Dancin Daves ICW winterization Cruise

[Dancin Dave]

Thanks Dom for the encouragement.

Well I'm in BellhavenNorth Carolina, at the River Forest marina.One of my fav marinas, charm and friendly innkeepers. 3 days into our trip.
Looks like my family and I will be here a few days due to this storm front with expected 60 mph gusts. Saramee is tied up securely and all fenders out ob dock. We are staying in one of the inns suites due to the fact I dont want the kids on the boat with this kind of storm threat. The food is great and the rain is sporatic , more coming ,so we will take 1 of the marinas golf carts out for a town tour before it gets bad.

Yesterday we had a late start from Norfolk and waited at all the bridges. I like to shove off at 5:45 am but a fellow boater needed help so I lost time helping him,any way it was nice until we hit the alligator river at the albemare sound

Oh we were boarded by the coast gaurd as all the cruising boats were just before our marina near the naval fleet.

Admiral sais its time for breakfast, more to come.

 

[Sea Gull]

Sounds great Dave. I was looking at the weather this morning and thinking about making the same trip next year.

Please keep us up to date with details of the trip and photos if possible. It's 30 degrees in CT!

 

[Dave S]

I heard it was snowing in Charleston this AM so be prepared for some nasty weather. We are having 30 mph winds here in Charlotte so I know it will be a lot worse there on the coast. Keep us posted Dave.

 

[Dancin Dave]

Hi Guys, we are going to stay here in N.C. until at least Friday, hope this system clears out fast. I heard Charleston had snow, we have rain and its 45. We knew winter would come sooner or later.

We left CT on sat and made Cape May by 3:30, and the same on Sunday for arriving to Norfolk. We stayed at the Canyon Club and the Ocean marine yachting center respectively.

I like to leave at first light and arrive before dark, this is a wonderful trip I dont mind the delays , the views are spectacular. and the trip peaceful. I love cruising.

I have on board and at the ready an epirb, a 6 man coastal cruiser, and survival pfd jackets which keep us warm at the helm in this chilly weather, even though the helm has a heat blower and the glass solar heat keeps us comfortable, my wife plugs in a heater for her feet.

The coasties were friendly and just doing there job, they checked our registration although being documented, looked thru the cabin and checked our engine room and glanced at the discharge valve to be sure it was closed. I bought a industrial ballcock valve lock out that recieves a padlock I found it in a safety magazine, obviously it cant be used in this lockout mode,I keep it locked always.

I did hit a large floating branch coming out of the Verizano straits, and saw much floating logs and limbs through out the Icw thus far. I'm glad I run point on our 3 boat flotilla. Me and 2 brand new grand banks and a eastbay. They both went there own way and got lost, 1 ended up in the missle range and chem dump area, and was stopped by a coastie cutter. the other zig zagged like mr.magoo along the coast. In preperation I spent 6-8 hrs preparing and charting routes. I dont know how they ever show up at days end. the fuel docks love them though.

more to come.

Dave


p.s. along the way I saw a sweet 510 da and asked the broker for a peek. nice. oh, he looked at my 450 also. tell you the truth I felt guilty, I love my 450 and she serves me and my family well.

 

[osd9]

Dave:

Sorry I missed hooking up with you at Cape May....did you get over to the Lobster House???? How's the updated RL80 working out??

I'm glad you're having a good trip...and, yes....I am jealous...hope to have the oppurtunity to do the same some day....


keep us posted, and like Sea Gull said...Pictures...we need Pictures....

later,

 

[Dancin Dave]

Hi Dom

It would have been great to meet you , next time. :smt001
the lobster house was good.

Thanks for all your help with the chartplotter. Its awesome. The overlay feature can be a life saver. coming off the alligator river is a blow with some fog and black clouds which made it difficult to see, I actually used the purple or lavender bleeps showing up on the screen to navigate. After learning the gain on the different zoom levels I could actually identify the channel markers on the screen and utilize the cog vector on infinite to make my way. There is a bit of a varience from where the plotters markers are and where they really are or seem to be according to the radar. This is a great feature. And the pc planner is awesome to work with. so yes its working out great. I will ask my wife to get some of these pix uploaded. we saw 4 f 16 flying in formation, as well as a naval fleet, and expressed my grattitude to the young people sering us in the coast gaurd. I love this country, only in the U.S.A. can we enjoy such freedoms.

I'm sure you will make the trip someday, and It would be great to do the trip with you and Sea Gull, in fact we should start a searay winter exodus event to the south.

I really like cruising in my Searay!




more to come
thanks again Dom, Sea Gull, and Dave

 

[Dancin Dave]

I'm having trouble with loading pictures, I'm following site guidelines and this is as big as I can get them.

 

[PMvdb395DA]

I'm having trouble with loading pictures, I'm following site guidelines and this is as big as I can get them.

Hello Dave,

Are your pics in Jpeg format??

Peter

 

[Dancin Dave]

Hi Peter, yes. :smt100

 

[CSR_Admin]

Not much to see in Belhaven :grin: . My favorite thing to do is drive the golf cart to the stop light and just stop. Then listen.....you will be in town center and not hear a sound. My other highlight is to eat at "Farm Boys". Its the local choke and puke but boy is it good! Have a fun trip.

 

[SearayPaul]

Dave:

If you are using photoshop it looks like a sizing issue.

Posted: Tue Nov 21, 2006 7:09 pm Post subject:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I could not get my photo file small enough either using photo gadget.

I finally fixed the problem with Photoshop. If you are using photoshop this is how to fix the problem

Open your photo

Click on edit your photo. Note: You must enter the edit field but you do not have to make any changes if you do not want to.

Click on file and then Save for Web

On the right hand side of the next box resize your picture, lower your quality to medium and then click apply

Now look at the bottom of your screen and your file size will be displayed. The file size could be anywhere on the bottom line depending upon what your settings are. This should take care of your problem

If the file size is still too big, and it should not be, lower the quality one more number and you will be in buisness. Make sure you are using JPG and not the other options in the top box on the right.

I posted this on the avatar thread. The steps are the same except make the picture bigger, File size will be fine at medium you probably will be able to even post higher resolution photos.

Have a great time Dave and we are looking forward to pictures.

Paul

 

[Dancin Dave]

Thanks Paul, you were a big help to my wife, that did the trick.

Seagull, more pix coming and I would rather be here in the wind then in that 30 degree weather. I left just on time, to bad I have to come back

Dave, thanks. It was windy this mornng, 45 mph winds, I'm glad I rented the room for the family,keep them safe, dont want to tramatize them, it was scary we had a tide surge and the city is flooded. This old mansion has seen many storms i'm sure.

Admin we saw the farm boys, line out the door, only place not flooded, except the River Forest. cute town, up and coming, many new condos and marinas being constructed. O'neals has the pharmacy since 1932, a gift shop, a luncheonatte, a cell phone, store and another gift shop.Kids and I do love the carts.

Time to go again, more pix later.

 

[osd9]

Dave:

Good decision to rent the room....the wind is really starting to howl up here in NJ....sounds good for you to hear "UP" here when referring to NJ I'll bet...

pics look great....keep 'em coming and safe sailing...or...motoring....

later,

 

[First Born]

Great pictures Dave, stay safe!!!

Wesley

 

[Dave S]

Dave...the good news is this will all be over by tomorrow AM..........the forecast is for sunshine and 60 degree weather for the Carolinas for the next five days. I hope you can get out of there on Friday and the waterways aren't too flooded or full of debris.

 

[Dancin Dave]

Hello all! Hope you all had a Great Thansgiving Dinner.
We finally left River Forest yesterday, the weather was terrible, wet, overcast, windy, and fog. But my faithful, hero of a boat got us where we needed to be. I lost a lot of time due to the storm. The alligator river we crossed later that day had winds in excess of 81 mph!

Today we are in Wrightsville beach. SEARAY Heaven! Almost every slip has a Searay in it.I'm stayin here 2 days! There is a marine max dealer here and they are having a festival tommorow and a Holiday Flotilla with fireworks and a xmas lite boat parade, the kids are going to love this. This marina is a must stopover, they have a heated pool, and the best showers. The Blue Water restuarant is topshelf and we had a wonderful thanksgiving dinner tonight. Lobster tails, prime rib, clams and the best strawberry shortcake.

Due to the time loss and restrictions, We are flying home on Sunday to get the girls home for school, my wife and I will resume our trip to Hilton Head next week, which will be a 2 day trip on the outside weather permitting.

Oh while I was in Bellhaven during the storm the city flooded, stores were closed ,streets as well. I will send some pix on that soon. Oh admin I had to go to the farm boys we ate lunch the 4 of us , 9 bucks, and now I know what you mean by choke and puke, but its goooood. I have pix of the menu also, a buck for a burger?

The people in the south are so friendly, I love it down here, cant wait to get to South Carolina.

more to come

Dave

 

[PMvdb395DA]

Today we are in Wrightsville beach. SEARAY Heaven! Almost every slip has a Searay in it.I'm stayin here 2 days! There is a marine max dealer here and they are having a festival tommorow and a Holiday Flotilla with fireworks and a xmas lite boat parade, the kids are going to love this. This marina is a must stopover, they have a heated pool, and the best showers. The Blue Water restuarant is topshelf and we had a wonderful thanksgiving dinner tonight. Lobster tails, prime rib, clams and the best strawberry shortcake.

We need pics Dave :smt038
From the fireworks,xmas lite boat parade,pool,showers,restaurant,prime rib,clams and for sure from the LOBSTER :grin:

Hope you had a save trip home and we hear from you.

Peter

 

[Dancin Dave]

Peter, pix coming soon. We resume the trip in the am, leaving wrightsville beach and heading for Charlston, Thursday we will be off to hilton head. There was a 410 with a xmas tree on it and a harley on the bow (revving every once and a while, also with a smaller harley on the swim platform, about 35 boats in the parade, the people here are great and the marine max staff are the best! :thumbsup:

 

[Dancin Dave]

Hey,hey y'all

Well I'm at the airport. sad, I kind of like the cruising, but I miss my kids.

We made charlston on wed and Hilton Head on Thursday, ocean traveled on Wed but ICW on Thurs, seas to rough.

Charlston city marina has to be the best on the East coast. Clean friendly, golf cart service at the docks, shuttle to town, to any restuarant. We ate at Rue De Jean, good wine, food, and people. I'm lovin the south.

met some nice people along the way

I met a husband and wife who sail. They leave Lyme, ct in october and cruise to fla. There first waypoint is Hatteras ,they run 85 miles out at depths of 5000 ft and at nite.

Will visit the boat at xmas and run her,and make sure she is still winterized.

when I get home I will upload all my pictures.

thanks for following along!

 

[osd9]

It was fun following along...looking forward to the pics....maybe a Santa Claus with Bermuda shorts on the bow at Christmas....

later,