day six - my own personal "Point Break"

Motoring out of Redbird Creek 7:00, a lot of hardworking hauling the anchor against the rushing tide.  Peaceful night until the early morning hours when a N wind came down the creek against the tide, very choppy for a while.  

Clear Skies, NW wind, cool, making 4.8 downwind on the Florida Passage under full sail.  Wind picks up, 5.1 and think about reefing.  Decide not to for a while, try different points of sail, then 7:35 round up and tuck in the first reef, 4.1.

St. Catherine Sound in sight across the marsh, 4.7.  Notice I missed a marker so point up higher to avoid a shoal, 5.3.  9:00 round up to shake out the reef, full sail making 6.4 with a helping tide.  Enter St. Catherine sound, it is a short run to make the mark and then jibe up the sound, 4.4 against the ebb tide.

On the Newport River at 9:40, 4.3 against 1.68 outgoing tide.  10:05 wind generated waves on the stern, following the course of the river as it curves to the south.  11:05 Johnson River, wing and wing, 2.3.  Getting warm 11:20, slip off the drysuit.  11:30 red marker "128" shows a helping tide, doing 4.4 but doesn't feel like it.  12:15 enter Sapelo Sound with the tide and doing 6.5.  12:40 leaving the sound, doing 2.5 against the tide.  Wind comes and goes, sometimes sailing at 4.6, sometimes motorsailing.  

Front River at 2:05 with a helping tide, 2.9 in light air.  2:30 wind over the port quarter, 4.6 with the tide doing a fair amount of the work.  3:30 the tide swings and now working against us.  3:45 realize I am at my own personal Point Break where I jibed on a much windier day a year ago and broke the mizzen.  This is easy sailing today, lighter winds and as the tide is low the mud banks show the turn well before I reach it.  Last year the tide was high, the marsh grass presenting a continuous line right up until the jibe was needed.  Looking around trying to remember that day I am distracted and the jibe is harder than I had planned.  I laugh, shake my head.  I text my wife and daughters that I had rounded Point Break with both masts intact.  The youngest daughter responds Point Break sounds much better than Breaking Point.

4:30 marsh grass, stretches of white sandy beaches and white pelicans.  Unsure of where to anchor for the night, keep moving forward.  On Doboy Sound 5:10, the red and white Sapelo Lighthouse to the distant southeast.  Wind comes and goes, motor sail for a while then wind fills in, 4.8. 

Turn west at marker "178" and round the western end of Doboy/Commodore Island.  Weekend houses and maybe fishing camps here and there on the tiny islands surrounded by marsh.  

Anchor down south of Doboy Island 5:30.  A beautiful dark-hulled ketch comes up from the south and drops anchor about a quarter mile away.  Good to have some company.  

A later night than usual but peaceful and relaxing after a long day.  I find myself filling out the log in the dark, looking forward to climbing in the sleeping bag.

38.64 NM

Creamy beef and mushroom