ANNAPOLIS, MD

ANNAPOLIS, MD

JULY 23 – 31, 2017

At 0806 hrs on July 23^rd, we departed Spring Cove Marina (38-20.088 N; 76-27.623 W) on Solomon Island for Annapolis, Md: 40 miles distant.  The purpose of going to Annapolis was to have Nathan Horton, from SeaFrost Refrigeration Systems, spec- out our system and make recommendations on the installation of a new DC SeaFrost System.  The 1991 Valiant 40 came with an engine driven SeaFrost  System that has worked very well over the years.  The main drawback to this system is that the Main Engine has to be run two hours per day to keep things cold.  Additionally, since the cooling isn’t constant, between refrigeration charges, it is difficult to keep frozen food from having a slight thaw out.  The DC Refrigeration System will keep the temperature constant within a few degrees.  The plus side of the Engine Driven System is that it keeps the batteries charged up because the engine is being run two hours per day.  The downside of the DC Refrigeration System is that, with two compressors running, the battery draw is 120 amps per day.  We have a D400 Wind Generator and a 240W Solar Panel that will put some of these needed amps into the battery bank but, I believe, we will have to occasionally run the engine to make up the difference.  Our battery bank is 600 amp hours and we have never had a problem with batteries running low.  In the end, a reliable DC system is the better choice for keeping frozen and refrigerated food at optimum temperatures.  Whenever we have to motor, the alternator is putting amps into the system.

On July 25^th, we shifted over to the Bert Jabin repair yard in Back Creek (38-57.710N; 76-28.917W) and Nathan Horton came aboard to spec-out the system.  The end result was that the two existing SeaFrost systems (Engine Driven and Shore Assisst) would have to be removed in order to install a new SeaFrost DC Refrigeration System.  Also, some additional insulation would have to be added.  It is a big job and will be expensive:  just how much? I don’t know yet. This is the difference between buying an older boat and a newer one.  The newer one will take a lot more money upfront but the older one will require more maintenance and replacing systems as they become obsolete or wear out.  I still think that the better value is found in a well maintained older boat.

After the consultation,  we were ready to set sail for New London, CT on Thursday July 27^th, however, a severe Wx Warning was given for the Mid-Atlantic States and New Jersey Coast.  We plan to set sail on Monday July31st.  In the meantime, we have always liked Annapolis.  The Annapolis Yacht Basin has good moorings, pump out and Water Boat, showers, laundry, and a water taxi.  It is a safe place to be and, at $35 per day, very reasonable.  The old historic district is interesting with lots of interesting places to see.  The US Naval Academy has one of the best maritime museums we have seen.  They have a collection of what were called Dockyard Models dating from 1650 until the end of the golden age of great tall ship building in the early 19^th century.  These small scale models were made up as a guide for planning  the  actual construction of the vessels.  They were, mostly, for the construction of naval war ships.  The museum claims that it is the best collection in the world;  there is one in London that rivals it. 

For those that choose to anchor, there are many creeks that afford a safe place to be for an extended period of time.  Back Creek is one possibility and has Water Taxi Service and Pump Out, or one can use their own dinghy:  these can be tied up almost anywhere.  Every street that ends at the harbor is a dinghy dock!

We will return at the end of September to have the new DC Refrigeration System installed and attend the Annapolis Boat Show on October 5^th.  After that, along with all the other boats heading South for the Winter, we, too, will be in that group.

PORTSMOUTH, VA TO ANNAPOLIS, MD

PORTSMOUTH, VA TO ANNAPOLIS, MD

JULY 21-23, 2017

The distance from Portsmouth to Annapolis is 140 miles up the Chesapeake Bay.  We had one stop to make at Solomon Is, which is about 100 nm from Portsmouth enroute to Annapolis.  We departed North Landing at 0645 hrs on the July 19^th.  The wind was light but we managed to motor sail to the Great Wilcomico River and dropped anchor at 1936 hrs at Sandy Pt in 16 ft water depth with 90 ft chain out: 37-49.444 N; 76-18.626 W.  It was a long day and we covered about 60 miles. This is a quiet anchorage with good protection from S-NW winds but exposed to the North and East.

The following morning on July 22^nd, we heaved up anchor and got underway for Solomon Is.: about 40 miles distant.  It was a beautiful day on the Chesapeake but not much wind so we had to motor sail.  We arrived at Spring Cove Marina on Soloman Is. at 1545 hrs.  There was a thunderstorm approaching but, fortunately, it passed us on by.  Spring Cove Marina is up a winding creek and very well protected but expensive for transients.  Their charge is $2.50 per ft of boat length: $100 for a 40 ft boat.

We spent a pleasant evening with Bob and Anne, owners of a Valiant 40 named Baloo.  Bob is a superb craftsman and has made that Valiant 40 a boat to be admired.  Engine installation, fuel tank installation, DC refrigeration system installation, steering system rebuild, he has put all of this in by himself.  The work is meticulous and a thing of mechanical beauty to behold.

The following morning at 0800 hrs, we departed Spring Cove Marina for Annapolis, MD. about 40 miles distant.  We started off with a very pleasant W wind 12-15 kts but, as the morning progressed, it died out and we had to resort to motor sailing.  At 1430 hrs in the afternoon, we got hit with one of the most violent thunderstorms we have encountered so far.  The winds were in excess 50+ kts with blinding rain; the seas built up quickly to 5 ft.  There was a Car Carrier Ship on my stern and blowing the danger signal.  The wind was so strong that it heeled the Valiant 40 to the stbd. side and almost put the lee rail in the water.  The Car Carrier Ship passed me, about 600 ft off, on my port side.  Once I had the ship out of the way, it was just a matter of choosing the most favorable angle to take on the wind and seas.  Other than the ship, there was never any time that the Valiant 40 wasn’t able to handle the existing conditions.  It was just unnerving to have so much wind and rain pelting us.  Our foul weather gear was no longer waterproof so we were soaked.  Fortunately, these thunderstorms don’t last too long and, this one, started to abate in about 20 minutes.  In the entire six years of the circumnavigation, we never encountered winds that strong.  That includes being hove-to off the East African coast in a short lived SW Buster.

At 1730 hrs, we dropped anchor at the South Anchorage of Annapolis in 15 ft water depth with 90 ft of chain out:  38-58.532 N; 76-28.359 W.  I would have continued on into the harbor to pick up a mooring but we had a rain squall coming so we anchored.  In the early morning hours of July 24^th another very strong thunderstorm hit us at the anchorage.  I saw the lightning and decided to pay out another 50 ft of chain.  Just as we finished the wind and rain hit us.  I guess the wind was at least 40 kts but it only lasted about thirty minutes.  When we heaved anchor and moved to the Annapolis Harbor Mooring field, we were informed that the thunderstorm had spawned a tornado just one mile north of us.  We picked up Mooring #5 at at 1030 hrs on July 24^th: 38-58.513 N; 76-29.005 W   These moorings are strong and safe under most conditions.  The charge is $35 per day but include showers, laundry and toilets at the Harbor Masters Office. 

ORIENTAL, NC TO PORTSMOUTH, VA

ORIENTAL, NC TO PORTSMOUTH, VA

JULY 16-19, 2017

On Sunday July 16, 2017 at 0720 hrs, the water level in Whittaker Creek had come up 12 inches so we got underway for Norfolk, VA.  I had been talking to local yachtsmen about the best way to get out so I had an idea of where the deeper water was.  Since we had just had two coats of antifouling put on the bottom, I didn’t want to rub it off on the soft mud.  The local knowledge was good; we only touched bottom briefly one time; a great relief to be out of there.!  The ICW inside distance form Oriental, NC to Norfolk, VA is 160 miles.  Motoring up the Intracoastal Waterway at 5.5 kts, a boat can make 55 miles nm in 10 hours:  this is equivalent to 63 statute miles.  The distances on the ICW are measured in statute miles; the boat speed is in knots which equates to nautical miles: 1 Nautical Mile = 1.15 Statute Miles.  What all this means is that it would take about 2.5 days to reach Norfolk and we would have to anchor out two nights.                

This section of the ICW is remote and very beautiful.  It has abundant wildlife, especially birds.  Ospreys build their nests on the ICW numbered navigation Day Markers.  One hears them peeping as the boat passes them.  The Bald Eagle is prevalent in this area: we saw four of them.  Although I prefer the outside route around Cape Hatteras, I would take this section of the ICW once again and, probably will, on our trip back down south in the early Fall.

The first night we anchored in Pungo Creek in 10 ft of water with 70 ft of chain out:  35-33.728 N; 76-28.515W.  This is a very quiet well protected anchorage and provides a convenient stop before entering the Alligator River/Pungo River Canal: a twenty mile stretch of narrow waterway with no anchoring possible.  We had another vessel with us, Aussie Mate, going in the same direction.  They had the advantage of carrying a 4.8 ft draft; just perfect for these waters.  

On July 17^th,  we got underway at 0836 hrs.  We had delayed sailing at 0700 hrs because of light rain.  We had no specific anchorage in mind and motored along at 5,5 kts.  At 1515 hrs we got hit with a thunderstorm and blinding rain.  We were in a good position to anchor outside the channel and wait for it to pass.  Also, there was the Alligator River Bridge about one mile ahead that had to open for us to pass through.  By 1630, conditions had improved enough for us to heave up anchor and clear the bridge.  Another squall was approaching so, after clearing the bridge, we anchored at Sandy Pt. anchorage in 12 ft water depth with 80 ft of chain out: 35-56.005 N; 76-00.506 W.  This anchorage is exposed to S –SE wind but has good enough protection the SW-NW.  If conditions are blustery, it is possible to wind your way further into the creek and be well protected.  This is the first time in our circumnavigation that we have experienced the building  of afternoon thunderstorms along the SE Coast of the US.  They can be particularly violent, with winds from 30-50 kts and torrential blinding rain, which becomes very dangerous in restricted waters.

On July 18^th, we heaved up anchor at 0700 hrs and got underway for Coinjock Marina, NC: 36-20.987 N; 75-56.888 W.  This marina is famous for its 32oz Prime Rib Steak – an obscene thing to say the very least.  The population of Coinjock is 37.  There are two marina there; Coinjock is the better one as the Midway Marina is undergoing refurbishment.  Business is entirely dependent on the North/South movement of yachts transiting the ICW in the early Summer and early Fall.  The marina has good facilities:  showers, electricity, water, restaurant, small grocery store.

We left Coinjock Marina for Portsmouth, VA at 0800 hrs of July 19^th.  Portsmouth is a small city on the Western side of the Elizabeth River and Norfolk is on the Eastern side.  The city of Portsmouth offers free docking at two different places close by to each other:  North Landing and South Landing.  Both are in the old historical district which is well preserved and charming.  After a  long day of motoring, we arrived at North Landing at 1700 hrs: 36-50.299 N; 76-17.788 W.  Our main purpose for stopping in Portsmouth was to meet a fellow Valiant 40 owner who had been instrumental in providing me with pictures and advise, on engine installation, when we installed the Beta 50 in Phuket, Thailand.  His detailed photos and drawings made it possible to instruct and guide the Thai workers, who spoke no English, through the difficult process of modifying the engine bed and installing the Beta 50 diesel engine.  He provided almost 200 photos of his installation!

This is the second time we have stopped in Portsmouth.  The first time was over five years ago when we were headed down the ICW to Ft Lauderdale.  In addition to the lovely old historical homes, it has a plethora of excellent eateries:  something there for everyone.  After meeting with David Bridges on Wednesday, the town of Portsmouth gave a band concert at the North Landing.  Being on the yacht, we had the best seats in the place including cold beer! 

We left the lovely town of Portsmouth at 0645 hrs on the morning of July 21^st.  Our next stop would be Spring Cove Marina at Solomon Island in order to meet another Valiant 40 owner who had given me information on Beta engine installation when I was in Phuket, Thailand.   

BEAUFORT AND ORIENTAL, NC

 BEAUFORT AND ORIENTAL, NC

JUNE 29 TO JULY 16, 2017

Beaufort, NC is a small one street town that depends on tourism and fishing for income.  Good restaurants and interesting stores along that one street about one quarter mile long.  There is an Olive Oil store with over 100 different varieties of Olive Oil, Balsamic Vinegar, Wine Vinegar.  One can sample all these at your leisure without anyone pressuring you into buying something.  The only hiccup will be your stomach: it can only handle so much olive oil and balsamic vinegar before it rebels.   There is a most excellent Maritime Museum there that has few rivals for its size and location.

There are two ways to get to Norfolk, VA:  the outside route around Cape Hatteras (249 nm) and the ICW (177 miles).  With good Wx, I would choose to take the outside route because it can be sailed and not so demanding on attention to the helm, and the cost of diesel.  We needed to go to Oriental, NC for some needed routine maintenance.  There is an excellent boatyard there named Sailcraft.  The rates are reasonable, the staff friendly and they encourage DIY.  The only drawback is getting into and out of Whittaker Creek.  It is shallow:    anything over 5.5 ft is going to touch bottom somewhere; we draw 6ft.  The mud is soft so no damage is done other than taking the antifouling off the bottom.  Our friends of Camomile chose the outside route.

Oriental is only 25 miles from Beaufort.  We got underway at 0930 hrs on June 29th and arrived off the entrance buoys at 1445.  After a few groundings, we made fast at Sailcraft at 1515 hrs.  Immediately, we saw on the hard - Tamure, a Valiant 40 belonging to our friends Scott & Kitty.  Another Valiant 40 was being worked on by a DIYer and across the way was a Valiant 42.  That’s more Valiants than we have seen in the entire circumnavigation.

We hauled out on June 30^th and remained on the hard until July 12^th.  We accomplished quite a few things:  1) two coats of Petit Ultima SR Antifouling, Buff and Wax Hull, Touch up scratches on Awlgrip paint on hull, New Anodes and Grease MaxProp, New Life lines, Rigging inspected and tuned, Put new bearings in D400 Wind Generator, Change gear oil, engine oil and spark plugs and fuel filter on Yamaha outboard engine, Change engine oil, lube oil and anode on Beta 50 diesel engine, Remove Heat Exchanger stack and O-rings on Beta 50, Install new hot water heater.

By the time we finished this and were back in the water, the water level in Whittaker Creek was too low to get  out: we didn’t want to rub off the new antifouling on the keel by trying to get out so we waited for the water level to rise 12 inches.  Whittaker Creek is basically a wind driven phenomenon:  it undergoes a small horizontal movement of water with tidal changes but very little vertical rise and fall.  A SW wind will cause the water levels to fall and a North or East Wind will cause them to rise.  If the wind is calm, the water levels will rise a little.  I’m sure there are some other influences there but I don’t know what they are.  Anyway, we were trapped in Whittaker Creek until a rise in water levels.  Day after day, I watched the water levels rise and fall on the dock pilings:  3 to 4 inches at most.  Finally on Saturday July 15^th and
Sunday July 16^th, the water came up 12 inches; we are out of here!  Left the dock at 0720 hrs and free of Whittaker Creek at 0745:  touched bottom briefly one time.

Oriental considers itself the Sailing Capital of North Carolina.  This may or may not be true but what is certain is that it is a boating community.  Just about everything is tied to the yachting/fishing community.  It is one of the most friendly, welcoming places anyone is likely to visit.  Unpretentious is the best word to describe the place:  the ostentatious display of wealth is not evident;  Donald Trump would not fit in here!  Oriental is considered the Yankee Capital of Pamlico Sound because so many Northerners have migrated here.  The place is a little too remote and gets too cold in the winter but we sure do enjoy coming here.

CHARLESTON TO SOUTHPORT, WRIGHTSVILLE, BEAUFORT, NC

CHARLESTON TO SOUTHPORT, WRIGHTSVILLE, BEAUFORT, NC

JUNE 22-23, 2017

We departed the Charleston anchorage at 1124 hrs on June 22^nd bound for Georgetown, SC which was only 23 nm distant.  The Wx report was for light S-SW winds at 10 kts and 2 ft seas.  About half way there, we decided to continue onto Southport, NC which was 130 nm from Charleston.  The Wx report indicated that winds would be favorable but increasing over the next day.  We sailed on. 

At 0900 hrs on June 23^rd, we took in sail to wait on the Flood Tide at the Southport Jetties which didn’t begin until 1530 hrs.  The wind was steadily increasing to 20 kts and kicking up a 5-6 sea so there was no way to enter with wind against current.  We had to wait.  The currents run strongly coming out of Southport.  At 1530 hrs we started into the jetties but found out that there was no room at the marinas in Southport so we took a berth at Bald Head Is.  Once we got through the protected jetty leading into Bald Head, the berth I was given was beam on to the wind which was gusting above 20 kts.  It was the most challenging docking that I have ever done!  I still don’t know how I managed to do it without damaging the boat.

Once we were safely docked, the wind continued to increase to 30 kts and we were pinned hard against the dock so there was no possibility of leaving until it abated.  A sizable part of Bald Island is National Park Land.  Transportation is by golf card as there are very few cars allowed on the island.  We rented a golf cart and toured the island.  It is a beautiful place with sand dunes and small coastal forests.  The homes on the island belong to those that were able to buy land in bybone days and build spectacular seaside homes.  The one drawback here is that the area is frequented by tropical storms.  To insure a home here must be very expensive.  We had really wanted to go to Southport because it is a charming small town where many of the Wilmington River pilots live.  It has some beautiful old homes on the ICW.

On June 25^th, the wind had subsided enough that I was able to get off the berth at Bald Head and continue onto Beaufort, NC  (93 miles)via the inside route known as the ICW (Intracoastal Waterway).  We were travelling with some British friends on a yacht called Camomile.  We had first met them in Phuket, Thailand and met up at various places along the way.  The ICW is well protected against seas but can be shallow in places and demands constant attention at the helm.  On weekends, the Waterway Cowboys make life uncomfortable for a sailing boat.  They have the money to buy big motor yachts but lack any sense of common curtesy or seamanship.

We decided to anchor at Wrightsville, NC (25 nm) from Southport for the night.  At 1530, we dropped anchor in 15 water depth with 90 ft chain out on a sand/mud bottom in position: 34-12.402 N; 77-47.939 W.  This is a very well protected anchorage with room enough for many boats.  It was a relief to leave the Weekend Warriors out in the ICW but they were starting to get hungry and thinning out.  The following day was spent walking around the Wrightsville area.  Outside of restaurants, a few stores and the seashore, there is not much there.  I suppose that for a family looking to get sun burned on a sandy beach, it is as beautiful as any other place along the North Carolina coast.

On June 27^th, we departed Wrightsville for the outside route via Masonboro Jetties.  It was wonderful to be out of the ICW and back at sea.  The Wx was good.  We had light winds and had to motor sail at times.  At 1924 hrs we entered the Beaufort Jetties and proceeded to Taylor Creek where we anchored at 2024 in 15 ft water depth with 60 ft chain out.  Shortly afterwards, our friends from Camomile anchored in front of us.  

JACKSONVILLE, FL TO CHARLESTON, SC

JACKSONVILLE, FL TO CHARLESTON, SC

JUNE 18 – 20, 2017

We departed the Marina at Ortega Landing (30-16.632 N; 81-42.732 W) at 0945 hrs.  The timing was set for the opening of the Main St Bridge at 1200 hrs.  There was a strong Ebb Tide so we made good time after passing under the bridge.  By 1500 hrs, the tide had turned against us and was flooding in.  It took us two hrs to negotiate the last six miles.  At 1745, we set the main and jib and started the trip to Charleston, SC: 197 nm.  The Wx was very good with winds out of the SE at 10-15 kts.  As the wind veered into the SSE-S, we poled out the genoa and continue sailing.  We arrived off the Charleston Sea buoy at 0700 hrs on June 20^th and dropped anchor in Charleston Harbor at 1143 hrs in 18 ft water depth with 130 ft chain out: 32-46.464 N; 79-56.814 W.

Charleston is one of those lovely old well preserved historical cities.  Dedicated to tourism, it is loved to death.  What is striking when walking about the historical district is the number of homeless destitute individuals found in in the entrances to empty store fronts?  It is out of sync with the opulence and materialism being display all around them.  It is not possible, for me, to just walk by them and pretend they are not there.  I ask myself, How did it happen?  What events in life caused them to give up everything? How did they fall through the Safety Net?  Does it exist?  Is help available?  Do they want it?  Is there an underlying addiction for which our society doesn’t have adequate solutions unless money is involved.  I am saddened and confused by what I see but I walk on by and, in a few minutes, they are forgotten.

Charleston is just a stop on our way north.  We have had torrential rain but the Sun is out and it is time to go; next stop Southport, NC: 130 miles.

JACKSONVILLE, FL

JACKSONVILLE, FL

JUNE 14-18, 2017

We set out to sea at 0900 hrs on June 13^th, 2017 for Jacksonville, FL: 170 nm.  This would be an overnight passage.  The Wx forecast was good with light winds and seas under 2 ft.  Our daughter would meet us at the Ortega River Marina Landing on June 16^th.

The overnight sail was very pleasant.  It is so much more pleasant to be sailing outside rather than motoring the ICW and having to monitor shoal areas and, generally, hand steering.  Also, most power yachts give no quarter and come buy leaving a huge wake behind them that rocks the boat unmercifully.

Its about 23 miles from the mouth of the St Johns River to Jacksonville;  the currents in the river are strong during the flood/ebb cycle.  We arrived off the St John River Sea buoy at 1300 hrs with a Flood Tide.  At 1715, we dropped anchor at Exchange Island (30-19.415 N;81-36.837 W).  There is construction work being done on the Main St Bridge and the next opening wasn’t until 2000 hrs; this would have been too late to continue on to the Ortega River. This is a very pleasant and well protected anchorage but has lots of crab pots to negotiate.  There were two other unattended yachts, on moorings, in the area.  The anchorage is big enough to accommodate several boats.  We anchored in 20 ft of water with 100 ft of chain out.

On Friday June 16^th, we heaved up anchor at 1100 hrs in order to make the 1200 hr opening of the Main St Bridge. It is about five miles from the Main St Bridge to the Ortega River.  The entrance to the Ortega River is shallow and we could feel the keel of Solstice ploughing through the mud in a few places; the mud is very soft.  We made fast at the Marina at Ortega Landing at 1330 hrs: 30-16.632 N; 81-42.731 W.  This marina is very friendly and welcoming to cruisers; first time guests get the first day free.  They seem to have several events scheduled during the year.  On Saturday, they had a STEAKOUT with unlimited drinks and music for $15.  We met several cruisers that had decided to make Ortega Landing their home.  There was one couple that was 84 years old! Other than the shoal water, we would gladly return there for a few days.

On Friday, our daughter arrived in the late afternoon and we had a very nice meal in Avondale which is very close to Ortega Marina Landing.  We spent a good part of Saturday with our family.  They left for Pensacola in the afternoon.  It was great to have spent a lot of quality time with our granddaughter after so many years of being away.

Now it is time to get on with the serious business of heading North to CT.  Next stop will be Charleston, SC: 200 nm distant

CAPE CANAVERAL

CAPE CANAVERAL

JUNE 12-14, 2017

The trip up to Cape Canaveral from Lake Worth was, mostly, motor sailing.  The winds were light and the seas under 2 ft.  We had lots of dolphins jumping around the boat which delighted our granddaughter.  We entered the port and took a berth at Blue Points Marina at 1654 hrs.  This marina doesn’t have much to recommend it:  it serves as a fish cleaning station for private and charter boats.  The fish cleaning procedure is to fillet the fish, poke out the eyeballs so the carcass will sink and throw it in the water.  Sometimes they forget to poke out the eyeballs so the carcass floats around on the water and starts to stink.  Usually, the pelicans clean up everything.  These pelican squadrons are messy and leave droppings everywhere on the floating docks.  SLICK AS SHIT is apropos here.

Other than the Kenney Space Center and the Canaveral National Seashore, there isn’t much else in the immediate area.  All the stores and supplies are located at Coco Beach.  We rented a car and drove over to the Kennedy Space Center.  There is a lot to see in a day so one has to choose the most interesting place to start.  Ideally, this should be done in two days.  We took the bus tour and went to the Saturn V Complex: truly impressive.  By the time this was over and we returned to the Visitor Center Complex, no one wanted to continue seeing more so we returned the car and went back to the boat.  I would have liked to spend another day there but our granddaughter was anxious to meet her mother in Jacksonville.

We departed Blue Points Marina at 0900 hrs on June 14^th, 2017 for Jacksonville, FL.

PALM BEACH, FL

PALM BEACH, FL

JUNE 8-12, 2017

Palm Beach is an area of extremes: the very wealthy and very poor; champagne flowing on the Atlantic side and cocaine in the projects.  Just outside the Port of Palm Beach it isn’t safe to walk around at night; prostitution and drugs are rampant.  Outside of these economically impoverished areas, it’s a beautiful area with lots of attractions, great seafood and water sports.  The mega yachts grace the marinas.  This is one of the centers of American wealth.

In 1927 cereal heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post commissioned a 128 room mansion, on 20 acres of Atlantic Beach front, with  65,000 sq. ft of living area.  She named it Mar-a-Lago. To grace the mansion, in 1931,  a 360 ft three masted tall ship was built and named Sea Cloud.  She, too, was lavishly furnished.  A special permit and dredging were required to anchor her in the protected waters off the Intracoastal Waterway.  Presently, she is being chartered as a luxury cruise yacht.  Donald Trump bought the mansion in 1985 and has turned it into a private club he now calls The Winter White House.

Peanut Island is just off the stbd. side of a vessel entering Lake Worth from sea.  It has about 79 acres that came from dredging projects throughout the years.  Today it is called Peanut Island Park and has some camp sites, docks for a few yachts, a restaurant and museum and areas where one can swim and snorkel.  The island also features a Bomb Shelter that was built, in secret, in 1961 for President John F. Kennedy.  He often spent the winters in nearby Palm Beach Florida where the Kennedy Family had a mansion not too far from Mar-a-Lago.

We took our granddaughter over there in our dinghy and toured the island, visited the Bomb Shelter and the former USCG residence and repair facility.  The future of Peanut island is uncertain since the lease for the museum and USCG residence are not being renewed by the lessees.  It is an interesting place and nice getaway for the locals.  One hopes that real estate moguls, like Trump, are not able to buy it from the City of Palm Beach and turn it into more condominiums or mansions.

We didn’t visit anything else in the area so we heaved up anchor at 0700 hrs on June 12^th and headed out to sea for Cape Canaveral about 50 nm distant.    

ENTRY INTO FT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA

ENTRY INTO FT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA

May 25, 2017

As we approached the US coast and Miami area, a severe Wx warning was issued on VHF Ch 22a by the USCG for thunderstorms and squalls.  It was getting late in the afternoon so we decided to reduce sail to the minimum and move slowly towards Ft Lauderdale.  Strong wind and thunderstorms stayed with us for the rest of the night.  About one and one half miles off the Ft Lauderdale jetties, we headed back south and started to stem the wind and current by lying ahull with the rudder hard over.  This allowed the vessel to slide down the coastline at a 90 degree angle.  We were about 1.5nm off, well out of shipping traffic and watching the high rise buildings slip by.  At 0900 hrs on the morning of May 25^th, we entered the Ft. Lauderdale/Port Everglades jetties.

There are pros and cons for coming into Ft. Lauderdale:  there are no designated anchorage areas; the marinas are very expensive with an average rate of $2.50 per foot; that’s one hundred dollars a day for a 40 ft boat!; food is good but expensive; Customs Clearance is a taxi ride away; services are comprehensive but expensive; largest West Marine Store in the USA; good salvage yard right next door to West Marine.  Most importantly, for us, we had a good friend living nearby and wanted to see him.  We stayed at the Hall of Fame Marina, just north of the 17^th St SE bridge.  Their high season rates are $2.50 per foot of vessel length but on June 1^st the rates drop to $1.00 per foot.  That’s a substantial reduction.  We were at the Marina from May 25^th to June 8^th so we paid dearly and then received the discount rate.  There is an excellent restaurant named Coconuts in the area: great seafood and reasonably priced during Happy Hour.

We needed a good safe marina because we were leaving the yacht to travel to Pensacola, FL to visit our daughter and bring back our grand-daughter to sail with us.  We left on June 1^st and returned on June 5^th.  There was a significant Wx system that brought torrential rain on June 6^th and 7^th.  We departed Hall of Fame Marina on June 8^th for Lake Worth, about 40 nm up the Intracoastal Waterway.  Other than the multi-million dollar homes, we had to pass under 21 bridges.  Some of these only opened on the hour and half hour so timing was important.  For a few, it wasn’t possible to negotiate one bridge and then make the other within the required time frame so we just puttered along until the next opening.  I would never motor this stretch again if the outside option was available with good Wx.

At 2000 hrs, we dropped anchor just inside Lake Worth Jetties, south of G 11 Marker in 16 ft with 130 ft chain out:  pos: 26-46.069 N; 80-02.663 W,  This is a great anchorage with good holding in sand.