4/23/11
Fernandina Beach, FL - back to the US, land of ice cream, cheap broccoli and free water!  Doesn't take much to make sailors happy. 
Sailing buddy, Chris Jones drove up to Fernandina for a quick visit and Jerry's lobster chowder for lunch.  Then Jerry booted Chris back to shore and we headed for the ocean.  Chris provided our dinner for that first night on the ocean.  From the Bistro Aix Restaurant, where Chris creates exquisite dining experiences for Jacksonville residents, he boxed 2 types of roasted chicken, whipped potatoes with an au jous gravy, and carrots, brussel sprouts, turnips, and greens to saute.  Wow!  Delicious!

The 59 hour sail was uneventful, other than the thunk! we felt somewhere off the coast of South Carolina.  I think we hit a whale!  A big enough thunk to let us know we hit something substantial.  It was dark so no sightings, no damage to the boat, just a big thunk and the entire boat shuddered.  We motor sailed amid light tailwinds.
Dolphins darted around the bow at various points 20 miles or so offshore.

Another visitor joined us in the cockpit I noticed when I went on watch at 9 pm.  There on the seat near the wheel was a little bird all fluffed up with its head under its wing.  I gently tossed a towel around it to block the wind and left a plate with water and flax seeds.  In the morning when the sun came up and warmed everything I uncovered the bird.  It jumped up and sat looking at us for a while before it took off.

We arrived in Beaufort at midnight (with Bluejacket behind us), anchored, and put on the sail cover with 5 minutes to spare before the wind picked up, the rain pelted down, and the lightning surrounded us.  We were happy to be in port!  There is a boardwalk to view the wild horses, tidal flats and beyond toward the ocean in Beaufort.  Jerry and Donna joined us for a walk.

After a few days stay in Beaufort, NC we visited with our friends Don and D at their dock behind their house in Oriental, NC.  Visiting, telling stories, playing games, Jerry helping with projects......another wonderful visit with our boating buddies.  While staying at Don and D's protected dock up a creek, surrounded by trees, the wind blew.  Just a mile away in Oriental harbor the winds gusted to near 50 mph.  We saw top winds of 11 knots.  While in Oriental, I took my sea glass jewelry to the local Farmers Market thanks to D who loaned me their van, folding tables and chairs!   My new creation, using 2 pieces of sea glass to make a sailboat, was a big hit.

From Don and D's dock we sailed (at 2.5 knots) to Donna and Jerry Luh's dock (from Bluejacket) about 10 miles away.  Another dock!  Our anchor had almost  a 2 week vacation!  We named Donna and Jerry's dock "Luh's Landing Marina, Limo and Food Emporium".  There were always 2 or 3 extra boats at the dock, cruising friends stopping to visit. 

Donna had no difficulty feeding 12 people at every meal!  Jerry made sausage rolls for everyone one night.  Our last evening after dinner of ham and homemade pierogies the house was filled with music.  Jim from "Salty Paws" played his guitar, Bentley from "Salty Paws" played his banjo, Mary played her accordian and I strummed along on guitar.  Everyone sang along.  We had a blast and were sad to say good bye.

Sunrise from Luh's Landing

Another sunrise as we leave Luh's Landing

Strong winds from the east and then from the south helped us sail north for the next 2 days to Elizabeth City, NC.  No motor needed.
Our travels will continue north, up the Dismal Swamp Canal to Norfolk and beyond, trying to adjust to the change in temperatures.  For us, it feels like summer is over and fall is upon us.
Until next time,
Karen and Jerry

4/4/2011
Our last update was from Georgetown, Exumas in the Bahamas.  From there we had a fantastic sail to Dotham Cut with 20 knots of wind on the stern the entire way.  Our 6:25 am departure enabled a daylight arrival in Pipe Creek. Donna and Jerry of "Bluejacket" had just set their anchor when we pulled in. 
Here's Persephone and Bluejacket anchored in Pipe Creek.....  

There's one strip of deep water to anchor in - just beyond our boats is a reef and then deeper water. 
The wind howled for a number of days while we were hiking, hunting/fishing, kayaking, and exploring the cays. 
Here Jerry and Jerry sit at the south end of Thomas Cay chatting about sailboat construction, fishing, and autopilots while I sat in the sand a picked through the shells. 

Everyone in the anchorage joined in a rehab of the "Pipe Creek Yacht Club" - a jetsam arrangement that's been collected, constructed, and added to through the years.
  The Clubhouse.

       The Yacht Club Members on this particular day.

Our next stop - Hawksbill  Cay where we heard our friends from Ithaca, Lee and Sherry on Alesto, were moored.  Over Hawksbill Cay we hiked to the ocean side beaches.  Together we walked and talked onto the north end of the cay.
A picture perfect spot......

It was low tide and the shallow waters had dried out.

Sherry walks the beach. 

Lee ponders the scenery.   
Then, a scrumptious dinner aboard Alesto and a fast-paced game of dominoes.


The next day, northward to Norman's Cay.  We snorkeled on a few reefs and Jerry speared dinner...

(dinner and then some).
I found a prize underwater as we took a drift dive (held on to the dinghy as the current pulled us through the anchorage at a knot or two while looking down).  I spotted something shiny - a fishing spear laying on the bottom.  Think of it as shopping.  Jerry's birthday was coming up soon and I had no gift.  Walla!  Just what he wanted and needed!
One of my favorite sights in the Bahamas is from the anchorage at Norman's Cay looking south.  I call this Lone Palm Island..... 

    Someone added a bench under the palm to be able to sit and watch for a green flash at sunset with an unobstructed sunset view to the west.  Nice!
Next stop in the Bahamas - the Abacos - the northernmost islands of the Bahamas about 100 miles away. 
Lynyard Cay in he Abacos - one of the many beaches we walked in search of sea glass.  Jerry put together some wood washed up on the beach to make a lounge chair at our favorite sea glass collecting spot.  Here,  Jerry from Bluejacket relaxes and enjoys an ocean view

as we stand in the water grabbing for sea glass before the swells take it away.  

Further north, at Elbow Cay we stopped to visit a North Carolina friend, Dan.  He and his wife built their cottage here on Elbow Cay. 

Here's another view taken from across the harbor...

The old dive shop (with the roof taken off) is in front of his place.  This picture was taken from across the harbor, at a boat restoration business.  They specialize in repair of Bahamian built boats.  Here are some projects in various states of repair (or disrepair).......

Dan also took us out in his runabout to snorkel the reefs off Elbow Cay. He drove the boat through the maze-like channels between coral reefs and stopped while we jumped over the side for a look.  Jerry Luh shot a huge Nassau grouper.......  Grandpa Grouper!

The last island we visited in the Abacos was Double-Breasted Cays.  Here's the view looking out from our anchorage.

Donna and Jerry of Bluejacket pulled in behind us.    

Donna at the helm.  
You know the story - we snorkeled, Jerry and Jerry went hunting, I kayaked, we shared dinners and played games.  It's a tough life.
Jerry and Jerry's fish pile (plus a conch and some lobster).

Jerry walking on the tidal flats off Double-Breasted Cays. 

2011 is the first year in many that we celebrated my birthday with others.  Most years we're at sea on April 1st.  This year Jerry made a delicious pineapple-upside down cake, Jerry and Donna prepared a steak dinner with all the fixins, they sang Happy Birthday and I opened presents.  Thanks!
Here we are aboard Bluejacket before dinner.

The next morning, we're off.

Bluejacket behind us leaving at sunrise.   
48 hours from Double-Breasted to Fernandina Beach, FL. 
Here's a sunset shot from Allens-Pensacola Cay in the Abacos.  A fitting end picture for our Bahamas travel tales.

Karen n Jerry
ps  Here's one of the cero that Jerry caught........

And here's a cero when another fish gets to it before you can pull it in.......