The Cruise - Week 16, MTOA, Daytona and North - April 13 - 19, 2015

Monday, April 13, 2015

Departed New Smyrna Beach                               0715

           

Arrived Daytona Beach                                          1030

            Halifax Harbor Marina

Total day’s run 16 statute miles (14 nm), 1180 miles total.

We really like New Smyrna Beach, I do especially.  I have never had a desire to move back to Florida, but I could live here.  It seems more small town, less condo-ish, and less pretentious than most of the Florida we have seen.  

We made the short uneventful run up to Daytona Beach to Attend the Marine Trawler Owners Association (MTOA) rendezvous.  I say “uneventful” but we are now beginning to encounter significant currents again.  We spent most of the time traveling north on the Halifax River, away from Ponce Inlet during an ebb tide.  Most of the time, were only moving 5 kts or less over the bottom.  From now on, we will need to consider the tides when planning our trip.

Of all the times, I have backed Dubhe into a slip, this one should have been easy, since there was no wind or current in the marina.  There were four or five people on the dock to help, so I needed to do this right or maybe even show off a little.  I went in a little too fast so when I reversed to back in, I overshot the slip and got a little crossways on the end of the finger pier…and with such an audience. Damn! 

We have met a lot of new people, but were surprised to find that many we have already met along the way.  We have two more days of meeting and socializing before a long day run to Saint Augustine.

Tuesday and Wednesday, we attended the MOTA rendezvous and met a lot of couples about our age, doing the same thing.  Most had bigger boats and some were permanent liveaboards but we had more in common with these people than any other group I could think of.  I also learned a lot from some of the seminars, especially about insurance.  We drank and danced more on Tuesday night than we have in a very long time.  We had an opportunity to look at other boats and work on what we would like in our next boat. 

A great bunch of folks acting like they did 40+ years ago!

The MOTA is very tuned into our needs as cruisers.  Individuals with cars volunteered to provide transportation to the grocery store, which we took advantage of.  (Not everyone came by boat; many drove and many lived in the Daytona area).  I got to talking to the gentleman who was taking us to the store and when I told him we were on a Willard, he said that he knew someone in Georgetown, South Carolina years ago who had a Willard.  Mike Harris who we bought Dubhe from had purchased her from a man in Georgetown, SC in about 1996, who as it turns out is the same person that our “chauffer” knew.

Thursday, April 16, 2015

Departed Daytona Beach                                       1245

            Halifax Harbor Marina

Arrived St. Augustine mooring                              1620

Total day’s run 55 statute miles (48 nm), 1235 miles total.

Passed by a sailboat again!

Although today was the final day of the MOTA rendezvous, we departed at daylight to continue our cruise.  I left early to try to catch the tail end of the rising tide and favorable current which we did.  For the first hour or so, we ran at about 6½ kts over the bottom, but then we encountered current the other way and our speed fell to about 4.9 to 5.1 kts.  Then just before Matanzas Inlet, we picked back up to well over 7 kts and held that to Saint Augustine.  After months of little or no current, we are back, and it sure makes a difference.  From now on, departure times will be heavily influenced by tides and currents.  It was a little windy, overcast, and cool (low 70’s) because of the weak cold front that passed last night.  I didn’t mention that we had numerous thunderstorms during our stay in Daytona as a result of the front.  This was the first long travel day in a while and we enjoyed it.  We made the Saint Augustine Municipal Marina at about 2:00 pm, docked at the fuel dock, and pumped the holding tank before moving to our mooring.  The moorings here appear to be well maintained and are much less expensive than a slip.  We have stayed on Dubhe but plan to go in for showers and wifi tomorrow morning.  We like being on a mooring. 

St. Augustine mooring

Friday, April 17, 2015

Departed St. Augustine mooring                          1215

            Halifax Harbor Marina

Arrived Pine Island anchorage mm 765              1530

Total day’s run 14 statute miles (12 nm), 1249 miles total.

2 knot current (the wrong way)

This morning, we awoke fairly early and dingyed to the dock for showers and some wifi time.  We have about given up on decent wifi at marinas.  Even in the boaters lounge the connection was spotty and slow.  I managed to post to my blog from yesterday, check email, and backup my computer.  We got back to Dubhe at the mooring about 10:30 so we stayed there until about noon, then caught the 12:30 opening of the Bridge of Lions.  This was a little earlier than I had wanted to because the tide would not be low until about 2:30.  As a result, once we turned back to the north after passing the St. Augustine inlet, we had a strong current against us.  Since we did not have far to go, I did not push too hard and we only made 4 kts or less most of the way.  Ron and Marie on “Elixir” passed us a couple of miles from our anchorage.  We wish they could have stopped but Ron had to get back for work on Monday.  At our speed, we could never keep up, so we separated.  We anchored at Pine Island (mile marker 765) with two other boats, but three more came in after us.  This anchorage is remote with no houses and beginning to look like home; marsh with mud and oysters at low tide, and lots of current (but no bugs!).  So many people do not like this or do not know how to deal with the tides and current, but I love it.  It looks like a quiet night so we should rest well.  This mud makes for good holding too.  The weather today has been overcast, misty, and cool.  Rain is predicted for the next few days. We have a hydraulic leak in the ram that turns the rudder.  This has been going on for a while, but seems to be getting a little worse.  I have a cup to catch the leaking fluid under the ram, and I check the reservoir every day.

You see all kinds of things on the ICW

Friends on Elixir

Saturday, April 18, 2015

Departed Pine Island Anchorage                         0745

            Halifax Harbor Marina

Arrived Fort George River Anchorage                1245

Total day’s run 36 statute miles (31 nm), 1285 miles total.

Dingying around.  Kingsley Plantation in the background.

Restful night with little or now wind and no bugs!.  More hydraulic fluid leaking in the cup, but no noticeable difference in the reservoir level.  If the reservoir is emptied or if the seal around the ram shaft gives up completely, we could be without steering.  I will check the level several times during the day from now on. There were five other boats anchored with us.  We got an early start and enjoyed a favorable current much of the way.  We decided to go to an anchorage where we were 31 years ago, in the Fort George River near Kingsley Plantation.  The guide (Active Captain) says that the charts are wrong and to go over an area that is shown as bare.  We had a falling tide so I was somewhat apprehensive, but Google Earth on my iPhone showed that the guide was right and we made it in without a problem.  We anchored a little east of the big white house of Kingsley Plantation but the water was a little deeper than I would like; about 20 feet at high tide.  I put out about a 4:1 scope.  The current is strong.  We dingyed to the Kingsley Plantation which is very interesting…check it out online.  We also dingyed around a large sandbar area just east of our anchorage where many locals were hanging out…just as I would like to do.  About 1800 a strong thunderstorm came through with some wind and lightening but not too severe.  Tides here are very strong and about 6 feet, much like home.  Opposing wind and current, with Dubhe’s long keel, cause her to sail around the anchor and can be somewhat disconcerting. 

Dubhe in the Fort George River

Weather is always a big deal when cruising!

Sunday, April 19, 2015

Departed Fort George River Anchorage              0730

Arrived Fernandina Beach Marina                       1100

Total day’s run 20 statute miles (17 nm), 1305 miles total.

Quiet night after the thunderstorm.  Although a short run today, we started early to take advantage of favorable currents which we carried most of the way.  We decided to stop at Fernandina Beach Marina although our plan was to go on to Cumberland after taking fuel.  I needed a shower and wifi! And strong/severe thunderstorms are predicted for tonight.  After the shower, we took a walk through town and had ice cream.  I haven’t mentioned it in a while, but we are continuing to eat and drink too much, resulting in significant weight gain for both of us.  This will stop with the cruise in a couple of weeks but I expect we may binge before then!!  Hydraulic fluid is still leaking but slowly; no appreciable loss.  Tomorrow, we leave Florida and go to Cumberland Island.