We hauled MYLADY out at Yankee Point Marina the beginning of
September. Yankee Point is at the western shore of the greater Chesapeake Bay in Virginia, USA. Cruising the Intracoastal Waterway up to here was different and very interesting. It has its own charm. And it was not always easy or safe to find an anchoring spot for the night, although it was safe in the sense that the waterway is behind the seaward islands therefore not ocean
conditions. We went out to sea a couple of times to make big jumps. That was very tiring. Our 2.10 meter (6,7ft) draught was a concern everywhere in/on the ICW, and therefore limiting. Most of the ICW is a tide's puzzle. It's either with or against. And we definately needed it on the rise over the shallows. We did the 862 NM ICW northbound from Cape Carneveral to Virginia from June to September. Winds were mostly very light and from the wrong direction. We motored a lot. However there were times we had rough ocean condition sailing, considering to turn around for safety. Other cruising boats, local or international, either direction, could be counted on one hand. Hefty commercial freight on the other hand, took us by surprise more often than not. There were places where one could see till the end of the earth and other places where we passed right through a city. It was a surprise receiving a vhf call, being spotted through our AIS, with an alert that where we were heading was a submersed danger. Thanks to involved people, in a country with accountable standards, we passed safely. There was one place where we had strong winds with heavy weather, but found a spot where we could tuck away safely for the night. We were pleased
with ourselves. And just as dusk turned into dark, we realized the sound in/at/on/around the horizon somewhere, = mosquitoes! Mosquitoes with GREEN blood! It took weeks to get rid of their invasion.
There were magical places I could live forever. Looking into the face of an inquisitive manatee is unforgetable. Seeing the unbelieveable moving lights as fish dance and dart through the bioluminescence water in a dark night is awesome. Dolphins are shy and hiding, so much in contrast to ocean dolphins. The birds and the bees and the moss in the trees, and now also the colourful
autumn leaves - there is just none I would have chosen to miss. Through the warm hospitality and eyes of the locals we are getting a great insight into a great land and people. Even our all-around-the-world-gasbottles can be filled here.
MYLADY will spend Christmas on the hard and end April 2020 sail direction Nova Scotia and New Foundland.
Sorry for my long silence. It was an amazingly slow trip to the USA. I'm not complaining, merely saying. The winds were light. However, it was always from the good direction. We came into the Intra Coastal Waterway at Cape Caneveral dancing over big swell. And once inside, the water was flat calm. We went thru the two birdges and lock with little trouble. And from there on it was only 50cm or 1meter under the keel. It still is difficult for me to accept that. It was possible to sail the first twenty miles of the ICW.
We stopped at Titusville and from there it was New Smyrna Beach, which we thoroughly enjoyed, and onward to Daytona Beach with its great flee market. St.Augustine was good. The municipal marina had a coooool laudry room and lounge. It was great to catch up with the household chores. And now we're on anchor just 3 miles north of St. Augstine and hope that we will be able to see the fireworks displays on 4 July from here. At least it will be a couple of days of taking it a bit calmer.
