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

05/01/2026

April 29,30, - May 1, 2026

Leg #1 is complete… 18 days - 9 stops

From: Safe Harbor Beaufort, SC to Safe Harbor Charleston City Mega Dock

Departed: 7 AM | Arrived: 2:00 PM
Time Underway: 7 hours
Wind: 4 - 8 mph
Speed: 7 – 9 knots
Temp: 68 –66 degrees

Visibility: Light drizzle until shortly after arrival then rain
Our stay in Beaufort was both resourceful and a whole lot of fun—great shopping, long walks, great food and those picture-perfect neighborhoods that make you slow down.

Wednesday turned into a proper gathering when our friends Maya and Steve on Jumeirah arrived, along with new friends Bernadette and Robin on Blessed—both fellow Flemings. With the three of us together, it officially became a Low Country Rendezvous! Dinner, laughter, and plenty of fellowship… exactly what we all needed.

Also on Wednesday, Gary from Marine Tech worked his magic and installed our new alternator on the port-side engine. We are now fully powered and ready—always a comforting feeling!

Our friends headed out early Thursday and kindly reported back on depths through some of the trickier sections ahead. Information is my love language… I’ll take all the intel I can get.
Right on schedule, we departed at 7am, reached the Ashepoo Coosaw Cutoff at 9am at high tide, and then Watts Cut at 10am just barely below high tide. Checked those off the list. There was a bit of northbound Looper traffic ahead of us heading to the same marina, so we played it cool and hung back.

The only real “excitement” came in the Stono River area when we moved from the flybridge to the pilothouse because of visibility issues and rain—and suddenly the GPS decided it needed a coffee break. On and off for about 30 minutes! Thank goodness for our Ray Marine Navionics system keeping us on track. That sinking feeling when your GPS goes out is real… but hey, I had two more backup devices ready to jump in if needed. (Overprepared? Never heard of her. 😄)

As we arrived on the Charleston Ashley River, the Blue Angels were zipping by overhead. A busy waterway to cross, planes flying, and my captain says, “Did you see that?” Umm… no, I’m a little busy making sure we don’t become part of the evening news. Priorities! Somehow, we made it just before slack tide, and with the help of a super dock hand, slid right into our face dock like pros.

A few boat chores, a quick stop at the office to grab packages, and we called it a day.

We love Charleston—time now to visit dear friends Cindy and Dave, squeeze in some golf, and enjoy some amazing food for the month of May.

Next up: Leg #2 to the Chesapeake Bay—our first time! Route is set, reservations are made, and now we just cross our fingers for good weather and smooth cruising.

Peace out… Until June 1

04/28/2026

April 28, 2026

Quick trip… (and a reminder why I don’t like current!)

Safe Harbor Port Royal Marina, SC ➡️ Safe Harbor Beaufort, SC

Wind: 10 mph
Weather: Cloudy

We planned a nice, easy departure… waiting for slack tide at 1:00 PM. Well, my captain got a little antsy (imagine that), and off we went early at noon. What could possibly go wrong?

Departure should have been a piece of cake with two dockhands ready to toss the lines—but of course, we had a motor vessel sitting just ahead (about 40’) and a lineup of bridge pilings waiting to keep things interesting. Add in a strong current, and suddenly it felt like a boating obstacle course.

As we pulled out, we had to clear our swim platform past the boat in front of us, swing away, and—oh look—the bridge columns were getting closer by the second. Just in time, Bob gave Patriot a good burst of throttle and… whew… we made it! Safely into the channel and heading north like nothing ever happened.

Fast forward 30 minutes and now we’ve still have the current behind us while trying to dock. We were assigned a face dock with a sailboat nearby, and let’s just say… it wasn’t a one-and-done situation. It took two tries, pointing Patriot’s bow to the dock very close, some determined stern thruster action, and very patient dockhands (and captain) to get her lined up.

Me? Let’s just say my backseat driving skills were in peak form today. I’m sure that helped immensely. 😄

Once we were finally tied up, we “recovered” from our exhausting 30-minute journey (LOL) and took Ace for a long walk through town. Beaufort is just one of those places—charming, friendly, full of cute shops and great restaurants.

Tomorrow = shopping day. Priorities!

I’ll take tides over current… every single time.

04/27/2026

April 25 – 27, 2026

From: Safe Harbor Port Royal Marina, SC

We had a solid two-out-of-three kind of stay here in Port Royal. I will say… that walk down the dock is every bit as long as the SH City Dock in Charleston—maybe longer when you’re walking the dog!
Great staff, though, and a cute little on-site restaurant!

We celebrated Bob’s big birthday! His gift from me? Two boat chores and dinner out. My first chore was cleaning and hand-polishing all the chrome—because nothing says “I love you” like sparkling railing and hawse pipes. He thinks the second chore has a rollover clause… nope! Next year, I’ll be getting him an actual gift. 😂

It was also time for an oil change and a few maintenance items, all handled by Gary at Marine Tech Services. Super great guy—we’d highly recommend him if you’re ever in the area.

We squeezed in a few walks, except for Monday when the wind had other plans. It was downright cold (low 50s!) before warming up to 62, so I stayed mostly on the boat and got a lot of computer work done.

Tomorrow, we’ll top off the fuel, wait for slack tide, and make the quick 30-minute cruise over to Safe Harbor Beaufort Marina for a few more days. Love, love that town—and yes, a little retail therapy is definitely on the agenda.

Some days shine, some days chill...

04/25/2026

April 25, 2026

Saturday cruising ?????

From: Isle of Hope Marina to Safe Harbor Port Royal Marina, SC

Departed: 10 AM | Arrived: 3:15 PM
Time Underway: 5.15 hours
Wind: 6–12- 25 mph S
Speed: 7 – 9 knots
Temp: 66-81 – degrees
Visibility: poor with lots of smoke

We departed right on schedule and enjoyed a peaceful, easy cruise… right up until the grand finale.

My tide calculations for Ramshorn Creek were spot on (two hours after low tide). We came through about two hours after low tide and had plenty of water—lowest we saw was a quick 7.5 feet before it popped right back up to 9.5. Always nice when the plan actually works.

Weekend traffic, however, was in full swing. The center consoles were out in force—zipping across our bow, cutting behind us, and launching themselves off our wake like it was a sport. Keeps you on your toes! What surprised us most was that we only saw one fellow Looper/cruising boat all day. Apparently, we had the “big boat lane” mostly to ourselves.

We passed the J. Wilton Graves Bridge (MM 557.6), where the barge is still hard at work, but had no issues getting through. From there, we made a short run through Calibogue Sound and then crossed Port Royal Sound.

That’s when things started to spice up.

The wind, which had been a polite 10 mph, decided to make a statement—building to at least 25 mph just as we were coming in to dock. Perfect timing, of course. Bob called the dockmaster, who initially had us assigned to the inside face dock at the end of a finger. With the wind and current whipping, he wisely reassigned us to an outer face dock—great call. The two dockhands were fantastic, and we had lines secured in no time.

Somewhere along the way, we were treated to a pod of dolphins putting on a little show. I didn’t quite catch them mid-air, but it was still a special moment. There’s just something about dolphins that makes everything feel a little more peaceful.

We’ll call this home for the next three days before heading up the river to Beaufort, SC.

A day where good planning met a little chaos—and both worked out just fine.

04/24/2026

April 24, 2026

Getting closer…

From: Crescent River 2 Anchorage to Isle of Hope

Departed: 8:45 AM | Arrived: 2:00 PM
Time Underway: 5.45 hours
Wind: 6–12 mph SE
Speed: 7 – 8.5 knots
Temp: 70-82 - degrees

We were blessed with another beautiful day on the water—well, mostly. The visibility was a bit hazy thanks to all the fires. So sad to see, but we made the best of it.

The cruising itself was easy and enjoyable as we made our way through Sapelo Sound and St. Catherines Sound with gentle 1.5-foot seas and a light breeze. As we pulled out of our anchorage, another cruiser slipped in front of us—and apparently decided to adopt us for the day, because we followed them almost the entire way.

Our main mission was timing the tide just right for Hell’s Gate. The goal: at least half a rising tide. Our “lead boat” went first and kindly reported their depths, which always gets your attention. We entered around 1:00 PM and never saw less than 9.5 feet, with about 3 extra feet of tide in our favor. Not too shabby! The total high tide was 6.5 feet. So with a 5 foot draft boat low tide is non-negotiable.

And a big moment for me—I drove the entire stretch through Hell’s Gate for the first time. Let’s just say I was glued to Bob’s 423 track like it was the only line on Earth. Easy peasy… once it was over.
Not a ton to report beyond that, but we were super happy to land at Isle of Hope. The dockhands were fantastic and set us up on a face dock (always a win). Bob gave the boat a good rinse while I took Ace for his much-needed lane patrol.

We wrapped up the day by visiting our favorite Mexican restaurant and doing a little “provisioning” using their loaner car—which I’m pretty sure had at least 100,000 miles on it… maybe 200,000. Either way, she still runs, and we were proud to drive her.

Tomorrow we’re planning a slightly later departure to time our way through Ramshorn Creek near Daufuskie Island—a short stretch of maybe 240 feet, but notoriously shallow. From there, we’ll head to Safe Harbor Port Royal for three days. Bob has a trusted mechanic lined up for our 250-hour oil change and a few odds and ends. It’s funny—we’re slowly building quite the directory of service providers up and down the East Coast.

At this point, we’re both a little cross-eyed from watching red and green markers, following the blue dotted line, and constantly checking tides and tracks—but that’s all part of cruising the ICW. Besides, if we went outside, it might actually be… boring.

Life is good…

04/23/2026

April 23, 2026

Skinny water day…

From: Jekyll Harbor Marina to Crescent River 2 Anchorage

Departed: 12:30 AM | Arrived: 4:30 PM
Time Underway: 4 hours
Wind: 6–10 mph SE
Speed: 8.5–10 knots (thank you, current)
Temp: 70-79 - degrees

We got a little antsy this morning—clearly sitting still is not one of our strengths. After topping off the fuel tank, we were off the dock by 12:30, ready to tackle the infamous Jekyll Creek shallow run. And right on cue, the captain handed over the wheel: “It’s all yours, Melissa.” No pressure!

We timed it on a rising tide, a few hours before high, and saw 7.5’ once—but otherwise held steady around 10’. I’m happy to report I did not veer off Bob’s 423 track even once. (Miracles do happen.)
Next up was Little Mud River, which we hit right at high tide with a consistent 9.5’. That stretch is long, skinny, and feels like it goes on forever—but we made it through without incident.

We cruised through Brunswick River, Altamaha Sound, and Doboy Sound with about a 10 mph wind and 1’ seas. Honestly… easy peasy.

Now we’re settled in with the anchor down. Ace is living his best life—playing fetch and a little hide-and-seek after being a very good boy today. This makes our fourth time at this anchorage, and it never disappoints.

Alarms are set, everything looks good, and we have the place to ourselves—for now.

Tomorrow we will go to our favorite marina...Isle of Hope...I think I just like the name. We also have "Hell's Gate" to get through. It is always something to keep you on your toes.

All in all… an easy day on the water.

P.S. In past post I forgot to mention that after two and a half years of this boat life I finally say a Manatee (sea cow) from the boat and then a sting ray flies out of the water.

P.S.S. Ok my favorite past time just happened... two boat single hand captains came into the anchorage. I love watching this.

04/22/2026

April 22, 2026

Today for the first time I felt like I was on Vacation…

From: Fernandina Harbor Marina
To: Jekyll Harbor Marina
Departed: 9:30 AM | Arrived: 1:00 PM
Time Underway: 3.5 hours
Wind: 5–10 mph SE
Speed: 8.5–10 knots (thank you, current)
Temp: 65–75 degrees

We just love Fernandina Beach. We had a great dinner with our friend Lou and—clearly living on boat time—were tucked in by 9:00 PM.

As I mentioned, there were a few other Fleming boats at the dock, and of course we met another one this morning. This community is incredibly friendly—always ready to lend a hand or share a story. We exchanged boat cards and fully expect to cross wakes again somewhere down the waterway.

We even managed to sleep in a bit (a rare luxury), took Ace for his morning walk, and pushed off at 9:30. It was an easy, short run with absolutely beautiful weather. The water was like glass… my favorite kind of boating.

Now, no good day is complete without a little drama… we came up to a dredge pulling long pipes and three tug boats pushing it sideways. We approached a narrow channel with skinny water on both sides (a bit more “skinny” on their port, just to keep things interesting). We hailed them on VHF 13 and asked which side to pass. Their response: “You can try our port side.”

“Try.” Not exactly the most confidence-inspiring word—but Captain Bob took the wheel, and sure enough, we eased past the very long dredge dragging pipes behind it like a floating obstacle course. At one point we saw 7.5 feet under the keel. That’s close enough to get your attention… and remind you you’re fully awake. I’d say I don’t want to do that again, but let’s be honest—we probably will.
Docking was smooth once again. The dockhands were great, and we slid into another face dock. Thank you, thrusters—you continue to earn your keep.

Since we arrived early, we headed over to Jekyll Island Golf Club to practice. The driving range was closed, but the short game area and putting greens were first-class—no complaints from us.
And then… the loaner car. As you’ll see in the photos, it had “character.” 170,000 miles. But when you’re on the water and someone hands you keys, you smile, say thank you, and drive whatever shows up.

Now for the real headline: Ace. If you know him, you know he’s a bit timid and not exactly Mr. Social. But back in Stuart, he fell head over heels for a sweet white Westie named Lucy—the only dog he has ever willingly approached. Well… today we spotted another Lucy look-alike. And just like that, he turned into a completely different dog—flirting, pawing, full-on charm mode. Who is this dog?

Tomorrow, we (attempt to) sleep in again and then wait for a 1:00 PM departure to catch the high tide through Jekyll Creek—famous for its shallow stretch near the R19 buoy. Timing is everything, especially with our five-foot draft. From there, we’ll also need to pass through Little Mud River at high tide before heading to our anchorage at Crescent River 2 —a familiar and favorite spot.
I think I’ve timed it perfectly… but we’ll see.

Self-Discovery: I tend to get a little anxious in these situations. But I’m starting to think it’s not anxiety at all—just a healthy dose of exhilaration… with a splash of “please don’t let us scrap bottom.”

P.S. OMG... that barge is now going past us... fingers crossed we don't have to pass again. Second thought they need to stop at R19 before they go through. I wonder where they will stop?

04/22/2026

April 21, 2026

What a Difference a Day Makes…

From: St. Augustine Municipal Mooring Field to Fernandina Harbor Marina, FL
Departed: 8:00 AM | Arrived: 2:30 PM
Time Underway: 6.5 hours
Wind: 9–15 mph SE
Speed: 7.5–10 knots (thank you, current)
Temp: 60–75 degrees

Ace handled his morning shore duties like a pro, the dinghy was hoisted by 7:30, breakfast was quick, and we were underway right on schedule.

We timed our departure with the rising tide to slip under the iconic Bridge of Lions—with its 18 feet of clearance (plus a little bonus in the center). We had a comfortable three feet to spare… which is just enough to keep things exciting without losing sleep.

The run was smooth and easy. We passed a steady stream of boats—mostly sail, a few power—and even got a radio call from a fellow boater letting us know we were the fourth Fleming heading to Fernandina. (Clearly, great minds—and great boats—think alike.)
After crossing the St. Johns River, the waterway turned a bit snaky, winding back and forth with a few shallow spots to keep us on our toes. Nothing dramatic, just enough to remind to paying attention.
Docking at the marina was its own little performance. Assigned an inside face dock, Captain Bob brought Patriot down the fairway, executed a smooth 180 (for style points, obviously), and nestled her starboard side right up to the dock. The dockhands were on point this time—always a bonus.

Once tied up, it was full speed ahead—on chores. Bob tackled the exterior while I worked inside. It’s amazing how a boat can go from spotless to salty in just a few days. The ocean does not believe in low maintenance.

Tonight, we’re meeting our good friend Lou for dinner and catching up on life—always one of the best parts of these travels.
Bonus: there are three Flemings on the dock, so we’ve already swapped a few stories. It’s always fun hearing where others have been—and where they’re headed next.

Life is good…

04/21/2026

April 17 - 20, 2026
A Little Rolly…

St. Augustine Municipal Mooring Field
Time: 5 days on the mooring ball
Wind: 9–16 mph SE (gusts up to 25 mph Monday)
Weather: Mid-80s, with a cool front Monday (68–70, windy)

We’ve truly enjoyed our days on the mooring ball and finally found a rhythm with the generator and inverter for power. Would I choose to do more than five days? Probably not—but I’d absolutely consider it again… just not over a weekend.

The good news: Ace has loved every minute of his dinghy rides ashore for “business” and long walks—honestly, so have we. St. Augustine, the oldest city in America, offers something to discover around every corner. South of the main historic district, charming bed-and-breakfasts line the streets, and history seems to live on every block.

The highlight of our stay was meeting up with dear friends, the Baines family, for dinner. Catching up on their lives, hearing about their daughter turning sixteen soon, and sharing our own adventures made for a special evening.

So what do you actually do while living on a mooring ball? Bob, unsurprisingly, stays busy with boat projects—varnishing, buffing—he truly never sits still. As for me, I balance a bit of computer work with reading, napping (the gentle rocking makes that irresistible), and a few small boat chores here and there. Life is good!

Monday brought our annual medical appointments, along with less-than-ideal weather. Winds were ripping at 18–25 mph—definitely not pleasant as the gusts feel like 50 mph. Still, getting into the dinghy was easier than I expected, even with our very enthusiastic pup onboard. We headed out early for Ponte Vedra Beach in our rental car and returned late in the afternoon. Bob had picked up the car Sunday at noon and somehow managed to find parking in this bustling city—no small feat. It was a bit crazy!

We’ll wait until tomorrow to haul up the dinghy, as winds are expected to calm down to around 6 mph.

Next stop: we’re off early Tuesday morning for a 6.5-hour cruise to Fernandina Beach, where we’ll spend the night at the marina.

On the move again…

04/16/2026

April 16, 2026

Beautiful day…

Halifax Harbor Marina, Daytona, FL to St. Augustine Municipal Mooring Ball

Departed: 9:30 AM – Arrived: 3:00 PM
Time: 5.5 hours
Wind: 4–9 mph SE
Speed: 8.5 knots

What a difference two and a half years of boating makes. We started out as very green mariners back in November 2023, and now, heading into our third year of cruising, we’re finally getting the groove. We’ve got our routines and checklists dialed in and are working as a solid team. Of course, there’s still plenty to learn—which is honestly one of the best parts of this lifestyle.

It was a beautiful day for cruising. We left the slip with water as smooth as glass, and although the breeze picked up a bit, we stayed nicely protected with land to the east. As we approached the ICW, we slowed to let a passing looper boat, Livin It, go ahead of us. Funny how that works—it felt like we were instant buddy boats as we both ended up pulling into St. Augustine together.

We were told slack tide would be around 3:00 PM, which would make picking up the mooring pennant a little easier—and since I’m the designated “pennant picker-upper,” I fully support anything that stacks the odds in my favor. We radioed the dockmaster, got our assignment, and went to work. Honestly, you would’ve thought I was performing surgery out there. I had everything lined up, grabbed the pennant with the boat hook, slid it up, ran the starboard line in the eyelet, then the port… and just like that—done. Textbook. (I may or may not have taken a small victory lap in my head.)

After Bob checked the engines and tidied things up, we launched the dinghy—which we haven’t used in a while. It went smoothly into a light breeze, and after a slightly reluctant start, we were off toward town to grab our key cards, dinghy sticker and go for a long walk.

Ace may have been the highlight of the day. He appreciated the shorter run, but the real excitement? The dinghy… The second he hears the davit lowering it, he completely loses it—barking, spinning, running laps like it’s Christmas morning. Once he’s in, he’s all business. And today, pulling into the marina dock, he was barking and crying with excitement like he was announcing our arrival. Honestly, who needs a horn when you’ve got Ace?

We took a walk through the quieter, non-touristy south end of town. The old houses and cobblestone streets (mostly one-way) give it so much character—definitely a different pace from the main drag.

Dinner, a little TV, and the luxury of sleeping in tomorrow. We’ll be here for five days, which makes this our longest stay on a mooring ball yet (generator and invertor). It’ll be interesting to see how we feel about it by Tuesday.

Funny… I didn’t think I had much to say today. Turns out, I was wrong. 😄

P.S. Don’t forget to check out the captions on the photos—there’s a little extra scoop in there. We’ll be going dark for the next four days.

04/15/2026

April 15, 2026

Another long day…

Merritt Island Anchorage to Halifax Harbor Marina, Daytona, FL

Departed: 7:45 AM - Arrived: 2:45 PM
Time: 7 hours
Wind: 10 mph
Speed: 8.5 – 9 knots

We enjoyed a peaceful evening on the hook last night—no drama, always a win. The anchorage had plenty of room, though it did come with a little “obstacle course” thanks to a couple of sunken boats keeping things interesting.

Today’s cruise was filled with plenty of slow passes… and a few not-so-slow ones (yes, we got waked). The weather cooperated with mid-70s temps and a mix of sun and clouds—hard to complain about that.

We passed the time with some oldies-but-goodies and a bit of news, settling into what these 7-hour cruising days really feel like. It’s a rhythm we’re still getting used to.

Ace made a few guest appearances up top and was especially thrilled to arrive at the marina—nothing beats green grass after a day on the water.

The captain is now giving Patriot a well-earned rinse after a salty, dirty run. We’re keeping it simple tonight with dinner on board and a show.

Tomorrow we depart at 9:30 AM, aiming to arrive at the St. Augustine mooring field right at slack tide (3 PM). We’ll be staying there for five days.

Time to drop the dinghy… 🚤

From Tee To Sea

05/01/2026

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