NOV 24 2006

OLD DUNGENESS ESTATE CUMBERLAND IS GA



ITS BEEN A MONTH SINCE I LAST UPDATED OUR TRAVELS- WE MUST HAVE BEEN BUSY.
WE SPENT A GREAT WEEK IN NEW BERN NC, MOSTLY AT THE SOUTHBOUND CRUISERS RENDEZVOUS. THERE WERE A COUPLE OF HUNDRED CRUISERS THERE ATTENDING ON THEIR WAY SOUTH. SOME GOING AS FAR AS SOUTH AMERICA. THERE WERE SEMINARS ON ADVICE FOR BEGINNERS (THAT WOULD BE US) , ANCHORING, FIRST AID SHORT WAVE RADIO,WEATHER,AND MORE. WE HAD A HAPPY HOUR EVERY DAY, COVERED DISH DINNERS & ONE CATERED DINNER.CLIBORNE YOUNG SPOKE ON CRUISING THE CAROLINAS TO KEY WEST & SKIPPER BOB SPOKE ON BAHAMAS BOUND.
AFTER THE WEEK WAS GONE WE HEADED BACK DOWN THE NEUSE RIVER TO BEAUFORT N.C. & STAYED OVER NITE AT A QUIET ANCHORAGE CLOSE TO TOWN IN ORDER TO GO IN & SEE IT BY DINGHY. ON THE TRIP THERE WE SPOTTED OUR FIRST DOLPHINS OF THE TRIP. AFTER A WHILE WE SAW SO MANY DOLPHINS WE DIDN’T EVEN POINT THEM OUT TO EACH OTHER.
THE FOLLOWING DAY WE DID A SHORT TRIP TO SWANSBURO NC , DUDLEYS MARINA. WE WALKED OVER THE BRIDGE TO TOWN FOR DINNER & FOOD SHOPPING. THE REST. HAD A SHRIMP SPECIAL, ½ POUND OF EXTRA LARGE SHRIMP STEAMED ( THE BOAT HAD JUST COME IN ) FOR ONLY $9.99. WE ARE NOW IN SHRIMP HEAVEN, SOON WE WILL GET TIRED OF EATING SHRIMP THEY ARE SO PLENTIFUL DOWN HERE.
ON TO WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH N.C. IT TOOK US A LITTLE LONGER
THAN WE THOUGHT. WE CONTACTED THE LAST BRIDGE WE HAD TO GO UNDER TO CONFIRM HE HAD 20’ CLEARANCE AS STATED ON THE CHARTS, ONLY TO HEAR HIM TELL US TERE WAS ONLY 17’ CLEARANCE & MAYBE 2’ MORE IN THE CENTER. WE NEED 19’2’’ , SO WE HAD TO WAIT 45 MIN FOR THE NEXT OPENING. THAT NITE WE STAYED ON THE BOAT AT AN ANCHORAGE NEAR THE BEACH & COOKED ABOARD.
ON THUR. 11/2 WE MOVED ON TO DOCK HOLIDAYS MARINA FOR A NICE STAY WITH A GREAT HAPPY HOUR ( SHRIMP , OYSTERS , MAHI MAHI ALL ½ PRICE). ALSO DID SOME FOOD SHOPPING WHILE WE WERE THERE.
FRI. WE MOVED ON TO GEORGETOWN WHERE WE MEET RICH & JUDY ON SPLENDOR A SAIL BOAT. THEY CALLED OVER TO US AS WE PULLED IN AFTER SEEING OUR BURGEE FROM THE ROYAL MARSH HARBOR YACHT CLUB IN THE BAHAMAS TO TELL US THEY WERE MEMBERS ALSO & HEADED THAT WAY. MIRIAM & I WALKED AROUND THE LITTLE TOWN & ATE IN A LITTLE REST. IT WAS COLD THAT NITE & WE HAD TO PUT ON THE HEAT.
THE FOLLOWING DAY SAT. 11/4 WE WENT TO CHARLESTOWN. WHEN WE CALLED MARINAS WE FOUND OUT THEY WERE ALL BOOKED WITH NO SLIPS FOR US. THERE WERE MOORING BOUYS FOR FREE SO WE TIED UP TO ONE OF THEM. WE STAYED ON THE BOAT THAT EVENING EATING ABOARD. WE WERE STARTING TO HAVE TROUBLE WITH OUR GENERATOR. IT WAS THE IMPELLOR, SO SUN. MORNING I CHANGED IT WITH A SPARE I HAD ON BOARD. AFTER THE WORK WAS DONE WE WENT ONSHORE TO MEET RICH & JUDY TO GO TO LUNCH @ THE NOISY OYSTER, WALKED TOWN & TALKED ABOUT THE BAHAMAS. GREAT TIME HAD BY ALL. HAD MY FIRST TASTEING OF SHRIMP & GRITS – VERY GOOD.
NEXT DAY MON. 11/6 WE GOT A LATE START DUE TO HAVING TO WAIT 90 MIN. TO GET FUEL , WHAT A BUNCH OF SLOW POKES. IT WAS TOO LATE TO MAKE IT ALL THE WAY TO BEAUFORT S.C. BY THE TIME WE LEFT (10AM) SO WE DECIDED TO GO AS FAR AS TOM PT CREEK. WE WERE ONLY WITH ONE OTHER BOAT ON THIS CREEK SO SMALL AS TO ONLY HAVE BARELY ENOUGH SWINGING ROOM BUT VERY BEAUTIFUL & QUIET.
WE ARRIVED IN BEAUFORT S.C. AFTER DRIVING THRU SOME HEAVY RAIN. IT CLEARED AS WE GOT THERE AND THE MARINA PUT US IN A VERY TIGHT SPOT ON THE INNER DOCK. WE WALKED ABOUT TOWN & HAD DINNER IN A PUB WITH BULLET HOLES IN THE WALLS FROM THE CIVIL WAR, SO THEY TELL US. THE WAITRESS WAS SO OUT OF IT, SHE WAS RUNNING LATE & ONLY ARRIVED WHEN WE DID AT 5:30. DURING OUR STAY THERE SHE CAME OVER 3 TIMES WITH SALAD FOR US & WE HAD TO KEEP TELLNG HER THAT WE HAD ALREADY EATEN OUR SALAD & THESE WERE FOR SOMEONE ELSE.
THE FOLLOWING MORNING WE RECEIVED HELP FROM OTHER BOATERS FOR LINE HANDLING & PUSHING US OFF FROM OUR TIGHT SPOT IN THE FAST MOVING CURRENT TO BACK OUT. WE WENT ON TO ISLE OF HOPE MARINA FOR 2 DAYS. VERY NICE PLACE WITH A LEXUS LOANER CAR-HOW GOOD IS THAT. WE TOOK THE BUS INTO SAVANNAH ON THUR.& TOOK A HORSE & BUGGY TOUR OF THE HISTORIC AREA. WHILE IN ISLE OF HOPE WE USED OUR BIKES TO RIDE A SHORT WAY INTO TOWN FOR DINNER THE 2 NITES.
THE FOLLOWING DAY WE WENT SOUTH & ANCHORED IN NEW TEAKETTLE CREEK. WE WERE THE ONLY ONES THERE & MIRIAM LOVED THE REMOTENESS OF IT.
ON TO BRUNSWICK GA. WE STAYED HERE 2 DAYS – NICE TOWN- FREE LAUNDRY AT THE MARINA. MET UP WITH JUDY & RICH AGAIN & HAD DINNER TOGETHER AT THE PUB WITH THEM AND ALSO FRANK & RITA ABOARD CALAYPSO. OUR BOAT NEIGHBORS RICK & ELIENA ABOARD ADAGIO HAD A CAR THAT FRIENDS HAD LOANED THEM AND THEY WERE KIND ENOUGH TO DRIVE US TO WEST MARINE & BOATERS WORLD WHERE MIRIAM BOUGHT A SODA MAKER.
THE FOLLOWING DAY WE TOOK A SHORT TRIP TO JECKYLL ISLAND & RODE OUR BIKES AROUND THE ISLAND, I THOUGHT IT WAS VERY PRETTY. THE OLD MANSIONS WERE OWNED BY THE RICH YEARS AGO.
NEXT WE WENT TO CUMBERLAND IS GA THE FURTHEST SOUTH OUR INSURANCE COMPANY WILL LET US GO TILL 11/15 NOON FOR HURRICANE SEASON. I DINGHYED TO THE ISLAND & EXPLORED SEEING WILD HORSES , ARMADILLOS & THE OLD DUNGENNESS MANSION.
BAD WEATHER WAS FORCAST FOR THE NEXT 2 DAYS SO WE WENT JUST A LITTLE SOUTH TO FERDANDINA FL . THE MARINA IS COMPLETING RESTORATION & HAD NO POWER BUT WE WERE SAFE FROM THE HIGH WIND & USED OUR GENERATOR WHEN NEEDED. NICE LITTLE TOWN.
ST AUGUSTINE WAS OUR NEXT STOP. ON THE WAY THERE WE PASSED A BOAT FLYING A MTOA BURGEE. WE INTRODUCED OUR SELVES & MET TERRY & LESLIE ABOARD ORIENT MOON. THEY SAID THEY WERE GOING TO THE SAME MARINA AS US THAT NITE. WE WERE LUCKY TO GET A SPOT, THE LAST ONE ALONG THE SHORE ON A NOT SO GOOD DOCK, BUT A DOCK NONE THE LESS. WE RODE OUR BIKES INTO TOWN - VERY PRETTY & RESTORED SPANISH TYPE BUILDINGS. THE STREETS WERE NARROW AS THEY ARE IN EUROPE. WE HAD DINNER IN TOWN @ THE A1A REST. THE FOLLOWING MORNING WE WENT TO WINN DIXIE AND PUSHED 2 CARTS BACK TO THE BOAT GETTING READY FOR THE BAHAMAS. WE ALSO LATER BIKED TO WAL MART & HOME DEPOT. THAT EVENING WE MET UP WITH TERRY & LESLIE FOR DINNER IN TOWN AND VIEWED THE LIGHT CELEBATION AS EVERYTHING WAS LITE UP FOR THE HOLIDAYS. THERE WERE SO MANY PEOPLE IN THE STREETS IT WAS LIKE NEW YEARS EVE & ALL THE SHOPS WERE OPEN.
THE FOLLOWING DAY WE WENT ON TO NEW SMYRNA BEACH MARINA FOR 1 NITE . WE WALKED TOWN BUT NOT A SHOP WAS OPEN ON SUNDAY NOT EVEN A PUB OR REST. THAT’S HOW IT IS DOWN IN THE SOUTH , A GHOST TOWN. I LIKE IT.
WITH THE WINDS FORCAST TO PICK UP WE PUSHED ON SOUTH ANCHORING OUT IN MELBORNE, & JENSEN BEACH IN PROTECTION OF CAUSEWAYS TO BLOCK THE WIND.
WE ARRIVED IN LAKE WORTH IN PALM BEACH ON 11/22 WED THE DAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING & ANCHORED OUT. WE STAYED ON THE BOAT THAT DAY & THANKSGIVING, EATING IN.
THAT’S IT FOR NOW IT’S 70 DEG & SLIGHTLY BREEZY.