PHOTO ABOVE: THE 'SHRIMP' OF FERNANDINA BEACH. Chicago had 'bulls', Sturgeon Bay, WI had, what else - sturgeon, Athens, GA has BULLDOGS, and Catskill, NY has cats.

Yes, I know it has been awhile since the last update.

We have been plodding north on the ICW and I have been too lazy to log on to the Sailblog website to post any updates. As it appears we'll stay here over the weekend, while we wait for the Atlantic weather to sort out, I endeavor to update the blog and add new pictures. We are headed 122 nm via the Atlantic up to Beaufort, SC for a few days before we make for Southport, NC and Morehead City, NC.

Fernandina Beach is one town we heard a lot about from fellow cruisers. There was universal agreement that it was a great little town to explore and stay at before heading north or south. We sailed by it on our way down to West Palm Beach in February, so catching on the way back north was on our agenda.

We made a quick tour last night and stopped at a great Spanish and Portuguese restaurant called Espana for dinner. Very good and a great wine recommendation as well, Volver (2008) and Spanish red, made from 100% Tempranillo grapes sourced from 50+-year-old vines and aged for 14 months. It is outstanding and drinks much bigger than the price.

Cruising Notes: The section of the ICW from St. Augustine (more about that in the next day or so) to Fernandina is quite technical and requires constant intense attention by the helmsman. There are very significant tidal and river currents that are nearly impossible to predict for any segment. One minute you are pushing against 1.5 knot current, the next minute you have 1 knot on your stern.

There are also several shoaling areas that the prudent mariner will monitor. If one follows the cruising guide, pays attention to real time updates on Cruiser's Net, and stay in the channel, few serious problems are likely to occur. Yesterday we did bump (not hard, but enough to pull the bow of the boat 20-30 degrees to the port) right in the middle of a channel where the depth was reading 12-13' one second and then 5' (our draft) the next second.

We are done with the ICW until we get north to Beaufort, NC / Morehead City, NC where we'll enter again and take the ICW up to the Norfolk and then Chesapeake Bay.

Look for updates (post dated) from our stops in Palm Coast, Daytona, St. Augustine, and Jacksonville Beach over the next day or so.