Northbound... and home!

We left Ft. Pierce early and headed up the Indian River. It was Sunday and Mother's Day so LOTs of boat traffic on the water. Lots of wake all day. Was so happy to hear from the kids and Bill fixed breakfast. Austin called his Mom too! We anchored south of Palm Bay behind some little islands. Water was shallow, but we did fine as very little tide here. Saw ibis flying to perch in the trees, and Osprey feeding young.

Left early next morning continuing to follow the magenta ICW line on the GPS going north. We passed Coco and went into the Titusville Municipal Marina where we had stayed before. It was hot and we had had a lot of love bugs that day so had to scrub the bugs off the deck and clean up. That was the worst part of the trip and fortunately didn't last too long. These are weird little black flies who attach on to each other and appear to just want to attach on to anything. Ughhh.

We were able to spend the next day at the Kennedy Space Center which was great fun and very interesting. We saw the shuttle in it launch pad from a distance. Watched some IMAX movies and explored the exhibits.

At the Space Center.

Had a not so good but expensive lunch...typical. We went back to the boat hot and tired and relaxed and had dinner. Wished there was a pool at that marina! Next morning we saw our first manatee. Austin spotted it in the marina and we watched it swim and feed there.

We went on through the narrow Haulover canal and saw manatees frolicking in the little bay maybe 3 or 4 of them. As we went along the Mosquito Lagoon there were lots of birds and jumping fish. Stopped on a small creek called Rockhouse just near the Ponce de Leon Inlet north of New Smyrna Beach, a lovely quiet spot with strong current and about 6 boats stopped there. We could see the waves breaking on the inlet and fish were jumping in big groups probably being chased by bigger fish, but it was fun to watch and listen to the splashes. we had a good game of Scrabble, one of many we played on this trip. Bill was the champion!

Austin behind the wheel.


Was able to talk to mother's friend Helen as we went past Port Orange. Couldn't stop as tide was too low to get into their marina. We arrived in St. Augustine late and went on a mooring at the marina. Next morning we went to shore and toured the city on a little red train. Austin loved the fort that had seen action between the British and Spanish, and Bill loved the tour of Flagler College an old hotel Flagler had built now the college. Had a fun and delicious dinner that evening at the AIA Brewery with friends Brian and Louise and Louise's mother.

Stowed the dinghy on board but had trouble with the motor harness which has shrunk with all the dunking. The harness will have to be replaced when we get back to South Carolina. It is not safe to use the dinghy motor until we do that...so we will be rowing. We made it past the currents in outlet at St Augustine and followed the ICW north. It was a cloudy day, and we had some good rain storms for most of the afternoon around Jacksonville with thunder and lightening and it became much cooler. We anchored in the Fort George River right by a lovely state park. We planned to visit in the morning. We loaded ourselves into the dinghy to go with Austin wanting to row and the current in the river was so strong that we had to return with difficulty to the boat and not go as we couldn't use the motor. Will save that park and plantation for the next trip. Currents were too strong to row into the dock!

Happy Captain!

Fernandina Beach was our next stop initially for fuel, but the winds were so strong we decided to stay put and possibly head outside into the Atlantic if things settled down. We were at the marina right at the end of main street in Fernandina so it was fun to be able to wander through town and do some shopping and eat at the dock at Brett's. Austin had a great time finding funny things for his brothers in the sovenier shops! Also enjoyed exploring the town with Bill and on his own. We also found the ice cream shop! Yummy!

A couple on another Island Packet (larger and newer than ours) stopped by. We talked to them the next morning and they were hoping to go outside too so we did make plans with them and headed out the next afternoon when the winds were predicted to be less than 15. it was encouraging to have a buddy. We were headed straight for Beaufort/Port Royal on an overnight sail.

Sunset, the last of this trip.


We had a great sail, beautiful sunset with a full moon, until about one AM when the winds increase to about 20 knots and changed direction so they were NW on our nose and seas became much rougher. We had taken down most of the sails and just kept a reefed main sail for stability and bounced along very slowly with waves breaking over the bow. Austin was able to wedge himself in below and slept. I was seasick and poor Bill had to stay at the wheel. Thank goodness for auto pilot! I was better about 3 and then he got to take a nap in the cockpit. We had to stay on the high side as water was splashing in on the low side.

Sunrise heading toward Beaufort and the Port Royal Marina on the last morning.

winds and waves settled and we were able to resume speed with the motor, and the sun came up.
We arrived at Port Royal Marina at 10:30 AM on Wednesday. We had a quiet day with everyone napping specially me and had a lovely Chinese dinner with Mary and Roy our friends on Gideon.

We packed up the boat on Thursday morning got a rental car, and headed back to Atlanta as Austin had a plane to California Friday morning early. We enjoyed having him on Wind Spirit!

It is wonderful to be home with friends and family. Thank you all for your interest and support.

Wind Spirit is signing off until her next adventure begins probably in the fall.

Crossing east to west…

After a wonderful stay at Exuma Land and Sea Park we went north to Norman Cay for one night at anchor and then to Highborne Cay for a second rolly night. Did not snorkel or go ashore just hung out. We both had good books so just read and had dinner. A group of boats we had been with were heading to Nassau and we tagged along and were able to go to the same marina. The trip over was blustery and the seas got bigger as we went north. We went through the Yellow Banks and found ourselves surrounded by huge coral heads. We pulled in the sails and used the motor to twist and dodge around them. Scary time, but Bill did amazingly well and we missed them all miraculously! Was praying all the way through.

It was fun coming into the big harbor at Nassau, and we slipped into the marina beautifully after dodging a flock of little sailboats at the Nassau Yacht Club. They were tumbling over in the wind, flipping them back over and going every which way. We did slow down and they cleared a path for us to get through. Think they were all kids and just having a great time and sailing amazingly well.

The Nassau Harbour Club Marina was just fine and felt secure. Nassau was the only place we had been warned about security. They had a great pool and we did appreciate it as it was a hot day. We went to dinner with a couple from Osprey that we had come in with , and had a great evening. We cleaned and went to the grocery the second day and then in late afternoon after a swim, we went with the group we had been with at the Park over to Atlantis. After spending some time wandering around we had a delicious dinner at Bimini Road. After the day trippers from the huge cruise ships in the harbor have left the aquarium is open as are the grounds and we walked all over. It is a totally amazing place and so different from the smaller resorts and islands. It provides work for over 7000 people in Nassau. The casino is open at any time as are the stores.

And the camera ran out of battery at Atlantis.

We waited for the tide to change to leave and headed to Great Harbor Cay. We wanted a more tranquil anchorage as we had bounce on the surge all the night before so went around to the west side of the cay passing the Stirrup cays which are the Tiki Villages for Norwegian Cruise Lines. Ships anchor off these cays and ferry passengers to the islands for beach fun. The seas were larger than we expected and it was a rough ride. We anchored in tranquil Bullock Harbour just at sundown. We explored the settlement and the harbor and the marina in the dinghy the next day. We were able to get Atlantis on the way out of Nassau.

some drinks, cookies and a phone card as we were out of minutes. The harbor channel entrance was blasted right through rock and the harbor is wonderfully protected inside.

Sunset reflection at Frozen Island.

From Bullock we psyched ourselves up and after listening to the Chris Parker weather we headed out towards Lucaya and Freeport, sailing on past West End and across the Gulf Stream to Ft Pierce. We arrive late afternoon on Wednesday. Coming in the Ft. Pierce Cut was the most excitement we had the entire trip. Big waves and current slowed us down to 2 knots with the engine running hard!

We have been at Harbortown Marina since then and Silver Girl and Iolar were both here so we had a fun reunion exchanging stories of our adventures. Meals at the restaurant here are delicious. Today our nephew Austin arrived from California to travel the rest of the way back to Beaufort and Atlanta with us. He will be going into the Coast Guard in June after his brother’s wedding. We are looking forward to having some time with him before he starts this part of his life . Cooked out at the Marina grill tonight.

Tomorrow we head north with a mid tide to cross the bar at the entrance to the creek. On the way again!

Play Time in the Islands...

Dawn at Emerald Bay Marina.

We spent a couple of days in Emerald Bay Marina which is connected with the Sandals Resort at Emerald Bay. It has the most beautiful amenities and a free laundromat, but it was hot and for the first time we had lots of flies and no-see-ums that were wicked. We used the screens when we were in the marina which helped a lot. Nancy and Bill arrived late Friday and we had a yummy dinner out that evening at the Palappa with no-see-ums for dessert. The next morning we sailed to south anchoring at Stocking Island for some fun exploring the beaches and the little town across the water. Had some higher winds and got absolutely soaked in the dinghy going into George Town. Who else could laugh doing this crazy stuff with us?

Nancy and Bill exploring stromatolytes on the beach at Stocking Island.

We walked the beach at Stocking Island which is the outside part of the huge harbor at George Town (GT) called Elizabeth Harbour. On the east side of the island all along the beach are growing rocks which are some of the oldest in the world, and there is also evidence of the DNA in rocks from the moon which are called Stramatolytes which we all found very interesting. They exist on several islands along the Exuma Sound.

Over- looking the Harbor.

Bill and Marilyn on the beach.

Two Bills and Marilys on the wonderful beach at Stocking Island.

We sailed back to Emerald Bay, and sent Nancy and Bill on their way home off by taxi, and welcomed Marilyn and Bill. Some of y’all may remember that we have done lots of charters with these two couples so are used to being together in small spaces. The trip south to GT was a bit rough but we made it with some discomfort but safely. Winds were not so bad, but seas were bigger. After relaxing we went into GT and visited some shops and sights. It is a small and not too pretty place but has lots of the basics for sailors and a charming Anglican Church. The Straw Market is interesting too watching the ladies plaiting with palm and making baskets not too unlike some of the ones we see in the low country. They also make market baskets and beach bags. A fun part of the trip to GT is going into the Harbor and dinghy docks at Lake Victoria under a little stone bridge though a narrow channel! There is lots of current and it is like an amusement park ride going through! With both couples we had several meals out mostly for lunch, which was lovely and played scrabble with Nancy, and Scrabble and Hearts with Marilyn and Bill in the evenings.


The town was getting ready building booths for the regatta which is the last weekend in April, and hopefully we will be well on our way north by then so we can be in Chicago for nephew Branigan's wedding the end of May.

We had a great if a bit slow sail south around Stocking Island and all the way back to Emerald Bay with Marilyn and Bill after playing a day at Fowl Cay and spending some time at Red Shanks in the south part of the harbor. They headed home on Wednesday, and Christine came down to spend a week with us. We grocery shopped and headed north stopping at Rat Cay to swim, but anchoring at Children’s Bay Cay because of the tidal surge rolling us around at Rat Cay. Christine found a beautiful King Helmet shell on the beach there . We saw one in a store at Staniel Cay for 40 and another for 50 dollars!!


Children’s Bay Cay used to be owned by Jessica Tandy and her husband ….Hume forget his name. It was sold to the Heinz family. Don’t know who owns it now. But they are building a huge marina there near where we were anchored. We went back out the narrow Rat Cut and down to Rudder Cut where we went in and stayed in along the west side of the cays and on the Exuma Bank stopping at Rudder Cay, then at Black Point.

Rocks and caves at Rudder Cay.

Went ashore at Black Point and had some internet time and explored the community. Everyone was very friendly and welcoming. We did a bit of shopping and had lunch at Lorraine’s. Met some interesting boaters there and also saw the boat Smashie which was written about in Blue Water magazine recently. It is a handmade wooden C-class boat with handmade cotton sails and a wooden mast. The boat races in all the local regattas. We watched them step the mast and bend on the sail and do some sailing in the bay …very pure sailing and they are good! We tried to keep up with them in the dinghy but they were too fast.Smashie getting too far away from us!


A class A boat made by hand in Blackpoint.

We headed on to Staniel Cay anchoring at Big Majors Spot where we swam, fed the swimming pigs and snorkled in the Thunderball Grotto. We drove all over the island on a golf cart and had a yummy lunch. Had to say goodbye to Christine on Tuesday and she flew back to Atlanta after a terrific visit! She got home in time to go to Mark's Gig. You might not know that he is playing his Zendrum in a band now and is having a great time with his music! .

It was such fun to share these 3 weeks with friends and family and it was very special to have them all with us here sharing this amazing place and our adventure on Wind Spirit!

We relaxed a couple of days in Big Major Spot and had a delicious dinner on “Passages with Ed and Karen. But the BIG boats were there all around us, in full force with their noisy toys so we left and came north to Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park where we have been for 2 days and will be staying a couple of more. It is just lovely here. We are on a mooring, have some limited Sputnik internet of about 10 minutes a day for 10 dollars and no cellular service. We have been snorkeling and swimming and hiked up Boo Boo Hill and across to the beach on the Exuma Sound, facing the Atlantic. Have seen conch all over the bottom of the sea and helmet shells. There is beautiful coral and lots of fish on the reefs here. Had Sundowners on the beach with a bunch of sailors last night and there was an Easter pot luckon Sunday afternoon at the park staff house with a 360 degree view of the water and the island.. Having fun in other words!


Whale skeleton at Exuma Park died from eating plastic.

Sunsets continue to be lovely and every night in whatever harbor we are in someone there blows a conch shell at sunset. After sunset last night someone else played taps. So moving!

Sunset at Children's Bay Cay.

We plan to head to Norman Cay on Monday depending on the wind and then probably on to Nassau and heading north from there towards South Carolina through the Berry Islands.

Rainbow at the park on Easter Monday. We didn't leave until Tuesday because of the weather.


Will add pictures to this as soon as have decent internet, which may be Nassau!

Well we are in Ft. Pierce FL and finally can do the pictures but connection is still a bit slow.