Category: Atlantic ICW

Atlantic ICW New post Sailing Top Sites Tuesday

Server work while sailing

We have changed our servers, hopefully they will make the sites run faster. The hardest part is being in the middle of nowhere while trying to do this. We really wanted to get it done before we left but ran out of time.

Trina will not be able to participate because some sites are being worked on still. I got a message this morning that the comments were not working on BD – my first thought was omg here we go with issues, it was all working fine, luckily it was an easy fix.

So here it is the new year 2013 can you believe it’s here already?

I didn’t think I would be here in the Matanzas River anchored in front of the old Matanzas Fort!

Happy Tuesday Everyone!
Wolf

Come Join Top Sites Tuesday and be #1 on BlogDumps!
The purpose of this Meme is to encourage
Networking between bloggers and to have fun while doing it!
Make sure to visit all the other participants and leave comments

Atlantic ICW New post Sailing Top Sites Tuesday

Sailing at Night

We left Beaufort, South Carolina, Last night around 1am in the morning. They have a free dock there but you have to be gone by 1am in the morning.

Of course at 1:15am the local sherrif showed up and was spotlighting us as we pulled away.

We arrived early to the marina and got hot showers did laundry etc…

Then we took a long nap until early this morning. Trina was still tired but I was fine, I have been through here at night before so I told her go back to bed and I would call her if I got in trouble.

What a beautiful night calm somewhat cloudy the moon was out.

My first thought was to solve all the problems of the world thinking of all that goes on everyday. Then I reflected on the kids until Flipper showed up, he kept me company the rest of the night until dawn.

My second thought was is this what life is really supposed to be like? My buddy the dolphin bumping the boat and blowing air at me while star gazing together? I tried to get some photos but it was so dark I couldn’t I would have loved to share the experience with you as I sailed along all night and crossed the Port Royal Sound into Georgia.

Have a great Tuesday,
Wolfbernz

Atlantic ICW New post Sailing Top Sites Tuesday

Hello From South of Wrightsville Beach, NC

Post author By Wolfbernz
Post date November 20, 2012
4 Comments on Hello From South of Wrightsville Beach, NC

I started to write my post this aftenoon, this morning was seriously hectic, when we saw this…

The Sign says “When these Light are Flashing Do Not Continue — Firing Range” Then we got swooped….

Helicopters near Camp Lejeune

More Helicopters near Camp Lejeune

Thought #1 HOLY CRAP THAT WAS CLOSE!!

Thought#2 HOLY CRAP THAT WAS COOL! Did you get a picture!?!

Have a great Tuesday!

–Wolf

Atlantic ICW New post Sailing Top Sites Tuesday

Looking Out My Window, OK Porthole

Post author By Wolfbernz
Post date November 13, 2012
3 Comments on Looking Out My Window, OK Porthole

So we have managed to make it to the Dismal Swamp despite some issues we thought were motor but found out it was crappy gas from the boat dock. A drained tank, a new water separater and a loss of fuel and we are all better so far.

We managed to make it to Hospital Point where we did the draining etc… The Tidewater Marina was fantastic they let us stay on the dock and do our thing for a few hours, no charge… Get it done and we will dispose of the gas at no charge. This brings me to my first thought the boating community always seems to be so helpful when one gets into a jam. Even the guy that runs theDeep Creek lock invited us for coffee and since we are so far away from everything he asked us if we wanted to be driven to Walmart between lock openings, how cool is that!?!

So I have been playing with my new iPad and found a cool app that normally would cost a couple grand all hooked up and working. The app is an “AIS” Automatic Identification System.

This transmits our sailboats information, location, speed, heading, name, destination and emergency contacts. It also receives others information and displays it on the chart. It has a collision alarm and an anchor alarm so if you are at anchor and move from your swing radius it sounds like a train whistle. I am still learning all the functions. This brings me to my second thought the app was $9.99 done, installed and working immediately. How in the heck can they justify the cost of the one that does the same thing with less features than the iPad?

All is well and we made it to the Elizabeth dock tied up and we’re watching it rain today… A good day for a movie and an afternoon nap. We will set sail again when the sun shines tomorrow

If you want to check out the AIS and how it works you can go to http://www.vesselfinder.com and put in our MMSI number 338142627 vessel name PT26

Have a great Tuesday
Wolfbernz

Atlantic ICW Chesapeake Bay Sailing Top Sites Tuesday

Final Run To The Chesapeake

Post author By Wolfbernz
Post date April 24, 2012
3 Comments on Final Run To The Chesapeake

We are back on the water after many trials, the new engine is working well. With all new engines it will need some adjustments, we will do this when we reach Elizabeth City, NC.

We had one heck of a first day out… It was blowing a stink 25 knots or better and large swells. The wind was in our favor most of the time so this made crossing the Pamlico Sound a bit easier but not much.

We are held up in a small anchorage just south of Dowery Creek It was so calm after the day I fell to sleep with the computer in my lap when trying to write my post…lol

So My first thought of this beautiful sunrise day is can it all go this smooth the rest of the trip? I really hope so we could use a bit of a break with the “little” bit of trouble we have had going home 🙂

My second thought is Thank God for friends… Without the help of my dear friend showing up who knows so much about the engine and how to get it all back together we would have been there, stuck for weeks longer I am sure. It is true what they say about sailing…. A few weeks of utter joy and fun coupled with moments of shear terror. But isn’t that just life?

Have a wonderful Tuesday
Wolfbernz

Tags Engine, Home, Sailing, Top Sites Tuesday Meme

Atlantic ICW New post Sailing

Back On The Water

It’s a beautiful day in Florida sun shinning and warm.

Today is launch day I have rebuilt the rudder after the machine shop brought it back to me in many pieces with the shaft back straight again. I am so glad I had put Fiberglass and resin on the boat along with some under water epoxy. I have spent the last two days making a new rudder from what was left. I really didn’t have much to go by but some pieces to judge what it should look like. I also made a change since I had to rebuild it anyway. I didn’t like how tight it fit to the hull of the boat so I made it about an inch shorter than the original. I had taken a photo of the rudder bent but none in the work in progress, I was to busy fighting the bugs and flying fiberglass as I ground on this thing working as fast as I could to get the boat out of the yard.

So in the water we went, I tied the boat to the dock and let it sit and Trina and I went to look at a custom sailboat while we waited to see if the boat would float and no leaks were present. The other sailboat was awesome but way too much boat for me to deal with! An hour went by and our boat was ready to go no leaks and both the inboard motor and the auxiliary outboard started on the first pull.
So we shoved off and back down Tiger Creek, up Emilia River and back to the ICW. It was a beautiful day with light winds, Dolphins all around and a special treat a five foot around sea turtle came by for a short visit. We were going to stop and anchor before we crossed St. Andrews Sound but since we had the daylight we decided to go for it and make our way to Jekyll Island in Georgia. The sound was very quiet as we went through it (it can be a terrible place when it wants to be…) Trina was a bit relieved because the last time we passed this way the Atlantic Ocean was kicking up some six to eight foot swells. I did have to remind her about our last crossing here when I launched the boat into the air off one of the larger swells hehehe.

At the furthest point where we have to round a red marker on the port side Trina yelled “Hard to Starboard!” We barely missed an old piling that would have surely sunk the boat. Thank goodness she was on turtle watch and saw the piling because I certainly didn’t and it wasn’t marked at all. Who would have thought there would be a piling in 50 feet of water in the channel? Well, another disaster averted, no sunken boat and I didn’t have a heart attack…

So we have made it to the anchorage and have had dinner, We now have an anchor alarm and have it set to go off in case one of us on anchor watch falls asleep. Yes we will do anchor watch the rest of the trip I never want to go through that again.

Here are a couple of photos I took of the latest disaster!

Atlantic ICW New post Top Sites Tuesday

Foggy Mornings

So here we are we are, still in Jacksonville FL. Most mornings it has been easy to wake at sunrise and get started for the day. The last two mornings have been foggy and it seems to be harder than ever to get up and want to do anything. It’s all I can do to keep from sleeping in… lol

So my first thought this morning as I look out my window of the boat – I should get up and go to Dunkin Donuts and get some donuts and coffee. That will help the situation at hand.

*Phone rang*

I have enjoyed our stay on the boat it has been super quiet as in I can only get phone calls from the kids. I do miss them everyday, especially Jacob the Grandson, but the everyday drama and worry isn’t here.

This brings me to my second thought. Is it just me or is the younger group full of drama? I don’t remember there being so much of it when I was that age of the early twenty’s. The new shows on TV, (Yes I bought a tv and hung it on the wall of the boat) are incredibly full of drama. Is it possible that by watching these shows they are learning to act this way? The show we watched was awful and full of drama and some of the others were just sucky I think I will stick to Netflix… lol

I know that TV shows are supply and demand, do people really watch all these reality TV dramas? How about a good old fashioned MASH type show blending facts with reality, humor, and friendship in hard times in the worst of situations.

See everyone this evening!
Wolf