Full Moon to Bow, Sunrise at Stern - Mile Hammock

Wednesday 10-15-08
We left the anchorage about 07:45, a bit later than normal due to the extra time needed to clean the black muck from the anchor and chain. It looked like grease that might be used for tank track lube. Tidal currents were alternately with us and against us because there are numerous small cuts that come in from the ocean along this stretch of the ICW. Depending on which side of the cut you are on, the same tide might be flowing either toward or away from a particular cut. Other issues that can slow your pace are close quarters with homes where they have “No Wake Zone” postings, and the high number of small fishing boats drifting about along (and in) the channel. Out of courtesy and safety concerns, we slow down for the fishermen. We also had timing issues with a couple of lower bridges and had to slow and wait for the scheduled openings – all of these things gave us an average speed of 7.3 SMPH for our 7 hours underway, today. Note: the ICW is marked in statute miles and locations of bridges and marinas etc. are listed that way in guides. Mile Marker “0” is in Portsmouth, VA and the numbers increase as you go south – the northern boundary of Florida is about at MM 720. It is our plan to try to do about 50 miles on the days we are moving – it may prove to be ambitious.