With Hurricane Matthew barreling towards the coastal town of Wilmington, North Carolina, U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class James Prosser and his wife, Nicole, made the seemingly right decision to send their two young children out of harm’s way to the inland city of Lumberton. Little did they know that the small inland town was also going to take a beating.
Feeling confident about his choice (Lumberton is located almost 90 miles from the coast) Officer Prosser resumed his duties at the Coast Guard Sector North Carolina. Imagine his surprise the following weekend when he received news that floodwaters in Lumberton were rising rapidly while his children were at their grandparents’ home without running water or electricity.
U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class James Prosser and Master Chief Petty Officer Louis Coleman load Coleman’s trailer with donations during Hurricane Matthew at Coast Guard Sector North Carolina in Wilmington, Oct. 16, 2016.
“Lumberton has been the go-to safe haven during hurricanes for me and my family for about eight years now,” says Prosser. “But after the town was battered by Hurricane Matthew, following two weeks of unusually high rainfall, it became a dangerous place where water was suddenly filling the streets.” By Monday morning, the levee protecting Lumberton had broken, and Prosser was working feverishly with members of the sector command to determine how to best bring his children home.
“They [local officials] were confused as to why we were headed into town at first, but as soon as we explained why we needed to get in, they let us through,” says Prosser. “Most people were trying to leave town, not get in, and we began to see why. Damage from the hurricane became much more evident the closer we got to Lumberton, but I was blown away by the damage we encountered when we got within city limits.”
It quickly became clear that the area was too flooded to continue by truck. Luckily, Prosser and a fellow officer encountered water rescue teams from New York and New Jersey. Prosser found the town unrecognizable and struggled to get his bearings. “Eventually we approached a church that looked familiar. We saw helicopters overhead with people dangling from cables. They were hoisting people from the flooded waters to safety,” he adds.
Prosser was finally able to reach the children via SUV. “When we got there, my two children came running out the door,” says Prosser. “While it was a huge relief to know they were safe at that moment, I knew we were all still in danger. We needed to get out of there as quickly as possible, before we got trapped by floodwaters.” Meanwhile, Prosser and additional officials strongly encouraged others to evacuate the dangerous area. As part of the North Carolina family, Coast Guard Sector North Carolina personnel will continue their response to Hurricane Matthew’s aftermath and the subsequent flooding throughout the region.
Cruisers migrating south along the ICW this fall should time their stops in Oriental, North Carolina, to coincide with a few special weekends. The 3rd Annual “Ol’ Front Porch Music Festival” takes place on Saturday, October 15th. The town invites musicians from around the region to play from the porches of homes and businesses along the waterfront with a selection of folk, blues, country, and pop features. Shiloh Hills and The Carmonas are headlining the festival this year and will take the main stage overlooking the Neuse River at 3:30PM. The festival will take place rain or shine since alternate indoor locations have been arrranged.
On October 22nd a seasonal favorite spices up Oriental Harbor with the 9th Annual Chili Cook-Off from 11AM to 2PM at the Oriental Marina and Inn. Local chefs offer a variety of chili to taste, and proceeds from the $10 admission tickets support the local theatre. At the conclusion of the event, visitors vote for their favorite chili.
If you don’t get enough to eat at the Chili Cook-Off there’s a new grocery store in Oriental. This favorite ICW stop has been without a grocery store for some time, but the owner of a nearby Piggly Wiggly opened a well-stocked, brand new store in town. Locally and lovingly referred to as the “Piglet”, it’s only a short drive or bike ride from the nearby marinas.
ICW Local Knowledge A prized possession of all boating enthusiasts is “local knowledge”—a familiarity with conditions in their home waters. Knowing where they may run aground at low tide keeps local cruisers out of trouble, but cruising in unknown waters presents a challenge. Hank Pomeranz is making cruises in unknown waters much easier. Pomeranz offers a free seminar sponsored by Zimmerman Marine and Southport Marina titled Weather and Navigation Briefs on the Dock every evening during peak ICW cruising season. Transient mariners get “local knowledge” of the shifting ICW channel north and south of the marina’s location near the mouth of Cape Fear River. Pomeranz refines his seminar each day by taking reports from cruisers that call in conditions. Attendees also receive a detailed weather forecast for the following 36 hours, which Pomeranz is uniquely qualified to present as a retired U.S. Navy meteorologist. The seminars are scheduled to begin in mid-October and will run every evening at 6PM for two months.
Long Awaited Seagate Yacht Club Delray Beach has one of the most vibrant downtown centers in all of Florida and will be even easier to visit by boat with the opening of the Seagate Yacht Club on November 1st with a new clubhouse, pool and captain’s lounge. The Seagate Yacht Club is on the property of the former Delray Beach Yacht Club only a few blocks south of the Atlantic Avenue Bridge over the ICW. The club is open to both members and transient cruisers and is an easy walk away from great shopping and award-winning restaurants along Atlantic Avenue.
By Bob Arrington, Southern Boating Magazine October 2016
In Beaufort, North Carolina, preserving the past is the way of the future.
Often referred to as the Inner Banks of North Carolina, the Crystal Coast offers an abundance of pleasures for anyone seeking adventure or serenity on, under or simply near the ocean. Beaufort, NC is one such pleasure. The broad, sandy beaches stretching out from the dunes are legendary. Surfcasting and offshore fishing are some of the best in the world. With over 2,000 shipwrecks, “the graveyard of the Atlantic” provides scuba divers with warm water and 75 feet of visibility as they explore the depths.
A coastline dotted with marinas and marine services of all sorts satisfies the demands of the transient yachtsmen and weekend wave warriors. Moreover, families suffering from vacation desperation may partake in boat tours to Cape Lookout, bike and walking tours, food tours, bus tours, nature and wildlife tours, night tours, air tours, historic and heritage tours, and even ghost and vampire tours. Or they may simply relax and build lifelong memories amidst the peace and serenity of a beach cottage in the dunes.
Tucked behind Cape Lookout and Shackleford Bank with its fabled feral horses, the town of Beaufort is deeply rooted in maritime history and arguably the jewel of this coastal crown. Having grown up in a small New England coastal community, I have a special appreciation in my heart for those unique places that seem to cling to the edge—places that exist on that space between water and Earth, the demarcation line separating the known from the unknown.
Beaufort Roots
Founded in 1709, Beaufort still remains a welcoming port of call for modern cruisers churning their way up and down the ICW as well as for bluewater sailors darting into the Beaufort Inlet such as the pirate Edward Teach—better known as Blackbeard—regularly did in the early 18th century.
Legend has it that Blackbeard would run his ship Queen Ann’s Revenge up into Taylor Creek adjacent to Front Street and enjoy the various pleasures of the town while his crew was busy with the duties of repair and provision. Blackbeard met his violent end at the nearby island of Ocracoke in 1718, but the maritime industries of Beaufort have continued to flourish while the town itself has evolved into one of the most charming and active historic waterfront communities on the East Coast.
The JBBW “cash wrap”, as seen in the JBBW company store on Beaufort’s Front Street—an attention-grabbing solution for the nautical retailer. Photo: Jim Raycroft
Colorful tour bikes are available at Hungry Town Tours. Photo: Jim Raycroft
Lunch at the 25-year-old Beaufort Grocery Company is located within steps of the waterfront. Photo: Jim Raycroft
There is a lot going on in Jarrett Bay Marine Industrial Park. Photo: Jim Raycroft
Moores Marine specializes in interventions and resurrections of the classic wooden boat variety. Photo: Jim Raycroft
Professional chefs prepare meals for a number of private residents who open their homes for the event. Photo: Jim Raycroft
Sea Wife is a 24-foot Core Sounder built locally in 1954 for fishing. It is now owned by the North Carolina Maritime Museum. Photo: Jim Raycroft
Rooted in a history of boatbuilding and fishing, the neighboring Harkers Island is home to a long, proud legacy of watermen that reaches back to the mid-18th century. Ebenezer Harker acquired the island in 1730. He and his family aslso built a plantation and boatyard, thus planting the seeds of a boatbuilding tradition that continues to this day.
Jarrett Bay
Hundreds of years after at the age of 18, Randy Ramsey became the youngest charter fishing boat captain on the island. Armed with the local knowledge and experience in dealing with the demands of commercial fishing, young Ramsey felt there had to be a better boat design to improve performance and handling in the often rough and treacherous sea conditions. In 1986, he began the design and construction on his first boat in a tin shed with a fellow captain and islander Jim Luxton. Completed in 1988, the 52-foot plank on-frame sportfish Sensation proved a success in delivering and sustaining the now legendary “Carolina ride”. Such were the humble beginnings of Jarrett Bay Boatworks (JBBW).
In 1999, Ramsey moved the company to its Beaufort location on Sensation Weigh, which created the Jarrett Bay Marine Industrial Park. The 175-acre park located on the central coast of North Carolina at ICW MM 198 is about halfway between New York and Florida. With an ever-expanding variety of marine specialty service operations and a 220-ton capacity Travellift, the park is capable of handling virtually any repair and refit requirements for yachts, cruisers and commercial fishermen. The marina welcomes vessels ranging from 17-foot center consoles to 130-foot luxury motoryachts and offers transient docking and fuel.
A conversation with JBBW’s vice president Tate Lawrence reveals that JBBW is not content to bask in the sunshine of past glories. The Carolina design has evolved along with the development of vacuum bag construction, stronger and lighter materials and more powerful engines among other progressions. “Every boat is different—truly custom as is each customer,” says Lawrence. The over 90 custom boats delivered to date is a testament to the JBBW commitment to excellence. The 90-foot project in the shed is about halfway through its 3-year birthing process—handmade all the way and obviously worth the wait.
A History Worth Seeing
Fittingly, Beaufort is home of the North Carolina Maritime Museum. The museum is the official repository for all of the artifacts from the wreck of Blackbeard’s Queen Anne’s Revenge discovered in 1999. There is also a display of more than 5,000 seashell specimens from over 100 countries around the world. Located across the street at the museum’s Watercraft Center, volunteers actively build and restore boats in an effort to preserve the Crystal Coast’s tradition of “backyard boatbuilding” and the annual BoatBuilding Challenge.
The center is also the jumping-off point for the annual Beaufort Wine and Food Weekend. It’s a delightful event where residents open their historic homes. Highlights include the combined efforts and generosity of the wine community, winemakers, local eateries, and fabulous guest chefs. All donate their time and talent during the flavorful 5-day event, which culminates with the Grand Reserve Tasting Auction on the waterfront. Beaufort offers spectacular coastal scenery, significant maritime history, a strong sense of community coupled with great food, and an easy pace of life.
—Story & photos by Jim Raycroft, Southern Boating Magazine July 2016
CRUISER RESOURCES
— Dockage — Beaufort Docks
500 Front Street, Beaufort, NC
(252) 728-2503
-Year-round marina in a downtown location offering fuel, repairs and more
Jarrett Bay Boatworks/Jarrett Bay Marine Industrial Park
530 Sensation Weigh, Beaufort, NC jarrettbay.com; (252) 728-2690
-Year-round marina offering fuel, major repairs and re-fit services
Town Creek Marina
232 West Beaufort Road, Beaufort, NC towncreekmarina.com; (252) 728-6111
-Marina offering fuel and repairs
Cape Lookout Bight
34°37’22″N, 76°31’28″W
Lookout Bight, Harkers Island, NC
-Anchoring area
–Provisions– Food Lion Grocery Store
1901 Live Oak Street, Beaufort, NC foodlion.com; (252) 504-2442
Piggly Wiggly Grocery Store
1500 Live Oak Street, Beaufort, NC
pigglywigglystores.com; (252) 728-7262
Taylor’s Creek Grocery
525 Front Street, Beaufort, NC
taylorscreekgrocery.com; (252) 838-1495
La Perla
1103 North 20th Street, Morehead City, NC laperlarestaurantmhc.com; (252) 222-3808
-Caribbean cuisine
–Sites– Cape Lookout National Seashore
1800 Island Road, Harkers Island, NC nps.gov/calo; (252) 728-2250
-Discover Cape Lookout Lighthouse, spend time camping and fishing and enjoy the Shakelford Banks wild horses.
North Carolina Maritime Museums
315 Front Street, Beaufort, NC ncmaritimemuseums.com/beaufort; (252) 728-7317
-Get a taste of coastal cultures and nautical history.
With their new nonprofit status, the Pirate’s Cove Billfish Tournament reduced the entry fees and simplified calcuttas, making the event even more attractive to offshore fishing fans. This year’s tournament takes place August 15-20 and is based at the Pirate’s Cove Marina in Manteo, North Carolina.
Last August, the crew aboard Capt. Rob Mahoney’s Viking 66 Sea I Sea pocketed $175,400 for reeling in 15 billfish overall—releasing 11 white and four blue marlin—throughout the three days of fishing. The 68 Bayliss Uno Mas mounted a serious challenge on the last day with the crew and Capt. Tommy Lynskey releasing 11 billfish, including five on Friday to earn second place honors and a sum of $117,840.
A total of 56 teams and 425 anglers participated for $468,000 in prize money and released 322 billfish during the week, including 239 white marlin, 39 blue marlin, 32 sailfish, and 12 spearfish. Who’s going to take home first place honors this year? pcbgt.com
Ladies only
Participation continues to grow for Bahia Marina’s annual Poor Girls Open, a ladies-only billfish release tournament held August 17-20 that benefits breast cancer research. Last year’s tournament off of Ocean City, Maryland, saw 100 boats with Reel Joy’s winning crew releasing nine fish. Anglers also reeled in wahoo and dolphin as well as a 149-pound tuna caught by Nora Warren on Maverick.
Capt. Steve Harman started the tournament as a way for locals to have a fun, affordable competition while raising money for an important cause. The Poor Girls Open has donated over $100,000 to the American Cancer Society in the last three years alone. Plenty of charter opportunities are available for non boat-owning participants or those not local to the area. bahiamarina.com
What’s out there
End-of-season pricing is typically the best time to find a bargain, and if you’re looking to buy, “The Tar Heel State” is holding a couple of solid events to see what’s on the market this month. More than a dozen marine dealers representing over 40 manufacturers will display remaining 2015 and new 2016 models at the Carolina Fall Boat Show & Sale at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds in Raleigh, August 19-21. Admission for all three days costs $7. The following week (August 26-28) brings the Charlotte Convention Center’s first Mid-Atlantic Fall Boat & RV Show and Sale, where attendees may preview 2017 models and browse a full lineup of family sport boats and personal watercraft for sale. ncboatshows.com
A holiday on the bay
Australia-based Mariner Boating Holidays will cruise the Chesapeake Bay waters August 20-September 2. Setting sail from Annapolis, the itinerary mostly features stops on the eastern shore of Maryland and ends with a leisure day in Baltimore followed by a peaceful night at anchor on the Magothy River.
The company has held two yacht rallies so far this year: one amid the French Riviera and the other traversing Sweden. Next year’s planned rallies include visits to Cuba, Croatia and Greece among other compelling destinations. The key qualification for joining the rally is “a desire to see yourself on the deck of a sailboat in one of the world’s great travel destinations.” marinerboating.com
By Christopher Knauss, Southern Boating Magazine August 2016
There’s no shortage of things to do June 9-12 along the water in Norfolk. That’s when the largest, longest-running, free maritime festival in the country, Norfolk Harborfest, returns for its 40th year. The festival’s four days of activities and attractions include a massive Parade of Sail on Friday with tall ships, character vessels, power cruisers, sailing craft, antique and classic wooden boats, military vessels, tugs, and more.
The parade draws thousands of onlookers stationed at vantage points along the Elizabeth River as the fleet travels down the river toward Town Point Park. Public tours of the ships begin at noon on Saturday and Sunday and conclude at sunset. Other festival attractions include fireworks, musical entertainment, mermaids, Fly Board propulsion, tugboat contest, workboat race, build-a-boat challenge, wine and craft beer garden, boardwalk arcade, and the acrobats of The Red Trouser Show.
Visiting mariners can dock alongside the park promenade for easy access to the festivities. Advance registration is highly recommended. Transient docking is also available at the nearby Waterside Marina.
Later in the month the park will host the 27th annual Bayou Boogaloo and Cajun Food Festival June 24-26. More than 8,000 pounds of live crawfish straight from Louisiana will be boiled up with sausage, corn and potatoes throughout the weekend. Jambalaya, file gumbo, crawfish and shrimp etouffee, po’ boy sandwiches, alligator sausage, Cajun boudin, beignets, and fresh Louisiana Gulf oysters will also be ready to devour or nibble, however y’all please. festevents.org
Fishing on the Banks
It’s peak season for visitors on North Carolina’s Outer Banks and also prime time for inshore and offshore fishing. With blue marlin, white marlin, mahi-mahi, wahoo, cobia, king mackerel, bluefish, tuna, flounder, crabs, shrimp, and croaker roaming the waters, something’s bound to bite. All you need is the right bait, spot, equipment, and a little luck.
A small to mid-size boat will get you to where frying-pan fish are found. If you want to increase your chances, inshore fishing charters are available to fish the sounds, inlets or near-shore waters using light tackle or fly fishing gear. Large yachts and big-game memories can be found through the charter-fishing folks, most notably at Oregon Inlet and Hatteras Island. Split the cost between six anglers and a $1,500 to $1,700 charter becomes reasonable and logical considering all the tackle, fuel and know-how that’s necessary for a successful Gulf Stream fishing expedition. If you want to give it a go yourself, the staff at Frisco Rod and Gun has useful advice and everything you’ll need. obxguides.com/charter-fishing
Opry Thursdays
Coastal breezes and eclectic twang will fill the air at the OBX Island Opry Show at Roanoke Island Festival Island Park on Thursday, July 7. Island Opry music events at the park’s amphitheater are held the first Thursday in June, July, and August. July’s lineup features Emily West, Love Cannon, Malpass Brothers, Boot Rooster, and Jonny Waters & Company. Docking is available for yachts up to 150 feet at the nearby Manteo Waterfront Marina. Manteo also offers free overnight tie-up with no services on a space-available basis, or you can anchor in good holding between the Waterfront Gazebo and Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse and take your dinghy to the dock.islandopry.com
By Christopher Knauss , Southern Boating Magazine June 2016
Boating tragedies in Florida’s waters prompted Governor Rick Scott to write a letter to the state constituents supporting proposed boating safety legislation. The legislation encourages emergency position indicating radio beacons (EPIRBs) and personal locator beacons (PLB) to be part of all boaters’ onboard safety equipment, reducing registration fees for all classes of boats with the equipment.
Proposed law for FWC pullovers
Some say that overzealous Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) officers ruin great days on the water with their random checks. Others say they are necessary to deter illegal fishing, hunting and safety violations. Under a law proposed by Florida State Representative Ritch Workman, officers would need probable cause before stopping boaters. Workman said he wants to see more reasonable stops with FWC officers checking boats only if suspicious activity is observed. Workman said he envisions a safe boating sticker placed next to the boat’s registration after it passes inspection to limit boaters being hassled. If the proposed law (House Bill 703) passes, it would take effect July 1, 2016.
Improved Cuba charts
With increased cruising to Cuba from the U.S., the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Cuba are working together to improve nautical charts especially in the Straits of Florida. Following up on a Spring 2015 meeting with U.S. and Cuban chartmakers in Havana to work on a new international paper chart—INT Chart 4149 covering south Florida, The Bahamas, and north Cuba—the group then met in Maryland to discuss future collaboration and improving nautical charts.
Shipwreck artifacts returned
Updating the discovery of items from the Confederate CSS Georgia shipwreck, 30,000 articles were raised. Unique items kept for archiving by the U.S. government include small buttons, hilts of knives and swords, an intact glass bottle, leather boots, and an earring. Texas A&M is studying 13,000 articles at their lab, and 16,697 non-unique articles were returned to the mud of the Savannah River in plastic boxes, which, according to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers archaeologist Julie Morgan, will help preserve them. The Confederate gunship was sunk in 1864 in the Savannah River by its own crew to prevent the ship’s capture by Union troops during the Civil War.
Shoaling at Lockwoods Folly Inlet
North Carolina’s Lockwoods Folly Inlet Intersection near Cape Fear River, Little River Buoy 47, has a 250-yard shoal extending into the federal channel with depths from less than one foot to five feet at mean low water.
Handicapped sailor sails solo
Be on the lookout for Cliff Kyle aboard his 26′ Pearson Abby Normal traveling south on the ICW. Sailing solo can be challenging and for a man with one leg it could be more so, but Kyle throttles full steam ahead with a cheery disposition. “One thing sailing teaches you is how to handle what’s thrown at you and navigate through it,” says Kyle. When his house in Kentucky was foreclosed a couple of years ago, 40-something Kyle headed back to the sea and lived off the coast of Florida in the 1990s. He personally made several modifications on his vessel while sailing to Block Island, Mystic and the Chesapeake Bay. His final destination this season is St. Augustine or possibly The Bahamas.
By Nancy E. Spraker, Southern Boating Magazine April 2016
Cruisers to Baltimore’s Inner Harbor will see more green and more wildlife by the end of this decade.The National Aquarium has unveiled a plan to create an urban wetland to demonstrate how natural ecosystems can improve the health of the harbor and the Chesapeake Bay.
The urban wetland will be in the water between Piers 3 and 4 and consist of habitats such as floating wetlands and underwater shelves with bay grasses and terraced edges. The project’s goal is to showcase natural ecosystems as an aesthetic and practical method to improve water quality.
The 2.5-acre area would be free and open to the public. Work is expected to begin by the end of this year, with completion set for 2019. The project includes interactive exhibits, kayaking, picnic spaces, and educational activities in the middle of the aquarium’s campus off Pratt Street. “We see this as an opportunity for a second renaissance for Baltimore’s harbor by creating not only a commercially thriving place, but also one that is thriving in terms of its health and green space, and as a habitat for animals and humans to enjoy themselves,” said John Racanelli, the aquarium’s CEO.
Laurie Schwartz, president of the Waterfront Partnership, said her group fully supports the aquarium’s plans. “We’re excited about bringing the National Aquarium’s conservation and educational components outside,” she said. “It really helps advance the Inner Harbor 2.0 objective of creating a more dynamic harborfront area.”
Judge the soup
Crab soup lovers will get their fill at the East Coast She Crab Soup Classic at the 24th Street Park in Virginia Beach on April 9th. The rain or shine event showcases an open competition among local restaurants who serve their individual recipes and compete for People’s Choice Awards, the winners of which are determined by the ballots of those attending and a panel of four regional cuisine experts. Tickets are sold in advance and offered at the gate if available. (The event is limited to 1,500 paying guests.) Children 12 and younger who are not sampling and are accompanied by an adult are free. Dogs and beach chairs are not permitted in the tasting area.
Smoked duck tacos
The Duck & Wine Festival is slated for April 30th in the town of Duck on North Carolina’s Northern Outer Banks. Festival attendees are invited to sample each restaurant’s special dish paired with a selected wine. Ticket sales are all online this year and the event has sold out in the past. The price of a ticket includes a reusable wine tote bag, an event wine glass, a wine lanyard, and cork screw. A good place to park your yacht for the rain or shine festival is Coinjock Marina & Restaurant located on the ICW at Mile Marker 50, an ideal stop for mariners traveling north and south along the waterway.
By Christopher Knauss, Southern Boating Magazine April 2016
St. Augustine, Florida, is about to get plundered just like it did four centuries ago! Join the annual historic reenactment of the sacking and burning of the town on Saturday, March 5th. The event is a recreation of Captain Robert Searle’s and his privateers’ raid in 1668 and begins at 4:30PM in the old city starting at the Plaza de la Constitución and ending at the Old City Gates, where the English brigade will battle the pirates. (Searle and crew sailed from Jamaica to loot the silver ingots held in the royal coffers.) During the day from 10AM to 4PM, the Fountain of Youth Park will host drills, demonstrations and living history interpretations. The event is free and new recruits are welcome. hfm.club
Cocoa water tower gets recognition
The Cocoa water tower, a famous ICW landmark that guides mariners into Cocoa, Florida, was named 2015 Tank of the Year. The 156-foot tower is the cover photo on the 2016 Water Tank Calendar. Its freshly painted 25-foot-high American Flag must have wowed judges.
Free dockage & services
• Oriental, North Carolina: A free, town-maintained pump-out station is available. New restrooms for maritime guests were opened early December at Town Dock #2.
• Thunderbolt, Georgia: Just outside of Savannah on Country Club Creek, make way to The Wyld Dock Bar, where patrons can dock for free. Gypsy Jazz Music and a $20 all-you-can-eat oyster roast beckon for a stop over.
• Little Sisters Creek, Florida: At the junction of the St. John’s River and the ICW, Jim King Park offers free dockage. The park boasts a new ramp and is a prime spot for offshore and inshore fishing.
Changes to anchorage area
Two separate anchorages have been proposed to protect coral and its habitat in the Port of Miami area by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Southeast Florida Coral Reef Initiative (SEFCRI). After eight years of study, SEFCRI, the U.S. Coast Guard and the Anchorage Working Group propose a western anchorage and a larger eastern anchorage. Damage to coral from anchoring not only affects coral survival but also the marine ecosystem as a whole. The Coast Guard oversees anchoring for both recreational and commercial vessels and has in the past established anchorages in the Atlantic Ocean east of Miami Beach. All agencies involved are reviewing comments.
Single-leaf operations
Repairs are underway on the Dania Beach Boulevard Bridge in Broward County, Florida, located across the ICW at mile 1069.4. The bascule bridge is on one-leaf operation with a four-hour notice for a double-leaf opening through March 30th. For double-leaf opening call Quinn Construction at (941) 722-7722.
Caffeinated beaches
In December, coffee lovers’ dreams came true when hundreds of Cuban coffee cans and vacuum-sealed bricks washed ashore on Indialantic Beach, Florida. Delighted beachcombers scooped them into trash bags. The inadvertent presents were cargo from about 25 containers that fell off a large Puerto Rico-bound barge somewhere between Cape Canaveral and Palm Beach. Other lost cargo included cell batteries, ramen noodles, dog food, bird seed, and bags of wine. After the spill, mariners dodged wayward containers in the Gulf Stream.
By Nancy E. Spraker, Southern Boating Magazine March 2015
If you love oysters and a good time, The Lowcountry Oyster Festival at Boone Hall Plantation near Charleston, South Carolina is the place to be on January 31st from 10AM until 5PM. Oyster shucking and oyster eating contests, live music, wine, domestic and imported beers, a children’s area, and a food court showcasing favorite local restaurants await. It claims to be the world’s largest oyster festival. boonehallplantation.com/annual_oyster_roast.php
Bluewater Yacht Sales moves to new location
Bluewater Yacht Sales of Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, moved from a Marina Pierhouse office space to a new multi-story structure with a perfect view of ICW boat traffic and close proximity to Wrightsville Marina, Bluewater Grill restaurant and Highway 74’s eastbound traffic across the drawbridge. It is located at ICW MM 283.2.
Archeologists Parker Brooks, Jim Jobling and James Duff, examine a piece of casemate, made of railroad ties and timber, which served as the outer layer of armor for CSS Georgia.
Raising the CSS Georgia
The Confederate ironclad CSS Georgia that was scuttled by its crew to prevent capture in 1864 has been raised from the depth of the Savannah River one five-ton chunk at a time. The U.S. Navy and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recovered cannons, 132 unexploded shells and 250,000 pounds of casemates (iron sidings) from the vessel. Recovery will help understand how ironclads were built in the South. “A lot of these ironclads are built by house carpenters—they’re not built by shipwrights,” said Jeff Seymour, historian and curator for the National Civil War Naval Museum in Columbus, Georgia. The ship sank without ever firing a single shot in combat.
John Weller of Freedom Waters Foundation took a group of children with life-threatening illnesses on boat rides off Palm Beach.
“Weller Days”
Freedom Waters Foundation co-founder and Fort Lauderdale, Florida-based yacht broker John Weller recently took a group of children with life-threatening illnesses and their families on boat rides off Palm Beach, Florida. Manatee-watching, dancing and taking the helm of the renovated antique motor yacht Mariner III was a welcome relief from doctors, nurses and medications. Weller, a six-time cancer survivor, co-founded the charity 10 years ago to provide boating opportunities for children with disabilities and life-threatening illnesses, at-risk youth, veterans, and those with special needs. “Weller Days” was started in 2004 and has been a tradition ever since. “This is a getaway from reality,” says Weller. “And to be on a boat like this is something very, very special.”
North Carolina bridges in progress
Two new bridges are in the works in North Carolina. A high level fixed bridge to be completed in May 2017 is being constructed between Radio Island and Michael J. Field in Carteret County with waterway closures planned. It will have a vertical clearance of 65 feet above mean high water (MHW) with a horizontal clearance of 100 feet. Tugboats and barges are being used for in-water work. Construction vessels monitor VHF channel 13 for mariner communication. The Wilmington Bypass Bridge in Brunswick and New Hanover Counties is set for a vertical clearance of 64 feet above MHW and horizontal clearance of 160 feet upon completion in December. The channel remains open to navigation with work barges and structures along the shore.
By Nancy E. Spraker, Southern Boating Magazine January 2016
An old steam engine sputters along the canals of Key Largo, Florida these days. Lance and Suzanne Holmquist restored the original 30-foot, steel hulled 1912 steamship African Queen used in the film of the same name starring Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn. They give 80-minute cruises on the vessel for up to six passengers. Captain Wayne toots a steam whistle as it passes homes along Port Largo canals to the Atlantic Ocean. Cruises depart from the Marina Del Mar and cost $49. africanqueenflkeys.com
Bring on the lobster!
Spiny lobster season in Florida, both recreational and commercial, started in late July and continues through March 31st. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) allows up to six lobsters per person per day. Carapace length must be larger than three inches and harvesting of egg-bearing females is not allowed. Lobsters must remain whole until brought ashore—whole lobsters must be kept in a cooler and no tools should alter shells. During the two-day sport season this year (July 29-30) the FWC permitted one extra lobster for every 10 lionfish caught. Divers-down buoys are required when diving.
New marina in historic Wilmington
Port City Marina on the Cape Fear River, North Carolina, 14 miles north of the ICW (Mile 300) opened for business in July. Port City management says, “Due to hard work and dedication we are more than thrilled and proud to be the gateway to historic downtown Wilmington.” The marina handles boats up to 250 feet in their 200 state-of-the-art floating wet slips with a controlled depth of 10 feet in its basin, accommodating deeper drafts in slips along the Cape Fear River. First class amenities—30, 50 and 100-amp electric service, free Wi-Fi, full service fuel dock, and more—as well as concierge services complete the marina. Downtown Wilmington offers restaurants, art galleries and boutiques, and Wilmington International Airport is just 10 minutes away. portcitymarina.com
A spaceport in coastal Georgia?
If Camden County, Georgia, officials have their way, Titusville, Florida, won’t be the only place within the Southeast Seaboard region to be a vantage point for cruisers to view rocket launches. The county has been working to bring a spaceport to a site located on the I-95 corridor next to the Atlantic Ocean for two years. Launches could affect navigable waterways—required to close as per most spaceports’ procedures around the country—and impose timed closures of the ICW. Fallen debris from launch failures might also disturb the birthing of right whales off Georgia’s coast and pose a threat to nearby Kings Bay Naval Base, home to nuclear powered submarines.
Reduced vertical clearance
Work on the main channel at Buckman Bridge on the St. Johns River near Jacksonville, Florida, continues through November. Although horizontal clearance in the channel is unchanged, vertical clearance is 60 feet 6 inches on one half of the channel. The original 64 feet 2 inches remains on the other half. Original vertical clearance will be restored throughout at construction’s completion.
By Nancy E. Spraker, Southern Boating, November 2015
The redesigned Regulator 23 was introduced at the 2014 Miami Show and offers the amenities serious anglers have come to expect, including two 160-quart forward seat fish/dry boxes, 350-quart in-deck fish box/locking rod storage, a 23-gallon transom livewell, and a 120-quart transom fish box.
Powered by a single Yamaha F300, the Regulator 23 tops out at 46.9 mph, is stoutly constructed with a flush liner for enhanced fishability and utilizes the “grillage system” for a soft ride. The grillage is a rugged, molded fiberglass stringer system that adds strength to the hull and eliminates much of the stress at the deck, liner and hull joint. The grillage is bonded to the hull with a high-strength polybond adhesive system. The grillage is then pressed into place with heavy weights in strategic locations, and bi-axial fiberglass is applied to the edges. To add strength and reduce noise, foam is injected into the grillage voids.
Built at the Regulator plant in Edenton, North Carolina, the 23-foot, 5-inch long boat is available with options such as a head and 55-quart cooler seat forward of the center console pod. There’s also plenty of seating in the bow with a U-shaped bench seat built in as well as a fold-down transom seat. (252) 482-3837; regulatormarine.com
By Doug Thompson, Southern Boating Magazine July 2014
Women looking to get in on the fishing opportunities in the Virginia Beach area can join the fun at this year’s Wine, Women and Fishing tournament August 15-16 at Southside Marina. Hosted by the Chesapeake Bay Wine Classic Foundation, the fundraiser has raised more than $300,000 for breast cancer research at the Eastern Virginia Medical School. Women of all levels of fishing expertise are welcome.
Registration and a captain’s meeting will be held from 5:30PM to 7:30PM Saturday with the fishing on Sunday beginning at 8:30AM. Scales open at 5PM, while the dock bash begins with an awards ceremony, music and dinner from 7PM to 10PM.
The event includes a variety of wine seminars and bourbon tastings. You can also shop for artwork, jewelry and accessories from the Bling Lady. cbwc.org
Art on the waterfront
The 34th New World Festival of the Arts is set for August 12-13 on the waterfront in downtown Manteo on North Carolina’s Outer Banks. The show will exhibit original works from 75 East Coast artists including more than a dozen new artists who will present watercolors, oil and acrylic, graphics, drawings, photography, jewelry, sculpture, and pottery. The show runs from 10AM to 5PM Wednesday, and 10AM to 4:30PM Thursday. darearts.org
Manteo offers plenty of transient dockage at its waterfront marina, and the walkable historic town flaunts restaurants, museum, historical attractions, and shops with nautical flair. Shallowbag Bay Marina provides a modern full-service marina with transient dockage for boats up to 65 feet.
CBPBA cruise
The Chesapeake Bay Power Boat Association’s destination cruise to Lowe’s Wharf on the Eastern Shore of Maryland’s Bay Hundred peninsula is August 22-23.Lowe’s Wharf is located between St. Michaels and Tilghman Island and offers waterfront guest rooms, a restaurant, patio bar, ship’s store, marina, and activities such as charter fishing, sunset cruises, crabbing, kayaking, bicycling, bonfires, volleyball, cornhole toss, and billiards. Alternately, just relax on the private beach and watch the sunset.
Mooring balls and transient slips (4′ 5″ depth) are available. The marina offers gas and diesel, Wi-Fi, showers, and a pump-out station. cbpba.com
Music all week long
Chesapeake Beach Resort & Spa on the western shore of the mid-Chesapeake offers live music daily this summer through September 24th—cover charge is from $5 to $59 depending on the band. Scheduled groups in August include Roger McDuffy, Memories of the King (an Elvis tribute), Great Train Robbery, and Sons of Pirates (a Jimmy Buffet tribute). Marina guests enjoy full privileges at the resort, which include showers and laundry facilities, use of the fitness center and sauna, a business center, spa, and a heated indoor pool. chesapeakebeachresortspa.com
By Christophy Knauss, Southern Boating, August 2015
The treasure hunter who raised one of the largest hauls in American history, Tommy Thompson, was arrested in West Boca Raton, Florida, in January after a two-year manhunt. Thompson found the sunken S.S. Central America off the coast of South Carolina in 1988. The ship sank in 1857 with 30,000 pounds of gold. Thompson sold treasure from the recovered vessel to a gold marketing group for $50 million. Project investors never saw any investment returns and sued. Although criminal charges were not filed against him, he is in custody until an appearance in an Ohio courtroom. Thompson was in seclusion since 2006.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) posted results of their online Florida anchoring regulations survey. The FWC used input from public meetings and the survey to aid Florida’s legislature in drafting guidelines for new anchoring restriction laws in its first 2015 legislative session ending May 1st. Of six emergent concepts, “a setback distance where anchoring of vessels overnight in close proximity to waterfront residential property would be prohibited” is most significant. For details visit m.myfwc.com/media/2981333/Anchoring-Survey-Powerpoint.pdf.
Scientists in Charleston,
South Carolina, may soon discover what sank the Confederate submarine H.L. Hunley during the Civil War. The hand-cranked submarine raised from Charleston Harbor 15 years ago lay in a sodium hydroxide solution for 4 months last year to loosen its hull from hardened gunk. Scientists gingerly chiseled away at the coating to eventually reveal 70 percent of its hull. Perhaps the percussion of exploding gunpowder in its spar that sank the Union’s Housatonic knocked the crew unconscious.
The Florida House of Representatives introduced a bill that defines vessels “at risk” of becoming derelict. If enacted, the legislation would define “at risk” vessels as a vessel exhibiting compartments that are designed to be sealed unsealed for an extended period of time, a vessel that is or is in danger of breaking free of its anchor, a vessel listing due to water intrusion and a vessel that is or has taken on water without an effective means of dewatering. If the bill is enacted, the occupant or registered owner can be warned or fined from $50 to $1,000 depending on the number of offenses.
If cruising near Topsail Island and Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, on weekends and at times during the week spring through fall, The Ice Cream Float Boat can satisfy your cravings for snacks, soft drinks and ice cream for $1-3 with on-the-water delivery. All it takes is a call or text to (910)777-9632 or e-mail jameson@ec.rr.com. theicecreamfloat.wix.com/theicecreamfloatboat or visit: theicecreamfloat.wix.com
Although E15 gas with 15 percent ethanol, isn’t sold at fuel docks, mariners need to be aware that in many states the gas is found at roadway gas stations where trailered boats and jerry jugs are filled. In North Carolina, Sheetz Convenience Stores will sell the gas at 60 of their stores beginning in 2016. Any gas with 10 percent or more of ethanol can do severe damage to marine engines.
Located on the Southern Outer Banks in beautiful Atlantic Beach, NC, Anchorage Marina boasts a protected, deepwater harbor, making it a perfect spot for deep sea fishing as well as sound fishing.
Add to that one of the area’s best boat ramps, ample parking, and a fully-stocked ship store—featuring everything for the serious fisherman along with food, drinks, boat parts/supplies, navigational charts, and more—and Anchorage Marina truly is A Fisherman’s Paradise!
The ship store at the Anchorage Marina is your COMPLETE fishing resource center, featuring a full line of the newest “must have” tackle as well as those proven, old favorites for deep sea and salt water sound fishing. We have shrimp, squid, mullet, and feature Bionic Bait for ballyhoo, cigar minnows, and Spanish mackerel.
In addition to bait and tackle, they carry marine parts and accessories, batteries, food and drink, beer, ice, cleaning supplies, engine oil (featuring Yamalube), T-shirts and jackets, US Coast Guard required safety equipment (life jackets, flares, etc), fuel (diesel and 89-octane gasoline), anchors and much more.
Rates:
Big Slips
Monthly:$600
Weekly: $240
Nightly: $40
Small Slips
Monthly:$500
Weekly: $210
Nightly: $35
Large Floaters will accommodate boats up to 35’. Small Floaters will accommodate boats up to 25’. Boat Ramp is $5 for a one-way launch and $10 for a round-trip.
Nightly rate for fixed docks is $1.25/foot (boat length) year-round. Monthly and Annual fixed dock rates vary per slip and can be arranged by contacting the Ship’s Store.
New owners purchased the historic River Forest Manor and Marina in Belhaven, North Carolina, in October with renovations in mind. Most of the new owners are cruisers and members of the River Rat and Belhaven Yacht Clubs. All docking facilities will be fully operational during improvements. Visitors will find new bathrooms with showers, marina office and free laundry facilities upon completion. Services already available include diesel and non-ethanol 89 octane gas, 30-, 50- and 100-amp electrical services, Wi-Fi, golf carts, deep water transient slips, and a swimming pool. Belhaven is the birthplace of the Intracoastal Waterway and boasts of several popular eateries. riverforestmarina.com, riverratyachtclub.com, belhavenyachtclub.org
Fernandina Beach, Florida, has been called the “birthplace of the modern shrimping industry.” In 1902, Sicilian Mike Salvador introduced motorized boats to the industry, and generations of the Greek Deonas family helped establish what was the largest shrimping industry in the world for decades. Although tourism now replaces shrimping, Amelia Island remembers its past with a new satellite museum of the Amelia Island Museum of History in Fernandina Beach. Hours are 10AM to 4PM Monday through Saturday, and 1PM to 4PM on Sundays. ameliamuseum.org
After Georgetown, South Carolina’s devastating fire in 2013, debris was cleared and Harborwalk was rebuilt, but little else has taken place due to new construction standards and lack of funds. After some controversy, however, in November 2014 the city applied for a Community Development Block Grant funding for business development purposes. Hopes are that the waterfront will return to its former glory this year.
Cruisers to St. Augustine, Florida, now have a shuttle bus service. The first of three bus routes takes visitors to St. Augustine Municipal Marina and other nearby marinas, Sailors Exchange, West Marine, and other businesses. Two other daytime runs stop at marinas, uptown St. Augustine, the Vilano Pier, Publix, restaurants, offices, and attractions. Evening routes accommodate area dining and entertainment. Updates are available at the St. Augustine Cruisers Net Facebook page. Schedule is available at waterwayguide.com/images/St-Augustine-Shuttle-SCHEDULE.pdf.
An official dog park now adjoins the Vero Beach Municipal Marina in Vero Beach, Florida. The 6.5-acre field is completely fenced in with separate areas for big and little dogs. Private donations and volunteer grunt work made the park with its water fountain, bowls and a safety entryway possible. Seadogs and their masters may access the park with dinghies.
The Miami International Boat Show is headed to Miami Marine Stadium in 2016 and 2017, and possibly into the future. A $30 million renovation is in store for the battered Miami Marine Stadium that closed after 1992 Hurricane Andrew. Changes include replacing asphalt with grass and trees, as well as building a modest marine-exhibit building. The boat show will occupy existing parking lots, temporary structures and a small portion of its water basin with little interference to local rowers and paddlers.
Free pump-outs in the Florida Keys may end in 2017. Monroe County is losing substantial financial support from the state Department of Environmental Protection. The county’s proof of pump-out requirement in larger live-aboard anchorages helps protect Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.
