12/04

Leaving Amelia Island Yacht Basin on a warm sunny day you will notice the group of white Pelicans perched on the shallow spot which is just about a hundred yards from the boat,the second picture is the group of motor boats that were our flotilla today as we travelled all the way to St Augustine It is nice to share the ride. We will have some maintenance service done tomorrow and hopefully get on our way for Hammock Beach then Titusville. We would like to be in Stewart by Thursday so we can arrange for haulout etc while back home for Christmas. Then hopefully back on board early January to cross the Okeechobee and tour the west coast up to possibly Tampa. Like much of boating the best of plans always seem to change. Declan and Donal would be very impressed with my creative use of the steps today - they made for the perfect step aerobic class! right at the stern with a wonderful breeze and view of the ICW. Keeping fit anyway we can.

12/03

I.E. arrives at Amelia Island Yacht Basin. It is a little difficult to see but that is a bald eagle perched on the pole in the middle of the rushes on the ICW with the paper mills in Brunswick in the background. After a perfect day with the engines operating beautifully I.E. is docked at the perfect spot to watch yet another perfect sunset. Crossing Jekyll Sound seemed a little confusing but with a quick correction we were on our way. Fernandina Harbor Marina was our first encounter of the direct damage Hurricane Matthew has caused. The Marina is totally closed.

12/02

Layday at Brunswick Landing

Return to Irelands Eye

Nana and Nandad have returned to Irelands Eye to continue our journey. The plan is to leave Brnswick landing heading for Stuart and then hopefully across the Okeechobee and cruise the west coast towards Tampa Bay in the New Year. Lots of scrubbing and cleaning to be done, new dodger to be fitted, outboard and dingy to be operational and we are on out way. Photo is the proud shipper after cleaning the dinghy. Reward after several hours of cleaning is a well deserved dingy ride.

3/4/16

The final entry to Nana and Nandads adventures. IE is now safely at Brunswick Landing Marina. To celebrate a wonderful journey Nana and Nandad had the perfect evening at the Jekyll Island Club Hotel. Heading back to family and friends and hoping to perhaps have another adventure next winter. One last picture of the sunset at Jekyll and an attempt by Nana and Nandad to take a selfie- not very successful! 

3/31/16

IE has arrived at Jekyll Island once again on a beautiful sunny day. Nana was hoping to catch a view of some of the wild horses playing with the surf on the beach of Cumberland Island. Instead we found ourselves under scrutiny by the Navy Patrol who were monitoring the waterways along Kings Bay Submarine base in preparation of escorting a war vessel down St Mary's entrance. Now the skipper showed his true colors remaining calm and following the correct markers - a skill difficult to explain unless you have been through this section of the ICW. It takes three tugs to escort this submarine as you will see from the picture. 

IE has been scrubbed clean and to celebrate the ending of this great journey we will be picked up by the Bell Boy of the Jekyll Island Club Hotel for dinner at 7pm. The skipper has promised to follow the dress code!!!!

Tomorrow Nana and Nandad will dock at Brunswick where IE will remain for a few months. 

The pictures are the sunset on Amelia Island from IE and the second one is the three tugs with the submarine. Cruising on the ICW can bring the unexpected. It has been a marvelous journey. 

3/01/16 & 3/02/16

Yesterday was Vikens 2nd birthday. Nana and Nandad are sad that they miss his actual birthday but intend to catch up once we get back. Happy birthday Viken😍. 

IE is now at the Northernmost city of Florida. A place called Fernandine Beach mm 716 on Amelia Island. This means we are just about 20 miles from Brunswick Georgia. 

Nana and Nandad spent last night at Beach Marina in Jacksonville which is a very neglected Marina but we had the perfect sunset. Yesterday we cruised back up the Mantanza Inlet, Anastasia Island through St Agustine and up the Tolomato River. This is a wonderful section of the ICW with a mix of small and large homes all along the way. The water is so much clearer. For the first time Nana and Nandad put up the Bimini on the bridge to provide protection from the sun! IE also rescued a brand new 65 foot boat that had ran aground by providing a very large wake- I guess it is advantageous occasionally. 

Today we also rescued a beautiful boat called Jeanine 111 that went into a sand bank along Fort George Island. We are hoping that our turn is not around the corner! While passing the entrance to St Johns River the security patrol were out protecting what appeared to be some type of Ship with a Ukraine Flag. The shipyard here repairs the Navy Boats so Nana is wondering what type of vessel this was. We were going to take a mooring today - for the first time- but due to the strong winds decided to go for the protection of the slip inside the breakwater. Perfect sunshine and breeze for another great evening. The first picture is Nana relaxing having lunch at Brett's Waterway Cafe. The next picture is that boat that was being protected at the St Johns River entrance ( I think you would agree it's not your everyday ship). The third picture is just at sundown the crew rowboat was on its way back into Beach Marina.There are two persons on each seat! The last picture is of IE looking very sturdy after her rescue at Beach Marina in Jacksonville.