Daily Archives: June 17, 2012

How cool is this? After a couple of hours where Escape Velocity spun around her anchor, the tide turned and synced up with the wind and we finally settled into a peaceful quiet as the sun went down. Then we heard a tell-tale pop pop pop and raced up on deck to see a series of bottle rockets across the river. They barely rose above the treetops but they were bright and colorful and echoed across the water, as did the cheers of the partiers setting them off. A fun end to a lovely day.

Now we just hope the wind stays calm when the tide turns again. The skipper needs his beauty rest.

We got up early Saturday with every intention of leaving the dock and heading north. But when I listened to the NOAA weather I knew we wouldn’t be able to go. The forecast was for winds from the NNE at 20 knots and gusting to 35. That meant not only couldn’t we go out in the ocean to sail up the coast, but that in the ditch it would be choppy and uncomfortable motoring into the wind. So ok, let’s do some projects.

Midmorning Craig from Anything Goes, who still has a car, asked if we wanted to make the rounds of the various chandleries and Home Depot with him. Like little kids, we jumped at the chance for a car ride. We didn’t really need anything, but managed to pick up this and that along the way. We also watched Charlie at Marine Supply splice a new outhaul for Craig. While we watched another customer entertained us with tales of his experiences as a diver for the police.

“Mostly recovery. Not much rescue,” he said.

“You mean dead bodies?” I asked. “Murders?”

“Some. Car accidents, off the bridges.”

He retired from that job and hires out on his own now, diving for lost anchors, keys, eyeglasses, watches, all the various things people accidentally drop overboard and can’t live without.

We got back to Escape Velocity and Jack installed the new folding cup holder that will improve life at the helm, while I crawled up under the dodger once again to try out yet another miracle product that’s supposed to make our vinyl windows transparent again. Hope springs eternal.

Suddenly, Jack said, “Hey, there’s another Manta coming in!” Amazing. There aren’t that many of these things and here we have three on the same dock. We ran down the dock to help with lines, but halfway there I turned and went back to our boat. We had the littlest Boyer girl on board entertaining Izzy and I didn’t want to leave her alone so I left Jack and Craig to assist Synchronicity.

Later we had more visitors, a father and son who admired our boat. We welcomed them aboard and spent some time showing them around. Rick, the father, is in love with Mantas and would love to own one. Joe, the son, is in the process of rebuilding a steel sailboat. We had a lot to talk about with both of them and enjoyed the impromptu visit, even if it did keep us from our chores. Plus, Rick and Joe helped us troubleshoot our non-working floodlight. Turns out it was a blown fuse and a burnt-out bulb. So now the remote control works; we just have to get a bulb.

Saturday evening we thought about going out for pizza but in the end decided to stay home and listen to the US Open Golf tournament online.

We got up early again Sunday and decided this is the day. After an early light rain we had a beautiful run up the ICW and nearly made it out of Florida. We anchored near Amelia Island in yet another wacky wind-against-current situation where EV spins around her anchor. Jack feels like he’s on permanent anchor watch and I have an insatiable desire to bake but we don’t have most ingredients. We’re hoping the wind dies down so we can get some sleep. Tomorrow, Georgia!

Finally, a change in scene!

Not that St. Augustine was annoying. Pete, Andrew, and the guys were great, and having three Mantas there at the same time was fun. It was just time to move on.

So we’re anchored just off Amelia Island at the mouth of Alligator Creek and EV is doing her evil dervish. Gusty conditions with a contrary current. What else is new?