One reason we wanted to stay at a marina was to weather the storm that blew through Sunday afternoon. This was a powerful wind and rainstorm that swept across the eastern US. We measured 30 mph winds with horizontal rain and 50 ft. visibility. We actually thought the fly bridge was going to lift off and fly away.
Today: Viridian was made ready for the cruise to Jekyll Island by way of the ICW. To make our departure a little more challenging, we had an 18 mph sustained wind with gusts up to 25 mph directly off our port beam. Also, Viridian was docked on the windward side of the long pier at Fernandina and was facing 180 degrees from where we needed to be in order to get out of the marina. One more constraint was that we had a seawall that ran parallel to the long dock was just 60 feet off our port. There were no dockhands ready to assist, and frankly there was nothing they could do anyway given our circumstances. We untied all our dock lines, and Viridian just sat there with the strong wind mashing her up against the dock. The starboard bowline was looped around a cleat about 8 feet aft of the bow and the end was fed back through the chock holes and cleated off. The objective here is to have us both onboard, then powering forward, the moment created by the line connected to the dock would cause the stern to rotate clockwise. Once out about 45 degrees from the dock, the first -mate let loose the bowline and Viridian was put into reverse and backed down the channel using the bow thrusters to steer her out into the river channel. Worked like a charm.
The wind continued to scream through our fly bridge as we steamed north up the Amelia River, into the St. Marys River and across the Florida/Georgia state line and into Fancy Bluff Creek. Fancy Bluff Creek runs along the western shore of Cumberland Island where the wild horses run and the ruins of Dungeness sleep. We really would have liked to spend some time on Cumberland Island exploring, but today's cold hard wind put a damper on that so on we sailed through the wide-open Satilla River Sound and into Jekyll Sound. Jekyll Harbor Marina was just south of the Jekyll Island Causeway 520. We just pulled up parallel to the channel-side longdock and the wind pushed us into our dockage. Once we got secured, the crew of Viridian went about picking up things that were loose and laying about the floor inside the cabin. It was a rough ride across the big water today.
The marina provides a courtesy electric golf cart or bicycles to use as mobile devices to explore the island. There are many bike/walking trails all around and we chose the cart so we could cover more ground faster. Bundled up in puff jackets, we silently rolled along the pavement toward
the historic district where the famous Jekyll Island Club House and cottages stand.
That's the news and here are some views.
We are here
Our passage from Amelia Island, FL to Jekyll Island, GA
Viridian on the long dock at Fernandina Harbor Marina, FL
Methodist Church we attended in Fernandina, FL
That's all shiny mud, not water you see at low tide in Fernandina Marina. We are way out on the long dock next to the channel with 6 inches under our keel😨
This is the "hi & dry" TowBoatUS that pulled us off the bar
Just before the storm arrived, we thought the flybridge was going to blow off the boat!. The wind was so strong as this cold front blew in from the west.
The sun did manage to come out, just long enough to take this picture
Next Day on Our Way to Jekyll
Lots of big, open water to pass through
Tied up at Jekyll
Wind directly off the port beam
Exploring Jekyll Island Club Resort
Where it all got started
Outside the "Club House"
One of the several "Little Cottages" around the "Club House"
The "Club House" from the front lawn. It cost $45,00 to build!!!
More Live Oaks
Cottage
"Tucker" the Gopher Turtle. He was at the turtle hospital. He's had been hit by a car and he has recently had surgery for a bladder stone!
Cottage
Cottage
Cottage
Our current address
Time for supper yall!
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