On Thursday morning, 11/18/21, Legacy left her wall-tie at Fernandina Harbor Marina in Fernandina Beach, FL, at 9:00 am, cruising southward on the Amelia River, passing underneath the FL State Road 200 bridge. This days’ river waters were mirror-smooth and temps were moderate. We knew some weather was moving in the following day, as this morning’s skies were mostly cloudy and the air was hazy; much different from the previous days’ weather.

After passing Amelia City, FL, the Amelia River intersects the St. John’s River, where the currents become noticeably stronger, as The St. John’s River is larger, wider and deeper than the Amelia River. Approaching the I-295 bridge over the St. John’s River, we were reminded of just how large the port city of Jacksonville, FL, truly is. We passed a monstrous container ship named the Northern Jasper, drifting in place, as she waited her turn in line for her cargo to be unloaded on Blount Island.

Winding further southward along the massive St. John’s River, we began to see the impressive Jacksonville City skyline up ahead, as we passed miles and miles of container ships and port equipment. We felt bittersweet feelings, as Jacksonville was the end of our cruising and would be Legacy’s home until she eventually sold to her new owners. I felt overwhelmed with melancholy, but Steve admitted he mainly felt excited for new things to come.

As the world’s reaction to and handling of COVID-19 defeated our goal to complete the entire Great Loop in 2021, we had originally planned to cruise back south, spend another winter in Florida, and attempt the following spring to finish the loop in 2022. But, largely due to my elderly father’s rapidly failing health in central Arkansas, coupled with the expense of full-time living and traveling aboard; after many hours of discussion, we wound up concluding several months earlier, that we’d had our fill of this lifestyle. We arranged to slip our boat in Jacksonville, FL, at Lambs Yacht Center, where Legacy would receive some repairs, and then list her for sale with our original broker, Michael Martin, of Curtis Stokes Yacht Brokers. We knew it would be easier to sell Legacy while we were no longer living aboard her, so we tried to find a fully-furnished house or condo in Jacksonville we could rent until she sold. It was important to live nearby our boat, so we could constantly check on her, keeping her cleaned up and show-ready at all times. Unfortunately we were unable to find any fully-furnished properties for rent anywhere in the Jacksonville area. (It made poor financial sense for us to rent something unfurnished and then buy (or rent) furnishings for it, as it could take up to a year or longer for Legacy to sell.) So we expanded our search area and found multiple furnished homes to rent down in The Villages, FL, where Steve had always wanted to try living anyway. Plus, The Villages is only an-hour and a half’s drive from Lamb’s Yacht Center, which made it feasible for us to drive up to the boat whenever necessary. We ultimately rented a small, fully-furnished, 3-bed/2-bath home in the Haciendas at Mission Hills village of The Villages, available for occupancy on December 1, 2021, which worked-out perfectly!

On the afternoon of 11/18/21, we pulled and secured Legacy into her very last slip while she belonged to us; slip #C31 at Lambs Yacht Center, just south of Jacksonville, FL, where we would continue to live aboard her until we moved to our new, rented “dirt home” on 12/01/2021, and once again became land-lubbers.

Position: N 30.2717, W 81.7190

Distance traveled:  47 SM

Total distance traveled: 5871 SM

Total marina nights: 411

Total nights at anchor: 23

Locks today: 0

Locks Total:  29

We enjoyed a more leisurely morning on 11/17/21, when we didn’t depart Golden Isles Marina on Lanier Island, GA, until 9:45 am. Our projected travel time to Fernandina Beach today was shorter than usual, so we could afford to get around a little slower. With yet more stellar traveling conditions available to us, we cruised outside again this morning in the Atlantic Ocean, especially since Steve was nervous about navigating the skinny (aka shallow) waters going through Jekyll Creek, which was our only alternative route southward.

We enjoyed wonderfully warm temperatures as we cruised this morning, even if the wind was up some, making our waters choppier. The sun was bright and temps rose into the mid-70s for highs, as the seas began to get a bit rocky. Steve activated our one working stabilizer and I swallowed a Bonine to counteract any possible seasickness. I might not be the fondest of the motion of the ocean, but I absolutely do enjoy the gazillions of diamond-like sparkles the brilliant sun scatters all over the choppier water’s surface as we cruise along. That visual effect is no less than magical. I will definitely miss seeing these sparkles once we end our live-aboard lifestyle.

Cruising past Jekyll Island, then past long Cumberland Island (both areas we’d already stopped and thoroughly enjoyed on our journey northward), we ultimately crossed the state line from Georgia into Florida. It felt great to be back in the Sunshine State again! We turned westward into St. Mary’s Inlet toward the Amelia River, along which Fernandina Beach, FL, is located on the river’s eastern banks.

We arrived at Fernandina Harbor Marina at 2:30 pm, and were instructed to secure Legacy with a starboard tie to the marina’s transient wall, not far from where we’d been tied during our earlier visit here. Sadly, we didn’t luck-out again on this visit, so this afternoon we were hit in the face with prevailing winds coming straight out of the south, blowing the smoke stack’s exhaust from the paper mill directly into our marina… NOT pleasant! That paper mill was the only downside I could find to living in that place. We both love Fernandina Beach!

After settling-in, showering, and changing into nicer clothes, we decided to walk into historic downtown for another delicious dinner at Joe’s 2nd Street Bistro, since we’d enjoyed it so much earlier in the year, and again we were not disappointed!

Position: N 30° 40.185, W 81° 28.013

Distance traveled:  46 SM

Total distance traveled:  5824 SM

Total marina nights: 410

Total nights at anchor: 23

Locks today: 0

Locks Total:  29

EARLY on the morning of 11/16/21, we threw off Legacy’s lines from Bahia Bleu Marina in Thunderbolt, GA, at 6:30 am. Again, we enjoyed perfect (though chilly) weather and water conditions. As we were traveling outside on the Atlantic Ocean today, we felt fortunate to have those conditions, indeed. Our waters were glass-smooth as we followed the Savannah River out into Wassaw Sound and finally into the Atlantic proper, which was so incredibly still – our boat’s wake was literally the only disturbance anywhere on the water’s surface. As we slowly glided along, we watched a flock of seagulls, lazily floating nearby. Their feathered bodies bobbed comically as our wake rolled under them, causing them to rise high up on the crest and then promptly dip back down as the wave fell, but not a one of them took flight. They appeared to actually enjoy the roller-coaster movements caused by our wake. 😉

As we progressed southward, we encountered increasing numbers of dolphins swimming toward our boat. They swam and surfaced all around us, but none seemed interested in surfing our wake today. The farther into the ocean we got, we noticed the wind began to pick-up slightly, changing the waters from glassy to a bit ripply, but our ride remained smooth and comfortable, as we passed Ossabaw and Sapelo Islands on the outside, and then St. Simon’s Island to our west.

Eventually, we passed Sea Island and surpassed St. Simon’s Island in its entirety, before reaching St. Simon’s Sound and the East River. This was a new course for us, as we’d bypassed Brunswick, GA, on our earlier trip northward. We began to see some strange-looking waves out in the middle of St. Simon’s Sound, which Steve had read are due to the major change in depth between the channel and St. Simon’s Island, proper. The depths in this area remain very shallow far out from the land into the sound. In response, Captain Steve navigated those shallow depths cautiously, so that Legacy did not run aground. Rounding the southern shores of St. Simon’s Island, we viewed more stately waterfront homes, along with the iconic St. Simon’s Island Lighthouse.

We arrived at Golden Isles Marina on the Mackay River on Lanier Island, between St. Simon’s Island and Brunswick, GA, just south of the Torres Causeway Bridge, at 3:00 pm, and secured a starboard tie along the marina’s transient wall, as instructed by the harbor master. Golden Isles is owned by Morningstar Marinas. After settling in and showering, we walked up to the highly-touted Coastal Kitchen restaurant (advantageously located right there at Golden Isles Marina) for a delicious early dinner. We’d learned this place boasted a renowned chef, which was undeniably true as soon as we tasted our entrees. I enjoyed a scrumptious, creamy pasta with garden vegetables, while Steve scarfed up blackened redfish over risotto grits that tasted Heavenly. In fact, I felt obligated to finish his dish for him!

Position: N 31° 09.966, W 81° 24.896

Distance traveled:  86 SM

Total distance traveled:  5778 SM

Total marina nights: 409

Total nights at anchor: 23

Locks today: 0

Locks Total:  29

We got around early on the morning of 11/15/21, so we could walk into downtown Beaufort to enjoy a delicious breakfast at Blackstone’s Cafe before we headed out into the waters aboard Legacy. Just before our breakfast food was served, the entire restaurant was asked to stand and recite the pledge of allegiance to the large, beautiful American flag hung inside Blackstone’s dining room. It was a moving moment for all of us, especially with the turmoils our country has experienced of late.

After breakfast, we once again threw off Legacy’s lines and left Beaufort, SC, at 10:15 am. Our departure was more leisurely this morning, since our designated arrival time in Savannah wasn’t until 3:30 pm. We cruised in yet another fabulous weather day, though it began chilly. This day’s high was forecast to be 64 degrees, but we knew it would feel much warmer up inside Legacy’s isinglass “greenhouse” of a fly bridge.

We passed a large, heavily-laden shrimp boat coming in with its morning’s catch and being trailed by a bazillion, screeching waterfowl as an entourage. Crossing Port Royal Sound (another large and open body of water), the water was wonderfully calm, which we hoped meant conditions would be that nice again for tomorrow’s planned voyage back out into the Atlantic Ocean.

Traveling southward on the AICW that divides the South Carolina Mainland and Hilton Head Island, we passed Skull Creek Marina on Hilton Head, where we’d stayed earlier this year on our journey northward, along with all the high-dollar waterfront mansions in this area. There is definitely no shortage of money in this part of the country. We cruised the full length of Daufuske Island before we turned westward through Walls Cut to the Savannah River, then headed northward to our marina in Savannah, where we’d spend tonight.

Legacy arrived at Safe Harbor Bahia Bleu Marina at 4:00 pm, where we promptly purchased 310 more gallons of diesel fuel. Thankfully, this should be my last time of wrestling with smelly diesel pump handles and dealing with messy spillage that inevitably accompanies the process. YUCK!

Once settled into our slip, we showered and walked into town for another dinner at Tubby’s Tank House. Once again, we’re passing through these parts on a Monday, which means most of the other eateries are closed, so it was Tubby’s again this evening! But strolling beneath all the stately live oak trees, with their limbs thickly draped with Spanish moss made the repeat visit very much worth it. 🙂

Position: N 32° 01.887, W 81° 02.899

Distance traveled:  46 SM

Total distance traveled:  5692 SM

Total marina nights: 408

Total nights at anchor: 23

Locks today: 0

Locks Total:  29

On the chilly, but clear and calm morning of 11/14/21, we threw off Legacy’s lines from the Charleston City Mega Dock piling #190 at 8:30 am. The highs on that day were forecast to be in the mid-60s. Cruising westward on Wappoo Creek, we passed by one of our favorite restaurants from our visit earlier this year, The Charleston Crab House, before turning the corner at Elliott’s Cut and proceeding out into the Stono River.

We soon cruised past our old haunt, Ross Marine, where we spent what seemed like 3 years this past May, along with lots of money! 🙁 Brilliant fall colors were stunning all along the Stono River, southwest of Charleston. We were quickly reminded the Stono River is basically just one looong No Wake zone, with its endless waterfront homes, docks, and piers. At its southern end, the Stono River becomes the Wadmalaw River.

We traversed a super-shallow portion of the South Carolina AICW that connects the Wadmalaw River with the South Edisto Rivers, on a slowly rising tide. Captain Steve was nervous as a cat the entire time, constantly monitoring our depth gauge. As we crept along, I researched the internet and finally found the name of our constant waters’ edge companion in the Carolinas, the prolific white, fuzzy shrubs growing wild. Baccharus halimifolia or salt bush or groundsel tree or sea myrtle. Hallelujah to finally have an identification of these plants! After creeping through depths of 6-feet or less for what seemed like miles on end, we ultimately made it through the shallow area without running aground. Woohoo!

We crossed the northern end of St. Helena Sound, where the winds were higher and the waves increased to maybe 1-foot in height. Prior to this, we’d been navigating down narrow, ropey rivers, protected from winds on both sides. Next, we turned off of the South Edisto River and onto the Ashepoo River, then into Rock Creek, which empties into the Combahee River. Then we were on the Broad River/Beaufort River/Port Royal Sound Basin, that would take us to this afternoon’s destination of Beaufort, SC.

Arriving at Safe Harbor Beaufort Marina about 3:30 pm, we were instructed to tie-up at exactly the same point they’d placed us earlier this summer on our trip northward, which was a starboard tie on the very end of the transient wall, closest to the bridge. After showering, we walked up to our favorite restaurant there on the waterfront, called Saltus River Grill, for dinner and cocktails, where we watched the sunset before turning in for the night.

Position: N 32° 25.768, W 80° 40.428

Distance traveled:  68 SM

Total distance traveled:  5647 SM

Total marina nights: 408

Total nights at anchor: 23

Locks today: 0

Locks Total:  29

In chilly, but clear and calm conditions, we threw off our lines from Hazzard Marine, in Georgetown, SC, at 7:15 am.

There is an annual pilgrimage made by Captain Wally Moran in his small, utilitarian sailboat, where he leads a migrating fleet of (paying) sailboats down the east coast of the US, all the way south to the Florida Keys. He calls this pilgrimage his Sail to the Sun. We would have had no problem with this group, if they hadn’t wound up traveling the exact same waterways – on the exact same schedule – that we were. Wally and his entourage are known for ignoring many of the standard maritime rules and courtesies preferably extended to other, nearby vessels, which makes for uneasy – rather dangerous – traveling conditions for those of us who actually are following the rules and being courteous to other boaters. Not in rare form, Wally’s group hampered our journey – off and on – all down the east coast, like a swarm of annoying yellow jackets, becoming the bane of Captain Steve’s existence. On the previous night, when we were tied to Hazzard Marine’s fuel dock wall, Wally’s group swooped in and tied-up all around our boat, rafting-up to each other both in front of and behind us, which blocked us in and made it difficult to leave this morning. Steve told me he’d fully expected to wake up this morning to find at least one of those boats tied to OUR boat without permission! Fortunately, that turned out NOT to be the case. I shudder to imagine how things would’ve turned out otherwise…

Hazzard Marine is located on the Winyah Bay, in Georgetown, SC. We followed the Winyah Bay to the AICW in South Carolina, which utilizes man-made channels, as well as Duck Creek, the North Santee River, the South Santee River, Copahee Sound, and Mark Bay, all very marshy, isolated, wilderness areas. We saw some occasional waterfront homes through here, but not many. Passing through here in the fall made for thick, golden-yellow marsh grasses lining both sides of the waterways.

As we traveled, we passed the Isle of Palms area, along with Sullivan’s Island, north of Charleston. The AICW dumps out into The Cove, north of Fort Moultrie, before entering into Charleston Harbor. Tonight we’re staying at Charleston City Marina on the Ashley River, which is a different area from where we stayed last time (for three full weeks…) while Legacy was serviced and had her bottom repainted.

The day was gorgeous as we entered into Charleston Harbor, passing our old stomping grounds and beneath the Arthur Ravenel, Jr. Suspension Bridge. Conditions were stellar – sunny with mild breezes, even if they were a bit on the chilly side.

We arrived at our spot on the Charleston City Marina Mega Dock at 2:00 pm. Our instructed tying spot left us completely exposed to the river, on a Saturday, no less, which set us up for a night of rocking and rolling, but oh well! After settling in and showering, we walked to the only close-by restaurant at the Marina Variety Store for dinner. While the restaurant did boast wonderful views of Charleston Harbor, the food was mediocre at best.

Position: N 32° 46.638, W 79° 57.126

Distance traveled:  66 SM

Total distance traveled:  5579 SM

Total marina nights: 407

Total nights at anchor: 23

Locks today: 0

Locks Total:  29

On 11/12/21, we left Barefoot Landing Marina in Myrtle Beach, SC, at 7:45 am, heading further southward on the AICW. We enjoyed partly cloudy skies, cool breezes, and gorgeous fall colors, this time on the AICW, traveling through Myrtle Beach. This scenery was a major change from our earlier trip northward through here.

For some reason, as we traveled south of Myrtle Beach, waterside trees were noticeably more bare, with only the rust colors of the cypress trees visible, making it appear weeks farther along into the fall down here(?) We guessed perhaps the Myrtle Beach area might be its own sort of micro-climate, which would result in the drastic change seen in the fall foliage.

Later in the day, we traveled once again along the beautiful Waccamaw River in South Carolina. The scenery this time through was starkly different without all the green, summertime leaves of the Waccamaw’s hardwood trees.

After several hours of surprisingly calm conditions, we arrived with no problems at Hazzard Marine in Georgetown, SC, at 1:30 pm, where we were instructed to tie-up to their fuel docks, since we were only stopping for the night. Having no nearby eating establishments at our disposal, we remained onboard an enjoyed steaming bowls of Progresso soup for dinner. Steve isn’t fond of soup, and considers it a “fake” meal, but I’m just fine eating soup. It’s simple to prepare, easy on the pocketbook, tasty and filling. What more can one ask from a meal?

Position: N 33° 21.646, W 79° 16.797

Distance traveled:  51 SM

Total distance traveled:  5514 SM

Total marina nights: 406

Total nights at anchor: 23

Locks today: 0

Locks Total:  29

On Thursday morning, 11/11/21, we left South Harbor Village Marina in Southport, NC, at 9:00 am EST. Our weather had suddenly turned warm again, and I had seriously overdressed that morning. As soon as we were underway and all my ‘Gilligan’ departure duties were complete, I went below to change into shorts and a sleeveless top, which was much more pleasant.

We crept along at just above idle speed as we traveled through miles of no-wake zones protecting the endless piers and homes along the AICW south of South Brunswick, NC. We passed beneath the Holden Beach Road bridge over the AICW near Holden Beach, NC. The weather turned prettier and prettier as we crossed the NC/SC state line and passed Little River, SC, where the Big M floating casino is permanently moored for this area’s gambling residents and tourists. Palm trees become prolific on the water banks here, since we’d moved far enough south, which was fine with me!

As we cruised through the Little River swing bridge and into North Myrtle Beach, SC, we were reminded just how many large and luxurious homes populate this area. We arrived at Barefoot Landing Marina, where we were instructed to tie-up to their long wall around mid-afternoon. Once Legacy was secured and plugged into shore-power, her crew showered and dressed for an early dinner right at the top of the walkway, at the Barefoot Landing Marina Grill. We found the place far more lively and active than it was when we came northward through here earlier in the year, so we had lots more people to watch while we ate.

Position: N 33° 48.103, W 78° 44.810

Distance traveled:  42 SM

Total distance traveled:  5463 SM

Total marina nights: 405

Total nights at anchor: 23

Locks today: 0

Locks Total:  29

On Wednesday morning, 11/10/21, we left Harbour Village Marina in Hampstead, NC, at 8:45 am, since we had a shorter travel day ahead to our planned destination in Southport, NC. Our cruising weather was again spectacular with sunny skies, only a light breeze, and temperatures in the low 60s to start, forecasted to reach into the 70s that afternoon. We couldn’t ask for better than that! We headed southwest down the long, narrow NC stretch of the AICW that took us past Lea-Hutaff Island and Figure Eight Island, then on to Wilmington Beach.

Just like on our trip north earlier in our journey, we viewed miles of beautiful waterfront homes and majestic live oaks lining the western shore (mainland), while marshy, scrubby lowlands line the eastern (Atlantic Ocean) side. We soon recalled how this location is very shallow in spots, which required Steve to manually steer our boat so we could follow Bob 423’s expert tracks and not run aground. East of the marshy lowlands, we viewed the backs of the many beachfront homes that face the Atlantic Ocean. We continued our very slow-going through this area, due to the many no-wake zones surrounding the miles of private docks, piers, and pilings.

Approaching the large Masonboro Inlet that connects the AICW directly with the Atlantic Ocean, we passed underneath the Causeway Drive Bridge, which connects Wilmington proper to Wilmington Beach. This bridge has only a 14-foot clearance, so we idled in place while awaiting the bridge’s opening. As we waited, we remembered the last time we’d passed through here, going northbound, it was on a Saturday morning, when this same place was much more active and absolutely brimming with water traffic that kept the waters rough the entire way, stressing us out big time. What a difference the day of the week made, as we passed through on our southbound journey this Wednesday morning, and things were much calmer and peaceful.

Once we got past Wilmington Beach, we passed Myrtle Grove and Sea Breeze, NC, before veering west into the Cape Fear River, which we would take the rest of the way south toward Southport, NC. As we traversed the mighty Cape Fear River, we were reminded just how massively wide that river is. Because of its size, the Cape Fear River carries a major amount of commercial traffic during the week. In fact, we found ourselves in a sort of “race” with a monstrous container ship approaching us from behind on the Cape Fear River. It was, by far, the largest container ship we’d encountered on this journey, and was moving at a surprisingly fast clip, gaining on us fairly quickly! Over the radio, we heard its captain calling ahead on Channel 16 to warn all upcoming water craft in its path to clear out of the channel and give his ship a really wide berth, in preparation for the horrendous wake his ship creates. His exact words were “I’m really fat and draggin’ the bottom of the river” (which was 50 feet deep!) 😐 I felt sorry for the sailboats in front of him, as they couldn’t move too far out of the channel, as it got shallow quickly, and sailboats usually have deeper drafts. Steve pushed Legacy into a slightly faster speed, in hopes we’d be able to make our upcoming right-hand turn into the Elizabeth River toward Southport before the ship reached us, meaning we could avoid experiencing that ship’s nasty tidal wave of a wake, as it was continuing southward down the Cape Fear River and on out into the ocean. We lucked-out and reached our turn well in advance of the behemoth’s arrival. Whew!

We reached today’s destination of South Harbor Village Marina in Southport, NC, at 1:30 pm, making a starboard tie to the marina’s face wall for the night. The wall isn’t protected from water traffic, so we did some rocking during the night, but it wasn’t too horrendous.

After tying up, plugging-in, and showering, we walked over to Joseph’s Italian Bistro (located right there in our marina) for a tasty dinner and perfect wine accompaniment, bringing delicious leftovers back with us to the boat.

Position: N 33° 55.245, W 78° 03.700

Distance traveled:  43 SM

Total distance traveled:  5421 SM

Total marina nights: 404

Total nights at anchor: 23

Locks today: 0

Locks Total:  29

Early Tuesday morning, 11/09/21, Legacy threw off her lines from our safe-haven slip at Beaufort Town Docks in Beaufort, NC, heading southward in almost no wind, bright sunshine, and totally cloudless skies. We cruised through Bogue Sound, passing Morehead City, NC, and passing underneath the Atlantic Beach Bridge. The farther south we got, the more prolific the majestic live oaks became along the mainland. Most definitely my favorite of all trees!

The air was chilly when we left this morning, but the brilliant sunshine warmed things up quickly. Steve already changed out of his long-sleeved shirt and long pants into a t-shirt and shorts, but I was comfortable remaining in my long pants and light jacket. We passed Pine Knoll Shores and Emerald Isle to our port. Those narrow islands were the only thing between our boat and the vast Atlantic Ocean.

Mid-morning, we passed Bogue Inlet, Swansboro, NC, and then cruised through Hammocks Beach State Park. We were forced to idle at the Onslow swing-bridge for a little while, as we arrived early for it’s scheduled 11:30 am opening. Coming through the bridge, we passed a large trawler named Wanderer’s Rest. It was literally the only other moving boat we passed on the water that entire travel day!

Finally, we left the ICW via the New River, south of Camp Lejeune, before entering into Chadwick Bay. Back out into open waters, and passing Camp Lejeune to the east, we began to hear several bursts of artillery fire, which was slightly disconcerting, considering we were sitting ducks out on the water, and we had no idea where these guns were being fired from or to! Legacy could only travel so fast, but I was glad when we completely passed by Camp Lejeune!

We passed Topsail Island, Everett Bay, and traversed Stump Sound, finally crossing beneath the NC Highway 210 bridge, which connects Topsail Island’s Surf City, NC, to the mainland. At 2:30 pm EST, we arrived at Harbour Village Marina, near Hampstead, NC, where we’d made reservations to spend that night. Being in a pretty remote area, there were no nearby restaurants or a courtesy car, so Legacy’s crew dined onboard that evening. (YUM – more Progresso soup!)

Position: N 34° 23.193, W 77° 38.278

Distance traveled:  65 SM

Total distance traveled:  5378 SM

Total marina nights: 403

Total nights at anchor: 23

Locks today: 0

Locks Total:  29