On our way back in from the Atlantic (at Fernandina Beach) we saw this tug and Coast Guard heading out...I think to escort in a submarine
Because...just a few miles up the ICW was this submarine base. It's a little hard to pick out, but the sub is in the center of the picture
Just north of Fernandina Inlet is Cumberland Island...where, for years, horses have run wild.
As we were getting close to St. Simons Island, we passed just in front of this huge freighter
Deb, Mary, and Patti, took a quick tour of St. Simons
When we left St. Simons...this was our sunrise as we ventured out into the Atlantic at 6:45 am
Lots of shrimp boats in this area...we passed this one heading north to Hilton Head
From St. Simons Island to Hilton Head we ran about 3 to 4 miles off shore
Entering Harbourtown Yacht Basin in Hilton Head
When we look out our front window, we see the light house
Log 126Day 346
Friday, May 01, 2009
8:30 AM EDT
Location: Harbourtown Yacht Basin, Hilton Head, SC.
Weather: 72, clear, with calm winds. Forecasted to be mid 80’s and sunny.
I’m not much of a golfer, but if you have ever watched golf on TV, like Augusta, or Hilton Head, you have probably heard a certain kind of bird chirping in the back round. That very distinctive sound, is the one I hear just outside our boat in Hilton Head this morning. Also...if you ever see a picture of Hilton Head you probably see the red and white stripped light house. That light house, is what we see as we look out the front of our boat. Pretty Cool.
The last couple of days...have been beautiful weather, and great cruising. On Wednesday, we left Fernandina, FL. heading for St. Simons Island, GA and had planned to go inside, but the weather looked so beautiful, at the last minute, I decided to run outside. But, after a 2 mile ride out to the ocean, we decided to come back inside to the ICW, because it was too sloppy out there. As we were coming back inside, we passed a fast tug boat, and 2 small Coast Guard boats heading out into the Atlantic...I think they were headed out to bring in a submarine, because we passed a submarine base just a few miles up the ICW, and the same equipment was sitting there. The 45 mile run between Fernandina and St. Simons was very pretty, with lots of different scenery. The navigation is fairly easy, but there are a couple of very narrow spots, and a couple of shallow spots not marked on the charts. In between this are wide open areas with lots of water and heavy commercial traffic, as you can see from the HUGE ocean freighter we met just before coming into St. Simons. We arrived St. Simons at about 1 pm, and were greeted by Andy and Mary (Good News), as well as Brad and Patty (Salvage Crew). Shortly after arriving, the girls headed out with a marina loaner car to get some groceries, while I rinsed off and dried the boat. At 5:30 we were invited to Salvage Crew for a captains meeting (Mary calls it that, but it is really an excuse to have cocktails) and then walked up to dinner at the restaurant at the marina. Good food and a great time. Great to see Andy and Mary again; and finally meet Brad and Patty.
Yesterday...we left St. Simons at first light (about 6:30) and headed out into the Atlantic. It was a beautiful sunrise, and a beautiful day. Good News and Salvage Crew were headed to Thunderbolt, GA (to visit Savannah) and we were headed to Hilton Head. We followed one another out of the channel about 3 miles before being able to head north. The Atlantic was not too bad, but still had a 2 to 3 foot swell from the SE. I set the auto pilot on a course of 30 degrees, and the rpm’s to 2150, which is about 20 mph, which made the ride much easier. From the channel going into St. Simons Island, it was 68 miles to my waypoint...which was the channel of the Savannah River. From there I followed the Savannah River about 4 miles west, and then went north again to join the Calibogue Sound, which is the entrance (from the Atlantic) to Hilton Head. In total we ran 85 miles, and arrived at our slip just before noon. Once arriving, we washed the boat (it was very salty) and took a walk around the Harbor. This is a very nice, and expensive place. We found a spot to sit on the deck, have a margarita, and watch the boats go by. It was very nice, and there was lots of activity. Back at the boat...emails; charts; banking; and organizing. Dinner was Italian beef, and the movie was the last 2 episodes of American Idol
Today...as soon as I finish this log, I will get the dinghy ready, and organize the boat. Our plan is to go exploring, and find a spot on the water for lunch. I have been to this area several times (both by land and water) so I have a couple of ideas of where we can head to. It should be a great day!
I’ll keep you posted.
Bob
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