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From Tee To Sea, 955 N.W. Flagler Ave, Stuart, FL (2026)

10/22/2026

October 22, 2026

From: St. Augustine Municipal Marina, Mooring Field
To: Hammock Beach Marina, Palm Coast, FL
Departed: 9:15 AM | Arrived: 12:15 PM
Time Underway: 3 hours
Wind: 12 mph | AICW: Mostly smooth
Seas: N/A
Speed: 7.5–8.5 knots, depending on the current
Temp: 75 degrees
Visibility: Sunny with a nice, light breeze

Jackpot! We Made It! YAHOO! 🎉

After all those miles heading south, Patriot has officially arrived at her winter home!

We enjoyed a super-nice night on the mooring ball in St. Augustine. No rocking, a cool breeze drifting through the portholes, and a peaceful night's sleep. Just the way we like it!
Interestingly, around 8:00 this morning, some swells started rolling through the mooring field. At first, we thought it was boat wake, but apparently not. A little mystery to start our day!

Anywho... At 9:15, we slipped off the mooring ball, carefully cruised through the field of boats, and pointed Patriot south on the ICW for our final leg.

It was a beautiful day and an easy cruise. We reached the skinny stretch of the Matanzas River on a rising tide, with plenty of water beneath us.

Easy peasy! Just the way I like my skinny water. 😂

I also want to give a BIG shout-out to Bob of Bob423 Tracks for helping guide us safely south, all the way from Norfolk, Virginia, to Palm Coast, Florida.

For my non-boating friends, Bob423 is a wonderful resource for ICW cruisers. Bob and his network of boaters use sonar depth information and shared observations to help identify the deeper routes through some of the trickier sections of the waterway. The tracks are updated as new information becomes available.
I honestly don't know how some boaters navigate the ICW by simply following the magenta line on their charts!

Thank you, Bob423! You've certainly helped keep Patriot out of the mud. And that's a very good thing! ⚓

As we approached Hammock Beach Marina, we radioed Dockmaster Crystal, who was waiting at our face dock and did an excellent job handling our lines.

And wouldn't you know it...on the very last docking of our southbound journey, our headsets decided NOT to work!
I tried everything. Nothing! So, for the first time, Captain Bob and I had to resort to some good old-fashioned LOUD COMMUNICATION! Fortunately, everything went smoothly, and we got Patriot tied up without a problem. Later, I discovered the reason for our headset failure.

I had carefully plugged them in to charge last night...
Only I forgot to plug the charger into the WALL!
Well, that explains a few things! LOL.

Once we were settled, Crystal gave us the lay of the land, including the fitness room, pool, laundry, lounge, and all the amenities we'll be enjoying during our winter stay.

On Saturday, we'll rent a car and head north to Brunswick to retrieve our own car. YAHOO! Wheels of freedom again! 🚗

Now we're ready to settle into a little resort living, get back on the golf course, explore Palm Coast, and catch up with our many wonderful friends on the First Coast.

It's been another memorable cruising season aboard Patriot, filled with beautiful waterways, interesting challenges, new friendships, and plenty of adventures.!!!!!!

And while I always love seeing what's around the next bend, there's something pretty special about arriving at your destination, securing those dock lines, and knowing you can stay awhile.
Patriot is home for the winter, I can put away the tide charts for a bit, and Ace has new territory to explore! 🐶

Our cruising motto: “The adventure is in the journey, but the joy is knowing when to drop anchor and enjoy where you are.”

Life is good... ❤️⚓

10/21/2026

October 21, 2026

From: Fernandina Harbor Marina, Fernandina Beach, FL
To: St. Augustine Municipal Marina, Mooring Field
Departed: 9:10 AM | Arrived: 4:10 PM
Time Underway: 7 hours
Wind: 12–18 mph | AICW: Mostly smooth with a little wind chop
Seas: 0.5–1 foot
Speed: 7.5–8.5 knots, depending on the current
Temp: 75 degrees
Visibility: Sunny with a nice breeze

Bridge Timing, Mooring Ball Hunting & a Little Carbon Burning! ⚓😂

We enjoyed a nice, quiet night on the outside face dock at Fernandina Harbor Marina. This morning, getting off the dock and heading south on the ICW was easy peasy!

It was a pretty straightforward cruising day until we had to start thinking about timing the Bridge of Lions in St. Augustine just at the end of the trip.

The bridge opens on the hour and half-hour, and originally we were hoping to catch the 3:00 PM opening. But we decided to sip our fuel rather than gulp it, and before long, that plan went out the window. No problem. We'd shoot for 4:00! Well...even that was starting to look questionable. So Captain Bob decided it was time to burn a little carbon! 😂

He bumped up the RPMs, but with the current working against us, we could only squeeze about 11 knots out of Patriot. Not exactly the speed we were hoping for! But the good news? We made the 4:00 bridge opening with 10 minutes to spare!

Of course, that meant circling around a few times while we waited. Nothing like a little sightseeing from the helm. LOL.
And just when I thought we were almost finished for the day, we had one more little challenge.

The Great Mooring Ball Hunt!
The marina wouldn't give us our mooring ball assignment until we cleared the bridge. The problem was that the mooring field was immediately to the west, and I wanted to know exactly where we were headed before we got there. So, naturally, I called as we were entering the bridge. Then the hunt began!

Which ball? Where is it? Is that ours? Nope, not that one!
Finally, we spotted our assigned ball, lined Patriot up, and the rest was history.

Captain Bob and I have this little mooring ball dance down pretty well these days. A little teamwork, a little communication, and easy peasy...we were secured! ⚓

The wind was blowing around 12 mph when we settled in, and hopefully it will ease to about 10 mph by morning.

Originally, we had planned to spend four nights here in St. Augustine, but with some strong winds and rain heading our way, we've decided to change plans and get to our winter home a little earlier.

Tomorrow we'll head south along the Matanzas River to Hammock Beach Marina in Palm Coast. It's only about a three-hour cruise, with just one skinny, tricky stretch to keep us on our toes.
After all, what would an ICW cruising day be without a little skinny water to get your attention? 😂

We're getting pretty excited about settling into our winter home, exploring a new area, playing some golf, and giving Patriot a well-deserved rest.

One more cruise, one more skinny spot, and we'll be HOME for the winter!

Tick-tock, Hammock Beach...here comes Patriot! ❤️⚓🐶
Life is good!

10/20/2026

October 20, 2026

From: Brunswick Landing Marina, Brunswick, GA
To: Fernandina Harbor Marina, Fernandina Beach, FL

Departed: 11:30 AM | Arrived: 4:10 PM
Time Underway: 4 hours, 40 minutes
Wind: 12–18 mph | AICW: Choppy | Sounds: Spicy!
Seas: 3–5 feet in St. Andrews Sound
Speed: 6.5–7.8 knots, depending on the current
Temp: 65 degrees
Visibility: Sunny with plenty of WIND!

Here We Go Again… Hold On to Your Hats! ⚓🌊

After nearly six weeks at Brunswick Landing Marina, it was time to get Patriot moving south again. And wouldn't you know it, Mother Nature decided to give us a little welcome-back adventure!
As always, Patriot performed like a champ!

Today's departure was carefully planned around the tides so we could navigate the skinny water in Jekyll Creek with plenty beneath us. Ironically, that turned out to be the smoothest part of our entire trip!

We left the protection of Brunswick Landing Marina and headed into the Brunswick River, where we got our first taste of the wind. About 15 mph right on our beam, but surprisingly, the waves were less than a foot. Check that stretch of open water off the list! ✔️

Then came St. Andrews Sound.Oh boy...things got SPICY! As we headed toward the ocean, the swells started building. Three feet...four feet...and then FIVE feet!

Thankfully, our stabilizers were doing their job, and Patriot handled those big swells beautifully. After about 20 minutes of rocking and rolling, we made a hard turn south, putting the wind and waves behind us.

And just like that, we were surfing! Captain Bob kept us on course, Patriot did her thing, and I was happy to put that Sound behind us.
Check St. Andrews Sound off the list! ✔️😂

The St. Marys Inlet area was a little sporty, too, but nothing compared to what we'd just experienced.

Another 20 minutes or so, and Fernandina Harbor Marina was finally in sight.

Of course, with all that wind, docking was going to be interesting. But between Captain Bob's skills, the thrusters, a little patience, and some excellent dockhands, we got Patriot safely tied up.

And speaking of dockhands, what a pleasant surprise! The marina has a new crew, and they were fantastic. A big improvement over some of our previous visits here

Once we straightened up the boat, we headed into town for a walk with Ace, who had been a very good boy throughout our little nautical adventure. I'm pretty sure he was just happy to find some solid ground and grass! 🐶

There's more scoop in the pictures from today's journey.
All in all, not a bad travel day. A little wind, a little excitement, some sporty seas, and best of all...NO RAIN!

Tomorrow we'll depart early for St. Augustine, timing the skinny water in Sawpit Creek around a half falling tide.

The forecast is calling for another breezy day, and this time we'll be picking up a mooring ball. Hmmm...catching a mooring ball in the wind. What could possibly make that interesting? 😂

I'm already looking forward to checking that one off the list!

Another day, another adventure aboard Patriot.

Life is good...even when the Sounds get a little spicy! ❤️⚓

10/19/2026

September 23 – October 19, 2026

At: Brunswick Landing Marina, Brunswick, GA

Time to Get on Down the ICW… ⚓❤️

After nearly six weeks in Brunswick, it's time to untie the lines and get Patriot moving south again!

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Brunswick Landing Marina. The staff is amazing, the boaters are super friendly, and the marina is well protected. It's been a wonderful place to settle in, make new friends, and enjoy a little downtime from cruising.

We also had a fantastic trip to Park City, Utah, for the Gotfredson sibling reunion. Between hiking, e-bike rides, fabulous food, and lots of family time, it was a trip to remember! On our way back east, we even managed a five-hour layover in Los Angeles and squeezed in a Sunday Supper with the kids. Priceless! ❤️

Back in Brunswick, we've kept plenty busy. A few rounds of golf and lots of practice at Jekyll Island, boat chores and maintenance for Bob, and plenty of walking, golf yoga, good books, card games and meeting new friends for me.

Funny how you can be sitting still and still wonder where the days went!

Now it's time to get back into cruising mode!

Our plan is to depart before noon so we can reach the shallow waters of Jekyll Creek on a rising tide. With all the northeast wind we've been having, I was hoping Mother Nature might give us a little extra water.

And guess what? I just checked with Jekyll Marina, and they're reporting about two extra feet of water!

YAHOO! A little depth cushion! Now that's my kind of boating bonus. 😂

Our next stops will be Fernandina Harbor Marina and St. Augustine, spending one night at each before heading to our winter home at Hammock Beach Marina in Palm Coast, FL. We're excited to settle in and explore everything the area has to offer.

I have to admit, after sitting at the dock for several weeks, I sometimes start wondering, "Now, how do we do all this again?" LOL.

It's kind of like golf. Take a little time off and suddenly you wonder where your swing went. But once you get back out there, it all starts naturally again.

And that's what I love about cruising. There's always another destination, another adventure, and something new waiting around the next bend.

So, it's time to put away the dockside routine, pull out Aqua Maps, check the weather apps, and get those engines humming again!
Palm Coast, here we come! ⚓

Life is good...whether we're sitting still or cruising along! ❤️

09/22/2026

September 10–22, 2026

At: Brunswick Landing Marina, Brunswick, GA

Simple Isn’t Easy… ⚓

Since we've been sitting still for a while, I figured it was time for a little update from Brunswick!

We're really enjoying our stay at Brunswick Landing Marina. It's a great marina with sturdy floating docks, good security, lots of activities and gatherings, super-nice boaters, and a cute little downtown just across the street. It's an easy place to settle into for a while.

Ace is especially happy here. There are plenty of places for long walks and a great dog park where he can run free and get his zoomies out. Needless to say, he's made himself right at home. 🐶
The weather has still been pretty warm, but hey, it's September in Georgia! Bob and I have made it over to Jekyll Island Golf Club a few times to practice and attempt to locate our golf swings. 😂 We're looking forward to actually playing the course when we return from our upcoming travels.

Next up, we're heading to Park City, Utah, for a Gotfredson sibling reunion. We're really looking forward to catching up with family, spending time together, and enjoying some cooler mountain weather. I'm thinking the change in temperature is going to feel pretty darn good!

Of course, no extended marina stay would be complete without a list of boat projects. Bob has been happily—or at least busily—checking those off.

I've been catching up on my golf, yoga, computer work, and who knows what else. Somehow, even when we're sitting still, my days manage to fill themselves!

Last week we drove down to Stuart to retrieve our car and catch up with Sister Annie, so we officially have the Wheels of Freedom again. After months of courtesy cars, Uber rides, bikes, and walking, having your own car feels pretty luxurious!

So, for now, Patriot is resting, Ace is zooming, Bob is tackling boat projects, I'm keeping busy, and we're enjoying a different pace of cruising life.

Sometimes the adventure isn't about where you're going next. Sometimes it's simply about enjoying where you are.

Simple isn't easy...but right now, it's pretty darn good. ❤️⚓

09/09/2026

September 9, 2026

From: Crescent River Anchorage #2, Darien, GA
To: Brunswick Landing Marina, Brunswick, GA
Departed: 7:00 AM | Arrived: 12:00 PM
Time Underway: 5 hours
Wind: 6–10 mph | AICW: Smooth
Speed: 6.5–11 knots, depending on the current
Temp: 76–87 degrees
Visibility: Partly sunny with lots of BIG clouds

Time to Take a Breather…

We made it to Brunswick!

Last night was pretty gusty until around midnight, and then thankfully everything settled down. Our anchor held beautifully and came up nice and clean this morning, with just a little mud on the anchor itself. An easy washdown—and we'll take that any day!
Yesterday's strong northeast winds pushed a TON of water into the rivers and marshes. When we anchored, the marsh grass was standing about three feet above the water. By the time we went to bed, you couldn't see the marsh grass at all! We figure the wind pushed in at least four extra feet of water. Check out the pictures...pretty amazing.

Today's cruise was wonderfully easy.

We timed the infamous Little Mud River just right, and thanks to the wind pushing in an extra three to four feet of water, we had plenty beneath Patriot.

And by the way, I don't know why they call it Little Mud River. It seemed pretty darn LONG to me! 😂

As we approached St. Simons Sound, we left Bob's track and headed west towards Brunswick Landing Marina. Two super-nice dockhands were waiting for us, and Captain Bob sterned Patriot right into her new home for the next six weeks.

Once we were tied up, we got informed of all the marina amenities—and there are plenty! A huge dog park, dog wash area, beautiful bathhouse, fitness area, free laundry, and a Yacht Club that hosts happy hours Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday along with lots of other activities.

And then came the goody bag... A big, sturdy tote bag complete with a back scratcher! Now THAT is something you don't realize you need until you have one. 😂

Downtown Brunswick is right across the street, and there's plenty to explore in the area. We'll be here for six weeks and hope to play some golf, visit St. Simons Island, explore the surrounding area, and simply enjoy staying put for a while.

Monday we'll rent a car and drive down to Stuart to retrieve our own car and spend some time visiting my sister Annie. Can't wait!
We've been on the move heading south for 20 days, and I'm ready for a little break from weather apps, tide charts, skinny water, bridge openings, anchor alarms, and dock lines!!!!

Although I know myself... Give me a few weeks and I'll probably be saying, “When are we leaving?” 😄

When we do start cruising again, our next stops will be Fernandina Beach, St. Augustine, and then Hammock Beach Marina in Palm Coast for the winter.

For now, Patriot is tied up, the engines are off, and we're officially taking a breather.

And judging by that big dog park, Ace has already decided Brunswick Landing is his new favorite marina! 🐶

Twenty days, lots of miles, plenty of adventures...and we made it.
Life is good! ❤️⚓

09/08/2026

September 8, 2026

From: Isle of Hope Marina, Savannah, GA
To: Crescent River Anchorage #2, Darien, GA
Departed: 8:00 AM | Anchor Down: 2:00 PM
Time Underway: 6 hours
Wind: 10–17 mph with gusts to 25 mph | AICW: Smooth
Speed: 8.5–10 knots
Temp: 86–88 degrees
Visibility: Overcast, cloudy and WINDY!

Wind, Wind, Go Away… 💨⚓

We had a nice stay at Isle of Hope and departed early this morning so we could get settled into our anchorage with plenty of daylight.
It was WINDY today! The northeast wind was blowing 10–17 mph with gusts up to 25, but thankfully it worked in our favor. Going through the three Sounds, we mostly had the wind at our stern, which made for a surprisingly smooth ride. I will say it is a beautiful run.

Easy peasy...just a very windy easy peasy! 😄

We also made it through Hell Gate with plenty of water beneath Patriot. Between our tide planning and the northeast wind pushing in a little extra water, we had no problems at all.

By 2:00, the anchor was down, Patriot was secure, and this crew was officially DONE for the day or at least we hope so.

Tomorrow morning we'll pull up the anchor and make our final run to Brunswick Landing Marina.

After all these miles heading south...

Over and out…

09/07/2026

September 7, 2026

From: Safe Harbor Port Royal, Beaufort, SC
To: Isle of Hope Marina, Savannah, GA
Departed: 7:20 AM | Arrived: 12:40 PM
Time Underway: 5 hours, 20 minutes
Wind: 10–13 mph | AICW: Smooth
Speed: 8.5 knots
Temp: 86–88 degrees
Visibility: Overcast and cloudy with some rain

No Need to Rush… ⚓

We had a good cruise today, leaving early so we could time a couple of the skinny areas—Ramshorn Creek and Fields Cut—with enough water beneath us. Our timing was pretty darn good!

It was a winding route today, but thankfully there weren't too many No Wake zones, so we were able to keep Patriot moving along nicely.

We always enjoy Isle of Hope Marina, and the dockhands were great as usual. Once again, Captain Bob had to take Patriot make a U-turn, and come back into the current to get us tied up on the face dock.

No drama. No excitement. Just the way I like my docking! 😄
This afternoon we'll grab the courtesy car and head to one of our favorite Mexican restaurants, Tequila's Town, followed by a quick provisioning run.

Tomorrow we're off to Crescent River Anchorage #2, and once again, it's all about the tides. We need to time our passage through Hell Gate around mid to high tide.

Originally, we thought about making the entire run to Brunswick Landing Marina tomorrow—at least a 10-hour day—but that plan would have put us through Little Mud River at low tide. We also would have been racing the clock to reach the marina before closing. So...we aborted that plan!

One thing cruising continues to teach us is that there's absolutely no prize for getting there first. We'd much rather take our time, have plenty of water under Patriot, and enjoy the journey.

Life is good. ❤️⚓

09/07/2026

September 5-6, 2026

From: Safe Harbor Beaufort, SC
To: Safe Harbor Port Royal, Beaufort, SC
Departed: 9:30 AM | Arrived: 10:20 AM
Time Underway: 50 minutes
Wind: 4–5 mph | AICW: Smooth
Speed: 8.5 knots (slack tide)
Temp: 86–93 degrees
Visibility: Clear, sunny skies

Short Run… ⚓

Not too much to report on this cruising day—and sometimes that's a very good thing!

We had an easy 50-minute run to Port Royal and timed the current just right. As we approached the marina, Captain Bob headed south past the dock, made a U-turn to put Patriot into the wind and slight current, and just like that...tied up and done!

With temperatures climbing into the 90s, we didn't do much exploring. Ace, however, decided it was the perfect day for a major roll fest in the grass. Whatever he found must have smelled wonderful to him...not so much to us. 😂 Needless to say, a bath immediately followed!

I caught up on some business on the computer, and we mostly enjoyed Patriot's wonderful air conditioning.

The dockmaster and dockhands here are super friendly and helpful. I also scored a good book from the marina's "Leave a Book, Take a Book" shelf. Love those little cruising finds!

Tomorrow we're off to Isle of Hope, just outside Savannah, Georgia.
Another state, another stop, and we're getting closer...

Tick tock...almost to Brunswick Landing Marina! ❤️⚓

09/02/2026

August 30 – September 2, 2026

From: Safe Harbor Charleston City Marina, Charleston, SC
To: Safe Harbor Beaufort, Beaufort, SC

Departed: 7:30 AM | Arrived: 3:00 PM
Time Underway: 7 hours, 30 minutes
Wind: 4–5 mph | AICW: Smooth and skinny
Speed: 7.5–10 knots, depending on the current
Temp: 93 degrees
Visibility: Clear, sunny skies

Lots of Catching Up With Friends… ❤️⚓

We had a great few days in Charleston and especially enjoyed catching up with friends!

First, we managed to check off all those not-so-exciting "To Do" items that accumulate while cruising. Once those were finished, it was officially **play time!**

Our friends Dave and Cindy picked us up at the marina and took us to lunch at **The Griffon**, an English-style pub. I'm not sure how long it's been around, but the walls and ceilings are covered with dollar bills—at least three or four layers deep!

Cindy told us that during COVID they removed about **$30,000 worth of those dollar bills** and shared the money with the staff. How cool is that? And to top it off, the food was super yummy!

Later, our friends who have a Fleming 58 at the marina joined us for another great catch-up. We met them for dinner, although Bob and I were still so full from lunch that we settled for drinks.

**One of the very best parts of this cruising life is reconnecting with friends along the way—you may not have seen each other for months, but somehow you pick up right where you left off.**

Our cruise from Charleston to Beaufort was wonderfully uneventful...**just the way I like it!**

Well, almost.

We came upon a dredging operation and weren't quite sure which side they wanted us to pass on. We called them on the radio several times but didn't get an answer, so we slowed way down. Finally, the radio came to life:

Do NOT enter there...BACK UP!

Well, okay then! Message received. 😳

We backed Patriot up, followed their directions, squeezed closely past their port side, and continued safely on our way. A little excitement just to keep us on our toes!

We arrived in Beaufort and discovered even more friends! Jacqui and Ed aboard **Finito** are tied up on the same dock. They're from Stuart and are heading north while we're continuing south. Another perfect example of how boating paths seem to cross at just the right time.

We'll be here for three nights before making a very short hop to Safe Harbor Port Royal.

And since I somehow failed to accomplish my retail therapy while in Charleston, I have a serious responsibility tomorrow. Beaufort has lots of wonderful little boutiques just waiting to be explored.

Someone has to do it. 😄

We're getting closer and closer to Georgia...

Tick tock, Brunswick! ❤️⚓

From Tee To Sea

10/22/2026

10/21/2026

10/20/2026

10/19/2026

09/22/2026

09/09/2026

09/08/2026

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09/07/2026

09/02/2026

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