Navigator Braces for Sandy

As of this writing, Hurricane Sandy is heading up the East Coast.  Where is Cliff?  Here's what he reported today:

I am tied up in a marina in Norfolk, VA, at the bottom of the Chesapeake for
the duration of this storm.  We shall see what happens.  I am hoping it
stays out to sea until it passes Norfolk.  Then I can start to head south.

The Adventure Begins (Again)

The S/V NAVIGATOR and I have begun our annual trek down the Chesapeake then onward in the Intracoastal Waterway on our way to the Bahamas.  The trip started on Saturday, October 20, from the Corsica River, which is off the Chester River, down the Bay to the Rhode River, just south of Annapolis.  On Sunday we continued south in bright sunny weather to Solomons to spend a couple of days.  Today is also sunny, but I remain in the Solomons to do sum cleaning and continued stowing of the food and gear I am bringing south.  Fortunately, the bright sun heats things up on the boat, especially the cockpit, but it will cool off quickly when the sun goes down.  Can’t wait to get south for warmer weather.  I will head to Onancock tomorrow for a couple of days, then to Cape Charles for a day.  Then it will be time to head to Norfolk to begin the trip south through the Dismal Swamp.  Unfortunately, there is weather coming next weekend through Monday, so my departure from Norfolk will be delayed a couple of days, most likely until Tuesday.

I hope everyone reading this is having a great fall and enjoying the weather.  I will attempt to keep you abreast of my adventure at least once a week, so stay tuned.

Cliff Baker
S/V NAVIGATOR

Back Home Again

Cliff reports that he made it back to the Corsica River in Maryland on June 3.  He's getting the boat cleaned up, and them maybe he'll provide a final update on this year's trip.

Back in Maryland - But Not Home Quite Yet

Here's an update from Cliff:

I was being chased up the East Coast by Tropical Storm Beryl.  It is supposed to get windy this week, so I have holed up in a place called historic St. Mary's City, Maryland.  The only thing here is a small college, and I mean the only thing.  No grocery store, no bars, no
restaurants, no nothing but a quiet, protected anchorage.  Now we will wait
to see what the weather produces.

May 20 - North Carolina

My last update had me in Satellite Beach, FL visiting Rick and Clayton.  I was able to spend 6 days with them.  Did some bike riding to the beach, walking, swimming (in the pool as well as the ocean, sat in the sun, did some work on the boat, and the bottom of the boat cleaned, and generally had a great time.  Leaving them, I continued to St. Augustine, with an overnight stop in Daytona Beach.  I took a day off and did the sightseeing thing in St. Augustine, including the old town section and St. Augustine Winery for wine tasting and lunch.  While visiting Fort San Marcos I bought a senior citizens pass for $10.  The good news is this pass will allow me to get into tall the national parks and seashores free for the rest of my life, the bad news is it means I am getting old!  The following day I made my last stop in Florida, anchoring for the night in Fernandina Beach.  Then I had to tackle Georgia and all its shallow water. 

The dreaded Georgia Green Fly

In addition to the shallow water, Georgia was teaming with green flies, I counted 4 dozen I had killed and had fallen in the cockpit.  Plus there must have been another couple of dozen than I had already thrown overboard as I killed them.  All that in one day of motoring up the waterway.  Fortunately, I only had to spend 2 days transiting Georgia, but the flies were around for both days.  One night was spend near Cumberland Island on the South River, the other just south of Savannah in Thunderbolt, GA.  Once I got into South Carolina the flies pretty much disappeared, which was good.

The first stop in South Carolina was Beaufort.  After anchoring, I took the dinghy ashore, walked around town, stopped for wine and oysters, and had dinner.  I had hoped for another wine tasting, but the winery that was there in the fall must have gone out of business, because it was nowhere to be found.  Next stop was Charleston.  I spent an extra day in Charleston doing more sightseeing.  I had lunch in town and went to a museum, but was not feeling well, so went back to NAVIGATOR in the early afternoon and had dinner there.  It gave me time to rest up for the rest of the trip. 

South Carolina Intracoastal Waterway

The next day I left early, and got as far as Winyah Bay, spending the night on Minim Creek.  Next stop was and small anchorage behind Richmond Island on the Waccamaw River, which is across from Wachesaw Landing and Wacawache Marina.  A very quiet and secluded anchorage.  The last stop in South Carolina was the Lightkeeper’s Marina in Little River.  I have a friend from where I used to work you lives in the area, and I stop to see him when I go by.  He buys dinner on the trip south, I buy on the trip north.  I got tied up at the marina early, so we went wine tasting in the area.  Found two wineries, and ended up buying 5 bottles of wine.  The white are pretty good, and one winery had a nice, dry cabernet franc. 

Waterfront Homes near Isle of Palms, SC

The next night I spent anchored off Wrightsville Beach, NC after getting 54 gallons of diesel fuel to keep the engine happy.  It had been raining a lot over the past week, and today was no different, having to anchor in a shower.  It is good for sleeping though, listening to the pitter-patter of rain on the cabin roof.  The next night I anchored in a little cove on Camp Lejune, the Marine Corps base.  It is wonderful they allow boaters to use the cove as there is really no other place to anchor for a long stretch of the waterway here.  That afternoon, they were practicing the use of their small landing off the beach in the cove.  Morehead City was my next stop, staying at the Morehead City Yacht Basin Marina.  I got in late Friday afternoon, so did not walk around town, but I did go to my favorite restaurant in Morehead city, Floyd’s 1921.  A very good meal as usual.  The next morning it was blowing fairly hard (25-30 knots), so I decided to stay put for another day.  I did an oil change on the main engine, then went into town and walked around a boat show and art exhibit.  The boats were all small fishing boats with outboards, so sail boats, so that wasn’t all that interesting.  The art exhibit was interesting though.  I also had mussels and wine for lunch.

Today I left the marina, and headed toward Oriental, NC.  It was a relatively short and uneventful trip, so I thought I would take the opportunity to update everyone on what I have been doing and where I am currently located.  Just down the Neuse River from Oriental is Broad Creek.  I am anchored in Broad Creek in a quiet spot just upriver from a fancy marina associated with a planned community called River Dunes.  The creek banks are all lined with trees, making it a lovely spot to spend a quiet afternoon.  I should only have about 4 more nights in North Carolina before I reach Norfolk, VA, although I can easily stretch that to 5 nights if I spend 2 in Elizabeth City, which I usually do.  Well, now your are up to date on my happenings.  This year has been a wonderful adventure, particularly after my heart attack last winter.  I certainly am already looking forward to another trip next winter.  I am attaching some pictures of this portion of the trip.  I apologize for not taking more, but is a lot of work to run the boat, steer, be lookout, navigate, watch water depths, and all the other things required for a safe trip, I usually have little time for taking pictures.  What I need is a partner to help out with some of the duties, including taking pictures!

North Carolina and Beyond

Hi - Rick here,

Since Tropical Storm Alberto is brewing along the East Coast, I asked Cliff what progress he was making on his trip North.

Today he is in Morehead City, moving to the Oriental, North Carolina area.  He doesn't think the storm will effect him.  He thinks he'll be somewhere around Norfolk, VA if and when it comes anywhere near him.

www.Weather.com

Heading North (Again)

Here's an update:  Cliff left the Space Coast of Florida on Friday, heading up the Intracoastal Waterway toward Daytona Beach and St. Augustine.

Navigator Anchored in the Banana River

My Adventure Update #10

Barefoot Man

The Crowd at Nippers for Barefoot Man

Bruce and Noelle

Debra on the Great Guana Cay Tractor

S/V NAVIGATOR continues to winter well in the Abacos.  I have continued to visit the various cays of the Abacos, some several times.  My friends on S/V RIVERDANCE returned to the States beginning March 13.  I went with them to Treasure Cay to see them off.  We anchored together overnight, and then they headed for the passage around Whale Cay and continued north.  After they left, I went from Treasure Cay to Great Guana Cay to attend the Barefoot Man concert at Nipper’s Beach Bar and Grill.  I spent 3 nights anchored at Fisher’s Bay, which allowed easy access to Great Guana Cay.  I walked the beach and drank at the various bars after the first night.  After the second night the Barefoot Man concert was held.  He certainly wasn’t Jimmy Buffet, but he was bad either.  It was a nice entertaining afternoon.  The next day it was back to Marsh Harbor as I had to renew my Bahamas immigration paperwork the next day so I could stay another 60 days.

The middle of March was spent on boat maintenance and getting the boat ready for visitors.  Friends Bruce and Noelle came to visit for a week beginning on the 24th.  We went to Great Guana Cay for the bar hopping, and did some snorkeling on the reef off of Nipper’s.  The next stop was Hopetown on Elbow Cay.  We walked the town, took I the lighthouse (with its kerosene fired light), and had lunch on the ocean at the Hopetown Harbor Lodge.  From Elbow Cay we proceeded to Linyard Cay for some quiet time.  NAVIGATOR was the only boat in the anchorage.  We swam, walked the beaches and part of the cay.  The next day we had to return to Marsh Harbor as Bruce and Noelle had to leave the day after our return.  It was a very nice visit and hopefully they will be able to do it again next year.

Took another week to clean up the boat and get it ready for my last guest.  This included doing laundry and food shopping.  On April 11 my friend Debra arrived for several days.  The next day we went to Great Guana Cay after stopping at Mermaid Reef to do some snorkeling.  She was impressed with all the tropical fish there.  After the snorkeling at Mermaid Reef we continued on to Great Guana Cay and did the bar hopping thing with visits to Grabbers, Pirates Cover, and Nipper’s.  While at Nipper’s we snorkeled on the ocean reef off Nipper’s.  We then headed back to NAVIGATOR       for dinner.  The next day there was a light rain, but we went ashore anyway.  Made the round of the bars, and Debra bought souvenirs at Nipper’s before returning to the boat for dinner.  The next day we went to Elbow Cay to visit Hopetown.  Toured the town and the lighthouse.  Had ice cream on a very warm afternoon.  That night we went to dinner at a new restaurant called Firefly’s.  The food and service were very good.  Before returning to Marsh Harbor we swam off the boat then sunbathed on deck for a couple of hours.  The return to Marsh Harbor was uneventful.  We had curried lobster for dinner that evening on the boat.  She left the next day for the States.

Now I must think about the return to the States for myself. I filled up the boat with diesel and water, and began the to work my way north, first through the passage around Whale Cay, then a couple of days off Manjack Cay.  The weather turned bad (windy), so I moved to Green Turtle Cay and holed up for 3 days waiting for better weather.  On the 24th I departed Green Turtle Cay for Great Sale Cay and spent the night in the protected cover there.  The next day, Wednesday, NAVIGATOR and I went to the western edge of Little Bahamas Bank to anchor for the night at the edge of the Gulf Stream.  There was a little roll, but not too bad.  At 3:00 AM on April 26, I left the Bahamas for Ft. Pierce, FL.  I arrived at 2:00 PM and checked in with customs and immigration to make my return official.  It was sad to leave the Bahamas, but I am already looking forward to going back next year, and I want to definitely move farther south in the Bahamas to Eleuthera and the Exumas.

I now I will make my way up the Intracoastal Water (ICW).  After Ft. Pierce, my first stop was Vero Beach.  I arrived early enough that I was able to go ashore and walk to the ocean beach and have dinner.  From Vero Beach I went to Satellite Beach to visit with friends Rick and Clayton for a few days.  If you recall from previous Adventure Updates they had visited me in the Bahamas in late February.  Today we went into Melbourne to visit their sidewalk art festival.  Tomorrow we are going to the beach.

Fishers Bay

Cliff
S/V NAVIGATOR

Back in the USA

Proof that Cliff is here...

Hi, Rick here again.  I have confirmation that Cliff is back in the USA after his winter stay in the Bahamas. That confirmation is me having seen him yesterday. 

Navigator at anchor in the Banana River

 He crossed the Gulf Stream late last week to Fort Pierce, Florida, and headed up the Intracoastal Waterway to near us in Satellite Beach, Florida.  He's anchored in the Banana River here for a few days before heading on up North.  Maybe he'll post an update himself on what he's been doing, soon.

Waiting to head home

Hi, Rick here.  Just got an email from Cliff saying he was in Green Turtle Cay (the red arrow), waiting for the weather.  The earliest he can cross the Gulf Stream from the Bahamas to the U.S. is probably Thursday or Friday.

Marsh Harbour Update

S/V NAVIGATOR is wintering well in Marsh Harbor, Abacos, Bahamas.  The weather has been very nice this year.  Temperatures have remained in the mid and upper seventies during the day, with occasional eighties.  Wind has been mostly 10-15 miles per hour although occasionally we have gotten 20-25.  All and all, February was a good month.  A far cry from all the wind and cool temperatures we had the first year I came down (2009-2010).  That year the winds were mostly 20-25 with periods with winds as high as 40 gusting to 50.  So I have no complaints about the weather this year.

Marsh Harbour

I have had my friends on S/V RIVERDANCE over for dinner several times this month, and they have reciprocated.  There has been a rumor that we party too hard when we get together, but it has been fun.  John from RIVERDANCE and I went to one of the marinas to watch the Super Bowl.  It ended up being a very good game, especially as my team won.  Another night I went to dinner with the Royal Marsh Harbor Yacht Club at a local restaurant called Jamie’s.  Finding a place to eat dinner for $15.00 is really difficult in the Bahamas, but we had a great meal.

I have spent a lot of time reading this year, along with occasional walks go keep up my heart’s strength.  I have also spent time in the various cays that make up the Abacos.  NAVIGATOR sailed to Great Guana Cay with RIVERDANCE and showed them the small settlement, with its 3 bars.  Had drinks at Nipper’s before returning to RIVERDANCE for dinner.  Then back to NAVIGATOR for sleep.  The next day we took bicycles ashore and toured the cay, at least as much as we could.

Fisher's Bay - Great Guana Cay

Nipper's Bar - Great Guana Cay

The southern part of the island is a private community and they would not let us in.  So we headed north until we ran into another private community called Baker’s Bay.  I knew they had a marina with a restaurant, so we told them we wanted to have lunch at the restaurant, and they let us in to tour the place.  As we had packed a lunch, we didn’t exactly eat at the restaurant, but in a pavilion near it.  Then we headed back to the boats.  It was a lot of riding for 3 out of shape people, but we made it back to the boats, and slept real well.

As RIVERDANCE had never been to Man-O-War Cay we headed that way the next morning.  On the way we stopped at Fowl Cay, and Bahamas National Park Area that is mostly reefs, to snorkel.  There were a good number of small, colorful fish and a fair amount of coral.  John from RIVERDANCE went with me and was kind enough to spot for me for safety, as he had when I snorkeled on Sandy Cay in January.  As a reward, I fed them a steak dinner that evening.  But before eating, we anchored off Man-O-War Cay and took the dinghy in to the settlement on that cay.  Walked around town, which was a little larger than the settlement on the larger island of Great Guana.  We checked out food stores, gift shops, shell shops, etc. before heading back to the boats.  The next day we headed back to Marsh Harbor as the winds were predicted to come up in strength within the next day or two.

We took the ferry back to Man-O-War Cay the next day, Saturday, to attend an island school fund raising event.  It was sort of a flea market, island style.  Purchased a piece of art, a painted wooden parakeet made by one of the high school students in art class, along with some baked goodies and paperback books.  Had lunch, and good time, before taking the afternoon ferry back to Marsh Harbor.

Then it was repair time.  Had a problem with the generator not running.  It was overheating due to a lack of water.  With the help of John from RIVERDANCE we replaced the water pump impeller, and refilled the water reservoir with antifreeze solution (at $35 per gallon, of which I used 1 pint.  Some things are rather expensive here).  The generator works again.  Guess I will have to keep a better eye on the water level.

One day RIVERDANCE rented a car and we all went out touring Great Abaco Island, at least the south end.  Stopped at several beaches along the coast facing the Atlantic Ocean.  Stopped in Sandy Point and had a fine lobster lunch at Nancy’s Seaside Inn, a really quaint place on the water.  Did more sightseeing on the way back north to Marsh Harbor

Spent the next several days cleaning NAVIGATOR in preparation for a visit by my friends Rick and Clayton from Satellite Beach, FL.  I had gone to college with Rick.  They flew in early Sunday afternoon and I picked them up in the dinghy and brought them out to NAVIGATOR.

We partied with drinks and appetizers, and I prepared them a Caribbean dinner of curried lobster and peas and rice.  They liked it enough that we continued to party after dinner.  The next day the wind was up again, 20-25 miles per hour, so we stayed in Marsh Harbor and went a shore to tour the town.  Had lunch at the local restaurant, Jamie’s, and again it was good.  Went back to NAVIGATOR and relaxed and had drinks in the afternoon, then a dinner of Cornish Game Hens.  Even played cards in the evening.  The next day, the winds dropped so we headed out for Great Guana Cay, and had a good sail to Fisher’s Bay.  Took the dinghy ashore, did a tour of the settlement, and went to the ocean shore to walk the beach.

Rick, Cliff, and Clayton at Nipper's Bar

We went swimming for a while, then moved to the reef off of Nipper’s and did some snorkeling.  They loved the small fish around the reef.  On the way back we stopped at Nipper’s and had a Nipper (their signature rum drink).  It was then back to NAVIGATOR for a dinner of Jambalaya and cheese cake.  The next day NAVIGATOR headed for Linyard Cay and an afternoon of swimming off NAVIGATOR in crystal clear water.  I could check on the anchor in 18 feet of water.  We met RIVERDANCE at Linyard Cay, and they invited us over for evening cocktails.  Clayton made guacamole to take over, and we all had a good time.  The next day we headed back to Marsh Harbor so they could catch a plane home on Friday.  On the way, we stopped a Mermaid Reef, near Marsh harbor, and did more snorkeling.  Here there are a lot of fish, and they were very impressed with the color and diversity.  The coral was a little subdued, but the fish made it like swimming in a fish tank.  After getting back to Marsh Harbor that evening, they took me out to a very nice restaurant called Curly Tails for a great dinner.

A Curly Tail Lizard

After dinner we went back to the boat and I baked brownies for desert.  I was sad to see them head off for home the next day, as they were great company.

Since then, it has been rather windy, mostly 15-25 and 20-30, with some gusts as high as 40.  The protection is good in Marsh Harbor, but it makes it hard to get out to the other cays as they do not have the protection of Marsh Harbor.  So I sit reading (and typing!) for a while until the wind calms down, and that could take a week or longer according to the forecast.  I have friends coming down from Maryland the last week in March, and hope the winds are calmer than right now.  They most likely will be, this long a run of wind is unusual.

Well, we are up to date with what has been going on in the Abacos.  I hope all my friends are doing well up north, I understand you have been having a relatively mild winter yourselves.  In the not too distant future I must begin thinking about heading backing north.  I will probably leave around mid to late April, depending on the weather for the Gulf Stream crossing.  Please stay in touch.  I will try to keep you updated a little more often.

Cliff
S/V NAVIGATOR

Mini-Update

Since Cliff has been less than forthcoming in updates for this blog, I thought I'd post what I know of his whereabouts:

He went to Great Guana Cay and Man-O-War Cay this past week.  He also did some snorkeling at Fowl Cay last week as the winds were calm and the ocean waves were down.  He saw fish and coral.

We're flying into Abaco next Sunday to spend a few days on the boat with Cliff, so we'll give you an update, and photos in about a week.

Rick.

Wintering in Marsh Harbour

S/V NAVIGATOR is still located in Marsh Harbor, and it looks like I will spend the winter here.  There are a lot worse places I could be (like Baltimore); the weather has been great, in the mid 70s everyday, sometimes in the upper 70s.  Today it is overcast and rainy, a very unusual occurrence.  If it has rained, it has usually been a quick shower and then the sun comes out, but not today, it has rained pretty consistently all morning and is forecast to keep it up this afternoon.  It was mostly cloudy yesterday, and I got caught in a downpour walking to an art fair put on as a fundraiser for the Bahamas National Trust, the people that over the parks in and around the Abacos.  Seeing as the weather is not conducive to walking around Marsh Harbor today, I thought I would bring you up to date on what I have been doing.

I have visited several of the outlying cays in the Abacos, including Linyard Cay, Sandy Cay, Talloo Cay, and Elbow Cay, most of them more than once.  I have done some snorkeling at Sandy Cay and Great Abaco Island.  The fish, tough small, are really beautiful, all kinds of colors and shapes.  The coral doesn’t appear as bright as I remember from 2 years ago, but that might be because the weather was partly cloudy and not as bright as it could have been.  I visited Hopetown, on Elbow Cay, on a trip I made with friends on RIVERDANCE and had a good time there.  It is a quaint little town with pastel color houses and businesses.  Linyard Cay is essentially uninhabited, so is wonderfully quiet and a great place to relax.  Sandy Cay has a nice natural reef, which is nice for snorkeling if the weather is quiet (meaning little wind).  If the seas are up in the Atlantic, they roll in to Sandy Cay through a cut between cays and make it too rough to snorkel.  The happened the first time I went to Linyard and Sandy Cays, but the second time it was nice and peaceful so I had a good time swimming with the fish.  It reminds me of a tropical fish tank, on a really large scale of course.

In Marsh Harbor I am trying to keep up my cardiovascular rehab by continuing to walk, but I don’t do it every day, more like 3 or 4 days a week (on a good week!).  I walk around the town of Marsh Harbor doing shopping for fresh groceries, maybe some rum, and just sightseeing.  Friday evening and Saturday I went to the Bahamas National Trust Arts for the Parks show held in Marsh Harbor.  They had showings by local, Bahamian artists.  I picked up a couple of small prints while there.  I’ll frame them this summer and hang them in the boat.

I have been doing maintenance on NAVIGATOR as needed.  Things like cleaning (which is never ending), finishing the installation of a new alternator on the engine, and other small repairs as needed.  It gives me something to do, but is no overwhelming (so far).

I am having two friends from Florida over to the Abacos the last week on February, and a couple from Maryland down sometime in March.  If anyone else is interested in coming down for a visit, let me know and I will see if we can arrange a suitable date.  Popular airlines are charging about $1000 round trip, but if you don’t mind traveling Air Tran Airways and Bahamas Air, you can do quite a bit better than that.  Air Tran flies from Baltimore Washington International Airport to Nassau, and Bahamas Air from Nassau to Marsh Harbor.  Connections aren’t great, but it is a lot cheaper.

If anything really exciting comes up, I will let you know in my next update.  I hope everyone is having as great a winter as I am.  Stay in touch.

Cliff Baker
S/V NAVIGATOR

In the Bahamas!

Well, S/V NAVIGATOR has made it to the Bahamas.  I left at 5:30 in the morning, on December 16th, from Lake Worth Inlet (West Palm Beach, FL) in 10-15 knot winds from the east.  I was fortunate to be traveling with two other boats, RIVERDANCE and RHAPSODIE BLEUE, although RHAPSODIE BLEUE had to turn back with engine problems shortly after we left the inlet (the problem was resolved and RHAPSODIE BLEUE made it into Marsh Harbor on December 25th, Christmas Day).  The passage across the Gulf Stream was slow due to very confused seas with swells running 3-4 feet and a 2-3 foot wind chop on top of the swells at times.  NAVIGATOR took all this in stride, even her captain did pretty well!  It took nearly 12 hours to make the 54 nautical mile trip, arriving at the Little Bahama Bank at 3:15 in the afternoon.  We then had a 4 hour trip across the bank, in much better conditions (1-2 foot seas and a dying wind), to Mangrove Cay, where we spent the night.

As the wind was forecast to increase significantly Saturday and Sunday, we headed to the protected harbor of Great Sale Cay for a few days.  Great Sale is an uninhabited cay, but a wonderful place to unwind and relax from the bumpy crossing, particularly as the temperatures were in the mid to upper 70s each day, even with the breeze.  We finally left for Allens-Pensacola Cay on Tuesday, December 20th under a sunny sky with temperatures in the mid to upper 70s.

After anchoring off Allens-Pensacola Cay a little after 3:15 in the afternoon, I took my first swim in the waters of the Bahamas for this trip to check that the anchor was holding and the bottom of the boat was clean of growth.  The bottom of the boat was clean, but the zinc which is supposed to be attached to the propeller shaft, and prevent electrolysis, was missing, so added another item to my to-do list (replace the zinc).  I was disappointed I could not go ashore, but one is not allowed to go ashore until the vessel has cleared customs and immigration.  So, on December 21st I docked at Green Turtle Cay and cleared customs and immigrations, I was officially in the Bahamas!  Also docked at the marina I was docked at was a powerboat STARSHINE, which I had met while at Great Sale Cay. I had dinner with its captain, Richard, that night.  The next morning I had to do the unpleasant task of laundry, but at least the laundry facilities were good.  Then headed out for Marsh Harbor, which involves going back out into the ocean to round Whale Cay, as the water is all shallow between Whale Cay and Great Abaco Island.  However, the weather was good, and the seas relatively quiet, so the 1 hour passage around Whale Cay was pleasant.  The rest of the trip to Marsh Harbor was uneventful, with a sunny sky and 10-15 knot wind (unfortunately coming from right in front of the boat so I could not sail).  I had the anchor down by 2:00 PM in Marsh Harbor.  It certainly is good to be back.  The weather is great, with temperatures in the 80s.

On Friday, December 23rd, I went into town to replenish perishable foods at a new and impressive supermarket.  Also, I looked into internet access, so I could provide updates.  Later in the afternoon, went to a wine tasting at one of the liquor stores.  There used to be a dinghy dock for tying up dinghies to for shore access.  However, the recent hurricane destroyed it, and shore access to town is not somewhat questionable.  The dock is supposed to be replaced, but is awaiting parts from the US.  In the meantime, there is a dock about 3 miles from town that I can use, or a closer when that can be used when the tide is not low (there is no water at the dock when the tide is low).  On Christmas Eve, I got internet access and did other interested things, like read a book.  Christmas Day, I went to a pot luck supper put on by one of the marinas in Marsh Harbor.  In the morning I had to make stuffing and cranberry sauce for the supper, and then headed over at 1:00 PM.  A good time was had by all.  Later in the afternoon, RHAPSODIE BLEUE arrived in the Harbor and requested help in tying up at his marina (different from the pot luck supper marina), as his marina was closed and there was no one there to assist.  So I raced over in the dinghy to help, only to find he had run aground at low tide.  The tides have been exceptionally low for the last few days due to the phase of the moon, nearly a foot less than normal low tide, and that was enough to keep him about 25 yards from his dock.  When the tide finally came in, we got him tied up and settled in.  It had been nearly 2 years since we had seen each other, except for one evening in Vero Beach on the way down the Intracoastal Waterway, so it was good to see Rejean again.  In the Bahamas, the day after Christmas is called Boxing Day, and is a national holiday, so most businesses are closed.  On NAVIGATOR it is a day for cleaning, so I will close this update to my adventure and get to it.

I hope everyone continues to have a wonderful holiday season, and don’t forget to stay in touch by e-mail.

Cliff Baker
S/V NAVIGATOR

Leaving for the Bahamas (probably)

 Well, I am going to try to cross this morning (Friday, 12/16). 

It has been blowing strongly most of the week, but last night it finally died off quite a bit.  Let’s hope the ocean waves have had enough of a chance to die down a little. 

Wish me luck.   I will tell you how it went in about a week, when I can get Internet access again.

Cliff

Stuck in West Palm

Well, I did not cross December 7 as anticipated.  The crossing would have been OK, but it was supposed to blow 25-30 knots Wednesday night, and I did not have a decent anchorage to go to before the wind picked up, so I decided to stay in West Palm Beach.  So here I sit, waiting for another opportunity to do the crossing.  It now looks like the end of next week, Thursday or Friday, before a crossing.  But, the 10 day forecast is notorious for being wrong, so who knows.  I will e-mail before I leave so you will know my status.

Have a happy holiday season.

Cliff Baker
S/V NAVIGATOR

About to Cross Over

On Thanksgiving day, I went back to Vero Beach and spent 11 days relaxing and enjoying the company of my friends John and Connie aboard RIVERDANCE.  NAVIGATOR was tied up next to them on a mooring in Vero Beach.  They had a car, so they took me shopping for fresh food, spent the better part of a day looking for a new coffee pot (after looking in nearly every department store in Florida (finally found one in Target), bought books and shorts in thrift shops, and helped them with their errands.

I did some walking to keep my heart strong, and on one trip stopped at the Vero Beach Art Museum.  They had an exhibit of Andrew Wyeth up, so that was interesting as I had spent 25 years in Maine where Wyeth had done a lot of his painting.

It took all that time for a weather window to open for a crossing to the Bahamas.  Now, it looks like tomorrow will be acceptable, so I am back in West Palm Beach anticipating a departure on December 7.  The window is not long, so it is tomorrow or I have to wait at least another 10 days for a new window (that is as far as the weatherman can see in his crystal ball (a cloudy one at that).

Waterway Wildlife

When I get to the Bahamas, I will write about the trip across the Gulf Stream.  I am just not sure when.  I will have to get an internet connection somehow.  Hopefully there will be one in Marsh Harbor, Abacos, when I get there so I can send it off.

If all goes well, I should spend tomorrow night next to an uninhabited little cay called Mangrove Cay.  The next day I will go to another cay called Allens-Pensicola Cay, followed by a short trip to Green Turtle Cay where I will check in to the Bahamas (customs and immigration), and hopefully be able to find Wifi to send the next installment in my Adventure.  Then on to Marsh Harbor for a few weeks.

I hope everyone is enjoying the holidays.

Cliff
S/V NAVIGATOR

I have made it to Florida, and visited with my good friend Rick Glasby (the kind gentleman who keeps up my blog), and he persisted in reminding me that I have been negligent in writing my updates, so here goes:

The last time I wrote, I was moving from North Carolina to South Carolina.  I have spent nights in South Carolina just off Winyah Bay, just south of Charleston, and in Beaufort.  The only stop I went ashore at was Beaufort, where I did a wine tasting and had dinner.  Then on to Georgia.  I anchored in Thunderbolt (just south of Savannah), and in the South River.  It was finally starting to warm, and Florida was just around the corner.  In fact, I made Florida the next day, after going by the Navy’s Kings Bay submarine base, which never fails to impress me.

Navigator Entering Satellite Beach

The first stop in Florida was to anchor just off the waterway about 10 miles south of Fernandina Beach.  The next stop was St. Augustine, where I picked up a mooring in the city mooring field.  There, I went ashore, did a wine tasting (it seems I do like my wine), and had dinner with friends that I crossed the Gulf Stream with 2 years ago, Dennis and Georgia.  They were traveling in their motor home and happen to be in St. Augustine at the same time.  (Dennis and Georgia, it was good seeing you again).  The next day I made it to Daytona Beach where I anchored and it was finally a warm 77 degrees.

The Neighbor's Dock in Satellite Beach

It rained on Monday, the 14th, but I still got to Melbourne, FL and spent the night at anchor in preparation for visiting my friends, Rick and Clayton, and picking up a crewmember for several days of the trip.  On Tuesday, I went up the Banana River to Satellite Beach and docked next door to Rick and Clayton’s house, as the dock was longer next store and NAVIGATOR fit better.  I had a great time with Rick and Clayton.  In addition to feeding me, they drove me all over town so I could do repairs on NAVIGATOR, the biggest problem being I needed a new engine starting battery.  On Thursday, I had a visit from a volunteer crew member to help me get to West Palm Beach.  In the afternoon, the 4 of us went swimming in the ocean.  It was cool, but not cold once you got used to it.  Then went out to dinner, and later had a swim in Rick and Clayton’s pool, which was also cool, probably cooler than the ocean.

Clayton and Cliff on the Nature Trail

Friday we went to a park to walk the trails because it was very windy for the beach.  Had lunch in Titusville along the water, then made a stop at the famous surf shop Ron Jons.

Saturday was time to get on the waterway again.  My crew and I went to Vero Beach the first day, and tied up to RIVERDANCE, owned by John and Connie, that was on a mooring.  We all had drinks and appetizers together, thanks to John and Connie.  The next day we continued on to Stuart Florida, where we anchored and took the dinghy ashore to walk around Stuart.  Had lunch, did some walking and window shopping, then had a glass of wine.  As we were heading back to NAVIGATOR it started to rain, as we were raising the dinghy on the davits, it started to pour, and boy did I get soaked.  But it was a fun day, and a little fresh water never hurt anyone, saved on the need for a shower.

Monday we continued down to West Palm Beach.  We used the dinghy to go into town and make arrangements to get my crew to the airport the next day, and had a drink at a waterfront tiki bar.  Came back to the boat for dinner.  The next day, Tuesday, my crew had some time before the flight, so we went ashore again and had lunch, walked the ocean, came back to NAVIGATOR for a quick dip in Lake Worth, and then off to the airport.  It was a fun day.

Now I am all alone again, and it feels odd somehow, but I am sure I will get used to it quickly again.  It is time to decide about crossing, and I am pretty sure I will wait for my friends John and Connie to get ready, as well as another friend Rejean, who I met in the Abacos two years ago.  He keeps his boat in Titusville over the summer and has come down to pick it up.  He should be ready to cross in about a week or so.  With any luck, we may all cross together.

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. Stay in touch.  Some pictures are being added to the blog so don’t forget to visit.

Cliff

Enjoying Florida

Hi, Rick here.  Cliff is busy working on the boat, so I'm writing this entry.  He'll fill you in on the trip from the Carolinas down to Florida at some point, but right now he's tied up here in Satellite Beach, FL. 

He sailed up the Banana River to our canal, where we escorted him past the manatees to our home.

He tied up at the neighbors dock (since we lowered our dock down recently to accommodate kayaks).  We've made two trips to the local West Marine store (it seems Cliff always needs to fix something on Navigator).  But he's smiling again (at least as of an hour ago).

Navigator sets off south again on Saturday, heading down the Intracoastal Waterway.  The crossing from Florida to the Bahamas may come as early as Thanksgiving Day (seas permitting, of course).

Heading South - But Still Windy and Cool

Well, hurricane season is over, so I am proceeding down the Intracoastal Waterway as quickly as possible as it has been rather chilly this year.  I spent 2 days in Elizabeth City due to weather, it blew pretty hard the second day, and rather than try to cross Albermarle Sound in a blow, I elected to wait in Elizabeth City.  Went to the Museum of the Albermarle and looked at the history of the region.  But after the front went through, it got noticeably cooler.  In the morning when I was getting ready to leave, I was slipping all over the deck as it was icy!  Now, that is cold.  

That morning I traveled down the Alligator River and the Alligator-Pungo Canal and anchored that evening at the end of the canal.  The next morning there was no frost like the morning before, but it was still chilly.  I then proceeded to the Neuse River and spend two days in a marina called River Dunes.  The first day for a place to stay and to do laundry (I hear I smell better now!), and the next to wait out weather again.  Fortunately weather did get better, and I headed for an anchorage associated with Camp Lejune called Mile Hammock Bay for a night.  Although calm, it was still cool, hence my hurry to get south.  From mile Hammock Bay I went to Wrightsville Beach, NC, picked up 50 gallons of diesel fuel, and anchored not too far from the ocean.  I could hear it all night breaking on the beach.  

Waccamaw River

The next morning I raised anchor for Little River, SC.  I stayed in the Light Keepers Marina as it is close to a friends house, Lee Bragg,  and we had planned to have dinner together.  Lee and I worked together for many years in Elkton, MD.  We did have a good dinner, and for that I thank him.  Unfortunately, the weather had turned bad in the afternoon, and stayed that way all the next day, blowing 25-30 knots almost all afternoon.  Many of the swing bridges that one must negotiate on the Waterway will not open of the wind is blowing more than 25 knots, so I stayed put in Little River for another day, today.  It will be good to get underway again tomorrow, as it is still chilly.  Today, Lee and I went wine tasting in a local winery and had a good time.

Georgia Waterway

The weather looks pretty good for the next week, maybe even a little warmer, so I should be able to make good time heading south.  By the end of the week I hope to be in, or very near, Florida, and warmth.  I will let you know how I am progressing around mid week if the trip is not too eventful.  Sorry there are no new pictures, but the weather keeps me busy, and I don’t always remember to take them.  Please stay in touch so I know how everyone is doing.

Cliff Baker

S/V NAVIGATOR