Ramblings From The Helm

Ditch Watch:

• Humbless Abodes: some were like fairy tale castle, others were tree houses, and a few look like they were designed to home the cartel.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Day Dolphins/ NIGHT SHARKS: We were mermaids! I swooned over our playful finned friends that teased and pleased us along sections of the ICW. However, come dusk, the ICW would bring another breed - the ever feared razor tooth night shark! It was most terrifying when the dreaded fin would emerge meters away from our easily digestible wood dinghy.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Time to Reflect: Calm mornings on the ditch

 Do you see the moose?

Osda Unsel: Our arch nemesis. This black and white 30 footer with dream catcher painted on the bow has been frog hopping us ever since December in Oriental. They couldn't help but blast past us time and time again along the ICW (always accompanied with a game of gestures). More times then not we would end up catching up with the Osda at the next hot spot anchorage - whether on a town dock, or an isolated mangrove. We just couldn't shake the Osda. Since the Beast liked to take her time, our mornings began as soon as a dim hue washed along the horizon defining sky and water. Meanwhile, Osda was tucked safely into the sheets of their bed until midday when they once again over took us with ease.

Charleston: well equipped with a stunning waterfront, lively energy and lots of cafes and pubs to dip into. The city was a pleasure and highlight. The downtown area was populated with students attending the local college. We camouflaged well with the crowd - minus the missing Greek letters on our shirts. We had the pleasure of running into a small herd of frat boys perusing around the grocery store with a shopping cart of cheap beer and disposable cups. It was like a scene from a movie when they high fived as they racked up a hefty bill at the cash register. I personally would have preferred a chest pump.

Once in Charleston all was swell, but getting to the land was another story. It was an epic battle against a massive flooding tide if you dared to leave anytime other then slack (we had a few close calls). Through selective ignorance we docked our dinghy at the marina that had a 500 foot cruiser dock blocking any access to land. They called it the MEGADOCK and well, it was. After a few days, paranoia set in and we decided to do the right thing and use the free town 'dock'. After a 20 minute maze through the marina and mega docks we saw what was a few planks of wood. It was pretty shady, only accessible at high tide and fashioned a rotting derelict dinghy - which I can only imagine was abandoned by the previous owners for the effort and precise timing required to get free. We ended up portaging Luna at least 100feet to get her to float again.

Here is a great view of the rather obnoxious MEGA dock. 

If you follow the red dotted line you can relive the paddle

that was required to get to land. 

While meandering around town we decided to check out the museum which was famed for being 'The First in all of America!!' In a dim lit musty building it was as if we were attending a grade 9 science fair project hay day. There were life sized Buffalo next to Egyptian sphinxes next to stuffed birds in glass cages. This all lead up to the famous 8ft fall polar bear of South Carolina! We were both confused at it's relevance as it stood towering over us on it's two hind legs,jaws wide and claws sharp (Please refer to the right photograph). After the polar bear we were introduced to the arms and weapons section. The real highlight was the kids section where you could learn about brutal pirates like Blackbeard (who would light his beard of fire for increased scare factor) and play interactive games including dress up.

Sorry to report that the camera battery died the last day when I was hoping to snap a few. For a city that is complimented on its architecture, historical downtown and water front park it was unfortunate timing. This single tree is the view we had while eating our lunch (pesto pasta leftovers) in the college park. This is the only photo I managed to capture before the camera opted for hibernation. To give a little life to my ramblings I have borrowed the other photos from the internet.

Goodbye Charleston.

Over and Out,
Em&N

Introducing:

Capt. Banana Paints - on tiller duty as we cruise a steady 6 knots

Deck Swabin' Scurvy Kid - Learning how to heel over with grace

Wrightsville Beach: It was a full day of sailing but we arrived at our destination just as the sun touch down. It was only when morning came that we became aware of the wealth that surrounded us. It seemed that each mansion displayed an even more elaborate manicured lawn, luxury cars parked out front and 500 horse powered motor jet cruising boat (including tidal monster wake) out back. We were convinced there must have been an organized running event because of the mass quantities of joggers. These dry fit exercising enthusiasts were a stampede of deer – they would bound all around us as we struggled to find the path of least resistance. However, the marathon never ended and from mornings first light to last the runners where running.

THERE HUNGER FOR BURNING CARBS!!!!

HO *hiccup* HO *hiccup* HO: This travelling saloon of drunk Santa's could be heard far and wide crushing beers while slurring 'We wish you a Merry Christmas'. Not quite like home, but a close enough substitute.

After Christmas we were greeted by a wicked storm that descended upon the anchorage. It was sure a bucking bronco but the Beast road it out well. All of us sailing folk where up on deck keeping an eye out for the Quebecker that was motor fighting the storm as his boat blew ever closer towards the bridge!  

Here is some footage of the GALE FORCE WINDS!

Paddlelss the Great: All I heard was 'Throw something!!!'. Well with my good arm and quick aim I was almost able to toss the dock line in the general direction of Nick. Before I knew it the tide had taken him away. I guess it comes as no surprise that I was the grass picking kid who played outfield that dreaded summer of T-ball.  

Over and out,

Em&N
Lat: 34.2085, Long: -77.7964 (VIEW MAP)

"A Ship is always safe in the Harbour, 

but that is not what ships were built for".

Good Ol' Friendly Washington: We knew it was time to leave Washington when the local River Road traffic started laying on their horns and waving. We were becoming a local attraction. A small peddling parade of sorts...and it was time to stop. Store owners and random strangers were presenting their business cards to the point where my wallet became so plump it would no longer fold. White ones! Blues ones! Bold text! Glossy finish! We have seen it all - but the one thing they all the had in common was: 'call me if you need a ride'. Obviously every card was received with genuine gratefulness but the reality was McCotter's was way out of town and we could not possible call someone for a ride without inconveniencing them terribly, plus the bike rides kept us sane.

The Produce Guy: That is what we called him. A few years younger then us, he must have been living in the Pig. He would be stocking produce no matter what time or day we came. You would hear: 'Hey Guys!' as our Piggly Wiggly friendship flourished more each time we passed under the giant laughing swine head. The bike ride was more times then not a fight against a head wind. Huffing and puffing, rosy and red, sticky, stained and sweaty are all accurate descriptions of our appearance. The frozen food section was the quick fix solution which also led to harmless flirting with the ice creams: fancy seeing you here mint chocolate, oh you would heavenly hash, maybe in another life time Haagen Dazs.


It only started to get awkward when the salvation army bell ringer arrived. The staff member would be fashioning a Santa hat and armed with a bell - putting Quasimodo to shame (if you were lucky some enthusiastic employees would sport a great red cape with white fluffy trim). Our frequent departures from the Pig became an organized effort with assigned tasks to maximize efficiency. Nick would take charge of the bike lock, while I became the frantic food packer. Foot traffic was low around the Pig so the bell ringer would promptly strike up with one foot out of the door and would not stop until we had far fled the scene. Not to speak out against holiday donations, but the Piggly Wiggly was no place for our charity.


The Great Escape: a tad less climatic then anticipated. Our new and shiny exhaust part arrived and Nick set the piece in place - the puzzle was complete! We did our rounds saying farewell to our McCotter friends before the big launch. We decided our first cruise would be to the free dock in downtown Washington. The small trip was to take an hour of motor sailing because the winds were quiet. Anyways, this all irrelevant because we never made it to downtown Washington. In truth, we barely made it out of the bay before raising the white flag and returning to the dreaded slip with our heads in our hands. I knew something was up when Nick emerged from the depths of the cabin telling me not to worry but there seemed to be a bit of a leak. A leak? What kind of leak? What I saw below deck could be compared to a ride you would find at water world. It was an elaborate display that would make any child long for their bathing suit and water wings!! The propeller shaft was severely hemmoraging- and the salty seas where filling up the bilge like a bathtub. Long story short, there was a quick fix solution. Dan the Man came aboard and tweaked the propeller shaft. To prevent leaking we now have to motor at a low throttle - a motivation for us to us the winds whenever possible!

'The Sailing Capitol': Our first day of real sailing was to the town of Oriental. A nautical themed retirement community dedicated to sailors. Old men stroll up and down the water front to share their sailing tales and comment on a boat or two. While still posted in Washington Nick found a windy weather system coming through, so we mounted the GPS and prepared to ride her out. The winds were high, the water a little choppy, but when the sails were raised the Beast took hold and flew! We had a great steady course averaging about 5 knots from sunrise to sunset. Nick had the pleasure of introducing me to the sensation of heeling over. A few times I was forced to alert the captain with screams and curse words as I am still warming up to the feeling of living life on a 45 degree angle. When the sun started setting we decided to anchor in a bay for the evening. We arrived in the small town of Oriental early the next day and were pleased to meet many friendly folk who linger for conversation at the local coffee shop - The Bean.

The Power of Pressure While waiting for the exhaust to come, Nick and I began experimenting with the pressure cooker to pass the time. I will inform you that this machine continues to stun me at its ability to create all kinds of treats. So far: fresh corn bread, canned salsa and chocolate walnut crunch cake have successfully come out of this magical metal pot! More to be explored, but below are some hard photo evidence of a few pressure cooker possibilities.

Putt Putt Beaufort, Putt Putt: the motor diaries. We had to motor for a large chunk of the day because this section of the inter-coastal water way is more or less a narrow windless ditch. We probably could have swam to Beaufort faster but that was not the point. We decided to do a mini detour which was going great until we got to the 13 foot bridge when we needed 40 ft mast clearance. We were introduced to the bridge master on the radio and were excited to hear the bridge would open just for us! We waited around for a bit when it went quiet. The highway traffic had come to a halt and out from the silence a wailing siren filled the bay accompanied by red flashing lights. During this elaborate disruption, our mule of a motor slowly putted it's way through the bridge as we made the Friday night commuters late for dinner. On the other side a calm waterfront anchorage with cheerful Christmas lights awaited us.

Tomorrow we plan on getting some serious miles under our belts and get to Wrightsville beach...offshore!
Over and Out

Em&N

Shackled to the Slip

Since our last meeting much has changed. The most obvious and important: getting physical with the salty seas!

• Pro: Our beast of a boat floats!
• Con: Held captive in the baby pool.

Don't get us wrong, the heat vents and water wings have been fun, but we can't help but gaze towards the diving board in the deep end! First things first: you gotta learn to float before you swim, and there are still a few hurdles to clear before the sails can be raised.
The Cracked Pipe: When we first took the Beast out for a cruise about we noticed some appetizing diesel exhaust filling up our cabin below. The conclusion- crack in the exhaust pipe. We have contacted the original manufacturer and are on stand by for the new part, until then, we are shackled to the slip.

The Mighty Sea Beast: Not to be fooled- behind these 4 easy words, and 5 simple syllables, hides an alphabetic marathon of letters (17 to be exact)! We dedicated more time then we would like to admit measuring, making, marking, sketching, and then finally taping the lettering off for the paint job. The tape job itself was allotted the same amount of time as everything else put together, and then some. Nick took on the role as the taper boy. He lagged behind taping off swooping curves, awkward angles and worst of all...flared tips-on every edge! In the end, my over elaborate design resulted in Nick taping off my poor interpretation of the Sistine Chapel. That is why I am sure you can understand how quickly my ego deflated once Randy noticed the missing T in MIGHY!! At least the 3 thick coats of black paint were still waiting to be applied- phew!
 




For the past few day's Nick has taken the electrical bull by the wires. He has learned the ins and out of the fuse box (which from afar resembles an enraged wire monster), and even installed a power outlet. While Nick was taming the electrical bull I tackled the netting up on deck. Equipped with 200 ft of rope I somehow managed to secure the fish nets. Not only emphasizing her sexy curves, the netting also acts as a second line of defense against human projectiles.

West Marine: We have become semi regulars at the store in town. It is a tad bit more affordable compared to the Marina so we bike to save a buck. I guess the manager Bob had a kick at watching us time and time again bike to his store, grab a few items, whip out our visa's, and turn back to the Marina. Bob: a middle aged, overly friendly, slightly offensive, boat geek. His pockets are littered with terrible jokes that he is not shy to share. However, last week Bob decided to do the unthinkable... He let us purchase anything in the store at cost! Before we knew it, we were cracking jokes and giving high fives to Bob!! He sure saved us a buck or two and still does!!


Today we worked on installing some Velcro screen into the hatches. The breeze is very pleasant, but not when it brings a small fleet of fly's with it. The old Harper Magazine baton works wonders, but it was time to fix the root of the problem.



Over and out,
Em&N


Lat: 35.489153, Long: -76.958585 (VIEW MAP)
KM Traveled: 0

Taming the Beast (the first week)

In short:
The life of many lists.
Lists of things to do.
Once you cross one off
There are two more new to do...


Life has been busy busy indeed. However, we are getting a good handle on things and we are starting to feel more comfortable with the basics of the boat. Our biggest accomplishment to date - how to get water from our sink to the outside instead of under our floor boards...Yes we may have slept on top of Friday's spaghetti dinner dish waste.


We have met many sailing characters here at the McCotters Marina. They are all friendly and enjoy unloading advice to us 'youngins' - especially Ron; who somehow manages to tie you to a short leash and won't let you stray an inch until he tells you everything in exhausting detail. Our first conversation was about 2 hours and all I asked was how old his dog George was. Just today Nick skipped away to the Marina washroom and disappeared for over an hour...no mystery that he was cornered by Ron.


Folding Bicycles: We had an enjoyable ride to town on the bicycles for some odds and ends yesterday. The weather was great and the ride was smooth - one flat road for 10km. It was about a 45min bike ride to town and the half way point was marked by the Piggly Wiggly grocery store. They had a demonic head resembling Porky the Pig mounted on their roof; which at first glance would make any human shutter in fear at this odd Halloween prop. We were later troubled to learn that this was the Piggly Wiggly mascot and his smile lurks in every corner of the store.


Tonight we learned our boat is completely water proof as it is raining cats and dogs outside but we are as warm as can be. It usually gets pretty chilly during the nights, so we purchased a space heater that plugs into an external extension cord. It makes it cozy warm in the steel boat. I fear the day when I will have to part from my new found friend.


We made an aggressively large pot of pressure cooked chili that will hopefully feed us for 3-4 days. We are working off a beat up alcohol stove. We purchased a newer looking alcohol oven/stove combo from a used Marine shop but it has been causing a few head aches. We tried fooling around with this, replacing that, turning that knob, which snap that one off... we are ready to go at it with a bat and put it in the grave. 


The peeping neighbour: Jasmine. A friendly kitten that belongs to a neighboring boat. You show this cat a little affection and it velcros itself to you. It is not uncommon to hear this feline scurrying around the deck while periodically pressing its face into windows. We have let her in the boat a few times, but she seems to hide in the engine compartment. 


Tomorrow: we sand the propeller and paint the boat name. After that, she will be as good as gold to go in the blue!


Over and out,
Em&N
Lat: 35.489153, Long: -76.958585 (VIEW MAP)
KM Traveled: 0