News 12

Bahamas- Brunswick GA

The Abaco Cays were our last stop in the Bahamas. From there we headed directly to Northern Florida. the reef passage proved to be hair raising. On the chart it looked broad and deep, which, of course it wasn´t. Eyeball navigation impossible because of heavy swell. Keep your course, close your eyes and hope for the best. We usually have a fishing line out from our stern, but so far had not been successful. At that very moment a tuna decided that our hook was worth a bite and a shark thought the felt the same about the tuna. In the end we managed the passage and the slightly diminished tuna. Tiger loves fish and of course ate too much. An hour later we had to clean the cabin floor... That was about all the excitement of the trip. Two days and a few tacks later, we arrived in Mayport, FL, chosen for it´s easy inlet and a small marina just behind the entrance. Clearing customs and immigration was a minor expedition: we had to go to Jacksonville and the authorities were widely spread about the city. 100 $ cab fees. But the officials were very friendly and helpful. After a short break for recovery, we took to the ICW. In Northern Florida it´s all marshes. Plenty of seemingly untouched nature, birds abound, but nerve wreckingly shallow in parts. The markers, posted by the Corps of Engineers are a godsend. We dropped the hook in Fernandina Beach. Not exactly to be recommended. You can smell the papermills for miles. But we were running out of daylight. Our next stop was Brunswick, GA. The marina is situated right in the historic town centre and has very attractive rates. In WW II the Liberty Ships were built here by the women of Brunswick.