1300 Miles, 3 Weeks, Two Breweries?

[John Sand]

I just got back from bringing my boat (<-) to Florida. We sailed the ocean from NYC to Norfolk, then The Ditch (Atlantic Intra Coastal Waterway=ICW) to Boynton Beach Fl. Yes, it takes three weeks if your boat is slow.
We don't drink underway, and make the most of daylight to cover miles. When the anchor is down there is time for craft beer: Brooklyn, Sierra Nevada, Oskar Blues. We only stopped in a few towns: Norfolk, Morehead City, Myrtle Beach, Savannah, Brunswick, St Augustine. Mostly we refueled and resupplied. We did have time for dinner, and twice local breweries. Moon River in Savannah was good, A1A in St Augustine excellent. In between we had to be content with watching dolphins, eagles, ospreys and egrets, sun rises and sets, totally wild stretches of the US East Coast.
And my Belgian Pale improved while I was away.

[RedBEERd]

This sounds like heaven.........I'm sorry you had to suffer thru this but I'm sure you'll be a better person for it

[Dawg LB Steve]

Wow is that a trip! Glad your hand recovered enough to be able to do this!

[BigPapaG]

Wow!

Good on ya'!

[John Sand]

Thanks guys. There were some tough spots too, squalls, groundings, midnight wake-ups to reset the anchor. But we were blessed with really good weather, and I had excellent crew. I've dreamed of cruising since my childhood, this is the start.
Next time there should be more brewery visits!

[Beer-lord]

If you make to the Gulf of Mexico, look me up.
Sounds like a nice trip and I'm glad you finally could do it.

[Brewbirds]

When you hadn't been posting I somehow knew you were out on the water and looky there so you were.

Glad the first post back didn't include any injuries.

Sounds like you had a nice time but of course you understand that we can't entirely believe you because on the Borg........

[John Sand]

Thanks BL, the Gulf is on the wish list.
BB, you know me well. I will try to post some, though that's a challenge for me.

[John Sand]

Okay, I can't post any pictures. I can email you some BB, then you can post them if you're good at that. Or just keep them for your private collection.

[RickBeer]

Sounds very cool, I'm envious.

[Inkleg]

That's just too cool John!

[John Sand]

Thanks guys. I started reading of sailing and cruising when I was a child. I probably read Kon-Tiki and Sailing Alone Around the World by the time I was 10. My Dad bought a 26' converted lifeboat/sloop that we cruised in Long Island Sound. At 19 I entered the US Coast Guard and stayed for 6 years. After that I built my first boat, an 11' sailing dinghy. I've owned 20' and 26' boats that I cruised about Long Island and Ct. This boat, Wandering Star, I bought in Florida in '08, sailed it up here in '09. I do love sailing. I already miss my boat, I guess I'll have to get one of the smaller ones out of the garage to hold me over.
I'll be sailing that boat up here in the Spring, there may be crew berths available.

[TonyKZ1]

Sounds like you had a good time, congrats. I'm sure the return trip will be just as nice! It's been many years since I was out on the water, doing my time with the U.S. Navy. It was pretty nice at times, out in the middle of the ocean or sea and not see anything else but stars and satellites overhead and all you hear are the sounds of the waves.

[RickBeer]

My sailing experience was a bit smaller, but faster.

Started with a Sunfish that we trailered around, and a 19' motorboat. Ended up spending the summers in South Carolina within a lot of the beach. Got a 16' Hobie Cat that loved the ocean, top speed of 26 knots and you got that "Hobie hum" when it hit it, with the upper pontoon feet out of the water. What a rush. We also had a 21' Mako with twin 115s for a few summers, but then when my parents split up the motorboat went away. My wife and I took the Hobie, but trailering it wasn't the same as pulling it into the ocean from the beach. An hour to get ready to go, an hour or more to get to the beach, an hour to get it in the water, and hour to take it down, and hour to trailer it home, and an hour or more to put things away. We ended up selling it some years later. I miss the water.

[John Sand]

Thanks Tony.
Rick, I've sailed a few cats, they are a thrill. I agree that trailer boats can be both simple and still inconvenient. It's great to store the boat at home, need no dock nor bottom paint. But towing, rigging and unrigging eat up time. I've got a couple of simple traditional boats that use unstayed sprit rigs. With a little practice they are very quick to rig. Of course, they don't sail as fast as a catamaran, but they are still fun. Fortunately I live only 15 minutes from the harbor.