02-28-18 Awendaw Creek, McClellanville, SC

Longitude: N33°02.051' / W079°32.445'

0001 very calm Anchorage at Awendaw Creek near McClellanville, SC.  We expect some strong winds tomorrow so may layover a day in Georgetown tomorrow night.  I sent you the offshore report just for fun.

Wishing you a very Happy Birthday.  from Paul - 'young fella'. See you soon and thank you for following us.

ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AT 20:39 UTC WED FEB 28 2018 ...GALE WARNING... .TONIGHT...S WINDS 10 TO 20 KT, BECOMING S TO SW 20 TO 30 KT. SEAS 4 TO 7 FT. .THU...SW WINDS 20 TO 30 KT. SEAS BUILDING TO 6 TO 11 FT. .THU NIGHT...SW WINDS 35 TO 45 KT, BECOMING W TO NW 30 TO 40 KT. SEAS 8 TO 14 FT. .FRI...NW WINDS 30 TO 40 KT. SEAS 9 TO 15 FT. .FRI NIGHT...N TO NW WINDS 30 TO 40 KT. SEAS 11 TO 17 FT. .SAT...N WINDS 25 TO 35 KT. SEAS 11 TO 19 FT. .SAT NIGHT...N WINDS 25 TO 35 KT. SEAS BUILDING TO 14 TO 23 FT. .SUN...N WINDS 20 TO 30 KT. SEAS 15 TO 23 FT. .SUN NIGHT...N TO NE WINDS 20 TO 30 KT. SEAS 13 TO 22 FT. .MON...N WINDS 15 TO 25 KT. SEAS 13 TO 20 FT. .MON NIGHT...N TO NE WINDS 10 TO 20 KT, DIMINISHING TO 5 TO 15 KT. SEAS 11 TO 17 FT.

Okay, so this stretch of the waterway is a bit tedious, boring and often shallow.  I decided to look at the offshore report as I sometimes do just to see. NO MORE COMPLAINTS, I will take shallow any day.  Pay particular attention to Saturday and Sunday.  Holy Guacamole!!!  Sue

EIDER 02-27-18
0018

Latitude/Longitude: N32°34.548' / W080°23.248'

Pleasant Anchorage.  Sun going down and the moon is already up.

02-26-18 Beaufort, SC

Latitude/Longitude: N32°25.781' / W080°40.581'

0001 on a mooring in Beaufort, SC.   Short but pleasant trip over from Hilton Head.  Port Royal Sound and Beaufort River were like glass.  So laundry is done and a few groceries purchased.  We went to a good bagel shop and an excellent shop for bread.  Restaurant with the best ever fried green tomato sandwich was closed on Monday so decided to stay an extra day for that. Tells you how good they are.  Life is good. 

02-25-18 Hilton Head, SC

Latitude/Longitude: N32°13.783' / W080°45.569'

0103
Just found a spot to pull over for the night.  Dark clouds in the late afternoon but just amounted to a bit of rain.  Some shallow spots today but no problem really.  Off to Beaufort tomorrow where we will do some laundry, shop for a few groceries and have a fried green tomato sandwich.  The best sandwich I have ever eaten was in Beaufort, SC

02-24-18

Latitude/Longitude: N31°32.113' / W081°14.118'

0008 never stopped here before!  Had a very pleasant day but went a little too long and just needed a place to stop and there were not many good choices.  

02-22-18 Cumberland Island State Park

Latitude/Longitude: N30°45.876' / W081°28.212'

0007 We left Fernandina this morning and made the short hop over to .Cumberland Island National Park.  We have been here many times but I am still always blown away by the beauty and serenity of this special spot that you can only get to by boat.  Tonight we are having a fish called pompano, a first for us, which we bought at the fish market.

EIDER 02-22-18 Fernandina Beach, FL

EIDER 02-20-18 Fernandina Beach, FL

Latitude/Longitude: N30°40.182' / W081°28.172'

0006 tonight we are on a mooring in Fernandina, Fl which is one of our favorite stops.  This is the last stop in Florida so at sunset we drank a toast to Florida.  These last 5 days traveling on the Florida portion of our ICW trip north have been special .  The weather has been spectacular.  We are early and it was a holiday weekend so we have shared the waters mostly with locals out boating and fishing and with the abundant wildlife .  Missing are the 'big boys' with their high speeds and big wakes who are still further south and won't migrate north until later this spring.

There are a few other small  boats moving north or south but mostly the anchorages are empty.

The Florida portion of the ICW is, overall, relaxing as it is well maintained with few trouble spots. There are many public spaces and parks.  We also saw folks camping and fishing on many of the pretty spoil islands with their small beaches . Portions are wild and beautiful.  There are also long stretches of beautifully maintained multi-million dollar homes.  Most seem unoccupied so not sure when their season is.
Perhaps knowing that this might be our last trip south on a boat added to the experience. We will spend another day here poking around this cute and lively town then move over to nearby Cumberland Island, a national park, for a few days and then push on to the Georgia section.

Thank you for following us.  Not sure how to attach photos to this.  

Cheers, Sue and Paul

EIDER 02-20-18 Fernandina Beach, FL

Latitude/Longitude: N30°40.182' / W081°28.172'

0006 tonight we are on a mooring in Fernandina, Fl which is one of our favorite stops.  This is the last stop in Florida so at sunset we drank a toast to Florida.  These last 5 days traveling on the Florida portion of our ICW trip north have been special .  The weather has been spectacular.  We are early and it was a holiday weekend so we have shared the waters mostly with locals out boating and fishing and with the abundant wildlife .  Missing are the 'big boys' with their high speeds and big wakes who are still further south and won't migrate north until later this spring.

There are a few other small  boats moving north or south but mostly the anchorages are empty.

The Florida portion of the ICW is, overall, relaxing as it is well maintained with few trouble spots. There are many public spaces and parks.  We also saw folks camping and fishing on many of the pretty spoil islands with their small beaches . Portions are wild and beautiful.  There are also long stretches of beautifully maintained multi-million dollar homes.  Most seem unoccupied so not sure when their season is.
Perhaps knowing that this might be our last trip south on a boat added to the experience. We will spend another day here poking around this cute and lively town then move over to nearby Cumberland Island, a national park, for a few days and then push on to the Georgia section.

Thank you for following us.  Not sure how to attach photos to this.  

Cheers, Sue and Paul

EIDER 02-20-18 Fernandina Beach, FL

Latitude/Longitude: N30°40.182' / W081°28.172'

0006 tonight we are on a mooring in Fernandina, Fl which is one of our favorite stops.  This is the last stop in Florida so at sunset we drank a toast to Florida.  These last 5 days traveling on the Florida portion of our ICW trip north have been special .  The weather has been spectacular.  We are early and it was a holiday weekend so we have shared the waters mostly with locals out boating and fishing and with the abundant wildlife .  Missing are the 'big boys' with their high speeds and big wakes who are still further south and won't migrate north until later this spring.

There are a few other small  boats moving north or south but mostly the anchorages are empty.

The Florida portion of the ICW is, overall, relaxing as it is well maintained with few trouble spots. There are many public spaces and parks.  We also saw folks camping and fishing on many of the pretty spoil islands with their small beaches . Portions are wild and beautiful.  There are also long stretches of beautifully maintained multi-million dollar homes.  Most seem unoccupied so not sure when their season is.
Perhaps knowing that this might be our last trip south on a boat added to the experience. We will spend another day here poking around this cute and lively town then move over to nearby Cumberland Island, a national park, for a few days and then push on to the Georgia section.

Thank you for following us.  Not sure how to attach photos to this.  

Cheers, Sue and Paul

EIDER 02-19-18 St. Augustine, FL

Latitude/Longitude: N29°54.018' / W081°18.431'

0005 well a beautiful evening in St. Augustine.  Another easy day on the ICW . Lots of small boats out and about enjoying the holiday and good weather.  We are having a cocktail and listening to laughing gulls.  Very calm and very few boats here in the Anchorage so no issues at all.  Love it.  We will push tomorrow to make Fernandina then stay there for a day and then a few days at Cumberland Island which is nearby before,pushing on.  Thank you for following us. 

Monday's are for fishing!

EIDER 02-18-18 New Smyrna Beach, FL

Latitude/Longitude: N29°01.455' / W080°55.132'

0004 Eider is on the town dock at New Smyrna Beach.  Short run today.  Lots of folks out fishing and also saw dolphins, ducks, loons, white pelicans, manatees.  So much wildlife in Florida.  Oh and a large turtle.  Had brunch with Herb and Julia then back to the boat for a game of Hand and Foot - 'girls' crushed the 'boys'

EIDER 02-17-18

Latitude/Longitude: N28°46.951' / W080°46.371'

0003 now this is as remote an Anchorage as we have ever used in Florida.  We are trying to pick places we have not been so we can report a different one to you!! 

Actually this one put us reasonably close to New Smyrna so that we can arrive there, tomorrow  in plenty of time to visit with Herb and Julia.  

It is lovely here.  Very open to wind but winds are light tonight.  It is peaceful, pretty and oh so remote. Perfect for a stop when we do not plan to go ashore.  Have already had a martini and I made chicken curry for dinner.  S

EIDER 02-16-18
Latitude/Longitude: N27°59.103' / W080°32.563'

0002  hi there, we are on the road once again after a long time on a mooring.  Feels good. Very nice Anchorage tonight.  I went in for a brief swim and there was a nice sunset.  Let us know if you do not want these daily updates.

Looking forward to seeing you in May in Addison, Sue