Windy and Windier

Windy and Windier   ...   Friday 19^th April 2013

On our way to dinner last night, we walked past a couple of bus stops outside the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC).  In keeping with a decent sized city, there were people waiting for the bus.  Mostly, though, I noticed the number of cars and the thickening traffic.  I found myself thinking about walking in the US.  The reality of life in the US is that almost no one walks anywhere.  Except for the dispossessed or disenfranchised. 

The people who you see walking in the US seem to fall into a couple of categories.  There are the homeless people, usually carrying some belongings.  Another group are the crazy people—drunks, bag ladies, people talking to themselves.  These later maybe a sub-group of the former, it’s hard to be sure.  Then there are the dirt-poor who walk because they can’t afford other transport.  As a boater, you find yourself washed up on the sidewalks with this crowd.  It’s an unusual perspective for us and sometimes uncomfortable.  Michael seems to draw the mentally disturbed to his side.  Once they engage him in conversation, we are lost.  His British good manners make it difficult for him to just walk away.  Having lived (ever so briefly) in Manhattan, I have a decent line in “keep away” stares and don’t often get targeted by the mentally unstable. 

Having just thrown most of the people walking on American’s streets under the metaphorical bus, I find myself wondering how people look at boaters walking around coastal towns and cities.  We are certainly pretty disheveled, wearing ratty clothes and water shoes.  Perhaps we are just seen as another sub-group of crazies.  Maybe that’s not so far from the truth.

The day started off windy and has gone windier with each passing hour.  Charleston anchorage (in the Ashley River) has large currents.  Usually, the boat either points up the river (north) or down (south) depending on the current.  Today, the wind has played a larger part.  This afternoon we were pointed into the wind—sideways to the current.  It hasn’t been an easy day to be aboard.  The harbor was so stirred up by the wind that we elected not to go to shore in the afternoon.  We hope that the Rocna anchor lives up to it’s reputation and holds us in place.  Now we are hearing the rumblings of thunder.  As I write this, I am sitting right next to the lightning rod.  Oh joy.

Gloria

Red onion - abstract ... one of the ingredients in the chicken mole we made this evening ... and very delicious it was

Passage and Politics

Passage and Politics   …   Wednesday 17 - Thursday 18 April 2013

The passage from St Simons, GA to Charleston, SC went just fine. We pulled up anchor at 9.15am on Wednesday and covered the 150 nautical miles in just over 25 hours. Everything went pretty much to plan except that the winds stayed more to the NE for much longer than we had expected and were quite light so we ended up motor sailing the whole way. The seas were a little bumpy with a 3-4 ft short period swell from the east, but I used a Scopolamine patch and felt fine the whole trip. Gloria took some meclazine and other than feeling sleepy also felt well. We seemed to manage the night watches a little better, switching over every two hours or so, with the back up person sleeping either down below or in the cockpit. We had prepared sandwiches for lunch, ate freeze dried chicken and rice for dinner and then peanut butter on toast for breakfast. Sunset was a bit of a bust, but the sunrise this morning was awesome. We did see quite a lot of wildlife including dolphins, turtles and loons in significant numbers. During the night we could hear the loons making their characteristic haunting cry. As ever there was some excitement in the hours of darkness avoiding large commercial vessels which in this case were primarily entering or leaving the Savannah River. However, the most excitement came as we were entering Charleston Harbor. We passed and admired a 42 ft Valiant called "Willow" that was leaving the harbor (we took note because these are my favorite yachts). Five minutes later we heard "Willow" making a Pan/Pan/Pan call because they had spotted an overturned vessel in the channel with people clinging to the sides. 'Willow' went to the rescue, picking up the people and calling in help from the Coast Guard, who had a couple of boats on the scene in less than 10 minutes. Thankfully it didn't sound as if anyone was injured. We are now anchored in the Ashley River just across from the City Marina - where you have to pay $5 / day to land your dinghy and you can't use their showers … unless you happen to find one with the door open!

32 46.517 N, 79 57.215 W

Sometimes during this trip we have had a sense of living in a parallel world. The things that we fret about on a daily basis are of little interest to most people (winds, waves, tides, charts etc) and it can feel very distant from the lives we were living and the world that we read about in the news. However, it has given us more time to think about some of the issues that we face and prompted by todays news I want to share some of my thoughts. I was aghast to read that the proposed gun control law went down in flames in the Senate. The fact that every poll indicates that the majority of people in America want more gun control suggests to me that we no longer live in a Democracy. At the most fundamental level I believe that the process of government in this country is broken and our elected officials are failing in their duty to the people they represent. I see two major problems. Firstly, the process of "checks and balances" that was written in to the constitution only works if lawmakers can work together for the good of the nation as a whole. At the minute this isn't happening and politics has become so polarized that government is effectively paralyzed and nothing is getting done. Secondly, leaders across both parties and all branches of government are failing abysmally in their efforts to articulate a long term vision for where the country is going and a plan of how to get there. By it's nature, such a vision is likely to span changes of party majority so if the country is ever to pursue anything other than short term goals then there needs to be a more shared view of what we are trying to achieve. If todays government (all parties) were a leadership team in any private or public company they would be fired for their inability to lead. As a quick aside, can anyone think of an example, other than a war, where the people of America have rallied together across party lines for a common purpose? I did consider the space program and putting a man on the moon, but I suspect that even this was partly driven by "cold war" motivation. In our former jobs we were always encouraged not just to complain about a problem but also to provide some solutions. So my suggestion is that the leadership of the Democratic and Republican parties each articulate succinctly their view of the country they would like to see in 20 years time, and that they then work together to pull out some themes where they agree. My suspicion is that there would be more in common than you might expect and it would be really helpful to have some shared vision to work towards. No doubt there would be some differences, particularly in how to achieve these ambitions, but if you know where you are trying to get to it's easier to imagine some give and take on how to get there. If you take healthcare as an example and the debates that have raged for the past several years (decades) - it might have been helpful to hear whether both parties subscribe to the view that it is a moral imperative for a civilized country to provide reasonable healthcare for all it's citizens. I assume both parties do believe this, but maybe not, and the principle or the goal was totally overshadowed by the arguments on how best to achieve it. Moving on to the specific question of gun control. I understand that the constitution gives citizens the right to bear arms. But as a nation we have already accepted that this doesn't mean any arms. For instance, as private citizens, we are not allowed to build or own nuclear bombs or other weapons of mass destruction. Well actually not quite true - depending on how you define "mass destruction" we are allowed to own such weapons. How many people died in the Colorado and Connecticut shootings? We call them massacres for a reason. So the principle is established that we don't have the right to bear any weapon - we just need to agree where to draw the line. I personally think that automatic weapons could be defined as weapons of "mass destruction" and there is no justification for any private citizen to own one. Regarding the issue of documentation - seems like a no-brainer to me to tighten up on documentation and background checks - so why is it so difficult to get this agreed? Again there's plenty of precedent - I recently had the pleasure of applying for a Florida State fishing license - let me tell you that is quite a process and I'll bet you a lot more detailed than is required to buy a firearm in some places. I was told by a friend that the reason that the NRA fights tooth and nail against every aspect of gun control is that they fear if they give an inch it will only be the thin end of the wedge. So again we need to define where we want to end up and get broad buy in. I'm not generally a big fan of referenda, but it seems to me that it would be very powerful to hear the view of the people on some of the major questions and then have the elected politicians work to meet what the electorate wants not what the lobbyists want. That is democracy - what's happening now is a disgrace.

Mike

Three views of Sunrise off the coast of Georgia - we managed to avoid the squall seen above

One tired sailor - early Thursday morning

Shrimp Boat working near the Charleston Harbor channel

Coast Guard racing to the scene of an overturned boat in Charleston Harbor channel

St. Simons Island again

St. Simons Island again   ...   Tuesday 16^th April 2013

I wonder if those who make many trips on the ICW always stop at the same places.  It seems likely to me.  We went back to Fernandina Beach because we knew it and liked it.  Leaving from there, weren’t we almost fated to end up at St. Simons?

The winds for today were forecast to be from the northeast.  This made us think that a trip outside would be more or less right into the wind.  So we opted for the joys of the ICW.  Setting out in the fog added a certain something to the trip.  Once the fog lifted, the marsh was revealed.  Truly, it is lovely.  We had some entertainment in the shape of Navy Harbor Patrol boats (many, all with guns fore and aft) and Coast Guard Boats (at least three, only one gun each).  Later we heard of a Coast Guard Live Fire Exercise somewhere off shore.  Maybe it’s just as well we stayed in the ditch.  I wouldn’t want to be diverted by that kind of thing again.

I remember trying to explain why the ICW in Georgia was so painful—large tidal ranges, shallow water, currents running in all different directions.  Today was like a slow motion replay.  At one point as we were motoring along, we saw something like 7.2 ft on the depth sounder. We are anchored off St. Simons Island and sweating as the depth sounder winds down like a broken watch.  At springs, there is an eight-foot tidal range here.  Thankfully, it should be neap tides today.  We thought the twelve-foot depth should be enough but . . . Then there was the current.  It was with us at first, then against us.  I think we saw five switches in the course of about forty miles. 

Tomorrow, all being well, we will go outside on a bigger passage to Charlestown, SC.  This ‘should’ take something like 24-30 hours.  In the morning the wind will still be northeast.  By afternoon, we are expecting easterly winds clocking round to the southeast into Thursday.  This signals the approach of yet another cold front.  The front should come through on Friday.  According to the weather guru, Chris Parker, this system will bring northerly winds for about a week.  This is the reason we want to get as far north as possible over the next couple of days.  In preparation, we put the Dumb Dog on the foredeck.  Now we are talking about preparing some sandwiches, getting snacks and foul weather gear to hand.  The biggest questions remain unanswered—how to organize the watches and what to do about the seasickness medications.

Gloria

31 09.834 N, 81 25.107 W

paper mill #1 in the early morning at Fernandina Beach

paper mill # 2 and the container port at Fernandina Port

Early morning fishing in the fog

A Sad Day

A Sad Day   …   Monday 15th April 2013

We had a very busy day - rented a car and headed in to Jacksonville to visit the travel clinic and get some vaccinations (HepA) and anti-malarial prescriptions ready for our visit to South Africa at the end May. When we got back we took the boat into the dock to top up with fuel and water. Consequently we weren't listening to any news and it was only after my brother Martin called that we realized that there had been a bombing at the Boston marathon. It never ceases to amaze me how many sick people there are in this world. It is so hard to imagine why anyone would want to do such a thing.Thinking about this takes me back to a theme that Gloria and I have discussed many times over the years. If you look at mankind as a whole we have developed enormously over the past 2 millennia particularly from a technological point of view. However, we see no evidence - none at all - that humans are any more civilized today than we were 2000 years ago. We like to think that we now live in a more caring or enlightened society - I really don't think so. 

Anyway, on a more upbeat note we plan to start heading north again tomorrow - working our way up through Georgia and South Carolina over the next week or two. We'd like to sail off the coast as much as possible but will no doubt do some sections in the Intra Coastal Waterway when it's more convenient or weather dictates.

Mike

Brown Pelican in Breeding Plumage

Fishing and Farewells

Fishing and Farewells   ...   Sunday 14^th April 2013

After breakfast this morning we took the bikes to shore and cycled to Fort Clinch State Park.  Our objective in the park was the fishing pier.  After so many months without cycling, it seemed a tough trip to the park.  By the time we got to the pier, my legs were hurting.  We found a good spot on the pier and baited the hooks.  Sad to say, there wasn’t much action on the fishing front.  We had spent about two hours fishing when we realized that the cloudy sky was now looking downright ominous—dark and threatening.  We packed up our gear and walked back to the bikes in the rain.  The cycle back to the marina was just as painful.  We returned to the dinghy to collapse the bikes and grab our showering kit.  As soon as we were finished showering, the heavens opened.  We arrived back on Cotinga soaking wet—fresh clothes were required … to replace the clean clothes we had just put on!

We spent the latter part of the afternoon getting ready for dinner.  Our friends Lynn and Lee joined us for a farewell dinner.  They will be getting underway early in the morning headed for Jacksonville.  They will leave the boat in a marina near Jacksonville to tend to aspects of their “land life.” We had a great time travelling with them.  They encouraged us to do so many things, more snorkeling, the big passage. We’ve enjoyed so many meals together talking over politics and boating questions.  It’s been just great.  It’s hard to imagine what the next part of the trip will be like for us.  I think it’s going to feel quite lonely.  Hopefully, they will come to visit us in Sudbury.  Then we can plan our next adventures.

Gloria

Fernandina Beach Waterfront

Schooner anchored off Fernandina Beach

Strange Noises

Strange Noises   … Saturday 13 April 2013

It's now about 8.30 pm, the sun has set and it's pretty much dark. Gloria and I are frantically trying to figure out what is making the irritating clicking sound that we are listening to. We've checked all the obvious things, such as loose halyards or the "Dumb Dog' bumping into the side, but we haven't even been able to pin down where the noise is coming from. If it weren't for the fact that we can both hear it I would simply say I was losing my mind. One possibility that we have experienced before is the noise of shrimp feeding on the vegetation growing on the bottom of the boat. Believe it or not, these little critters can make a lot of noise! Our day didn't start out too well as we had to spend a couple of hours working on our tax returns. Do you think they could make it any more complicated? I mean seriously, I don't object to paying my fair share of taxes - I do object to wasting so much time trying to compile the information. Isn't it about time they got around to doing something useful like reforming the tax code and making it simpler? As you can see it really pisses me off! Anyway the day improved once we posted our application for an extension and had some lunch at the local brew pub. On the way back we got chatting to a very nice lady, Phyllis Fekula, who was doing book signings for her recently published book "The invitation of the Ocean". The book appears to be based on the idea that mermaids are women who have been hurt or who have suffered and take to the ocean to escape into oblivion. This isn't the sort of theme I would normally go for, but Phyllis was such an engaging personality that we decided to buy her book and see what it's like. Later this afternoon I was feeling restless so I walked the 5 mile round trip to the nearest supermarket. I figure it's good to get some exercise after so long sitting on my butt. This evening we are going to have  quiet night and start watching the second series of "The Wire". 

Mike

Busy, windy day

Busy, windy day—12 April 2013

This morning, Mike started to work on planning our trip to Williamsburg, VA.  Mike’s Mom and sister will join us.  It seems silly that we have no maps and have to resort to Google maps to figure out how far it is from Williamsburg to Monticello or other spots of interest.  When you do these things at home it seems a bit easier.

After breakfast we went to shore.  We had to drop into the marina office to pay for a couple more days.  While there we enquired about the location of the nearest branch of our bank.  We wound up taking the two-mile walk to the bank to deposit some checks and get some documents notarized.  We also managed to set up an appointment with a travel clinic in Jacksonville to get the first of our immunizations for travel to South Africa.  We visited the local post office to send our notarized documents back to the UK.

On the walk back from the bank, we diverted into the Pecan Roll Bakery.  It was difficult to resist the temptation to get one of everything.  In addition to a loaf of bread and a chocolate babka (what is that?—a brioche type dough rolled up with chocolate), we purchased some samosas and chicken empanadas.  The staff was kind enough to warm these up for us.  Yummy lunch. 

Returning to the marina, we made use of the shower facilities.  Back on the boat, we spent some time thinking about the next stages of the trip north.  We are trying to figure out what our stops will be and whether we will travel on the inside (ICW) or the outside (more open water passages).  Of course, the factor that we don’t have a handle on at the minute is the weather.

We seem to have a lot of things to care of and plan.  I haven’t even mentioned the taxes.  There will be more fun to be had there.

I’m not at all certain what’s going on with the weather here.  The wind is just howling out of the southwest.  The paper mill is adding its special scent to the wind.  Between the boat bobbing around in the waves and the noisome wafts, it’s easy to feel a little unwell.  

Gloria
30 40.34 N, 81 28.14 W