CRUISING ADVENTURES AND GUNK HOLING IN SMALL SAILBOATS

Article By Richard Frye
Part of the series: Backpacking On The Water

As I mentioned earlier, cruising can be defined in various ways, but is still nothing more than traveling on your boat from point A to point B, and but occasionally you might be under sail without a particular destination in mind, just going where the wind takes you. Exploring an area you've never been, camp on shore with totally unfamiliar beautiful surroundings, and to check out an island in a lake that suddenlly popped up off your port bow can be an exhilarating experience to this day even for a veteran sailor. Whether this experience is happening from a small 7 foot sailing pram or a full blown shoal draft cruiser/racer that might sleep up to 6 people and exceed well over 25 feet LOA, the feeling is still great! Or your vessel could be in a full keeled blue water boat with a draft of 5 feet or more.

As you were informed previously, a keel boat will limit your explorations of the unique coves, streams and other places in shallower shoal draft waters that are endless along our coastlines around the United States. Some of the larger boats with a centerboard or swing keel as some call it, are still capable of sailing in a foot of water or less. Let me tell you, there is nothing like sailing right onto a beach, jumping out of your ship and claiming the land in the name of the queen! YEAH.... I had to laugh too! Those days are long gone to a colorful era of our worlds past history with sailors and explorers, but is still a fun thing to do in our modern times.

For this trip I have a slightly different boat. She began as an open daysailer but I made a few modifications, and now have a lightweight deck and cuddy cabin for added protection from the elements. Over the years people seemed to have wanted to downsize, going smaller. Not bigger like they did in the 1960's. In today's world folks are cruising with the bare minimum in some cases such and carrying their gear in dry bags that are bright in color and secured firmly to the vessel. I even witnessed a fellow that had cruised over 300 miles of the ICW with an odd boat for cruising, a 14 foot catamaran. I asked why he chose the catamaran. He said, "It's all I have, all I could afford! AND...I wanted to explore the coast line...and besides...she is fast and I've put oar locks on the sides as you can see with my oars fastened with straps along the top edge of the pontoon and a lanyard attached from the oar to the boat to prevent loss. I got her on a real good bargain as my room mate was heading out west and practically gave her too me for a small fee. I also have some smaller sails in that bag!"

I had to ask again which were the sails because everything he had was in a dry bags of some sorts and in every size you could thing of. There must have been 10 or 12 dry bags, the largest being about the size of a military duffle bag! None were labeled but he knew which bag held what and had attached to each bag, a colored plastic tag. He later explained that he taught himself how to sail with that boat and a book he had purchased at a used book store for a dollar and seventy five cents! Sometimes he even got pointers from other sailors, but turned to a well established boat yard with a marina to help him rig it for the first time, as he knew absolutely nothing about sailboats or sailing. He didn't know where to start as far as stepping a mast and hauling up a sail or two. Now he was having the time of his life and loving every minute on the water while learning more about his boat each day he hoist the sail. He tent camped every night he told me but really wanted a boat like mine that with a cabin, provided a comfortable place to sleep as well as ample protection from the elements that Mother Nature could unexpected throw at you occasionally.

He enjoyed exploring the creeks and rivers and sailing the ICW but wanted to do some sailing just off shore. He explained on certain days with the seas were mild and conditions gentle he was able to go off shore and view the beaches of snow white sand, the palm trees and people frolicking in the surf. They waved at him as he sailed a safe distance from the breakers. He also told me of one time when he was able to go right onto the beach at a low tide and the water was very calm with only small waves lapping at the shoreline. He had a lunch on the beach, and was able to sail further down and into an inlet some one told him about that led inland several hundred yards. It was there where he found a place to camp and acquired a safe landfall. The bad thing was the bugs! He told me the mosquitoes were the size of a fighter plane as late afternoon approached as THEY came out about an hour before dark searching for somebody to provide them with a feast! He explained about having a wonderful time and visited the place often when the ocean was calm and allowed him visitation rights to his newly discovered secret hide-a-way!

I had been sailing north on a return trip from Jacksonville, FL when time allowed me to make Jekyll Island well before dark. This is near where I grew up and when I got to the marina the Dock master knew me from the time of my elementary school days, and right on thru high school. His son was in many of my classes and we were buddies for many years. His son had gotten married and moved away to Valdosta, GA. I had lost track of almost every one that I attended school with over the years and later learned that my school chum was killed in a head-on collision with his wife. I didn't even ask about details, just presented my condolences. There was no charge for my mooring because there was plenty of space available and my little sailboat seem almost out of place amongst the mega yachts that surrounded me! Some were over 65 feet in length and I was dwarfed by these sea going giants but not the only sailboat there! I was without a doubt the smallest sailboat around! In fact I was the smallest boat period! I would be leaving the next day, and we shared some old times at a local restaurant. I was very surprised to learn that so many kids I once knew were no longer around for an astronomical listing of reasons! My mouth dropped open large enough for a trawler to enter as he continued to update me for the past 10 or 12 years!

Later that evening the captain of a 41 foot Morgan invited me over to his yacht for a drink. I think it was on this day that I was introduced to the popular dark spiced rum called....you ain't going to believe this! Captain Morgan rum! We immediately became good friends. It was so good and nothing like I have ever had before in my life! It was even good over vanilla ice cream! We had that too! Captain Morgan was added to the ships manifest forever!

My rope work intrigued him and he wanted to know more and how to get into the act of learning about the old sailors knots and decorative rope work. My boat was covered in it! I showed him my Ashley's Book of Knots and mentioned that the marina gift shop had them, and you could see them through the window on a shelf close to the door, and it should be aboard every sailboat. They opened at 9am the next morning, and he purchased a copy. I didn't even budge till around 10am, and awoke with a pounding headache. Rum induced! No doubt about it! Needless to say, I did not set sail that day as planned, but stayed around the marina nursing what was the worst hangover I had ever had in my life! Fishing there at the marina around the pilings was about all my pounding head would allow! I did catch a couple of nice Sheepshead fish for dinner and cooked them on the grill.

I was granted another free night and the rest of the week free if I cared to stay there so I offered dinner to the Dock master, and he accepted without hesitation! We had a pleasant meal in the cockpit of the Sea Mistress and around 7am with lot's of day light left he headed home. I drank a coke and and sat comfortable in my cockpit as the red glow settled over the marsh grass. And it was a beautiful sight! One I'll never forget. Sunsets like that you just don't forget! My headache gone and my pride somewhat damaged, I retired for the evening and read a story of Capt. Jack or Calico Jack as he was known by some. With the light of my Seven Seas oil lamp fading, I gradually drifted off into a pleasant world of darkness. My next port o' call was Saint Simons Island...where I use to live.