Fernandina Beach, FL to Brunswick, GA

Date            April 9, 2012                            
Day             286
Departure    Fernandina Harbor Marina, Fernandina Beach, FL 8:05 am

Arrival         Brunswick Landing Marina 1:40 pm                   

Miles               40.9

Cumulative   4491.4

As we made our way up Cumberland Sound, we had to pass by Kings Bay, a naval submarine base.  All of a sudden, a US Coast Guard orange inflatable, with a gun mounted on the bow, came zooming toward us and hailed us on channel 16 on the VHF radio.  We answered and they requested we switch to channel 22A.  They wanted to know where we were headed and then asked that we speed up and they would escort us past the naval base.  They explained a naval ship would be transiting the area in a short while.  They require a 500 yard security zone around the naval ship so if we were beyond the area the ship was going to transit, we would not be delayed while the ship came through.  We did not disagree and off we went with our escort!

After a few minutes, we were past the sub base and the Coast Guard left as quickly as they had appeared.

These dunes were at the northern end of Cumberland Island.  They remind us of the dunes we saw in Michigan.

Did we make a wrong turn somewhere, this bridge looks like the Sunshine Skyway Bridge back in St. Petersburg!  We checked the charts and we are on the right course.  This is the Sidney Lanier, US Highway 17 Bridge.

Here we are safely docked at our destination for today, Brunswick Landing Marina.  Our friends from our homeport marina, Jack and Carol on Irish Rover, left their boat here a few weeks ago while they went home for Easter.  Unfortunately we will not meet up with them at this time, as they will not return until Wednesday.

Another idyllic evening, as the sun disappears below the horizon.