The Map
May 2006 |
Friday May 12th we depart Palm Coast Marina at dawn to make the
11:00 am opening of the construction bridge at Bridge of Lions. This
historic bridge of St Augustine will be disassembled and put back
together and the temporary bridge will then be torn down. Thank
goodness for the power of historic preservation! Good job, citizens of
St Augustine. The parade through the bridge was about 9 boats of all
sizes, milling around in the harbor for an hour since the bridge only
opens twice a day. We then meandered our way north into the
Tolomato River past a very confused inlet. The current was very
strong up to Jacksonville Beach and the speed was like dragging a spoon
through mud! Nature was very evident once more along the way which
was entertaining. We even had to swat green-headed flies under the
bimini. They drove Otis nuts. At 4:00 pm we arrived at entrance to
Beach Marine once more. We checked with the Dockmaster about
depth at entrance as it was low tide and they said "No problem". We
promptly motored in and ran aground in the center of the channel. We
sat for an hour until the tide rose us off, with concerned stares from
other boats. When the moon is full the tides are extreme! A quiet
night aboard watching the crowd gather at the local restaurant and the
moon rise.
11:00 am opening of the construction bridge at Bridge of Lions. This
historic bridge of St Augustine will be disassembled and put back
together and the temporary bridge will then be torn down. Thank
goodness for the power of historic preservation! Good job, citizens of
St Augustine. The parade through the bridge was about 9 boats of all
sizes, milling around in the harbor for an hour since the bridge only
opens twice a day. We then meandered our way north into the
Tolomato River past a very confused inlet. The current was very
strong up to Jacksonville Beach and the speed was like dragging a spoon
through mud! Nature was very evident once more along the way which
was entertaining. We even had to swat green-headed flies under the
bimini. They drove Otis nuts. At 4:00 pm we arrived at entrance to
Beach Marine once more. We checked with the Dockmaster about
depth at entrance as it was low tide and they said "No problem". We
promptly motored in and ran aground in the center of the channel. We
sat for an hour until the tide rose us off, with concerned stares from
other boats. When the moon is full the tides are extreme! A quiet
night aboard watching the crowd gather at the local restaurant and the
moon rise.
Saturday morning was an early dog walk chasing local ducks and we
were off the dock at 7:30. We are headed out to the ocean via the
St. Johns River past Mayport Naval Base on one side and a public
beach on the other. We had wind at about 9:30 of 10-12 knots so we
hoisted sail. That lasted only 30 minutes! We motor sailed with many
dolphins, local shrimp boats, turtles and sunshine into St Marys'
Inlet and Cumberland Sound. Very pretty. The wind was on our nose
so the going was slow but we crossed into Georgia....welcome back!
We ventured up the winding St Mary's River to Lang's Marina of
this historic seaport. No dock help evident except for other boaters
but our landing was safe thanks to Charlie of "Thirsty Whale". We
walked the quaint village looking for sites to visit tomorrow. A
wonderful sunset displayed as we visited dockside neighbors and
then we walked back to town to almost world famous Seagles, a
sailor friendly tavern. We had planned to have dinner in town but
they pretty much turn out the lights at 9:00pm. They took us in at
Trolly's as the last customers!
were off the dock at 7:30. We are headed out to the ocean via the
St. Johns River past Mayport Naval Base on one side and a public
beach on the other. We had wind at about 9:30 of 10-12 knots so we
hoisted sail. That lasted only 30 minutes! We motor sailed with many
dolphins, local shrimp boats, turtles and sunshine into St Marys'
Inlet and Cumberland Sound. Very pretty. The wind was on our nose
so the going was slow but we crossed into Georgia....welcome back!
We ventured up the winding St Mary's River to Lang's Marina of
this historic seaport. No dock help evident except for other boaters
but our landing was safe thanks to Charlie of "Thirsty Whale". We
walked the quaint village looking for sites to visit tomorrow. A
wonderful sunset displayed as we visited dockside neighbors and
then we walked back to town to almost world famous Seagles, a
sailor friendly tavern. We had planned to have dinner in town but
they pretty much turn out the lights at 9:00pm. They took us in at
Trolly's as the last customers!
Sunday and it's Mother's Day in St Mary's. We took the morning
to sleep in a bit and then headed for a long walk around town. Really
a pretty community and we noticed that the birds were singing. We
had not heard that sound in most of Florida, for some reason.
Richard fixed Sunday breakfast which we enjoyed topside on a
beautiful 60 degree morning. We then felt the ship needed a little
attention so Richard scrubbed the hull and Penny tackled below
decks. We headed back into town at 3:00pm to visit the Submarine
Museum, order lunch for a trip to Cumberland Island tomorrow and
enjoy some handmade ice cream. YUM! We stopped at Seagle's for
happy hour with new boat friends, Bob and Pat, from "Changes in
Latitude" while Otis terrorized the bar owner, Cindy's, cat.
Steaks on the barbee after a relaxing day.
to sleep in a bit and then headed for a long walk around town. Really
a pretty community and we noticed that the birds were singing. We
had not heard that sound in most of Florida, for some reason.
Richard fixed Sunday breakfast which we enjoyed topside on a
beautiful 60 degree morning. We then felt the ship needed a little
attention so Richard scrubbed the hull and Penny tackled below
decks. We headed back into town at 3:00pm to visit the Submarine
Museum, order lunch for a trip to Cumberland Island tomorrow and
enjoy some handmade ice cream. YUM! We stopped at Seagle's for
happy hour with new boat friends, Bob and Pat, from "Changes in
Latitude" while Otis terrorized the bar owner, Cindy's, cat.
Steaks on the barbee after a relaxing day.
We had hoped to go to Cumberland Island today but this Monday is holding
threatening clouds. Otis and Pen took a very long walk through the historic
Oak Grove cemetery nestled amongst huge live oaks, dating back to 1801
with Arcadian and pre-civil war grave sites. Richard spent the afternoon on
some laptop research while Pen beaded with nice creative quiet time....until a
storm blew in from the west! Huge hail created a tunnel of noise below
decks, making the water around us appear to boil, like lava. Very interesting
experience, clearing at about 4:00pm. We found out at happy hour that Pat
and Bob had serious damage to their dodger by the hail. The sunset after,
however, was spectacular.
threatening clouds. Otis and Pen took a very long walk through the historic
Oak Grove cemetery nestled amongst huge live oaks, dating back to 1801
with Arcadian and pre-civil war grave sites. Richard spent the afternoon on
some laptop research while Pen beaded with nice creative quiet time....until a
storm blew in from the west! Huge hail created a tunnel of noise below
decks, making the water around us appear to boil, like lava. Very interesting
experience, clearing at about 4:00pm. We found out at happy hour that Pat
and Bob had serious damage to their dodger by the hail. The sunset after,
however, was spectacular.
Tuesday morning was an early rise to a cloudy,
cool day. We are off to Cumberland Island by
ferry after picking up boxed lunches. The
ecosystem was really interesting as explained by
our park guide. Very beautiful old ruins of a
Carnegie mansion intermingled with wild horses,
turkeys and armadillos, oblivious to their
observers. Many new bird sightings. The sun came
out as we left and we returned to a grateful dog.
We had a really good dinner at Pauley's, a very
small café in St Mary's and a quiet night.
cool day. We are off to Cumberland Island by
ferry after picking up boxed lunches. The
ecosystem was really interesting as explained by
our park guide. Very beautiful old ruins of a
Carnegie mansion intermingled with wild horses,
turkeys and armadillos, oblivious to their
observers. Many new bird sightings. The sun came
out as we left and we returned to a grateful dog.
We had a really good dinner at Pauley's, a very
small café in St Mary's and a quiet night.
Wednesday and we head to sea once more at 7:30 with a quiet channel exit. We tried to raise the main but it
jammed. A line we had installed for future use got wrapped in the furler. Luckily, we could refurl it in. We also
discovered that we had some hail damage to instruments and plastic panels of the dodger. Ugh! We did not have
much wind so the auto pilot took over and we enjoyed nature around us. Many, many dolphin, slapping their tails, a
hammerhead shark and birds following shrimp boats. We came into St. Simon's Sound with the wind rising to 18
knots which made for an interesting docking at Golden Isles Marina. Great help there and a safe landing at a new
port of call. Our friend , Marci Nelson, came aboard for a sundowner with her son and it was great to see her
smiling face. We try to do the mast climb in order to repair the jammed mainsail but we are not light nor limber
enough to be safe. Time for youth to step in!
jammed. A line we had installed for future use got wrapped in the furler. Luckily, we could refurl it in. We also
discovered that we had some hail damage to instruments and plastic panels of the dodger. Ugh! We did not have
much wind so the auto pilot took over and we enjoyed nature around us. Many, many dolphin, slapping their tails, a
hammerhead shark and birds following shrimp boats. We came into St. Simon's Sound with the wind rising to 18
knots which made for an interesting docking at Golden Isles Marina. Great help there and a safe landing at a new
port of call. Our friend , Marci Nelson, came aboard for a sundowner with her son and it was great to see her
smiling face. We try to do the mast climb in order to repair the jammed mainsail but we are not light nor limber
enough to be safe. Time for youth to step in!
Thursday we need to solve our Main furling problem so we hunt
down a spry young man to shimmy up the mast. Thanks to Melissa,
the Dockmaster, an hour later and the problem is solved, yahoo!
Marci graciously lent us her car so we ran a few errands and had
lunch in downtown St Simon's overlooking the inlet. We returned
to her home,and her beau, Mike, arrived from Savannah. We told a
few stories and lies over another great dinner. We hope to see
them soon back at our home marina, Isle of Hope.
down a spry young man to shimmy up the mast. Thanks to Melissa,
the Dockmaster, an hour later and the problem is solved, yahoo!
Marci graciously lent us her car so we ran a few errands and had
lunch in downtown St Simon's overlooking the inlet. We returned
to her home,and her beau, Mike, arrived from Savannah. We told a
few stories and lies over another great dinner. We hope to see
them soon back at our home marina, Isle of Hope.
Our last day of the first leg of our journey arrives with
great beauty. Friday, May 19th, the moon sets as the
sunrises over St Simon's Light as we head back out St.
Simons Sound. We have west winds of 8 knots so we raise
sail by 7:30. We motorsailed until noon when the winds were
up to 20knots. We reefed the main and jib and honked along
at 9 knots. Wahoo! The seas were 3-5 ft so we had on PFD's
and were tethered for the first time this whole trip. Otis
did great, no shaking or fear. He really is a Salty Dog now!
We headed into Wassau Sound at 3:30 and up the familiar
Wilmington River to dock back at Isle of Hope Marina. Old
friends helped and greeted us and Otis took attendance
dockside. It was a truly blessed and beautiful day. We look
forward with joy to the next journey together.
great beauty. Friday, May 19th, the moon sets as the
sunrises over St Simon's Light as we head back out St.
Simons Sound. We have west winds of 8 knots so we raise
sail by 7:30. We motorsailed until noon when the winds were
up to 20knots. We reefed the main and jib and honked along
at 9 knots. Wahoo! The seas were 3-5 ft so we had on PFD's
and were tethered for the first time this whole trip. Otis
did great, no shaking or fear. He really is a Salty Dog now!
We headed into Wassau Sound at 3:30 and up the familiar
Wilmington River to dock back at Isle of Hope Marina. Old
friends helped and greeted us and Otis took attendance
dockside. It was a truly blessed and beautiful day. We look
forward with joy to the next journey together.
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be sold without explicit permission from the authors. Most maps have been extracted from Google Earth, and we thank Google for
their use.
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Travels of the Viking Rose
Travels of the Viking Rose
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