Retiring- we bought a boat July 2005 to Jan. 2006

1/19/06
We finally have a name on the boat. Als, we’ve had lots of people out here working on the boat. Bought a new refrigerator and had new shelves made to go around that area. A flooring contractor will be installing new flooring in the salon and carpet in the staterooms this week. Another contractor is going to put on a new windlass along with other miscellaneous things that need to be fixed.
My Aunt Jan celebrated her 70th birthday on Friday the 13th. Aunt Alice (their sister) and her husband, Sam, flew down from Michigan. We spent the weekend with them and Dad and Joanne and took them all out on the boat on Monday. Thanks to them for helping us with our first cruise. It was a nice day and uneventful trip down to Sarasota. Along the way we saw dolphins and pelicans. A fun trip with a good crew.
1/6/2006

Happy New Year! Jim and I are now somewhat settled on the boat here at Regatta Pointe in Palmetto, FL. It’s hard to imagine that we got all those boxes onto the boat and the items stored in some kind of order. Thanks to Joanne and Amy for helping me organize and unpack. Amy was brutal in arranging the galley and making me whittle down my collection of gadgets. We have been working with a captain this week and even took the boat out on Thursday. More lessons this week – Captain Ray is amazingly patient. We also have some time to provision the boat – already bought a new refrigerator and ordered new carpeting and flooring. I added some pictures to the Shutterfly account – click on the link to see holiday pictures and some more of moving to the boat.
12/26/05 Merry Christmas. Jim and I and our pets are in Florida! We hauled a U-haul trailer behind my Impala; we left Tuesday and got down to my Dad’s home on Thursday. Took delivery of the boat in St Petersburg on Friday and moved it over to Regatta Point Marina in Palmetto. Unpacked everything Friday – the boat is filled with boxes. We just left them and headed to my Dad and Joanne’s home for Christmas. Next week we’ll spend arranging our possessions on the boat. Love it down here, it’s warm and sunny.
12/17/05- We plan on leaving the morning of the 20th. Moving our furniture and long term storage items to a climate controlled unit here in Lansing on the 19th. Loading the rest of our items into a trailer and the pets into our car and heading south. We will take three days to get to Florida. Everything is set for us to take delivery of the boat on the 23rd and then spend Christmas with Dad and Joanne. Amy and Ed will be joining us. Merry Christmas to all.
11/21/05- Events are progressing. We are set to do a sea trial and survey on November 29th and then close in December. Tomorrow we head to Amy and Ed’s for Thanksgiving and then to FL to be there for the survey and sea trial.
11/17/05- I’m sitting at my Dad’s home in Clermont, FL after spending the last two weeks looking at about 22 boats all over the south. We stared in Charleston, SC, went to Brunswick GA and then to St Petersburg, Naples, Ft Lauderdale and Ft Pierce. Along the way we had a great time visiting friends and relatives. Saw Chris and Sandy in NC, Mike and Susan Harrison in Naples, Sue and Jerry Janaro in Ft. Lauderdale, and Dad and Joanne in Clermont. We are down to two boats – a 44’ Atlantic in Jensen Beach and a 44’ Seamaster in St. Petes. To make a long story short, we just made an offer on the Seamaster and after some negotiation, we now have a boat. We need to it surveyed and do a sea trial so we will be back in Florida in a couple weeks to have that all done. Flying home today and will be spending Thanksgiving with Amy and Ed in Kentucky.
October 2005
This is my first attempt at a website but we want to keep our friends aware of our travels. Soon the adventures will begin. We plan to move aboard a boat to live and cruise the waterways of the USA and Canada. We’re beginning the end of the first phase which is to actually buy the boat. First, a little about the past few months. It’s been a busy summer and promises to be an even busier fall.
After retiring on July 1st, we spent most of July on our boat, Water Dancer, on Lake Michigan. Found out that friends at the marina along with people from the Traverse City Power Squadron were taking a boat trip to Wisconsin’s Door Peninsula so we signed up for that and left the end of July. Had a great time with a good group of people, about 10 boats in all. We learned a lot about long distance boating so it was a fun experience.
We had been trying to sell our home ourselves and did have an offer contingent on them selling their home. After we got back from Wisconsin, we found out that the deal on our home had gone through so we had to quickly decide what to do. We needed to close on our house on August 25 to give them occupancy. We decided it would be best if we just rented an apartment locally. We were fortunate to get a short term lease on a two-bedroom apartment. It also worked out so we could just store our ‘extra stuff” in the second bedroom. Later we will move some of the stuff to my sister’s and store the rest into a storage facility. We also put our boat, Water Dancer, up for sale in Onekama.
Then we left September 1st for Europe. We went with four other couples on a Viking River Cruise on the rivers of Europe from Budapest to Amsterdam. Then we took the train for Paris for an additional three days. It was totally awesome. The riverboat had 75 cabins and held 130 passengers and 34 crew. We saw a lot of Europe, ate wonderful food and had a delightful time with our friends.

Starting the loop - Feb 6 - 22 Ft Myers to Ft. Lauderdale

Chris and Sandy join us in Ft. Myers - our first boat guests!




We planned to leave here today, Feb. 4th, but the weather prevents it. High winds, storms - yesterday in Clearwater, the roof of the Bed, Bath and Beyond store collapsed from all the rain and winds. Still very windy today (Saturday). It is supposed to settle down tonight so we will give it a day and leave here on Monday for the Ft Myers, Sanibel area. Plan to meet Chris and Sandy in Cape Coral and take a day or so to explore the area - Sanibel Island and Cabbage Key, weather permitting.
Sold my car yesterday and stored Jim's car in Clermont (near my Dad's home) last Tuesday so we are truly homeless, boat people! Just our bikes and the boat.
We waited for a weather window and left Palmetto for Cape Coral on Feb 6th. We were greeted at the Cape Coral Yacht basin by Pat and Clyde Honeycutt on Mamacita V, whom we had met at the Rendezvous at Joe Wheeler. Cape Coral Yacht Basin- 5 days
Chris and Sandy drove down from North Carolina and met us in Cape Coral. We used that as a base of operation and spent the week exploring around Sanibel and the wildlife preserve. Since they had a car, we ate at a nice restaurant on Ft Myers beach and ran some errands and did some grocery shopping. We had a good visit with Chris and Sandy – they were our first “boat” guests. Jim showed Chris how to drive the boat so Chris captained thorugh the “miserable mile”. Chris knew a lot about tying lines so he was really helpful especially in those nasty winds.
They left on Friday and we anchored at Bimini Basin in Cape Coral. That was our first anchroing experience and it was a nice calm night. We may like this anchoring. With the weather turning bad, we headed back to Ft Myers and are currently in the City of Ft Myers Yacht Basin. We met more loopers yesterday at Centennial Harbor Marina and joined them for happy hour.

Tuesday February 14
Happy Valentines Day. Renting a car today and driving to Dad and Joanne’s home. Joanne, usually, prepared a wonderful dinner. Jan and Norm were over and we had wonderful filet steaks. Enjoyed seeing them all.
Wednesday February 15
Left Dad and Joanne’s home and drove to Bradenton for Jim’s dental appointment. I did some shopping and then we drove to Palmetto to get the “batter boards” that Ray had made us. Unfortunately we couldn’t hook up with Ray as he had a dentist appointment. Saw Gregg and got our boards. He gave us some ideas of places to see on the east coast. He also suggested that we check on the status of the Rim Route. Turns out that was good advice as we found out that the Rim Route has been closed since Hurricane Wilma came through last fall.
Thursday February 16.
Susan and Mike came over from Naples to see us. We were still docked at Ft Myers Yacht Basin so we were happy to show them the boat. As they were looking at the boat, Chas came back to finish up the plumbing on the wet bar and ice maker. We walked over with Mike and Susan to a city market and bought some fresh produce. Then over to Joe’s Crab Shack for an early lunch. Susan was excited that her son was offered a job in Naples and he and his family may be moving down here in the spring.
We had a good visit and bade them farewell.
Friday February 17
What a beautiful day. The weather is sunny, calm and in the 80s. Perfect cruising day. We left behind the tall buildings of the west coast of Florida and ventured into the Caloosahatchee River. The water was quite deep, the deepest we’ve seen yet here in Florida. It’s just amazing to us how shallow the water of the West side of Florida is, even in the Gulf. As Captain Ray told us, you can see the birds walk on water.
As we cruised today we saw lots of beautiful homes on the River. Also, we went through our first lock on the trip. We got the hang of it pretty quickly so it was a successful experience. Had planned on anchoring tonight in Tranquility cove, an anchorage recommended by Skipper Bob but as we got there we saw ropes across so it was obviously closed. By that time we had passed the town of Labelle so we went back to Port Labelle marina that we had just passed.
It was a very rustic place but the people were nice. A group was sitting around when we went up to pay and they invited us to join them for “happy hour”. So we passed an enjoyable couple hours watching the sunset and turned in early.
The marina said that alligators hung around so we were alarmed when Sneakrs woke us up at night with lots of hissing. Turns out she was protecting her boat from the local “dock cat.”
La Belle Marine, 1 night, $ 35.31,17-Feb-06 32 miles today, MM103
Saturday, February 18 -Roland Martin, 1night $ 89.88 , 28 miles today,MM75
Left early today headed to Clewiston. More of the river and very desolate country. Left behind all the fancy homes and seeing more of the swamp. A couple more locks today. Another warm calm cruise. We also saw our first alligator.
We stayed at the Roland and Mary Martin Marina in Clewiston, which is the last stop before you cross Lake Ochochobee. The marina is quite a local legend and the guidebooks say one not to be missed. The dock master “Little Man” helped bring us in to the dock on the wall and got us in very tightly in front of the boat. Then another boat later came in behind us. It was quite a sight, these large boats one after the other against the wall. The Tiki Bar was a little ahead of us and we went over for a drink and enjoyed the warm weather.
That night they had a band playing at the Tiki Bar so we danced to some old time rock and roll.


Sunday February 19- St Lucie lock anchor,60 miles today, MM15
Crossed Lake Ochochobee at a fast 15mph. The lake is 25 miles long and claims to be the second largest inland lake surrounded by the U.S. The largest is Lake Michigan. Well, it didn’t seem to us it was that big and we crossed in a couple hours.
Called Indiantown marina but they didn’t have any room for us so we decided to anchor. Checked Skipper Bob’s book and choose to anchor across from the campground above St Lucie lock. We ended up anchoring in a little cove but swung pretty close to shore. Decided to put a second anchor off the back so we wouldn’t end up on the grassy shore by the next morning. Jim calls this the Brownhamel anchoring method.

Monday February 20
Stuart anchororage, 15 miles, MM986
Well, it worked and the next morning we had actually swung out from shore and were able to make another successful getaway and go though St Lucie lock. By now we were old hands at locking and got right through. Dropped us 16’, the biggest change so far. This is the last lock till we get to Stuart.

Arrived in Stuart and picked a good anchoring spot across from the Stuart Anchorage area with the mooring balls. We got a good spot early in the day.
Anticipated dinghy and seeing some of Stuart. Put the motor on the dinghy but many several tries it was obvious that the motor wasn’t going to start So we got the dinghy back on Water Dancer III and settled in for a drink and some sun.

Tuesday February 21
North Lake Worth anchor,28 miles, MM1914
By now we were much more comfortable with anchoring and looked for our next spot about 30 miles south. Turned out to be the Lake Worth area near North Palm Beach so we spent an enjoyable day just putzing down the intercoastal gazing at the huge homes along the way. It’s very residential here and the ICW isn’t very wide. Another warm sunny day.
Anchored in Lake Worth and got a pretty good spot. Sat back to enjoy the afternoon and grill some chicken for dinner.

Wednesday February 22
Lake Boca anchor, 33 miles, MM1047
More of the same today as we head fro Ft. Lauderdale. Decided to go as far as Lake Boca Raton. More of the huge homes (mansions!) today. We kept seeing what looked like a tour boat with a load speaker cruising around. Found out from Sue Janaro that it is a shuttle from the huge Boca Raton resort that takes people from the resort to the beach we continue our journey and go across to Stuart on the east side of Florida. I feel like our journey is finally beginning. Most of the work is done on the boat and the weather had settled down nicely. Calm winds and warm temps are predicted.

February 23 - March 10 Ft Lauderdale to the Keys

Water Taxi in Ft Lauderdale



Sue and Jerry Janaro in Ft Lauderdale



Sunset in the Keys







Bridge to the Keys

A Water Taxi in Key Largo







Las Olas Marina, Ft Lauderdale, 5 night, cost $473.17 , 17 miles today, MM1064
On Thursday we arrived in Ft Lauderdale and got a slip at the municipal dock right near the famous Ft Lauderdale beaches. .

Friday we walked the beach. Sue and Jerry Janaro are letting us use their extra car which is so helpful as we were able to go shopping for a new motor for the dinghy. Now we will have some transportation when we anchor. Sue and Jerry came over Friday for cocktails Friday evening and we went out to dinner despite the pouring rain. We have tickets to see the King Tut exhibit at the Ft Lauderdale art museum on Sunday

Saturday February 25
Today is shopping. The guy at West Marine directed us to Seven Seas Marina where we bought a new Suzuki motor. Got that back to the boat and spent cocktail time with the two Canadian couples on the sailboat next to us. Dinner at one of the restaurants on the beach.

Sunday February 26
Today is grocery shopping and winding up a few more chores before we go to the King Tut exhibit. The exhibit was awesome – so amazing that the colors are so vibrant after 3000 years. Amazing to thing that King Tut may have been unknown if his tomb wasn’t found in the 1920s. After the exhibit we walked Las Olas Blvd. – a collection of boutique shops and restaurants. Ate at the Tuscan Grill – excellent food.

Monday February 27
We decided to take the Dinghy to Mark at 84 boat works and have them mount the davits. Spent the rest of the day walking the beach and checking out the shops.

Tuesday February 28
Bakers Haulover inlet , 15 miles, MM1079
Picked up the dinghy and was glad we had the davits put on professionally as they mounted them for correct placement on the boat. Took the car to Sue and Jerry and they came back to the boat to see us off. Told us of a good anchorage about halfway to Miami. We took our time and anchored near the Florida Intl University. Good spot and we even got to try out the dinghy and motor. Works fine.

Wednesday March 1
Miami Beach Marina,$141.24 - most expensive marina ,10 miles, MM1089
We left for Miami Beach and got in around 1:00. Huge marina and our first ocean run. We left the anchorage and went into the ocean via the channel and entered back into Government Cut in Miami.
Spent the afternoon and evening in South Beach. Had fun exploring the beach, shops and had a nice dinner at the Grillfish. Also, I got some Key Lime Pie.
During the evening we saw a huge sailing vessel come in and found out that the world’s best sailors are gathering for a race in Miami this weekend. We were surrounded by these huge, million dollar America’s Cup sail boats along with their young crews.

Thursday March 2, 2006
No Name Harbor, Key Biscayne Bill Baggs state park, 7miles, MM1096
Left Miami Beach behind and cruised to Biscayne Key. Along the way we saw the Port of Miami and cruised by the city itself along with its great skyline. The water was so clear that I was able to see a huge sea turtle swim by the boat.
Anchored in No Name Harbor in Key Biscayne. Very pretty water and nice and calm. Took our dinghy to the dock and walked to the beach near the Lighthouse. Our dinghy is now fully operational!

Friday March 3, 2006
Buttonwood Sound K Largo ,47 miles today, MM1143
Left No Name Harbor behind heading deeper into the Keys. Next stop is Key Largo and an anchorage in Buttonwood Harbor. Not too far out we saw a Coast Guard boat who motioned for us to slow down. We did and then he came closer and motioned for us to stop. He asked if we had been inspected by the Coast Guard recently. Of course, I said no and they decided to come aboard. Who’s to argue with the coast guard? Well, we passed and they were prompt and efficiency. Then we were on our way.
Arrived in our anchorage as the wind started kicking up. The water was not as clear as both Miami and Biscayne. Kind of disappointing. We did take the dinghy to a Tiki Bar nearby and enjoyed watching the boats. Then it was a quick walk to a Walgreen where we got some more wine and beer. Back to the boat and we got soaked on the way back – salt water spray in our faces. Bad night, the wind was awful and the boat and water combined to make awful noises. Hard to sleep, I ended up sleeping in the salon, more in the middle of the boat and a bit quieter.

Saturday March 4
Islamorada anchor, close to Loreli restaurant and stores, 17 miles today,MM1160
Finally decided after much discussion that we would move on. Glad we did because the winds died down and the water became clearer. We had a great trip to Islamorada. Found a good anchorage and settled in. Again a dinghy trip to the Tiki Bar at Loreli’s restaurant. Found out that the restaurant had been damaged during Hurricane Wilma and just opened again a few weeks ago and still isn’t serving food.
The wind started up again but not as bad as yesterday. We came back for stir fry on the boat and settled in for the night. Still windy but not as bad.

Sunday March 5
Like it here in Islamorada so plan to stay for a few days. Nicer weather! Took the dinghy to a huge store called World Wide Sportsman. Had dinner at a restaurant overlooking the water.

Monday March 6
Today is beautiful – warm and calm. Took the dinghy as I wanted to get my hair done. Of course, all salons are closed on Monday. We did see a sight you would only encounter in the Conch Republic – a pink Cadillac came floating by the boat! Check out the pictures. Steak tonight on the boat.

Tuesday March 7, 2006
Windy last night and more predicted today. Decided to stay another day. Found a salon that was open and got my hair cut today. Back to the boat to bask in the sun. Another day in Paradise.

Wednesday March 8
Sunset Cove Key Largo ,17 miles today, MM1142
Decided to pull up anchor and begin our slow cruise north. We thought we’d give Key Largo another try and settled into Sunset Cove. Nice area because there are restaurants, stores and a post office nearby. We rode the dinghy to shore and got some walking in as we ran errands. Snooks is the local bar and restaurant so we enjoyed happy hour and watched the sunset. Quite a crowd for the event.

Thursday March 9
Another day in Key Largo, Snooks has a band tonight so we decided to stay and go out tonight. Went ashore to do some errands, a Walgreen’s is nearby so I put some of my pictures onto CD and used their digital picture maker to get some prints. I actually have started the “Great Loop scrapbook so this will give me more material to work with.
We had a nice dinner at Snooks and enjoyed dancing to the music on their outdoor patio. When we left, we discovered that our brand new out board motor only would operate in reverse. Bummer!

Friday March 10, 2006
Hurricane Harbor ,45 miles today, MM1098
Pulled up anchor and heading for Key Biscayne. We’re passing again through the Everglades National Park. We even saw an eagle in its nest on one of the markers. Also, went under one of the high bridges that lead to the Keys from the mainland. Skipper Bob had recommended Hurricane Harbor, just a tad north so we once again anchored amid million plus dollar homes. Since we couldn’t dinghy other than in reverse, we decided to row but the current was pretty strong and we decided against going too far that way.

March 11 - 23 Miami south to Melbourne

Sue in South Beach
Coming into Miami

Saturday March 11, 2006

Headed out toward Miami. . It was windy and Lois, the dockhand, had some trouble fighting the wind to get us into a slip against the wall. But we settled in and went to the nearby Marriott for a nice dinner at their restaurant overlooking the water.

Sea Isle,Miami 5days, total cost $396.00 , per day$ 79.20,10 miles today, MM1088

Monday March 12, 2006

During the night we discovered a problem with the middle bilge pump. We had water in the bilge and the pump didn’t seem to be working. Jim hand pumped water out and we asked the harbormaster for a mechanic.

A young man came and did find that we needed the bilge pump replaced and he was very efficient in doing so. In the meantime, he found that the source was the water was the stuffing box that needed repacking. He also had a diver check our zincs and found out that we needed new zincs and lo and behold we had crab pot line wrapped around both props. And not the same crab pot line – one was black and one was white. And we thought we had been very very careful about dodging those pesky crab pots!

Tuesday March 13

Osmany came back to put on the zincs and recheck some of the packing. We used our time to wash and clean the boat. Then we decided to find a grocery store – we were told there was a small one less than a mile away. Once we started waling away from the waterfront, the neighborhood great poorer. Not very happy with the “grocery store”, we just kept walking and finally found a Walgreen. The lady told us a large grocery store was six or seven blocks away. By the time we found the Publix store, we had walked 3.5 miles. The good thing was that we were on a bus line and knew that the bus went back toward the marina. So we did some grocery shopping, we had brought a rolling suitcase and a large back pack. We were able to catch the bus right outside the store and ride back almost to the marina. Another successful shopping expedition. In the meantime, we called the store in Ft Lauderdale where we bought the outboard motor and made arrangements to get it repaired at their Stuart store on Friday.

Wednesday March 14

Any idea of leaving today was squelched by the weather. High winds and just nasty. So we hunkered down for another day. More boat cleaning, some reading and scrap booking.

We also called a boat yard near Melbourne to see if they could look at the boat the following Monday to repack the shaft.

Thursday March 15

Not as windy today so we took leave of Sea Isle Marina in Miami. We bid them farewell as they helped us clear the seawall and the huge party ship that was parked across from us. Not an easy challenge.

A good day once we got going and we made pretty good time even considering that we had to wait for numerous “Bascule” bridges to open. Since most of them only open every ½ hour, we wasted lots of time just hanging around the bridges. Now we have another pesky thing – bascule bridges.

Anchored in Lake Boca Raton again across from the ritzy hotel.

MM1047 , 41 miles today

Friday March 16

Got up early today determined to make some time. Another nice day and we anchored in Hobe Sound past Stuart. Jim really liked the anchorage although he was skeptical because there were no sailboats there. In fact, no one else was anchored. We have learned that you look for anchorages where there are other boats and especially sail boaters seem to know the good spots. But a calm night and we were on our way in the morning.

Hobe Sound anchor 51miles today, MM996

Saturday March 18

We wanted to make it to Vero Beach today. Bill and Ruth from Integrity had emailed us and invited us for happy hour if we would be in the area. Vero seemed a good place to stop and after our problems the past few days, we were ready for some friendly faces and support from a fellow boater and looper.

First time mooring. Jim was anxious but we came in early and were the first for the mooring ball. It was calm and we were able to get the line easily and Jim helped me get enough to get it attached. We congratulated ourselves on another first.

Found Ruth and Bill’s boat and left them our card. Then took the shuttle bus to town to the Winn Dixie to get some beer and wine. Who was on the bus back but Bill and Ruth. We told them about our dinghy problem and asked them to come to our boat. Being nice people, they offered to let us use their dinghy for the duration of our stay. Got our groceries in their dinghy and then dragged our dinghy back to the boat.

Ruth and Bill came over later for “happy hour”.

In the meantime another boat came up and rafted with us. Another first for us – fortunately they know what they were doing. They told us they were from the area and did this a lot. Then their friends in a sailboat came and rafted against them. During all this we were messing with the two dinghy’s and told them the story of our outboard motor that only goes in reverse. The guy in the sailboat has the same motor and has a friend with a dealership that sells Suzuki motors. So he proceeds to get his friend on the phone and he worked Jim through the fix. Sure enough it works and we now have an operational dinghy.

Vero Beach mooring ball, 44 miles today,MM952

Sunday March 19

Left Vero around ten and proceeded to Melbourne and Eau Gallie Boat works. There is a basin right across from the boat works which fronts a small park. So we anchored there so we could just motor over there in the morning to have them look at our boat and give us a “”second opinion”.

Eau Gallie ,37 miles, MM916

Monday March 20

Right at eight Jim called the boat works and they said to come over. Sure enough several guys helped us get the boat docked to the wall. By nine, they had determined that the shafts needed repacking. We decided to leave them the boat since they promised we would have it back by the end of the week. Called Dad and asked if all of us could stay with them for a few days. Rented a car and by ten we were all on the way to Clermont. Before we even left, Paul and the others were already starting to work on the boat.

Got into Dad’s early afternoon and spent the evening having a nice dinner and relaxing.

Tuesday March 21

June had brought Tyler down to Jacksonville from Michigan. We talked to Nick and made arrangements to see them today. Drove what seemed like a long way – Dad’s shortcut to Jacksonville took almost three hours. But we made it to Nick’s apartment and got them and went to the zoo. What fun! Tyler loved it; he was so excited to see the animals although his favorite was the alligator. He even chose an alligator when he and Nick rode the carousel. Ended the day by having dinner with them and Leslie and June at Chili’s.

Wednesday March 22

What a treat to have a car and be able to go shopping. Jim and I went to the local Wal-Mart and loaded up on staples items and bulky things. Even went to Kohl’s and bought myself a couple tops. Good day.

Thursday March 23

Dad is program chair for the Lions and he invited us to join him and Joanne for their meeting today. The coordinator of the local Hospice was the speaker. Enjoyed seeing all of Dad’s Lion friends. Always a good group.

Then Joanne and I did some more clothes shopping – a treat to shop with a female friend. Another good day.

Also, found out that our boat would be ready tomorrow .

Friday March 24

Loaded up the animals and headed back to Melbourne. Glad we did since we were boxed in at the dock by a sailboat. So they guys helped us get out of their and we went back to our previous anchoring spot. Kept the car and dinghied back to the Boat Works and went out for dinner that night.

Eau Gallie MM916

March 25 - April 7 Titusville to Hilton Head

Savannah riverfront
Sue in one of the squares in Savannah

Sue and Jim on Sue's birthday in St. Augustine, FL












Saturday March 25
Got the car back this morning and took off for Titusville. Anchored near the bridge and could see the huge NASA building where they construct the space shuttle. While we were cruising we heard from EndTuition, people we had met in Palmetto. They were heading for Daytona to spend the week and see their daughter.
Titusville anchor , 37miles, MM878
Sunday March 26
Headed for Daytona Beach. Another successful anchoring spot. Nick called and said he and Leslie were visiting her daughter and heading back to Jacksonville and would pass Daytona. Se they came to a nearby park and Jim dinghied over to get them. Had some dinner on the boat and they ended up spending the night. Good to have them see the boat.
Daytona Beach anchor , 48 miles, MM830
Monday March 27
We wanted to be in St Augustine Municipal marina but the boat show was being held there. So on Kromer’s website we saw a recommendation for Oyster Creek Marina. Got in there and it was great since it was up the river a bit and pretty calm. Came in and both Pelican and Crazy Horse were there. Rona and Frank from Crazy Horse invited us to join them for happy hour and dinner at Hurricane Patti’s, the restaurant right near the marina. Good time.
Oyster Creek, St Augustine 4night, total cost,$305.79 , per day$ 76.45 , 54 miles today, MM776
Tuesday March 28
My birthday. It was also Leslie’s birthday and so Nick and Leslie drove up and joined us for the day. We went into downtown St Augustine to see the fort, Flagler College and the old historic buildings. They took us to the local Winn Dixie and West Marine. We ordered a part for the dinghy that wouldn’t be in till Thursday so we decided to stay another night.
We had a nice lunch and then dinner at Hurricane Patti’s. They spent the night and left in the morning.
Wednesday march 29
Spent the day doing maintenance on the boat. Did some cleaning, laundry, etc. I wanted a nice dinner so we went into town to the Conch House and had a great dinner. Walked 2.5 miles there and decided to get a cab back. After waiting for 45 minutes we gave up on the cab and walked home.
Thursday March 30
Another day for maintenance. Had trouble getting electricity over the outlets. A guy who lived on a boat near us came over and fixed the problem for us. Nice people.
Walked into town again and then had dinner with some more loopers, Kismet, from Charlevoix, MI. Still no part in from West Marine. We’re giving up on it.
Friday March 31, 2006
Left this morning and headed toward Jacksonville Beach. Went across the St John’s River and anchored there. Recommendation from Dennis who is from the area and was in the boat next to us in St. Augustine.
Ft George river anchor, 41 miles, MM735
Saturday April 1, 2006
Headed out of Florida and now are in Georgia. We crossed the St. Mary’s river and into Cumberland Sound. Along the way we crossed by Kings Bay Submarine Base. No submarines today.
We anchored on the Brickhill River by Plum Orchard Plantation which was one of the Carnegie family estates build in 1898. We took the dinghy to the dock and proceeded to walk the trails headed for the Cumberland National Seashore. I had on a bathing suit, cover up and flip flops on my feet. Not good hiking gear. After walking for about an hour, we gave up and headed back, never finding the Atlantic seashore. So much for a beach day. Wish we had known how far it was, it was pretty to walk the trails but I just wasn’t dressed properly and had blisters on my feet by the time we got back.
New problem, the water pump doesn’t seem to be working right and we struggled to get out enough water to take showers.
Brickhill river 1 anchor, 32 miles, MM703
Sunday April 2, 2006
Left our anchorage and intended to continue up river but it was pretty shallow. We hit bottom softly but enough that Jim turned the boat around and we went back to the ICW the way we came. Went up Jekyll creek. This part of the ICW tends to shoal and you have to be very cautious navigating.
At we went through St Simons sound, we had many, many seagulls following our boat. We think they were escorting Linus to safety from the sea.
Determining that we were out of water, we stopped at Jekyll Harbor Marina for fuel and water. We went to St. Simon Island and anchored near Golden Isle Marina. Took the dinghy to the marina but found that it was at least three miles to town so we passed on the walk. My feet are still too sore.
The fresh water pump is still a problem.
Lanier Island anchor,26miles, MM677
Monday April 3, 2006
We headed out from the anchorage early morning. The weather channel was predicting a storm in the afternoon. Then Jim noticed the oil pressure falling on the port engine. So we turned back and went into Golden Isle Marina for the day and night.
Jim discovered a leak in one of the hoses for the fresh water pump so he corrected that problem. He also fixed the outboard motor again since yesterday it decided to go only in reverse again. Finally late in the afternoon a mechanic came over and determined the oil pressure problem was the result of a faulty switch for the gauge. Sigh of relief, nothing major.
The marina didn’t have a restaurant but made arrangements for their patrons to get a ride into town so we took advantage of this and had dinner and checked out the village of St. Simons.
Golden Isle Marina, 1night $73.50
Tuesday April 4, 2006
This is the first marina that left us a newspaper and two muffins in the morning. Nice touch. We left and are headed toward Thunderbolt Marina and Savannah, GA. We will anchor tonight as we’re making a long run, trying to do almost 60 miles so we can get to Thunderbolt earlier tomorrow.
Big Tom Creek anchor ,64 miles,MM612
Wednesday April 5, 2006
Made it to Thunderbolt today and met a couple more loopers at the marina. Walked into town for some dental wax since I had chipped my tooth.
Thunderbolt, Savannah 2 nights , $133.80, $ 66.90 per day,29 miles, MM583
Thursday April 6
We got up early and walked about ½ miles to the bus stop near Savannah College and caught the 8:30 bus into town. The ride only took about ½ hour and dropped us near the Visitors Center. We purchased tickets for the Old town Trolley tour. Turned out to be a great way to see the city, the tour was narrated and you could get on and off the trolley. We walked along the waterfront that was beautifully renovated since the 80s. Saw another looper boat come up the river and tied up near the Hyatt downtown. We walked over to Paula Deen’s restaurant, Lady and Sons, but they had no reservations left for lunch. So we went back to the City Market area and had a nice lunch. Continuing our trolley tour, we went to one of the old churches and also one of the old homes that was now a museum. After enough walking for the day we caught a bus back to the marina.
Friday April 7
We thought about anchoring near Hilton Head tonight and tomorrow but the NOA predicts thunderstorms. Couldn’t get into the Beaufort marina early so we made reservations at a marina in Hilton Head.
Came in to Hilton Head Harbor and Crazy Horse and Missy B were there. They helped us get in since we had a strong tidal current.
Spent the afternoon lying by the pool and had a good dinner with Crazy Horse and Rosetta.
Hilton Head Harbor 2 nights -$91.50, daily $ 45.75 outstanding restaurant ,26miles, MM557

April 8 - 29 Beaufort SC Cow House Creek

Picture of the Beaufort Rendevous of the America's Great Loop Cruisers Assn.


April 29 and we are anchored in Cow House Creek,MM383, about 25 miles south of Myrtle Beach. We traveled 47 miles today.Did our good deed for the day by towing a small boat with two guys back to a boat dock after they lost a prop.Last night we also anchored in a great spot - April 28th, Five Fathom creek anchored MM430 , traveled 38 miles today. the stars were just fantastic since the night was so clear and no lights were around the area. Bought some fresh shrimp and enjoyed steak and shrimp on the grill. This morning was very windy but it has calmed down now. On to Myrtle Beach tomorrow.While we were in Clemmons, Jeff gave Jim a XM Satellite radio which is now activated and he have lots of great channels with new, weather and music. Thanks Jeff.
April 25-7,2006
April 25, Ashley Marina, cost for three days $ 258.00, cost per day $ 86.00,MM468, traveled 68 miles today
Today we are in Charleston SC. at Ashley Marina Left Beaufort on Tuesday April 24 and cruised down here. Beaufort was a lovely small southern town. We picked up Sneakers from the vet - she really had missed us all - even Linus!!She's being a very lovey cat. See the picture above of the two of them on the flybridge as we headed to Charleston. Charleston is much bigger and the town is lovely with old historic homes. Had She Crab soup for lunch - probably enough fat and calories for the week, but it was good! Storms today so glad we are at Ashley Marina. The week of April 16th, we were in Michigan. It was a fast trip back and we enjoyed spending Easter with Jamie and Jeff and the grandchildren. Our friends, Tami and Dave and Chuck and Cheryl were very accommodating by letting us spend a few days with them. Along the way, we stayed with Amy and Ed and Chris and Sandy. We owe them many thanks for thier hospitality.. We also were able to visit with friends Beth and Cleo and some friends at MESSA. We caught up with our dental, doctor and hair stylist appointments and now are all groomed and cleaned and heading back to Beaufort,SC.
Downtown Beaufort marina, 16 days, cost $588.00, per day cost $ 36.75 ,MM536
Rendezvous 9-Apr-06 21
Drove to Mich 14-Apr-06-23 April
The rendezvous in Beaufort was great. We met up with some friends we’ve made along the way as well as meeting more people doing the loop. The information at the seminars was invaluable since we learned so much about the waters we will be cruising over the next few month. We’ve looking forward to seeing North Carolina, the Chesapeake, New York and Canada. Beaufort in a really neat town, we were very comfortable leaving the boat there while we rented a car to drive to Michigan. We boarded Sneakers at the local vet and brought Linus with us. I updated the pictures on Shutterfly with new pictures of the tides and Beaufort. Check out the series of pictures of the ramp from the floating dock to the shore. These tides are up to 10’ here in Beaufort.

Myrtle Beach SC to Elizabeth City, NC April 29-May 13

Dock Holiday, Myrtle Beach, SC

Su and Jim, "Palmetto Moon" Oriental NC










Fred, the original Rose Buddy greets us in Elizabeth City, NC










May 10, 2006
Bellhaven Dowry Creek Marina, 2 nights, $123., 66 miles today, MM136
Left New Bern on today since the weather was nice and the waters are calm. Jim drove fast and we made good time to Dowry Creek Marina in Belhaven. We were going to anchor tonight but bad storms are predicted tonight and tomorrow. Very nice marina with a pool and courtesy car. The predicted storm never materialized Mary (the owners wife) makes “Beer Can chicken” for pot luck dinners. She is having one tonight. The pot luck was nice, spent time talking to sailboaters who have gone into the Carribbean and Belize. On Thursday we anchored near the mouth of the Alligator River. 54 miles today, MM82

Friday May 12
Free dock, 31 miles today, MM51
we cruised into Elizabeth City, NC. The city maintains a free dock here and has a wonderful tradition of welcoming boating visitors started by Fred Fearing. He is the former postmaster of Elizabeth City and is now 94 years old. The traditional welcome is a rose for each visiting lady and a newspaper (we didn't get the paper, and I think they have stopped doing that part). The small group of volunteers have become the Rose Buddies : Another part of the Rose Buddies welcoming tradition is to host a wine and cheese reception.. We enjoyed the reception and the wonderful hospitality. It’s prom night so we are seeing many young couples, all dressed up, coming down here to the park by the water for pictures. Tommorow we head into the Dismal Swamp and on to Norfolk.
May 9 Oriental, NC
mm 181,Oriental Harbor marina, 1 night $ 73.50 , 24 miles today
We made it to Oriental on Saturday and met up with Su and Jim on Palmetto Moon. Had a nice dinner and did some grocery shopping. They had a car so we also got a tour of Oriental, very boater friendly town. You can see a picture of them with Palmetto Moon, which is currently on the hard in a boatyard there in Oriental.
On Sunday May 10
Sheraton New Bern, 3 nights, $ 183.75 , per day $ 61.25 , 22 miles today
we decided to head for New Bern and we are now at the marina at the Sheraton here in New Bern. It's raining now and has cooled off considerably. We may stay here until the storms pass. Both Crazy Horse and Proctor Anne are also here - going shopping with them on Monday.We did our shopping and met up with them for cocktails later that evening. Another couple on a sailboat came over and then Jim and Lisa from Kismet (Charlevoix MI) joined us. On Tuesday we took a troller tour of New Bern. Very historical with beautiful old homes and churches. The local people here are very proud of their town. We like it here too. We also found a fish market so I bought a pound of fresh shrimp. Yum - shrimp cocktails tonight!
April 28 - May 6
MM468, Ashley Marina,3 nights, $258.00, per day $ 86.00, 68 miles on April 25
I put some pictures on the website as we left Charleston on April 28 of the town and Ft. Sumter. We fueled up in Georgtown SC, the boat Nina was there (replica of Christopher Columbus?s boat- it had been in Palmetto when we were there and we just recently saw it in Beaufort, SC.) That night (MM383,Cow House creek, 47 miles)
anchored at Cow House Creek; it was much protected and very calm. The entire stretch of the Waccamaw River was very pretty and we really enjoyed the scenery. I loaded some pictures of that area. Check out the picture of the house that looks like a boat and also the fishing shanties sitting right on the river near Bucksport. It wasn't as pretty as we got near Myrtle Beach, which is really just a ditch that they affectingly call the "rockpile"






April 29, MM345,Dock Holidays,2 nights - $ 138.00, per night $ 69.00,38 miles
We got into Myrtle Beach and stayed at a marina called Dock Holiday. This is a great marina with several restaurants and entertainment on the premises with a grocery store, CVS, and West Marine nearby. The bar at the marina had a live band and the Raw Bar had a DJ. More dancing at the place with the DJ so we also had dinner there.-excellent . We always enjoy places where we can dance.
On May 2,MM295,Carolina Beach, 50miles today
we anchored at Carolina Beach Lots of beach homes and condos here so it's quite developed.This stretch is very pretty with lots of small barrier island that are all sand. Went through the infamous Lockwood Follys and it was high tide so we had no trouble. It is a very pretty area, not the horror I imagined from reading about it for so long. We also went into Cape Fear which was fairly calm and we encountered our first freighter on the trip (we are now in North Carolina).
On May 3
MM228,Dudely Marina,$33.00, 67 miles
we planned to anchor in a spot that has been highly recommended. However, it's inside of Camp LeJeune and the military had the anchorage closed as they were doing diving there. We were disappointed because it looked pretty and very well protected.; So we cruised on another ten miles to Swansboro, NC and got a slip at Dudley Marina. in Swansboro, NC. This has been the least expensive marina so far, only $33 and they had a courtesy car. We just stayed the night and made hamburgers on the boat.
May 4&5
MM205,Town Creek,2 nights- $ 128.70, per night $ 64.35, 23 miles
We are now at Town Creek Marina in Beaufort NC.; This was the most challenging docking yet. The wind caught us, the fairways were narrow but the dockhands helped a lot getting us in.We have found dockhands to be indispensible people. After settling down from that experience, we took our bikes off and went into the town of Beaufort.; Went through the Maritime Museum (it was free) and walked around the town docks. Met some more loopers from Ohio (Proctor Anne) and found that Missy B (we met them in Hilton Head) were there. We also had a call from Su and Jim on Palmetto Moon in Oriental.; They wanted to meet up with us so since Chris and Sandy can't make it down here this weekend, we called and made arrangements to meet Su and Jim tomorrow. However Friday morning was windy and the sky looked threatening with stormy weather predicted. Decided not to try to get out of here and go to Oriental. It did rain some around noon but not the storms that seemed to be predicted.Maybe we/ll get out of there tomorrow. Stay tuned.

May 15 - 20 Dismal Swamp to PortsmouthVA

US Wisconsin in Norfolk Water Dancer in the Dismal Swamp

May 15 Dismal Swamp to Portsmouth,VA
Left early and headed out to the Dismal Swamp. In 1763, George Washington supervised the digging of the ditch. Today it passes a number of historical sites along the Virginia/North Carolina border. We were dropped 8 feet at the South Mills lock and then spent the night at the North Carolina Welcome Center, rafted up to JJ’s Odyssey. We grilled a nice dinner with Jack and Judy – a delightful evening in pleasant surroundings. We finished the Dismal the next day and cruised into Norfolk, Va. What a change in scenery as we passed battleships and other large commercial vessels.


We came into Tidewater Marina in Portsmouth so we could see our friends, Bob and Judy, of EndTuition. We had met them in Regatta Point in Palmetto since they were next to us from the beginning of January until we left in February. We were docked three boats from End Tuition so we went over to say hi and visit awhile. Judy was leaving for Nags Head with a friend and loaned us her car.
An old fashioned paddleboat was a ferry that crossed from Portsmouth to Norfolk so we went over to Norfolk. A nice mall with a Dillards, Nordstrom, Chico’s etc was over there so we did some shopping and walked around Norfolk. They have a nice riverfront area with sculptures of mermaids, a nice marina and of course the ferry. A very clean nice town. The next day was errand day since we had the use of Judy’s car. We went to the Laundromat and did several loads. Then we headed for Wal-Mart and West Marine. Stopped at Best Buy and a pet store along the way. May 18th we played tourist and walked around the historic area of Portsmouth- just a few blocks from the marina. We then took the ferry to Norfolk and went through the Douglas MacArthur museum and also toured the battleship, USS Wisconsin. That evening we went out with Bob and Judy for a nice dinner in Norfolk. May 19-We enjoyed the Norfolk, Portsmouth area but it was time to say goodbye and head further north. Today it was quite windy and we did get into some 4’ waves coming through the Chesapeake. Fortunately we didn’t have far to go and made it by 2 into Yorktown River Marina.

May 21 - June 2 Yorktown to Eastern side of the Chesapeake

Jim at Solomon's Pier Jim, Judy, Jack and Sue at Yorktown


Week of May 21-28 Yorktown, VA to East side of Chesapeake


Sunday May 21 . The four of us, Sue & Jim and Jack & Judy drove first to Jamestown. 2007 is their anniversary and much construction was going on – a new visitor’s center, etc. It was interesting that it was only 1994 when archeologists discovered where the walls to the town had been. They found many artifacts in the area and now have a museum displaying them. There was an old church still standing and a picture of the how the settlement once looked. Then we moved on to Williamsburg and decided not to buy the ticket for the whole tour – houses, etc. We just bought a bus pass and could walk around the town. We did go to the Kings Tavern and had an “authentic” lunch. The waiters were in costume and the lunch was pretty good. The guides in the town were also all in costume and as we came out of the Tavern, a re-enactment was going on as the colonists discussed England and the upcoming revolution.
Monday May 22 37 miles today, Dozier's Regatta Pointe Marina, Deltaville VA 3 nights $166.95
We discovered that the water heater wasn’t working and it kept discharging water through the overflow pipe. We started off for the marina in Deltaville and arranged for a mechanic to look at it when we got into the marina. As luck would have it, the water heater was working fine when we arrived. He did sell us another overflow valve in case we have this problem again.
May 23 & May 24 were both very windy so it’s just as well that we’re staying here. Jim planned on doing on oil change so we used the courtesy car to go into town for some additional groceries and to the West Marine store. I also went to the local hair salon and had my hair cut. Tonight is American Idol final and the boaters lounge has a big screen TV so we watched it along with a group that is cruising together from the Chesapeake area. Also had a diver come over and check out our zincs. Good thing we did this since one zinc was almost gone and we had crab pot line on the props. Also, watched Travis win American Idol.
Thursday May 25 MM 136, 24 miles today, anchored Cockrell creek
Time to move on; even though it’s still windy it’s now coming from the south so it’s going with us so it’s easier to travel. We got into the anchorage in Reedsville about one and since we are near the town, we went to the Seafood deli and I had a soft shell crab sandwich. Jim had a hamburger that he raved about. Friday and Saturday May 26 &27 We headed toward the Solomon Islands. A Warship 57 called us on the radio to say he was crossing our bow (he is pretty big – we did see him!)
May 26 MM 97, 39 miles today, Solomon, mooring ball $25/night
Arrived at Solomon’s for the Memorial Day weekend. Now this is how one imagines the Chesapeake. Solomon’s is an island and must have a dozen marinas here – lots of boats everywhere. We elected to take a mooring ball at one of the marinas so we could use their dinghy dock, laundry, etc. It was a short walk to the stores and we used the marina’s bikes to do a little grocery shopping. The town is small with a nice pier and river walk. Check out the pictures Sunday we left and headed across the Bay to the eastern shore of Maryland to check out the towns of Cambridge, Oxford and St Michaels. We haven’t seen this many sailboats actually sailing!
Memorial Day Now we are anchored in LeTrappe Creek, MM81, 36 miles today – a very pretty area just south of the town of Cambridge. Since it’s a holiday weekend, there are lots of other boats anchored here. The weather is warm and sunny.
We explored the creek with our dinghy and I went swimming. This is nice so we’ll staying here another day. On Monday most of the boats started leaving so we had a quiet anchorage for the night.
On Tuesday, we moved on to the town of Oxford , MM 81, about 10 miles away. We anchored near the town and took the dingy to town. The guidebook says it’s a quaint town and but also most things are closed. Not much here. We walked around town, went to the post office and took some pictures. Then back to the boat to enjoy the day.
On Wednesday May 31 we just went over toward Knapp’s Narrows and anchored in Duns Cove. Another quiet anchorage. Sailboats seem to come in late; we had the anchorage to ourselves till about 5 when three sailboats came in for the night.
Thursday June 1, on to St Michaels, MM 63, 20 miles today, 1 night $115.25
we went through Knapp’s Narrows and Poplar Island Narrows. Once we got to St Michaels Marina and got settled we walked into town for some groceries. Then we took our bikes off the boat and went to the hardware store that was outside of town a bit. This town is much more “happening”, lots of cute little stores and nice restaurants. Went out to the Crab Claw and had crab legs tonight. Wonderful!
Friday June 2, we moved to the Wye River, which is an area that Bruce (another looper) recommended for nice anchorages. This is a pretty area, some homes but also the island is natural and kept up by the Maryland DNR. We even saw mute swans and a posted sign that said not to kill them. We took a dinghy ride and checked out the area. Stayed here on Saturday since storms are predicted that never materialized. We did enjoy our week on this side of the bay, it’s more like I imaged the Chesapeake to be like – loved the little towns and quiet anchorages. Planning to go back across the Bay on Sunday and next week see Annapolis and then Baltimore

June 4 - 10 Annapolis, Baltimore and Fairlee Creek

Chapel at the Naval Academy



Annapolis

June 4 -10 Annapolis and Baltimore
Annapolis, MM 53, 25 miles today, $25/night
The town is very neat. We used a mooring ball to stay in the city a couple days. We were close to the city docks so we took the dinghy to town and explored the area. The town has a small town feel to it with lots of little bars and restaurants as well as some nice shops. On Monday, we dinghied over and went to the Naval Academy. Enjoyed our visit. The Academy is huge and it’s incredible to see the Navy and Marine cadets in their uniforms. I had spoken to my friend Lin earlier that day and she remembered visiting the Naval Academy chapel when we were 16. She had stayed with my family at a cottage near Aberdeen and we all visited the city. She wondered if the chapel still had blue velvet pews. It did! She has a good memory.
Jim and I then did some shopping and had a truly delicious dinner at an Italian restaurant overlooking the bay.
Tuesday June 6, we headed out to Baltimore City Docks, MM 38, 3 nights $96- about 30 miles away. Our usual routine on a travel day is to leave about 8 am so we can get to our destination in the early afternoon and settle in. It was an easy cruise into the harbor. Baltimore is very neat. We are staying in the inner harbor –right in the heart of everything. This is a big city and they have done a wonderful job with the harbor area. On Wednesday, we saw the Aquarium which is just great. An awesome sight to see, it’s very well done. Bought tickets on the Water Taxi so we’re off to the West Marine and to the Safeway store for groceries. Also, found a Walgreen’s to have our prescriptions filled.
Thursday Su and Jim on Palmetto Moon came in and docked behind us. We had moved to a different dock since Godspeed, a replica of a 1607 sailing vessel that brought the first settles to Jamestown is coming into Baltimore today. What a production, the fire boat sprayed water in the harbor and then the Godspeed sailed in.
On Friday, June 9th - 27 miles, MM38 Fairlee Creek
We went out for breakfast with Jim and Su and then headed out. Got fuel and crossed the Chesapeake. We went across and headed toward our anchorage in the Sassafras River when we heard warnings on the weather station for severe storms and high winds coming our way. Decided to duck into one of the creeks and put down an anchor in Fairlee Creek. Glad we did as about ½ hour later we had bad storms, lightening, winds, and hail. Fortunately our anchor held and the bay we were in was very well protected. Decided just to stay here for the night . Saturday was also very windy so we are just staying here – we took the dinghy and and explored the area. There is a beach nearby with a beach bar and we’re across from a large marina complex with a golf course, hotel and restaurant. A band is playing tonight so we plan on going over for dinner.

New York City June 11-17

Sue looking over the skyline of Manhattan, Water Dancer is at the marina directly behind


















View as we ener New York Harbor



Week of June 11-17 To the Atlantic Ocean and NYC
Sunday the 11- 46 miles, Salem River, MM 54
we said goodbye to the Chesapeake Bay – all those quaint towns and good seafood. We went through the C&D canal and over to Salem River where we anchored in a quiet spot near the town.
Monday June 12 -60 miles, Utschs,Cape May MM 114
Headed out despite some showers. Delaware Bay was very calm and stayed quiet all the way to Cape May. But the showers persisted and we were damp and cold despite having a covered flybridge (which we are very grateful to have) I make reservations at a marina where we could warm up for the night. Three more loopers came in – Freedom, Pelican and Catnip Too.
Tuesday June 13, 2006 -99miles, Island Heights NJ MM14, free dock
Good weather today – it’s calm and the sun is shining. So we’re headed into the Atlantic and will see how far we can make it. We passed Atlantic City about 11:30 and it looked like a fun place to stop. However we’re rather spooked over the tropical storm Alberto in Florida so we’d just as soon get out of this area. And we do want to take advantage of the nice calm ocean. As Jim and I went by Atlantic City, I reminisced about the time my friend Linda and I were there with my family and saw the American Bandstand show. The nice pier and boardwalk that I remember all seem to be gone. Now there are lots of hotels and we saw the Trump tower. We decided to enter the ICW at Barnegat Inlet which was rather tricky. Fortunately we followed in a local fishing boat. You could see lots of shoals and birds walking on water as we followed an S curve into the ICW. We went on for another few miles and entered Tom’s River to find the free town dock in Island Heights, NJ. An older gentleman came by while we were adjusting the lines and talked to Jim and me. We then went into town as Jim wanted to find some red wine. We then came across the same older gentleman and when Jim asked him about a wine store, he invited us to him home and gave us a nice bottle of red wine. Then we settled and became the town’s entertainment for the evening as people stop by and talk to us and we drink our wine from our new friend. Nice town and nice people.
Wednesday July 14- MM151, 86 miles, Newport marina, NYC, 3 nights $360
We are now in New York City - we came in Wednesday afternoon and cruised by the Status of liberty - that was pretty cool, we have pictures of us passing by the lady! Now in a marina across from Manhattan in Newport New Jersey. The PATH train station is a block from here and takes you across to the World Trade Center station - that's pretty eerie, you get off the train and there is still just a hole and construction vehicles. We had dinner in Chinatown on Wednesday which was very good.
On Thursday we went into the city and saw Ground Zero (very moving) and on to Times Square, Greenwich Village and Rockefeller center and then ended up with dinner in Little Italy. On Friday June 16, we slept in as we were exhausted from our New York adventure yesterday. Went over to Newport and to the mall. Visited with Judy and Jack and her son, Jeff, on JJ’s Odyssey. then went into town and had dinner in Chinatown. Same restaurant as Wednesday (we decided to stick with a good thing).
Saturday June 17, 2006-MM117, 34 miles, Haverstraw Bay
we bid farewell to NYC and headed up the Hudson. Went under the George Washington bridge and the Tappen Zee bridge. Currently we are anchored in Haverstraw Bay right near Croton. A very popular place for the locals as lots of boats are anchored near the very nice beach and park here. On our way over here, many loud fast racing boats passed us along with low flying helicopters. Best we could figure was that a boat race was happening and the helicopters had film crew from ESPN or some station. This is a disadvantage of boating without a TV hookup – unless we are at a marina or near a big city, we can’t get TV. We do have XM satellite radio and by cell phone can hook up to the internet but it’s not as convenient as turning on your TV with all the cable stations at your fingertips anytime you want to watch. Next week we plan to continue up the Hudson and spend some time enjoying the area. We should be in Waterford by the weekend and ready to start the Erie Canal.

June 18 -25 Up the Hudson and to the Erie Canal

We visit with FDR and Eleanor at Hyde Park
Highway signs on the waterway
Sue at the Culinary Institute


Up the Hudson River to the Erie Canal


June 17
Left NYC and said farewell to the skyline as we passed through New York City and Yonkers. Anchored tonight in Haverstraw Bay. Took the dingy to Half Moon Marina and walked to a local grocery store that had a great selection of fresh produce. Also, we found the local wine store and a store to buy beer. Lots of locals anchor here and it is a weekend so lots of other boats and activity around here.

The landscape is changing as we cruise up the Hudson. Much more trees although we still see the commuter trains heading back and forth from NYC. We went to Pollepel Island and anchored.

June 19th, 34 miles, MM62 Roundout marina, Kingston NY, 2 nights $190
Went into Kingston Monday June 19 and stayed at Roundout Yacht Basin. We then rented a car and were able to do some grocery shopping. It’s very hot and humid. We even spent some time at their pool for a dip, which felt very good.
On Tuesday June 20 we went to Hyde Park and Culinary Institute of America. Hyde Park was a large estate overlooking the Hudson River. It was a large home but unpretentious and our guide was very knowledgeable about the history of FDR. His library was there as was the gravesite of FDR and Eleanor. It gave you a new appreciation for FDR and the adversities that he dealt with both personally and in guiding our country. Then to the Culinary Institute which used to be a monastery. It’s huge and also on the Hudson River. 2400 students attend the Institute for 1 ½ yrs and 2 more for those going on to get a bachelors degree. We ate in the French restaurant and had a delicious meal. We then left and tried to visit a couple wineries but both were closed today. So just returned the car and settled in for the evening.
June 21, 62 miles, MM O, Wateford, NY free dock
On Wednesday June 21, we left Kingston and went all the way to Waterford today to the free city docks. Could not get in at the floating dock with water and electricity so we ended up on the lock wall for the night. We’re amazed at all the debris in the Hudson – lots of huge logs and branches that one must constantly watch for and avoid.
On Thursday we moved over today to the city dock with water and electricity. A little later Pelican came in and tied up behind us. Got our mail from the post office and did a little shopping.
Still here in Waterford on Friday as the weather forecast is for storms later today. Su and Jim on Palmetto Moon are coming in so we will stay and get to see them.
They did make it later along with Bob and June on Leg race. Got pizza and had a good evening with all of them on Palmetto Moon.
June 24, 23 miles, Lock 8 lock wall
On Saturday June 24, it’s time to leave Waterford and start the Erie Canal. The first five locks must be done all at one so that took 1 ½ and was quite tiring. The locks raise you and some were quite high. You have to grab a line entering the lock and then hold the boat steady as water flows into the lock. After the first five we were ready for a break and it was nearly ½ hour till the next lock. After the 8th lock we tied up on the lock wall for the night.
June 25, 37 miles, Canajaharie NY, free dock
Left early on Suanday and did five more locks today. They are not as high so it was a little less tiring and time consuming. We were anxious about getting a spot at the free dock at Canajaharie but no one was there when we got here at about 2. So we tied up and later Palmetto Moon came in. Of course, until about ½ hour before they came in, no other boats were there. However, it started raining at about 4 and all of a sudden the docks were full. We ended up rafting them next to us.
We then all went into town and had pizza at the local pizza joint. We ate with two couples from a canal boat that they had rented for the week and another couple on a boat called Briney Bug .

June 25-July 12 Flood on the Erie

The EMS Yacht Club at the EMS shelter- Bill,Mae, Wendy, Bob, Su, Jim, Jim, Donna, Sue, Joan, Mary Lou and Gill is at the front




















The flood makes the boats an island onto themselves, June 28


June 25- July 12



June 26, 2006 This is a quick update as I'm using a library computer. I did add pictures to the Shutterfly site so check it out. We cruised down the Hudson River with a stop in Kingston where we rented a car to see the FDR estate, library and gravesite of FDR and Eleanor at Hyde Park. We gained a new appreciation for FDR and Eleanor. We then stopped to to have a wonderful french meal at the Culinary Institute. 2400 students attend the Institute which is in a building that used to be a monastery overlooking the Hudson River. Lots of calories for lunch but delicious.We now are in the Erie Canal. We stayed for a couple days in Waterford NY before we started doing these locks. This is much more active crusing as we need to grab the lines to hold the boat in the lock where we are raised from 11 to 36 feet. We go through over 20 locks before we arrive in Three Rivers where we get the Oswego Canal to go to Lake Ontario. From there we will cross the lake over to Canada.

The Flood of the Century on the Erie Canal
July 1
Before I update you, I want you to know that we are and our boat are safe and secure. As you have heard on the news, record rains have fallen all along the East Coast and flooding followed. A state of emergency has been declared and yesterday, Hillary Clinton was here in Canajaharie to look at the damages. The river has now receded as of today (July 1). But this has truly been an experience of a lifetime. This is how the events unfolded. On Sunday, we arrived at the free dock at Canajoharie, NY on the Erie Canal before lock 14. There are 22 locks on the Erie Canal before we enter the Oswego canal that takes us to Lake Ontario. This is a nice floating dock here at a lovely riverfront park. Later Su and Jim on Palmetto Moon came in and rafted next to us. It started raining at about 4 and at about 6 we all went into town and had dinner at the local pizza place. We came here to see the Winslow Homer and Grandma Moses paintings at the local art museum but it’s not open until Monday. On Monday, we went to the library to use the computers and get on the internet and found out that the Art Museum is closed for the season as its being refurnished. We stopped at the local meat market (and furniture store) and bought some hamburger and steak. Later that evening we grilled some burgers with Jim and Su. It’s still raining. On Tuesday it is still raining so we decide with Su and Jim to go for breakfast at the Village restaurant. Will it ever stop raining? We determine that it’s too wet to try to go through the locks (as you must stand outside and hold the lines) so we’re just stay here another day. We did some shopping at the local stores and went across the bridge to the town of Palatine Bridge (and this is a very small town- the stores are Rite Aid and Dollar General). By the time we got back to the boat in the early afternoon, the river had risen dramatically. This isn’t looking good. We retied the boats and secured the lines. The water keeps rising and we disconnected the power cords as they will soon be under water. With us on the dock are Bob and Wendy on Pelican, Joan and Mary Lou on Catnip Too, Jill on Patience and Bill and Mae on Loon. They organized a watch for tonight. By early evening, we couldn’t get off the boat as the ramps are now under water although the floating dock is okay and above the water. On Wednesday we awoke before six when we heard a bang on the boat. Debris is floating and the current is very strong. Logs, branches and other items are floating by. Now the water is so high, not only can’t we get off the boat but the water is all they way up to the pavilion at the park. I do believe that we will be taken off the boats. Sure enough by 6 am, a jet ski and also a fire dept. water rescue boat are over by our boats telling us we need to leave. So I packed up a bag, it’s hard to know what to take – how long will we be gone, will we ever get back on the boat? So many questions. So I packed up some clothes, my jewelry, toiletries and the computer. Then I needed to be sure that Linus and Sneakers were packed up so they would keep dry and warm. The cardboard box of Sneakers was getting wet, I’m glad Su was able to help out as we were transported to high ground on the sherrif department’s airboat. Joan and Mary Lou each has a cat and Jill has a dog. The Mid County Volunteer Ambulance staff from Palatine Bridge took us back to their command center on their ambulance. We are in a large room with a kitchenette and a bathroom with a shower. we are provided us with towels and blankets. One volunteer brought me a cat carrier for Sneakers. It is difficult to concentrate. We’re worrying about the boats and whether the floating dock will hold. The officials here have concerns about the dam up river breaching. Also they are concerned about the bridge over the river as it’s old and rusty. They expect the river to crest this evening. Now we just keep walking over to check on the boats and are helpless as the river keeps rising. We have visions of our boat being smashed against the rocks further down river. The local news reports that this is the highest water level since 1913. The power was shut off to the town but this center has a generator so we are luckier than most. A group of people evacuated from their homes, and motorists stranded when the interstate was closed are at the local high school. We hear that abut 80 people are there without power. MacDonald’s sent over breakfast for us, Pizza Hut sent lunch and the volunteers made hot dogs and hamburgers for dinner. That evening we slept on cots. Every time someone rolled over and changed positions the cots crinkled. Every time someone goes to the bathroom, the hinges creak. When an emergency call comes in, the speakers are loud and ambulances are loud as the garage doors open and close. Some of the guys got up early and checked on the boats. They report that the water is starting to go down. Hurrah. By Friday, the water keeps receding and we are finally feeling that our boats are safe as the floating dock has held and the six boats are stil firmly secured. The town finally gets power restored and stores open again. Lots of local stores have been sending us food and other supplies. today we were able to get back on the boats to check on everything. We can’t stay on the boats since we don’t have any power or water. Once that gets restored and the area cleaned up a bit, I think we can move out of this shelter. However, when we can actually go anywhere is an open question. Canal authorities have to access the damage to each canal. In order to get to Lake Ontario, we will need to go through locks 14-22 on the Erie Canal. Then anohter eight locks on the Oswego. We are hoping the locks can be operational again but it may take another few weeks (and that may be optimistic). Our permanent address may become Palatine Bridge, NY. Sue, Jim, Linus and Sneakrs

July 12, 2006
I loaded more pictures on the Shutterfly site, and also check out this website for pictures of the flood taken from an airplane. http://www.nielsengraphicdesigns.com/canajoharieflood.htm Well, we are still in Canajoharie, NY at the free dock. The good news is that we are no longer at the EMS emergency shelter but were able to return to our boats yesterday. The canal authorities brought us a generator so we have power to the boats and today we also have water. It’s hard to believe that we have been here eighteen days. with thirteen of those days spent in the emergency shelter. We have made lots of new friends, not only the folks at the Ambulance center but also many of the other locals who have been so kind to us. Even Linus and Sneakers have new friends. Joan, a Canadian woman on the sailboat, Catnip Too, has practically adopted Linus. She’s teaching him new words- Eeh, and carries him around on her shoulder for hours each day. Sneakers stayed in one of the small rooms at the shelter with the two cats from Catnip Too – Toby and Genny. I think Sneakers and Toby are now an item! So we’ll all going to miss our new friends when we get out of here. Eleven of us on six boats stayed at the shelter. We took turns cooking dinners and we all dined together. Even with all the stress, everyone remained good natured and I never heard a harsh word from anyone. We even kept our sense of humor and formed our own yacht club; EMSYC , Evacuated Motor and Sail Yacht Club, our motto is "Don't Flood On Me" The EMS group took us on July 3 to a chicken barbeque and fireworks in nearby Fort Plain (the 4th on the 3rd celebration). They also have been most kind is lending us a car to do errands and also running us around to the local stores and laundramat. From a press release, we learned that “the New York State Canal System experienced record flood levels, forcing the closure of 45 of the Systems 57 locks along 297 miles of the 524 mile waterway during the worst of the flooding. The Director, Carmealla R. Montello said that the Canal System was designed and built to withstand extreme weather events, but the last few days have redefined just what extreme is. “ Fortunately we had already passed Lock 10 in Cranesville, NY. Restoration of the infrastructure at this location is likely to take 2 months. We hear that the Erie Canal will be closed for the season and this is a major blow not only to the Canal Corporation during the height of its summer recreational boating season, but also to the communities that depend on the canal system as an economic engine.This area has been devastated so we understand how very fortunate we are that our boats are safe and sound. From a press realease: “Canal Corporation personnel have been working nonstop throughout the flood and since waters began receding. The most critical task at hand is removing debris from the moveable dams along the Mohawk River so that gates can be lowered into position. In addition, Canal Corporation employees have been assisting boaters aboard the more than 35 boats which remain stranded at various Canal locks and terminal walls.” (that’s us) word is that we will leave on Friday morning.

Canajoharie to Brewerton NY July 12-22

A Erie canal tugboat leads us through the locks - Palmetto Moon and Patience
















The Mid County Ambulance center bids us farewell



July 12 – July 16 2006
Good grief, it’s rained again on Wednesday and again on Saturday. Carmella, the Director of the Canal system, came down to see the boats on Wednesday and she arranged for a large generator since the shore power is still not operational. The water is rushing now and word is that we can’t make our Friday departure as the water is rising and the current is strong. Jim and I got out our bikes and traveled down to the next lock, #15. A boat was in there during the flood and it didn’t fare so well. The canal staff had already removed it- a sorry sight. We saw the barges working on removing all the debris from the dams. Tonight was the Board Meeting of the Mid County Volunteer Ambulance service. Jim Cobb did a nice job of thanking the group and presenting our donation. He even had the press there. On Friday, things are progressing. Jim got our air conditioning to work and made arrangements to get fuel tomorrow at Lock 16. A press conference was held at noon with Carmella Mantilla, Director of the Canal. We will be leaving at nine Saturday. We all had our pictures taken by the press and some were interviewed. The divers made it here in the afternoon and looked at the boat and removed debris. They report that everything looks fine. We all had dinner at the Inn at Palatine Bridge- Jim, the owner, befriended us early on and he wanted to have a farewell dinner for us. Thanks Jim! The tug came for us at 9 am to lead us out. Our friends from the Ambulance shelter arrived early with the sirens running and brought coffee, donuts and gifts for all. Parting is such sweet sorrow! This is slow going but we made it through Lock 17 to Little Falls. We had some rain but it stopped each time we were locking through so we didn’t even get wet. Traveling with two sailboats and with Patience (a very slow trawler) is quite an experience. We are only going about 4 or 5 mph. It’s 3 pm by the time we get to Little Falls which is a lovely stop, they have a wonderful dock and visitor’s center. We will stay here on Sunday and then move some more early next week and hopefully make it to the marina at Brewerton . We did all go to the movies today to see "Pirates of the Carribbean", the cool theatre was great since it is so hot.
With regret we had to cancel our plans for the AGLCA rendezvous’ as it starts today.
July 17- July 22,
Little Falls, NY to Brewerton, NY
We left Little Falls, NY on Monday and cruised all the way to Sylvan Beach. It’s very hot and humid again. We took a walk to the beach and went swimming. The beach is narrow and the water is pretty sandy but it still felt good. There are some cute restaurants and Tiki Bars here on the beach. It’s definitely a throw back to the resort towns of the 50s with an amusement park i.e. Tilt a Whirl, Scrambler, Dodgem cars, Bumper boats.
Catnip came in under tow – the Erie canal tugboat brought her all the way here as she started overheating the first day we left Canajoharie. Catnip is a sailboat owned by two Canadian women, Joan and Mary Lou and they have two cats aboard – Toby and Genny. Sneakers became fast friends with them at the EMS shelter.
We stayed in Sylvan Beach on Tuesday and left on Wednesday to cross Lake Oneida. The same six boats - 11 people, 3 cats, 1 dog and a parakeet- have all been traveling together since we left the EMS shelter at Canajoharie. We were all together at Little Falls, Sylvan Beach and now at Winter Harbor Marina,Brewerton NY. . We have one more lock in the Erie and then we take the Oswego Canal (7 more locks) to Lake Ontario. When we got here on Wednesday the Oswego Canal was closed because of high water. It opened on Friday and several boats that had been waiting here left. However, now there are flood warnings up again so we can only hope that the Oswego Canal is open when we try to leave next week. One more day and then we should be in Canada. Stay tuned as once we get to Canada this website won’t get updated as often since I don’t want to incur roaming charges on my cell phone. We’re update if we get a WiFi connection, otherwise, we’ll be back up when we get to the Great Lakes. Plans are to take 5-7 days to go through the Trent Severn canal and then a few days in the Georgian Bay and another few days in the North Channel.