albury fiberglass powerboats around the Abacos. We did see a sign posted on one Man O War Cay work shed that said, “If God wanted us to build fiberglass boats, he would have given us fiberglass trees.”  However, we saw them building both wood and fiberglass boats. The Elbow Reef Lighthouse built in 1864 marks our entrance into Hope Town.

The 120’ high lighthouse is unique with its two identical keeper houses.  The museum folks said one is now used for storage.  However, one keeper had a family including seven children so both houses at one time were needed to house the whole family of the lighthouse keeper.

Jay was impressed with the eight foot thick walls of the lighthouse at its bottom. The local people did not want a lighthouse to be built since they depended on salvaging the local ship wrecks to make their livings.  The British government persisted and eventually the lighthouse was completed in 1864.

There are 101 steps to get to the top of the lighthouse and it is bright Bahamian pink on the interior.

This lighthouse is the only one of three remaining lighthouses in the Bahamas that is hand wound by the lighthouse keepers during the night, uses a vapor burner and a unique Fresnel “bull’s eyes” lens that concentrates the light so it is visible for 15 miles. Jay likes getting a close look at the gears.

The view from the top is well worth the climb.  Priority is moored down below in the harbor. 25kt winds still blow following the weekend storms.  Norma is standing on the leeside of the lighthouse protected from the winds.

Hope Town is delightful to walk through as no cars or golf carts are allowed on the street along the harborside.  The houses are well cared for and flowering plants decorate the yards.  Norma is listening to a welcoming tape recording on the front porch of the Wyannie Malone Museum.  Wyannie and her family came to help begin the settlement of Hope Town in 1785 as they were Loyalists escaping from the American Revolution.

After a stop at Marsh Harbor to refill a propane tank we visited the settlement of New Plymouth on Green Turtle Cay on Wednesday. 

We enjoyed a walk around the quaint little town with a stop at the Bronze Sculpture Garden that  celebrates many important people who made significant contributions to the history and culture of the Bahamas.  It is a meaningful history lesson of all the Bahama islands and cays.