Westmoreland Yachting Association

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Constant II Trip from Georgia to Colonial Beach, VA

George and Polly are bringing Constant II back from Brunswick, GA to Colonial Beach.  They arrived on the boat 8 April with helpers Sue and Shannon.  As much of their trip as they will tell us about we'll publish here for your enjoyment.

8 April:  Polly says they are drinking their welcome to being back on the boat.  Sue and Shannon are accompanying them on this leg and it took a short 67.8 knot per hour trip down here.  We will get somewhere in North Carolina before heading back to Colonial Beach and one of George's 50th high school reunions, this one in Alabama. 

Sue fell off the ice cooler (it had wheels, but that is not really an excuse).  She says her cooler has never tossed her.  So her tender areas were tender as we stocked up on the day ashore.  The guys cleaned up the bilge, added water to water tanks, changed the fuel filter and fixed the generator fuel leak.  The diver came and cleaned the bottom.  We tried to have cocktails on the fan-tail, but the geeches were out in force so we retreated into the saloon.  Chef Shannon whipped up Fra Davolio with Shrimps on Bow-Tie pasta.  Capt. George fixed a spinach salad and we had a very nice dinner.  We tried to do this Captain’s log, but somehow it didn’t get sent out.  Today, we intend to visit Jekyll Island, have lunch at the raw bar, find a grog shop to get final supplies and will head out tomorrow a.m. heading towards Sunbury.  We have decided, given our spring work schedules we need to get the boat back as far north as we can before we pack up and drive back the 22^nd.  I will jump off in Savannah Sunday to go to DC on the train for a MACOSH (Maritime safety) meeting and rejoin the vessel in Charleston.  Winds are due to kick up the 16^th; hopefully it will just be that one day.  Peter, George’s brother, is also due to join us on the 15^th.  While I am gone, the reporting duties will be picked up by other crew members.

It has been beautiful here in Brunswick.  At the Brunswick Landing Marina our finger pier has a resident kite and resident great blue heron.  The bathhouse is well appointed.  Nice marina, but be forewarned if you plan to stay here, the Marina Office is at the channel entrance and we are at Dock #11 a good ½ mile jaunt down the boardwalk.  The downtown is a short stroll away, however for groceries and such you need a car or taxi; the marina does not have a courtesy car.  There are a number of liveaboards with cars though. More tonight after Jekyll.  Oh, and Judy, Sylacauga was where George and his family first settled in the States in 1961.  They moved to Enka, North Carolina in '63.  He went from military school in Cuba to girls, football, and high school in Alabama. 

Thursday: 4/10 -- How did your day go?  Well, this is what we did.  Chorizo and eggs, with a side of cantelope for breakfast.  Got out the Captain’s log from yesterday; got in the 216 Spotswood residents comment on the Town Council’s very bad idea of selling publicly owned Potomac waterfront property to somebody’s unnamed cousin; Shannon bought a fishing rod; then we rolled into the Chrysler van (with an analog and digital clock, analog and digital gauges – Sue says it is for old people and young people to drive; guess which one likes which) and tootled over to the Rah Bah at the Jekyll Island Club on the sunny ICW.  For those of you who don’t know, Jekyll Island is the former robber baron club of the late 1880s to pre-War II where the likes of the Rockefellers, Carnegie, Mellon, Firestones, Cranes, and others of the 100 families allowed in, spent part of their winters back in the day.  It was made a state preserve in the 70’s (I think, Judy will know) and the Club House/Hotel restored and now run privately on the lands which also contain a number of the original robber baron cottages (a la Martha Vineyard “summer cottages”). See photos. The Club is on the ICW side (with a rough spot; we watched a sailboat run aground).   George and I have not been here since 2007 and a machine had replaced the nice people taking our ticket money and so there were no longer maps being handed out along with coupons for local stores and bars.  But no matter.  We turned to the left and went to the Rah Bah which is a dinky place (see photo) at the end of a pier which also contains a nice Restaurant.  We had (see photo) Bloody Mary’s, raw oysters (cocktail sauce and horseradish), shrimp, crawfish, and fresh mussels (dipped in Frank’s hot sauce with butter); Shannon also had a shrimp cocktail and George and Sue had a divine crab soup with Sherry and Rosemary (just a touch) and some of us had some water too.  We watched the tide come in and the sailboat run aground and then we toured the Island.  First stop, the marina on the other side of the bridge.  Then we took the circle tour past the water park, a number of state areas such as the 4-H center, the soccer center and then we ran into the redeveloping hotel area on the Atlantic side.  There are a number of projects where old motels had been torn down and not replaced, but the state has put in a giganto new (to replace the tiny old) Convention Center and there is a multi-story Westin going in adjacent.  There were a number of other motel/hotels being built (or rebuilt) but the delightful little strip mall with store, klotchki and beach stores, and grocery has been relegated to trailers.  The north side of the island is pretty much untouched which means some condos, a community of 1970 style ramblers, a trailer park, golf course, airfield, and lots of oaks with moss dripped and then you are back at the Jekyll Island Club. For those of us in Colonial Beach there is a local connection.  Our very own Alexander Graham Bell.  You can read here: http://www.jekyllislandhistory.com/transcontinental.shtml.  So we have drug ourselves back to boat with a stop for last minute supplies.  George and Shannon turned in the Chrysler van.  Sue and I talked schedule C (income tax time).  George and Shannon tackled putting the top back on the generator fluids (George says to skip that part, but Shannon says mission accomplished).  Cuban sandwiches for dinner.  Tomorrow we go to Sunbury (weather gods be nice).

Friday: 4/11Brunswick, Georgia to Sunbury, Georgia: 77 statute miles.  We pulled out into the channel at 0725.  Dead water.  As we passed the marina office, we were hailed with safe voyage.  About a quarter mile on, I stated we were going to overtake Independence, which upset Shannon (metaphorically).  American Cruise Lines vessel Independence is doing its spring Historic South and Golden Isles Cruise (http://www.americancruiselines.com/cruises/southeast-us/historic-south-and-golden-isles-cruise).  A little further on we passed part of the industrial port (Brunswick is part of the Port of Georgia system; George’s first post-Army job was their Enviro Director, but he was based in Savannah). You can see the delightful Brunswick paper mill in the background of some of the attached photos. We passed under the Jekyll Island-Brunswick bridge (USACE spec) and Brunswick is vying with sister port Savannah to beat the living daylights of Charleston in the post-Panamax stakes (gotta include Ed in this string).  Btw, I noticed our Virginia Gov’nr is spitting mad that Hampton Roads is not really competing as much as he thinks they should be; but he is giving kudos to the new Port Director, fresh from Maersk (America). Maersk, a Danish/Brit/Dutch conglomerate, sucked up Sealand when Carlyle owned it back 15 years ago or so, and Sealand is the mother of containerization from the Vietnam War.  Maersk and the US go waaaay back to trying to evade the blockades back in WWII.  And I won’t bore you anymore…..real breakfast with fruit compote over pancakes with bacon for those who can chew (Admiral still on reduced chewing).  At the Green 243 marker bridge over the Mackey River we ran into a very nasty current.  Okay, so there were mitigating circumstances.  The Captain was down below trimming his Don Johnson shadow and First Mate Shannon (aka Chef Shannon) was fighting the current and more importantly the auto-pilot which he didn’t really know how to turn off.  The Admiral was working at her desk in the Saloon, when Vice-Admiral Sue came in inquiring as to where the Captain was. Things started swaying in the boat and pretty quickly the Captain arrived at the Pilot House.  After politely inquiring as to how he might help the First Mate, the First Mate left the wheel and the two wrestled for about five minutes with the nasty current.  No damage to the boat or the pilings surrounding the bridge.  However, we noticed a hitchhiker, the motor vessel (whose Captain never mentioned her name) who attached like a barnacle to our wake to make sure she didn’t have any problems.  Lunch was sandwiches.  At Mile Marker (MM) 150 we hit a shoal on the Port side and grounded.  First Mate Shannon was again at the helm and he had been assiduously watching the depth sounder (rather than the water).  VADM (that is the acronym for VICE Admiral) was observing the incident and reported to the Admiral that the First Mate was reading out the depths: 10 feet, 10 feet, 10 feet, 2 feet: bam.  The Captain again took over the helm and rocked us off while our motor vessel cruiser held back 50 feet and a number of local fisherman watched the incident (and we assumed laughed).  As we approached the Medway River, where the Captain intended to peel off, he called the shadow to let the Captain know that if they were following us, we were going to Sunbury.  The Shadow thanked us, promptly put her engines into gear and hauled off. We tied up at the Sunbury Crab Company dock at 1538 (3:28 p.m. for landlubbers). We were thinking of bringing on some fuel but at $4.76 a gallon, nah.  Tomorrow, weather gods permitting, onto Savannah.

Saturday: 4/12:  Sunbury, GA to Thunderbolt, GA (Savannah).  Clear skies; flat, dead calm and masses and masses of geeches which ate the living daylights out of the Captain and First Mate as they stowed lines.  Don’t know if it will show up in the attached photo, but apparently the locals wear netting over their heads while fishing from the docks.  As we met St. Catherine’s Sound, the wind picked up and we had a little chop turning into the Bear River where we promptly slowed to a crawl as the tide ran against us.  After the ICW Florida Cut, we entered the Ogeechee River.  Geechee’s are Georgia’s sea island Gullah culture; West African rice growing people imported as slaves.  And there is speculation, that the Ogeechee was either a variant on the name of the Yuchi Indians who used to be in the area or of the Geechee.  The Ogeechee was a nice river but Hell Gate lived up to its name and then we were on the Little Ogeechee River heading inland briefly till we turned onto the Vernon River then a starboard turn to the Burnside, through the Skidaway Narrows which turned into the Skidaway which merges with the Wilmington.  The Admiral asked the Captain when the Skidaway turned into the Wilmington and the Captain said it had always been.  The First Mate observed that the Admiral was not asking for a history lesson but a geography one.  The VADM laughed.   The Admiral muttered, he can’t hear worth a damn. 

The Wilmington was wide expanses of white skin, still pretty white but trying very hard to force the summer.  It is high 70s today, but the wind brings it down a couple of degrees.  After two days of the gorgeous Georgia sea islands and wetlands, from the upper Vernon onto the Thunderbolt we are, as the VADM observed, where some of the 1% lay their weary bones.  We agreed we were generally happy with our lives.   

We are having the post-tie-up cocktails and it is early but we do know it is 5 o’clock somewhere in the world. 

 At 1400 (2 pm) we were tied up with no problemos.  Gratis at Thunderbolt tomorrow a.m. is Krispy Kreme glazed donuts.  Good heads, showers, and laundry. Locked gate with overnight guard.  What merits this? Yachts, yachts, yachts including sailing yachts (see attached photos). When we first arrived here at Thunderbolt in February the green yacht was on blocks.  In early March when we able to sneak down to Brunswick, the green yacht was in the basin, now it appears to be getting the final fitting out (notice helicopter pad with helicopter).

Today’s highlight: while the Admiral took her turn at the wheel, the Captain finished up his lists.  From the beginning of our trip South, the pre-departure list has enabled Captain and crew to smoothly move out every morning.  Today, the post-departure, pre-arrival and post-arrival lists have been compiled, checked by senior officers and crew.  We will be refining as the vessel moves forward and will share with our friends in the WYA and anyone else who is interested.

The Admiral leaves for the Maritime Safety meeting in DC tomorrow; however, the report will continue in her absence.  Senator McCain is mad at the Navy over the LCS; what else is new?  And the Vice Admiral says there are two cases of swine flu in Virginia.  We saw no swine but plenty of dolphins.

Food:  Chef Shannon dinner: chicken piccata, brussel sprouts, and beets with vanilla yogurt.

Breakfast: veggie omelet, bacon and toast.  Lunch: cheese and crackers and such.  Dinner is hamburgers and somehow we ran out of Gin; resupply in Beaufort tomorrow.

Sunday 13 April:  The Admiral (a.k.a. Polly) left this morning via train from Savannah for a dental appointment in Fredericksburg tomorrow and a meeting in DC the following day. Her departure was not free of angst. She called the Yellow Cab company yesterday evening to reserve a cab for this morning. At 0630 this morning she called again to confirm that they were picking her up at Thunderbolt Marina at 0700 as planned. Went to the gate at the appointed time and saw no cab. Called the company and was told they were trying to find a cab to pick her up and that she was free to call another cab company. After 20 minutes of reviewing several alternatives to get to her meetings, a Yellow Cab shows up, and she made it to the train station on time. The lesson learned here is that in Savannah it is hard to get a cab early on Sunday morning at the beginning of Spring Break. 

Left Thunderbolt Marina at 0745. Weather clear, sunny, and little wind. Those s.o.b. geeches were out in force again this morning (nats with teeth). After trying several repellants we hit on one that offers the best promise against these little devils, Bull Frog Mosquito Coast Repellant. If cruising in the Low Country during spring and fall, it may be a good idea to carry this pesticide with you – that is when the geeches are out in force.

Cruise from Savannah, GA to Beaufort, SC was absolutely delightful, just gorgeous, sunny, blue sky weather. Constant II performed very well. So did the crew, except when it comes to capturing porpoises frolicking around in the water. They really could care less about posing for the camera. Also saw several pelicans hanging around a dock as we approached Hilton Head that reminded me of past WYA General Membership Meetings or Bridge Meetings.

Arrived at Beaufort Towndock Marina at 1330. Much quicker than anticipated. At the marina, the Nina and the Santa Maria replicas were waiting for us at the dock. Used the loaner car from the Marina to make a run to the “Red Dot” (Liquor Store) only to find out that it was closed on Sunday. Also made a grocery store run. Came back to the boat and the First Mate berated the Captain for his lack of proper planning with respects to the Gin stores. It appears that the Captain underestimated the rate of consumption of gin per mile of cruise and the First Mate is out of gin until tomorrow. The Captain does not quite understand why the First Mate is so upset as the Captain switched to Vodka and Tonic and is doing fine.

Fueled up in the afternoon also and getting ready for our cruise to Charleston, SC, tomorrow. The weather forecast calls for a chance of rain and cloudy skies with moderate winds. The Captain figures we won’t melt in the rain. More tomorrow. Pictures will be sent separately to Phil Bolin for posting at the WYA website.  Captain George

Left Downtown Marina of Beaufort for Charleston, SC, at 0725 hours under partly cloudy skies. Captain and crew did a fantastic job of leaving the inside slip in reverse, with vessels on either side, with the current. First mate says “that could have gone bad”, but it did not. We carried it out with purpose, that is without hesitation in good military fashion. Vice Admiral says it was perfect.

The trip itself was uneventful. We made numerous sightings of dolphins. But we gave up on trying to take pictures of the creatures as they momentarily surfaced. It was a lost cause, as we learned in the last few days. On the other hand, the Captain was able to make a film of a pod frolicking on our wake as we made our way north. There are two issues remaining. One is the one of downloading the film from the Android. The other one is to send it to Phil via e-mail once we are able to find out how to download it. Bottom line, there are no pictures in the Captain’s Log for tonight.

The Admiral made it to Fredericksburg, VA for dental appointment and to DC for her conference.

We made it to St. Johns Yacht Harbor Marina at 1515 today. After a successful landing, we quickly tied up and went through our entire “After Docking” checklist. Then we quickly secured the marina’s rental car and headed to the liquor store so that the First Mate would quit complaining. As this log is being written, the Vice Admiral, First Mate, and the Captain are on their second gin and tonic. The weather forecast is for storms and high winds for tomorrow so we will stay tied until weather clears. The Admiral returns tomorrow night and will decide on whether to continue north on Wednesday, or depart on Thursday toward Georgetown, SC the following day.

 More tomorrow

 Captain George

Constant II Captain’s Log Heading Home, April 15, 2014

Today we suffered through a “gin squall”. Not much to report. The weather came as forecasted, high wind gusts, rain, and limited visibility. We stayed at dock at this wonderful facility on Johns Island near Charleston, St. Johns Yacht Harbor. We focused on house shores like doing laundry at the marina facility. Really took longer than we figured as there were others taking advantage of the down day for the same house shores. But we got through it. The Captain and the First Mate also did some fender kicking around the marina and took some pictures

The Admiral is coming back tomorrow evening landing at the Charleston’s airport. The Captains’ brother Peter will also be joining us tomorrow evening via train from North Carolina. Although the weather is not forecasted to be much better on Thursday, we are hoping for some improvement that will allow us to cruise to Georgetown, SC, on our way home. Otherwise, we will take another weather day.

More to come

Captain George

The Admiral is back.  Spring has not yet sprung in the Capital, at least compared to Savannah and Charleston.  The meetings were interesting if a tad bit bureaucratic.  The Pacific Maritime Association (West Coast Port Owners) are getting ready to butt heads (aka known as sit down at the table) with the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) so the initial positioning was done in the Longshore Group.  The Shipyard group is immersed in mainly issues related to Pacific Northwest fishing fleet which is fine with me.  I’m familiar with some of the issues and even found out that the cannery at Egegik, where I toiled in ’79 (that is 19), is still operational.  So you know, the big issue in the negos is automation.  I do not like this having seen the Longshoremen decimated by the containerization boom in the late 70’s and early 80s.  They lost well over ¾ of their number.  This time, apparently, Rotterdam (of the Netherlands) has a fully automated container yard.  We are talking automation, not joystick robotics.  I understand the only barrier to Long Beach is volume to justify the capital outlay.  The Captain thinks I am boring with this digression, but I’m the Admiral, so I know I am not. 

The Captain says, “I wish I never gave her the title of Admiral.”  First Mate says, “that is something you can not take back.”  Captain says, “yes, you can, but it will cost you money. Lots.”  The Vice Admiral laughs, and the Admiral thinks, “gave me???”

Thursday, we pre-toured Georgetown (by rental car) to see whether we could park Constant II for a while if we could get not further.  The weather was threatening.   Friday it rained cats and dogs and manatees and maybe dolphins and the wind was a ‘blowin and a ‘howlin and we watched Master and Commander.  Excepting the Captain who had two drinks and went to bed before the sun went down.  Earlier in the day, the Captain and First Mate spent a good deal of time tracking down the leaks in the v-berth (pictures attached).  In total, we had three leaks and possible additional three seepages.  The Admiral spent the day working and discovering that the obscure standards that were being tossed about at the MACOSH meeting probably did have some applicability.  I hate it when that happens because I have to read the standards.

We did not know if we could take off, but we woke up and checked the weather and decided to make the run to Georgetown.  After a short jaunt through Wappoo to the Charleston Harbor, then past Fort Sumter, a jog port side into the ICW channel and, as you can see, it was a delightferlly wonderful saunter through wetlands and cuts.  It appears that the First Mate, a lowly but lovable fellow, was feeding the black nose seagulls and they followed us all the way to Georgetown.  Lots of dolphins (still refusing to pose), wonderful, wonderful pelicans, a stray crabber or two, a boat aground we assume from the blow yesterday, a car ferry, and as we approached Georgetown (with her twin operational stacks of the paper mill and the Santee Cooper power plant northwest of town), the fire towers for when it gets dry and windy.  My grandpa (Pa Jim on my Mama’s side) worked for a while as a fire marshal out in the pine forest outside of Union, South Carolina (up in the Piedmont) and would use such a tower to sit and watch, and I imagine, as it was Pa Jim, drink.  I’m not talking lemonade.

The wind was threatening, but must have stayed off-shore.  We wound up Winyah Bay to the Georgetown Harbor.  Once again, our friends the Nina and Pinta had beat us to the t-head.  The Captain eased passed the Nina, and more importantly the Grand Banks that was smack dab on the other side (brand-spanking and heading on the Great Circle), slid in and the Admiral tossed the line (which was caught) and the touristas on the Nina and Pinta watched us slide into place.  We are apparently two inches taller (minus mast) and as long as the Pinta. 

Tomorrow, we are planning to head up the Waccamaw to North Myrtle Beach.  We hope to put a toe-hold into North Carolina before heading back for Sylacauga. But first, the delish pot roast that the First Mate threw into the crock pot this a.m.

The Admiral

Okay.  We are seriously into Gin/Tonic martinis. This is what you do when you need the gin and just a whisper of tonic.  The Captain, channeling last night, had a serious Captain Ron moment this a.m.   He missed the Mainship and the Grand Banks (when backing up in high wind and crossing currents) but nearly took out the Nina (except I think it was the Pinta).  Ok, so, even though it was early in the morning.  Everybody, as soon as the diesels started, was on their bridges looking at us leaving the marina backwards.  The lowly but lovable first mate inquired around the dock; all the ships’ captain’s words were: We are staying here because…..(we are chicken).

 It was not our fault.  The Marina had made us get in front of a Grand Banks that just sat there and then we had a Mainship come in and there was a Hatteras across the fairway and anyway, we got out all right and the Grand Banks was not hit.  Only some kid from the Nina helped us (between toking on his cigarette).  First Mate (lowly but lovable) says it worked out great but it was due to the Captains (acquired through the First Mates walkaround in the a.m.) plan. 

Then it was river, river, river lined with cypress and oak; whoa what happened?  Apparently the first mate (still managing to be lowly but lovable) was cruising along and then we were at a hummock and a creek and we nearly ended up in the trees.   The Admiral was in the pilot house and should have been paying attention.  But the Captain was tending to his Don Johnson and the Vice Admiral was daydreaming on the throne.  No damage.

On we went. The wind kicked up.  And continued to kick up and up and up.  I suppose (the Admiral, who said this was going to happen) we probably had 20 steady with winds to 30.  So it was stressful.  Lunch was taking some of Kelly’s (1rst Stop Meat Market) mama’s crab soup, adding some (organic) chicken stock with leftover breakfast potato dice and bacon.  And that was very good (the Captain says, this is boat stew).  Went on and on with the wind and the ditch (and after the beautiful Waccamaw it really did turn into a ditch).

After the Little River Swing Bridge, we tucked into Harbourgate (I did not mis-spell) and then went down to the end of the A dock, the Captain had another Captain Ron moment and then our shoreside were lacking and spent a good amount of time getting tied up. We did and then the gin …. Hope you can see the pictures.

God willing and the wind don’t blow too much, tomorrow we dip our toe into North Carolina, head back to Virginia and then onto Alabama. The Captain (singing nothing could be finer than to be in Carolina in the Moooooornnnnnnnning) and First Mate (who is smelling the roast squash – Easter dinner) have been rhapsodizing about our two swing bridge tenders. They were fine.

The Admiral

We are at the St. James Plantation Marina slightly south of Southport.  Mondo bondo in the deck box and something really noxious on the leak at the antennae on the roof above the pilot house, I know this because the loverly Captain put it in the garbage can in the galley until I made him throw it out.  That is why we have an Admiral.

Took us a good one-half hour to get out of Harbourgate this a.m.  Tide and wind were working against us as well as narrow fairway with well over 5 million dollars of Hatteras fishing boats.  However, we finally employed the “Ritter Pivot” (patent pending) and very quickly exited onto the ICW.  After passing South Carolina’s contribution to gambling (10 miles offshore), it was revving up to 9.2 mph on 1500 rpm.  Breakfast was cinnamon/vanilla pancakes with pear compote, polyfarm happy pork sausages, and some scambled eggs.  Five hours later we were entering the Plantation.  Fueled up and then re-employing the “Ritter Pivot” (patent pending), tottled over to the slip where the Captain ably backed into the slip.

The Plantation is over 4,000 acres and it is four miles to the gate (d community).  After lunch at Tommy Thompson’s grill over by the marina office (mahi mahi sandwich on brioche for the Admiral; hangaburger for the Vice Admiral; turkey chipotle for the lowly but lovely First Mate, and salad/soup for the Captain), the Admiral retreated to the office to write reports, and the Captain and First Mate did repairs.  The Vice Admiral woke up and started her watch noticing that we would need to loosen the lines up front on the stationary pilings as we have a five foot tide (the bow was out of the water).

This is number 1 marina (cute little gal at the gate) for the First Mate.  The Vice Admiral tends toward Georgetown and St. Johns outside of Charleston, which are two and three respectively for the First Mate. 

Anyway, after lunch and repairs, the Captain and First Mate went into Wilmington to get the Enterprise rental car (Southport really did not come through).  It was a 45 minute cab ride and the lady cab brought along a couple of locals for local knowledge because the bridge was out.  Unfortunately, neither the Captain or First Mate really paid attention; partially because Honey (interchangeable with Sweetie) were either trying to understand the constant chatter or were dealing with an errant spring.   The First Mate felt the two people with local knowledge were kind of spooky because they were whispering all the time.  After getting dropped off at the Enterprise, the two got the SUV, hopped in and once they hit the closed bridge promptly got lost because the GPS could not adjust.

Several hours later they arrived for 80/20 gin and tonics.  Boat stew for dinner and tomorrow home to head to Alabama.  The Vice Admiral and First Mate have been delightful companions and they are welcome aboard at any time. The Captain and First Mate still have to discuss how they are going to get their Captain’s license this year.  We are now 7 days out (barring weather windows).  The Captain noticed that the Hooters had moved since he was the District Engineer.

Please note North Carolina’s answer to Colonial Beach’s Eleanor Park Mobile Home park.  Understand the Colonial Beach used to make about $50k in various taxes.

The Admiral

We have arrived at Swans Point Marina (Sneads Ferry) about half way between Wilmington, but closer to Morehead City.  We may, knock on wood, make it back home this leg. The crew has lost its left leg, our lowly but lovable first mate (he has to work) but picked up First Mate Andy Normand who has been with this baby since we christened her Constant II.   Captain, ADM and VADM remain steady at the helm.  Ms. Evelyn says she and her husband re-opened Swans Point about two years ago.  The story was she had a CPA business (hi, Phil) and she and her husband were commuting from Wilmington and their boat was being repaired at the yard here.  They kept complaining to the Boat Yard owner that he needed to open the marina so there would be water and electric, and complaining and finally he said, he REALLY wasn’t interested in running a marina but he would consider renting it to them.  They talked, and talked, and talked, and decided, sure, why not. Not clear if they own or rent now, but they live on the premises and their daughter, Tina Turner, made the plunge.  Ms. Evelyn, who grew up on a farm and says she didn’t even know how to tie lines at first, says Tina says her momma got the crazies and so she felt compelled to join her. There is “silt” on the bottom, but the tide is only about 18 inches and we are on the floating dock and since we got in, we can surely get out tomorrow.  We are having salmon with parsley salad with anchovies, capers and red onion and TJ rice medley; however, Ms. Evelyn said there is a local restaurant, which she gave us the menu for, the Riverview “since 1946”, that will come pick you up, take you there, and bring you back.  Menu looks good as do the prices and Ms. Evelyn says the homemade desserts are to die for.  We are enjoying it here.

Today was a bridge game.  The first we made it with only 15 minutes of idle time; the second was smooth, but the third, we spent 45 minutes waiting.  Not sure why it worked it so well on the way down; I think we had the tide with us.  North Carolina barrier is still a hurricane waiting to happen; local fella told me nothing since Fran (1996).   Will close as I’ve had two of my gin/red vermouth somethings.  Capt George is off taking a shower; the VADM  is cookin’ and the First Mate is chatting the local Catalina 30 captain (I might be wrong but he looks to be a live-aboard).  Come by and visit Swans Point, it is a good marina with friendly crew and community.  Oh yes, some local CB news.  Today the Town Council released their agenda for the regular meeting on Thursday and surprise, surprise, earstwhile reporter Linda Farneth has once again put the fear of god into the powers that be.  Last week she revealed that the Town Council was ready to vote on a 23 cent per hundred increase on real estate to pay for a “local” school system in severe disarray/disfunction (though she personally supports EAGLE PRIDE – I don’t understand how people think a team name is associated with who pays for the school, not the school) AND a transient tax on people staying at the bed and breakfasts, AND a $1.38 per hundred tax on boaters (who are already hit with a higher personal property tax by the County of Westmoreland).  Additional taxes on water/sewer/garbage collection and connection fees (for the big time developers beating down our doors). Anyway, the only issue that made it to the agenda was the bed and breakfast tax.  Nonetheless, all of you in town, get thee to the meeting and register your opinion (or email it). 

May 7, 2014:  The weather forecast promised grey and dreary but it was partly cloudy and sunny at 0800 as we walked Constant II down the pier to the end where the magic of the Captain and First Mate made the line slip off the end and then we backed out to be greeted by some local crabbers.  We regretfully bid farewell to Swan Point Marina at Sneads Ferry and headed north, only to discover there was no way we could make the Onslow Beach bridge on time (every hour and half hour)  The captain slowed to a crawl and we still idled 15 minutes before the bridge swung open.  Then it turned grey and dreary as the forecast had promised and the next six hours were basically a straight and narrow channel.  The Kinky Turtle from Severan Park, MD ran aground off to the side of red marker 60 and green can 61 but was able to rock off. We passed them shortly later.  It continued gray and dreary and the wind picked up.  We pulled into Town Creek Marina (a starboard tie up quickly aborted to port) at 2:38 (1438).  The Captain and First Mate relaxed and the ADM and VADM went shopping at the local Food Lion.  Provisions may last through Monday.  The ADM will depart on Sunday to head out to San Antonio. 

The Defense Logistics Agency is getting ready to sell some Navy combatant vessels. The rest of the crew expect to make it back to home port.  Really like downtown Beaufort.  They’ve done a good job of maintaining historical buildings and integrating new development.  Lots of green open space and a public marina and ferry landing as well.  Town Creek Marina is pleasant as well.  In addition to decent heads/showers (and rocking chairs on the porch), there is a seasonal restaurant, and a courtesy car.  Still trying to tie down the nagging rumor that the USCG has sold the broken 123s, (110’s that were to be extended, but it didn’t work).  No luck on that.  Dinner was excellent hamburgers with blue cheese cooked on the grill.  No pics, but, Yum.  Tomorrow, we have a long day heading to Dowry Creek north of Belhaven.  Then we will decide whether to head toward Elizabeth City or Coinjock on Friday.  Will send another set of photos of the travel here.  ADM

Dowry Creek, NC

We started early as it was a 70 mile haul today.   Grey with a northwesterly breeze but the able Captain and First Mate used a variant on the patented Ritter pivot and we got off safe and sound.  Sun came out behind the clouds and it stayed bright blue with nary a cloud the rest of the day.

Two days ago we began to get a blockage in the forward air conditioning unit that was causing a leakage onto the floor where the forward port side berth and v-berths are located.  Problem is still there and I suppose the next few days are KP duty cleaning up the water till we can find someone who can figure out what is going on.  It does not help we cannot find the instructions.

Underway and the day unfolded beautifully and calm and increasingly hot.  At 12:20 we exited the Neuse River into Gale Creek.  Passed our boating buddies Kinky Turtle from Severen Park, MD. Went through two cuts to Uper Spring Creek to Goose Creek and the shot across the Palinco River and up to the Pungo,  Tied up starboard. Fueled up (ouch). VADM Sue Ritter cooked up a mean mess of braised pork chops, TJ linguine with garlic and basil, texas toast and Ceasar Salad.   Did I mention she fixed up poached eggs w/Canadian bacon on top of English muffins and hollandaise sauce to die for  breakfast today.

Tomorrow we make a decision on whether to go to Portsmouth via Elizabeth City or Coinjock.  VADM is reading; First Mate attempted a swim in the local pool (brrr) and the Captain is taking a shower.  Enjoy, photos start pulling out of Beaufort; up and out the cuts and rivers and onto tie up at Dowry Creek.  The owners are out of town and a former dockhand was on hand to bring us in.  Only nuisance was big ‘ole horse flies.  Beautiful day but long.  Tomorrow will be long as well but weather and seas are holding.

Ah, Captain reports that the air conditioning unit is fixed.  A gravity problem.  I like the simple solutions.  The Admiral

Dowry Creek to Coinjock:

There is a ditch between Dowry Creek and the Alligator River that goes for 20 miles and then there is 30 miles of the Alligator River which looks like a wider version of the ditch.  We suspect that the name Alligator River comes from the stumps in the water that might just look like an alligator if you had never really ever met one crawling out of the little ponds at the Money Hill Golf Course and housing development outside the little burg of Abita Springs on the North Shore of Lake Ponchatoula in Louisiana (or are those crocadiles?  I get the two species confused.

Navy F-18 Tomcats saluted us repeatedly in the Alligator River.  At the time, I thought it was a salute to the Captain who forced his troops to watch Top Gun every Saturday night while they were deployed in Honduras during what was known stateside as the Iran-Contra Affair which apparently lessons learned about coke bottles and the local economy are still classified (i.e. no-no) as a subject of dissertations for any civilian equivalent of the War College.  This is not to say the troops didn’t love their leader or the movie or Coke.  We have included a picture, but they were flying pretty fast so we are not guaranteeing you can see them.

Once we reached connectivity again (the ditch to/from Dowry is pretty spotty) I received word that EMR Southern’s Brownsville unit, International Shipbreaking Ltd is getting the Connie (Forrestal class; aka Constellation) to “recycle”, so maybe it was really a salute to the baby of the group. Senator McCain has already given his farewell to the Forrestal.  Sara(toga) is next.  But the Connie involves a complex tow from Bremerton, Washington around Cape Horn and back up South America to the Gulf as the current Panama Canal locks cannot handle the vessel.

It was probably just training.

Once we transited the Alligator River on-request bridge (unless the wind is over 34 knots which it was not, thank the lord), the transit over the 15 miles of Albemarle Sound was uneventful though seas were 1 to 2 feet and the wind kicked up a notch.  The final transit of 15 miles to Coinjock, which took us through wetlands, was relaxing and beautiful.

Coinjock Marina is on the NE side of the ditch and includes a very well run marina with pump-out (which we no longer need) and fuel run under the dock. We have it on good authority that when Bill Bowman was contemplating buying Stanfords and converting it to an active marina, his model of customer service was Coinjock. Accompanying this report are photos of the ladies who tied up with us.  Couple of Flemings, couple of Kady-Krogins, an unidentified steel trawler, and a bunch of sailboats.   

The restaurant was excellent (with a chef compliment of fresh made chips with two dips).  Ah the fuel, the marina also runs a small fuel farm adjacent to the marina and local fuel delivery so that was well-priced.

First Mate Andy Normand found a black water snake which he regaled two drunk ladies on the bow of the boat about last night.  And that, dear friends, is why there was no blog. The Admiral

Saturday, May 10, 2014.

Coinjock to Mile Marker 1 (Tidewater Yacht Marina, Portsmouth, VA)

 Tomorrow (which is now today) the VADM and crew take over reporting duties.  The Admiral has to do to a DLA meeting in San Antonio about scrapping Navy Combatant Vessels where she will also visit her employed but still talented son in Austin 70 miles away.  Weather holding crew and vessel arrive at homeport on Monday.

The ICW from Coinjock to Hampton Roads is also an active industrial canal.  Sue will need to post her photo of this mystery barge carrying an unidentified cargo to an unidentified location.  Whoever correctly guesses who, what, and where wins a free download of Jackson Wise (my son’s) upcoming release for his group The Vantage.  Its good music and worth the risk. 

Nearly all the ladies left before us this a.m.; and since I forgot to download photos off the Ritter camera, I will have to hope that Sue posts some.  Really wish I had bow/stern thrusters, but we are doing fine.

There are a number of bridge openings and one lock on the ICW between Coinjock and Portsmouth.  We got out a few minutes late and really had to hump it to make the first opening (which turned out to be on demand on the weekend as all, except the Steel Bridge, were).  At the Centerville Turnpike Bridge, we were initially stuck behind a bunch of sailboats that apparently did not understand protocol. We finally edged past them and got in line.  We humped it to the hourly Great Bridge opening (before the Great Bridge locks), but then the lollygaggers held us up.  The VADM had a number of discussions with fishermen along the way, all of whom reported they were fishing nothing or a sunburn.  The lollygaggers took so long getting into the lock, that when we finally got out of the locks, we did not have enough time to make the hourly opening at the Steel Bridge.  The tender agreed to delay opening, and then the five sailboats finally made it into line behind the five motor boats, and he opened up.  He was a little grumpy and I understand his angst.  Imagine going to work everyday and seeing your replacement (in this instance a USACE compliant 65’ bridge being erected about 18’ inches from your nose).  Someone (who will remain anonymous) raised the union issue, but you know, even if you have five years of counting barnacles (in government the equivalent is responding to FOIA requests) before you retire, if you don’t like counting barnacles, it sucks.  Does anyone know why the WPA was not resurrected this past 5.5 years?

Speaking of which, someone has established what is known in the trade as a barge-busting site but this one had some vessel recycling going on.  It was at MM31, on the starboard side of the ICW right below the I-64 bridge.  Photos attached.  Look to be buying smaller commercial vessels and Navy dorm boats off the GSA.

The Gilmartin railroad bridge was down, then up, then onto the curve with SIMS metal shredder and depot (used to include Bay Bridge Ship Recycling, one of our competitors which shut down in 2010 and moved to Texas but it has taken a while to reconstitute). 

Five miles later after passing two Portsmouth Navy Yard derelicts, and on the Norfolk side, the two BAE and one Newport News drydocks (all very active with Navy work) we round the curve and slide westward (port side) into the Marina.  The Captain does a very admirable job backing in stern to slip with a whipping wind.  We are home for the night.  After tying up and checking in, the lowly but lovable second First Mate arrives and the crew for the remainder of the voyage is complete.  I will miss them. Off to dinner.  Tomorrow they are onto Reedville.  The Admiral

Reedsville, VA

First of all, a Happy Mother’s day to all those mothers receiving this log.

The lowly but lovable first mate rejoined the crew last night, driving the Admiral’s car. Then the Admiral left this morning for home in preparation for her work trip to San Antonio, Texas, and then a visit to Jackson, our son, in Austin. We really do not know when she will be back but we hope it will be in a few days. The Captain is doing the log now so you will deprived of the Admiral’s prose and be regaled by his technical writing skills.

Enjoyed the facilities and location of the Tidewater Yacht Marina in Portsmouth, VA. It is conveniently located across from Norfolk’s Waterside on the Elizabeth River. We enjoyed the convenience of having downtown Norfolk within easy reach although we did not take advantage of it. We enjoyed the departure of the 122’ Burger Yacht, Lady Gail Marie at 2230 last night from the Marina. It was a sight to behold. A crew of six came aboard around 2130. We observed the activities from the fantail of Constant II in complete appreciation of their seamanship skills. Within the hour, the crew slipped the lines of the vessel, with engines barely heard, and using the stern and bow thrusters, she faded into the night with barely a fuss.

Constant II left the docks at about 0745 hours, passed ICW Mile Marker “0” (marking 315 miles of cruising since Tuesday). The day started clear and warm, and continued that way throughout the day. As we left Norfolk, we again had the opportunity of passing by the US Navy’s Atlantic Fleet at the Navy Operating Base (NOB). Very impressive. As we left Hampton Roads we saw many Navy vessels departing and arriving at NOB Norfolk, in addition to much commercial traffic. So it was a busy area which the crew handled without perfectly.

Finally, Constant II was back in the Chesapeake Bay after 7 months of exploring southern waters this winter (although Old Man Winter followed us all the way down to southern Georgia and we did not experience much warmer temperatures that the ones around home). The Bay greeted us with fantastic blue skies, moderate temperatures, mild winds, and following seas. For the first time during our whole trip home we saw a huge pod of dolphins off Windmill Point. They were too numerous to count and too fast to photograph. But it was just amazing. The trip up to Reedville, VA was otherwise uneventful – that is UNTIL we arrived at the mouth of the Great Wicomico River. As the Captain was taking the helm to bring the vessel into port for the evening, the crew pointed out that the starboard engine was belching black smoke. The Captain quickly tried to disengage the engine synchronizer, fumbling the operation and able to control only the engine that was blowing black smoke like an oiler (not the first time). Giving the helm over, he quickly got to the engine room and managed to manually disengage the synchronizer. After establishing control over the port engine, he then noticed that he could not increase the RPMs on the bellowing starboard engine. In spite of the Captain and the lowly but lovable First Mate efforts in the engine room, they could not find any visible problem. At the suggestion of the Vice Admiral, the Captain called “Clifton”, a diesel mechanic’s magician extraordinaire, for his diagnosis and advice. After a brief discussion, the good diesel doctor advised the crew to look at the air filter for build up or obstruction. After quickly removing the whole air filter, the starboard engine returned to normal operation, no black smoke bellowing from the stack, and able to achieve high RPMs. It was just in time for another smooth landing at the Crazy Crab Marina and Restaurant. The Vice Admiral fixed the crew drinks and declared that as it was Mother’s Day, and she expected to be served – a suggestion that was quickly agreed upon by the crew. She deemed the day an absolute delight that could only have been improved by the presence of her son Luke.

At this point the Captain has to close the log as his grilling skills are required in service of the Vice Admiral. Happy Mother’s Day. Tomorrow we head out on our last leg of heading home with mixed feelings. It has been an adventure and in many ways we wish could continue experiencing this fantastic travel.

Colonial Beach, VA

Although we intended to depart Reedville a little later that the morning prior, the crew was up early in anticipation of reaching home while at the same time sad that this adventure was coming to an end. So, we slipped the lines at 0645 this morning and headed to the Bay under a bright blue sky and moderate winds.

This time the tide was with us which made our passage much quicker than planned. We arrived back at our slip in the Boathouse Marina at around 1400 without incidents to report. Polly, The Admiral, Bill Bowman and crew was at the dock to greet us and help us tie up. After turning off the engines, generator, and navigation systems the crew sat in the saloon for some heavy snacks and drinks. So we postponed our last meal on the boat for the following evening. I have to say that I am glad that we left early this morning as we were snug and dry in our slip by the time the storm hit CB. Also after tying up, First Mate Andy and Captain George installed a “spirits locker” that Andy had made for Constant II. It looks like it belongs in Constant II and the Captain and Admiral were thrilled at the new addition.

We were sad that we completed this journey. We had great friends as crew (Shannon and Sue Ritter, and Andy Normand), and thoroughly enjoyed each other’s company. It was great fun! We hated to stop our cruise and return to a more sedate life on land. We certainly enjoyed sharing our experiences with you, we learned a lot, and look forward to our next cruise sometime in the future. Between now and then, there are lots of improvements and maintenance projects to keep the Captain busy. With this entry I close the Constant II Captains Log until the next departure. I will send today’s pictures to our WYA webmaster for posting tomorrow or the next day. I hope you enjoyed the log.

Captain George

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