Current Location:  ICW MM 564, Harbor Town Yacht Basin, Hilton Head, SC
Miles Traveled:  18
Weather:  Partly cloudy, breezy, mid-80s
Highlights: Settled up with Hinckley and left the dock around 10AM today.  Motor-sailed up the ICW to Harbor Town, and got secured and settled into the marina by 2PM.  Met up with some old friends from Florida (Donia and Jim Davis, daughters Kailey and Morgan, and mom and step-dad Dixie and Ron).  Gave them the tour of the boat, then we walked up the lighthouse at the entrance to the marina.  Afterwards, we went over to their timeshare condo for a wonderful dinner of shish kabobs, rice, and corn-on-the-cob, with chocolate-covered strawberries for desert.  Jim and Donia had lived on a small (27') sailboat for a couple of years back in the 90s, and had sailed to the Bahamas, so we had a great evening telling stories, catching up on events, and getting to know their lovely family.

 Current Location:  ICW MM 582, Savannah Bend Marina, GA
Miles Traveled:  0
Weather:  Cloudy, showers, low-80s
Highlights: Played tourist today - took a Lyft into Savannah, then rode the 16-stop Trolley Car tour and visited the Ships of the Sea Museum (some really cool ship models!!) before lunch.  Grabbed a bite to eat at one of the street-side eateries in the City Market (great place to people watch).  After lunch, we visited the Andrew Low House and the Isaiah Davenport House, which were both very interesting guided tours, then walked along the waterfront to go see the Waving Girl statue.  Had a nice dinner at the Dockside Restaurant, then visited a few of the souvenir shops, plus Luigi's for ice cream.  Took another Lyft back to the boat around 9PM for a bit of TV and reading, then off to bed after a very enjoyable and busy day.

​Current Location:  ICW MM 582, Savannah Bend Marina, GA
Miles Traveled:  2
Weather:  Partly sunny, occasional showers, low-80s
Highlights: Raised anchor around 10AM this morning and motored about 2 miles down the river.  Hinckley didn't have dock space for us, so we were booked at Savannah Bend Marina, just across the river.  Hinckley sent a tech over after lunch to check out the GenSet.  Took him about 5 minutes to discover that the impeller had broken up, and about an hour to flush out the broken pieces and put it all back together.  He also changed out the oil in both Yanmar engines, but didn't have the right adapter/connector to change out the sail drive fluids, so we'll have to take care of that later.  He wrapped up around 4, then Terry washed down the boat while Amy prepped dinner (sausage and peppers over pasta), then TV and reading before turning in.

​Current Location:  ICW MM 584, Herb River, GA
Miles Traveled:  0
Weather:  Partly sunny, occasional showers, breezy, low-80s
Highlights: Terry fixed the nav lights issue this morning (loose connection on the white stern light), then took the GenSet water pump apart to see if the impeller was broken.  All looks good, so put it back together and will let the professionals at Hinckley's check out the rest of the system as soon as we can get scheduled (hopefully tomorrow).  Spent the rest of the day reading, napping, and enjoying the brief sunshine that visited us during the afternoon.  Beans with hot dogs and brown bread for dinner, then played cribbage and read before heading off to bed.

​Current Location:  ICW MM 584, Herb River, GA
Miles Traveled:  20
Weather:  Cloudy, showers, low-80s
Highlights: Forecast called for showers all day, but when we woke up, looked like they weren't coming until later, so we decided to move closer to Savannah and Hinckley's ( the boatyard that will be working on the GenSet and doing the engine maintenance).  Had a nice motor-sail up the ICW to the Herb River, and dropped anchor around 2PM.  Showers finally arrived around dinner time, but we were all closed up by then, eating clam chowder with biscuits and salad, with brownies for desert.  Need to conserve the batteries tonight (no GenSet or solar), so just read and caught up on blog before turning in early.

​Current Location:  ICW MM 612, Kilkenny Creek, GA
Miles Traveled:  0
Weather:  Cloudy, breezy, late showers, low-80s
Highlights: Lazed around most of the day reading, watching TV, and catching up on some light projects.  Started a load of laundry, but generator quit running just a few minutes after starting.  Thought it might be an air bubble in the fuel line (since Terry had recently changed the fuel filter), so we bled the fuel lines and tried again.  Started right up, but quit again after a few minutes.  Noticed that the temperature was running hot, so started focusing on the cooling system.  Heavy rain came before we could get too far down that path, so we shelved the work and decided that since we were planning engine maintenance at Hinckley's while we were in Savannah anyway, we would let them take a look at the GenSet also.  Leftovers for dinner tonight (Marker 107 crab cakes plus macaroni casserole), then reading and TV before off to bed.

​Current Location:  ICW MM 612, Kilkenny Creek, GA
Miles Traveled:  20
Weather:  Partly cloudy, breezy, low-80s
Highlights: Raised anchor at 7:30 this morning, and motor sailed 20 miles north up to Kilkenny Creek.  Our goal is to find a sheltered (but internet-connected) anchorage where we can wait for Alberto to pass through.  After dropping anchor, it looks like we've got 2 bars on our Sprint phones, fair TV signal, and some new books downloaded to our Kindles, so we should be able to keep ourselves entertained for the next few days.  Kilkenny Creek is a rustic fish-camp town with a small marina, and couple of waterfront homes, and one world-renowned restaurant (at least in the cruising community) named Marker 107.  We took the dinghy over to the dock, did the tour of the town (about 15 minutes), then sat down to a wonderful dinner of crab cakes (Amy) and grilled shrimp (Terry) with all the fixings.  Definitely lived up to its reputation!  Back to the boat before dark, then reading, TV, and catching up with family before turning in for the night.

​Current Location:  ICW MM 630, Wahoo Creek, GA
Miles Traveled:  23
Weather:  Partly cloudy, calm, afternoon showers, high-70s
Highlights: Had a few rain showers during the early AM, so we waited until they cleared out around 9:30 to raise anchor, then motored (no sail today) up the ICW to Wahoo Creek.  ICW is very peaceful here - flat marshes, wide creeks, and only occasional signs of civilization.  Had a mosquito coil smoking in the aft deck today, which seemed to drive most of the horse flies away - wish we had done that yesterday also!  Dropped anchor around noon in Wahoo Creek, and had the place to ourselves except for a pod of 5 dolphins that visted us a few times.  Grilled steak, rice, and salad for dinner tonight, then watched TV and read before turning in for the night.

​Current Location:  ICW MM 653, near Altamaha Sound, GA
Miles Traveled:  24
Weather:  Mostly sunny, breezy, mid-70s
Highlights: First of all, happy 30-something birthday to our lovely daughter Jennifer!!  We raised anchor around 9AM in order to catch the Mackay River bridge at low tide.  Cleared under with no issues, then motor sailed up the ICW to a quiet South River anchorage, just off the Altamaha Sound.  Total distance travelled was 24 miles, but it was probably only half that as the crow flies, since the ICW meanders through creeks and swamps in that part of Georgia.  Not much wind, and the horse flies were a major PITA, so we were happy to drop anchor around 2:30, close up the boat, and relax for the rest of the day.  Rotisserie chicken, pasta salad, and rolls for dinner tonight, then watched some TV before off to bed.

​Current Location:  ICW MM 677, St Simons Sound just north of Brunswick, GA
Miles Traveled:  135
Weather:  Cloudy, showers, steady SE wind, mid-70s
Highlights: Started our overnight trip around 8AM by adding 40+ gallons of diesel, then motoring out of Ft Pierce inlet.  Encountered significant waves (10-12 foot) going through the inlet, but the boat handled fine, and we powered through them.  Once clear of the inlet, waves were 5-6 feet off the beam all the way out to the gulf stream.  Turned north and rode the stream for about 12 hours, averaging over 10 knots (SOG) during the night.  A pod of about 10 dolphins greeted us at sunrise, dancing around the boat and putting on a show for about 20 mintues.  We encountered rain showers during the moring, and also were diverted by the Navy for about an hour to avoid a live-fire exercise.   Wind died during the last part of our trip, so we motor-sailed into St Simons Inlet and dropped anchor after a trip totalling 260 miles over 34 hours.  Grabbed a quick dinner of spaghetti and salad, then turned in for some long overdue sleep.

​Current Location:  Atlantic Gulf Stream, SE of JAX
Miles Traveled:  125
Weather:  Cloudy, showers, steady SE wind, mid-70s
Highlights: Left Ft. Pierce this morning for overnight trip to Georgia.  See details in 5/22 log entry.

​Current Location:  Harbortown Marina, Fort Pierce, Florida
Miles Traveled:  0
Weather:  Rainy, breezy, high-70s
Highlights: Another rainy day at the marina, but we grabbed a Lyft ride and went to WalMart, Publix, and West Marine to pick up long-waited provisions and boat supplies.  Was nice paying US prices for groceries again.  Picked up a back-up VHF antenna from West Marine, and after changing out the connections, confirmed that we have some kind of issue with our primary VHF antenna.  Next step might be a trip to the top of the mast, but we'll live for now with the back-up antenna connected to the systems.  We've been debating next steps in our trip north (ICW vs going outside), and finally decided not to risk possible low clearance issues with some of the Florida bridges.  We'll leave tomorrow morning for an overnight sail up to Georgia, either to Brunswick or Savannah, depending on winds and currents.  Spaghetti casserole for dinner tonight, and Amy made extra so we can have an easy dinner for our over-night sail tomorrow.

​Current Location:  Harbortown Marina, Fort Pierce, Florida
Miles Traveled:  0
Weather:  Rainy, breezy, high-70s
Highlights: Rainy day in the marina, so we slept in, then did a few loads of laundry while watching the royal wedding.  Terry worked a bit on the AIS / VHF antenna issue - trying to figure out why we're not getting a strong signal to those components.  Leftovers for dinner tonight - trying to clear out the fridge so we can re-provision soon.

​Current Location:  Harbortown Marina, Fort Pierce, Florida
Miles Traveled:  46
Weather:  Mostly cloudy, breezy, mid-70s
Highlights: Original plan was to stick around Lake Worth for a day or two to wait out the rainy weather.  However, looking at the weather reports over coffee, we decided that today was probably the only day over the next several that we could travel.  Raised anchor at 7:30, and motor-sailed up the coast to the Fort Pierce inlet.  Got lucky with the weather - had rain showers both sides and in front of us, but only had a few sprinkles actually hit us.  Tied up in Harbortown Marina, just off of the ICW around 3PM.  Got checked in and settled, then grabbed a late lunch/early dinner of burgers and wings at the marina pub.  Back to the boat around 5, where we caught up on news, weather, and TV shows, then off to bed for some well-deserved sleep.

​Current Location:  Lake Worth Inlet, Florida
Miles Traveled:  85
Weather:  Cloudy, windy, showers, mid-70s
Highlights: Checked out of the marina at 7AM, and had a wet and wild sail across the Florida strait over to Lake Worth inlet.  Averaged 7-8 knots at the start, then caught the gulf stream about half-way over, and speed over ground (SOG) jumped up to around 12 knots.  Current plus wind swept us further north than expected, plus the winds shifted (unexpectedly) from SE to SW, so we had to motor-sail last 2 hours back down to the inlet.  Caught some heavy rain showers through the trip as well - overall, we were thrilled and relieved to drop anchor just inside the inlet around 7PM.  Quick dinner of chipped beef over pasta, and the last of the chocolate chip cookies, then we collapsed into bed for the night.

​Current Location:  Bimini Sands Marina, South Bimini, Bahamas
Miles Traveled:  8
Weather:  Cloudy, windy, showers, mid-70s
Highlights: Raised anchor and sailed up to Bimini Sands marina in South Biminit this morning.  We'll jump over to Florida tomorrow, and this will shorten the trip by about an hour.  Marina is a bit run-down, but docks were fine, and Amy picked up a long-sleeved sun-shirt from the marina store.  We were docked next to David and Ann from Huntress (44 Lagoon), and spent a bit of time trading stories and giving them a tour of our boat.  Mac and cheese for dinner tonight (would have eaten out, but the marina restaurant was flooded, and nothing else around), then watched Fool's Gold in honor of our last night in the Bahamas.

​Current Location:  Gun Cay, Bimini, Bahamas
Miles Traveled:  0
Weather:  Partly cloudy, breezy, mid-70s
Highlights: Went snorkelling this morning around the boat.  Not much in the way of fish or coral, but lots of friendly sting rays, plus a couple of nurse sharks.  The rays would come right up to the beach and swim around your feet, looking for a hand-out.  Little bit nerve-wracking to be surrounded by animals with spikes on their tails that could inflict serious bodily injury with a single swish, but hey - what an experience!  Back to the boat for lunch, reading, and afternoon naps.  More snorkelling in the afternoon, plus a dinghy ride up the beach to go shelling and exploring.  Dinner and light reading tonight, then off to bed.

​Current Location:  Gun Cay, Bimini, Bahamas
Miles Traveled:  84
Weather:  Mostly cloudy, windy, showers, mid-70s
Highlights: Raised anchor at 6:30 this morning and had a brisk sail (plus occasional motor-sailing) over to Gun Cay (near Bimini).  Total of 84 miles from start to finish - averaged about 7.5 kots.  Had some heavy showers half-way through the trip, but cleared up before we arrived at the anchorage.  Dropped anchor around 6PM, had dinner (pasta with chicken tenders, and coconut bars for desert), then updated the blog and collapsed into bed after a long day.

​Current Location:  Morgan's Bluff Bay, Andros Island, Bahamas
Miles Traveled:  0
Weather:  Rain, windy, low-70s
Highlights: Happy Mother's Day!!  Started the day with Amy making peanut butter chocolate chip cookies, while Terry wrapped up a couple of boat projects, but rest of day we just lazed around while getting rained on.  Dinner of steak quesadias with salad, watched Kon-Tiki.  Decided after dinner that best travel day to get to Bimini is tomorrow, so we'll plan on raising anchor at sunrise, and hope for the best.  Called Mom to wish her happy Mother's Day, and catch up on news, then off to bed, with alarms set for 6AM

​Current Location:  Morgan's Bluff Bay, Andros Island, Bahamas
Miles Traveled:  0
Weather:  Rain, windy, low-70s
Highlights: Rain pretty much all day today, Amy organized cupboards while Terry worked on engine maintenance (fuel filters).  Read and napped during the day, and watched "Heart of the Sea" after dinner (adaptation of Melville's Moby Dick), then off to bed.  Desperately looking for a window to start our trip over to Florida and then north.

​Current Location:  Morgan's Bluff Bay, Andros Island, Bahamas
Miles Traveled:  26
Weather:  Mostly sunny, breezy, mid-70s
Highlights: Had a very nice sail over to Morgan's Bluff, which is a nice sheltered anchorage at the north end of Andros Island.  Dropped anchor around 3PM, then took the dinghy into the little harbor to see if we could get a bite to eat.  The local watering hole (coincidentally called the "Water Hole") only had drinks, but they also had a game of dominos going that they invited both of us to join.  We sat in for a few rounds, then Terry played some pool with another one of the locals for a bit.  Was really cool being able to mingle with the locals and get to know them better.  Back to the boat before sundown, where Amy cooked up chicken fajitas with salad and desert, then off to bed.

Current Location:  Clifton Bay, New Providence, Bahamas
Miles Traveled:  15
Weather:  Mostly sunny, breezy, mid-70s
Highlights: Last day for Jenn and Courtney - packed them up this morning, hugs and kisses all around, then off to the airport for a noon flight back home.  We did a few loads of laundry, checked out of the marina, and untied the dock lines around noon.  Motored out the channel past the cruise ships, then turned west and had a nice 2-hour sail around the island to Clifton Bay and Jaws Beach.  Had grilled steak cut up over green salad, with Amy's world famous rolls, and coconut bars for desert.  Chatted with Mom and Karen after dinner, then reading, blogging, and early bedtime for both of us after a tiring (but wonderful!!) week with Jenn and Courney.

​Current Location:  Bay Street Marina, Nassau, New Providence, Bahamas
Miles Traveled:  14
Weather:  Mostly sunny, calm, high-70s
Highlights: Raised anchor around 10AM and motored back to Nassau today.  Coming out of the anchorage at idle speed, Jenn was sitting on the bow watching the crystal-clear water, amazed that we were in 25 feet and she could still pick out every detail on the bottom.  No wind, so ended up motoring all the way over to the marina, which is just across the channel from Paradise Island and the Atlantis resort.  Checked in, then grabbed lunch at the Green Parrot, right next to the marina.  After lunch, we walked down to the straw market (much longer walk than we realized!), where we picked up some T-shirts and souvenirs.  Back to the boat to change, then took a taxi over to the Atlantis casino and marina, where we marvelled at the decorations, gasped at the aquarium that had a full-sized manta ray swimming around (plus all kinds of other fish), and had dinner at Frankie's.  Back to the casino for some gaming, where we all contributed to the upkeep of the facilities, then back to the boat around midnight after a very long day.  

​Current Location:  Rose Island, New Providence, Bahamas
Miles Traveled:  0
Weather:  Mostly cloudy, breezy, high 70s, showers early morning and througout the day.
Highlights: Got woken up a couple of times during the night by high winds and thunderstorms, so everyone slept in late this morning.  After brunch of scrambled eggs, sausages, and rolls, we went over to the beach for some paddle board games and exploring.  Rain showed up after lunch, so we relaxed and played a few games of dominos.  Amy and Courtney snorkelled for a bit around the boat, then Courtney tossed a hook in the water off the back of the boat, and suddenly started hauling in all kinds of fish - first a grunt, then a small grouper, and finally a pretty good sized trigger fish.  The grunt had swallowed a lure pretty much whole, and we couldn't get it out without cutting him up, but we tossed the others back, since we already had dinner ready, and were planning to eat out tomorrow night (our last).  Also, I don't think anybody really wanted (or knew how) to properly clean a trigger fish.  Dinner was grouper (from Allen Cay last week) with Bahamian mac and cheese, salad, and coconut bars for desert.  Reading and early bedtime for everyone tonight.

​Current Location:  Rose Island, New Providence, Bahamas
Miles Traveled:  14
Weather:  Mostly sunny, breezy, mid-70s, showers late evening
Highlights: Pulled up anchor around 9AM to take advantage of some good wind for sailing and fishing.  Went NE for about 10 miles, then cut back to the east end of Rose Island, where we found a nice secluded beach to anchor off.  Did some more snorkelling around the reefs near the boat, then settled down to a dinner of namsod.  Broke out the dominos again after dinner - seems our guest are liking this game!