Tortuga Tour Day One: Start of Leg 1, and Buckhead Creek

 The day of our long-awaited voyage to the Dry Tortugas has finally arrived.  For retired folks who really enjoy sleeping in, we arose before Old Sol.  Engine checks were already being done before the coffee finished brewing.  I was thinking about setting up a quick breakfast before departure, but the Captain was eager to be motoring along, so we decided to hold off until away from the dock, fenders and lines secured and we could eat at a more leisurely pace.

Thanks to our new friend Russ who helped us off the dock and waved us on.

Destination today was to be Buckhead Creek in Georgia, one of our favorite anchorages.  Something you learn very quickly on the water is flexibility. The only way to reach Buckhead Creek before nightfall was to go out to the ocean from Port Royal and come back in to the ICW via Ossabaw Sound.  Forecast of two-foot seas, not a problem.  Either we have not learned what are considered two-foot seas or the forecast missed by a foot or more. Combine that with wind, and It didn’t take too long, once in the ocean, for the admiral (me) to express dissatisfaction (whine).  How many hours of this?  What if it gets worse?  This is only the first day of our trip!  Things are falling on the floor and what’s that clinking noise?  I don’t know sometimes how the Captain puts up with the Admiral.  He’s so patient and understanding.

We made an adjustment and turned in the Savannah River Channel.  Savannah is a major port, so the channel is deep and wide to accommodate cargo ships.  We did see four on the horizon.  Savannah is also where we kept the first Betty Lou, in the Isle of Hope Marina, so, familiar water.  Our destination for today now has yet to be decided, but it will be lovely, restful, and peaceful.  Another aside – making and eating lunch on a rocking boat is a challenge and generally does not happen!  Once on the ICW, I was able to make lunch and enjoy eating.

Great news!  We did get to Buckhead Creek, with the sun still shining, and the anchorage is just as we remembered – quiet, peaceful, relaxing and with the windows open, we can hear the songs of the sea birds.

Anchoring has other advantages as well.  You don’t need to hang fenders, throw lines, or keep from hitting other boats.  When the tide turns, you turn with it and get a different view.

Once securely anchored, we started a load of laundry and I made dinner fit for a Captain and Admiral.  With the exception of being able to wash clothes on our boat, our kind of boating is very similar to camping.  You learn how to do things more simply and conservatively.  You have less space, less water, a smaller refrigerator, and stove (two burner), and since we don’t like the noise of a generator, we conserve energy by turning off lights and unnecessary power draws.  Nature is all around us and no streetlights!!