April 29, 2009

Monday messages? What Monday? I may have to change the name of this missle.... When last we 'spoke', Fred and I were leaving YOUNG AMERICA in Green Cove Springs, FL for boat work, and flying to New York. We said we'd return in April, and we just made it! After doing the taxes--and getting them in early enough that both our checks were in the government coffers by April 15, we returned to YOUNG AMERICA on Thursday, April 16. Spent a couple of days sorting out the yard work (that is boat yard, not raking leaves...) that had been done. YA took another ride in the straps on Friday and we think the pesky prop nut problem that has plagued us is put to rest. (Starboard engine was elevated 1/2", for those among you with the "Knack") Her rail is all rebuilt, just like new, and we were delighted to move back aboard! After spending Saturday afternoon and night at one of our favorite stops, the Jacksonville Landing, (Something is always happening at the Landing! This week was an Earth Day Celebration. Fun.) we decided to go 'outside' and see if we could get to Charleston in 30 hours rather than 5 days. Riding in the Atlantic worked well on Sunday morning and afternoon, but the weather report for Monday was yukky, so we cut back into GA at Brunswick, and let the current push us along the Waterway. And push it did. We were going merrily along at warp speed--8.5-9 mph--occassionally even 10! It was too good to stop, and once again we found ourselves out after dark. This time we were anchoring in the Duplin River in northern GA by the light of the moon. Knute (the anchor) was happy to get his nose wet! Monday and Tuesday were more of same--we just caught the currents and made great time--spent Monday night in Hilton Head, and by 7 pm on Tuesday we were tucked into H-22 at Harborage on Ashley Marina, Charleston, SC. About 300 miles in three twelve hour days. Those currents that push you when underway are great. The same currents when you want to ease the boat gently to a dock can make for a few pretty dicey moments! Happily, Fred is a master, and we had lots of room. The Harborage is called a 'slack water marina', meaning that it is best to come and go when the tide is at rest. At the end of a twelve hour day, you dock the boat regardless! YA is very happy here, as are we! It was time for Mirage Manufacturing's annual seminar in Gainesville. Why does everything happen at once? Wed. a.m. we were at the car rental place early and drove on down. It is always good to hear the latest info about the boat's systems, as well as to meet and greet the other Great Harbor owners. We stayed until noon on Thursday, then headed back to Charleston to be ready to host the Mangelsdorf Family weekend. Actually, we were ready already. Pretty amazing, but true. By 5 p.m. on Friday everyone had arrived, and the Dozen Cousin Mangelsdorf Family Reunion was underway! Fred's unique family (his dad had 7 brothers and 7 sisters) has a long history of family reunions--the Seven Sisters hosted the group about every 4 years! This is the first time no member of their parents' generation was alive, but 3 generations, ranging in age from 10-88, were represented, with families travelling from AZ, GA, IL, IN, MO, NC, NY, PA, SC, TN, and even Hawaii! Embassy Suites in Historic Charleston proved to be an excellent site for the get-together. Fred and I donated the 'living room' of our suite for a history hall, and from the 12' family tree taped to one wall (one whole wall) to the albums, snapshots, books, documents, letters, slides, newspaper articles, prints of the family homestead in Arnim, Germany, and bowls of Macadamia nuts from HI (plain, honey roasted, milk and dark chocolate--YUM) as well as home picked, hand shucked, roasted and sweetened SC pecans, it was a great place to visit. The traffic was terrific--from 5 year old Casey (a Mangelsdorf relative by marriage, not blood) dropping in very early to say good morning, to Paul III phoning at midnite to say it was time for his mom and dad to come 'home'! Charleston smiled on us and the weather was fantastic. We had a wonderful dinner at Magnolia's Restaurant in downtown Charleston Friday evening, and everyone found a seat in the vans that transported us all to and from (except one brave couple who chose to walk home!) Saturday there were plenty of sights to see--the USS YORKTOWN and the HUNLEY, the aquarium, many museums, the Market, carriage rides, bus tours, a YA tour, and an excellent Farmer's Market right outside our door in Marion Square. Following the traditional ES Manager's Reception in the Lobby Saturday evening, we strolled to the hotel's Atrium, where a buffet dinner was set up for us. The setting for group (38 of us) and family photos was beautiful, and we could stay out late--we were already home! Did I mention that this was the Historic District and the hotel was originally the home of the CItadel? Fred was tickled to find a gun port in our room! Sunday morning was filled with farewells. Later in the day, we had an early dinner with son Geoff, and Amy and Peter before they returned to AZ, and then we crashed. Today we ventured out for the first time--went to the Post Office and the grocery store. This Marina has a van shuttle service available, and it was delightful to be transported to and from! Fred has changed the fuel pump on the port engine, and now it seems to start and continue to run, rather than stalling a time or two. I've completed and mailed away the Mortgage Application for the Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Rock Tavern, NY. (Our building burned to the ground in Sept. of '06, and we are about to put the shovels into the ground and begin to build a new home for the Congregation. In a volunteer organization, everyone gets to help!) So it has become Wednesday before a moment was freed up to catch up with the blog. And here we are. Sometime soon we'll head north----Canada and the Great Loop are calling....Thanks for checking in, and we'll talk again! Linda and Fred aboard YOUNG AMERICA Charleston, SC