Heading up the ICW

5/3/16    To 30 03.030N,    81 21.915W    Pine Island Anchorage    63.9NM

We've become accustomed to waking up by 0630 to catch Chris Parker's weather forecast, so it was no surprise we were awake bright and early Tuesday morning.  With information available on line, we didn't need to wait until he did the forecast for heading up the E coast, usually after 0715, we just got under way, following 3 sail boats that were buddy boating that had left about 15 minutes ahead of us.  With a dicey weather forecast (thunderstorms, rain and a cold front), we weren't sure how far we'd get before the weather deteriorated, but our plan was to get as far N as possible before we'd need to hunker down and let the weather blow past. 

Of the 3 65' bridges on this stretch of the ICW, this one had the most clearance, the others read 62'

Maybe it's easier heading N, or maybe it's pure luck, but we had the current pushing us faster and further than anticipated.  We had absolutely no complaints, and were delighted to be fighting neither wind nor current.  We figured we'd easily make St. Augustine, and wondered how far the other boats planned to travel, and if we'd need to shoehorn into an anchorage with a crowd again (not ideal if the weather really get's bad).  Thanks to the boost, the log readings on the knot meter have been lower than the actual track number traveled as shown on the plotter the last few days.

A pair of swallow tailed kites over the ICW

When I checked the timing for the various bridges for the day, I noted that the 'Bridge of Lion' at St. Augustine opened every 1/2 hour except for 0800, 1200 and 1700.  When we checked ETA on the chart plotter, we'd arrive between 1600 and 1700, plenty of daylight to keep going if the weather held, providing we made the 1630 bridge opening. We might make it given our current speed, but we knew the current would switch at some point, just not where or how strong it would flow against us. By mid day, it became obvious that we'd need to push our horses a bit harder (2800 rpm-up 300 from our normal cruise setting) and longer if we didn't want to just miss the 1630 bridge opening (we don't mark every turn when we create routes which translates into slightly inaccurate ETAs due to the twists and turns of the channels) .  The result was burning a higher rate of fuel for a bit more speed since fuel economy drops in proportion to RPMs, we normally try to avoid running over 2500.  We used about as much fuel in a single day as we had since leaving Marsh Harbor.  We even ran out the jib to get a boost from the wind when possible, which can be tricky when negotiating the twisty, narrow channels and shoals.

There were shoals,  The Matanzas Inlet can be difficult at high tide, and we were approaching low and dropping.  Leonard has a knack for finding deep  water (or at least enough to float us), and we slipped over the shoals without 'feeling our way' over the bottom, with the lowest reading just under 7'.  We listened as the lead boat of the group ahead called out depths and gave advice to the others over the VHF- they made it through, but at least 1 reported having touched in a couple of spots (we didn't know how much they drew). 

We approached the bridge with 6 minutes to spare, and watched as the other boats headed into the mooring field at the municipal marina to pick up moorings for the night.  We called to see if there was a mooring N of the bridge, but were told none available would have 5' at low water, so we kept going, which was fine with us since we hadn't planned on stopping there.  In spite of the forecast, much of the day the air felt relatively dry and radar didn't indicate any cells building or threatening us - a much better day than predicted.  However, once they started forming, the clouds filled in quickly, and it rained hard several times, giving us a couple of welcome fresh water rinses as we continued N.

Looking N from the oxbow at Pine Island

By 1830, we'd set the anchor just off the ICW at the S end of the Pine Island oxbow, joining a couple of trawlers.  We had a very quiet night, which wasn't necessarily the case elsewhere as a thunderstorm watch was posted, affecting areas either side of us.  It appeared the storms, where they hit, were slow moving, and some locations were drenched with several inches of rain during the night, while we had none.

Pine Island anchorage

5/4/16   To  30 40.393N,    81 21.186W    Fernandina Beach Anchorage    40.1NM

Checking the radar in the morning, most of the nasty weather was already S of us.  We suspect the folks who stopped at St.Augustine were sure they made the right choice to sit for 2 days to wait out the weather.  And according to the radar, they did have nasty weather.  We were glad we weren't on a mooring with the ball scratching the hull as the tide changed in the thunderstorms.  It was amazing to see how different the weather was in a relatively small area.  Both St. Augustine and Fernandina Beach  were hit with slow moving cells overnight.

Hauling anchor with a winch handle is a lot of work

We decided to get going before the weather had a chance to deteriorate.  It was easy motoring with the current pushing us toward the St. John's River, and other than a brief shower, we saw little evidence of a cold front passing through the area.  The radar showed slow moving storms continuing across the state S of us (yes, it appeared to be stormy in St. Augustine).  After a very brief shower, the remainder of our day was mostly cloudy, but dry. 

Our ETA for Fernandina Beach  was 1400, depending on the current.  The current was running out the St.John's River at a good clip, and we watched a trawler ahead of us crab past the entrance to Sisters Creek, the junction with the ICW.  It appeared they'd missed junction (easy to do), as they turned around and arrived at the Sister's Creek lift bridge (now in the process of being replaced by a hi-rise bridge) just ahead of us.

Container ship heading out the St. John's River by the ICW

As we approach a new moon Friday, we're dealing with spring tides - the the low at mid day was -0.5', hardly ideal for skirting the numerous shoals N of the St.John's River on the ICW on a falling tide just shy of low.  We checked information on Active Captain, but the shoal reviews were written for heading S,  backward from our perspective, and it's harder to work backward through the various instructions as to which side of the channel to favor than you'd think. As the one captain wrote, this whole section would be much easier if it were properly buoyed.  We spent some time just over idle speed (or enough to keep steerage) as we threaded through the shoals without finding the bottom.  Not so a large ketch that had managed to find one by the infamous C1 turn, just S of Fernandina Beach - he was hard aground with an anchor set in deeper water waiting for the tide to rise.  He did manage to get off at high tide.

Aground by the 'C1' turn

Low tide on the Amelia River - at high tide the water extends to and covers some of the marsh grass

Cell phone radar showing the front line Thursday mid afternoon- we're at the red dot

With no dock space available at Tiger Point, we anchored off the municipal moorings for the night.  In the morning, we planned to move to the city dock for a night since we reserved a car to run errands.  Taking advantage of the light winds in the afternoon, we launched the dinghy and went ashore for some exercise, walking over to do a loop on the Egan's Creek Greenway, and watching a bit of baseball in the park before a dinner out. 

A variegated Fritillary on Egan's Creek Greenway

Leonard is anticipating riding with the Silver Spokes (his 3 speed doesn't have flower boxes)

Sun going down behind Antares at Fernandina Beach

5/5/16        Fernandina Beach Anchorage  

Thursday morning around 0800, anticipating tricky docking in the 20+kt W wind, we called the marina to advise them of our arrival and get docking instructions.  We were told the sooner we arrived, the better, as the last of the current would help us onto the dock.  Great, we'd have the whole day to get chores done!  However, while taking up the anchor, we stopped short before the chain got to the windlass, not a good sign 60' of chain still needed to be retrieved - we were snagged on something.  We tried all the usual maneuvers that have gotten us out of similar situations in the past (there's been several over the decades), but they didn't work - the line got tight enough that it took work to free it from the windlass.  I called the marina and got the name of a diver (would you believe there's only 1 on the island, the others are in Jacksonville?) and told the dock guy we'd be delayed.  He was very sympathetic and helpful (he's been there for years).

The diver wasn't available until Friday, and said it would be easier at slack low water (currents are very strong here) which won't be until 1500, and by then hopefully the wind will not be blowing as hard.  So here we sit, waiting - something cruisers practice regularly - with the wind howling out of the W into the low 30's, not worried about dragging or running down the batteries.  With a somewhat limited fetch, the water's not too choppy, so other than being stuck, it's not all that bad.  We may try again at slack low water to see if we can extricate ourselves.  With the dock space and car both cancelled, the long list of chores will wait for another day.  If we get cabin fever, we can dinghy ashore, but would have a very wet ride back to the boat!

The situation prompted Leonard to dig out the windlass information and order replacement gears to be shipped to Charleston.  However, in the current situation, not even a working power windlass would solve the problem.  Where is Pierre when we need him??

Lynnea