Well here we are anchored in Back River, amidst nothing but
salt marshes everywhere. As far as the eye can see, salt marshes. That has been the scenery this afternoon.
As I mentioned yesterday, we anchored just off the southern
tip of Amelia Island in Nassau Sound Florida.
That part of Florida experiences 5 ft tidal changes, and the current
flowing in and out can reach two knots. It flows so quickly, I could hear it
running under the keel of the boat and watching it swirl behind the stern at
anchor. I was concerned that with a
current that fast, that when the tide changed we would swing and the anchor
would drag. There was a fixed bridge about 300 yards away, a series of docks
off to the side, and shallow water also nearby.
I was so concerned that I set the anchor drag alarm on the lower station
GPS Chart plotter I installed. This was
to wake me when we swung so I could check orientation. Well, at 2:30a.m. It went off. I got up and
checked where we were, and everything seemed ok. Needless to say it was another night of
restless sleep.
Today the adventures continued. After a quick bite to eat we took our tea to
the bridge and set off yet again for Fernandina Beach to top off the fuel
tanks. As I mentioned above, there is absolutely nothing in Georgia for miles
and miles, so I wanted to be sure I had plenty of fuel. We motored into the marina and took on fuel
for the hop into Ga. Fernandina is not as pretty from the water as it is from
land. Several docks with large ships and
barges, and two plants of some type creating a smell that is hard to
describe. I have been to Fernandina once
and it is a quaint town from land. Maybe
on another trip we can stop and explore.
We left Fernandina and entered the St. Mary’s River and into
Ga. We passed a naval facility with
several ships including at least one submarine that was perhaps under repair,
and one inside a shed building. Also the
Coast Guard was out and about there, as well as the harbor patrol. Lots of military/police presence.
We continued onward into St. Andrews sound which also had
its challenges. There were several
shoals we had to dodge but made it across and to Jekyll Island without any
problems. We entered Jekyll creek which connects St. Andrews sound to St. Simons
Sound. Well that was certainly a
challenge getting through there. It was
dead low low tide. Did I mention it was
low tide? A lot of exposed shoreline and
very thin water. We literally had to idle
and pick our way through for several miles.
It was extremely tense at times.
The depth would drop from 6.5 ft. to 5 ft. in a matter of a couple
yards. At times there was 4.5 ft. showing on my gauge. The running gear under the boat is two feet
under the keel, that leaves 2.5 ft. of clearance, and that can disappear in and
instant. There was another trawler
following us, using me as the guinea pig I guess. But, we made it without incident and
continued onward winding through all the salt marshes. We also had a couple brushes with the Coast
Guard. When we first saw them they had
another boat pulled over and had boarded it.
We went by real slow, waved and smiled.
They waved back. Good, we’re
golden. A little farther on, I saw them
speeding toward us from behind. Crap,
they’re after us. Just as they were a
few hundred yards from us, another boat passed us going the other way. The coasties pulled up and switched on their
siren pulling the guy over that had just passed us. So we just continued on our merry way. About twenty minutes later here they come
again, and again another boat passed us going the other way. They again stopped that boat and boarded. Wow we are good! Another twenty minutes goes by and by this
time we are several miles from where we originally saw the coasties, so I'm thinking
they just turned and went back. Not so.
Shortly after here they come again getting closer, closer, they are alongside
and what do they do? Wave and keep on
going. After stopping three boats that
we know of they just cruise on by us.
For a while I was starting to feel like Butch Cassidy being chased but
could never get away. Oh, the
flies. The flies here are terrible. They attack in swarms, in your face, eyes
back legs, you name it. And they bite
you.
Anyway we made it here to Back River at a reasonable time
and getting ready to have dinner.
Statistics for today - 79 miles, 8hrs. 53mins. moving, 22mins. stopped, 9hrs 16mins. total. Tomorrow we are in for a shorter day, only 50 miles planned because beyond that there is nothing for a while, and too far to the next marina or anchorage to cover in a day. As a result the plan is to split it into two days.
Not much in the way of pictures, the scenery is much
different than in Florida. Actually it’s pretty boring. Here is what I got.
Gone.
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