Trip 2001
Southbound Down The Intercoastal Waterway
This details Leo's and Mona's cruise aboard Snug as they return to their
home in the Bahamas along the ICW.
CLICK HERE to see the northbound portion
of their trip.
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10-3-01
Mona and Skipper Bob made 40 miles this afternoon on Snug. Yesterday
Mona flew from Des Moines to Washington Dulles where Bob picked her up
and they drove to Chesapeake, VA and boarded Snug. Tonight they are in
Coinjack, NC and all is well aboard Snug. I finish work a week from
now and will join them in Charleston, SC Oct 12.
10-4-01
Mona called 9pm CDT all is well. They made 80 miles today started
just before dawn and finished about 630 pm EDT. They are in Dowry Creek
Marina near Bellhaven, NC. They may be weather in tomorrow if not
they will go to Oriental, NC. They are having no problems with Snug.
One of my best friends since 1957 died yesterday, Bill Denman.
We always called each other brother.
10-6-01
Not much news today, Snug and its occupants are laying over in Oriental,
NC due to stormy conditions in the area. They ate at one of our favorite
restaurants last night in one of our favorite towns. All is reported well.
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10-7-01
Mona, Bob and Snug made 50 miles today. They are in Swan Point, NC.
They had a problem starting Snug this morning. Bob says they need
to replace the glow plugs. Diesel fuel must be heated to start and
glow plugs heat the fuel. They hope to find replacement plugs
tomorrow.
10-8-01
Bob and Mona are in Wrightville, NC. They will receive the new glow
plugs tomorrow at noon and plan to remain in Wrightville tomorrow. They
will make Myrtle Beach the next day, then Georgetown and Charleston on
Friday. I hope to arrive in Charleston Friday evening.
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10-13-01
We took Skipper Bob to the train here in Charleston, SC. tonight. Bob and
Mona brought Snug here, the wags on the ICW will have fun gossiping about
that. The problem with seeing Skipper Bob and Elaine now is that
we have to get over the pain of not seeing them daily as we did when they
were on Snug and we were on Fancy Free. Mona and I will continue our trip
to Florida Monday morning. My trip from Des Moines to Charleston
was uneventful except my luggage didn't arrive until today and I arrived
last night. The 3 legs I flew were all full,me aning there were no
empty seats on my flights. Charleston is a very unique city and we are
enjoying exploring her.
10-16-01
Leo arrived as scheduled Friday evening October
12 right on schedule, his luggage was picked up the next morning as we
headed for breakfast at Cracker Barrel. Saturday we spent exploring
Charleston, SC in the trusty Enterprise rental car. A great day!
After dinner Saturday we took Skipper Bob to the Amtrak Station for his
trip to Washington, DC, where he picked up a rental car and drove to E.
Rochester, PA. Elaine couldn't wait to see him and the twelve hours
layover in Washington was too much. I can't express how much we thank Skipper
Bob for his unselfish offer of helping move SNUG. It was a great
trip and I learned more in one week than I have in two years. I could
use another course or two in the very near future, but I don't think Elaine
would loan her Skipper any time soon. Those of you boating will hear
some interesting stories about SNUG. Enjoy!! Bob, Leo and I sure
do. At first light Monday we left Charleston headed for Beaufort, SC.
We had a visit with Eddie and Donna, another Krogen Manatee owner.
We are docked at Delegal Creek Marina for the night. Have already
welcomes Commodore Don and Sassy aboard Snug for a brief visit. We are
headed for dinner with Julie and Don in a little while. It is great
to see friends. Tomorrow we will be headed for Golden Isle Marina on St.
Simons, Island, GA. Hope to have dinner with friends. That
marina serves warm, fresh baked muffins along with the morning newspaper!
I will REFUSE to leave the dock until my muffin is delivered. As many of
you already know, my mother died early this morning, it was not unexpected.
She was almost 87 and had been active until just a few months ago.
I will leave SNUG in North Palm Beach next week and fly back to California
for the memorial service, and to help my sister tie up some of the lose
ends. Thank every one of those who have called or e-mailed their
hugs to me.
10-15-01
Yesterday we made it to Beaufort, SC. We had a nice visit with
Eddie and Donna who have a Krogn Manatee. Then we went to dinner
at The Bank--best nachos ever. Today we docked at Delagel Creek Marina
just south of Savannh. Commadore Don of the Royal Marsh Harbour Yacht Club
met us on the dock and we had another enjoyable evening visiting and catching
up on all the news. Plans were to be in St. Simons Island tomorrow, but
the winds have kicked up and are to be 30knots tomorrow so there is a good
chance that we wll stay put. Thanks to everyone that has called or mailed
their thoughts and hugs upon learning of the death of my mother this morning.
10-18-01
We spent an extra night yesterday on Skidway Island, GA due to the
weather forecast. Yesterday's wind was OK today it was not.
We had NE 20-25 all day. The furniture not tied down in the main
salon was on the other side of the room. We weren't in danger but
we would have preferred less wind as we went across four sounds (wide bodies
of water). We are now in one of our favorite places, Golden Isle Marina
near Brunswick, GA. Tomorrow we get the newspaper and the blue berry
muffins. Tomorrow we will be in Florida.
10-19-01
We are in Amelia Island, FL tomorrow St Augustine, FL for dinner with Zeke,
Debbie and Mona's cousins. The winds were again 10-25 NE but we fooled
mother nature and took and alternate route around one of the worst sounds
on the ICW. The route added 5 extra miles to our trip but it was
worth it. The sounds are like a wide river entrance to the ocean
so we receive ocean swells in the sounds. We plan to be in West Palm next
Thurs nite. Mona flies on Friday to California for her Mother's Memorial
Service to be held on Sat of next week. She will stay a week with
her sister Mindi and return Friday Nov 2 to West Palm. If Chris and
I are able to make the crossing to the Bahamas she will fly on to the Bahamas.
10-20-01
Tonight was cousin's night. Mona has a cousin here and so do I.
The six of us had dinner at the Conch House a place we recommend if you
are in St. Augustine, FL We had a good day on the water. It
was warm near 80 and little wind.
10-21-01
Another day of cruising the way I like it - no problems. Forecast was for
after showers and thunderstorms. I increased the engines rpm and
we got here a half hour earlier just the amount of time when had after
we were tied up at Halifax Marina in Daytona, FL We are having dinner
with Raggedy Ann and Dick, friends who retired too early to last.
They returned to the work world and now 5 years later are planning to buy
a boat and return to the Abacos.
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10-24-01
We are in Ft Pierce, FL at Harbortown Marina. We had dinner
with Bill and Marylou Hawkins formerly of Glass Slipper currently of Repose.
(name of their boats) Also joining us was our saviors Len and Isabelle
Chamberlain of Nocturne. Len is going to assist me in taking Snug
to North Palm Beach Marina tomorrow morning. Isabelle is getting
up in time to leave here at 6am to take Mona to the airport in West Palm
Beach a 65 mile trip. Then she will bring Len back to their boat here in
Ft Pierce. We ran out of time but were fortunate to have good friends.
Our trip of 65 miles today was uneventful. Fortunately the lighting
waited until we got here and loaded up with fuel. We took on 217
gallons of fuel. We had loaded the 250 gallon tank in Chesapeake,
VA the beginning of our trip this fall. The cost was $1.06 a gallon
the total fuel cost for the trip aprx $220.
10-25-01
First phase of the trip is concluded. Len and I got Snug to North
Palm Beach Marina where we leave for the trip to the Bahamas. Naturally
the weather is changing so it will be at least Tuesday before we can leave.
Isabelle went the extra mile this morning and took Mona to the airport
at 6am. Chris and Sherry dropped by this afternoon and are now headed for
Sanabelle Island on Florida's west coast. They will be back Saturday.
Now the wait for weather begins.
10-28-01
Today is a long pants day high 70 low 60 N wind 20-30. No, Mona doesn't
count to my 4 long pants day limit. Mona returns from California
on Friday and Chris and I may still be here. No improvement in forecast
of north winds 20-30 for the rest of the week.
11-2-01
we are prepared for Hurricane Michelle. Of course we hope it stays
far away. Now the winds are E 25 and sunny. Jim and Sue arrived yesterday
in Rivera Beach Marina about 10 miles south of us closer to the ocean inlet.
Our plans are to buddy boat to the Abacos. I will send email either Sunday
nite or Monday morning.
11-4-01
So far weather forecast holding as Skipper Bob predicted. Expected
winds this afternoon 35-40 and 40-45 tonight. We are tightened down. Dennis
Kirkwood and Marion here as is Chris.
11-5-01
All is well aboard Snug. Dennis Kirkwood and Marian, Chris Spohr
and I spent the Hurricane Michelle watch, watching Gladiator a great movie.
Winds were 30-40 with gusts and rain but we are in a secure location and
were able to get a good nights sleep. Winds are not forecasted to
diminish until later this afternoon. It is still raining but not
hard. We feel very fortunate the storm took the path it did.
Now hope for the best for the Abacos.
11-8-01
We are still on North Palm Beach. Mona is home. Winds still from
North and forecasted that way thru Monday.
11-12-01
Forecast thru Friday NE 10-15 showers. We continue to do boat chores, read,
watch TV etc. We had a minor fuel like around the breather bolt on
the fuel filter. Found the gasket was missing replaced it and eliminated
the fuel leak. I had coffee with Jim Richardson. He and Sue and Bill Kutmus
are at the Lake Worth Inlet an hour by our boat away. At least it
is 80. The local paper the Palm Beach post reports this morning that Bush
would have won if the Supreme Court had allowed the vote count to continue,
but Gore would have won if he had challenged the overcount votes which
he didn't.
11-19-01
Mona and I are leaving at 3 tomorrow morning for our gulf stream crossing.
Hopefully my sister Alice will send you all a message of our safe arrival
in West End Grand Bahamas tomorrow around 4 pm EST.
11-25-01
News from the Abaco Bahamas via Leo's sister, Alice. Spoke with Lee about
30 minutes ago from Marsh Harbor Marina. They arrived at their final
destination last evening about 5:30 p.m. They are moving into their
regular slip today. Lee asked that I send you all an update and let
you all know he has arrived in Paradise (my words). Lee said other than
the fact they pulled friend Jim's boat part of the way in some choppy waters
(Jim's boat broke down) it was smooth traveling.
11-27-01
We left North Palm Beach at 4 am and joined two other boats at Lake
Worth Inlet at 5am and arrived in West end at 130 pm. It was a good
trip. We had good weather and seas all the way to Green Turtle. We
spent two days there and had 15-20 winds SE winds on the trip to Marsh
Harbour. We still don't have our phone working but I am working on it.
I put my Batelnet service on the laptop and used the marina phone to make
the local call to batelnet internet service used TCP/lan connection to
access my aol account. Another hurricane is north of us and we hope it
doesn't turn south.
12-1-01
Weather continues to be great. Hurricane Olga still is hanging around even
tho the hurricane season ended yesterday. She is not expected to disturb
us except for higher winds and seas but nothing threatening. We had
dinner with our new friends Bill and Millie from Ilinois. He is a
lawyer specializing in insurance defense of professional malpractice.
They have a 42ft Benitieu sailboat.
12-24-01
Happy Holidays to all. We got in the Christmas spirit by cruising
on Snug for an hour and a half to Hopetown on Elbow Cay. Hopetown
is famous for its lighthouse the scene most often photographed in the Bahamas.
It also is the home of U.S. Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa. We had 30 people
on board and joined 70 others. We paraded to about 50 homes singing
Christmas Carols. Afterwards the 30 of us boarded Snug and cruised
home in the dark. I remember how proud of Skipper Bob I was when
he did the same thing a few years ago. A couple of days ago those of us
in the marina and those at anchor in the harbor got together in the Jib
Room for appetizers and drinks. Joyce and Jim of Flying Fortress
and the Isle of Wight in England led us in Christmas Carols.Tomorrow 54
of us will gather at the Jib Room for a pot luck Christmas Dinner. With
most boats decorated in the Christmas Spirit the atmosphere here is celebratory
in spite of the absence of snow.
