Que Sera Sera
Sunday October 28 from Worton Creek Maryland aboard the good ship
Que Sera Sera.
# 1
We feel her presence, the now tropical storm Sandy, which is churning her way along
the Atlantic coast letting her force be reckoned with by we sailors and land lubbers
alike.
Most of the day was warm and at 4 PM light rain is around us now but mostly dry.
Time then to prepare the boat for big winds high and low tides and whatever Mother Nature
may fling at us mortal creatures.
We have tied eight lines from the boat to the docks or dock poles to keep us from
being bashed into the docks along side us, normally we would have five at the most. Three
of the extra lines are of the thickest strongest lines that we carry and usually do not
need to use, but this is a serious storm not one to be trifled with.
The weather is cool 50 degrees and damp so we have our big electric heater running
full out and so are very cozy and warm, Some very soft music is playing on our CD player
and we have an afternoon cocktail in hand. We do need to wind down after the push to get
our gear loaded and doing the long drive to get here before "SHE" got here.
Here is Worton Creek Marina on a very small east Maryland shore creek.
This is a Hurricane hole place if there ever was a Hurricane hole. Let me describe the
location. The marine is located on the north edge of a one hundred yard circular lagoon.
The lagoon is tree lined on the top of higher ground so the water is a couple of hundred
feet below the tree tops. In a storm like this tree tops are good as long as the tops stay
in the trees. Flying branches are definitely not good for vessels lying down wind of them.
Normally the lagoon only has a foot and a half of tidal range, but the storm and
full moon could change that to six or eight feet and therein lies the real
Challenge here. There is only five feet of water depth at mid tide in the lagoon in normal
weather, soooo if the tide goes out six feet, six from five leaves of course minus one
foot, we will be hard aground. Que Sera Sera's keel is six feet deep. Well not to hard,
for the bottom is mud so we will just be stuck in the black muck,YUK!
The other side of this unusual tide is that six foot extra tide causes the normal
five feet to now reach eleven feet. The dock we are tied is only three feet above the
normal high tide so that means that there will be at least three to four feet of muddy
brown salt water above the docks. No going to shore that day for sure.
Ok that's today and we will let you know how it goes tomorrow at Worton Creek aboard
Que Sera Sera
Love to you from, D&L
War on Worton Creek day two
# 2
Yes it's war, the cold war - the wet war - windy war - mostly the rain war yet
war it is for sure !!!
It's four PM on day two and we are still here aboard our stout little vessel Que
Sera Sera which we joyously announce is still afloat. The water has not been two low nor
too high to cause her harm. We can still walk on the dock even though it is seriously hard
to get from the boat to the dock or vise versa. Nor are we stuck in the oozy muck at the
bottom of the bay.
That is certainly a positive thing, but other factors have changed and not for the
better.
Back to the wars. First the cold war. Yesterday the air temp was in the sixty's
today it is now in the low fifty's and headed much lower. So soon it will be at a snuggle
tight together in the bunk weather. Hummm that sounds more like peace than war doesn't it?
Yea but just wait until it's your time on the frigid toilet in the dark of the
night, not too nice, more like frozen ice.
Back to the wind war. Wind as you can well imagine is very variable, and we now are
experiencing some of those varieties. Big gusts of wind come over us often at thirty to
thirty fiver miles per hour, and winds to fourth five are predicted for the night.
That force winds make the waters surrounding the boat to get real jumpy and lumpy,
we don,t like that much for it creates smashing sounds against the hull of the boat, hard
to take a nap is the problem there.
Wind that strong also causes the boat to lean over away form the pushing winds and
so the boat is crooked, or rather at an angle so when walking about we must lean away from
the angle of the boat to stand straight up, rather annoying, don't you think?
So the wind is the main villain in this battle and yet the water is the slippery
snake that slithers everywhere. It finds every little hole and small opening to slip it's
way in from the coldness outside and find it's way into our snug craft.
It of course, like ourselves, is wanting to get in out of the cold and is being
pushed hard by the furious winds. That means leaks, leaks around the windows around the
chain plates, around the deck hatches and places we didn't even think that it could leak.
A drip here a drip drip there every where a drip drip.
On the stove, never had a leak there before today. A serious leak in the salon hatch, it
did leak before a little. Behind the settee cushions and a little one trickling down the
chart table aft wall, and probably a few others we won't find for few days.
It,s six and now the shore power has gone off and our AC lights and electric
heater have stopped working. We still have several DC powered lights so are not in the
dark, rather we are now in the dim and will soon be in the chill
That's ok for it will soon be time do the snuggling in bed time to keep warm.
With that thought we will end this Worton Creek episode. Do keep us in your
prayers for thy winds still doth BLOW!
Love ta YA all D &L
Worton Creek after the BIG one
# 3
After a few adjustments to the stern line and a fender on the aft stern to stop
us from bumping on the stern dock pole, a somewhat annoying event, I went directly to the
snuggling location. My snuggling mate was fast asleep and had been for at least two hours,
she must have felt very secure aboard our floating small home.
As I laid my head down I was aware that things had changed in the air around us.
The boat was no longer tipping to port, but was rather straight up, and now bobbing for
and aft as is normal. The wind had swung around from the north where the real heavy winds
had been from, and are now coming from the west. The bow of Que Sera Sera is pointing west
and so now the boat motion is much smoother.
The other thing I sensed was that there were longer periods of calmer winds
between the howling winds that we had grown accustomed to over the last twenty four hours.
For that matter even the howling winds did not howl nearly as loudly as even just a couple
of hours ago, things seem to be improving so - I went to sleep.
I woke up! But not until morning light. All is calm, wow! All is quiet and peace
is present. Seems strange, for now our little world is without the noise of screeching
winds, and this quiet has not been the norm.
Testimony to just how rapidly we humans adapt to change. We don't want change,
but we certainly can adapt to change if required.
Hush, quiet, softer, gentler, easy things to welcome back, and we certainly are
welcoming-them, but it is different for sure from that which we have experienced over the
last few hours.
We must wipe the condensation off the windows to peer out over the now peaceful
lagoon. Yeks! We are surrounded by water. Old saying water water every where and not a
drop to drink. That's for sure here, for the water is dirty brown and full of leaves and
other debris, but there are no docks to be seen anywhere.
We are still tied up to big black poles sticking up out of the brown water, but
there no docks to walk on to get to shore. We want to set foot on dry land, maybe not kiss
it , but certainly to embrace it, set foot on it. Nope it's just gone, out of site,
blanked out by ugly dark water. We are an Island unto ourselves.
Woe is we,
golly gee!
We will of course adapt. Que Sera Sera
So ends the Worton Creek adventure of the storm.
With love D&L
WE ARE NOT ALONE HERE ON THE WATERWAY
# 4!
Nov 11th.
While we were on the Chesapeake we pretty much traveled alone. Yes each day we
would see boats off a long distance away from us sailing south, but only occasionally did
we see the same boats at our evening anchorage.
Yet that changed as we got to the south end of the bay. The bay flows southward
into the Atlantic, but the Elizabeth River continues on south past the Norfolk Navy port
then on past Norfolk Virginia to Portsmouth.
We spent the night at a free dock in Portsmouth and headed down river to make the
first bridge opening of the Steel Bridge at nine thirty.
Just a bit early for the opening we slowed down to turn at a big bend in the river
and beyond the bend were at least twenty boats in the now narrow waterway waiting for the
bridge to open. The funnel had a cork stuck in the small opening at the bottom, a lift
bridge.
So as we all waited we milled about and talked to some of the other sailors
around us and we noticed names of the boats and saw the faces of those aboard.
The bridge was almost a half hour late opening, but the plug was removed and we
all quickly moved on. We now we are on the beginning of what is known as the Inter Coastal
Waterway.
One hour later we arrive at the second stopper, the Great Bridge Lock.
The lock opened shortly after our arrival, with the fleet is now whittled down to half the
number of us at the bridge, all file slowly into the lock. We now are looking at the
sterns of three different boats so can now see their boat name and see the faces that go
with the boat.
Nine sailboats and three power boats all locked in together, kinda fun
really.
The lock tender when asked if this was a big fleet answered no,
"yesterday
morning I had eighteen during the first lock opening".
I think we can thank Hurricane Sandy for this late season backup of boats trying
now to get south for it is very cool, actually dam cold at this latitude.
Keep these numbers in mind, twelve boats in our lock thru, eighteen in just the
first lock thru yesterday, lets guess another twenty the rest of both days and as you can
see there are a lot of boats in just two days, who knows how many will be following along
the next few days.
Now in a big lake everyone could go their own ways and at their own speed. Not on
this canal you can't for the channel is narrow and with a maximum speed of ten miles per
hour.
Most of the sailboats can only motor at six or seven anyway, but remember
there are several much faster motor boats traveling along this route as well.
This means every morning we all have our coffees, hoist our anchors and get back
out on the ICW. Of course we don' t start at exactly the same minute but rather whenever
you are ready. The slowest seem to start first for we need a head start or it will get
dark before we get to the next anchorage or marina. Dark and the ICW do not get along very
well, for boats tend to bump into things in the inky blackness on the canal.
The faster boats of course can sleep in a little longer and still make to the next
stop before dark so they leave after a few cups of coffee and maybe read the news paper
too.
All is going well with the fleet for awhile as it moves along in single file. The
procession must look like a long colorful snake from a plane above.
The next two to three hours the dance begins as the faster sailboats over take the
early starting slow ones. The is a certain unwritten protocol amongst the fleet that I
have never experienced anywhere else before.
Remember most of the ICW is very narrow man made by dredging, mostly straight,
and only about ten feet deep.
So the protocol is that the boat wishing to pass the boat ahead, must call that
boat on channel 16 on the VHF radio and ask permission to pass and to tell him on which
side of his boat he will pass on. The boat about to be passed will acknowledge the
overtaking boat and grant him permission to proceed while the boat being overtaken moves
over a little to make room in the channel.
Ocean Rose is a pretty Krogen motor trawler which starts late and motors at close
to nine miles per hr. The owner of Ocean Rose has made this trip several times I'm sure
for he knows the system well and nobody does it better.
His repatuar is as follows.
Over the VHF radio we hear. Good morning Lady Nelson, this is Ocean Rose
approaching your stern and I would like to pass you to my starboard if that would be ok
with you.
Lady Nelson promptly replies, "yes a starboard pass would be fine." After a few
minutes we hear, thank you Lady Nelson for the pass and have a very nice day.
On and on he goes thru the entire sailboat line each time with his kindly plea of
may I pass you, and then have a very nice day.
After five days on theICE everyone has gotten to know the Ocean Rose very well.
Makes me think that's why he has two cups of coffee and reads the news paper on his IPad
before setting off, he gets to know everybody's rear or rather stern that way.
We are definitely not alone out here on the ICW.
With Love , D&L
Things are improving as we voyage ever southward.
# 5
One week and two days since the great storm Sandy at Worton Creek, and things have
changed one hundred and eighty degrees.
We have come south, now to the north of North Carolina on Thursday November
eighth and what a change has taken place in our water world.
We are sitting close to the little diesel fireplace on board our cozy vessel,
having a glass of wine and reveling in our being now in this scenic place.
This place is Buck Creek, just north of historic Albemarel Sound and just a
little west of fearsome Cape Hatteras.
We did not have enough time to cross the mighty Sound so looked at our charts and
found this little creek about a mile west of our route south. It looked cozy and safe, but
the water to get in the little creek was slim, shallow, barely enough to slip over the
murky, probably yucky bottom. Yet me mate, ever the adventurer said carry on, my good man
Don.
Carry on we did and found a little touch of paradise. Calm waters, with
marshland all about, a few small Cyprus trees and a beautiful sunset. Wow! Until today we
had hardly seen the sun, let alone a sunset.
So now instead of the roaring howling hurricane winds, we have gentle breezes,
almost still quiet. Instead of the constant pounding of the rain on our cabin top we can
now hear the gentle sounds of the sea birds flying softly above us. Instead of the boat
jumping up and down and tipping sideways, we are steady and at rest. We like this better!
This day of clear sky's was warm in our cockpit enclosure, but with the clear
sky now and without the warmth of the sun the night will be cool, well really dam COLD!
The forecast for tomorrow is for more warm sun and gentle breezes so we will
continue ever southward to Tropical HEAT!!!
Thank you all for continuing to think about and pray for we the wandering
sailors.
Don & Lois
#6
Things are improving as we voyage ever southward.
One week and two days since the great storm Sandy at Worton Creek, and
things have
changed one hundred and eighty degrees.
We have come south, now to the north of North Carolina on Thursday November
eighth and what a change has taken place in our water world.
We are sitting close to the little diesel fireplace on board our cozy vessel,
having a glass of wine and reveling in our being now in this scenic place.
This place is Buck Creek, just north of historic Albemarel Sound and just a
little west of fearsome Cape Hatteras.
We did not have enough time to cross the mighty Sound so looked at our charts and
found this little creek about a mile west of our route south. It looked cozy and safe, but
the water to get in the little creek was slim, shallow, barely enough to slip over the
murky, probably yucky bottom. Yet me mate, ever the adventurer said carry on, my good man
Don.
Carry on we did and found a little touch of paradise. Calm waters, with
marshland all about, a few small Cyprus trees and a beautiful sunset. Wow! Until today we
had hardly seen the sun, let alone a sunset.
So now instead of the roaring howling hurricane winds, we have gentle breezes,
almost still quiet. Instead of the constant pounding of the rain on our cabin top we can
now hear the gentle sounds of the sea birds flying softly above us. Instead of the boat
jumping up and down and tipping sideways, we are steady and at rest. We like this better!
This day of clear sky's was warm in our cockpit enclosure, but with the clear
sky now and without the warmth of the sun the night will be cool, well really dam COLD!
The forecast for tomorrow is for more warm sun and gentle breezes so we will
continue ever southward to Tropical HEAT!!!
Thank you all for continuing to think about and pray for we the wandering
sailors.
Don & Lois
#7
Some thoughts about South Carolina
Well for beginners it's different than North Carolina. Not a lot different, but
surly different.
The big difference is that NC has higher ground along the water front than SC. So
more varieties of trees grow close to the waterways.
NC had the Cyprus trees growing all along the channels, plus pines, hard woods,
like oak and lots of different fir trees. A pretty mix of color this time of year.
SC has salt marshes, miles and miles of salt marshes. Salt marshes all around us
are comprised of the native marsh grasses. They do have a certain charm of their own.
Evenness, uniformity, and the color of gold.
Not gaudy, flashy gold, but rather the soft and mellow rich tawny gold, of a
mature ripe wheat or barley field ready for harvesting.
Golden slender reeds as far as the eye can see, and it looks to have been trimmed
evenly by the best landscapers in the state.
Beauty in it's own way, but after four or five days it' become rather monotonous.
We have now come out of the marshlands to the sea port of Charleston NC. We are
docked at a very large modern marina just across the shipping channel from the city.
We are back to civilization. We have been four days winding along through the
narrow winding channels of the ICW, so now it's back to humanity, and a lot of it.
Of course we do not know a soul here in this place, yet everyone we pass on the
docks has a friendly hello, and how are you greeting for us.
A total stranger from another boat asks if we need to go to a grocery store, for
he has a friend coming at three thirty to take him to one nearby. "Yes we need groceries".
If we were ever to be ship wrecked this would be the place to have it happen.
We didn't get wrecked, we instead got over fed. Lois's brother John and his wife
Nancy joined us aboard for a Thanksgiving feast aboard Que Sea Sera.
Our oven is not large enough to cook a turkey so Lois prepared four small tender
Cornish Hens. Stuffing and gravy for sure, rice, cooked green beens, vegetables, a fine
Waldorf salad, fresh baked crescent rolls, wild grain rice, white wine, all set on our
beautiful highly polished teak dinning room table. And off course dim lights, (our battery
was running low.)
After a fun three days, and a visit to historic downtown Charleston, brother
John drove us back to the marina, where they packed up their gear and after a fond
farewell headed back to Southern Pines NC.
Let me tell you that after paying seventy five bucks a night at this marina,
John & Nancy probably had not even left the parking lot, when we had by then paid our bill
and were out of there southward fast.
Just think about this for minute, we paid seventy five dollars a night for
dockage. No free Continnatial breakfast included, no clean sheets the next day, no free
shampoo or clean towels, no fluffed up pillows before bed time, no hot shower with a hair
dryer, no nothing. Even Holiday Express offers that, we were gone in the blink of both
eyes!!!
We didn't get far, for an hour later we came upon a lift bridge that would not
be lifting until six thirty that evening. We are at the bridge at four PM.
What ever will be will be, so we drop anchor just a little off the channel to
wait for the six thirty opening.
Please remember that darkness sets in heavily around five thirty and traveling in
the dark is very risky. Yet wait we did, and for a very good reason. There was a very fine
sea food restaurant just one hundred feet past the now closed bridge.
We waited, and waited, but at quarter past six we had upped our anchor and were
present and to be accounted for directly in front of the Wapoo Lift Bridge.
Perhaps twenty minutes later we were in the restaurant having fresh oysters on
the half shell. And with us all was swell.
Underway by seven thirty AM we are soon even deeper into the marsh grasses of
the area and we soon see the signs of man along both shores of the waterway, docks! Short
docks, long docks, high docks,docks galore.
Heck we had seen docks extended out into the waterway all the way from the
Chesapeake Bay, thru Maryland, Virginia and on into North Carolina. Yet none can compete
with the docks of South Carolina, these people are the master dock builders.
It could be that SC has as manny dock builders as they have home builders.
Here is why.
A proper home buyer in this area must, before he builds his home over looking
this scenic waterway must stake his claim to the land by first building a walkway from his
property's shoreline across the marsh grass out to the deeper water to - a boat dock.
After the dock is constructed he or she can then build the residence. These are
mostly very huge classy three story building homes. Well maybe not three story for he
first floor is a flood stage area and so is not finished nor furnished.
This is mandatory for hurricanes could raise the water as much as ten to
twelve feet, thus flooding the ground floor.
Back to the docks then. The shallow water marsh grass extends out any where
from fifty feet to one hundred yards to reach water that is at least six feet deep. Marsh
grass can not grow in water six feet or deeper.
We have seen many long docks across the grasses to the waters edge with no
house yet erected on the shoreline. No walkway to a dock, no house. It must be the
building code around here it seems.
Walkways of at least a football field in length are seen regularly now along
the waterway. This length requires at least one hundred forty specially
Water proof treated wooden poles, plus cross bar braces for all of the poles.
They must be water proof treated for twice each day as the tide of five to six
feet rises and falls they are mostly under water.
The walkway is built for several thousands of dollars. Yet now a boat dock
must be built at the end of the walkway. The common dock is about twenty by twenty feet
square with a deck under the cover of a roof. The roof is usually of the same color as the
roof of the house, tan house roof, tan dock building roof. So now add on another ten
thousand dollars for the dock.
They, the owners are not done yet for they can not just leave their thirty
five thousand dollar boat bobbing along the dock. No for other big motor boats go roaring
by throwing a four foot high breaking wave behind them that just tears up everything
sitting in the water along the waterway.
No problem for they just purchase a fifteen thousand dollar electric hoist
to get the boat elevated above the waves crashing shoreward.
You now see why it's logical to be a dock builder rather than a home builder
for without a dock you can not build a house, it's not the law, but rather the proper way
of the marshlands of South Carolina.
Why I wonder does a person purchase a property with a view over the pristine
marshland and proceed to ruin his own view of same by erecting a short lived always to be
cared for structure a wooden walkway and dock right out his or her's front window?
Sorry to run on a little about these docks, but consider this.
Say maybe sixty percent of the home owners have build a stout walkway with a boat lift
dock. Forty precent have not. Do the sixty percent resent the forty percent. Do the forty
percent like the sixty percent.
The same holds true for the sea birds that roost daily on the unused docks.
Do the birds of a feather hang together on the massive docks, or do they scare off those
other birds that don't wear the same feathers?
After careful observation, having passed by all these many docks at five
miles an hour, I can testify that all the birds of any feather, all color the docks
equally, with a deposit of very white poop.
Still sailing towards the setting south sun.
Love to You, from Don & Lois
#8.
A rainy day in a Cyprus swamp in South Carolina
Nov. 18th
We left a snug dock at Barefoot Landing Marina, in South Carolina, at ten
o'clock in pouring rain, actually a very cold pouring rain. Are we nut's or what?
Most of the snowbird fleet is staying put, but for some reason we must push
ever onward. Yea! To find some sun and at least a little warmth!
We again are motoring on a man made, mostly straight, boring channel
everything is gray and cold, maybe forty degrees cold. We have continued mostly southward
for four hours when we come to a side creek, Bull Creek to be exact, off the main river.
Still with some rain falling, at least not down pouring, we drop the big plow
anchor in thirty feet of water, and quickly go below to get warm.
We only can turn on our big electric heater when we are at a dock that has
shore power to plug into so it's really not that warm it's just warmer.
Very shortly however I light up our trusty diesel fireplace and within minutes
it is putting off some badly needed warmth.
Here now an hour before sun set, if there was a sun set we find ourselves
anchored in a now almost windless and rain less place.
Looking out our side windows we can see the beauty that surounds us on all
sides. Though the sky is still very gray it 's the background of the many shades of color
along the shore line.
The tall Cyprus trees have lost all their needle like leaves to the many winds
that have been blowing hard for days. So their bare branches seem to reach skyward above
the lower pines and hard wood trees that crowd together below.
Deep orange foliage is surrounded by darker greens, even the deep browns of the
tree trunks themselves. Throw in some splashes of bright yellow scattered about, with just
a few bright reds of the oak trees and you know that fall here this far south is still
present.
It doesn't stop with the trees, for all along the shore line is the very trim
like, four foot high marsh grass that is so prevalent in the Carolina's. It is still a
very light shade of green, but toped with gold wheat colored tassels slowly waving to and
fro.
Glancing at one of our neighbors, a lovely white sailboat, we can't help but
wonder who they are and will we meet up with them in yet another cozy anchorage, or
harbor, further south.
Between their boat and ours the dark water of the creek shows clearly the little
wind eddies scattered on the water. The now so gentle breezes, have created hundreds of
sparkling small gems across the surface of the water.
We like this place.
Yet tomorrow we will lift up our anchor and travel, yet onward for even more of
life's experiences on the water.
Love to all, D and L
#9
On the Sea Today
We are just plain worn out zig zagging our way around the endless salt marshes of
the ICW so it's out to sea we go.
Only seven miles from last nights anchorage is the deep blue sea, so at eight AM
we are on our way to freedom, yea!
Lois is just a bit reluctant to venture out THERE, but with a little gentle
persuasion she finally agrees to take the seaward route. It really is no shorter, for we
must head straight offshore seven miles to get around the sandbars that line both sides of
the narrow channel. Same thing at the other end, but almost eight miles to get back in off
the ocean to an anchorage by the ICW.
We rode the five knot tidal flow down the channel with this extra push from the
fast moving water and soon we were zipping along doing eight knots out to the awaiting
Ocean.
As sunny and bright as yesterday was on the ICW today we are under a heavy gray
sky, with some other even darker rain looking thick clouds around our horizon.
The forecast was for a chance of scattered showers with very light winds. and
calm seas. That sounded like a good forecast to get out of the zig zag ICW and spend a day
going in a straight course on the ocean.
All of we sailors look for favorable omens as we set off upon the sea, and spot
them we did. Just as we cleared the channel entrance we spotted several Dolphins swimming
along just a few yards away, leading us out to sea, wow that was really cool.
We are now out of the very narrow restrictive channels that we have traversed
for two weeks and are now in the wide open spaces of the Atlantic Ocean pretty cool too,
even if the sky was a little overcast.
Here now out upon the calm sea we observe other types of birds than in the
inland marsh areas.
The prettiest are the Gannets. Snow white birds with fuzzy light yellow heads.
Their wings are long and slender with coal black tips on the ends. They look like a small
snow goose when sitting on the water. Most of the time however they are seen gliding
effortless only a couple of feet over the wave tops, grace in motion to be sure.
We often see flying close by small bunches of tiny Terns flying with fast
pumping motion wings on a small compact little body. They are the opposite of the
Pelicans that we had seen along the ICW. Big ungainly huge birds with long outspread wings
and grandiose bill, the Pinokeo of the avian types. They just fold up their wings and fall
out of the sky to dive for their meal. That must be why their bill pouch is so large for
surely a fish can see this gray mass of feathers coming down from the sky above them.
Snow skiers would call the resultant blast into the water a yard sale. It makes a
big splash and then they bob back to the surface with a puzzled look on their face. Did I
get the fish?
It's easy to tell if he did, for if successful he lifts his long beak skyward
and swallows his prize whole.
We now see Black Wing Gulls about, and strings of black colored ducks flying
fast to the south close above the water.
We are not seeing the big birds out here on the ocean, the Pellican, the Osprey,
and Bald Eagle, for they are the shallow water predators. We are seeing the long range
gliding water birds, and less of them as well.
About twelve thirty Lois notices that the sky has a dark edge low over the water
just east of us. She is below making lunch, yet she is ever watchful and sees this erie
look thru the galley window. From below I hear her question, " is that a water spout out
there". I must have been so intent doing my navigation that I had not noticed this
threatening cloud formation. Or reading his book!
Skippers must remain calm cool and collected and present a very calm demeanor
whenever threatening things appear.
My response was " no honey I do not see a water spout, but your right, maybe
one could form out of the cloud I'll keep an eye on it". She went back to the business of
making lunch.
I have seen a few water spouts forming out over Lake Erie over the years that
we have lived along the lake, soooooo! Yep this cloud was trying to form two spouts
downward to the water.
The one she saw out her window was not formed up very well, but it certainly
was trying to do just that.
One spout just a little behind and out of her sight had a tendril of a cone
shaped gray cloud hanging half way down from the cloud toward the water. It got my
attention right away, this was not good.
Yet it was up side down. The top is normally bigger with a thin tube reaching
down towards the water. As I watched this one, the funnel became thicker at the bottom and
narrower at top. It got about halfway down to the water and the bottom spread even wider
and then slowly started to thin out and dissipate.
I didn't tell my mate about the second one for I didn't want her to not finish
making my lunch.
The threatening clouds disappeared, the sun did appear briefly and warmed us
northerners up a bit. Just as the sun set we got the good ship Que Sera Sera into port and
safely anchored just before happy hour arrived aboard.
A very nice day going straight on a big ocean.
Love to all Don & Lois
#10 From the Marsh
Lands to the Big City.
Dec. 5th
Out past the marsh onto a big wide river, the St John's, and it's up the river
we go, past big container ships a couple equally big war ships, two cruise liners, around
a big bend in the river, and before us lays Jacksonville, Florida.
Quite a spectacular difference from what we have been experiencing for the last
two weeks.
Luckily our cruising guide lead us to a large free city marina. Upon our arrival
we find every dock vacant. Nary another boat of any size or shape to be seen, Empty!
That usually is not a good sign. It!s free and it's empty why?
Yet we are here and the docks are in very good condition so lets give it a try.
The first thing that jumps quickly to mind when a marina is empty is that it
must not be a safe area to spend the night. Have they had vandalism or worse yet have
boats been broken into.
We tie up at a dock towards the outside of the marina sixty or seventy feet
away from the shore side. From this location we could plainly see any scary characters
that may be approaching our little home afloat.
Funny how the mind congers up evil thoughts of harm so quickly in a strange
place. After looking around a little, I see not one hundred feet from our boat, the docks
for the Jacksonville harbor police.The office for the parks and recreation department is
only another sixty or seventy feet further. I think we will be very safe in this marina.
There is a twenty acre grassy city park, and just across the street, the
football stadium for the Jacksonville Jaguars stands. We will stay here without worry,
maybe.
There had been living things here before our arrival however. Yep remember
the many birds that lined the long docks over the marshes? Well they had been here as well
for the gray docks were very much whitened by their yucky deposits.
Friday my Niece Lore and her husband Dave came to visit and we went to lunch
at a fun deli across a big bridge close to the marina.
We are back to the boat at three PM and a still find an empty marina.
Saturday and finally seven or eight boats came into our private marina, how
dare they.
Lore and Dave took us out for dinner and we saw more of the city, and our
first Christmas lights and decorations of any quantity so far this season.
Upon our return to our boat we found the six boats around us also had colorful
lights festooned all over their rigging. Our private marina was now getting very colorful.
The pavilion in the park had a large gathering of people of color, eating,
dancing to rap music and generally having a good time.
We went to bed at nine thirty and never heard a thing.
Sunday began bright and sunny and began to warm up. The other boats that had
spent the night in the marina all departed by eleven so once again we were alone.
By eleven thirty a new strange sound began to emanate from an unseen location
very near by. BOM! BOM! BOOOM BOM BOM BOOOOM,,
Then over a very loud speaker came, "testing, "testing," testing." Two, four,
eight, "testing," "testing," then BOM! BOM! BOOOM BOM! BOM, BOOOOM! Now even louder than
before.
That went on for fifteen to twenty minutes and then all was quiet in our
little world. The quiet was short lived.
Music began to blast over us in deep percussion waves from giant speakers as
a band started to make, music? Noise would be more descriptive, loud noise!
People of a young age began to walk thru what used to be the vacant park
towards the sounds of the band. Then a second band cranked up in a another park just
behind the park security building. Yesterday the doors were open on the security building
today they are shut tight. We were about to find out why.
Maybe you remember the days of the dueling Banjos. If so, now imagine what the
effect of dueling bands would have on a persons mind, in a word OUCH!
All afternoon they blasted noisily and just as one band started to tire a new
band took their place. Every two hours a fresh band was introduced to the cheering crowds.
To make it even worse the two bands alternated the change so each hour a new band started
up loudly trying to make an instant impression on all those gathered therein.
Several certainly made an impression on me. They did not really sing, but
rather just yelled and shouted at the top of their voices some unrecognizable sounds
backed by a razor sharp steel guitar.
I heard an announcer thank the record crowd for coming out to the chicken
festival. This was not a festival for chickens for sure, maybe a noisy rooster could stand
it, but not me.
Luckily niece Lore and Dave picked us up at five to take us to their house
for a quiet dinner. A fine meal was partaken of and we talked long into the evening before
they took us back to the boat. The bands were still sounding off, but were now into more
sedate music, mostly.
We shut all the hatches turned off the lights and with spinning heads went
to bed.
The next morning we once again awoke to an empty marina and a quite and very
peaceful park, a light drizzle as well. Cast off fore and aft honey we are out of here
NOW!
Back now in the ICW and the surrounding calming salt marshes and what a nice
change it was. Kayakers slipping sedately and so smoothly along on the placid water, and
small fishing boats with the skipper casting his silvery fishing lines out into the clear
waters, peaceful.
Above our tall mast a vast blue sky arches, only tucking in behind the big
pine and Cyprus trees along the distant shores on both sides of Que Sera Sera.
Back we are now, to the soft swaying marsh grasses influenced by a gentle
breeze off the nearby ocean. Only a few days ago I thought them to be boring, now however,
their silence is refreshing and mind soothing, and my mind certainly needs all the
soothing it, can get.
One must be careful in what one wishes for, for the wish may not turn out the
way you were wishing.
The fun of visiting an exciting big city in exchange for the many normal marsh
land days on the water could have a harsh ending.
Stay well and keep an eye on the normal.
With love to all from, Don & Lois