November 29

Neither boat would start this morning. The "miracle" repair had obviously not been enough on our boat and Eagle's Wings was suffering from a lack of battery capacity. Walt used his backup jumpstart battery and I made a line with alligator clips on each end to go from the battery post on the starter to the switch post in the cockpit. That took care of the problem and demonstrated that the problem is in that power line. It was a misty morning as we started, but it became a beautiful, hot, but muggy day. We ran with the front window down and that made the trip very comfortable. Our destination is Titusville and we reached it before two in the afternoon.

Our trip route took us within sight of NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building and the launch gantries, including the one with the shuttle being readied for the next launch. This bridge and canal is a NASA installation and is closed during launches. After anchoring in front of Titusville, we dinghied in for some browsing in local stores and walked to the main attraction for dining, Dixie Crossroads. They have a unique offering called rock shrimp, small shrimp that taste like lobster. Pat and Walt joined us about an hour after we got to the restaurant and we shared a meal with them. They had coupons for free krabby bites appetizer which, fortunately for us, we had happened to order. All meals include small corn fritters topped with confectionary sugar. We were nearly full before we started our entrees. No problem-we just got a box and took the rest home for lunch. We joined Pat and Walt back on Eagle's Wings at eight for some conversation over a drink. It had been a full day and we were tired and our attempts to read a few pages in our books failed with sleepy eyes unable to stay open.

November 28

The nearby Ponce de Leon Lighthouse has been preserved and restored to active use. It is the second tallest lighthouse in the U.S. at 175 feet. Cape Hatteras has the tallest one. It contains one and one half million bricks and at the base the walls are eight feet thick. After a walk for me and some bookshopping at the gift store for Annette, we were joined by the crews of Eagle's Wings and Bay Wolf at the last fish camp restaurant on Florida's East Coast. The place is full of cute signs. One advertized the Hillary Clinton Chicken Special: Two big thighs, two small breasts, and one left wing. Our meal was delicious: a sushi quality tuna salad for me and a burger for Annette. We met another couple in the anchorage later. Andy and Chris and their three children are headed for the Bahamas and will be out for about 18 months. He is an engineer and she a school nurse. They quit their jobs and are home schooling the kids. We enjoyed their company that evening on Eagle's Wings.

November 27

Rockhouse Creek is a popular place for those traveling south and for local boats. Annette spent the morning baking bread so we didn't get to the beach park until late. The park has a number of gopher tortoise habitats where they nest and live. Long boardwalks protect the flora and fauna from the damage of humans. We had a dinghy ride back at low tide where we had several contacts with the bottom. That evening we met Alex and Lori aboard Bay Wolf who joined the rest of us on Wingspread for munchies and drinks. Alex is a marine surveyor and Lori works for the department of defense with its satellites.

November 26

This morning we waited until 8:30 to depart the anchorage. We planned on a short two hours or so to our next stop, so there was no need to hurry. Besides we wished to pumpout, take on fresh water and fuel up at the marina in the south basin off the Halifax River. Our destination this morning is Rockhouse Creek, a favorite stop for us. It is near Ponce de Leon Inlet so we can dinghy over to the beach where the Admiral likes to look for shells. There were a number of surfers at the beach enjoying their sport. One of the Snoopy blimps went overhead as we walked along the shore of the inlet, swooping in the onshore winds blowing aloft. Our new acquaintances, Charlie and Chris, from Wingspread, were in the anchorage already. They told us that was where they intended to go as it was a favorite of theirs. We gathered on Eagle's Wings for cocktail hour. Annette made her cranberry baked brie pastry which we served with apple slices and crackers.

November 25

We were off just before the 7:30 bridge opening. After we successfully passed through the temporary bridge at the Bridge of Lions site, Sabbatical ran with the swift current toward our next anchorage in Daytona Beach. The tide was an exceptionally high one. Bridge clearance became an issue for some of the taller boats who needed nearly all of the 65 feet that the fixed bridges here are rated at. The signboards on the bridges were reading only 63 feet and a catamaran in front of us suddenly wheeled to the side and then called us about our mast height. They wanted to make a judgment about the clearance, saying they needed at least 63 feet to make it through. I told them I was just over 55 and that the bridge was reading 63. They turned back for St. Augustine to take on fuel rather than sit waiting for the tide to fall. We saw them pass us later after we were safely at anchor at Daytona.

The Admiral took the wheel during a part of the voyage and this is the captain's attempt to document the event. We decided to relax the rest of the evening, inviting Eagle's Wings and a Canadian couple from Wingspread to join us at the cocktail hour.

November 24

We said goodbye to Susan and her family today. Everyone spent a relaxed morning. I stayed on board to charge the batteries, while Annette and the girls went shopping at Bealls and Sam and Grant went to the fort. Castillo De San Marcos (constructed between 1672 and 1756 of coquina shells). I joined them for lunch at A1A, a downtown pub with great food and an onsite brewery. Sam had the sampler of beers produced by the microbrewery and declared them all good with a particular nod to the darkest stout of which he got a second sample as part of the package. We even had desert-Annette and I shared a grilled banana split. We had a great time with part of our family here for Thanksgiving and being able to share them with Pat and Walt. We do miss Aunt Bev's though and watching the big bird being carved. Next Year! Tonight we will dine on board Eagle's Wings as Pat has prepared turkey breast and has gathered the makings for Manhattans.

November 23

We hit the laundry this morning early and were rewarded with four unoccupied washers and dryers. While Annette remained there, I walked to get a haircut. The same barber cut my hair as in the Spring. She said she remembered me because I asked for a Princeton. Gary was able to find many spare parts for the boat at the ships store here at the marina and after getting the laundry back to the boat, we met the kids . This picture shows the Senator, the oldest tree in St. Augustine, and one that was growing here when the nearby Fountain of Youth was discovered. We had spent several hours at Ripley's Believe It or Not where the grandchildren had a scary good time.

This is a life size model of the tallest modern man, who at over 8' 11" towered over those he met as his model towers over Susan and me.

Besides the unusual human variations found at Ripley's there are truly beautiful and remarkable objects made by human hand. This Chinese work created out of camel bone took many men four months to make. We had a fun day. Annette and the rest went on to more sightseeing at the lighthouse while I returned to the boat as the wind had come up and I wanted to make certain we were holding fast. The dinghy ride back to the boat after retrieving Annette was in the dark and wet. The night was spent half asleep and half awake watching our position. We never moved. But two boats in the area that we had abandoned when we first arrived crashed together and got stuck together. It apparently took three men some twenty minutes to get them separated again.

November 22

Happy Thanksgiving. We had a very nice traditional meal at O. C. White's, a restaurant just across from the marina. The building is an old one with thick stone walls and beautiful woodwork.

We spent a full day sightseeing and walking about town. Before we got together with the kids, we were on board the boat and BOOM! I thought the boat had been hit. It turned out to be the local reenacters at the fort beside us shooting off a cannon. The concussion hit the boat like a real object. Annette baked a pumpkin gooey cake and a pumpkin pie both of which survived the shelling from the fort. We returned to the boat for pie. In the evening, we went ashore and walked around the town, particularly around the campus of Flagler College. When we returned to the boat, I picked up a gas can I lent to a neighboring trimaran who had overfilled his gas cans and needed to get rid of some before it expanded and leaked out. Free gas! Thanks to all the people who called us today with Thanksgiving greetings.

November 21

We are at anchor this morning awaiting the arrival this afternoon of Susan, Sam, Cailean, and Grant. I am doing boat maintenance-packing nut, changing fuel filters, checking motor mounts and transmission links, tightening the belts, etc. Walt offered to help with the outboard and came over in his dinghy. Once again, he laid hands on the motor and, wow, another miracle! Actually, this time we suspected and demonstrated the correctness of the assumption that the fuel filter was plugged. Since he was in his dinghy behind the motor, he could reach the filter. He blew it out and put it back on. One pull and the motor was purring once more. We went ashore and met our family, got them settled in the hotel, and went off to see the sights and shop for provisions.

November 20

Today's trip was a bit longer at 55 miles, but took less time at 7.5 hours than yesterday's. We were finally at St. Augustine, one of our favorite places, but especially so because Susan and her family were coming in tomorrow to spend the Thanksgiving holiday with us. The anchorage north of the temporary replacement for the famous Bridge of Lions, proved to be challenging to say the least. After picking out what seem to be a large area in the middle for our boats, we anchored. Later, just after finishing a meal aboard Eagle's Wings, I called Walt back to his cockpit. There was a boat squarely between our boats. We all thought that it was dragging anchor. There was no way that that boat could have possibly swung that far without us swinging away at the same time. I even called the Coast Guard to report it as there was no one on board the boat. Another boat at anchor there called me and said that the boat was not dragging but that this was the kind of movement the wind and currents caused in this anchorage. I accepted the truth of this and resolved to go as far away from this area in the anchorage as I could. We reanchored and spent a peaceful evening.

November 19

The engine started this morning and I breathed a sigh of relief. Today we left Georgia behind us and entered Florida. It may have just been psychological, but we immediately felt warmer. Our fuel tank was getting below half so we stopped at Fernandina Harbor Marina for diesel. We put in 27.9 gallons and paid $100.26. The gals managed to go shopping while I was fueling and adding water to our tank. They are so resourceful when an opportunity, however slight, appears. We were off and on our way without delay and made our 50 miles in 7.75 hours. The anchorage for the night was behind a Nassau Sound island near a boat launch. We had used it on the way north last Spring. Although Walt was leading, I asked him to let me take us in off the ICW as the entrance is not properly charted and I knew where to go. The route requires hugging the south shore (within 50 feet). While I was going in, I received a radio call from a boat that wanted to join us, asking about my route in. We had passed him earlier in the day because he had run aground. I am certain he didn't want that experience again. He followed us in and had no problem. That evening, another boat came in, a powerboat, and went past us to anchor. I was reading in the cockpit at the time and looked up to watch. As the man lowered his anchor, it got away from him and swept him off his feet. He lay there for a while and then got up very slowly. His wife came down from the helm station to check on him and complete the process of securing the anchor chain. I yelled across to see if they needed assistance, but they said it was ok. I went back to the cockpit but later noticed that he was still sitting on his bow and his wife appeared to be making a phone call. I again asked if I could help and, this time, they agreed that I might be able to assist them. Of course, our dinghy then had to be launched and the oars gotten out. I rowed over and was told that 911 had been called and that they were on the way. His back was severly bruised, he had fallen on the corner of a deck box. He was in pain but able to move about and there was no evidence of a neck injury and he said he had no heart problems. The paramedics could not take his wife with him to the hospital, so I volunteered to help her get ashore when her son arrived by car at the boat launch. I rowed back to the boat against a sharp current that made it very difficult to reach our boat. I put the engine on the dinghy and waited for her call. While I was waiting, Annette asked me to deliver some baked goods she had made to the Washers. It was a good opportunity to get the engine warmed up for later. On my way to Eagle's Wings, the engine quit and the current was so strong that I abandoned the effort almost in reach of the stern of their boat. Walt got on the phone and was laughing hysterically such that Annette could barely understand what he was saying. Apparently, my efforts to return to Sabbatical aided by the tide were amusing. Anyway, further attempts to start the engine including changing plugs did not work. Walt volunteered his engine and I rowed over once more not knowing that he had taken his dinghy down also. We put his engine on my dinghy and took Mrs. Chisholm to shore. It was getting quite late by this time, so any more attempts at engine repair were postponed until tomorrow.

November 18

This day was one of those days we all have from time to time. I reached for my glasses in the morning and the bow departed the frame in my hand. That wasn't that bad since the lenses were beginning to delaminate for the third time in a year and one half and I had a couple of backups. Then the boat engine would not start. More precisely, the start circuit would not energize at all. I started her by jumping the battery cable directly to the starter motor and that got the engine going. Since it is a diesel, it has no need for electricity once it is going. However, we didn't have a tachometer, the various warning systems were inoperative, and it appeared that we were generating no juice from the alternator. Luckily, those circuits began working about 45 minutes into the trip. The rest of the day was uneventful although I brooded all day about possible solutions. We went offshore out Doboy Sound. We saw these jellyfish and many others along the coast. The wind was not very helpful as it was behind us and not much more than we could make with the engine, so we kept the sails furled. Going outside did have the advantage of missing some sections of the Intracoastal that are too low at low tide for us. The trip of 44.6 miles only took us 6.5 hours, including our time for engine starting, because we had the tidal currents in our favor going out and coming in.

We were at Jekyll Island early in the afternoon. Walt and Pat went in with their bicycles to explore this early twentieth century billionaires' retreat. We elected to remain aboard and explore the starting circuit problem. Walt saved Pat a swim, gallant gentleman that he is, when, upon their return, Pat's knot-tying ability was apparently short of the mark and the dinghy started going south without them. It was that kind of day. Later, Walt and Pat came to Sabbatical and Walt performed a laying-on-of-hands miracle on the starter circuit and it functioned thereafter. It is a good thing to have a technology instructor handy (though we still don't know what was wrong with the circuit). I say it was simply Walter "Miracles" Washer.

There are compensations for the glitches. The evening brought this remarkable sunset which changed in appearance by the minute.

November 17

New Teakettle Creek was our destination today. We traveled 66 miles today, a big day. Fortunately, the winds were low and favorable and the currents were with us more than against us. The high pressure system makes for colder temps at night but beautiful sunny days. There is little rain in sight. The air is so dry that when precipitation is possible it evaporates before it can reach the ground. Along the way today, Annette found a new use for the winches-holders for her yarn skein so that she could wind it into a ball.

November 16

It was a fairly routine day today. We got a good start from the Beaufort Marina this morning. It was a cold start. There were freeze warnings throughout the area. We didn't have frost where we were because we were too close to the ocean. It was another sunny day and the winds had died so we were warm and had a good sail. We anchored for the night in the local hurricane hole, Herb River, along with several other boats.

November 15

The predicted high winds showed up today. Winds were reaching 35+ mph and were throwing us around and slowing our progress. They were predicted to continue into the night and next morning. As we waited at Lady Island Swing Bridge just north of Beaufort, I called Eagle's Wings and told them that, instead of just stopping for a couple of hours in Beaufort, we were going to secure a slip for the evening. They agreed and we went into the marina. We went to a nearby restaurant and had a nice lunch, followed by some window shopping and an ice cream cone for me. Later while I read on the boat, the others walked miles to and from a K-Mart where they made some purchases. The photo shows the waterfront at Beaufort (Bew-fert) SC.

November 14

This is one of the homes along the waterfront of Charleston. Last year we spent several days in Charleston feasting our eyes on the many visual delights that this city provides. This year we breezed by in a large group of sailboats that had all passed through the Ben Sawyer swing bridge north of the harbor at the same opening. There seems to be so many more boats than we experienced coming down last year through the middle of the country. Of course there are many more sailboats because sailboats are of little use on the inland rivers while the coastal cruising is perfect for them on the East Coast. We made about 48 mile today and ended in Fishing Creek at mile 501.5 of the Intracoastal Waterway.

November 13

We went about forty-five miles today. We are in a creek off DeWees Creek at mile 455 of the Intracoastal. Annette had time to wash some things on the way today and hung them out after we anchored. Because we had internet coverage here, I was able to catch the blog up to today's date. We saw a sundog last night and there was one on each side of the setting sun tonight. We are certain to get some weather of the wet variety soon judging from these signs. Tomorrow we plan on passing Charleston as we continue to get south as fast as we can to get to the warm weather.

November 12

Another light day with an eight o'clock start faced us today. We were headed for this scene at Minum Creek where we had anchored before on our trip north. While the day was fairly normal, I was accused of anchoring on a crab pot by an angry waterman. There was no pot where I anchored when we arrived. It would make no sense that since I was first in the anchorage that I would choose to run over a pot's buoy risking its line tangling in my prop and then put my anchor in a spot where it could get involved with a crab pot. The young man left without further incident. Then a large catamaran came in and did anchor right on top of a crab pot. He decided to move after a few minutes of indecision. He moved to the other side of us and put his anchor very close to us. I had to keep watch until the tide turned to make certain we would circle inside him. It was about a boat length at one point but I decided that was enough and decided not to worry about it. Annette baked bread and who can be unhappy when fresh bread is cooling in the galley.

November 11

While waiting for the Washers to return from their stay ashore, I washed the boat. It really needed a good bath as we have not had much opportunity with all the anchoring. At ten we shoved off for a short day trip to Bull Creek. It is a large creek off the Wacamaw River which is the Intracoastal Waterway path in this area. It was a very quiet night spent in what felt like a very remote part of the world. The stars were bright above and the night calm. The next morning a mist rose off the water as the sun began to warm the air above the water.

November 10

Today was golf day. Brother-in-law Bill and his friends from the Winston Salem area come to Myrtle Beach about twice a year to play a golf weekend package. They were kind enough to include me and the course was willing to allow me to join them as a fifth player at the same package rate. We played last year's course of the year, Burning Ridge. It was a beautiful and challenging course. I improved my score by ten strokes from the first nine we played to the last nine, so I was encourged that the lack of play on my part was of only a temporary negative impact. After golf, the guys came back to the boat except for Bill who took Annette off the WalMart for some shopping that she wanted to do there. This is a picture of Mark and Tom on board Sabbatical.

Bill and sister Laurie's former neighbor, Ron, is pictured here. Laurie was babysitting for his son so he could join the golf outing.
Bill made it back with his new truck full of Annette's packages and some beer for the boys. Thanks to Bill both Annette and I had a great day doing what we both enjoy.

November 9

Six A.M. was the start time again and we made 72.9 miles today. Pat wanted to go offshore so we went out Cape Fear River to the ocean and had a wonderful trip down the coastline. We weren't certain about the Little River Inlet as our guidebook said not to try it without local knowledge. I called the local TowboatUS and she told me that it was one of the best inlets on the coast. I had seen some large vessels hanging around offshore of us as we approached the inlet. The TowboatUS captain said they were casino boats that came in that inlet everyday at about four o'clock. I guess we had nothing to worry about. We landed at Barefoot Landing Marina after passing through this bridge and saw Dick and Lynne's boat, LadyHawke, there. After securing the boat we were off by car to some Dansville, NY friends of the Washers, who have a condo nearby. They treated us to a delicious dinner of baked lasagna. We returned to our boat for the evening as Pat and Walt stayed overnight at their friends' home.

November 8

We got an early start on this day as we were to go 50+ miles. The time change has really changed our way of operating. We like to have time at the end of the day to take care of things while we still have natural light (like anchor). When we are going a longer distance, getting an early start gives us that time at the end of the day. My goal for this time today is to change the oil and oil filter. We had a wonderful day on the water after a chilly start. Our enclosure heats up quickly in the sun and we are soon peeling layers to stay cool. Temperatures are about 10-15 degrees below normal as we travel through the Carolinas. But it has remained remarkably dry so we have little to complain about weatherwise. Carolina Beach is nice anchorage with lots of room and it's just off the Intracoastal Waterway so we don't waste much time getting on and off the major highway. The oil change went well and we settled in for the evening. Annette took this picture of Eagle's Wings at anchor of our port side.

November 7

With only thirty nine miles to go today, we didn't leave Morehead City until 0800 this morning. The winds were considerably down from yesterday and from the north. Because of our direction of travel along the coast, the land sheltered us from the worst of the winds. Things were going very well all day with speeds with the tidal current sometimes over nine miles per hour. It was a beautiful sunny day with a chill that our enclosure kept out nicely. We were within an hour of our anchorage at Mile Hammock when Walt ran aground. We came upon two sailboats that were aground. A trawler had worked its way through and had called back to warn others. We were able to work our way through though we did not go the way the channel was marked. Instead we followed what we believed to be the advice of the trawler and the wake of another sailboat following that advice. That sailboat was on the radio with us when it went aground. It quickly got off however and made it through. We had no problem never seeing less that 7.5 feet. Eagle's Wings was not as lucky and ran aground and couldn't find a way out. TowboatUS was called and the guy began sorting out the boats and helping others who showed up to find the channel. Walt was the last guy helped. The towboat guy was told by Walt that he wasn't aground at that point. The guy said that he was because he had to feed his family and he would "tow" Walt off. That was the one laugh in the incident. We had waited up the line a bit for Walt. We radioed him that we might be able to make the bridge opening on the hour if we hustled. We made it but Walt was too far away and had to wait another half hour for the next opening. We went half speed waiting for him to catch up and went into the anchorage just ahead of him. The night promises to be a cold one with frost and freeze warnings posted and little wind.

November 6

Happy Birthday for Annette. We began with intentions of reaching Swansboro by afternoon. We knew there were stong winds along the coast that might impact our travel even though we would be on the InterCoastal Waterway inside the barrier islands. The first part of the trip was relatively uneventful with good winds that allowed us to move with good speed. The number of boats traveling continues to be large. When we got to the turning basin in Morehead City, we had been blown around and bounced around with winds up to 30 knots. After making the turn, the wind was right on the nose. Eagle's Wings had a particularly hard time making any speed against it and the current. We decided to put in for the day and try again the next day. Near the turning basin is the Sanitary Restaurant which offers docking for $10. There was one place left so we pulled in and rigged for rafting with Walt and Pat on our windward side. We had to plan that carefully as we were being pushed in the dock without their boat's additioal weight to contend with and there is about a three foot tide. We had a good day walking about two miles shopping and talking with people. We got back to the boat in time to record this unusual sunset. It appears that the sun is setting upwards because of the cloud formation. Annette and I celebrated her birthday with dinner at the restaurant and, later, on Eagle's Wings, with Asti Spumante and a sweet dessert made by Pat. All in all, a good day, if one that we did not anticipate.

November 5

This morning we left at first light, about six o'clock. We had a fast ride as the winds were behind and the waves were not large. With only a few miles in canals or narrows we were able to have the sails up much of the day. We also kept the motor on so we made as much as 7.7 on the knotmeter at least once. We were going over eight miles per hour much of the last leg. Tonight we were lucky to get on a free dock that holds only three boats our size. I called Dick Davenport from Ladyhawke who was already in a slip at an Oriental, NC marina as we turned for its channel. Fortunately for us, he was right next to the dock and could tell us that we would be able to get in there. He came over to assist us in getting in. We had to work around a large catamarn that was teed on the end of the dock. In fact we couldn't actually see where the dock was. Dick waved us in and then we could see where to go. He grabbed our bow and we turned the boat by hand against the dock. We then radioed Eagle's Wings to tell them that the boat on the other side was leaving and that they could get in there. Tonight we are eating out with Dick and Lynne and the Washers.

November 4

Today we left Alligator River Marina for Belhaven. The trip was fairly long at almost 60 miles but we made good time, arriving just about an hour and one half before dark. This gave us time to get the dinghy launched as we wanted to reprovision at a Food Lion grocery store nearby. The Washers went in for fuel and did not make it out as soon as we expected. The marina refused to process their card until the people there had cleared the day's business. So they waited. We told them not to get their dinghy out but to go with us. We asked a woman for directions to the store. She said it was about a mile and one half. We asked her if there were any taxis available. She offered to take us and we accepted but told us that she would not be able to bring us back. I approached the people at the store and the assistant manager offered to take us back in his pickup. I told Annette she could load up as we had a truck for the return trip. She knew how to do that. So we returned to the boat (in two dinghy trips) with plenty of provisions. Both individuals refused our offers of money for gas, etc. They said it was all part of Southern hospitality.

November 2, 3

We were happy to find friends coming in to escape the winds. Among them was Bill and Mary from Mulligan pictured here. They are 80 year olds who have a beautiful boat and are enjoying every minute of it. We had cocktails aboard and lots of laughs. There is little to do here as we are near no communities. The nearest village is Columbia about twelve miles west. There is also little cell phone coverage which explains a little about why the blog is behind schedule. We were able to get some calls through to reassure folks that we were fine and safely in a marina while the big storm heads up the coast east of us.
The winds certainly did blow. Even though our boat hulls were generally below the level of the ground and there were trees breaking the force of the wind where we were, the boat was still pushed around and rocked both days and at night. The last day we could have left in the afternoon, but decided to remain and strike out the next morning.

November 1

We decided to stay on at Coinjock this morning since we had arrived so late. After we moved off to allow the other boats to leave, we turned around and retied to the wall so that we could refuel and take on water. The trip today was a short one, only 37 miles and we would be putting into another marina. The day was spectacular with brillant sky and great conditions on the water. We suspected it was the lull before the storm as winds were predicted to be 50+ miles per hour in gusts over the next couple of days. These winds were the result of a combination of a cold front and the effects of the tropical storm off the coast. Alligator River Marina is a small but very well-protected place.

October 31

To say that this last day of the month was a long one is put a very mild stamp on it. We started early. Because of the time change, the sun was now on its regular time and we moved just before it appeared. The trip ahead was filled with boats of all sizes, including the military variety called warships.
Walt was having a good time sailing down by all the big Navy ships when he received an invitation by radio to choose a side and get there and signal his intentions by making a 90 degree turn to his chosen side. A warship had snuggled up behind him and was going to berth on Walt
s port side. Walt made the right decision to go to starboard. The escort security boats with the flashing lights kept between Walt and the ship until Walt was well past the ship's berth.
We spent three hours "parked" in front of bridges and locks on this trip. Here is a view of a parking lot as we waited for an opening. We were very lucky that this day was relatively calm and we could all keep our stations without a lot of trouble. Needless to say there were a few frazzled boaters out there after this experience. We had planned ahead and had reservations at Coinjock Marina for the evening. They kept calling us to be assured that we were still coming as they were turning boats away. As it was when we got there we both had to raft off other boats as there was no room on the wall for us to tie up. We were able to run an electric line to shore. We came to the marina after sunset, having pushed hard to do so after the delays of the day. Eagle's Wings appeared about twenty minutes behind us, coming in in the dark. They had to fit in between two other rafted boats with only about one and one half feet in the bow and in the stern from them.

October 30

Today took us to the foot of the Chesapeake. We had a relatively uneventful passage down the western shore. There were many boats all headed in the same direction. Many insurance companies require that boats remain in this area until November 1, to avoid hurricanes. This means we are traveling through at a peak time in this area. We had a peaceful night next to one of the Bay Bridge Tunnels just four miles north of Norfolk.

October 29

I received a wakeup call from the Washers serenading me with "Happy Birthday". The big "62" year has been completed and social security is on its way at the end of December. We did a 60 mile day today, getting to our anchorage behind Grog Island in Fleets Bay 4:00 P.M. Because we knew it was going to be a light wind night, I suggested that Eagle's Wings raft up with us. This would make eating together easier because we would not have to launch dinghies. It was the first time they had ever rafted with another boat. They did a beautifully careful job of getting next to us and avoiding the clashing of spreaders. Annette used her new oven and the generator to cook a delicious meal. It was topped off with a very nice marble cake baked by Pat and with a group of six and a group of two candles. A nice birthday! Thanks to all who called to wish me a Happy Birthday.

October 27 and 28

We had anchored after our sail yesterday in Mill Creek where we spent two more nights. The weather was rainy and then nice. We dinghied all the way to the back of Back Creek where there was a dock at the Holiday Inn. Then we tried to get a bus to a shopping center but the bus didn't run on the weekend. Another couple joined us and we decided to call a cab for the six of us and go together. We split up for shopping and for eating lunch. Annette and I went to what may be the worst fast food restaurant for accurate service in America. We got what we ordered but a lot of people were returning food because it wasn't prepared as ordered. We purchased a new, larger toater oven that we can power with the new generator. Our new friends, Bill and Mary, from a beautiful green American Tug called Mulligan met us and the Washers and we returned by cab to the Holiday Inn. The next day we came back with laundry and got the wash done. I picked up some more gasoline for the generator and we stopped to see Don and Ann Marie who were at a marina. The marina has an old pickup that always has the key left in the ignition for people to use. Annette and I rode with Ann Marie to pick up a few groceries and check out a marine store nearby. We had to hurry because Don and Ann Marie were going to the bar at the Holiday Inn to watch the New England Patriot game at four.