Fernandina Beach to Jekyll Island

Date:                                   April 5, 2013

Days on the Cruise:            11

From:                                  Fernandina Harbor Marina

To:                                      Jekyll Harbor Marina, Jekyll Island, GA

Statute Miles:                      32.6

Time:                                  4 hrs 0 Min

Cumulative Miles:              519.6

On Board:                          Chuck, Susan, Maggie, Trooper, Peanut

We layed over in Fernandina Beach yesterday because of forecasted weather, and it really wasn't that bad. we could have crusied easily up here to Jekyll Island yesterday with no weather worries. So, today was the day the weather was supposed to have improved. It didn't. It was way worse than yesterday.

We awoke at 6:30 this morning to thunderstorms and rain. Slept in a little longer. Weather said that 10:00 rain would stop, so we made plans to leave then. At 10:00 it was still raining, but not as hard. No thunderstorms. We slipped our lines and went to the pump out dock to get the holding tank pumped. We finally left the marina at 10:45 this morning.

It took us a little more than an hour to get to the submarine base at Kings Bay, GA. We were disappointed that we did not see any Trident Subs, but we did see the Coast Guard and security keeping boats from entering the sub area. We saw a barrier stretched across the channel going into the sub marshaling area. This was the real deal as far as security and Naval presence. Very impressive indeed.

Heading Down the River Coming Out of Fernandina Beach on a Cold Gray Day

One of 4 Big Boy Coast Guard Security Boats Speeding By Our Boat

De-Gaussing Facility at Submarine Base

Submarine Pens at Kings Bay

Security at Entrance to Kings Bay

After making a turn to the East at Kings Bay and going from the ship channel to the ICW, we hit heavy rain and more rough weather. The visibility dropped considerably as we got into fog. I had the Isenglass zipped on the fly bridge and it was hard to see ahead through the rain streaked windshield.

We broke out of the bad weather just South of the Northern end of Cumberland Island. The ICW actually passes the tip of Cumberland Island and juts out into the Atlantic Ocean, then around a Red marker and into Jekyll Creek. The ocean swells were amazing and we had a hard time keeping a course. When we rounded the Red Mark, the swells were on our beam and we really wallowed in the  seas.

North End of Cumberland Island

Once we got out of the swells and into Jekyll Creek, we came to the Marina where we would spend the night. We refueled and tied up along the face dock at about 3:15. 

Jekyll  Harbor Marina

 

Jekyll Harbor Marina Looking North

We are Docked Behind "How Lucky Again"

When we left the marina at Fernandina, we were hailed by a couple on a boat also docked there. The name of their boat was "How Lucky Again" They had a Looper Flag on the bow of their boat. They left after we did, but we heard them on the radio and they passed us just as we were going into the sea swells at the end of Cumberland, Island. They were also headed to Jekyll Island and when we arrived at the marina, Michael (Captain) and his wife Leslie (Admiral) were on the dock to meet us and catch our lines.

Michael and Leslie are headed to the AGCLA Rendezvous in Norfolk, and we will likely run into them again and again as we both do the Loop. We really enjoyed dinner with them at the restaurant at the marina. We seem to have a lot in common.

Enjoying Dinner at Jekyll Island with Leslie and Michael

So, tomorrow it is on to Sunbury, GA and the Sunbury Crab Co. Docks where we will stay over night. Should be about a 68 mile run, which will be a long day.

Thanks for Reading!