May 17 Sisters Creek to Cumberland Island

 May 17, 2022   Sisters Creek to Cumberland Island.

All Time High was off the dock and heading out as the sun came up. We had barely woken up.  Not sure where they'll get today as Joe likes to run fast.  Ultimate destination for them is back to home in Ocean City, MD.   Safe travels.

 Off the dock at 8:30 after some coffee, juice and cereal. Short half day cruise for us up  to Cumberland Island.  Great  anchorage we've stayed at before.   Out of  Florida and back in Georgia. Needed that to keep the Fl tax man away. Mostly meandering marshlands broken up by the towns of Amelia Island and Fernandina Beach.   We were easy on the throttles mostly 1200 rpm's.  No big hurry and  it conserves diesel until we hit our next stop at Brunswick Landing. 

 Anchoring went good for our  first time.  Slight current and wind but the big Mantus anchor grabbed.  Boat has  a nice anchoring setup with a Maxwell windlass, 200' of all new chain rode, a gorgeous piece of jewelry on the anchor called a Mantus swivel and a nice Mantus bridle to finish it off.   I'm thinking we're all set for two nights when a sailboat comes in and drops anchor  upstream from us - then proceeds to drag anchor until he's downstream from us before refiring his engine and pulling up anchor.   Only to  come about and drop anchor  directly in front of  us - this time it catches.  Outgoing tide and he puts out a  sketchy short amount of rode.  With the 6' tidal swing that rode gets even shorter.  Coupled with an overnight tidal swing and I'm not liking the situation.  I'm giving him the crossed arms and hairy eyeball the entire time which he completely ignores.  I'm just not comfortable with the situation  so we fire our engines up and practice our anchoring technique again a bit further away.  Better spot actually in a little deeper water. 

Cumberland Island sunset  - came out from behind the clouds just in time

 Cumberland Island  used to be owned by the Carnegie's.  Now it's part of the National Seashore Parks.   The brick  ruins of their house "Dungeness" are still an attraction.   Great beaches on the far side of the island.  Awesome maritime forest and  trails and a large herd of wild horses that are always viewable nibbling on the grasses surrounding the ruins.  Only accessible by water but you can grab a tour boat out to it from either St. Mary's or Fernandina. We  stayed an extra day and  planned to unleash the dingy  and use the davit to drop it over the side.  Got it uncovered, gas at 5/8 of a tank, but no power to turn it over.  Dead battery and of course the charger I had thought about bringing on the trip is still sitting on my workbench at home.  So no trip over to the island.  We secure and cover the dingy and just relax for the day - nothing wrong with that either!!

"Dungeness" ruins and wild horses at Cumberland from our last trip

Journey for May 17