November 15, 2014 Pine Island, Florida

it was hard to get going at 6:30, we both are still tired, but we have to make a 45 nm trip to the next anchorage, at Pine Island, our first bridge was Sister's Creek, (not this bridge), it opens on demand, and the operator apologized to us that we had to wait for a few minutes before he could open, it was because he was so busy this morning the the metal was too hot …

we kind of liked the looks of this boat

we are now seeing white pelicans

security is keeping us away from this warship that is being built

and the homes keep on getting bigger and bigger

a live-aboard boat

double decker boat house

we had the currant with us all day … and we left at 6:30 am, the boats that left at a more reasonable time, 2 hours after us, unfortunately had to wait for another 5 hours to cross the sandbars … so I guess we made the right decision to leave at the break of dawn

November 13, 2014 ocean passage to Fernandina, Florida

passing under the J.E. McTEER Memorial Hwy Bridge

along this part of the ICW, we were having trouble finding the next green marker, now we know why

the weather was starting to change and if we wanted to put on the miles, we needed to do a jump out on the ocean, it was either tonight or do the 200 nm in Georgia State on the ICW… Snowbird and Modaki decided to go … everything was good at the beginning of the evening, wind was from the west, off shore, and the seas only about 2 - 3 ft.  well things can change in the night … the wind was 15, gusting to 20, and an ocean swell hit the port side and the wind the STB side, therefore a bumpy, lumpy night 

we were never in danger but it was not as smooth as we wanted …. and one of us was sea sick, and it was not Joe

this picture is the sun rising, in Florida

I'm not too sure why I'm smiling …. maybe because we are only 4 hours away from our anchorage

22 hours … 128 nm    at mile 717 on the ICW …. we have travelled 2,200 nm since July 21, 2014

a shrimp boat chasing us to port

Snowbird, following us

Fernandina Beach, Florida is a pulp mill town .. the wind was blowing away from us

November 11 and 12, 2014 … Beaufort, South Carolina

we had to wait until 8am to set sail, the tide had to be 1/2 way up to pass through the 2nd section of Ashepee Coosaw Cutoff, and we  hugged the STD, or red markers  all the way thru… we rushed to get to the next bridge opening at Lady's Island Bridge, 11:00 came and went and then the operator said there was too much vehicle traffic to open …. around and around we circled again

finally at noon we had the anchor down. and ready to explore

the first place is usually an

 information centre, Beaufort's is in this beautiful Arsenal

information centre

it would of been great to be here on a Sunday to attend this church 

we did a quick walk about and here are some pictures of the Spanish moss on the oaks

Beaufort is a living landmark. Birthed 450 years ago, when French explorer Jean Ribaut sailed into Port Royal sound, the second-deepest natural harbour on the East Coast.

Andy from Jacobs Ladder, once again arranged for some Canadian sailors to get together at Luther's, it was 1/2 price burgers and beer … where can you have your fill and the bill with the tip is $24

the dinghy dock, Joe is waiting on me to get our water jugs filled … this is also the only place that we have been bothered with bugs … the no-see-umms were awful 

we have decided to deflate the dinghy and store it on the deck … I think an ocean passage is coming up

these is some more of the moss-strewn oaks

it was here in Beaufort, S.C. that our Joint Visa cards refused to work …. it turned out that we had been SCAMMED … so we cut up our cards and are having new ones shipped to our Owen Sound address, and we will get them at Christmas …. in the mean time we are using our personal Visa cards … note to self, always have Plan B

November 10, 2014 Rock Creek Mile 516.1

this bridge Wappoo Creek Bridge, does not open until 9am every morning … so we had to miss about 2.5 hours of tide with us .. it is only 1/2 mile from our anchorage .. when about 10 other boats and us arrived the currant was about 3 knots and everyone circled and backed up and did what ever they had to do, to not get too close to the bridge

lots of military aircraft circling over head

we are passing thru an area that is very run down, a floating dock is missing here

this guy slowed once he saw we were taking his picture, but it was one of the worst wakes we have had so far, everything flew down below … for the next 3/4 hour we heard boaters telling this powerboat to slow down .. he did not

8.25 hours and 41 nm   …. 1 lift bridge and 2 fixed  … and for the last 2 hours we had the currant against us, but with the foresail out and the wind to the beam we managed to do 4.5 knots …. the wind blew all night, and with the wind generator going it kept our battery bank full

we are in the middle of the swamp again, and this is what I have to do sometimes to get 3G, on our i-pad … sit outside at the mast  … note anchor light on above me … off to Beaufort, S.C.

November 8 and 9, part two

history of the City Market

we walked on this beautiful day into the older part of the city

this church has a 1700 - 1800 grave yard, on one side of the road and the other, but we found out later that the road was built over the rest of the graves and they were not removed … that would not happen now

stone roads

you could tour this home

we all loved this lane

Dave, Janine and Joe snooping into someone's back yard, lol

vines covering the stone walls

and what was this lane called

a great name for sailors to happen across

a park walk way

pineapple fountain, warning sign said " No lifeguard on duty, wade in the water at your own risk"

the submarine

since we anchored out, you had to pay for the dinghy dock, it was $5 a day, and free place for garbage

you could spend weeks in  Charleston, it is full of history and was a very friendly city, but it is time for us to move on again