Georgia Update
18 October 2008 | Brunswick Georgia
After an enjoyable road trip from Halifax, which included a more inland route to avoid the effects of Hannah along the coast and provided hours of breath-taking scenery through the Shenandoah Valley, we arrived in Brunswick Georgia on September 6. The boat was in excellent condition when we arrived, there was no mold, mildew or funny smells after being shut up all summer. We were thrilled, both of us having imagined the worst, quite amazing that the single solar vent over the galley had such a beneficial effect. Our refurbished sails had already arrived and were waiting in the main salon. As soon as we manhandled them out onto the deck, we sat down in earnest to make and prioritize "the list". After six weeks we are still addressing "the list" but we are making progress; as often happens one item multiplies into two or three (or more) new items and our list has not been an exception in that regard. The first couple of weeks seemed to require daily trips to the Marine Store, Home Depot and Walmart as we replaced, repaired and/or added to the essentials of our new home.
We sent the mainsail off to St. Petersburg to have a Stack Pack installed, it has now been received back, rigged last week and Doug is very pleased. We also sent the life raft off to Coaco Florida for inspection and certification but unlike the stack pack, that didn't have a happy ending. The inspection company said the raft would explode rather that blowup if the cord was pulled! So, we are shopping for a new life raft. The inflatable didn't want to stay inflated any more and as we couldn't find any leaks to patch, Doug decided we should try treating it with an interior sealant. Thirty-six hours later it was still leaking air so we thought we were now shopping for a new dinghy as well as a life raft. Deciding to follow the directions through to the end, Doug gave the dinghy a second treatment and that appears to have been successful at least for now, hopefully we can put the new dinghy purchase off until next year.
We've reacquainted with some cruising friends we met in the Florida Keys this spring as well we've made several new friends here at the marina, including some fellow Canadians. Most of the people we've met are preparing to spend the winter in the Florida Keys and/or the Bahamas, almost all have been doing this for the past several years so we are gathering information like little sponges. The group here is quite social and we often gather in the evening to discuss our day's chores, trade tricks and secrets learned about boat stewardship and of course the never ending round of cruising stories, places that are a must see and those to avoid. The barrier islands here are great exploring and we visited historic Jeckyll Island when Jessica and Don Douglas visited with us in late September. It was great to have friends from home here with us and although too short, their stay was a bright spot in the midst of all our boat chores.
For the most part, it has been hot and humid since we arrived. The first couple of weeks it was mid to high 90s with humidity 95% or higher; we had the A/C on non-stop, and could only do chores in the early morning unless of course it included the use of a hose and water everywhere. There was a short lull in temperatures when Jessica and Don were here but the last of September, first 2 weeks of October it was back to hot and humid again. Fortunately, we are now starting to have some cooler days mid 80s and have been able to start the bright work, amazing how much teak is on this boat! Usually Doug does the varnishing but Marlene has been called on to help out; this has helped Doug have more time to fix, repair or replace pumps, hoses, clamps and all those other "blue" jobs (blue = guy job, pink = girl job).
The marina were we are located is excellent; the floating slips are generous in size and dockage includes cable TV and wireless internet at the slip, secured bathhouses and lounges for yachters as well as free laundry facilities. The only draw backs being 1) the pumpout facilities are in dire need of upgrading and 2) the boatyard is overpriced and uncooperative in allowing you to do any work yourself. So, we will be moving to a yard in Titusville Florida for our pre-Bahama haulout, we're on a waiting list for sometime in the first week of November so expect to leave Georgia by the end of this month - but according to Doug, not before the varnishing is complete!
There is a big carnival or fair like weekend happening here in Brunswick, located in the park right next to the marina. Last night was a concert and fireworks, today we attended the Brunswick "Stewbilee"; about 60 cooking teams prepare their version of Brunswick Stew and you wander about taste sampling, each entrant giving you a small sample cup. The stews are voted on by ballot, both by a panel of judges and by the public as you taste your way through the stalls and listen to live Blue Grass music.
All in all we are enjoying our new home and looking forward to setting sail; we'll update in another month or so.