The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1912-10-17


the time, possibly to encourage us
through it: 30 that incidentally we didn't
dare to stop for breath and straighten
! up our tired backs occasionally. When
we'd hove her short he pared the po-
tatoes for Joe, and then took little hike
around Deer Island before breakfast
Ever since have considered him a very
good example of what an active Young
man should be. and they tell me he isn't q
has Bean" yet, to make faint attempt
to conclude this little side trip down the
bay in the style of ''Our George"
INSIDE AND OUTSIDE ROUTES AND RUNS
COMPARED.
From Key West to New York, or vice
versa, boat drawing not over five feet,
can go all the way by the inside route,
with the exception of about 200 sea
miles only; that is, from Charleston, S.
c., to Beaufort, N. C. In very shoal
draft craft of say, 2 IL to feet, pos
sibly about 60 miles might be cut off this
by using Boque Sound, South of Beau
fort and the inside passage to Whining.
ton, N. c., but this trip would, l judge,
from what could learn of it, be an ex-
ceedingly tedious one from the shoalness
of the water, and consequent opportuni-
ties for getting aground, and would be ac-
companied also by considerable addi-
tional risk if the shallow bars 1t presents
were attempted under any but the most
favorable conditions of sea, tide and
weather; and l should advise any one
going down, to plan to run the 200 miles
outside from Beaufort, N. c., to Charles
ton, S. c. This is not serious matter
if one waits for good weather to do it in.
During the first 80 miles of the run no
good harbor can be made, but after that
you have Southport, N. c.. and George
town, S. c., to run into if advisable to
do so.
For pleasure parties on semi house
boats, some Of whose members are like
ly to be sea-sick in the rough water out
side, sailing along these stretches of
sound ), bays, rivers and canals is great
fun, especially if you are in no hurry, as
there is always something diverting to
watch.
Personally, however, found most of
the canals and shallow rivers rather tedi-
GUS work so far as the navigation went,
from constant danger of getting stuck
on bars, and other tiresome waits. The
people who lived along their banks and
operated them, and their varied vege-
table and animal life, however, interest
ed me intensely. Still, Charlie and
were "deep sea sailors above all else
on this trip, and we went 'outside"
whenever we could, covering, of course,
more than the absolutely necessary 200
miles in the open sea. In fact, the table
I've made out shows something between
500 and 600 miles of ocean voyaging.
However, it you prefer to 60 on smooth
inland waters. don't forget that you can
do so way to Key West if you wish. with
some 200 miles only outside. For power
boat men and those who 60 in semi-house
boats this is of especial interest; but an
able, seaworthy boat will go more safely
and quickly, and with much less work
for her crew, by the outside route, ex-
cept in exceptionally bad weather.
of course the great difficulty in taking
the outside route at all lies in the
scarcity of the harbors, and their enor-
nous distances apart, judging from our
New England standards, and l imagine
every one who goes outside south of
later in blow, during which he'd be
Think of putting out to sea in a cat
boat from Bar Harbor, Maine, and be-
ing told that you had got to stay outside,
and take whatever sea and weather
came, until you reached New York by
going outside of Long Island, and you
will have some idea of what we were up
against when we left Miami and put
out Of Biscayne Bay. For we didn' t
have really decent harbor we were sure
of being able to get into in all tides and
weather until we reached st. John s
Bar at Mayport, the entrance to Jackson
vile, some $50 miles away. How we
met the problem has already been told
throughout this narrative by describing
some of the more striking adventures
that occurred to US on the way.
In calculating the distance from Miami
to New York, it must not be overlooked
that the mileage of such a trip as l
took is greatly increased by the long
side runs often necessary to get up into
towns and landings or even to anchor
ages, and by the many windings of rivers,
creeks, and sounds, and by going round
shoals in bays, long promontories, etc.,
and by following often in threatening
weather the curves of the shore to be
near an anchorage.
Before closing, l would say that to
find boat suited for this trip; one fiji
Tor the outside work necessary TO ge,
south and shallow enough to enter the
Florida canals when you get there, is
not easy. To design one would be an in
teresting, and l believe quite possible
task. Commodore, James house-boat
the Lauai is perhaps, taken all in all, as
good a combinat on of the various re.
quirements as l have yet seen. She
came north about the same time we die
and is now laid up for the winter asterr
of the Marietta at Newport, R. l., SC
I've had a good chance to study her.
DISTANCES RUN BY CAT BOAT MYRTLE IN MA UTI
CAL MILES
Inside Open
Route. Ocean
From Miami to New River Inlet. 20
q" Miami to Palm Beach,. Is
Palm Beach to Jupiter In
From Jupiter Inlet to Titus
vile
From Titusville to Mosquito In
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. %
From Mosquito Inlet to St.
Johns River......................~ 30
From ST. Johns Bar to Charles
ton, S. C............................. ITO
From Charleston to Cape Fear,
Crying Pan Shoals Bell Buoy lis
From Frying Pan Shoals Bell to
Beaufort, N. commandments. 80