This Eastern US coast adventure was undertaken with good friends of ours, involving friendships going back in some cases to early elementary school, people we have since often travelled with over the years throughout Canada, Mexico and Europe.

Tina & John retired a few years ago and purchased a 75’ Nordhavn trawler, (which they named Sockeye Blue), with plans this would be their primary home for the next 5-7 years, traveling the world and having friends meet up with them at different ports. We joined them on their maiden voyage out of Point Roberts, Washington, visiting the USA Gulf Islands with other friends and family members.

Last year they once again left Point Roberts heading south to Latin America. They spent time in Costa Rica, then went through the Panama Canal, into Columbia, over to the Dominican Republic, around Puerto Rico, over to Turks & Cacaos, and eventually ended up in Ft. Lauderdale in March of this year for scheduled maintenance work.

At the beginning of April we joined them in Lauderdale where they were still taking care of last minutes details on the boat, getting it ready for the next trip. On board were Jone & Dan from California and Jan & Greetje from Holland, also long-time friends of John & Tina.

We planned to meander our way up the Eastern Seaboard, going as far as time and preference allowed. We also had planned to take the Intracoastal Waterway, but after talking with other Nordhavn boat owners, we found out that although it is stated on charts that there is 10-12 feet of water depth, that is not always the case. The waterway is continually changing its depths with shoals appearing and then disappearing. The waterway is fine for smaller boats with shallow drafts, but it certainly wasn’t for Sockeye Blue.  Continue reading →