Holiday in Hopetown

We have been blessed with gorgeous weather since before Christmas and last night there was no wind at all (a rare occurrence here). However, the moored boats around us tended to come close enough to walk on and I was a little nervous. Bill just pushed them aside and then went to sleep! He was right, we woke up in the morning with no problems with the other boats.
There seems to be lots of activities that occur here in Hopetown. We spent Christmas Eve having cocktails on another boat and we were invited to Jim and Nancy's boat for Christmas Day Dinner. She is Italian and put together a wonderful dinner. Jim's daughter was here and we ate and laughed and had a great time. Bill and I took the dinghy out for my first snorkel practice. It was successful so we all went on Jim's boat to "Mermaid Reef". This is a safe, easy reef to practice and I loved it. We saw many different kinds of fish and I felt like I was in an aquarium. I won't show any photos of me in the wet suit, but I did take a few photos with my camera. I will email the site of the photo album.
Many more families with children have arrived here and the atmosphere has certainly changed. The beach is a little more crowded and you can see people walking around. I think this will again change after the New Year. However, there will be a pulse of boats coming over (if the weather permits) and we hope to see some boaters we got to know in Vero Beach.
Last night was a golf cart parade - 10 golf carts decorated for the holidays and today was a Chili Cookout competition to raise money for the police and fire department. Tomorrow there will be a "Rage" fundraiser for? I'm not sure what it's for. There will be fireworks on New Years Eve and a Junkanoo Parade (more on that for another time). I am also going to volunteer at the local museum one day a week. We are beginning to settle in nicely, continue meeting new people, and even having happy hour on 'Interim' with two other couples. The excitement, anxiety and challenges seem to be disappearing and replaced by daily routines. For example, I have yet to get to the laundry and must schedule it in (although I'm waiting for a day when the weather isn't great). Look for an email linking to the photo albums.

WISHING ALL A HEALTHY, HAPPY AND JOYOUS NEW YEAR.

Hopetown, our winter home

You can see slideshow of photos at: just copy and paste in the above URL address

http://picasaweb.google.com/cdichter3/JourneyAlbum702?authkey=L_hFcaWPhHQ

We left Green Turtle Cay on Wednesday morning at dawn with our new friends Jim and Nancy leading the way through "The Whale". This was another passage that must be done with fair winds, tide and current since we go through a narrow cut into the Atlantic Ocean. We decided to give it a try knowing that if the water was too angry we could always turn back. Well, the passage was OK, lots of rolling and seas from 1 -3 feet with a few 4 footers that rocked us some. Simon did get seasick again but then did just fine. The weather turned out lovely and our trip was, thankfully, uneventful. We picked up a mooring in Hopetown a little after noon. Then we went into town to check it out. Well, it's a small place with lots of charm, a lovely beach and Vernon the baker who was just taking out sourdough bread from the oven when we got there. While walking around we heard that there was going to be "caroling" that evening. We stayed ashore, met a family that we knew from Vero Beach on the beach, and then about 70 people including Bill and I, with handouts of the words, walked around the area singing to various folks at their homes. Unfortunately, before the caroling ended we felt a few raindrops and since we left the boat with all portholes and hatches open we decided to head back. Once onboard we realized how exhausted we were from the trip and missed out on a free dinner of souse and sweets.
Our friends Nancy and Jim came on Thursday and we have been having a wonderful time with them. Jim and Bill are wonderful together and Nancy and I get along just fine. They will be here til the second week in Jan. and I know I will really miss them.
Today, Bill and I went to Marsh Harbor (about 1 1/2 hours away) to check it out. It is a "city like" place with hardware stores (Bill is in love), restaurants and groceries. The day was beautiful with light winds so we motor sailed all the way there. On the way home we were surrounded by rain clouds, we got some wind but no rain and at all times we were in about 12 ft. of water.

The caption of the photo is:

We found more suitable accommodations for you and your family. "Welcome to the Bahamas!"



Bill, Simon and I wish all of you good health, peace, and joy for the holidays and throughout the coming new year.
____________________________________________________

I am trying to make photo additions a little easier. Select this address and paste in the URL bar.

http://picasaweb.google.com/cdichter3/JourneyAlbum5Edited?authkey=ucHUGgLAnQg




OK, as of 1:00 today Bill seems to have fixed the motor and it is running without smoke or steam pouring out. As much as I have watched him solve mechanical problems this one was one of the most difficult. After receiving all the parts he had to modify, modify, modify in order that the 2007 models fit in the 1973 housings. This took all day yesterday and most of today. Now we just have to wait for a weather window to head towards Hopetown. The winds are piping up, fronts are coming through and the window may come towards the end of the week. We have to go through "The Whale", a particulary nasty, but brief, ocean crossing.

I am trying to make photo additions a little easier. Select this address and paste in the URL bar.

http://picasaweb.google.com/cdichter3/JourneyAlbum5Edited?authkey=ucHUGgLAnQg

So a little bit about Green Turtle Cay. It is made up of White Sound (fancy resorts) , Black Sound (where we are -boatyards and considered a hurricane harbor), and New Plymouth settlement. There are a little over 450 people living on the island and most can trace their ancestry to loyalists who fled New York during the American Revolution. Then lots more came from states along the eastern corridor , primarily farmers. However, poor soil - many left. It was then the wrecking capital of the Abacos. With the fading of sponges, pinapple growing, and sharking what the islanders now have are tourists and crawfish (rock lobster). However, the town of New Plymouth has had 80 structures landmarked for historical significance and according to one resident the look completely changed when an enterprising businessman started bringing in a variety of paint colors to enhance their houses.
New Plymouth has shops, groceries (mostly very expensive), a liquor store, bread baked daily, and restaurants. There is also a museum that was restored by Alton Lowe, a well known Abaco artist whose father also made ships models. There is a sculpture garden where there is a life size sculpture of two women, one black and one white with busts of Bahamian citizens around them.
We have met many people who come here to rent houses and stay for a week or more. The beaches are gorgeous, both on the sound and on the ocean. Golf carts are the main form of transportation (we might rent one to explore the entire island).
We have also participated is a few island events. First, everywhere we go a 'hello' is said to anyone passing you by. Then on Friday evening we went to the "Tree lighting" festivities. I thought all 400 people would be there for such a joyous occasion but not so. I think it was either to political or to religious but there were less than 100. When Bill and I were walking the site we passed a house that had la nice display of Xmas lights. I took one photo and after the second one everything went black. The entire island was without electricity. We kept walking and waited a bit until the emergency generator kicked in (this happens alot here). Before the lighting there were speeches by administrators (one opened his remarks by talking about the increase in crime and murder!!!!), and a sermon by a man of God who had us all seeing the light. A couple of church groups sang (I heard there was going to be a choir but only 5-6 were in the groups that sang) one was especially wonderful - gospel/Xmas. And then after Santa arrived we were all invited for a free boxed dinner. Bill and I took ours back to the boat and the food was fabulous. We haven't eaten in any of the restaurants yet but I'm sure this fare was far outstanding (and a lot cheaper). I have to learn how to make dirty rice.
Last night we went to a fundraiser for the 6th grade class. The money was to be used for a 3 day trip to the resort Atlantis in Nassau. It was on the basketball court and again, dinner (this time for a minimal cost) was provided, the children played, the boom box rang out all kinds of Xmas music (some I even recognized) Bahamian style. We went with new friends and had a wonderful time. Bill even joined in the "Cake Walk" where for $1.00 you got a number on a piece of cardboard and walked around a circle until the music stopped. Then a number was drawn and if you were on it you won a cake. Thankfully, Bill only did this once and we didn't win. He wasn't the only adult but he was adorable with the other kids.
Oh, there are only 12 children in the 6th grade and I'm sure they raised a fair amount of money for the trip. The kids,from 2 years old to teens played musical chairs, limbo, and I've never seen so many variations of play with hula hoops. I also had my first Goombay Smash - it's delicious and I was asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.
The weather right now is deteriorating so we are going ashore for a little while.
Til later.....

I know it's been a long time since I last wrote but the stay in Vero Beach became just an ordinary routine. I woke up and counted how many boats arrived and/or left, tooled around on Interim for awhile, took Simon for a walk, went to town either on the free bus or car, maybe enjoyed a happy hour on one boat or another, nothing really exciting. Lots of talk time with people I may or may not run into while in the Bahamas. The only excitement I had was being bitten by every little see ums or no see ums. The itching became so bad I went to a walk in clinic and got a pill and ointment to help. I wasn't the only one affected but it was pretty awful. Every day the major talk was "when do we leave" and "where is that perfect weather window"?
We were going to cross the GulfStream with a boat called "Salty Dog", a couple with two Shelties on board. We met them way back in Annapolis when Bill was cruising around in the whaler and saw their boat, it was a Gulfstar Sailmaster and Bill's father almost bought the very same style. We hung out with them again in Wrightsville, Virginia and saw them in Georgetown and Charlestown. All these meetings were by chance. It was also their first time heading to the Bahamas. So when they showed up in Vero Beach it was a good sign. We watched, listened to the radio weather report and lo and behold there was a good weather window coming.
We then left Vero Beach, traveling through a frustrating 7 bridges that needed to open to a staging point in Lake Worth (near Palm Beach). Then at 4:00 Friday morning we went out the inlet to the Atlantic Ocean and the famous Gulfstream. The water wasn't flat but the motion was OK for us but not for Salty Dog, so we turned back. Traveling the Gulfstream with a buddy was highly recommended by most everyone so we were in a quandary as to what to do. We worked it out, Salty Dog would wait a while longer and Bill and I would go it alone. But since we then left at around 10 am which meant we would get to a safe place to anchor at 2 am in the morning. Not fun for me. I don't like the dark, especially on the water but Bill promised it would be the last time we would have to do this. I pretty much stayed below, helped out when Bill needed to rest (which was not much at all) and when we got to Great Sale Cay there were several anchor lights showing. Anchor down and sleep.
The next morning was amazing. Waking up in the Bahamas and traveling on the gorgeous water, shallow enough to see the bottom. We even put the sail up and motor sailed most of the way.

Lovely way to start or voyage in the Bahamas until as we were almost at our anchoring place the motor overheated. What looked like smoke but was actually steam poured out from the cabin. There was no fire but the motor was not to be used so Bill towed us with the Whaler and we anchored in a safe spot. Needless to say we were both emotionally spent but Bill then worked in the engine room to puzzle out what was wrong. The good news was that after the engine cooled down it still worked which meant something else was the cause. After several hours Bill thinks the thermostat broke and needs to be replaced.

OK next morning, gorgeous Bahama day and we motor sailed to Green Turtle Cay, were able to get a mooring in an incredibly snug harbor (Black Sound) and crashed for most of the day.

Tomorrow Bill needs to go to customs so we can legally sail in the Bahamas and then try to find the part to be shipped here. Here is not a bad place to be. Although in the book it says there are only about 450 people who live here there is a town, restaurants, bakery, post office, and marinas where Bill might be able to get some assistance (i.e. mail drop).

I have signed up for wi fi that will allow me to use my computer throughout the Abaco's. Our cell phone doesn't work but I have SKYPE. A computer phone that allows me to call anywhere in the world. By accident as I was installing it and trying it out I mistakenly dialed a number in Switzerland. The cost, however, for these calls is quite low. So I can still be in touch. If you need to speak to me just email me and I'll call back.

Also, I have a web site for photos that I am trying to insert, but not today.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration and now engaging in the Xmas/Chanukah festivities. I have had several bouts of homesickness but talking to family and friends did help a little. However, we did get to celebrate with about 150+ people from over 95 boats. We signed up to bring food and the table was overflowing with turkey, ham, potatoes, and fabulous desserts. We sat at a table with 6 strangers who very quickly became new acquaintances sharing stories about their and our lives. There is a good chance that we will cross paths with many of these people when we go to the Abaco's. Yes, we have a destination and hope to get there by the end of the first week in Dec. We are entering in the last stages of preparation - buying food and paper goods to last 16 weeks. That's 112 days of breakfasts, lunches and dinners. But the good news is that we have arranged to get a mooring in a place called 'Hopetown' and there are a full range of services (including an airport) there as well as in other harbors in the Abaco's. If we decide to travel further south (the Abaco's are in the northern Bahamas) there are less places to shop and the islands are less inhabited (there is even a "Long Island" without malls). We have been learning about the unique weather patterns that occur in the winter with calm, beautiful warm days with wind that blows 10-15 kts most of the time. And then there are the fronts that come through with regularity bringing strong winds and squalls that could last hours or a few days. We have heard that the Abaco's may be cooler than the southern Bahamas but that's ok with us. We are planning to stay until the end of March when we turn West and start coming home.
Anyway, we have spent time chatting with people, going ashore for showerstaking the bus to West Marine and Publix and walking to the beach. We do have TV reception for a few local stations and Channel 7 but don't watch much.
We took Simon to a local vet to get a micro chip implanted in his back but before we went Bill and I decided to give him a haircut and pedicure since he was having difficulty seeing anything and his nails where painful when he jumped up or climbed on our lap. Well, we used Bill's hair clippers which were certainly not like the ones used by his groomer at home and Simon was a trouper. The end result???? There was white hair everywhere and he could see again but the style is a far cry from a professional haircut. Hopefully, we will get better the next time.

We are just finishing another day in Vero Beach with not much happening. On two different evenings a few organizer's organized happy hour get togethers, pot luck appetizers and everyone brings their own libation (I have become hooked on Lipton Diet Green Tea-there goes my reputation.). Most of the talk is about, you guessed it, boats, boating stories, boating disasters, boating breakdowns and on and on. In addition, Bill and I have been actively asking about Bahama destinations and there are two very strong opinions - either go to the Abaco's or the Exuma's. It seems there are pros and cons for each of the two places and I was completely overwhelmed, confused and nervous about making the "right" decision. So for the time being we are choosing to go to the Abaco's (the northern most islands) and if we choose to go further south we would have plenty of time to do so. We are sure we won't be happy staying in Vero Beach for the entire winter and we are not really interested in going to the Florida Keys. We have met two couples who will also be making that trip (I'm sure there are many others but we haven't connected with them yet) and it is comforting to know that we might see them during the winter. One couple actually let us borrow their car today and tomorrow for shopping. Speaking of shopping it seems the forward cabin is going to house enough food to last all winter - how many cans of baked beans? We will have access to markets but things like paper towels cost $4.00 a roll so we will be bringing tons of what we think are essential. Snack food (chips, crackers ) , wine and beer is also very expensive. We will have to so some creative stowing. In addition, I have been talking to several of the women and have gotten lots of tips such as putting bay leaves everywhere to keep the bugs away and using specific products to keep clothes, shoes and other stuff mold and mildew free. That will really be an adventure. But we have also heard of glorious harbors, water that is unbelievably gorgeous, swimming with schools of parrot fish, and other wonders that just might knock our socks off (yes it is chilly again and I'm wearing socks).
I do wish my family and friends a very happy Thanksgiving. I'll be thinking of you.

Well, we made it. We are safe and sound in Vero Beach at the Municipal Marina. It is located behind an island and all the boats are at moorings. We are in a wonderful spot, safe from nasty, stormy weather (I hope), and today is the first day since sometime in Sept. when I put on a pair of shorts and a T shirt. We had some rain on the way but when we arrived the sun was out and the sky was clear blue. I took the best shower since leaving home and can do that every day!!!!! Oh the little pleasures. Also great laundry facilities, picnic areas, and the best is a free bus service to the malls, groceries, restaurants, and of course West Marine (Bill's favorite store). We will start exploring tomorrow. In addition, right in front of us, on land, is a dog park and Simon has made many friends even though most are without leash and he has a leash there didn't seem to be any discrimination.
But the best part of this trip was on Monday when a pair of porpoises passed by the bow and decided to play in our bow waves. I was hanging over the rail (Bill later told me he was very worried that I was going over the side) and they stayed with the boat for about 5 minutes. The pictures didn't come out great but I was thoroughly entranced by the sight of them cavorting around the boat.
There is a sign up sheet for those of us who wish to share a Thanksgiving Dinner and I've been told that most people do come and bring a pot luck something.
It seems that my cousin Sandi and my friend Tara are both going to be out of town so I am very happy that they are organizing this dinner. We have already had many initial contacts with other travelers and are gaining much information about the Bahamas, Keys, etc. We still don't know how the rest of the winter will be spent but there are several wonderful options.

It's been awhile since I have been able to spend time on the computer, sometimes no signal available and sometimes just tooo tired. We have had a variety of different kinds of travel days but we are now in St. Augustine,Florida. Getting here was OK with some calm beautiful days as well as our first sea adventure where poor Simon got seasick and needed the brown bucket (Anne and Victoria knows the reference). I think the photos will tell the story better than I can. Just to say, I was not a happy camper with the way the water was acting even though it was still a lovely sunny day. One major factor in our trip on the ICW is the current. On a normal day we travel about 7 miles/hour, however when the current is with us and rolling our speed has increased to 11.5 mph over the ground. This current also affects how we anchor so there is another burden on Bill to make sure we are safe and sound when the tide goes in as well as when it goes out. I just sit around and worry!
Another slight concern is the shallow water throughout the ICW and we have been very careful not to go aground. However, one morning Bill decided to take a "short cut" and all of a sudden I saw another sailboat very far from where we were and I realized something was amiss. The short cut was short on water and Bill, amazing sailor that he be, did get us out of there in time and we never touched bottom. He promised never to do that again (can we believe him?)l.
We stopped at a marina in Jekyll Island and the people there were very friendly. We were able to get a car and do grocery shopping, Simon had a long walk and we were included in a pot luck picnic dinner. We also met up with boats that we had passed or they had passed us , but at a marina we could actually talk to the people on board, and there is a good chance we will see them again. Lots of advice on how to do this trip and how, where and when to go to the Bahamas.
After passing by mega million dollar houses in the Jacksonville area we arrived at St. Augustine yesterday and pulled into a marina. As we left the harbor for St. Augustine Bill noticed that a part of the salt water pump that cooled the engine had fallen off after being in use for 35 years (and to my surprise there was no spare one aboard)_. Fortunately, we only had to go about12 miles (about 2 hours) and he was able to do his magic so we didn't have to call for help. It meant, though, shutting down the motor every 15 minutes to put some grease in the thingy (Anne and Victoria again knows this reference), We made it through the St. Augustine bridge and to our slip without difficulty. But then, where to get the part. After several phone calls it turned out that the part was in Jacksonville. I persuaded Bill to stay 2 nights in St. Augustine since we had to rent a car, drive to get the part and then he had to install it and I wanted to see something of this fabulous city! Happy ending all around. He got the part, installed it and we toured the city today.
In addition, as I was walking Simon yesterday I saw a boat coming in that looked just like ours without sails or masts. It pulled in to a slip right near us and it turns out it was the same hull as ours, built the same year and the owners were delightful. We also met a young man (21) who was traveling by himself on a boat called "Incommunicado". We have seen him several times (including the dock at Jekyll Island) but have not spoke to him. He came on board and told us that he is headed to Ft. Meyers and travels about 11 hours a day on a 30' boat that has very little protection from the weather. I actually took a photo of him when we were traveling through the rough weather.
So many stories, so many different ages and lifestyle decisions with the one constant of being on the water.
But tomorrow is another day, up at dawn and on our way. If all goes well we should be in Vero Beach, our first destination, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday. The weather is looking just fine all week and it has finally warmed up a little. I am really looking forward to getting settled for, at least, a little while.

Just trying to fiddle with the setup.

Here we are once again in a quiet, flat, calm river for the night after a gorgeous day traveling from South Carolina to Georgia. Last night we were in the Wright River and I truly thought it was the wrong river to be in because it was exposed and not very protected. However, Bill assured me it would be just fine and it was right after all. When we woke up this morning it was parka, gloves and hat time, even Simon was shivering. We traveled past Savannah and the homes on the ICW were large and lovely. However, we didn't see any boats traveling along and were a little surprised and curious as to where they were. In the past we had at least the power boats, who probably left about 3 hours after us, pass us by but today nothing until we anchored here in Walburg Creek. There are 8 boats, some sail/some power, staying the night. It was a good day for photos - deer and an American bald eagle, a flock of ibis flying overhead, two separate spans on a small drawbridge
and several dolphin ( I still can't get a good photo of them), and of course houses.

We are about to leave Charleston and hope for fair weather to get us to our next destination. We spent a very full day here doing laundry (at no cost at this marina), Bill making another trip to West Marine and grocery shopping. Then we went into Charleston and took a buggy ride with a very knowledgeable guide through lovely streets filled with history and a variety of building styles, had dinner and then went on a Ghost Tour (after all today was Halloween). The Ghost Tour was fun and the guide had lots of wonderful stories to tell - some believable and others that seemed to be flights of fancy. She was thrilled though when one of the tourists took a photo of what seemed to be a "ghost" that is reported to haunt one of the restaurants. We all agreed that there was a form that looked like a person in his photo. Anyway, it was fun for me and tolerable for Bill. The weather warmed up a little today but the wind was still very strong and I don't know if we will be affected by Noel. We will just have to wait and see. It has been a nice break to be at a marina - don't know when we will do this again.

Hi, youall
We are really in southern territory and the accent keeps getting thicker and thicker. We are now in Charleston,South Carolina at a marina, yea yea. It has been really cold in the morning ( no ice on the deck yet) and cloudy and very windy the last few days but today the sun finally shone and it warmed up a little. The marina has a courtesy car that goes to the center of town, the supermarket and to Bill's delight West Marine. We went in to town this afternoon and got suckered into going to a promotion for a vacation type time share. It was supposed to last 90 minutes with gifts (we took the voucher for the Ghost Tour, a walking tour and $25.00 off a meal at one of several local restaurants) but Bill was on a high and kept talking and adding comments that resulted in a total of 2 !/2 hours - and all the time I was kicking him under the table. Anyway, we had a good dinner (she crab soup was wonderful) and the courtesy van picked us up. Tomorrow we will tour and do laundry and leave here Thursday morning. And yes, I won't have to get up at 6:30 tomorrow morning (but I probably will anyway). I don't think the wind and cool weather is going to end soon but I also don't think we will be affected by 'Noel', keeping our fingers crossed. Will probably take lots of photos tomorrow so stay tuned.

We have now arrived in South Carolina after spending two days in Wrightsville (yes, named after you know who) Beach waiting for the rain to stop. Bill was very anxious about wanting to leave but we met up with people from two boats who helped me persuade Bill that traveling 7 - 8 hours in pouring rain with a very good chance of thunderstorms was not our idea of fun. So instead we walked along a gorgeous, empty except for die hard surfers, beach, (during a break in the weather), ate dinner at a Margaritaville type restaurant where a 3 piece band played guitars and steel drums with selections straight out of Jimmy Buffet (not to be confused with Warren) to the 5 of us and about 8 other customers. However, this is the end of the season and Wrightsville Beach is packed during the summer. Bill even ventured out during a downpour to run errands and he found a store that sold "authentic New York bagels". In a pinch they did just fine.
Although we are traveling many hours a day the time goes by very quickly. Of course, we are still leaving as the sky just barely lightens but navigating and watching out for shoaling (that's when the sand fills in the channel resulting in shallow water), snags (anything that is floating where it shouldn't be causing problems like hitting barely noticeable tree trunks - ouch!), other boats as they pass us or we pass them and the scenery along the banks we hardly notice the time passing. The scenery along the banks was primarily trees, brush, and marshes with modest houses with waterfront property. A little note about the houses. Any house that has been built within the past 10 or so years has as the first floor stilts so there would be less damage to property when the hurricanes hit. The living quarters are in the floors above. I am including a few photos of some of the homes and the variety of architecture that we have seen. Especially now in South Carolina we were able to see the houses that were on the ocean as well as on the ICW and some of them were truly spectacular. I don't know whether they are only 'summer' homes or year round .
We are anchored in the Calabash River tonight, glorious sunset after so much grey for the last few days and our next major stop will be Charleston where I am trying to persuade Bill to stay a day to explore.
It was so pleasant to spend time with other voyagers, from Chattanooga of all places, and we are anchored here with them but our schedules are different and we hope to see them again somewhere on our trip south or when we get to the Bahamas. Bill actually met them in Annapolis while exploring a nearby creek and he stopped by their boat because it was the same style boat that Bill's father almost bought 30 some years ago. There are many routes to making connections with people and we are just beginning this part of the journey.

Friday, October 18
South Lake, North Carolina

We did leave Annapolis on Monday, wake up call 6:45 a.m., and Bill didn’t like our Greece trip because he had to have suitcases out the door sometimes by 6:30. It is still very cool but we comfortably make the 7 a.m. bridge at spa creek. Gorgeous sunrise, very red and beautiful but usually doesn’t mean “red sky at night, sailor’s delight; red sky in the morning sailor take warning” here since we have had so many beautiful sunrises with lovely days to follow. We make a right turn in the Chesapeake and travel on calm seas, light winds and warming temps. We anchor off Solomon’s Island in Back Creek still in Maryland, and have a late lunch. Worked on my computer to navigate and was able to establish a route on my computer and transfer it to Bill’s GPS in the cockpit. Of course, he rarely followed the route but admitted that the GPS was a fine, fine, tool. Amazing.

Next morning, alarm rings at 6:30!!! A somewhat grey day with small waves. Out of sorts a little since we travel all day and don’t anchor in Jackson Creek, Deltaville, Virginia, on the West shore of the Piankatank River til 3:30. Oh, the names of the places we are starting to visit seem right out of Tennessee Williams.
I am truly grateful for the ear plugs I got before we left, it helps reduce the engine noise and right now it seems difficult for me, but not for Bill, to read or do needlework while under way. I hope that will change.

Great sleeping weather but once again the alarm goes off at 6:30 a.m.- are we having fun yet? But the trip today was
quite interesting since we are heading toward Newport News and Norfolk, Va. First we were entranced by a pod of dolphins taking a little stroll near us. Of course I got so excited that I couldn’t get the camera out in time.

Then while listening on the radio we heard ships with names like “Warship 97” instead of “Coal Burns” “Frog Prince”, “Asylum” or “Dream Catcher”, etc. We saw about 8 aircraft carriers being worked on or possibly in mothballs and many other ships of the navy. Constant surveillance by navy personnel in little, very fast, boats going around the harbor. Also, very interesting to note how many women were communicating on the radio while entering and leaving port. We even heard women being referred to as “captain”. We found a small harbor for the night to make an easy run to the “Virginia Cut”, mile 0 of the ICW (the cut is part of the waterway highway from Norfolk to Miami).

I guess I don’t have to mention the alarm wakeup call, you all get the picture and today we have to go through several bridges and a lock so Bill, of course, wants to be in the first group and so we were. There were 8 sailboats of various sizes and 7 power boats jockeying around the first bridge that opens at 8:30. We got close enough to pass the mustard but nobody even touched (of course several of the bigger boats had bow thrusters to help them - this means being able to shoot out water from either side of the boat instead of just relying on the motor for increased maneuverability , don’t worry no tests are involved). We traveled with this group through all the bridges and the lock and even tied up at a dock, in Coinjock, North Carolina, with some of them.

I’m writing this now anchored in South Lake, North Carolina waiting for some “interesting” weather to pass us by. We thought we would be all alone for the night but another sailboat has sought shelter here as well. The strange thing is that with our dinghy tied up on the boat and their’s as well we will spend the stormy night together but without communication. Of course, it is still a comfort to have someone nearby since we are without cell phone or computer connection in this somewhat isolated spot. I’ve challenged Bill to a game of Scrabble. No side bets please.

Leaving Annapolis

It's Sunday, October 14th (niece Tami's Birthday) and Bill and I have decided it's time to leave Annapolis. I have mixed feelings since it has been a wonderful experience living onboard, yet having the freedom to go places around and out of the city and meet lots of different people without feeling tied to the boat. I love the feel of Annapolis as well as the design. The architecture, the flowers, the streets that remain fixed in the 1700's, the Naval Academy, the boat shows, the tourists, the dogs, the southern twang that shows up everywhere all contribute to a vibrant city. Of course, after the Power Boat Show I was told things really quiet down and I'm sure the feel of Annapolis will also change.
I've put together some photos that I will post on a web page (like Shutterfly) as a memory for me and may be of some interest to you.
To bed early for a 6:30 am wake up call to make the 7 am bridge out of Spa Creek. It's barely light but the sky lightens quickly as we leave and we have no difficulty seeing the marks. The day turns out to be perfect for traveling, seas bearable, temperature within our sunroom just fine and after 7 hours we drop anchor at Solomon's Island. Tired but happy to have finally begun to move again towards the ICW.
I have included a photo of 'Interim' for those who have no idea what kind of boat is now called home.

Annapolis Oct. 8

We are still at our wonderful mooring spot and continue to enjoy being here. We have had visits from friends which we so enjoyed.
Also several Sheldrake Yacht Club members checked in as well. The weather is still holding hot and sunny, yesterday was dreadfully hot but staying on the boat wasn't too bad. We went to the boat show on Thursday, a friend was able to obtain VIP tickets so we didn't have to join the crowds over the weekend. Of course, having such easy access to all the vendors and boats resulted in more money spent then we had anticipated. One of the, hopefully, most useful items is a filtration system for our water tanks that is "supposed" to increase the ability to drink of our tanks without gagging. I'm keeping my fingers crossed on that one. Also new shoes, snorkel stuff for Bill, and other sundry items. I went on a few boats but wasn't really interested since they were so spic and spanned up. I am beginning to really enjoy the clutter of 'Interim' especially since I can now find almost anything I want that has been stowed. Bill, unfortunately continues to have difficulty locating things. We tore his spaces apart to try to find sensors that he bought before we left to no avail. They are probably on his work table back home!!
Bill has also made several bus trips to get the parts and supplies he has needed. With a friends recomendation we found a small pub that also provides food during happy hour all for the price of a beer (yes, I did drink one) and we walked out paying a total of $7.00 for dinner.
On Sat. we went to a gam ( for nonsailors: a group gets together for various purposes) sponsored by an organization called Seven Seas Cruising Association. This gam took place on land- tents up and everything with breakfast, a lunch and a dinner. Of course when I signed up I missed the part to pay for lunch and dinner but we had other plans for later in the day. The breakfast/registration started at 7:30 so you can imagine who was one of the first to arrive!!
Heard some interesting speakers, a doctor who was fabulous, making practical recommendations for medical supplies to have on hand and a women specialist in eliminating boat odors. But the best was meeting many couples who were at the beginning of their voyages. Bill and I, with all the water time we've had, were humbled by the goals and experiences from so many others. From 10 year plans to circumnavigate the globe to Europe, Fiji, and on and on it was inspiring. I was inspired to realize that wasn't going to happen to us. But we hope to meet up with some of these people as we travel down south.
And when will that start? We are about ready to go, Patrick a young friend of ours has been here since Sat. night. Bill has been helping him study for his plumber's exam to get licensed which he will take next Sat. So he traveled here for some more tutoring. It also turns out that he has been helping Bill with some boat projects, with his car we made an extensive provisioning trip and I got to go to Michaels' where I found a needlepoint project. Since Bill is waiting for parts that will be here tomorrow morning Pat will stay over til Tuesday morning and then we will drop the mooring and begin our journey towards Norfolk, Va where the ICW starts. We heard the cool , autumn air will arrive in a few days and we are all looking forward to that.

Sorry for the length of this blog but getting online has been sporadic.

Saturday, Sept. 28

What a day! The wind is piping up and we are snug on our mooring. A front moved in last night (thankfully without the usual thunder/lightning) cooled the temps and brought and an incredible cloudless sky . We decided to visit the United States Naval Academy located in downtown Annapolis. The history, the traditions, the midshipmen (even though a large % are women), the fitness. We watched as a young woman, with a coach, attempted to jump off a diving board 3 stories high feet first. She didn't make it and if she doesn't before a certain period of time she (and any other midshipman who can't do it) will be asked to leave. The olympic pool where swimmers, in uniform, were asked to swim 1/2 mile and were graded according to speed. Watching 4,400 young men and women line up in their company and march, with band playing the appropriate songs, to lunch. The huge buildings built about 100 years ago inspired by French Baroque style of archecture, the goat and much more. In addition we spent a long time in the museum where there are about 50 boat models that were created in the early 1700's. Bill was in ecstasy, especially when I struck up a conversation with the curator and he gave us a behind the scenes look at the workshop. The day ended with our last ice cream until next Friday (our goal, realistic or not?).
Coming back on board we were greeted by our attack watch dog.

Southern Journey Annapolis

This is the first installment of my first blog and I am not sure exactly how it works. We are in Annapolis, gorgeous weather, comfortable calm harbor and ice cream every day! Bill,Simon and I are settling in to using 'Interim' as a home and if we could only find things that have been put away so neatly we would be in much better shape, but we are learning to return items to their original place. I, of course, am a much quicker learner and Bill is still struggling with his years of "I have three of them but I can't find them".

We will be in Annapolis until the second or third week in October and then head to the Carolinas. Will send this out and see what happens.