For the uninitiated the Port of Gold is Cape Charles, Virginia on the Eastern Shores peninsula on the Chesapeake Bay. This name was given to Cape Charles by Thelma Peterson-Jarvis, see “Jack Come Back” .
This became my second home port after Gig Harbor in 2017. I literally washed up on the Eastern Shore at the end of June 2017, in my second of the three shipwrecks. I spent a year repairing the damage and in that period made lots of lasting friendships here. I had planned for a longer stay here but the delays since the December 17th purchase of “Fleetwood IV” has shrunk it to a week. I made arrangements for Number IV to be stored on the hard at Cape Charles Yard Center until I return from Europe. And then a decision will be made for the continuation of my adventures. The way the new boat performed from Rio Dulce and Cuba and sitting here listening to her slide through the waves in a 15 knot downwind run, doing over 5 knots in a 15 knot downwind breeze, with triple reefed main and shortened furled head sail, I realize that few things can make me more excited than planning another long voyage.
Since my last blog on April 11, I started out on the ICW from Fort Lauderdale and exited at Fort Pierce for an overnight sail to Port Canaveral. I had just a short window, because all hell was supposed to break loose on the Atlantic the next evening. Back on the ICW. Slow travelling with often strong currents and having to put the anchor down for the night with few choices because the Intra Coastal Waterway is a for the most part a channel dug through shallow lagoons/swamps. This means that there still might be daylight to take advantage off, but no spots to anchor.
So, instead of storing the boat in Cape Charles, I decided to head for Green Cove Springs on the St. John’s River in Northern Florida. I have hauled out there for bottom painting, etc., four times, since 2008. I was all set to arrive there on Good Friday. I knew they took the Saturday and Easter Sunday off. But then I learned that they were also closed on Monday. That meant I’d be lucky to make it to Cape Charles by today. So, when I arrived at the St. John’s Rubicon I checked the weather forecast, it looked good and I turned right instead of left. I have had some of my best sailing since Friday on the Atlantic but had to motor, for lack of wind, for 24 hours since Sunday afternoon. I ended up in the Gulf Stream on the 2nd day and was doing as much as 9 knots/hour. I did not realize that it was that close to the coast. And for a short while, yesterday evening, while motoring near Cape Hatteras, I hit a patch of strong favorable current and saw a momentary flash of 10,5 knots.
Full Moon at my 1st anchorage on April 11.
Sunset on Monday April 21
I missed participating with my brothers and sisters in the Holy Week. On previous similar occasions at sea, I’d often be able to listen to international senders on FM or shortwave radio.
The crooked seller of F.W. #3 has not reacted to a suggestion for a settlement and we are going to court in the Netherlands. He messed with the wrong (once) Dutchman.
