Norfolk, VA
To see as much of the world as we can,
Using the smallest carbon footprint we can,
Spending the least amount of money we can,
Making as many friends we can.
Big Milestone: we've closed the loop on our home port of Norfolk, VA.
While we started this voyage in Deltaville, VA, Norfolk is our home port. I like to think that the first four weeks of living aboard—prior to Norfolk—are a kind of prologue.
Because of Hurricane Season …
Two tasks: Fix the propane. Get to Norfolk.
Note that we left the Bahamas due east of Ft. Lauderdale, ICW mile 1064. Norfolk is 283 ICW miles away. A hair over 25% left to go.
No trip is uneventful. In addition to propane weirdness, which cleared itself up, we had …
The goal was Annapolis in early April. Clearly, that objective is blown. Sky High.
Letting the big picture sort itself out, we've got a bunch of little steps to take.
Get to Charleston, SC. 125 miles rhumb-line mile, 25 hours. 208 ICW miles. We're hoping for sailing, but we'll settle …
Friends First.
We're going to rendezvous with some other Whitby folks here in St. Augustine.
Last winter we had five Whitby's in St. Augustine. This week, we're expecting to have four Whitby's in St. A.
Meanwhile, we'll do some chores and plan our big maintenance tasks for the summer:
Dodger …
Are we there yet?
Have we broken anything new recently?
Anchored at 27°09.252′N 080°11.748′W in Manatee Pocket, near Stuart, FL
Walkies and Wi-Fi at Sammies for breakfast.
Washup was showers at the marina "not-to-be-named".
Dinghy over to the Hinckley …
This was painful, but necessary.
Stuff broke. We knew something was amiss when Mr. Lehman developed an unusual new smell on Saturday or Sunday. Really. A new smell. We'd learned all of his various noises. And a diesel engine has a characteristic smell. But this smell was new and different …
Bahamas!
Bound for the US of A. We're working our way back to Nassau to get provisions. Then across the Great Bahama Bank as weather permits, then across to the US. Ideally, we'd like to hit Beaufort and save a lot of ICW folderol. But. Maybe we'll hit St. Augustine …
Bahamas!
The Black Point Settlement (on Great Guana Cay) is one of the larger and more prosperous communities we've seen. Multiple churches, multiple restaurants. The world-famous Lorraine's. And bread baked by Lorraine's Mom. There's a huge "Laundermat" here, also. The community water is relatively accessible (and consequently cheaper) than other …
Bahamas!
Staniel Cay is a delightful destination. The Staniel Cay Yacht Club boasts a well-run marina, a bar-restaurant, water, diesel, gasoline. Everything. There's the Staniel Cay Divers shop with tanks, equipment, a big boat and guides. The island has an air strip served by Watermakers Air (direct from Ft. Lauderdale …
Bahamas! Specifically, Nassau and the Exuma Cays.
The Exumas chain stretches from 23° 20′N to 25°N, separating the Exuma Bank from the Exuma Sound. It's a slash of cartographer tan ink that's barely a mile wide and over 100 miles long, running from SE to NW: on the …
Bahamas! Specifically, the Berry Islands.
[Final posting, based on having good Wi-Fi access at Starbucks in the City Market in Nassau. The Coconut Tart is good, also.]
Started at 25°30.293′N 078°13.974′W, Great Bahamas Bank
The day started with a Miracle. An absolute …
Big trip South. Followed by big trip East. After almost two months of not moving an inch, we've moved hundreds of miles south, followed by a hundred or so miles east into the Bahamas. Parts of the trip were a piece of cake: the weather along the Florida coast was …
Time to finalize the provisioning for our trip south.
Starting to watch the weather more carefully.
Starting to put stuff away. We've been leaving things laying around; it's time to start stowing things for our offshore passage.
Moored at 29°53.03′N 081°33.15′W, St …
It's feeling like time to move on. St. Mary's is nice. Very, very nice.
The weather has been fabulous. Biking to the grocery store looks pretty easy. The anchorage feels secure.
But.
Cumberland Island is nearby. So is Fernandina Beach. The First Coast stretches South of us. Then the rest …
This week we're finally through with hanging around in Charleston, South Carolina.
We'd like sail outside to St. Mary's, Georgia. Or maybe even further (St. Augustine, perhaps.) We'd really like to sail there, instead of motor, so we'd like wait for better weather.
Except. It's cold here at night. So …
This week we're starting south from Beaufort, North Carolina.
The Commodore Says: "I think we're ready to jump outside."
The Ditch has been very, very good to us. We sheltered from Hurricane Sandy. We got our sea legs. We worked out some of the kinks in the boat and our …
This week we're starting south from Belhaven, North Carolina. After Hurricane Sandy moves on and devastates the northeast.
The Commodore Says: "It may be raining, but at least it's not really cold."
The wintery cold front that merged with Hurricane Sandy brought plenty of blustery winter weather. It was cold …
This week we're starting south from Town Point in Norfolk.
The Commodore Says: "There's nothing so helpful as local knowledge." In our case, local knowledge includes our trusty copy of Skipper Bob's Anchorages Along the ICW, and the Waterway Guide Altantic ICW. And http://cruisersnet.net. And all the random …
This week we're vacationing in Norfolk. Partly to visit friends, but also to fix what we've broken. We're planning to leave Monday, after sobering up from the weekend.
The Commodore Says: "We need to learn a little patience."
The list of things we've broken includes (1) and (2) the way …
This week we're returning to Norfolk. Mostly to visit friends, but also to fix what we've broken.
The Commodore Says: "The Regiment Votes To Repair". However, that isn't always the best approach.
The Dinghy Issue is challenging. A hard dinghy is very rowable, but doesn't hold much weight, and limits …