24 October 2026
Depart: North Cumberland Island, GA anchorage 7:55 a.m.
Arrive: North of St. Augustine, FL anchoage off Tolomato River ~ 5:30 p.m.
Distance: ~ 70 nm
We woke to dark clouds and wind with current rushing by the hull this morning. When Clark asked, "Are you ready for me to start the engines?" I replied with a pout, "No, I want to go back to bed!" He just laughed and started the engines. One thing to say about clouds, they make the pictures more interesting. I kept taking cloud pictures throughout the day.
At sunrise ...
We noticed that we had extra high water today. Clark said the water was being pushed into the area by the strong easterly winds. He pointed out one of the ICW Green markers that was "up to its neck" in water! I grabbed a picture of the marker and submerged marshes, and then ...
 |
| Near-to-drowning Green ICW marker |
 |
| Very wet wetlands |
went back to admiring the sky!
At the degaussing station near Cumberland Island, we got to see a few vessels at the docks.
 |
| USCG Cutters at dock |
 |
| Freighter |
I told Clark I could see a submarine at the dock. He said he only saw a tall building. I replied, "If that's not a submarine, I don't know what is!"
 |
| Submarine with guard boat nearby |
 |
| Degaussing Station in Georgia |
In that area, we saw some white shoal markers in the water. The one below is marked with an H. We saw several each with a different letter of the alphabet.
 |
| Shoal "H" |
The ferry to Cumberland Island crossed our path.
 |
| Cumberland Queen II |
Normally, we hang out at Cumberland Island when we are going south until 12:00 noon on the 1st of November when our insurance provider says it is safe to proceed into Florida. Given we are several days ahead of our normal schedule, Clark called the insurance company to get permission to continue south today. Of course they approved it with exclusions related to wind and surge. With no storms on the horizon, we moved onwards.
Soon thereafter we passed into Florida. We could see the smoke from the paper mills at Fernandina Beach long before we reached there by boat.
Coming into and passing through Fernandina Beach, we saw some familiar sights.
In the distance, on Amelia Island, we could the flag flying over Fort Clinch.
 |
Commercial Trawler
Ashlee Michelle
docked in Fernandina Beach |
We passed by the paper mills puffing vapors out their smokestacks - one at each end of town.
Unfortunately, we passed through Fernandina Beach on a Saturday. Thus, we were unable to take advantage of their fuel prices to put some diesel in the boat. Clark looked around for the best price he could find. A place called Cat's Paw in St. Augustine had the best price but their pump was broken and being repaired.
The water level remained super high on the ride from Fernandina Beach to the north of St. Augustine where we dropped anchor for the night.
 |
| A couple of boats high and dry |
 |
| View of the marshes with high water |
 |
| Another couple of boats not floating |
The path through here was confusing. We passed a catamaran sailboat that seemed to wait for us to pass - perhaps so we would not have to pass them in the upcoming poorly marked waterway. To add to our "fun", we had strong winds through here making things a bit more challenging.
 |
We found the missing ICW marker we
were looking for earlier! |
When we arrived at the Kingsley Creek Bridge, the bridge was closed as a very long train was traversing the bridge. We watched and watched as the train passed. I grabbed a picture as the tail end passed out of sight.
 |
Long commercial train at
Kingsley Creek Bridge |
Watching the train made me think of days from my youth, when I lived in northern Pennsylvania. My dad would take us for a family car ride just for the fun of it. Sometimes we would get stopped by a long train, and we would count the cars. Getting to 100 cars was not unusual.
After the bridge opened, I tried for a "down the tracks" picture and failed big time!
Surprisingly, we saw a restaurant tucked in between the bridges here.
 |
"Down Under" Restaurant
between bridges |
 |
| Looking back at Kingsley Creek Bridge |
The wind and high water stayed with us as we traveled south. Pictures do not accurately reflect the view of the water over the marsh grasses.
Eventually, the water appeared to be receding somewhat.
Even though we were traveling on a Saturday, the number of boats out on the water with us could be counted on the fingers of one hand. The wind was wicked and kicked up waves on the ICW. I was somewhat surprised to see two guys moving a small barge in the rough waters.
 |
| Work boat not designed to fight waves! |
Clark decided that, given getting fuel was not optional, to go to Beach Marine in Jacksonville Beach. Instead of filling up as we would have done at Port Consolidated, he decided to "hedge hits bets" and bring the tanks up to 75% hoping that fuel prices will come down by the next time he needs to add more. Many places offered diesel fuel at near (or at) $7.00 per gallon. Ouch!
We were happy to hear from the two guys at the fuel dock that their tanks offered a "fast fill". Given the amount of fuel we take on, fast fill is great news. It was fortunate that the fill was fast as, just as we finished the fueling, it started to rain. We had seen a dark, dark cloud on the horizon.
 |
| Rain coming |
It finally found us. Clark, who did the filling, got off "Scott Free" in regards to staying dry. Me, working the fenders and lines? Not so much. By the time I got back inside and under cover, I was soaked. I had to change my clothes and hang things up to dry.
Further on, the bridges in the Atlantic Beach area offered "interesting" challenges. We had 4 knots of current pushing us into the bridges where we found rapidly rotating whirlpools grabbing at the boat. The signs said minimum wake. We had to push up the RPM to over 1300 to keep control of the boat as we navigated the area. At 1300 we could not tell our wake from the waves generated by the winds and current.
Not too many houses have Halloween decorations facing the water. It is fun when one is spotted!
 |
| Two Skeletons - man with his dog |
Clark selected an anchorage near St. Augustine across from the airport tower for tonight's stop.
I do not remember ever before rejecting an anchorage so forcefully. We had wind gusts howling at over 20 mph with wave action so rough I had to hang on when walking and that was with the stabilizers working! I had no interest in walking out to the bow of the boat and working the anchor. No Way!!!
Fortunately, Clark agreed that it was less than perfect. He expected there would be trees to cut the wind. There were none! He said we had passed an anchorage earlier that had tree cover to break the wind. So, we backtracked back the way we came. Since we had battled the current to get to the rejected anchorage, we had a fast (9 knot plus) ride back to the other spot.
Fortunately the terrain at the second spot did the job. The wind was reduced as well as the wave action. Had we stayed at the first spot, I would have not been able to cook supper or sleep when it came time for bed!
25 October 2026
Depart: Anchorage north of St. Augustine, FL ~ 8:00
Arrive: Anchorage New Smyrna Beach, FL near ICW MM 848 4:35
Distance: ~ 68 nm
Although the wave action was negligible, the howling wind through the night had me a bit worried about the anchor. We had no issues so worrying was for naught.
Although the clock said the sun should be showing itself this morning, the sun had other ideas and hid or played peek-a-boo from behind the heavy cloud cover.
As with yesterday, we had high water with marshes barely showing themselves. Pictures do not do it justice as there is nothing to compare it to.
By the time we got back to where Clark thought to anchor the night before, the sun had managed to come out to shine on the airport tower.
The Bridge of Lions in St. Augustine opens on the hour and half hour. We got there at 9:04! Clark called on the radio and asked if anyone near the bridge could tell us what the height board said. Some nice person answered back "15 feet". Adding 4 feet at the center gave us 19 feet of clearance to work with.
Clark decided that he could fold down our mast and antennas to make it under. We know this drill! He handed me control of the helm and went to lower everything that needed to be lowered. He told me I might have to turn the boat around to face into the current. I had the boat at absolute minimum RPM - basically idle - and we were moving towards the bridge at 5 knots. Clark was fast enough at his job that I did not have to turn the boat around.
As the person at the helm, I have the less life-threatening job. Clark, on the other hand, climbs out on a ledge 12' in the air to lower the antennas. To say I am nervous for him is a gross understatement. The ledge is about 4" or 5" wide. He has to hold the side of the boat with one hand while he lowers the antenna with the other. Of course there are antennas on both the port and starboard side to be lowered, so he has to climb out there twice.
There is a safer but time-consuming option to lower the antennas from inside the upper helm.
 |
Narrow ledge to stand on to
lower antennas |
When we do this procedure of lowering to go through a bridge, I stay at the helm, and Clark, who is taller, stands in the back to look over the top of the upper helm to judge whether we will clear or not. As we approached the bridge, Clark took a look and said, "It looks okay so far."
Given the 5-knot current and our added speed, we were moving and quickly reached a point, just before going under the bridge, where I thought to myself, Clark better "Speak now or forever hold his peace!" It would have been a last-ditch effort to bail out. He said nothing, so onward we went! No problems! I have gotten pretty good at getting a feel for whether we are good to go or not. It felt like a "GO" and it was. Such fun! Gets the heart rate up!
 |
| Looking back at St. Augustine |
 |
Looking back at the Bridge of Lions
through the anchorage full of sailboats |
We have made the trip up and down the ICW for a few years now. I don't remember a time when the water was as high as it was today. As we went under a tall highway bridge, Clark told me to look at the bridge fenders - under water!
 |
| Bridge fender underwater |
The birds standing on top of the bridge fender had their feet in the water up to their ankles!
 |
| Many birds standing on bridge fender |
Every once in a while a house stands out. I saw a few interesting ones today. The one shown below must have a great view from the tower.
Even the birds did not like the wind today. We saw more birds in the water than we saw in the sky. I noticed a flock of pelicans having a conference on the water.
When the meeting was over, the pelicans put on a parade for us as they paddled by.
The weather was quite changeable today. We had dark clouds, drizzle, heavy rain, and sun in no particular order, i.e. the weather fluctuated from one state to another without much warning.
 |
| Sunny views of palm trees |
The ICW came very close to the ocean along this stretch such that we could get views of the waves as well as the houses positioned along the oceanfront.
 |
| Houses on the oceanfront |
What I found most interesting about the high tide today was that it lasted most of the day. Hour after hour of high water greeted us as we traveled south. The boats on the boat lifts that normally sit a few feet above water looked to be in danger of floating off their lifts.
The marsh land by the water's edge continued to be submerged.
The bridges continued to give us "grief'. Besides the Bridge of Lions, Clark climbed out on the ledges two more times as we encountered more bridges with insufficient clearance for us to go under without lowering the mast and antennas.
At the LB Knox Bridge, we "got a break" from that routine as no amount of lowering would get us under. Clark called to request an opening. Fortunately, this one opens upon request.
Later, when we reached the Main Street bridge, it was a close call. The bridge opens upon request. We could see no car traffic on the bridge. I convinced Clark to call for an opening. It was clear given the clearance shown on the board and the height of our vessel that the request was not frivolous. The bridge opened almost immediately upon request. Nice!
As mentioned in this blog update earlier, we saw a few boats that had not fared well today or at some prior time. One house we passed had not one, but two, boats that were lopsided.
 |
| Not one, but two at the same dock |
Looking up ahead, beyond the next bridge, we could see we were going to enter a fog bank.
 |
| Fog beyond the bridge |
As we continued onwards the sky looked less and less friendly.
Ultimately, we got hit with a rainstorm with heavy rain blowing into the upper helm where we sat. We stayed dry at the helm seat, but the bench seat behind that got soaked with puddles on the cushions.
Then, the rain stopped and the sun came out for a bit.
Then the clouds rolled in again and it was back to rain.
Clark selected an anchorage in New Smyrna that we have not used previously. It offered enough space with deep enough waters to seem to meet our needs.
 |
| Coming into an anchorage |
Just after we had the anchor down, Clark excitedly pointed to port where I looked and found a colorful rainbow!
We had a couple of neighbors in this anchorage - both sailboats - one to port and one to starboard.
I was happy that we had stopped for the day. Hour after hour, day after day of traveling the ICW gets tedious. Clark had considered continuing further south, but it would add another 90 minutes or so to the day's travel. My son, Chris, said he and the grandkids were available for a Facetime - for me, that was a pressing activity with high priority.
Shortly after we had the boat "put to bed" for the night on anchor, it started to rain heavily again. However, by that time, we were already on the iPad with the kids doing the Facetime. Clark said, "Now we know where that rainbow came from!"
Later, Clark ran the generator to add charge to the batteries while I used the bonus electric to cook dinner. After dinner, we watched television until it was time for lights out.
