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Great Loop Travels

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  • Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (AICW)

    North Carolina

    Today is (Thurs.) May 1, 2025. New month, new state – we cross into North Carolina today. Before that, however, we took the dogs back to the beach near our anchorage at Bird Island for one last walk.

    The first sight we had after leaving the anchorage was of some guys pulling their very own floating tiki bar – just in time for their weekend, I guess.

    Along the way, we saw more of the tall, several-story homes like we’d seen in SC, some along the ocean shore and some tucked in canals (that appear to be manmade) off the AICW.

    There were some beautiful views, especially near inlets (from the ocean).

    We also saw more incomprehensively long piers. Many lined the east side of the AICW, eventually connecting to a house on shore. What you can’t see in the one pictured below is the section that continues to run along the shore for an additional length equaling half of the length you do see.

    Another interesting feature of the area was the presence of ocean viewing spots that people would create for their properties such as the one pictured in the following photo.

    Reaching an area where other Loopers we know (“Unbridled”) got pushed off course and damaged a prop, we saw a dredging operation with the auger tipped up and in view.

    We made it to Southport around noon, so I had time to throw in a load of wash. At the laundry, I ran into Cathy (“Remedy”) and shared with her that we’d been contacted on Nebo by Robert Creech, a man famous in Looper circles. Robert and his wife Kay – having successfully completed the Loop years ago and being regular presenters at AGLCA Rendezvous – hold informal briefings on their porch for Loopers in Southport and have been doing so for many, many years. Any Looper visiting Southport is invited to the Creech’s porch (below). Cathy knew that her husband Lee would want to attend also. Later, Robert stopped by our boat to make sure we’d gotten the invitation.

    We had an opportunity to talk a bit with Robert while we waited on others to arrive.

    Soon we were joined on the porch by Robert’s wife, Kay, Greg and Angie (“Summer Breeze”), Lee and Cathy (“Remedy”), and a couple from Maine that weren’t on the Loop but were just interested in the knowledge supplied by Robert.

    Chuck and Kim (“Til You Can’t”) and Todd and Betsy (“Cat in the Hatt”) stopped by later, so the porch really filled up at that point!

    Southport is a lovely little coastal town. We had the opportunity to explore it on bikes with Chuck and Kim the next day, Fri., May 2. The waterfront is lined with cottages, and most of the homes have plaques indicating the original owners and their role in the community at that time.

    As in SC, NC has jasmine growing and flourishing along its many fences and arbors. The smell is absolutely amazing! We also saw and learned about Crepe Myrtle trees with their smooth bark. Though the photo of the tree below was taken in SC, we saw many Crepe Myrtles in NC, as well.

    Stopping by the town’s maritime museum, we stepped up our speed, as they were closing in 10 minutes. With such rich history at every stop, it’s hard to fit it all in!

    On our rapid tour of the museum, I did learn some quick facts about the shrimping industry in NC which first started in the Cape Fear area, with a demand for shrimp beginning after the Civil War. Southport got its first shrimp cannery in 1915. The success of the Southport shrimp industry was such that at one time over 200 shrimp boats clogged the waterfront. Business thrived until the 1950s when an increase in imports, costs, and regulations plus fewer harvests slowed growth. Though diminished from its previous boom, the industry remains vital, landing just under five million pounds of shrimp annually!

    Our last few minutes of the 10-minute tour included a view through the periscope originally on the USS Dolphin.

    We left very early the next morning (Sat., May 3) with “Til You Can’t” and “2nd Chance.” Barb and Doug off the latter boat had come in yesterday to Southport. Their boat is pictured closest to shore in the row nearest us in the first following sunrise photo. Lights are on; they’re ready to go!

    It’s going to be a long day to reach our destination, the Mile Hammock anchorage.

    Today’s first interesting sight was parachutists followed by a flashing white night light, an aid to the many ocean-going vessels involved in what appears to be the active commercial shipping industry here.

    We are on the Cape Fear River, and there are many ferries plus a number of areas of restricted or regulated water (i.e., areas we are to avoid entering). One such area is the security barrier for the Military Ocean Terminal at Sunny Point (MOTSU), one of the largest military terminals in the world. It is essentially in the middle of nowhere but highly guarded/protected by what appeared to be two tall guard towers by the ship and dock, multiple bright red warning signs, and a patrol boat policing the perimeter. Installation-related radar domes are on the opposite shore.

    At Wrightsville Beach City we happened upon a puzzling sight; if you look at the boat pictured below, it is difficult to imagine how it was pinched into the slip that surrounds it! Our boat doesn’t have bow thrusters, but that maneuver would still be challenging with the assistance of thrusters.

    The water here is a beautiful aquamarine. We still see marshy lowlands, but there have been more trees visible. Also, we often see sandy beaches and dunes as well as more large homes along the shoreline.

    At one point, a paddleboarder was intentionally paddling between our three boats trying to surf our wakes! While we’ve had jet skiers do that, we’ve never had a paddleboarder try to paddle fast enough between boats. Not the safest thing we’ve seen so far! This stunt was followed by a 50-foot boat that passed us while we were both traveling under a bridge! Never a dull moment.

    Meanwhile, our friend, Mike, from FL had texted Dennis that today was Derby Day, and his wife Betsy said she had her Derby Day hat picked out. So, I donned a boat version. I don’t think that’s quite the look people at the Derby are going for, however!

    We reached the Mile Hammock anchorage around 3:00 – eight hour day. The water here is back to the more brownish hue. This anchorage borders Camp Lejeune. There was a large boat ramp with numerous boats and people who were clearly using the area recreationally. We were fairly certain that this locale was reserved for military use only, yet we didn’t see any signage indicating that. But, these boaters were likely military or family of those in the military.

    We approached the ramp just to see if it might be OK to take the dogs to shore and talked with a guy there who said it would all be fine unless, of course, the MPs showed up! When we got nearer to shore, there was a sign pointing the other way. While Dennis stayed with the boat, the dogs and I got out and headed over to read the sign only to learn that those without proper military ID would be considered trespassers and would be fined thousands of dollars if found on shore! We quickly loaded the dogs back on and found a beach that while quite a ways away worked for us a couple more times that day.

    Plans for the next morning, Sun., May 4, were to leave at 7:15 in order to make the 8:00 nearby bridge opening. Unfortunately, there was a very nasty storm impending that morning, so we made the decision to “trespass” and took the dogs to the close by military boat ramp. Another rule-breaking boater was bringing his dog there at the same time. The rain began in earnest, and we were headed back when signaled by the other boater for help because the motor on his inflatable wouldn’t start. We ended up towing him back to his sailboat (“Peakabu”). By the time we got our inflatable back and loaded, we were all soaked. However, we were back inside the boat before the high winds (35 mph gusts) and lightning started. After the worst of the storm had passed and we got underway, Nelson didn’t kick off the towel Dennis wrapped him in, so we knew he was cold.

    After crossing under the Onslow Bridge, we entered another area with restrictions, still part of Camp Lejeune. In addition to the guard tower, multiple bright red signs said, “Danger: Unexploded Ordinance. Do Not Enter.”

    Even better, other signs read: “Stop Do Not Proceed. Live Firing In Progress When Flashing.” Fortunately, it was not flashing.

    On a lighter note, the prominent, “dueling” staircases on these three homes right in a row that we saw soon after leaving the restricted area caught my eye.

    By 2:30, we reached Town Creek Marina in Beaufort with enough time remaining in the day to take the courtesy car for provisions. First time ever at a Piggly Wiggly. The second night in Beaufort, we were able to have an excellent dinner and great conversation with Barbara and Doug (“2nd Chance”) and Kim and Chuck (“Til You Can’t) at Ribeye’s downtown. Included below are a few views of the charming coastal town.

    The “Old Burying Ground” in Beaufort is on the National Register of Historic Places. As explained by the literature available there, the “earliest graves are marked with shell, brick, or wooden slabs, because stone markers had to be brought from afar by wooden sailing vessels.”

    Similar to other graves we’ve viewed when touring southern estates, we again saw “vaulted graves bricked over [or covered] in an attempt to protect them from high water and wild animals.” Some plots here had Confederate States of America grave markers.

    When we left on Tues., May 6, the wind had lessened from previous days which was fortunate, as we had to traverse the very wide Neuse River. Doug (“2nd Chance”) said that when they had crossed it last, there were four to five foot waves. From the Neuse
    River we joined the Bay River then a narrow portion of the AICW. There were marshlands on either side but some trees, as well. In the first picture below, you can see the marshlands in the distance behind Dennis at the helm steering with his knee through this calm water! We passed a shrimping fleet that accesses the ocean through Jones Bay.

    Our group of three boats anchored in Campbell’s Creek for the night.

    We were thrilled with a “beach” (first picture below) to take the dogs to shore!

    It was a beautiful anchorage, and we enjoyed an inflatable ride and a lovely evening.

    Off the back of the swim platform, we spotted some jellyfish close to the boat.

    The next morning, Wed., May 7, when running the generator, we noticed that it started making a strange sound. When Dennis looked over the side and saw that no water was being pumped out, he immediately shut off the generator. After some investigation, he found tentacles in the sea strainer. One or more of those ethereal jellyfish had gotten sucked into the system! Now, how to get the jellyfish parts out when you can’t use a vacuum – because you don’t have electricity – because you can’t use the generator??!

    Meanwhile, breakfast breads had to be toasted the old fashioned way.

    And, eventually, jellyfish parts were extracted the old fashioned way, also, using a long-necked brush. Fortunately, the rest of the jellyfish that must’ve been too large to get sucked in the system but was blocking the intake must’ve been swept away by current as we travelled, as we were able to use the generator later while underway. Very important!

    Passed Durant’s Point. No relation.

    Listening to weather reports through this area is kind of fun, because they talk about weather in Duck and Kitty Hawk, places where we vacationed for years as a family.

    We took the Pamlico River to the Pungo River then the Alligator River which connects with the Pungo River Canal. The canal is a Cypress Swamp. The water here is a striking brown color.

    Here is the Captain and a crew member on break.

    Though we were going to anchor around Mile Marker 101 at Grapevine, we all decided to continue to Mile Marker 82 and go into South Lake, an anchorage used by Doug and Barbara previously. It would also serve to put us closer to Albemarle Sound in the morning for crossing. Had to pass through a swing bridge before making the turn toward the anchorage. The bridge was an extremely long one, and traffic had to come to a stop for quite some way. The first two pictures below show the left side of the bridge as we approached, the third shows “Til You Can’t” and “2nd Chance” passing through the bridge opening, and the fourth shows part of the lengthy stretch of bridge to the right.

    To get in and out of the anchorage, we had to pass Durant’s Island. Maybe we have some long lost relatives down here after all.

    The anchorage was a ways in but was protected. Finding the reported boat ramp for the dogs that evening was difficult. It was starting to get dark, and we were surrounded by marshlands …

    … so locating this boat ramp would be our only option for taking the dogs to shore. After a good bit of searching, we found this narrow passageway (below; picture taken in morning, so it’s lighter) that led to the very small, gravel boat ramp. Everyone in the inflatable was very happy to see it!

    On Thurs., May 8, we crossed Albemarle Sound early, as suggested, in order to avoid the stronger winds that tend to build in the afternoon. Dodging crab pots was the order of the day, both coming out of the anchorage and in the Sound. At one point when I was driving, I had to dodge a crab boat that decided to fly right in front of us. Not sure if Den snapped this picture before or after the crab boat excitement.

    Leaving the Sound and joining the North River, we kept hearing people talking at some length on Channel 16 (the international distress frequency) in an Asian language. Eventually, they switched to Channel 71, a working channel that we use between our three boats. So, we continued to hear multiple conversations. The only other boats visible or showing up on AIS were crab boats. We later passed a crab boat, and one of the workers on the boat was wearing a coolie hat, a conically-shaped straw sun hat. Evidently, we’d been hearing a group of crab boat workers talking between boats.

    We reached Coinjock Marina, famous for the prime rib dinners at its marina restaurant. Four members of our dinner party had to take advantage of that entree item. While in the restaurant it was good to see Mary and Jim (“Legacy”) whom we’d met in Canada but had been talking with on and off recently since Wacca Wache, as they are veteran Loopers and very informative. A couple diners had some of that (also famous, perhaps) NC shrimp. I can’t help but include another picture of one of the shrimpers we saw on the way (even though I think we saw it in northern SC). Tomorrow we will be leaving NC and entering VA and the southern part of the Chesapeake Bay area.

  • Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (AICW)

    South Carolina

    Nice sunrise the morning of Wed., Ap. 24, prior to us leaving the Isle of Hope.

    While we were preparing to depart, a cruise ship came through the rather narrow fairway in front of us.

    This was followed by a tug and barge. Busy little waterway!

    We were underway by 7:30, once again traversing the multiple rivers, creeks, and sounds that comprise the AICW. Today began with Skidaway River which led to Wilmington River then Savannah River through Fields Cut followed by Wright River to New River to Ramshorn Creek then Cooper River to Calibogue Sound! Pretty sure I’m going to stop trying to account for all of the twists and turns.

    Some sights along the way included: more houses with docks appearing to stretch endlessly from the house to the water and seeming so high above the water (at low tide) because of the significant tide swing; a boat sitting on bottom in low tide; extravagant houses that line the shoreline in many spots; shrimp boats; and, someone parasailing.

    We passed Hilton Head and entered Port Royal Sound leading into the Beaufort River with Parris Island, Marine Corps Recruit Depot, to our west.

    We arrived at Beaufort around 2:00, and Dennis’s brother, Steve, and his wife, Ellen, met us here a little later in the afternoon. After a brief visit on the boat, we had the opportunity to catch up further over a wonderful dinner in town. We’re still working on the art of selfies.

    Steve and Ellen kindly loaned us their car for a quick provisioning trip after brunch together the next morning (Thurs, Ap. 24) before they headed home.

    That afternoon, we joined Chuck and Kim (“Til You Can’t”) on a horse-drawn carriage ride around lovely Beaufort. The following photos are from both our carriage ride as well as our walks around the town. The fourth photo (pink-colored home) is a picture of the house where the first Ordinance of Secession was drafted in 1860 (as South Carolina was first).

    It was the production of Sea Island cotton, rice (especially Carolina Gold) and indigo that made this area extremely wealthy in the 18th century. President Lincoln, after learning about the plans for secession, sent ships to supply Ft. Sumter and later to control and occupy the coastal portions of the state. Many of the residents in the area subsequently fled. The Union took over the town for four years, repurposing numerous houses for such uses as hospitals and offices. Consequently, a good deal of the historic homes survived.

    Beaufort is in what is called the Lowcountry, comprised of sea level salt marshes, and receives an amazing 50” of rain annually which of course often causes flooding. We saw second floor verandas where reportedly boats would “dock” during flood times in years past.

    The other claim to fame for Beaufort is that “Forrest Gump” was filmed here as well as parts of “The Prince of Tides,” “The Big Chill,” “The Great Santini,” and “Full Metal Jacket.”

    In Beaufort, we heard many Parris Island marine corps jets flying over the area. The other thing we heard, and had been hearing since Fernandina Beach, was a ticking sound coming from under the floor. I’d noticed it especially in the aft cabin, and Dennis had pulled up every hatch and looked into every part of the boat he could to determine where the sound was being generated from – to no avail. Talking to other boaters, they also had “torn the boat apart” looking for the cause. Chuck (“Til You Can’t”) thought it was an electrical issue. Another boater thought they had a critter aboard making the sounds. We were able to put the question to rest after Chuck’s Google search revealed that it was caused by creatures called snapping shrimp whose snaps (echoing in the water below the hull) make it one of the loudest creatures in the ocean. Whew!

    Travelling to Charleston on Fri., Ap. 25, we again traversed numerous rivers and creeks, but I’ve officially stopped recording them, as there are so many. Again, we saw plenty of homes, newer and older, along the shoreline plus the occasional crab pot visible in low tide.

    But, a different sight was the American Waterways Wind Orchestra boat, former home of the American Wind Symphony Orchestra which was founded in 1957. For decades, the vessel acted as a floating stage for the musicians who performed in various towns and cities throughout America, Mexica, Canada, the Caribbean and northern Europe. People would bring folding chairs and blankets to the riverside to listen to the concerts.

    Approaching Charleston, the very large city marina came into view.

    We stayed at what is called a megadock there, fine for us but a bit tough on the dogs who had their work cut out getting to a patch of grass on shore! The cruise ship, American Independence” was across from us on another megadock.

    We got a kick out of the “coyotes” tied at random spots along the docks in order to deter birds from messing on the docks (first picture below). Nelson and Ivy both approached them warily at first but eventually caught on to the ploy. A very large ocean-going racing sailboat came in while we we there (third picture below).

    Saturday morning (Ap. 26), we took the marina’s shuttle downtown to tour points in the city starting with the city market which begins in the first floor of the historic building below then continues several blocks behind.

    Charleston is known as “The Holy City” because of the number of churches here. One we happened upon was called the Circular Congregational Church.

    The adjacent colonial burial ground had monuments dating back to 1695.

    Other sights included cobblestone streets, rainbow row (historic townhomes restored and painted their original pastel colors), an inn from which Robert E. Lee watched as The Great Fire of 1861 approached, and some of the historic homes along the waterfront.

    That afternoon, Dennis, Chuck (“Til You Can’t”) and Lee (“Remedy”) took the ferry to Patriot’s Point and saw the “Yorktown,” an aircraft carrier commissioned in 1943.

    Sunday morning, Ap. 27, we biked into town with Chuck and Kim (“Til You Can’t”) and took a horse-drawn carriage ride around Charleston. While not as informative as the carriage tour in Beaufort, we enjoyed seeing and learning about Charleston via this means. Pictured below (right) is a powder magazine, a colonial gunpowder storage building.

    Dennis and I caught the last ferry out to Ft. Sumter that afternoon and braved some strong winds for a tour.

    President Lincoln sending ships to resupply Ft. Sumter, a federal installation, resulted in an ultimatum from the Confederate government that the fort be evacuated. The Union officer in charge at the fort refused, and the first shots of the war were fired on Ft. Sumter on Ap. 12, 1861; the rest is history.

    Leaving Charleston on Mon., Ap. 28 with “Til You Can’t,” we’d planned to stop at a marina at McClellanville, but soon learned that the canal approaching the marina was much too shallow for our boats during low tide. So, we then worked to find an anchorage that would provide some access to shore for dogs. We anchored in the Santee River, an area where the “Swamp Fox,” Francis Marion, hid from the British during the Revolutionary War.

    While the dock was a state-operated, gated, and locked entity, we were able to use the boat ramp that evening for a dog run. As we were pulling up and greeting a man and his son fishing there, the son suddenly got a substantial tug on one of his fishing lines. After quite a fight with it, he pulled up a 42″ and 30 lb. Red Drum. The father said that it was the catch of a lifetime. The son, who we learned is in the Coast Guard, was understandably ecstatic. It was really cool just watching it! We’d forgotten our phones, so the proud father sent us some pictures.

    Back at that same boat ramp after walking the dogs for their morning constitutional on Tues., Ap. 29, we heard a low growling noise. Looking around, I saw that the sound was coming from an alligator in the water to the right of the inflatable. We quickly got the dogs in and were on our way. Once back at the boat, you could stand there and hear the growling all around. Evidently, the growls are a form of communication, and it was mating season. Weighing the anchor, I noticed that there was part of our styrofoam buoy missing. Alligator bite?

    The trip to that night’s marina was uneventful in comparison. We first passed a crab fisherman (third picture below) when leaving the Santee Creek then got (necessarily) very close to a barge working in the same span of the bridge through which we had to travel.

    We made it to Wacca Wache Marina in Murrells Inlet, where we were able to have dinner with Doug and Alison (“Ripple”) who drove over to meet us as well as Chuck and Kim (“Til You Can’t”) and Doug and Barbara (“2nd Chance”). Doug and Alison, who live nearby, completed their Loop recently, so we were able to celebrate them “crossing their wake.” Doug and Barbara, whom we met in Grafton, IL, last year and travelled some time with, happened to be at Wacca Wache and joined us! They completed their Loop in FL but are taking their boat to NY where it will remain for their use during summers.

    At this small marina, we also saw Steve (“Asylum”) that we’ve docked next to in the Thousand Islands several times! Small world.

    In addition to their usual large tide swing, this area was experiencing “King tides” a period of the highest high tides and lowest low tides. As a result, “Til You Can’t” was nearly sitting on the bottom and couldn’t move first thing in the morning on Wed., Ap. 30. After sufficient water pooled under their boat, we were able to get underway down the swampy but pretty waterway.

    Because Doug and Alison (“Ripple”) and their neighbors, Arlon (who we’d met on first part of Loop) and wife, Kay, live right on the AICW, we planned to wave to them as we passed, but Doug beat us to it by waiting for us in his runabout! Did get to wave to Arlon and Kay who were waiting on their veranda.

    We saw a lot of development along the way here, especially near Myrtle Beach, with most houses being three-story, single-family homes but still many large and elaborate homes, as well.

    Saw a shrimp boat working.

    Got a little busy in spots.

    As we neared Little River Swing Bridge, a boat was anchored in the middle of the channel. Turned out it was a medical emergency, and the bridge attendant had to hurry to open the bridge for a fireboat coming to assist the woman on board the anchored boat. EMTs were nearby on shore waiting to be picked up.

    That evening, we anchored at Bird Island by the Little River Inlet from the ocean. Though it was windy, the dogs enjoyed the beach and had to sniff at the many expired jellyfish.

    Tomorrow we head to North Carolina.

  • Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (AICW)

    Georgia

    Port Consolidated, fuel supplier for both private and commercial entities, was our first stop on Thurs., Ap 17, after leaving the dock at Fernandina Beach, FL. The man fueling our boat talked about the fisheries nearby, specifically the shrimp processing plant next to Port Consolidated, because sharks come in St. Mary’s entrance to Cumberland Sound to feed on scraps from that plant and the commercial fisheries. I was okay with not witnessing that phenomenon.

    What we did see while at the fuel dock was a row boat operated by veterans. Their objective is to raise money for (and awareness regarding) prevention of veteran suicide and post-traumatic stress disorder. When I took the picture they were changing rowers.

    Other sights on the way included a fair amount of industry, such as the Westrock plant pictured below, and some large range markers for ships entering from the ocean.

    We crossed into Georgia and anchored by Cumberland Island, a barrier island on the southeast coast of the state. It’s Georgia’s largest barrier island and has significant tidal range – from six to nine feet. Part of the National Park Service, it offers views of undeveloped beaches and wild horses. We let Ivy rest and just took Nelson ashore to walk the island, starting along the beautiful trail (pictured below) to the Dungeness Ruins, the remains of a winter home built for Thomas Carnegie (brother to Andrew) in 1884. Fire destroyed it in 1959.

    On our way to the ruins, we immediately saw some of the wild horses.

    However, we were soon to see many at fairly close range, and though some people approached the horses, we tried to keep our distance. The group pictured below (last) were drinking out of a stream. Because their diet is limited, they consume salt water, and are susceptible to disease and parasites given that they have no veterinary care, many appear quite skeletal, and their lifespan is shorter than most domestic horses, generally around eight to ten years.

    The remains of the Carnegie family’s home not only included the mansion …

    … but also a recreation building, greenhouse, lengthy pergola, fountains, statues, many other outbuildings (the one pictured below still intact) …

    … and a graveyard. In many of the spots we’ve visited in the south, a number of the graves are above ground, likely because of potential for flooding, and this area was no different.

    At that point, we were all pretty hot and tired, so we hopped back into the inflatable and went back to the boat for a break. Nelson was really ready to go back, as he got in so fast that he ended up inside Den’s lifejacket.

    We returned later to explore some more of the island and noticed these special wheelchairs whose design would allow the user to move more easily through sand on trails and the beach. Pretty nifty concept.

    At the end of those sandy trails you find a magnificent beach. Absolutely beautiful.

    And, one of the most amazing views on the trip happened here when we saw some wild horses standing alone on the beach, staring out to sea (likely letting the wind keep the flies from bothering them). It was quite a sight. I walked down to get a better picture (first photo below) and meanwhile one laid down (second photo) and another (third photo) was too timid to approach the other two so didn’t benefit as directly from the ocean breezes. As you can see, we had the beach almost to ourselves.

    Cumberland Island was a great visit, and we enjoyed both forest and beach.

    On Fri., Ap. 18, we left the anchorage and headed to Jekyll Island, passing by the Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base.

    Just past the base, we had to once again ignore the aids to navigation given an update we have on recent shoaling and go on the “wrong” side of what is posted. Makes for a nervous few minutes. The mood was lightened a bit later when we passed a catamaran whose captain was standing on his seat, steering the boat with one foot, and taking videos!

    We reached Jekyll Island Marina in the early afternoon and borrowed some marina bikes to ride to dinner on the other side of the island.

    In the morning (Sat., Ap. 19), we got our own bikes out and rode to the museum for a quick viewing before boarding the tram which took us on a tour of the historic district of the island plus a walk-through of one of the homes, Indian Mound, the Rockefeller cottage on Jekyll Island.

    From the late 1800s to the 1940s, Jekyll Island was a private winter retreat for America’s wealthiest families, such as the Rockefellers, Vanderbilts, Astors, and Morgans. The Jekyll Island Club (pictured below) was incorporated in 1886. In 1910, a secret gathering at the club led to the conceptualization of the Federal Reserve System.

    Back to the real world, we changed the oil on the left motor later that day! However, we also got to visit the amazing Driftwood Beach, a beach full of striking-looking tree roots, trunks, and limbs littering the sands.

    Easter Sunday morning, (Ap. 20), together with Chuck and Kim (“Til You Can’t”) and Debbie and Bill (“Next Wave”), we biked to the Easter Sunday sunrise service held at the park beside the ocean.

    The afternoon was spent completing some chores around the boat after which I guess the early morning bike ride caught up to me, proof of which Dennis provided by the following picture. Nelson never passes up an opportunity for a nap, so he joined in support.

    Later, we pooled our resources with Chuck and Kim and made kabobs on the marina grill for Easter dinner. Though non-traditional, it was pretty tasty!

    Leaving on the morning of April 21, was tricky given that low tide left us with eight inches of water under the hull at our dock and even less at points as we made our way to the fuel dock. Exiting the marina onto Jekyll Creek, we became aware of just how much of a creek it truly was when we could see deep indentations in the mud on the side where a boat had plowed through recently.

    Also, the low water made for many visible crab pots.

    Jekyll Creek gave way to St. Simons Sound, then Mackay River. Unlike the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, the Atlantic ICW involves a multitude of small rivers, creeks, plus sounds.

    We passed a guy who didn’t answer our radio request for a pass, likely because he was in a lawn chair by the helm with his feet up reading a book! We also passed a shrimp boat that was a favorite with seagulls.

    We crossed Buttermilk, Altamaha, and Doboy Sounds. Nelson barked like crazy at one point in there, because he was on the bow, saw his first dolphin close up, and didn’t know quite what to make of it. We joined Little Mud River then North River followed by the uniquely-named Old Teakettle Creek. This led to Front River then Sapelo Sound. On Front River, we saw a herd of donkeys!

    Our planned anchorage that afternoon didn’t work out because of strong wind and current from the sound. Through this stretch of the Loop, finding an anchorage is proving difficult because it is now largely marshland as far as the eye can see, making it next to impossible to take dogs ashore; there is no solid land.

    We ended up anchoring in Cattlepen Creek – really the only option at that point – which would have been fine had we not needed to find a spot for dogs.

    The mud was over the top of my boots. Suffice it to say that the attempt to go ashore was mostly unsuccessful and provided us with a great deal of clean up tasks (involving the inflatable, the dogs, the swim platform, our clothes and boots, and us) upon returning to the boat. We tied stern to stern with “Til You Can’t” in order to control swinging too much on our anchors due to tide change.

    We were up as early as possible on Tues., Ap. 22, in order to get the dogs to a relief station asap. They were champs and made it until we reached a small beach area in St. Catherine’s Sound where we could drop the inflatable and take them to shore. Nelson showed his appreciation by running in happy circles on the beach.

    Entering Bean River, we continued to see vast stretches of marshland with no sign of homes or towns. Passed through Ogeechee River then navigated what is called Hell Gate (narrow channel) to Vernon River, the latter near the “Moon River” inlet named in honor of Johnny Mercer who grew up nearby and wrote the famous song.

    Because we left so very early this morning, we made it to the Isle of Hope Marina by late morning! This left a good amount of time to explore by bikes, so we set out with Chuck and Kim (“Til You Can’t”) and Debbie and Bill (“Next Wave”) to tour the Wormsloe Plantation, established in 1733. The first picture below is taken inside the gate facing back and shows some of the first live oaks that line the very lengthy avenue of oaks. The live oak is the state tree of Georgia and is called as such because it remains green, or “live,” through the winter unlike other oaks that lose their leaves. The second picture shows us ready to turn around and tackle that long avenue.

    This plantation has been the setting for portions of numerous shows and movies including “Roots.” While we enjoyed the magnificent avenue of oaks, visitors are unable to tour or even see the plantation house, so we were disappointed by that restriction. We saw a couple very rough outbuildings and paused at an overlook of marshland (below). Having seen enough marshland already, it was a short pause!

    Leaving Wormsloe, we did a brief, self-guided tour of parts of the Isle of Hope which is a lovely spot.

    On to South Carolina tomorrow.

  • Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (AICW)

    Florida East Coast

    On Monday, Ap. 7, we left the Stuart marina to begin our way up Florida’s east coast. There was no lingering at this marina, as they made sure you were gone in a timely fashion! The nearby lift bridge opened for a few of us to pass, no doubt frustrating motorists on both sides of the bridge given that they have to stop.

    Along the way were many grand homes with adjacent docks and a good number of marinas …

    … as well as an anchored boat we just happened upon called the “Ultim’ Emotion 2,” a high-performance racing trimaran whose top speed is 42 knots. It holds the world record for the fastest south Atlantic crossing!

    It is extremely shallow in spots throughout this area (pictured below) so especially important to stay alert and in the channel!

    You know that you are in the ICW because of yellow markers on both green and red aids to navigation. (Note the inclusion in the picture of one of the ever-present crab pots!)

    We passed where the Atlantic Ocean, the Indian River, and the St. Lucie River converge. First Hutchinson Island then Orchid Island were barrier islands between us (in the AICW) and the ocean for a good portion of the trip.

    Because there was no room at the Vero Beach City Marina, we stayed at Loggerhead Marina, a ways away from downtown. It was low tide when we were docking, and the winds were extremely strong. During the docking maneuver, we both heard a metallic, crashing sound and immediately suspected we’d hit something with the props. Aborting the attempt to dock at that dock that would not have worked well for our boat anyway, we ended up staying the night at the gas dock.

    Once at the fuel dock, Dennis donned snorkel gear and dove to check the props. (As a side note, the no-see-ums which are most active at dawn and dusk were out in force behind the boat where it wasn’t windy that evening! Yikes!) As there didn’t appear to be anything amiss with the props, we were mystified. Later, while putting away the snorkel gear up on the bridge, Den solved the puzzle. From the angle at which he was standing on the bridge, he saw that our antenna had fallen down against the solar panels. Doubtless the strong wind caused the antenna to slam against the panels thus making the loud metallic sound! We were very relieved! However, it was a tough night, as we remembered the hard way that no-see-ums can come through screens. The items below are now necessities to have onboard.

    On Tues., Ap. 8, we were able to move to a slip and set up air conditioning! Dennis’s mother’s cousin, John, who lives in Vero Beach generously picked us up and took us to Publix then to his house for a quick visit with his wife, Barbara.

    The next day, Wed., Ap. 9, we worked on changing the transmission fluid in the right engine but were not able to sufficiently empty it so had to later revisit that project. I was able to use one of the foldable bikes we now have onboard to bike back to the store for a couple of items. Saw this guy on my return trip.

    Owing to continuing strong winds, we stayed another day in Vero Beach which allowed us time to research and employ a different approach to draining the transmission fluid on the right engine. Dennis shared a ride to the auto parts store for additional supplies with the captain of neighboring boat, “Fluidity,” (Doug and Michelle – soon to start their Loop). Success!

    Tried to be sure to obey the warning on the following sign!

    Fri., Ap. 11, found us up and at the fuel dock at Vero Beach at 8:00am sharp. Soon underway, we made good time, truly “riding the tide” doing 8.5 kts. quite easily! “Fluidity” passed us near Melbourne, and I took pictures of their boat and sent them to Doug’s email listed on their boat card. We later chuckled over this, as Doug was a professional photographer who had worked for a boating magazine prior to retirement!

    The east coast of Florida seems to have considerably more boat traffic than what we experienced on the west coast. Also of note, our path here is leading us by many very large homes that are situated across from what must be protected areas (e.g., mangroves – with the occasional osprey).

    A sailboat near a bridge called to ask us to be certain to slow down, as they had a man working on the top of their mast.

    Passing by the city of Rockledge via the Indian River, we recalled that years ago while renting an Airbnb there, we’d sat on the banks of the river and thought, “Hey, one day we might actually do the Great Loop and travel by here.” Sure enough! Spent the evening at Cocoa Village Marina and enjoyed revisiting many sights in town.

    On our way Sat. morning, Ap. 12, we could see the NASA building at Cape Canaveral for miles. We passed under the NASA railroad bridge just past Titusville.

    Often we see crab boat pilots attending to their lines of crab pots. They will throw overboard what they cannot keep or use, and it attracts seagulls. We were followed by some hopeful seagulls who eventually learned we weren’t going to feed them like the crab boat pilots do.

    In addition to birds and crabs, we saw a number of manatees and dolphins today, the latter particularly plentiful in the narrow Haulover Canal. This is clearly a popular spot for vacationers, as well, as there were many people kayaking, fishing, paddleboarding, and just enjoying the area and nearby islands.

    This portion of the AICW is another busy area for boats plus there are houses and docks quite close, so we went fairly slowly. Many people were out enjoying a beautiful Saturday.

    Lady Liberty was evidently on vacation in Florida.

    The route grew increasingly busy through New Smyrna Beach with its many large marinas, but we were able to get a photo of the restaurant we’d visited years ago where we’d watched an amazing dolphin “show.” Our table that evening was right above the area with the rocks, providing a direct view of what was really a dolphin feeding frenzy.

    As we approached the southern parts of Daytona Beach, the AICW started to feel like a highway!

    When boats are passing right and left, it makes for a rocky ride. Ivy decided to hide.

    Because we were so near a beach town, we had an aerial advertising banner sighting.

    We anchored near Bethune Park for the night. Throughout the night, the anchor alarm on Den’s phone kept sounding. When he would check the anchor line, he’d find nothing amiss. Eventually, after a good bit of midnight prayer, he thanked God for helping him to realize that he had to move the phone from aft- to mid-boat in order for it to be in the center of the radius. Everyone slept well after that.

    Weighing anchor on Sunday morning (Ap. 13) was a muddy experience owing to the clay-like bottom there. We had to rinse the chain and anchor as best we could with the hose and push the mud off the anchor – time consuming but successful. Reaching the L.B. Knox bridge, we learned that it only had one span opening. This doesn’t cause a boat like ours any problem, but it appears that many locks and bridges through this part of the waterway are experiencing operational difficulties. However, there were some very beautiful bridges.

    From the Halifax River, we joined the Mantanzas River and motored through the exclusive-looking Palm Coast area. Many large marinas here also.

    The Atlantic is often divided from us by a mere spit of land on which highway A1A is generally visible.

    One bridge tender in the area cautioned us about manatees by the bridge (which we then saw) plus wished us a Happy Palm Sunday and a Happy Master’s (PGA) Sunday! Ended the day at River’s Edge Marina in St. Augustine. Nelson, having heard a dog bark, took first watch at River’s Edge .

    In St. Augustine’s on Mon., Ap. 14, we did a self-guided walking tour of the city to see the Spanish-influenced architecture of many of the historic buildings including a building that was once the Ponce DeLeon Hotel but is now part of Flagler College (named for railroad tycoon, Henry Flagler).

    Leaving St. Augustine’s on Tues, Ap. 15, we first enjoyed another view of the city then waited to be able to pass under the lift bridge, the Bridge of Lions.

    Once under the bridge, the Castillo de San Marcos fort was visible.

    Travelling on, some sandy beaches gave way to marshy lowlands, the latter with countless large homes on the opposite shore. Most of these homes had boat lifts featuring boats with multiple three- to four-hundred horsepower outboards.

    As we entered Pablo Creek by Jacksonville, the Mayo Clinic building was to port. Soon, we saw a container ship coming our way – on a creek! However, Pablo Creek was converging with the St. John’s River which leads to the Atlantic, so all was well! We also saw a naval ship in dry dock.

    Throughout the day, a U.S. Navy patrol aircraft and a naval warship would call boats on the radio by their coordinates (latitude and longitude) if the boats were in an area of water in which the navy was conducting gunnery exercises. They were contacted and told to leave the area.

    The shore in this region is primarily marshy lowland on one side and sandy beach on the other. The first picture below gives an example of one of the many docks stretching at great length from a house over the marshes, and the second shows the necessary height of the docks given the significant tide swings.

    As we entered Sawpit Creek, Doug (“Ripple” – met in TN) who was ahead of us saw us on AIS and alerted us about two areas of shoaling where we should take the red on our right instead of left in order to avoid running aground. Very helpful! Safely docked at Fernandina Beach, we joined Doug and his wife Alison for dinner.

    We were able to meet Dennis’s sister, Barb, and husband, Kevin, as well as two of their friends for lunch on Wed., Ap. 16. We first visited on the boat and then after lunch took a tour of Amelia Island including a walk on the beach. In addition, they kindly drove us to a grocery store for provisions. Thank you!

    Fernandina Beach is the point furthest north on our Florida East Coast tour. Tomorrow we’ll enter Georgia.

  • Crossing Florida

    The second half begins!

    No fooling, but on Tuesday, Ap. 1, we left Safe Cove to begin (technically – because we still hadn’t moved onto the boat) the second half of our Great Loop journey. We were joined first by an alligator in the canal (next to the boat!) then by several of our dear friends in our Florida church fellowship group (on the boat!) for this initial, short part of the trip heading across Charlotte Harbor to Burnt Store Marina (BSM).

    Once again, we had to traverse the very small South Gulf Cove Lock which only requires that you hang onto a small line. Nelson supervised this maneuver.

    We were blessed with a picture-perfect day to cross Charlotte Harbor …

    .. and by far the most amazing number of “synchronized swimming” dolphin shows we’ve ever experienced. Pods appeared periodically on both sides of the boat and would swim alongside for quite some time. We were travelling at eight knots, a speed at which we understand they enjoy travelling, as well.

    They were jumping up and over each other and turning on their sides, all the while keeping the baby furthest from the boat. At one point, one raised its tail taking part in either some sort of antic or sophisticated operation, as it appeared that the two travelling behind it then drafted like a NASCAR racer would or somehow were able to push along the one in front. Note what appears to be a yellow tag on the dolphin in the last photo. This was spotted by our friend Patti and explained by our friend Mike who indicated that it is a satellite-linked tracking tag for research.

    When we arrived at BSM, three other of our cherished group of friends then met us for lunch at the marina restaurant and kindly gave us rides home.

    Because this marina is closer to our home and our Looper friend John (“Patti Anne”) was able to secure a slip for us, we were able to keep the boat here a few nights and more easily repack and ready for continuing the second half of the Loop.

    On Ap. 2, John and Pat (“Patti Anne”) kindly loaned us their SUV to provision then drop at BSM the following morning. This was a huge blessing, as we were able to fit everything into one vehicle plus leave our car at home the morning we were departing. We also didn’t have to trouble anyone else for a ride to the marina.

    That evening, our fellowship group surprised Dennis for his birthday at Carmelo’s Restaurant in Punta Gorda. He was truly surprised and very touched. He received an “official” Looper sign …

    … and an amazing handmade journal (below) signed by all with many “secret” compartments! The portion of chart in the second picture below even shows our home port town!

    Thursday morning, Ap. 3, we had a chance to visit with John and Pat (“Patti Anne”) before casting off lines, heading to the fuel dock, and then leaving the marina. It was a windy day, so it was bumpy until we joined the Intracoastal Waterway where the waves hit the bow instead of the beam. As we were exiting the fairway from BSM, John, Pat, and her sister Peggy appeared next to us and then later surprised us again when we were coming into the Caloosahatchee River before Ft. Myers! They’d gone to Ft. Myers, had lunch, and started back all before we made it there!

    We arrived at the Edison Ford Marina in Ft. Myers by 4:15. Friends Dave and Mike had contacted us about delivering something we “needed” before continuing the trip. The mystery was solved when Dave presented us with his creative replacement for our cardboard channel marker designator (which he’d noticed while riding on the boat Tuesday). He’d fashioned a beautiful wooden version so we’d no longer have to use our previous navigation aid we’d made out of a Cheerios box! Thank you, Dave! And, thank you guys for driving it down to us.

    new
    back of old
    front of old

    On Friday, Ap. 4, after Den washed the salt off the boat, we left the Edison Ford Marina’s tight quarters and passed under the Rt. 75 bridge we so often travel over when we visit Ft. Myers by car. At Franklin Lock, we had to maintain station quite a while, as the gates closed extremely slowly, and we’d hit it right when boats coming from our direction had just moved into the lock ahead of us.

    We entered the Okeechobee Waterway/Caloosahatchee Canal and made it to our planned stop, LaBelle, home of the Swamp Cabbage Festival! However, after viewing the city docks there, we decided to keep moving, as their configuration would have made it extremely difficult for us to get on and off the boat.

    Continuing on, we travelled through what is called, The Ditch, a manmade section of the waterway with irrigation canals extending mostly to the north apparently for use by nearby farms. Many beef cows lined the sides of the waterway.

    After passing through Ortona Lock, we ended up at a spot that was generously referred to as a marina but had perhaps seen better days. The slips were off the main channel in a small canal that was lined with half-sunken and derelict boats. Motoring into the very tight canal was unnerving, especially with the atmosphere of abandonment on the canal sides. Once in our slip, we discovered that our neighbor was a liveaboard who had a Pitbull. On the plus side, our slip had 50 amp power permitting us to have air conditioning on this very warm day.

    The next day, Saturday, Ap. 5, was equally warm and windy. Our next planned stop, Clewiston, also did not pan out, as they had a fishing tournament, so we were unable to get into the marina there. Instead, we ended up at Moore Haven city dock. Nice dock but not much in the area in the way of provisioning, etc.

    Because we stopped earlier than planned, we used the extra time to change the transmission fluid on the left engine, all part of the glamorous life of a Looper!

    While walking to “town,” we talked with some new Loopers, “Koswekan” plus met “Socially Sea Cure” and “Southern Cross” at the dock.

    Early on Sunday, Ap. 6, we left the dock with “Socially Sea Cure” and “Southern Cross” in order to all traverse the nearby Moore Haven Lock together. Once in the lock, we experienced some excitement. The woman aboard “Socially Sea Cure” who hadn’t effectively wrapped the lock’s line around her boat’s bow cleat, was shouting that she couldn’t hold it, and the bow of their boat then swung into “Southern Cross’s” bow on the other side of the lock. The captain holding the line in the stern of “Socially Sea Cure” abandoned his line in order to run to the helm; the woman who had then run to try to hold the stern line that he’d left wasn’t able to hold that line, either. The line then paid out causing the whole boat to swing against “Southern Cross” then start backward toward our boat! The captain was fortunately soon able to power the boat away from both of our boats. We were all anxious to leave the lock but had to use caution, as only one gate opened on this lock (kind of a common phenomenon with the locks in this area). Definitely some tense moments there!

    “Southern Cross” was out in front as we started across Lake Okeechobee, followed by “Socially Sea Cure” and then us. With the strong winds that day, we were rocking and rolling. The wind and current both try their best to push you off course, and there isn’t a lot of room for error given how shallow the lake is.

    Happily, we were able to sail right through the wide open gates of the Port Mayaca Lock without stopping, a new experience for us. Water in the St. Lucie canal must have been at the same level as the lake.

    At Indiantown, we saw the very large and well-protected Indiantown Marina where many large boats are stored in order to weather hurricanes. Such spots are called hurricane holes.

    All the way across the lake, we heard Coast Guard warnings about the security perimeter around Mar-a-Lago. We are entering areas that experience a great deal of boat traffic with large marinas and mooring areas such as the one in the following picture.

    We weren’t able to get a slip near the campground area by the St. Lucie lock so continued on to the Sunset Bay Marina at Stuart which is on Florida’s east coast, where to celebrate a successful crossing of the lake (and Florida!) as well as Dennis’s birthday, we had dinner at the marina’s restaurant, “Sailor’s Return.”

    Tomorrow we will start up the east coast on the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway.

  • Florida Four (Months)

    Safe Cove Boat Storage, Port Charlotte

    “Exodus” exited the water on Mon., Dec. 2.

    Now, for a close-up view of the damaged prop and the need for bottom paint ….

    Those were two jobs we farmed out to the boatyard to complete. But, over the course of the four months in Florida, we were able to take care of multiple other cleaning and repair tasks, such as repainting around the aft cabin windows, repairing the fiberglass on the swim platform, and changing oil and fuel filters on both engines and the generator. With the help of our friend Mike, Dennis also changed the oil in the inflatable motor, a task which included wrangling the motor onto the stand pictured below! Here are some before and after photos. (One of the two new props, the fresh bottom paint, and the swim platform repairs are pictured in the final photo).

    Christmas 2024 (at son Jonathan, daughter-in-law Erika, and family’s home) brought an official “Looper” jacket to Den.

    In January, we had the opportunity to join Pat and John (“Patti Anne”) on their Mako as well as Chuck and Kim (“Til You Can’t”) for a boat ride to Cabbage Key …

    where we had lunch at the restaurant featuring the famous Dollar Bill Bar boasting over $70,000 worth of signed dollar bills on the ceiling. One for “Exodus” is now attached.

    While Chuck and Kim were in the Ft. Myers area, we got together at the Edison and Ford Winter Estates for a tour of the research lab, botanical gardens and museum. Pictured below are hanging staghorn ferns and two examples of the many species of trees experimentally planted by Edison in an attempt to find a domestic, alternate source of rubber – a Banyan and a Mysore.

    While a great deal of clean up had happened in Punta Gorda after Hurricanes Helene and Milton, the city marina and marina at Fisherman’s Village are both closed until further notice. Some boats (a couple pictured below) have still not been removed.

    Looking out at the beautiful Peace River Harbor (below), even through the safety cones and barrier fences, it’s hard to imagine the destructive force it would require to do the damage pictured above.

    It seems like the four months have passed quickly, and we’re already reprovisioning and readying to begin the second half of the trip. At a recent estate sale, we found a couple foldable bikes, and Dennis built stands for them so as to prevent them sliding around in the cockpit.

    Safe Cove put the boat back in the water on Thursday, Mar. 27 …

    … and we will depart for Burnt Store Marina, our first stop, on Tuesday, Ap. 1.