Oh man did we start the next portion of the trip out with a bang!!  After traveling through pretty uninhabited Georgia, we opted not to stop in Savannah but press on. After crossing the Savannah River, Darrell commented that I should head more to port when we stopped cold!!  Grounded with a falling tide (2 hrs until low) and not budging. A power boat came along, heeled us over using the main halyard. My eyes about bugged out of my head when he almost dipped the rail in the water. With an anchor set to kedge us off and him pulling and me driving, we got her off - rather than wait 4-5 hours for enough water to float free. Whew!!!!!
     Next stop Beaufort, SC. A little more cruiser friendly than we found coastal GA. Tons of history, good food, and friendly people. Why Bill's Liquor Store staff even drove Darrell to the marina and back to the grocery store!
     It was hard to depart such a lovely and friendly place but we have been making plans. Next stop Charleston - home of Dean, Patt, and their dogs!  Yes we have been missing them since they moved from Miami. Drove most of the way there but got slowed down by a rain and thunderstorm. Lightening strikes galore - even saw one strike a channel marker about 1/2 mile ahead of us. Thank the Lord, we were spared!!
     Arrived at Wappoo Creek on Friday. All the next weekend we spent with Dean Revels and Patt Roldan. What a great time seeing most of the top sites in Charleston and eating like kings and queens!  It would be difficult to say what our favorite has been but the USS Yorktown has to rank up there!  WOW!  Dean and Patt have been such good hosts and sightseeing companions!!  
  The next week, we decided we needed to look into our increasing shifting issues a little farther. With Jason and Nicole expected the end of the week, we would take off the transmission to get it looked at. Shipped it to a mechanic we had been in contact with in Jacksonville. The tranny is history - too worn out to be cost effective to repair. Now, we are at a marina in Charleston trying to find one (new or used). 
     Meantime, Jason, Nicole, Kelsey, and Ava arrived in Charleston. We had dinners together, went fishing, exploring (Aquarium and Farmers Market) and swimming with the kids while they were here!  Good times as always!!  
     

East Coast Tour

     This trip is as good or better than either of us imagined it would be!  The museums, architecture, and hospitality of St. Augustine have been wonderful.  It is time to move on, though. 
     We are going to stop in Jacksonville, FL for long needed repairs. Our autopilot has not worked since our lightening experience. There is a company in JAX that works on our brand. Going to have it looked at to see if it is worth repairing or replacing. We will see, it would be very difficult to compete with St. Augustine for our favor!
     If we have a long wait on service or parts, we can get started sewing for our grandson. We have the honor of getting to make the crib set. We have had the fabric and notions on board since we left and of course we would like to remove excess "baggage". 
     We have had time to sew and have completed some of the parts. Hope to get the whole set finished and shipped to Jessica and Craig soon. 
     We moved inland on the St. John River while waiting on parts to be shipped from England for the autopilot. Did a little exploring while killing time.  Back towards JAX for July 4th. We found a Publix grocery store only 2 blocks off the river - so we got some more provisions! Looking forward to having a good spot to watch fireworks. And were we ever rewarded!!  The best fireworks show either of us has ever seen. Done in stereo - 2 barges with near simultaneous displays! Great!
  Then we got the autopilot fixed and recalibrated. We left Jacksonville that afternoon. Having that is gonna be nice!
     Today, off Jekyll Island, we were part of something pretty fantastic. We went exploring by dinghy just before sunset. We saw some boys scooping water from the river and splashing something white near the shore. We drove closer and asked what they were doing. They had been fishing and caught a southern stingray ( fairly large). While she was on their fishing line, she gave birth to four babies. After they got the stingray loose from the line, she was upside down in shallow water and couldn't get turned back over - enter DnA. We were able to get close in the dink and use our oars to get her flipped over so she could swim off!!  Incredible!  Sorry no pictures - the camera was back on the big boat.

     Shifter issues all but solved thanks to the help from Gary, Dan, and Walt!  At least now when you put it in gear, you KNOW it is going into gear. Just a little "tweaking" to make it a good fit. 
     Three glorious days with Dan and Stephanie. We had a great time and hope to see them again on the way back through. 
     We left Cocoa Beach Sunday morning and anchored near Titusville for the night. Monday, we made our way to Daytona Beach. On the way, we picked up a stowaway. An Osprey landed on top of the mast and rode there for about a mile or more. He/she only left when we had to turn and the sails began to flap. While it was riding there we passed under a bascule (draw) bridge and the bridge tender at Haulover Canal Bridge took some pictures. We get goosebumps just thinking about it - incredible experience!
     We are in Daytona for a few days and hope to sort out "issues" with the windlass - the motor that helps raise and lower the anchors. Yep Darrell has been manually placing and pulling them for a few days - bummer!  I might even go shopping for myself a birthday present while we are here. 
     We are looking forward to seeing Al and Martha while we are here. Had planned to leave the boat and travel inland to spend a few days with them but don't feel comfortable leaving the boat unattended. Most of the planned projects were taken care of and we got to go out with Al & Martha - good times!
    We left and traveled to St. Augustine. In a mooring at the municipal marina here with a short dinghy ride to a dock and TONS to see and do here. 
     We have narrowed down the "must see" list and hope to start on the list tomorrow. Only problem is that many of the tours don't allow dogs - that means Roxy has to stay on the boat. We have seen pirate ships, Eco tours, parasail boats, and a power boat just "waked" us. Museums will be the highlight of what we see and do. Hopefully, it won't rain on us again as much as it did yesterday - we were all SOAKED!
     Next stop is Jacksonville, where we have some things to look into. There is an electronic shop there we hope to have look at our autopilot. Hasn't worked in over 2 years so we want to check it out. 

     Boy, Alibi's crew made up for all those days of not moving!  After four days, we traveled 217 miles up the coast of Florida. 
     We anchored Wednesday night near Melbourne and had dinner with Gary and Mary from "Packet Inn" that we met in the Bahamas. It was a great reunion!!  Lots to catch up on and we didn't stop talking all night. They are great friends!!  They even helped us by being a taxi for parts!!
     We stopped overnight at Elliott Key, Lake Worth, ft. Pierce, and Eau Gallie. We are going to put Alibi at dock for a few days and visit with our friends Dan and Stephanie. That is always a welcome visit!
     When we get back on the move again, we hope to get to Daytona and park the boat again while we visit with more friends - Al and Martha of "Journey". We are going to hook up and sail with them later this summer up farther north. The way MJ writes makes this blog seem boring. Oh well, it's our story!
     We are having shifter "issues" so this seems like a great place to stop and see about it. We were passing under a draw bridge on Wed. morning and the boat didn't want to go into forward gear. Made our hearts skip a beat or two to be under an open bridge, current pushing you backwards, wind trying to push you sideways and the *%#> boat wouldn't go into gear!!!  Darrell had to go below and manually put the transmission lever in gear. Whew a close call!!!
     Stay tuned for more .........

Wow, it's hard to believe we have been back for more than a month!!  The anchor that we put down on the day we arrived back in the USA almost didn't want to come up. Thanks to Darrell, we were able to unwrap it and leave that spot.  
After that, Alibi spent a couple of weeks at the dock. 
We took a road trip to Amarillo for Jessica's college graduation. On the way there, we stopped at the Island Packet plant in Largo, FL. We got to meet Bob Johnson, the designer of our great boat!  Even got his autograph!!  We had hoped to get a tour of the IP plant but they were closed. 
While we were in TX, we learned that our first grandchild will be a boy.  We even got to be there for the sonogram!!  Our next sewing project is to custom make the crib set (bumper pads, quilt, valance, skirt, etc.) for him. We are so excited!!
We are dreaming about the next trip on Alibi. We are going to leave soon for a tour of the eastern US coast. Probably as far as Chesapeake Bay this time. We want to see the coast of Maine but time, weather, and the birth of our grandson will keep us from getting that far north. 

May 21, 2011. 12:45 pm
Whew, Alibi is back on the hook!!  A HUGE thank you goes to Jack and Sue for looking after her while we were gone!  She is itching to go sailing and we are too. She looked mighty nice in that dock space!!

We changed our minds about going to San Salvador after a pretty rolly night in the anchorage at Rum Cay. We decided to go back to Conception to see the green turtles in the creek over there before heading to Cat.  That was a great choice!!  We saw a lot of the very shy little guys!

The great white hunter is now spearless. Lost it in a good sized grouper here at Rum. We came back and got scuba tanks to try and find it - but no luck. 

I just got reminded to tell a story on myself. On Conception, the beach is pretty surf/ surgy. When I took Roxy to shore one afternoon, I landed the dingy in the usual fashion. While we were playing, the waves were filling the dink up with water. It took a lot of bailing with my little cup to get it empty enough to make the run back to the big boat. You can bet I will never do that again!!!  But I did - haha!

We made our way to Cat Island (birthplace of Sidney Portier).  There is a treasure here called The Hermitage. It is a hike up the highest hill in the Bahamas but not too bad. Beautiful place built by Father Jerome in the early twentieth century. A highlight of the trip so far for us. 

We are currently making our way to a protected anchorage to ride out the passage of the next cold front.   A place called Rock Sound Harbor. Good protection from many directions and shops as good as in Georgetown. 

Next stop Governors Harbor for a noisy night. A youth basketball tournament and LOUD music until about 10 - 12 PM.   I hear they have great street parties there on Friday nights. 

Onward to Royal Island for protection from another blow.   Pretty place with good protection from most directions of the wind. 

After a crew meeting, we decided instead to go to Nassau to try and hook up with our friends Michael and Jennifer. It turned out to be a good choice because we spent a few days there getting some supplies, meeting other cruisers, and getting ready for the homeward bound portion of the trip.  The marina was as good or better than Yacht Haven and cheaper  Too bad we missed Mike and Jenn but we DID find our new friends, Gary & Mary on Packet Inn (another Island Packet just like ours). They were about to make the trek back to FL also. 

The most difficult part of the stay at Nassau Harbor Club was talking to cruisers going the other direction. We wanted to go with them back down the island chain!

BUT alas, we made our way to Chub Cay for a night before crossing the Bahamas Banks to Cat Cay. We strolled the beaches there and Roxy got plenty of beach time. We snorkeled some beautiful spots and got some conch while resting up between two LONG days of sailing. The snorkel spot was called Kitten Rocks (next to Cat Cay) - which one was bigger??

After a 15 hour day of sailing (and mostly motoring) we arrived just outside Port Largo canal in time to drop the anchor right before sundown. Man you don't realize how strong Mother Nature can be until you try and cross the Gulf Stream!  Yes, back in the good ol USA!  We had a wonderful time but it is good to be back!!!

Spring Break

Alibi Blog entered by Jim Fagan

I like the name of the Blog “My Alibi”.

This is my alibi for spring break.

I visited with Darrell, Ann and Roxy on Alibi in Key Largo Harbor in December. They told me about their plans to go to the Bahamas for several months. I was very excited when I received and invitation to visit while they were in the islands.

I emailed with Darrell and Ann and gave them a window of days for my arrival and departure. They said that they would meet me in George Town, Exuma. I quickly started researching airfares and flight routes. I explored many possibilities. I purchased the plane ticket on February 14 – one month prior to my arrival. We continued to communicate about my trip via email and facebook.

Darrell called me during my layover in Miami. He told me that they had found a taxi share via the “cruisers net”. He said that her name is Jacqueline and to find her at the gate in the Miami Airport or on the plane. I met her at the gate. She is from Charlotte, NC and was going to visit with a friend of her family who was on his boat in Exuma. We boarded the flight to George Town. It was a great flight and I enjoyed the view of the islands below out the plane window.

We landed at the George Town Airport also called Exuma International. It was the smallest airport I have ever visited. There are no taxi-ways -- just one runway. Baggage claim is a garage door that opened and they placed the bags out on the floor. Everyone from the plane appeared to be going to the Sandals Resort except us. We got a taxi to Exuma Market.

The taxi ride to Exuma Market took us through some rural areas with spectacular views of the ocean. We arrived at Exuma Market and met up with Darrell, Ann and Roxy. It was very easy to get from the airport to the meeting point with Darrell and Ann.

We boarded their dinghy that was at a dock behind Exuma Market. Darrell made two trips with the dinghy because 4 people, a dog and luggage for two would most likely overload the dinghy. After going under a bridge (more like a small tunnel), I saw Alibi at anchor in Kidd’s Cove. After everyone was on board, we pulled anchor and motored across Elizabeth Harbor and dropped off Jacqueline at her friend’s boat, the “Dolphin Leap”. The owner of Dolphin Leap invited us to join them the next day at Chat and Chill (a bar on the beach on Stocking Island). We gladly accepted the invitation.

We motored out of the cove and anchored off of monument point. Darrell and Ann gave me a full boat briefing -- including location of the safety gear, electrical panel and other operational items of the boat. We ate dinner at the table in the cockpit while the sun set off in the distance creating an amazing array of colors.

The next morning we got up early. Ann listens to a location specific weather report for the Bahamas every morning on the SSB radio. It is an interactive weather report during which, the broadcaster allows for vessels underweigh to radio him after his forecast and he gives them the weather forecast for the course they are traveling. Then he allows for vessels at anchor who are getting underweigh to radio and he gives them the weather for their route and advises if they should travel that day or wait for different weather to cross to their destination. After the weather report, there is a “cruisers net” on the VHF radio, which Ann has described, in a previous Blog entry. It was fun to listen to the “cruisers net” each morning.

After breakfast we got underweigh and went sailing! We sailed out of Elizabeth Harbor to the North and sailed around Stocking Island. We had perfect weather for the sail and of course (like everywhere in the Exumas), the view was picture-perfect. We anchored back in Elizabeth Harbor in the afternoon and took Roxy in the dinghy to the beach. Roxy loves riding on the dinghy and going swimming at the beach. In the late afternoon after some snorkeling and swimming, we met up with the crew of the Dolphin Leap at Chat and Chill. (And as the name implies – that is exactly what we did there.) It was lots of fun laughing and talking with our new friends.

The next morning after the weather forecast and the cruisers net, we took the dinghy to shore to explore George Town. The Exumas are very quaint and laid back when compared to Nassau. We walked around the small town. Everyone there was very friendly. I hung out outside one store with Roxy while Darrell and Ann were inside. Everyone that walked by said hello and several locals stopped and talked with me.

While at anchor that afternoon a couple named, Wayne and Sherri, stopped by on their dinghy. They are from New Smyrna Beach, Florida and they had met Darrell and Ann in Key Largo. They also have an Island Packet. They invited us to their boat for happy hour at sunset the next day.

That night the crew from the Dolphin Leap, Keith and his guest Jacqueline came over to Alibi for happy hour and hors d'oeuvres at sunset. We had a great time visiting with them and we had a lot of laughs. Many jokes were told. If you ever have the opportunity – ask Darrell to tell his favorite pirate joke.

After the weather and cruisers net in the morning, we got underweigh. We decided that the Red Shank Yacht Club would be our destination. The Red Shank Yacht Club is known for its luxurious amenities in a very remote area. It is in a beautiful harbor that is protected from the weather almost all the way around. I enjoyed the visit to the yacht club although I did not get to meet the commodore – he was not at the club. I did get to see his chair with a view of the harbor. We snorkeled a blue hole that was near the yacht club where Darrell and I saw a stingray. We sailed back to the anchorage near Chat and Chill that afternoon and we anchored near “Wine Down” – Wayne and Sherri’s boat. Wine Down is a 32’ Island Packet. It was fun to visit with them, see their boat and learn about the upgrades that they had done and their personal experience with their Island Packet.

On my final day (or what I thought was my final day), after the weather and cruisers net. We took the dinghy over to Dolphin Leap to say goodbye to Keith and Jacqueline. Then we went in to George Town to check out the Bahamian Music and Heritage Festival. In the afternoon I got a taxi to the airport. Upon check in, I was informed that the flight was oversold and I was being bumped. The airline gave me a generous voucher for air travel and paid for my taxi rides. I quickly called Ann’s cell phone and with great excitement told her that I was staying another night. I had never been so excited to be bumped off a flight. The same taxi driver took me back to the Exuma Market Dock. Darell joked with the driver saying, “We told you to take him away!” and asked “Why is he back?” I spent my last night, which I refer to as the bonus night on Alibi and Darrell took me on the dinghy to the dock early the next morning.

My trip was awesome; it was relaxing while being fun, exciting and full of adventure. We had so many great laughs. (Darrell told his mother on the phone that his face hurt from laughing so much.). My lifelong dream has been to cruise in the Bahamas. I learned more about cruising from Darrell and Ann on this trip. There are so many highlights of the trip to mention, I will have to mention only a few: visiting with great friends, good food, happy hour at sunset, awesome sailing, watching the sunrise from the boat while drinking coffee, hanging with Roxy (I never knew she was such a lap dog), dinghy rides with Roxy to the beach and making new friends.

Thank you Darrell, Ann and Roxy for an incredible week on “Alibi” in paradise. It is greatly appreciated

About the author of this Blog – Jim Fagan

I am a middle school teacher in Knoxville, Tennessee. I have been working in Key Largo during the summers as a boat captain and divemaster for 12 years. I met Darrell and Ann about 6 years ago through mutual friends, Tom and Lena Loveday. Darrell and Ann worked with Tom at Aquanuts / Kellys On The Bay prior to purchasing Island Ventures. My daily routine in the summer for the past 6 years has included stopping by Island Ventures on my way home from work to visit with Darrell and Ann. On my days off, I would stop by in the morning.