July 11th Britnick at Jekyll Island GA

I had dropped a shallow anchor the evening before when we were aground. The tough part was we were nearly in sight of the marina I was headed to in order to make repairs.

I dropped the anchor without much scope. Scope is the amount of anchor line (rode) you let out to allow for the boat to swing with the wind and current. More scope means the angle is lower and lets the anchor hook into the bottom better.

I had gotten lazy, and did not allow much scope because I was going to have to haul it all in again in a few hours.

When I woke up around 0730 I peaked my head up through the companionway to see how things were and...................I did not recognize a damned thing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The tide had come in, the boat had freed itself, and the short anchor line had just barely done it's job. It seems that we had drifted MORE THAN A MILE while I was sleeping!

The Crew was still alseep, and I was more than happy to them remain there until I figured out where we were, and had figured out how to ge t back to where we needed to be.

I sorted out where we were, but with no navigation charts for that area I could not be sure just how to get back without running aground again.

I identified where the channels was off in the distance, and could even see a couple of other boats running there.

There was no guarantee though that there was enough water between where we were, and where the channel was. I just had to try and read the water, and pray.....lol

Once I did get us back in the channel, I began sailing under just the jib sail, and sailed right past the spot we needed to be. When I finally figured out I needed to turn around, I was nearly a mile away again.

Once I had gotten us back to where we needed to be I woke up the Crew and radio'd the Jekyll Island Marina to let them know I was inbound under sail, with no other power.

I had thought I was a little silly to spend the extra money for a handheld VHF Marine radio, but it paid off when all the other radios and instruments went down.

By shear luck we made a very smoothing docking at5 Jekyll Island Marine, and the Crew looked like rats escaping a burning ship.....................lol

They had all had enough of that boat for a while, and I can't say I can blame them. It had not been a "wonderful" trip so far and I was very afraid I had spoiled them forever on the idea of sailing.

Miss Bonnie had been a great sport but the endless heat had taken it's toll on her. Even though she had skipped a chemo treatment she just does not have the strength it takes to participate in the actual sailing, and eventually even climbing the ladder (steps) from the salon to the cockpit became such a chore she had to combine trips. The ventilation in here bunk was not all that ggod either so even when she could get down there it was pretty hot and stuffy.

At the beginning of the trip I told the Crew that if anyone wanted to get off the trip they could. I had asked the question in St. Augustine FL and everyone wanted to stay for the next leg, which was an open ocean leg.

When I asked the question again in Jekyll Island GA everyone was more than ready to take the ride home.

The Jekyll Island marina is a great place with pool, jacuzzi, great seafood restaurant, and free loaner bicycles to use.

I figured out the problem with the boat was due to some bad connectors on the alternator which I had been a little suspect of, but it was running so I had focused on other issues.

So... the batteries were charged, the engine was running BUT........we were running out of time because Miss Bonnie had to be back for her chemo, and I needed to be back to do an event in Raleigh NC.

We decided to dock the boat at Jekyll Island Marina. I decided I would hitch-hike the 80 miles back to Jacksonville FL to get my truck. Jim Brady arranged for a friend to come from Jacksonville FL to get me and take me back to get the Suburban.

The crew spent the night at the marina, and I returned about 0500 (5am) we loaded up the suburban and took off to return Britney and Nick (BRITNICK) to their Parental Units in Hillsborough NC.

Miss Bonnie and myself finally arrived back at my house about 10pm, and my bed felt very, very good.