A Trip to Remember

Or “All aboard the slow boat to Florida”

October 10, 2000, 0745 hours, and off we go. Ten years of planning, untold investment in electronics, boat modifications, charts and training and we are about to put the first of many miles of water under our keel.

I had retired in May 2000. We sold our house, and everything in it, and moved onto our boat McKENA – a 1990 Holiday Mansion, 38ft Coastal Barracuda. The plan was to never experience snow again and we would accomplish that by driving the boat to the west coast of Florida for the winter and drive it back to Ontario for the summer. What could be simpler?

We were planning on leaving our dock at Ed Huck Marine, Rockport, Ontario at first light (approx. 0600hrs) but after all the excitement and anticipation of this trip – we slept in !!

During the thousands of hours of pre-trip conversation/discussion one of the easiest decisions made was that we would never leave a dock or anchorage without complete agreement that the weather, that day, forecast calm seas. We would never depart if there was a Small Craft Warning concerning wind speed.

At 0745. October 10, 2000 it was overcast, 38F and the wind was out of the Northwest 15-20knots. Not an “official” Small Craft Warning so we cast off the lines and started west on the St. Lawrence River and across Lake Ontario.

It was 67 nautical miles (NM) to Oswego, NY and the start of the Oswego/Erie Canal which would lead us to the Hudson River and our first opportunity to head due south. The first 27NM were picture perfect – the last 40 on the other hand had us taking 2 – 3 ft seas on the beam. Our feline crew (2 white domestic short hair cats, “Port” and “Starboard”) became noticeably green before we finally entered Oswego Harbour.

During that last 40 NM a 34ft Trojan House Cruiser that was up on plane and making great time against the rough seas passed us. As we were “flying along” at 8 knots it was the first of many occasions that I would covet a faster boat. But for every advantage there is a disadvantage for it was not long after passing us that we heard the Trojan calling for assistance as they had run out of fuel one mile short of Oswego. When we finally arrived at the Oswego Marina we met the crew of the Trojan: Al, Marny and Gord, and had a great discussion about new fuel tanks that were smaller than the previous ones. This meeting of the crew of “19^th Hole” was the first of many between Oswego and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

During the summer of 1997 we had driven the boat to Cape May, NJ, and back, as a test of the boat and crew’s ability to make a 4000 NM round trip to Florida. That summer vacation was one of the best we had ever experienced and indicated quite clearly that we had the “right stuff” for the Florida trip.

The first few days of the “big” trip were to be a repeat of the 1997 trip. The waterways and scenery would be just as we had remembered them and we were anxious to get past Cape May so that every subsequent mile would be truly new and different. Well, the problem with thinking that far in advance is that there is always something that gets in the way and throws all that planning out the window. In our case that “something” was the weather.

There is a very distinct difference between making this trip in June and making it in October. That became apparent on day 2 when we had to cross 25 mile Lake Oneida. In June it was like glass – in October it was experiencing a 20 knot wind blowing down its length. The deciding factor for us was that it was a west wind and we were going east – therefore it would be a following sea and a reasonably comfortable ride. What we got was a very vivid demonstration of the effects of “fetch” (the distance the wind blows over a body of water). As we entered the lake at the west end the water was calm with no appreciable chop. When we got to the other end we had been “surfing” in 4 – 6 ft seas for approximately 15 miles !!

One of the other distinctions between June and October is the occurrence of morning fog in October. On more than one morning our departure was delayed a few hours by fog. In fact on a future occasion our departure was delayed days because of fog.

It did not take long to get back into the rhythm of “locking” and by the third day we were hardly ever hitting the lock wall harder than planned. It seemed that every lock we entered Port and Starboard wanted to get off. We assumed they had had enough already. On day 3 as we were docking for the night at Little Falls, NY, Starboard actually jumped ship onto solid ground and rolled in the high grass. Does he know something that we don’t or was it just the effect of the fresh catnip that he had been given by the Lock Master at Lock 20 ?

It was a pleasant evening but a cold night. This was the first hint of upcoming generator problems when the raw water filter clogged with weeds. After cleaning I discovered that the line from the thru-hull to the filter was also clogged. That was the end of our heat and we could only hope that the next days run would clean off the hull. It turned into a long day as the 5 mile stretch of river through Schenectady was clogged with rowing sculls and their crews practicing. Talk about a “no wake zone” !

Upon our arrival at Lock 7, well after dark, we stood aside as a large cruise ship went through the lock. At over 100 feet long but only 20 feet high the Royal Caribe did look a bit of a “barge”.

The end of day 4 found us at anchor in Schodack Creek (24.5NM south of Troy, NY) just off the Hudson River. It was to be the first of many beautiful, serene anchorages we experienced on this trip. After a grand dinner of BBQ steak and fresh shrimp, and as we sat on the back deck enjoying the sunset, we were surprised to be approached by a row boat containing 3 men and a whole lot of guns. Seems that hunting season started the next day and they were simply on their way to a duck blind. We went to bed satisfied that pirates had not overrun the Hudson River.

The next night we followed the advice of one of our cruising guides and anchored behind Pollepel Island (just north of West Point). As with other “firsts” on this trip, this was the first of many times when we found the cruising guides to be less than accurate !!. The guide stated that this anchorage was protected from winds from all directions and also from the wake of passing river traffic. Wrong !!! Everything was fine until about 2300hrs when the wind came up from the north at about 15kn. For a reason we have still not identified the boat would not come up into the wind and we endured a whole night of beam waves. At one point we even tried to power the boat around into the wind and that too failed. It seemed as if there was something under the boat holding us from coming about. The depth sounder indicated about 12 feet below us so it wasn’t that we were on the bottom. We finally gave up and tried to get as much rest as possible – a very difficult task. At first light the problem seemed to have fixed itself as we were lying bow to the wind and everything was operating as expected. What happened last night ??

As we hauled anchor, still scratching our heads, we found attached to the anchor chain a number of very odd looking, star shaped, sharp pointed “things”. We now had the answer to our dilemma of the previous night – a sea monster had us in its grasp all night and when we were hauling anchor we actually tore out some of its fingernails !! Needless to say we quickly left the shadow of Pollepel Island, vowing never to return. As of the date of this writing we still have not been able to identify these “fingernails”. I think on the return trip we’ll anchor off West Point.

We are also satisfied that Pollepel Island infected McKENA with bad karma that night ‘cause this day was to be the start of a spate of bad weather that did not leave us until Norfolk, VA, some 15 days later.

On October 16, as we proceeded south on the Hudson in N/E 10-15kn winds, rain & cold, we were anticipating getting through New York City harbour and spending the night behind Sandy Hook, NJ before starting the NJ portion of the ICW the next day. Wrong again !!

Just north of Tarrytown, NY (approx. 16NM north of NYC) we overheard another southbound boat calling the local marina looking for a slip for the night. That type of radio traffic was to become common place on this trip but what made this call worthy of note was the captain’s request for a slip because he was “a 70ft cruiser and I’m not going out into that type of sea!” Needless to say that made for a quick check of the weather forecast which was describing N/E 20kn winds and 7 – 9ft seas outside NY harbour. It didn’t require much of a discussion between us before we also requested dock space for the night.

As it turned out it became a dock space for 2 nights as the lousy weather just kept coming.

On October 18 we decided to try and get into the NJ ICW. As we left the dock we quickly noticed that the 70ft boat was staying another day. Turned out to be a good idea on his part.

Although the wind was up it was coming from the north, which made our southbound trip not unpleasant. It was cloudy and cold so the trip through NYC harbour was choppy but nothing to be concerned about. As we exited the harbour, passing under the Verrazano Narrows Bridge, we were in the lee of Coney Island and the sea state remained friendly.

As we came out from behind Coney Island we found that once again the government weather guy had got it all wrong. The predicted continuing north winds had now changed and were coming from the east !! The 8 mile run to shelter behind Sandy Hook found us having to cover 12 miles as we “tacked” to avoid taking the very ugly sea on the beam. Although the boat and crew were never in any danger the rough ride did rearrange some of the furnishings & cupboard contents. Once again we could detect a green tinge on Starboard’s face.

For the second time we found the information contained in one of the cruising guides to be faulty. The guide described an anchorage just south of the Sandy Hook Coast Guard Station as well protected from all but south winds. Sounded good to us and as we came into the lee of Sandy Hook the water surface was like glass. The anchorage was well protected from the east wind and we anchored very much looking forward to a good nights sleep. Not to be ! About 1900hrs the wind changed again, this time to the N/W. Our calm, quiet anchorage quickly turned into a disaster. Again, the boat was never in peril, the anchor held well and the boat behaved properly by coming up into the wind immediately – but what a rough ride. Another night of no sleep. It was too rough and too dark to try to move to a marina so we just sat it out while listening to the radio weather guy say the wind would continue from the east all night !! Being that we were in NJ I figured we could easily take a “contract” out on the weather guy but as the sun came up and we were able to relocate to the Atlantic Highlands Marina the desire to kill had somewhat subsided although we had lost another day.

But out of the dark comes the light and the following day was sunny, warm with a light breeze and we had a very pleasant ocean cruise and entered the NJ ICW without incident. We had discovered a small leak in our galley stove propane system which drained the tank in short order so we stopped in Manasquan, NJ to have it refilled. The “guide” said propane was available within 2/10 of a mile of the marina. When we got to the dock nobody had a clue where to find a propane filling station. As we were standing there with the empty tank at our feet and thoughts of nothing but cold food and no coffee for days on end a man came up to admire our boat. After a brief conversation about the boat he offered to drive me to a filling station although he had no idea where one was located. So off we went in his 1988 Cadillac convertible (top down) in search of propane. We did locate a filling station and within a couple of hours of stopping, the tank was reinstalled we were back on the “road” south bound once again.

Not to be forever dumping on the cruising guides, they did steer us to a great free town dock at Island Heights, NJ. It is a very small town that started life as a church summer camp and is now more of a bedroom community for NYC. We had a lot of people come by to say “hello, welcome to town” but they seemed more interested in the cats than the human crew. One fellow described the locals as friendly but “if you haven’t been here for at least 100 years, then you’re a newcomer”. It was a nice town and hopefully we’ll stop on the return trip.

Stayed at the Trump Marina, Atlantic City, the next night and it was just as nice as we remembered. Great facilities and friendly staff. Mom, we didn’t touch the slots, honest. Another preferred stop on the return trip.

The next day the ocean was too ugly for anyone to venture outside for the trip to Cape May. We were third in a parade of southbound boats that were together to take advantage of the restricted bridge openings within the boundaries of the city. Once through those obstacles the parade stretched itself out and eventually it became everyone for themselves. As we approached the Great Egg Harbour inlet we made a mistake that could have had serious consequences and one that every boater should learn to avoid - we followed another boat when we knew we should not have.

During our 1997 trip we found that a portion of the ICW, identified on the chart as the “Broad Thorofare” had been closed due to shoaling. That closure then made the southbound route cross the Great Egg Harbour inlet at right angles making for a very uncomfortable few miles. The incoming ocean currents/waves had to be taken on the beam since the channel was too shallow to offer any other alternative.

This time, as we approached the turn into the Broad Thorofare, we observed two boats ahead of us make the turn and proceed into the area we thought to be closed. I called them on the radio and they reported good water depth. Since both were deeper draft boats than us we decided to follow, working on the premis that they would go aground before we would. The first portion of the channel was deep and wide. Why would it seem to be closed ??

As we approached the end of the channel the first boat slowed and stopped. The second boat moved to the right, slowed and stopped. With no radio comment by either of them we slowed and moved between them. My depth sounder immediately went from 12ft to one ft and we ground to a stop. For the first time in our boating life we had gone aground !! Now we knew why the channel had been closed. While trying to extricate ourselves the silence in the boat was deafening - both of us screaming, to ourselves, “Why did we come down here, knowing it was closed ?”

After a couple of “to and fro” moves we were able to get out of the sand and retrace our path to the open part of the ICW. The boat we had followed was also able to power off the bottom. The first boat to go aground had to wait for high tide (4 hrs) to give them enough depth to get unstuck.

As we made the dreaded crossing of the ocean inlet we vowed to pay more attention to the channel markers. Going aground, we decided, was not a lot of fun.

One of the consequences of excitement, frustration and increased adrenaline flow is an increase in appetite so as we continued on our trip Marilyn agreed to make some lunch. While she was “off the bridge” I was able, all on my own, to run aground again. Now in my defence I have to say that the channel was not well marked and there should have been one more buoy to indicate the “bend” in the route. We were able to easily power off the sandbar without any damage. When we checked the props we found that the 2 groundings had done a great job of cleaning the blades – I guess it was akin to sandblasting.

Arrived in Cape May at 1500hrs and found an interesting dockage at a commercial fishing establishment. Had an extended “happy hour” at the end of this day !!

Every mile after this point was going to be new, exciting and challenging. We also had the first opportunity to start using our electronic charts to assist in navigation, which were to be an almost indispensable addition to our equipment.

Delaware Bay !! What a way to start our “new” experience! At 55 miles long and 25 miles wide (at the widest) the cruising guides warn that when the tidal current and wind are opposing this body of water can get very ugly. But if the current is running with you, and the wind is to your back (or lacking totally) the trip from the Cape May Canal to the C&D Canal can be smooth and reasonably quick.

Well, we didn’t get many advantages on our trip. The current was running against us and although the wind wasn’t too bad it was up enough to make the lower Bay (approx 30 miles) a little choppy.

Did I say a little choppy ? The sea ran about 2-3ft but only part of it was taken on the beam, so although we rocked a tad it was not bad enough to consider going back to Cape May and trying again some other day. It was, although, rough enough to find Marilyn and Starboard lying on the couch asking “Are we there yet?”.

As we got closer to the narrower northern end of the bay it smoothed right out, the wind died, the sun was warm and we were able to enjoy a pleasant cruise into the C&D Canal. As we made the turn into the Canal we looked at each other and lied “That wasn’t too bad”.

The boating God must have been listening and said to him/herself “So they thought that was easy. Well here take this”. And with that the engine quit and we were dead in the water.

Now you have to appreciate that we were just inside the entrance of a narrow canal that is the main commercial shipping lane between the Chesapeake Bay and the upper Delaware River ( City of Philadelphia, etc), were without any power/steerage and had no clue as to what the problem could be. As we dropped the anchor (to give us some time to analyze the problem) an idiot sportfishing boat captain blew past us giving us a wake that almost rearranged the galley cupboards. Some people’s children !!!

So, there we were, anchored in a canal that prohibits anchoring, with a major engine problem – so we did what all good boaters do in similar circumstances – we radioed the Canal Dispatcher and told him we were about to make his day miserable. He was very friendly and advised that there was no commercial traffic in our vacinity so keep him posted “BUT MAKE IT FAST”

Turned out to be water in the fuel filter and with a quick filter change we were off again. The Dispatcher thanked us for the update and to “have a good day”. So far it couldn’t get any worse !

The Canal was as advertised: calm, quiet and free of anchored fishermen and within a short time we were tied up to a free dock at Chesapeake City (half way point of Canal) right behind “19^th Hole”. We were quick to break into the “spirit locker” that night.

Was today an indication of how this “new” trip was to unfold ?

Early morning fog delayed our departure the next day but with confidence building in our electronics we set off and within an hour the fog was gone and the sun shone brightly.

The Canal is the northern entrance to Chesapeake Bay. All our pre-trip planning had us poking around the Bay for a few days enjoying the many anchorages and small fishing villages that dot both shorelines. Our first stop would be Annapolis, Maryland.

Annapolis is a “must” stop for any boat cruising the Chesapeake. It is the sight of one of the largest annual east-coast in water boat shows, home of the US Naval Academy and a real showplace of restored period homes. We were very pleased to get a slip at the town dock (better known as Ego Alley during the boat show) and set off to see the town and eat lots of seafood.

As it turned out we didn’t have to rush. Our 1 day stay turned into 3 days.

When we awoke the next morning the fog was so thick that we had great difficulty seeing the boat next to us. The NOAA weather guy said that it would clear by noon. What he forgot to say was that it would be at noon 3 days later !

We took advantage of the unscheduled stop to restock the larder, do some laundry, buy stuff, and generally laze around. The fog did not discourage the tourists though and we had many people stop by to say hello and ask about the trip to date. I still think they were more interested in talking to the cats.

As an indication of how thick the fog was, a woman on the “Wooden Shoe” (a trawler from St. Williams, ON) fell into the water while trying to step onto the dock. Very tense moments until she was back on deck, bruised but OK.

Friday, October 27 and the fog was starting to lift. Wooden Shoe left to continue south and reported that out on the Bay the fog was patchy and the sea conditions were good. We left Annapolis at about 0930hrs and within a couple of hours the fog was gone and we were slowly cruising to the Solomons – our planned destination for the night.

Upon our arrival and while stopped for fuel, an almost daily event, we decided to take advantage of a “deal” on dockage. For 75 cents a foot we had a very quiet dock with power and water. We preferred to anchor out but on occasion there are deals that just can’t be passed up. The other reason for taking the deal was that the NOAA weather guy was predicting strong N/E winds and high seas for the next couple of days. If we were to have more delays it might as well be somewhere we could walk around to kill time.

The next morning the weather report was not as dramatic and Small Craft Warnings were not to be issued until later in the afternoon so we decided to get as many miles under the keel as possible since it appeared that it would be a short day. The first 20 miles had us in 2ft seas but the wind was N/W, which gave us following seas and a decent ride.

This day was to have us crossing the 6 mile wide mouth of the Potomac River. During a warm summer cruise it would have been an interesting trip to motor up the Potomac to Washington, DC to experience that city from the water. Since the weather wasn’t predicted to be all that great we had decided to just continue south. The down side to that decision is that it required us to cross, at right angles, the significant down river current of the Potomac. That course is not that bad IF the tide and wind are in your favour. Guess what?

Actually the crossing wasn’t all that bad since the wind stayed out of the northwest. With the easterly river current running into the southerly bay current it made for 3-4ft choppy seas but since we kept the wind behind us we made the crossing without major incident.

The weather report was getting worse and we were now experiencing 30kn winds so after only 32 miles we decided to call it a day at Smith Point.

The chart indicated a very protected harbour at Smith Point Marina so we checked in to wait out the weather. It was protected all right, from every wind angle but the one we were experiencing. By the time we were secured in our slip the wind was blowing 40kn right on our starboard stern quarter – the waves against the hull made for an experience similar to being inside a drum.

This was to last for 3 days !!!!

Three other boats were also waiting out the weather, including “19^th Hole”, and with absolutely no shore facilities, this stay became very old very quickly.

Uh, the joys of cruising !!!!

Break out the rum !!!!!

After 3 days of frustration with the weather, one of the other waiting boats, “Marge’s Barge”, decided to head out and test the Bay. They promised to radio back the sea conditions to those of us prepared to wait some more. A few minutes later they did radio that the sea was about 1-2ft and the wind was following from the north. That's all we needed to hear and within 20 minutes we were away from the dock.

Marge’s Barge lied !!!!!

When we got out of the harbour the sea was running 3ft and the wind was more N/W to W/N/W, which made the southbound passage somewhat rougher than the day that drove us into Smith Point. But not bad enough to have us turn back.

We stopped that night at a very quiet, calm anchorage in Chisman Creek ( a few miles up the York River). What a relief from 3 days of limited sleep and strong winds. We were asleep before our heads hit the pillow. Things were looking up at last.

They only looked up for about 8 hours !!

It was very cold that night so I got up early to fire-up the generator to take the chill off and surprise,surprise – it ran for about 30 seconds, quit and would not re-start. If it hadn’t been so damn cold I would have gladly removed it and thrown it overboard. Will this piece of junk ever work properly ?

Since we were up anyway, we put on jackets and hauled anchor – might as well get going, at least it would be in a southerly direction.

What we forgot to notice was this day was Halloween and even having 2 WHITE cats on board was not going to save us from “the dark”.

As we were leaving the anchorage we noticed that the wind was starting to pickup out of the north. No problem said we. We’re going south so it will be a comfortable following sea. What wasn’t as apparent at that moment was the fact that we first had to go north to the York River, then east back into the Bay. By the time we got out of the harbour anchorage, we were going directly into 4-6ft waves!!

As we continued on the set course I could only remember the WW 2 movies I had seen of ships crossing the North Atlantic during a winter storm. We would climb to the crest of a wave then descend into the trough and as we hit the next wave the sea would break over the bow and completely obstruct our view with spray – until the next series of waves. Due to the large number of crab pots outside the channel we had to endure the ride for approximately 3 miles.

When we turned east, for the 5 mile run to the Bay, it got worse. Again, because of the numerous crab pots we were unable to “tack” very effectively. Those 5 miles were the longest miles in our ten year boating experience. The contents of the cabin, and all cupboards, were totally rearranged, a number of times.

In hindsight we realize that the boat was never in any danger of actually rolling over but at the time we were not as sure. It took all our strength to steer the boat in a reasonably straight line as the seas wanted to turn it sideways. It was not a fun time but turning back wasn’t an option, given the sea conditions.

When we finally turned south in the Bay, surfing in 5ft seas towards Norfolk,VA was almost enjoyable. This day found Marilyn earnestly looking for the phone number of the closest airport.

We still had over 1000 miles to go.

Had we made a mistake thinking we could complete this trip?

As we entered the breakwater of Norfolk Harbour , and the sea conditions calmed, it took a few minutes of deep breathing before WE calmed down enough to notice the huge US Navy presence. Cruising past dock after dock of parked war ships, carriers to submarines, it brought home how much money America has invested in their military. It is truly awesome.

As Marilyn was snapping pictures of the ships we wondered if our actions were being closely monitored – given the disaster of the bombing of the USS Cole a few weeks earlier. We quietly motored past this arsenal not really appreciating the sorrow that must have been hanging over that shipyard.

During our trip preparations we read a number of articles that spoke of the amount of, or in some cases the lack of, radio communications that went on between boats, big and small, in passing and/or overtaking situations. Given the vastness of Delaware and Chesapeake Bays this detailed communications had not been necessary and therefore we had not been exposed to it to any large degree. Norfolk Harbour, and the southern entrance to Chesapeake Bay changed all that.

VHF Channel 16 was virtually alive with conversations such as: “This is US Navy war ship 51 outbound to sea behind the sailboat at marker 36. Captain, what is your intention?” The usual response from the pleasure craft was: “ War ship 51, this is the sailing vessel Best Wind. My intention is to stay out of your way ! I will hug the green side of the channel and let you pass. Have a good day.”

To this day, telling the Captain of a VERY LARGE war ship to “Have a good day” seems a little odd.

As we proceeded under one of the many bridges at the south end of the harbour we saw a dolphin in the wild !! This was to be the first of a continuing series of sightings all the way to our final Florida destination. Each one was as exciting as the last. Having dolphins swimming beside the boat is not something that the St. Lawrence River offers and we never stopped smiling at each new sighting. A call of “Dolphin alert !” always brought the other person to the window asking “Where? Where?”

Finally into the “real” ICW and time to get out more cruising guides. The chart table was starting to look like something from the local library. Having to read the myriad of charts, tide tables, current tables and guide books each night, in preparation for the next day's journey, was turning out to be more work than what was entailed in driving and docking the boat. Good thing I had my glasses checked before leaving Canada.

At this point of the journey we had a choice of 2 routes to get us from Norfolk to Albemarle Sound and the Carolinas. One passage was identified as “The Virginia Cut”. The other route is named “The Dismal Swamp”. At first blush the choice seemed rather simple but the guides spoke well of both routes. The final decision found us in the Virginia Cut since there seemed to be a greater number of “no wake zones” in the “Swamp”. Maybe we would try the Swamp route on the return trip.

The name “Virginia Cut” turned out to be an apt description of the waterway. It was a very narrow and appeared to be manmade in most portions. Our destination for the day was Great Bridge, Chesapeake City, VA (different than Chesapeake City, MD). There was a lock just prior to Great Bridge but just past the lock was a free town dock. Free is good!

The lock only operates on the hour and as we were getting close we were not on “the schedule” so slowed our speed to coordinate our arrival with the next opening. As we came into sight of the lock the Lock Master called us and explained that he would hold the lock for us and to “step on it”. The lock was still about a mile away and “stepping on it” for us meant a huge increase of boat speed - from 8.5kn to 10kn!! Hang on and get out the water skis !!

We did make that opening and as we entered the lock there were 8 other boat drivers who were giving us the evil eye for causing the delay. We were the fifth power boat on one wall and there were 4 sail boats on the other wall. Was somebody concerned about mixing the two types for fear of cross breeding ?

As the lock opened, after a raise of 3ft, the power boats were allowed to leave first. Since we were planning on stopping at the free dock, just outside the lock doors, we hung back and waived the sailboats past us. The last sailboat waved as they went by and then pulled into the last opening on the free dock !!

So much for being “Mister Nice Guy”.

We made a U-turn in the channel and docked on the channel wall facing north, tied off to a couple of trees and called it a day.

As it turned out we were parked right in front of a land based marina that had a large service department. I went over looking for some assistance with my generator and was told that since it was under warranty they wouldn’t touch it (apparently for fear of voiding the warranty). I was now on a hunt for a Kohler Warranty repair shop. Turned out to be a near impossible task.

When we bought fuel in Delaware we found out that the state was rebating 23cents per gallon on all “non-highway” use of gasoline and/or diesel. What a deal !! Problem was that DE is a very small state, as far as the ICW is concerned, and I was only able to take advantage of their generosity for one fill up.

Turned out that Virginia also had a rebate on fuel for marine use. Early the next morning we made a beeline for the last marina before the Virginia/North Carolina border to take advantage of the rebate. With large smiles at our good luck, we tied to the fuel dock only to find the owner “away” and nobody was quite sure when he would be back. Our smiles faded quickly and we left wondering if we would have any good luck on this trip.

All the cruising guides were consistent in their warnings about the unpredictability of Albermarle Sound. Due to very shallow depths any amount of wind turned this body of water into a very “confused” sea. No consistency in direction or height of waves, etc. As we entered the Sound the wind was N/W10 and the conditions lived up to their reputation. Now, in the big picture a 10kn wind is no big deal, but in this picture it was significant. The trip of 20 miles became about 25 miles as we “tacked” around waves that sometimes reached 3ft and always seemed to be on the beam.

After making our way across the Sound we decided to spend a night tied to a solid dock and stopped at the Alligator River Marina, Columbia, NC. As we tied up, the crew of “Marge’s Barge” came over to say hello but by now my “disappointment” with their weather report back at Smith Point, VA, had subsided so the crew of McKENA were well behaved.

November 2 – day 23 – and we were off to Belhaven, NC. All along the trip we had been told to stop at Belhaven and sample the “world famous” oyster fritters at River Forest Marina. When we were reading the write-up on River Forest we discovered they were a Kohler service shop !! What luck !!

We arrived at River Forest at 1300hrs and arranged for their Kohler guy to come and look at the lemon in my engine room. When he arrived he diagnosed the problem as “likely a fuel pump” but they did not do warranty work but would arrange for a warranty guy to come by the next day. Sounding good so far.

Just after we tied up “Marge’s Barge” and “19^th Hole” showed up so we had a reunion of sorts. We all tried the oyster fritters at the marina restaurant and were unanimous in our assessment that they did not live up to the hype. By the look of the boats that did come, just for the fritters, our assessment was obviously in the minority. A 48ft Krogen, 48ft Tollycraft, 44ft Gozzard and a 70ft Striker (from Puerto Rico) all stopped for the food. I guess us Yankees don’t know a good thing when we taste it !!

Waited all the next day for the warranty guy – no show. After the fifth inquiry with the service department they finally said that the girl that had made the arrangements had walked off the job and they had no idea what those arrangements were or what warranty guy she had been talking to as THEY HAD NO IDEA ABOUT A LOCAL WARRANTY GUY !!!!!!

Do you ever get the urge to kill somebody? By now it was too late to get underway so we decided to stay and take the opportunity to change the engine oil – at least try and salvage something of the day.

Got out my oil changing stuff to find the extraction pump was broken. The Christopherson luck was holding.

With time on our hands we borrowed one of the marina golf carts and set off into town. Belhaven is a good size town and like most of the towns along the waterway nothing is near the water. So here we are driving down the shoulder of a highway and through town in an electric golf cart at a whopping 6 mph. Not too bad along the shoulder but we found that all the turns we wanted to make were left turns. That required us to sit in the middle of the road waiting for either a light to change or traffic to clear. Once we were good to go I’d “step on it” and barely make it through the intersection before the light changed. As stupid as we looked we were having fun and don’t plan on visiting the town again anyway.

On our golf cart trip we did find a liquor store. We seem to be able to sniff them out of the air but as we placed our purchase on the check-out counter the attendant said “Cash only”. Odd, but hey this was North Carolina, so we paid the man and left. On the very slow trip back to the boat it dawned on me: that was a liquor store in the US and the guy asked for cash – the guy behind the counter was probably a robber and the real attendant was tied up in the back ! For a split second I thought about going back, but we had to get the wine on ice and there are priorities you know.

Away at first light and joined our first “flotilla” of southbound boats. Most were trawlers and/or sailboats that had anchored off Belhaven the previous night. Within 5 miles we had passed them all and had the pedal down (8kn) en route to New Bern, NC where we would finally meet up with friends from Clayton, NY that had left a couple of weeks before us. It would take this long to catch up since they had always been in front of the crummy weather that we kept running into. Some things are just not fair.

Upon our arrival at the Sheraton Grand Marina, our friends, the Hungerfords, surprised us with a dock party where we steamed fresh oysters and drank more than our fair share of the local liquor supply. Actually they were surprised to see us in one piece since we had to travel the Neuse River to reach the marina. Apparently the Neuse has a well earned reputation of being an ugly stretch of water if the wind is anything over a slight breeze. When we came through the surface was like glass, which made for a very pleasant trip.

We now had the secret on how to guarantee good boating. Do not read the cruising guides BEFORE setting out for the day. When we checked the guide it indeed did warn of troubled waters on the Neuse River.

Courtesy of a local boater who joined us for the party, I found out why North Carolinians are referred to as “Tar Heels”. His story: “Seems that during some war between the British and the Americans one of the sides was retreating and in an effort to slow down the pursuers the running away team boiled tar and poured it in a creek they had just crossed. When the other side tried to cross the river they stepped in the tar on the creek bottom and were slowed down enough to allow the pursued to escape. Hence the term “Tar Heal” – just not sure if the North Carolinians poured the tar in the creek or stepped in it.”

Took advantage of this stopover to use our friend’s oil extraction pump to finally change the engine oil. After the oil change I went to West Marine and bought my own pump so I’d be ready for the next change. Also had e-mail communications with our friends in Daytona Beach, FL who were able to ascertain that the closest Kohler warranty repair facility was in Jacksonville Beach, FL.

November 6 and we’re on the road again. The Hungerfords in “Karefree” and the McKENA cleared the New Bern Bridge at 0830 hrs bound for Morehead City, NC. Nice to be traveling with another boat and we spent most of the day “visiting” on the radio and planning the remaining leg to Daytona Beach, where Karefree would spend the winter.

We should have known that making plans for the future, and expecting them to come to pass, was a luxury not available on this trip.

The anchorage at Morehead City was very quiet and serene. Nestled among some nice homes, decent temperatures and not a breath of wind ,we were sure that we had “turned the corner”.

The next day found us cruising through Camp Lejeune (US Marine Corps training facility). The ICW cuts through part of the camp, which is in close proximity to the tank and heavy artillery firing range. As we came around a bend we were met by a Marine Corp boat crewed by a couple of armed marines who quickly informed us that this stretch of the ICW would be closed for approximately one hour because of artillery practice . We didn’t have to be told twice ! Although as we were anchoring we were informed that there had been a change of plans and it was now safe to proceed. Just prior to approaching the marines we had watched in awe as jets at Swansboro air station practiced vertical takeoffs and landings. Can’t quite figure out how they do that, but it was fun to watch.

We also spent part of the day with a cruise ship, Empress, who was traveling from Erie, PA to Ft. Lauderdale, FL to spend the winter providing dinner cruises. The Captain and 2 crew members sounded bored to tears with the trip and as they were the only people on the boat the food and accommodations left a lot to be desired.

Our destination, after 64 NM, was Wrightsville Beach, NC. A great anchorage in a well protected harbour right in town with easy access to shore amenities. As we were approaching Wrightsville Beach we called a number of marinas that advertised pumpout facilities. The first 2 said their systems were broken. The 3^rd stated that they had brand new , state supplied, pumpout equipment but the city would not let them pump into the sewer system. Suggested we try a marina across the river that was in a different city.

Were successful at the Seapath Yacht Club – and the pumpout was free. Too bad their fuel was one of the most expensive to date at $1.95 per gallon.

The next morning we awoke to thick fog blanketing the anchorage so our departure was delayed until 0900hrs. For the first few miles the fog would reappear for short periods but we were fortunate in that we happened to fall in behind a US Coast Guard ship that knew exactly where they were going.

The day was to be a short one as Karefree was experiencing mechanical problems and had arranged for repairs in Southport, NC, only 22 miles from Wrightsville Beach. The journey though would take us down a portion of the Cape Fear River, a heavy commercial route, but would not require us to navigate the river entrance from the Atlantic.

Eventually the remnants of fog left for good, or so we thought, just about the same time that the Coast Guard ship changed course and disappeared over the horizon. That left McKENA leading a string of boats that had also taken advantage of the fog navigating skills of the Coast Guard.

Approximately 5 miles from our destination, and while approaching the mouth of the Cape Fear River, the fog reappeared – in spades !! Visibility was zero !! Thank God for electronics.

As I concentrated on the radar screen and computer charts, Marilyn watched the depth sounder and was barely able to see channel markers as the computer announced their arrival. It worked like a charm and we became comfortable that this was just another test to try our patience.

Our comfort level quickly bottomed out when we heard a tug boat Captain announce, on the radio, that he was entering the Cape Fear River, from sea, pushing 2 very large barges. The gist of his announcement was that he could not see a thing and was warning everyone else to get out of the way. As he identified each marker he passed it became apparent that we were about to meet, head on, in this fog. A call from us identified our location to him and we mutually agreed to keep announcing our respective positions and that he would “hug the red side” and I would “hug the green”.

If that wasn’t enough, at about just this time my radar screen became overwhelmed by a target echo that I had come to recognize from the St. Lawrence River. I had found that while traveling the St. Lawrence, on occasion the radar would show a target echo that presented itself as a 360 degree dark ring covering about half the screen. It took a few times before I realized that the set was not faulty and in fact what I was getting was an echo from a HUGE target – usually an ocean freighter in close proximity to my boat.

And now I was getting the same echo pattern in the middle of dense fog in the Cape Fear River !!

We knew that it was not the tug and barge and there had been no other radio traffic, or fog signals, that identified any other commercial traffic in the area. The computer told me that I was right on the edge of the channel, as agreed to with the tug Capt., so where was the target I was experiencing? Just as I was starting to doubt the electronics (another cardinal error) we passed virtually under the bow of a freighter. It was docked, 90 degrees to the channel, out of the channel, at a commercial freight dock. It was properly docked and under no obligation to announce its presence.

It was another example of the accuracy of the computer charts that they were able to keep us within the channel and away from a certain collision.

Just as we were to meet the tug and barge the ICW turned to the right and we were out of the river. Within a few minutes we were tied up at the Southport Marina and quickly into the grog.

Later that day the mechanics arrived to look at Karefree and announced that she needed a new water pump, but they didn’t have one. While they were there I had them look at the generator to just diagnose the problem. I figured that if the problem was identified, and it wasn’t a warranty item, then I could get it fixed and be on my way. Their $100 diagnosis was a faulty automatic choke – a warranty issue. So much for a quick fix.

By 0800hrs the next day the fog had lifted and we were off, destined for North Myrtle Beach, SC.

Karefree had decided to limp along hoping to make Daytona Beach to arrange for the necessary repairs.

The days cruise was interesting and we saw many large estate homes along the “ditch”. Had a 45 minute wait for the only remaining pontoon bridge on the ICW to open for our passage. It was intriguing to watch the centre section of the bridge actually move forward and then off to the side to allow for an opening. Very inefficient but the guides say it will forever remain as a testament to the past.

After 39 miles we stopped at Barefoot Landing, a large outlet mall right on the banks of the ICW. Free 1000 foot dock but busy enough that we had to raft off Karefree. Had a great meal at a local rib restaurant, “Damon’s” and would recommend it to anyone.

Karefree decided that they could not continue with the damaged water pump so we would leave them at a local Myrtle Beach marina that promised speedy repairs.

We’re on our own again.

November 10 – Barefoot Landing to Georgetown, SC – distance 41 miles at 7kn. This trip could take awhile.

As we left Myrtle Beach the ICW went under a cable car system that belonged to a local golf club. The cable cars (not unlike a ski lift) took golfers from the club house to the first tee. This town certainly is golf crazy !!

The day was fairly uneventful, other than we passed an army surplus landing craft that was being used as a single car ferry, and we secured an anchorage in the harbour of Georgetown. It was a very busy anchorage but the guides said the town ,founded in 1730, had undergone a “dramatic renaissance” – at least in the downtown core – and it was a must see. We went to shore and walked the downtown dock area. I guess the “dramatic renaissance” is a work in progress !

Since we had never experienced a problem finding fuel we did not top off the tanks before leaving Georgetown the next morning. You’d think by now we would have learned that not much was going our way. We pulled into the only marina in McClellanville, SC with only a few gallons to spare and found the place deserted.

Not really deserted, just nobody around. Lots of signs of life but no real live people. Within a few minutes another boater arrived (a local) who announced that the owner was around but may be in town for awhile.

So we waited.

I had noticed that everything was unlocked (except the gas pump) and doors standing open. I commented on that to the local guy who said that they didn’t have a crime problem in McClellanville because “everyone has a gun”. That became apparent, for while we waited we saw a shrimp boat captain walk onto his boat carrying a couple of rifles. I guess that was for protection against any killer attack shrimp he may come across.

An hour later the owner drove up and leisurely walked down the dock while announcing that he had been out of town for a couple of days so had been “visitin’ my maw over yonder”.

The fuel pump was a commercial model with no price per gallon price, or total sale, indicated – just the total gallons pumped. After filling the tanks he asked me what I had been paying for fuel and I explained that we had been paying between $1.60 and $2.00 per gallon. “OK”, said he, “I’ll only charge you $1.75 per gallon”.

His mama never raised no fool. My mother, however, may not be able to make the same claim !

We anchored that night in the Stono River, just south of Charleston, SC, after passing a number of large southern mansions. You could almost hear Scarlet and Rhett discussing cotton and those “damn Yankees”.

The next day dawned bright and warm. As we left the anchorage and turned south we found ourselves fighting a 2kn current. Now when you’re making only 8kn at the best of times, a reduction of 2 kn can be down right bothersome. It was here that we started to experience serious tides both in height and current speed. From this point, and all the way through Georgia, the tide range was 9ft and the current ran, during maximum flood and ebb, at 3kn.

Great if the currents with you – not so great if its not. For most of this day it was in our favour.

Arrived at Port Royal Landing Marina, Beaufort, SC (pronounced Bew-furd) running with the current which made for tricky docking. Actually it wasn’t all that difficult since all the marinas in this area will tell you which side to fender to have you docking into the current and they provide lots of assistance on the dock. As we approached the dock, after turning into the current, I actually had to keep the boat in gear at about 1500rpm just to maintain position while the lines were secured.

The tidal range, at 9ft, prohibits pumpouts during low tide since the attendants can’t get the portable unit up or down the steep ramp leading onto the floating docks.

Port Royal was a very friendly place. Immediately gave us a courtesy car for shopping, coupons for free drinks and the on sight restaurant almost gave away their food at the prices they were charging. 2 for 1 drink specials make it cheaper to drink off the boat than on. Ah, America the drunk – sorry – America the beautiful.

While talking to the Dock Master I was ranting about my generator (as usual) and he gave me the name of a local electrician that did Kohler warranty work. Great, but since this was Sunday I had to wait until the next day to contact him. We decided that if he could fit us in we would stay until the thing was fixed. When I called him at 0800hrs he said that it would be 3 days until he could even take a look.

Close, but no cigar. I called the Kohler people in Jacksonville Beach, FL and made an appointment for Friday.

Away southbound by 0930hrs.

This day would find us docked among some of the largest private yachts in the world. Savannah, GA is the home of Palmer Johnson Yachts and we just had to stop to have a look at the stable of boats, all in excess of 100ft, in various states of completion and waiting for delivery to somebody much wealthier than the McKENA crew. Not wanting to appear as if we didn’t belong, we bought some gas at their fuel dock. They were friendly and did not seem to be bothered by the fact we were there for only a $75 purchase. However as we left we noticed the receipt read “small boat”. We didn’t care – we had been to the mount !!

Our anchorage in the Herb River that night was our first experience with “no-see-ums”. Very, very small bugs that swarm any warm body and take more than their body weight of your flesh. Not a lot of fun, but this is the south and at this time of year we’ll take the south anyway we can get it.

November 14 started out with rain, and finished with rain. Since this was the first real rainfall of the trip we did not complain. Actually it was one of the very few rainy days of the whole trip.

This was the longest stretch without a fuel dock somewhere on the ICW so we went inland a couple of miles to the village of Kilkenny and stopped at the first ( and only ) marina we saw. A fine old geezer (hate to call him a hillbilly) greeted us with open arms as if we were long lost cousins. The gas was just as expensive but the “ambiance” was worth the price of admission. When we finished fueling I asked if I could use the pay phone. No problem. Could I leave the boat on the fuel dock while I used the phone? “Sure, you don’t see anyone on the horizon do you?”

Actually we were forced to use the pay phone as for the first time in living memory our Visa was “maxed out”!! Something was wrong ‘cause we had made a full payment, via telebanking, a couple of days earlier and had the bank reference number to prove it. Somebody was going to pay for this screwup !!!!

“Yes”, the bank lady said, “We do show that payment coming out of your account BUT we do not yet show it credited to your Visa account.” After my heart started to beat again she explained that it took 5 business days for the transaction to go through !! Can you imagine that the TD Bank physically writes a cheque to their own TD Visa to complete the telebanking transaction. What the hell happened to technology ??!!!

By the end of November 15 we were anchored behind Cumberland Island, GA. After all this time we were within “spitting” distance of Florida. We could have made the Florida border this day but we had to stop at this anchorage as it provided the most spectacular sunset of any day so far. It was one of those moments when you’re sure you are the only people on the planet and you will never see this sight again. I’m only sorry that no photo could ever capture the intensity of the sun disappearing below the horizon.

Now, another possible explanation for the dramatic colours painted on the sky is that what we saw was simply escaping radio active particles into the atmosphere. This anchorage is right beside the Kings Bay Submarine Base, home of the Trident fleet and other “boomer” subs.

We’re sticking with belief that what we saw was a wonder of nature and not a screw-up of humans.

November 16, 2000 FLORIDA !!!!!!!

We made it. Tied to the dock of the Pablo Creek Marina, Jacksonville Beach, FL. Right behind us is an all you can eat style seafood restaurant, palm trees and the sound of clinking glasses in celebration of 2 for 1 happy hour. Can life get any better than this ??

In front of us is the office of the company that is finally going to fix my generator correctly, more palm trees and, WHAT’S THIS?? - Marge’s Barge !!

Even after all that has happened since the horrors of the Chesapeake, we still scream out for the blood of Marge’s Barge in our dreams – and here they are again. We decide it is time to get over it and we have a pleasant visit with Marge and Harold Daniels.

Early the next morning the generator fixer arrived and explained that the problem was in the carburetor. Apparently there had been a recall of the carb but Kohler didn’t feel it necessary to advise their customers – would fix it if it became a problem on each individual unit. Within 15 minutes it was done and the thing purred like a kitten. He asked why I thought it was a bad automatic choke so I explained the $100 service call in Southport, SC. And that service man convinced it was the choke ‘cause it was heating up. This guy laughed and said “It’s supposed to heat up since it has a heating element inside.” Why don’t I just burn $100 bills ??

At that time in my life the good fairy was disguised as a service man in Jacksonville Beach. I wondered if Elvis was there too.

November 18 and we’re off on our first full day of Florida boating. Will boating in the great state of Florida be different than boating anywhere else? If Florida is the boating Mecca of North America, then today may be close to a religious experience. With bright shiny faces and eyes unclouded by any alcohol residue we pull away from the dock and point McKENA south once again.

It did not take long to feel the effect that money can have on boating. As we passed in front of some of the nicest homes we had seen to date we found ourselves beginning a 6-mile “No Wake “ zone! Other than the possibility of our wake wetting dock pilings of very wealthy people, there was no reason for the speed restriction. Do you know how long it takes to cover 6 miles at idle speed??

Eventually we were able to again feel the wind in our face as we accelerated back to 8kn and made our way to St. Augustine.

We had been to St. Augustine, by car, on a previous visit to Florida and had stood on the shore envisioning one day being able to sail under the famous Ponce De Lion Bridge. A picture of that bridge graces the cover of almost every cruising guide and tourist brochure for this part of Florida and we were about to fulfill another milestone on this journey. We thought of all the photos that tourists would be taking of the bridge as we passed under it and how many, when they got back home, would look at those pictures and say “Nice bridge. Too bad that boat’s in the picture”.

But like many other high points of this trip, actually experiencing it just didn’t have the same level of excitement as the pre-trip anticipation of doing it. Once on the other side of the bridge, and as we looked back at it, it was just another bridge.

Sometimes dreaming about something is much better than living it.

Experienced a lot of manatee zones as well this day. Here was another example of the anticipation not matching the real thing. We had prepared ourselves for mile after mile of limited speed and/or no wake zones because of the fragile manatee population. All the guides spoke of the major inconvenience these zones had on Florida boaters and how rigid the speed enforcement had become.

What we found was that most of the speed zones restricted boats to a maximum of 35mph in the channel and 25mph outside the channel. This was not a major inconvenience for us!

We do figure, though, that the manatee must be endangered ‘cause as yet, we are to see one. Maybe the large lumbering prehistoric looking mammal is actually faster than our boat and is always leaving us in their wakes!!??

Anchored this night at the end of a channel that ran right up to the Sea Ray boat plant. Very large facility and their docks held 6 new designs that were being water tested. Most were in the 45ft range and I suspect cost a few dollars more than our Holiday Mansion.

By 1030hrs the next day, we were tied up at English Jim’s Marina, Daytona Beach. Here we were at our first major destination of note. We had planned on staying for a week, visiting our friends Don & Barb Bossa and generally relaxing and enjoying the Florida sunshine. The temperature at arrival time was 80F!! As we were making the final adjustments to our dock lines the Bossa’s drove up, in possession of a cold bottle of champagne to toast our arrival. What a pleasure that was!!

Had a great time and really did get a chance to relax and enjoy the sights of Daytona Beach. We rented a car for the week and visited all the local malls and, of course, the beach. Although the weather did not cooperate totally, it was a lot warmer than Ontario.

Another couple from Huck’s Marine, Don & Sheryl MacDonald were visiting Don & Barb so the 6 of us spent a lot of meal times together. We also went to a car show at the famous Daytona Speedway and bought the obligatory inexpensive Florida T-shirts at the local flea market.

But before we knew it, it was time to be on our way.

And once again “bad luck” showed up just to let us know that you cannot completely control your destiny.

The day before we were to leave I decided to change the engine oil and “exercise” the generator in preparation for the next leg of the trip. As I attempted to change the oil, using the new extractor pump purchased in New Bern, NC, I found the pump defective. All it did was suck up the oil and then promptly leak it down the side of the pump; all over me and the engine room!!

But at least the generator was running well. I had started it as I commenced the oil change and by the time it was apparent that I needed a new oil pump and cleaned up the mess, the generator had been running well for about 30 minutes. I should have realized that 30 minutes was about max for this generator.

I was able to return the oil pump to the local West Marine and came back to the boat with a different style (read more expensive). While setting up to continue with the oil change job, I tried to start the generator again. It would not run!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

After a brief examination it was apparent that each time I tried to start it the fuse on the voltage regulator would blow. This experience was not new to me, as these were the symptoms that started the whole set of generator problems in May. It appeared that I had simply come full circle with this piece of junk and would probably never live long enough to see it work properly for any length of time.

I called the Kohler warranty people in Tampa and they gave me the name of their service people in Fort Myers – our next major stop. But Ft. Myers was a week away which meant another week of no toast for breakfast!!!! Is there no God????

Sunday, November 26 was a good day for traveling. After a week of warm, not hot, dry weather, this day was overcast and raining periodically. The type of weather that did not lend itself to sitting around the pool, so might as well go for a cruise.

Actually, after a week at the dock we had lost a bit of “rhythm” in our boating routine. For the first few miles it seemed somewhat new but by the end of the 3^rd cup of coffee we were back into “sync”.

Passed the Kennedy Space Centre, and although it was overcast, we could make out the shuttle launch gantry. When you can see it plainly from a distance of 10 miles you realize what “big” really means.

With a launch not scheduled until Thursday we continued on our way but it would have been quite an experience to anchor and watch the lift-off. Maybe on the trip back in March.

We had started to see boats getting decked out in Christmas lights and decorations. From the obvious attention to detail – both in colour and design- it is obvious that “lighting” a boat is not something to be taken lightly. We thought about what we would do once we got settled but after seeing the amount of work involved in decoration, we might just admire other boats. When we sold the house I thought I was finished with outside decorations. Maybe not.

From our overnight anchorage at Cocoa we made Vero Beach by Monday night.

The Indian River, from Cocoa to south of Sebastian is very boring – wide river with narrow dredged channel. Nothing to look at, just miles to get past.

From Sebastian to Vero Beach on the other hand, is more tropical in appearance and we passed some very stately homes, which made the cruise much more enjoyable. Sometimes it was difficult to drive and look at the homes at the same time. I suspect that, on occasion, boats behind us must have thought the captain was drunk, given the less than straight course the boat sometimes followed.

We cruised past John’s Island, which at one time counted us as property owners – about 1980 or so. It certainly had changed in the intervening 20 years!

The Vero Beach Municipal Marina (actually their mooring cans) made for a very peaceful stopover. The sun was shinning and the temperature was great. Enjoyed a quiet evening sitting on the back deck “worrying” about our friends back home who were suffering through some very cold weather.

We contacted Gulf Coast Marine, Ft. Myers, and they agreed to fix the generator when we arrived. They said they had all parts in stock and their man would be at the boat at 0800hrs, Monday, December 4. Their “telephone diagnosis” was a faulty voltage regulator. That will be the 4^th regulator for this generator.

November 28 and we were starting to cross the state via the Okeechobee Waterway. We anticipated the waterway would be similar to the Rideau and/or Erie Canal system and we were right on the mark.

It is a 150-mile trip from the Atlantic Ocean, at Stuart, to the Gulf of Mexico at Ft. Myers. There are 2 locks that take you up from Stuart to Lake Okeechobee, and 3 locks that take you back down from the lake to Ft. Myers.

From our Vero Beach stop we traveled 44 miles this day which took us through Stuart and 15 miles

into the waterway to anchor at the St. Lucie Lock. For the most part the canal is a real “ditch” with not much scenery to speak of and containing a fair number of Manatee no wake zones. Manatees only survive in warm water so the shallow depths in the waterway and the lack of any tide variations makes for a great Manatee habitat. Great for them, lousy for boaters. But hey, we were here to commune with nature and experience the ever changing flora and fauna, which does include large, slow dumb mammals so we just grinned a lot and told ourselves we would be better for the experience. That attempt at rationalization lasted until the second “no wake” zone. From then on it was just frustrating.

The locks on the Okeechobee Waterway seemed, at first appearance, to be just like the numerous other locks we had experienced over the years. The gate opens, you drive in, grab a line hanging down the wall, they close the gate and - WHAT THE HELL IS THIS !!! To change the water level in the lock they simply open the other door slightly and let the water either run in, or out, until the lock is at the same level as the canal you will continue into.

Like some other American locks, these are operated by the Corp of Engineers but what kind of engineering design degree does one need to build one of these locks? We thought the Erie Canal system, with its hydraulically operated chambers, was a giant leap over the Rideau Canal manually operated chambers that filled, or emptied, a lock through openings in the lock floor.

I suspect the designers of those 2 systems never thought of simply closing one gate and opening the other. Sure could have saved a lot of money and maintenance problems. But I must admit it is rather disconcerting to be in the lock when they open the opposite door a few inches and you see the level of the river some 13ft above you. Definitely gets your attention the first time it happens!!

The next day we were anxious to get on our way, but as always, nature tends to set the schedule. When we got up it was still dark! Apparently the sun is not up at 0430hrs so we had a nice leisurely breakfast and hauled anchor at 0630hrs. Tomorrow we promised ourselves that we would let the clock tell us when it was time to get up – not the cats.

Our first sign that there may be a problem with water depth in Lake Okeechobee was when we approached the Port Mayaca lock. It was standing wide open – both doors.

Port Mayaca Lock is right at the edge of the lake, and under normal circumstances, when the west end lock door opened you would proceed out into the lake and a 25 mile crossing. This time we simply drove straight through the lock, like a drive through at McDonalds, and we were in the lake before we really had decided which route to take.

The usual route is straight across the lake but if the lake is rough you can use the “rim route” which is about 10 miles longer but is fairly well protected from wind and waves. We had anticipated “scouting out” the lake conditions from the protection of the lock as we waited for it to fill and then decide which was the preferred route. Another example of having to think on your feet due to unexpected weather conditions.

Actually it wasn’t much of a decision. Slightly ahead of us a sail boat, under power, had decided to use the rim route – we figured more for scenery than because of adverse sea conditions – and had just started their course change when the Lock Master called them and advised that there wasn’t enough water in the lake to support the rim route.

Luckily the sea conditions were not bad and the direct crossing was reasonably pleasant even though we again were experiencing a beam sea.

When we got to the west side of the lake we decided to call it an early day since we did not have to be in Ft. Myers for another 3 days – and it was only 60 miles away.

We stopped at the Roland Martin Marina, Clewiston, FL and had another quiet evening.

Clewiston has a population of about 6000 so we thought we would take the opportunity to stock up on groceries. Full size grocery stores were difficult to come by on this trip. Seems nobody wants to build one near the docks. The Dock Master offered to drive us into town, rather than see us walk, but as were getting ready a couple of other boats arrived so he threw us the car keys and with the parting comment ”It’s street legal” he turned and went to help the new arrivals. His statement should have alerted us that something may not be right with their courtesy car.

When we found it in the lot, the courtesy car was a wildly painted 1986 Chevy Suburban emblazoned with “Tiki Taxi” in 3-foot letters. It had no side mirrors, no gas pedal (just the linkage hanging from the firewall) no turn signals, the front seat back was broken and the complete inside was upholstered in what can only be described as “early masking tape”. But what the heck, we’re up for an adventure, so off we went. It was an experience to drive but he must have been correct about its legal status as we did pass at least one police car without being stopped. We suspected that the police officer just didn’t have all the time that would be required to write the number of tickets this vehicle would attract.

When we got back to the boat, safely, we found a 40ft wooden cruiser docked behind us. “Poco A Poco” had been with us, off and on, for a few days so we took the opportunity to meet Ed and Janet Arros, Scotia, NY. They too were off to Ft. Myers for the winter and we arranged to meet there for a few more drinks.

They said that it had taken them 3 years to get a spot at the City of Ft. Myers Marina. We should have known then that finding suitable long-term dockage was not going to be as easy as first anticipated. Actually the light had first started to glow a bit when it had taken 4 phone calls from Daytona Beach to even find a slip for a week near Ft. Myers. At that time though, we thought the problem was that we were only looking for a week’s reservation rather than the whole winter.

November 30 and we’re off again towards the Gulf of Mexico. This day we actually saw alligators in the wild! Within the first few miles, after leaving Clewiston, we started to notice “logs” near the shoreline that we soon found to have eyes. Being fairly bright individuals it did not take too long for us to realize that the “logs” were in fact alligators. The disappointment was that we could not get very close to them as they had a tendency to shyness and would disappear below the surface once we were within 30 feet of them. I was all for hanging one of the cats overboard to try and get the ‘gators closer but Marilyn “poopooed” the idea.

We spent this night at the Riverside Motel, LaBelle, FL. Actually it was at the dock in front of the motel. There was room for about 4 boats and we took the last spot. The free town dock, on the opposite side of the canal, was full when we arrived – go figure. The cruising guide spoke well of the Riverside so after docking I went up to the office to announce our arrival half expecting the owner to tell me that the spot I was in was reserved for somebody else. But luck was on our side and we were allowed to stay. When I asked what the rate was, the owner responded: “Nine dollars.”

Now we have been in some pretty nice marinas on this trip – the most expensive being $2 per foot - so I was a little taken aback when the owner announced his rate!! I was just about to ask for an explanation when he went on to say: “Yup. 25 cents per foot, so $9 should do it.” I paid the man and got the hell out of the office before I gave him the opportunity to realize that he should have been charging a lot more. When I got back to the boat, another boater advised that the rate even included electricity !!!

Maybe we should just stay here for the winter.

December 1, 2000: Fort Myers, Florida!!!! After 1786 NM and 261 engine hours we were finally here.

After all lines were secured and the engine turned off, our arrival felt almost anti-climatic. We had been looking forward to this day and time for so many years and here it was, a reality. When we stepped on the dock for the first time, and looked around at the city, we nearly said: “OK, we’ve done it. Let’s go back.”

But first we had a couple of drinks with the crew of Poco A Poco who had arrived a few minutes after us.

It took a couple of days before we accepted that this area would be home for 3 months and we could now start to relax and enjoy the results of our sometimes-hard work.

We were now on a hunt for a long-term winter address. Little did we know that the search would be so frustrating and disheartening.

When we first arrived at the Ft. Myers City Marina we fueled the boat and spoke to the Dock Master about the availability of long term rental space. He responded: “It won’t be here. We have a 200 boat waiting list.” With that we rented a car and commenced the hunt.

Marilyn’s sister, and brother-in-law, have a condo at Redington Shores (St. Petersburg area) and we had seen a couple of nice marinas, in that area, during previous winter vacations. We decided to drive the 110 miles north, start our search near their place, and drive south until we found a marina that would meet our needs. Sounded fairly easy. Wrong again !!!

The first place we tried was the Holiday Inn Marina, Indian Rock Shores. We had seen this place before and were really excited about staying for 3 months. It was a block from the Gulf beach, within easy walking distance of stores and restaurants and best of all; we would have use of the hotel facilities, which included a heated pool, bars, sauna, etc.

When we met with the Dock Master he spoke the words we were to hear over and over again: “Sorry. No vacancy” It seems that we picked the wrong year to come to the Gulf coast. The Super Bowl was scheduled for Tampa, January 28 and most of the decent marinas were booked for the month.

One of our criteria, when looking at potential marinas, was the availability of an on site pump-out system. This was a necessity since we had no other means of emptying the holding tank (unlike local boats that simply discharge overboard). This was the only point that we felt was non-negotiable. We did not want to have to move the boat every week or two to have the tank pumped. Since we would not be purchasing much fuel for the next few months it did not seem fair to pull up to another marina just for a $5 pump-out service.

The Holiday Inn did not have a pump-out system so as we drove away we rationalized our disappointment by agreeing that we wouldn’t have stayed even if they had a spot. Almost sounded convincing !!

For the next four days we drove up and down the coast looking for a marina that met our needs, and had a vacancy. For all intents and purposes we struck out big time !!!

We did find two marinas, the Twin Dolphin, Bradenton and the Buccaneer, LongBoat Key that seemed to fit the bill. The Dock Master at Twin Dolphin was very friendly, accommodating and seemed genuinely pleased to have us as potential tenants. She showed us 3 slips that we could choose from and allowed us to walk around and look at the facilities. We were prepared to sign up right then but we did not know exactly when we could arrive as the generator man was expected the next day and we were not sure how long he would require us to be in Ft. Myers. We explained that to the Dock Master and she was more than willing to wait for our repairs to be completed. We left her our card (with a picture of the boat on it) and said we would call as soon as we knew an arrival date. We left there feeling very good about our find.

That feeling only lasted about 18 hours.

When the generator repairs were complete (more about that later) I phoned the Dock Master at Twin Dolphin and told her we were on our way and would be there 2 days later. I was totally shocked when she said: “Sorry but we do not accept houseboats. I did not notice the picture of your boat on your card or I would have told you when you were here.”

For the first time in our lives we were the subjects of discrimination. I do not want to trivialize the whole issue of discrimination by comparing our experience with those who have been the subject of racial discrimination but it is the only reference point I have. When you hear the words coming from the mouth of someone denying you service without any knowledge of you as a person, but simply because of the colour of your skin, or, in our case, the type of boat you own your mind goes blank from disbelief. You don’t know what to say in response that would sound the least bit intelligent. I simply hung up the phone.

The hurt and anger come later.

Our experience a couple of days later, with the Buccaneer Marina, was very similar. Other than this time it did not come with the same degree of shock

In that case we met with the wife of the owner who was as pleasant as the Dock Master at Twin Dolphin. They had slips available, showed us the grounds, facilities and discussed how they were trying to increase their customer base by providing live entertainment at the restaurant, etc. We completed an application form and gave her our credit card number for the first months rent. The only thing left to do was find out from her husband which specific slip would be ours. He was out for a few hours but we they would call us later.

That evening he did call and started the conversation with: “Is this a houseboat?” I recalled that the application form had asked for the make of boat to which I answered Holiday Mansion. It was obvious that he was not aware of this manufacturer but thought it sounded “houseboatish”.

When I answered that some people would describe it as a houseboat, he said: “We don’t take houseboats”. This time I asked him: “What is your definition of a houseboat?” He had no answer other than to reiterate “We don’t take houseboats”.

I do not like to think that being the subject of discrimination is something that you get “used to” but the more it happens the more you tend to accept it and, on occasion, maybe think it exists when there is no direct evidence of it. On a number of subsequent occasions we talk to a Dock Master about availability of 3 months docking for a “38ft power boat, 12 ft beam, 3 ft draft” when he would ask: “What kind of boat is it, a trawler?” and when we identified our boat, by either make or design, he would respond: “No I don’t think we have anything that will take a boat that size.”

The question that begs to be asked is: “Why did the negative response come only after the description of the boat?” The physical dimensions of the boat were all that was necessary to determine that they could not accommodate a boat that size. But in these cases the negative response did not come until we had discussed the type of boat we had.

Does this sound like paranoia?

Anyway, we did finally find the Tierra Verde Resort and Marina. Located just north of the gates to Fort Desoto Park, southwest of St. Petersburg, it had all the facilities we were looking for and they did not care that we were a “houseboat” (or as Marilyn started to refer to us as “marine trailer trash”). Seemed our money was as good as the Hatteras, Sea Ray or Silverton owner’s.

After signing the lease, and paying first and last months rent we returned to Ft. Myers to turn in the rental car and to tell the crew of Poco A Poco of our plans.

Discussing our “find” and saying goodbye to Ed and Janet Arros required drinking for an hour on their boat

As we returned to our boat we heard a faint “meow” coming from the grass beside the road and in front of the boat. Just then Starboard came walking up to us as if being off the boat was nothing unusual. While we stood there with our mouths agape, Port came walking down the street as if to say “Where have you guys been?”

We picked them up, put them back on the boat (noticing that the back door had been left open) and they quickly went to their box to pee and then just as quickly went back to the door expecting to continue with their adventure. Just like kids !!!

We have no idea how/why the door was left open but according to other people on our dock it didn’t take the cats long to discover our mistake. Apparently they had been the length of the dock, visiting people, had crossed the street to play in the park, and were on their way home (crossing the road again) when we came upon them. Like 2 sailors on shore leave. Seeing that they came home without a couple of harlots in tow, we checked them for tattoos, and finding none, we resolved to always double check the doors/windows when we leave the boat.

The rule in the house had always been that they could not get off the boat unless they were in harness with lead. Marilyn had trained them to the harness and they very quickly took to “going for a walk”, just like a dog. It still causes a lot of heads to turn when people see cats being walked on a leash.

This was not to be the last great cat adventure of the trip.

The trip from Ft. Myers to Tierra Verde took 2 days and the first night’s anchorage was in a small lagoon among very nice houses at Cape Haze. It was picture perfect with a beautiful sunset and warm evening temperatures.

It had been our practice that while at anchor the cats could roam the deck without a harness as there did not seem to be any chance of them going ashore undetected. On this night, after setting the anchor, and pouring the obligatory “end of day libation” , we let the cats out and sat down to enjoy the setting sun. Starboard decided to go up to the fly bridge area, and anticipating a better view, climbed onto the canvas storm cover which completely covers the upper helm.

Did I tell you the cats do not have front claws?

As Starboard jumped onto the canvas he soon found out that he has little traction without those front claws. With a frantic pawing of the canvas he slipped over the edge and fell 12ft into the water!

Being a cat, he instinctively went into the paws down, “I’ll land on my feet”, posture. I think he was pretty surprised when he hit the water and his paws just kept right on going.

We can now say that cats are natural swimmers ‘cause he came to the surface doing a classic, if somewhat frantic, “dog paddle”.

We had prepared for this eventuality with a fishing net taped to a long pole. I scooped him out of the water and when he landed on the deck he made a complete circuit of the boat, in record time, into the cabin and under the couch. We dragged him out, dried him off and then realized that we should get the salt water and who knows what else off his fur. Solution: hold him under the galley sink tap.

Worked for us but he sure didn’t see the humour in it.

As we dried him for the second time, Port came inside to see what all the commotion was about. Took one look at Starboard, who looked every inch a wet rat, and went over for a sniff. The look on Port’s face seemed to say: “Who the hell are you and what have you done with my brother?”

For the next few days Starboard wouldn’t leave the security of the cabin.

I can tell you that it was a welcome sight to see the Tierra Verde harbour.

Just so you don’t think that we had finally thrown off the mantle of bad luck – the pump-out machine is broken and we doubt if they will ever fix it so we have to travel about 3 miles to empty the tank.

“Hey. If you have the time, walk up to the shore side washrooms!!”

I promised earlier to give you the next installment in the continuing saga of the screwed-up generator. Well here it is. As I said, over the phone in Daytona Beach, the repair guy thought it sounded like a faulty voltage regulator. When he arrived at the Ft. Myers dock, right on time, he had a new regulator with him. He took the top off the “electronics box” of the generator and installed the new regulator, started the unit and it ran like a Swiss watch. He asked who had installed the last voltage regulator? When I explained it had been GenRep, Ottawa, and showed him the work order, he explained that the regulator GenRep had installed was an old, used, faulty, discontinued unit. His guess was that it had been taken from an old RV generator. When he showed it to me, you could tell it sure wasn’t new. It was filthy and the serial number started with a letter than had been used a number of years earlier.

I volunteered to be a witness at a fraud trial ‘cause I was sure that GenRep had billed Kohler for a “new” regulator and they sure had led me to believe it was a new unit. This service guy said he would alert Kohler to the misrepresentation to ensure it didn’t happen again. I guess I should have hung over the shoulder of the GenRep guy when he was working on the generator.

On December 10,2000, exactly 2 months after leaving Rockport, we arrived at the Tierra Verde Resort and Marina. Our home for the next 3 months.

Bring on the sun, warmth and early bird specials !! We made it !!!!!!!!!!