3/21/22
Having enjoyed a calm offshore passage to St Simons, we chose to do this again on the 78 (statute) mile trek to Savannah. This choice requires an initial commitment of 7 miles to get to the ocean before turning north for the outside run. This route would cut our travel time from 9 hours to 7 and the weather was not predicted to be as ideal, as it was for our last run, with light wind and small waves predicted to be coming directly towards us all day. However, we took a chance, ran out through St. Simons Sound and briefly discussed turning back and taking the inside (ICW) route, when we saw what we were in for. The seas were 4-5 feet and we were bouncing around a lot, while we ran the engine at 10% over our usual cruising speed, to maintain 10 knots and keep to our 7 hour transit time. Although conditions were not ideal, (or particularly comfortable) we decided to keep going when the math showed, that turning back at this point, would put us into Savannah well after dark.
The nice part of going outside in Georgia, is the spacing of the inlets and sounds (to go back inside to the ICW) if the conditions turn really nasty. Our first place to bail out and go inside, was 28 miles up the coast and we decided to go at least that far. The next spot was 10 miles further and, when we passed our first exit, we decided we could handle the extra distance as well. Then conditions got progressively better as we passed each of our other bailout options and continued all the way to the Ossabaw Sound.
Throughout the day we were 3-6 miles offshore, which was close enough to hear some of the radio traffic on the ICW. When we heard the requests for slow passes and an unkind exchange about a boat passing too close, we were glad to have chosen the outside route. While it was not nearly as scenic it was definitely faster. We were ok with that today.
This entrance back to the ICW (Ossabaw Sound) looked great on the chart. It was well marked through the shoals with the usual placement of red and green buoys. However, when we turned towards the shore, the entrance bouys were…just not there. No reds, no greens, no clues. This left us with an electronic chart showing the shoals, but no buoys to visually guide us. Passing through unmarked channels and over unmarked shoals was a little tense. Eventually, we concluded that the shifting sand bars had obliterated the previous safe passages and the Coast Guard had simply given up trying to place the buoys in the correct positions. So we trekked on slowly and made it through with elevated heart rates but no permanent damage.
Due to unfavorable currents and no wake zones (in the ICW at the end of the day) we arrived at Isle of Shoals Marina, on the Skidaway River, 8 hours after we started. After we tied up to T dock and settled in for sunset and dinner aboard, we made plans to visit Savannah the next day.
We ubered into Savannah to join an 11:45 food tour. This was billed as a walking tour where we would taste southern cooking at 4 notable Savannah restaurants. We arrived hungry and were not disappointed. The tour started at Fancy Parkers, which is a gas station and convenience store (in fact the oldest gas station in Georgia which predated the Model T). But this is no Cumberland Farms; the convenience store is a gourmet food mart, where we started our food tour with…GAS STATION FRIED CHICKEN. Unbelievably good!
After a 20 minute walk through the streets and squares of Savannah, we stopped at Rise for fried green tomato and pimento cheese biscuits. Fried green tomatoes came about as a way to preserve unripe tomatoes ahead of an early frost. The pimento cheese added a tangy flavor and a few more calories…delicious and very filling.
Then we walked to the Cotton Exchange Tavern, on the waterfront for more fried food. This time it was shrimp and hush puppies (belch). The shrimp were from the coast of Georgia and the preparation was perfect. The hush puppies were…filling.
We ended the tour at the Savannah Candy House for a dessert of freshly made Pralines (pecans baked in a batter of butter and sugar). Not exactly a calorie friendly lunch, but the 2 hours of walking (and an overload of sugar) kept us from slipping into food comas.
Deciding we could handle one more attraction, we settled on the Prohibition Museum. Savannah was a smugglers destination during the 1920s and this museum chronicles both the national movement and Savannah’s contribution to resisting its enforcement. The tour ended with prohibition era cocktails that were surpassingly good yet made from unlikely combinations of liquor…a perfect way to end our day in Savannah.
Savannah is wonderful southern city and the urban experience was a nice way to start transitioning from boat life to real life. We will fly home in 2 days to reconnect with friends & family before returning to complete our voyage in mid April.
Next stop Beaufort (Bewfort) South Carolina…