Cruising south like a snowbird…
Even though we cruised past lovely towns with lovely memories on the way up, we vow (broken a few times) to limit repeats and make new discoveries on our cruise south for the winter.
Highlights of our cruise south begin our first night off the Chesapeake Bay in the town of Chesapeake, VA where we nab the last spot on the wall of a small marina on the Elizabeth River near the Centerville Turnpike bridge. As the Captain enjoys his birthday meal, we meet Sharon and Jimmy from Poughkeepsie, NY who are moving their sailboat south for the winter. They fly back and forth home to work in their family business. Their kids have become more involved so they hope to have more time on the boat, but it is a ‘shitty’ business. They sigh and shake their heads. When we ask why, they smile and reveal their days are spent digging and cleaning septic tanks. Ha!
Meanwhile, local high school rowing crews are out on the river with spots of fall colors as their backdrops.
The next morning we realize we are in the snowbird migration south as the boats line up for the bridge opening at 8:30. a.m. and reflect on the near solitude we had heading north out of sync with other loopers. These boaters are meandering south, timing their crossing of the imaginary insurance designated line somewhere around Charleston as close to November 1st when hurricane season is officially over.
We make a long day of it and push on to Belhaven, NC (yes, we were here before, but at another marina) Dowry Creek and end up laying low, letting some wind blow through for a few days. While waiting, the Captain hands out a few boat cards and we get to know our neighbors.
Chris, two boats down, entertains us in the restaurant with his trumpet playing skills and full-attire Elvis set of songs. While we are eating at the bar, a group comes in to order take away and we learn they are planning on making it to Charleston… tonight. Turns out they are on a really fast boat built by Mike and crewed by his wife and two guys involved in the building process. Check them out on Howe2Live . So cool…and they gift me a T-shirt!
One of the more heartbreaking jolts of reality are the boaters next to us who have been living aboard their boat since they lost their home in Hurricane Ida. Then while in Rhode Island, the captain lost the tip of his right index finger in a mishap with his dinghy and they were held up there for two months while his finger healed.
As you remember, we visited Beaufort, SC (pronounced BUfort) on the way up. Well, we finally visit Beaufort, NC (pronounced BOfort). Homer Smith marina does not disappoint and we enjoy a lovely dinner at Beaufort Grocery and discover Backstreet Pub for some local color.
Being back on the ditch is familiar and soothing, even as huge jellyfish pulsate in the water.
Galveston Texas native George Mitchell’s ‘other island’ is our next discovery. Bald Head Island, developed by Mitchell Foundation is visited only by sea and is sprinkled with homes, a few condos and a small village for shopping and dining.
The lighthouse, flanked by the full-ish moon, is icing on the top of our long walk on the beach and one night stay.
Calm seas tempted us to cruise outside on the ocean with the added bonus of skipping the rock pile and a few other slow downs on the ICW.
We re-enter the ICW south of Georgetown, SC and relish a full moon on anchor, grilling in the cool evening of October.
Enticed by the multiple mentions by other boaters, we dock at Leland Oil in McClellanville, SC, population 605, for fuel and a stroll under a canopy of trees for lunch at TW Graham & Co.. How this became a thing I do not know, but the small cafe is filled with customers who have driven about an hour from Charleston. An added bonus is the seafood market down from the fuel dock. Overall, a delightful and advantageous pitstop.
One broken vow was another stop in Charleston, although at a different marina. We catch up with Chase, of Benevah, who is docked for repairs after a lightning strike, and also meet up with the Christian family for ice cream treats! After church at St. Michaels we savor every morsel of our brunch at Husk.
Without Summer traffic, we cruise right past Hilton Head and all of the small islands only accessed by boat. Ever wonder how to get your household items to your new house on a small island…
Fortunately, friends from our time in Caracas, Venezuela, years ago are home on Skidaway Island, so we dock at Thunderbolt Marina outside of Savannah, GA. Years have passed, our daughters who were in 2nd grade together are now grown women, but we don’t miss a beat catching up. Elsa and I planned the parent parties for the kids school, Campo Allegre, way back then and she is still planning parties on Skidaway!
Weather is once again an issue so we spend a few extra days exploring the area. Tybee Island provides another wonderful sunset and we play Music Bingo at Tubby’s near the marina in Thunderbolt. What fun!
As we cruise past the Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base, I am preoccupied with the armed boats glaring at us, when two men on a ‘stranded’ sailboat flag us over and ask for a tow to nearby Amelia Island. Since we cross the GA/FL line we do hope the boat belongs to them.
Jacksonville is the jumping off spot for our side trip down the St. Johns River.
One of only three rivers in the U.S. that flows north, the St. Johns River is the longest in Florida. Travels on the St. Johns River, with excerpts of father and son naturalists, John and William Bartram as they experienced the St. Johns river in 1765, gives a clear picture of the then ‘subtropical wonderland’ to the current area Florida is desperately trying to preserve. “Every river holds a unique story as it gracefully meanders through the various landscapes of our lives”, exclaims William.
Today, it still has a feel of ‘old Florida’. For now, there are no mega mansions. The best way to see it is to slow down. Meander here and there. So off we go.
Considered a black-water river, the color is more like tea, and a result of tannic acid and the breakdown of organic material like leaves and other plant materials.
Small towns of this area have endured for centuries and have recently revitalize their waterfronts. Palatka is an example of this, sporting a few city docks for use as we explore for a few hours.
South of Deland, we observe with curiosity the Tiger tugboat anchored in the marsh. When we see two men aboard we ask in town later about its history. The two men bought it with the hopes of docking it permanently in Deland for renovation and exhibits. However, the town declined because of the high possibility of it breaking loose from the dock when high winds and water come through as were seen in Hurricanes Ian and Nicole. Meanwhile, Tiger sits and waits.
Remembering to slow down, we absorb the natural beauty of this river and its uniqueness.
Life melts away, and you come here to get lost in a simpler rhythm of life…
and some people end up figuring out a way to stay awhile.
We drift up the narrow inlet to the cove and are able to anchor out near Silver Glen Spring where you can become disoriented by the depth because of the clarity of the water revealing turtles, crabs and fish scurrying out of our way.
It is magical and there are houseboats whose owners have stayed and make some money by providing pizza, bbq and other fast food choices to the hordes of summer visitors.
Our visit in Autumn is ideal.
After a beautiful sunset, we hear a high pitched scream over and over, and for a second, I listen for human shouting to follow, before realizing it is a limpkin wailing nearby.
Sunrise the next morning fights to compete with the sunset. We tear ourselves away and are propelled back to the river where our journey continues south to more spectacle of blues and greens of Blue Springs State Park.
From this anchorage, we lower the dinghy for better exploration through the mangroves…
and find an area where some of the tagged manatees are swimming about. Apparently, during the winter months there can be up to 500 manatees who journey to this area where warm water springs from deep in the earth.
Always a treat to see Odysea II enjoying the view.
Another sunset, and another magical day on the St. Johns River.
Back to the ICW for our cruise south to our docking spot in Daytona where Odysea II will spend the holidays. (Clearly this post is quite tardy!)
Thanks for following along.
~ First Mate