Mona Eastbound

w00dy · July 10, 2014, 02:13:28 PM

Realized I ought to start a thread about our trip, progress, so forth. So far so good. We're in Clearwater FL today after a slow 4 day passage from Pensacola. Tied up at the Clearwater municipal courtesy dock and enjoying the air conditioned library up the hill. Nice place. Headed to Naples offshore tomorrow. Will post more once we arrive and get settled. For now, here's a newsletter update by RayLay, in PDF form:

Port Lavaca to Pensacola
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2X2Ngiy7psETVJoSU5tTDQ5WjFidk1xWHZpT3hvY1ZuNkNr/edit?usp=sharing

Bob J (ex-misfits) · July 10, 2014, 08:03:17 PM

I've enjoyed reading about your adventure this evening, thank you for posting it!

Jim_ME · July 12, 2014, 01:20:09 PM

Very good to read about your adventures and progress.

Yes, thank you for news and update. :)

Grime · July 12, 2014, 11:17:12 PM

Glad you guys are still having fun. We made it to Matagorda and had to turn around to many problem to continue. Lost reverse and very weak engine. Prop is clean tho.

Keep us up to date on your adventure when you can.

w00dy · July 17, 2014, 09:42:40 PM

We've been hanging in Naples, visiting family and doing some sail repairs. There cheap mooring balls here, but they don't want you staying for more than 4 days, even if all the other balls are empty. Of course, they're happy to let you stay(take your money) if you want to pay for a slip....but otherwise, the rules mandate you leave. Pretty sure anchoring here gets you hassled, but I'm not about to find out. We'll be headed out of here in another day or two, as long as it takes for us to seize new hanks on our staysail and a few other chores. Headed toward St. Augustine next, with possible a possible stop or two in between, riding the Gulf Stream northward as much as possible.

RayLay wrote another newsletter about our trip thus far:https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2X2Ngiy7psEeFYwTzU2VmxVQ25OSDdwRF95ZUYwb200ZE5R/edit?usp=sharing

Grime · July 17, 2014, 10:41:31 PM

Enjoyed the read. Thanks for the update.

Jim_ME · July 19, 2014, 02:11:41 PM

Quote from: w00dy on July 17, 2014, 09:42:40 PM
...the rules mandate you leave. Pretty sure anchoring here gets you hassled, but I'm not about to find out.

Am saddened to read another example of crusiers' traditional right to anchor being undermined. :(

Appreciate your update. Have a good sail to St Augustine. Hope that you find a welcoming place to anchor there.

Bob J (ex-misfits) · July 20, 2014, 05:15:19 PM

Quote from: w00dy on July 17, 2014, 09:42:40 PM
RayLay wrote another newsletter about our trip thus far:https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2X2Ngiy7psEeFYwTzU2VmxVQ25OSDdwRF95ZUYwb200ZE5R/edit?usp=sharing

I haven't had any luck connecting to this link & I really want to continue reading about your trip :)

Grime · July 20, 2014, 08:53:36 PM

Try this
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2X2Ngiy7psEeFYwTzU2VmxVQ25OSDdwRF95ZUYwb200ZE5R/edit?usp=sharing

Worked for me.

CharlieJ · July 20, 2014, 09:29:40 PM

Yep- worked for me too

Bob J (ex-misfits) · July 21, 2014, 05:45:40 PM

Thanks!

w00dy · July 25, 2014, 12:43:59 PM

Although we initially planned to head to St. Augustine, we arrived just after dark and didn't want to chance the inlet at night. Rather than wait around for the sun, we kept going north. At Jacksonville, we realized that we were just hitting the start of the ebb current and a 20 mile run upriver against the current didn't appeal to us. So we said to heck with it and kept sailing to Fernandina Beach. Dropped anchor in front of the stinky pulp plant and passed out for 15 hours. Today we picked up a mooring and will visit family and rest for a few days. Raylay's already writing the next newsletter about our trip down to the keys, sailing the Gulf Stream, etc, so tune in soon for a more detailed update!

CharlieJ · July 25, 2014, 01:17:32 PM

Good choice- running into St Mary's is a WHOLE lot shorter than into the St John's

Ya'll been hooking it since Naples- musta been a great ride up the stream

w00dy · July 29, 2014, 01:02:57 PM

Well we missed our wind window while we were having fun and goofing off at cumberlandnisland. Next major stop is wrifhtscille beach where we have some mail waiting but won't have decent wind until late in the week.so were heading to the day dock at st Marys today for an oil change and a few other chores. Not sure if we will stay here and wait for the wind or do some small day hops up the coast. Our goal now is to make it up to cape fear bymonday. Anyone in the area feel free to give us a shout f you'd like to meet up or go for a sail.

w00dy · July 30, 2014, 01:11:20 PM

Naples to St. Mary's

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2X2Ngiy7psEVTgzekJCaVJqXzVvQ2ZBM3JqR2hObnlMc1dv/edit?usp=sharing

We're heading out with the afternoon tide. Will probably shoot for St. Simons, then anchor up and rest before making straight for Wrightsville beach.

Captain Smollett · July 30, 2014, 02:53:18 PM

You planning to head straight to Wrightsville (Masonboro Inlet)? Going around Cape Fear on outside?

Interesting.

Most folks heading to Wrightsville from south would go in Cape Fear Inlet and head up waterway.

Not saying you are "wrong" at all. Just a bit.....atypical.

w00dy · July 30, 2014, 05:13:34 PM

Very astute, cap. Youre right. We will come inside at the river and take snows cut to the icw, though wrightsville is our destination. I meant "straight" as in "without detouring" but that may change depending on how lon it takes for the wind to veer south. Right now we are 5 miles off Cumberland island with the wind due east. Our boat is not weatherly enough to sail rhumb line to cape fear so we are pointing at Charleston ATM. If the wind hasn't clocked around by the time we arrive we may pull in and sleep until it has. Anyway, with a perfectly good inlet south of the cape, it would be "atypical" indeed to sail all the way around frying pan shoals, though if we didn't have an engine, I might be doing just that. Where are you keeping yourself these days? Still in New Bern?

Captain Smollett · July 30, 2014, 07:00:14 PM

Quote from: w00dy on July 30, 2014, 05:13:34 PM

Where are you keeping yourself these days? Still in New Bern?

Yep. Still up the river.

w00dy · July 31, 2014, 11:44:37 AM

How far are you from where the icw crosses the Neuse? We will most likely cut in at Beaufort and stay inside up to hampton roads. If you're free it would be good to meet you and have you over for dinner or a drink, provides there's a practical way to make it happen.

Anyway, were anchored at st Simons today, waiting while making offerings to the south wind. :/ see my new topic post.

Captain Smollett · July 31, 2014, 12:27:52 PM

About 22 nm from Oriental 'harbor' on the water. 45 or so minutes from Oriental by car.

Sailing, it is a touch less from mouth of Adam's Creek.

Do think you plan to overnight in Oriental?

Also, keep in mind we've been known to make the sacrifice of driving all the way to Beaufort to meet sailfarers...:)

Certainly let me know if you need any shoreside support from Cape Fear to VA line if any issues arise.

News:

Mona Eastbound