URGENT NEED: I need a second person if anyone can join me for a two day sail down the coast? My second sailor had to disqualify himself for the run down to Tampa. If you have ever thought about going, now's your chance to try it. *email me.
I got a couple of text's and emails asking if i was OK with the Hurricane crashing down on Florida's East Coast. Here is a very short video of the anchorage where i am, in Apalachicola today. *Note the large ship at the beginning.
Still no rain here. The winds have picked up a little throughout the day but remain under 20 mph. I'm so sorry for everybody over on the east coast where it must be just horrible. But here it's just another windy breezy Friday.
I pointed out the large ship at the beginning of the video. It's a Coast Guard vessel with a crane on the front. It came through yesterday and i grabbed a couple of photos of it.
Last night well after dark a 'group of 2 or 3 shrimp boats came close by me' and i watched their bright lights as "they" turned into one large 'thing' turning around in the river... "It" was about 200 yards up stream of me and had LOTS of bright lights on. "IT" eased all the way over next to the shore and stopped. I was mesmerized at how it could creep up so shallow and anchor the wrong direction in the dark? (you have to anchor off the bow and this thing had come in and spun around and stopped backwards.)
*I still did not know it was this same Coast Guard vessel come back. I could only tell it was big and well lit. So i went to bed worrying about what a hurricane might cause and wondering if that massive well lit thing might drag in the night and hit me... This morning i was up before the sun to catch a glimpse of this mystery ship before it could sail away and i miss it. Yes, i was surprised to see the return of CG #803. I got my camera and took some photos.
Then their loud speaker blasted out orders and little Coasties ran around the decks and the monster started down river right beside me. Here i am in the cockpit with coffee in my underwear taking photos when it spins and starts work directly in front of me. (talk about a lucky break) They were pulling UP the old channel markers and pounding down new wooden posts. I was mesmerized again, sitting there taking photos while my coffee got cold. Wow what a crew! It took exactly one hour to pull and pound #4. Then they went directly to #6 and continued on up river. I'm guessing they are about eight markers up river by now?
They delicately drive right up to it, lasso it, then yank it out of the river with the crane.
The crane lowers a high pressure 'jack hammer' thing that pounds in the poles.
NOTE: the 4 hydraulic vertical poles that go up and down into the mud to hold her while working.
attach the ladder extender and air gun in some nails. done!
The high pressure post pounding.
Every little Coastie had his own job so they were all running around the decks. Well done guys!
Just a pre-dawn fisherman flying down the river while the Blackbirds go to work.
I hope you are safe, warm, and dry? -Capn Skip
