Sailing south. . .slowly!

[Ed Schenck]

Ladylove is underway!! Neuse to Morehead City on Thursday. Out the Beafort Inlet into the Atlantic today(Friday). Great sailing on the Neuse and part way down the ICW, mostly over 7.5 SOG. Sunny but cool.

Then with a forecast of W turning to NW we decided to try two days on open water even though it was cold, probably 30 with the wind chill. Well crap happens as in one crew member getting seasick, loosing the working jib sheet(not my bowline), colder than hades, a wind shift, and a new forecast.

Checked the charts and guides and they say not to use the New River Inlet. But wait, the next one is after dark! We radio for "local knowledge" and the captain of a dredge boat says come on in, "no problem mon, just follow the marks". You should have seen the surf breaking through that inlet. But we are here at Swan Point Marina with electric so the furnace is working and all is good. Well except for a boat covered with salt.

We tracked it with SPOT, password is Ladylove.
https://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=1Jshsa2j17bNHzjuNkeS4yqrJZnkjxHfu

The forecast for winds from SW at 20-30 will keep us in the ICW until Monday morning. We should be able to go out at Cape Fear for a couple of days. Back to you on the other end.

 

[Stephen K]

Ed, thanks for the update and glad you could make entry at that inlet. I would have been "puckered up" seeing breaking waves close by. Hope your crew can find their sea legs and that the weather improves. Keep us posted as to your progress.

 

[Franklin]

great to see somebody using spot. I got it but I haven't figured out how to do the shared page yet. Will need it come May or June.

So where ya going Ed? When you coming back?

 

[seadaddler]

Seasick

Good luck ed it's pretty cool down here in Florida and hope you packed your winter clothes like I did when we left NY for Florida in Oct.
We left Greenport,LI and two hours out in pretty ruff weather and two my crew were so sick I could not believe they have done this many times before and me my very first time off shore and not believe I was fine,we had to stop in Montauk after only four hours and wait until next day.
I am still cleaning and polishing off all the salt.
I will be checking you on spot,we are cooling down here in Florida for the next week so stay dry and warm,make plenty soup and coffee in thermos for the trip.
Nick

 

[Ed Schenck]

Rough day on the ICW.

Sorry to disappoint but it has just been too darn cold to be outside. Today, Sunday, was a rough one. After 65 miles down to Southport including the Cape Fear river on Saturday we only made 35 today including three groundings!! We were between the marks every time. I only draw 4'6" and tried to get through Shallotte Inlet twice. We waited three hours for higher tide and finally made it. There is about fifty feet between the green and red. A cruiser stuck there for awhile and finally floated off. Then an hour wait for a pontoon bridge at Sunset Beach. It was dark when we pulled into the Myrtle Beach YC. We have shelved our anchoring plans because of the cold. We have yet to test the alcohol heater so are relying on shorepower to use the Reverse Cycle A/C which is great. To add to the problems today was a SW wind gusting to 30, right in our face. We saw whitecaps on the ICW most of the day. Consequently I think I am on my third glass of Chardonnay.

The forecast is great for winds but terrible for temps. I am reluctant to take a green crew offshore if it will be in the 20's on the night watch. So I think we will be in the ditch for awhile. More later.

 

[Buck420]

Go For It, Ed !

Glad to hear that you all are braving the cold and wind. I know your pain!
Posted a new avitar (L'Attitude in Compass Cay, Exumas last Feb). The old one was TOO cold, we all need to warm up!!. :cry:
How much would you give for a nice full enclosure right about now??
You will find the Waccamaic River from Myrtle Beach down to Georgetown to be nice.
I've been in and out of Winyah Bay Inlet a few times. It's a good, well marked inlet if you want to go out tomorrow and go offshore down to Charleston (~45m) or further (N. Fla is only about 24hr offshore from Winyah Bay and will save you LOTS of additional hassels that you will have if you stay inside). If you go out the inlet, try to ride the current out ... it can run 2+ kts at max ebb or flood. And, be careful of the semi-submerged rock breakwater on the S side that extends way out.
Looks like the winds will be NE/E tomorrow and Wed. If you stay within a few miles of shore, the seas shouldn't be too bad. You will have many good "bailout" inlets if you decide you don't want to stay out all the way to Jax or St Augustine. (Fernandina being the best).
Good luck.. stay warm ... South Fla is not far:dance:

 

[Bad Obsession]

I have to say that I am following your post. It is very interesting and I hope to make the trip south someday for the winter I can't wait for spring here because I am going through serious withdraws! Good luck and keep us updated!

 

[seadaddler]

Warm Weather Ahead

Wow this weather is some thing else lately,your weather is colder than when I came down in Oct,we all had long john's and many layers under our foully's until we hit warmer weather.
But it's warming up here in Florida into 70's during the day,we were ,I was out in shorts sailing yesterday in Charlotte Harbor so hang in there warmer weather is
coming soon.
Maybe this will warm every one up.

 

[Nereussailor]

Definitely skip the ICW in Georgia, I don't think that they have funding for dredging anymore. Go right to St Augustine from Charleston. It's a great trip down, if you have decent weather. When we came down a little over a year ago, we hit a couple of stretches out in the ocean with winds 25+ on the nose for three days straight. It wasn't fun. We took a couple of good poundings but it was all good in the end. If you get into the Ft Pierce or Stuart inlet in FL, PM me, I'll meet you for a drink and a sailing tale swap.
Dave

 

[Steve Kamp]

Ed, take your time and enjoy the ditch. You will encounter many things that are unique to the "Old South". With your draft you should not have major problems; take the notoriously shallow stretches on a rising tide and enjoy the scenery. By all means checkout Georgetown, McClellanville, Charleston and Beaufort. Once below Thunderbolt you should warm up enough to anchor out in the Georgia marshes. There are many (such as on the Frederica River tucked up against Jekyl Island or further south tucked in at Cumberland Island). Fernandina Beach has a nice marina with easy walking access to the town- nice resturants. When you get to St Augustine take a side trip up the San Sebastion River. Tied to a slip on the west bank last year was "Hunter's Child".
Sorry we missed seeing you when you were slipped at Matthews Creek. We slip Carolina at Bridge Point in New Bern, but I have been stuck onshore at home in South Carolina recouping from surgery.
Smooth seas wether your outside or in the ditch
Steve Kamp,
Carolina, H-38

 

[Buck420]

Go ED !

As I post this at ~ 10:00 Wed AM, it appears from your "SPOT" data, that you are off Savannah, having gone offshore out of Winyah Bay inlet yesterday.
Hope you all are having a good run, anxious to hear how it went.

 

[Buck420]

Congratulations, Ed

I see from "Spot" that you've made it to St Augustine (as of Fri AM.)
Welcome to sunny Fla.
I'm guessing that you're going to stay inside (it's MUCH more comfortable, & almost just as fast). There's a pretty shallow area south of St Augustine (a mile or so before you get to the old "Marineland"). Be careful or you'll go aground.
After that, you're good down to Ponce. Ponce used to be badly shoaled, but a crusing friend tells me that they just finished dredging it, so you should be "home free"... call Ponce Sea Tow to varify:dance:
If you get down to the Keys by next weekend, I'll buy you a beer

 

[ggrizzard]

Hi Neighbor!

Ahoy Ed!
You and your crew are docked just across from my dock!
It's 12:50 AM, so I don't think I'll stop by tonight and, looking at your pace, you'll probably be underway before my morning coffee drips. 'Til next time when you have time to stop, fair winds and following seas, 'cause a few of us are following you daily. :dance:

 

[seadaddler]

ED

I see you have made it to warmer weather but not very good out off shore with these high winds,good thing for the ICW.
I am wondering if the Okeechobee is an option for you.
Nick