Rough day on the Ocean off of Hillsboro Inlet
Lots of water under the bridge already this year, work is stacking up - need to get it done - boat projects are taking up space inside the boat, but the boat is back together and able to get away from the dock.
Our new dock is much closer to the Ocean, only 3 bridges and none of them are Railroad bridges. We have left the dock once before, last year, and then life got in the way. So we decided to just take the boat out to shake off the cobwebs. Could have chosen a better day!
Sun shining, balmy 70º (F), Sunday - not a day we would have left our old dock due to the crazy boat traffic on the New River. Forecast was for 10-15knts of wind from the N-NE, should be a nice sail up and down the coast, put in a few practices of heaving too, and make sure all of the lines that have been reconnected after the deck refinishing work.
We have figured out the best time to head North from our dock is 55 and 25 mins off the hour. That puts us easily at the first bridge in time for either the 00 or 30 minute openings. We didn't leave the dock until 9:40 but we pushed the engine up to 3,200 rpm and surged towards the Atlantic Blvd Bridge. Using the Auto Guidance feature on our chart plotter, we determined we would arrive at the bridge at 10:02am, cool! The bridges normally don't start their opening procedure until the set time, so we should get there just as the bridge opens. I called the bridge on #09 and confirmed that we would be there on time. We continued our hustle along and frequently checking our arrival time.
As we approached the bridge, not yet ready to open, we slowed so that we could stay outside of the fenders, those big wooden fences that protect the structure of the bridges, and when within about 200 feet of the bridge, the bridge tender called on the radio telling us we were too late! Frustrated, I foolishly bantered back and forth but the bridge was not going to open on the hour!
That meant we had to practice doing donuts for nearly half an hour, during which time I relaxed a bit and completed some of the preparation for when we hoisted the sails: Unzippered the Sailbag, Released the dog-bone restraint on the Genoa Furler, checked all the lines were ready to hoist the sails and that the boat was prepared for Sea.
10:25am I called the bridge just to make sure they knew that we wanted the bridge to open - if no boat calls for an opening, they don't. The tender replied and just before 10:30am, the broadcast that the bridge was about to open.
It did! at 10:32am -- hold it in Paul! worse things happen at sea.
As we passed the bridge, I gave the usual 'Thanks for the Opening' call to the tender and we pushed our way towards 14th street bridge, due to open at 10:45am. We made it easily and waited for the bridge to open. Now we're just bridge away from the Ocean.
The Auto guidance reported we would arrive at the Hillsboro Inlet Bridge at 10:55am, 5 minutes before the 11:00am opening. HI bridge opens every 15 minutes if boats request it.
We hung around well away from the bridge and could see several large vessels waiting to come through the bridge from the Ocean side. The tide was heading in towards the ICW, so it's curtesy to allow the downstream vessels to come through first as the tide is pushing those boats towards the bridge, it's not a huge wide bridge so there's not room for two boats at the same time, certainly when the tide flow is heavy, it gets a bit washy then.
Once the incoming boats were through, those of us waiting to go out started our maneuvers, it's a bit of a mad rush as some of the outgoing vessels were commercial charter fishing boats and they want to get out to the fishing spots.
Easily past the bridge, we headed for the inlet. Our plan was to stay to over to the South side of the inlet as we always review the latest Soundings before heading out. We kept about 20yds off of the Green Markers off to our right and headed out to the HI Buoy. A couple of those charter boats pushed hard on their throttle just before they passed us and hammered us with their wakes. Worse was the belching of black smoke from their exhaust a true sign of rapid throttle movements causing excess fuel flow to the engine and not getting burnt efficiently. Either that or they had upcoming engine issues.
It's nearly always roughest at the inlet just as we pass the jetty on the South side, but today it was really rough. Our bow ploughed into the oncoming short period 3-4' waves probably on a few seconds apart. Not to worry, once we get out of the inlet it will calm down, hold on.
Seems I did not do a really good job of securing for Sea! I went down to the cabin to tidy up the boxes that had fallen to the cabin sole, it took a few minutes. We had just turned North to see if being off the wind would help cope with the grumpy waves. We had been in much bigger waves several times, but the frequency of the waves were just right to make it a really uncomfortable 'fund day sailing'. I asked Peggy if she was ok if we turned back if the waves did not easy up. They didn't, Peggy was ok with it.
So we turned around back towards the HI Buoy and just got beat up some more, but at least we were headed for the calmer waters inside the inlet.
We pretty much kept on top of our track from our departure and, as luck would have it, the bridge was open when we passed the inside end of the jetty on the South side. I recently learned that the jetty is named after one of club's past commodores - Jack Holland. I hailed the bridge asking if he could stay open for us. There were a couple of big yachts ahead of us and so the bridge had no issues holding for us. We followed the big boat but paused long enough for a couple of bigger fishing boats to come out.
Once inside on the ICW I set the Chart plotter to Auto Guidance back to our dock - I need to document that process until I get used to it. The Auto guidance reported that we would get back at the dock at 12:22pm. Think about that for a few seconds.
We left the dock at 9:20 am and should be back at the dock at 12:22pm Three hours!
Due to usual delays getting past the two bridges our actual ETA changed to 12:33pm, it was an uneventful trip back to the dock.
As we turned into the canal where our dock is located, I asked Peggy if she felt up to turning the boat as we keep the boat Starboard side to the dock. Pegs was fine if we donned our Eartec headsets so that I could give her directions.
Peggy's first time doing a 180º turn in a narrow canal was absolutely pefect! She moved over the South side of the canal, turned the wheel for a fast turn to Port, put the engine in reverse until we were turning quickly and just started to go astern. Then with the wheel still over hard, she put the engine in forward gear and gained steerage to complete the turn. Impressive, shame there was nobody near the dock to see her maneuver. Kudos Pegs!
Steering the boat towards the far end of our dock, Peggy got us so that I could reach the lines from on the dock using our boat hook. Then Peggy's headset fell off! She didn't hear my request to go astern and we overran the line that goes from the dolphin pole to one of the dock poles and I'm struggling to stop the keel going over that line. We made the boat secure using another line and peggy grabbing the nearest dock pole. I'll have to adjust that line between the dock pole and the dolphin pole. so that it's more of a barrier.
Safely along side, we agree that we need to figure the lines out so that they are better positioned for when we come alongside. Either that or have the boat facing West at the dock. That's not the most comfortable position as we do get some rocking wave action from the end of the Canal anytime a boat creates a wake on that part of the ICW.
Time for a break, we had our Subway Sandwiches before the boat was ready to leave at the dock. We followed our usual process of preparing the boat before leaving.
- Remove the electronics from the Helm.
- Remove the starter key and store in it's regular location in the cabin.
- Install the helm cover.
- Secure the Genoa Furler with the canvas dog bone.
- Close the Mainsail Cradle Cover zipper and secure the mainsheet to prevent mast slapping.
- Remove the Depth/Speed/Temperature transducer and install the blank plug
- Close all of the thru hulls
- Turn off all electrical devices except the Victron system.
- Pack up everything that needs to go home.
- Close up the cabin openings.
- Lock up the Cabin companionway.
- Look around the boat to see if anything else needs tending to.
- Step ashore, adjust the lines to allow the boat to move off of the dock.
The boat needs a washdown, we had plenty of salt water spray over the bow and there's still bird poop on deck despite the light rain during our trip back to the dock.
Good day????
Yep, any day that we can get the boat out and back is a good day. There's a lot more coming.
Oh, this was my birthday trip - made it even better.
We'll be out on the water soon! Hope to take some crew out for a day sail.
See you out there.
Keep the stick up and the keel down.
- Last loo
- Secure the boom amid ships