Day 2 - Brunswick GA - Florida

Magic Friday
Phil, Di and Annelise
Mon 22 Feb 2016 18:59
29:53.1N 81:18.5W
 

As morning broke, we slipped away past dredgers int he channel and back to open sea. Similar wind conditions as the day before, this time a trial with the jib instead of the genoa, but unable to hold course we set off tacking to get south. Encouraged by the sight of another yacht sailing as well, (we had seen them yesterday  and also must have spent the night in St Mary's Inlet) battling to make way south in the light southerly breeze - as we were - a conversation with their captain to discuss St Augustine stop-over instead of our planned St Johns River (a place we were not keen on due to the strong river currents and we could not get an inside berth at the marina we had stayed before). So, plans changed, decision made to press on for St Augustine BUT we had to arrive in daylight due to a tricky entrance. No more tacking in the light winds, we motored a straight course. Unfortunately our company, also making the decision to motor fell behind and went into St Johns for the night. The coast guard, a serach and rescue launch and an overhead helicopter all advising everyone of the presence of Northern Right Wales (and to stay more than 500 yards shoudl we see one - but no sightings for us today). Noond ay sightinga dn position calculated (with a few small errors)! The rest of the afternoon slipped by, as did the miles - but would we make it before nightfall? A discussion with the marina regarding entrance advice and later with SeaTow all confirmed it was possible as the marker bouys were in place but shoaling had been reported to the south of the channel. At last we could see the lighted sea bouy to start the channel entrance - only just - 2 minutes before sunset on a grey afternoon, with an hour before high tide (optimal entry time). Darkness fell quickly as we edged in - staying as far north as we dared, waves breaking on the sandbanks both sides of us, a lighted red bouy ahead, then an un-light bouy (another red?) ... and so on until we were finally inside the bay. We crept cautiously to our pre-arranged mooring bouy, picked it up first time and breathed a sigh of relief - we were in! At last - St Augustine from the Atlantic entrance. City lights along the quayside shimmered across the bay. Time to rest and sleep!

 

Phil and Di

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