Searching for sunshine in the Sunshine State

Since the last post, we recovered from the Morehead City mishap, survived a tropical storm in Charleston, had a peachy time in Savannah and Jekyll Island, and made it to Florida. Let's catch up!

Chilly morning in the Lowcountry

Following the accident in Morehead City, we backtracked 7.5 nautical miles to a marina in Jarrett Bay. We stayed there for two days while marine surveyors (one hired by Mike and another by insurance) stopped by to assess damages. We made the most of the delay by exploring nearby Beaufort, NC (pronounced "bo-fort," not "bue-fort" as in the SC town - more on the latter to come). We studied artifacts from Blackbeard's "Queen Anne's Revenge" and observed boat-builders in action at the NC Maritime Museum and Watercraft Center before paying respects to Captain Otway Burns (hero of the War of 1812) at the Old Burying Ground.

Watercraft Center & Burns' tomb adorned with a cannon from his privateer, "Snap Dragon"

The marine surveyors agreed that the forward lower shroud and turnbuckle on the port side should be replaced, and the port side chainplates further examined. We backtracked another 16 nautical miles to Oriental, NC and had the shroud and turnbuckle replaced at Sailcraft Service. Island Packet chainplates are fused inside the hull with fiberglass. In order to access them, interior cabinetry must be disassembled and layers of fiberglass ground away. In light of these complications, we will have the chainplate work done at a marina in Stuart, FL that specializes in Island Packets. Until then, you’ll only catch us sailing upwind on a starboard tack!

A rigger replacing Traveller's shroud

Our first stop south of Morehead City was Mile Hammock Bay, located off the New River in Camp Lejeune (don’t worry, we didn't drink the water). As we moved through Camp Lejeune, remnants of blasted tanks and “live firing” warning signs blended in with the natural landscape. Despite the intermittent rumbling of bombing exercises and burning gaze of military personnel monitoring us from shore, Mile Hammock Bay was quite serene.

Views from the New River in Camp Lejeune

Next, we made our way to Carolina Beach and anchored among hoards of pelicans for a couple of days. We spent an uncharacteristically cheerful Halloween afternoon strolling the beach. The next day, we hiked and searched for Venus Fly Traps at Carolina State Park. 

Carolina Beach - anchorage at sunrise, pelican, Venus Fly Traps

Before we left Carolina Beach, we befriended the crew of another Island Packet 350, “Kismet.” After a great conversation with Jim and Laurie, who have been living and cruising on Kismet for 15 years, we decided to join them for two short offshore runs. First, we traveled from the Cape Fear River to Bird Island, located just inside the Little River Inlet on the NC-SC border. We enjoyed our evening at Bird Island, where we rowed to shore, walked between sand dunes, and watched flocks of little birds flutter back and forth across the adjacent jetty. Next, we traveled from the Little River Inlet to the Winyah Bay and anchored in Minim Creek. We hoped to do pure sailing while off-shore, but the wind clocked directly behind us both days. We ended up motoring to stay on course and schedule, rather than turning off for a better wind angle. We encountered a couple of massive casino boats headed to Myrtle Beach near the Little River Inlet. Gambling is illegal in South Carolina, but anything goes 3 miles offshore.

Kismet - flying spinnaker offshore & anchored in Minim Creek

We passed incredible waterfront mansions on the 46 nautical mile stretch from Minim Creek to Inlet Creek, which is located between Isle of Palms and Charleston. The next day, we entered Charleston at low tide and passed under the fixed bridge on the Ashley River with 5' to spare. We immediately proceeded through side-by-side bascule bridges and anchored between Brittlebank Park and West Ashley. Some vessels are too tall to pass under the fixed bridge. Many cruisers do not want to plan around the basule bridges' operating schedule or schlep a mile and a half from Brittlebank Park to the trendy side of Charleston. For these reasons, the anchorage is not popular. Only two other boats anchored there during our week-long stay.

Bascule bridges and fixed bridge on the Ashley River

Nasty weather was forecast to hit Charleston a couple of days after our arrival. We needed to get prepared for the worst and cram in some sightseeing before then. The first order of business was to take the dinghy to West Ashley and haul an accumulation of dirty clothes, sheets, and towels 2.5 miles to the laundromat. Then we ran to the shopping center across the street. Mike purchased a 55 lb. Rocna (scoop) at West Marine to replace a 35 lb. CQR (plow) as our primary anchor. I bought as much food as I could stuff in my backpack at Harris Teeter. A dismayed Uber driver appeared to regret picking us up when we heaved the anchor into their trunk. The dinghy was tied to a fishing pier at the end of a tree-lined bike trail. The Uber driver took us as far as they could, and we muscled through the final half mile on foot.

Following errands, we visited the historic district. We walked by colorful 18th century row houses and a plethora of churches, some dating back to colonial times, which earned Charleston the nickname "the Holy City."

Tree trunk headstone at a cemetery spanning multiple church properties in Charleston

Our favorite attraction in the Charleston area was Patriots Point. We toured the massive WWII aircraft carrier USS YORKTOWN. The living quarters, working spaces, sick ward, engine room, etc. were like museum exhibits depicting experiences of crew during the war. The flight deck was packed with fighter jets, helicopters, and other retired military aircraft. We also toured the WWII destroyer USS LAFFEY and the “Vietnam Experience,” which was set in a replica of Khe Sanh Combat Base.

USS YORKTOWN

Vietnam Experience

The day before Topical Storm Nicole (downgraded from a Category 1 Hurricane) hit Charleston, we topped off the water tank and downloaded movies over the free WiFi at Publix. We felt ready. The new Rocna was holding great and we were anchored in a narrow part of the Ashley River, with good protection from the strong winds to come. We were rocked pretty hard by thunderstorms and 40 knot winds one evening, but most of the 4 day tropical storm lock down was uneventful. The morning after Nicole cleared out, we zipped the dinghy over to Charles Towne Landing (site of the first permanent English settlement in the Carolinas). At low tide, we lifted anchor, passed under the fixed bridge on the Ashley River, and turned onto the ICW southbound. We were almost sucked back to the Holy City by an opposing 5 knot current in Elliott's Cut strong enough to elicit a silent Hail Mary from our nonpracticing Catholic crew member. Luckily, Traveller's engine powered us through safely. Slightly traumatized, we anchored for the night in the Stono River, a mere 6 nautical miles from where we started. We made up for it the next day with a 60 mile haul to Factory Creek in Beaufort, SC.

Charles Towne Landing 

Not expecting to find anything special between Charleston and Savannah, and were pleasantly surprised by the charming town of Beaufort, SC. On our first full day there, we did shopping and laundry in Lady's Island. On the second and third day, we explored the waterfront and historic district. We popped into artsy shops and galleries, biked the scenic 10 mile Spanish Moss Trail, and visited several historical landmarks. We found Beaufort to be deserving of its nickname, "The Queen of the Carolina Sea Islands," and even added it to the top of our "potential places to live" list.

Biking the Spanish Moss Trail

Antebellum mansion; statue of Beaufort-born Robert Smalls; British soldiers' grave; Beaufort Arsenal 

From Beaufort, we traveled 30 nautical miles to Daufuskie Island (the southernmost inhabited sea island in SC) and anchored in Bull Creek. Then we proceeded 15 miles to Thunderbolt, GA and anchored in the Herb River as a cold snap set in. Temperatures were in the 30s the next morning, but the sun was blazing. We docked the dinghy at a boatyard in Thunderbolt and did a lap around the nearby Bonaventure Cemetery, which was made famous by the book “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.” From there, we took an Uber to Savannah and trekked through a dozen little parks featuring ornate fountains and statues of military and political figures. We perused artwork exhibited at the Savannah College of Art and Design, peeked into eclectic shops along The Riverwalk, and read lots of historical landmark plaques. After a full day in Savannah, we headed back to Traveller for ice cold showers (we hadn’t run the engine, so the water tank wasn't heated) and a good night’s sleep. Two long days lay ahead: 40 nautical miles to St. Catherine’s Island followed by 60 to Jekyll Island. There are twisty rivers and unmarked shoals in the Georgia portion of the ICW, where tidal changes are 8-9’. The helmsman must exercise an exhaustive level of concentration and constantly check the GPS charts and depth sounder.

Forsyth Park Fountain; Waving Girl statue; SCAD portrait room; Celtic Cross Monument in Emmet Park 

Jekyll Island has all the endearing things you may hope to find in an East Coast beach town - colonial ruins, opulent Gilded Era mansions, miles of beach with plenty of access points, an impressive public fishing pier, and the nicest bike trail we’ve ever cruised. It took us two hours to circle the island on bikes. We stopped at St. Andrew Beach, Great Dunes Park, Driftwood Beach, "Millionaire's Village," and the Horton House (the oldest tabby structure standing in Georgia). We also slowed down to admire unique retro ranchers in the tastefully confined residential area. From 1886-1947, the island was owned by the elite Jekyll Island Club, whose membership included Morgans, Rockefellers, and Vanderbilts. After being purchased by the State of Georgia during condemnation proceedings in 1947, Jekyll Island was designated a State Park. By law, only 35% of the island can be developed, and the remainder must be preserved in its natural state. As a result of these strict limitations on development, Jekyll Island remains refreshingly unadulterated.

Jekyll Island Club Resort (est. 1888) & fishing pier at Driftwood Beach

Horton House; close up of tabby (oyster shell is primary component); walking trail

From Jekyll Island, we traveled 32 nautical miles to our first anchorage in Florida. It was overcast, chilly, and drizzling as we settled in by smoke stacks at Fernandina Beach. It might not have been the grand introduction to the Sunshine State we dreamed of, but it was a milestone to celebrate nonetheless! 220 miles until we reach Stuart, FL and Traveller undergoes chainplate repairs. We can't wait to share what happens along the way!