Saturday, April 26 - Scenes of the Potomac.



Mount Vernon

Not the cleanest river in our travels.
Fort Washington
Woodrow Wilson Bridge - which is a bascule bridge and has been under construction. At times the bridge has been closed for boat travel. Some of the openings were very late in the evening and early morning hours (4am). Glad we didn't have to do that.
The Capitol in the background.

Fort Mc Nair

And this is from our anchorage. Not bad. The Washington Monument is in the background. The Tidal Basin is just to the left of this picture. Although we cannot see the basin and we cannot get through the low bridges, it is there. On the way in we could see the top of the Jefferson Memorial also.

Friday, April 25 As we were leaving Sandy Point on the west side of the Chesapeake we had an opportunity to get pictures of the fisherman working their pound nets. We had never seen this being done before. According to the information we read it is a very fish friendly form of fishing in that the smaller fish are sent free without any of them having been hooked. It is also turtle friendly as the turtles are able to get to the surface to breath and then are released.

















This is for Jo. Yet another lighthouse picture. This one is Smith Point which guards the mouth of the Potomac

NORFOLK, VA











Tuesday, April 22 - As we were heading through Norfolk, Mary and Blair happened to be crossing on the ferry. We missed their valiant efforts to get our attention but when checking our email were rewarded with pictures of Sabbatical taken from the ferry.

The next day Pat and Walt started out early to get as far north as possible. It was going to be a slog and as soon as they left, the fog horn started to blow. We had already decided to stay put and go ashore to meet Vicki, her daughter Nicole and new grandaughter Aubrey. We found a restarant above the marina to catch a quick lunch in and then with the help of Vicki, we were able to provision. Aubrey is just the cutest. There is just nothing like holding a little one. She is 13 days old in this picture. Vicki and Mark will be living near Oswego this next year. Mark has a job working at the nuclear plant there and we will so enjoy having them so close.

April 18

While waiting for the bridge just past Mile Hammock we were passed by a boat that we had spent the last six months watching for. Strathspey, from Trident Yacht Club. Our friends Tony and Monica from the same club had been telling us that two boats were traveling south together and that we should watch for them. Still haven't seen Madcap, but we'll continue to watch.

Finally we had a glimpse of Mary and Blair. Our radio conversation confirmed that this indeed was the boat from Trident.

It wouldn't be until the following evening while anchored in the Alligator River that we would actually get to share drinks and tales of our voyages with the Buchanans and Washers.





As you can see in the background we were also treated to yet another great evening sky.
Strathspey and Eagles' Wings would both continue on the next day across Albemarle Sound and but Sabbatical decided to stay in Alligator River Marina for the night. A following sea, with winds out of the south would have made the crossing extremely uncomfortable for Annette. Winds were to move to the east the next day and supposedly diminish the wave height. WRONG! The wind was from the east, so that was good but the wind blew hard. Our instruments clocked a 32.5 kt high. And the waves were much more like 4'. But we did fine, even got through the Pasquotank River without losing our electronics to a lightening strike. Once in Elizabeth City we headed directly for the Dismal Swamp and rafted with eight other boats at the Welcome Center. Eagles' Wings was rafted just ahead of us and all were treated to a wonderful pot luck dinner on Gitana.

We are traveling again for a few days with Eagles' Wings which feels good. One of the unique sights as we travel towards North Carolina is this pontoon bridge. In all our travels in the last couple of years this is the only one we have encountered. It is called Sunset Bridge and is located in South Carolina a few miles from Cape Fear.

We didn't come this way in the fall because of low water. This trip has been much easier on us in that regard. It has been too windy to be on the outside and I know this frustrates Pat. There is alot of dredging going on in this area around Carolina Beach, Brown's Inlet, etc. Good for depth but interesting sometimes getting around the dredges.



It is nesting time again for the osprey. They will build just about anywhere. Coming up the Waccamaw River we saw their nests in trees also but they really like the markers. The trees in that area are fantastic. Hugh trees that will be hollow for half or more of their trunks yet will still be alive. They look like the trees from Lord of the Rings.


I really love to take pictures of these boats with their big nets and have a whole collection of photos.

April 14

As Susan and family were leaving Sunday morning Walt stopped over to see if Gary would like to golf Monday morning with him, Jim and Chuck Brewer. The ladies, Nancy, Ann, Linda, Pat and I, would go shopping.




Tuesday morning was spent getting the boats ready to leave the next morning. By afternoon we were headed to North Myrtle Beach to the Brewers. Dinner was at the House of Blues at Barefoot Landing. The panels you see are on the tin ceiling.



Outside we found a "blues" police car to pose with. Nancy, Linda, Jim, Gary and I.

Just to make everyone aware, the blog is now in the hands of the Admiral. It seems the Captain has been procrastinating just a little too much for the Admiral. If you find the content of the blog to be somewhat different, you will have to blame it on the different perspectives of said parties. Sincerely, the Admiral.

> By Saturday morning, April 12, Susan and Sam had joined us at Osprey Marina bringing donuts for breakfast. Then we were all off to Myrtle Beach. We walked the beach (the strand), had lunch at Pier 14 and fit in a little shopping here and there. Aunt Laurie, Grandma and Cailean had shopped the day before and Cailean was anxious to show her mom some of the clothes she had only wished for in the stores. That afternoon Laurie headed for home.

On Sunday Susan, Sam, Cailean and Grant headed back to Kennesaw. We got to enjoy the kids for a week and we would guess that few of their classmates spent there spring break cruising the ICW from Beaufort to Myrtle Beach SC.




Sunday morning we left for Beaufort, South Carolina. Cailean and Grant had chances to pilot the boat. We decided that the chain of the command on the boat was The Admiral (Annette), the Captain (Gary), First Mate Cailean and Second Mate Grant. The Admiral could talk to anyone. The Captain could talk to the Mates. The First Mate could talk to the Second Mate. The Second Mate could talk to no one. The Second Mate was limited in his boat piloting as The Admiral was getting sick from the erratic movements of the boat from channel side to channel side. Grant practiced hard at slaying pirates and other imaginary beings while Cailean spent time reading. We dinghied ashore to pick up Susan and Sam. Susan brought some special coffee and a cookbook she had gotten for us from the Paula Dean store in Savannah. We ate at an Outback Restaurant. The Washers had called us earlier to tell us they were a few miles from Beaufort and would arrive at the anchorage that same evening. We were glad to have the chance to see them again and hear about their adventures in the Bahamas.


Statue on Parris Island.


On April 7 we toured by car the islands south of Beaufort, Lady’s Island, St. Helena, and Parris Island (the Marine Depot). It was a beautiful drive through these low islands with their lush vegetation and vistas of water. We stopped briefly at the site of a school where the newly freed slaves were educated during and after the Civil War. We lunched at Pannini’s in downtown Beaufort. Grant and Grandpa got haircuts across the street. My barber was named Amy Jo and she owned a boxer dog. After some more shopping, we went to Friendly’s for ice cream. I had the big five scoop sundae after a root beer float. Heaven. Grant had decided after much thought that he wanted to continue on the trip, giving up soccer practice back home in order to continue on to Osprey Marina near Myrtle Beach where Aunt Laurie was going to meet us. The kids would spend the week on Sabbatical.




First Mate Cailean, Second Mate Grant, enjoying time away from their stations.

Our plans for April 5 were changed by the weather that threatened ahead of us. While we expected to pick up grandchildren, Cailean and Grant, at Thunderbolt Marina, we thought we would be continuing on with them that day. Because of tornado and severe storm predictions, we decided to remain overnight at the marina. That gave us the opportunity to tour Savannah with Susan, Sam and the kids. Savannah is an interesting town with many beautiful squares with unique neighborhoods around them. There is also a lively waterfront along the Savannah River which is below the bluff on which Savannah sits. Buildings along the bluff have businesses along the park on the bluff and another set of shops and bars at the foot of the bluff along the river. We also went to Tybee Island along the ocean. While we were there, a roll of very dark clouds appeared to our west. The winds picked up but there was no lightning and only a small amount of rain. However, there were reports of a funnel cloud that fortunately did not reach the ground being sighted just north of our position on the beach. After sending the parents to their hotel, we had pizza on Sabbatical with the grandchildren, watched a movie and went to bed. Some of the pictures from this area are the storm coming into Tybee Island, Sam and the kids standing under the pier at Tybee and Cailean and Grant the morning we started for Beaufort SC.

Plus the picture below was taken in Savannah of River Street's Waving Girl statue. Florence Martus, became known to seamen all over the world for waving at every ship. One legend maintains that she promised her sailor swetheart to greet every ship until his return.


We traveled on April 2 to Jekyll Island. We refueled at Fernandina Beach, Florida and crossed the border into Georgia. Along the way, Annette counted fifteen wild horses on Cumberland Island, several more than we had seen before. Some new foals were among those spotted.

April 3 took us to New Teakettle Creek, another familiar anchorage. We heard from home that the Napoleons had a new car. The VHF radio had a lot of chatter about boats having problems with low water in the Little Mud River, but when we got there we had no problems at all.

Redbird Creek was our next stop on April 4. Vicki and Mark called to tell us that they had finally left Key Largo to take their boat to Fort Lauderdale to be shipped north by truck to Fairpoint Marina in Little Sodus Bay. I am certain they were happy to be back aboard and moving on with life. Mark will work in Oswego and we are pleased to have our good friends so close to our home. As we sat at anchor in Redbird Creek, I was treated to a spectacular lightning show in the northeast sky. A vast thundercloud was lit by a bolt of lightning every three to five seconds. This went on for many minutes. We were very thankful to be where we were and not where it was.

We were ready to leave and waiting for the temporary lift bridge in St. Augustine at 0730 this morning when we saw Dalene signal us to come over to their boat which was also waiting for the bridge. They were in trouble. The gearing had failed and they had no propulsion. We circled and John threw a line that Annette caught and we towed them back to the anchorage. We reanchored as we would now have to wait an hour for the next opening as it was morning rush hour and the bridge schedule is restricted then. There was nothing further we could do to assist Miyott and we said goodbye again as we left again for the next bridge opening. Sabbatical pulled into Nassau Sound at 4:00 o’clock that afternoon and spent a quiet evening anchored in the place where we had helped another sailor on the way down.

The last day of March was our last evening in St. Augustine. We hosted John and Dalene Atterbury from Miyott (name of their boat) who had sailed across from their home in South Africa. We had met them on the docks several days before and this was our first opportunity to talk at length with them. They were planning on continuing their trip by recrossing the Atlantic from the Chesapeake. Miyott is a small boat and it is amazing to us that they could make an ocean crossing in it safely. John is an accomplished sailor and gives instruction in sailing at home.