Bringing the Sea Star home from FL to LA

So since we had some time the last couple of days, we went on a Saganaki tour.
We tried Dimitri’s, Yianni’s, mama’s, Mykonos, and Costa’s.
Dimitris wins hands down.

QUOTE=Star0210;645524]It wasn’t lack of water...we had enough water under us. ]

I almost hate to do this.....no you didn't.....

Sorry. I do enjoy reading about your travels and adventures but I think this may be something to be mindful of in the future.

Tides, navigation in general is important and of oft underestimated consequence.

MRRiley said:

QUOTE=Star0210;645524]It wasn’t lack of water...we had enough water under us. ]

I almost hate to do this.....no you didn't.....

Sorry. I do enjoy reading about your travels and adventures but I think this may be something to be mindful of in the future.

Tides, navigation in general is important and of oft underestimated consequence.

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Let me rephrase....absent any unknown obstruction in our path, we had enough water to get out of there safely.

One bright spot in all of this, we are getting some of the work done here which is sooner and therefore better.
The hatch arms...struts or something....I don’t know what you call them, the things that keep hatches open when you open them, are almost all broken. They will all be replaced this week.
The swim ladder hatch on the swim platform needs some fiberglass repair...that will be done.
And my favorite part and the thing that will make me the most happy. We met with a detailer today who will detail, buff, wax, compound....whatever it needs top to bottom for a much better price than we can get at home.
I think there are a few other things, but those are the main ones.
Looking at our calendar, it’s looking like the soonest we can come back will be the 29th unless David can shift some work things around earlier in the week. And when we come will depend mostly on weather.

Sounds good. What are you having for dinner tonight?

Oh I never told my story about almost running the boat aground.

So we knew that when we got to turtle cove we were going to be pulling in bow first and tying up on port side. So David reluctantly let me drive so he could go down and get lines and fenders ready. He told me to keep it between the markers and told me to follow the line on the GPS. Ok no problem.
So there’s a green, there’s a red, there a green, there’s a red. Now i have to make this little turn....the GPS shows it so I make the turn. Up ahead there’s a green. I’m thinking that’s MY green that I’m supposed to be staying to the right of so I’m heading that way. Well, the GPS shows I’m going off course. At this point, I don’t know what to do...follow the GPS or stay between the markers!?! I’m also keeping my eye on the depth and it’s getting pretty shallow. About the time I yell for David, the low water alarm starts going off. David runs up, slows the boat down to nothing and gets us back on course. Apparently, THAT green wasn’t MY green that I was supposed to be following.

In hindsight, I realized it happened pretty quickly and I panicked. Thankfully, we didn’t run aground somehow. I thought after of the things I should have saw, noticed, and done.

Pretty rookie thing for a rookie to do, eh?

Fletcher500 said:

Sounds good. What are you having for dinner tonight?

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After saganaki at 3 different restaurants today, along with a pork Shish Ke bob, two Greek salads, and charbroiled octopus, we are STUFFED to the gills.

Star0210 said:

Oh I never told my story about almost running the boat aground.

Pretty rookie thing for a rookie to do, eh?

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You'll get there Star.

One of the things I'll never forget from learning to sail with a good friend was paraphrased as "...it's amazing at 6 knots, when everything is going well and you're having the time of your life how quickly ALL HELL CAN BREAK LOOSE!"...

In our case, on our "tender" San Juan 23 it's amazing how often that happened.

Greetings,
Ms. S. In spite of your misfortune, It's ALL good. A word about following the "line" on the GPS. If, the "line" is magenta, it is not necessarily the course. It's ONLY a suggestion IMO. The same thing holds true with the markers. Channels can shift and markers can move. Generally markers are maintained to a level that they are quite trustworthy but...

When traversing unknown waters, a slow speed and the depth finder can be your best friends.

East coast, ICW, red on the right unless it is a private channel. Then red on the left, supposedly.
Watch your depth sounder.
Alas, the depth sounded is usually in the engine room and will confirm, you have run aground, unless you are smart and mount a depth sounder way forward on the hull. I am not smart.
I am not smart. I have 2 depth sounders. One in the engine room and one in the tank room aft of the engine room

Hmmmmm..... at least in the US.....

Always best to learn if the numders are increasing, red on the right. Then no matter which way you are going, it doesnt matter.

Never saw a US private channel marked differently.

Folks, regarding the AICW.

The rule is Red Right Returning, which is easy when coming in through an inlet.

However, once in the AICW, you aren't "returning."

So the rule is that southbound has been classified as "returning." Therefore the red markers are on your starboard going south and to your port going north.

I prefer to advise people that he red markers will usually be to your west (I say usually because with bends they can be more to your south!

Now here is the tricky part. South is defined as all the way to Brownsville TX. So that means when you start up the west coast of Florida the reds are still on your right, meaning they are to the east with the greens to the west!

Stay safe out there!

Red right around America.
Private channels, I kept running aground until I put the red on the left, in a private channel

I knew which side the markers were supposed to be on. That was the first lesson David taught me. The problem was the green I was looking at wasn’t MY green...it was apparently a green for a cross channel or something. The green I should have been looking at was further in the distance and off to my nw a little. I didn’t even see it until David came up and pointed it out to me. So basically when I made that little curve I spotted that green and ASSUMED it was the one I was supposed to be following. That was my first mistake.

Star0210 said:

I knew which side the markers were supposed to be on. That was the first lesson David taught me. The problem was the green I was looking at wasn’t MY green...it was apparently a green for a cross channel or something. The green I should have been looking at was further in the distance and off to my nw a little. I didn’t even see it until David came up and pointed it out to me. So basically when I made that little curve I spotted that green and ASSUMED it was the one I was supposed to be following. That was my first mistake.

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When in doubt, slow or stop. Remember, neutral is a gear, use it. TEASE

You will do fine.

Hang on. We’re about to really go aground.

OldDan1943 said:

When in doubt, slow or stop. Remember, neutral is a gear, use it. TEASE

You will do fine.

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Pretty much exactly what hubby told me.

High Wire said:

Hang on. We’re about to really go aground.

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no wonder newbies get confused with all the home made rules....

Star0210 said:

Pretty much exactly what hubby told me.

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Nawww, he said, "Even though you ran us aground and broke the boat, I still love you."

I have one red and one green soda bottle cap on my helm. I move them accordingly as I am going upriver or down river. It helps me or the "relief captain" stay focused.

jleonard said:

I have one red and one green soda bottle cap on my helm. I move them accordingly as I am going upriver or down river. It helps me or the "relief captain" stay focused.

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That’s very smart!

I know Jay, but for many following incomplete or hard to follow rules doesnt guarantee the colors are on the correct sides...

Just this thread alone is scary....

jleonard said:

I have one red and one green soda bottle cap on my helm. I move them accordingly as I am going upriver or down river. It helps me or the "relief captain" stay focused.

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Perfect!!!

and I do like your analog instrumentation.

Put a piece of tape at the normal or expected temp/pressure and you can tell at a glance what may be happening.

Well, this wouldn't have helped in Star's situation, but sort of on-topic, this is one of the most important pieces of navigational gear on OLOH. Sometimes a quick glance for a reminder can avoid a moment of confusion (as long as you orient it correctly to begin with!).



Star - we've been enjoying your adventure and are sorry for your troubles. But with the benefits you're now able to enjoy (nothing quite so satisfying as a good detailing at a fair price) perhaps it can now be considered a "happy accident."

jleonard said:

I have one red and one green soda bottle cap on my helm. I move them accordingly as I am going upriver or down river. It helps me or the "relief captain" stay focused.

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Let's see.

Was that photo taken while running south on the Gulf ICW?

Star0210 said:

After saganaki at 3 different restaurants today, along with a pork Shish Ke bob, two Greek salads, and charbroiled octopus, we are STUFFED to the gills.

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Wow. What’s on the menu for this evening?

Fletcher500 said:

Wow. What’s on the menu for this evening?

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This evening we fly home. Unfortunately, we won’t get home in time to pick up any crawfish but that’s what I’m having tomorrow.
Crawfish season is my favorite time of the year. Well, it’s a toss up between crawfish season and football season.

jleonard said:

I have one red and one green soda bottle cap on my helm. I move them accordingly as I am going upriver or down river. It helps me or the "relief captain" stay focused.

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I like it!

Star0210 said:

Let me rephrase....absent any unknown obstruction in our path, we had enough water to get out of there safely.

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Before the mooring field at Marina Jacks, there were tons of privately moored boats there. You may have just found one of the old mooring blocks that got missed when they were putting in the new screw moorings.