It was a glorious morning when we embarked on our journey over to Bull Island for an all day hike, and a path I had not previously taken. Our hiking group of thirteen would disembark on the south end of Bull Island after our ferry journey south on the Intracoastal Waterway Continue reading
Dead End Road
Kingfisher had a major addition, or replacement, on this day – a new daggerboard. True, I felt nostalgia for the old board of fine mahogany, extensively weathered, cupped, gouged, oyster-impaled, repaired, sanded, and varnished over and over. The new board Continue reading
Storm Education
Increased anxiety may often be triggered from past experience. The approach of Hurricane Sandy toward the New Jersey coast (home during my youth), the projection of it morphing into a Superstorm, and the prospect of the storm surge hitting on top of an astronomical high tide Continue reading
Golden Moments
It was a somber atmosphere Saturday morning when I cast off before 9: gray skies and brown marsh, in stark contrast to the blue skies and golden marshes of my last sail, seemingly a long time ago. Water covered Continue reading
Sparkling Surprises
The view at the deserted landing was spectacular: a low sun was blazing and reflecting off the moving water. It was blowing already from the northeast – small craft advisory, and Kingfisher is on the small end of qualifying in that category. Weather reports had quite a wide range, from 10-15 knots to 20-25 knots. The passage to Bull Island Continue reading
Feeling fall
The sunrise would arrive a little after seven. A cloud bank in the east held the sun’s emergence a little longer, and was illuminated from behind, looking like some craggy Patagonian mountainscape. I would return later with Kingfisher to launch for a sail out toward Bull Island. Along the ecotone just above the marsh flying insects Continue reading
Turning of the Tide
Early morning at Garris Landing; you have to be early if you are heading out to Cape island with the loggerhead program crew. I was earlier than the rest of the crew, and found the automatic gate to the landing closed. I parked and walked in to take a look at the 5:30AM sky. In the east Jupiter and Venus shone brightly Continue reading
Nice Day for a Circumnavigation
July 7, 2012. Marine forecast: SW 10-15 knots, with 15 knots later.
I arrived down at the landing at 1PM, and was disappointed to find that the sea breeze had not filled in yet. The heat and humidity approached oppressive. South down the ICW, a neighbor’s flag was limp. Further to the south, beyond Garris Landing, the surface of the water appeared darker. The flag soon came to life, Continue reading
A Night for Alligators
Uncertainty loomed: on the horizon, where the skies above Bull Island appeared dark and threatening, and on our skiff, where the engine over-revved when we tried to plane off. Fortunately, the motor issue resolved, and we continued Continue reading
A Little Wind
After the run to the recycling center, I made a quick stop to take a look at the landing. I knew already: a fine NNE wind, puffy cloud skies, these conditions called me to sail. Continue reading
On Sandy Hook
On May 10 I was driving from Tinton Falls, New Jersey toward the coast, riding the edge of a front that had been dumping rain over the east coast for the past 24 hours. Blue sky was trailing and being pulled toward the coast Continue reading
Lumber River adventure
Meeting a friend in the middle between Portland and Awendaw could be a challenge, but since my friend Rand was visiting in Carrboro, NC it was not so bad. As is our custom, we typically get together for one “adventure” each year, usually paddling a Carolina river. Rand has a passion for adventure Continue reading
