Wednesday August 11th 2010
Thought we’d get lucky today, but alas, it wasn’t meant to be. They ordered the wrong part!!!! The new one, the right one, will arrive tomorrow. With the afternoon free, we decided to check out Virginia Beach, an ocean resort destination. A lot like Myrtle Beach, but much smaller.
We cruised the main drag, then went to the aquarium. It is supposed to be the biggest and best in the state. It was fun, and had some interesting exhibits: a shark tank, where you could get up close and personal, and a sting ray pond, where you could touch and feel the guys. They are smooth, slick, lacey, and very delicate. They definitely creeped me out!!!
After that, we headed back to the beach and had dinner at a beachside café. Lo and behold, out in the surf, very close to the shore, were several dolphins! They were having a great time playing in the surf. The lifeguard was having a heck of a time keeping people from swimming out to them. These were the first we have seen in some time.
After dinner, we continued to watch the dolphins, from the beach, then left to return to Portsmouth.
Thursday August 12th 2010
YEAH!!!!! They finally got the right part, and put it on the shaft, and we launched at @ 1:30PM. The wind was whipping, and we were between thunderstorms. Our departure from the lift left much to be desired, but we made it, and then the challenge of getting into the slip at the marina began! Left, a quick right, then another quick left, in to the slip. I really amazed myself! I got her in there with no problem. I must be getting used to her!
We spent the rest of the afternoon buying food and supplies at Walmart, then picked up the food we had in cold storage at Ocean Marine.
The forecast for tomorrow is not good, so we will stay another night. The weather, plus the fact that tomorrow is Friday the 13th, did not excite us!
We ended the day with dinner at “Paddy O’Brien’s” pub. That reminded us of the old joke: What's Irish and stays out all night???? Pati O'furniture.
Friday August 13th 2010
It was a good decision for us to stay put. It was overcast and in the low 80’s. Thunder boomers kept looming large, and the wind was definitely blowing hard.
We decided to keep the rental car until tomorrow, so we headed back to Virginia Beach to play golf at a course we saw there, “Owl’s Creek”. It was mostly a par 3 course, which was good, since I hadn’t played since pre-knee surgery in 2008. The knees were fine, the left hip? Not so good!
We actually had a great time. It felt so good to be back on the golf course again. My worst hole was a par 5, where I got a 7. No snowmen!!! It was a little strange playing with rental clubs, regular sneakers, and no glove, but we managed.
Dave and I have decided that we really like this part of Virginia. It is very green, with a nice mix of vegetation. Beautiful pine trees! However, this small stretch of land between North Carolina and Washington, DC, has the worst traffic
problems!!
We headed back to the boat and had dinner, then waited for the concert on shore to start. They have a summer concert series at an outdoor pavilion, right at the top of the dock. Tonight’s band?? Heart!! We had to come all the way from Seattle (where Heart is from) to Portsmouth, Virginia to see them!! Well, actually, just hear them. Because of the wind, and some strange echoes, it was really hard to hear the music correctly. I finally gave up.
All of a sudden, Dave was knocking on the deck and calling for me. Across the river, somewhere in Norfolk, they were having a fireworks display that was just like the 4th of July. Beautiful! We heard on the news later, that the display was after the baseball game in the stadium. Even though they lost! It probably lasted about 20 minutes.
Saturday August 14th 2010
On the move again!! Or so we thought. When we started the engine, no tach and no amps!! Again!!! After Dave rattled things around a bit, they came back, so we headed out. We headed up the river and got just past Hospital Point, when the instruments, all of them, went dead. Soooo, we made a U-turn and went right back to Ocean Marine. They told us we were in luck, that there just happened to be an electrician working today. He would be over shortly. Guess what??? We waited all
day, and he never showed up!
We waited until 5:30pm, then we called our hero, Frank, from Tow Boat US, to see if he could recommend a good electrician. He put us in touch with Tim, who will be here tomorrow morning (Sunday!!).
With another evening in Portsmouth, we took the passenger-only ferry over to Norfolk, and explored the waterfront. Not much there, but there was at one time. We had dinner at “Joe’s Crab Shack” (think Red Lobster), then walked the dock and took the ferry back to Ocean Marine.
Tonight they had a RAP concert in the pavilion. It was loud, but deep inside the boat, with the AC going, and with a movie playing, we couldn’t hear the Rap music at all.
Will we find the answer to our electrical problem tomorrow??? Stay tuned!
Love & Hugs,
The Admiral
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Monday July 26th 2010
Dave and I both woke up when we realized that the wind was not blowing. Time to go!! Well, almost. We checked the depth and needed a little more. In the meantime, the wind slowly began to make an appearance. An hour later we decided to give it a try, and were happy that we made it away from the dock with no problem.
We put a few extra miles on this day, so we could go all the way to Oriental, North Carolina. We were there last April ’09, by car to look at a boat. We were anxious to see it again from the water. Same quaint town!!
We tied up at the Marina and Inn, and I headed straight for the swimming pool. Awwwwwwwww! We decided this was too nice, so we will take the day off tomorrow and stay a 2nd night!
Tuesday July 27th 2010
This morning we walked over to the other marina and had breakfast at their café. We are trying not to heat up the boat, so are avoiding making anything hot, and are getting tired of cold cereal. Then we walked back to the boat by way of the chandlery, where Mom and I spent nearly an hour looking at the gifts for sale. I spotted a basket set – basket, trivet, and coasters – with ceramic anchors and sailboats worked into the weave. It was a little high priced for me, but Mom decided to buy it for me as an early birthday gift! Nice!!
Next, back to the marina, where I spent the rest of the day at the pool. It was wonderful! Then spent the evening doing laundry.
One of the nicest things about this marina, is that it is also a hotel. Because of this, they provide the towels for showers, as well as the shampoo, conditioner, and soap. Makes it very easy for us poor sweaty sailors!
Wednesday July 28th 2010
We left Oriental and headed for Dowery Creek. Very hot again! We crossed some large bodies of water, in between sections of the ICW, but even these large areas were very shallow. By the time we reached the marina, the wind had really picked up, and made for some really tricky docking.
We ran into Charles and JoAnn from “Osprey”. We first met them at the St. John’s Yacht Center, south of Charleston, and then again in Oriental. They too, are headed for the Chesapeake. They were taking a loaner car to the grocery store, and offered us a ride. Mom and I went and stocked up for another week.
When we got back, it was pool time for me, then dinner and lights out.
This was an interesting place. A woman and her husband were cruisers for many years, and they decided to buy this marina to settle into. After several years, he died. She decided to keep the place going, and has done a very good job. The nearest town is in the middle of corn and soy bean farms. They stretched for miles and miles. We were told that if you are driving after dark, you need to watch out for deer and BEARS!
Thursday July 29th 2010
We spent most of today in the Alligator River – didn’t see any!! It was pretty non-eventful. We had a little scare as we entered the Alligator River Marina. We had to wait for the 2 mile long bridge to open, then once we were through, the water became very choppy, and the channel entrance very shallow. We made it through, but then I had to dock the boat between pilings again! Once that was accomplished, we had to find a way to get on and off the boat using the tiny sliver of dock that only reached to the mast stays.
We then ventured over to the marina office/gas station/gift shop/restaurant to check in. There, on the wall, were pictures of all the recent alligator and BEAR sightings!! They even had alligator on the menu!
Friday July 30th 2010
We went back to the restaurant this morning for a quick breakfast, then headed for the boat and a quick exit. We made it out just fine, but boy, is it ever windy! (a sailor complaining about wind??) It is cloudy and cool, and feels great!! However, small craft warnings, with waves that are 3 to 5 feet, made for an exciting but difficult day. We were able to put the stay sail up and actually sail for awhile, but it was like being on a roller coaster all day.
We finally arrived in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, the city that marks the beginning of the “Great Dismal Swamp”. It is a man-made canal built in the late 1700’s that linked Elizabeth City to Portsmouth and Norfolk, Virginia, allowing commercial goods to be moved between them. It was later used as part of the Underground Railroad, getting black slaves into Union territory, giving them their freedom. We have heard rave reviews about this city and the swamp, and have been looking forward to this part of the trip!
We pulled into Pelican Marina, and again, I had to dock the boat between pilings and with a crosswind. On the first attempt I couldn’t quite make it, so I backed up, turned around, and went back out to try it again. The second attempt went much better!! Little did I know that it was “happy hour” on the back deck of the marina office, and all of the men assembled were quite impressed with the way I handled the boat, got her docked, and never came close to hitting anything. They were especially amazed to learn the captain was a woman!! It was really nice to hear their praises!
Pelican Marina is owned and operated by a former Washingtonian. He, his wife, and their two teenagers, live aboard a 51 foot Morgan sailboat, right there in the harbor. Both of the kids work for Dad at the marina.
That evening, we went next door, to the Marina restaurant, and had some excellent food. ( snow crab, yum!) After dinner, we went back to the boat and watched a movie.
Saturday July 31st 2010
We decided to take a day off today, and went into town to see the sights. First we perused a Farmer’s Market set up on the waterfront. Then we spent some time browsing at the book store.
I decided to break from the group and ventured off to get my hair cut. I went to a little hole in the wall place, where she did an excellent job. It feels so much lighter.
After that, I rejoined the group for lunch at a local deli, then we walked a few blocks to the county museum. They had a fantastic display telling about the vast changes in the region since the early 1600’s. Then it was time for ice cream before we headed back to the boat.
Sunday August 1st 2010
We had planned to leave for the Dismal Swamp today, but it’s rainy and overcast. The high was only about 75. Feels like home! We decided to stay put, and had a lazy day of doing laundry, reading the Sunday paper, and feeding the local scavengers. Right off the back deck of the marina office, there are painted river turtles, about 10 inches in diameter, that stick their little heads up above the water. The office has a big bag of cat chow available for people to feed to the turtles, ducks, etc. There is also a huge catfish lurking under the deck, that comes up to eat now and then. You can’t see him, but the water sure moves!
It rained on and off most of the day, so we were glad that we had stayed. Tomorrow should be better!
Monday August 2nd 2010
After a bit of maneuvering, we finally left Pelican Marina and headed for the Dismal Swamp. The weather was still overcast, but that kept it from getting too hot!
We meandered our way through the swamp, which turned out to be not so swampy. The cypress swamps in South Carolina were way more swampy! This looked like a river in Washington with wooded banks. There was even a highway right alongside the canal, where every now and then you would see a car or truck going by. What a disappointment!!!
There are two sets of locks on the swamp canal. As we neared the first lock, we suddenly heard this awful sound, and then realized we had no propulsion. We thought at first that we had lost our propeller, but as Dave inspected closer, he discovered that the propeller shaft had broken. The water in the swamp is the color of Coca-Cola, so we will not know if the propeller is still there, until we have the boat hauled out.
The locks only open 3 times a day, and we were trying to make the 1:30pm opening, so we called the lockmaster and told him we were disabled, and asked if there was anywhere that we could tie the boat up. About this time, the heavens opened up and the rain poured down on us. Dave launched the dinghy and tried to tow the boat to some pilings just before the locks. The rest of us manned lines and boat hooks, trying to keep us out of further trouble.
Once we were tied up, we called Tow Boat US, to come to our rescue. They would have to send a boat from Norfolk, Virginia, and it was too late in the day for him to be able to reach us, with the lock schedule as tight as it is. So, they asked if we could go through the lock, and tow the boat down to the Visitor’s Center, 5 miles away, which would make it easier for the tow captain the next day. We told them we would try!
Fortunately, there were no other boats in the canal that day, so the understanding lockmaster agreed to let us go through the lock. With some difficulty, Dave guided the boat with the dinghy, into position inside the lock, and with the rain continuing to pour, the lock raised us to the higher water in the next part of the canal. The lockmaster suggested that we tie up to the wall, just on the other side of the lock, near the next bridge, where we would be able to have pizza and beer. Sounded good to us!! When the lock opened, Dave directed us towards the wall, where we then got ashore and walked the boat as far as we could toward the bridge. We couldn’t help it. We started singing “15 miles on the Erie Canal”. Seemed appropriate!
The rain finally stopped, so we put on dry clothes and hiked about 4 blocks into the tiny town of South Mills, and had the best tasting pizza and beer, ever! It was a 12 inch pizza with as many toppings as you wanted, for $10.95. Such a deal!!!
Tuesday August 3rd 2010
We had a very quiet and peaceful night in South Mills, and we woke up to sunshine. For awhile the boat looked like a scene from “the Beverly Hillbillies”. We had clothes and cushions stretched from stem to stern, drying in the sun. After what seemed like forever, we finally saw the Tow Boat US approaching, with Frank, our knight in shining armor aboard. He tied his boat alongside ours, and with his boat providing the propulsion, and me steering our boat, we were on our way. There is a 6 knot speed limit on the canal, and Frank was doing all of that and a bit more. We needed to be at the second lock by 3:30pm, so we were on a tight schedule.
Things were going really well, until the tow boat hit something, and now Frank had no propulsion!!! The Dismal Swamp was getting more dismal by the minute!! Fortunately, he knew what the problem was, and he had a spare part. BUT, he had never made the repair before. To avoid going in the water, with the alligators and the snakes, Frank was able to use our dinghy to get at the outboard and make the repair, using his cell phone to get step by step instruction from a mechanic!! Way to go, Frank!!!
This process took about 30 minutes, so I figured there was no way we could make the lock opening. That would mean another night in the canal, with no AC and no pizza and beer!! However, Frank was not too keen on not getting home, so he sweet talked the lockmaster into staying late and letting us lock through. What a guy!!! By 4:15pm we were on our way to Portsmouth, Virginia, and arrived at the Ocean Marine Yacht Center about 6:00pm. We fueled up, pumped out, and got settled for the night.
There are Navy shipyards all around us. A new type of stealth destroyer is being made, that looks like a catamaran and the old “Merrimac”. Very hush, hush!
Wednesday August 4th 2010
Tow Boat US showed up at 9:00am to move us to the travel lift for haul out. Just as we left the marina, a Navy destroyer was in the harbor, being pushed by tugs in to a dry dock. We had to get out of her way, pronto! We had fun watching the process while we waited for the boat yard to be ready for us. They seemed to be in no great hurry, while we sat drifting in the river. At last, we were hauled out, and thank God, we still have our propeller!!!
The boat will be in the yard for several days while the repair is being made, and we are not allowed to live on the boat during this time. So, we decided to rent a car, which will enable us to take George & Gloria to the airport in DC, on Sunday, for their flight home. We will do some sightseeing for a few days, and then head to DC and see Austin.
We spent the rest of the day securing a rental car and packing our suitcases, then drove to Chesapeake, VA for a night in a hotel.
Thursday August 5th 2010
Today we drove to Newport News, Virginia, to the Maritime Museum. A huge place, that is home to one of the ironclads, the Monitor. At least the turret of the Monitor, and all of the items they found embedded inside of it. It was fascinating to learn about the Monitor and the Merrimac. Long before the battle between these two, the Merrimac was burned and sunk, and the confederates raised her up and rebuilt and improved her, and renamed her the “Virginia”. For some reason, history still refers to her as the Merrimac.
The museum shows the work of a group that raised the turret of the Monitor from the bottom of the bay, and their efforts to preserve it. We spent the entire day at the museum, then went back to Chesapeake for the night.
Tomorrow we go to Washington DC, and will get to see Austin!!!!
Friday August 6th 2010
This morning we went to check on the boat. There was a thunderstorm last night, with pretty high winds, and water got into the v-berth. We got it dried up, and took more food out of the refrigerator. Then on to DC!!
It took FOREVER!! Traffic was a mess, no matter where we went. We left at 11:00am, and arrived in DC at 6:15pm. It’s about 190 miles. At least the scenery was beautiful. I can’t wait to see Virginia in the Fall.
Austin managed to get us two very nice rooms at the Marriott where he works. I feel like a queen!! We will stay here until the boat is ready on Monday. Tomorrow we will go to Annapolis, and on Sunday we will take George and Gloria to the airport. They need to go home and recuperate from their time with us. I think we wore them out!!
After Austin was done with work, we went down to the Georgetown waterfront and had dinner on the terrace of a restaurant called Sequoia. What a beautiful part of the city! Afterwards, we got gelato from a little shop nearby. It was a great ending to a very tedious day!!
Saturday August 7th 2010
This morning, Austin brought us some news from Matt and Jacinda. It seems that yesterday afternoon, our grandson, James was playing on the deck at his daycare, when he managed to get a large, long sliver of wood embedded under the fingernail on his middle finger. OOOOWWWWW!!! Matt and Jacinda took him to the ER, where 3 people had to hold him down so they could anesthetize his finger, then he watched quietly as they removed the sliver! Matt even sent Austin a picture of the finger
with the sliver!!!
Today we ventured to Annapolis. George and Gloria had never been there before. Austin, Gloria, Dave and I roamed the streets and shops while George sat in the waterfront park. After lunch at the “Federal”, we walked the docks. The locals call it “Ego Row”. Aptly named! All of the sailboats were on mooring buoys, except for one, that had a sign on it – “Wanted- First Mate”. After a bit more shopping, we had some ice cream, then went to look for a marine store that had moved.
Once there, Dave and I were excited to see that the store had a supply of RBI’s displayed on their lot. RBI’s are rigid bottom inflatables. We had been planning on buying a new one this Fall, as we will need it for the Bahamas. The inflatable dinghy we have now is a soft bottom and would not stand up to the coral beds we will encounter this winter. Not only did they have them, but they had the brand we had been told was the best, and at a good price! And as an added bonus, the store will sell our present inflatable on consignment for us. Sooooo, we bit the bullet and bought ourselves, what amounts to for sailors, a new vehicle!! (thankfully, not near as expensive!). Now we just have to get the boat up to Annapolis!
We headed back to DC, and on the way, Austin took us by their home in Silver Springs, Maryland, and past some mega mansions in Bethesda, MD. Then on to the National Cathedral, not far from the Marriott. We were too late to go inside, but what we saw outside was incredible. It is the largest in the United States, and rivals some of the beautiful cathedrals we saw in Europe!! We also strolled through the nearby “Bishop’s Garden”. It was all very peaceful and serene.
Afterwards, we went to dinner, just down the hill from the hotel at a Mediterranean restaurant. Then back to the hotel for a good night’s sleep.
Sunday August 8th 2010
This morning we met George and Gloria in the lobby for breakfast, and then afterwards, Dave and I walked down to the pharmacy to pick up a few things. When we got back, we moved George and Gloria into our room, and watched “Pretty Woman” until it was time to leave for the airport.
We took the metro (subway), going first down the “escalator to hell”. This metro stop has the longest, and steepest escalator of all. It takes 3 minutes to get from top to bottom.
It took only 30 minutes to get to the airport. We got them checked in, and then had lunch at an Italian bistro, before seeing them safely in to the security line. The trip back to the hotel was a wee bit longer. They chose that time to do some maintenance on the tracks, so there was a bit of a wait!!
Once back, we headed upstairs to the concierge lounge, where they had an impressive array of appetizers and drinks. Cindy had just arrived back in town from Atlanta, and she joined us in the lounge. We waited until Austin was done at work, then we walked down the hill and had dinner at a sidewalk Italian restaurant. Delicioso!!! We made some plans for the week that Matt, Jancinda, and James will be in DC, and found out what Cindy had been doing in Atlanta all summer. It was so good to spend time with them again!!
Monday August 9th 2010
We started the day by having breakfast in the concierge lounge (thanks to Austin!!). We then checked out and headed to Williamsburg, Virginia. We spent the rest of the day in “Colonial Williamsburg”, a restored town from the 1700’s. It was very interesting, but not as well done as the Living Museum in Arnheim, Holland, that we saw on our trip to Europe.
We got back on the road and headed to Portsmouth, where we checked in to the Marriott Renaissance, right on the waterfront. (thank you, Austin!). We were pretty tired from our busy day, so we had Chinese food delivered, then called Matt and Jancinda to talk about plans for their trip.
Hopefully, back on the boat tomorrow!!!!
Tuesday August 10th 2010
AAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!! We went to the boat yard this morning to check on the boat, and were told that the new shaft was too short. It took most of the day for them to decide how to deal with the problem, but we should have the boat ready to launch tomorrow afternoon.
We secured the rental car for a few more days, and checked back in to the Marriott. We then headed to a map store in Norfolk, where we also found a copy center, and a “Schlotsky’s Deli”!!! (eat your heart out, Peter!) In this same block, we got laundry quarters from a Bank of America, then headed back across the harbor to Portsmouth. This trip was the highlight of our day, since we were able to find all the shops we needed, all in one block, and we had a parking place in the shade!
Oh wait!! Make that the 2nd highlight of the day. This morning we got a call from the marine store where we bought the new inflatable. They already have a buyer for our present inflatable!!!!!!
We spent a few hours in our room, checking email, writing blogs, etc., then we decided to have dinner at a restaurant just a few blocks away. It was a seafood fare that was absolutely fabulous. I had flounder that had a peanut crust and was topped with a bacon cream sauce. Oh, my gosh!!!
When we returned to the hotel, we walked by the public dock, just outside the doors. There we saw a large sailboat that turned out to be a Morgan 46. It looked much longer than that!! They had a HUGE cat on board that was roaming the deck. After a bit, his Mom came out, and while we were talking with her, the cat leapt off the boat, onto the dock, made a flying leap onto the top of the sea wall, and made a beeline for the hotel grass! Dave and I corralled the cat until the owners could get up to the hotel. They couldn’t take the same route as the cat! We talked with them for awhile about our dreams and theirs, and now I’m here desperately trying to catch up.
We hope good things are happening to you, and you are healthy and happy!
Love & Hugs,
The Admiral
Dave and I both woke up when we realized that the wind was not blowing. Time to go!! Well, almost. We checked the depth and needed a little more. In the meantime, the wind slowly began to make an appearance. An hour later we decided to give it a try, and were happy that we made it away from the dock with no problem.
We put a few extra miles on this day, so we could go all the way to Oriental, North Carolina. We were there last April ’09, by car to look at a boat. We were anxious to see it again from the water. Same quaint town!!
We tied up at the Marina and Inn, and I headed straight for the swimming pool. Awwwwwwwww! We decided this was too nice, so we will take the day off tomorrow and stay a 2nd night!
Tuesday July 27th 2010
This morning we walked over to the other marina and had breakfast at their café. We are trying not to heat up the boat, so are avoiding making anything hot, and are getting tired of cold cereal. Then we walked back to the boat by way of the chandlery, where Mom and I spent nearly an hour looking at the gifts for sale. I spotted a basket set – basket, trivet, and coasters – with ceramic anchors and sailboats worked into the weave. It was a little high priced for me, but Mom decided to buy it for me as an early birthday gift! Nice!!
Next, back to the marina, where I spent the rest of the day at the pool. It was wonderful! Then spent the evening doing laundry.
One of the nicest things about this marina, is that it is also a hotel. Because of this, they provide the towels for showers, as well as the shampoo, conditioner, and soap. Makes it very easy for us poor sweaty sailors!
Wednesday July 28th 2010
We left Oriental and headed for Dowery Creek. Very hot again! We crossed some large bodies of water, in between sections of the ICW, but even these large areas were very shallow. By the time we reached the marina, the wind had really picked up, and made for some really tricky docking.
We ran into Charles and JoAnn from “Osprey”. We first met them at the St. John’s Yacht Center, south of Charleston, and then again in Oriental. They too, are headed for the Chesapeake. They were taking a loaner car to the grocery store, and offered us a ride. Mom and I went and stocked up for another week.
When we got back, it was pool time for me, then dinner and lights out.
This was an interesting place. A woman and her husband were cruisers for many years, and they decided to buy this marina to settle into. After several years, he died. She decided to keep the place going, and has done a very good job. The nearest town is in the middle of corn and soy bean farms. They stretched for miles and miles. We were told that if you are driving after dark, you need to watch out for deer and BEARS!
Thursday July 29th 2010
We spent most of today in the Alligator River – didn’t see any!! It was pretty non-eventful. We had a little scare as we entered the Alligator River Marina. We had to wait for the 2 mile long bridge to open, then once we were through, the water became very choppy, and the channel entrance very shallow. We made it through, but then I had to dock the boat between pilings again! Once that was accomplished, we had to find a way to get on and off the boat using the tiny sliver of dock that only reached to the mast stays.
We then ventured over to the marina office/gas station/gift shop/restaurant to check in. There, on the wall, were pictures of all the recent alligator and BEAR sightings!! They even had alligator on the menu!
Friday July 30th 2010
We went back to the restaurant this morning for a quick breakfast, then headed for the boat and a quick exit. We made it out just fine, but boy, is it ever windy! (a sailor complaining about wind??) It is cloudy and cool, and feels great!! However, small craft warnings, with waves that are 3 to 5 feet, made for an exciting but difficult day. We were able to put the stay sail up and actually sail for awhile, but it was like being on a roller coaster all day.
We finally arrived in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, the city that marks the beginning of the “Great Dismal Swamp”. It is a man-made canal built in the late 1700’s that linked Elizabeth City to Portsmouth and Norfolk, Virginia, allowing commercial goods to be moved between them. It was later used as part of the Underground Railroad, getting black slaves into Union territory, giving them their freedom. We have heard rave reviews about this city and the swamp, and have been looking forward to this part of the trip!
We pulled into Pelican Marina, and again, I had to dock the boat between pilings and with a crosswind. On the first attempt I couldn’t quite make it, so I backed up, turned around, and went back out to try it again. The second attempt went much better!! Little did I know that it was “happy hour” on the back deck of the marina office, and all of the men assembled were quite impressed with the way I handled the boat, got her docked, and never came close to hitting anything. They were especially amazed to learn the captain was a woman!! It was really nice to hear their praises!
Pelican Marina is owned and operated by a former Washingtonian. He, his wife, and their two teenagers, live aboard a 51 foot Morgan sailboat, right there in the harbor. Both of the kids work for Dad at the marina.
That evening, we went next door, to the Marina restaurant, and had some excellent food. ( snow crab, yum!) After dinner, we went back to the boat and watched a movie.
Saturday July 31st 2010
We decided to take a day off today, and went into town to see the sights. First we perused a Farmer’s Market set up on the waterfront. Then we spent some time browsing at the book store.
I decided to break from the group and ventured off to get my hair cut. I went to a little hole in the wall place, where she did an excellent job. It feels so much lighter.
After that, I rejoined the group for lunch at a local deli, then we walked a few blocks to the county museum. They had a fantastic display telling about the vast changes in the region since the early 1600’s. Then it was time for ice cream before we headed back to the boat.
Sunday August 1st 2010
We had planned to leave for the Dismal Swamp today, but it’s rainy and overcast. The high was only about 75. Feels like home! We decided to stay put, and had a lazy day of doing laundry, reading the Sunday paper, and feeding the local scavengers. Right off the back deck of the marina office, there are painted river turtles, about 10 inches in diameter, that stick their little heads up above the water. The office has a big bag of cat chow available for people to feed to the turtles, ducks, etc. There is also a huge catfish lurking under the deck, that comes up to eat now and then. You can’t see him, but the water sure moves!
It rained on and off most of the day, so we were glad that we had stayed. Tomorrow should be better!
Monday August 2nd 2010
After a bit of maneuvering, we finally left Pelican Marina and headed for the Dismal Swamp. The weather was still overcast, but that kept it from getting too hot!
We meandered our way through the swamp, which turned out to be not so swampy. The cypress swamps in South Carolina were way more swampy! This looked like a river in Washington with wooded banks. There was even a highway right alongside the canal, where every now and then you would see a car or truck going by. What a disappointment!!!
There are two sets of locks on the swamp canal. As we neared the first lock, we suddenly heard this awful sound, and then realized we had no propulsion. We thought at first that we had lost our propeller, but as Dave inspected closer, he discovered that the propeller shaft had broken. The water in the swamp is the color of Coca-Cola, so we will not know if the propeller is still there, until we have the boat hauled out.
The locks only open 3 times a day, and we were trying to make the 1:30pm opening, so we called the lockmaster and told him we were disabled, and asked if there was anywhere that we could tie the boat up. About this time, the heavens opened up and the rain poured down on us. Dave launched the dinghy and tried to tow the boat to some pilings just before the locks. The rest of us manned lines and boat hooks, trying to keep us out of further trouble.
Once we were tied up, we called Tow Boat US, to come to our rescue. They would have to send a boat from Norfolk, Virginia, and it was too late in the day for him to be able to reach us, with the lock schedule as tight as it is. So, they asked if we could go through the lock, and tow the boat down to the Visitor’s Center, 5 miles away, which would make it easier for the tow captain the next day. We told them we would try!
Fortunately, there were no other boats in the canal that day, so the understanding lockmaster agreed to let us go through the lock. With some difficulty, Dave guided the boat with the dinghy, into position inside the lock, and with the rain continuing to pour, the lock raised us to the higher water in the next part of the canal. The lockmaster suggested that we tie up to the wall, just on the other side of the lock, near the next bridge, where we would be able to have pizza and beer. Sounded good to us!! When the lock opened, Dave directed us towards the wall, where we then got ashore and walked the boat as far as we could toward the bridge. We couldn’t help it. We started singing “15 miles on the Erie Canal”. Seemed appropriate!
The rain finally stopped, so we put on dry clothes and hiked about 4 blocks into the tiny town of South Mills, and had the best tasting pizza and beer, ever! It was a 12 inch pizza with as many toppings as you wanted, for $10.95. Such a deal!!!
Tuesday August 3rd 2010
We had a very quiet and peaceful night in South Mills, and we woke up to sunshine. For awhile the boat looked like a scene from “the Beverly Hillbillies”. We had clothes and cushions stretched from stem to stern, drying in the sun. After what seemed like forever, we finally saw the Tow Boat US approaching, with Frank, our knight in shining armor aboard. He tied his boat alongside ours, and with his boat providing the propulsion, and me steering our boat, we were on our way. There is a 6 knot speed limit on the canal, and Frank was doing all of that and a bit more. We needed to be at the second lock by 3:30pm, so we were on a tight schedule.
Things were going really well, until the tow boat hit something, and now Frank had no propulsion!!! The Dismal Swamp was getting more dismal by the minute!! Fortunately, he knew what the problem was, and he had a spare part. BUT, he had never made the repair before. To avoid going in the water, with the alligators and the snakes, Frank was able to use our dinghy to get at the outboard and make the repair, using his cell phone to get step by step instruction from a mechanic!! Way to go, Frank!!!
This process took about 30 minutes, so I figured there was no way we could make the lock opening. That would mean another night in the canal, with no AC and no pizza and beer!! However, Frank was not too keen on not getting home, so he sweet talked the lockmaster into staying late and letting us lock through. What a guy!!! By 4:15pm we were on our way to Portsmouth, Virginia, and arrived at the Ocean Marine Yacht Center about 6:00pm. We fueled up, pumped out, and got settled for the night.
There are Navy shipyards all around us. A new type of stealth destroyer is being made, that looks like a catamaran and the old “Merrimac”. Very hush, hush!
Wednesday August 4th 2010
Tow Boat US showed up at 9:00am to move us to the travel lift for haul out. Just as we left the marina, a Navy destroyer was in the harbor, being pushed by tugs in to a dry dock. We had to get out of her way, pronto! We had fun watching the process while we waited for the boat yard to be ready for us. They seemed to be in no great hurry, while we sat drifting in the river. At last, we were hauled out, and thank God, we still have our propeller!!!
The boat will be in the yard for several days while the repair is being made, and we are not allowed to live on the boat during this time. So, we decided to rent a car, which will enable us to take George & Gloria to the airport in DC, on Sunday, for their flight home. We will do some sightseeing for a few days, and then head to DC and see Austin.
We spent the rest of the day securing a rental car and packing our suitcases, then drove to Chesapeake, VA for a night in a hotel.
Thursday August 5th 2010
Today we drove to Newport News, Virginia, to the Maritime Museum. A huge place, that is home to one of the ironclads, the Monitor. At least the turret of the Monitor, and all of the items they found embedded inside of it. It was fascinating to learn about the Monitor and the Merrimac. Long before the battle between these two, the Merrimac was burned and sunk, and the confederates raised her up and rebuilt and improved her, and renamed her the “Virginia”. For some reason, history still refers to her as the Merrimac.
The museum shows the work of a group that raised the turret of the Monitor from the bottom of the bay, and their efforts to preserve it. We spent the entire day at the museum, then went back to Chesapeake for the night.
Tomorrow we go to Washington DC, and will get to see Austin!!!!
Friday August 6th 2010
This morning we went to check on the boat. There was a thunderstorm last night, with pretty high winds, and water got into the v-berth. We got it dried up, and took more food out of the refrigerator. Then on to DC!!
It took FOREVER!! Traffic was a mess, no matter where we went. We left at 11:00am, and arrived in DC at 6:15pm. It’s about 190 miles. At least the scenery was beautiful. I can’t wait to see Virginia in the Fall.
Austin managed to get us two very nice rooms at the Marriott where he works. I feel like a queen!! We will stay here until the boat is ready on Monday. Tomorrow we will go to Annapolis, and on Sunday we will take George and Gloria to the airport. They need to go home and recuperate from their time with us. I think we wore them out!!
After Austin was done with work, we went down to the Georgetown waterfront and had dinner on the terrace of a restaurant called Sequoia. What a beautiful part of the city! Afterwards, we got gelato from a little shop nearby. It was a great ending to a very tedious day!!
Saturday August 7th 2010
This morning, Austin brought us some news from Matt and Jacinda. It seems that yesterday afternoon, our grandson, James was playing on the deck at his daycare, when he managed to get a large, long sliver of wood embedded under the fingernail on his middle finger. OOOOWWWWW!!! Matt and Jacinda took him to the ER, where 3 people had to hold him down so they could anesthetize his finger, then he watched quietly as they removed the sliver! Matt even sent Austin a picture of the finger
with the sliver!!!
Today we ventured to Annapolis. George and Gloria had never been there before. Austin, Gloria, Dave and I roamed the streets and shops while George sat in the waterfront park. After lunch at the “Federal”, we walked the docks. The locals call it “Ego Row”. Aptly named! All of the sailboats were on mooring buoys, except for one, that had a sign on it – “Wanted- First Mate”. After a bit more shopping, we had some ice cream, then went to look for a marine store that had moved.
Once there, Dave and I were excited to see that the store had a supply of RBI’s displayed on their lot. RBI’s are rigid bottom inflatables. We had been planning on buying a new one this Fall, as we will need it for the Bahamas. The inflatable dinghy we have now is a soft bottom and would not stand up to the coral beds we will encounter this winter. Not only did they have them, but they had the brand we had been told was the best, and at a good price! And as an added bonus, the store will sell our present inflatable on consignment for us. Sooooo, we bit the bullet and bought ourselves, what amounts to for sailors, a new vehicle!! (thankfully, not near as expensive!). Now we just have to get the boat up to Annapolis!
We headed back to DC, and on the way, Austin took us by their home in Silver Springs, Maryland, and past some mega mansions in Bethesda, MD. Then on to the National Cathedral, not far from the Marriott. We were too late to go inside, but what we saw outside was incredible. It is the largest in the United States, and rivals some of the beautiful cathedrals we saw in Europe!! We also strolled through the nearby “Bishop’s Garden”. It was all very peaceful and serene.
Afterwards, we went to dinner, just down the hill from the hotel at a Mediterranean restaurant. Then back to the hotel for a good night’s sleep.
Sunday August 8th 2010
This morning we met George and Gloria in the lobby for breakfast, and then afterwards, Dave and I walked down to the pharmacy to pick up a few things. When we got back, we moved George and Gloria into our room, and watched “Pretty Woman” until it was time to leave for the airport.
We took the metro (subway), going first down the “escalator to hell”. This metro stop has the longest, and steepest escalator of all. It takes 3 minutes to get from top to bottom.
It took only 30 minutes to get to the airport. We got them checked in, and then had lunch at an Italian bistro, before seeing them safely in to the security line. The trip back to the hotel was a wee bit longer. They chose that time to do some maintenance on the tracks, so there was a bit of a wait!!
Once back, we headed upstairs to the concierge lounge, where they had an impressive array of appetizers and drinks. Cindy had just arrived back in town from Atlanta, and she joined us in the lounge. We waited until Austin was done at work, then we walked down the hill and had dinner at a sidewalk Italian restaurant. Delicioso!!! We made some plans for the week that Matt, Jancinda, and James will be in DC, and found out what Cindy had been doing in Atlanta all summer. It was so good to spend time with them again!!
Monday August 9th 2010
We started the day by having breakfast in the concierge lounge (thanks to Austin!!). We then checked out and headed to Williamsburg, Virginia. We spent the rest of the day in “Colonial Williamsburg”, a restored town from the 1700’s. It was very interesting, but not as well done as the Living Museum in Arnheim, Holland, that we saw on our trip to Europe.
We got back on the road and headed to Portsmouth, where we checked in to the Marriott Renaissance, right on the waterfront. (thank you, Austin!). We were pretty tired from our busy day, so we had Chinese food delivered, then called Matt and Jancinda to talk about plans for their trip.
Hopefully, back on the boat tomorrow!!!!
Tuesday August 10th 2010
AAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!! We went to the boat yard this morning to check on the boat, and were told that the new shaft was too short. It took most of the day for them to decide how to deal with the problem, but we should have the boat ready to launch tomorrow afternoon.
We secured the rental car for a few more days, and checked back in to the Marriott. We then headed to a map store in Norfolk, where we also found a copy center, and a “Schlotsky’s Deli”!!! (eat your heart out, Peter!) In this same block, we got laundry quarters from a Bank of America, then headed back across the harbor to Portsmouth. This trip was the highlight of our day, since we were able to find all the shops we needed, all in one block, and we had a parking place in the shade!
Oh wait!! Make that the 2nd highlight of the day. This morning we got a call from the marine store where we bought the new inflatable. They already have a buyer for our present inflatable!!!!!!
We spent a few hours in our room, checking email, writing blogs, etc., then we decided to have dinner at a restaurant just a few blocks away. It was a seafood fare that was absolutely fabulous. I had flounder that had a peanut crust and was topped with a bacon cream sauce. Oh, my gosh!!!
When we returned to the hotel, we walked by the public dock, just outside the doors. There we saw a large sailboat that turned out to be a Morgan 46. It looked much longer than that!! They had a HUGE cat on board that was roaming the deck. After a bit, his Mom came out, and while we were talking with her, the cat leapt off the boat, onto the dock, made a flying leap onto the top of the sea wall, and made a beeline for the hotel grass! Dave and I corralled the cat until the owners could get up to the hotel. They couldn’t take the same route as the cat! We talked with them for awhile about our dreams and theirs, and now I’m here desperately trying to catch up.
We hope good things are happening to you, and you are healthy and happy!
Love & Hugs,
The Admiral
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Thursday, July 15th 2010
Got up this morning, ready to take off, and the instruments would not function properly. Then we couldn’t even start the engine!! Finally had Tow Boat US tow us over to the St. John Marina, about 200 feet away. After many, many phone calls, we finally found someone who could be here Friday morning. In the meantime, swimming!!! This is a brand new marina, with a beautiful pool area, and the nicest restrooms, yet! We took advantage of the nice pool, and spent several hours there and lounging in the shade. There was a nice cool breeze blowing off the bay.
Dave has found a new profession. Deer Fly Terminator. Sitting by the pool, his count got up to 14! Much better than having them buzz your head while in the pool. I’m sure the other pool people thought he was nuts! They are not very smart insects though.
It was kind of nice to have a day off today, and we are certainly in a beautiful place to have it.
Friday July 16th 2010
Up early! Electrician came – was here for 1 hour. He replaced a broken terminal, and we were on our way. The trip through Charleston Harbor was wonderful! Sailed right by Fort Sumter again.
After many long hours, we dropped the anchor in the South Santee River. Had another wonderful deck shower, and turned in for the night.
Saturday July 17th 2010
While Dave was pulling up the anchor, I spotted my first alligator!!! About 10 feet off the boat. Thankfully, his beady little eyes were not looking at me!
Not too far from there, Dave spotted another alligator, this time in the North Santee River. This day was a beautiful trip through the cypress swamps to Osprey Marina, just south and West of Myrtle Beach. We turned into a small break in the cypress trees, through a narrow canal, and in a hole in the swamp, was the marina. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to get the boat into the narrow slip they indicated. I swear it was 5 feet from the bank. Right next to a 48 foot Carolina Kingfisher Power Boat. I got her in, but I wonder about how we’ll get her out.
Local restaurant, Santori’s Italian restaurant, came by and picked us up and delivered us to a delicious meal. Afterwards, we went next door to get a few groceries, then they zipped us right back to the marina. Such a deal!!!
Sunday, July 18th 2010
We tried for over an hour to find a rental car, with no luck!! One of the employees offered to let us use her car. Can you believe it?? We drove from Murrell Inlet, through Myrtle Beach, and to the South Carolina-North Carolina border and back down.
We took a loooooonnnngggg walk on the Atlantic beach, and had lunch at the Wacca Wache Marina at Hannah Bananas. Then we were off to DQ for our sorely missed Blizzards. Mmmmmmm!
After washing, vacuuming, and gassing up the car, we arrived back at the marina with 10 minutes to spare.
Monday July 19th 2010
On our way again, after expert assistance from the dockmaster in getting her out. After a short time, we were in North Carolina, where the cypress swamps continued and we found a lot of palatial homes with beautiful swimming pools, complete with waterfalls. We ended up at the St. James Plantation, where we had a drink and dinner at the Tiki Bar. We met Al and Peggy (think “Married With Children”) from New Jersey. They are building a new home at St. James.
Tuesday July 20th 2010
We didn’t leave St. James until almost 11:00am, due to the low tides. I had worried a bit about how to get away from the dock and turned around, but Dream Ketcher didn’t let me down. We were on our way and enjoying the cypress swamps in no time. We cruised all the way to Wrightsville Beach, NC. We had to go down another narrow and shallow canal to get to the anchoring grounds, where we finally got anchored (after the 3rd try). The wind was really blowing, and it was difficult to get the anchor to dig in.
We then had our first inflatable launch. As we slowly lowered her down from the dinghy davits, the line going through it, which looked fairly new, began to crumble and fray, right before our eyes!! But we got her down. Back at the Isle of Hope, Dave needed to get some of the rain water out of the dinghy, so he managed to pull the plug out of the end of the dinghy. It never got replaced. We figured that as soon as Dave stepped into the dinghy, it would begin to fill with seawater, and he would have to work quickly to put the plug in. Boy! Were we ever lucky! With Dave in the dinghy, the plug was still just above the water level, so it was fairly easy to get the plug in!
Next came the excitement of starting the outboard motor for the first time! More power!! Dave was doing everything he thought he should, but it just wouldn’t start. Time to get out the manual!! I checked to make sure he had done everything correctly, and came to the conclusion that he had flooded the engine with gas. So he waited a bit, and “Voila!!” it started right up!
Our next challenge was to get from the boat to the dinghy dock. Some sailing club was having their weekly sailing regatta, that we had to motor around. Dave did a good job, and soon the dinghy was tied up to the dock.
We walked around town a bit, then ended up having a beer and a burger at the local Mexican restaurant. Afterwards, we walked a block and saw the great Atlantic, before heading back to the dinghy. On the trip back to Dream Ketcher, we noticed that Aussie Dave had sailed into the harbor while we were at dinner. Back safely on the boat, we chatted with Dave on the radio.
After another refreshing deck shower, we headed for bed.
Wednesday July 21st 2010
This was a very strange day indeed!! Our first mistake was in not checking the tide chart before we left Wrightsville Beach. We went aground in the channel 3 times, each time managing to put the boat in reverse, and get us going again. The trip North was a little scarey, as we kept encountering low water.
We got to one of the bridges a little early for opening. While we were circling, we managed to go aground again!!!! This time, we were having trouble getting off, and the bridge was preparing to open, when a fisherman came along side in his skiff, and offered to pull us off. After 2 tries, it finally worked!! The bridge tender was kind enough to wait until we were free, before opening the bridge. Very Nice!
We pulled into Surf City, NC around 2:00pm. After more depth stress, going through the channel, we finally got moored at the Beach House Marina. The dock was quite nice, but as we approached the marina office, I realized that this place wasn’t quite as nice as the marina book said it was. We had to walk through a sandy-grassy field to get to the office. Then we found out that the $1.00 per foot fee, was now $2.00 per foot, per night. Yikes!! The restrooms were filthy! And, there was only one shower! Also filthy!! One washer and one dryer, but it was only a buck a load (one bright spot!). The biggest disappointment?? No swimming pool!!! We had selected this marina because it was very close to the home of one of George Kuchenbecker’s old B-24 buddies. It was time for them to join us on our journey North.
Dave and I did a little exploring around town, and found that the DQ was only across the parking lot from the marina. After partaking of our favorite diet food, we went back to the boat and started our clean-up and project time.
His parents arrived around 7:30pm. We visited for a bit, then went with them to their friend Bill’s home. It was beautiful! Right on the Atlantic Beach. After a brief visit, we had dinner at “Daddy Mac’s”, then back to the boat.
Thursday July 22nd 2010
Right next to us in the marina, is a big boat called “the Belle of Topsail”. She looks like an old riverboat. They take out groups of people for one or two hour cruises. One that they do is a Pirate Cruise, for kids. They are encouraged to wear costumes. They also do a cruise with Captain Tiger, the circus dog, and he does tricks for all the people. The owners of this operation were very friendly and fun to talk with.
This morning, Bill’s daughter and her 2 grandsons, accompanied him to come see the boat. The boys are 5 and 3, and were totally infatuated with the sailboat. Very well behaved boys, too!
We spent the rest of the day making a trip to Wilmington, to get some supplies at West Marine, and do our provisioning at Walmart. Our biggest challenge was trying to fit everything we bought into the trunk of the rental car. Dave, the masterpacker prevailed!!! After a late lunch, we headed back to the boat for the chore of packing everything away!
George and Gloria took a nap while we were waiting to hear from Bill. It was too late for dinner, when we heard from him, and we were still full from lunch, so we ended the day with a walk to the slowest DQ ever. Then we headed back to the boat and a good nights sleep.
Friday July 23rd 2010
We are still having some intermittent electrical problems, so Dave arranged for an electrician to come at 8:00am. By 10:30am, he had still not arrived! Rather than sit around and wait, I decided that it was time to do the laundry. I hauled it all up to the marina office, and the ONE washing machine. After numerous trips back and forth, it was nearly all done, so Gloria and I decided to do a little shopping!
We spent nearly 2 hours in the same store, looking at all they had to offer, and laughing at the card selection they had. What fun!! Then it was back to the boat, where Dave had abandoned his wait for the electrician, and was now deep into sludge from a blocked head (toilet). He was finally able to get it cleared, after another trip to Lowe’s for more tools. One more project on his list completed! (The electrician finally called and said he would come first thing Saturday morning! Yeah, right!)
We ended the day by going to dinner with Bill at one of his favorite places. It was really good seafood!!
Saturday July 24th 2010
The electrician did show up!! Looked around, changed the battery connections and asked for $100.00. After he was gone, we headed into town to find a Post Office and an auto parts store. Easier said than done. Traffic on and off of Topsail Island, on a Saturday, is quite the test of patience. Being a vacation mecca, old renters are leaving and new renters are arriving. It can be quite the mess!
After our chores were done, we headed to Bill’s and some fun in the surf and sun. The ocean water was almost too warm, but felt great! The surf was a little wild, so I spent most of my time sitting in the shoreline, letting the water come to me. I sifted through the sand to find interesting and colorful shells. So relaxing!!
While George and Gloria returned the rental car, Dave and I stayed on the boat and worked on more projects. Later, we all had a fine meal and then watched a movie until it was time to go to bed! Tomorrow we will cast off our lines and continue the journey.
Sunday July 25th 2010
This morning we had a bon voyage party, when Bill showed up along with his daughter and great-grandsons. The boys loved being on the boat again, and thy waved and waved as we headed out of the harbor.
We headed up the ICW and ran into a few shallow areas, but managed to make it to Swansboro, NC. It was very hot all day! The wind was really blowing when we arrived at our destination, Dudley’s Marina. We were not too excited about the dock where they wanted to put us, and were rather nervous about how deep the water was, but they assured us that it would be okay. It was NOT okay! We ended up aground, very near to the dock, but had to sit for several hours until the tide came in, so we could actually tie to the dock. AAAARRRRGGGGGH!!!
We had thought about switching to another marina after we were afloat, but the wind had us trapped at the dock, so we elected to stay. George and Gloria took us out to dinner. Yummmy!
Now I sit here trying to catch up on my blog responsibilities. How did I get so behind?? It’s late, and we want to get up early and go out on the high tide, so I really need to get this posted and get to bed.
It has been fun sharing our adventure with Dave’s parents, and with all of you as well. We are really enjoying ourselves, and hope that all is well with all of you. We would love to know what is happening back home, so please feel free to leave a comment or email us. PLEASE!!! I may not get an email back to you for some, it’s hard enough to get this blog done.
Love & Hugs,
The Admiral
Got up this morning, ready to take off, and the instruments would not function properly. Then we couldn’t even start the engine!! Finally had Tow Boat US tow us over to the St. John Marina, about 200 feet away. After many, many phone calls, we finally found someone who could be here Friday morning. In the meantime, swimming!!! This is a brand new marina, with a beautiful pool area, and the nicest restrooms, yet! We took advantage of the nice pool, and spent several hours there and lounging in the shade. There was a nice cool breeze blowing off the bay.
Dave has found a new profession. Deer Fly Terminator. Sitting by the pool, his count got up to 14! Much better than having them buzz your head while in the pool. I’m sure the other pool people thought he was nuts! They are not very smart insects though.
It was kind of nice to have a day off today, and we are certainly in a beautiful place to have it.
Friday July 16th 2010
Up early! Electrician came – was here for 1 hour. He replaced a broken terminal, and we were on our way. The trip through Charleston Harbor was wonderful! Sailed right by Fort Sumter again.
After many long hours, we dropped the anchor in the South Santee River. Had another wonderful deck shower, and turned in for the night.
Saturday July 17th 2010
While Dave was pulling up the anchor, I spotted my first alligator!!! About 10 feet off the boat. Thankfully, his beady little eyes were not looking at me!
Not too far from there, Dave spotted another alligator, this time in the North Santee River. This day was a beautiful trip through the cypress swamps to Osprey Marina, just south and West of Myrtle Beach. We turned into a small break in the cypress trees, through a narrow canal, and in a hole in the swamp, was the marina. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to get the boat into the narrow slip they indicated. I swear it was 5 feet from the bank. Right next to a 48 foot Carolina Kingfisher Power Boat. I got her in, but I wonder about how we’ll get her out.
Local restaurant, Santori’s Italian restaurant, came by and picked us up and delivered us to a delicious meal. Afterwards, we went next door to get a few groceries, then they zipped us right back to the marina. Such a deal!!!
Sunday, July 18th 2010
We tried for over an hour to find a rental car, with no luck!! One of the employees offered to let us use her car. Can you believe it?? We drove from Murrell Inlet, through Myrtle Beach, and to the South Carolina-North Carolina border and back down.
We took a loooooonnnngggg walk on the Atlantic beach, and had lunch at the Wacca Wache Marina at Hannah Bananas. Then we were off to DQ for our sorely missed Blizzards. Mmmmmmm!
After washing, vacuuming, and gassing up the car, we arrived back at the marina with 10 minutes to spare.
Monday July 19th 2010
On our way again, after expert assistance from the dockmaster in getting her out. After a short time, we were in North Carolina, where the cypress swamps continued and we found a lot of palatial homes with beautiful swimming pools, complete with waterfalls. We ended up at the St. James Plantation, where we had a drink and dinner at the Tiki Bar. We met Al and Peggy (think “Married With Children”) from New Jersey. They are building a new home at St. James.
Tuesday July 20th 2010
We didn’t leave St. James until almost 11:00am, due to the low tides. I had worried a bit about how to get away from the dock and turned around, but Dream Ketcher didn’t let me down. We were on our way and enjoying the cypress swamps in no time. We cruised all the way to Wrightsville Beach, NC. We had to go down another narrow and shallow canal to get to the anchoring grounds, where we finally got anchored (after the 3rd try). The wind was really blowing, and it was difficult to get the anchor to dig in.
We then had our first inflatable launch. As we slowly lowered her down from the dinghy davits, the line going through it, which looked fairly new, began to crumble and fray, right before our eyes!! But we got her down. Back at the Isle of Hope, Dave needed to get some of the rain water out of the dinghy, so he managed to pull the plug out of the end of the dinghy. It never got replaced. We figured that as soon as Dave stepped into the dinghy, it would begin to fill with seawater, and he would have to work quickly to put the plug in. Boy! Were we ever lucky! With Dave in the dinghy, the plug was still just above the water level, so it was fairly easy to get the plug in!
Next came the excitement of starting the outboard motor for the first time! More power!! Dave was doing everything he thought he should, but it just wouldn’t start. Time to get out the manual!! I checked to make sure he had done everything correctly, and came to the conclusion that he had flooded the engine with gas. So he waited a bit, and “Voila!!” it started right up!
Our next challenge was to get from the boat to the dinghy dock. Some sailing club was having their weekly sailing regatta, that we had to motor around. Dave did a good job, and soon the dinghy was tied up to the dock.
We walked around town a bit, then ended up having a beer and a burger at the local Mexican restaurant. Afterwards, we walked a block and saw the great Atlantic, before heading back to the dinghy. On the trip back to Dream Ketcher, we noticed that Aussie Dave had sailed into the harbor while we were at dinner. Back safely on the boat, we chatted with Dave on the radio.
After another refreshing deck shower, we headed for bed.
Wednesday July 21st 2010
This was a very strange day indeed!! Our first mistake was in not checking the tide chart before we left Wrightsville Beach. We went aground in the channel 3 times, each time managing to put the boat in reverse, and get us going again. The trip North was a little scarey, as we kept encountering low water.
We got to one of the bridges a little early for opening. While we were circling, we managed to go aground again!!!! This time, we were having trouble getting off, and the bridge was preparing to open, when a fisherman came along side in his skiff, and offered to pull us off. After 2 tries, it finally worked!! The bridge tender was kind enough to wait until we were free, before opening the bridge. Very Nice!
We pulled into Surf City, NC around 2:00pm. After more depth stress, going through the channel, we finally got moored at the Beach House Marina. The dock was quite nice, but as we approached the marina office, I realized that this place wasn’t quite as nice as the marina book said it was. We had to walk through a sandy-grassy field to get to the office. Then we found out that the $1.00 per foot fee, was now $2.00 per foot, per night. Yikes!! The restrooms were filthy! And, there was only one shower! Also filthy!! One washer and one dryer, but it was only a buck a load (one bright spot!). The biggest disappointment?? No swimming pool!!! We had selected this marina because it was very close to the home of one of George Kuchenbecker’s old B-24 buddies. It was time for them to join us on our journey North.
Dave and I did a little exploring around town, and found that the DQ was only across the parking lot from the marina. After partaking of our favorite diet food, we went back to the boat and started our clean-up and project time.
His parents arrived around 7:30pm. We visited for a bit, then went with them to their friend Bill’s home. It was beautiful! Right on the Atlantic Beach. After a brief visit, we had dinner at “Daddy Mac’s”, then back to the boat.
Thursday July 22nd 2010
Right next to us in the marina, is a big boat called “the Belle of Topsail”. She looks like an old riverboat. They take out groups of people for one or two hour cruises. One that they do is a Pirate Cruise, for kids. They are encouraged to wear costumes. They also do a cruise with Captain Tiger, the circus dog, and he does tricks for all the people. The owners of this operation were very friendly and fun to talk with.
This morning, Bill’s daughter and her 2 grandsons, accompanied him to come see the boat. The boys are 5 and 3, and were totally infatuated with the sailboat. Very well behaved boys, too!
We spent the rest of the day making a trip to Wilmington, to get some supplies at West Marine, and do our provisioning at Walmart. Our biggest challenge was trying to fit everything we bought into the trunk of the rental car. Dave, the masterpacker prevailed!!! After a late lunch, we headed back to the boat for the chore of packing everything away!
George and Gloria took a nap while we were waiting to hear from Bill. It was too late for dinner, when we heard from him, and we were still full from lunch, so we ended the day with a walk to the slowest DQ ever. Then we headed back to the boat and a good nights sleep.
Friday July 23rd 2010
We are still having some intermittent electrical problems, so Dave arranged for an electrician to come at 8:00am. By 10:30am, he had still not arrived! Rather than sit around and wait, I decided that it was time to do the laundry. I hauled it all up to the marina office, and the ONE washing machine. After numerous trips back and forth, it was nearly all done, so Gloria and I decided to do a little shopping!
We spent nearly 2 hours in the same store, looking at all they had to offer, and laughing at the card selection they had. What fun!! Then it was back to the boat, where Dave had abandoned his wait for the electrician, and was now deep into sludge from a blocked head (toilet). He was finally able to get it cleared, after another trip to Lowe’s for more tools. One more project on his list completed! (The electrician finally called and said he would come first thing Saturday morning! Yeah, right!)
We ended the day by going to dinner with Bill at one of his favorite places. It was really good seafood!!
Saturday July 24th 2010
The electrician did show up!! Looked around, changed the battery connections and asked for $100.00. After he was gone, we headed into town to find a Post Office and an auto parts store. Easier said than done. Traffic on and off of Topsail Island, on a Saturday, is quite the test of patience. Being a vacation mecca, old renters are leaving and new renters are arriving. It can be quite the mess!
After our chores were done, we headed to Bill’s and some fun in the surf and sun. The ocean water was almost too warm, but felt great! The surf was a little wild, so I spent most of my time sitting in the shoreline, letting the water come to me. I sifted through the sand to find interesting and colorful shells. So relaxing!!
While George and Gloria returned the rental car, Dave and I stayed on the boat and worked on more projects. Later, we all had a fine meal and then watched a movie until it was time to go to bed! Tomorrow we will cast off our lines and continue the journey.
Sunday July 25th 2010
This morning we had a bon voyage party, when Bill showed up along with his daughter and great-grandsons. The boys loved being on the boat again, and thy waved and waved as we headed out of the harbor.
We headed up the ICW and ran into a few shallow areas, but managed to make it to Swansboro, NC. It was very hot all day! The wind was really blowing when we arrived at our destination, Dudley’s Marina. We were not too excited about the dock where they wanted to put us, and were rather nervous about how deep the water was, but they assured us that it would be okay. It was NOT okay! We ended up aground, very near to the dock, but had to sit for several hours until the tide came in, so we could actually tie to the dock. AAAARRRRGGGGGH!!!
We had thought about switching to another marina after we were afloat, but the wind had us trapped at the dock, so we elected to stay. George and Gloria took us out to dinner. Yummmy!
Now I sit here trying to catch up on my blog responsibilities. How did I get so behind?? It’s late, and we want to get up early and go out on the high tide, so I really need to get this posted and get to bed.
It has been fun sharing our adventure with Dave’s parents, and with all of you as well. We are really enjoying ourselves, and hope that all is well with all of you. We would love to know what is happening back home, so please feel free to leave a comment or email us. PLEASE!!! I may not get an email back to you for some, it’s hard enough to get this blog done.
Love & Hugs,
The Admiral
Friday, July 16, 2010
Friday July 16th 2010
How could it possibly be a week since I last wrote?? The days are flying by so fast!!
We finally left Isle of Hope, Georgia on Tuesday morning, but not without first finding the only DQ in the entire Savannah area. And it was only a short distance from the marina! We spent our last day there, getting the alternator repaired, doing some last minute shopping and seeing a little more of the area.
One moment of panic occurred when I got pulled over by the Savannah Police. I could not imagine what I had done wrong. Seems the license plate tabs on the loaner car had expired. What a relief that was!!!
Our last night there, we had another terrific thunderstorm. When it was all over, we met with Della, who went over our charts of the ICW and told us what they had experienced in all of the areas they had been to. They later gave us all their charts, and said they would not be needing them, as they don’t plan to go North again! Really nice!!
So, we left our oasis and kept cruising North. Was a lot of fun when we reached Hilton Head, South Carolina. There were boats everywhere, and parasailors, and jet skis galore!! We could see the famous lighthouse, and the golf course that has its 18th hole right at the lighthouse! Hilton Head is a HUGE island. As we motored between the islands, a severe storm warning was issued. We could see it coming! We decided we should cut our day short, for safety sake, and pulled into Skull Creek marina at the North end of Hilton Head. No sooner were we settled at the dock, and the storm hit. Boy! Did it rain! The thunder and lightning were loud!
Wednesday morning we left Skull Creek, and soon after, the instrument panel went dead! Just when we were about to turn around and go back, they came back on. They were fine the rest of the day!
We decided to make up for lost time, so we kept going, and going, and going! Mission accomplished. We logged in 82 miles for the day, and made it to Charleston, South Carolina. The trip was a little more interesting. We got to see lots more mansions, and long, long docks. We arrived in the Charleston area about 8:30pm, and anchored close to the St. John Yacht Harbor. Had a refreshing deck shower and a quick dinner before heading to bed.
Thursday morning we got ready to leave early. Uh oh! No instruments again! And shortly thereafter, no engine either. We were dead in the water. Dave felt that it was an electrical problem, so we went over our options.(which weren’t many!) Decided to call Tow Boat US. Within 45 minutes, Hamilton had us in tow and took us over to St. John’s. Dave had already called and left messages with about 8 different electricians, and we were waiting to hear from them, but Hamilton gave us the name of his personal mechanic, so we called him too!
While we were waiting, we decided to give the pool a try. Ahhhhhh! Very nice. The marina had just undergone a huge renovation, and everything looks great. We enjoyed watching all the little kids play in the pool, and our time in the shade. We stayed several hours, and finally starting getting some call backs.
Back to the boat for a dinner of burritos and beer, and a good nights sleep.
It’s Friday morning, and the electrician just left. He found an old corroded and broken connection, hidden somewhere in the engine. Once he replaced it, the boat started right up. Yeah!!!!
Dave has gone up to take a shower, and when he gets back, we are on our way again. We will try to get as far as possible, to make up for yesterday. We’ll let you know how it goes!
Love & Hugs,
The Admiral
PS – HAPPY BIRTHDAY JACINDA!!!!! Our fabulous daughter-in-law celebrated her birthday on July 14th. She has been a great addition to our family and truly makes Matt complete. Her birthday present this year is the new house they get the keys to on July 28th. We wish them the very best in their new home!!!
How could it possibly be a week since I last wrote?? The days are flying by so fast!!
We finally left Isle of Hope, Georgia on Tuesday morning, but not without first finding the only DQ in the entire Savannah area. And it was only a short distance from the marina! We spent our last day there, getting the alternator repaired, doing some last minute shopping and seeing a little more of the area.
One moment of panic occurred when I got pulled over by the Savannah Police. I could not imagine what I had done wrong. Seems the license plate tabs on the loaner car had expired. What a relief that was!!!
Our last night there, we had another terrific thunderstorm. When it was all over, we met with Della, who went over our charts of the ICW and told us what they had experienced in all of the areas they had been to. They later gave us all their charts, and said they would not be needing them, as they don’t plan to go North again! Really nice!!
So, we left our oasis and kept cruising North. Was a lot of fun when we reached Hilton Head, South Carolina. There were boats everywhere, and parasailors, and jet skis galore!! We could see the famous lighthouse, and the golf course that has its 18th hole right at the lighthouse! Hilton Head is a HUGE island. As we motored between the islands, a severe storm warning was issued. We could see it coming! We decided we should cut our day short, for safety sake, and pulled into Skull Creek marina at the North end of Hilton Head. No sooner were we settled at the dock, and the storm hit. Boy! Did it rain! The thunder and lightning were loud!
Wednesday morning we left Skull Creek, and soon after, the instrument panel went dead! Just when we were about to turn around and go back, they came back on. They were fine the rest of the day!
We decided to make up for lost time, so we kept going, and going, and going! Mission accomplished. We logged in 82 miles for the day, and made it to Charleston, South Carolina. The trip was a little more interesting. We got to see lots more mansions, and long, long docks. We arrived in the Charleston area about 8:30pm, and anchored close to the St. John Yacht Harbor. Had a refreshing deck shower and a quick dinner before heading to bed.
Thursday morning we got ready to leave early. Uh oh! No instruments again! And shortly thereafter, no engine either. We were dead in the water. Dave felt that it was an electrical problem, so we went over our options.(which weren’t many!) Decided to call Tow Boat US. Within 45 minutes, Hamilton had us in tow and took us over to St. John’s. Dave had already called and left messages with about 8 different electricians, and we were waiting to hear from them, but Hamilton gave us the name of his personal mechanic, so we called him too!
While we were waiting, we decided to give the pool a try. Ahhhhhh! Very nice. The marina had just undergone a huge renovation, and everything looks great. We enjoyed watching all the little kids play in the pool, and our time in the shade. We stayed several hours, and finally starting getting some call backs.
Back to the boat for a dinner of burritos and beer, and a good nights sleep.
It’s Friday morning, and the electrician just left. He found an old corroded and broken connection, hidden somewhere in the engine. Once he replaced it, the boat started right up. Yeah!!!!
Dave has gone up to take a shower, and when he gets back, we are on our way again. We will try to get as far as possible, to make up for yesterday. We’ll let you know how it goes!
Love & Hugs,
The Admiral
PS – HAPPY BIRTHDAY JACINDA!!!!! Our fabulous daughter-in-law celebrated her birthday on July 14th. She has been a great addition to our family and truly makes Matt complete. Her birthday present this year is the new house they get the keys to on July 28th. We wish them the very best in their new home!!!
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Saturday July 10th 2010
HAPPY BIRTHDAY AUSTIN!!!
We are having problems with the alternator, so have decided not to leave here until we have had an electrician take a look at it. Could not find anyone to come out on a Saturday, but Dave gave it a valiant effort.
While he was working on boat problems, I decided to treat myself to a manicure and pedicure at a shop inside of WALMART. My feet really enjoyed the attention. Wearing flip-flops all day, every day, is brutal on the feet, especially in dusty or sandy marinas. They haven’t been this clean for months! I know, wear your sneakers! No way, they are way too hot! All that sweat would probably give me foot rot!
We gave Austin a call to wish him a Happy 30th Birthday. Can it really have been 30 years ago that he made his debut into the world and changed our lives forever??? He and Cindy are in Seattle for a friend’s wedding. I’m glad he got to do something fun and memorable for this special birthday!
The locals here in Isle of Hope are having a benefit fundraiser luau tonight, up in the pavilion at the top of the dock. They are raising money for their community pool, so we donned our Hawaiian duds and joined in the fun. They had a Hawaiian band that was okay, but later, a guy with an acoustic guitar joined them, and the music changed to Southern Country. Much better!! The food was good, the drinks were weak, but we enjoyed the music and a chance to people watch. Just as the event was getting rolling, a thunderstorm blew in, with high winds and a torrential downpour! Everyone had to move into the center of the pavilion to keep from getting soaked. Dave suddenly remembered that he had left the hatch on the fore deck open. OOPS! He borrowed an umbrella and braved the elements to check on the situation. With the wind blowing hard, Dave was afraid he would do a Mary Poppins, and become air born. The umbrella only kept his head dry, the rest of him was soaked, as well as the port side of the V-berth. Oh well! Everything will dry out!
After the luau, we walked back down to the boat and discovered that the sailboat across the dock from us had a couple on board. We sat and talked with Della and Steve for about an hour, until the rain started in again. They are both retired Navy and were aircraft mechanics. While we were talking to them, in the dark, a man in a kayak paddled up. He had a light on his forehead and said he had been down to the other end of the dock to see the alligator. The gator is about 6-7 feet long. Longer than the kayak. No way, Jose!!!
The rain really helped cool things off, so we were able to sleep without the use of the AC, just fans.
PS- Rainbow News - MaryLynne sent me a text message to let me know that my good friend Mary’s daughter, Kristina, had been elected Grand Worthy Advisor. I am so thrilled for her! She will make a fantastic GWA. I wish I could be there to join in the fun and see her installed, but it will be even more fun to be at Grand Assembly next year and see her preside. Hopefully, I will get to see her in action when Dave and I are home in September.
Sunday July 11th 2010
No one came to work on the alternator yesterday, so we figured Sunday was out of the question. After taking a long refreshing shower, I was able to secure us a loaner car for the day.
We have been having some problems with the pump in the aft head. So, our first stop was at West Marine, where we purchased the new head. They said to bring in the bad pump and they would exchange it for a new one. Yeah!!!
Next, we decided to go in to downtown Savannah, which probably took about 20 minutes. On the way, we saw some beautiful old homes and very big, sprawling, magnificent oak trees, with Spanish moss swaying gracefully from their limbs. We parked and took a walk down Riverfront. Lots of “tourist traps” and restaurants. We stopped in at “Wee Willies”, home of the frozen daiquiri, and I tried the Mango daiquiri. Very refreshing, in spite of a little brain freeze! We browsed some more and watched 2 large cargo ships go by on the river.
Time to take a break, so we sat down on a park bench by the river and gave Dave’s parents a call. Austin and Cindy were there for a brunch of roll-ups, plus Matt and Jacinda. It was good to hear their voices and laughter, but it made me a little homesick. I was a little surprised! I really am happy with what we are doing, and where we are going!! Besides, we will be seeing all of them, very soon, on this coast, and then again in September in Seattle.
After a wonderful chicken-walnut-cranberry-feta cheese salad for lunch, and gelato for dessert, we made our way back to the car and headed for the marina. Dave pulled the pump from the aft head and we made a quick dash to West Marine to exchange it. We made it with only 5 minutes to spare! Just as we were leaving, the sky opened up and the rain began to fall. FAST! The steam rose up from the hot asphalt parking lot. Sauna City!
We got back just in time to welcome Danielle and Dave, who had just arrived in their 20 foot Pacific SeaCraft Flicka. TINY!! Less than half the size of our boat! I’m not sure where they started from, but Dave is Australian, and is an old salt from way back.
Dave went right to work on the new pump, not exactly a fun job. He has really become quite the handy man. I think I’ll keep him around a while!
Now we are both on the computers, catching up before going to bed. Hopefully our alternator will get fixed tomorrow, and we can be under way again. The Carolinas are a calling. South Carolina is only about 15 miles away.
Take care and stay tuned. You never know what we’ll be up to next!!
Love & Hugs,
The Admiral
HAPPY BIRTHDAY AUSTIN!!!
We are having problems with the alternator, so have decided not to leave here until we have had an electrician take a look at it. Could not find anyone to come out on a Saturday, but Dave gave it a valiant effort.
While he was working on boat problems, I decided to treat myself to a manicure and pedicure at a shop inside of WALMART. My feet really enjoyed the attention. Wearing flip-flops all day, every day, is brutal on the feet, especially in dusty or sandy marinas. They haven’t been this clean for months! I know, wear your sneakers! No way, they are way too hot! All that sweat would probably give me foot rot!
We gave Austin a call to wish him a Happy 30th Birthday. Can it really have been 30 years ago that he made his debut into the world and changed our lives forever??? He and Cindy are in Seattle for a friend’s wedding. I’m glad he got to do something fun and memorable for this special birthday!
The locals here in Isle of Hope are having a benefit fundraiser luau tonight, up in the pavilion at the top of the dock. They are raising money for their community pool, so we donned our Hawaiian duds and joined in the fun. They had a Hawaiian band that was okay, but later, a guy with an acoustic guitar joined them, and the music changed to Southern Country. Much better!! The food was good, the drinks were weak, but we enjoyed the music and a chance to people watch. Just as the event was getting rolling, a thunderstorm blew in, with high winds and a torrential downpour! Everyone had to move into the center of the pavilion to keep from getting soaked. Dave suddenly remembered that he had left the hatch on the fore deck open. OOPS! He borrowed an umbrella and braved the elements to check on the situation. With the wind blowing hard, Dave was afraid he would do a Mary Poppins, and become air born. The umbrella only kept his head dry, the rest of him was soaked, as well as the port side of the V-berth. Oh well! Everything will dry out!
After the luau, we walked back down to the boat and discovered that the sailboat across the dock from us had a couple on board. We sat and talked with Della and Steve for about an hour, until the rain started in again. They are both retired Navy and were aircraft mechanics. While we were talking to them, in the dark, a man in a kayak paddled up. He had a light on his forehead and said he had been down to the other end of the dock to see the alligator. The gator is about 6-7 feet long. Longer than the kayak. No way, Jose!!!
The rain really helped cool things off, so we were able to sleep without the use of the AC, just fans.
PS- Rainbow News - MaryLynne sent me a text message to let me know that my good friend Mary’s daughter, Kristina, had been elected Grand Worthy Advisor. I am so thrilled for her! She will make a fantastic GWA. I wish I could be there to join in the fun and see her installed, but it will be even more fun to be at Grand Assembly next year and see her preside. Hopefully, I will get to see her in action when Dave and I are home in September.
Sunday July 11th 2010
No one came to work on the alternator yesterday, so we figured Sunday was out of the question. After taking a long refreshing shower, I was able to secure us a loaner car for the day.
We have been having some problems with the pump in the aft head. So, our first stop was at West Marine, where we purchased the new head. They said to bring in the bad pump and they would exchange it for a new one. Yeah!!!
Next, we decided to go in to downtown Savannah, which probably took about 20 minutes. On the way, we saw some beautiful old homes and very big, sprawling, magnificent oak trees, with Spanish moss swaying gracefully from their limbs. We parked and took a walk down Riverfront. Lots of “tourist traps” and restaurants. We stopped in at “Wee Willies”, home of the frozen daiquiri, and I tried the Mango daiquiri. Very refreshing, in spite of a little brain freeze! We browsed some more and watched 2 large cargo ships go by on the river.
Time to take a break, so we sat down on a park bench by the river and gave Dave’s parents a call. Austin and Cindy were there for a brunch of roll-ups, plus Matt and Jacinda. It was good to hear their voices and laughter, but it made me a little homesick. I was a little surprised! I really am happy with what we are doing, and where we are going!! Besides, we will be seeing all of them, very soon, on this coast, and then again in September in Seattle.
After a wonderful chicken-walnut-cranberry-feta cheese salad for lunch, and gelato for dessert, we made our way back to the car and headed for the marina. Dave pulled the pump from the aft head and we made a quick dash to West Marine to exchange it. We made it with only 5 minutes to spare! Just as we were leaving, the sky opened up and the rain began to fall. FAST! The steam rose up from the hot asphalt parking lot. Sauna City!
We got back just in time to welcome Danielle and Dave, who had just arrived in their 20 foot Pacific SeaCraft Flicka. TINY!! Less than half the size of our boat! I’m not sure where they started from, but Dave is Australian, and is an old salt from way back.
Dave went right to work on the new pump, not exactly a fun job. He has really become quite the handy man. I think I’ll keep him around a while!
Now we are both on the computers, catching up before going to bed. Hopefully our alternator will get fixed tomorrow, and we can be under way again. The Carolinas are a calling. South Carolina is only about 15 miles away.
Take care and stay tuned. You never know what we’ll be up to next!!
Love & Hugs,
The Admiral
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Monday, July 5th 2010
HOORAY, HOORAY, WE ARE UNDER WAY!!!!!! Left Green Cove Springs about 8:30 am, and headed up the St. John River. Took a little getting used to steering this much bigger and heavier vessel. It was a beautiful day, with just a little bit of a breeze. We had a few bridges we had to have opened, but it was easy as pie. Jacksonville, FL looks a lot like Portland, OR. Built on a river, with lots of bridges spanning across the city. All systems seem to be working well, so we decided to test out the new anchor. We pulled into an adjacent river inlet to the St. John, and dropped the new Manson anchor. Dug in very well in about 15 feet of water. One thing about the East coast, they don’t have the deep water we have in the NW. We were hot and sweaty, and needed to cool down, so we got out the old solar water shower. We filled it with cool water from the tank and set it up on the fore deck. Did it ever feel good!! Then we tried to fire up the BBQ, so we could grill some steaks, but it would not stay lit, so ended up frying them on the stove. Tasted great! We had a mostly peaceful night, with a little adjustment to having the generator going to cool us with the AC. All in all, a very good first day!!
Tuesday, July 6th 2010
Up and at ‘em early this morning. Hauled up the anchor and headed into the Intacoastal Waterway (ICW). I thought there would be a big sign saying “You are now entering the ICW”, but there was none to be seen. Just looked like another branch of the St. John. That is, until we passed under the first bridge! From that point on it looked like we had entered the savannah grasslands of Africa. Miles and miles of marshy grassland, dotted with a few trees, and no human habitation in sight. The waterway itself is very narrow and shallow, so you must follow the channel markers very carefully. It reminds me of the Swinomish Slough in Washington. We did not see another boat all day, until we got close to Fernandina, FL, our second stop. This is the same town that Dave and I visited on Mother’s Day. We had hoped to meet up with some of the people that Dave used to work with there, from Rayonier, but no one was available!! Instead, we had dinner at Pablo’s, followed by ice cream down the street, then sat on a bench and watched the people go by, and the sun go down. By accident, Dave and I stumbled upon a Jazz bar, where every Tuesday night, musicians from all over get together and jam. Far out!!! We spent the next few hours listening to some great jazz, including some talented vocalists. Dave almost went down and got his pocket trumpet from the boat. We definitely will plan to be in Fernandina on a Tuesday night, when we come back South in the fall. It was so much fun!!
Wednesday July 7th 2010
Spent another day in the African savannah. We crossed into Georgia, although you would never know it. Not even a “Welcome to Georgia” sign. The scenery still looks the same. Quiet, serene and peaceful. Saw just a few other small boats. As we got close to our stop for the night, we saw a pod of about 100 dolphins in one of the larger bodies of water. It was fun to see they swim and frolic. There was even a sightseeing boat with tourists, out to see them. We cruised on in to Jekyll Island Marina, and on the second attempt, I got the boat into the dock. Not too bad with a new boat and a cross wind. While we refueled, I took a visual look around, and saw the word POOL!! After we got the boat settled for the night, we went and took full advantage of the pool. The dock attendant told us the pool was too cold for most people, so we knew it would be perfect for us!! And it was! We both jumped straight in with no hesitation. We spent the next hour in the pool, talking with another couple from Georgia. Then we took a cold shower and had dinner on the porch of the restaurant overlooking the pool. There were squirrels climbing in and out of the huge old oak trees surrounding the pool. We even saw a raccoon make his way across the grounds and climb up into an old oak, right to restaurant level, so he could see what food might be available. The sunset was gorgeous! A big old orangish-red ball sinking slowly through the majestic oaks and in to the water. We were told that the temperature had been in the high 90’s, but that tomorrow the temps were to be in the low 100’s. Heaven help us!!!
Thursday July 8th 2010
Up early and on our way, into Savannah land. All of Georgia seems to look the same. We got to a part of the ICW that needed to be crossed at high tide. We were there a little early, so we decided to anchor off the channel and take a siesta. We were there about 2 and a half hours, and then started through the sticky channel. We were in the middle of nowhere, and it was getting late, so we motored off into an adjacent creek, New Tea Kettle Creek, to anchor for the night. We were both drenched in sweat, so we got out the solar shower again and cooled off on deck. This time there was no one around for miles, so there was no need for swim suits! We had dinner in the cockpit and opened a bottle of champagne that had been given to us as a bon voyage present. Boy! Did it taste good. So good we polished off the whole bottle. I can’t remember the last time we did that! It was so hot that we both had trouble sleeping. It was a night I will never forget. Just the two of us, in the middle of nowhere. We used to go backpacking to find that kind of isolation. This was a lot easier!!
Friday July 9th 2010
We wanted to get in 50 miles today, so we got an early start. More savannah!! Being almost the weekend, we saw a few more small fishing skiffs than usual. We did have one rather disconcerting incident! We believe that what happened is a bird hit our rigging, then fell on to the solar panel, and on into the water. We heard it hit, then saw it hit the solar panel with our peripheral vision. It happened so fast we weren’t really sure what had happened. We motored back a ways to see if we could see anything floating in the water, but found nothing! You can bet that we did check the rigging to make sure everything was fine.
As we neared out destination, we started to see signs of civilization: bridges, roads, cars, mansions on the waterfront, long docks extending across the marsh land. We pulled into Isle of Hope, Georgia. A quaint, rich community. Lots of beautiful old homes, all with big front decks and surrounded by oak trees with Spanish moss decorating their limbs. The marina is just as nice. They even have loaner cars. WALMART here we come!! We needed to get resupplied with hydration materials, plus a few grocery items that we went through faster than I expected. Then it was back to the boat to unload and then head to the community swimming pool. It is a private pool, with special guest privileges for the marina patrons. This time the water was a little too warm to be really refreshing, but it felt good to get wet. We then watched the kids at play. Big and little. Seems Friday night the pool is the place to be for the families in this community, especially when it is this hot!!
After all the hot weather this week, I had a pile of sweaty dirty clothes that needed to be washed, so back to the marina and laundry duty. Even though the sun went down, it still remained hot, so when I was done with the laundry, I opted for one more shower before bed. Maybe tomorrow won’t be quite so hot!!
Sorry for the delay in news, but we never know what kind of connection is available in some of these areas, so just have to wait for a good one!
A note to all my Rainbow friends: I have been thinking about you all week. Knowing that Grand Assembly is in full swing, and I'm not there, is very surreal!! I hope you have a fun and fabulous session!!!
Also, a special note to our son Austin: Happy Birthday!! He celebrates his 30th (how can that be??? I'm only 29!!)on July 10th!! Wish we could be there to celebrate with you, but very soon we will be sailing into Annapolis, and can celebrate then!!! Love you!!
Please send us emails or comment on our blog. We are starved for news from home! Hope all is well.
Love & Hugs,
the Admiral
HOORAY, HOORAY, WE ARE UNDER WAY!!!!!! Left Green Cove Springs about 8:30 am, and headed up the St. John River. Took a little getting used to steering this much bigger and heavier vessel. It was a beautiful day, with just a little bit of a breeze. We had a few bridges we had to have opened, but it was easy as pie. Jacksonville, FL looks a lot like Portland, OR. Built on a river, with lots of bridges spanning across the city. All systems seem to be working well, so we decided to test out the new anchor. We pulled into an adjacent river inlet to the St. John, and dropped the new Manson anchor. Dug in very well in about 15 feet of water. One thing about the East coast, they don’t have the deep water we have in the NW. We were hot and sweaty, and needed to cool down, so we got out the old solar water shower. We filled it with cool water from the tank and set it up on the fore deck. Did it ever feel good!! Then we tried to fire up the BBQ, so we could grill some steaks, but it would not stay lit, so ended up frying them on the stove. Tasted great! We had a mostly peaceful night, with a little adjustment to having the generator going to cool us with the AC. All in all, a very good first day!!
Tuesday, July 6th 2010
Up and at ‘em early this morning. Hauled up the anchor and headed into the Intacoastal Waterway (ICW). I thought there would be a big sign saying “You are now entering the ICW”, but there was none to be seen. Just looked like another branch of the St. John. That is, until we passed under the first bridge! From that point on it looked like we had entered the savannah grasslands of Africa. Miles and miles of marshy grassland, dotted with a few trees, and no human habitation in sight. The waterway itself is very narrow and shallow, so you must follow the channel markers very carefully. It reminds me of the Swinomish Slough in Washington. We did not see another boat all day, until we got close to Fernandina, FL, our second stop. This is the same town that Dave and I visited on Mother’s Day. We had hoped to meet up with some of the people that Dave used to work with there, from Rayonier, but no one was available!! Instead, we had dinner at Pablo’s, followed by ice cream down the street, then sat on a bench and watched the people go by, and the sun go down. By accident, Dave and I stumbled upon a Jazz bar, where every Tuesday night, musicians from all over get together and jam. Far out!!! We spent the next few hours listening to some great jazz, including some talented vocalists. Dave almost went down and got his pocket trumpet from the boat. We definitely will plan to be in Fernandina on a Tuesday night, when we come back South in the fall. It was so much fun!!
Wednesday July 7th 2010
Spent another day in the African savannah. We crossed into Georgia, although you would never know it. Not even a “Welcome to Georgia” sign. The scenery still looks the same. Quiet, serene and peaceful. Saw just a few other small boats. As we got close to our stop for the night, we saw a pod of about 100 dolphins in one of the larger bodies of water. It was fun to see they swim and frolic. There was even a sightseeing boat with tourists, out to see them. We cruised on in to Jekyll Island Marina, and on the second attempt, I got the boat into the dock. Not too bad with a new boat and a cross wind. While we refueled, I took a visual look around, and saw the word POOL!! After we got the boat settled for the night, we went and took full advantage of the pool. The dock attendant told us the pool was too cold for most people, so we knew it would be perfect for us!! And it was! We both jumped straight in with no hesitation. We spent the next hour in the pool, talking with another couple from Georgia. Then we took a cold shower and had dinner on the porch of the restaurant overlooking the pool. There were squirrels climbing in and out of the huge old oak trees surrounding the pool. We even saw a raccoon make his way across the grounds and climb up into an old oak, right to restaurant level, so he could see what food might be available. The sunset was gorgeous! A big old orangish-red ball sinking slowly through the majestic oaks and in to the water. We were told that the temperature had been in the high 90’s, but that tomorrow the temps were to be in the low 100’s. Heaven help us!!!
Thursday July 8th 2010
Up early and on our way, into Savannah land. All of Georgia seems to look the same. We got to a part of the ICW that needed to be crossed at high tide. We were there a little early, so we decided to anchor off the channel and take a siesta. We were there about 2 and a half hours, and then started through the sticky channel. We were in the middle of nowhere, and it was getting late, so we motored off into an adjacent creek, New Tea Kettle Creek, to anchor for the night. We were both drenched in sweat, so we got out the solar shower again and cooled off on deck. This time there was no one around for miles, so there was no need for swim suits! We had dinner in the cockpit and opened a bottle of champagne that had been given to us as a bon voyage present. Boy! Did it taste good. So good we polished off the whole bottle. I can’t remember the last time we did that! It was so hot that we both had trouble sleeping. It was a night I will never forget. Just the two of us, in the middle of nowhere. We used to go backpacking to find that kind of isolation. This was a lot easier!!
Friday July 9th 2010
We wanted to get in 50 miles today, so we got an early start. More savannah!! Being almost the weekend, we saw a few more small fishing skiffs than usual. We did have one rather disconcerting incident! We believe that what happened is a bird hit our rigging, then fell on to the solar panel, and on into the water. We heard it hit, then saw it hit the solar panel with our peripheral vision. It happened so fast we weren’t really sure what had happened. We motored back a ways to see if we could see anything floating in the water, but found nothing! You can bet that we did check the rigging to make sure everything was fine.
As we neared out destination, we started to see signs of civilization: bridges, roads, cars, mansions on the waterfront, long docks extending across the marsh land. We pulled into Isle of Hope, Georgia. A quaint, rich community. Lots of beautiful old homes, all with big front decks and surrounded by oak trees with Spanish moss decorating their limbs. The marina is just as nice. They even have loaner cars. WALMART here we come!! We needed to get resupplied with hydration materials, plus a few grocery items that we went through faster than I expected. Then it was back to the boat to unload and then head to the community swimming pool. It is a private pool, with special guest privileges for the marina patrons. This time the water was a little too warm to be really refreshing, but it felt good to get wet. We then watched the kids at play. Big and little. Seems Friday night the pool is the place to be for the families in this community, especially when it is this hot!!
After all the hot weather this week, I had a pile of sweaty dirty clothes that needed to be washed, so back to the marina and laundry duty. Even though the sun went down, it still remained hot, so when I was done with the laundry, I opted for one more shower before bed. Maybe tomorrow won’t be quite so hot!!
Sorry for the delay in news, but we never know what kind of connection is available in some of these areas, so just have to wait for a good one!
A note to all my Rainbow friends: I have been thinking about you all week. Knowing that Grand Assembly is in full swing, and I'm not there, is very surreal!! I hope you have a fun and fabulous session!!!
Also, a special note to our son Austin: Happy Birthday!! He celebrates his 30th (how can that be??? I'm only 29!!)on July 10th!! Wish we could be there to celebrate with you, but very soon we will be sailing into Annapolis, and can celebrate then!!! Love you!!
Please send us emails or comment on our blog. We are starved for news from home! Hope all is well.
Love & Hugs,
the Admiral
Sunday, July 4, 2010
July 4th
Happy Independence Day!! We thought we would be leaving Green Cove Springs this morning, but there was a torrential down pour. It also took us a little longer than we thought to do a few of the chores we had left. We also had to bail out the dinghy, after the rain finally letup. Everything we now own, in the state of Florida, is now on this boat!!!
One of the things holding us back from leaving, was the car. We ended up selling it back to Cheap Cars, the place we bought it from. We didn’t make any money on the deal, but we no longer have a car that we are responsible for. Seems really strange to be carless. We even had to ask for a ride back to the marina. It was a great car. It had 129,467 miles on it when we bought it, and the same amount when we sold it. (the odometer didn’t work!) Neither did the cruise control, the intermittent windshield wipers, the radio, the lock on the right rear passenger door, or the nonexistent visors. The only things we added to the car besides miles and age, were a battery and a new belt. We called her “The Black Pearl”.
The most important thing that happened, since last I wrote, is that the engine is running wonderfully, and loves her newly polished diesel fuel. I think the boat is very thankful for all the attention she has been getting lately, and all of the upgrades! We’ve found that she was sorely neglected for the last 7 years. But she is ready now for some new adventures, and so are we! It’s time to move on and meet some new people. The people here are very kind, but I have never seen so many functional alcoholics in one place. What a sad life they must have!
I will dearly miss my new friend Roxy. I spent a little time with her today, and gave her the last of our milk bones. Last night she and Phil came by the boat, just about dusk. Several fireworks were being set off around the area. Roxy became visibly uncomfortable and started to shake. She finally crawled up into Phil’s lap. Who knows, maybe someday our paths will cross again. I hope so!
With all of the driving we have been doing, we have noticed that Florida must have about 30 different license plates that people can choose from. We have seen very few vanity plates, but a huge variety of plates, from the generic one with oranges and the outline of the state, to ones with different animal species, or sports, or sports teams, etc. We looked very odd, with our Washington plates. We did see one other car from Washington, and one each from Alaska and Hawaii.
The Dairy Queen Diet has been going very well. Dave and I have both lost 25 pounds. Now that we have no car, the chance of us getting to a DQ are pretty slim. We do have a half gallon of Rocky Road ice cream in the freezer, so we’ll have to see if that will keep our weight loss going!! The other changes we have experienced are big bruises and scrapes, cuts, and bug bites. And don’t forget the bumps on the head. They are the most painful!!
Well, today may be Independence Day, but we will gain our independence tomorrow. We plan to leave early, so I better get to the showers, and then to bed. The captain wants to get an early start in the morning!!
Love & Hugs,
The Admiral
Happy Independence Day!! We thought we would be leaving Green Cove Springs this morning, but there was a torrential down pour. It also took us a little longer than we thought to do a few of the chores we had left. We also had to bail out the dinghy, after the rain finally letup. Everything we now own, in the state of Florida, is now on this boat!!!
One of the things holding us back from leaving, was the car. We ended up selling it back to Cheap Cars, the place we bought it from. We didn’t make any money on the deal, but we no longer have a car that we are responsible for. Seems really strange to be carless. We even had to ask for a ride back to the marina. It was a great car. It had 129,467 miles on it when we bought it, and the same amount when we sold it. (the odometer didn’t work!) Neither did the cruise control, the intermittent windshield wipers, the radio, the lock on the right rear passenger door, or the nonexistent visors. The only things we added to the car besides miles and age, were a battery and a new belt. We called her “The Black Pearl”.
The most important thing that happened, since last I wrote, is that the engine is running wonderfully, and loves her newly polished diesel fuel. I think the boat is very thankful for all the attention she has been getting lately, and all of the upgrades! We’ve found that she was sorely neglected for the last 7 years. But she is ready now for some new adventures, and so are we! It’s time to move on and meet some new people. The people here are very kind, but I have never seen so many functional alcoholics in one place. What a sad life they must have!
I will dearly miss my new friend Roxy. I spent a little time with her today, and gave her the last of our milk bones. Last night she and Phil came by the boat, just about dusk. Several fireworks were being set off around the area. Roxy became visibly uncomfortable and started to shake. She finally crawled up into Phil’s lap. Who knows, maybe someday our paths will cross again. I hope so!
With all of the driving we have been doing, we have noticed that Florida must have about 30 different license plates that people can choose from. We have seen very few vanity plates, but a huge variety of plates, from the generic one with oranges and the outline of the state, to ones with different animal species, or sports, or sports teams, etc. We looked very odd, with our Washington plates. We did see one other car from Washington, and one each from Alaska and Hawaii.
The Dairy Queen Diet has been going very well. Dave and I have both lost 25 pounds. Now that we have no car, the chance of us getting to a DQ are pretty slim. We do have a half gallon of Rocky Road ice cream in the freezer, so we’ll have to see if that will keep our weight loss going!! The other changes we have experienced are big bruises and scrapes, cuts, and bug bites. And don’t forget the bumps on the head. They are the most painful!!
Well, today may be Independence Day, but we will gain our independence tomorrow. We plan to leave early, so I better get to the showers, and then to bed. The captain wants to get an early start in the morning!!
Love & Hugs,
The Admiral
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