Hello, you all! Here I am once again playing catch up. The blog serves as a journal for us, so I hope you don’t mind if I ramble on… The cruising saga continues…
Leaving the Cattle Pen Creek, we waited for a huge Ferry bound for Savannah to pass by--the SC section of the waterway feels like a superslab compared to the twists and turns of the Georgia section. Even so, we never cease to be amazed that those big guys wend their way through that maze! I inadvertently deleted the photo of the ferry, as well as several other fabulous shots that I know you would have enjoyed. Now I have a backup thing-y for the computer, and may even use it!
Our cruising destination was Oriental, NC, as it is 1 degree north of the 35 degrees N line established by our new insurance policy as safely out of the hurricane zone. We’d decided to do the trip in +/- 50 mile days, so it was an easy run to Thunderbolt Marina in Savannah. Bless him, Hal the dockmaster, still offers Krispy Kreme donuts in the morning, so of course we (Fred) had to have them. Thunderbolt has a nice walkway into town, and it felt good to get some exercise, and some dinner!
After our extended stay in Hilton Head last year, we sort of expected that ‘the hook’ might reach out and grab us as we passed the entrance to Broad Creek. Didn’t happen, and we went instead to Beaufort. (Byoo-fort) Tied up at the Downtown Marina, and called Klass and Bettie (MOON BEAM). They met us at the boat after we’d walked to the Post Office to mail my AP Exam to the US Power Squadron. (As of this writing date, I now know that my self study worked, and I passed!) It was fun to visit Klass and Bettie’s beautiful home and we all enjoyed a delicious Thai dinner.
Also in Beaufort, we shared the dock with several Loop-ing Boats. Our gold burgee makes us part of the group, and it was fun to visit with the crews and find that we have friends in common.
Friday’s 50 mile run brought us to another anchorage—Tom Point Creek. Our anchor light was out—we’d used the spreader light in Cattle Pen Creek. (For the non-boaters, it is imperative to have a white light showing from all directions on an anchored boat. Helps prevent things that go bump in the night.) Fred hooked up his special pulley system to lower the mast by using the power of the dinghy davit rather than shouldering the mast’s weight, and an hour later the bulb’s contact had been cleaned—an easy fix, for once—and the job was done.
Anchoring is delightful, especially in great weather that doesn’t require running the [noisy] generator for heat or air conditioning. Knute, our Rockna anchor gives us great peace of mind, as he really grabs and holds that muddy bottom. According to the electronics, we travelled over a mile during the night, swinging in our circle with Knute at the center. Pretty amazing.
On Saturday, we blew by (at 7 knots) Charleston. I drove the boat through the harbor, in case you are interested… We stopped and spent Kentucky Derby Day at the Isle of Palms Marina, next door to a party boat that was having a really good time preparing for and watching the race! We’d forgotten it was to be run, and so missed it clean, but we did go for a nice walk around the neighborhood, followed by dinner on the boat accompanied by the singer at the nearby restaurant. It worked just fine!
Next stop, Georgetown, SC where on our evening walk we stopped and watched the 3x/week paper being printed—one of the printers saw us watching, opened the window and gave us a ‘hot off the press” copy of the paper. Next day we paused for a moment at SM 337.9 on the ICW to note the passing of the last pontoon bridge in the Atlantic ICW. A new 65 foot bridge requires no stopping. Evidently the Gulf Coast ICW still has pontoon bridges. One day we’ll check that out, maybe.
Our last stop in SC was the Barefoot Landing in Myrtle Beach. Mark and his non-water dog, Otto, continue to maintain the ¼ mile dock. Loopers that we’d seen in Beaufort were there, so we had the customary---and fun—visit with wine and munchies and the crew of the OLD GROUCH.
Tuesday we went onward through the Rock Pile, which hath no fear for Fred, and on past Lockwood’s Folly (newly dredged) into the Cape Fear River. We had fun staying on the ranges (for the non-boaters, ranges are markers that you align to create a straight line course that gives you a good opportunity to keep the boat in the channel.) We’d planned to stop at Southport Marina where a copy of USA Today is delivered to the boat in the a.m. but got such a push from the wind and current that we blew by (at 8.5kn.) and checked out a new marina at Masonboro. Nice. We’d go there again.
We were in ‘boro mode and it was an easy run to Swansboro. Also a new stop for us, and we strolled the town. Very cute and quaint, and also someplace we’ll re-visit. We were up and out early on Thursday morning—‘hold ‘er, Newt, she’s heading for the barn’. (Unless you’ve been astride a horse that suddenly realized she was heading home, that phrase probably doesn’t compute. I learned how to hang on for dear life at my cousins’ South Dakota farm.)
Cruising is never dull. The inlet from the Atlantic at Morehead was quiet—no major boats moving, but plenty of interesting boats and equipment and people to watch as we moved through Beaufort (Bo-fort) and Morehead City. Through Adam’s Creek, across the Neusse River, and we were north of 35 degrees Latitude, and waaaaay out of the hurricane zone. Yee Hah.
The boat is now parked in Oriental, NC. We’ve rented a car and driven to Green Cove Springs where our Jeep was waiting on the dock next to LAZY DOLPHIN. Had a dee-lish lunch with Barb and Randy, and then drove back to YA. We spent a ‘lay’ day in preparation for the next leg, and on Tuesday and Wednesday drove home to New York. As we passed through VA, we stopped at the Visitor’s Center in the Dismal Swamp, and lo, there was a Mirage N-47! Sha La La is en route to Newport, RI. As usual in the spring, the Swamp Landing was packed and we had to climb over two rafted boats to spend an hour visiting with Jerry and Theresa.
On Friday, daughter Kris Tina received her Bachelor’s Degree from Marist College in a beautiful outside ceremony on the banks of the Hudson River. Amazingly, the rain fell all around but not upon the graduates. It was wonderful. Saturday I flew to Minneapolis for a luncheon reunion with the nurses from Swedish Hospital. Friend Freddie was a ‘golden girl’, that is, she’s a member of the Class of ’61 in 2011. Next year will be, I can’t believe it, my 50th anniversary of graduation. Yikes! It was fun to re-connect with classmates, and nephew Jeff and family came by for a quick visit as well. I’d have been home on Sunday, but for the difugilties of air travel. Spent the night in Detroit, and returned to Newburgh Monday at noon.
While I was in MPLS, Fred took his newly cemented anchors with gallon jug buoys to the Hudson River and messed around in boats with 5 Mid Hudson Power Squadron buddies. The members are preparing for on the water certification, and Fred is preparing to become a certifier. A good time was had by all!
Tuesday, daughter Linda Lee received her MBA degree from Fordham University, in a ceremony held at Avery Fisher Hall in Lincoln Center in Manhattan. The evening was gorgeous, weather wise, and although we sat outside enjoying the City until 4 long lines had formed to enter the auditorium, Fred found us seats that were so close to the stage we almost could have flipped the tassel on Linda’s mortar board as she passed by with diploma in hand. It was a big accomplishment for both graduates and we’re really, really proud of them!
We’ll be in NY for the month of June, and one day I’ll return for another chapter in the saga!
‘till then, be well, and enjoy each precious day!
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