Sea Ghost Sails South

Vessel Name: Sea Ghost
Vessel Make/Model: 1982 Hunter 33
Hailing Port: Hingham, MA
11 December 2018
04 December 2018
03 December 2018
28 November 2018
16 November 2018
10 November 2018
07 November 2018
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Recent Blog Posts
11 December 2018

IC 12_11

IC 12_11 - Boca Raton

04 December 2018

IC 12_03

IC 12/03 Cocoa –

03 December 2018

IC 12_01

IC 12/01 – It’s been a while since I was able to post progress. I am in Cocoa Florida at Cocoa Village Marina. Great place with good facilities (showers, laundry, shopping and restaurants).

28 November 2018

IC 11_28

IC 11_28 In Saint Augustine with a better internet connection. Hope will be able to update later. All is well.

16 November 2018

IC 11_16

IC 11/16 - Holed up in Hilton Head at the Windmill Marina home of the South Carolina Yacht Club. Very interesting marina, they have a lock system to let in one boat at a time. The marina is always at a constant level with no current or tidal effects. I'm told only one of three on the east coast. We were [...]

10 November 2018

IC 11_10

IC 11/10 - Loved Charleston SC. We are docked two blocks from the historic district with shopping, restaurants and activities nearby.updated

IC 12_11

11 December 2018
IC 12_11 - Boca Raton
For those of you who are still following....I am in Boca Raton (docked). I will update the last week as soon as I get settled. Probably Wednesday 12/12. Also I can now add more pictures (needed good internet).

IC 12_03

04 December 2018
IC 12/03 Cocoa –
A great trip down only 48 nautical miles but a bridge that closes from 3:30 to 5:00. Early start and my GPS said we would arrive at 3:28 to the bridge. Fortunately (as planned ha ha ha) we got a helping current and arrived at the bridge at 2:30. One hour later we were docked at the Cocoa Village Marina. A great place with all types of amenities - showers, laundry and walking distance to the village shops and restaurants. The temperature finally hit 80 degrees.
Staying 4 nights was going to be a luxury. Problem is….not an inexpensive place to dock. Many events were planned here starting with a pizza party Friday night. On Saturday Bob and Sis stopped by on their way to Boca. The town put on a craft fair just for Sis. Bob said he should have kept driving. The fair was amazing and covered several blocks and two main streets. Had a great lunch and Sis shopped all the tents that were there. Exhausted and all shopped out they continued on their way to Boca.
Saturday night it was time to watch some football and most of us gathered at a sports bar called Time Out. I needed Georgia to stay within 13 points of Alabama, they proved themselves worthy losing by only 7 points. Unfortunately the total score needed to exceed 63.5, Final Alabama 35 – Georgia 28, a total of 63, chalk up a loss for me.
Sunday another busy day. There is a small theatre in the village and they put on various plays through the year. We had signed up as a group to see “A Christmas Story”. It was choreographed into a musical and the payers were awesome with some great singing voices. All the key scenes were included from the classroom essay to having your tongue stuck to the flag pole. The Santa Claus in the department store was hilarious. All ending with the Red Ryder BB gun, “You will shoot your eye out”, dog stealing the turkey to the Chinese restaurant ending. After the play a local microbrewery had us over after hours for a pulled pork and brisket meal. Great beer and fun time.
Monday, seems like we have been here forever. Third day in a row starting with a nice hot shower, what luxury. Had to get back to getting the boat ready for the next leg of the trip. Fill up fuel and water tanks, get groceries and do laundry. There were other tasks to be done, some on my boat and some on others. I helped Wally (our leader) with new batteries and gave another group member a quick lesson on how to use a digital multi-meter. The Sea Ghost needed to have refrigerator coils insulated. With the warmer air and humidity increasing condensation was forming and dripping under the sink. Surprising how much water the air holds and now it was in the cabinet. Pain in the neck job in a tight space. All tasks accomplished (check on condensation tomorrow) it was time to go out for dinner. Marie had gone on a tour of Kennedy Space Center and was tired. She was not going anywhere. I joined the crew from SeaQuel (Stan & Kathy) and we went to a raw bar for some oysters and wings. Early night with storms approaching, hopefully they would be gone in the morning. On to Vero Beach.

IC 12_01

03 December 2018
IC 12/01 – It’s been a while since I was able to post progress. I am in Cocoa Florida at Cocoa Village Marina. Great place with good facilities (showers, laundry, shopping and restaurants).
Since my last post here is what I can remember:
IC 11/17 – Walburg Creek -
The trip to Walburg Creek was done outside. We left the Intra Costal and went off shore as the conditions were perfect. Slight wind off shore and almost flat seas. The course I planned was closer to shore than all the rest of the rally members. They thought the water may have been too shallow in some places. With only a 4 foot draft on the Sea Ghost there was no problem. I was first to the anchorage and thought I might be in the wrong place. Then one by one the rest arrived. My boat is the second slowest of the group and this was my only time to watch the rest arrive after me. I just sat and watched from my cockpit.
IC 11/18 - Jekyll Island –
Yesterday I was the first to arrive, today I’m almost the last to leave. This was a long distance but we had helping current most of the way. Not enough slips at the marina so we had to raft up at the dock. Tonight we had a group happy hour with enough appetizers for a meal. Finished the night off with a roaring fire in a fire pit.
IC 11/20 - Cumberland Island –
Getting to this island was a short hop. We arrived early and anchored out. Finally got a chance to use the dinghy. The launch system that I found on the internet worked perfectly. Got the outboard and gas on board and crossed my fingers that the motor would start. Three pulls and it started and ran great. Planned to tow it for a few days but the weather didn’t look promising so we loaded it back on the boat. This island has wild horses, armadillos and some very interesting history. National Park there so we decided to explore. Long and short trails, by camp sites, ruins and a great beach. The trail we took was over 4 miles long across the island through dunes and over wooden walkways. Made it back just before dark. Very short ride tomorrow o Saint Mary’s (two hours). Time to celebrate Thanksgiving.
IC 11/21 – Saint Mary’s –
Made it over from Cumberland Island (two hour trip) anchored in Saint Mary’s river and went ashore. Nice quaint village with Navy base nearby. Wednesday night they had steamed oysters. All you could eat, however you had to shuck your own. The next morning helped set up tables and chairs for Thanksgiving dinner. Received a panic call from the boat that we were swinging wildly and close to other boats. Apparently with increasing wind and opposing river current all the boats were dancing every which way. I decided to pull the anchor and find another spot. My new spot was even worse. Not close to boats but scary swinging. Anchor was stuck under the keel with a very strong current. Starting the engine may have wrapped the line around the prop. Had to call Sea Tow. A little over an hour wait with others trying to help was frustrating. Sea Tow arrived moved my boat so I could recover the anchor and we looked for another spot. Too shallow in some areas, too deep in others and too much current other places. Finally found a great spot 40 yards from my original place, dropped anchor and all was well. Thanksgiving dinner was all over with nothing left. A boat from our rally dropped off a small dish with a little turkey and side dish for us. Exhausting day, but a memorable Thanksgiving.
IC 11/24 – Fernandina Beach –
Another short ride (two hours) and we tied to an anchor ball. So much easier than dropping and setting an anchor. What a great place shop, restaurants and sights close to us. They had a bus that took you around the island for $1. Did grocery shopping and visited the beach. Fernandina is on Amelia Island, it’s the northernmost city on Florida’s Atlantic Coast. Found a great bar down an alley with awesome food cooked to order and some good beer (unusual for some of these places). The anchorage area was very quiet with no wind and little current. Wind picked up and current shifted, the mooring ball started hitting the hull, sounded like we were inside a drum. What a way to wake up at 2 o’clock in the morning. The following night less wind so knocking was gentler.
IC 11/26 – Little Sisters Creek –
Had thunderstorms race through in the morning so a few of us waited for them to pass. Other boats were on their way and said the lightning was close, thunder loud and had torrential rain with limited visibility. It was only a four hour trip and as we arrived to raft up the skies doused us with rain showers. After securing the boat and getting foul weather gear off it was time to call it a night. On to Saint Augustine and civilization tomorrow.
IC 11/27 – Saint Augustine –
Another easy run (six hours) and we were in Saint Augustine. On a mooring ball again. Due to my shallow draft, I was close to the shore with a great view of the fort and the Christmas city lights. This is a place I know a little bit about, those golf trips do come in handy for something. The next day I met Jack McDormand who grew up with Bob for a little lunch and to walk around a bit. That evening had a free dinner supplied by friends of the Sailnet community. Unfortunately had to leave the next day just as Bob and Sis were making their way down the highway to Boca Raton.
IC 11/29 – New Smyrna –
A very long run (fifty nine nautical miles) to an anchorage fighting current some of the way and not getting much help when it changed directions. Needless to say we never made it to the designated anchorage. Found a great spot just adjacent to the Intra Costal Waterway as the sun was setting. Dropped the anchor, set quickly and we were done for the day. Found out the next day we could have been in a very large anchorage in about two tenths of a mile further down the IC. We were not bothered there were no other boats to contend with and it was very quiet with little current and wind. Tomorrow on to Cocoa and a slip.




IC 11_28

28 November 2018
IC 11_28 In Saint Augustine with a better internet connection. Hope will be able to update later. All is well.

IC 11_16

16 November 2018
IC 11/16 - Holed up in Hilton Head at the Windmill Marina home of the South Carolina Yacht Club. Very interesting marina, they have a lock system to let in one boat at a time. The marina is always at a constant level with no current or tidal effects. I'm told only one of three on the east coast. We were welcomed with open arms. If they saw me coming they never would have let me in. This place is spectacular, my pictures don't do it justice. However they said it was okay if I'd swap a burgee from my sailing club. A burgee is a small flag that is specific to your sailing club or marina. I hope someone took my picture trading my Hillsboro Inlet Sailing Club burgee for theirs.
The only problem with this area is there are no places close by. If you have never been to Hilton Head they hide everything behind trees. You could pass a huge shopping center and never know it. This area is known for golf, tennis and boating. All of this is hidden from view. Driving down the road you would think that you are miles from civilization, yet through those trees is a golf course and tennis facility or even a marina.
Tomorrow we are going off shore for a 44nmile run to our next anchorage, Walburg Creek. A few short stops and we will be closing in on Florida, having Thanksgiving in Saint Mary's, GA right on the border. After that it's Saint Augustine and the Florida coast. We are hoping for warmer weather, the cold has continued to follow us south. This morning it was 37 degrees, brrrrrrrrrr.

IC 11_10

10 November 2018
IC 11/10 - Loved Charleston SC. We are docked two blocks from the historic district with shopping, restaurants and activities nearby.updated
Busy here will update later......
Here is the later
IC 11/10 cont. - Loved Charleston SC. We were docked two blocks from the historic district with shopping, restaurants and activities nearby. Spent a day checking out the shopping and restaurants and happy hours looking for inexpensive oysters on the half shell. Best happy hour price was $9.95 for a dozen. Had to sit at the bar.....it was tough but I managed. Went back the next day with 20 of my favorite cruisers.
Ann (my sister) showed up Thursday, we had lunch and then visited the Magnolia Plantation. Walked through the gardens, a horticultural maze, gift shop and the house. We had a great time together. Fun to see friends and especially family on this voyage down the coast.
After Charleston we anchored out in a place called Steamboat Landing. The next morning it was 48 degrees, lots of current and very windy. Lots of fun pulling up a 35lb anchor with 33 feet of chain and another 40 feet of anchor line. I got some of the anchor chain up and then had to rest. After that the rest was easy.
Arrived in Beaufort SC around 2:30, again lots of current so we tied up on the fuel dock (very easy and accessible) for the night. There was a Veterans Day Celebration at the waterfront park with free hot dogs and hamburgers for everyone. It was a balmy 58 degrees on Monday when we moved the boat to our assigned slip. Forecast is for a slow warm up to 70 degrees over the next day, then back to the low 60's.
Checking out the restaurants and shops here in Beaufort with the next stop being Hilton Head. If the weather improves a little maybe a round of golf, who knows?
Sea Ghost's Photos - IC 10_24
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