Projects & Provisioning in Brunswick

We wish each of you a happy and healthy Thanksgiving. We will enjoy the feast with other boaters and the staff here at Brunswick Landing. The Marina is furnishing turkeys and ham and everyone will bring a dish.

We took this picture looking west from our boat in our slip. We caught just a glimpse of the sun in a little break in these sassy-looking clouds. The forecast for today and all weekend is sunshine! Yeah.

We've been busy with projects and provisioning:

At the end of the day (right around cocktail time), we like to see what we can check off of our to-do list. We always have some progress to note, but we've been adding unexpected projects to the seemingly never-ending list. Three days in a row and three more projects. First, the sump pump in the shower quit. Then the head would not flush. Last, the fresh water pump quit. The sump pump works again, after Larry took it apart and cleaned it thoroughly. Fortunately, we had a new fresh water pump on board, so we again have fresh water. But fixing our Lavac, vacuum-flush head became a major project. First, the bilge pump was cleaned and new seals added. Then, we replaced the lid and the seals that go on it. But it was still a no-go-and not just for the head, you know. All the sanitation hoses have now been replaced and our system works like new.

While not ever 'glad' to have new projects, we're glad that all of these break downs happened while we are still in a slip and have a pickup to run errands and buy parts and replacements.

We've also been able to complete some projects that we did have on our list: a partial list includes working navigation lights, working cockpit speakers, another spice rack, a better location for boat ladder, and polished stainless. We will replace one of the regulator's for our solar panels when it arrives.

Our dingy was in the water for about three weeks in July while we were adding solar panels; this time was long enough for the rib to be covered with barnacles. New to this experience, we sought advice about the best removal process and received several different remedies. We poured vinegar on the dried barnacles, waited a couple of hours for the vinegar to go to work, then scraped the hull and tubes. This procedure worked great for us and we will not be leaving our dingy in the water again -not here anyway. Barnacles and other growths happen fast in Georgia's coastal waters, mainly in July and August. We had to hire a diver to clean barnacles from our prop and around our through hulls when we went to Charleston; at haul out, we were not surprised to find lots of barnacles on our keel and hull.

While we still have a few small needs, the biggest project now is to finish the installation of our Spectra water maker.

Taking care of a boat and its many systems is an everyday job and stuff needing fixed or replaced is ongoing. But major provisioning is only needed for those extended cruising times away from the easy shopping that we are all used to. We have just provisioned for our second season of cruising.

The pantries, cupboards, bilges, and all other storage areas are full. Our trip to Jacksonville to pick up parts for the head also included stops at Whole Foods, Total Wine & Liquor, Costco, and Sam's. We had a full pickup by the time we left Jacksonville.

We installed a shelf under the top drawer in the v-berth - seven more bottles of wine. Also, under the bottom drawer, seven more bottles fit snugly on the sole plus a small bilge under the sole holds three more. This bilge in front of the drawers holds eighteen.

We have one small bilge in front of the table that holds six bottles and two large bilges like the one on the left under the table. They are three-bottles deep plus open up the sides for several more bottles.

I have a much better handle on both wine and food inventory than I did last year and I like the way I have my pantry and cupboards arranged and labeled.

Our large pantry and cabinet in the galley help me keep foods organized and handy. We also use two cabinets in the salon for food storage. Our 'holding' storage is a huge area under our v-berth. Our mattress is hinged in the middle, so we can get to this storage fairly easily. We also store boxes of wine in the storage under the mattress in front of the chain locker.


We're loving the beautiful fall weather. It's so different from the hot, humid days and many thunderstorms that we had all summer. Boat projects, chores, and dock visiting are a lot more enjoyable in mild weather. Just on our dock of sixteen boats, four Canadian boat owners have recently arrived and are readying their boats to go the Bahamas, or the Dominican Republic, or Cuba. They drive down from their homes, work on their boat as needed, and then take off. Next spring, they sail back to a slip in Brunswick, ready their boat for sitting in a slip for six months, and drive back to their Canadian home. The couple from British Columbia said their drive here was 5,000 miles. The marina allows boaters to leave their vehicles in the marina's large parking areas. We're glad to be able to leave our pickup here when we sail to Florida and then on to the Bahamas.

When will that be? We thought that we would be in Florida by now, specifically in the Keys. We're looking forward to a new place, but until we leave, we're very OK here in Southern Georgia. We're staying busy, the weather is pleasant, and lovely historic Brunswick is across the street, where several good restaurants are always welcoming to boaters.

SPLISH SPLASH '09

Lapidus went back in the water Wednesday morning. The topsides are beautiful, the bottom job looks great, the prop has been adjusted, motor mounts have been replaced on engine, and a transmission kit installed. We had not planned on replacing the transmission kit, but when it was discovered that we had a leak, we decided now was the best time to do it since the boat was already out of the water. So, instead of three weeks, four weeks were needed.

As soon as she was in the water, we moved Lapidus to one of the Boatyard slips. This time, we knew not to pull in with the strong current; instead we chose a slip that allowed us to go in against the current. No Problem.

The rest of the day we moved back on board. We had quite a few clothes and books, plus we had bought several items (some large) at the boat show. We also had food; we didn't eat every meal at restuarants, plus we bought food for the refrigerator and freezer that could now be turned on again. On our sail up from Charleston, the halyard for the mainsail had split as Larry was lowering the sail, so he put up a new halyard and changed the oil while I put our load away. It was a long day, but we were glad to be back in our home and sleeping on our cozy V-berth on our very comfortable thick mattress.

We had talked about cruising down the ICW to Beaufort, SC. Cruiser friends tell us that this is a scenic area of the ICW and has few shoaling areas. Days are getting shorter, so we would probably have to anchor two nights on the way. Rather than travel the ICW in Georgia, which has lots of shoaling areas, we would then go out the Port Royal Sound from Beaufort to Brunswick, which would still be an overnight trip. So that would be three nights to get to Brunswick. Nope, not for us, at least not this time. We chose to go north from the Boatyard back to Charleston where we would stop for fuel and a pump out, then out the channel and south to the St. Simon inlet to Brunswick. So the next morning (Thursday) we left the Boatyard at 8:30, meeting other boats traveling south on the ICW. At the Wapoo Creek Bascule Bridge we made at 9:30 as planned!), we were the only boat traveling north, but three were going south, also traveling the ICW. It's a popular activity this time of year.

Going out with the current in Charleston, sailing on a beam reach, and coming in with the St. Simon/Brunswick current -all added to our great sail. We were in a slip in Brunswick at 11:00 Friday morning. A much faster trip than the ICW. We don’t always do that well with time, but we did this trip. We’re pooped after we sail all night, but a good night’s sleep and we’re fine.

Sunset while Underway, Wednesday, November 5th

Now, we are working through our list of “To Do’s” and To Buy’s”, so we will be well-stocked and supplied as we head south ---and we are ready to do that. Our insurance company requires that we be north of Cumberland Gap, GA from June 1 to November 15. So, we’ll be looking for a good weather window soon.

We loved Charleston. We had a great little place to stay, but the wifi hookup was iffy, so we had no chance to post while we were there.

Guests caught fish and crabs in this creek on the inn's property. We had no place to cook such yummy catches, but we found these swings to be the perfect place for a cocktail and viewing lovely sunsets.

There is so much to see and do in the Charleston area: from the historic downtown to forts to plantations to beaches to well-designed parks, all places where lots of walking improves the outing. Marshes, rivers, creeks, ocean, and thousands of very old live oak trees all add to the natural beauty.

And the food is fabulous, choices of local fresh food and fish with the very best Southern food. Cheddar cheese grits goes with just about everything.

This park was developed around a marsh and has miles of trails.

The entry to Charles Town Landing, the original site for the city of Charleston.

The Roads Back to Charleston

After the great Annapolis Boat Show ended, we decided to take a side trip before we returned to Charleston to our boat. Thanks to an idea from Kenya, we drove across the Maryland state line to visit wineries in Pennsylvania's Dutch Country Region, in scenic York County. We didn’t make it to all thirteen wineries, but we were pleased with the quality and selection of wines that this established wine region offers. The oldest, Naylor Wine Cellers, was established in 1975 (uncorkyork.com).

We would have liked to visit Philly, but the cold front that arrived with wind and rain reminded us how much we don’t like cold weather. A self-guided viewing/driving trip would work. We drove the Civil War Trail through historic Hanover, admiring the unusual and historic homes and churches. In Gettysburg, we joined the other vehicles in the drive-through Memorial Park, learning more about some of the biggest battles and events in our nation’s history.

From Gettysburg, we did head south. We had gone west to Gettysburg, so we drove the Shenandoah Valley interstate though West Virginia and Virginia. Last year, we very much enjoyed driving this highway from Knoxville, TN north to Charlottesville, so we were glad to drive the north half of one of America’s most scenic highways. Shenandoah Valley is bound by the Blue Ridge Mountains on the east and the Appalachians on the west, as well as the Potomac River on the north and the James River on the south. With better weather, we could easily spend several days exploring the trails and caverns as well as visit the small towns and museums. Still, the drive was beautiful, with the rain gently falling on the spectacular fall foliage.

Charleston greeted us with chilly weather, though not nearly as cold as where we had been. In fact, on the day we were back in Charleston, snow was falling in Pennsylvania!

After the cold front, warm seasonal weather returned with 70+ temperatures. Along with monitoring the progress of our boat, we're enjoying the Charleston area.

Lapidus On the Hard

As planned, we were away from the docks by 8:30 for our five plus nautical miles down the ICW to Ross Marine. The cool morning air greeted us as we motored around the tip of the peninsula past the Charleston Yacht Club Marina and the City Marina, then under the suspension brindge.

We missed the 9:00 opening for the Wappo Creek Bascule Bridge. When we called for the opening, the Bridge Tender said we were too far away to make the bridge opening. Well, we were pretty darn close, we thought close enough to make it. A bascule bridge takes a bit to raise, plus bridge tenders do not stop traffic until the exact opening hour, so the opening would not have been at exactly 9:00. But we were the only request for an opening and we weren’t right at the bridge, so she chose not to open the bridge, thus the heavy flow of traffic that crosses over the top of the bridge was not interrupted. Without other options, we motored around for thirty minutes. In this lovely area of the ICW, the channel wide and deep. The tide was still slack so we had no current problem. When we called for the 9:30 opening, the bridge tender requested that we come as close to the bridge as possible and be ready for the opening! Right! We eased up close but still at a safe and comfortable distance; then, with bridge up, we sped under the bridge (sped is such a relative term in sail boat language).

We continued up the Wapoo Creek for a while; then we followed the ICW as it turned into the Stono River. We were now in a hurry; we might lose that valuable slack tide. We radioed Ross Marine for a slip assignment, but the person filling in for the weekend told us to take any empty slip, not a good idea. As we pulled into the closest slip, we realized how strong the current now was that we were motoring into.With the boat cross-ways in the slip, Larry stayed at the wheel while the dock guy, the captain of the sailboat close by and I quickly moved the dock lines and were able to pull the boat stern-in into the next slip. What an ordeal! But we were now safely secured in a slip and the haul-out was not scheduled for a few days.

We had the rest of the day plus the next to drive a rental car to Brunswick to get our pickup. In addition to the road trip to Brunswick and back to Charleston, we would be driving to and from Annapolis and probably a side trip. Of course, after we take the boat back to Brunswick, we’ll be driving a rental up to Charleston to retrieve the pickup. We plan to leave the pickup in Brunswick for the winter while we are in Florida and the Bahamas.

Back at Ross Marine, we met with owners and the general manger to go over what will be done. Projects will include a bottom job, new zincs, the max-prop adjusted, and sanding and painting the bad spots on the topsides. This damage happened while we were tied to a dock in Mayport, Florida during a bad storm with 50+ knots of wind. The dock (which was on old, worn-out fuel dock) rubbed the paint off on two places on the topsides. The boat yard needs three weeks to complete these projects.

We packed our bags and readied the boat for haul out. At slack tide, we were told to leave our slip and tie up broadside on a long dock. Then we were to leave the boat and watch as two guys (obviously experts at their job) pulled the boat by hand into the lift. They just kept moving the lines and coaxing our 16 ton boat around the corner of the dock and centered in the slip. We were told the current is just too strong to drive a boat into the lift. We totally understood since we had not been able drive her into a slip.

With Lapidus on the hard and arrangements and schedules agreed upon, we took off for the Annapolis Boat Show, a long way from Charleston, SC! We met up with lots of old friends at the show as well as at functions and parties close to the show. And we made lots of purchases - most of them planned.

We have time for a few side trips on our way back to Charleston.

Lapidus Sails Again

Our overnight sail to Charleston on the outside was immensely satisfying. We've had a full summer, but sailing has been missed. After leaving our slip (we feel like we own it after over four months), we had to return. Our speed was slow even considering the current, so we knew we had a barnacle problem. We were fortunate to quickly locate a diver to clean the barnacles off our prop; we were out again and on our way at 2:15 p.m. The trip was a fast 25 hours; this includes three hours out of the East River and St. Simon's Sound and almost three hours in the Charleston Channel to Charleston Harbor. Our new Alpha Auto Pilot (now known as AA) seems to like us. We have a bit of a learning curve to really allow it to perform to its potential, but it's already so much better than Mr. Otto, who must have been a little worn out; he sure couldn't hold a course for long.

Lapidus was also delighted to be on open water again. With a West/Southwest breeze we danced along briskly on a beam reach. When the wind shifted to the northeast, we were close hauled, but still sailing along nicely. Savannah and Charleston are large shipping and commercial ports, so we weren't surprised to have lots of ships for company, most of them at night. We range out on our radar to check for traffic often. Our AIS provides the position, course, and speed of a ship as well as its name and identification numbers. We know it greatly increases our safety at sea. Plus, when we hail a ship by its name, we almost always receive a response. Using the EBL (Electronic Bearing Line) on our radar, we can determine if we are on a collision course (or uncomfortably close) with these behemoth guys. The two ships we hailed both immediately said that they would alter course. The words of one captain were, "Don't Worry. We will take care of you." The accent came close to convincing us we were in a Russian spy movie, but the ship changed course, and all was well.

The channel into Charleston is long, but very wide and deep. In fact, a pleasure ship also heading into Charleston passed us just as a tug pulling a barge headed out to sea passed - three of us side by side and room to spare. Charleston Harbor is lovely, large and alive with activity. In addition to sail and power boats of all sizes, several tourist boats were cruising, including one large schooner. Many church steeples are viewable above the historic buildings. These steeples are the tallest structures; no skyscrapers in downtown Charleston. We plan to spend more time in Charleston after the Annapolis Boat Show. I think a quick review of the history will make seeing it more remarkable.

This is a stock photo, so it will not enlarge, but it does show a nice view of downtown Charleston from the harbor

We took a slip for the night in the Maritime Center. We were, of course, tired , but we also needed to check the tides for our trip to Ross Marine south of Charleston. The tides are significant and the current is strong. Our route would include a Bascule Bridge opening and we did not want to be going with the current if we had to wait on the Bridge to open (which is almost always).

We checked the tides for both the Bascule Bridge and Ross Marine on the ICW and the Stono River. Though they are less than four miles apart, the tide at the boatyard is an hour and a half later! That should work out OK, but we would need to be out of our slip at high tide to catch slack tide for the bridge - that meant leaving by 8:30 a.m. We took a shower, had dinner on board, and were in bed just after dark.

Sharing Cool Travel Spots

In late August, I was in Oklahoma; Larry took needed time away from boat projects to drive to Oklahoma to see mom and family and to pick me up. We picked a couple of places to stop and treat ourselves to two mini vacations on the way back to Brunswick.

First was Ernest Tubbs’ historic record shop in Nashville. In business for over 62 years, the shop specializes in hard-to-find recordings and still hosts a live radio music show from its own stage every Saturday night at midnight. A display of old albums had various price tags; those with the album still covered in plastic were marked several hundred dollars.www.etrecordshop.com

Our goal was to listen to live music, so our next stop was a few doors down the street where we had Bar-B-Q and listened to live music. The two guys were great musicians and did a nice job singing traditional country music.

We visited the famous Tootsies and several other fun bars, each one loud with live music. As the day turned into evening, the bars filled up with tourists and the bands cranked up. After exhausting ourselves and our eardrums, we called an end to super-fun day.

One surprising tourist attraction is Nashville’s Parthenon, the only full-scale replica of the original Parthenon in Athens, Greece. Originally built in 1897 for Tennessee’s Centennial Exposition, the Parthenon serves as the city’s art museum and is the centerpiece of a beautifully landscaped urban park. The 42-foot Athena, placed in the center of the Parthenon, is the most striking feature. We really enjoyed the architecture, history and art. The cool morning was also perfect for a walk around the park’s water gardens.

We left the next morning with a course from Nashville to Birmingham, then a slow but beautiful drive across the Northeast Georgia mountains to Helen, Georgia. Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Helen is a recreation of an alpine village. Complete with cobblestone alleys and old-world towers, the village boasts specialty and import shops offering everything from candle making to cuckoo clocks. Our pickup automatically turned into the winery at the edge of the village. Nice wines, great information. We bought a few bottles and were soon in our room at Unicoi State Park and Lodge. Set on a pristine lake in the midst of 1063 acres of woodland, the lodge, built in 1972, stands in the heart of the park. After a short hike on one of the trails, we had dinner in the lodge where we enjoyed fresh trout caught in the streams on the lodge grounds.

The next morning we were ready to see more of this beautiful area, so we hiked up to Anna Ruby Falls, a scenic recreational area that boasts twin water falls. Two thundering rush of water flowing over the rugged cliff face is created by two creeks that are fed by underground springs, rain, and snow.

A few hours later, we were famished when we sat down for lunch at the Old Bavarian Restaurant in downtown Helen. The marinated Reuben sandwiches and a German beer were satisfying and delicious. Plus the accordion player/singer, whose hometown was Munich, Germany was entertaining.

We can make the Oklahoma trip in two days, but adding our mini-vacations along the way makes the trip much more enjoyable and just added two extra fun-filled days.

Where Did the Summer Go?

Long time, no blog. Since returning from California in July, I have spent much of the remaining summer back in Oklahoma. Mom is experiencing a serious health problem, but she's taking the necessary steps to beat it and those of us who know her well have no doubt that she will. Mom lives on by brother and sister-in-law's horse ranch, so their being close-by is great for all of us.

The pelicans have stopped by on their way south. So they're thinking it's fall.

Here in Brunswick (yes, we're still here) the air has suddenly cooled today and it is actually feeling fallish. Some boat projects have taken longer than planned, plus, not surprisingly, we have had some unexpected projects. The generator required lots of attention. A stuck valve required investigation and then replacement of both valve push rods. Larry also replaced the exhaust gasket and the impeller. He then made an internal RPM adjustment. To have better access to the generator, he cut a whole in the fiberglass in the engine room! Another unexpected project was a new Balmar regulator, now installed and working. A new admiral panel (cockpit gauges) and lines have been installed. All tests are A-OK for these new projects. Our solar panels and controller, our wind generator, and our Link 2000 battery monitor are doing what they are supposed to, and with the generator adjustment, we should be pretty darn self-sufficient once the Spectra water maker is installed (Big job, Larry has removed the old one ). Larry plans to install it in late October. We’re also adding a storage shelf in the aft cabin. We had to relocate the fan and we've added stainless steel bars which will be the base for a shelf. Placed sbove the mattress cushions, the shelf creates much needed space without compromising the sleeping area for guests.

So, a fairly productive summer, considering... We are retired, you know, so no eight-hour project days for us! This area has experienced rain and thunderstorms above normal all spring and summer. Not only does this weather pattern become tiresome, it also slows down boat projects and presents very few favorable weather windows, which is one of the several reasons we didn’t get away from here to sail north to Annapolis. During one major lightning storm, seven boats sustained damage from lightning strikes, though we were thankfully not one of them. None of the owners were on board, so the marina had to notify them. Not the kind of news you want to hear from your marina. Thus far, we’ve had no hurricane, or even tropical storm threats.

Like other places, boaters here consider social times important. Some evenings we meet other boaters on the docks for a sundowner. We have boater friends here that we knew from the Bahamas, plus we’ve met many other nice boaters with whom to share tales and talk about future plans. We’re on Dock 1, so we meet a few of the transient boaters. We were outside earlier today talking to a couple with a two-year-old daughter. They’ve sailed here from Europe and are on their way to Deltaville, Virginia to spend the winter at a do-it-yourself yard. In less than an hour, we found out both negative and positive information about places in the Caribbean, specifically, negative about Trinidad and positive about the St. Lucia, the French Islands, and the ABC’s. We were able to give them a little info too, so we all benefitted. By the way, you might recall Deltaville is where we took our boat last summer and we finally left to head south on December 5 – with frost on our glass enclosure.

We're watching the weather now and getting everything put back in place on our boat. We are planning to be underway to Charleston by the end of the week, where we'll have the boat hauled for a bottom job plus more. It's about 150 miles, so we'll do an over-nighter. While the boat is out of the water, we'll spend a few days in Annapolis at the Boat Show. Hope we see you there.