Time to head north (soon) WPB to the Chesapeake

If you can make it to St Augustine then you can make Charleston the next stop. Why go inside the ditch thru Georgia? Then to South Port or all the way to Beaufort.

We always find we get anxious for home the last couple of days of a trip. Especially as we're approaching home, even if still hundreds of miles to go. Then before long we're ready to go again and anxious to reach our new destinations. I think really it's all just anticipation and when headed home it's anticipation of being with friends and family.

The Wright brothers have a solution to your challenge.

Remember: It's about the journey, not the destination.

Wright brothers? Are you for real? Orville and Wilbur? What did they make it, like 120'? At like 7 mph? Oh, sorry. There were close friends of yours, weren't they? Were you there for the first flight? hehe

We love the journey. And even if you've been there before it's always new. We've loved every trip. But then we do get anxious the final couple of days. Six weeks to two months is like our maximum between trips home and, yes, sometimes those trips home for a break are by plane. But we don't like planes. Oops. Hope Carl doesn't read that. Please don't let him. Seriously, for us planes are simply a way to get somewhere but not pleasure. Every day, every hour on a boat is wonderful. Plus you can't wear bikinis on planes. Southwest even has top and skirt police among their flight attendants.

Oh and for dbltime, we love the Chesapeake. Just gets cold up there so not in the winter please.

Well, we're not on the water right now and missing it but in NC visiting the kids we love at the orphanage. Might just have to rent a boat Monday and get out on the lake we use to live on though. I mean we haven't been in a boat since last Saturday. Serious withdrawal.

Hilton Head from St. Augustine should be within your range. Then Hilton Head to Georgetown; Georgetown to Beaufort. Beats the heck out of the flies and shallows of Georgia.

Someone had to keep those youtz (Did you say,"Youtz?") on the right path.

People were telling them to go fly a kite!


RE: 120'

That's one small flight for the Wright brothers; one giant flight for mankind.

Another good stop is the Southport, NC area with Bald Head Island being a top choice. In the Cape Fear inlet, and out Masonboro inlet.

We love Bald Head Island. One of our favorite places. Great to do it either right before or after a little break for downtown Wilmington. I know most boaters stop at Wrightsville Beach but we prefer to go on up to Wilmington then back out to enjoy Bald Head Island.

I'll second the stop at Wilmington. We spent a couple of months there this winter and thoroughly enjoyed. Plenty of good eats and drinks steps from the town dock, and I can't say enough good about Bennett Brothers if you need work done. It's also a nice ride up the river. In all my runs up and down the coast I've never run up the river before this year. Very enjoyable short cruise.

I would always to FLL to St. Augustine the first day, and then run straight across from St. Augustine to Charleston on the outside, and then Charleston to Beaufort and stay at the City Docks, and run inside to Oregon Inlet if it was nasty offshore, or run around Hatteras if it was decent, and stay at either VB or Norfolk, depending on final destination. If I was heading to Philly then run up the Chesapeake and grab fuel in Deltaville (Dozier's) and on into Philly. If I was heading further north then VB to NYC, and then NYC to Newport / Cape Cod. It was a lot of long days, but if the weather window is good, then you can do it pretty quickly and easily.

I agree with your running from St.A to Charleston, or at least Hilton Head to avoid Georgia. The shallows can be dealt with OK, but the flies will drive you mad. It is a lot of open ocean though. So pick your weather window, and check not only where you are, but also where you're going to. Also agree with Beaufort Docks. Stores & Clawson's (great hamburgers) right across the street.

I question the wisdom of going outside from there though. Other than Adams and Goose Creeks it's pretty much WOT all the way up to Coinjock. I don't see any time savings worth going outside or messing with Oregon Inlet for.

Another consideration has to be the quality of the cruise. Except for transporters it shouldn't all be about making time. It's a much more interesting cruise on the inside.

If the sea state is down one should consider going outside at the Chesapeake, and stopping at Ocean City, Md. The ocean there will save you up to 2 days with very little risk.

I agree with you NYCAP, believe me I've had my rear handed to me going around Hatteras, but have also had enjoyable cruises going around there. A lot of it depended on what the forecast for Oregon Inlet was calling for, and ETA. I always try to avoid the bridges taking the ICW into Portsmouth because it too has bit a lot of my friends with missing the times.

In terms of running outside from the Chesapeake, it's a great run, and stopping at Ocean City has always been fun. It usually depended on time frame for the owner. I would always try to sneak into Manasquan as well and go into Bay Head if possible, something about that part of Jersey that I just love. The RR bridge can be a little sketchy with a tall FB or Tower.

In terms of going farther North, lots of great places as well. I'm actually heading up to Maine next week to Sea Trial / Spec a boat up there that will be staying in the NE area for the summer and probably FL for the Winter.

The bridges are easy to time. The key is to not bother trying to rush. It won't help. Just get in front of the snailboats. Half hour between bridges unless you catch the Great Bridge lock on the wrong half hour or hit them during rush hours. The fuel savings is also kind of nice. One time around Hatteras in a gale cured me of any desire to be out there again, and the extra fuel savings confirmed the decision....then there's the steak at Coinjock.

Anyone else get the impression that is the overriding factor with Nycap. lol.

You do love their steak, don't you. We will have to make that trip some time. And we will get steak at Coinjock.

[CoinjocAlTark shoelderboater;195128]Anyone else get the impression that is the overriding factor with Nycap. lol.

You do love their steak, don't you. We will have to make that trip some time. And we will get steak at Coinjock.[/QUOTE]Originally Coinjock was known for having the cheapest fuel on the East Coast. When they lost that distinction they had to come up with something besides Louis' smile. They started with a porterhouse that was free if you could finish it. They let that slide now but they still have great steaks and people come from miles around. if you go there on the weekends its good to make a dinner reservation. Also knowing Coinjock marks you as an East Coast cruiser because even the people in North Carolina don't know Coinjock. I wear my
Coinjock t shirts with pride.

Originally Coinjock was known for having the cheapest fuel on the East Coast. When they lost that distinction they had to come up with something besides Louis' smile. They started with a porterhouse that was free if you could finish it. They let that slide now but they still have great steaks and people come from miles around. if you go there on the weekends its good to make a dinner reservation. Also knowing Coinjock marks you as an East Coast cruiser because even the people in North Carolina don't know Coinjock. I wear my
Coinjock t shirts with pride.[/QUOTE]

"Where in the Hell is Coinjock????" hehehehe (I know where it is).