NB Days 15 & 16- Skidaway

We left St. Simon’s Island at 7:15 on Tuesday, before daybreak under heavy cloud cover. We were thinking of waiting longer order to have daylight, but the cloud cover was pretty solid, so we left in darkness, with our running lights on, following the chart plotter. No problem.

I had been reluctant to run at night, because of an earlier experience: about 20 years ago, I moved my sailboat down from Long Island Sound to the Barnegat Bay, and it required sailing at night. This was before the advent of Global Positioning Satellites. There were no chart plotters; we used LORAN, which was very primitive compared to today’s equipment. I recalled how difficult it was to identify which navigational aid you were looking at; even when they are lighted, it’s difficult to tell one lighted buoy from another at night, particularly in a congested area like the western end of Long Island Sound. We completed that earlier trip safely, but it made me skittish about traveling at night.

The new chart plotters totally change the paradigm. Absolutely no reason to actually see land. Just follow the course on the screen – like a video game! Of course, you have to remain alert for other boats, but there were none yesterday.

The sun broke through by 7:45. From then on it was even easier.

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Surprisingly, Georgia has less than 100 miles of coastline. The ICW, however, winds its way through Georgia, sometimes doubling back on itself, so it takes a little longer than taking the outside route. But we made great time; we saw only ONE OTHER boat the whole way, and we arrived in Skidaway Island, just below Savannah, by 1PM.

It’s early spring here, and the redbuds and azaleas are starting to pop!

I’m visiting my friends Jim and Melissa, whom I have known since the 70’s. They built their first home at The Landings on Skidaway Island in the mid-80’s, and they are now in a beautiful home on the marsh. I love marsh views, and theirs faces west.

This couple has traveled even more than Cathy and I did: more than 60 countries. And tons of major golf tournaments, including the Masters. So happy for them.

We had lunch at the sports complex and dinner at one of the clubhouses (there are 6 golf courses). A very nice place to be.

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Tomorrow we leave for Palmetto Bluff – just 40 miles away. Right near Hilton Head. We’l spend 4-5 days with my brother-in-law Jeff and his wife Kathy.