We had a restful night docked at River’s Edge Marina in St. Augustine and woke to beautiful sunshine and temps in the 70’s. With 6-10 inches of snow predicted for Minnesota, we are very thankful to be in Florida. We filled Dream Chaser’s water tanks and walked to a nearby outdoor stand for fresh fruit and vegetables. Don and Anita from Limelight joined us for a last visit before we said good-bye and departed.
At 11:30 am, Dream Chaser left the marina in St. Augustine and motored back to the ICW. We bid St. Augustine farewell, see below, as we motored north up the ICW.
It was a beautiful day, and we enjoy our salads from the upper helm while 60‘s tunes floated through the air. We shared the ICW channel with a few sailboats, fishing boats, yachts, jet skis, kayaks, and wildlife-dolphins, birds, and those hidden manatees. Along the way, we saw hundreds of homes- most are beautiful and some have “party under one roof” docks and boat lifts. Can you imagine the parties? Now, we have some "new addition" design ideas for our boathouse in Canada. See below...
The traffic increased as Dream Chaser neared the mouth of the St. John’s River.
After traveling for five hours up the “Ditch” (ICW), Dream Chaser crossed the St. John’s River, motored up Sister’s Creek, and joined two boats already tied at the Jacksonville public docks. These great floating cement docks are free! People were fishing from the walkways by the dock and this guy was hoping for a free meal!
Tonight, dinner was on-board: Mahi-Mahi with a creamy chipotle sauce and grilled zucchini, onion, & peppers.
Soon, Dream Chaser was surrounded by darkness and quiet- except for the constant buzz of the crickets (we think?).
Friday, April 4, 2014
We woke to the buzz of the alarm at 6 am, the generator was started ten minutes later, and the engines were warmed up by 6:30 am. Dream Chaser was untied, ropes stored, and she pulled away from the Jacksonville docks following her path back towards the mouth of the St. John’s River. We made the decision last night to motor today’s leg of the trip in the Atlantic Ocean from St. John’s Inlet to the St. Simon Inlet due to complications of navigating the ICW (shallow water & shoaling). We are not eager to return to the ocean, but it will be nice to avoid difficult areas of navigation on the ICW. We’d rather not have to call BOAT US for a tow.
It was a beautiful morning as the sun rose over St. John’s Inlet. A variety of boats were already heading out the inlet.
Dream Chaser rocked on strong rollers exiting the inlet into the Atlantic, but the water tamed to 2-3 ft waves about three miles from shore, and she headed north. Today, we have 5-10 mph winds, the waves have continued at 2-3 ft, and the temps are at 85. We will be happy if these conditions remain throughout the day. As we motored along, we were entertained by sea turtles, (Minnesota type) loons, dolphins, pelicans, and many birds. We even took time to drop two fishing lines in the water, but no luck!
The pelicans roost on anything they can find. It is entertaining watching them rock back and forth as the channel markers bob in the water.
While motoring north in the Atlantic Ocean, Dream Chaser passed by a large Northern Right Whale Critical Habitat where it is illegal to approach anywhere closer than 500 yards to the whales. These large baleen whales weigh up to 70 tons and are among the most endangered of all the whales with approximately 500 remaining. These coastal waters off Florida and Georgia are the only known calving areas, so they are protected. They are usually seen between December and March, but they eluded us.
We’ve Got Georgia on Our Minds!
About 2:30 pm, we entered St. Simon Sound in Georgia, and were happy to be off the ocean. To the south is Jekyll Island purchased to be a winter retreat for elite American families such as the Rockefellers, Morgans, Pulitzers, and Goulds.
St. Simon Island is to the north of the Inlet with the 1872 lighthouse on its shore.
This island is the largest of the “Golden Isles” area which also includes Sea Island, Jekyll Island, Little St. Simon, and Brunswick. St. Simon is popular with tourists and identified as one of the best places to retire. The area is rich with centuries of history and a drawing card for golf, tennis, fishing, and the beaches. During the 19th century, antebellum plantations were established to grow cotton and indigo. Oak timbers cut from the north end of the island were used to build the frigate U.S.S. Constitution now docked in Boston Harbor.
At 3 pm, Dream Chaser was secured at the docks of Morningstar Marina at Golden Isles two miles north of Mile 676. The courtesy car was available for an hour, so we stopped at Harris Teeter Market and then drove to the village, Neptune Park, and the St. Simon's Lighthouse. The brick lighthouse is full of history and is one of five operating in Georgia casting its beam 23 miles out to sea. We enjoyed driving the “Avenue of Oaks” where oak trees provided a beautiful natural canopy along the road. Along the way, we passed Retreat Plantation where the slave burial grounds and ruins of the plantation and slave hospital still exist. With the rental car returned, we relaxed and prepped for our journey up the ICW to Savannah, Georgia.
Saturday, April 5, 2014We woke to cool temps in the 60’s and high humidity. About 7 am, the free newspaper and bakery muffins were delivered to our boat-one of the perks of docking at Morningstar Marina. Mmmmm!
At 7:15, Dream Chaser left the dock, headed back to the ICW, and proceeded north towards Savannah, GA. We will be following the ICW, today, rather than taking the run up the coast. Our biggest concern with motoring to Savannah up the ICW are the shoals and shallow water.
We spent most of the day winding back and forth following numerous rivers through marshland (see above) and entering into four sounds (a sound is near the inlet of the ocean and bigger than a bay). Thankfully, the large sounds were calm today with light winds. Shrimp boats were plentiful as we came near the these sounds, some docked and some on their way to sea. We are surrounded with the sights, sounds, and smells of the marshlands! It’s has been a very quiet day; we have met very few boats along the way.
Our plan to dock in Savannah tonight was revamped due to the kinks, turns, heavy currents, and shallow water that have delayed us by 1-2 hours. Today has been a bit tricky due to tides and currents, but also the inlets affect the water flow and our speed. Dream Chaser may be set to motor at 8 mph and lose or gain 2-3 mph depending on the currents. We passed through shallow Mud River on an uprising tide which was great, but Hells Gate, further north, is a narrow, shallow cut south of Savannah, and we need to avoid low tide when we pass through it. Hells Gate will be at low tide if we continue and arrive later today, so we will wait and pass through it tomorrow at high tide. When you are boating, you need to be flexible with your schedule otherwise you run into trouble.
While eating our strawberry chicken salads in the upper helm, we are enjoying temps in the high 70‘s and are entertained by the dolphins swimming by and the pelicans and terns hunting for their lunch. The tern hovers for a few seconds, eyes his catch, and then does a front entry into the water capturing a single fish.The hilarious brown pelicans tilt over, collapse their wings and plummets with a twisting backward crash making a big splash. The pelicans can scoop up to three gallons of water in their pouches, drain out the water, and gulp down their catch.
We pass the afternoon with Bahamian music from the “Steel Drum Band” floating from the upper helm as we check the navigational charts and share a piece of Tiramisu.
By now, if you have read the previous posts to this blog, you know that the point of our trip is not to chose the fancy marinas and expensive restaurants along the way. We want to experience the flavor of the area and meet the local people; we want to sample a taste of life along Georgia’s coast.
Each island has a story. For example..One of the barrier islands, Blackbeard Island, just south of ICW marker 633, was named for Edward Teach, alias Blackbeard the Pirate. He loved the shock factor: he braided his beard, smeared black under his eyes, carried multiple pistols and knives, never bathed, and drank lit gunpowder & rum mixtures. Legend tells of his murderous and plundering activities along the coast and his retreats to this island for “banking purposes”. Rumors of buried treasure continue, but nothing has been found. Blackbeard Island became a National Wildlife Refuge in 1924, and later was used as the South Atlantic Quarantine Station for yellow fever where sick crew members from ships would be hospitalized.
Due to our delay in reaching Savannah, we were searching for an anchorage or dockage for tonight. Sunbury Crab Company Dock and Marina six miles up the Medway River was our choice.
After Dream Chaser was secured and registered, Elaine offered their work van for us to go to the grocery store in Midway, about 10 miles away. So, we had the opportunity to see some of the countryside with beautiful blooming shrubs & lilacs, and we stopped at the IGA in town for provisions.
We ordered the grilled Wild Georgia Shrimp and fried Local Oysters. Best shrimp ever!
The whole experience was reminiscent of the Keys, but the seafood was MUCH better!
Back on Dream Chaser as the tide ebbed, we reflected on the day- the sense of timelessness, the close community, and the heritage of generations of fishermen and their families in this area of the South.
Sunday, April 6, 2014
Light rain had begun early this morning, and we awoke to an overcast sky and temps in the mid 60’s. The smells from the salt marsh hung in the air, and the storm predicted for last night had apparently missed us.
When we are docked during a rainfall, Steve is quick to give Dream Chaser a good wash down. So, in spite of the thick No-See-Ums (nasty teeny gnat-like biting bugs) and the rain, we washed down the boat and pulled the fenders.
At 8 am, with breakfast completed and lines untied, Dream Chaser slipped into the Medway River heading back to the ICW. Our dockage last night at Sunbury’s was six miles or one hour of motoring off the ICW, but the side trip was definitely worthwhile!
About halfway back to the ICW while retracing our path with the electronics, Dream Chaser came to a sliding almost stop, and we instantly went on alert! Apparently, there was a bank of mud in the middle of the Medway River which we missed yesterday, and Dream Chaser slid over it. Wow, that was a surprise since we hadn’t hit anything yesterday at low tide in that spot. ? Thankfully, it is very soft mud!
Here's a little information...
Britain, Spain, and France all fought for Georgia and claimed it as their own. Besides the international tensions, the settlers had to deal with Native Americans and pirate raids which finally left Georgia nearly abandoned. Georgia is that "spot" between Florida and the Carolinas, and many boaters feel that Georgia’s ICW is still forgotten. Boaters transiting north or south often choose to go off shore instead of dealing with 138 miles of winding through marsh grass and being confronted with possible groundings. If we had more time, we would love to experience more of the natural beauty and quiet of the barrier islands, explore the small towns, mingle with the local people, and visit sites that reflect the culture of the Deep South. We planned on reaching Savannah tonight, but the city docks are closed due to some event, so Savannah Bend Marina will be our next dockage.
Two bald eagles on shore watched as we passed through Hell’s Gate without incidence. Relief!
At 2 pm, Dream Chaser pulled next to the T dock at Savannah Bend Marina, in Thunderbolt, outside the city of Savannah, GA. As the rain continued to fall, the dock lines were secured, the electricity connected, and the registration completed at the marina office. This marina is a great place with friendly people, clean facilities, the right price for dockage, and there is a little local eating place close by. Mary, the weekend dock master was extremely helpful, and took time to answer all our questions about Savannah and Charleston.
After six hours of sitting, a walk was in order, so we walk out the marina driveway and through a residential section from the 1960's lined with palm trees and gorgeous flowering shrubs and vines. Spring has arrived here! The azalea bushes were blooming in every yard- some 10 to 11 ft. tall. The dogwoods were white with blossoms, and the purple wisteria reminded us of lilac bushes back home, but on steroids! There would be pictures of all this, but cameras don't work well in the rain.
Carlos Desposito, Dave's stepfather, started the business in 1965. When Carlos died in 1982, the business went to Dave's mother. About 25 years ago, Dave took over and enclosed the outside porches. Dave's mother lives in a little house next door and drops in periodically to check on things.
Mary order deviled crab, and Steve ordered low country boil both with secret house sauce. The food was delicious! No need for dessert. It is definitely a terrific Savannah experience!
Monday, April 7, 2014
Today, we spent all day in Savannah. We rented a car and planned to explore the town squares, view the architecture, and get a feel of the city.
Savannah, located on the Savannah River, is the oldest city in Georgia. It is known for its Southern charm and hospitality. In 1733, General James Oglethorpe landed in Savannah area with 120 passengers to found Britain’s last American colony. Oglethorpe laid out the city in a series of 24 squares with 22 remaining. Each has a lovely park some with a fountain or monument surrounded by a mix of buildings with varied architectural styles. Lawyers, rum, and slavery were forbidden in the colony (for awhile).
First on our list was Mrs. Wilke’s Dining Room on Jones St. in historic downtown Savannah. This is an experience in good ole Southern homestyle traditions. It is so popular that by 10 am the line was already 25 people deep and the doors don't open at 11 am. The boarding house was run by Sema Wilkes from 1943-2002 and offered lodging and homestyle southern cooking served in family style in a communal setting. The family took over after her passing.
We were seated with eight other people at one of the ten tables. We were welcomed, there was a prayer for the food, and then the ceramic plates and dishes filled with food were passed. We started with mouth watering fried chicken and BBQ pork. Then came the 23 side dishes: collard greens, mac n’ cheese, white rice, jambalaya, creamed corn, pickled beets, boiled okra, mixed vegetables, sweet potato puree, green beans, lima beans, beef stew, cornbread, dressing & gravy, creamed corn, back-eyed peas, rutabaga, cabbage, Spanish rice, cabbage, cucumber salad, and baked beans. Ladies with aprons bustled around refilling bowls, pouring sweet tea, and serving banana pudding or peach cobbler. It was a Savannah experience!
When we left Mrs. Wilkes, there must have been at least a hundred people still lined up on the sidewalk waiting to get inside.
After consuming so much food, we walked through several parks, including the beautiful Forsyth Park and Monterrey Square admiring the fountains, statues, and gorgeous flowering plants.
About noon, we hopped on the Old Town Trolley for a narrated tour of Savannah’s historic district and it’s enchanting architecture and charming city squares. Savannah is known for: Juliette Lowe, founder of the Girl Scouts; Johnny Mercer, lyricist & song writer; the Cathedral of St. John; museums; the City Market; River Street; 22 parks; movie locations for “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil” & “Forrest Gump”; and the list goes on.
On River Street, we passed the statue of the “Waving Girl”. The story is that...a young girl, Florence Martus, lived with her brother in a little house overlooking the mouth of the Savannah River on Elba Island. She fell in love with a sailor and awaited his return. Every day from 1887-1931, she waved a cloth or lantern to passing ships hoping one day it would be her lover’s ship, and he would return for her.
We were told that no one can leave Savannah without experiencing ice cream from Leopold’s! Founded in 1818, by three brothers from Greece, Leopold’s Ice Cream became famous. Closed for a period of time while Stratton, a grandson, pursued dreams of working in Hollywood, Leopold’s reopened it in 2004 and has become legendary. Yes, the ice cream is definitely worth the long wait!
When we left the store, there had to be at least thirty people waiting in line to order.
We missed eating at Paula Deen’s Lady and Sons Restaurant and the Gryphon Tea Room, but there is only so much time.
Our last location to visit in Savannah was the old Bonaventure Cemetery, located on the site of a old plantation overlooking the river. It was the location for the filming of “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil” The cemetery is breathtakingly beautiful with all the flowering bushes and trees, especially the dazzling azaleas. The azalea bushes were up to 8 ft high, surround many of the gravestones, and lined many of the lanes through the cemetery. Absolutely stunning!
The rain began as we were leaving the cemetery, so we ran errands and then decided it was a good movie night. The movie was very well done. It included the Newsboys, Willie Robertson and his wife, and starred Kevin Sorbo who grew up in our hometown. Finally, a movie worth watching and with a great message "God Is NOT Dead"!
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