Georgetown, Great Exuma

Georgetown, Great Exuma
There is a Paradise!!!!

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Tuesday November 23rd 2010

We decided we would spend another night here in Fernandina. We had a visit from another Whitby 42 owner that is here. Andy and his youngest son Eli came over in their inflatable to introduce themselves. They are from Topsham, Maine, and have been sailing down the coast since the end of September. They, too, are headed for the Bahamas, along with Andy’s wife Chris and their two teenagers, Rachel and Jake. Five people on their Whitby!!!! They told us about a Thanksgiving for boaters in St. Mary’s, Georgia, just up the river, that sounds too good to pass up. It is a lot closer than going all the way into Jacksonville, as we had planned.

Andy told us that the city of St. Mary’s provides all of the turkey and ham, and the boaters are asked to bring a side dish or two. I didn’t have much on the boat that would be good for a turkey dinner, so we decided to go into town and do some shopping. We took the dinghy into shore and then called for a cab to take us to Walmart. It was maybe a 10 minute ride, but it cost $10.00, one way!! Ouch!!! Then we discovered that the Walmart did not have groceries. Fortunately, there was a Winn-Dixie right next door. We picked up an apple pie, a pecan pie, and a bag of dinner rolls, as well as a few other things to supplement our stores.

When we got back to the marina, we took the bags to the dinghy, then walked back into town to the Green Turtle for happy hour. Dave had hoped that some of his buddies at Rayonier would show up, but no such luck. We had a nice cold beer, and then found out that it was Taco night. Just like back home, Taco Tuesday!!! They weren’t that great, but they were cheap! Afterwards, we strolled down to the corner and had ice cream for dessert.

Wednesday November 24th 2010

This morning we headed for St. Mary’s, Georgia. Not sure what to expect. It was a beautiful day and a short cruise up the river. The anchorage was huge, but there were already close to 100 boats there. It was not easy to find a good place to anchor. We tried a couple spots, but were not certain that we had adequate space, so we moved on. Eventually we found a spot that looked pretty good, but the current was really running. We decided we would sit and watch for awhile after setting the anchor.

A short time later, an old friend from Green Cove Springs came over in his dinghy. He had seen us come in. He told us that there were several other boats from Green Cove there as well. He also mentioned that there was to be a Pain Killer Party, on the end of the dock, at 3:00PM, and an oyster roast at the Seagle Restaurant at 5:30. Cool!!!

About 2:00, we headed into the dinghy dock to check out the town. They have a very nice and well kept waterfront park. All of the walls around the park are concrete mixed with clam shells, and look really nice. They have a band shell, a fountain, restrooms, and benches and swings that face the water. The town also looks well kept and very old fashioned. We walked over to the Seagle, which was a part of the Riverview Inn, and headquarters for this holiday event. We were able to secure an itinerary for the next few days. It actually is a weeklong event, with something special happening each day.

We headed back to the dinghy to pick up our cups for the Pain Killers, and ran into Gordon and Susan from Green Cove. The four of us walked over to the dock party, where we found more old friends. Even the Pain Killers were like an old friend. Haven’t had them since we left the BVI. There was lots of good conversation and I marveled that everyone managed to stay on the dock. It got pretty crowded, and the dock was fairly narrow!

Pretty soon, the party broke up and everyone headed to their boats to get their appetizers for the oyster roast. As we neared the boat, we could see that Dream Ketcher was awfully close to another boat, and pretty soon, one of the officials came by and asked if we were adrift. We weren’t, but with the current ripping through, the boat was kiting quite badly. So, we decided we had better move. We hauled up the anchor and once again, circled the bay looking for a good spot. We then set the anchor once more, and hoped that this would be the last time.
I hadn’t planned on having to provide an appetizer, but found a head of cauliflower and some ranch dip to take. At least Dave would love it! Then we hopped in the dinghy and headed to shore again. Oddly enough, we ran into Gordon and Susan again and walked with them to the restaurant. Although we did not partake in the oysters, we did enjoy the vast array of appetizers that were brought in by the boaters, the beer, and the conversation. It was a nice ending to a very nice day!

Thursday November 25th 2010

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!! Our morning started off with a presentation in the band shell, for those interested in how to get to the Bahamas, and where to go when you get there. A lot of good information from those who had been there and done that! We’ll take all the advice we can get.

At 12:30, it looked like the town was being invaded, as every boat had a dinghy headed for shore for the big event, a turkey dinner with all the trimmings, and then some. They had planned for 300 people, and I think that was a good estimate. A long line started to form outside the doors, and after a brief prayer heard only by those at the start of the line, they opened the doors, and everyone filed by one of the three tables piled high with food. We spent the next three hours, eating and conversing with people from near and far. We met one man whose home is in Iceland and another young couple from Sweden.

Afterward, Dave, Susan, Gordon and I, walked farther into town to the used bookstore. They open on Thanksgiving, just for the boaters. It was a nice walk that took us by some very old homes and historic sites. They had a great selection of books, and a reading room, whose walls are covered with the names of boats and their owners who have visited. Of course we joined in and added our names to the wall!! As the sun began to set, we made our way back to the boat, where we spent the rest of the evening watching football and making phone calls to our loved ones. We missed being with them, but they were close at heart!!

Friday November 26th 2010

The only event on the schedule today, is a swap meet. So we headed to shore, not only for the swap meet, but for the showers!! We waited until late in the morning, and it paid off. Neither of us had to wait in line. Afterwards, we did a little Christmas shopping and had a snack, then headed for the dock. On the way, we noticed that several of the boats were moving and kiting quite badly. In fact, the boat next to us, was getting quite close. As we watched, it came right over and bumped against us! We took off at a trot and got Dave into the dinghy. I had scheduled a ride to the local Walmart, so needed to stay close to the pick-up point. I was worried as to whether Dave could handle the situation alone, but as I looked back out at the boat, I could see that someone else had boarded our boat to help out. Not sure what was going to happen, I boarded the van for the ride into town.

I spent the next hour picking up some more groceries, and having some “me” time, then went back out to the drop site, for a ride back to the dock. There were 8 of us that needed a ride back, plus all of the stuff we had bought. I don’t know how we did it, but we got everyone in, and all of the stuff, too! On the way back, I got a phone call from Dave, saying that he had to move the boat again and re-anchor. It was the only way he could get us away from the wandering boat. He asked if I could get a ride out to the boat with Chris (the wife of the other Whitby owner, Andy). Turns out, the good Samaritan that had boarded our boat, was Andy. He helped Dave move the boat and get re-anchored. Then he realized that his boat was having problems, too! So, while Dave and Andy watched the boats, his son Jake came to the rescue and picked up Chris and I on the dock, with all our stuff.

We spent the rest of the day on the boat, listening to the rain and the wind. There were a lot of boats that had to reset their anchors, due to the wind and the current. We thought that we might be able to watch the Oregon/Arizona game, but it was not on a channel we were able to get. Instead we spent a quiet night reading and watching TV.

Saturday November 27th 2010

Time to keep moving! We said good bye to all of our friends here and headed south again. It was sunny, but COLD! The wind was really whipping, so we had to bundle up in several layers. When we got to the St. John River, we were entering into unknown territory. We found the southern entrance for the Intercoastal Waterway and began to see an area we had not previously seen. It looked a lot like the rest of the canal, but seemed to be deeper.

We ended up at Beach Marina in the Jacksonville area. I’m not sure how I got the boat into the dock. They have a narrow entrance and even narrower fairways. It was a tight squeeze. After securing the boat, we went ashore to check out the facilities. We have laundry that needs to be done!!

After our long day at sea, we were parched! We headed into the Beach Marine Bar & Grill for a beer, and found ourselves in the middle of the Florida/Florida State game. It suddenly occurred to me that we might be able to listen to the Husky game, since the bar had WIFI. Dave ran back to the boat and was soon back with his laptop. In no time, we had our earphones in and were listening to Bob Rondeau. What a game!!! We had ordered some appetizers, so we moved from the bar to a table, where we could spread out. This lasted for quite awhile, then suddenly, as the Huskies were on the move, getting close to the goal line, Dave’s battery went dead!!! We made another move to another table that was close to an electrical outlet, and voila!, the game was back again. This was a nail biter to the bitter end, and I mean end. The Huskies made a touchdown on the last play of the game, with the game clock showing just 2 seconds, to win 16-13!!!!!!

Sunday November 28th 2010

We slept in this morning. Last night, as we got into bed, we heard these funny crunching noises. Dave decided it was either mice or cockroaches!! Not a happy thought to go to sleep on! We found out today that what we were hearing, was shrimp!!! I’ll definitely sleep better tonight!

Today was laundry day. They have a very nice laundry facility here, with 3 washers and 3 dryers. And, while the laundry was washing, Dave and I took showers! Then back to the boat for chores and blog updating, and football! Tonight we have friends from Jacksonville that are meeting us for dinner, and in the morning, we will leave for St. Augustine, where we will meet up with Phil and Roxy – the wonder dog!!!! Can’t wait to see them!

So, here we are at the end of November!! I can’t believe that in just a few weeks, we should be in the Bahamas! If the weather cooperates!!! We have been living on this boat for 7 months now. Unbelievable!

Hopefully, you all had a fantastic Thanksgiving, and you are now getting into the Christmas spirit. The end of the year will soon be upon us. Good luck with all of your shopping and holiday preparations, and check in again next week for more about our unconventional life. We do miss you!

Love & Hugs,

The Admiral

Monday, November 22, 2010

Hooray!! I’m back on line. We left Charleston, SC on Saturday morning, November 20th at 6:45am, and headed out to the open ocean on the outgoing tide. Twenty-nine hours later we entered the harbor at Fernandina Beach, FL, and it was so warm, I traded my jeans for my shorts, right after we tied to the mooring ball.

This was my first time being offshore in the USA, however, we did sail on the ocean down in the British Virgin Islands, but never on an overnight passage. I was a little anxious, since I wasn’t sure how my stomach would do, or how I would handle my four hour watch alone from midnight to four am. I needn’t have worried, I came through it all just fine, including having chili for dinner.

The entire trip we had no wind - nada, zip, zero! But, since there was no wind, we also had no waves, just the ocean swell, which was considerable. We rocked and rolled the entire trip! Twenty-five degrees to one side, then twenty-five degrees to the other side. All day and all night! It made cooking dinner rather interesting, but I was determined to have a hot meal. Thank goodness for the gimbaled stove. The chili on Fritos was delicious!!!

After dark, it wasn’t too cold out, as long as you were wearing a long sleeved shirt, a sweatshirt, and a raincoat over that. Then later, when the dew set in, you needed rain pants, too. About 8:00 pm, I decided I should try to get a little sleep before my watch, so I went down below and climbed into my nice warm bed. Dave was listening to the Stanford vs. California football game on the satellite radio, and since we have speakers in the aft stateroom, I tried to sleep with the game blaring in my ears. Where were my ear plugs??? I finally got up and put on my headphones, but that only muted it a little bit. I was thankful when at halftime, we lost the broadcast. All the while I had to combat the rolling of the boat. First all of my innards would slide all the way up towards my head, and then they would slide down to my feet, and then back again the other way. I think, of the 4 hours, I probably slept about 2.

Right at midnight, Dave slid the hatch open and woke me up for my turn at watch. I once again donned all of my clothes, including a watch cap and my PFD (personal flotation device), and a pair of gloves. I also raided the galley and found a bottle of water and a bag of cinnamon and sugar pita chips, for my midnight snack. Now I was ready to brave the elements. Out of the goodness of his heart, or for his own peace of mind, Dave decided to sleep in the cockpit, in case I had any problems. Thankfully, he is able to sleep just about anywhere, at any time.

While out on the ocean, we use an auto pilot program that steers the boat and keeps it on a set compass course. During the dark hours, you can’t see where the boat is going, so you rely on your radar to tell you if there are obstacles in your way, and you must also do a visual check every so often to see what lights you can see on the horizon. We set a timer for 20 minutes, and when it goes off, you carefully peer around the dodger and carefully scan the horizon. We also take an hourly chart position and enter it in the log book. You also need to be watching the chart on the GPS for marked buoys (you don’t want to run into them!), and the radar screen for blips indicating other boats, buoys, or land. Once you get into a rhythm of doing all of this, it is rather easy, and the radar is very reassuring. It is a wonderful feeling to have a blank radar screen all around you!

The time passed very quickly, although I wasn’t doing anything, just thinking, and watching the water in the moonlight. It was a beautiful full moon, and a nearly cloudless sky. The moon was so bright that we could only see the usual amount of stars. I really wanted to see dolphins, but never spotted any that night.

Around 3:30 am I looked at the chart and saw that our projected course took us straight over land!! Not good!!! I woke Dave up, so he could help me change course. Thank goodness for the GPS. At the time the land mass showed up on the screen, we were already in 9 feet of water, but since the water in this ocean is so shallow anyway, I don’t think we were in any imminent danger, but would have been if I had been asleep at the helm. I actually was quite alert during my watch and even let Dave sleep an extra hour, since I had had to wake him, then went back down to my bed at 5am, and after peeling off all of my layers, snuggled back in for a few more hours of sleep.

I awoke to beautiful sunshine! As each hour passed, it got warmer and warmer, and we started peeling off layers. We must be getting close to Florida!!! The auto pilot took us straight to the channel into Fernandina Beach, and as we made our way in, a huge freighter crept up behind us. We were startled when he called us on the radio and informed us of his intention to pass us. Seeing that big mass of steel pass us, I was glad that we only saw a few of them during the night, and they were all quite a distance from us. The biggest boats we saw close, were fishing trawlers.

So, now that we are safe in Fernandina Beach, let me tell you a little bit about our stay in Charleston. It started off not so good. We had planned to stay at a small, cheap marina in the Isle of Palms. When we arrived, it was very windy. The opening to the marina was very narrow and shallow. As we proceeded in, the waterway stayed very narrow, not leaving a lot of room for maneuvering. We were trying to call the marina, first by VHF and then by phone, to find out where they wanted us to dock. We could not get an answer!! So, we decided to tie up to the gas dock, but with the wind blowing, it was going to be tricky! A man came out on the dock to help us, or so we thought. As I got the boat close to the dock, Dave threw the man a line and told him to tie it to the cleat. He said, “Yeah, right!,” and threw the line back onto the boat. At this point, a gust of wind began blowing us down the dock and very close to some power boats that were docked on the end of the pier. Somehow, I managed to get us past them, and back into the channel. We would have to try it again, but now we were headed in the wrong direction. So, we decided to go all the way out, and come back in again. I was not a happy camper. It was difficult the first time and I was not happy to have to try it again. As we were leaving the marina entrance, I got a little too far to one side and the boat went aground! Now I was really not a happy camper!! I threw the boat into reverse and managed to get us back in deeper water, and out into the canal where we could turn around and go back in. On the way back in, we spotted a section of dock that we thought we could temporarily tie to, and attempted to do so. Between the wind, the angle, and the length of the dock, I just couldn’t make it happen, and I lost my cool!! I managed to get the boat turned around again, and headed back out of the marina!! After a few minutes time out, we decided that we would go on into Charleston and try to find space in a marina there, where we would hopefully have some help in docking. Dave got on the radio and found space for us at a marina on Patriot Point, just east of downtown Charleston. I was so shook up after our fiasco, I let him steer to the marina, then took over again when we got there. Although the wind was still blowing and the current was ripping, I got the boat safely docked with no trouble at all. That was a big confidence booster! And, this place was beautiful!! We walked up the long dock to the Marina office to check in, then went up to check out the resort it is attached to. There is a four story hotel with a swimming pool, a hot tub, a sandy beach with a volleyball net and lounge chairs, fire pits, and, a very inviting bar! After the morning I’d had, I needed a drink! As beautiful as it was, I knew it would be expensive, but it would make a great home for the next couple of weeks.

Before arriving there, we had decided that our present dodger (canvas over the cockpit) would not make it through the harsh winter sun in the Bahamas, so we opted to have a new one made. We researched and contacted a company in Charleston, and they came down to take a look at what we would need, the day after we arrived. They said they would have it done by the 18th of November. A little longer than we had hoped for, and a little more expensive, but what the heck! It turned out to be a great decision.

We spent the next two and a half weeks working on boat projects and playing tourist. We were able to get a great price on a rental car from Enterprise, so we were able to visit some places that were at a distance. We took one beautiful Sunday and drove up to Columbia, SC, where we hoped to see some fall colors. It was a really nice drive, but not too colorful. We did see the University of South Carolina, or USC, as is locally called. Boy, was that ever confusing. They kept talking about USC on the news, and we would automatically think of the other USC. The one in southern California! Anyway, the campus is right in the middle of this capital city, so we saw it, as well as the state house for the government. After the last election, SC now has its first woman governor! And the first of East Indian descent.

We took a day off from boat chores and went into downtown Charleston, where we took a carriage ride around the city. Our horse was an older male named “Bob”. He loved his job, and did very well. He did get spooked if he had to pass any construction areas that were covered with netting, or had to go by those big “cherry pickers” parked on the sides of the road. We saw some beautiful old antebellum homes and old cobblestone streets.

We also spent some time walking in the old slave market area, and sampling praline candy and fudge in some of the shops. Oddly enough, we also drove to the West Marine stores on the opposite side of the city for boat parts. One foray found us hunting for the Citadel Mall where we did some window shopping and had dinner before heading back to the boat.

Another day we traveled to the city aquarium, where they have one of the only albino alligators in captivity. Now that is a really strange sight! He doesn’t look real! They had the usual aquarium displays, and in addition, they had a 4-D movie. It was one of the Planet Earth series, ”the Ocean Deep”. It was amazing how many times they showed whales or dolphins spouting, so they could spray water on you. It was a lot of fun though!

We also drove out to the Boone Hall Plantation where they were having a Civil War Re-enactment of the Battle of Secessionville. What a hoot! There were probably a thousand re-enactors there in period dress. We got to see the inside of the plantation house and they have about 10 slave quarter homes still standing. There was also a presentation made by a woman whose ancestors had been slaves on the plantation. She explained how the slaves came to be there, and the traditions they followed. Very interesting! We also visited the dock house down by the river, where the ladies were having tea and a display of the quilts they had made. On our way back up to the main event area, we met up with General Robert E. Lee. Looked pretty good for a man that old!

We had lunch sold from a tent, where they cooked Indian Tacos, just like the ones my Aunt Toby used to make. They were delicious! After lunch, it was time for the big battle. We even had a regiment of very young soldiers, on the sidelines, fighting with their stick muskets, with a captain in command. They were soooo cute. True to the day, the Yankees outnumbered the Rebels, yet the south won the battle! The old muskets they used were noisy enough, but when they fired those cannons, it really got your attention! And your ears!!!

It was a really enjoyable day. We loved looking at all the campers in their old canvas tents and cooking over the fire pit in cast iron pots and pans. They really know how to rough it!! Made our boat seem quite comfortable by comparison.

Because we were in a big city, we also were able to watch some Husky games. There was a pretty nice sports pub, only a few blocks away, and we watched the last game against California, in the bar at Sticky Fingers, a fantastic barbecue restaurant. The food was great, and the game even better!

The marina is a home to a whole pod of dolphins. They were great entertainment for us. The water is so clear that we could see them swimming and chasing the small fish they wanted for lunch. We would stand on the dock and watch them, just under the surface of the water.

So, all in all, we had a great time in Charleston. However, I think both Dave and I were anxious to get under way again and head for Florida. The Bahamas beckon!!! We plan to stay here in Fernandina for another night, and then head in to Jacksonville for a stay at the city marina. According to some friends here, the city has some great Thanksgiving events going on down at the waterfront, and they have asked us to join them at the dock. Sounds like too much fun to pass up.

Sorry it was so long since my last blog entry. While in Charleston I had to take my computer in to Staples for a clean-up. It was taking way too long to boot up.

Thanks to Angie, Mary, Nancy, and family for your messages. It was wonderful to hear from you. We even got snail mail from home. Even junk mail can be fun, when you don’t get it all the time!

We hope that you all have a great Thanksgiving and enjoy the time with friends and family. I know we will be missing our own, but we will be with new friends this year. Stay happy and healthy!

Love & Hugs,

The Admiral

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Tuesday October 26th 2010

The thunderstorms have subsided, so we decided to move on down the waterway, to Southport, North Carolina. This is a town just off the Atlantic ocean, that was one of the states earliest seaports.

First on our list of things to do? Take a shower! After that, we walked into town to see what they had to offer. It was pretty sleepy. We did find a few stores to look through, then we found ourselves down at the beach, where we found an outside bar for a quick drink. We were then introduced to the “Back Porch Gang”, a group of locals who inhabit the back porch during happy hour. They were very friendly and we talked for quite awhile.

Another friendly entity in town were the mosquitoes! They were huge!! After the recent thunderstorms, there was a lot of standing water in the area, which, of course, they loved! They wasted no time feasting on my body, even through my clothing!!!

On the way back to the boat, we stopped at a dockside restaurant called “The Provisioning Co.”. It was highly recommended to us by one of the locals. It was very unique. As soon as you walk in the door, you are in the kitchen, where you enter your dinner selections with the hostess, and then pick out the drinks you want from the coolers opposite the kitchen. Then just seat yourself in the outside eating area, where they will bring your dinner to you. It was delicious! I had “Thee Special”, which consisted of one half pound of peel and eat shrimp, plus a crab cake. Dave had a ceasar salad topped with Ahi tuna. While we dined, we enjoyed a beautiful sunset, thanks to the clouds left over from the storms.

Wednesday October 27th 2010

The weather conditions will not allow us to leave Southport, so we opted to stay another night. Today was laundry day! While doing the laundry, we met another sailor from Canada. They arrived on their boat, just about the same time we did. They were planning to take a cab to Walmart and invited us to go along. BONUS! So, after lunch we got together and went grocery shopping.

After returning to the marina, we decided to all have dinner together in town. We met again at the head of the dock and walked to the “Cape Fear Restaurant”. It is the home for the bar we visited yesterday. Although it was after happy hour, we were able to see some of the Back Porch Gang. We had another fabulous meal, and had time to get to know Bob and Gracie from “Gratia”. They are also headed for the Bahamas, so we may meet up with them again.

Thursday October 28th 2010

Once again, the weather is not cooperating! It should be better tomorrow. We spent the day doing errands, then decided to go back to happy hour and see our new friends on the back porch. We were the first to arrive, but soon they started to trickle in. Our friend Peter, really wanted us to stay a couple more days so we could participate in a sailboat race they were having on Saturday, but we are anxious to be on our way.

On our way back to the marina, we stopped at another waterfront restaurant called “Fishy Fishy”. They had some really different salads on their menu that we decided to try. They were awesome!! You’ll have to take my word for it, ‘cause I can’t remember what they had in them. I know Dave’s had steak bites and mine had strawberries on greens, but I can’t remember the details. Must be getting old!

Friday October 29th 2010

We were finally able to leave Southport today, and crossed the line into South Carolina. It was a beautiful day as we motored down the ICW. As we did, we passed by a catamaran that we had seen anchored in Southport. It’s name was “Oh Be Joyful”, and there were three young persons aboard, all from Colorado. They too, are headed to the Bahamas.

When we arrived in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, we pulled into Dock Holiday Marina. It is just off the main highway that runs through this resort town. We walked up into town and found a hair salon next to the grocery store and the local West Marine store. My hair had become quite long and was hanging in my eyes! So, I had them cut quite a bit off. Yeah!!!! In the meantime, Dave hit the marine store and the liquor store.

On the way back to the boat, we passed by a restaurant that was having some kind of big shin dig on their back patio. We decided to investigate! They were having a grand opening celebration, for “Boom Boom’s Raw Bar”, so we joined right in. The local radio station was there, broadcasting live, and there were free appetizers. It was really fun to sit and people watch. Most of those in attendance were our age or older, and the music was good!

Saturday October 30th 2010

Another beautiful day, so we headed on down the waterway to South Myrtle Beach and a place we visited on the way north, Wacca Wache Marina. Remember our lunch at “Anna Bananas”? We had another nice lunch and talked with another couple who were new to boating and heading back to North Carolina after a few days in Charleston. Needless to say, they were on a small power boat.

That evening we turned on the TV to watch Oregon and USC battle it out, and were surprised to find ourselves looking at Husky stadium on the screen. We were so excited!!......until…..it was apparent that this was to be the worst game ever. Poor Huskies! It really could not have been any worse. Even the weather was terrible! Seattle looked very wet and soggy. We switched back and forth from the Huskies to the Oregon/USC game. At least they both started at a decent time. Our misery was short lived!

Sunday October 31st 2010

Happy Halloween! Not too many scary monsters near the water! We sailed a wee bit farther south and ended up in Georgetown, South Carolina. This is another old seaport. We had fun looking at the old town and having a great lunch at “Buzz’s Roost”. Afterwards we treated ourselves to some yummy ice cream.

As we pulled into Georgetown, we saw “the kids” on the catamaran. We have passed them nearly every day since we first saw them, but they are usually staying in other anchorages. It will be fun to see how often we run into them.

We spent a quiet Halloween, just checking in with Austin and Matt, and I had a great time chatting with my friend Kathy. No, we didn’t have a single trick or treater, but I did have some candy, just in case. Not too many kids on the docks. Like none!

Monday November 1st 2010

We had a long day today, but it was beautiful and just the right temperature, so we kept going ‘til the sun was nearly gone. We even had a chance to raise a sail for awhile!!

We decided to anchor out, so we chose a little creek right off the main waterway, called Whiteside Creek. We were all alone, so spent a very quiet night. Even in what seemed like the middle of nowhere, we were still able to watch “Dancing with the Stars”.

Tomorrow we will arrive in Charleston, SC. Just in time! The weather is starting to deteriorate, and rain and cold nights are in the forecast. It’s a good thing we’ll be in one place for awhile. We will have a new dodger made for the cockpit, and spend some time preparing for some offshore sailing. We plan to leave the ICW and go out into the Atlantic for a coastal sail down to Fernandina Beach, Florida. It will take us about two and a half days of 24-7 sailing, if we go offshore. If we continue down the ICW, it will take us 10 days! We’ve already seen the Georgia waterway, so we are ready for something new. Don’t worry, if the weather will not allow it, we will opt for plan B and continue down the ICW. Safety first!!

We are still waiting to hear from all of you. My thanks to cousin Carolyn for sending an email! I’m anxiously awaiting some news from my former coworkers. Kathy doesn’t count, she’s like a sister.

In the meantime, I’ve decided I’ll share with you some of the funny boat names that we have encountered:

Fishful Thinking

Reel McCoy

Yachta Yachta

The Other Woman

Stay happy and healthy, and I’ll check back in next week!

Love & Hugs,

The Admiral