Mid-November - Ocean hop (Beaufort to Charleston) - Inverter

It's been an interesting few days in November.  We're now anchored in the Ashley River in Charleston, SC.
Finally the 'butter is melting (well soft anyway)'.  What a difference an overnight sail from Beaurfort, NC to Charleston SC made.  
We're here, in Charleston, waiting for a 3000 watt Inverter to be shipped to us.  We lost the inverter and it's battery charging function while we were coming down the Neuse River (in NC).  We ordered the new inverter from West Marine in Beaufort, but they said "it was too heavy to ship overnight, or even two day ground"....So we suggested that "as we had a good weather window to do the ocean 'hop', why not ship the inverter to Charleston, SC, and we'd pick it up at the Savannah Hwy store?"  Good idea, eh ???   Guess what..???   They shipped the inverter to Beaufort, NC anyway... AND it was there Tuesday.  NOW the Beaufort Store is shipping it to the Charleston store.... and it should here Thursday!!!  What a 'circus'. 

Meanwhile we're using the main engine/alternator and solar panels (when there's sun) to charge the batteries.  TV watching, and computer charging (120 V) is done while the Northern Lights generator is running, having wired around the defective inverter charger switch.  So.. life on the water goes on..

This moring is sunny and the water calm.  Quite the change from Tuesday (winds up to 33.8 knots), and a harbor with white capped waves.   

We met up with Brian and Sheila Strutt (s/v Moonshadow), and Rodney, and Sue (s/v Glenlyon), and were almost with the Perkins' (Ed, and Nancy in Troubadour) at Beaufort.  Moonshadow, Glenlyon, and Autumn Borne did the outside hop to Charleston, and Troubadour is moving down the AICW.  We'll meet them again at St. Mary's GA for Thanksgiving.  
The weather is supposed to be wonderful for the next 4 or 5 days.... 
We're hoping to get the inverter... and then weigh anchor that same day... and 'beat feet' to St. Mary's Inlet at the FL/GA border.   If early for Thanksgiving we'll go up to Cumberland Island again.   

Great Bridge VA to Buck Island

Autumn  Borne at Great Bridge VA

Left Great Bridge, VA this morning (November 6th, 2010) bound south toward Buck Island.   Said a temporary 'good-bye' to Brian and Sheila Strutt on Moonshadow, as they're staying to have some work done on their boat. 

Beautiful day on the water... except for the normal waiting for bridge openings.  The north wind provided some nice sailing for most of the morning,  and afternoon.  

We're now anchored south of Buck Island, just above Arbamarle Sound.   There's 'small craft advisories' out for the next couple days... but we'll see if we can sneak across the sound tomorrow.



Moonshadow at Great Bridge



Through the Chesapeake Bay

We got a late start from the 'top of the Hudson River, but we're through Chesapeake Bay for this Fall (It's the 3d of November, 2010).  Today we sailed down from Deltaville, VA to Norfolk, and are now anchored in the large basin at the foot of the Lafyette River (near Mile Zero of the AICW). 

Our host in Annapolis was Deb Taber.  It's always tough to visit her, and then leave so quickly.  But this year, we're late, and the Taber's had plans for that upcoming weekend.

We've been talking to a lot of the cruisers, we've met along the way, and over the years
They're spread out all over the USA right now.... But sooner or later we'll all meet again.