Go with the flow, especially if it leads to adventure!

Several months ago, I went on an adventure.

At the time I began writing this post, my Southwest flight to Florida was rescheduled by 24 hours. Not because of weather or because of a late incoming flight, but because they needed to change one of the tires. The assessment took over an hour and my connection time was less than an hour, so it was inevitable that I'd miss my flight in Atlanta heading to West Palm Beach. Southwest agreed and rebooked me. Since they have had 2 incidents right around that time (engine failure and a broken window shortly thereafter) 😟, I'm not surprised that they are being extra diligent about everything. One funny "good news" for the announcement was "We have the equipment here to change the tire..." Well, heck, I would HOPE so!

Aboard the Ellie Cat II (~2008)

Anyway, the reason WHY I went to the Sunshine State is to meet up with Amy Lisewski and to help her commence her indefinitely long sailing trip aboard the SV Improvise .

Amy introduced me to sailing. Back around 2008-ish, we participated in the annual San Diego Beer Can Races. Every Wednesday, we'd head down to Shelter Island and have a great time dodging boats and circling around the bay until race time. I think, maybe once, we got 2nd out of 5, but we usually fell in the middle or back of the pack. It was some good fun and I learned a lot.

Amy and me posing with the Beer Can Race trophies (~ 2009)

Several years later, she needed to move her boat from Marina del Rey to San Diego, and when she asked if I'd consider joining her, I couldn't say no. That was a much more leisurely trip, that was just the two of us and her mini pin, Captain Lou.

We weren't racing, but I can't say that it wasn't an adrenaline-less adventure. When we set out, the weather was not in our favor. We hit some 12 to 13 foot swells and Amy had to attach herself to the boat and made me go under with the dog to ensure that we didn't fall out of the boat. That was the first time I had ever gotten sea sickness. 😵Aside from that, once we got to Catalina, it was pretty smooth. Not as much sailing as we would have liked, but it was nice to be out on the water, relaxing.

Anyway, I digressed, big time...

I updated the original spreadsheet that Amy sent which shows that things don't always pan out the way you plan, or "hopefully plan" for that matter:

Actual/Hopeful/Original Itineraries

ICW - intracoastal waterway

I also have written a somewhat detailed recap of the trip because knowing the route is only part of the story.

SV Improvise Gemini 105MC

The Plan:

Fly from San Diego, CA to West Palm Beach (PBI), Florida on Monday to meet up with Captain Amy and start heading north to Fort Pierce out of Stuart. Pick up Becca in St. Augustine and make it to Charleston, SC a day before Becca and I head fly back to San Diego, stopping at a few ports along the way.

Sunset near Stuart, FL

The Actuality:
Flight rebooked due to the airplane maintenance issue, resulting in a delay that would make me miss the absolute last flight out of Atlanta to PBI. Instead of booking me at a motel in Atlanta, SW just bumped me.

My flight ended up being delayed by 20 min, and with about a 45 min drive out to where the boat was, I didn't get settled in and to sleep until about 2am local time. Because of the t-storms and amount that needed to be done, Amy didn't leave Indiantown before I arrived.

Lovely yacht behind the trippy trio

I managed to wake up at 9am (which sure as heck felt like 6am, considering my late bedtime) and we left Indiantown Marina around 10am. First decision of the trip, we go right in the canal. After about a half an hour, we realize we're going the wrong way! So a U-turn we go, and BAM, we're heading to the intracoastal waterway (ICW) instead of to Lake Okeechobee. Amy's not a morning person and even though I generally am, the grogginess and lack of sleep didn't put in in the sharpest state of mind. So yay for heading in the right direction so that the GPS could stop adding extra time to our trip! 😅

Since the weather was mostly rainy with a high chance of thunderstorms,

One of the many boats that passed us

we motored all the way from Indiantown to Sunset Bay Marina in Stuart with an average speed of 3.6 to 3.7 knots. We made it to Ft. Pierce the next day, also via motoring, leaving us a day behind her original schedule. For reference, a knot is one nautical mile per hour and 1.15 miles per hour. So... our motoring speed is a wee bit slower than my jogging speed. It can be mind boggling to realize that a trip on a boat can take about 6 hours, and in a car, it can take as little as 30 min.

Anyway...

Overall, this adventure required some major flexibility and understanding. Some days, the forecast predicted massive thunderstorms, then nothing happened. We experienced this when we were heading out of Ft. Pierce to go as far north as we could to minimize the drive for Becca, as the original pick up location was still several days away by boat, especially at the rate we were going.

Along the ICW

We went through our first lock, which was pretty cool. As I was on deck in the front, the rain started pouring. Other people (on other boats) started putting on their rain gear. I was already pretty soaked, so didn't bother, but the summer rain is pretty warm, so it wasn't too bad. This was definitely (at least) a 2 person job.

When we arrived at Ft. Pierce, we anchored pretty close to the Coast Guard. Within about 30 minutes of us arriving, they came over to check things out. (We had a feeling that this would happen, since we saw them visit a few other boats as we were getting settled.). It was a bit surreal to see them board with their guns and ask all these questions. Louie jumped on one of their laps, charming the heck out of him. If you didn't know Louie better, you'd swear he'd leave us for the Coast Guard!


Every day, we checked weather patterns and wind conditions. Amy had her sights set for Port Canaveral but we ended up docking in Vero Beach, just 10 miles north of Ft. Pierce. That evening, thunderstorms were still in the forecast for the next day, but nothing too bad. Northbound we go. It was starting to clear up a bit, though there were a ton of clouds. My weather app said the chance of rain went down to about 50%, but Amy saw that hers still said it was going to be really bad.

Capt. Louie on Vero Beach

With that news, we got a slip. Naturally, it was the most perfect day... The rain stopped, the clouds mostly went away, and we ended up walking to Vero Beach and just chilling for the most part, stopping for lunch at a local eatery. Even though it was a really pretty place, we were both disappointed that we couldn't have gone up at least another 20 miles. We weren't really in the mood to potentially get electrocuted, after all. (Darn the need to be safe!)

Vero Beach

I couldn't really complain. Vero Beach is a beautiful area and I probably would never stop by there, even if I were passing through. Reminds me of a cross between La Jolla and Martha's Vineyard. Besides, I enjoyed being able to take a stroll along the beach and having a proper shower with hot water is pretty awesome too! (The first world luxuries!!)

I was really happy to find out that we could continue on our way in the morning to pick up Becca, Amy's best friend. Even though Amy and I were managing ok, having an extra hand would definitely help!

Osprey Nest

The rain was coming 🌧DOWN ⛈ on our way to Melbourne. We were in a storm that would stop all traffic if it were to happen in

Bird's nest found in the sail

California and could soak you to the bone within 5 minutes. I had to wring out my pants and change since I was drenched before I knew it. Thank goodness it was Florida, so it wasn't a cold rain.

Amy took the brunt of the conditions at the helm, while I was inside the cabin, with Louie cuddling on my lap. Amy had music blaring and adjusted the head sail to pick up speed so that we can get to our destination by 5pm before the cut off. If we didn't make it, we'd have to anchor offshore and potentially pick up Becca at a fueling dock.

Amy, Becca and Louie

Yay! Becca joined us at the dock with no issues!  I love Becca. She is so chill and is a ray of sunshine. We planned to pick her up in St. Augustine, but weather conditions didn't allow for it. She ended up flying into Jacksonville and drove to meet us at Melbourne. After a 6+ hour flight (with a layover), an overnight hotel stay (she got in at midnight), an impromptu one way car rental, and a 2.5+ hour drive to meet us? Holy cow, she's a trooper. Plus, when she met up with us, the car was filled with groceries and she even got us presents! We loaded Becca's goods on the boat, had dinner and ran some errands. The following day, we returned the rental car and were off again.

Next destination: Port Canaveral. This was the next inlet that would let us out to sea!



We anchored there (near Port Canaveral), and were really close to the 2nd lock of the trip. When we got through, we could see a bunch of cruise ships and some military boats. Amy decided we are going for it, we are going out to sea! And for about an hour, we try to go around the Port Canaveral jetty. The swells are pretty big and the motor is doing what it can to get us out there. The current is against us and the boat rocks and rocks. I'm starting to feel a little nausea (which is really weird for me). Becca decides it's time for Dramamine since it's hitting her much faster.

Near Pt. Canaveral

We are struggling... the boat is put-putting along, despite our chants of "I think I can, I think I can!"

After an hour or so, we admit defeat and go back. Back passed the tiny bit of jetty that we covered, back passed the cruise ships and the military ships, back through the lock we went through just 2 hours before, back through the waterway and back to the ICW. Becca is doing ok, and my nausea subsided. We were really disappointed, but it just wasn't our time to hit the ocean. 

Captain Amy, our fearless leader

We looked at the fuel tank. It was a good as time as any to get more fuel, since we'll be motoring on in the ICW. We stop in Titusville for a refuel and a mooring ball. Mooring balls can be tricky. It took us a few tries to get the rope and secure us for the evening. We were bummed that our dinghy wasn't working, otherwise, we could have gone on shore to use the facilities. I will confess, no matter how fun sailing can be, nothing will beat using a real toilet and shower. It can be hard to stay balanced when the boat is swaying. If I were a guy, I would be sitting down for all my business, just to make sure it all goes where it's supposed to go. Just sayin...

Sunset

Anyway, the next morning, we go through Ponce de Leon inlet and decide to go for it. Off shore! To the open ocean!

Destination: Hilton Head! This will be an overnight excursion with us taking shifts, using the GPS to guide us. Once we are in open water, we used the sails to move us. As we are heading out, dolphins swim along the boat, moving from one side to another. We spot at least 8 different ones that stay with us for about 10 minutes and it's awesome. I tried to record it, but it wasn't meant to be. My GoPro kept running out of battery, and didn't get any useful footage. Bummer...

But, w

e are on our way! Since this is Becca and my first time off shoring overnight, we wanted to do the shift in 2s. She and I aren't experienced enough to adjust the sails to maintain course. We are taught how to look out for ships, what the lights mean (red and green) and how to decipher where they are in relation to us. Honestly, I learned a heck of a lot about sailing on this trip.

morning view of the Atlantic

We encounter one pretty big ship that is towing another, and even though we have the right of way, this ship doesn't give a crap and just continues to plow on its course. That was a close call especially since we didn't have any power to move without the motor being on and were at the mercy of the sails/winds.

While on an off shift, I hear them turn on the motor. I drift back to sleep, thinking, ok, when I wake up we can just use the motor to follow the GPS and we'll be on our way. When I get up, the motor isn't on. Apparently, there was a really loud and piercing squealing that came along with the turning on of the engine (later to be determined to be the transmission belt), which freaked them out (undrerstandably), so motor-less we continued. At that point, we started heading back towards land and would decide the destination in the morning, when we could take a better look at what was making the noise.

One of the many bridges that had to be raised for us

It was a beautiful, cloudless night with a half moon. We were far enough off shore to be clear of any ambient light. The stars... there were thousands of them. We could see the milky way cover the entire expanse of sky and it was just breathtaking. I couldn't help but think this is what it used to look like to everyone back before electricity. I didn't want to sleep and just stared at the sky in awe. I think I saw something that was almost as good in King's Canyon maybe 22 years ago.  It was one of those moments that I wished I could have captured, but it was also one of those moments that I was glad I could be present and in the moment. The moon set along the water was equally spectacular as it took on an amber-ish hue as it disappeared into the horizon. The sun rose about 1.5 hours later.

At the literal butt-crack of dawn, we tried the motor again, and again it squealed like a pig. We set our destination for St. Augustine. St. Augustine! Where we hoped to have been 4 days earlier! Where we hoped to pick up Becca! The irony!

Have you been to St. Augustine? It's a beautiful city. Per Wikipedia: "it is the oldest continuously occupied European-established settlement within the borders of the continental United States"

Sunrise in St. Augustine

They still have a fort from that era, complete with cannons. The marina we stayed at was in the heart of the city, right next to the Lion's bridge, which we had to go through. We passed under so many bridges!! Some of them, we could just go right under. Others, we had to call the tower to be let through and others we had to wait until the scheduled time to go through. This one only opened every half hour from 8-11, 1-3 and 5 - 8 or something like that. No crossing during peak traffic hours.

St. Augustine

We got to town pretty early and had lunch on shore. Becca had been there just a few months before. Amy was beyond exhausted since she didn't really sleep much from being "on call" all evening. Throughout this trip, I've been savagely attacked by bugs. I'm guessing they were fleas since they focused on my feet and ankles. This is the first chance I got to wash my sheets and some clothes and I was taking full advantage. Becca had some work to do and Amy took a well deserved nap. After I finished the laundry, I set out around the town, to take in the sites. The Castillo de San Marcos National Monument (the fort) awaited. There is a pretty school there as well and I tried to get to the lighthouse, but it was closed.

Castillo de San Marcos

In the morning, Amy decided she wanted us to get going, bright and early. Like ready to go by 7:15am. We were up and ready to go, buying ice and stuff before we took off. As I was trying to unhook the shore power, I had to enlist Amy's help to move the boat over so I could free the chord. The current was pretty strong.

Too strong in fact. As we tried to leave the dock, Becca and I were unable to ensure the boat cleared the dock. It put us at a bad angle that cut really close to the dock. The current was about 2 knots and her boat could only go about 4, but it wasn't enough power to steer clear...

We ended up floating/crashing into a propeller of a small commercial boat. No one was hurt. It wasn't strong enough to knock anyone over, but because we ran into another boat, we had to go back, dock and provide insurance info. Honestly, Amy's boat incurred more damage than that motor. Her hull got all scratched up, but since it's a commercial boat, and not a private one, the owner would have to get an inspection to make sure it is still safe for commercial use.

Sadly, Becca, when she paid for the slip, got information that the current is really strong until about noon. While she relayed that info to Amy, I don't think it was heard. And Becca's lack of sailing experience prevented her from being vocal about it. This is all hind site. Amy was shaken. Becca and I took her dog out for a walk so she could have some alone time. Our 7:30am departure was delayed several hours. So in that time we got some food and I took a few more walks around the city.

At this time it was May 24th. Becca and I were due to leave Charleston, SC in 2 days. Time's a tickin... We set off again a little after noon. This part of Florida had a lot more homes with docks built along the ICW. But unlike ones we saw earlier, these were not 2nd or 3rd vacation homes, these were people came to chill and retire. The other homes reminded me of Newport Beach. These... not so much. They were humble, and some weren't as steady as others.

Some obnoxious kids were flying through on motor boats, creating big wakes, which we had to maneuver around. We were really glad to get clear of them.

Timucuan Reserve

We ended up motoring to just north of Jacksonville in the ICW, and anchored in the  Timucuan Reserve. So this boat is pretty cool. It can go into water as shallow as 3ft deep. Single hulls usually are at least 5 to 6 feet submerged, so we wouldn't have been able to go through here with one of those. When we anchored, Amy kept going back and forth around the anchoring area. We were in a 3 way cross section, and I was getting worried about where we were going to set the anchor. Even though many people don't go through at night, if they did, I didn't want to be in the way.  It was mostly quiet, but in the middle of the night, we could see some people doing something on the marsh. Luckily, they stayed far away.

In the morning, Amy laid out 2 scenarios for us:

1. We go as far north as possible. If we don't make it to Brunswick, we'll anchor and motor starting around 6am, we could get there early in the morning, maybe around 8am-ish. Our flight was at 4:45pm, and the drive time was 3.5 hours, so as long as we are packed and get out of there by 10am, we would be ok.
2. If the current and winds are with us, we could get to Brunswick before nightfall and we'd have time to do everything then.

Once again, we set on our way. We motored for several hours and were by Cucumber Island, near the Florida-Georgia border, when the current started pushing against us. There is a factory there, and it stinks. Oddly, there are some really pretty houses that are really close by it and we wondered, who came first? The factory or the houses, because who in their right mind would have bought a house right next to THAT?

As Amy studied her instruments and a few reports on her phone, she decided that we needed to anchor for a little bit so that we don't fight against the current and the winds. Right next to the smelly factory. At this point, we secretly feel that some force really wants us to stay in Florida... If you remember, per the original plan, we were supposed to be in Hilton Head by then... (what do they say about best laid plans again?!)

Sidney Lanier Bridge, Brunswick, GA

Anyway, we anchored for that hour and then started heading up north again. Within the hour, we did it! We FINALLY left Florida! It took 11 days!

The rest of this day was pretty mellow. Aside from the horse flies that wouldn't relent (my gosh they are freaking HUGE!), we had smooth motoring. Even as we passed through "the hole" and was an inlet that could have taken us out to sea, we were still in control and making decent time. (Woo hoo!)

Once we got passed Jekyll Island (what a cool name, huh?), we were getting really good wind and decided to put up the sails. We got up to 8 knots! That's TWICE our average speed for most of the trip. It was pretty much the only time we actually sailed the whole time!

We had to go under a massive suspension bridge (see above) and finally... got to Brunswick, our last destination of the trip.

Brunswick Dock at sunrise

We were very lucky. Boat people are really nice. As we were coming in, (we were there after 7pm so the marina office was closed, but they said we could tie up to the gas dock), there was another boat person who helped us get in the slip. There wasn't much of a current, but it was still nice to have the help, considering what happened a few days before. This gentleman and his wife are fully retired and were also living on their boat. They were super nice and let us have a key to the bathroom so we could shower and use the bathroom on land, instead of the boat.

First crew of the SV Improvise

It was awesome.

Our last evening together consisted of a short walk to a tasty Thai restaurant, showers and a drink. It was a bittersweet morning for Becca and I to leave Amy. We were glad to have helped her get out of Florida and knew that she was in a safe space to do some much needed work on the boat. At the time I got on SV Improvise, it was in mediocre shape. Everyday, Amy found something that needed to be replaced. And any day we docked, she worked her tail off to make sure that everything is in the shape she needed to feel safe on the boat. Honestly, I found out a few things that I am glad I didn't quite understand at the moment. There were times when we weren't as safe as I thought. Ignorance really can be bliss!

We half joked about going to shore to watch Adrift. I'm really, REALLY glad that we didn't. I ended up seeing it not too long ago, and if I were in her position, I would be long gone.

After a teary "see you later", Becca and I had to be on our way to Charleston to catch our flight. The drive from Brunswick to Charleston was pretty uneventful. We saw some interesting road kill. Armadillos and even one gator! We were going by way too fast to get a picture of that, but I wish we did! That would have been amazing and sad all at once.

Our trip home was smooth and even though I had a great time with them being on the boat, it was good to come home.

Amy's plan is to sail indefinitely. She started a blog if you'd like to follow her adventures: improvise.blog and you can find her on Facebook/Instagram  @SVImprovise, too!