Back in Myrtle Beach

We arrived back in Myrtle Beach a week ago.  This after continuing to have some of the best sailing of our lives.  Even an overnight sail from Cumberland, GA  to Charleston, SC. 

Past posts have talked about the performance changes with the new props and sails.  Another advantage, of the new sails, has been the motion.  Our first year, I equated sailing a catamaran to riding an F-350 truck on a rough road. That is no longer the case.  I know speed has a lot to do with it.  The boat tends to push through the water better and does not wallow on top.  We noticed a substantial change the minute we raised the sails last fall.  I think it is the pressure created in stiff and properly shaped sails.  Either way, we can now do overnight sails without the exhaustion we used to get. 

Now that we have the boat performing at a level we are happy with.  It is time to create the perfect catamaran interior.  This summer, we are completely gutting  whole salon area between the two hulls.  That means, all new nav area, seating, cabinets, refrigeration, A/C, cooking appliances, countertops and flooring.  We'll post pictures of before and after. 

 Hungry Nurse shark at the charter boat dock.  We saw several large sharks on the way up past Georgia.  They were hanging out following the shrimp boats and eating any injured fish.

 Hungry Pelican's do not look as intimidating as the shark.

Dolphins swimming in our bow wave.

Had to move out of the channel to make room for a submarine and its escort vessels near Cumberland Island.

  Sunset on the Indian River near Cocoa Beach.

   

Great Sailing!

We are sitting in St. Augustine today.  Arrived on Tuesday and waiting for the next weather window.  Right now, that looks like Saturday or Sunday.  Need the sea to calm down after the low came up the coast.

We thought we were going to have to ride out another hurricane in Fernandina Beach again.  We felt secure there, during Sandy, and figured we would head there if Tropical Storm Anna continued to develop.  Right now, looks like if it does develop, it will be way offshore.  We'll keep an eye on it.

For 10 days, we moved nearly every day.  Successfully staying ahead of a low that finally caught and passed us.  It dumped a lot of rain in southern Florida, but we kept moving north and have been in brilliant sun everyday except yesterday.  Each day, we would get up and look at the forecast where we were, and further north, and decide that if the wind was right, push on.  Westerly winds, when sailing outside, gave us flat seas. We did have to tack from Lake Worth to St. Lucie.  Yes, we sailed into St. Lucie inlet.  Seventeen feet was the shallowest water we saw and we were only an hour past low tide.  I am sure it can get rough, but no worse than Fort Pierce or St. Augustine Inlets.  Well marked and easy to enter.  After that, we had two days of beam reach sailing with an East wind and flat water of the Indian River.  Some of the best sailing I can remember. 

 Dolphins abound in Boot Key Harbor.  They all show up as the boats start to leave.

 One of the many mega yachts in Fort Lauderdale.  I like the anchor door that closes to hide the ugly hook.

 This is the third time we almost ran over f'ing turtles.  You can tell by the look in her eye, she is not too happy we interrupted.

     Miami skyline from Marine Stadium anchorage.