precision flyers!

typical daymarker indicating the edge of the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) channel

Daymarker showing the other edge of the channel with a cormorant drying its wings

Northeast Florida along the ICW-a great wetland for birdwatching

Bike riding on Cumberland Island National Park, Georgia through a palmetto/live oak forest

Ruins of Carnegie mansion on Cumberland Island

Cumberland mansion ruins

wild horses on Cumberland Island

wild horses on Cumberland Island

Plum Orchard mansion -donated to the national park Service on Cumberland Island

Old Tom turkey on Cumberland Island

Carnegie car--nothing escapes antiquity

Armadillo wandering on grounds of  Plum Orchard mansion

Gannet at sea

Dolphin playing off the bow of Windspell

Sea turtle lazing in the afternoon sun 

Catching a left north

Sunrise over the Atlantic Ocean

Successful 49 hour passage from Cumberland Island, Georgia to Southport, North Carolina offshore.

 Walter & I spent a lovely day strolling around St. Augustine and eating the BEST pizza at Carmello's before heading north again along the ICW.  Once again we were driving the boat between the red and green markers, but enjoying thea bundance of birds seen along the shoreline.  We arrived at cumberland Island, Georgia late Saturday afternoon.  The next morning we rented bikes from the Park and cycled through a beautiful palmetto-live oak forest to the Carnegie mansion ruins.  we were fortunate to stumble onto a tour given by a Park Ranger explaining the history of the island.  The Carnegie family at one time owned 90percent of the island which they have given over to the national park Service.  Over its history it was the site of plantations of sea cotton and indigo, citrus and olive trees...and now its wilderness.  Wild horses, about 120 of them roam the island.  We then cycled the 7 miles up island to PlumOrchard, one of 4 mansions that Lucy Carnegie built for her children.  It has also been given to the park.
That evening at the anchorage we met Jesse & Robin from another Island Packett sailboat called Robinsong.  They also wanted to head north in the favorable weather window that we had, so we set sail together at 7:00 am on Monday morning from St. Mary's inlet/Fernandina Beach, Florida and sailed nonstop to Southport, North Carolina.  It was wonderful to get out sailing on the open ocean as a change from the ICW.  We saw lots of porpoises, sea turtles, and bird life...gannets, cormorants, sea gulls, and loons!  It was a surprise to Walter & me to see and hear our common loons over the ocean.
Today we spent the day at Southport marina.  Walt did an engine oil change, and I purchased fresh produce.  We head north again tomorrow, but along the ICW since another norther comes in tomorrow!