CROSSING INTO GEORGIA AND CUMBERLAND ISLAND NATIONAL SEASHORE
Saturday, March 22
As the sun brighten the cloudy skies and as I wiped the pollen off Andiamo, very small bugs were biting. The adjustment to cloudy skies where the temperatures are not in the 50’s as they would be in Washington State, but in the 60’s is still continuing. After breakfast and pumping out the holding tank, Andiamo crossed the St. Mary’s River and into Georgia.
The channel markers, red and green, had swapped sides as we headed toward King’s Bay where the navy has a huge presence and a submarine base. Again, 7 other Looper boats joined us, and I felt we were a part of the “Looper Lemmings” going up the ICW. Our route was paralleling Cumberland Island and the National Park Service’s administration of this national seashore.
The email from Joe Matthews, who had lived in Georgia, was very appropriate: beautiful place but put on the bug spray. We have been contending with pollen-induced allergies by taking pills and now bug spray will be added to the morning routine.
The destination was an anchorage on the Brickhill River that took off from the ICW to the east, meandered and then reconnected again. The Park Service had erected a dock near the Plum Orchard Mansion that was built by the Carnegie’s in the very late 1800’s. Loopers had told us that this part Cumberland Island was quieter and more interesting than the southern park and though the dock could not be used for moorage, it was great for a dingy or our kayaks. Earlier, the tug went past the southern part of Cumberland Island and had seen the large passenger ferry that left from St. Mary’s and at least 8 boats were at anchor.
We arrived at our anchorage after 2 hours and 14 miles and the anchor set fast and deep in the mud in 20 feet of water. A steady current kept the tug tight against the anchor and we were re-introduced to tides, here it is 7 to 8 feet.
After lunch, the kayaks were dropped and paddled to the shore near the dock, put up on the grass, and we walked the ¼ mile to the mansion. This is a huge building that was closed because there was no staff to open it. We looked in the windows; listened to the group of scouts in the meadow and saw the one family that was enjoying the day.
The afternoon was spent walking across the island on very quiet and little used trails until we heard the ocean first, then climbed the dunes and onto the beach.
After spending 30 minutes on the beach, we felt the need for lunch. Laurie had collected shells, saw the shell of a horseshoe crab shell, and said, “If I saw one of the wild horses, that would complete this trip.” Cumberland Island is known for the small wild horses that make a home here.
Just after crossing the swamp and bog on the trail, I was 30 feet behind Laurie when I saw the wild horse walking toward us on the trail. Laurie did not see it at first, but quickly did. Being up wind from the horse, it probably could not smell us and we were quiet statues just off the trail. The brown horse with ribs showing, and only standing about shoulder high, stopped about 10 feet from us, walked off the trail to avoid getting too close, passed us, and then resumed the walk down the middle of the trail and toward the beach
The island is very dry with pines, oaks, and palms. It was quiet but with the sounds of birds in the woods. Back at the landing and the dock, we were tired but the current had switched directions and delivered us to the tug with hardly any effort. The mud on our shoes and in the kayaks from the launch was thick and sticky and did not clean up easily. We used Andiamo’s wash-down pump to make a thorough cleaning of the evidence.
The late afternoon was spent resting in the sun and enjoying the light southerly wind under clear skies before cooking hamburgers and steaming veggies.
Saturday, March 22
As the sun brighten the cloudy skies and as I wiped the pollen off Andiamo, very small bugs were biting. The adjustment to cloudy skies where the temperatures are not in the 50’s as they would be in Washington State, but in the 60’s is still continuing. After breakfast and pumping out the holding tank, Andiamo crossed the St. Mary’s River and into Georgia.
The channel markers, red and green, had swapped sides as we headed toward King’s Bay where the navy has a huge presence and a submarine base. Again, 7 other Looper boats joined us, and I felt we were a part of the “Looper Lemmings” going up the ICW. Our route was paralleling Cumberland Island and the National Park Service’s administration of this national seashore.
The email from Joe Matthews, who had lived in Georgia, was very appropriate: beautiful place but put on the bug spray. We have been contending with pollen-induced allergies by taking pills and now bug spray will be added to the morning routine.
The destination was an anchorage on the Brickhill River that took off from the ICW to the east, meandered and then reconnected again. The Park Service had erected a dock near the Plum Orchard Mansion that was built by the Carnegie’s in the very late 1800’s. Loopers had told us that this part Cumberland Island was quieter and more interesting than the southern park and though the dock could not be used for moorage, it was great for a dingy or our kayaks. Earlier, the tug went past the southern part of Cumberland Island and had seen the large passenger ferry that left from St. Mary’s and at least 8 boats were at anchor.
We arrived at our anchorage after 2 hours and 14 miles and the anchor set fast and deep in the mud in 20 feet of water. A steady current kept the tug tight against the anchor and we were re-introduced to tides, here it is 7 to 8 feet.
After lunch, the kayaks were dropped and paddled to the shore near the dock, put up on the grass, and we walked the ¼ mile to the mansion. This is a huge building that was closed because there was no staff to open it. We looked in the windows; listened to the group of scouts in the meadow and saw the one family that was enjoying the day.
The afternoon was spent walking across the island on very quiet and little used trails until we heard the ocean first, then climbed the dunes and onto the beach.
After spending 30 minutes on the beach, we felt the need for lunch. Laurie had collected shells, saw the shell of a horseshoe crab shell, and said, “If I saw one of the wild horses, that would complete this trip.” Cumberland Island is known for the small wild horses that make a home here.
Just after crossing the swamp and bog on the trail, I was 30 feet behind Laurie when I saw the wild horse walking toward us on the trail. Laurie did not see it at first, but quickly did. Being up wind from the horse, it probably could not smell us and we were quiet statues just off the trail. The brown horse with ribs showing, and only standing about shoulder high, stopped about 10 feet from us, walked off the trail to avoid getting too close, passed us, and then resumed the walk down the middle of the trail and toward the beach
The island is very dry with pines, oaks, and palms. It was quiet but with the sounds of birds in the woods. Back at the landing and the dock, we were tired but the current had switched directions and delivered us to the tug with hardly any effort. The mud on our shoes and in the kayaks from the launch was thick and sticky and did not clean up easily. We used Andiamo’s wash-down pump to make a thorough cleaning of the evidence.
The late afternoon was spent resting in the sun and enjoying the light southerly wind under clear skies before cooking hamburgers and steaming veggies.
JEKYLL ISLAND, GEORGIA
Sunday & Monday, March 23 and 24
The anchorage on the Brickhill River was quiet and the tug felt solid despite the fact that the current was steady and switched directions every 6 hours. In the cool, clear morning light, the Ultra anchor came up smooth and clean, which surprised us given how the mud & clay bottom was thick and sticky.
The Brickhill’s current flowed from north to south and yet when it reached the Cumberland river, the current flowed northward toward the mouth at St. Andrew’s Sound. Andiamo enjoyed the extra 1 MPH boost. Marshland smoothed out on each side of the channel. Marshland has grass, whereas, swamp land has trees.
We talked about taking an alternate route to avoid the potential sloggy conditions at St. Andrew’s Sound, where the onshore winds can oppose the ebbing current and cause the chop to stand up. Several Loopers had recommended the alternate route of taking several rivers and creeks that would add 5 more miles to the trip. We elected to cross the two miles of open water with the open horizon to the east because the winds were calm and the water was flat. Being west coasters, seeing an open horizon to the east, that ends at Europe was a bit un-nerving.
The channel markers took us to the edge of the ocean because there are shoals scattered throughout the Sound. We powered up to the fast cruising speed to pass a sailboat that was followed for nearly an hour, and stayed at that speed to skate down the northern edge of Cumberland Island, turned at the channel markers that would take us to Jekyll Sound and followed that to Jekyll Creek which is the channel on the westside of Jekyll Island.
The current had switched in the past two hours and Jekyll Creek’s current was taking us northbound at a good clip. Powering back the tug to 1300 RPM’s still resulted in 6 MPH. The Jekyll Island Marina was coming up fast in this current and the instructions from the dockmaster were to tie on the outside of the long pier. Andiamo slipped past the destination, did a U-turn and had a controlled, slow speed landing against the current.
Sunday & Monday, March 23 and 24
The anchorage on the Brickhill River was quiet and the tug felt solid despite the fact that the current was steady and switched directions every 6 hours. In the cool, clear morning light, the Ultra anchor came up smooth and clean, which surprised us given how the mud & clay bottom was thick and sticky.
The Brickhill’s current flowed from north to south and yet when it reached the Cumberland river, the current flowed northward toward the mouth at St. Andrew’s Sound. Andiamo enjoyed the extra 1 MPH boost. Marshland smoothed out on each side of the channel. Marshland has grass, whereas, swamp land has trees.
We talked about taking an alternate route to avoid the potential sloggy conditions at St. Andrew’s Sound, where the onshore winds can oppose the ebbing current and cause the chop to stand up. Several Loopers had recommended the alternate route of taking several rivers and creeks that would add 5 more miles to the trip. We elected to cross the two miles of open water with the open horizon to the east because the winds were calm and the water was flat. Being west coasters, seeing an open horizon to the east, that ends at Europe was a bit un-nerving.
The channel markers took us to the edge of the ocean because there are shoals scattered throughout the Sound. We powered up to the fast cruising speed to pass a sailboat that was followed for nearly an hour, and stayed at that speed to skate down the northern edge of Cumberland Island, turned at the channel markers that would take us to Jekyll Sound and followed that to Jekyll Creek which is the channel on the westside of Jekyll Island.
The current had switched in the past two hours and Jekyll Creek’s current was taking us northbound at a good clip. Powering back the tug to 1300 RPM’s still resulted in 6 MPH. The Jekyll Island Marina was coming up fast in this current and the instructions from the dockmaster were to tie on the outside of the long pier. Andiamo slipped past the destination, did a U-turn and had a controlled, slow speed landing against the current.
Jekyll Island is a Georgia State Park that has a local government called the Jekyll Island Authority and where businesses pay 3% of their profits to the State of Georgia. The folding bikes provided the means to explore the island all afternoon. Wide and smooth bike paths are through the island and several business rent bikes.
Though the island was originally a plantation, the second owner bought out the remaining property owners and sold the island to the Jekyll Island Club. This 50-member body was composed of the rich and powerful movers and shakers in the early 1900’s with names like Rockefeller, J.P. Morgan, Goodyear and Hyde. The club was modeled after a similar one in New York.
The historic portion of the island has preserved the cottages that some of these families built for winter vacations as they took their plush private rail cars to Brunswick and took a steamer to the island to stay from New Years to Easter. A sprawling hotel was built and all the families ate their meals together.
A take-away lesson was from Henry Goodyear who started a company with $100, devoted his life to building an empire and died from a nervous breakdown, leaving an estate of $10 million. Work to live; not live to work.
After World War II, Georgia condemned the island using the power of eminent domain and paid the owner about $600,000 and made it a park “for the people.” The historic buildings house a variety of small business, museums and, the highlight, the Georgia Sea Turtle Center and Hospital. The center was a first class education operation, a great gift shop, and the hospital had a viewing room where we could see a huge turtle being treated by a team.
The weather forecast was for 20-25 MPH winds with gusts to 35 MPH over the next two days so we opted to buy two nights of moorage. Before sunrise on Monday, the wind rose from the north as predicted and the blow continued all day and into the evening. Though it did not rain, it was cool with temperatures in the high 50’s and was jacket weather. The first discernible rain came Monday evening.
The marina is small and is dominated by live-a-boards and monthly tenants. We met 12 of them the afternoon of the first day for the near-daily dock party that starts about 5PM, weather permitting.
One couple had come back to the US after spending 4 years in Mexico. They bought a yacht in Fort Lauderdale and have been at Jekyll Island since September working on it and learning about it. Though they talked of heading out, their pace of progress and their attachment to the island may delay their departure. Another couple came here to stay the night and were still here after three years. Another has been living on his large yacht for 17 years. What they all had in common was the willingness to simplify their lives, slow down the pace and intensity of living, and to genuinely listen and care about other boaters.
We learned that the annoying and biting small bugs are interchangeably called gnats or no-see-ums. They are the size of a flea and will pass through the normal sized screening on the boat. The locals said if the wind is 6 knots or more, the bugs are gone. Bug spray works on the exposed skin but long sleeve shirts, long pants and socks with sandals is a must. A pollen allergy knocked Laurie down Monday night, as no medication would work. That, and the bug bites that itched made her uncomfortable.
Now, deeper into Georgia, southern food became a topic to explore and enjoy. “Low country boil” is a category that includes, shrimp, gumbo, and Brunswick Stew, all of which we tried and liked.
Though the island was originally a plantation, the second owner bought out the remaining property owners and sold the island to the Jekyll Island Club. This 50-member body was composed of the rich and powerful movers and shakers in the early 1900’s with names like Rockefeller, J.P. Morgan, Goodyear and Hyde. The club was modeled after a similar one in New York.
The historic portion of the island has preserved the cottages that some of these families built for winter vacations as they took their plush private rail cars to Brunswick and took a steamer to the island to stay from New Years to Easter. A sprawling hotel was built and all the families ate their meals together.
A take-away lesson was from Henry Goodyear who started a company with $100, devoted his life to building an empire and died from a nervous breakdown, leaving an estate of $10 million. Work to live; not live to work.
After World War II, Georgia condemned the island using the power of eminent domain and paid the owner about $600,000 and made it a park “for the people.” The historic buildings house a variety of small business, museums and, the highlight, the Georgia Sea Turtle Center and Hospital. The center was a first class education operation, a great gift shop, and the hospital had a viewing room where we could see a huge turtle being treated by a team.
The weather forecast was for 20-25 MPH winds with gusts to 35 MPH over the next two days so we opted to buy two nights of moorage. Before sunrise on Monday, the wind rose from the north as predicted and the blow continued all day and into the evening. Though it did not rain, it was cool with temperatures in the high 50’s and was jacket weather. The first discernible rain came Monday evening.
The marina is small and is dominated by live-a-boards and monthly tenants. We met 12 of them the afternoon of the first day for the near-daily dock party that starts about 5PM, weather permitting.
One couple had come back to the US after spending 4 years in Mexico. They bought a yacht in Fort Lauderdale and have been at Jekyll Island since September working on it and learning about it. Though they talked of heading out, their pace of progress and their attachment to the island may delay their departure. Another couple came here to stay the night and were still here after three years. Another has been living on his large yacht for 17 years. What they all had in common was the willingness to simplify their lives, slow down the pace and intensity of living, and to genuinely listen and care about other boaters.
We learned that the annoying and biting small bugs are interchangeably called gnats or no-see-ums. They are the size of a flea and will pass through the normal sized screening on the boat. The locals said if the wind is 6 knots or more, the bugs are gone. Bug spray works on the exposed skin but long sleeve shirts, long pants and socks with sandals is a must. A pollen allergy knocked Laurie down Monday night, as no medication would work. That, and the bug bites that itched made her uncomfortable.
Now, deeper into Georgia, southern food became a topic to explore and enjoy. “Low country boil” is a category that includes, shrimp, gumbo, and Brunswick Stew, all of which we tried and liked.
BRUNSWICK, GEORGIA
Tuesday & Wednesday, March 25 & 26
We took advantage of a small window in the weather, between cold fronts, to move 10 miles to Brunswick. The currents were mild and the wind was nearly flat but all of that would change in about 8 hours. The risky part was leaving at the lowest tide and Jekyll Creek, between the marina and St. Simon Sound, is known for shoaling. Andiamo was taking it slow, staying in the middle of the channel, watching the depth sounder and ignoring the depth numbers on the chartplotter, whose database on depth and shorelines can be decades old.
Four government-owned patrol boats from various agencies passed us, it was probably a training day on the Jekyll Creek as the main training academy for nearly all the federal agencies is located nearby in Brunswick.
At St. Simons Sound, the channel markers heading west were followed to the East River, which took Andiamo to the large Brunswick Landing Marina. This complex has 12 individual docks and nearly all of them have 50-foot long finger piers. Though Laurie had called ahead earlier, they had plenty of room. The dockmaster appreciated the notice that we were coming and pedaled her bike from the office to our assigned slip to help us dock.
My introduction to Brunswick came from the marina employee when the moorage was paid. She brought a map of the downtown and circled the small historic area where the restaurants and historic homes and “squares” were. Then, making quick, hard, and repeated slashes to the area of town north of Gloucester Street, she said, “Do not go here after dark and if you go there in the day, lock everything up.”
I had no idea what she was referring to, but I would find out soon.
After lunch, Laurie’s cold was winning the battle and she stayed down for the afternoon. The wind was beginning to rise with a steady breeze of 15 MPH and gusts were 10 MPH more. I would spend the afternoon cycling throughout Brunswick on a scavenger hunt for small things and getting meds and supplies for the admiral.
Earlier, the handle to the cabin door came off in Laurie’s hand because at first look, the metric sized stainless steel set screw was gone. Finding one in Brunswick, a town of 14,000 was the accepted challenge. A boater at the marina office told me, “Go to Automotive Fasteners, they will have it.” When asked about cycling there, he made that face that communicated, “Are you nuts?”
Finding a battery for the camera had proved to be more difficult than expected. No stores in Jekyll Island carried the CR1220. This afternoon, I would go to three stores, one with a police officer guarding the front, and still not find one.
The first destination was a hardware store that was in the caution area north of Gloucester Street. Very quickly, I learned that Brunswick is not bike friendly outside of the historic district like Jekyll Island was. Central Hardware was probably family owned, white faces in a poor neighborhood of black ones. They had the tool I needed for the door handle surgery project and though they had a small cardboard box full of photo and hearing aid batteries, all neatly filed; they did not have the CR1220.
Where to find a metric set screw, yielded the answer, “Automotive Fasteners, they will have it and here is their card.”
A diversion to the CVS Pharmacy with the police car out front got Laurie’s meds but no batteries. The West Marine Store was near the Winn-Dixie grocery store and was a mile further east on a tree lined, four lane road with wide shoulders.
The manager of the West Marine store recognized me from the marina as he lives on his boat and pointed me to the good selection of set screws but none were metric. A few were bought for good measure. For the third time today, I was told, “Automotive Fasteners will have them.”
Winn-Dixie had the supplies that Laurie needed but not the battery. A tap on my shoulder and a friendly greeting came from Alan who was on the boat next to us at Jekyll Island. The odd thing was in all the years living is the northwest, being recognized at a grocery store had happened maybe a handful of times.
The IPhone told how to get to Automotive Fasteners that was 3 miles away. The afternoon was young, the traffic was light, so the challenge was accepted to fight the wind and cycle there. 45 minutes later and glad to stop fighting the north wind, Automotive Fasteners was found in an industrial complex and its parking lot was empty. Clearly, it served commercial customers but was happy to sell retail. 20 minutes and 57 cents later, I had 6 options of metric, stainless steel set screws in my pocket.
The majority of the cycling was through a poor residential district with streets in disrepair, homes in various stages of decay, a smattering of housing projects, broken down cars on the curb or decaying in driveways, and I was stared at as I was clearly out of place riding a funny looking bike and wearing the uniform of the white, American, middle class tourist. This part of Brunswick was the broken social experiment that started with good intentions, and fueled with dreams of a better life, and funded with government grants. The decades-long effort to attack poverty had not created any lasting results in this part of Brunswick.
In a few minutes, the railroad tracks were crossed and the world of boating, cruising and a well-built marina came to view. The wind had built to a steady 20 MPH and was gusting to 35. With Andiamo pinned to the finger pier and straining on the spring lines, fenders were moved over from the starboard side and an additional spring line was tied from the stern cleat to the end of the finger pier. The wind would continue for another 8 hours. The lines were checked twice and as they stretched under the strain and were adjusted.
Tuesday & Wednesday, March 25 & 26
We took advantage of a small window in the weather, between cold fronts, to move 10 miles to Brunswick. The currents were mild and the wind was nearly flat but all of that would change in about 8 hours. The risky part was leaving at the lowest tide and Jekyll Creek, between the marina and St. Simon Sound, is known for shoaling. Andiamo was taking it slow, staying in the middle of the channel, watching the depth sounder and ignoring the depth numbers on the chartplotter, whose database on depth and shorelines can be decades old.
Four government-owned patrol boats from various agencies passed us, it was probably a training day on the Jekyll Creek as the main training academy for nearly all the federal agencies is located nearby in Brunswick.
At St. Simons Sound, the channel markers heading west were followed to the East River, which took Andiamo to the large Brunswick Landing Marina. This complex has 12 individual docks and nearly all of them have 50-foot long finger piers. Though Laurie had called ahead earlier, they had plenty of room. The dockmaster appreciated the notice that we were coming and pedaled her bike from the office to our assigned slip to help us dock.
My introduction to Brunswick came from the marina employee when the moorage was paid. She brought a map of the downtown and circled the small historic area where the restaurants and historic homes and “squares” were. Then, making quick, hard, and repeated slashes to the area of town north of Gloucester Street, she said, “Do not go here after dark and if you go there in the day, lock everything up.”
I had no idea what she was referring to, but I would find out soon.
After lunch, Laurie’s cold was winning the battle and she stayed down for the afternoon. The wind was beginning to rise with a steady breeze of 15 MPH and gusts were 10 MPH more. I would spend the afternoon cycling throughout Brunswick on a scavenger hunt for small things and getting meds and supplies for the admiral.
Earlier, the handle to the cabin door came off in Laurie’s hand because at first look, the metric sized stainless steel set screw was gone. Finding one in Brunswick, a town of 14,000 was the accepted challenge. A boater at the marina office told me, “Go to Automotive Fasteners, they will have it.” When asked about cycling there, he made that face that communicated, “Are you nuts?”
Finding a battery for the camera had proved to be more difficult than expected. No stores in Jekyll Island carried the CR1220. This afternoon, I would go to three stores, one with a police officer guarding the front, and still not find one.
The first destination was a hardware store that was in the caution area north of Gloucester Street. Very quickly, I learned that Brunswick is not bike friendly outside of the historic district like Jekyll Island was. Central Hardware was probably family owned, white faces in a poor neighborhood of black ones. They had the tool I needed for the door handle surgery project and though they had a small cardboard box full of photo and hearing aid batteries, all neatly filed; they did not have the CR1220.
Where to find a metric set screw, yielded the answer, “Automotive Fasteners, they will have it and here is their card.”
A diversion to the CVS Pharmacy with the police car out front got Laurie’s meds but no batteries. The West Marine Store was near the Winn-Dixie grocery store and was a mile further east on a tree lined, four lane road with wide shoulders.
The manager of the West Marine store recognized me from the marina as he lives on his boat and pointed me to the good selection of set screws but none were metric. A few were bought for good measure. For the third time today, I was told, “Automotive Fasteners will have them.”
Winn-Dixie had the supplies that Laurie needed but not the battery. A tap on my shoulder and a friendly greeting came from Alan who was on the boat next to us at Jekyll Island. The odd thing was in all the years living is the northwest, being recognized at a grocery store had happened maybe a handful of times.
The IPhone told how to get to Automotive Fasteners that was 3 miles away. The afternoon was young, the traffic was light, so the challenge was accepted to fight the wind and cycle there. 45 minutes later and glad to stop fighting the north wind, Automotive Fasteners was found in an industrial complex and its parking lot was empty. Clearly, it served commercial customers but was happy to sell retail. 20 minutes and 57 cents later, I had 6 options of metric, stainless steel set screws in my pocket.
The majority of the cycling was through a poor residential district with streets in disrepair, homes in various stages of decay, a smattering of housing projects, broken down cars on the curb or decaying in driveways, and I was stared at as I was clearly out of place riding a funny looking bike and wearing the uniform of the white, American, middle class tourist. This part of Brunswick was the broken social experiment that started with good intentions, and fueled with dreams of a better life, and funded with government grants. The decades-long effort to attack poverty had not created any lasting results in this part of Brunswick.
In a few minutes, the railroad tracks were crossed and the world of boating, cruising and a well-built marina came to view. The wind had built to a steady 20 MPH and was gusting to 35. With Andiamo pinned to the finger pier and straining on the spring lines, fenders were moved over from the starboard side and an additional spring line was tied from the stern cleat to the end of the finger pier. The wind would continue for another 8 hours. The lines were checked twice and as they stretched under the strain and were adjusted.
The next day, the air temperature was 40 degrees and the wind chill from the 15 MPH wind from the north dropped it further. Layered with coats, we cycled south of Gloucester Street through the historic district of well kept homes, nice yards, and the original street designs done by the British. The hallmark of their design was the creation of “Squares” that were parks. Some squares were the equivalent of several residential lots and several where several blocks in size. Clearly, the larger ones were more successful in terms of use, design, better maintained, and being more attractive. The smaller ones were like the “tot lots” used in today’s residential developments; too small, a drain on maintenance dollars, poorly used, and that looked good on paper and the idea sounded good in meetings.
The historical district illustrated the struggle that Brunswick was experiencing. Renovated older buildings with new businesses that were adjacent to run-down, boarded-up buildings; seeds of economic recovery but the roots were shallow and the growth was limited.
Laurie’s energy tank was emptied by noon and while she rested, the door repair project was completed and the port side of the hull was cleaned and waxed.
Brunswick Landing Marina has the best boater’s lounge. New, huge, with comfortable furniture, the largest lending library and free laundry that uses the newest washers and dryers.
Dinner was at Fox Pizza with imported beer and Santa Fe Chicken, a first on this trip. The evening was closed with streaming the remaining episodes of “House of Cards.”
The historical district illustrated the struggle that Brunswick was experiencing. Renovated older buildings with new businesses that were adjacent to run-down, boarded-up buildings; seeds of economic recovery but the roots were shallow and the growth was limited.
Laurie’s energy tank was emptied by noon and while she rested, the door repair project was completed and the port side of the hull was cleaned and waxed.
Brunswick Landing Marina has the best boater’s lounge. New, huge, with comfortable furniture, the largest lending library and free laundry that uses the newest washers and dryers.
Dinner was at Fox Pizza with imported beer and Santa Fe Chicken, a first on this trip. The evening was closed with streaming the remaining episodes of “House of Cards.”
BRUNSWICK TO SAVANNAH
Thursday-Saturday, March 27- 29
Brunswick to Savannah is nearly 100 miles and the route is a serpentine of rivers, creeks, and sounds.
This is a snap shot from the Garmin chartplotter. The arrows identify the direction of the current.
Brunswick bills itself as the “Gateway to the Isles.” The Georgia coast from the beach to dry land, that is dry 24 hours a day, is a huge puzzle-like region of islands of many sizes that are connected by creeks, rivers, and bays. Marshland is the dominant feature and it is dry during low tide and is flushed at nearly every high tide. Nearly all the islands are not inhabited and most that are, are isolated from the mainland.
The Intracoastal Waterway is a connection of these waterways. It is rarely straight; often narrow, prone to shoaling and the wise skipper will go slower. The big boats, craft that draw 5 plus feet, and the commercial traffic are rarely seen and there are only a handful of marinas.
We left Brunswick in the late morning after pumping out and re-setting Andiamo to be self-sufficient for at least three days. We had time to get to Savannah and would choose the destinations as they unfolded. From the Brunswick River, we headed north on the MacKay River and had another “first” of using the oven while underway to warm the leftover pizza from last night’s dinner.
Then, a detour up the Frederica River was taken to anchor at Fort Frederica National Monument in 12 feet of water and a current that would switch every 6 hours. Andiamo had travelled 16 miles in 2 hours. This National Park Service area had a fixed dock that a dingy could tie to but was not compatible for kayaks. We opted to land the kayaks on the mud/clay/marsh grass shore, which resulted in muddy shoes but we had brought other pairs for that eventuality.
The park is an archeological dig of a 1700’s era town and that was built the British citizens who, for a variety of socio-economic reasons, needed a second chance from England. This social experiment lasted a while but ultimately failed. People can have opportunity and tools but without talent and the right attitude, failure is likely. The fort was the line in the sand to contain Spain from expanding north from Florida.
The grounds were walked, the movie was seen and the visitor center was toured. Both of us had worked for the Park Service in multiple parks and we saw another step-down in the quality of service: a school group programs was done exclusively by a volunteer. In fact, we never saw a paid park service employee interact with the public.
The third oldest Episcopal Church in the U.S. was a short distance away and was the founding place for the Methodist Movement. Christ Church is a beautiful building made in the late 1880’s from local pine that has never been stained. It has changed color naturally. At least 90% of the 100-acre property is a cemetery that had milestones of American history to the present.
Back at the tug, the sunset was incredible as two sailboats came to join us in this anchorage.
Thursday-Saturday, March 27- 29
Brunswick to Savannah is nearly 100 miles and the route is a serpentine of rivers, creeks, and sounds.
This is a snap shot from the Garmin chartplotter. The arrows identify the direction of the current.
Brunswick bills itself as the “Gateway to the Isles.” The Georgia coast from the beach to dry land, that is dry 24 hours a day, is a huge puzzle-like region of islands of many sizes that are connected by creeks, rivers, and bays. Marshland is the dominant feature and it is dry during low tide and is flushed at nearly every high tide. Nearly all the islands are not inhabited and most that are, are isolated from the mainland.
The Intracoastal Waterway is a connection of these waterways. It is rarely straight; often narrow, prone to shoaling and the wise skipper will go slower. The big boats, craft that draw 5 plus feet, and the commercial traffic are rarely seen and there are only a handful of marinas.
We left Brunswick in the late morning after pumping out and re-setting Andiamo to be self-sufficient for at least three days. We had time to get to Savannah and would choose the destinations as they unfolded. From the Brunswick River, we headed north on the MacKay River and had another “first” of using the oven while underway to warm the leftover pizza from last night’s dinner.
Then, a detour up the Frederica River was taken to anchor at Fort Frederica National Monument in 12 feet of water and a current that would switch every 6 hours. Andiamo had travelled 16 miles in 2 hours. This National Park Service area had a fixed dock that a dingy could tie to but was not compatible for kayaks. We opted to land the kayaks on the mud/clay/marsh grass shore, which resulted in muddy shoes but we had brought other pairs for that eventuality.
The park is an archeological dig of a 1700’s era town and that was built the British citizens who, for a variety of socio-economic reasons, needed a second chance from England. This social experiment lasted a while but ultimately failed. People can have opportunity and tools but without talent and the right attitude, failure is likely. The fort was the line in the sand to contain Spain from expanding north from Florida.
The grounds were walked, the movie was seen and the visitor center was toured. Both of us had worked for the Park Service in multiple parks and we saw another step-down in the quality of service: a school group programs was done exclusively by a volunteer. In fact, we never saw a paid park service employee interact with the public.
The third oldest Episcopal Church in the U.S. was a short distance away and was the founding place for the Methodist Movement. Christ Church is a beautiful building made in the late 1880’s from local pine that has never been stained. It has changed color naturally. At least 90% of the 100-acre property is a cemetery that had milestones of American history to the present.
Back at the tug, the sunset was incredible as two sailboats came to join us in this anchorage.
The next day, the sailboats were gone just after sunrise, as they needed to enjoy as much of the high tide as possible. The temperature was in the low 60’s with a 100% cloud cover and a check of Weatherbug showed the evening forecast had changed with periods of rain, maybe thunderstorms and gusts of wind into the mid-20’s MPH from the south. Andiamo would be searching for an anchorage that provided protection from the southerly breezes.
For the next 58 miles and 7 hours, seven rivers, creeks and sounds were traveled with names like Buttermilk Sound, Little Mud River, Doboy Sound, Old Tea Kettle Creek, the Creighton Narrows, and finally anchoring in Big Tom Creek. We evaluated the anchorage at Cattle Pen Creek but did not like it for predicted weather forecast.
Half-dozen forks were encountered and between the chart, Laurie’s research, and the distinctive square reflective material on the channel marker that identified the route as the ICW, the correct path was chosen each time.
Each turn onto a new waterway would tell us if the current was with us or against it. The difference between high and low tide is 9 feet and in these narrow waterways the current would flow up to 2 MPH. At times, Andiamo would fly along at 10.5 MPH and other times only make 6.2 MPH. This Ranger Tug has the versatility to power up and we did go 16 MPH to beat a long current or escape a choppy ride in St. Catherine’s Sound. It’s a trawler with an attitude and we love it.
Laurie identified the day’s destination as Big Tom Creek. 20 minutes out and flying on the back of the current, Andiamo was throttled back to 1600 RPM’s to cool down and we were still going 8 MPH. The tide was at its lowest as the anchor was dropped in 13 feet of water. The river was narrow but perfect for the 29-foot tug. Four hours later, the river was wide as the tide flooded the marshland. The sun faded behind the clouds and the evening was still and quiet.
For the next 58 miles and 7 hours, seven rivers, creeks and sounds were traveled with names like Buttermilk Sound, Little Mud River, Doboy Sound, Old Tea Kettle Creek, the Creighton Narrows, and finally anchoring in Big Tom Creek. We evaluated the anchorage at Cattle Pen Creek but did not like it for predicted weather forecast.
Half-dozen forks were encountered and between the chart, Laurie’s research, and the distinctive square reflective material on the channel marker that identified the route as the ICW, the correct path was chosen each time.
Each turn onto a new waterway would tell us if the current was with us or against it. The difference between high and low tide is 9 feet and in these narrow waterways the current would flow up to 2 MPH. At times, Andiamo would fly along at 10.5 MPH and other times only make 6.2 MPH. This Ranger Tug has the versatility to power up and we did go 16 MPH to beat a long current or escape a choppy ride in St. Catherine’s Sound. It’s a trawler with an attitude and we love it.
Laurie identified the day’s destination as Big Tom Creek. 20 minutes out and flying on the back of the current, Andiamo was throttled back to 1600 RPM’s to cool down and we were still going 8 MPH. The tide was at its lowest as the anchor was dropped in 13 feet of water. The river was narrow but perfect for the 29-foot tug. Four hours later, the river was wide as the tide flooded the marshland. The sun faded behind the clouds and the evening was still and quiet.
At 3 AM, Laurie woke up first to the howling of the wind and driving rain that caused noises on the roof, water slapping the tug, the fenders thudding the side of the hull and the anchor rode shifting in the bracket above our heads. When a looking with a flashlight was pointless, the tug’s searchlight was used to sweep the river’s channel and verify that the anchor was holding through the repeated gusts of wind.
Apprehension and sometimes fear can be a part of cruising. Practice and growth creates confidence, using sound tactics and double checking can create comfort, and challenging the personal comfort zone will widen that zone.
Satisfied, we slept soundly for another five hours and the sunrise brought partly cloudy skies and light winds. Andiamo rode the crest of the high tide and headed north, through Florida Passage and powering up to leave a 50-foot sailboat in the distance and again to fight a 2 MPH current. When a 2 MPH current reduces the slow speed fuel efficiency from four to less than three miles per gallon, Andiamo’s fast cruising speed of 15 MPH is used and the pain is over quickly.
Hell’s Gate is a narrow passage through small islets in the Ogeechee River. The passage is widely touted as a problem for cruisers that needs extra attention. Hell’s Gate, like Death Valley, is mis-named and using emotion ladden words can create more problems. Caution and paying attention is the key, nothing more and nothing less.
After Hell’s Gate, we left the benefit of the currents and fought it through the Vernon River until the beginning of the Skidaway Narrows where the current switched to carry us north. This was also the beginning of the urban edge of Savannah with houses on the water’s edge, the first “No Wake” zone in weeks, and the return of Osprey nesting on the channel markers and the tree snags.
Passing the junction of the Moon River, which is the inspiration for the song of the same name, Laurie sang the lyrics. Andiamo arrived at the Isle of Hope Marina in three hours and covered 23 miles. The marina is on the smaller side, nestled in an historic village with beautiful homes that look over the marina, and has a nice feel about it. However, there were very few transient boaters and no Loopers.
We spent the afternoon on the bikes touring the village and exploring the Georgia state historical site, Wormsloe, that commemorates one of the founding families, Noble Jones, and tells the story of the early colonial times through living history. This park also has one of the longest driveways of live oak trees with 200 trees on each side of the drive.
Apprehension and sometimes fear can be a part of cruising. Practice and growth creates confidence, using sound tactics and double checking can create comfort, and challenging the personal comfort zone will widen that zone.
Satisfied, we slept soundly for another five hours and the sunrise brought partly cloudy skies and light winds. Andiamo rode the crest of the high tide and headed north, through Florida Passage and powering up to leave a 50-foot sailboat in the distance and again to fight a 2 MPH current. When a 2 MPH current reduces the slow speed fuel efficiency from four to less than three miles per gallon, Andiamo’s fast cruising speed of 15 MPH is used and the pain is over quickly.
Hell’s Gate is a narrow passage through small islets in the Ogeechee River. The passage is widely touted as a problem for cruisers that needs extra attention. Hell’s Gate, like Death Valley, is mis-named and using emotion ladden words can create more problems. Caution and paying attention is the key, nothing more and nothing less.
After Hell’s Gate, we left the benefit of the currents and fought it through the Vernon River until the beginning of the Skidaway Narrows where the current switched to carry us north. This was also the beginning of the urban edge of Savannah with houses on the water’s edge, the first “No Wake” zone in weeks, and the return of Osprey nesting on the channel markers and the tree snags.
Passing the junction of the Moon River, which is the inspiration for the song of the same name, Laurie sang the lyrics. Andiamo arrived at the Isle of Hope Marina in three hours and covered 23 miles. The marina is on the smaller side, nestled in an historic village with beautiful homes that look over the marina, and has a nice feel about it. However, there were very few transient boaters and no Loopers.
We spent the afternoon on the bikes touring the village and exploring the Georgia state historical site, Wormsloe, that commemorates one of the founding families, Noble Jones, and tells the story of the early colonial times through living history. This park also has one of the longest driveways of live oak trees with 200 trees on each side of the drive.
A WEEK-PLUS IN SAVANNAH, GEORGIA
Andiamo stayed at the Isle of Hope Marina for 8 days as family members were visiting. This marina was chosen over two others because of the setting in a small village that was surrounded by historic homes, the availability of a loaner car at no charge, the close proximity to stores for provisioning, and the great daily moorage rate.
The marina is on the Skidaway River and on the ICW but the number of boaters on the river was surprisingly low, as the late winter had delayed the start of the peak boating season. Andiamo was moved from the outside dock where the wakes from other boats and the river’s current was a factor to an inside dock where it was calm.
Except for two days where the winds were in the mid-20 MPH with the occasional gust to 35, the days were clear skies, light breezes and often a long thermometer range from 50 to 80. The gnats or no-see-ems were always an issue when the wind was still and we were being still. Locals who worked outdoors always wore lightweight long pants and shirts. The tourists were in shorts and T-shirts and were constantly slapping and waving.
Nearly every day, we walked the Isle of Hope village and enjoyed the well-kept homes surrounded with blooming azaleas, dogwood, and wisteria that were set in a mature pine forest with hanging Spanish Moss with other walkers and joggers. Within walking and biking distance, we discovered the Sandfly BBQ that was not only incredible food but also had take-out. Their Brunswick Stew was the best we had so far.
The loaner or courtesy car offered by the marina was the first we found on this trip. These old but drive-able cars are free, checked out for two hours at a time with the understanding to put gas in it. We used the Honda Civic and the Odyssey to get supplies, orient ourselves to the downtown, visit parks and to see the beaches. Courtesy cars are unheard of on the west coast, probably because the lawyers have too much say in the running of the marinas, but these are common on the Great Loop, except in Florida.
After three days of driving around Savannah, it started to be more comfortable. Savannah is big enough to have colleges, but to small to have an Apple Store. The huge downtown historic district has on-and-off trolleys and ample public parking (for a fee) but the metro area lacks a comprehensive transportation system.
The largest boat project was changing out the coolant as part of the 500-hour service. The experience resulted in creating a written procedure for the website and a way to remember how we did this that will happen again in a few months.
There are a lot of churches in the South and St. Thomas Episcopal was a 10-minute walk from Andiamo and provided a glimpse into this community.
Andiamo stayed at the Isle of Hope Marina for 8 days as family members were visiting. This marina was chosen over two others because of the setting in a small village that was surrounded by historic homes, the availability of a loaner car at no charge, the close proximity to stores for provisioning, and the great daily moorage rate.
The marina is on the Skidaway River and on the ICW but the number of boaters on the river was surprisingly low, as the late winter had delayed the start of the peak boating season. Andiamo was moved from the outside dock where the wakes from other boats and the river’s current was a factor to an inside dock where it was calm.
Except for two days where the winds were in the mid-20 MPH with the occasional gust to 35, the days were clear skies, light breezes and often a long thermometer range from 50 to 80. The gnats or no-see-ems were always an issue when the wind was still and we were being still. Locals who worked outdoors always wore lightweight long pants and shirts. The tourists were in shorts and T-shirts and were constantly slapping and waving.
Nearly every day, we walked the Isle of Hope village and enjoyed the well-kept homes surrounded with blooming azaleas, dogwood, and wisteria that were set in a mature pine forest with hanging Spanish Moss with other walkers and joggers. Within walking and biking distance, we discovered the Sandfly BBQ that was not only incredible food but also had take-out. Their Brunswick Stew was the best we had so far.
The loaner or courtesy car offered by the marina was the first we found on this trip. These old but drive-able cars are free, checked out for two hours at a time with the understanding to put gas in it. We used the Honda Civic and the Odyssey to get supplies, orient ourselves to the downtown, visit parks and to see the beaches. Courtesy cars are unheard of on the west coast, probably because the lawyers have too much say in the running of the marinas, but these are common on the Great Loop, except in Florida.
After three days of driving around Savannah, it started to be more comfortable. Savannah is big enough to have colleges, but to small to have an Apple Store. The huge downtown historic district has on-and-off trolleys and ample public parking (for a fee) but the metro area lacks a comprehensive transportation system.
The largest boat project was changing out the coolant as part of the 500-hour service. The experience resulted in creating a written procedure for the website and a way to remember how we did this that will happen again in a few months.
There are a lot of churches in the South and St. Thomas Episcopal was a 10-minute walk from Andiamo and provided a glimpse into this community.
Not able to pass up a National Park Service area and wanting to make the best use of the annual pass, a visit to Fort Pulaski National Monument was in order. The story is about how a fort that took 18 years to build, mostly done by rented slaves, with walls 7 feet thick and that was described as impenetrable was defeated during the civil war by a new generation of weapon technology that was secretly installed over many nights and the occupants of the fort did not know about. The side story is the fort’s 25-year-old commander chose to surrender and spare the lives of his soldiers versus having them be martyrs to the cause. The canon firing demonstration was incredible to see, hear and feel the largest canon that the National Park Service fires.
Savannah’s large historical district is vibrant at all hours, interesting and worth the time. It survived hundreds of years because it was built on a 40 foot high bluff and has never flooded and being inland and provided some protection from the awesome power of hurricanes. The union army did not burn Savannah because it stayed the winter there. There is an active and coordinated effort to tell the human stories of success, failure and drama that creates a tight fabric of understanding and appreciation of this area.
Following the advice of locals, the Old Savannah Tours was used to learn the overall story. There were 16 stops and the many trolleys that provided the opportunity to get-on and get-off as desired. Actors playing the parts of interesting people would join the trolley for a few minutes and these included Forest Gump, Johnny Mercer, a confederate soldier and one of the notorious ghosts.
A splendid dinner was had at the 1790 Hundred Restaurant and Inn, a snack break at Chare’s that inspired a national author, lunch at café that has been serving continuously for 200 hundred years, provided the sampling of great food.
Following the advice of locals, the Old Savannah Tours was used to learn the overall story. There were 16 stops and the many trolleys that provided the opportunity to get-on and get-off as desired. Actors playing the parts of interesting people would join the trolley for a few minutes and these included Forest Gump, Johnny Mercer, a confederate soldier and one of the notorious ghosts.
A splendid dinner was had at the 1790 Hundred Restaurant and Inn, a snack break at Chare’s that inspired a national author, lunch at café that has been serving continuously for 200 hundred years, provided the sampling of great food.
A day was spent on Hilton Head, which was an hour’s drive. This island is all about golf with courses built first, high-end houses and lodging put between them, and lovely beaches and marinas. BBQ at a Red Hot Mama’s, sampled the local brew, walked a beach, and checked out the marina and fuel dock that has the best price since Fort Meyers Beach was accomplished.
Contradictions and Just for Fun
So if this is the main road, what does the side road look like? Or a driveway?
And what is a duck house?
And what would a Yankee Paradise in Georgia mean?
And what is a duck house?
And what would a Yankee Paradise in Georgia mean?
What is a fellowship with purpose? Fellowship implies a purpose, that is, to meet people. So what is the purpose?
A lifeboat on the rocks in a shipyard, there has to be a story here.
The canon at Fort Frederica takes aim at Andiamo or is it a modern day Spanish galleon?
A testament to the depths of human stupidity as being closed is not a clear enough message.
This elementary school was demolished yet the sign that invites a safe place for learning endures.
Never had seen a Thank You at the end of a no wake zone. Resume what? Speed? Recklessness? Life?
Found in a commercial area, what businesses would you expect to find here?
