Sailing South aboard Lucy III: 2020-2021 (Day 56)

Jekyll Harbor Marina, Jekyll Island, Georgia:  October 29, 2020

Marc-  We raised the anchor at 07:45 and headed into the wind.  The wind was blowing 20 knots with gusts to 30 knots all day.  This was less of a problem on the small creeks and rivers we spent most of the day on but then we had to cross to large sounds (large bays).  The currents were mostly against us today for some reason and we needed to leave at high tide in order to pass through shallow areas.  We just made it through the last shallow area, the Jekyll Creek, with depth reading of  3.0 feet at one point (our draft is 4 feet 5 inches).  We just plowed through the soft mud and kept on going.  Docking was a bit crazy in this wind and current but we got it done.  

The highlights of today's travel included seeing a bald eagle fishing near the boat, dolphins jumping near the boat, and seeing a variety of watercraft: a sunken car-carrier ship being cut apart in the Brunswick Harbor Entrance, an unloaded car carrier leaving port, a tug boat with long barge, and a large shrimp boat that decided to anchor right in out path with its outriggers down.

The evening highlight was walking over to the historic Jekyll Island Club Village and enjoying dessert in the giant clubhouse.

Thursday morning sunrise

Our speeds today reached new lows

A favorite perch for a few

Car-carrier being cut up for scrap

A new car-carrier leaving after unloading its cargo

Channel anchored shrimp boat

One of the marina inhabitants

Sue made a new friend

Jekyll Island Club cottages

The Clubhouse

An interesting  Fiddler crab.

Full moon

Sailing South aboard Lucy III: 2020-2021 (Day 55)

Crescent River Anchorage, Crescent River, Georgia:  October 28, 2020 

Marc-  Yet another fantastic sunrise today:

Nothing too exciting today as all we did was travel South to the Crescent River Anchorage and anchor.  We did cross St. Catherine's Sound under sail but mostly we dealt with contrary currents and some helpful wind.   We did experience a engine slowdown for an instant but I pulled the choke and it cleared.                                                                                                                                             

Sailing South aboard Lucy III: 2020-2021 (Day 54)

 Kilkenny Marina, Kilkenney Creek, Georgia:  October 27, 2020  

Marc-  Today started off well with the marina staff dropping off a box of Krispy Kreme donuts.  We left the dock at slack high water at 07:30 and headed South.  Soon we were crossing Moon River made famous by the song and yes it is "wider than a mile" and we were "crossing it in style".  See the Andy Williams version of Moon River on YouTube.  Our trip was marked by seeing several dolphins and many monarch butterflies.  One butterfly even landed on board for a photo op.  The dolphins are frequently seen but very hard to photograph. We usually see just their fins, sometimes their backs and heads.  They are too busy eating to visit with us.  We passed through many golden colored marshes and even through the infamous "Hell Gate".  This short land cut had recently been dredged and was not a problem.  Our destination of Kilkenny Marina took us five hours of travel.  This is definitely a fisherman's marina but it did have all of the essentials.  I was particularly impressed with their three large bait tanks of live prawns (shrimp).

Nice fish restaurant near Thunderbolt Marina where Ann took us for dinner

Thunderbolt sunrise

Monarch butterfly passenger

Crossing Moon River

Kilkenney Marina

Kilkenney Marina bait prawns

Sailing South aboard Lucy III: 2020-2021 (Day 53)

(Day 2) Thunderbolt Marina, Savannah, Georgia:  October 26, 2020  

Marc-  We decided to stay another day to visit Savannah and do a few projects.  We like this marina with its good showers and laundry facilities and large beautiful sailing and power yachts to gawk at (many with professional crew).  We also got to spend the day with Ann who drove us around town, to the supermarket and to the auto parts and marine supply stores.  Most of the day was spent walking around downtown historic old Savannah and visiting a few shops, an ancient cemetery (which is a park in the city), and one beautiful church (St. John the Baptist Cathedral).  The riverfront area is some 40 feet below the main city and is right next to the Savannah River.  It was impressive.  We saw a giant 1000 foot long container ship and later a giant car carrier passing only feet away heading out to sea.  There is a lot of commercial ship traffic here.  It was a warm gray day for walking in the parks and along the old streets with shade provided by very large and old live oak trees with the ever present hanging spanish moss. 

Johnny Mercer who wrote the lyrics to Moon River with a few admirers

This unassuming entrance is the passage to a candy factory

We found an Ice Cream Parlor

Inside the Basilica of St. John the Baptist

Sailing South aboard Lucy III: 2020-2021 (Day 52)

Thunderbolt Marina, Savannah, Georgia:  October 25, 2020

Marc-  Today we almost did not leave port due to mechanical failure.  You will recall that yesterday we had an engine shutdown episode while going to our assigned slip at the Beaufort Marina.  I made repairs  (replacing a fuel filter, a fuel pump and even the electronic ignition module) and the engine restarted.  This morning we awoke with 4 knots of current pushing against us at the dock.  I tested the engine reverse and it did not make progress.  We found that the engine would not work at speed or under load... the moment I accelerated it just shut down unless I closed the manual choke.  That was a hint that this was a carburetor issue.  Lucy III's engine doctor, Brian, suggested throwing the cleaners at the carburetor (carb cleaner, seafoam gasoline treatment and ether).  I called a cab (no Lyft or Uber here) for a round trip to the local auto parts store.  They had the cleaners and I returned trying the first two.  It was like magic.  The engine started and ran smoothly for the next 7 hours without mishap.  My apologies for the technical details.

Our 30 mile trip South to Savannah took us inside of beautiful Hilton Head Island and less developed sea islands as well.  We set a new record for dolphin sightings - perhaps a dozen overall.  We used the genoa for one hour of the trip but mostly it was a hot windless day.  No low water issues as we traveled on a rising tide (unfortunately mostly counter current).  At some point we crossed the border into Georgia.  We arrived at the last remaining drawbridge in Georgia at 18:00 and only only 3 out of 4 sections were able to open.  We managed to squeeze through and pushed on to Thunderbolt Marina.  This marina is like none we have seen into this trip with mega yachts galore mostly getting work done on them.  

Ann was waiting for us at Thunderbolt.  She visited Ft. Pulaski, a National Monument, on Cockspur Island between Savannah and Tybee Island.  She has been to hundreds of National Parks and National Monuments.  She found a number of other pleasant things to do and see in the area while we were 4 hours late arriving.  Big thanks to Michael for patiently helping me fix the engine, to Doreen for photos and patience, and to Ann for taking us out to dinner at Tubby's Tank House!  Ann told us how she has visited 320 National Parks and the number continues to grow even on this trip.

Off Hilton Head Island

There goes Fiddler's Green

Today was hazy, hot and humid

This was posted at Tubby's Tank House

Sailing South aboard Lucy III: 2020-2021 (Day 51)

Beaufort Downtown Marina, Beaufort, South Carolina:  October 24, 2020 

Marc-  Magnificent sunrise at 07:35.  Raised anchor at 08:00 and blasted off at 7.5 knots down the South Edisto River.  We even did well in Fenwick Cut but slowed to 5.5 knots in the Ashepoo River.  A few dolphins went through the cut with us.  It became a close call in the Ashepoo Coosaw Cutoff (a ditch of sorts connecting rivers) when long stretches were only reading 5 to 6 feet in very muddy water.  We stayed in the middle of the passages and saw 4.6 feet a few times and what felt like we touched mud once.  Time for the dredgers to get to work.  We went by the United States Marine Corps training area on Parris Island but saw no activity.  Next came the Ladies Island Swing Bridge that opened on demand after the operator could get the cars and pedestrians off the bridge.  We tied up in the center of Beaufort at the Downtown Marina without any problems.  After refueling, the engine stopped on our way to the assigned slip.  Fortunately the engine restarted enough to get us to the dock.  I assumed it was a fuel issue since the manual choke allowed the engine to keep going.  I changed the fuel filter and went ahead and replaced the electronic ignition module that had been previously suggested.  The engine appears to be operating properly now.  I consulted with Lucy III's primary care doctor, Mindy, and she concurred with my diagnosis and treatment.

Michael's sister, Ann, came over to visit as she was in the area.  We had lunch together and went on a horse drawn carriage tour of the town.  The tour was fun with a guide who had a strong Southern accent and gave historical facts such as the "War of Northern Aggression" to describe what took place here during the Civil War.  The homes and the live oaks beside them are nice.  Main street has many open shops and restaurants with outside dining.  The entire waterfront area is a city park.

Sunrise at the South Edisto River Anchorage

Seagrass and faraway trees.

Halloween time

Nice homes among the live oak and magnolia trees

It seems as if the live oaks are protecting the homes

And where you find live oaks you find spanish moss

More carrots please

Bandit the horse, the tour guide and the guests