Chugging along northbound!
Ed had the boat all stocked up to roll before I got to Stuart, FL.
I arrived on Saturday and it was really hot, as this time in Florida is.
We had to store the car in storage and walk back from the marina and we were really hot.
We drove the boat over to the fuel dock to fuel up. In the middle of fueling, Jim the Dockmaster said, “Meg, I’m leaving you guys here fueling. It’s lightning all around us and I’m going for cover.”
Ed just kept on fueling up the boat, not worried at all. He handles things way different then me..
I said, “Please just put on your sneakers or something, you’re touching the metal too.”
He replied, “Meg, what’s that going to do to me?”
Well, then the storm rolled in… a huge thunderstorm like Florida gets this time of year. It left as quickly as it came in.
Then the dolphins cruised by our boat. So I said, “That’s great, we’ll be fine; I saw our dolphins.”
I mentioned that later to the Dockmasters and they said, “What dolphins?”
Ed explained to me that we were departing at dawn on Sunday morning. The weather doesn’t look that great, but we have driven through worse.
I want to get to Cape Canaveral where our friends Mark and Deb are, and we can spend two nights there to visit and then head over to the Kennedy Space Center.
Day 1
Sunday morning, we departed at 6:40 am. It was cloudy but hot.
As we were approaching the Vero Beach area, the skies were getting darker and darker.
Radar showed us this huge storm we were heading into. Then the rain came, a thunder and lightning storm, with no visibility. The thunder was so loud! And the radio kept saying there were tornado warning, etc.
Ed just keep on driving the boat…
Next he says, “Meg, are you going to make me an egg sandwich? I’m starving.”
OMG! I’m shaking and he’s hungry!
I couldn’t even think about food, but I made him a sandwich and he loved it.
I told him, “Please put your sneakers on, we are driving through a thunderstorm and tons of lightning is all around us!”
He said, “If it’s going to make you happy, I will.”
He explained that he was glad we were diving by the huge power plant in this. I said, “Why?”
He replied, “Better for them to take the energy from all this lightning, they are well prepared. At least it will bring it to ground.”
I still was shaking, and he was calm like a kitten.
The winds were gusting up to 55 mph; it was crazy! The wind was relentless all day.
It finally stopped storming the further we went north, and we did drive out of it. But all day the wind was still brutal.
I made reservations at the Ocean Club Yacht Club in Cape Canaveral. We had to go through the Canaveral lock.
As we approached the lock, OMG, the wind was howling, and Ed had to hold the boat back waiting for the green light and for the lock doors to open. It felt like forever.
With the waves and wind and the current, it was a challenge, but I threw the line around a huge cleat and I grabbed it. No helps you, you were on your own.
Next, I threw another line, wrapping it around a piling. I was proud in that moment.
Ed ran down the stairs to help me. He said, “Meg, you like to live on the edge, what’s going on.
You always say, if you’re not living in the edge, you’re taking up too much space…”
I think I have mellowed!
Our slip was 17, that’s one of our numbers so I was psyched.
Mark was waiting for us at the marina slip to grab our lines. Thank God because with the wind, it made my job easier.
I always mention to everyone to talk to the Angel Raphael. He will answer you with wind. I think I have to stop telling everyone this. He is really communicating back to us with his presence…
Mark and Ed washed down the boat. It was full of salt because we took waves on the port side for the entire ride. It was a really salty ride.
Mark and Debby drove us to see a great band. Their daughter was there, and Bob from our marina was too. Mark made food for everyone and we caught up.
The Space X Falcon was going off at 7:30, and it’s down the beach path from their house .
It was amazing that we got to see it. Wow, what a sight! It was something that I always wanted to see.
Who would believe that it all worked out like this. “Perfecto timing” they call this…
The next day, Mark, Ed, and I went to the Kennedy Space Center. It was incredible and really interesting; it was another item I always wanted to do.
On the way on the bus tour, they have a huge eagles’ nest, and the eagle and babies were in the nest. It was so beautiful! There were lots of alligators on the ride out too.
Day 2
We departed at 6:30am. The Canaveral inlet is really, really long going out to the ocean. It took a while to get out to sea. Canaveral is a long peninsula that you have to go around, and it’s huge.
When we set our heading, we had to stay offshore very far, due to all of the compound that the space center owns (and it’s a lot). It’s all for security. It was so cool to see all of the rocket launch pads from this angle.
We ran this leg from Canaveral into St. Augustine Inlet. The waves were huge due to the wind again, driving them up. That lovely wind again…! With gusts up to 35! No weather app reported this weather, none!
We anchored out just past the St. Augustine Inlet. We dropped anchor and the wind was still blowing 35.
The boat was covered with salt. Ed got a bucket out trying to get some of the salt off; it was a wild day.
We fired up the grill and made some great food under the full moon light. There’s no light pollution when you anchor in a creek. It’s pitch black… it has the best sunsets and sunrises too.
Plus the wildlife is incredible.
Day 4
Wednesday, Ed found a spot to buy diesel for $3.00 a gallon with no taxes, it was a perfect find in Fernandina. Holding the boat before we approached the dock was a little stressful. The wind was still ripping, and three boats were doing the same thing, grabbing a great fuel deal.
Well, we finally got to the dock. We needed water too. The fuel guy said, “I’m shutting the dock down after you, I have a huge tug coming in.”
Perfecto timing for us, and what a savings, considering fuel prices!
Chugging along Cumberland Island, GA… wow, wow, wow!
Ed spotted the wild Spanish horses that were left here by the Spanish years ago. We had read about them in books, but this was so cool to see them on the beach in the wild!
They are so beautiful too. It was a great surprise.
We anchored out at 7:30. It was another amazing day. Pitch black skies and stars so brilliant, like diamonds.
Two of our boat neighbors from our marina were northbound too… what a small world!
We had been communicating all along this trip, and we are all saying the same thing- that this window of weather with this crazy wind was not forecasted any where. It was unreal.
Day 5
Thursday, it started out really calm and beautiful, so when we looked out into the inlet of Sapelo, GA, Ed said, “What do you think?”
I said “Yes, looks great, amazing, lets roll….”
We got into the seas and it was like glass, so I texted mark and Ann telling them to head out, it’s like glass. We are going to have a great run, finally!
Well, Ed makes us this incredible breakfast and it’s beautiful out in the ocean. We saw sea turtles and dolphins, and all my nature creatures.
Then around 11:30, here comes that nasty, crazy wild wind!! It changed directions, and the waves were 6 to 7 and relentless!
Our plan was to cruise to Charlston harbor inlet. Well, change of plans!
We were driving on to bring it in at Tybee Inlet, into Hilton Head. It felt like forever to get there.
The winds, waves, and just the way that the ocean was not being gentle on us!
She can suck you in as you look out into the horizon of the sea. Then as she lures you in, you’re committed to keep chugging along with her! Like the song, “Witchy Woman”.
We got in and we were taking huge rollers over the starboard side. I had reservations for Hilton Head Marina, but I canceled. We headed further to Port Royal Landing in Beaufort, SC. It was a great call. Great marina, great restaurant. Great hospitality too…
We needed to give our boat a huge spa bath, since she was covered in salt.
It’s always an adventure, and it keeps your mind alert. That’s what our boating friends say.
It’s the salt life!
Slow and steady, like my Chica sister, Rosa would say, “We are like sea turtles, chugging along!”
Or like our other friends would say, “We are snow birds, enjoying the journey.”
I love to share our stories!
“Sea” you soon,
Meg & Ed