Magee Is Doing her best at baby siting.

Ashton Tyler Emmerman - Born 7/9/10 7lbs 10 oz 20" long

David and Carol Emmerman are all excited!

A Thirty Year Trip

Trip on Joli Bateaux – Beautiful Boat in French (Catalina 380 –Year 2000)
A quick simple story of the acquisition and final preparation for this trip.
Purchased boat on ebay from usauctions.com on auction this took place December 27, 2008 since this was the second boat I bought off ebay with the same company I already new the routine. I booked my flight to Houston Texas for Tuesday December 30, 2008. The boat had a hole in the bottom had sunk off Hurricane Ike on September 21, 2008 had been under water 8 days. Boat arrives from Texas to Punta Gorda by Truck at Rivera Marina (that is full of 20 nuitted cats two dogs one that is pregnant) decision was made since marina was five miles from house conditions would be tolerable. Started work on boat repaired hole in a week made arrangements for new mast to be rigged. New engine to be delivered that I installed rebuilt panda generator that I installed and every motor had to be replaced since Catalina was still in business got most parts from them from Ellie in parts in Largo Fl mom was still in good shape at the time so she accompanied us there many times. Anyway five months including working tax season and Kathy’s daughters Krissy wedding in March. Joli Bateaux got in the water end of May and moved North Star my Catalina 36 (1996) that I purchased in Mobile off Hurricane Ivan from Usauctions.com on bid to my other next door neighbor Dave & Jan. Sold my Bombay Clipper 31 foot Motor Sailboat on Ebay in May 2009 so now I had to move Joli Bateaux up to Greenport LI NY. Will get there in 2010 will enjoy the Chesapeake and our friends in Virginia in the spring.




From Punta Gorda Fl to Glynn Island VA Stephen Emmerman – Kathy Weber
Kathy Started trip from North Palm Beach

Trip on Joli Bateaux – Beautiful Boat in French (Catalina 380 –Year 2000)
A quick simple story of the acquisition and final preparation for this trip.
Purchased boat on ebay from usauctions.com on auction this took place December 27, 2008 since this was the second boat I bought off ebay with the same company I already new the routine. I booked my flight to Houston Texas for Tuesday December 30, 2008. The boat had a hole in the bottom had sunk off Hurricane Ike on September 21, 2008 had been under water 8 days. Boat arrives from Texas to Punta Gorda by Truck at Rivera Marina (that is full of 20 nuitted cats two dogs one that is pregnant) decision was made since marina was five miles from house conditions would be tolerable. Started work on boat repaired hole in a week made arrangements for new mast to be rigged. New engine to be delivered that I installed rebuilt panda generator that I installed and every motor had to be replaced since Catalina was still in business got most parts from them from Ellie in parts in Largo Fl mom was still in good shape at the time so she accompanied us there many times. Anyway five months including working tax season and Kathy’s daughters Krissy wedding in March. Joli Bateaux got in the water end of May and moved North Star my Catalina 36 (1996) that I purchased in Mobile off Hurricane Ivan from Usauctions.com on bid to my other next door neighbor Dave & Jan. Sold my Bombay Clipper 31 foot Motor Sailboat on Ebay in May 2009 so now I had to move Joli Bateaux up to Greenport LI NY. Will get there in 2010 will enjoy the Chesapeake and our friends in Virginia in the spring.




From Punta Gorda Fl to Glynn Island VA
July 20, 2009 to Sept 14, 2009

July 19, 2009 (Sunday) to July 20, 2009 (Monday) (Over night) Left my house behind house with Rick Burns and Steve Voorhees both neighbors on Los Almos Drive Punta Gorda Fl
Rick was Great a out door fisherman who did catch a few fish (besides getting hit by a few flying fish) including a large ( King Something?) We where going to sail on three hour shifts so when it got dark Steve seemed like he got seasick no throwing up or anything but he went to sleep Rick and I thought that’s it we are up all night but miraculously at 1:00 PM Steve showed up and stood a watch until dawn at that moment we both disappeared and went to sleep.
Left thru Charlotte Harbor – Boca Grande Pass – dodged thunderstorms (At least six) went through one short rain storm and arrived next day at Dry Tortogas Approximately 3:00 pm missed Tourists Boat just pulled out. Watch Joli Bateaux drift off anchor and catch on another steel beam in the channel – Went for a grand tour of Fort all three of us.

July 21. 2009 Tuesday
The Pirate story Steve’s Wife Paul calls Kathy who is now in California visiting her daughter Krissy and husband Marc. Are you worried about the Pirates Kathy says what Pirates anyway Paula must of heard stories of ships be attacked in the Persian Gulf or seen some recent movie Pirates of the Carribean
Anyway nobody the trip was able to use there cell phones until we reach Key West that was another day ahead.
Saw a large motor boat anchor off an Island before Maquas Keys so we anchored right after he left the only boat for the night relatively quiet considering we where just off the gulf stream.
Water was beautifully dark blue. Not a lot of boats out there just an occasional fishing vessel out of Key West

July 22, 2009 Wednesday
Arrived in Key West around 2:00 PM just three miles out of Key West started to get cell phone service. Confirmed that we did not get attached by Pirates. Rick fished most of the Trip but only had six piece of bate.
Learned that my Mom who was on Hospice from Mid June 2009 had taken a bad turn Tuesday afternoon.
Left boat at dock and all three of us took High Speed Ferry to Ft Meyers
We had done approximately 140 nautical miles from home did the most sailing during the entire trip plus of course a lot of motoring.
Trouble with the engine speed that I learned in Miami was due to two items the throttle control that I installed when I installed the engine and the second problem is I never cleaned out the bottom of the Raycor filter.

July 26, 2009 Mom at the Age of 94 passed on to a better place.

July 29, 2009 Buried Mom in Delray Beach with all of immediate family present and accounted for. Nice quiet ceremony. Taylor my Nephew Sandy’s daughter a 9 year old said at the end of the service that Nana was playing checkers with Poppa up in Heaven.

Miles 1240 Key west to Norfolk VA (plus 140 from Punta Gorda, Fl to Dry Tortugas ) 70 miles from Dry Tortugas to Key West plus at least 450 miles to NY or a total of approximately 1900 nautical miles at an average speed of 5 miles per hour on a sail boat motoring most of the trip since all the winds where on the nose (northerly head winds).

July 29,2009 arrived back in Key West spent this evening getting ready to sail.

Mile 1240
July 30, 2009 Thursday
Joli Bateaux left the docks by 11:00 am and heads by myself to Hawk Channel following Skipper Bob’s book first anchorage was

Mile 1215
Newfound Harbor Best protected anchorage between Marathon and Key West, spent night next to two Seabase – Boy Scout high adventure base boat (I had done similar trip with 14 boys four adults out of Miller Place Troop 204- from Marathon Key to Key West on two boats. Great Anchorage nice to have two boats from Seabase for company.

July 31, 2009 Friday
Mile 1145
Rodriquez Key One of the few anchorages on the Hawk channel. One of the jump off points for the Bahamas. Drop the CQR 35 pound anchor in 10’ of water dragged anchor so in the morning at dawn found myself almost aground due to storm that had come during the night. Had trouble keeping the engine running same problem as before, especially when I tried to pull the anchor up.
Decided to Sail during the day HEARD A LOAD CRASH NEAR THE RUDDER then I could not sail any longer no steerage but was able to motor still got as far as Foley Rocks in Biscayne Bay lost the engine and tried to Sail could not make headway called BoatUs Tow in Miami at around 4:00 PM they towed into Miami Beach Municipal Marina.

August 1, 2009 Saturday
Mile 1089 Miami Government Cut

August 2, 2009 Sunday
Miami Beach Municipal Marina – in walking distance of South Beach
Dived under boat and found that half the rudder was left.

August 3, 2009 Monday
Contacted Catalina to arrange for a brand new rudder to be
Told would take 1 month – but once again Ellie at Catalina parts came thru with two week completion.

Got engine running again and solved racor problem and all other issued resolved about engine with diesel mechanics at Miami
Beach Municipal Marina

August 5 thur 12th
Went home to NY to spend time with Kathy. Came back and moved Joli Bateaux under tow from Towboatus up the Miami River thru 10 bridges to Hurricane Cove Marina that’s another story. Picked up rudder on
August 17th from Catalina Largo Fl dropped off rudder and installed it myself with help from the marina. Left the boat to have them sand and paint the bottom I decided it needed a professional job this time.
Came back
August 21st Friday got boat launch again.
Interest story I told nobody besides Kathy I am sitting on the boat at dock at Hurricane Cove Marina and they launch a small tug behind me that moves a party barge around Miami Biscayne Bay. Anyway they are working on the boat to use it the next day the engine sticks in forward drives into the dock behind them and destroys the entire wood dock so much so I could not walk to land at this point I decide to go to sleep and start in the morning as my original plan was. The Miami River is a unique place these large interisland (Bahaman cargo vessels) come up the river and they just fit between the bridges so you do not want to go thru the bridges at any other time but daylight so incase you have to get out of there way.

Mile 1089 –does not include ride up the Miami river and back to Miami Municipal Marine for fuel. Still by myself.
August 22, 2009 Saturday
You have to go outside between Miami to Fort Lauderdale there is one bridge where I 195 crosses between Miami and Miami Beach that is only 56’ since my mast must be a least 58’ high was vhf antenna. I have no choice avoid this bridge. ALL BRIDGES ON THE INTERCOASTAL between NORK FORK VA and MIAMI ARE 65’ OR THEY OPEN. There is one exception where they built the bridge to 63’ and it is famous. When you approach these fix bridges the have markers before you go through what the height of the bridge is. They are measured at MEAN LOW WATER (MLW).
Anchored at Lake Sylva since it was a Saturday evening there were a lot of boats anchored. Most of my anchorages where near inlets and had a lot of water flow due to tide changes.
I left my CQR 35 lb anchor at the Miami Beach Municipal Marina and purchased a Delta anchor that worked flawless the rest of the trip.
Went outside from Miami Beach to Fort Lauderdale past thru many bridges and looked at these Magnificent houses on intercostals waterway. I rarely put my Genoa roller furling sail up it was always in the nose heading north. Besides the magnificent yachts along the way. Nobody was heading north this time of year unless they where traveling locally, so most of the bridges I was by myself. A lot of the bridges only opened on the hour and half hour and all your books told you this. I used my GARMIN GPS mainly used paper charts for back up and Skipper Bob for anchorages and bridge schedules. To set up my GPS in the morning I used a “Chartracker” I had to turn it upside down because it was designed north to south and I was going south to north but it helped me extensively mapping my GPS especial in the inlet crossing because that is when it got confusing changing direction of buoys due to from sea going up river it is RED RIGHT RETURN and intracoastal it is reverse heading south to north. One time during the trip my instruments decided to stop (depth finder, gps, autopilot) so I tell Kathy it is a good time to learn how to use paper charts ps she did circles instead, anyway I am getting ahead of myself.




Mile 1064
August 22, 2009 Sunday
Past by Peanut Beach you can’t imagine the number of small boats around this island that is right at the Lake Worth Inlet. Went as far as North Palm Beach or North Lake Worth anchorage.
Anchored by three boats with live aboard men. I stay hear thru Tuesday since Kathy was coming into Palm Beach International Airport. I had to give Kathy her needed space that meant cleaning out half or at least a third of the area in the stern master bedroom.
Now lets not forget this boat sunk for 8 days and we had to scrub her completely stem to stern. During the five months every mattress and built in cushions had to be taken home and wash piece by piece by Kathy with fresh water and soap dried this being Florida it is usually sunny and warm. Everything that was being reused and not thrown away had to be cleaned.
All the stanchions, stern seats, bow pulpit life lines running and standing rigging had to be ordered from Catalina main was savable and genoa jib sail had to be replace. When Joli Bateaux got finally behind my house in Punta Gorda Fl I was able to order new bimini and dodger and cushions for cockpit. When I purchased the rebuild panda generator I found the flexable couplings holding the engine down where not replaced as promised and I had to take the engine in and out of the lazarette at least six times a nuts job in and of itself. New refrigerator Adler Barbour went without saying because 9 years was beyond its useful life. So one of the three boats on anchor was a guru on the Palm Beach Bus system so after he gave me the book I set out on Wednesday to pick Kathy up by public bus at a price of $2.50 for a all day pass per person. We met some really nice people on our travels that day including the bus drivers.
The previous day the engine had stalled once it never did again on the rest of the trip and I still cannot figure why it did that time anyway.
This was a perfect place to stop that is why there were live aboard
Publixs a large chance of supermarkets and West Marine (a marine store) within walking distance.




Mile 1014
August 26, 2009 Wednesday
Vero Beach Municipal Marina picked up a mooring ball. In the morning filed up with Fuel and Water. A great and beautiful spot. Trawler anchored next to us.

Mile 951.7
August 27. 2009 Thursday
Cocoa Beach anchored off intracoastal dingyed to dock walked to West marine to get anchor bow roller for Fortress aluminum anchor this came with the boat in its own bag never used. I wanted to put two anchored out every night so I could sleep soundlessly.

Mile 897
August 28, 2009 Friday
Rockhouse creek a channel right off an inlet since it was Friday night we had a few very large motor boats one other sailboat all anchored one after the other in this channel on the way out to the inlets installed the anchor roller on the bow got attached by no seams and mosquitoes but made it in within an hour of darkness.
We both slept well with two anchored out correctly.

Mile 842
August 29, Saturday
Sebastian River near St Augustine $15.00 for two mooring buoys and help to set both there was a real heavy time running and I used really light lines. This is one of the many areas with 8 foot tides.

Mile 780
August 30 Sunday
Amelia River near San Fernando Beach Last stop in Florida.
This was an exciting morning, got up at dawn started working on my anchor lines did not leave until 11:00 am. Why well since the previous owner had bought the Fortress Anchor in a bag collapsed and only to be used in an emergency and I decided to use it as my regular second anchor the anchor line was all knotted up so Kathy and I where trying to unravel it out at anchor also trying to get on our way. So when we finally went on dock I was able to finally unravel both anchor lines and set them strait a few days later.
Passed by US Nuclear Submarine Base plenty of US Coastguard vessels buzzing around us.

Mile 684 – GEORGIA
We will now see many days of wilderness – marsh lands – sometimes we are near civilization other times we will go many hours without seeing anything but marchlands. Kathy asked me during the trip does the Coors of Engineers build all these channels it goes without saying they try to use as much natural channels as exist. So for all the bends and turns you have to make.
August 31 Monday
Jekyll Island beautiful normal anchorage Kathy treated me to a down home cooked meal met this lovely young couple in the military discussing his next assignment in Hawaii.
Dingy to shore for dinner very rural wanted to take a normal walk but did not want to deal with noseaims and misquotes. Changed oil twice due to putting transmission fluid in with oil because you should not do things when you are tired.

Mile 625
September 1 Tuesday
Cattle Pen Creek
This is Skipper Bob’s description: “Cattle Pen Creek, (331441) : Enter by heading NE fromn position about 2/3 between G127 to R128. Favor SE side of entrance. Go in ¼ to ½ mile staying in center or slightly to east. Further upstream, depth gradually decreases to 6’ or les at LW. Second anchor may be needed to limit swing. No trees.

Mile 565
September 2 Wednesday
Bull Creek – anchored facing some houses one with dog and one with light on. After dark while in bed read propeller coming by in morning noticed large Trawler anchored behind us.

Mile 536
September 3 Thursday
South Carolina
Beaufort – Downtown Marina
Got rid of used engine oil great to tie up for night and not have to worry about tides a lot of history in old town. Bought Kathryn a necklace at an antique store. East dinner Emily’s- a great restaurant
Got the gout, called my pharmacy in Punta Gorda found out any IBprofine could solve the problem so much for my green pills that a always leave home. Get the gout every two to three years. 90’ motor boat docked in front of me on 140’ dock they also ate at Emily and love it. Any he told me about Edisto River ahead and when I got there I did have my 6-8’ depths so I was careful.
I was just look up how to spell Edisto and I noticed an anchorage I did not use “Mosquito Creek”. It reminds of a story about the Everglades in Florida where you have to where a bandanna around your face and a hat to keep the mosquito’s from eating you alive that is why I avoided going by way of the everglades through the Keys.

Probably the best part of the stayover is the use of an auto for 1 hour so we could go to Piggly Wiggle store shopping for food also an Express West Marine in the same shopping center. I bought 4 fans for the boat, true we have airconditioning and a generator but only one airconditioner can work with the generator because it is to small a unit. It did come in handy during our few mosquito attacks. But to go on with the story Most west marine stores one carry one fan per store and when I started installing these $99.99 each fan they had a 230 backorder for the entire US. So whenever I saw one I bought it. I open the last box and what do I find a black one instead of a white one and all the rest where white. So what do I do as a good consumer return the black one to an Express Store that has a limited amount of merchandise and does not stock this item.
I go next door to a store like dollar store and buy two fly swatters for $1.00 I did have one the boat but it came with the boat and was getting near useless. I was told in Jekyll Island to use a newspaper, which is good for people on land that get newspapers. Why do I need a Fly swatter. These brown flies are worse than mosquito’s, mosquito’s came out at dawn and dusk, while the brown flies love to hang on to underside of my bimini and wait to suck your blood. So some days I really did well by them. Kathy would be facing towards reading a book while I protected her and she would have know idea whether I was watching the course or just swatting brown flies. Most days they did not join us.

Mile 471
September 4 Friday
Wappoo Creek – Anchored behind a small Island just out of Charleston South Carolina – did not stop in Charleston – my fathers Aunt made Bagels in this town and in the 1920’s my father Hitch hiked to get here.
There was a small cut at right before this anchorage. Skipper Bob: “Mile 472.3 to Mile 472.5 {6.0}, Elliot Cut: Caution: The tidal current between the Stono River and the Ashley River can reach 4 knots in this short rocky cut. Some small sailboats wait for slack water, rather than try to proceed against a strong current.”
When we went thru this area I saw dogs playing and I thought if anything people or dogs fell into this cut you could say goodbye to them.
It was a pristine area full of beautiful houses and you had to anchor right next to docks and since it was the weekend we had plenty of company of other boats anchoring it was so tight in here you had to wait to leave if there was a boat behind you.

Mile 415
September 5 Saturday
Minim Creek another beautiful anchorage in paradise

Mile 357
September 6 Sunday
Long straight run most of day passed Large Party Bar (don’t remember name) this is Myrtle Beach the marina we stayed in overnight had a tram built to go over ICW to play next hole. No anchorages available. Went out for a hamburger at Bar in Marina.
Black and white fake show boat cruise opposite our dockage area.

Mile 309
September 7 Monday
Southport North Carolina
At about 4:00 tried to navigate the Cape Fear river I was only doing approximately 3.1 knots at 1800 rpm. So gave up went back to Southport Marina and next morning caught a upriver tide. At 7.1 knot speed.
Eat at Mr P restaurant another great meal to remember. Only locals.

Mile 244
September 8 Tuesday
Hammock Bay Camp LeJeune – great spot. Kathy was nervous. When we got there, there was a man fishing on the land and a eighteen wheel tractor trailer with a flat bed truck I told Kathy he was waiting for the morning to drop off a delivery they where not camouflaged marine vehicles. During our ever night stay a few fishermen came fishing on there small boats and that’s it. There is one swing bridge that belongs to camp Lejeune that you go under. Right after the bridge there are two patrol one comes over to us and tells us there might be a half hour delay for gun practice. It never happened a few minutes later he came by and told us to go on thru. We did see some troops getting ready for practice further on.

Mile 202
September 9 Wednesday
Beaufort North Carolina
Got there after lunch Fueled at dock walked thru town got Buck Knife for $35.00 in Antique Store Had some patisseries for snack. Kathy treated me for seafood dinner she ate her fifth soft shell crab dinner.
Today trip up the includes Albermarle/ Pamlico basin heavy winds 20-25 mph and rain part of the day large bays had to motor off the wind and make cross wave course to make any headway after I finally got through sound what do I see heady my way but barge and tug.
Beaufort North Carolina
Had some difficulty figuring out Morehead City and Beaufort finally doped it out , not bad only problem of the whole trip, yeah right.

Mile 153
September 10 Thursday
Eastham Creek. Trouble anchoring had to set anchors twice Kathy was concern that we where anchored in the middle of a side channel and Skipper Bob said there was Shrimp Boat traffic. I figures that it was bad weather and they would be in port. No boat traffic no problems. Anchored in the lee of some land and trees to get out of the storm conditions.

Mile 101
September 11 Friday
Alligator River. Good to stop for the night. Pasted one local sailboat during the day smaller and slower but when I woke in the morning he was close on hand anchored. Lots of crab pots since we got into North Carolina. Every night would have to anchor somewhere between them after a while you get the hang of it.
I took with me my air pump with a large 60’ yellow house for air plus full wet suite I had borrowed from David my son and I never returned it. I left it on boat in case we still have to deal with crab pots.

Mile 28
September 12 Saturday
The great “Dismal Swamp” – George Washington owned land in here and built a canal through this area for logging purposes. There are two routes one the Virginia cut and the second the Dismal Swamp. 30 odd years ago I had come through the dismal swamp and I remember cows eating along the route. PS today it is all wilderness. There are two locks they open at 8:00 am 11:00 am
1:30 pm and 3:30. If you do not coordinate your passage correctly you get stuck which I of course did. Now this route is only used by recreation boating. I did strike the bottom of my keel it least a dozen times. It is designed for a maximum of 6’ feet I draw 5 ½ so I am very close. We went through the first lock heading north at 3:30 pm so we had to stay overnight at the North Carolina Welcome center. They had a good museum and there was a local cruising club from Virginia with about 12 boats already tied to the dock rafting up stile. The boat we tied on to the wife was obnoxious but the husband was very nice. It put a damper on our overnight stay and they did pound on our boat at 6:15 to get us to move we where ready anyway to karm the wild beast.
That same day at the next lock we me a gentlemen my age from Nova Scotia that I still email to and where able to stop before the next lock and go shopping in Food Lion Supermarket for milk and we did not run out of it on the entire trip.
We had gone aground around a half of dozen times during the trip but simply backed off and we where OK two these where when we left the Dismal Swamp area.
Got fuel at Tidewater Marina in Norfork.

Mile 0
September 13 Sunday
Hospital Point Eastern Banks Elizabeth River
Norfolk VA –US Navel ship yards and lots of commercial traffic. You name you will find that ship along these immense docks. There is a radar airplane flying continuously overhead to watch for attack.
We ended up anchoring in a mooring area that was sparsely used and right opposite a yacht and country club. This was out of the wake for the big ships near a bridge that I felt was part of the Delmar Chesapeake Bridge Tunnel network. Watch some poor small motor boat get a ticket from a local police boat for speeding thru a no wake zone. Was circled a few times by one Jet ski operator that should have known better. But a beautiful anchorage.

September 14 Monday
Glynn Island Virginia – Joli Bateaux dockage for winter.
In 1967 I taught in Newfield HS Centereach, LI NY one of the other teachers in my department was Evelyn. She lives near here and her First Cousin Maureen and her Husband Alec also live here Anyway Alec and Maureen have done the ICW at least a dozen times and have told me such great stories over the years that I was looking forward to exploring this back woods area. I had in my mind that they lived in paradise. Well you could spend a life time listening to there stories and to their wisdom and Kathy and I are looking forward to spending time with them when we get back in the spring. It was very enjoyable to listening to Maureen named every bend and marina along the ICW from heart. We introduced them to Ti Food since a new restaurant opened in Glouster Va Evelyn and Tice could not connect with us they where traveling back from Maine in there new Motor Home and ran into mechanically difficulties on the weekend, and nobody can get a mechanic on the weekends and when they found somebody his wife was due in childbirth that day. Alex and Maureen are watching Joli Bateaux which is right next to there Yacht for the winter. But I hope they go south where it is warm for the winter.

David my son just bought a split ranch in Commack NY and I now am busy helping him remodel it. With heavy hearts (JOKE) we are heading south to NORTH STAR our 36 Catalina (1996) and our house in Punta Gorda, Florda. To spend the warm winter down in Florida.






July 20, 2009 to Sept 14, 2009

July 19, 2009 (Sunday) to July 20, 2009 (Monday) (Over night) Left my house behind house with Rick Burns and Steve Voorhaus both neighbors on Los Almos Drive Punta Gorda Fl
Rick was Great a out door fisherman who did catch a few fish (besides getting hit by a few flying fish) including a large ( King Something?) We where going to sail on three hour shifts so when it got dark Steve seemed like he got seasick no throwing up or anything but he went to sleep Rick and I thought that’s it we are up all night but miraculously at 1:00 PM Steve showed up and stood a watch until dawn at that moment we both disappeared and went to sleep.
Left thru Charlotte Harbor – Boca Grande Pass – dodged thunderstorms (At least six) went through one short rain storm and arrived next day at Dry Tortogas Approximately 3:00 pm missed Tourists Boat just pulled out. Watch Joli Bateaux drift off anchor and catch on another steel beam in the channel – Went for a grand tour of Fort all three of us.

July 21. 2009 Tuesday
The Pirate story Steve’s Wife Paul calls Kathy who is now in California visiting her daughter Krissy and husband Marc. Are you worried about the Pirates Kathy says what Pirates anyway Paula must of heard stories of ships be attacked in the Persian Gulf or seen some recent movie Pirates of the Carribean
Anyway nobody the trip was able to use there cell phones until we reach Key West that was another day ahead.
Saw a large motor boat anchor off an Island before Maquas Keys so we anchored right after he left the only boat for the night relatively quiet considering we where just off the gulf stream.
Water was beautifully dark blue. Not a lot of boats out there just an occasional fishing vessel out of Key West

July 22, 2009 Wednesday
Arrived in Key West around 2:00 PM just three miles out of Key West started to get cell phone service. Confirmed that we did not get attached by Pirates. Rick fished most of the Trip but only had six piece of bate.
Learned that my Mom who was on Hospice from Mid June 2009 had taken a bad turn Tuesday afternoon.
Left boat at dock and all three of us took High Speed Ferry to Ft Meyers
We had done approximately 140 nautical miles from home did the most sailing during the entire trip plus of course a lot of motoring.
Trouble with the engine speed that I learned in Miami was due to two items the throttle control that I installed when I installed the engine and the second problem is I never cleaned out the bottom of the Raycor filter.

July 26, 2009 Mom at the Age of 94 passed on to a better place.

July 29, 2009 Buried Mom in Delray Beach with all of immediate family present and accounted for. Nice quiet ceremony. Taylor my Nephew Sandy’s daughter a 9 year old said at the end of the service that Nana was playing checkers with Poppa up in Heaven.

Miles 1240 Key west to Norfolk VA (plus 140 from Punta Gorda, Fl to Dry Tortugas ) 70 miles from Dry Tortugas to Key West plus at least 450 miles to NY or a total of approximately 1900 nautical miles at an average speed of 5 miles per hour on a sail boat motoring most of the trip since all the winds where on the nose (northerly head winds).

July 29,2009 arrived back in Key West spent this evening getting ready to sail.

Mile 1240
July 30, 2009 Thursday
Joli Bateaux left the docks by 11:00 am and heads by myself to Hawk Channel following Skipper Bob’s book first anchorage was

Mile 1215
Newfound Harbor Best protected anchorage between Marathon and Key West, spent night next to two Seabase – Boy Scout high adventure base boat (I had done similar trip with 14 boys four adults out of Miller Place Troop 204- from Marathon Key to Key West on two boats. Great Anchorage nice to have two boats from Seabase for company.

July 31, 2009 Friday
Mile 1145
Rodriquez Key One of the few anchorages on the Hawk channel. One of the jump off points for the Bahamas. Drop the CQR 35 pound anchor in 10’ of water dragged anchor so in the morning at dawn found myself almost aground due to storm that had come during the night. Had trouble keeping the engine running same problem as before, especially when I tried to pull the anchor up.
Decided to Sail during the day HEARD A LOAD CRASH NEAR THE RUDDER then I could not sail any longer no steerage but was able to motor still got as far as Foley Rocks in Biscayne Bay lost the engine and tried to Sail could not make headway called BoatUs Tow in Miami at around 4:00 PM they towed into Miami Beach Municipal Marina.

August 1, 2009 Saturday
Mile 1089 Miami Government Cut

August 2, 2009 Sunday
Miami Beach Municipal Marina – in walking distance of South Beach
Dived under boat and found that half the rudder was left.

August 3, 2009 Monday
Contacted Catalina to arrange for a brand new rudder to be
Told would take 1 month – but once again Ellie at Catalina parts came thru with two week completion.

Got engine running again and solved racor problem and all other issued resolved about engine with diesel mechanics at Miami
Beach Municipal Marina

August 5 thur 12th
Went home to NY to spend time with Kathy. Came back and moved Joli Bateaux under tow from Towboatus up the Miami River thru 10 bridges to Hurricane Cove Marina that’s another story. Picked up rudder on
August 17th from Catalina Largo Fl dropped off rudder and installed it myself with help from the marina. Left the boat to have them sand and paint the bottom I decided it needed a professional job this time.
Came back
August 21st Friday got boat launch again.
Interest story I told nobody besides Kathy I am sitting on the boat at dock at Hurricane Cove Marina and they launch a small tug behind me that moves a party barge around Miami Biscayne Bay. Anyway they are working on the boat to use it the next day the engine sticks in forward drives into the dock behind them and destroys the entire wood dock so much so I could not walk to land at this point I decide to go to sleep and start in the morning as my original plan was. The Miami River is a unique place these large interisland (Bahaman cargo vessels) come up the river and they just fit between the bridges so you do not want to go thru the bridges at any other time but daylight so incase you have to get out of there way.

Mile 1089 –does not include ride up the Miami river and back to Miami Municipal Marine for fuel. Still by myself.
August 22, 2009 Saturday
You have to go outside between Miami to Fort Lauderdale there is one bridge where I 195 crosses between Miami and Miami Beach that is only 56’ since my mast must be a least 58’ high was vhf antenna. I have no choice avoid this bridge. ALL BRIDGES ON THE INTERCOASTAL between NORK FORK VA and MIAMI ARE 65’ OR THEY OPEN. There is one exception where they built the bridge to 63’ and it is famous. When you approach these fix bridges the have markers before you go through what the height of the bridge is. They are measured at MEAN LOW WATER (MLW).
Anchored at Lake Sylva since it was a Saturday evening there were a lot of boats anchored. Most of my anchorages where near inlets and had a lot of water flow due to tide changes.
I left my CQR 35 lb anchor at the Miami Beach Municipal Marina and purchased a Delta anchor that worked flawless the rest of the trip.
Went outside from Miami Beach to Fort Lauderdale past thru many bridges and looked at these Magnificent houses on intercostals waterway. I rarely put my Genoa roller furling sail up it was always in the nose heading north. Besides the magnificent yachts along the way. Nobody was heading north this time of year unless they where traveling locally, so most of the bridges I was by myself. A lot of the bridges only opened on the hour and half hour and all your books told you this. I used my GARMIN GPS mainly used paper charts for back up and Skipper Bob for anchorages and bridge schedules. To set up my GPS in the morning I used a “Chartracker” I had to turn it upside down because it was designed north to south and I was going south to north but it helped me extensively mapping my GPS especial in the inlet crossing because that is when it got confusing changing direction of buoys due to from sea going up river it is RED RIGHT RETURN and intracoastal it is reverse heading south to north. One time during the trip my instruments decided to stop (depth finder, gps, autopilot) so I tell Kathy it is a good time to learn how to use paper charts ps she did circles instead, anyway I am getting ahead of myself.




Mile 1064
August 22, 2009 Sunday
Past by Peanut Beach you can’t imagine the number of small boats around this island that is right at the Lake Worth Inlet. Went as far as North Palm Beach or North Lake Worth anchorage.
Anchored by three boats with live aboard men. I stay hear thru Tuesday since Kathy was coming into Palm Beach International Airport. I had to give Kathy her needed space that meant cleaning out half or at least a third of the area in the stern master bedroom.
Now lets not forget this boat sunk for 8 days and we had to scrub her completely stem to stern. During the five months every mattress and built in cushions had to be taken home and wash piece by piece by Kathy with fresh water and soap dried this being Florida it is usually sunny and warm. Everything that was being reused and not thrown away had to be cleaned.
All the stanchions, stern seats, bow pulpit life lines running and standing rigging had to be ordered from Catalina main was savable and genoa jib sail had to be replace. When Joli Bateaux got finally behind my house in Punta Gorda Fl I was able to order new bimini and dodger and cushions for cockpit. When I purchased the rebuild panda generator I found the flexable couplings holding the engine down where not replaced as promised and I had to take the engine in and out of the lazarette at least six times a nuts job in and of itself. New refrigerator Adler Barbour went without saying because 9 years was beyond its useful life. So one of the three boats on anchor was a guru on the Palm Beach Bus system so after he gave me the book I set out on Wednesday to pick Kathy up by public bus at a price of $2.50 for a all day pass per person. We met some really nice people on our travels that day including the bus drivers.
The previous day the engine had stalled once it never did again on the rest of the trip and I still cannot figure why it did that time anyway.
This was a perfect place to stop that is why there were live aboard
Publixs a large chance of supermarkets and West Marine (a marine store) within walking distance.




Mile 1014
August 26, 2009 Wednesday
Vero Beach Municipal Marina picked up a mooring ball. In the morning filed up with Fuel and Water. A great and beautiful spot. Trawler anchored next to us.

Mile 951.7
August 27. 2009 Thursday
Cocoa Beach anchored off intracoastal dingyed to dock walked to West marine to get anchor bow roller for Fortress aluminum anchor this came with the boat in its own bag never used. I wanted to put two anchored out every night so I could sleep soundlessly.

Mile 897
August 28, 2009 Friday
Rockhouse creek a channel right off an inlet since it was Friday night we had a few very large motor boats one other sailboat all anchored one after the other in this channel on the way out to the inlets installed the anchor roller on the bow got attached by no seams and mosquitoes but made it in within an hour of darkness.
We both slept well with two anchored out correctly.

Mile 842
August 29, Saturday
Sebastian River near St Augustine $15.00 for two mooring buoys and help to set both there was a real heavy time running and I used really light lines. This is one of the many areas with 8 foot tides.

Mile 780
August 30 Sunday
Amelia River near San Fernando Beach Last stop in Florida.
This was an exciting morning, got up at dawn started working on my anchor lines did not leave until 11:00 am. Why well since the previous owner had bought the Fortress Anchor in a bag collapsed and only to be used in an emergency and I decided to use it as my regular second anchor the anchor line was all knotted up so Kathy and I where trying to unravel it out at anchor also trying to get on our way. So when we finally went on dock I was able to finally unravel both anchor lines and set them strait a few days later.
Passed by US Nuclear Submarine Base plenty of US Coastguard vessels buzzing around us.

Mile 684 – GEORGIA
We will now see many days of wilderness – marsh lands – sometimes we are near civilization other times we will go many hours without seeing anything but marchlands. Kathy asked me during the trip does the Coors of Engineers build all these channels it goes without saying they try to use as much natural channels as exist. So for all the bends and turns you have to make.
August 31 Monday
Jekyll Island beautiful normal anchorage Kathy treated me to a down home cooked meal met this lovely young couple in the military discussing his next assignment in Hawaii.
Dingy to shore for dinner very rural wanted to take a normal walk but did not want to deal with noseaims and misquotes. Changed oil twice due to putting transmission fluid in with oil because you should not do things when you are tired.

Mile 625
September 1 Tuesday
Cattle Pen Creek
This is Skipper Bob’s description: “Cattle Pen Creek, (331441) : Enter by heading NE fromn position about 2/3 between G127 to R128. Favor SE side of entrance. Go in ¼ to ½ mile staying in center or slightly to east. Further upstream, depth gradually decreases to 6’ or les at LW. Second anchor may be needed to limit swing. No trees.

Mile 565
September 2 Wednesday
Bull Creek – anchored facing some houses one with dog and one with light on. After dark while in bed read propeller coming by in morning noticed large Trawler anchored behind us.

Mile 536
September 3 Thursday
South Carolina
Beaufort – Downtown Marina
Got rid of used engine oil great to tie up for night and not have to worry about tides a lot of history in old town. Bought Kathryn a necklace at an antique store. East dinner Emily’s- a great restaurant
Got the gout, called my pharmacy in Punta Gorda found out any IBprofine could solve the problem so much for my green pills that a always leave home. Get the gout every two to three years. 90’ motor boat docked in front of me on 140’ dock they also ate at Emily and love it. Any he told me about Edisto River ahead and when I got there I did have my 6-8’ depths so I was careful.
I was just look up how to spell Edisto and I noticed an anchorage I did not use “Mosquito Creek”. It reminds of a story about the Everglades in Florida where you have to where a bandanna around your face and a hat to keep the mosquito’s from eating you alive that is why I avoided going by way of the everglades through the Keys.

Probably the best part of the stayover is the use of an auto for 1 hour so we could go to Piggly Wiggle store shopping for food also an Express West Marine in the same shopping center. I bought 4 fans for the boat, true we have airconditioning and a generator but only one airconditioner can work with the generator because it is to small a unit. It did come in handy during our few mosquito attacks. But to go on with the story Most west marine stores one carry one fan per store and when I started installing these $99.99 each fan they had a 230 backorder for the entire US. So whenever I saw one I bought it. I open the last box and what do I find a black one instead of a white one and all the rest where white. So what do I do as a good consumer return the black one to an Express Store that has a limited amount of merchandise and does not stock this item.
I go next door to a store like dollar store and buy two fly swatters for $1.00 I did have one the boat but it came with the boat and was getting near useless. I was told in Jekyll Island to use a newspaper, which is good for people on land that get newspapers. Why do I need a Fly swatter. These brown flies are worse than mosquito’s, mosquito’s came out at dawn and dusk, while the brown flies love to hang on to underside of my bimini and wait to suck your blood. So some days I really did well by them. Kathy would be facing towards reading a book while I protected her and she would have know idea whether I was watching the course or just swatting brown flies. Most days they did not join us.

Mile 471
September 4 Friday
Wappoo Creek – Anchored behind a small Island just out of Charleston South Carolina – did not stop in Charleston – my fathers Aunt made Bagels in this town and in the 1920’s my father Hitch hiked to get here.
There was a small cut at right before this anchorage. Skipper Bob: “Mile 472.3 to Mile 472.5 {6.0}, Elliot Cut: Caution: The tidal current between the Stono River and the Ashley River can reach 4 knots in this short rocky cut. Some small sailboats wait for slack water, rather than try to proceed against a strong current.”
When we went thru this area I saw dogs playing and I thought if anything people or dogs fell into this cut you could say goodbye to them.
It was a pristine area full of beautiful houses and you had to anchor right next to docks and since it was the weekend we had plenty of company of other boats anchoring it was so tight in here you had to wait to leave if there was a boat behind you.

Mile 415
September 5 Saturday
Minim Creek another beautiful anchorage in paradise

Mile 357
September 6 Sunday
Long straight run most of day passed Large Party Bar (don’t remember name) this is Myrtle Beach the marina we stayed in overnight had a tram built to go over ICW to play next hole. No anchorages available. Went out for a hamburger at Bar in Marina.
Black and white fake show boat cruise opposite our dockage area.

Mile 309
September 7 Monday
Southport North Carolina
At about 4:00 tried to navigate the Cape Fear river I was only doing approximately 3.1 knots at 1800 rpm. So gave up went back to Southport Marina and next morning caught a upriver tide. At 7.1 knot speed.
Eat at Mr P restaurant another great meal to remember. Only locals.

Mile 244
September 8 Tuesday
Hammock Bay Camp LeJeune – great spot. Kathy was nervous. When we got there, there was a man fishing on the land and a eighteen wheel tractor trailer with a flat bed truck I told Kathy he was waiting for the morning to drop off a delivery they where not camouflaged marine vehicles. During our ever night stay a few fishermen came fishing on there small boats and that’s it. There is one swing bridge that belongs to camp Lejeune that you go under. Right after the bridge there are two patrol one comes over to us and tells us there might be a half hour delay for gun practice. It never happened a few minutes later he came by and told us to go on thru. We did see some troops getting ready for practice further on.

Mile 202
September 9 Wednesday
Beaufort North Carolina
Got there after lunch Fueled at dock walked thru town got Buck Knife for $35.00 in Antique Store Had some patisseries for snack. Kathy treated me for seafood dinner she ate her fifth soft shell crab dinner.
Today trip up the includes Albermarle/ Pamlico basin heavy winds 20-25 mph and rain part of the day large bays had to motor off the wind and make cross wave course to make any headway after I finally got through sound what do I see heady my way but barge and tug.
Beaufort North Carolina
Had some difficulty figuring out Morehead City and Beaufort finally doped it out , not bad only problem of the whole trip, yeah right.

Mile 153
September 10 Thursday
Eastham Creek. Trouble anchoring had to set anchors twice Kathy was concern that we where anchored in the middle of a side channel and Skipper Bob said there was Shrimp Boat traffic. I figures that it was bad weather and they would be in port. No boat traffic no problems. Anchored in the lee of some land and trees to get out of the storm conditions.

Mile 101
September 11 Friday
Alligator River. Good to stop for the night. Pasted one local sailboat during the day smaller and slower but when I woke in the morning he was close on hand anchored. Lots of crab pots since we got into North Carolina. Every night would have to anchor somewhere between them after a while you get the hang of it.
I took with me my air pump with a large 60’ yellow house for air plus full wet suite I had borrowed from David my son and I never returned it. I left it on boat in case we still have to deal with crab pots.

Mile 28
September 12 Saturday
The great “Dismal Swamp” – George Washington owned land in here and built a canal through this area for logging purposes. There are two routes one the Virginia cut and the second the Dismal Swamp. 30 odd years ago I had come through the dismal swamp and I remember cows eating along the route. PS today it is all wilderness. There are two locks they open at 8:00 am 11:00 am
1:30 pm and 3:30. If you do not coordinate your passage correctly you get stuck which I of course did. Now this route is only used by recreation boating. I did strike the bottom of my keel it least a dozen times. It is designed for a maximum of 6’ feet I draw 5 ½ so I am very close. We went through the first lock heading north at 3:30 pm so we had to stay overnight at the North Carolina Welcome center. They had a good museum and there was a local cruising club from Virginia with about 12 boats already tied to the dock rafting up stile. The boat we tied on to the wife was obnoxious but the husband was very nice. It put a damper on our overnight stay and they did pound on our boat at 6:15 to get us to move we where ready anyway to karm the wild beast.
That same day at the next lock we me a gentlemen my age from Nova Scotia that I still email to and where able to stop before the next lock and go shopping in Food Lion Supermarket for milk and we did not run out of it on the entire trip.
We had gone aground around a half of dozen times during the trip but simply backed off and we where OK two these where when we left the Dismal Swamp area.
Got fuel at Tidewater Marina in Norfork.

Mile 0
September 13 Sunday
Hospital Point Eastern Banks Elizabeth River
Norfolk VA –US Navel ship yards and lots of commercial traffic. You name you will find that ship along these immense docks. There is a radar airplane flying continuously overhead to watch for attack.
We ended up anchoring in a mooring area that was sparsely used and right opposite a yacht and country club. This was out of the wake for the big ships near a bridge that I felt was part of the Delmar Chesapeake Bridge Tunnel network. Watch some poor small motor boat get a ticket from a local police boat for speeding thru a no wake zone. Was circled a few times by one Jet ski operator that should have known better. But a beautiful anchorage.

September 14 Monday
Gwynn Island Virginia – Joli Bateaux dockage for winter.
In 1967 I taught in Newfield HS Centereach, LI NY one of the other teachers in my department was Evelyn. She lives near here and her First Cousin Maureen and her Husband Alec also live here Anyway Alec and Maureen have done the ICW at least a dozen times and have told me such great stories over the years that I was looking forward to exploring this back woods area. I had in my mind that they lived in paradise. Well you could spend a life time listening to there stories and to their wisdom and Kathy and I are looking forward to spending time with them when we get back in the spring. It was very enjoyable to listening to Maureen named every bend and marina along the ICW from heart. We introduced them to Thai Food since a new restaurant opened in Glouster Va Evelyn and Tice could not connect with us they where traveling back from Maine in there new Motor Home and ran into mechanically difficulties on the weekend, and nobody can get a mechanic on the weekends and when they found somebody his wife was due in childbirth that day. Alex and Maureen are watching Joli Bateaux which is right next to there Yacht for the winter. But I hope they go south where it is warm for the winter.

David my son just bought a split ranch in Commack NY and I now am busy helping him remodel it.

With heavy hearts (JOKE) we are heading south to NORTH STAR our 36 Catalina (1996) and our house in Punta Gorda, Florda. To spend the warm winter down in Florida.