I Have Pulled the Trigger !

[Don1500]

Had a diesel problem last spring, I learned a lot about them then. Best of luck, see you when you get here.

[zeehag]

we have been repairing my stuff for 3 yrs--should be ready in another ...hmmm..this guy is fast---we see...make sure your injector pump is clean and not full of sea water...lol and engine is aligned..mine is now...same with injector pump--was full of old sea water in pockets in the pump where no fluids go..my boat never got that wet since i got the engine and pump...interesting.

[Sailor g]

Originally Posted by Don1500

Today I am just catching the last of the preparations and making some reservations for stops along the way.
Just now the stops are Isle Of Palms, Hilton Head, Jekyll Island, Atlantic Beach (near Jacksonville), St. Augustine, and Daytona. I’ll solidify the rest while in Daytona. There will be a number of nights on the hook, and a number of days outside.

Glad to see you back posting! Sounds like a wonderful trip. Hope you have a great time. I can't wait to read your stories.

[Don1500]

OK, Here goes (second try). We have been on our journey to Florida for 7 nights.
Night #1. At anchor, Bullyard Sound, good hook but we had to stop because of engine trouble, [more later] We were trying to make it from Osprey to Isle of Palms in one day.
Night #2. Isle of Palms, towed in by BoatsUS (Best money I have ever spent), engine problem was a disconnected wire, found and fixed in 10 minutes.
Night #3. At anchor in Church Creek. Beautiful anchorage, easy in and out. Tried to take a shower in the rain but when it was raining hard, the lightning was fierce, then the rain stopped. Fun night, good times.
Night #4. Beaufort Downtown Marina, 3 nights, just because.
Night #5. Beaufort Downtown Marina
Night #6. Beaufort Downtown Marina
Night #7. Morning Star Marina, Thunderbolt, Ga.
Night #8. Tomorrow night will be at anchor on Big Tom Creek.

[http://cruisersnet.net/big-tom-creek-anchorages-2/]

[Don1500]

Charted the route from Morning Star Marina to Jekyll Island two ways, down the ICW and outside from St. Catherine’s inlet to Brunswick, GA. We planned to stop at Big Tom Creek and decide then. Down the ICW would take us through the worst of Georgia’s ICW, shoaling and lots of nothing. Planning it out had us spending two nights on the hook and three days of negotiating the twists and turns just to arrive at 8 PM on the third night. Outside we would only have to fight the tides (out and in). Getting to Big Tom Creek was easy and we got there by 1:30. It was HOT all day, we doused our T-Shirts with water and had a pleasant afternoon and evening. Monday started with the decision to go outside. It also started with zero wind and the tide against us. Getting out of Catherine’s Inlet was a snap (Aside from the tide which whipped up the Ocean to a mixmaster). We turned south and let Otto take command for the next 38 miles. When we got to Brunswick (St. Simons Inlet) the tide was again against us and there was an 8knt wind against the tide, again a mixmaster. We fought a 3 knt current all the way in. Bu we got in and has a small time in the harbor with flat water and little current against us. Then we entered Jekyll Creek, at dead low. I called ahead to the marina (Jekyll Harbor) and asked where the channel was, I only had 1 ft or less under my keel, She said I should be in at least 6 ft of water. Since I draw 5.5 ft I should feel lucky to have a foot under me. Then that disappeared. But, even though my depth sounder read ZERO ft, I didn’t go aground, (gotta check the calibration), and we made it to the dock by 5:30. This is one time when going outside for a short trip saved me a day inside. Glad we’re here and we are going to stay for three nights. They say going south out of here isn’t so bad.

Sunset on Big Tom Creek, a really good anchorage. Not much there, and the bugs will carry you off, but plenty of water and a good secure hold for a quiet night.

[Cacique]

Lovely pic at first I thought it wasn't real.
Weather is pretty grim here in the UK we had 100 mph winds in the south last week, probably about 50mph where Cacique was in the harbour but no serious damage and we were expecting it.
All the very best and keep posting please

[Don1500]

That was real alright. Soon after taking that picture we were hit by a rather large thunder storm (about 15 minutes of 35-40 mph wind, torrential rain and lightning hitting the ground about 2k yards away.) But this is another view of that sunset....modified.

[zeehag]

i like the unmodified one better,,,is prettier.
hope to meet ye someday.

[Don1500]

My journey since Jekyll Island:

Departing Jeykll to the south was as easy as they said. In fact I had no problems all the way to Daytona, inside. At Jacksonville, however, my bike actually fell apart. The crank rusted through and collapsed. I have a new bike now. I also had the boat pulled and the bottom painted. After a month in Daytona (Biketoberfest) I made the inside passage to Stewart to see the grandkids and Daughter.



On the way back we stopped at Cocoa Village Marina. Met my old friends on Dominion (see way back when I made my first trip south) Tim, Andrea, and Caleb. Andrea is preggers and will have a son, Noah, in December. Also in December I will be moving down to stay at Cocoa.

Once back in Daytona I found that my coldmachine was not working. I had it down to either a broken switch or transformer. Naturally it wasn't the fixable switch, it was the non-procurable transformer. Need a new coldmachine for my icebox. I found one at the Sailors Exchange in St. Augustine at a really good price. Now all I have to do is install it.

[Don1500]

It's been a while but I thought I would send in an update of my prep for the trip north, May, 2014. Been aboard for 2 years, 5 months, still loving it. Most of this winter was spent in Cocoa, FL with a trip to Port St. Lucie and a few months at Daytona. The expenses are squaring with the budget. So well in fact that I did a complete upgrade to my electronics.

I completed installation of my new electronics suite today. I have two chartplotters, a Raymarine A75 MFD at the helm, and the old Lowrance HDS8m at the Navstation down below. Added into the mix is a new Raymarine EV-100 Autopilot. The autopilot is connected to the Multi Function Display as are the wind and depth/speed inputs. Everything is “talking” to each other via a SeatalkNG Backbone with some NEMA 2000 inputs.

After 40 years of working on this type of equipment it was a snap to install. Anyone need help doing it to their boat?

[Don1500]

Lots to catch up on. I have been in Myrtle Beach since Monday, this is Thursday. I left Daytona on May 1st, stayed inside to St. Augustine. It rained real hard just as I entered St. Augustine harbor. Woke up on the 2nd to find a full day of rain and wind, so I remained in St. Augustine. Took a walk to the Sailors Exchange and picked up a rain slicker, the one I had was well worn out. The new one is a well known brand and very well made, Sailors Exchange price, $25.00.

Saturday, May 3rd started a week of really nice weather and I took off for Jacksonville. Got to Jacksonville Beach and stopped at Beach Marine for the night. Sunday I went up to Fernandina, the shrimp festival was in full swing, the harbor was jammed with boats and the docks with people.

Monday I was able to get away about 10 AM and stayed inside to Jekyll Island. Spent the night there to prepair for my first outside foray on this trip. I had originally planned to only go as far as St. Catherine’s Inlet and anchor in Big Tom Creek, but after looking at the charts I decided WTF I’ll go all the way to Port Royal. This would bypass most of Northern Georgia including Savannah. Went outside at Brunswick Harbor to 15 knt winds from the south west and 3 foot seas. Got the sails up and with the new Autopilot working well I set the course for 30 degrees Magnetic and didn’t have to touch a thing until Port Royal, over 100 miles. I met the Port Royal channel at midnight and set my anchor just before the McTeer Bridge 3 1/2 hours later. In the morning I motored up the waterway to Downtown Marina in Beaufort, where I stayed for two nights.

This brings me to May 9th, a Friday. I followed the Intracoastal through Southern South Carolina to Church Creek on Wadmalaw Island off the North Edisto River. At first I thought I would be in for a rocky night, but the wind died and it was as if I were in a marina.

Next day, Saturday, I sailed across the Charleston Harbor to Isle Of Palms, my last marina of the trip. Sunday I went up the ICW past McClellanville without a problem since I made sure I hit Jeremy Creek at high tide. This area is known for very low water at low tide. But I got through and continued on to Big Duck Creek between the North Santee Bay and the ICW, where I threw out the anchor for the last time.

Monday, May 12th dawned bright and windless as I lifted the anchor to head up the Waccamaw River to my summer home at Osprey Marina in Myrtle Beach. Arrived at exactly 2:00 PM. Secured the boat and Ro picked me up to go to dinner and my first night in a real bed since the high wind at Cocoa forced me into a hotel back in January.

[Tayana42]

Sounds like a great trip. Makes me miss cruising on the East Coast. Good for you and good sailing.


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[Don1500]

The Nomad is for sale. I have lived aboard this boat for the past 4 years and now I have decided to get something different.

This is a definite Blue Water boat that has crossed the Gulf and been to the Bahamas more than once. It started life in Seattle, sailed through the canal to Texas then came east. I bought it in 2011 in Annapolis and have been aboard ever since.

I have upgraded the Navionics to the latest Raymarine autopilot system with everything but digital radar (It has a Furuno analog, but it's old). Also has HVAC, and a reverse osmosis water making system (20 gph). I had the bottom painted Oct, 2013 and new algrip on the sides in 2012. Actually, you would not believe all the extras and upgrades that come with this boat.

You can see it on the web at (The Nomad).

You can also see it on my blog.

I have truly loved this boat and hate to sell, but I need something different.

BTW, if you want a turn key boat, this is it. Sure, there are things you could do, but you can do them in the Bahamas, if you really want to.

[skipmac]

Congratulations??? I guess.

So what's next? Going bigger, smaller, going to the dark side to a power boat?

[Don1500]

I'm going to a power boat. Found I like the back waters and rivers of the ICW and with a 5.5' draft a lot of that is off limits. Also, I could use a bit more room. I also enjoy updating the electronics on boats and I am just about at the limit with this one. (I was going to do the Radar but decided to sell just before I bought.)