A Not So Civil War

Jacksonville to Charleston: 13-14 Aug 09

Delightful Company

In order to save a time and many a grounding in Georgia ICW shallows, the Motleys opted to do a little sea time.  Out of the St Johns River, WJ3 clicked her heels and frolicked along the way with lots of friendly dolphins.  In this area, the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf Stream is incredibly shallow.  At 12 miles out, we floated along in 35 to 45 feet of water.  If WJ3 sank (heaven forbid!) then her mast would be at least another 20 feet above sea level…

Our evening at sea brought with it an assemblage of thunderstorms, which seemed to stretch along the coast as far as the eye could see.  Smugly, we assumed we’d outrun them, until we turned seaward and watched as storms began to brew out over those Atlantic shallows.  Our night sail gradually began to turn into a sailor’s game of dodging lightning, rain and thunderous billowing clouds.  The Cap’n tried to ward off evil spirits with jump-lead cables that streamed off the shrouds and into the water (an old sailor’s remedy).  Luckily we managed to steer our way around most of it but did not escape a cold front moving in with accompanying wild winds.  Not the best experience at sea, even thought we were well reefed. As an aside...we did put out a fishing rod/lure whilst out in the briney.  You guessed - another barracuda!  The Cap'n was beginning to feel sorry for the trail of dead un's we'd left behind.  GS was less forgiving.

Storm off St Augusta

As WJ3 lacked autopilot and a GPS linked to our computerised chart programs, the Cap’n had to take two hourly readings with his hand-held GPS.  We fell into this routine fairly easily, although didn’t usually manage to get more than an hour of sleep after all necessary chores, including meals were completed.  The Cap’n achieved some straight lines between waypoints as we romped northward but GS ensured his skills were tested, especially when he slept.  “Oh look, dolphins!  Aren’t they so cute?  Ooops, heading east again!  Look how close that big ship is!  Ooops, turned a 360 again!  Won’t I be in trouble!  Ha! Ha!  That was fun, let’s try another 360...  Oh, look a turtle! Oops, straying west again!”  And so on it went! 

Luckily we managed to continue north and make it firstly into Charleston Harbour, South Carolina and then, back into the ditch (as the ICW is fondly known to locals).  We anchored opposite City Marina in Ashley River and wondered at the amount of local boat traffic that passed us by at speed (and so bounced us about in their wakes!).  The worst wakes we’ve christened “coffee-pot breakers” in honour of our St Martin plunger, broken in St Augustine, and still not been able to replace.  We had high shopping hopes for Charleston!

From: Jacksonville, FL  Lat/Long: 30 19N  81 39W  Date/Time: 13/8/09: 0900

To: Charleston, SC  Lat/Long: 32 47N  79 57W Date/Time: 14/8/09: 1600
Time Taken: 160nm (19hrs)  Distance (this year): 2226nm (427hrs)
Distance Total (since 2008): 3075nm  (605hrs)   Fastest Speed: 5.5kts**
Weather: S-SW  10-15kts;  Seas 3-5ft;  showers & possible afternoon thunderstorms.  Who were they kidding??
(** Motoring and sailing; bumpy ride up the coast dodging storm banks)