A great messy feast at "The Outback Crab Shack".

Getting a bite, (Outback Crab Shack)

Don't come one step closer!

March 2nd, 2003 (Admirals Log)
We took the dog and had a driving day today, up the coast to Fernandino Beach.  We had lunch overlooking the ocean and then drove back to St. Augustine a different way.  We stocked up on a few groceries we needed and then went and had dinner at this place called the “Outback Crab Shack”
and it was outback.  They had Seafood Platter, ½ or whole, boiled or fried.  We order a ½ between us.  OH MY!  It comes on a serving tray with corn, red  potatoes, onions, mushrooms, broccoli, clams, sausage, crawfish, huge shrimp and on top of it all a huge snow crab claw cluster.  The platter is stacked about 8 inches high.  It was all we could do to finish it. Picture to follow

March 3rd, 2003 (Admirals Log)
We took the car to the library, but the wait was too long.  Colin took the car back while I stayed and waited to use the internet.  When Colin took the car back the manager asked him if he was pleased with the service.  When he told him about the wait and us having to walk, he gave us half off.

March 4th, 2003 (Admirals Log)
It was an ugly day again, rainy and cold.  Colin put on the new prop and then did an oil change.  I did some much needed cleaning and around 4:30 we pulled into the Marina to fill up with water before heading to another anchorage just around the corner.  It was much calmer, and we had a beautiful view of the light house.

Famous lighthouse in St. Augustine.

Naval Ship being repaired on the St. Johns River.

March 5th, 2003 (Admirals Log)
We left early and headed towards Jacksonville.  We had to cross the St. John’s river which has a really strong current.  As usual I got all worked up, and it was not a big deal at all.  We passed a naval repair yard and we also saw a submarine.  The anchorage where we ended up looked like we were driving into a grass field.  We have encountered the Wee Beasts, lovingly referred to in our boating guide as “JAWS” or “ALL JAWS”.  Referred to that way because anything that can bite that hard and is that little must all jaws!  Colin put up a really nice clothesline for me today, now you don’t get strangled when you walk out the back door.  Not bad it only took him 6 months.

Submarine at a military installation.

March 6th, 2003 (Admirals Log)
Our next destination was Jekyll Island, play ground and private club of the rich in the late 1800 and the early 1900.  Names like J.P. Morgan, Goodyear, Rockefeller, and more, 109 in total at its highest membership built their winter cottages on this island.  There is also a huge Jekyll Island Club house, a four storey building with turrets and 4 floors, which is now a beautiful hotel.  These cottages  had all the amenities of the time including tennis courts, pools and full servants quarters.  Oddly enough the island was sold to the State of Georgia for $625,000.00 due to 6 years of unpaid taxes.  Most of the buildings have been restored to their former spender.  (editor: she meant splendor but maybe spender fits better)  Most housing museums, book stores and craft shops.  All the private homes on the island are on leased land.  Total development on the island other than buildings that were there can not exceed 39% of the island and is now at around 38%, so much of it will remained as unspoiled natural lands.
We anchored just off the island for the night.

Jekyll Island Club....Soaked to the skin.

Neat I could live in this tree!

March 7th, 2003 (Admirals Log)
We put the dingy down first thing to go to shore and breakfast at the Jekyll Island Club.  We were underway for about 1 minute and it started to pour.  By the time we reached the Jekyll Island Wharf, we were both soaked to the skin.  We sat down to breakfast and watched as it continued to pour.  We finished our breakfast and walked around all the dry places we could find and it was still drizzling.  Oh well put on the rain ponchos and head out.  We found an IGA and got some milk and then went back to the boat.  By then the sun had come out.  We had put two anchors down the night before and it took forever to get them up.  When we did they were covered in gray glop!   We moved the boat over to the wharf and filled with diesel and water.  We got such a good deal on the fuel we decided we could swing a night at the dock with our savings.

March 8th, 2003 (Admirals Log)
We took the trolley around to see all the cottages, darn near froze to death but it was interesting.  After we got back to the boat we had a hot lunch, cleaned up and left for an anchorage just off St. Simon’s Island.

March 9th, 2003 (Admirals Log)
We were not going to leave but it was pouring and miserable so we decided   to put some more miles behind us.  We stopped early in a tiny place called Crescent River, a tiny Shrimping village.  There was one other boat in there and there was not a lot of room.  At one point we looked out and figured we could just about step off our boat onto the dock behind us.  It was not windy though so we were fine for the night.

Miles and miles and miles of grass and water.

Some people just don't have this tide thing figured out.

Being chased by a cruise ship through the grass.

March 10th, 2003 (Admirals Log)
The sun was bright and warm as we started the day .  We put in quite a few hours driving today and stopped in Turner Creek for the night, again not a lot of room, but it was calm.

March 11th, 2003 (Admirals Log)
Turner Creek didn't have a lot to offer except a nice big Publix Grocery store right on the water.  This was good as were out of almost everything.  After we got everything loaded on board from our shopping trip we pulled anchor and headed out.  In this particular area we are dealing with 7 and 8 foot tidal ranges, so if you can run with the tide instead of against you can gain a few miles an hour.  We stopped for the day across the bay from Hilton Head Island.

Osprey with a few requests.

March 12th, 2003 (Admirals Log)
Another sunny morning so off we went.  We recognized a few places from the water on Hilton Head Island that we had been to by car, on a vacation a few years back.  We ended our day at the Municipal dock Beaufort South Carolina.  The dock is free but you can not stay there overnight.  We walked around the downtown and went to the library.  On the way back we walked along the water front where, somehow, I managed to loose my glasses in the process of
switching to my sunglasses.  We retraced our steps about 3 times but we could not turn them up.  Thank goodness I have my old ones on board so I’m not totally blind.  At least now I have a good excuse for spelling mistakes.
When we got back to the boat we went and anchored out in the bay .

March 13th, 2003 (Admirals Log)
Well it’s time for some more pouring rain.  Again we decided to travel instead of sit here in the miserable weather.  We did a reasonably long run today and anchored in a little bay where the dolphins were playing.

March 14th & 15th (Admirals Log)
These two days were spent in transit of some very portions of the ICW.  The places we anchored looked like farmers fields with just tall marsh grasses for protection from the wind.  Not too exciting.

Sun tanning spa, Barefoot Landing.

March 16th, 2003  (Admirals Log)
We pulled into Barefoot landing in South Carolina.  This is a 500 foot long dock provided for boaters, free of charge for a maximum of 3 days.  There is a large outlet mall and other shops, restaurants, theaters and a wildlife park with crocodiles.  There is a large lake in the center that is crossed by 4 walkways, (well protected from the crocodiles, which can get to you!)  The first night we went out for dinner and took a quick look around the shops.

March 17th, 2003  (Admirals Log)
We took some time to figure out the bus system and then headed to one of the malls.  Not too impressed.  A mall is a mall.  By the time we got back it was time to make dinner and it was raining.

March 18th, 2003  (Admirals Log)
Today we got up early and had breakfast out at the “House of Blues” one of the restaurants on the property as well as a huge venue for concerts and live performance of Blues type music.  We got on the bus and headed for the Sam’s Club. (Just like Price Club   only  run by Walmart) Colin decided we should get a membership as they are coming to Canada soon.  We walked through the store and both picked up some things we wanted to get and some food items in bulk that were a good deal.  We then went up to the desk to obtain our membership card.  When all the paperwork was completed
the lady gave us a slip for a free cake from the bakery.  We were running close on time for our bus, so Colin went outside and I went to get the cake.  Now keep in mind the rolling cooler bags were FULL!  I arrive at the Bakery to find out the cake is a 4 LB.  iced birthday cake in a big domed box.  I have already decided that there is no way we can take this thing with us as we are planning to take to the bus part way back and stop for dinner, then go the rest of the way back to the boat by bus.  Mr. Werner arrives on the scene and there is no way he is leaving that cake behind.  If he has to tuck it inside his jacket, it’s coming with us.  We did catch our bus and we did go to dinner (a few strange looks!)  And from there took the bus back to the boat with cake in tow.  It actually made it with only a few injuries to the icing and it was a little lopsided.  It was a very good cake by the way.

So tacky it's cute tour boat.

May 19th, 2003  (Admirals Log)
It poured rain all day so we stayed in and did some work to the boat.  I think we are both coming down with a cold. We ate cake

Can you say downpour!

March 20th, 2003  (Admirals Log)
We left our dock this morning and carried on again. We did not go too far but it was good to be underway again. We ate cake

March 21st, 2003  (Admirals Log)
When we woke up there was quite a dense fog but it did not look so bad that we could not make some progress.  The “Nora D” a boat that we have been traveling with on and off was behind us and  we were making slow progress.  They eventually passed us but then ended up tying off to a piling in the river because they just could not see anymore.  We kept going and eventually it did get better, but our progress today was slow at best. We ate cake

March 22nd, 2003  (Admirals Log)
Our morning started out quite normal......and then......we get a radio call.  “Maid of Steel, Maid of Steel, this is the United States Coast Guard” Oh god what did we do!  They asked if we had ever been boarded by the Coast Guard.  We said no.  3 of them boarded our boat while Colin was still driving, asked first off if we had any firearms on board, no!  Then they came inside and asked to see stuff like fire extinguishers and safety equipment.  We received a nice yellow paper giving us a “Flying Colors” pass and they gave me 6 more gray hairs.  Actually they were very nice, only these things never happen when the boat is all cleaned up. She means bed not made!  We ate cake

Neat Pink and Blue house.

Pasture along the route.

Training grounds, Camp La Jaune.

March 23,rd, 2003  (Admirals Log)
We made good time today and did quite a long stretch.  We passed through a US Army Training Firing Range.  Apparently when it is in use they have flashing lights on the waterway saying you can   not proceed any further.  It was going to be closed at 3:30 that day and we were there before that so we were good to go.   We anchored just off a little town called Swansboro North Carolina. We ate cake

Definitely a problem here.

March 24th, 2003 (Admirals Log)
We left Swansboro early this morning and made our way to the small town of Oriental.   There was a free dock here where we were allowed to stay for 48 hours.  No water of hydro, but tied to tara firma sometimes feels good.  We took the dog for a walk and then found the grocery store to stock up on milk and salad stuff.  We had dinner in a little lounge overlooking the water.

March 25th, 2003 (Admirals Log)
We decided to leave Oriental due to the fact that we had some open water to cross and the wind and weather conditions were favorable.  We pulled into Bellhaven after a good days travel.  Everyone told us that this was the place for a great Buffet.  Not to be missed and hailed by all the guide books as the place to eat in town.  We anchored, went to the library and then headed the 8 blocks to the other end of town, on foot, for dinner.  NOT!  They had not opened for the season yet and were not serving dinner, much less a buffet.  That was disappointing.

March 26th, 2003 (Admirals Log)
We took the dingy back into town and refreshed our two propane tanks.  We came back hoisted the anchor and started underway.  We traveled a lot of canal sections today and I did a lot of driving while Colin worked on some more of the trim work.  We anchored for the night in the Alligator River, out of sight of any civilization.  There were however about one hundred jet fighter planes that flew over,....... must be near an air force base. We had no cake
 

March 27th, 2003 (Admirals Log)
It was a miserable day to go where we had to get to today.  The water was quite rough, and we had to cross a fairly large open stretch.  It took most of the day.  When we got to where we were going to stay, a marina for a change, it was not yet open for the season.  We carried on another 2 ½ hours and arrived at a place called Pungo Ferry just at dusk.  There really were no great anchorages there but we did, after some poking around, manage to find a spot.

March 28th, 2003 (Admirals Log)
The next morning we noticed that the diesel price was really reasonable at the Marina at Pungo Ferry.  We pulled in to fuel up and get some water.  I was trying to get the last of the laundry done.  I went outside to talk to the people who where also tied up there and when I went back in there was a strange smell coming from my washing machine and it was making a weird noise, but not doing anything else.  Something was fried!  Great, now what?  We did the rest of the days travel and arrived at the free docks at Great Bridge.  Colin had to fax some stuff back to Ontario.  We found a very friendly Real Estate office who sent it for us free of charge.  After that we found a great Mexican Restaurant that served a huge meal for two for only $11.00.  Very good food and good service. When we walked around we saw that there was a boat we had seen on and off tied up on the other side of the bridge.  It was much nicer where they were, like a park complete with picnic tables and benches overlooking the water.

March 29th, 2003 (Admirals Log)
This morning we decided to move to the other side of the bridge since it was so much nicer there.  The weather was beautiful so we put on our shorts and packed up the laundry and walked downtown to the Laundromat.  After taking all of that back to the boat, we left again and got a load of groceries. When we got back, there was a sailboat tied up in front of us that had been anchored in the same bay with us in Florida, in the Little Shark River in February.
I’m afraid that this town is just not very pedestrian friendly.  If you have to walk across the swing bridge, you kind of have to stick your nose our first to make sure there are no big trucks coming, and then carefully step onto the 2 foot sidewalk that runs directly beside the on coming traffic.  Every time I crossed it I was grateful for my life!

March 30, 2003 (Admirals Log)
It is absolutely lousy this morning.  Nasty cold rain, wind and cold temperatures.  You need you winter coat today.  We had a really good brunch at the Restaurant across the water.  When we got back Colin headed out to the Library to see what he could find out about parts for the washing machine.

March 31st, 2003  (Admirals Log)
It was still kind of dreary outside so we decided to spend yet another day at Great Bridge or (Not so Great Bridge) The people from the sailboat came over for tea and we did some research on the maps.  They boat in the area we are going to next on the Chesapeake, so they shared some local knowledge. After that we decided to all go for dinner at the Mexican Restaurant.  When we came back they invited us on board for a yummy dessert of fresh strawberries and dip.  It was kind of neat as I have never been on a sailboat before.