A lay day in Brunswick, Terri pokes around in the shops I continue with maintenance. Broken switch on the deck wash is replaced and new stems for the galley sink faucet since they were leaking and I could not replace the washers because the screws were disintegrated. Probably been in the boat since it was built in 1977.

It remains cold with a nasty wind out of the northwest. What we used to call a Canadian Clipper back in New England when I was growing up. Our propane heater is getting a workout. Lest you feel that we are basking in the warmth of this heater, let me dispel this notion right away. At best it takes the chill off raising the temperature from the 40s to the low 50s. The forecast calls for the cold to continue until at least the weekend. The weather has been far colder this year than last. It is a blessing that we have the oxygen tent as we call the full cockpit canvas enclosure. Kinda looks like one, yes. When the sun is out it is positively balmy inside that is if the wind is not screaming. It is a little difficult sailing as you have to open the zipper panels to get to the winches, but it is a sacrifice that is well worth it in our current clime.

Wednesday 19 November

We awoke to the cold once again. Boy is it hard to get out of bed when the temperature is hovering in the middle 40s in the boat. Takes me back to my days as scoutmaster on those cold winter camping trips. We left the marina and slowly motored the 5 miles to Jekyll Island getting there about 2. Walked around a bit and scoped out renting bikes so we could tour the island tomorrow.

Thursday 20 November

Cold again this AM. A catamaran that came in yesterday is high and dry on a mud flat just in shore from us, must have underestimated the 9 foot tides here in Georgia. We are off on a bike tour of this island. It was once the winter refuge of the rich somewhat like Newport Rhode Island except the houses were more modest here, but still quite grand. (see the pictures) The state of Georgia has taken over the caretaking of this historical district used by the Rockefeller, Goulds and Goodyears up until WW2 when they all left lock, stock and Barrel and abandoned the place. Allegedly they left because German Uboats were patrolling the Georgia coast and it was feared that these people were prime targets for a raiding party, true or false I do not know.

The state of Georgia is restoring the houses that are still here along with the “club” where all inhabitants took their meals. Currently the Club is run as a hotel and wedding venue. One of the places we visited was a small chapel with two stained glass windows that were stunningly beautiful, one a signed Tiffany the other from some students of Tiffany. We saw the Tiffany when the late afternoon sun was behind it and let me tell you it was breathtaking. That man had a talent with stained glass.

We bumped into some fellow cruiser who we previously had met in Elizabeth City. Turns out they are the inhabitants of the grounded, but now floating catamaran. When two cruisers meet it is always a time to have cocktails together and so we did.

Friday 21 November

Still hanging around Jekyll Island. Today we go for breakfast in the famous “club.” Nothing to write home about, but one again we walk about the rich man’s compound. One house that any of us would die to live in was used only for the month of February to host grand parties. These people knew how to live. The house, now used as an art gallery, has a grand staircase that I’m sure Terri would have loved to sweep down in a long gown in a bygone era.

All good things must come to an end so tomorrow we move on.

Saturday 22 November

It’s a short hop to Cumberland Island, home of the wild horses. We leave late and arrive early, motor sailing all the way since the wind was behind us for a change. Save a little diesel fuel and exercise the sails a bit, at least the headsail. A wild trip across Jekyll Sound where you have to go out in the Ocean a bit to clear some shoals. Since the wind was hard out of the northeast is was a little bumpy but only for 15 to 30 minutes. This is the nice thing about traveling south on the ICW, it is an easy trip. No, you do not do a lot of sailing, but you’re always in protected water. We walked around the Island a bit, which was once the preserve of one of the Carnegies but they ultimately tired of it I guess and now it is a National Park. One can camp here and a lot of people do even now in the late fall.

Sunday Monday 23-24 November

We are now in Fernandina Beach for a couple of days. We have hit the jackpot and are on the dock rather than out in the mooring field. Apparently the city marina has a person who is not performing their job right and forgetting to write down reservations for the mooring. We had called two days ago for a reservation and when we got here they said that we were not on the books for one and they were all filled. Since this has happened before and the dockmaster knows the problem, he gave us a slip for the price of a mooring. It was nice of him, he could have said tough pay for a slip or anchor out. If we had to anchor out it would have been a long dinghy ride into shore. Sometimes you get lucky.

We provision, shower and do laundry. Terri is off to the antique stores in her quest for fiestaware plates for the boat. Me, I chip away at the “to do” list. Top is to work on the watermaker, which has developed leaks at fittings on the high pressure pump. As it turns out these fittings have been installed incorrectly. Once I install they as specified in the instruction manual, a forty page installation manual, it doesn’t leak. It is turning out that the watermaker is going to be a high maintenance item, with frequent filter changing, fresh water flushing and membrane cleaning. I am sure that it will be a blessing when we get to the Bahamas where good water is scarce and when you can get it expensive and not so good.

Tuesday Wednesday 25-26 November

We are finally in St. Marys where we will spend thanksgiving with a couple of hundred other cruisers. Two of our dear friends that we met on last years cruise are staying on the boat with us for T-day. They are on their way driving back to Albany NY for the Christmas holidays. They stored their boat down in Florida for the summer and were down getting it ready for the jump over to the Bahamas. They have been there 5 or 6 times and are old hands at it. They have graciously agreed to hold our hands and accompany us in our first crossing to show us the ropes. We will all meet after the holidays in south Florida for a weather window to cross the Gulf Stream. We all go ashore for the nightly cocktail meet and greet where each boat brings in a hors d’oeuvres. Let me tell you, there are some pretty good cooks among the cruisers.

Wednesday we’re off to the store for supplies needed for tomorrows feast. While the town of St Marys provides the turkeys and hams for this cruiser’s feast, the boat people bring all the “side dishes”. Terri will make her signature Leak, Onion, Shallot Gratin dish that she has made in our past home thanksgivings and I a pumpkin pie.

Thursday 27 November

Turkey day, what a feast……. We all gather around noon in the hotel/restaurant/bar that is normally closed for the holiday but they open up for the cruisers. There are about 80 boats in the harbor so this turns out to be about 200 people. Two folks (Bruce and Conny) we met along the way last year at New Bern then later at Boot Key came from Jacksonville by car. When last we saw them they were working in Marathon after having to get a 10 grand engine job on their boat. Apparently the oil pressure sensor blew out and they lost all their oil. The engine was toast after that. They were working in Jacksonville so they decided to come up to St Marys, which is only an hour away. Bruce is an excellent guitar player and he brought it with him so naturally after the feast out came the instruments. Carol and Bob, our boat guests, broke out their instruments (fiddle, flute and guitar) and we had an old fashion hootenanny. We were joined by a local guy on the five string and another cruiser with an electric guitar. I even got into the act with one of the extra guitars after 30 years of not playing, but it is like a bicycle it come back fast except for the lack of finger calluses. All in all we had a great day with many things to be thankful for. We ate well and shared great company, what more can we ask. We did miss our boys, but talked to them on the phone. Perhaps when we stop this gypsy life and they settle down with wives and kids we will all get together again for thanksgiving. We will see them over the Christmas holidays so that we look forward to.

Friday 28 November

It’s a sad goodbye to Carol and Bob today. They are continuing north for the rest of the holiday season, but we will see them after the holidays. We stick around St Marys for another day for showers, shopping and chilling out from the holiday activities.

Saturday 29 November

We are back at Cumberland Island hanging out with the horses, wild turkeys and armadillos. It is a lovely day to walk the beach and the marine forest with its gnarly old live oak trees festooned with Spanish moss and growing amongst the saw palmetto.

Sunday 30 November 2008

We wake to a nasty sounding weather report. T storms, high winds with a threat of tornados. We head off for Fernandina Beach where we have a mooring reserved hoping to beat the storm, but it does catch us. Thankfully the t storms and the tornados do not materialize, but it does rain like hell and we do get some wind but nothing serious (20-25 kts). We pick up our mooring in the driving rain and are now ensconced in our boat sitting out the storm. Our business in Fernandina will have to wait until the morrow.