Heading South Pt. II

Well, we're finally casting off tomorrow.

Took on 450 gals diesel yesterday.

The Keys and then Bahamas. Seven months.

First stop, Minim Creek.

29 degrees tonight.
Time to go. KJ

Safe trip! Hopefully see you in the Bahamas in the New year.

Nice! We might be in the Exumas over Xmas break!

KJ said:

............. First stop, Minim Creek.

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We've stopped there a few times. It's a good quiet anchorage.

Have a good trip and don't freeze before you get south.

If you stop in Miami, come by my store and say hello. my guys make the best Cuban coffee in town.

Please keep us up to date on your adventure

Hi ken I am in the frozen north for work so I don't think I will get to see you this trip

Greetings,
Mr. KJ. If this morning is any indication, ALL 50 states reported below freezing temperatures last night. Forecast LOW for Nassau tonight is 73*F. Enjoy yourselves you rotten bast......Ooops, sorry, I panicked.

It's freezing, I want my sun back!

Me too, it's 46 degrees here this morning... I wonder if it's safe to step outside?

Perhaps I'll wait until after lunch when it's supposed to be in the mid 60's, a far more civilized temperature.

28 here now but 49 at the boat both to cold

maybe next year I can go to the islands

Are you up in my neck of the woods now visiting?

Rogerh

no just north of Tallahassee Florida in Thomasville, Georgia

back to Sarasota next week we think

I will sure let you know when we visit my little sister right around the corner form you

The Miami Chamber of Commerce asked me to announce that while we're in the 60's now, we'll be back in the 80's for the weekend.

Gee, I thought Miami NEVER admitted to temps under 70 or over 90!

Donsan said:

Gee, I thought Miami NEVER admitted to temps under 70 or over 90!

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It's horibble!!

So much for global warming....

KJ safe passage!

"Gee, I thought Miami NEVER admitted to temps under 70 or over 90! "


You're right, I received a nasty note from the Chamber for that one. However the high today is predicted to be 70.


Don't worry Oliver, this horror will end soon. You can go back to your proper attire of shorts and flip flops tomorrow. I spoke to Rocna Gary yesterday. He says hello. He's headed to Seattle, the poor bastard.

I was shocked yesterday afternoon when I looked up and realized it was warmer here in San Francisco than at home in Fort Lauderdale. Good thing we aren't home as we'd be protesting loudly.

Quite an interesting trip so far. Here’s some notes from the log.

Day 1 - N Myrtle Beach to Awendaw Creek (just south of McClenville) 85 mi.
Sunny, chilly but pleasant. Anchored

Day 2 to Rock Creek (south of Charleston) 80 mi.
Red sky in the morning = Cold, rainy, all day
A sailboat (Canadian) grounded at the exit from the Ashepoo-Coosaw Cutoff
Pea soup fog an hour after we anchored
Dolphins playing around the boat after dark

Day 3 to Beaufort (SC) 23 miles
Made it in to the Downtown Marina just before the **** hit the fan.
First a warm storm front with 30+ gusts and driving rain (transiting Brickyard Creek)
Followed by a hard freeze freight train from the north.
Had to shoehorn the boat into her space at the dock - 46ft boat into a 50ft space with a wicked crosswind = major pucker factor (thank God for twins).
27 degrees

Day 4 Lay day in Beaufort, very nice town
Colder than a well digger’s ass

Day 5 to Vernon River, Georgia (south of Savannah) 65miles
Sunny, clear, still freezing. Driving from lower helm with the heat on
Warmer in the evening. Pleasant anchorage

Day 6 Walley’s Leg, Ga. 65 miles
Sunny, below freezing in the morning, 64 deg by the time we anchored
Good run through Hell Gate and Florida Passage, both at high water.
Lots of skinny water in other places though ((Little Mud River)
Walley’s Leg -- just a creek off the ICW - Nice anchorage -- eight foot tide
Gazllion stars
On to Cumberland Island tomorrow – will anchor there for 3-4 days

Then on to Jacksonville and St. Augustine for Thanksgiving.

That’s it for now.

HopCar - I will hold you personally responsible if it isn’t 80 degrees in Miami when we get there.
Michael - Hope to catch on the way back. Stay warm up there. KJ

Sunrise Awendaw Creek


The Big Squeeze


Beaufort Sunset, between storms - Arctic Express coming in.


St. Catherine's Sound in the morning - 34 degrees brrrr!

Looks like a good day tomorrow to cross St. Andrews Sound. Winds 10mph out of NE. Much higher than that and it can get pretty dicey through there. Be careful and enjoy the ride.

KJ said:

Well, we're finally casting off tomorrow.

Took on 450 gals diesel yesterday.

The Keys and then Bahamas. Seven months.

First stop, Minim Creek.

29 degrees tonight.
Time to go. KJ

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You must be flying. You cruised right on by there. What is your cruising speed?

"HopCar - I will hold you personally responsible if it isn’t 80 degrees in Miami when we get there."


Will you settle for nice comfortable mid seventies?

KJ said:

On to Cumberland Island tomorrow – will anchor there for 3-4 days

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We loved Cumberland Island. Be sure to go ashore and see the wild horses on the island and on the beach. We had a manatee (our first sighting) follow us from the park dock to the boat.

We also saw a submarine heading for the ocean from Kings Bay

Ron, If you run into another friendly manatee, turn a hose on and let fresh water run into the water near him. They will often drink fresh water from the hose. There was one over at the Tween Waters Inn on Captiva that would hold the end of the hose with his flippers while he drank.

HopCar said:

Ron, If you run into another friendly manatee, turn a hose on and let fresh water run into the water near him. They will often drink fresh water from the hose. There was one over at the Tween Waters Inn on Captiva that would hold the end of the hose with his flippers while he drank.

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That would be neat to see. On the return trip from FL, we stopped at Fenandina Beach marina. On the day we were leaving three manatees were in the marina eating growth off the docks. My wife insisted we stay and watch for an hour or so. She reached down and touched one.

Be aware that offering a fresh water hose to a manatee may be considered harassment under the Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act of 1978 by the FWC (Florida Fish & Wildlife officers.) Best to just observe these gentle critters.


If you really want to see and experience manatees up close, take a trip to the Plantation Inn at Crystal River, Florida . They offer amazing manatee experience tours - or better yet, rent a pontoon boat, snorkel gear, and a wet suit from them and go experience the manatees for yourself. If you pick a really cold week, there will be literally hundreds of manatees in Kings Bay and in the crystal clear spring run at Three Sisters Spring.

Took these pics about three years ago at Three Sisters Springs...

Kraftee

yes CR is by the best place in the US to visit with the manatees

I think first time best on one of the smaller tours

then the next time on a rental

it is amazing but bring a wet suit

kraftee said:

Be aware that offering a fresh water hose to a manatee may be considered harassment under the Florida Manatee Sanctuary Act of 1978 by the FWC (Florida Fish & Wildlife officers.) Best to just observe these gentle critters.


If you really want to see and experience manatees up close, take a trip to the Plantation Inn at Crystal River, Florida . They offer amazing manatee experience tours - or better yet, rent a pontoon boat, snorkel gear, and a wet suit from them and go experience the manatees for yourself. If you pick a really cold week, there will be literally hundreds of manatees in Kings Bay and in the crystal clear spring run at Three Sisters Spring.

Took these pics about three years ago at Three Sisters Springs...

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Florida springs are typically 72 degrees all year long. When the air gets cold and river water surface temps start cooling, manatees will seek out the warmer water in the springs or other locations such as power plant water exhausts. Springs along the St. Johns river are normally full of manatees in the winter. Blue Springs near Deltona is a very popular site for manatee viewing.

We really haven’t been flying at all. In fact, we’ve only been averaging about 7kts, but we’ve had relatively calm waters, favorable tides/currents and 9 hour days, which is not a big deal since Otto does most of the driving on the sounds. Even St. Andrew’s was easy-peasy today.

Got into Cumberland Is. and dropped the hook around 1330 off Sea Camp dock. Finally somewhat warm. Lots of sailboats came in this afternoon and one other trawler.
I really enjoyed the “wild” horses last time here. Pretty little filly and mom. Very cool place.

Saw a sub coming in to King’s Bay last time here also.

Supposed to get stormy again this weekend. My crew person bought a bottle of Macallan while in Beaufort.
Time to get introspective. KJ

ps HopCar—78 would be fine.