Luna Cruise: Part 2 - Points South
Saturday, October 16
We're off again!
Hello! This is just a short message to let you know John and I left Middle River headed south on Wednesday, 10/13 with NOAA promising us 10-15 knot nw winds with gusts to 20. Alas, we sat out in the bay bobbing and drifting with the tide until the captain could take no more. We motored to Lake Ogleton (near Annapolis) when the first mate could take no more of the noise. After all, we're supposed to get in some sailing on the Chesapeake, right? The torrential rain and stiff wind started up that night and continued throughout Thursday but it gave us time to rest and relax after our busy times with family and friends while in Balltimore.
On Thursday morning we had small craft warnings posted with a 15-25 knot west wind and ebbing tide which was perfect for getting us here to Solomons Island where we sit while waiting for the gale force winds which started last night to subside. It's been great fun meeting lots of "snowbirds".
If the predictions are right, we hope to leave tomorrow with the warm sunshine making it relatively comfortable. So far the lowest cabin temperature was 52 degrees but we're able to stay cozy in sleeping bags, polar fleece clothes and long underwear.
Please let us know if you'd like us to remove your name from these updates. They won't be as frequent and probably won't always include photographs. We've already experienced some difficulty getting a good connection.
Hope this finds you well and enjoying the beautiful fall weather.
Anne and John
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Thursday October 21
From The Rappahanock
Hello dear family and friends!
This will be another quickie just to assure those of you who have been concerned that all is well. we're not making much progress but we're having a wonderful time!
We left solomon's on Sunday, mid-day despite small craft warnings. we'd watched a parade of snowbirds headed out early in the morning but i turned "wimpy" and balked about leaving. i, instead, set to work and retaped the starboard deadlights (that's windows for landlubbers) because the duct tape we'd used to stop the leaks in august had finally started deteriorating. once that was done i agreed to at least go out to test the conditions. the winds out on the bay had subsided considerably and after a few fine hours of sailing, we actually had to motor to our destination on smith creek, just inside the mouth of the potomac. we had our first soft crabs this year, probably the last of the season, at a small restaurant that night. we met a pearson 42' ketch owner who'd taken his boat across the atlantic to spain and italy and when asked what it was like, commented," it was just like the bay...some days with wind and some without". from there, we sailed very slowly and then motored to the great wicomico and into a lovely quiet creek. i was able to explore the anchorage by dinghy before fixing dinner. there was one other sailboat there but by bedtime, at least 3 more had joined us. the next day, i woke early to the sound of unexpected wind. we listened to the forecast and heard there were 10-15 knot n.e. wind w/1-2 foot seas. rain was predicted for later in the day and since we needed to go grocery shoppping and had lots of laundry, we decided to head south to deltaville and a marina. what we actually found were 20-26 knot n.e. w/3-4 foot steep seas but the sun was shining and we'd had a good night's sleep so into it we went. within minutes, anne was soaked and the britta water container had flown across the cabin, shattered and dumped its full contents onto the rug....and we hadn't eaten any breakfast...and we don't do cold cereal.....oh well, once we got a bit of sail out and turned south, it was really kind of fun and fast but dozier's regatta point yachting center was a welcome sight after about 4 hours.
And here we've stayed. John got the laundry finished while i went to the grocery store in the courtesy buick tank before the rain started. we managed to get in a bike ride before the rain started. once the rain stopped, it's been blowing hard and the waves are big but we're having a grand time meeting so many interesting, friendly people from all over the place. the marina is beautiful and is owned and run by the folks who do the waterway guides that we've been using this summer and fall. the marina provides free bikes, has a pool, a "captain's lounge" and a big wide front porch with rocking chairs just begging to be used. there was a wine and cheese party on it this evening where we met more snowbirds and got all kinds of useful advice along with contact information.
Deltaville is a tiny town with a population of about 800 with more than 3,000 boats not including the transients. the guide book warns its readers the town "is the kind of place where people arrive by boat and suddenly find they have no good reason to leave." we have met several of those folks who work as volunteers at the wonderful maritime museum here and which we visited today. I took lots of photos but you'll have to wait because it's late and time to crawl into our berth where john is already settled.
Will we leave tomorrow? who knows?
Hope all is well with you. as always, we love to hear from you.
Anne and John
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Sunday October 24
Promised Photographs Sent from Norfolk, VA
Greetings all,
Had a glorious sail down from the Rappahanock to Hampton Roads, VA on Friday. Motored to Portsmouth, VA yesterday and anchored just past Mile 0 on the ICW. Have been exploring Portsmouth and Norfolk and feeling like we're retired!
Here are the promised photos from the first part of our cruise south.
Anne and John
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Sunday October 31
Poking Along
Hi!
Most snowbirds manage to get as far as we are in just a few days but....we're having fun and managing the cold days just fine.
Saturday through Monday, we had a great time exploring Portsmouth and Norfolk which sit opposite eachother on the busy Elizabeth River in Virginia. The first two nights we anchored in a basin on the Portsmouth side and then moved across the river to Harborside Marina where we could easily reprovision and do laundry. On Tuesday morning, 10/26 we left for the Dismal Swamp. It was a dreary, rainy day which seemed fitting given our destination. Motoring on the busy Elizabeth River was a bit stressful but exciting with tugs pulling barges every which way, huge ships coming and going and a steady stream of southbound snowbirds keeping the pace. Luna seemed so tiny compared to most vessels on the river.
Once into the canal, though, peace reigned. Just before we went through our first lock, I happened to look back and was startled to see three camoflaged inflatables, coming up behind us manned with fully armed patrols. Were we going to be boarded? They passed us slowly, looking very serious. I wanted to take a picture but John didn't think it was a good idea. I decided to ask permission and within seconds the guys were smiling and joking. We learned later from the lock master that they were part of the "brown navy" in a training exercise.
There was only one other boat to go through the first lock with us and I was a bit nervous but our lock master, Robert, was friendly, helpful and most understanding about my obvious anxiety. His dog, "Uturn", ran back and forth as the lock filled with the tea colored water. Luna was raised about eight feet in a remarkably short time. Robert has a huge collection of konch shells which he's learned to blow quite well. He apparently entertains all his "guests" four times a day. Many boaters get through the canal in one or two days but it took us until Saturday to get out. Weather conditions south of the canal were not good which meant that hundreds of southbound boats were not moving. We were advised to sit tight at the
Visitors Center where we had free docking, with thirteen other boats in the same situation. Free bikes, hiking trails, a museum and the most wonderful collection of friendly boaters from all over kept us happily entertained. The park staff even gave us all a party. One of the women who goes to the Bahamas every year has learned to make jewelry with the shells and sea beans she finds on the beaches and she gave a "workshop" one afternoon. And of course, we heard lots of interesting stories.
The weather finally improved so we moved to Elizabeth City, NC yesterday along with some of our new friends. Here boaters are welcomed and treated graciously. We have a free slip right in the heart of this town where Moth boats originated. Since my father built and raced several of these unique one-design sailboats, it's been special to be here.
Tomorrow we leave and cross the Albemarle Sound and go into the Alligator River. We're traveling with another couple headed for Belize and who have come from Lake Ontario in their 31' Island Packet.
It's time for bed!
Anne and John
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Tuesday November 9
Elizabeth City to Carolina Beach, NC
Hello from Carolina Beach, NC!
May we first say how much we love to hear from you and what's happening in your lives. Thank you for keeping in touch.
It's a gorgeous sunshiny70 degree lay-day here. Since we last did an update, we've traveled 244 miles along with our friends Kris and Shannon who are headed for Belize. It's been great fun to have their company and expertise in planning each day but this morning they headed south as we bid farewell, at least for awhile. When checking the oil upon our arrival here yesterday, we discovered that the relatively new alternator belt was quite badly deteriorated and had to be replaced. John also realized there was something wrong with the allignment to cause such a problem and the marina's mechanic agreed. An small adjustment and a newly purchased belt from the local auto supply store reached easily by bike has, we think, solved the problem. The captain is indeed a clever fellow!
And now for a re-cap of where we've been...the trip from Elizabeth City across the Albemarle Sound gave us 15-20 knot N.E. winds with higher gusts and 2-3 foot seas but Luna did well. We opted to head for the Alligator River Marina where we took much needed showers and relaxed with good wine and conversation aboard Dalliance. Election Day brought us 18 knot northeast winds at 5:30 in the morning but the forecast promised us high wind through the weekend so we left around 7 headed for the Alligator River-Pungo River Canal, motorsailing most of the way through the canal to an anchorage at the head of the Pungo where we found good protection from the strong wind. We napped and then I fixed a pasta dinner for the four of us enjoyed in Luna's cozy cabin. We slept late, had a hot breakfast and pulled the hook around 8 o'clock on a gray, dreary morning with a forecast of rain, and lots of it. We had planned on anchoring again that night but the driving rain and wind and Shannon's suggestion to move on to Oriental, NC and a marina in the protected Whittaker Creek harbor sounded good. We treated ourselves to dinner out that night, picked up by someone from the restaurant. The place had lots of maritime charm but the company was much better than the food. More rain was predicted so we all opted to stay put. Shannon had some engine work done, I did laundry and then Kris, John and I walked to town. Unfortunately, we couldn't take our cameras because of the rain but the tiny town with an even tinier harbor was quite charming and picturesque. The rains brought us a cold front with 55 degree cabin temperature on Friday morning. We left around 8:30, headed for Morehead City where we hoped to get some new, real dock lines. We crossed the Neuse River and went into Adams Creek where several dolphins welcomed us. They are so joyful to watch but I can never capture them in a photo. We then entered the Adams Creek Canal around Mile 190 and I spotted two animals swimming across to the wild, undeveloped, shoreline. Thinking they may be bears, I excitedly reached for the binoculars only to discover they were dogs, hunting North Carolina style and pursuing a buck who was frantically trying to escape. He jumped over huge fallen branches or hid under overhanging bushes but the relentless dogs caught up with him and chased him into the canal where he swam towards another dog waiting on the opposite shore. All three dogs had special tracking collars making it easy for their owners to get themselves a good venison dinner.
We continued motoring along the canal, made interesting by the ever changing shoreline, wild on the east side and developed on the other with a steady stream of faster vessels passing us, most of the time in a courteous manner. The speedier boats usually hail us on radio and ask permission to pass us either on the port or starboard side. We then slow to an idle and they get by quickly with little or no wake. Every once in awhile, though, we get the obnoxious power boat captain who seems oblivious of any other boats around. They plow on through creating havoc below as pots and pans, cushions and anything else we've forgotten to stow safely go flying. It's then quite entertaining to hear all the comments (and sometimes colorful language) made by fellow boaters right on Channel 16 which is supposed to be a hailing and emergency only channel.
Somewhere along the canal, Dalliance called to tell us they were having engine problems and needed to stop at the next marina. We wished them good luck and went on to Morehead City. The currents there were challengingly strong and although we'd hoped to find an anchorage, opted to tie up to a face dock. Just as we secured Luna, who should come around the bend but Dalliance! We were relieved to see all was well with them.
John and I walked to Crystal Coast Cordage which John had found on line. We purchased four new nylon lines for half the price West Marine wanted....let's hope they last.
We grabbed a pizza, chatted with the crew of Messesnger, a family from Ontario we'd seen along the way and who are headed for the Virgin Islands. They had their 11 and 14 year old daughters with them and their 16 year old son would be joining them along the way. It's neat fun to meet and chat with so many interesting and adventurous people who are living their dreams. That young family would be headed out the inlet and doing some overnight sailing in the Atlantic despite the small craft warnings posted. I had also talked with an older man who'd been sailing with his wife since 1996 on their Passport 40 out of Seattle. They'd been around the world but are now headed back to the west coast in a plane due to some health problems. Our evening ended on board Dalliance where we discussed the next day's options. Morehead City was not too appealing and we were ready to move.
Saturday brought us even cooler temperatures but the sun was shining by the time we left around 9 AM. for Swansboro, NC. We motored along behind the barrier islands that are densely developed. Bogue Sound is fairly wide but we hugged the western shore where it was more protected from the stiff northwest wind. We reached Dudley's Marina mid-day. The current and wind were too strong for us to get into the assigned slip so they let us tie up at their fuel dock temporarily with the instructions to move when the current eased. I used their courtesy car to make a much needed reprovisioning trip to the local Food Lion and when I got back Luna was still in the same place. Soon afterwards two dockhands told us we had to move. OK but how? The marina owner then came over to appraise the situation and quite quickly told us we could spend the night there. Thank goodness! Clocks changed that night.
On Sunday, the early morning cabin temperature was 47 degrees and the wind was still howling. By 7:45, Dalliance and Luna were off again, both of us requiring two dockhands to get away safely. I started doing stretches and dance aerobics when not on the wheel to get warm, build endorphins and maybe even lose an ounce or two.
Before this trip, I'd feared tiring of the engine's roar but have learned to appreciate its steady rhythm. Hope I'm not jinxing us! We passed mile after mile of beautiful, vast wetlands and then found ourselves nearing Camp LeJeune with all kinds of warnings about possible closures due to firing range practice across the canal but we were lucky. We made it to Mile 261 and Surf City on Topsail Island where the female dockhand when she learned we were from Baltimore announced she'd been a Baltimore Colt's cheerleader.
The cabin temperature on Monday morning was 43 degrees. It was time to don our expedition weight long underwear! We got an early start and passed through the Surf City Bridge at 7 AM and two more bridges that morning, arriving at Carolina Beach by early afternoon.
With the alternator belt fixed, and water and fuel tanks filled, we are ready to brave the Cape Fear River with its reputation for swift currents.
Hope all is well.
Anne and John
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Monday November 22
Charleston, SC
Hello from Charleston!
Hope this finds you well and happily preparing for Thanksgiving with family and/or friends.
Since our last update, we've traveled 175 miles and visited both quiet, remote anchorages as well as busy shopping oriented stops and lovely historic towns.
On the morning of our departure from Carolina Beach, I was merrily fixing breakfast as John took us through Snow's Cut when I noticed the captain's anxious expression and his call to “come up here would you?” He asked me to check the charts which was a mistake. Right after I told him I thought all was OK, we hit bottom...softly, but we were aground. John scrambled to get us off quickly since he thought the tide was ebbing (it wasn't actually but it's hard to know in these waters). Within 20 minutes, he had kedged us off and we were southward bound again. Cape Fear's notorious current was actually flooding with the wind against it which made for a lumpy passage but nothing like we'd experienced in the Cape May Inlet. We spent the next 2 nights in Calabash Creek, just over the SC border. We dinghied to the town of Calabash and surprisingly found ourselves back in NC. We bought some yummy fresh shrimp right there at a dock for $4 a pound.
From there we went to Barefoot Landing in North Myrtle Beach where we walked an endless expanse of sand and did some outlet shopping, all the while meeting boaters we'd met along the way. This always makes traveling more special. We had a fun dinner out that night. We then headed for Prince Creek and the most remote anchorage we'd ever experienced. We shared our evening with birds, turtles and fish. During the night, I heard a strange sound and admittedly was a bit frightened until I realized it was a piece of current-driven driftwood tracing Luna's waterline from stem to stern.
Georgetown, SC was our next stop for a few nights, first at a small but top notch marina where there were at least 6 other snowbirds from Maryland. We had an impromptu deck party to swap stories and tips. We also joined another couple for a really good walking tour with Miss Nell, a retired school teacher and native who had a thorough knowledge of history and architecture as well as the local flora and fauna. We moved to a free town dock once our laundry was done and there met another couple with whom we had much in common who were sailing from New England in their Cape Dory 36, Dream Catcher. We enjoyed each other's company at the next two stops in Isle of Palms and then Charleston where we arrived this past Thursday.
Highlights of our time here have been a free but really fun walking tour guided by a political history buff with a great sense of humor, shopping at the Farmer's Market at a downtown open square, a Saturday night swing dance ($5 each) where we were the oldest couple attending but graciously welcomed, an organ concert in the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist and a tour of the Magnolia Plantation. The days have been mostly sunny and warm but our sleeping bags feel quite comfy by the time the full moon rises.
So tomorrow we push on and should be in Beaufort (bue-fort) later this week. We shall miss being with family on Thanksgiving this year but that's the downside of this kind of adventure.
Anne and John
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Sunday November 28
Hilton Head
Hi from Hilton Head!
It's the Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend, we have a good connection here at our anchorage in Broad Creek, and some energy left to send you an update.
Hope this message finds you well, snug at home and feeling thankful. We pulled anchor in Charleston early Tuesday morning and enjoyed our passage along Wapoo Creek, Elliott's Cut and into the winding Stono River, part of the time with a strong, fair current and other times with it against us. We'd been up early and by 2 PM, although I still had 15 minutes left on the helm, asked John to relieve me. Just as I started to move away from the wheel, I noticed the depth sounder was reading 4.7 feet. Yikes! I tried turning more towards the channel's middle but the wicked cross current pushed Luna sideways onto a bar....and the tide was ebbing this time. John quickly went into his kedging routine but this time, there was no way we could get ourselves into deeper water. After a few minutes, we felt some real concern about Luna's predicament and called TowBoat/US. After some futile attempts to reach them, the Coast Guard came on the radio and offered to relay our call. We gave them our location and situation and were promised help within 30 minutes. Well, it was more like an hour and 30 minutes during which time I tried to clean up the ugly, gray goop all over the dinghy and Luna's cockpit. “Woody” arrived and for the next hour or so waited patiently for more “water” so he could safely pull us out of the Carolina “pluff mud” and on into a quiet anchorage for the night. His parting words were “enjoy the sunset” and we did with a glass of wine...or two!
The next day, we had another scare at Fenwick Cut just as as we entered the Ashepoo River. A 65 plus foot trawler from Kingston gave us a slow pass but kicked his power once past us. I'd just taken the helm and noticed the depth sounder showed 20 feet, then 4.7 feet! This can't be happening again! I slowed immediately and crept along trying to find deeper water to no avail. We finally realized we were actually seeing the silt he'd kicked up and not the water depth. It took awhile for my heart to stop racing and the rest of our passage to Port Royal was uneventful.
Because this was the first Thanksgiving we wouldn't be with family, I thought it would be more meaningful to spend some time at a nursing home where we might spread a little cheer and act as surrogate family to residents who were there alone. We'd called ahead and found a marina close to a nursing home so as soon as we arrived at Port Royal Landing Marina on Wednesday afternoon, we walked to River View, met with the activity director and got permission to be volunteers for a day. We also learned that the marina would be having a Thanksgiving feast in the afternoon to which we were invited.
Thursday dawned sunny and warm, more like a June day on the bay. I fixed a dish to share, we left it with the organizers, Sheryl and Bill Mote who live aboard Eclipse, and then walked the almost two miles to the nursing home. For the next few hours, we went from room to room, visiting residents and were enriched by their wisdom and graciousness.
Although we were a bit late for the marina feast, there was still plenty of yummy food left for us to enjoy. Bill had stayed up all night smoking five turkeys for the 32 boaters who stuffed themselves with the flavorful bird and all the shared trimmings. I asked John to take photos of the gathering. Please take note of the attached shot he took and understand his focus! We learned while having dinner that there were at least three other boats from Maryland, one even from Middle River. By the day's end, we'd talked with all of our children and other family members so all in all, the day was a success.
On Black Friday, using the marina's courtesy car, we explored Beaufort and lunched with Sue and Lee Dyer who are headed south in Jubilee. Unfortunately, the torrential rains ushering in a cold front kept us from truly appreciating the historical town but we had fun getting to know the Dyers. That night, we attended another shared dinner on the deck...this time Bill grilled steaks or anything else we chose to bring. The gathering was smaller but still a lot of fun. Our evening ended with a tour of Tim Mote's Peterbilt tractor and learning a bit about the life of a trucker. He was visiting his parents for the first time in 6 years.
The next morning we left for Hilton Head, escorted by a playful dolphin as he rode our bow waves for 5-10 minutes. What a joyful way to start our day! (Sorry, no photos of dolphins.) Sue and Lee left much earlier than we and called to warn us of some lumpy seas in Port Royal Sound but by the time we got to it, it wasn't bad at all. We followed them to the the same anchorage here in Broad Creek where the current is quite strong and two anchors are required to keep us secure. They joined us for a few hours after their afternoon ashore and we got better acquainted but, alas, they left this morning headed south. John and I dinghied to a public landing, hiked 2 miles to a bike rental shop the Dyers had scoped for us and then spent the day riding on the beautiful beaches and endless bike paths of Hilton Head Island. We had our picnic lunch sitting in rocking chairs on a porch in Harbor Town watching pelicans clumsily plunge for fish and gulp it down their gullet.
Tomorrow we leave bound for Isle of Hope Marina near Savannah, our first stop in GA. Stormy weather is predicted for the next several days followed by lows in the low 30s. Brrr!
Anne and John
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Saturday December 11
Hello from Brunswick, GA
Hello from BBBRRRunswick, GA!
Well, actually it's not quite as cold today as it's been but it's rainy and that will bring us another cold front. We've seen a record low of 37 degrees in our cabin but the good news is that we're at a marina where Luna will sit for the next several weeks plugged into electricity. Our heater can bring the cabin temperature up to a balmy 60 something by mid-day.
Since our last update, we've traveled about 120 miles further south, managed to stay out of the mud despite the “skinny” water in GA, and have had some wonderful experiences. Our first stop was at Isle of Hope, a lovely old southern town. We stayed at a marina where we had courtesy cars and bikes to use, met some new friends and caught up with some old ones. We stayed there for four days, exploring the area and visiting Savannah, using the local public bus to get us into the city. We went with another couple who live part of the time in CO right near Ked and who ski the same places we enjoy when out there. While in Savannah, we took a 90 minute “trolley” tour which whetted our appetites for places to explore in depth. John and I chose the Telfair Museums which included a tour of the Owens-Thomas House, designed by William Jay and considered, according to the tourist brochure is one of the finest examples of English Regency architecture in the country. Indeed, it was one of the more unusual houses we've toured during our adventures. We also got to visit the Telfair Academy, a former family mansion also designed by Jay, and now an art gallery which houses 19th and 20th century American and European art with one gallery's focus on southern works. We enjoyed our picnic lunch up on a sunny terrace of the Jepson Center, designed by Moshe Safdie. The building is in stark contrast to its surroundings but is quite handsome and houses contemporary works.
Another day while on the island, we hitched a ride with friends who were on their way to Walmart to buy warmer sleeping bags. They dropped us off for breakfast in a warm local restaurant where we stuffed ourselves with pancakes, smoked sausage and eggs. We spent the rest of the day hiking, biking (working off all those calories) and exploring the Wormsloe State Historic Site. It was here that we were really better able to understand and appreciate Georgia's earliest history. We ended that day with dinner out at a seafood restaurant overlooking the vast wetlands. Our special appetizer was watching a pair of hooded merganzers (new birds to us) catching their dinner.
On Friday, 12/3, we rose early to another frost covered Luna. We both felt a bit “off” from eating way too much food the previous evening. Those hush puppies stayed with us til noon! We skipped breakfast and left for a 2 day journey through endless wetlands. So many had warned us to skip GA and go “outside” but I loved the barren, prairie-like wildness of it all. Every once in awhile, we'd get a peek at the Atlantic but most of the time, we followed the narrow, winding creeks and rivers to our evening anchorage. The first night out was so cold we decided to dance and for almost an hour, we were warmed by the exercise (along with our dance memories) and managed to bring the cabin temperature up a degree or two.
We started spotting loons along with the snowy egrets, herons, cows (yes, cows!), many elusive dolphins whose color matches the gray waters, our first bald eagle since we started this trip in June and then at our last anchorage, wood storks. I rowed the dinghy for an hour or more hoping to get a good photo of the storks but finally gave up. You'll just have to look them up in a bird book!
We arrived here in Brunswick Landing Marina on Sunday afternoon, greeted warmly by our friends, Sherry and Clyde, who we'd met back in the Dismal Swamp. They had suggested we come here because it's so inexpensive unlike marinas further south in FL. Our insurance will double as soon as we cross into FL waters and it made sense to keep Luna here while we visit family and friends over the holidays on the west coast. We have discovered there are many boaters who stay here all winter.
This place is one of the largest marinas we've ever visited with 15 docks, 341 slips almost all of which are occupied, handsomely tiled bathrooms better than our own complete with personal dressing rooms, a spacious, comfortably furnished HEATED lounge with free wi-fi, and a wonderfully friendly group of live-aboards and staff who have been most helpful. There's a Wednesday night “happy hour” each week and tonight we'll have a parade of lights (if anyone wants to decorate their boats and parade in the freezing rain or snow). The marina is located right near shops, galleries and restaurants within walking distance but the nicer, better stocked grocery and big box stores are many miles away. Luckily, several folks here have their own cars and are most generous about sharing them.
The city of Brunswick itself is rather depressed but there are small areas of historical importance and a few enthusiastic residents who are trying hard to turn Brunswick into a “little Georgetown”. We met two such young women who are artists at a gallery and when they learned we're on a boat without a car, offered to drive us anywhere, including the islands of St. Simon and Jeckyl, places we'd love to see. They even offered to take us to the airport! There's a farmers' market three days a week quite close to our marina selling nuts, homemade jams, jellies and preserves and a rather limited supply of locally grown produce. They also sell produce from Wynn Dixie, the local, and not very good grocery store but they're OK in a pinch. There's much excitement around town because a film is being produced here (X Man or something like that) so there are many swank looking Hollywood types.
Our days have been filled with Luna projects, getting together with our new boating friends to play “chicken foot” Dominoes, dinner out or dessert or board and taking long walks each day.
We'll be flying out of Jacksonville, FL next Friday to Seattle, WA and coming back here on January 8, hopefully to resume our adventures south. We've arranged to have some maintenance work done while we're gone so we're crossing our fingers that nothing serious will be discovered. Luna's engine continues to purr but is also dripping oil and water.
We hope this message finds you well. As always, hearing from you warms our hearts.
Anne and John
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Thursday January 20, 2011
Started South But ...
Hi!
Thanks to all of you who have called and sent messages to find out where in the world we are. We appreciate your concerns and interest.
We got back to Brunswick, GA from our holiday travels on the west coast on January 10 in driving rain. The rain ushered in a cold front that broke records....and perhaps, my spirit. Brunswick Landing Marina was a nice place for us made even more special by the many friendly boaters we met. At the very first Wed. night "happy hour", I spent most of the evening with Juanita, getting acquainted and enjoying her company. Cooincidentally, John spent most of the evening with Frank doing the same thing. At the evening's end we learned that Frank and Juanita were married. We attended library programs, walked, shopped, went to a wonderful chamber music concert, played games and enjoyed meals out together. Their friendship made being in the frigid cold or cold rain more then tolerable. We had fun together!
But the object of our trip was to go south so yesterday, the weather finally looked good enough to leave the dock and move. We woke to thick fog, had second thoughts but by 9, the fog lifted and by 9:30 we were on our way. The thick clouds were supposed to break and give us sun but that didn't exactly happen. Every once in awhile, we'd see a weak sun but most of the time, it was gray...and windy. I checked the water temperature...44 degrees. Hmmmmm. Why had I not thought to do that BEFORE we left? The wind cranked up to just under 20 knots. Are you getting the picture? It was miserably COLD. Add to that the "thin" water we kept finding in the middle of the ICW, the confusing marks (at one point we found ourselves aground and not sure where we needed to head through the mud to get into deeper water) and the seemingly endless motoring and we admitted we were not having a good time. I was beginning to understand why so many couples don't make it to FL.
By 4:30, we dropped our hook in the St. Mary's River just off the only marina in the area and within sight of FL. We celebrated John's 68th birthday with grilled fillet, steamed broccoli and curried mixed veggies. I'd gotten a tiny, one serving chocolate cake for the old man and life seemed a little better. The cabin was kept warm with our newly purchased propane heater which, in combination with the cooking, brought the cabin temperature up to a very cozy 70 degrees. Friends and family called or sent birthday greetings so all in all the evening was quite pleasant. We got a good night's sleep, too.
But this morning, we found ourselves blanketed in thick fog and the cabin dripping on us. We dared not run the propane heater during the night and the cabin was 44 degrees. OK, turn on the heater, fix breakfast and let's rethink our plans.
We've checked into Lang's Marina so we can hook into electric heat which is dryer and doesn't cause condensation to develop. The bathrooms are deplorable but a monthly rate is cheap. Did I say monthly? Yes, because at this point we really don't know if we want to go any further south. We're discussing renting a car and visiting our FL friends and family that way. The next few days are to bring us rain and 2 more cold fronts so we do not want to be anchored.
We'll keep you posted.
Anne and John
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Friday, February 4, 2011
All is Well
Just wanted to let you know that we've been traveling by car in warmer, sunny FL since January 24th. So far we've visited family and friends in Vero Beach, Naples, Fort Myers and Bradenton. We're watching the weather condtions in St. Mary, GA and so far we're glad we're here instead of there!
We'll let you know when we go back to being sailors and not wimps.
Anne and John
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Sunday, February 20, 2011
Luna in FL, but just barely!!!
Just a quick note to let you know that we finally left St. Mary's, GA this morning and are on a mooring in Fernandina Beach, FL with the hope to leave tomorrow headed in a southerly direction.
Hope this finds you well and staying warm...it's much better down here now!!
Anne and John
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Monday, February 21, 2011
Plans Changed!
How good to hear from all of you today and to learn a bit about what's happening in your lives. Your enthusiastic words of encouragement are truly appreciated which is why I feel it's important to send you this update.
It seems my emaill was a bit premature. We looked at the tide tables for some worrisome points south of here last night and realized timing of our leave taking today would be critical as farther south, a narrow spot at a bridge is reported to have currents that would challenge Luna's power. We woke to the wind howling early this morning and listened to today's forecast which had changed considerably from last night's report... 20 knots sustained sw winds with gusts to 30....hmmmm. Here we go again.
During breakfast, we listened to the local NPR program and learned about some interesting cultural events right here on Amelia Island and started to look at options. We'd left a marine electician in St. Mary's who was ready and willing to help install a new atuo pilot next week starting on Monday but Anne didn't want to stay in St. Mary's sooooo. As of right this minute, we're going to stay here this week, head back to St. Mary's on Sunday and have the project completed. That way we'll have more flexibility about going outside to avoid some of the more stressful passages on the ICW.
The temperature today was a balmy 80 something and the wind lessened enough for us to go to shore mid-afternoon for a walk to Amelia Island's beautiful Atlantic Ocean beach. We look forward to exploring this historic town and hopefully catch some of this weekend's Fernadina Film Festival or a concert or two.
We'll try to get some photos out with our next chapter.
Take care and stay warm. Spring is on the way!
Anne and John
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Monday, March 7, 2011
Jacksonville Beach, FL
Hello!
Well, I've procrastinated long enough and am ready to do the promised update. We do so love to hear from you and miss you.
The last time I wrote, we'd decided to stay in Fernandina Beach and then head back to St. Mary's for the autohelm installation. As like most things in life, there were the pros and cons of Fernandina Beach which you will see in the photos but, all in all, we had a good time there. Our mooring was a pretty good distance from shore which sometimes made getting to and from Luna a real challenge. I learned that my foul weather pants were useless one very windy day but at least our little dinghy with its motor transported us safely, thanks to Captain John. He even had to navigate back to Luna through a thick blanket of fog on our last night there. While in Fernandina Beach (on Amelia Island), we hiked to the ocean, around Egan's Creek Greenway, around the historic town and its outskirts, viewed six different thought provoking art films and had dinner at a neat restaurant one night. We watched the Discovery's ascent while sipping wine on the marina's dock with other interested spectators and spent hours and hours reading good books.
We had an easy trip back to St. Mary's and this time stayed on the East dock instead of the West dock and the bathrooms were closer and much better. I even coaxed the manager into replacing the moldy shower curtain. Phil, our marine electrician, was waiting for us at the dock that Sunday afternoon and started work promptly the next morning. We all went into Jacksonville Tuesday morning to get some needed supplies at the largest West Marine store we've ever seen. (I got myself some new foul weather pants while there, too.) On Wednesday morning, we had our sea trial and everything worked beautifully. We met some more friendly folks at our dock and were entertained by the resident, adorable sea otters. Groceries and laundry were done and we left on Thursday, headed south....in 20-30 knots of east wind. Seas offshore were 7-9 feet waves so despite our new autopilot, you can guess which route we took. We tucked into the Amelia River off the ICW shortly after noon where we stayed anchored for 2 nights waiting for the wind to subside. We did some maintenance jobs, played games and read and read and read.
On Saturday, the wind calmed so we headed south but still inside, carefully timing our departure to avoid that scary bridge with six knot currents. We left at 9 and meandered along the narrow but usually deeper Florida ICW channel. We crossed the St. John's River (which leads up to the city of Jacksonville) and started seeing wickedly mean currents as we got closer to THE BRIDGE. As it turned out, we'd gooffed with calculations and had to "go into a holding pattern" for the next two hours waiting for the tidal current to slacken. We just went up and down the narrow channel, watching all the cruising and fishing boats speed by us. By 4:30 pm or so, we proceeded on through with no problem and reached our destination by 5 ish. It was a long day but it's behind us!
We're now staying at a nice marina in Jacksonville Beach with lovely bathrooms, a brand new gas grill, a Publix grocery store one block away and free (to seniors) bus service to the beach or city. Yesterday, we walked to the beach and watched the surfers and college kids on spring break having fun. Once back to the marina, we had drinks on board Dolfjin, a 23 foot, steel, Dutch-built sloop (and I thought Luna was small) that had been sailed across the Atlantic by its owner, Gilles Girard, a delightully entertaining and colorful Frenchman. I screwed up my courage and invited him for dinner warning him that I'm of Irish descent and not too clever in the galley. We had great fun swapping sea stories and discussing politics until after 10....almost a record for us to stay awake!
John has been having some annoying pain in his right hip and leg. This pain comes and goes and, as of this morning, John is convinced that the pain is most likely from a herniated disk pressing on the sciatic nerve. I learned that he has had these episodes before and they always go away by themselves. We did some web research (thank you, Beth) on the subject and he started doing some exercises today.
That brings you up to date.
Please enjoy the attached photos.
Anne and John
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Thursday March 19, 2011
St. Augustine
Hi!
We're now in St. Augustine on a town mooring, as of last Saturday, and we're loving this lively town. The weather has been beautiful with warm, sunny days and cool nights.
Our week long stay at Jacksonville Beach got a bit old, not because of the marina itself but there wasn't much to do there. We went into Jacksonville and were shocked by the absense of people and the many boarded-up buildings. It was a little eerie to walk all along the waterfront where posh hotels, restaurants and shops are located but we were practically the only ones there. The free bus didn't run on schedule and it took a long time to get anywhere. We went to the beach a few times but, again, the weather changed a few days after we got to the area and the beaches were deserted. We felt badly for all the college kids on break who were looking for summertime fun.
Our friend, Gilles, left on Tuesday, headed for Puerto Rico and we didn't meet anyone else at the marina for the rest of the week. Anne walked miles and miles to avoid waiting for the free bus and John spent most of his time nursing his sore back but....he's much better now.
Our trip to St. Augustine was lovely even though we motored the entire way. We passed many private residences that looked more like mini-resorts complete with basketball and tennis courts, of course a swimming pool and docks with speed boats for the owners to have their water fun but then within a short distance of these communnities, we saw fish camps reminiscent of a Louisiana bayou. There were also long stretches of lush tropical vegetation and wetlands populated by numerous shorebirds.
We arrived in St. Augustine in time to have drinks and dinner on board Luna with some former Pearson Club members who many times hosted the annual PSA Annapolis Boat Show party at their home overlooking Spa Creek. Dennis and Julia have been traveling up and down the east coast in their Island Packet 38 so we had great fun swapping tales.
Starting the next day, we attended, first, the Seafood Festival with great food and even greater music and then the week long, first annual Celtic Music Festival. Sponsors brought several groups over from Ireland for attendees to enjoy music in pub settings, restaurants or on the main stage housed on the grounds of the Spainish Quarters and it was fabulous fun. Traditional Irish music, dancing, Irish beer and so many friendly folks made St. Patrick's Day...and all week long truly memorable. We also played tourist and visited some of the many museums, churches and the architectually magnificent Flagler College.
Anastasia Island's gorgeous, wide, white powder-like sandy ocean beach is a 10 minute bus ride from our marina. We spent the day there and hope to get back but next time at least one of us will have a bathing suit.
Across the European- like Bridge of Lions (Ponce de Leon discovered Florida and Leon means lion in Spainish) and a short walk, there's a wonderful produce and butcher shop where we can get luscious strawberries for $1 a pint, locally grown broccoli, cauliflower or lettuce growing in a pot each for one dollar.
For us, this past week has been truly wonderful but our thoughts also go out to the people of Japan. We hope that the situation will be stabilized soon.
St. Augustine is the oldest city in this country, founded in 1565, and there's still much we want to see and do so we've paid for another week here and then???? We'll keep you posted.
Thank you for staying in touch. Seeing you in person is the one thing lacking on this adventure so hearing from you is the next best thing.
Anne and John
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Thursday March 31, 2011
Still in St. Augustine
Hi! This is just a quick update to assure all we are fine. My daughter, Kristen, surprised us with a morning call expressing concern about our safety. She's been following the weather news and suggested we let everyone know we are secure on a mooring and weathering the storms that have been rolling through our area.
We've been on board since Monday watching March go out with a roar and paying our dues for all that beautiful, sunny weather we've enjoyed since we arrived in St. Augustine on March 12.
Hope to start moving north once the weather settles and in the meantime, we are thankful for alll the good books we have on board, plenty of food, games to play, some Brit Wit videos our friend, Gils, gave us and best of all...eachother.
Hope this message finds you happy and well.
Anne and John
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Friday April 15, 2011
Still in FL
Hello to you from Fernandina Beach!
We finally started moving north on Monday, April 4. We'd hoped to go outside from St. Augustine to the St. Mary's Inlet but winds and tides were just not in our favor. We were, however, able to set the genoa on a good portion of our first leg. Oh, how good it was to actually feel the wind in our sail and feel its pull. We had a favorable tidal push the entire way...nice! It was 84 degrees and the pool beckoned once we were secure at Jacksonville Beach's Palm Cove Marina's dock. More wicked storms were forecast due to a strong frontal system so we stayed put for three nights, enjoying the company of two different cruising couples, one from Quebec (LePetrel) and the other from Ontario (Nomad). It's always fun to see other boats, especially when they're bigger than ours.
We departed for Fernandina Beach early on the morning of April 7, getting through "The Bridge" in a favorable tide and arriving at our destination by 1:30. My high school buddies, Beth and Jack Riley, drove from Ocean Springs, MS for a visit so we treated ourselves to a tie up at the municipal marina, making it so much more convenient to entertain them on board and do land based activities. They stayed at the hotel right across the street. We explored Amelia Island by day seeing places John and I were not able to access. We'd not seen Beth and Jack for several years so it was wonderful to have their company. Our Pearson Sailing Association friends, Julia and Dennis, on Delta Blues were still here so we've been busy partying just about every night. They have octogenarian friends, Joan and Gus, from MA who come to Fernandina Beach each year and stay for 4 months. Joan (nicknamed Sweet Pea) plays percussion with an amazing guitarist and they perform at many of the local bars several nights each week. Audience participation is encouraged but I've discovered I cannot keep up with them!
Once Beth and Jack left, we went out to a mooring to wait for a favorable weather window to sail outside up to Charleston, SC. If all goes as planned, we'll have Delta Blues as our "buddy boat".
We continue to see familiar faces and/or boats headed north and to meet more friendly cruisers. My daughter, Kristen, thinks I'm going to want to do this every year but I assurred her this is a one-time experience. It's been a great adventure but I miss family and home.
We hope this message finds you well. Have a happy Easter!
Anne and John
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Saturday April 23, 2011
Charleston Update, April 2011
Hello from Charleston!
While waiting for a favorable weather window in Fernandina and still out on a mooring, we experienced one of the most dramatic wind storms we've ever had with sustained winds of 20-35 knots with one gust observed at 40 for over 6 hours. It was especially exciting when the full moon tide turned the current against the wind. Luna bucked and danced around her mooring with all the other boats while crews watched anxiously on deck hoping all lines would hold. There was one poor soul who'd anchored in the midst of us. His anchor started to drag and we had some extremely tense moments as "Yoda" got closer and closer but the crew got things under control just in time. Conditions on board Luna were so uncomfortable, I announced we'd be having a cold dinner that night. We never saw a drop of rain the entire time and by sundown, the harbor was transformed into a peaceful scene with the full moon shining upon us.
Saturday's wild weather brought us Sunday's "Maine Day" with crisp dry air, northwest winds and lots of sunshiine. It was a perfect day to rent the marina's new bikes. We'd complained on our last visit about the lack of transportation in "old town" and apparently our friend Julia who'd been at the marina much longer had suggested they make some kind of deal with the beach bike rental business....and they listened. We dinghied ashore and had an all day biking experience on Amelia Island. We managed to find the live oak we'd found while exploring on foot, then went to Fort Clinch State Park to walk the fishing pier, biking trails and beach. From there, we biked to Fernandina Beach where we enjoyed lunch at Sandy Bottoms, then biked the beach, one of our favorite things to do. We got back to the marina a bit weary and with extremely sore rear ends but it was worth it.
Julia and Dennis on Delta Blues had moved out to a nearby mooring in preparation for an early morning departure as our "buddy boat". Words cannot express the gratitude I feel for their patience in waiting for us and their willingness to ease my apprehension about making an overnight passage. Last summer's trip from Maine had really traumatized me. We woke early on Monday morning to calm weather and the promise of at least 3 good days out on the ocean. We hailed Delta Blues and left by 0700 along with at least 6 other sailboats. We passed the tugboat "Elizabeth Anne" (my older daughter's name) and I decided that was a good omen. Once out of the St. Mary's Inlet, all sails were hoisted for the first time in many months and I shed a few happy tears. It was beautiful out there. We were able to sail for three hours before we finally had to turn on the engine for a slight boost. Unfortunately, we weren't able to turn off the engine for the next 26 hours but it was great fun to chat with Delta Blues, listen to VHF chatter amongst the other cruisers, watch the dolphins swimming alongside and the millions of cannonball jellies gliding along with the tide. We did "casual" watches, taking turns resting and even getting in some catnaps. Our new autohelm performed beautifully though noisily until I complained. John did a little research, made a sensitivity adjustment and it quieted completely. My gosh, John's a handy man to have around!!!
Delta Blues stayed with us until sunset but they wanted to take advantage of the fine weather and get further north. They along with several other boats slowly disappeared but by then, the full moon had risen, illuminating the night sky and we felt at peace with our world. Star, a lovely Bristol, was headed for Charleston as well so we chatted with them a bit.
We arrived at the Charleston inlet by 1130 on Tuesday but the strong tide was ebbing and it took until 2:30 to go the next 9 miles to our marina on the Ashley River. We got ourselves secured in the slip exhausted but satisfied that we'd overcome the challenge. Thank you again, Dennis and Julia. They, by the way, made it to Moorhead City but not before experiencing 20 knot winds and 4-8 foot following seas...one of which managed to tossed that Island Packet 380 so hard, Julia ended up with a broken bone in her foot. I'm glad we missed those conditions for sure!
We've been doing lots of maintenance work on Luna, addressing hatch and deadlight leaks, scrubbing Lunita's bottom, changing oil and transmission fluids, and doing some thorough interior cleaning. Today we leave for Isle of Palms on the ICW, homeward bound...just 620 miles to go!!!
Thank you for staying in touch. We love to hear from you!
Anne and John
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Sunday May 1, 2011
Myrtle Beach Update
Hello!
A tornado watch, early morning thunder storms that lead into a day of more storms or sunshiny days...we've had it all since our last update but all is well for us. How we wish all in the south could say the same.
We left Charleston on the Saturday of Easter weekend headed for Isle of Palms. We had good wind and sailed across Charleston's busy harbor made even a bit crazier with the finals of its small boat fleet's Race Week.
Isle of Palms Marina put us on their face dock adjacent to one of the busiest and widest boat ramps we've ever seen which provided great entertainment from early in the morning until dark. We were right next to the Morgan Creek Grill as well and although we didn't eat there, we could enjoy the good Irish music a duo was providing for the diners. A friendly couple from New Brunswick invited us to join them on their newly purchased 41 foot Beneteau who after an evening together decided to stay over another day. They are both retired teachers so we had lots to discuss along with the usual sailing tales. Gulls woke me on Easter Sunday and although I was missing family terribly, going to the beach helped boost my mood. With temperatures in the low 80s, gentle waves to ride or jump, the water temperature about 74 degrees and friends with whom to play, the day passed quickly.
We left early the next day, Lucia headed south and Luna headed for Georgetown, about 54 miles north. We were again able to put our genoa to work and with a favorable current, averaged almost 7 miles per hour. During our passage, we had a horsefly invasion but, thankfully, they weren't in a biting mood and just before we reached our destination, they mysteriously vanished.
We met several cruisers in Georgetown during our visit including a young couple from Norway. They joined us on board Luna to get some ICW advice for their trip up the ditch.
One stormy, rainy day, I got my hair cut SHORT...no more eating, breathing, sniffing or cleaning long hair. I walked into a "southern style salon" where haircuts weren't too expensive and the customers were sipping red wine at 11 o'clock in the morning. There were only two chairs in the back of the tiny small-town shop but the place was filled with gossiping, male bashing women, some of whom stayed around to watch the transformation of the stranger. I looked "twenty years younger" when I left....well, I felt it at least.
On Wednesday, the forecast changed enough for us to make another move northward. We had some rain showers off and on and lots of wind but nothing too awful. We motor sailed part of the way which helped boost our speed against a foul current. Most of our passage was on the beautiful and remote Waccamaw River where we saw scores of nesting osprey. We'd hoped to anchor out that night but with dire predictions of tornados and severe thunderstorms, we opted to find a marina. We're here at Barefoot Resort YC which is neither a resort nor a yacht club but the price is right and many of the folks we'd met in Georgetown followed suit. We battened down, stayed close to the computer or radio and found a safe place close by on shore in case we needed to move but the severe weather never reached us. By the end of the day, the
air was crisp and cool. We've walked to the beach a few times, taken a dip and enjoyed dinners out with cruising friends while here. There's also live music which we can enjoy right here on Luna. Tomorrow we move north once more...500 miles to go.
Hope this finsds you well,
Anne and John
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Wednesday May 11, 2011
Update from Oriental, NC (mile 181)
Hello!
As you can see, we've done some traveling since our last update and now have about 330 miles before reaching home.
We left Myrtle Beach and all of its highrises on Sunday, May 1 without really knowing where we were going. I started reading the guide book and learned about Bald Head Island, off the Cape Fear Inlet, accessible only by water. Although we didn't attempt to reach the island on Sunday because of strong adverse currents, we arrived there from Southport, NC early Monday morning. Some friends we'd met back in Georgetown were there waiting for us. No cars are allowed on this beautiful island and although it is developed, it's done with discreet taste....in other words, we couldn't afford to live there but it was a grand place to be that week.
On Friday, 5/6, we motor sailed to Wrightsville Beach where we anchored, and dinghied ashore for groceries. The highlight of that visit was finding lots of new potatoes that had spilled on the drawbridge. Guess they'd fallen off a truck and although many were mashed, I was able to gather enough for dinner that night and they were yummy.
On Saturday, 5/7, we motored to another anchorage in Mile Hammock Bay, which is actually on the grounds of Camp Le Jeune. The guidebook warned that sometimes cruisers are chased away because of military exercises but we spent a perfectly serene night there along with several other boats.
On to Beaufort, NC on Mother's Day where we went into a marina that was one of the less than posh places we've seen on this trip but the price was right. We walked a mile or so into town, found some live music and enjoyed a "glassa" while overlooking the harbor and boardwalk there. The highlight of our visit there was finding an entire crate of CDs someone had left for anyone interested so there I was at 6 AM perusing and choosing from an eclectic collection. Oh yes, this run down looking marina offered a courtesy car...a really nice one, which we used to get lots of provisions.
It was a short run on Monday to Oriental, NC where we've had two days to explore using the marina's complimentary bikes and getting some business completed. We got a special deal here since we're return customers paying only $1 a foot with free electricity. Of course, we usually get what we pay for....it's been a "roly-poly" experience...a good reason to leave here today headed NORTH!
Stay in touch...we love to hear from you.
Anne and John
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Monday May 23, 2011
Hello From Crisfield, MARYLAND!!!
Hi! Hope this finds you happy and content with whatever
you're doing.
Since our last update, we've traveled approximately 250 miles with a whole range of experiences. We left Oriental and sailed just a short distance to the lovely, quiet Broad Creek. Unfortunately, we learned we were in a Code Orange and then Code Red area caused by the fires burning in the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge. For the next several days, our upper respiratory systems were not happy but there was nothing we could do about the circumstances. We had fairly long days of motor sailing, keeping on the move, visiting some new places like Belhaven but mostly going into familiar territory but usually anchoring. We'd hoped to do the Virginia Cut instead of the Dismal Swamp Canal which would have gotten us away from the nasty air quality and closer to NC's Outer Banks but there were small craft warnings posted for several days running out there which didn't sound too appealing. We did stay an extra day at the Dismal Swamp Visitors Center where there are always lots of friendly cruisers who like to swap stories and free bikes to use. John and I even found a strawberry farm where we picked luscious berries that we enjoyed for breakfast, lunch and dinner. We also saw many interesting snakes as we traveled the bike path which brought back memories of years ago when my brother and I used to collect reptiles as pets. Our lock passings went smoothly thanks to the friendly and helpful tenders.
We anchored in Portsmouth in time to watch not one but two severe thunderstorms build but, thankfully, we only got to experience the edge of one of them. Early the next morning, we sailed, yes, sailed out of Elizabeth River across the bay to Cape Charles where we'd planned on stopping for one night at the relatively new Bay Creek Resort marina. Depending on one's perspective, unfortunately we ended up having to stay there for two additional nights, first because of refrigeration issues and then because of the weather. I must admit, it was close to paradise to be there and made up for the fact that we didn't get to the Outer Banks (photos will tell the tale). We met a delightfully friendly couple on our way to the beach and discovered they were Pearson club members who graciously invited us to their home where we had lunch. We used the resort's bikes, pool and enjoyed a truly outstanding meal at the restaurant overlooking the bay at sunset. Wow!
From there, we headed to Onancock where we'd hoped to visit a long time friend and his wife (goes back to first grade in Annapolis) with whom we'd lost track. The night before our departure, I thought it might make sense to make sure they were still there, only to discover that they, in fact now live in the western Virginia. It was fun to get a virtual tour by cell phone as we walked the town's quiet streets.
Today, we sailed to Crisfield with 15-20 knot southwest winds and 3 foot seas. It was fun but we were ready to drop anchor after our four and a half hour passage.
Tomorrow we hope to get to Solomon's Island which is 42 miles away and will make for a long day but we're really feeling the pull to GET HOME.
This will probably be the last email until we arrive in Baltimore but we promise to let you know once we're safely in our home slip at Riley's.
Thank you again for staying in touch. It's been wonderful to hear from you as we've traveled the east coast and lived our fantasy.
Anne and John
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