Ft Lauderdale to Charleston

After spending five months in The Bahamas, we returned to Florida at the end of May.  We spent one month in Ft. Lauderdale, getting work done on the boat, and then sailed north to Charleston, where we will spend the 2010 hurricane season.  This is by choice, but also our boat insurance policy requires us to be at least into South Carolina by June 15.  We were almost two weeks late arriving in the state, but since no hurricanes were forming we didn’t rush here.  We didn’t plan on being in Ft. Lauderdale for one month, however it always takes longer for repairs than we think.  We basically followed the same route and stops we used last summer coming north and also going south in the fall.  It’s a comfort to know what is ashore before you arrive, and we knew these were all safe anchorages.  The only marina we stayed at was in Port Canaveral, and that was only so Jennifer could visit us for a few days, as she lives ten minutes from that marina.

We had good weather most of the way, but the trip was not without mechanical problems.  After getting a part replaced in the generator, and spending a month having it done, several hours after leaving Ft. Lauderdale and still in sight of the city the generator stopped.  We chose to go on as it did start up again.  Every day of the trip we had this problem with the generator, but it always restarted and didn’t warrant returning to see what needed to be fixed.  We’ll deal with that before we leave to go south again, however. 

There was only one weather “issue” and that was as we approached Charleston.  It is described in the last blog below. 

This is a very hot summer all the way up the East Coast, and Charleston is miserably hot and humid.  This is disappointing, as there is so much to do outside here.  However, we will be here until the end of October and will certainly have the time and opportunity to do all the activities we enjoyed last summer and fall.

Blog entries and photos from this cruise are below.

Blog entries:

Waiting in Ft. Lauderdale, 6/4

More Delays, 6/10

Finally Leaving Ft. Lauderdale, 6/17

Fuel Problems and Nature’s Fireworks, 6/18

Port Canaveral, 6/21

New Smyrna Beach, FL, 6/22

St. Augustine, FL, 6/23

Fernandina Beach, Amelia Island, FL, 6/24

St. Catherine’s Island GA, 6/25

Hilton Head, SC, 6/26

Going Aground in Hilton Head and 60 kt Winds in Charleston, 6/27