Onward to Hingham: A Storm Named Anna

Monday (May 4) was a busy day.  All Class Detailing finished the waterline up wax job, we provisioned the boat and the crew. Dick Hoffman and David Jones, arrived in the early evening. Once everybody was situated aboard we adjorned to the Harbor Cove Restaurant for a celebratory dinner.

That was the easy part.  It gets tougher from there.

David, Les and Dick ready for an early departure.  

The forecast for the waters off Fort Pierce Tuesday morning called for east winds at 15 to 20 knots and 5 to 6 foot seas with a 7 second period.  Not favorable for the start of a 1,200 nautical mile run to Hingham.  Worse, the weather pattern, which I'd been following since the wind started to blow from the east two days earlier, was holding very steady and was forecasted to do so for the next few days.

The cause of the brisk easterly winds was high pressure over the Appalachian Mountains.  The high appeared to be holding colder air to the north at bey.  High pressure generally correlates to good weather and that's what we had been experiencing with the sea breeze.  It also comes with a clockwise flow and that was kicking up the seas, right out of the north east.

Notice on the weather screen shot below that there is no evidence of low pressure off the coast.  We had heard that an area of low pressure was moving north from the Bahamas but it was not depicted on the map below.  On the other hand, maybe I did not look hard enough.  I did not go to NOAA's Active Alert page, which at the time may have provided information on what was then a developing storm.  That will not happen again.

Note the high pressure along the Appalachian Mountains

Now to the question.  Whether to run north on the outside or on the ICW.  The math is simple. The distance to Fernandina Beach (Amelia Island) on the ICW is 263 NM.  That translates into three days of travel. The distance on the outside is 213 NM to the St Mary's shipping channel just north of Fernandina Beach.  Running through the night that can be accomplished in one day.

The conditions on the other hand are more complicated.  The ICW is protected water but it comes with bridges and shallow water especially as you get further north.  The outside for the same two day period comes with seas of 5 to 7 reducing to 4 to 6.  Not exactly the makings for a smooth ride.  That said, except for the head sea as we exit the Fort Pierce Inlet, the run along the coast would be a beam sea, which would be smoothed out by the stabilizers.

Decision. Given that we were literally two miles from the Fort Pierce Inlet and therefore could back track immediately if we did not like the conditions, we decided to stick our nose out there and see what it was like.

Guided Discovery just north of Fort Pierce

We liked what we saw.  The winds were out of the east at 25 knots and the seas were the predicted 4 to 6.  The 63 was comfortable handling the beam sea.  We had departed Fort Pierce at 6:43 AM.

Explanatory Note: The screen shot above reflects wind and sea conditions from Sirius.  We are in the light blue along the shore.  Just east of our position the color or the waves is green.  The colors go from dark blue (calm water) to light blue (3 to 4s) to yellow (5 to 10) and then light red to dark read (heavy seas).

Off Cape Canaveral at 4:00 PM

Rain showers just south of our position

By Wednesday (May 6) at around 8:00 AM we were north of Fernandina Beach crossing the St Mary's River shipping channel and had traveled 213 NM. Winds were north northeast at 18 to 20 knots according to our on board weather station and seas were 4 to 6.  We now had a quartering head sea off the starboard bow.  These conditions continued essentially unchanged for the next 18 hours. By then we were on the north coast of Georgia.

Dick at the helm

David relaxed and observing despite moderate seas

David at the helm

Meanwhile, at 6:00 PM on Wednesday, we formally assessed our options in light of the weather that we had been faithfully monitoring since leaving Fort Pierce.

The weather on the route to Morehead City, where we would arrive at 3:00 AM on Friday morning was as follows:

• Thursday night: East winds 20 to 25 with gusts to 30.  Seas 5 to 8 building 6 to 8 after midnight.
• Friday: East winds 20 to 25 with gusts to 30.  Seas 6 to 8 subsiding 5 to 8 in the afternoon.  Chance of showers and thunderstorms.

The weather around Cape Hatteras, which was now 328 NM or 40 hours from now was a follows:

• Friday: Southeast winds 10 to 15 with seas 5 to 7 with an 8 second wave period.  Slight chance of showers or a thunderstorm.
• Friday night: Southeast winds 10 to 15 with seas 4 to 6. Slight chance of showers or a thunderstorm

We would reach Cape Hatteras around midnight on Friday.  Essentially, the above forecasts translated into more of the same in terms of sea conditions with a slight chance of rain.  We decided to continue to monitor conditions in light of the following options:

• Put into Southport and run the ICW to Morehead City or continue around Cape Fear
• Put into Morehead City and run the ICW to Norfolk or continue around Cape Hatteras

The ICW from Morehead City to Norfolk requires 3 days to cover 185 NM.  However this route has several challenges including the Alligator River swing bridge that does not open if winds exceed 30 knots.  The challenges on this route are discussed in depth in the next two articles.

We continued on our course to Morehead City.  At midnight on Wednesday we were north of Savannah having traveled 319 nautical miles.  Winds were northeast a 27 knots and waves were 4 to 6 producing a head sea off the starboard bow.  I recorded "ride same as."  We had burned 365 gallons of fuel according to the engine monitors.  Adding 27 gallons of generator time gave us an estimated fuel burn of 392 gallons.  908 gallons remained.  Hence, we had plenty of fuel to round Cape Hatteras and continue north all the way to New Jersey.

At 7:00 AM on Thursday morning we were 18 NM northeast of Charleston.  We estimated seas of a 6 to 8 feet with a wave period of 8 seconds.  The wind shift to north at 30 knots was producing a head sea.  The pitching was tolerable but not fun.  We had covered 347 nautical miles since leaving Fort Pierce.  Despite the turbulence I was easily able to perform a fuel transfer moving about 280 gallons from the auxiliary to the main tanks.

Then the conditions worsened.  At 8:15 AM on Thursday we changed course for Georgetown, which was 26 NM for our present position.  We estimated arrival at noon.  As we proceeded toward shore and the inlet the winds were out of the north northeast at 36 with gusts to 40.  Dick  described the waves as "huge."  We were experiencing 7 to 9 footers with an occasional 10 to 11 and lots of spray in addition to moderate rain.  We were now taking water over the bow (but no burying the nose).

David returning from a trip below reported that water was leaking from the hatch over the VIP and that the books on the port side bookshelf were dislodged.  Tightening the hatch screws stopped the leak.  Dick and I then took all the books off the shelves and stored then in the VIP and guest hanging lockers.

At 9:44 AM we recorded a wave period of 3 to 4 seconds.  At 10:44 AM we experienced heavy rain (but no thunder or lightening).  An hour later we passed the mark (R2) off the East Bank Shoal with slightly diminished winds (33 knots) and seas (4 to 6).  Bottom line.  As we go closer to shore the waves diminished.

R2 off East Bank Shoal

The view from the helm
We are just off East Bank Shoal in heavy rain and spray

Radar and Sirius Satellite Weather

This prompted a decision at 12:17 PM to continue to Southport at which time I programmed in a route along the shore.  Our estimated time of arrival was 10:00 PM at the mouth of the inlet.  Factors favoring this decision included reduced seas, the elimination of a lost day on the ICW and a commercial well marked inlet.  Concerns included a mile and a half on the ICW headed to the marina and arriving at the marina at ten o'clock at night with no one there.  We called the Southport Harbor Village Marina by cell phone and made a reservation.

The ride through the late afternoon and early evening was bumpy with lots of spray.  Winds continued out of the north at 30 knots with seas of 4 to 6.  We arrived at the inlet at 9:56 PM.

The run up the Cape Fear channel was straightforward thanks to a route, radar and night vision.  It took just under an hour to reach the ICW where we turned west for a mile to reach the marina.  Now the challenge was docking in a 25 to 30 knot wind that was pushing us off the dock. Fortunately, the face dock was wide open giving me plenty of room to maneuver and folks on another boat came out to help.  It took me a couple of tries to set up an approach that used momentum to get us close to the dock.  At 11:05 PM we were securely tied to the dock.

Late in the evening while checking Sirius weather the cause of our rough water became quite clear. The forecast screen showed a low pressure center of off South Carolina with a trough of low pressure extending south.  The "hurricane" page on the Active Alert menu showed an "X" in the same area as the low pressure.  Clicking on the "X" revealed a tropical disturbance with a greater than 60% chance of becoming a tropical depression.  That disturbance came to be a depression and later that morning was name Tropical Storm Anna.  She along with that nasty high had been the cause of our discomfort

Dick, David and I celebrated our arrival by killing a good bottle of Chardonnay with cheese and crackers.  This turned out to be one of those days when the old adage "I'd rather be in here (port) wishing I were out there (on the ocean) than out there wishing I were here" applied.

Statistics:

• Distance today: 489 nautical miles
• Average Speed: 7.7 knots
• Total Distance since Sarasota: 708.4 nautical miles
• Hours: 69 hours and 54 minutes
• Engine Fuel: 588 gallons
• Generator Fuel: 105 gallons (70 hrs x 1.5 GPH)
• Total Fuel Used: 693 gallons (estimated)

Written by Les.

Adventures in Fort Pierce: Goodbye Sea Strainer Problem

Part two of our outing was a visit to West Marine.  I usually don't write about such mundane issues as visits to a marine hardware store but this visit turned out to be very special.  In fact, I'm going to deem it the highlight of our visit to Fort Pierce.  Read on.

The purpose of the visit was to purchase a gallon of Barnacle Buster and to inquire if West Marine had a tool to help me clean our HVAC sea strainer.  The problem I was trying to solve was barnacles growing on the inside of the clear glass that permits you to inspect the strainer without taking it apart.

Groco Sea Strainer

Explanatory Note: Sea Strainers filter sea water which on the 63 is used for HVAC, engine cooling, generator cooling and hydraulic system cooling.  Outer Reef installed the type of strainer pictured above.  Water flows into a basket that traps debris and marine growth and then out the perforated cylinder.  A glass case enables inspection without taking it apart.  Notice the brass wing nut on the top of the strainer.  This model has a metal rod that from bottom to top that hold the basket in place. The top of the rod is grooved to allow the wing nut to hold the brass plate and plastic washer that seals the unit.  That rod creates a problem.  You cannot get you hand inside the unit to clean the glass nor can get a screw driver or other tool to get at the growth that continues to grow under the lid.

HVAC sea strainer with marine growth (barnacles) especially at the top of the unit 

The HVAC strainer works 24/7/365 keeping the boat climate controlled.  It needs to be cleaned monthly.  The other strainers only work when the boat is cruising and require cleaning less frequently.  Just before leaving Sarasota I noticed that the HVAC strainer, which I had cleaned 18 days earlier was as fouled as I've ever seen it (not surprising given the water temperature which had quickly risen to over 82 degrees in the last 30 days).  The entire site glass was covered with barnacles and despite spending over an hour I made very little progress in cleaning the glass.  Hence the visit to West Marine.

I had the good fortune to speak with Pete Ferrel the store manager who listened as I explained my problem and the need for a tool that could get under the rim.  Pete understood the problem an suggested a different product called On & Off Hill Cleaner Gel (hydrochloric acid - very dangerous), which he explained was used to remove barnacles from the hull.  He said it would work in two hours as compared to Barnacle Buster's 12 to 14 hours.  He also explained that the gel could be painted on with curved brush.  When I asked him about a tool he recommended Turner Machine Shop on Orange Ave just 10 minutes away.  He said they could make the tool I was describing to him.

Off to Turner Machine Shop located on the west side of Fort Pierce.  They were INCREDIBLE!  I explained my challenge and drew a picture of the tool.  30 minutes later their technician had produced the tool (an 18 by 1 inch aluminum rod with a 1 1/2 inch rounded knife edge tip at a 45 degree angle).  $31.20 thank you.  While I was waiting, Jan Strange, the office manager, gave me insight into why Fort Pierce was a depressed area.  More on that in a moment.

My new sea strainer cleaning tool

Friday morning I got up early and cleaned the HVAC strainer.  I was dying to see if the On & Off and my new tool would get the job done.  HURRAH, HURRAH, HURRAH!  It worked.  Note: I also cleaned all the other strainers in preparation to the 1,200 NM trip north.  They did not require On & Off or the use of my tool.  They were easy.

A significant improvement.

The HVAC sea strainer has never been this clean

I went back to West Marine to personally thank Pete Ferrel.

Pete Ferrel and I pose with a container of On & Off Hull Cleaner

Now to Fort Pierce. Our routine on the Great Loop adventure was to consult City-data.com to get a sense of each city we visited.  City data provides population, demographics, median income, median home price and lots of other stuff.  That data in combination with chats with the locals allowed us to get the feel for each city.  Fort Pierce, a city of 43,000 is a depressed area.  Median income is $26,370 as compared to Florida at $45,040.  Median home price is $84,000 as compare to $148,200 for Florida. Fort Pierce is ranked 665 our of 887 cities in Florida.  Unemployment sits a 9.6%

Jan Strange at Turner Machine Shop provided some insight.  Fort Pierce had been a major citrus growing area with at one point 10 processing plants.  The citrus crop in this area was destroyed by hurricanes, freezes and disease.  It barely exists today according to Jan who showed my photos of citrus groves that once abutted the machine shop.  She further explained that young people do not want to work in the fields and that the labor force for agriculture has died off with the generations.  A drive through town revealed lots of vacant stores.

Written by Les

Adventures in Fort Pierce: Getting Ready to Cruise North

The distance between Sarasota and Fort Lauderdale (four hours each way) made it difficult for Outer Reef  to address the few warranty issues remaining, which we fully understood.   Hence the decision to visit Harbortown Marina in Fort Pierce.  This location was "OK enough" for Outer Reef and very convenient for us, placing the boat at the Fort Pierce Inlet.  When we leave early on Tuesday morning we will be less than two miles from the Atlantic Ocean.

Harbortown Marina in relation to the Fort Pierce Inlet

Harbortown Marina would not have been our first choice for a 10 day stay.  While this is a first class facility with 342 slips, the ability to lift big boats (100 tons), full services and lots of amenities (pool, boater's lounge, gym, laundry, nice restaurant) it does not have floating docks, which makes it difficult for Kodi and Diana to get on and off the boat.  Fortunately, the tide swing here is less than two feet. However, the face dock where we are tied up is high.

Harbor Cove Restaurant and Bar

Harbortown Marina Office and Harbor Cove Restaurant

Massive service buildings and two Marine Travellifts

Kodi is a trooper and as I have said many times, the consummate boat dog.  She uses the forward boarding door to jump down off the boat and the aft door to jump down and back on.  She is amazing. She will wait until we give her the command to jump.  We also bought a plastic doggie ramp (made for RVs).  The directions say it takes two week to train the dog.  Kodi immediately used the ramp. This is interesting because she had not used a ramp since last May in Norfolk (where the ramp fell in the water and could not be found by a diver).

Between warranty repairs, maintenance and waxing we have been very busy.  Hence, no foray into Fort Pierce until Thursday.  Our Thursday car outing took us across the Intracoastal Water onto North Hutchinson Island.  Hutchinson Island felt a lot like Long Boat Key where you drive for miles looking at medium rise condos along the waterfront and housing developments on the Intracoastal side.  Surprisingly in 10+ plus miles we saw only one restaurant and very few views of the Atlantic Ocean.

The highlight of our outing was a visit to the Navy Seal Museum that had reopened two days earlier after extensive renovations.  Turns out Fort Pierce was the original home of the Navy Seals, which trace their roots to World War II and the need for covert reconnaissance of landing beaches and coastal defenses.  In May of 1943 (the year of Diana and my birth) Navy Lieutenant Commander Draper Kaufman, considered "The Father of Naval Underwater Demolition," was directed to set up a school and train people to eliminate obstacles on an enemy held beach prior to an invasion.  The museum traces the IMPRESSIVE history of the seals from then to present day.

Display devoted to the Normandy D-Day Invasion

Actual Japanese Surrender Document

Mk V Special Operations Vehicle (82 feet with a 17.6 foot beam)

Mk V control panel

Chairs manufactured by Stidd (we have Stidds in the pilothouse and flybridge)

Navy Seal culture and symbols.  The infamous bell which is rung when a trainee want to quit.
Note: Each student who  rings the bell upon graduation

Memorial to four seals awarded the Medal of Honor

We met the owners of Quineska, a 65 Outer Reef parked behind Guided Discovery.  Phil and Mary Beth bought this 2008 model, which we had looked.  They did a fantastic job of upgrading the interior. They joined us for a glass of wine and a "yacht hop."  We hope to see them when the visit Boston this summer.

Mary Beth casting off Quineska

Quineske, a 2008 65ft Outer Reef LRMY

Saturday, Outer Reef woodwork specialist arrived and corrected a number of small defects in the floors and woodwork. She did a first class job.

While Maggie was hard at work we drove to Fort Lauderdale to visit Sophocles and Elena Karapas, our good friends from Chicago.  I worked with Sophocles for 7 years at the The Warranty Group service center.  Together we did some amazing things to change the culture of a 400 person service center handling a million phone call each year.

Diana, Elena and Soph as we do brunch alfresco on the beach

Soph and Elena moved south from Chicago a year ago and live in high rise condo with a fabulous 250 degree view that encompasses the Atlantic Ocean, the ICW, Port Everglades and a large part of Fort Lauderdale.

Looking northwest with the ICW in the foreground

Looking south at Bahia Mar and Port Everglades

Looking southeast along the beach

Watching a cruise liner heading out to sea from Port Everglades

We had dinner Saturday night at Pelican Grand Hotel and literally sat alfresco 50 feet from the ocean. AMAZING.  Kodi had a great time also.

The furry kid at home with Soph and Eleana

All Class Detailing will be finishing the waterline to hardtop wax job.  .

Written by Les.