Author Archive
Crossing the Bank to the Abacos
After completing our Bahamas check-in, we topped off our diesel fuel tank and motored out of the West End marina at about 1200 hours. In the daytime, it seems pretty simple to get out of the marina. We spent the next three days on the “Bank.”
The Crossing
We spent about 8 days at the North Palm Beach Marina in Florida where I completed some engine maintenance tasks – changed both fuel filters, changed oil and filter, and installed a new raw water pump, in preparation for the crossing over the Gulf Stream to the Bahamas.
Velcro Beach, Florida
Vero Beach, FL is fondly referred to by the cruising community as “Velcro Beach.” This is because the Vero Beach municipal marina is set up very well to accommodate cruisers. It is so easy to stay here that the area acts like “Velcro” for cruisers as people end up staying here for much longer than […]
Central Florida
The trip through central Florida was pretty uneventful. However, the weather was pretty breezy. Every day the wind speed was about 20 knots and the Intra-Coastal Waterway (ICW) has been pretty choppy. Normally we would not travel in this kind of weather, but the wind direction was from the north. This means, when travelling south, […]
Northern Florida
This part of our trip presented some real challenges. I don’t remember having this many obstacles the last time we made this trip, but perhaps this is because you tend to remember the good times and not the frustrating moments. So far we have been slowed but not stopped.
Georgia – The Long and Winding Road
The southern part of South Carolina and Georgia is the most winding part of the Intra-Coastal Waterway (ICW). It seems like you travel almost as much east and west as you do north and south. Because of this many people avoid this part of the ICW. Some sailboats go offshore at Charleston, SC and come […]
The Second Half of South Carolina
After waiting out Tropical Storm “Sandy” at the Isle of Palms Marina for a week, we again headed south on the Intra-Coastal Waterway (ICW). We stayed a couple days longer at the Isle of Palms Marina as the winds remained elevated (about 25 to 30 knots) even after “Sandy” had passed. We are one of […]
An Expensive Lesson in Boating
I mentioned in my last post that we had trouble retrieving our anchor at the South Santee River anchorage (Mile 420). I thought I might describe this situation in detail for any readers that are boaters or potential boaters in hopes they can avoid the problem.
Hunkered Down In South Carolina
We are currently at the Isle of Palms Marina, which is just off the Intra-Coastal Waterway (ICW). The Isle of Palms Marina is located on a barrier island of the same name. This island is about 10 miles north of Charleston. We decided to wait out tropical storm “Sandy” here for a few days.
North Carolina ICW
The North Carolina portion of the ICW is the most diverse part of the ICW. You travel through thin canals, wide rivers, large sounds, and coastal islands. When it comes to boats, it seems like there are two North Carolinas. In the sounds of North Carolina there are mostly sailboats cruising around to all the […]
