East Coast Southbound

[Steve]

I havent been on the site much lately, In July I sold my Camano and recently recently bought a 2003 Monk 36 trawler in Annapolis. My wife and I have been bringing her home down the Chesapeake and AICWW we are tied up in Beaufort, NC now, cold and 20 -25k winds today. We did have a couple of rough days on the lower Chesapeake before entering the AICWW at Norfolk. We had heard horror stories of transversing the Albermale and Pamlico sounds but fortunately neither was in a bad mood when we crossed, same for the Neuse River which is more like a*big bay*than a river.
There*are*some beautiful cruising areas up here, including the Dismal Swamp Canal which is*very pretty in spite of its name.*But I would have enjoyed it all more a couple of months ago as it has been pretty darned cold most of the time.
My wife flies home tomorrow, I'll*head*South*Tuesday morning with my brother in law and probably park the boat, "Grania", in Charleston and head home till after the Holidays when*my wife and I will*continue the trip.
*I was looking at some of the tide charts for the SC and GA coasts 6-7 foot tides in some places! That will be a new experience, all my life has been spent in areas where a 2 foot tide was big!
** Grania has been running fine so far.
Steve Willett
Thibodaux, Louisiana

 

[Steve]

Vinny,
The broker was Frank Gary of Walzack Yacht Sales
It was located at West River about 20 Miles south of Annapolis. She is a 2003 Walzack also has a 2007 or '08 available.
Steve

 

[Steve]

RE: East Coast Southbound continued

After Christmas my wife and I drove to Charleston to resume the trip South on our Monk 36. The day before we left home the USCG documentation papers arrived, I had requested a name change from Grania to GUMBO. We did a short name change ceremony at the docks prior to leaving Charleston on Dec. 30.* We*spent that night in Beaufort SC and Thunderbolt Marine for new Years Eve we were able to see fireworks in the distance at midnight. Tonight we are anchored at Walberg Creek near mile 620 AICW, a nice spot, in 15*to 21 feet of water depending on the tide. I hope I got the scope right, water really rushes through here. Tomorrow we are headed to Brunswick GA probably to spend a*shopping day there before heading*South again.
I was surprised to see two towboats, no barges, on the AICW today I believe the first we've seen outside of a*harbor in the last 600 miles. Quite a difference from the Gulf Intracoastal WW where there is one around every bend.
Happy and prosperous 2009 filled with good boating to all!
Steve Willett
Monk 36, Gumbo
Thibodaux, Louisiana

 

[Steve]

Our trip continues, we made it down the East Coast without problem at Stuart crossed Florida via the Okeechobee Waterway. We spent a night at the COE park near St Lucie Lock Another night in Clewiston to visit friends there and one night at the dock of fellow forum member "FF" Fred a great spot on a beautiful canal just off of the waterway, we enjoyed meeting and talking boats with Fred and his Mrs, along with a couple of other dock mates who were on their way to the Keys.
We continued on to FT Myers where we spent a few extra days waiting for a couple of fronts to pass. Tonight we are anchored near Boca Grande it is supposed to get down to 36* tonight but warm up to the 70s in the next day or so. The plan is to stop in Sarasota and Tierra Verde Is. to visit friends then Tarpon Springs before crossing the Gulf to Carabelle on the panhandle of Florida.
THANKS again Fred! We enjoyed the company and use of the dock.
Steve