Click on the title to be linked to a story about our neighbor who was rescued by the coast guard and local police after apparently hitting the jetty at St. Mary's inlet. They are OK but the boat was lost. The boat is not a shrimper but a trawler. Don't know the details yet.
Be safe out there!
You know how dolphins like to ride the bow wave? And what do we do but make our way to the bow to watch. Well this time I stayed in the cockpit while about 30 dolphins came to play with Harmony. While there I noticed them surfing down 5 foot waves behind us and pass us as the wave did. They would travel in groups and inspect us as they passed. It all makes sense but it is the first time I had noticed and really watched it. Unfortunately, I was too busy watching to remember to take a picture so I found this video of surfing dolphins:
http://youtu.be/bWauuX_1KH8
and this one of a dolphin stampede:
http://youtu.be/AR9JX2fRk3c
I left the boat at River's Edge, formerly Oyster Creek, Marina and flew home until Early Dec. Been in contact with a couple of boats going down the ICW and am so happy we went outside. They are now stopped for a Nor'Easter with gale warnings all along the coast. Not a comfortable time to be moving. Maybe Tuesday they will be able to move again. I was on the bow either watching dolphins or fixing the head.
Sunset at sea.
Hitchhiker. Stayed with us for a day and a night. We thought she was a seed eater but she enjoyed a moth she found.
We are now in St. Augustine having arrived just before 2PM on Thursday to have made the entire trip in less than six days. While it is snowing in NY, it rained a little here. I had a great crew for the trip but they left at 5 this morning so I am alone. Got the laundry and a few little jobs done and will be eating leftovers again tonight. I tell you, it ain't easy being me.
We have made really good time. We are just south of Charleston, SC having come west to prepare for some weather on the nose. We left NJ and had a very fast sail down the NJ coast reaching Norfolk in 40 hours. It usually takes us 48+ and we were sailing all the way. By the time we reached Cape Hatteras we had only motored 17 hours total (3 days plus of only sailing) Coming down the NC outer banks we reached a sustained 10 knots several times arriving at the waypoint 3 hours earlier than anticipated. Since then we have been sailing on a broad reach in 15 to 20 knots. Yesterday, the wind died and we turned on the motor about 6pm and motored all night. In fact we are still motoring waiting for the wind to come in but it will be from the SW...on the nose. We are off St. Helena Sound and, if the wind doesn't come sooner, may get to Hilton Head by late afternoon. Man plans and God laughs. Anyway, there are places to duck in and get to the ICW so when the wind does come in at 15-20 knots on the nose we can still make time on the ICW. Predictions say we could go back out on Friday to a Northerly 10-15. Well, we'll see.
The crew has been fantastic. We are eating well and getting sleep. I take the watch from 7-12, after dinner. Joe comes on from 12 to 3 and Merrie from 3 to 7 (she really likes the sunrise). During the day no one is really on watch and people can take naps if needed.
The boat has been doing well overall. The night before last, at 4 AM i was woken up with the autohelm not working. We checked it out and the linear drive motor had come unattached. Joe and I put it all back together by 6AM and off we went. Later that day, I was checking the fluids on the starboard engine when I noticed that the fanbelt had broke. I replaced that with a spare, one of my favorite muscle jobs, and it has been working for the last 14 hours.
In the order they appeared, this is what was supposed to go with each of the photos I posted yesterday.
Getting Harmony ONTO the dock.
(It was very windy on Friday morning.)
Loading her up!
The fearless Captain.
One crew aboard.
(Joe looks really happy to be on this off shore trip.)
Fair winds and see you soon - Florrie & Lew.
(Lew will fly back before Thanksgiving, then we will both go to wherever the boat is stored and take off for the winter.)
Roy to the rescue, they need help!
(Roy is the club's launch Capt.)
All three aboard and off the dock!
(I wish I had a picture of Joe leaping aboard at the very last minute with Roy ready to release the bowline.)
Warm weather, here they come.
(It was a cold, windy start but within a couple of hours the winds had calmed.)
Main up, the adventure begins.
(Lew wrote Saturday evening that they had had all but two hours of sailing and they were ahead of schedule. By now, Sunday morning, I imagine they are Quite a bit south of Norfolk.)
The first photo is Florrie's grand-nephew and niece.
We are good. Our boat is OK. Wind on the rear of Irene about 30 from the West. Tide going out. WHEW!
Florrie just added 36 paintings on her facebook page
Florence B. Hill
From RI we motored to Three Mile Harbor just East of Sag Harbor. Then to Port Jeff where the fuel was $5.00/gallon! But the moorings are free behind the sand spit. Left at 6AM and motor sailed down LI sound getting to Throgs Neck about 2 for the tide change. Actually we were early and came down the East River in slack tide. Got back to the club by 7:30, got a drink at the bar and went home to collapse....
Here we are in historic Plymouth where the Mayflower landed after landing at least 2 other places. The rock is a rock. It is a real tourist town. Went to dinner with John and Sue, old friends from cruising. It was great to see them but I am not thrilled with cruising up here. Lobster pots everywhere, especially in the harbor channel. Yikes. The harbor is very very crowded with no anchoring and transient moorings costing $60/night. 7 year waiting list for permanent moorings.
We are at a dock at a nice but expensive marina (electricity discounted to $15/day). Renting a car and off to Boston for a night and day.
We are anchored between Scraggy Point and Bassetts Island...N41 40 22.7. W070 38 29.6....we tried the guidebook suggested anchorage just north of Bassets only to find it FULL of moorings. This is about a mile East of the entrance to the Cape Cod Canal but we have to wait for the current (up to 6 knots) to turn before entering (about 12:30). Of course at 8:30 the fog has begun to roll in just to make life interesting for a boat with no radar. We should get into Plymouth about 6 tonight...pray for the fog to lift!!!
Lew Hill's wireless phone was last located near Lat: N 41° 30.281' Long: W 71° 23.154' on 2011/07/09 06:04 PM EDT
Lew Hill's wireless phone was last located near Lat: N 41° 0.818' Long: W 72° 11.307' on 2011/07/08 05:43 PM EDT
This is one of our favorite harbors. Just East of Sag Harbor and 8 miles directly south of Plum Island. Google it ...eastern Long Island. Two days from Keyport. Good holding and very protected. Good thing as thunderstorms and hail expected today. That plus the morning fog led us to hang out here for a day. We want to be in commuting distance from Boston so Florrie can show grand daughter Boston School of Art (her Alma mata) on Wed.
Sister ship to Sweet Caroline
