Ruh-Roh!😕

"Owners and operators of illegal charter vessels can face maximum civil penalties of over $58,000 for illegal passenger-for-hire operations."



Somebody Got Some 'Splainin' To Do

WIN THIS BOAT!

You could win this classic refurbished Whaler! Fishin' for Jamie is selling raffle tix at Hogan's Marina now. Proceeds will be sent to the Nancy and J.C. Lewis Cancer Center in Savannah. Win a boat. Save someone. What fun!

How not to run aground... from the folks at Freedom Boat Club...

Click here to read about staying in the channel and off the mud...!

"Families cheered late Wednesday afternoon as buses began rolling into the parking lot at Tradewinds Casino Cruises at the old Williams Seafood docks off U.S. 80, carrying passengers who had left nearly 24 hours earlier for what they expected to be a five-hour gambling cruise.

The fun ended shortly before midnight Tuesday when the casino cruise ship became grounded on a sandbar between Tybee and Hilton Head islands.

It would be another 16 hours before the 96 passengers set foot on dry land, leaving most of them hot, hungry and exhausted - but mostly glad to be home."  (text and image courtesy SavannahNow and Mary Carr Mayle posted July 17th, 2014)

A Perfect Day...

How do you describe a perfect day? For me,  it involves family, freedom from worry, no thought of yesterday or tomorrow, and of course - beautiful surroundings help.

We experienced such a day yesterday, as we took a Freedom boat to the sandbar lying at the coast between Tybee and Little Tybee islands.

This huge sandbar gets reshaped by the tides and storms which assault Tybee each year. The sandbar you see this summer will look different next year.

The sandbar is large enough to allow for a nice walk - after making sure your boat is securely anchored of course.
My son and his family are specks in the distance at the edge of the earth. 

A weekday visit to the sandbar - when yours may be the only group there - can be a spiritual experience. You are one with earth, sea, and sky. The conch-shell roar of the ocean and the cry of the gulls drive worry from your breast. Life gets a fresh perspective. The smell of saltwater and sun-drenched sand mixes and soothes your soul. Piles of cumulous clouds drift by and large and rain may find you. If it does, play in it!

The deck boat we took yesterday was perfect for our group of four adults, three kids, and one dog. Although the ride was not so smooth in the wind and tide-driven chop on the way out, slowing down to the bottom edge of planing-speed helps make the ride less bone-jarring and is easier on the hull. Once we arrived, having all the room was a bonus. The ride home, with wind and tide hand in hand behind us, was perfect...

Boaters at the sandbar usually anchor either bow-in with one anchor off the bow - the easy and quick method, but watch that a falling tide doesn't strand you - or they drop the bow anchor in the channel and back into shore - raising the motor clear of the water at the last. A stern anchor up on the beach then secures the boat in position. That method is more work, but the boat is more stable. If you are going to walk away
from your boat to explore the sandbar, two anchors are best. 

One of the customs that locals observe on the sandbar is that dogs are free to roam. Because the sandbar is covered with water at high tides, it is not regulated as Tybee and Little Tybee are. If you go on a summer weekend, expect dozens of dogs to run across the expansive vistas - they do this with pure and obvious joy - and they will wander up to see what you are about. Common sense dictates that if your dog doesn't play well with strangers, you should keep him or her under positive control. And poop should be picked up, just like at home.

The water is plenty deep all the way from the Bull River through Tybee Creek (referred to by locals as the "Back River") to the sandbar, but look out for a shallow spot directly across from AJ's DockSide (green structure on Tybee's back side). I found that one the hard way. At high tide, you can go anywhere. At low tide, you can see and avoid the bars. At middle tide is when you find them the hard way. GPS or paper charts help with this.

Click here to view a chart online. You can zoom into the area with a click on the spot.

You may well find dolphins in the river as you travel to and from Tybee's sandbar. They add to any trip and children of all ages love them. Please don't feed them, don't harass them, and don't make sudden changes with your throttle or helm if you encounter them. Don't bang on the boat to draw them to you. I have seen the after-effects of a dolphin and prop encounter and it is pretty horrific. They are beautiful intelligent creatures, and wild. Let's leave them that way as we enjoy our rivers and beaches.

New Reels Catch Fish...

Do you remember the "pecking order?" Here's a good review.

(from my Sea School training I append "willingly" to the end of the mnemonic to include Wing in Ground Effect craft)

Day Trip to Daufuskie Island

Image courtesy HH Island Visitor Guide. Marshside Mama's at the County Dock is closed now, but another
vendor is looking to renovate the building and open a bar and grill.

Over the 30 odd years that I have lived in Savannah, I have visited Daufuskie Island several times, first by Jet Ski, then by pleasure boat,  more than once by helicopter, and more recently as a charter captain. My most memorable charter trips were the ones where I was taking the bands playing at Marshside Mamas to and from the island. I got to chat with many great musicians during these trips for Captain Gary (Gator) Hill. The little deck boat looked like a floating pickup truck packed with equipment and people. We made quite a sight...

Daufuskie is an interesting destination, with a rich history, dirt roads to explore, and quirky places to visit. Writer and humorist Lewis Grizzard played golf here, and the famous author Pat Conroy taught school here after graduating from the Citadel, as depicted in the movie made from his book "The Water is Wide."

If you are a Savannah boater, Daufuskie is a great place to go for a day trip.

Image courtesy Mandy Matney and the Island Packet

There are hundreds of online sources of information about visiting Daufuskie. I liked this one.

Getting there...

There are no bridges to Daufuskie, so a boat or helicopter is required. In most cases, a helicopter only visits the island to pick up trauma patients, so going and leaving by boat is best.

Sidebar: You should be aware that Daufuskie is "isolated." There is a Beaufort County Fire and EMS station on the island, but while you are on the island you are a long way from a hospital.  Behave accordingly. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

When I flew patients off of Daufuskie in the LifeStar helicopter, it usually involved alcohol and golf carts. Anecdotes and the following article indicate that law enforcement patrols the island regularly.

Here is a bit from the local paper about carts, cops, and drinking on Daufuskie...

From Savannah, you access Daufuskie via the ICW or the Savannah River, thence via "Field's Cut" a man-made part of the ICW. Field's Cut is shallow at the entrance from the Savannah River, so at low tide take care and mind the depth gage. The deeper water is on the west side of cut, closer to the range-marker tower. The ICW is clearly marked to Daufuskie, and the Coast Guard has dropped some additional markers to keep you clear of bars. Remember - it's Red Right Going South on the ICW, so it's green-right-going-north. You can also think in terms of "Red on the Mainland side", but sometimes you can't tell which side is mainland. Allow about an hour each way from Hogan's Marina or Thunderbolt.

The first public-access dock you will encounter on Daufuskie is the County Dock. There is a boat ramp there and enough dockage for a dozen or so boats, but no other services. The dock is not attended. Don't tie up right next to the ramp, as that part of the dock is for boats entering and leaving the water. A sign indicates that there is a three-hour time limit on using the dock, but that doesn't appear to be rigorously enforced, at least not on a week-day. A weekend might be different.

When the tide is running the county dock can be tricky to get onto, and you may have to put your bow into a strong current, use a bit of power to maintain heading and let the current sweep you backward adjacent to an open spot. Just relax, take a deep breath and take your time, Don't bite off more than you can chew; an old helicopter maxim is "if it scares you, don't do it."

I have never seen anyone raft up at the county dock, but if you are traveling with another boat that might be an option if is space is limited.

There are golf cart rental services on the island. I just spoke with Brandy (very friendly) at Daufuskie Island Carts and Services. She told me that they will meet you at the County Dock and rent you a golf cart. It's $75 a day for a 4 passenger cart and $100 a day for a 6 pax model. The renter/operator must have a valid driver's license. With a cart, you can explore the island, go to the beach, and see the sights. It's the way to do Daufuskie. Another option is to rent a cart from Freeport Marina discussed below - 3 hours is $65.

Here is some info for renting a golf cart, and more about the island...

Freeport is well marked.

The other docking option on Daufuskie is Freeport, a marina with bar and grill a few miles further up the ICW.  There is lots of room to dock at Freeport, and the docks are serviceable -  if a little bit worn. Wear shoes or good flips on the dock and watch where you are putting your feet. The tide runs fast here too, so think about your approach before making it, and have your fenders and lines in position and ready to grab. When leaving, think about how you are going to depart the dock before untying your lines, and tell your pax your plan. I watched a Pontoon boater with a full boat try and do a 180-degree turn inside of two of the fingers yesterday while a strong current was trying to force him into the cross-dock at the end. It was the classic case of poor planning and embarrassing execution and almost ended in disaster. Remember - your motor does have a reverse gear and you can back out against a current.



Freeport is a laid-back jumble of ramshackle structures covering all of your island desires,  with restrooms, playground for kids, and cottages to rent. They have a fuel pump at the store and a portable tank that you could roll to your boat on the dock in a jam. They also have live music on certain weekends outside next to the outdoor "ScapIron Bar."

Store on site with fuel pump.

Party in Progress at Freeport!

A recent development on Daufuskie is that the old Melrose Plantation swimming pool, bar, and restaurant are back in business. Twelve dollars will get you a day-pass to the pool, right on the beach and looking over at Hilton Head. This is a beautiful place and quite an adventure. You can show your friends a really good time by taking them to Daufuskie, getting a cart for a few hours, and swimming in a nice pool. It makes for a great day trip!, or you can rent a cottage there near the pool and stay for a while.

Image courtesy Kathy Jones. Her grandnieces loved the pool!

A trip to Daufuskie could end up with you having to return to Savannah in restricted visibility. I wrote about that in another post.. Have a plan for the weather if you go to Daufuskie. And make sure you have drinking water on your boat. Sometimes boats break and occasionally boaters run aground.

A good time is had by all at Freeport Marina

If you would like a great time at Daufuskie with all the details covered, let us take you there with Island Shuttle Boat Tours

Remembering Captain Kent... An ode to Donald Kent Shockey, LTC USMC Retired

I remember you friend. I think of you often.

"HEY JUDE"

Off the coast of Carolina, a 12-meter vessel under sail stretches her wings on a broad reach. The middle-aged captain and his wife are headed north for the summer. They have elected to go offshore and direct, rather than having to negotiate the maddening twists and shallows of the Intracoastal Waterway. 

Although they are now over the horizon from help in any sort of emergency, neither is concerned; for this is what they do best. They crew this boat in weather fair and foul.

As the Mrs. goes below to fetch a cup of coffee, the captain feels a clutching pain in his left shoulder, radiating down his chest and back. It takes his breath away. He wants to call for help but is unable. His wife returns to the cockpit to find her husband slumped at the helm. She frantically reaches for the radio and calls for help.

"MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY!"

Coast Guard Sector Charleston receives the call and immediately scrambles a Dolphin from Air Station Savannah. A crew races to their helicopter. They streak towards the stricken Captain at 150 miles-per-hour.

Upon arrival, the helicopter crew works with precision to drop a swimmer into the water and after he's aboard, a rescue device onto the vessel. The vessel may be moving or stationary; either way, the Coast Guard crew is well-trained and prepared, for they have rehearsed this operation repeatedly, day and night. 

Now perhaps you are wondering how this crew comes to possess this level of proficiency - the skill set that allows them to save lives.

(And that captain did live by the way - he was given medications in flight, and thanks to rapid transport by air the team at Memorial Medical Center in Savannah was able to provide a life-saving intervention, a balloon angioplasty.)

Coast Guard helicopter crews are provided the opportunity to learn these life-saving hoist-rescue skills thanks to the commitment and dedication of a cadre of professionals that few know much about; the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary. Auxiliarists take their personally-owned boats into the rivers and bays, day and night, and provide the real-world training resource that allows flight crews to respond and save lives. 

Auxiliarists are not paid for their service. They volunteer themselves and their boats. They give up their nights of comfort to help crews get ready. To help save the lives of people they will never meet. People sailing up and down the coast.

My friend, "Captain" Donald Kent Shockey first served a full career in the United States Marine Corps, then he taught in the public school system for many years; he taught countless kids how to be grownups.

And he also was a USCG Auxiliary boat captain. Outside of family, Kent's life had one purpose. Service. For the first 15 years that I knew him, he used his cabin cruiser, the "Captain Kent" for training the helo crews. And you could tell by looking at her. The hoist baskets had left the marks of hard use on her rails. He didn't care. Kent was a results man. Results matter. Skills matter. Life matters, not fiberglass.

After his wife Judy passed away, Kent decided to get a new boat, a big beautiful Parker with a Yamaha 300 horsepower motor. A beast. My wife Jeanne and I went on the first ride with Kent on this big beautiful new boat.

Somehow our paths seemed to cross like that--at a turning point in life, we would find ourselves together, either on the water or in a watering hole.

We had no sooner returned to the dock at Hogan's that day than his crew members showed up, United States Coast Guard Auxiliary signs in hand. In short order, the new boat was properly designated as a "facility" of the United States Coast Guard. A resource for our benefit.

These official placards were on the side rails.

On the stern, the name of the freshly christened vessel was laid out in contrasting letters.

When Kent lost his wife, his children lost their mom, Judy Shockey. When Kent bought his new boat, she came back.

"Hey Jude II"