The New River-Fort Lauderdale, Florida

We had a nice trip down the Florida coastline yesterday. The seas were rather large but spread out enough so they didn't affect the ride too much. We saw hundreds of small, medium and large boats engaged in fishing and scuba diving along the way.

New Aero-Aquatic Travel Option

We approached the inlet at Port Everglades just at noon and passed through into the harbor. After refueling we made our way up to the New River. There were hundreds of boats in here too! Evidently it was the day for the parade of lights contest and show. There were boats of all kinds decorated with Xmas lights etc and corporate logos. One even had an airplane mounted on a barge. Kelly will post some of her pictures I'm sure.

Here Comes Santa Claus

As we moved upstream the waterway became quite narrow (about 100 feet at most) with all kinds of waterfront development. At the same time small push boats were maneuvering a gigantic sailboat of at least 75 feet upriver because apparently it was too large to motor under its own power. There was a large three decked tour boat of about the same length and at least 30' in the beam being pushed upstream too. All this plus dozens of smaller vessels of various sizes were darting in and out of the line of northbound boats. The whole process took us about an hour or so to go less than two miles. We passed through several bascule bridges and finally arrived at our slip.

Sailboat Getting a Helping Hand

Captain John was at the slip as promised to help us with lines etc and Susan the property owner was there as well. TOYS was finally at her home for the winter after over a thousand miles and ten days underway. All in all it was a great trip and captain & crew enjoyed the experience.

One Size Fits All

I will be publishing a new blog to chronicle Toys adventures when her owner and guests take trips aboard this great boat.

Captain David

Joyous Moments!

Day Ten-Saturday Dec 11-Last Leg to FLL

It's a great morning!  We are experiencing some real "Florida" weather.  The temperature is in the 60s and clear skies overhead.   It is supposed to get to the high 70s by noon.   We plan to exit the ditch at the St Lucie inlet and motor down to Ft Lauderdale on the outside.   It is about 80 miles to the entrance to the harbor there and maybe another five miles or so up the New River to the slip.   We will stop along the way and top off the fuel tanks and pump out.   I need to get in touch with Captain John Yeager this am to make arrangements to meet him later today and discuss a few ideas and get a list of competent vendors to do maintenance on Toys when needed.  He is a charter captain and lives in the area.  

More to follow later on.

Capt David

Scenes from St. Augustine

Sites of Old Town St. A.

Ponce de Leon hotel - now Flagler College

Cobblestone Side Street

Another Day, Another Bridge!

Dressed for the Holidays

Our Fave Polish-Greek Cafe

Tile Mosaic Bus Stop

Day Nine-Friday Dec 10

 Friday Evening....
We arrived in Stuart this afternoon about 4:00.   Today's run down the "ditch" was really enjoyable.   There were only one or two bridges to deal with and not many areas with restricted speeds.   The sun was warm and temps got up to the 70s.  We were able to clean of isinglass bridge windows while underway. They get coated with salt etc  making it difficult to see nav aids and other boats.   We covered about 120 miles in great conditions. Toys has performed well the whole trip and today was no exception.  Great boat! Kelly Jo made a video of several dolphins playing in our bow wave.   She will try and post the video on the blog tomorrow for all to see. 

Tonight we went to Mario's (a local family style Italian restaurant) with Beth's sister and her family.   Great food and great company.  Everyone came back carrying a box of leftovers...so much food!

Tomorrow morning we will exit the "ditch" at the St Lucie inlet and make our final leg to Fort Lauderdale and Toy's winter home.   With any luck we should be there by early afternoon.   Gloria has generously arranged to provide a car for us to use while at the slip.   THANKS GLORIA!!!  Once we get the boat tied up and secure we need to start a complete cleaning process so the boat will be in tip top condition for next weekend. 

I hear it snowed up in Maryland today.......

Captain David





We looked closely at the conditions out in the Atlantic this morning and have decided to run inside for a least a few hours.   The winds are still in the 20's and the waves are in the six foot range.   This would not be a comfortable ride.   Overall this weather pattern has added two or three days to our schedule.  Running inside the "ditch" is slow going but safer for boat and crew.  We are now at mile marker 875.  Fort Lauderdale is at 1065 just a little less than 200 miles away now.  We will probably stop one more time in the West Palm area before making it to our final destination in the New River on Sunday.

So this morning we will wash off the soot that blew down from the forest fire yesterday evening.   Take our time getting out to the first bridge (NASA Highway Bridge) which does not open until 8:00am.  Then continue south and monitor conditions on the outside for an opportunity to duck out and make better time.   We still plan to be in Stuart tonight at the Loggerhead Marina.

Day Eight-Continued-Titusville, Fla

The boat is in Titusville, Fla tonight at a small marina called Kennedy Point Marina.   Snug fit for sure.   We did have a small mishap when entering the slip.   We have been running with the outriggers in the lowered position for transiting the bridges and one of the small lines attached to the top blew over the outboard pile (25 kts of crosswind) and bent the top 5'of the outrigger.   I'm sure it can be repaired but I am distressed that it happened on my watch.   The boat itself is fine.  I will post a snapshot of the condition so Gloria will understand what is involved.

Outrigger that Caught on Out-most Piling

Back about 10 miles or so there was a huge forest fire burning away. Smoke was pluming up about 1000 feet at least.  There we helicopters over flying the area evidently dropping water onto the flames.   We are downwind of the fire and the soot and smoke is making its way down to us with the help of strong winds.  We will have to give the boat a good rinse before we leave in the morning in order to keep from tracking the soot into the interior of the boat.

It was a good decision to stay inside today as the winds were up to 25kts with gusts to 30kts.   Must have been really serious out in the Atlantic.  Nevertheless we covered about 120 miles which is good progress given all the bridges and slow traffic to pass.

Tomorrow the winds will be out of the northeast early blowing pretty hard.   I believe we will start out inside the "ditch".   As we pass the inlets we can can peek out and see if it is passable later in the day.   We will be in Stuart tomorrow at the Loggerhead Marina of Stuart.   Hopefully we will get to have a brief visit with family then.

---
Although we can make much head way offshore and it's much less tedious than cruising down the ditch, I enjoy the scenery along the way in the ditch. I find it quite the learning experience traveling inland. First of all, I didn't realize how many people live along the ICW and how boating is not just a recreational activity for some but for many. Commercial traffic is also heavy. I grew up in the wild waters of Prince William Sound, Alaska. It never occurred to me that there was an inland nautical scene. Secondly, traveling through the ICW is a great learning experience. I desire to get my captain's license and traveling these waters can be pretty intense. Who knew? I thought, oh easy...but there are many things to constantly pay attention to such as dramatic depth variations, other vessels, navigation aids, bridges, locks, swift currents, weather, etc. All of these things we have to constantly be aware of. Today the sun beamed so brightly off the water, I found it difficult to discern between navigational aid and regulatory aids...making it trying to stay in the channel. A good captain has to juggle many things at once!

I'm not really sure where we are...I feel like we are in the middle of nowhere. It smells like a burning forest. However, I'm on the water, so I'm not far from home.

---Kelly Jo

Day Eight-Dec 9-Leaving St Augustine

We had hoped to continue our trip on the outside down towards Stuart.   However, the forecast today is for northerly winds building to over 20kts with seas 6' and building.   So, we will drive down the "ditch" today and make as much way south as possible.   No plans for tonight's marina yet.   We will wait to see how far we get before making that decision.  

Day Seven-Dec 8-Heading Offshore Toward Florida

 Day Seven-Afternoon

We made to St Augustine, Fla at about 3:30.   A good smooth run down from Georgia.  We covered about 130nm.  The boat is in The Municipal Marina just south of the Bridge of Lions which is close to downtown.   Kelly is off to explore the old Spanish architecture.   This one of or the oldest occupied cities in the US.  There will be lots for her to see.

Tall Ship in St. Augustine Harbor

We fueled up and pumped out and washed down the boat.   It was just three weeks ago that I was here on a 45' Chris Craft coming up from Cape Canaveral.   Very nice, friendly and clean marina.

The boat performed well in the six foot seas leaving the river in Ga.   We managed to maintain a speed of 23kts most of the way.   It did calm down for the last 60 miles tho and we made better time then.

Tomorrow we should get down to the Stuart area for the night.  The forecast looks favorable for another offshore run or we could stay inside and see the sights along the way down the "ditch".  Decisions, decisions, decisions.... 

Horse Drawn Carriage in Town

Beth should be posting some more pictures this evening from home.

Captain David


---
 It was great to leave the ditch today. It was a whopping 24 degrees F this morning! Can you believe it! I feel more hardcore than sailing in Alaska. As we left Wassaw Sound, GA we were rocked by 6' seas off the shoals. By afternoon the seas flattened out making for a smoother ride. It was nice to get offshore and cover lots of ground. The water was a brilliant blue and about 50 degrees F. By the time we reached St. Augustine the water warmed up to 59 degrees.

St. Augustine is by far my favorite port town we have stopped at. After scrubbing down the boat and fueling up I took off for a tour of the town. It felt good to stretch my legs and get used to land again! I instantly fell in love with the Spanish architecture of old! Everywhere I went the locals were ever so friendly! It reminds me of Annapolis in someways. I get the same feeling of peace and joy walking the brick streets as I do in Annapolis. Sheer smiles.

Dolphins also make me smile and laugh. I giggle each time I spot one off our bow! They make all the long hours at the helm and navigating through challenging waters seem small. Maybe I should become a captain and a dolphin trainer...two of my childhood dreams!

Kelly Jo

 Day Seven Morning

The winds have finally died down to a manageable degree.   We will be exiting the "ditch" at Wassaw Sound in Georgia and laying in a course towards Fernandina Beach, Fla a distance of about 80nm or one of the inlets a bit north of there.

A TYPICAL DAY ON A YACHT DELIVERY

Up early again this morning (4:30 or so) as is now the routine aboard the delivery of TOYS to her winter home.   And winter it is!  Temps in the 20s but winds are calm.  Each morning the engine block heaters have to be turned on about two hours before starting them or they produce large amounts of smoke.   Kind of typical of diesel engines.  Then there is coffee to brew, breakfast to eat and blog entries to make.   We usually cast off by 7:00 or 7:30am.   Then it is an hour of helm time alternating with an hour of navigating and spotting ATONS (aids to navigation).  About midday a hot lunch is prepared while underway and served on the bridge.   The afternoon is much the same with the additional decision of where to stay the night.   A call ahead to a favorable marina to arrange for a slip reservation and to add fuel and pump out.  Then a quick wash down of the exterior of the boat which has accumulated a lot of salt etc along the way.  Then it's off to get a hot meal shoreside at a local eatery.   This brings us to seven in the evening and some quiet time aboard reading or watching a hockey game on TV (Go Bruins!).  We are usually in our bunks by 9:00 and asleep by 9:05 after a busy day.

Day Six-Continued-Thunderbolt, Ga.

TOYS Enjoying Sunset over Thunderbolt, GA

We arrived in Thunderbolt, Ga about 3:30 this afternoon.   It was a slow going day with lots of development along the intracoastal which keeps speeds down to 10kts or less with lots of no wake (aka no waves) zones.  We did cover about 90 miles or so.   Tomorrow we will venture out into the Atlantic and hopefully come ashore close to Florida.  Winds today were really strong even in the shelter of the ditch. 

We lowered the outriggers this morning so we could pass under the bridges of at least 30' without an opening.  That worked well.   We will put them back into place before going offshore tomorrow. 

It has been very cold during the day and at night in the 20's.   But the sun has been strong and it helps keep the bridge toasty.   Kelly and I switched off driving and navigating today and she has done well with both.   We make a good team.

More to follow from the crew,

Capt David

Day Six-Tuesday Dec 7-Heading Toward Beaufort, SC

Another chilly morning on the ICW.  Temps in the 20s and still the northwesterly winds bringing more cold air from our neighbors from the north.   I spoke to our buddies on FROST  BITES last night and they stayed in the ditch yesterday too.   They are about a day or so ahead of us now.   Two of the three delivery crew need to be back in Ct for work tomorrow.   So they have pushed a bit harder than us.

Today we hope to cover 150 miles or so.   We haven't decided on a destination as yet.  We may peek out at the Atlantic at one of the inlets to see what conditions look like.  Although the forecast is for more heavy winds that aren't supposed to abate until late today.  I feel that tomorrow will be soon enough to travel on the outside and make some good time.

We are starting down an area with numerous bridges that open due to low clearances.   Yesterday when we were approaching Charleston the bridge tender on the Ben Sawyer Bridge would not open for us.  The bridge had about 35 feet of clearance and our bridge roof was less than that with only our outriggers being too high.  He informed us that it is a Coast Guard regulation to lower the outriggers if the boat itself can make it through.  I had heard rumors about this mandate but hadn't experienced it prior to this trip.  So we will have to practice this procedure today.   This will also be the case down in Ft Lauderdale while traveling to and from our slip in the New River.   So I will have ample practice to get it down to a science.

Thanks to Beth for posting Kelly's great photos of our trip.   I hope she continues posting if we keep sending them from the boat each day.

Capt David

Added photos to previous posts

Now that Beth is back in Maryland she has uploaded photos to our posts from the past few days.  If you scroll back thru the postings since ALL THE TOYS left the Chesapeake on Day 1, you'll see some interesting photos courtesy of Kelly.

Day Five-Monday Dec 6-Heading to Charleston

It's Monday am and time to get back underway after a day off from running south.   Beth visited with her family who live closeby and Kelly and I washed the boat down.   After three days of travel she needed a bath for sure.   We also did some provisioning and passagemaking plans during the day.   We will stop in Charleston, SC tonight and give the weather a close look before venturing out into the Atlantic tomorrow.

Steady Hand at the Helm - Captain Dave

More to follow when we are secure in Charleston.

Captain David

We are in Charleston, SC at the Ashley Marina.   We arrived here about 2:30 or so.   Not much business for the marina with all the cold weather.   We ran the entire day inside the "ditch".   The winds are still pretty heavy so we decided to stay inside.   We may do the same tomorrow and run down to Thunderbolt in the "ditch" too.   From there we hope to make better time south on short hops outside where there isn't so many bridges and cutbacks.   It is very chilly here with temps in the 40's during the day and an expected low in the high 20's tonight.  Brrrrrrr!  Hope it gets warmer as we make our way to Florida.   Beth is back in Maryland and is trying to post some of our pictures on the blog.   Check it out later on.

TOYS on the Waccamaw River: Hurrying S to Warm FLA

Crew comments to follow.

Crew comments...that would be me, Kelly Jo!

Another wonderful sunrise and brisk day in the ditch! When I think of a ditch, I generally think of muddy water or a gravel trough alongside an old country road. So naturally I thought that the ICW was going to have somewhat unpleasant scenery. I mean who really wants to travel via a ditch? However, I have found it incredibly wonderful. The landscape changes frequently. For instance, this morning we left the Waccamaw River which had an eery barren and backwoods feeling...then this afternoon we passed several towns and homes along the channel that were distinctly South Carolina...later the water became a warm blue and on either side of the ditch were canals, bays, and sounds tucked away behind long sea grass blowing in the winter breeze. Besides the cold spell we seem caught in, we spotted many palms standing tall  along the channel banks. Dolphin sightings are getting more frequent. I think laughing dolphin-like squeaks of joy sound from me with each sighting...Today they were feeding right in front of our bow. It was so exciting.

The last ten to fifteen miles to Charleston were a little nerving. Our whole run down seemed to perfectly coincide with the leaving tide making for some really shallow spots along the ditch. At one point our depth sounder read 2.6 ft! Wow! I'm not sure I would ever want to run the ICW at night. Glad we are doing it during the day...and that I have a solid captain. I watched others scream on by...maybe that is why so many end up grounded.

Charleston is a neat historic city. Lots of young people and lots of beautiful boats! I bet it is wonderful in the summer months.

Day Four-Dec 5-Morehead City to Pawleys Island, SC

The days run yesterday was great.   We covered a lot of ground outside (in the Atlantic Ocean) which avoided a lot of the timed bridge openings along the way.  The boat and crew handled the 5 to 6 foot seas well.  We pulled into the Wacca Wache Marina about 4:15pm and secured the boat.   We plan to sit here until Monday morning as the weather forecast is for very breezy conditions and I do not want to venture out and risk crew safety or overtax the boat systems.   We have covered a lot of ground in the last three days more than I had anticipated.   So we are about a day ahead of my projected schedule.   All the more reason to take a lay day and rest up and clean the boat thoroughly.  

I will let the crew post their comments below.

Captain David


We departed Morehead City, NC (Point Lookout) at 7:30AM heading out to sea.  All weather forecasts were good.  We always check multiple sources:  NOAA buoys, Intellicast and Ocean Prediction Center.  Managed a 25kt speed as we set our course for Cape Fear, 90 miles SE of Pt. Lookout as the NC Coast curves away from the sea between those 2 points.  GORGEOUS day in the ocean!!  We were approximately 20-30nm (nautical miles) offshore with waves around 4-5' to start but then leveling out to 1-2' swells.  All the fishermen in the area out there with us were yakking on the VHF about what a beautiful day it was.  It really doesn't get any better than the conditions we had out there.

We arrived off Cape Fear around 11:30 and then set our course towards Little River Inlet at Calabash, NC (40nm).  The clouds started to thicken overhead and since we were only about 5-10nm offshore at Cape Fear, we were able to use our smart phones and check the forecast again.  Winds had been NNW and were expected to shift SW 15 late afternoon.  We would be tucked safe inside in the ICW before those winds and waves perked up.  Entered Little River around 12:30PM and made our way down "the ditch" towards Wacca Wache Marina.

d

TOYS' "Rooster Tailing" it Down "The Ditch"

Weather is expected to be perky tomorrow -- winds 15-20 -- so the Capt has decided to take a lay day (rest day) here.  I will depart the boat on Sunday afternoon for my return flight to BWI and back to the "daily grind".  It's been a fantastic trip on a fantastic boat!  I have full confidence that Capt Dave and Kelly will have a great finish to reach FLL.

First(& Last) Mate Beth

Day Three-Saturday, Dec 4 Morehead City, NC to Pawleys Island, SC

It's 6:40AM and we've got the engine heaters on and GPS warming up.  Looking at the NOAA forecasts the Capt has decided we're going to go offshore from here down to MYR (Little River Inlet).  Forecast is N 10-15 with 3'waves to start.  Winds are expected to diminish and waves drop to 2'.  Gale warnings offshore starting late tonight so we have a window of great weather to go outside (offshore) for about 110 miles.  This way we can travel faster and NO BRIDGES!!!  If we stay in "the ditch" today, we'd have 3-4 bridges that open on the hour and 1/2 hour.  Nice wind, waves and temps, so TOYS will frolic in the ocean today.

Cozy Berths in Marina near Calabash, NC on the ICW

We will be approx. 10 - 20 miles offshore so it's very safe for boat and crew.  Any boat going offshore has to have the proper insurance, which TOYS does.  Capt Dave of course has his USCG license, Beth has offshore certificate from Safety at Sea training, and Capt-in-Training Kelly has ASA (American Sailing Assoc) sailing certification, plus was born and raised in Alaska where she and her family had a 45' Nauticat sailboat and sailed Prince William Sound. 

Next stop is Wacca Wache marina in Pawleys Island where we'll be visiting with Beth's Dad and stepmother Barb, plus try and give TOYS a bath while the weather stays warm.  Today's hi is 53 in Pawleys and a balmy 48 tomorrow!  So much for the warm, sunny South...

Day Three-Saturday Evening.

Toys is in a slip at the Wacca Wache Marina close to Pawleys Island, SC.   The run outside of about 140 nm went well.   The winds were out of the NNW at about 15kts and seas were about 5 to 6 foot.   Toys performed well and we were able to average about 25kts for the whole trip.  We ducked back inside the Intracoastal Waterway at Little Rive Inlet and made our way south for about 40 miles to the marina.

TOYS Sitting Pretty at Wacca Wache Marina, Pawleys Island, SC

 More to follow tomorrow from captain and crew...

We spent most of the day on the outside as mentioned above. It was so refreshing to see deep blue again. I haven't seen blue water for a long time. On the outside, I enjoyed learning more about radar. With such wide open seas it was sometimes hard to see where the coastline ended and the blue horizon of open ocean started. It was probably one of the best days on the ocean anyone could ask for. We even passed by Cape Fear without fear! I'm glad to say that we didn't join the multitudes of vessels resting on the ocean floor all around Frying Pan Shoal.

Nearing our destination of Wacca Wache we watched  a sailboat ahead of us dodge what looked like a log in the river. I didn't think much about it, but Beth noticed this log was moving more than any normal log would in the current. It was a RACCOON! Who knew that raccoons could swim across a large river? I sure didn't. It was a little bitty guy. I am glad we slowed down because in the aftermath of our wake this little guy wouldn't have had a chance.

Looks like we have beat out the storms. Others are getting hammered around us but here at Wacca Wache we are tucked away. I highly recommend Wacca Wache Marina as well. Everyone here is very helpful and kind. I've decided I like southern hospitality. I'm learning the states are more diverse than I had thought.

Captain-in-training Kelly Jo

Day Two-Friday Dec 3rd Coinjock to Morehead City, NC

The crew had shore showers this morning at the marina.   We cast off our lines about 8:15am and started down the "ditch" toward Morehead City, North Carolina.   Winds were brisk and so were the temps!  NNW winds about 15 to 20kts keeping temps down in the 40's well into mid morning.   We made much better time today since we only had to wait for one bridge to open to let us through.  That was the Alligator River Bridge and it opens on demand.   So no worries there.

We lost track of our buddies on "Frostbites" as they had left the marina before we did.   However we had plenty of company along the way.  Several sailboats and a few powerboats slowly making there way south from places like Maine, Ontario and one from Austria.   They must have gotten a late start to be traveling south this late in the season.

We averaged about 20kts for today's run, covered about 150 miles and ended up in the "Portside Marina" here in Morehead City.   We fueled up "Toys" and are planning  to leave early in the morning so we can make it to Wacca Wache Marina just a bit south of Myrtle Beach, SC tomorrow evening.  

More to follow from the "Crew".

Captain David

ALL THE TOYS Crew: Capt-in-Training Kelly and First 'n Last Mate Beth

The crew appreciated the slow start this AM while we waited for daylight to get underway.  Since we're not familiar with these waters and "the ditch" has long stretches with no nav (navigation) aids whatsoever, you don't want to venture out in the dark.  It was OK to leave in the dark from Herrington Harbour South (HHS) yesterday as those are our home waters and we know where all the nav aids and shoals (shallow areas) are.

As the Capt said, winds were brisk and caused lots of waves on Abermarle Sound, the 1st big bay we transited today.  Winds were from the N so when we entered Abermarle we only had 2-3' waves.  By the time we got to the S shore and entered Alligator River, they had grown to 5'.  Not a good time to be below in the cabin where you really felt the "rolly-polly" rockin' ride!  The Alligator River Bridge is another "infamous" ICW spot.  It's a swing bridge - the middle part pivots to open or close -- and as it's wide open to the N, if the winds are blowing over 30kts, the bridge doesn't open, cause it wouldn't be able to close.

Sunset Light Show over NC Waters

Our next big open water area was Bay River and the Neuse River.  These run into Pamilco Sound which is the huge sound on the back side of NC's Outer Banks (Hatteras, Ocracoke, Nags Head).  Even though it's called a sound, it's more like part of the Atlantic Ocean as the fragile Outer Banks are the only thing between you and the sea.  We found a lot of "Bubba Gumps" here -- shrimp boats.  However, we had about 15 miles of wide open water and were able to get TOYS running at 28kts which helped us make good time.  If you're a sailor, like we are, going 28 kts and 150 miles in one day is unbelieveable!  :-)

When we arrived in Morehead City we fueled up and chatted with the dock hand and his faithful companion Dixon (black lab).  He told us there was a powerboat about 4 miles offshore (there's an inlet here that takes you right to the ocean) that had called them and was dragging in (yes, dragging!) an 80 inch blue fin tuna!!  The fish was too big for them to get on their boat so they were having to drag it.  Dock hand said it probably weighed about 300 lbs!  The blue fins run in the Fall and the yellow fins in the Spring.  Morehead City and Beaufort are fishing meccas.  Seems like everyone has a fishing boat here.

Dinner onboard was homemade turkey veggie soup and cornbread muffins.  With the obligatory glass of vino.  Finished the evening watching a movie and turned in early.  Want to head out around 7AM tomorrow for our run to Pawley's Island.  Weather forecasts sound favorable for an offshore 40 mile run from Cape Fear to Myrtle Beach (Little River Inlet).  Weather turns NASTY Sat PM so we will be safe and sound back in the ditch.

First & Last Mate Beth

Today I started to conquer my fear of the VHF radio. It's not that I have never used one before, but I find it awkward and unnatural. However, after hailing several bridge tenders it is getting easier and I think I might actually enjoy it now.

I'm surprised how rocky rivers and inland sounds can be. I had know idea that there was even this much water inland. It has been fun to join all the other boats heading South.

Besides enjoying all the awesome learning opportunities, I love exploring new places. We even saw dolphins this afternoon right as we hit MM 200. This was a first for me! 

Morehead City, NC. is a neat little town. I would like to come back here during the summer. I have a feeling things are hopping, especially the night life along the boardwalk. I definitely would reccommend this marina to others heading south.

Capt-in-training Kelly Jo

Day One Thurs, Dec 2 -Herrington Harbour South to Coinjock, NC

Captain and crew were up early, 4:30am.  Temps were in the 30's making releasing dock lines a bit of a challenge.   We left the slip at 5:15 and slowly made our way out of Herring Bay with the help of clear skies and a bright moon.   The heavy winds (NW 20 gusting to 30) died down overnight making it easy to get out of the slip and motor by moonlight the first hour.  Beautiful moon reflection on the water!

By sunrise we had made about ten or fifteen miles south toward Norfolk.   At 11:15am we were in Hampton Roads, Va!   The boat handled great!  We were turning about 1600rpm and doing about 20kts over the bottom.   Winds were out of the northwest at about ten to fifteen kts and waves were about 2 feet except for when we passed the mouth of the Potomac where they increased to 4 to 5 feet.   Temps were in the high 40's to low 50's with mostly sunny skies.

Warship Heading to Sea in Norfolk

Norfolk was bustling with commercial and military vessels. After passing three warships as they were coming out of Hampton Roads, we were told to slow down as to not make no wake and to make plenty of room for the submarine. That's right we saw a submarine and it was escorted by Coast Guard vessels and a few helicopters.

Submarine Following Warships out to Sea

Norfolk is where we entered the Inter-coastal Waterway (ICW) which is fondly referred to as "the ditch".  The challenge here is getting through 5 bridges that have to open on demand (1st bridge or on the hour (the 1 right after the one that opens on demand - who makes these decisions?!) and 3 others that open on the hour and 1/2 hour.   We probably lost about 1 hr waiting for the bridge openings.

BIG BIG anker, Teeny Tiny Bridge-- tugs pushing tanker thru small bridges in Portsmouth, VA

While waiting in one of the areas we hailed a powerboat in front of us on the VHF --42' Hatteras "FROST BITES".  Found out they're delivering that boat to Stuart, FL!  Their Capt is Capt Dave, too.  They encouraged us to follow them into Coinjock, NC (which was our desired final destination) as their Capt Dave is very familiar with "the ditch".  We were a bit concerned that we wouldn't get to Coinjock before dark.  We met up with them on the dock at Coinjock, and exchanged cell phone info.  ALL THE TOYS will stay in touch with them to FLA if we keep similar plans. 

FROST BITES was jealous that we have a fully enclosed bridge (the top part of the boat where you steer from) as they were quite cold all day.  We were in comfortable luxury!

Entering the Locks with our "FROST BITES" Friends at Great Bridge, VA

We pulled into the marina at Coinjock, NC at 5:15pm last night, topped off the fuel tanks and had a nice supper at the nearby restaurant.  The dock hand here was fantastic!  Very friendly and helpful even though he was looking to get off work at 6PM.  HIGHLY recommend the marina and restaurant.  

I will let the crew post their comments about the days run and some of the interesting military vessels we encountered along the way.

Captain Dave, Capt-in-Training Kelly and First/Last Mate Beth