I know it’s been far too long since I last wrote, but the last week has been an exciting one!!

Sunday October 17th 2010

Last night we walked over to “Big Woody’s Bar and Grill” to see if we could possibly watch the Husky game. It was about 9:00pm when we got there, and boy, was it crowded!! Luckily, another couple was just leaving, so we were able to get a table. We had a late dinner while we waited for the game to start, and we were serenaded by a rather loud live band.

When the game started, we had an okay view of the TV, if no one tall stood in the way. Fortunately, a party in a back room left, so we were able to move in there, and had a front row seat for a big screen viewing. We were the only ones in there, and could actually hear the commentators! The game seemed to go on and on, and ended in a tie. It was already 1:30am, and here we were going into overtime!! The bar wanted to close at 2:00, but the game was in its second overtime, with one more play to go, so they let us stay. Huskies win 35-34 over Oregon State!

Needless to say, we slept in this morning. It’s been a really long time since we closed down a bar! We a sure had fun though.

Today we took advantage of a beautiful day and moved down the ICW to Coinjock, North Carolina. There are two marinas here, one on each side of the canal, and little else. Dave did decide, late in the afternoon, to go see some football in the bar at the restaurant. He came back to the boat a short time later and told me I had to go with him back to the restaurant.

As we neared the place, I could hear someone singing with an acoustic guitar. He was good! He was playing out on the patio, and it was crowded, so we asked another couple if we could join them. They were happy to do so, and we ended up having a wonderful time talking with them, and listening to the music. We also enjoyed a fabulous meal! They had a 32 oz. prime rib on the menu that we were told we must get, so we did! Oh my god! Dave and I shared the meal, and managed to eat most of it. What we didn’t eat was consumed by the marina black lab, who had his eye on it from the start. We had a fabulous time, eating, listening, and watching the sun go down.

After our late night before, by the time we both had showers, we were ready for bed.

Monday October 18th 2010

Today was another beautiful day! Highs in the upper 70’s. We continued on down the canal and into Albemarle Sound. The water was perfectly flat and the little bit of wind that there was, was on our nose, of course! So, no sailing.

We continued on down the Alligator River, to a small bay that would be our home for the night. There were already two other sailboats there, so we found the perfect spot and lowered our anchor. Then the show began. Four F-15’s were using us for target practice. They flew over us, and over us, and over us… and not all together. They flew over one at a time, then circled around, and flew over again and again and again. At first it was fun, but when it didn’t stop, we headed into the boat to get some peace and quiet.

When we were sure they were gone, Dave went on deck to get some air. All of a sudden, I heard, ”Get me the binoculars! Quick!” I figured he must have spotted an alligator, since we were in the Alligator River, but when I asked him what it was in the water, he said it was a dog!!! Since we could only see its wet head, it looked like a beagle. It started swimming circles around the boat next to us. There was an elderly man, alone, on that boat, and he shouted to us, asking what he should do? We told him to haul the dog on board. So, he did. After a quick inspection, he discovered a tag on the dog, with a name and phone number. His cell phone had no coverage, but ours did, so Dave called the owner and told him that we had his dog. We were expecting that maybe he had fallen off a passing boat, but instead, his owner had sent him out that morning, bear hunting, and he had not returned. He was not a beagle, he was a hound dog, and a very determined one. His owner arrived just about dark, in his skiff, to pick him up. He was one happy, wet, dog!! I decided to call him “Jim Bob”, a real southern name, and because when we saw him, he was bobbing along.

Tuesday October 19th 2010

We were up early today, anxious to get further South. We found ourselves in a parade of boats, also headed south. When this occurs, it is inevitable that a large power boat, or two or three, will come up behind us and want to pass. The rule is, that the boat being overtaken will slow down, and the power boat will also slow down as it passes, so it will not rock your socks off. Then, once passed, it will resume its faster speed. If it is a very polite captain, he will call your boat on the VHF radio, and let you know that he wishes to pass. We really appreciate that, as sometimes they sneak up on you. This arrangement works out really well, until a power boat doesn’t obey the rule.

As we were cruising along our way, we heard a plea on the radio from another boat, a trawler (most mid-size power boats). Two large Carolina Kingfishers (big, long, pleasure fishing boats) had passed “Partners in Paradise” at full speed and without warning, tossing the trawler on to its right side and back up again. This is not normal for a trawler. Everything on the left side of the boat, ended up on the right side, including a freezer and two large heavy tool chests that were previously bolted down. Needless to say, a lot of damage was done, and “Partners in Paradise” wanted to catch the two boats that caused the damage. They needed the names of the boats, and their home ports.

So, the hunt was on! We knew that the two boats in question were still behind us. As they continued south, you could hear the reports on the radio from all the other boaters, who were more than happy to provide “P in P” with all the information they would need. By the time they reached us, they did do a slow pass, but did not try to call us on the radio, nor would they return our calls to them. Obviously, the two kingfishers could hear the chatter on the radio, and were choosing to avoid the situation. However, the coast guard had been notified, and could be waiting for them, somewhere down the waterway! A call had gone out to all the marinas to please report their presence to the police, if they should enter one of them. We were not sure we would ever hear how this would turn out.

However, that afternoon, we pulled into Bellhaven, North Carolina, and dropped anchor. A short time later, “Partners in Paradise” came in and tied up at the marina. We had planned to go ashore anyway, so we did, and strolled down the dock to talk with “P in P”. They were awaiting a visit from the authorities, and were more than happy to retell their story, now that they had had a chance to collect their wits. Maybe some day we’ll find out whether there was a happy ending or not. Fortunately, no one was injured. The owner’s wife’s 84 year old father was aboard, and could easily have been injured!

The rest of our time in Bellhaven was a bust! We were told by others that this was a must stop place, but we are not sure why. It is almost a ghost town. One very short main street in each direction, with mostly vacant stores. The laundromat seemed to be the busiest place in town, other than the hospital. Our tour of town lasted all of 45 minutes, then we headed back to the boat.

Wednesday October 20th 2010

This morning we awoke to a very heavy fog. We could not see the boats anchored closest to us. Around 10:00am we thought the fog was clearing and decided to leave the harbor. No sooner were we outside the harbor breakwall, then we decided we may have left a little too soon. Thankfully, with the GPS and our radar, we could find the way to go and stay out of trouble, but fog is very disorienting. We had to keep our minds from being tricked. I was extremely relieved when the fog started to lift and we could see land around us.

Today we returned to one of our favorite places, Oriental, North Carolina. We stayed there when we were boat shopping, a few years ago, and then again on our way North to DC. They have a very nice small marina and inn. You dock your boat and can then walk right up to the Tiki Bar and pool, and have a nice cold drink while you sit on the shaded deck or on the well manicured lawn. They also have one of the nicest shower facilities, and they provide you with towels, shampoo, and soap. My only complaint is that they have but one washer and dryer, and charge $2.00 a load. But, if you must do laundry, it’s nice to have a tiki bar to wait at.

Thursday October 21st 2010

We decided to get a little exercise today. We hiked about a mile to the grocery store. It wasn’t like the supermarkets in the big cities, but we were able to pick up a few things we needed. We took our shopping bags and a back pack, and were prepared to haul everything back to the boat, but one of the locals asked if we were headed for the marina, and offered to give us a ride. They are so nice!!

Of course, we decided to spend happy hour at the tiki bar. While there, we talked with “Kentucky Jim”, one of the locals. The community is having an apple event this weekend. You can participate by baking something with apples, or making something that is not apple, and entering it. The apples, all purchased in Kentucky, are provided for the asking. Even though we were not going to be there for the event, Jim insisted that we take some apples. We left with about 8 different kinds of apples, including one called a “Mutzu”, that I had never heard of. I really should make something with them before they rot!

Those of you that know me well, know that I do not drink coffee. I did get hooked on Caramel White Chocolate Mochas, especially the 99 cent ones at AM/PM mini-marts, but I’m not sure that qualifies as coffee. In this, our new life, mochas are few and far between. I actually crave them and look forward to opportunities to purchase them. Fortunately, Oriental has an espresso stand called “The Bean”, so I was able to satisfy by craving! I have come upon so many towns and marinas that could do a booming business with a coffee stand. Anyone need a business opportunity???

Friday October 22nd 2010

We shoved off today, headed for the big city of Beaufort, North Carolina. It was another beautiful day on the water. The weather has been great! We pulled up to the city marina, right on the city waterfront, and went for a stroll.

First up was lunch, on the deck of one of their recommended restaurants. There is an island just across the waterway, that can only be reached by boat. On this island are wild ponies! While we ate lunch we saw a herd of them in one area, and further down on the beach we saw a few other ponies. We could see them very clearly, without binoculars, that’s how close the island is.

After lunch we perused the many shops, and of course we felt obligated to spend some money there. We have to do our part for the economy!! As I was looking over the merchandise in one of the stores, a cute little monkey dressed in pirate garb asked me if he could be a stowaway. Of course I had to say yes! I had a hard time trying to come up with a name for him. I thought maybe I should name him Jock Robin (instead of Jack Sparrow), but it seemed too formal. So, he ended up being “Matey” (as in Aye, matey!) He has Velcro on his paws, so when he hangs from the grab rail, he is about a foot long, and so cute in his striped pants, red vest, captains hat, and eye patch!

That night, all hell broke loose on the waterfront! We were trying to get to sleep, or I should say, I was trying to fall asleep, Dave was having no problem!!! I kept hearing all this shouting, and women screaming. I envisioned that there was a fight going on. Suddenly I heard a whistle blowing. My first thought was the keystone cops, but that seemed a little silly. I think it might have been someone on a sailboat just trying to distract the crowd. After what seemed like an eternity, I finally heard the police sirens and knew that there would be an end to this madness!

Saturday October 23rd 2010

We awoke to another beautiful day, and set sail for New River, North Carolina. Although we passed through this same area, back in July, it looks different from this direction. It isn’t until I see something specific, that it jogs my memory and looks familiar. So, every day is still very exciting.

Today we spotted dolphins!!! It has been quite awhile since we saw them last. It’s fun to see them glide through the water and sometimes they will start their own special ballet, jumping up out of the water, and then gliding back down into the water.

We had some anxious moments while we were waiting for bridges to open. Most of them only open on the hour, or if you are lucky, also on the half hour. However, it is very difficult to time your arrival just when the opening occurs. Sometimes, you are forced to do circles, or if there is no current, to come to a complete stop. This can be very tricky if there are multiple boats waiting. It can be especially nerve wracking if it is shallow water and you do not want to run aground!

While we were headed north, we saw very few other boats in the ICW. On this trip south, we have been accompanied by a lot of other boats, both power and sail. We are now officially traveling with the “snowbirds”. We are one of them! We are all headed south, as fast as we dare, looking for warmer weather. The nights are getting colder and colder. The days are still nice and warm, but for us boats with no heat, we must get to warmer nights. We are about 5 days away from being in Charleston, South Carolina. Once we are there, we will wait until after November 15th to head south down the outside of the coast, and make an overnight passage all the way to Fernandina Beach, Florida. That is, if the winds will allow us to sail!! We will be able to skip the meandering ICW in Georgia, and go straight to Florida. Our insurance does not allow us to be south of Brunswick, Georgia until after November 15th, hence the reason for the delay. We decided that Charleston would be a good place to spend a little time.

The marina ( ? ) here in New River is actually a trailer park, with a few docks for small fishing boats. They do have a gas dock, and that is where we spent the night. I don’t think they have overnight guests very often. They had to find an extension cord to hook us up to power. Then, when we went to check out the shower facility, we found only cold water. They discovered that the pilot light on the water heater was out! We did get a good nights sleep, and it was cheap, only $1.00 per foot.

We tried hard to stay up and listen to the Husky game against Arizona, but it was another late game, 10:15pm, and not very interesting. Dave konked out about halfway through the 2nd quarter. I hung in there until almost the end of the 3rd quarter, when I realized there was no way they could bridge the huge gap in score. I went to bed! Won’t they ever have a game again that starts at the old 12:30pm PDT that they used to start?????

Sunday October 24th 2010

This morning we shoved off and caught up with a group of sailboats. We followed each other most of the day, then scattered for different places for the night. We ended up anchoring at Wrightsville Beach. We stayed here before, on the trip north. The town is all along the coast, and we are in a bay on the other side of the town.

We decided to go and have dinner at the same Mexican restaurant we ate at last time. They have excellent food, and Dave can watch a little football. He really does miss it!!

I think we have gotten the launching of the dinghy, down to a science. It all goes pretty smoothly now. And we are really enjoying our new inflatable. Even the outboard engine seems to start relatively easy now. It is also much easier to get on and off Dream Ketcher, than it was on Altair, our other sailboat.

Speaking of Altair, we have been getting emails from her new owners, informing us of their adventures, asking questions, seeking advice, etc. It has been really interesting, and fun to know that she is still sailing in Puget Sound.

Monday October 25th 2010

Oh boy! How the weather has changed. Today we have had severe thunderstorm warnings all day! Three times the wind picked up and the rains came, only to be replaced with relative calm.

Now, however, we are smack in the middle of a thunder and lightning show. Needless to say, we have remained here in Wrightsville Beach, and are hoping the weather will get better, soon!

We have both been on the computer all day. I couldn’t wait any longer to share all of our adventures with you! I am still waiting to hear from all of you. I have only gotten one email since last I wrote (thanks, Nancy!) I really do want to know what is happening at home, so please, please, please send me an email….or even a text message. Just something to let me know that someone is really reading this blog. In case you lost it, I can be reached at kuchmeister@gmail.com.

Hope things are well with all of you. By the time I write again, we should be in Charleston.

Love & Hugs,

The Admiral