June 6

Well, I know that you are surprised, but it was raining again this morning. And the cruising guide was not clear on when the bridge would open. So, we took advantage of the coutesy car to make a grocery run and an AutoZone run. While Terry, Mike and I were 'hunting and gathering,' Carol and Peggy started more laundry. I am beginning to believe that I will never be dry again. When we got back from the grocery store, Carol had just gotten the clothes into the dryers. So, I babysat dryers while the rest of the crew wandered about town. Don't feel sorry for me. They had a book exchange in the laundry room. And the magazine pile had cookbooks! So, I had a nice morning that included a free book. Now we are getting ready to leave Beaufort, SC. We are headed north. Today's conversation centered on how to say Beaufort. It is pronounced Bewfort, as Carol was politely corrected in one of the stores in town. Last night, by the way, we had really good barbecue in Q On Bay - a restaurant on the water.

June 5- On the Intercoastal Waterway

Today was an early start. All hands were on deck at 5:30 AM. Lucky for me that I am not one of the sailing crew! It appears that the plan of the day was to go down the ICW to Beaufort, SC. I can safely say that ocean traveling really lost its appeal during yesterday's thunderstorm. Even though Terry and Mike keep telling us that we were so much better off riding out a big storm in the ocean, I think I am happier here in the ICW. It is so much more like traveling on rivers in Maryland. But, I must say that the houses are even bigger on the ICW! However, the most interesting thing for me is the piers coming out from the houses. Of course, they really have to come out a distance because the ICW is mostly marshes. So, you will get these long piers with a very nice covered area at the end. Now, what is the logic in that? You might enjoy watching the water from your shady spot, but it is no help in the rain. After all, you will still have to walk a good quarter mile back to your house! I am, of course, thinking about rain because it is drizzling right now. That's better than the forecast, though. NOAA wanted to give us another severe thunderstorm, just like yesterday. In fact, just to try to avoid it, we actually anchored today in a semi-sheltered spot to ride out today's storm. This bit of fore-planning was very successful. The storm passed us by, and we have not had much more than drizzles. Several exciting things did happen today. The first was going under bridges in the ICW. We bought LUX for lots of reasons, one being that she would fit under ICW bridges. However, we did not know how tight that fit would be (at this point, I am sure Terry will chime in that HE knew, but, after all- this is MY blog entry.... I only knew LUX would fit). The second thing, for me, was the number of dolphins we saw today. I really didn't expect any on the ICW. I just thought it was more of a river experience. But we saw little groups of dolphins all day long. The third was that we passed Parris Island. I have heard many stories about the home of the marines, but I never realized what a beautiful location it is. Our stop for the night is the Beaufort City Marina. We plan to have dinner on shore. The marina has a courtesy car which Terry wants to use to go to AutoZone. Yes, it is time for more parts. Terry wants a fuel pump. I need to do a little more shopping for groceries. We are all out of fresh food. But, we still have some canned and dried stuff. Yes, I could safely go at least two more days. But that is my plan- always have two days in reserve. Finally - a side note to Linda and Tom... We have almost gotten rid of all the bimbos you left on this boat! And, today, Peggy and I finished off the last Snickers bar.

A Small Diversion

So, the subject of our shower heads keeps coming up. Yes, LUX has the greatest water saver faucets. Mike replaced the ones on board with Oxygenics shower heads. They are really great!

Weather Adventures

June 4- Today started like any other perfect day on the water. The sun was shining. A pleasant breeze was blowing. The marina was open so that we could get more diesel. With all these good factors, we set off to find adventure. We were merrily cruising along with the shrimp boats. We were moving right along. And then as the song says, "The weather started getting rough. The tiny ship was tossed. If not for the courage of the fearless crew..." Oh yeah, for sure we ran into what sailors like to call a squall. Peggy and I like to call it a monster thunderstorm. So, it was a real thunder boomer. And, the dingy decided that it was time to join the party, so it starting flying above the foredeck trying to become a free range dingy. Finally, the intrepid crew decided to run with the storm. It wasn't too bad for a bit- if you think gigantic waves, thunder, lightning, rain, driving rain, hail, and wind is a not too bad scenario. Yes, the wind was gusting at 72 knots with white out conditions. The wind was going sideways knocking off the tops of the waves. The annoying part was that there was actually a point in the middle of the storm when it slacked off. Our intrepid crew thought the worst was over. No such luck. That's when it really picked up and hit the 72 knots. Peggy and I tried singing. But, eventually we got to the point when we just sat there in stony silence - silently praying for the end of the storm. However, Terry, Mike, and Carol did a phenomenal job of taking us through the storm. However, Peggy and I were slightly worried when we heard them laughing. For us, it either meant we did not have to worry OR that they had already gone over the edge and had cracked up! Luckily, it did mean the worst was over. That was verified when Mike yelled into the cabin, "You'll need to take the chicken out of the freezer if we're going to have chicken for dinner tonight!" he would have to bring up food while the boat was pitching and rolling all over the place. At that point, food was not a happy thought. Jacob was in charge of getting the chicken. Peggy and I were not moving from our spots on the settee. In fact, we didn't even go to the bathroom during that storm! Terry keeps trying to assure us that our best course was the one we took. I just kept saying that I could not believe I actually paid good money at amusement parks to ride the wild rides! But, we are now anchored in the intercostal waterway just below Savannah. As always after a storm, the skies are clear, and the weather is, as Carol always says, bluebird perfect. Again, LUX did an excellent job riding out the storm. She is a stable, well made craft. And, she continues to perform well beyond our expectations.

We are in Georgia

Day 24 of my captivity with the boat people Today, the boat people drugged me so that I would not notice that they were taking me from St. Augustine. Yes, it seemed like a good way to start this blog since I actually did drug myself. The truth is that I gave up on the patch since it kept breaking out the skin around it! Also, it gave me the weirdest dreams. So, today I decided to try Bonine. Boy, did it work! Every time I woke up to go to the bathroom, I was not seasick. Michael, of course, did have a complaint. He thought I should actually be awake for some portion of the trip. To be truthful, I did wake up occasionally and did not have to go to the bathroom. On those occasions, I was hungry. I tried to point out that this was a good thing, but Mike continues to point out that I ought to stay awake for some portion of the trip. Peggy and Terry think it is best to let sleeping Gees lie, but Mike does not agree. What is wrong with that man!?!  So, for highlights of today's trip, I must turn to my crew mates. We motor sailed to Brunswick, GA. We went 65 miles to anchor near Jeckyll Island. The awake people saw lots of shrimp boats. We were in the channel, and they were just outside. They saw two car carriers anchored just outside of Jacksonville. Terry continues to be frustrated because the port engine and the AIS system do not work as advertised. But Terry has a solution for the port engine - a hand pump to be used when necessary. I thought that this would mean that Terry wanted Mike to spend the entire trip lying on the stern pumping the engine. However, when I shared this with Terry, he just stared at me. I guess I was wrong. And, I will just have to wait and see what happens. Another great dinner was had by all. Thank goodness that Mike can cook while under way. We had pasta and WINE! Both red and white according to your preference! We even managed to find some leftover restaurant bread in the refrigerator. It was all really good - or we were really hungry. Take your pick. Peggy finished the dishes and headed off to bed. Me, I am not far behind her. It seems that sleeping all day is very tiring!

Good/Bad News

The good news is that we leave St. Augustine tomorrow morning as early as possible. As Terry said, we are going to boogie out of here. The bad news is that the port engine is not actually healed. The final diagnosis is that the primary feed tube has something in the well at its terminus in the tank. That something keeps getting into the opening and causing the engine to slow and then stop. Terry thinks the tank was never as low as we got it, so the mystery floating object never had the chance before this to block things up. The good news is that the secondary feed tube works just fine. So, when it gets 'pouty', we'll just go to secondary. The weather is supposed to be sunny with light winds, so we'll head out into the ocean to start for Charleston. No more air conditioning for me for a while! I can tell you that it has been a frustrating day for Mike and Terry. Each time the eliminated another 'suspect' in the fuel issue, the motor would still refuse to cooperate. We have a new filter. We have a new low pressure fuel pump. We have all new fuel lines. The fuel tank was even inspected with the remote camera. And, lots of other things were done, like the new impeller for the pump for the water cooling part of the engine. I cannot possibly list all that was done because the technicians are back at the boat. It is 10:30 at night, and I am alone in the laundry room - which is technically closed (the night person let me in). Since we are leaving ASAP in the morning, the clothes worn by our intrepid mechanics had to be cleaned. After all, who wants to haul around clothing covered with oil, diesel, salt water, and sweat until the next laundry opportunity? Better to get those nasty things done now! As a result, you get more blogging- because I am sure you know that I agreed to do this because the laundry room is air conditioned!

We're On Break!

Well, we actually talked Mike into taking a break from cleaning and patching the boat. So we went into town and ate at a Polish/Greek restaurant! It was an interesting place for many reasons. The first was that we had to stop and try to figure out how one would end up with a Greek/Polish restaurant! The other thing is that it was a member of the slow food movement. So Mike had a really long break. We were there long enough for Terry to get back from his 'hunting and gathering' expedition. He did have an opportunity to visit the sailors' exchange where he picked up a few things at really good prices. Oh, did I mention that the latch on one of the cabinets broke? Well, Terry found a new set of West Marine latches for half price at this place. He then checked out two auto parts stores and West Marine. After our lunch and the Terry update, Terry suggested that the break continue for a bit so he and Mike could look around also. So we took a short turn around the town. It was a very short turn since it was so very hot. But, everyone is back at the boat and hard at work. They will replace the fuel lines, work on the screens to the main salon, and other tasks. I offered to continue the blog. In other words, I would force myself to sit in the air conditioned lounge and write while they work out in the sun.

Mike Actually Gets To Do More Than Engine Repair

While the women were shopping yesterday, Gee saw a sign on the cathedral that said they were having a concert last night. It was a organ and piano concert. At 5:15, Terry suggested bagging the work, taking a break, and going to the concert. So we all did. It was great for Mike. The performers were actually twin females who were great performers. Mike simply loved it. Gee thought it was a great concert because the cathedral was air conditioned. As everyone probably knows, Gee's favorite song includes these lines: "If you have an air conditioner, then you are the man for me." Of course, Jacob thought he was being held captive by crazed music people. Terry helped ease the pain by allowing Jacob to look at pictures on the I-phone. The world got better for Jacob when we went back to the A1A Alehouse for dinner. We ate dinner out on the restaurant's veranda. We had a bird's eye view of a wedding party! I only mention this because the very loud wedding reception went on into the night. But, as Peggy said, at least they had a good mix of music choices!

Progress!

Well, we are approaching the point where Mike and Terry think we might leave St. Augustine tomorrow. They have done all the repairs they can think of to the engine. When I talked to my brother, Anthony, he also suggested that we consider replacing the fuel lines. Terry had been considering that. So, Anthony's recommendation confirmed the thought. Terry and Mike set off for West Marine to get new lines. And that should get us in running order. Next stop will be Charleston, South Carolina! We can tell that we are getting closer. Mike is actually cleaning the boat.

Spinnaker Pirouette

My shipmates feel that I missed some of the better stories of our passage. I keep pointing out that I just actually mentally missed the passage, so it is hard to recall all the great stories- you can't recall what you didn't 'call' in the first place! But, I must admit that I did catch some of the spinnaker pirouette. The story begins when Terry decided that perhaps adding the spinnaker to the sail mix would help ameliorate some of the washing machine action. Peggy said those immortal words, "Do you really want to do that?" But of course he wanted to do that. And it seemed to be a great decision. I was able to rest comfortably on the settee right up until the moment when the spinnaker caught a burst of wind and wrapped itself around the forestay. Sam said, "I know how to fix that!" He took the helm and proceeded to pirouette the boat. Yes, he literally turned LUX around two or three times and unspun the spinnaker. We went back to cruising along at 7 knots. Yes, Tom, you not only missed great sailing but you missed a phenomenal sailing maneuver! So then we are cruising along for several hours with just the spinnaker. It was such a clear, bright beautiful day. But the wind was building. And, suddenly Terry was heard to say those words that EVERYONE hates to hear. He said, "SHIT!" and, he bounded up out of the helm seat headed for the front. This time, the pennant had snapped. The spinnaker, ever the most graceful of sails, slowly draped itself onto the churning waters. It the proceeds to drift backwards right under the boat. Luckily, no motors were running. By this time, Terry has returned to the stern to reel in the fishing line. Carol, meanwhile, grabbed the boat hook and used it to snag the sail. Best catch of the day, considering the fact that we had not caught any fish. She began trying to pull it on board. But, it resisted. Both Carol and Terry were hanging upside down looking under the boat to see why it would not allow itself to come aboard. Terry then went forward and realized that the tack was still attached! After undoing all of that, they started to pull it on board in earnest. Another great photo op lost. Where was Linda when we needed her? Especially since Carol ended up seated in the stern with Terry pulling the spinnaker over her head! Yards and yards of wet spinnaker passing all over Carol's head. Boy, was she glad that we have such fine showers on board! Anyway, the spinnaker was rescued. So, it will live to fly another day.

You can't wander too far these days

Oh, I forgot to talk about lunch today. Peggy, Jacob, Carol and I ate at a lovely local brewery/restaurant called the A1A Alehouse. How exciting! A local brewpub. The excitement wore off the minute I read the table placard about their membership program. I flipped it over, and there was a map of all their locations. Supposedly, they had one in Maryland. Hmmm... I had not heard of this place in Maryland. Ah, the devil is always in the fine print. Seems that they may have a local name, but they are really just part of the Gordon Biersch family. It just keeps getting harder to go somewhere new, doesn't it?

At the St. Augustine Marina

It is four o'clock, and we are back from an afternoon of wandering around St. Augustine. When I say we, I really mean Peggy, Carol, Jacob, and me. Mike and Terry are still trying to get the port engine to work. It appears that the low pressure fuel pump was not a total answer. I say 'appears' because Mike and Terry are at the point where they won't really talk to anyone, especially if that anyone asks a question about the engine. They are not really having much success with anything they try. In fact, their efforts just seem to uncover more problems. The only thing we could get out of Terry was that now the starter is working again. Hmmmm.... I did not know that it wasn't working. And I probably don't want to know more, either. Meanwhile, Carol keeps pointing out that if you have to be stuck somewhere, this isn't a bad place to be! The St. Augustine Municipal Marina is, quite literally, right in the center of town. It is at the foot of the Bridge of Lions, aptly named for the actual lion statues. And the pirate ship tour is just two docks over. So, we get to see lots of pirates and wenches. We also get to see the pirate boat take off several times a day. Best of all, the marina has an air conditioned lounge. So, there will be lots of blogs - my excuse for being in the very nice air conditioning is that the Internet works best there!

West Marine

We ended up spending an hour at West Marine because it was raining again. The best news of the day is that between Walmart and West Marine, we now have suitable replacements for Squiddy. Now, no lure can truly replace lucky Squiddy. But we are going to try. And, of course, we bought more parts to do more work on LUX. Ah, the joys of boating - and boat repairs.

St. Augustine

We are back in the states. And, according to Homeland Security, we are even legal! Yes, we had to rent a car, pile all seven of us into it, and hunt down the customs office in Jacksonville. Yes, that would be an hour from St. Augustine. And, yes, we did begin to feel like we were in a clown car. And, yes, you can squeeze seven people into a Nissan, but only if no one takes a really deep breath. Our customs agent was a nice man who wanted to know if we had come in a bus! No such luck. Finishing up there, we got Sam and Howard to the airport in plenty of time. Then, we went shopping while we waited for Jacob's plane to arrive. We went to a Walmart Superstore! OMG! Again, I just have to say how I never appreciated how much we have available to us in our stores before We visited the islands! It's a wonder I did not bankrupt !ike by buying every thing in sight - just because I could! But, we held back. We bought just enough to ensure that Jacob would be lucky to squeeze in the car. And we headed back to the marina. At this point, I should tell you that Sam and Howard appeared to have been worried that we would not miss them. So, we had more thunderstorms. Of course, this is Florida. The locals did not seem concerned at all. The concert in the park went on. And all the local restaurants within walking distance were crowded. We ended up at West Marine and then went to a restaurant outside of town. We ended our night at the Publix Grocery store. I just can't get enough of getting to buy anything I want at a good price!

Day 21 of My Captivity

For 21 days, I have been held in captivity by the strange creatures known as boat people. When we left Marsh Harbor, these creatures started out being good and kind. The sun was shining. We had a good breeze. Then they started. I could sense that this was a ruse by the creature known as Terry to make sure that only he had access to the good tasting foodstuffs.... I thought this would be a fun way to start the tale of our crossing from Marsh Harbor to St. Augustine. After all, we had just purchased really great groceries at the wonderful grocery store in Marsh Harbor. It was the first time in the voyage that the grocery store looked somewhat like what one would expect in the states. If I learned nothing else on this trip, I found out that Americans have no idea how fortunate they are to be able to go to Food Lion and buy shrimp BOGO. In most of the islands, shrimp cost $35 to $45 a pound! And, the choices for fresh fruits and veggies were very limited. I came prepared with a whole booklet of recipes - most of which I did not use because the ingredients were just too expensive. Other recipes that I did use required that I get the ingredients in the cart before Carol or Peggy could see the price, gag, and put the stuff back on the shelf. So, being able to buy all sorts of food in Marsh Harbor AND not cringe was very exciting. Having the weather turn nasty, getting sick, and not enjoying all the great food purchases was really annoying! The trip to St. Augustine was arduous in that the weather did turn nasty. It seemed that Sam and Howard felt the need to give us one more gift of bad weather. We were back in the washing machine. We were tossing and turning. And, yes, it continued to rain. And thunder. And lightning. Or so they tell me. I spent my time sleeping. Still, it was a great adventure. LUX continues to out perform our expectations. She is a mighty good ship. That is even with the fact that Mike is currently replacing the low pressure fuel pump. His McGyver tricks finally stopped working altogether. Wait until you see the great shots of him lying on the deck with his head in the engine compartment while the seas roil. Wish I had been clever enough to shoot video.