The maiden voyage of the East Coast Lady...

Sunday April the 1st 2012  was one of the most anticipated days in my life. I have spent over 25 years dreaming of the day Debbie my beautiful wife and I would hoist our first sail and catch he breeze together. Well I'm happy to report, we did it!!. Here’s how the day went…

We spent the whole day on Saturday the 31^st of March making ready the trip back to Beaufort.  It was a beautiful morning that turned into stormy day. The national weather station called for 70% on Sat evening. Boy! Did they hit it in the head?  We still have no Bow lights or stern light for that matter. We had to leave the marina. Peter, at marsh harbor was kind to us and let us stay till the end of the month for free. That gave us two weeks of work at the dock for free. So really, we had to go  ready or not. We will have to pay and stay. We decided to go.

                My best friend John was going to help us with the logistics from the mooring back to the dock. Jim and Marsha “co-owners of the boat”,

met us at Marsh Harbor around 3:Pm. We had a late start because of the tide. At low tide there is only inches under our keel here were Marsh harbor boat works is located.  So we took no chances and let the tide come in. We put the cabin cushions back on the boat along with the main sail. We put on our vest on and started sorting things out for the voyage to Beaufort.  Getting the lines ready, Loading the main sail on the boom. I fired the 2GM diesel up to get her warm and check her for oil leaks, water leaks and belt tightness. Jim pulled the bow line loose and handed it to Deb while Marsha readied the stern line. Then with a big shove from Jim on the bow rail, we swung out slowly out and away from the dock. We were underway. I was anxious but very excited. The first thing I noticed is that we were at ¼ power and making good speed. The last time we were on here we had a full reef growing on her bottom. And now she glides thru the water like smooth butter.  We eased on out into the Beaufort River and headed south. 20 minutes or so we made it to the Lady’s island Steel bridge. Here is a photo of it.

     We headed West, past the downtown area of the river, to our next waypoint at marker 224,  the Lady’s Island Yacht club. Then we turn and headed south again to our next waypoint of the Mcteer  at the Old Town of Port Royal. We were all so excited but yet relaxed. It was a great day. We had south, south East winds of 7 to 10 miles per hour. We only had the main sail with us. I hanked the main sail up as Jim steered us into the wind. The second I had it synched down Jim turned the Lady about and we were off!  We headed back to the mooring at the city of Beaufort. Time was flying by. It was around 6:pm and the wind was starting to die down just a little. Jim was at the helm and I was just kicking back and loving every moment of the experience.  After weeks and weeks of hard labor and a lot on cha-ching, we had done it. We had made an almost free sail abandoned sail boat come back to life. What a great looking vessel she is and so graceful and sleek in the water. I am proud of Jim for all the hard work and relentless hours put into the teak and the cushions the flooring and on and on. I am so very proud of my wife and friend for life, for loving me thru it all and keeping a great since of humor. I want thank John for listing to me talk endlessly about sailing. Thank you Marsha for putting up with all the days with Jim being gone working on the boat.   
What I think will stick in my mind the most from this day is how pretty Debby looked, and how much Jim and marsha smiled. I could not see my face but I know I was smiling too.

Here is a small video of the first day on the water. With the new owners of the Sailing vessel East Coast Lady . Please enjoy and come back soon for updates of the Sailing adventures of the East Coast lady.
See ya in the Breeze!!