Our questionable weather window leaving from NY turned out to be an opportunity to sail all the way to the Chesapeake. The wind was tight on the nose from the WSW gusting to 25 until we sailed past Ocean City, MD where the wind clocked to the NW and we were able to ease the sheets. Jerry always keeps a log when we're offshore. I thought you might appreciate seeing it.
The log for our passage from Sandy Hook to Norfolk.
The roughest part of the trip was coming around Cape Charles into the Chesapeake Bay. We happened to arrive at maximum ebb and the wind shifting to the SW - right on the nose again. With the motor assisting we rounded the Cape slowly - with a 2 or 3 knot current we were crawling. Sometimes only making 2 knots.
The screen of our GPS showing how on a sailboat you can't always take the most direct course to your destination. The dashed line is our path with the zig zags as we tack to get in.
Passing an interesting air boat on the Chesapeake.
Lots of shipping traffic coming into Norfolk.
You'd think we'd stop and anchor for the night after sailing for the last 2 days when we came in the Chesapeake. Nope. We continued on through Norfolk and down the ICW waiting an hour for a bridge to open for us and then going through the Great Bridge Lock. Just after the sun set we pulled out of the lock and tied to a wall for the night at Great Bridge. Then we had a good night's rest!!
We made our way south on the ICW leaving Great Bridge at 5:30 before the sun came up and in the fog navigating by instruments only. Glad we had radar as we relied on that to see what was ahead! We made our way over the next few days to Oriental, NC where we stayed at our friends, Donna and Jerry's, dock. It's a hectic time of the year as they were trying to prepare their boat and acquire all the provisions to head to the Bahamas for the winter. We were able to squeeze in a couple of dinners together, a couple of card games and helped with projects and loading the boat when we could. Our hope was to be able to sail south together but when the weather window opened we had to go on by ourselves while Donna and Jerry continued with their organizing and packing.
It was a weather window with northerly winds - we were able to sail downwind all the way from Beaufort, NC to the St. John's River/Jacksonville, FL. Jerry made scrumptious shrimp scampi one night for dinner. The shrimp was fresh from a NC local shrimp trawler!
An example of a shrimp trawler that was docked in Oriental. I had to take a picture for my awesome great-niece, Kayden.
Another video: ocean sailing downwind with dolphins!
After 57 hours from Beaufort, NC we approached the inlet at Jacksonville. Of course it happened to be maximum ebb again when we came in the inlet. The northerly swell rolled us around and slapped the side of the hull as we made our way in. It was just before midnight with the moon lighting the water and warm temperatures. And we had plenty of time to admire the sights as we motor sailed up the St. John's River at 2 - 4 knots depending on the strength of the current. Looks like we'll be here for a week or so - there's a low pressure system churning just offshore that will bring rain and high winds along the entire SE coast. We have a protected anchorage off the St. John's River behind Blounts Island with access to a public dock so we can get out to walk.
And lastly - Thanks to my big brother, Brian, who is sponsoring the next 4 months of the SPOT GPS tracking. When you click on that link above in the right hand corner say, "Thank you Brian!"
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