Thursday, June 4, 2020

June 4 Jekyll Island


June 4

The weather prognosticators are showing almost identical forecasts every day for the next 2 weeks.  Rain, showers, isolated thunderstorms, etc. All starting today.  No real surprise then that about the time we were getting up we started hearing the pitter patter of rain. After spending a few days at anchor we were ready  to get moving and even though we considered just staying put for another day we ultimately  saw weather radar showing a break around 9:30.  We had planned on leaving at 9 AM as the high tide started retreating.  It would give us some travel time going against the tide and some going with it but most importantly it placed us at our destination of Jekyll Island pretty close to slack current.  There’s about an 8’ tidal swing here so lots of water pushes through these creeks and rivers and all that moving water can make docking problematic for us.  For the balance of our trip to Charleston we’ll be paying extra close attention to the tides and planning our travel times around them.  Several sections of the ICW through GA and SC are known trouble spots at low tide for a boat like ours with a deeper draft. We need to be sure and hit them on a rising tide.
Rainy day start looking out the flybridge

Despite raising anchor in the rain wearing foul weather gear the weather mostly broke not too long after starting and we enjoyed the rest of our trip under cloudy and calm conditions.  Following along the back side of Cumberland Island there is a cutoff for the Kings Bay Navy Base.   Home to the navy’s Trident II nuclear submarine fleet.   Pretty evident as you approach it by the constant parade of small navy intercept boats. Never bothered us – just kept an eye on us and made sure we kept on moving.
Navy patrolling at Kings Bay

We made great time coming around the northern end of Cumberland (even saw a few horses walking the beach) and out into the St Andrews Sound.  The current literally dragging us along at 9+ knots.  Then a quick turn back in after getting past the entry shoals and speeds dropped to under 5 knots as we plodded along heading against the current.
Horses on Cumberland Island Beach

Cumberland Island Lighthouse



Jekyll Island is a nice little stop.  The marina is a bit small but very accommodating.  Nice showers, pool, hot tub, free loaner bikes, even a loaner golf cart for a quick run to the shopping area.  Restaurant on the waterfront just steps away overlooking the marina.  The Jekyll Island Club was a private gilded age winter hunting club for the Morgans, Pulitzers, Rockefellers, Goodyears, etc. who built “cottages” on their private island.  Many of their houses are still standing and part of the historic district.
Jekyll Island Club

Cottage now restored with 10 guestrooms

Cottage waiting to be restored

We’re tied up on the outside of a long dock running parallel to shore.  Directly across the dock from us is a sailboat named “True Love”.  We thought it only fitting.  “As You Wish” is named after a quote from the film Princess Bride.  One of our favorite scenes in the movie is when Billy Crystal as the medicine man  “Miracle Max”  brings Wesley back from the dead (well, mostly  dead – not the same as completely dead). Max uses a bellows to fill Wesley’s lungs with air then asks him what he has that’s worth living for.  As he pushes down on his lungs Wesley expels the words of his noble cause - “true love”.  


Despite that 80% chance of rain all day, we only got one short afternoon shower and then   the clouds broke up and we even got a little sunshine late in the day.  Held out to give us a good sunset too!


Journey for June 4


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