Category: Sailing

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

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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

Farm New post Sailing

Hurricane Sandy – HMS Bounty

Post author By Wolfbernz
Post date October 30, 2012
3 Comments on Hurricane Sandy – HMS Bounty

I think I mentioned we would go for a late departure in a previous post after Hurricane season… sometimes we make good choices and get lucky. I would not like to be out in that mess for sure. I have been in large seas and high winds offshore and it’s no picnic.
I had a whole other post going on but then this came to mind and those that know me I have the attention span , well you get it.

I saw this on the net today and what a shame to see a sailing vessel go down and it’s crew picked up. One is dead and the captain is missing. My first thought was Holy Crap this was no small sailboat and it was eighteen foot seas what happened? It seems as though they lost power and the pumps could not keep up so the captain ordered the crew off the boat. I don’t understand why the captain thought he could go around or out run this storm. Once he was out there they realized they would be out in the mess for a week instead a two or three days.

Trina and I had the pleasure of seeing this magnificent sailing vessel take a look at what happened.

This was the shot from the U.S. Coast Guard.

My first thought was thinking of the crew in the water – not the place to be. My God what a shame to say the least. I am so glad that the Coast Guard is there for us. Here is the video of them pulling people out of the water. Now if I am not mistaken the altitude altitude is a warning and look how close to the waves they get. Hats off to the rescue team from Elizabeth City!

We ventured out from the farm today to see what had happened and to return some movies. As we were leaving the farm there was a Bald Eagle in the flooded field on the back of the farm. It seems as though our area had been spared for the most part there were a few downed trees, one car we saw crushed by a large tree. We made our way to the marina where we just knew there would be damage and thank goodness there was none that I could see other than a few dock boards floating away. My second thought was Oh thank God not even a scratch, but that would be typical, I did just renew all insurances so of course.

We are back on the farm and just waiting out the mess it’s still here windy and raining. The wind is to continue for the next few days but it will be sunny and then rain again. Again we will put off our departure until next week.

Have a great Tuesday,
Wolfbernz

Farm New post Sailing

Just Another Day In Paradise

Post author By Wolfbernz
Post date October 23, 2012
4 Comments on Just Another Day In Paradise

“Just another day in paradise” was said as we finished taking about weather to run the last of the Pumpkins to the Dover, Delaware, market to sell or not. I said “yeah the parts for the Boston whaler are in so we could just finish that and we’ll use the rest of the pumpkins for the Halloween party this Saturday.” It was that time, everyone said see you tomorrow…I think we are pretty well done.

I walked into the shop and saw the pile that had to go to the boat and my first thought was Paradise, Huh?

All this stuff has to go back on the boat. The new radio has to be installed, the breaker panel Fixed, Dingy Transported and the bottom of the boat gone over I’m thinking the work has just begun if we are to leave by the third of November.

So here it is Tuesday morning a colder fall one, Woofy will not scoot over nor will he get up! It’s like having a large anchor on ones legs. As I look out the window all the leaves are starting to turn and my second thought is I bet the Dismal Swamp looks pretty good today. The fall leaves turning, the bears swimming across the water or a deer jumping out of the water onto the bank as if it has been chased. I can’t wait to go there again and leave my mark where everyone that travels through by boat leaves theirs, the date and direction headed so the friends we make on the water know you have been by.

I feel like the lone ranger at this point the marina is empty and most all have left but hurricane season has not closed so I will wait… A little cold but that doesn’t last too long when headed South.

Have a great Tuesday,
Wolf

New post Sailing Top Sites Tuesday

Tuesday’s Thoughts

As you all know it has been a busy summer and I can’t wait to sail away. I have had all summer to do for my customers whom I dearly love but as the deadline nears to leave the Chesapeake Bay before it is too cold I am getting slammed with can you do this or that before you go?!? So this brings me to my first thought. I need to start saying I am leaving sooner that way I will have more time to accomplish all the honey do’s everyone has come up with. Of course it has rained for the last three days so I can’t finish any of the little jobs they have for me to do, so here I sit with the Wolfdog by my side hoping for some better weather so to get a move on and get out of hear before it freezes.

This brings me to my second thought, I am eighty percent wanting to go and twenty percent wanting to stay just so I can be here for my grandson who I stay with two nights a week and have so much fun. I will miss him dearly, he has become so much a part of my life. Wednesday and Thursday is just not going to be the same without him. But it will be cold and I just don’t want to do the snow thing again they are calling for fifty five inches of snow this winter here! Ok with that thought I am ninety percent now…lol

So off to work I go I have to re-plumb a pressure switch in a pump house today and if it ever stops raining fix their roof and hold them over until spring and then put on a new one. Have a great Tuesday and rest of the week.

Wolf
PS. I have a button this week 🙂 so get the hammer and slam that baby…lol

New post Sailing

Should I Stay Or Should I Go Now

Post author By Wolfbernz
Post date September 18, 2012
4 Comments on Should I Stay Or Should I Go Now

I got up this morning to some cold windy weather… Yuck

One could hear the wind howl and ripple down the soffit as it blew by.

The clouds are moving in so it will start to rain this afternoon.

The news man is going to come out to the Pumpkin Patch and interview us… Nice. It couldn’t be a warm or sunny day right? Jacob is coming over for the interview. I know he is only three and a half, but he has been helping each week and he does drive the big tractor, well I have to push the peddles.

My first thought as I got up this morning was I should head to the sailboat and go south to warmer weather this is awful outside. I am so ready to head south it is getting cold and windy here already.

But then the second thought kicks in… I still have work to do and the Pumpkins are not finished and the clincher is hurricane season isn’t over yet. It’s always best to wait until the season is over before taking off. I see so many that go early, it makes me want to go because it is much warmer now than it is in November but I really don’t want to be in that kind of weather in a boat!

So I am off to work here on the farm… As I wrote this sentence the rain just started falling so I guess it’s going to be a rain out today

Have a great Tuesday
Wolfbernz