Jeff
Saturday September 2nd 2006, Bock Marine, Beaufort, NC

We weathered Ernesto well here in Beaufort, NC. The storm came through on Friday, Sept. 1, our proposed launch date. Even w/out the storm we would not have been ready to launch. We reinforced the bowsprit were it attaches to the bow near the waterline. Attempting to replace the impeller, I sheared off a screw for the cover and was forced to remove the waterpump to extract the screw and retap the holes. Thanks to Bud for his assistance on this job. We still have to paint the hull below the waterline. Weather permitting we will shoot for launching late next week.

C'est la Vie

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Jeff
Wednesday August 23rd 2006, Bock Marine, Beaufort, NC

The countdown is on. Planning to launch C'est la Vie by Sept. 1, we pulled the cover off her on August 14 and the project list sprouted... repairing the dripless shaft seal, repainting from toe rail to cove strip on starboard side, rebuilding/strengthen the bow pulpit, service the engine, replace the gudgeon bushing, 2 fresh coats of bottom paint, etc., etc. etc. Things are moving along nicely and save for a sheared off screw in the impeller housing and a $125 price tag for a new gudgeon bushing surprises have been few.

In image Anne is completing the wet sanding in prep for spraying AwlGrip. Note that brace for pulpit hangs vertical and chainplate at bow is missing. I'll take a picture of the improved chainplate when it is installed.

We plan to play around the Beaufort area until late Sept. Barring any storms, I will sail south with a crew of two beginning Sept. 23. Anne is traveling and working the Annapolis Boat Show with NautiGear (check out NautiGear.net). We will meet up in FL.

What about the Puffer? She still sits in the yard waiting to be launched. I need to place her in the water to figure out where the waterline is located. Then I can bottom paint her.

Always a project...

C'est la Vie

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Jeff
Thursday May 18th 2006, Beaufort, NC

During the drive Anne & I will play catch up on all our phone messages. Seems difficult to believe we have already spent a month away. Make us realize how easy it would be to set sail for a year... years?

It is nice to be back among friends here in Beaufort. Anne already has three job offers. We have scheduled the high speed internet to be connected at the basecamp. But... so much to get done before students arrive here in the OBX.

C'est la Vie

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Jeff
Thursday May 18th 2006, Beaufort, NC

While Anne and I catch up with e-mail, reserve a rental car for the return trip to FL, schedule a haul out for the boat, and catch up with all the good folks we know down east, First mate Carlie stands watch. We plan to sail out to Shackleford Banks around lunch were we dive under the boat scrub a bit on the hull and mark where we want the slings placed for haul out. C'est la Vie will be hauled tomorrow morning and Anne and I will head back to the Everglades via car tomorrow afternoon or Saturday morning.

C'est la Vie

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Jeff
Thursday May 18th 2006, Beaufort, NC

We learned the true identity of our lunch while showing our pictures to Dennis & Robin Chadwick. Fortunately I bled and filleted the fish immediately after the picture was taken. We (Anne) grilled the fish in foil with onions, then ate it on a bagel w/ wasbi mayo & tomatoes. No complaints here. We gave the other fillet to our neighbors, two guys delivering a steel hull sailboat from Panama to Maine, and they enjoyed the fish. They also told us it was a bonito. Reguadless it was a fun fight and a tasty lunch. Thanks for all the replies. It is fun to know that others are sharing along in our adventure. Please keep the comments & replies coming!

C'est la Vie

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Jeff
Wednesday May 17th 2006, Beaufort, NC

This was to be dinner last night, but sleep got the better of us. Lunch anyone?

C'est la Vie

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Jeff
Wednesday May 17th 2006, Beaufort, NC

After waiting out a few stormy days in Southport and then Wrightsville Beach, we made a final long day, 77 nautical miles in the Atlantic, and arrived in Beaufort, NC last night. The final day of our journey started pre dawn to make the tides in Masonboro Inlet and ended surfing large waves in the Beaufort inlet at sunset. Midday was punctuated by catching a King Mackerel, the largest catch of the trip. During the afternoon a large pod of dolphins celebrated our journey by playing off the bow for 30 minutes.

Our first stop after putting C'est la Vie to bed for the evening. the Beaufort Wine Bar. Our next stop. vee berth.

Currently we are anchored just off the public dinghy dock in Taylor Creek. Over the next few days we will haul the boat, catch up with friends, and start back down to FL via rental car. I'll shoot some pics of the haul out and post at lease one more blog update before professional responsibilities draw us away from C'est la Vie until mid June.

C'est la Vie

Comments [1]

Jeff
Sunday May 14th 2006, NC ICW

Downwind in under genoa in 20 knots of wind

C'est la Vie

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Jeff
Sunday May 14th 2006, Myrtle Beach Grandstrand... ICW

Long days on the tiller go better with good music!

C'est la Vie

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Jeff
Sunday May 14th 2006, Southport, NC

We found a great little anchorage just outside Southport, NC. Judging by the number of transient boat, this place is certainly not our little secret. It is very shallow at low tide! The Lovett's came down to visit and we set out a low tide only to find that we were resting in 3ft of water. Fortunately the bottom was soft muck and with the assistance of the engine we powered thru the goop to the deep water. Sailing east towards the Southport Yacht basin was leisurely, but round the point and enter the Cape Fear and the world changes quickly. With Bud at the helm surged downwind against an ebbing tide fighting to keep the sails wing on wing. Knowledgeably making the mistake of starting out on a downwind leg, we turned around after a short time. Fortunately the ebbing tide assisted in our battle against the 20 knot winds. in addition the motor offered a bit of assistance to boot.

Can I provide a condensed version of our trip from Beaufort, SC to Southport, NC? Should I? Or will that become just another long winded description of traveling the globe at 5 knots?
I hit a few highlights and low lights. and add a few logistical details for future reference.

We have not had much luck making big leaps on the outside. A lack of favorable winds and afternoon thunderstorms have kept us largely confined to the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW). The run from Beaufort to North Edisto River is mostly wild areas of meandering tidal streams and black needle rush. We found a super anchorage in Privateer Creek, just inside North Edisto inlet. To enter the creek you must pass over a sand bar that is high and dry at low tide. 12 feet in the creek, but no escape from the creek at low tide. The tides worked out perfectly for us the anchor in the evening and head out to the ocean with the early a.m. slack tide. We planned to jump from N. Edisto River to Winyah Bay or Cape Fear, but the winds were not friendly. Anne tacked around for the morning then we called it quits and caught the ingoing tide to Charleston.

This allowed us to study the sharp contrast between the beauty of Waccamaw River cypress swamps with the grand strands over-development. High winds allowed us to motor sail 65NM on the ICW in one 12 hour day. C'est la Vie hit 9 knots, over the bottom, running downwind pushed by strong winds, motor, and a raging tide! It must be said that Anne spent most of the day at the helm.

C'est la Vie

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