day thirteen - beam reach down Jekyll Creek

I wake in the middle of the night to a loud thrashing noise.  Maybe geese landing near SPARTINA.  It goes on and on.  And I think of two animals fighting.  The splashing and thrashing sound continues.  And I realize is is the bilge pump splashing water into the creek from my neighbor, the PHLYER out of Philadelphia, anchored nearby.  I roll over and go back to sleep.

Sail off anchor at 7:05.  A woman on board PHLYER says good morning.  She says she would like to get a photograph of SPARTINA with the rising sun.  I tack back and forth a couple of time, then we exchange phone numbers.  

West wind and a helping ebb tide, making 5.0 down the Mackay River.

It gets gusty so I tuck in a reef at 8:15.  The river curves west so we make a series of tacks then fall off to an easy run south as the PHLYER motor on past.  They send more photographs and tell me if we meet later we can go exploring together.  I tell them I won't be able to keep up with them, wish them well.

8:45 Manhead Sound at 3.9.  9:55 shake out the reef.  Reach the bridge just as the ebb tide is ending.  The structure of the bridge blocks the wind and I've lost the tide, I "fishtail" the rudder to move SPARTINA a few feet forward.  Wind catches in the jib and pulls us through.

Beautiful sailing on St. Simon Sound at 10:15, making 3.3 with wind after of beam.  

At red "250" I can feel SPARTINA working against the incoming tide.  We are just passing the shoals in the middle of the Sound, I tighten up the sheets turn south south-west towards Jekyll Creek and the incoming tide is now a helping tide.  Making 6.2.

At 10:50 can see the entrance markers for Jekyll Creek.  Two dolphin swimming just off the stern.

Last time I entered the creek it was low tide and the creek was very skinny with mud flats on either side.  Now it is an incoming tide and the creek is nice and wide.  I sail south on the creek on a perfect beam reach making 5.0.  

Docked Jekyll Harbor Marina at noon.  Go up to the office to pay for two nights.  When I tell the young woman at the counter the boat's name she says her father is a shrimper and that he always says "It's the spartina that makes the shrimp sweet."  I smile for the rest of the day thinking about that.

16.43 NM

Cold iced teach with a burger for lunch at Zachry's Riverhouse.  Back for grilled shrimp, salad and a glass of white wine for dinner.  Maybe two glasses.