Sailing south for winter

[Senorjacob]

Hey All,
I haven’t posted much lately but we’ve had a great 3rd season with Joan Wilder on the cape. It’s been a short summer because we’re also moving from LA to Atlanta. And since we’ll be on the East coast I’m thinking of taking her down to Savannah or thereabouts for the winter. But I have no experience making that kind of a trek. I’ve been looking around trying to find the perfect book or blog on the subject. I know some of you have made that journey before — any recommendations on what to read or how to prepare such a trip?

I have a couple of sailing buddies I’d bring with me. We probably wouldn’t leave until thanksgiving. I’ve asked a super experienced east coast sailor to come with me and he’s considering it. I’m open to ideas and suggestions if anyone here has any.

Thanks!
Jake

Ps
Here’s a pic of my new spinnaker.

[wikakaru]

At first I thought you were going to sail the boat from LA to Savannah, but then I realized that you keep your boat on the east coast ("the cape" you say, which I'm assuming is Cod) but live on the west coast. LA to Savannah is nearly 5,000 nautical miles plus a canal transit and is a really long trip. Cape Cod to Savannah is much more manageable.

If my memory serves me correctly, I have made that trip 5 times, sometimes going through Long Island Sound, sometimes outside; sometimes up Delaware Bay and down the Chesapeake, sometimes offshore and coming in at Norfolk, and always jumping in and out of the ICW as weather dictated. I've never done it in a single shot from Cape Cod past Cape Hatteras on the outside, if that is what you are asking. Typically we left the Cape Cod area in mid- to late-September, though sometimes as late as mid-October. Typically we arrived in the vicinity of Savannah sometime in November.

I have also lived in Atlanta and kept the boat on the coast, including Hilton Head, South Carolina, Brunswick, Georgia, and Fernandina Beach, Florida. I have also kept a boat in Pensacola, Florida. They are all about the same drive, give or take an hour, from Atlanta. Sailing-wise, the hands-down winner is Pensacola. There is not much short-term (i.e. day or weekend) sailing to be had if you keep your boat in the Savannah area. Brunswick, Hilton Head, and Fernandina are a bit better choices if you insist on being on the East Coast instead of the Gulf Coast. Hurricane-wise, Pensacola sucks and Brunswick is the best.

If you have any specific questions, please let me know. If you do make the trip, please post the details. I'm sure folks here would like to read about it.

Smooth sailing,

Jim

[Senorjacob]

Sorry, Jim, I should have been more specific. Yes, the boat is on Cape Cod (Stage Harbor at the moment). And I’m open to doing the trip in sections.

I’m actually not sure how much sailing I’ll end up doing this winter. But part of the reason I want to make the trip is because in future winters I’d like to sail to the Caribbean. So I figure I’ll take this year to learn how to get down the East Coast first, and back up again in the spring next year. After I’ve done that and it doesn’t seem so daunting, then maybe we can go further afield in future years.

How was the weather for your in September and October?

[wikakaru]

How was the weather for your in September and October?

Ah, that's the big question...it's all about the weather. There were years when weather was no issue and we had windows for sailing offshore for up to 5 days at a time in pleasant conditions (5 days is more than enough to sail offshore from Cape Cod to Norfolk, or from Beaufort NC to Fernandina Beach FL), but there was one year when we got stuck in New York waiting for weather and were genuinely concerned that we would be there all winter. It can be brilliant sailing along the coast with northwesterly winds and flat seas that follow a cold front, where the boat just zips along without a care, or it can be dismal weather with easterlies and big seas and you just hole up and wait for things to get better. We had one year when it was so cold that we had icicles inside the cabin and the bucket that we used to wash the mud off the anchor chain (which we had somehow left full on deck--rain maybe?) froze; we had other years when we stayed well ahead of the cold and wondered why we were traveling south when it was so warm. Every year is different, and you just have to pay close attention to the weather all the time. Take the good weather and make the miles when you can, and try to get all of your shopping/laundry/repairs done when you can't sail. That's just how traveling under sail is.

There are inside passages available the whole way down with the exception of the coast of New Jersey, so as long as you can make it past New Jersey you have options.

Smooth sailing,

Jim