DonB
Don B Joined: October 12th 2009
Logged in: September 1st 2011
Logged in: September 1st 2011
Travel Blog Posts
Desiree, Suzie and Don coming back to the boat in the rain anchored n Miami.
Here are a few pictures taken by Paul while heading north from Miami to Fernandina Beach, Fl. April 2010. Click on full view and click on one of the pics to view.... read more
I have been docked in Hampton since I got back to Salt Ponds. I went to Richmond for a week to build my daughter a deck for her new house. It almost killed me. I think that is the last deck I have in me. It took eight days and 135 trips to Lowes and Home Depot. I could not move for two weeks without pain. I have slipped back into Keys Disease. Very lazy. Good thing is that the less I do the less I spend which means more time for my mini retirement . I went to see some friends in NJ last week so I could not help stopping by Atlantic City since I was so close. I got a room for last Tuesday. They did not have a regular room so I ... read more
Douglas driving the boat on the Elizabeth River in Norfolk, Va
Made it back to Salt Ponds on Sat. I left the marina after two nights. the weather was better but as always lots of wind. I dreaded going through the Cape Fear River because I knew I was going to have opposing wind and current which means rough water but I wanted to make it to Wrightsville Beach and get a day up when my brother got on the boat. I see why they call it Cape Fear. Very rough and choppy. When the tide changed it became a little less rough but pretty big folllowing sea. Made for an uncomfortable ride and lots of big wheel correction to keep it on course. Took about 2 1/2 hours to get through it then hit a shallow channel at Snows cut. A big trawler passed me just ... read more
Wild horses on Cumberland Island, Ga
I have been running 10 or 11 hours a day since Fernandina beach. I bailed out to this marina because of thunderstorms tomorrow. There are only a few good anchorages I could have gotten to today and they are pretty small. I didn't want to be anchored close to other boats in 30 kt winds. I hope to leave early Monday morning and get to Wrightsville Beach, NC before dark. My brother is going to meet me there and run until where ever we are on Sat. This is the first marina I have been in since Fernandina. It was great to take a real shower. I think I was beginning to get a little gamey. I treated myself to a nice meal and few beers at the yacht club. Met a few people and traded ... read more
Paul in Florida
We made it to Fernandina Beach. Paul left this morning and I am sitting at the dock at the city marina. This is the first dock I have been tied to since Datona beach in early Nov. Feels good to be able to walk off the boat into town without starting the dinghy. Had a nice meal last night and a few beers. As always I can't afford it but hard to pass up. So the advice for being in the Gulf Stream is, never be there when there is wind from the NW to the NE. When we took off on Sun the wind was supposed to turn east at about 15 to 20 knots. That was going to be a little rough water but probably not bad of a ride. We get out and ... read more
Dinghy growth
Been on the move again. Left Marathon two weeks ago went to Miami with Desiree and Suzie. Paul came on Fri. Desiree and Suzie left on Sat. Paul and I hung out in South Beach Sat. Sun we went into the ocean and sailed to Lake Worth. Got the crap kicked out of us. Double reefed main and jib rolled in a half and the rail was still in the water. I got sea sick. Got into Lake Worth inlet around five and I was ready to sell the boat. Went through four squalls with 30 knot winds. I found out about elephants on the horizon in the Gulf Stream. They scare the hell out of me. We made nine knots most of the day though. More on that later. The wind has been coming out ... read more
Check out the head sail
Getting ready to move. Hopefully tomorrow or Sat morning. Winds may be a litle too hard for tomorrow, 15 to 25 out of the east. That will mean rough seas and an unprotected anchorage. May need to go inside like I did when iIcame down and go through Biscayne Bay again. I really do not want to run my prop that much because I found out that my cutlass bearing is a little loose. I hope it makes it back to Va. I renewed my unlimited tow with tow US yesterday so all I have to do is give them a call. I have spent about five hours under the boat over the last few days. What a little aquarium that was. I think there were things on the bottom of my dinghy that they have ... read more
Getting ready to move hopefully April 3rd. I finally got everything put back together on the boat. The last bolts came in yesterday for my drivesaver and I put it together last night and took it out for a spin today. Still not perfect but I'm going with it. There are ratttles that were not there before I wrapped the crab pot line around the shaft. After asking a few people in the know, I think it will make it back to Virginia and them I can haul it and do what ever needs to be done. I started cleaning the bottom off also. There must be a foot of crud under there. I took the dinghy and and scaped as much of the sides as I could reach. Next I'll put on the mask and ... read more
Still in Marathon. Haven't written much because nothing new happening. The weather has not been the best all winter but it is still better than what I see up north. I am beginning to get bored sitting here on the mooring ball and I think I have done everything there is to do around the keys that I can afford. A few people have come down over the last few months and it was great seeing them. The only thing is I spend more money when people are around. Everyone always has a good time in Key West and ther is great seafood everywhere in the Keys especially fresh fish which is brought in everyday. I have also not had a boat the whole time I have been here. After I fixed the heat exchanger I ... read more
Desiree, Susie and I took Jessi back to the airport in Ft Lauderdale yesterday and then went to Miami. Fed the parking meter and wnet to the beach. Fed the parking meter and had a little dinner bside the beach. Drove about 10 blocks parked, fed the meter and went to have a drink at a street cafe on Lincoln Street--- except I was drinked out so I got a capachino and a a desert. I'm getting to old to keep up. I really like Miami. Stayed in Islamorada last night. Just got abck to the marina and trying to charge up all the dead batteries. Cannot believe another month has almost gone by. Loaded the boat for the first sail since oct but when I put it in gear the shaft seemed like it was ... read more
