Gather around and I'll tell you a story with a beautiful beginning and a horrible ending.
On Friday, Nov 3 we and two other boats were going to go together from Beaufort to Charleston in one hop. Starting at 4:30am Nov 4, yeah I know its damn early in the morning. We expected to arrive in Charleston around 10:30a to 12:00 on Nov 5th. This should be a 31 hour run, sail, motor - whatever.
Things started going wrong at the beginning, as we pulled out the inlet we started wondering where are the two other boats.. Well, (no names here). Found out that one boat had snagged another boats anchor and had fun getting un-hooked, then they ran aground in the anchorage, they draw 7ft. Then to top it off, they t-boned (thats HIT) another sail boat causing a bit of damage. So they were delayed a couple of hours.
The other boat - no windlass to get the anchor up- was having much difficultly geting their anchor up was behind.
Great way to start an off-shore sail with buddy boats.
Needless to say, the sailing was fabulous. At times during the day we were hitting 7kts of speed over the ground and our arrival time was holding. First boat was catching us at Cape Fear, a faster boat. We arrived at Cape Fear just before sundown and was treated to a great sunset. I got to see my first GREEN FLASH. I'll leave it up to you to read this for a better explanation. Green Flash
Joan and I were taking about 2 hrs on and off during the night. That seems comfortable for us. Around 2 in the morning things started picking up. Winds started blowing about 15 to 20 kts which caused us to reduce sail since we were getting over powered. Not a good thing at this time of the morning. Seas were building with swells hitting us from the left front with the wind hitting us from the right. This makes for a un-comfortable ride. By sun up around 6 or 7, damn daylight saving time change. Wind had shifted to our nose with all the wave and swell. Sails were very reefed or should I say we had just a small porting of the mainsail out to provide stabilization as we started getting our brains bashed out.
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| Route from Beaufort to Charleston |
This bashing got worse, swells were running 3-5 ft with the occasional 7 footer to wake you up. The winds were directly out the Southwest on our nose. This forecast weather was not supposed to happen until late in the afternoon. So much for weather. We beat our brains out until we arrived at Charleston at about 2:00p about 4 hours after expected. Hitting the inlet at a outgoing tide against current, against barges, against ships....you get the idea. But the important thing was SMOOTH WATER.
We raced up the channel, pass all the marinas to an anchorage we have used in the pass. It required going through a bridge that has to open and we made by the skin of our teeth. We were expecting the bridge tender to stop up but keep the bridge open just long enough for to get by. Half mile later we were at anchor. Hot shower, some food and a drink and then it was nite nite.
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| Barge |
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| At anchor at Fenwick Island |
Monday Nov 5th, we got up and started moving again, next destination is Hilton Head and it is two days away via the ICW.
We got into Skull Creek Marina at Hilton Head around 1:30p on Nov 6th. Boat has had bath, oil changed and all systems checked. Back in Charleston, I noticed this saltwater splash on top of the engine, which is not supposed to happen. Checked this with Dean, a fellow boater and thinks it came from the anti-siphon valve in the upper right conner of pictures. Clean it out and watch it. Cleaned up the engine and being watched
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| SALT WATER? |
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| Dinning out at Boathouse Pub, Hilton Head |
Having fun in Hilton Head. Took a taxi to Sam's Club and stocked up on some STUFF.
Now it is on to St Mary's and Cumberland Island. Leaving Hilton at 10pm on Nov 8.... more to come
If you run into a Hunter 410 "SV Legacy" from Ohio say hi. They are from our home marina and this is their first time going to the Bahamas with their boat. They are in just about the same position as you.
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