Tues 10/19/10 …. UW at 05:30….. I helped Billy and Dave ( from Marina) got L'Attitude UW from it’s slip at Pelican’s Nest, in Little Creek, Norfolk, then I went to work for half day. Clear, 60's .. winds SW 15. In the dark, crew motored L'Attitude out of Lt Creek and proceeded to motor around to S. Branch of Eliz R. Catching the last of the early morning ebb current they made 10:00 opening of Dominion Blvd Br., then Locks and Great Br Br at 11:00. I replaced Dave at Great Bridge at 11:10.
Nice sunny day. Boat motoring well. Out onto Currituck Sound at ~13:15.
Thru Coinjock at 15:30. Winds now E/ENE 10-15.
17:00 .. Dinner tonight, Chinese ... beef/broccoli; Mongolian Beef.
17:30...Out onto Albemarle Sound . Winds NE 15-20 .. Nice down wind , 8kt, motor sail across the Sound.. partly cloudy, red sunset.
19:45 ... Thru Alligator R Br. Motored South on the Alligator R to anchorage just North of A/P Canal entrance, where we …
22:30... Anchored just out of the channel w/ ~ 8 other boats (already anchored). Good 17hr run. Slept great in very quite , calm anchorage.
Wed. 10/20/10 .... 05:00 .. Anchor up, sky clear, winds E 6-8, cool, low 60's.
( Because it’s about an 11 hr run from here to Morehead City, where I like to refuel at Jarrett Bay Marina, I wanted to get underway early,.. even though it’s dark till ~ 07:00).
Attempted to enter A/P canal in the dark, but, same as last year, fog reduced visibility so much that I returned to anchorage.
06:45, after breakfast, anchor up (again), UW. Skies now cloudy, wind E 5-10. Motored into canal. By 07:30 fog has reduced visibility to <1/4mi... making conditions somewhat difficult for awhile. Fog cleared somewhat by 09:00, but closed back in even thicker by 09:30 .. Boat running well.
09:30 out of canal, and motoring down Pungo R. still foggy (1/8m vis)
10:30 Several other boats, both sail and power, come out of Belhaven and we all jocky for position in the fog.
11:30 out of Pungo R. fog clearing
12:45 Hobokin...
(Since I can’t make Jarrett Bay Marina on Adams Creek by their close at 17:00 to refuel, I decide to go to ‘Plan B”… Oriental … 2 hrs out of the way, but the only other nearby place to refuel)
15:45 Tie up at Oriental Marina after 9hrs of motoring.
Refuel w/ 38.9gal/diesel @2.97gal(inc. sales tax) ....
38.9gal / 26hrs = 1.5gals/hr
16:15 UW from Oriental … motor across Nuese R to Adams Creek
(Nice red sunset as we motor down Adams Creek past Jarrett Bay Marine at ~ 18:30. Navigating the Morehead City estuary channels in the dark is challenging, and I could never attempt it, or any other night navigation, w/o a really good chart plotter )
19:30... out Morehead City Inlet.
Clear, winds NW 10-15. Motorsailing on close reach, doing 7.1kts at 2100rpm + jib.
I put on a Trans Derm Scop patch. Within an hour, winds increase out of the WNW to ~20. We are healed over and taking a pounding close reaching on starboard tack. However we are doing 7.5-8.00kts. I throttle back to ~ 1500rpms and still so 7+kts
20:00…. Billy, who wanted 2d watch, come up into cockpit, unable to sleep do to astronaut conditions in fwd cabin. Since he can't sleep he takes watch and I go below.
Thursday .. 02:30 ... I slept soundly despite conditions (??the Scop patch) and awake surprised that it is 02:30. Billy has played tag w/ Navy Aircraft carrier "#5" ( they are conducting night ops off Camp Lagune / Cherry Point and we have to stay well away from their “security zone’) .. and a few other boats and is in fairly good spirits.
Conditions have calmed down as wind speed has dropped to ~ 10kts. (still WNW). Billy goes off watch, now able to sleep in fwd cabin as healed over, pounding conditions have abated somewhat .
( Skies are crystal clear. .... There is a full moon being lead across the sky by Jupiter (I think). Very pretty. The impressive view of moonshine across the rolling night-time ocean reminds me of the opening scene from the old (1950's) TV show "Victory at Sea". )
03:00 … 35 miles to Frying Pam Shoals way point. My Initial apprehensions over weather and conditions have abated. ( The weather Gods will later teach me for this insolence) . But, no seasickness... patch is, however, drying me out.
"Laddy" has been taking the conditions in stride and has performed flawlessly (so far) here off shore, just as she did back coming down the ICW.
I take 15-20 min cat naps (using my 'Crackberry" timer) till dawn. Nice tee-shirt conditions in the 'buttoned-up' cockpit enclosure.
Thurs … 07:00 Sky is becoming lighter off to the East... winds down to NW 8-10. Seas have subsided & we are motor sailing at 7kts. We are now about 10 mi N of crossing the area of Frying Pan Shoals. No other boats or ships in sight.
10:00 Sunny, wind are beginning to build in from the SW 10-15.
Since it’s relatively calm we decide to add ~20gals diesel from 3 largest (6gal) jerry cans. Boat fuel tank now ~ full.
Engine Hrs since yesterday’s fill in Oriental as of now ( 10:00 )
= 18hrs so 20gal / 18hrs = ~ 1.1gal/hr
11:00 SW winds have increased to 15-20 seas build to 6+ ft.
Here we are, .... ( 25m SW of FPS, ~ 50 mi offshore ) hard on the wind, slamming and healed over. Didn't want to be here in these (unforeast) conditions
... but no real alternative now. We motor on… unpleasantly.
(Double click on pictures to enlarge)
11:30 Fish on. Billy fights it for about 15mins and brings aboard a 10-12lb "Blue
Runner" tuna. Flieted, he went into the freezer... too rough to cook him for dinner.
19:00 Billy takes first watch, conditions the same... still close reaching and taking a pounding.
FRI 10/22, 2010 01:00 ... I go on watch. Winds still gusting over 20, but it's clocked to W, and we are now not quite as hard on the wind.
Still slamming, but not quite as bad.
08:00 … Clear, sun nice to see. Winds clocking; cold front with no clouds, etc. will pass off coast this AM bringing NW, then N and by tomorrow NE winds ... now that's better.
09:30 Added 21gals diesel from last 4 jerry can. Now have about 50 usable gallons in boat's fuel tank
10:00 Total engine hrs since Oriental 26 +24 = 50hrs.
11:15 About 65 miles off Georgia, it's sunny, pleasant and we are broad reaching in 15kts of N/NE winds, course ~220M, seas, 4-5ft, when a little guest cames aboard. The finch was obviously looking for a rest stop, and finding it, promptly shit on Billy's shoulder. (Obviously, a smart Finch doesn't shit on the captain's sholder).
An hour later, apparently rested , he flew off.
12:00 Noon, Pod of dolphins have come to play. They ride the bow wake for at least 1/2 hr.. One big male?, in particular, got our attention. He was easily recognized because the top ~1/3 of his dorsal fin had apparently been chopped off, but was now healed, though in a rather jagged way.,. .
(Sorry about the poor picture)
Even more interesting, 8 years ago, also on L'Attitude, also w/ Billy crewing with me, and also in this general area off Georgia, ... we were visited by a pod of dolphins who played around the boat that Fall, also. ... However, as they played on that occasion, we noticed one big male? had the top third of his dorsal fin missing and it appeared to be a fresh wound. We commented on it, and wondered if he had hit our prop. Not long after the dolphin show, I began to noticed a slight vibration in the boat. When we came into St Augustine the next day the vibration was definitely still there.
At the time I had a Max-Prop. Since the vibration was slight, I decided to continue on down to the Keys. The next Spring, back in Norfolk and with the vibration having become more noticeable, I hauled the boat, removed the Max-Prop and sent it back to be "straightened" (which they did).
While admittedly far fetched, considering that dolphins live about 25 yrs, I believe "snaggle-dorsal" is the same dolphin we saw that October day 8 years ago. Did he remember L'Attitude, I wonder ? ? ? .
14:00.. More dolphin; but this time, no "Snaggle-dorsal" and maybe twice as many (20 or so), jumping, playing; … different pod? Something else I've never seen; as I watched the dolphin's super graceful, fluid, motions, I noticed flying fish jumping out of the water in the same areas that dolphin were swimming and surfacing to blow. ... well, ... flying fish would be a tasty snack.
What a nice day after yesterday's pounding ! !
16:00 Decision time ... We can easily make St Augustine from here (30 50N / 80 10W) ; 76m, arrive ~07:00 , ... or we can go for Port Canaveral .... 144m, arrive Sat ~ 20:00 . I have barely enough fuel to reach Canaveral, but current winds NE10 are forecast to increase to NE15-20. If so, we can throttle back and easily make Canaveral , cutting out a day's travels on the ICW.
The bail out , Plan B, is to go into Ponce Inlet tomorrow afternoon if Canaveral proves to be impractical.
Saturday, 10/23/10 01:00 Watch change, Billy goes below to get some rest. Beautiful night. After last night's pounding, it's a welcome pleasure.
After considering many things ... weather, fuel, restricted bridges at Canaveral , distances, etc., we have decided to go w/ Plan B and have changed course for Ponce Inlet. ETA Ponce ... noon
07:00 Peaceful, uneventful, night motor sailing in clear moonlit skies and 10-15kys E winds.
09:30 Fish on ... Another small tuna; released. Wind is freshening, E15, seas building
11:45... Into Ponce Inlet; no problem, even w/ E wind.... In the past, Ponce was not well marked once inside. However, it is now well marked inside w/ plenty of water and no confusion...
Rejoining the ICW channel, we motor South to George Mussen Bridge for it’s 12:20 opening. Continued down Banana R thru Haulover canal and ...
16:30 Arrived at Titusville Marina. Took on 82 gals diesel @ $2.97gal. 72hrs since last fuel fill. Washed HEAVY coating of salt off boat, had a few "toddies", a nice salmon (shipboard) dinner, and got a nice night's sleep after being underway for 72 hrs.
TOTAL ENGINE HRS SINCE NORFOLK 26 +72 = 98 ... Cum 3685hrs .... SLFF 0hrs .... SLOC .. 98hrs
Sunday 10/24/10 … Up at 05:00, had good breakfast and got UW (in the dark) at 06:00. The metal frames of my regular glasses broke yesterday and I had to wear my dark prescription sunglasses. Try navigating a boat in the pitch dark wearing dark sunglasses... anyway.. all went well and we welcomed a nice sunrise about 07:00. Laddy is happy to have lots of fuel on board.
I noticed a bolt sitting in the bilge under the transmission while motoring offshore yesterday . After we tied up, it turned out to be a shaft coupling bolt that had fallen out ( the other shaft coupling bolts were very loose also).... possibly from the pounding a few days ago. Bolts tightened…..Dodged another bullet.
Motoring down this section of the ICW is boring. but nice and comfortable. After the NASA causeway bridge there is a long ~ 40+ mile stretch of unimpeded waterway. You make just a good time here inside as outside.
17:00 Tied up in Ft Pierce City Marina after a nice, uneventful day of motoring South on the ICW. Almost no other cruisers on the waterway. Very few boat at Vero Beach Marina.
Took on 17.45gals diesel @ 3.169/gal = $55.30 17.45/11 = 1.58gals/hr
Engine hrs 11 (+98 =109) ... Cum 3696hrs .... SLFF 0 .... SLOC 109hrs
Monday 10/25/10 …UW 07:00 Cloudy, rain last night. Winds SE 15 Motoring South
At Jupiter Inlet, Opening the US1 Federal Bridge (one of MANY on the ICW
11:00 Waiting for Hobe Sound Br., we ADDED 5gals diesel from jerry can .....
14:30 Out Lake Worth Inlet. Seas 4-5' on the port bow, winds SE 15-20. Rolly, and slamming, but doable. Better than fighting the bridges inside to Lauderdale.
At least it's a warm sunny day... just a long uncomfortable, hot, slow, slog a mile or so offshore,
18:30 .. Still pounding along. Now about 10mi N of Lauderdale Very hot down below with boat all closed up.
21:00 .. We dodge (at close quarters) a cruise and 2 container ships coming out of Port Everglades. Have been taking (and will continue to take) occasional spray over the binini and "enjoy" a rough, rocky. exhausting, ride all night.
Tuesday, 10/26/10 ... ~02:00 ... By Miami. Still rough, but not much longer now till things get better.
~03:30 .. Nearing Fowery Rocks and past Key Biscayne. A nice rain shower washes the salt off of Laddy at just the right time as we are motor sailing into the (relatively) more protected (and much shallower) waters of Hawk Channel.
(Once again, unless you were a local w/ great local knowledge, I don’t believe it would be possible to navigate Hawk Channel at night w/o a good chart plotter )
04:00 .. Ask Billy (who has been off watch, sorta trying to rest, couldn't sleep in conditions we've had) to take helm and run down pre marked route thru Hawk channel, dodging coral heads, etc. I crash, exhausted, and fall asleep immediately as motion is now significantly less. Same wind, close reach, and healing, but no pounding, spray, etc.
07:30 up... alive, sorta... a long night, BUT, the hard part is behind us
08:00 Off Rodriguez Key (only decent stopping point and anchorage in Upper Keys).
Laddy now running comfortably at 7+ kts.
14:00 Motor sail by Marathon .. it’s a hot, sunny, Keys day
Looking East toward Boca Chica NAS and beyond to Guiger Key
17:45 Guiger Key ... tired. As (great .. planned) luck would have it, it’s supposed to be high tide here about now. Since I can only get into the canal channel within an hr or two of high tide, and daylight is gonna be gone soon, the high tide is why we’ve hustled to get here … but, approaching the channel marks, it seems to be only about 1/2 high. Still, .. had nothing less than 1ft under keel coming in channel. Very tight channel. Tied up against concrete bulkhead at 18:30.
I crash, … ( and am soon asleep) … Billy goes to Guiger Key Bar …
Laddy (the next morning) happy at her Winter accommodations :
ENGINE HRS (SINCE FT PIERCE ~ 36 hrs) Cum 3742hrs .... SLFF 36HRS ... SLOC 145 hrs ( 0 as of 10/27/10)
TOTAL TRIP ... HRS 145 ... Glad to be able to relax and enjoy KW and Fantasy Fest this weekend
