day fourteen - crossing into Florida

Cast off at 7:35, light north wind and a helping ebb tide.  Making 2.7 on a pretty morning.

Light wind comes and goes, sailing, motor sailing.  8:20 on St. Andrews Sound.  8:25 turn at Red 30, 8:30 round the shoal.

Feeling more wind but now have an opposing tide.  8:45 at Green 35 crossing a tide line with swirling waters.   9:45 Cumberland River.  A little wind but not enough to work against the tide, motorsailing.

10:30 Brickhill River.  Sailing, motorsailing as wind comes and goes. Finally more wind and sailing, 2.4 to 3.0.  Cruiser anchored out, I sail nearby but don't see anyone on board.

11:25 better wind, 3.7.  Live oaks and Spanish moss to port, mud banks and marsh grass to starboard.  

12:10 The Dividings with the Cumberland River so close I could throw a rock to it but can get there by water.  Shoals exposed by low tide.  A powerboat slows down for me, so close I can say "thank you" to the captain.  

1:00 leaving the Brickhill River, low tide and very shallow, both cb and rudder touch bottom.  Raise both and the north wind blows us across the shallows.  Cumberland River, making 2.9 and getting warmer.  1:30 doing 3.5 against the flood tide, then 4.1 with wind over the port quarter.  More wind, 5.0 approaching the submarine base.  Chilly sitting in the shade of the main.  This stretch of water is confusing to me.  Navigation aids and range markers for the submarines.  A lot of red and green across the river.  I check Navionics to see I'm out of the channel and over the shallows.  Turn to the southeast for deeper water.  Some of my confusion is explained as I realize the red and green markers have switched side.  Now I get it.  

3:40 plenty of wind at St. Mary's River.  Gusting up as we cross into Florida.  I think about rounding up and tucking in a reef, but keep the full main.  

Doing 4.2 on calmer water inside of Amelia Island.  Less wind and easier sailing.  Round up and bring down main and jib off a marina, want to see if I can top off my fuel can.  They tell me their pump is out of order.  No problem, I still have plenty of fuel.  

Slip across the Amelia River behind a marsh.  Two local boats anchored out, otherwise have the anchorage to myself.  Anchor down 4:30.

29.87 NM