Friday, October 28th, we departed from Wrightsville Beach at 10:15 AM, motor-sailing with the genoa on and off at times, transiting the Cape Fear River (or as we refer to it on s/v Grace, the "Daisy Patch") at decent speed with the favorable current, anchoring in Pipeline Canal, Southport, at 2:30 PM. At low tide the entrance to this anchorage has only 5’depth.

On Saturday shortly before 8:30 AM we hauled anchor. At 2:00 PM we pulled into a slip at Myrtle Beach Yacht Club, South Carolina. After getting laundry done we were able to greet fellow Lake Champlain cruisers on m/v Mighty Fine and s/v Mar-a-Lago, who were a few slips away from us.

Sunday we cast off at 9:30 AM and later stopped for fuel for our first time at Osprey Marina. Riding a favorable current on the Waccamaw River, we anchored at 5:45 PM near Butler Island. During today’s passage we began to see the destruction caused by Hurricane Matthew.

We were underway initially on Monday from 9:15 AM until 10:45 AM, stopping at the courtesy day use dock in Georgetown for some provisions and a first time visit to the adjacent Maritime Museum before casting-off shortly after 12:30 PM and continuing to anchor in the South Santee River at 3:00 PM.

At 9:30 AM Tuesday we were underway, motor-sailing with the genoa on and off, anchoring in Inlet Creek at 3:30 PM.

Shortly before 9:30 AM on Wednesday we raised anchor,passed thru Charleston, and re-anchored at 4:00 PM in the South Edisto River.

Thursday at 9:15 AM we hauled anchor, dropping it temporarily at 1:15 PM for our first time in Factory Creek, Beaufort, where we dinghied to shore for some groceries. Upon returning to Grace, we promptly hauled anchor again and made the 4:00 PM opening of Ladies Island Bridge, dropping the hook again at 5:00 PM for our first time in Battery Creek.

Shortly before 9:00 AM on Friday we raised anchor, and were able to motor-sail with the genoa until we crossed Port Royal Sound. Once in Calibogue Sound we were able to enjoy some free passage, turning off the engine and sailing using only the genoa for over an hour, before turning towards Bull Creek, where we were anchored at 1:30 PM.

About 9:15 AM on Saturday we were underway, motor-sailing with the genoa on and off throughout the entire passage. We pulled in to top off fuel and water about mid-day, now in the state of Georgia. At 5:30 PM we were anchored in Walburg Creek, where unfortunately another anchored sailboat had gotten swept ashore and was quite stuck on the beach.

Sunday at 8:15 AM we hauled anchor, motor-sailed with the genoa on and off, and dropped the hook near Lanier Island shortly before 4:00 PM.

At 8:30 AM on Monday we raised anchor, and were able to motor-sail with the genoa on and off, making fantastic time through the day’s passage, despite taking on a deluge of salt water spray over Grace’s bow during the rousing transit of Saint Catherine’s Sound. Shortly before crossing the Florida state border, as we passed Cumberland Island National Seashore, there several wild horses in view in different locations, and our first time seeing some in the water. Finding no room on the free dock at Sister’s Creek, we pushed on and shortly before 5:30 PM we dropped anchor near Blount Island off the Saint Johns River, very pleased with the number of miles travelled that day. The mid-day high tide times and north winds during the recent passages have made a dramatic difference compared to previous southerly voyages.

Tuesday’s short passage from 9:00 AM to 2:15 PM, anchoring near the Guana River, included a stop to top off with more reasonably priced fuel at a first time spot for us. Once anchored, the freezer was defrosted.

On Wednesday we were underway shortly after 7:30 AM with light rain sprinkles on and off. We set the anchor shortly before 5:30 PM north of Sea Breeze Bridge in Daytona Beach.

We raised anchor shortly after 8:30 AM on Thursday. We were able to add the genoa to Grace’s propulsion for more then four hours of the day’s passage, which concluded just south of the Addison Point Bridge in Titusville immediately following their 5:00 PM restricted opening.

Friday about 10:00 AM we hauled anchor, and dropped it again at 3:00 PM south of the Melbourne Bridge.

Underway on Saturday shortly before 10:00 AM, we dropped the hook at 2:15 PM at Pine Island.

Shortly after 9:30 AM on Sunday we got underway and within an hour and a half we had pulled in for fuel, picked up packages, and were secured to a mooring ball at Vero Beach Municipal Marina. During our time there we rented a car, took the alternator to be serviced, replaced the heat exchanger, changed the engine oil and flushed the coolant, plus filled all available stowage spaces on Grace after multiple shopping trips.

We returned the rental car, did laundry, and after the final package arrived in the mail we pulled up to the service dock before departing at 1:00 PM on Thursday, November 17th, and anchored at 2:30 PM outside of Faber Cove, south of the Fort Pierce inlet.

Friday shortly after 9:00 AM we hauled anchor, motor-sailing with the genoa for most of the day’s passage. Shortly before 1:00 PM we anchored in Peck Lake, promptly heading ashore for an afternoon beach walk, finding a bountiful harvest of sea beans, and a Bahamian green sea buoy that had washed up on the beach.

At 10:00 AM on Saturday we were underway. Shortly after 2:30 PM we were anchored in North Lake Worth. Kevin rebuilt the coolant pump, for the third time including the rebuild summer, finding a broken spring inside the seal which was new upon the previous rebuild. After addressing that leak, another one from the water heater was discovered;a seriously corroded fitting broke off when he tried to remove a coolant hose to address the visible leak. (Captains note… West marine brand all aluminum water heater installed 2 years ago JUNK.) We will be without a hot water heater until we can determine who makes a better product.

We will be here for a few more days until there is a weather window to cross the Gulf Stream to the Abacos in the Bahamas. During our time in the Bahamas, we will post updates to the blog whenever we have access to internet service, which could be intermittent as we cruise through the more remote islands. As always, we will look forward to reading your comments as we have opportunities to read them!

During these passages we have gotten to see the first three rays of the voyage, plus turtles, dolphins, manatee, jellyfish, one snake, one alligator, ducks, eagles and many other feathered friends.

Above: bountiful harvest of sea beans from our beach walk at Peck Lake.