Sept 27  Isle of Hope, SC to Little St. Simons Island, GA (Morningstar Marina) 

Same old, same old weather.  you know we don’t even look at all those weather apps anymore - we just GO.  ha…nothing can scare me now….(now that we’re in the ICW).

Day showed a bit of sunshine but mostly it was very grey...and this supermoon is greatly affecting the tides and currents - pretty wild really.

We planned to stay at a marina up a creek - ha - but could not get into the creek - charts said we had enough water, the depth finder said we had enough water but the props said otherwise...after two attempts we headed on down the way to the next marina which had plenty of water....

Sept 26  Beaufort, SC to Isle of Hope, SC (Isle of Hope Marina) outside of Savannah

Well the rain will not stop - actually it’s not a lot of rain but just heavy overcast and some fog. 

I just love this Beaufort. i know i said southport was great but i’ve changed my mind…the houses here are SO perfect and cottagey.  we took their courtesy car and went, where else?  to Walmart.  I loaded up on things and told Harry this was it…that this should be our last large provision trip.  

Also took the courtesy car to dinner and managed to take a few photos of the moon before the clouds got in the way...i think it's two days away from supermoon but it looks full doesn't it?

Sept 25 Isle of Palm, SC to Beaufort, SC (Beaufort Downtown Marina)

Another overcast day…so Harry stayed below to drive (he’s taken my seat but that’s okay, i’m now cruising in one of the deck chairs behind him or down below…still in shouting distance from him….although sometimes i act like i don’t hear him…

So we pass through the city of Charleston and are hanging a left when all the sudden i hear sirens…i look back and a orange boat full of coast guard marines are right behind us holding up their radios meaning for us to get on the horn! 

Via the radio they ask when last our vessel had been through a coast guard safety check…Harry replied, ‘never’.  So they said they would board and conduct a complete safety check.  We did not have to stop, anchor or anything like that - they just cruised right up next to us tied one line between the two and up they came.  ALL THE SUDDEN WE HAD COMPANY!!

I’m just glad i made the bed!  and wouldn’t you know…the ONE time i decide to take off my boat shoes and put on my comfy ‘house slippers’ is when we have unexpected guest, all of which are tall, big and handsome…..i cannot believe i was in my fluffies.  

So i drove while Harry complied with all the requests they were making...they had a checklist of things one must have on a vessel (most were totally understandable but some of which were totally laughable - like a hand written note - posted some where in the boat - that declares, 'I will take the trash to shore and not throw it over.')

Harry’s nervous but I'm excited as punch that i’ve got company…..i even told them i wished I’d known they were coming i’d of baked a cake….note: they were not a playful lot..  

A couple of times while i was driving i had to call Harry back to the helm due to a very strong current coming toward us while trying to get through a narrow bridge with a boat coming at us.  They guys understood allowed H to take the wheel and told us horror stories about this spot (Elliott’s Cut - with 6-8 knot current) in particular - so i did not feel like such a wimp.

All in all the inspection went just fine…in fact i think we did really good.  It took them about an hour to complete the inspection - they toured the engine room and other rooms only to check the fire extinguishers.  but for those other boaters out there…here is what they ‘dinged’ us on…they gave us a warning, no fine.  We just ensured them that we’d get these items at our next stop…(shhh…we haven’t gotten them yet.)

• No navigational rule book on board
• No oil discharge placard on board
• Not enough red flares on board - several had expired

I grabbed my camera and told them i wanted a picture (mostly for my sister Jan) but i guess marines are not trained on how to pose - i could barely get them to smile.  but it was mighty exciting…and you could see the ‘oh i’m glad that’s not me’ look on the faces of all the passing captain’s.

Fun day....ten four good buddy!! over and out....

Sept 24  Wacamaw River, SC to Isle of Palms, SC (Isle of Palms Marina) outside of Charleston

Rainy all day so the captain brought all navigational gear down and drove from the captains’ chair/bench.  Stopped at a new place right before Charleston - i wanted to go someplace different and it was nice…enough…Harry did not like being in front of the fuel dock but it was fine…restaurant was very good and the crew was great…a Lexingtonian was the dock manager so we talked of home…he’d just graduated from College of Charleston and was headed home for the big Breeder’s Cup/UK Game/Halloween weekend…he hoped he survive. 

birds followed us ALL day....wake stirs tiny fish to the  top...

Sept 23 Southport, NC to Waccamaw River, SC (Wacca Wache Marina)

No rain, but overcast today and as we were leaving the dock master said, ‘you guys trying the beat the weather?’  uh, what’s the forecast? i asked sheepishly (boaters should know the weather).  He said, high winds 25-30 knots and 3-4 foot seas - with a small craft advisory… yikes.  this would have kept us in place when traveling ‘outside’ but Harry decided to go for it since we were ‘inside’.   

And he was right….nothing at all bothered us on the ICW - HA i laughed ‘small craft advisory - ha…’  We traveled out of Southport and into the Waccamaw River and boy is it gorgeous…Harry calls it the ‘Wacha ma call it’ river.  Saw my fourth bald eagle (3rd on this trip)…they always amaze me.  

Arrived around 4 at another favorite marina…the restaurant is right there and another old Matthews lives here.  As we approached the office a guy yelled, Hi Harry!  ha…it was the Matthews owner that remembered his name from talking to him months ago. 

Sept 22 Sneads Ferry, NC to Southport, NC (Southport Marina)

Waters were a bit wavy today and Finally does not like following seas….and therefore neither do i…  

Southport was recently rated (Coastal Living) the number 1 ‘friendliest coastal city’… and I couldn’t wait to get back there ever since we stopped bringing Dick and Jackie’s Serenity through.  When we missed it on our way up (stopped in Bald Island instead) Harry promised that we’d stop on our way back.

We got in rather early and called the marina shuttle guy (Hank) who for $15 dollars would take us anywhere in town we wanted to go…so off we went to find me some decent wine and Harry some ‘spirits’ and olives with blue cheese.  Those three items took us to at least 5 different stores (never did find the olives).  And then Hank drove us around a bit more to show us the lovely cottages that this place is known for.   As we were back on the boat preparing for cocktails, Hank arrives with the olives!!!  how about that?  

Hank was a retired meteorologist for the Navy and ran this shuttle company.  He was full of information and told us of the best restaurant to dine in this town of 3,000.  His highly suggested dinner place was very good and just a few block walk from the marina.

view from aft deck

My dye job, roots, whatever you want to call it has reached embarrassing lengths...thus, the hat worn at dinner.....

Sept 21 Oriental, NC River Dunes to Sneads Ferry, NC (Swanspoint Marina)

i was a bit worried about the forecast in the Pamlico Sound but it looked worse than it was and soon we were safe in a small canal.  Right now it’s so darn smooth that i’m in the salon writing.  We’re traveling our usual 9-10 knots and not much to see right now, so i’m pleased to be down below for a change.

This marina is in dire need of repairs but has the sweetest owners….they would have done anything for us - she was going to go out and get provisions for us - but we (I) declined - we ate out instead.…  This is a small enough town where the manager of the restaurant came to the marina to pick us up for dinner.  pretty cool….

Sept 19 & 20  Belhaven, NC to Oriental, NC (River Dunes Marina)

We are still in pretty big bodies of water….traveling this morning in the Pungot River and then in the Pamlico Sound…on our way toward Oriental.  At one point we did come into a small channel with wild woods in both sides, waters smooth as glass…very nice ride.  

At one point i looked over and saw a bundle of darkness up in a small tree right near the coast line…i thought it could be two huge birds or bird nests…so i grabbed the ‘glasses’ and spied TWO BABY BLACK BEAR CUBS!!  they were so adorable, just playing up in a tree.  as we passed they looked out with those adorable tan facial features….and in my usual fashion, i shrieked……’Baby bear cubs!’  i kept my eyes on them until they were out of sight and I never did see Momma Bear.  

pretty cool, i grinned for miles….

Love this marina - nicest marina on our trip besides LBK that is…spent the day doing laundry, reading poolside in the cabana…and writing on one of their many screened porches. 

A couple of my latest reads were Jamie’s suggestion - Special Topics in Calamity Physics and then i thought i should familiarize myself with some Agatha Christie and read, And Then There Were None.  Today i started Erica Jong’s latest - The Fear of Dying.  All wonderful and all on my Kindle.  I was having a problem with my kindle and for a few days it would not swipe open - it was locked….but the wonderful internet told me how to fix it but for the few days it was down i actually read one of my hardbacks - Joyce Carol Oates’, We Were the Mulvalneys.  All these books are SO wonderful and highly recommended. 

The first night we dined in the marina's restaurant - very nice and on our last evening we dined in town and rode to dinner with 4 others from the Marina…always fun…Harry and I in the back of the van, he telling his captive audience about how we met and our honeymoon at sea.  We all ate at the M&M restaurant, i guess this is our 4th time there…we did not all sit together….thank goodness, i felt they’d had enough of us in the 10 minutes it took to drive to town.  anyway, dinner was good - fresh caught peel and eat shrimp and crab cakes…then Harry had to run across the street to see if the ice cream shop was open - unfortunately it was.

Sept 18 Camden NC to Belhaven, NC (Belhaven Waterway Marina)

A crowd gathered early as the diver arrived and ‘went down’….I announced to Harry that i was going to catch a quick shower while all the work was being done…and Bill the harbormaster said,  ‘well go slow on the curves’…Bill is a strong, older man who settled in Camden NC from Newfoundland and i did not have the time to learn how that happened…I believe Bill may be the first Newfoundlander i’ve ever met.  He stayed around and saw us off as others also magically appeared to assist.  great place…weird place, but the people were great.

Geez, i forgot just how big the Albemarle Sound is…..i had to go below and batten down the hatches.  But soon we were in the Alligator River it calmed.  

Sept 17 Norfolk, VA to Camden, NC (Lamb’s Marina) 

The Great Dismal Swamp, now this would be something different.....and if you believe what you read we will experience creepy crawlers, snakes, bobcat, bears, odd noises and a ghostly light that hovers in the air…all seen while traveling through the swamp in a tunnel from the canopies of trees.  well i wanted to experience this….who wouldn’t?  

Harry was less enthused….I had to talk him into taking the Great Dismal Swamp!  But let me just say if Harry doesn’t want to do something he will create a hundred reasons to justify…and he tried but i had the facts ready to roll.  The swamp was deep enough, the swamp was well traveled and well attended to by the Corps of Engineers, the swamp did have two locks and many bridges and less than the other route  (Albemarle and Chesapeake south canal)…

So off we go from Norfolk making a weird turn right into ‘the swamp’.  for quite a bit the swamp followed an interstate with cars zooming by - that i did not think was very mysterious.  No odd, eery sounds here - just noise!  

I soon learned that to get into and out of the GREAT dismal swamp we had to lock through - approximately 8 foot drop and rise…and about an hour in we were now in Deep Creek (or Deep Shit, cause we were too far in to turn around) when we approached our first lock.  Lockmaster ROBERT - capitalized to emphasize the importance he puts on himself…His arrogance made me smile and was quite entertaining.   i messed up my lines (it was the first time we’d locked through in a long while) and he yelled at me and kept saying over and over - never, ever put your line over the rail always under.  damn it, i knew this… but simply messed up.  So now that he had us tied up in a water pit with no way to escape…he proceeded to ‘present’ to us the history of the Great Dismal Swamp, interrupting every now and then to bark at me… ‘pull in the slack’!   He would walk the length of the boat back and forth during his oration.  Here’s how it went…

this is ROBERT, the 'that's not the amazing part' lock master....

He asked us how far we’d traveled - upon our reply, which we felt like was pretty darn far, he barked, ‘HA, that’s nothing a guy a few months ago came through here in a rowboat’….and then he’d say, ‘but that’s not the amazing part’, the amazing part is that he was traveling from South Africa!  he had two brothers that had died from AIDS and this was an awareness journey to NYC.’

He proceeded….’then there was this other guy came through here from Texas on his way to NYC.’   Then he’d say, ‘but that’s not the amazing part’, the amazing part is that he was traveling on a paddle board and his girlfriend on a jet ski!

He continued…remember we’re down in a hole looking up at him, with no possible escape.  He says, ‘this guy came through here in a canoe, traveling from Norfolk to NY,  but that’s not the amazing part’, the amazing part is that he was 97 years old!’  

I imagined him at home taking pen to paper to draft his ‘presentation’ anticipating another chance to have his words fall onto his captured audience.

So the water is level now and he says, ‘that’s it’ yEA!  so i start to take the line off the lockmaster’s cleat which is maybe a foot away from the boat and he yells at me AGAIN…’do not take that line off, do not take that line off until the gates are all the way open’.  yes, sir, kiss my foot, and good bye!  what a character - he said he loved his job (well hell yea…captive audience) and been working the locks and bridges in Deep Creek for 21 years…and he’s the new guy on the block…  what a hoot.

After we locked through he got into his truck and sped up the way to open the bridge....cause 'see i'm both the lock master and the bridge attendant....'

I kept waiting the the ‘swamp’ to become as i imagined….eery and lonely feeling and full of weird birds and slimy things in the water….looking much the everglades and the cypress.  but this was much different, it was like we were traveling down the wide part of the Elkhorn Creek…it was narrow and the land was SO covered with kudzu that you could not see into the land at all…

The only thing slimy in the water were the 3 - 4 logs we hit moving at no wake speed through the ditch.  Even with me on the bow looking hard for floating stumps and Harry doing the same up top we did not see but felt the logs hit the bottom of the boat - fearing prop damage with each hit.  In all our days we have never hit anything that felt like this.  Titanic sound. ha….just kidding but a loud sound and a reverberating aftershock.  Harry is now very pleased (not) that i talked him into the Great Dismal Swamp.

Since all of the swamp is a no wake zone, when we came out we entered the Pasquotank River and the first thing Harry did was pick up speed to check the props.  and dammit to hell if the boat did not shake and shimmy like never before.  we both felt it and then the cursing began….  this is not true.  Harry did not cuss nor did he ever say i told you so.

Who could see a log submerged in this?  isn't it wild?  Duck weed.

After we locked through the dismal swamps second lock we were dumped into the Pasqotank River and it was magical….large wide river that in some parts were covered over completely with duck weed.  it was SO lovely…SO weird - the vision of it made your mind think you were sliding on scum or skimming on top of pea soup.  just so strange but beautiful.  

Harry called ahead to find a marina that had a diver who could check the props.  H was convinced we’d damaged the prop and i was hoping for that because i knew a bent shaft could be the death of us…(death of our trip, that is).  So Lamb’s Marina helps find and coordinate the diver - he will be at the boat at 8:30 in the a.m.

Arriving at the Lamb’s Marina was like being received as royal guests.  Cruising by people on their boats shouted, ‘welcome to Lambs’ and a crew of about 5 men awaited us with boat hooks each taking my lines.  i mean it was something else.  half the guys worked there and the other half were the live aboards there at the marina.  All over the age of 65.  

During cocktails, discussing our day…and how we thought we’d be safe now that we’re finally in the ICW, i told Harry that they should rename the dismal swamp canal to the root canal because it turned out to be very painful..and hopefully not financially painful.

It was a long ass day so we did not take the courtesy car and venture into Camden - we’d had enough adventure for one day.  We dined at the dockside restaurant…fried, fried and more fried food.

Sept 15 - 16  Tilghman Island MD to Portsmouth/Norfolk,  VA (Tidewater Marina)  

Always amazing to cruise toward Norfolk and see all the warships and realize once again just how huge those mothers are, how much they must cost and how many people it takes to run them..….this time i did not take any photographs but were were still checked out by the patrolling boats but not approached as we were last time…

calm day, riding 'up top'

Stayed two nights in Norfolk just to rest up and celebrate our journey to this point!  We dined at one of our favorites - STILL restaurant, chauffeured there via marina golf cart…i am such a sucker for a golf cart…love ‘em. 

Also took some time to draft our upcoming stops along the ICW - many stops will be the same because often they are the only &/or best marinas when traveling approximately 50 - 60 miles per day.  But i’m trying my best to find new exciting places to visit.  We surmised that we could approach LBK around October 5, 6 or 7th…weather permitting.

Sept 11 - 15 Chesapeake City, MD to Tilghman Island, MD (Knapps Narrow Marina and Inn)

Next stop Tilghman Island.  This town is tiny and we are now into day 4 here!!! The winds will just not let up.  So we’ve really gotten to know the marina dock hand (hi Joe) and their restaurants (2) and their staff!!  This is a vibrant watermen’s town.  They don’t call them fishermen but watermen.  Maybe that’s because they don’t fish fish but crab is their livelihood.  and who wants to be called crabmen?  

Knapps Narrow drawbridge

High winds have prevailed for days now but the forecast looks favorably for setting out tomorrow…(Sept 15th)!!  And next stop…..NORFOLK!!!!  We’re almost there folks! 

Sept 9 - 10  Cape May, NJ to Chesapeake City, MD (Chesapeake Inn and Marina)

Traveling the C&D Canal makes me think of the ICW - it’s night and day the difference between the two.  Amazing really…..

I have to honestly admit that every morning i’m a bit anxious that we will encounter the awful weather &/or conditions months ago on that dreadful day in the Chesapeake Bay (right out of Norfolk).

But riding along in the C&D Canal i told Harry that i would be able to drive us all the way back to Florida….he could stock up on some books and read like crazy on the way back.  He’d of course have to take the helm in docking…i wish i could say i could do it but i cannot, not until he gets bow thrusters and that ain’t gonna happen….    

This was a new stop, about 3/4 way through the canal.  It was directly across the canal from where we stopped coming up.  But it was a sweet place, popular restaurant with live music and disco lights lining the docks and again we felt up close and personal to the people eating dinner at the marina restaurant.  

Sept 10 - Rain storms kept us in town for another day/night….so by leaving time we’d found and eaten at the most popular restaurants in town (2) …yes, i’m getting fat as a pig but will worry about that when i get home.  all we do is think about lunch and then at lunch discuss dinner.  geez oh pete.

Sept 7 -8 Sandy Hook, NJ to Cape May, NJ (Utsch’s Marina)

Long cruise day all the way down the Jersey Shore, passing majestic Atlantic City and all the way to Cape May in one day.  Seas agreed with us so we just kept on going…

As you can see the morning started out as foggy and we couldn't see any land around us...yikes.  but look at what a difference a few hours makes...

We even encountered pirates but we kept them at bay...what ever that means...

Stayed over again at Utsch’s marina…mainly because we found a great restaurant (Lucky Bones) within walking distance, and it's well run by a single family. 

Sept 8 - Cape May - a planned stay over, just to wash clothes and relax from the long haul getting here…

Sept 6 Stamfort, CT to Atlantic Highlands, NJ (Sandy Hook) - NYC

Woke up thinking about 27 years ago my son was born.  Happy Birthday James (Jas) O'Rear Barnard.  He was not 'Jas' until many weeks after he was born....but the wait was worth it.  'Jas' suits him fine..expect he plays the blues...

Traveling in the Long Island Sound had been SO rough coming up that i, of courses, was very anxious but the cruising but it was fine and on a good day is SO fascinating coming into NYC via the east river. 

Always special to see the Freedom Tower and our Lady Liberty.  It was Labor Day weekend and most people were out of the city in their yachts but still many in their sailboats/jet skis/ferry boats/helicopter rides…..the place was ‘buzzing’ even on this holiday weekend.  Gave a shout out (a text) to Betty Ann and Harry Baron and their captain Richard - NYC is only familiar to me because of spending time with them when they lived here for over 20 years!

Traveled a bit out of the city and stayed in a different marina near Sandy Hook in a place called Atlantic Highlands Municipal Marina.  Huge marian with lots of restaurant options near by.  And look who was tied up right next to us???  

You LBK marina folks will recognize ‘Foot Loose’, here with its new owner (another ailing 90 year old).  Foot Loose’s  captain was very friendly and came over to admire Finally…ha…i don’t mean that Finally’s not to be admired, just that Foot Loose is a HUGE Cheoy Lee and a beauty as well. 

Sept 5 Branford, CT to Stamford, CT

Sept 4  Stonington, CT to Branford, CT

Okay, we’re going to play ‘catch-up’ because we’re traveling fast and furious back down the coast..and well, there’s not much to report…  Lovely day cruising..

Sept 1 - 4  Marion, MA to Stonington, CT (Dodson Boat Yard)

Well it had to end sometime - cruise day was not smooth, but not horrible either, just not a glorious, giddy day on the water.  I’d rather go through 3-4 foot waves than to have a strong following sea.  A following sea sways us wide side to side.  It just feels like we are going to turn all the way over.  Plus, it’s very hard to move around.  One thing that remedies the swaying back and forth is to increase the speed and cut through it faster, so the captain took it up a notch or two and we traveled at 15-17 knots as compared to our regular 8-10 knots.  Checking below, water was noticed dampening the carpet in the master state room which meant water was coming out of the rudder stuffing boxes; and a glance in the engine room reported a lot of water in the bilge.  SO…..the rudder stuffing boxes that had been repaired twice already, once again needed attention.  

So as soon as we came to port in Stonington, CT (Dodson’s Boatyard) Harry conversed with the harbor/dock master and they took to action immediately scheduling a haul out tomorrow morning.  Their service was amazing, being a transient and all. 

For dinner we called the launch to pick us up and we walked to one of our favorite places - Noah’s restaurant and ate at the bar.

September 2

Poor FINALLY was hauled out ‘on the hard’ for repair.  it was so sad to see her out of the water - much like a fish or dolphin out of water….just ain’t right.  

The plan was for a one day fix so Harry called the rental car place and one of the guys suggested an inexpensive hotel and so off we go from the marina to find our new home for the evening…. 

I’m not going to say too much about this place but to say inexpensive is not the right word.  The right word is down right cheap.  The Westerly Aqua Blue Star Motel is one of those places where criminals hide away or check in to kill someone….but as Harry said, the grounds are meticulous. Ha.  The bathroom door wouldn’t even shut and the air conditioning front panel would every so often fall off onto the bare floor, scaring the living daylight out of you!  I did enjoy the TV - watching it like i’d never seen one before, didn’t even care if the picture was squeezing images close together much like those mirrors in a carnival fun house.

September 3 

Morning soon came and we were not killed in our sleep, so we packed up and headed for breakfast….Harry said, ‘I’m guessing you don’t want to stay and have the Aqua Blue’s continental breakfast?’

A bit after lunch at the marina FINALLY was put back in the water and a test run was completed.  I did not attend the test run, but spent that time in the Stonington library, looking at magazines, catching up on emails and recharging electronics.  Harry finds me there and reports the test run  proved a success and we’d be under way tomorrow morning for Brandford, CT.