Georgia Sounds

Tuesday, January 05, 2010: ACT III, Golden Isles Marina, 31 10 N 081 24.5 W (St Simon’s Sound, GA)

If all goes well, this will be our last stop before Florida. Since Hilton Head, we have awoken to temperatures in the lower twenties. Afternoons have felt almost balmy when they sometimes reach the lower forties. However, we know not to expect any sympathy from our friends in the north.

When we hoisted the mains’l in Hilton Head on Sunday morning, chunks of ice fell to the deck. After a fast sail down the coast, Sunday afternoon found us in a beautiful anchorage in Ossabaw Sound, GA. Dolphins accompanied us down the coast and in the sound. Heidi found this unmarked and unmentioned anchorage on the chart. Our only company was a shrimp boat that appeared to have gone aground on an uncharted bar that almost caught us, and a very bold pelican. Heidi was startled when she looked up in our cabin and saw a large oval shape on our hatch. She knew she had stowed the fenders, so it was a mystery until we noticed the webbed feet and butt crack.
The pelican must have been enjoying the warm hatch on her feet and butt because she didn’t even fly when Heidi went on deck to take her picture. The crabber stayed anchored for the night and left by sunrise. We followed about 0800.

After reluctantly leaving our cozy cabin Monday morning--we start the engine early for heat--we set sail for Sapelo Sound. It was very satisfying to sail along the beautiful GA coast, listening to the waves, an occasional blow from a playful dolphin, and the hum of our water maker filling our port tank with delicious pure water (Salinity<300ppm). It was another easy downwind sail, and we entered the sound about 1330. Having gained confidence in our ability to select deserted anchorages not mentioned in the cruising guides, we picked a perfect one with protection from the NW. With warm sun and frolicking dolphins everywhere, we completed a couple of easy projects. I admit we felt rather superior to the sailboats we saw chugging along the ICW: offshore is so much nicer.

Damn it was cold this morning! To add to the chill we had steady 20 to 25 kt NW winds instead of the predicted 15 to 20. We had no trouble averaging over 7 kts. Sitting in the lee of our dodger, we kept a sharp eye out for right whales, which had been reported in the area. No luck, just lots of white caps and a couple of dolphins. It was a long slug up the ship channel against 25 kts of apparent wind and an opposing current of well over 2 kts. Nevertheless, we arrived at the dock by our projected ETA of 1600. The route in here is a little tricky, and we passed a sailboat hard aground the wrong side of a can. We couldn’t see any way to offer assistance, but we hope that if the towboat we saw going to help her is not able to free her she is shallow draft so she won’t heel too much at low tide. Tonight we’ll treat ourselves to hot showers, clean laundry, and our electric cabin heater.

Happy sailing, literally and metaphorically, friends.

Bill and Heidi aboard ACT III