May 31, 2019 Friday Annapolis Yacht Basin, Annapolis, MD to Bohemia River confluence, MD 46.6 nautical miles.
39°29’02.8″N 75°53’37.2″W
39.484100, -75.893662
Elevation: 0 ft Tides: 2 ft
Along the Way
Final morning stroll before heading
out.
Ego Alley
unparalleled (door and siding)
angled in
building support rods
back yards
A final few beautiful Chesapeake
Bay pictures before cross Chesapeake Bay mile 0 first thing tomorrow morning. It
is slowly getting narrower.
camp grounds
mobile home park
hope this guy never sells out
Stalking Loopers
Most of Americas Great Loop Cruising Association (AGLCA) members use a free phone app called Nebo. It allows registered Nebo users to track their cruises and better yet, find each other. AGLCA users are identified with the AGLCA icon and their boat name. Non- AGLCA users are simply displayed as a dot with their boat name.
If there are several boats near each other they are displayed as a single blue dot with a boat count(left side). Zooming in provides info on the boats in the blue dot(right side). Clicking on the boat icon will give you additional info on the boat. (e.g. owner, make, year, size, home port …..). You can also send a text via the Nebo app.
Neighbors
Bummer. We had hoped to meet the Legendary Foster on boat QUO VADIMUS. He is the AGLCA Upper Chesapeake and C&D Canal Harbor Host. He and his wife Susan did the loop a couple years ago. Both Dale and Mary have read his blog. Unfortunately Foster and Susan have commitments out of the marina tonight. ( QUO VADIMUS is in the rightside picture above) There is always the next loop through….
Floccinaucinihilipilification
The next time you think our government works too slowly, ponder this: The 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, giving women the vote, took 42 years for all the states to ratify (1878 – 1920).
38°58’29.5″N 76°29’05.3″W 38.974848, -76.484801 Elevation: 0 ft Tides: 2 ft
Breakfast at Chick and Ruth’s Delly. Pledge of Allegiance is said M-F at 8:30 and 9:30 on Saturday and Sunday. Breakfast was a half-pound jumbo blue crab cakes. They were the best we’ve ever eaten. I’m going to have to stop eating them now because nothing else will ever compare. If you are EVER in Annapolis you must have one at Chick and Ruth’s Delly.
Standing up to say pledge
Along the Way
Off to the Naval Academy
Frat Row? (Officers Quarters)
Naval Academy Chapel
Naval Academy Chapel dome
John Paul Jones crypt in the bottom level of the chapel. He is known as the father of America’s Navy
John Paul Jones. Imagine him standing behind a cannon yelling “I have not yet begun to fight,” in response to a request for his surrender at the Battle of Flamborough Head during the American Revolutionary War.A stone 600 pound cannon ball fired by the Turks from their great guns in the conquest of Constantinople, 1453
US Naval Academy Museum, Preble Hall
English shipwright-modelers built scale models of ships (dock models) from ~1600 to 1830’s . The second floor of the museum had fifty models on display, donated by a private collector. Each model was an incredible work of craftsmanship. It was as overwhelming as the Smithsonian Museums. Zoom in on the pictures to truly enjoy the details!!!!!
know the ropes
cannons
quarter deck
figure head
captains quarters and stern
During the French Revolution and Empire Wars (1793-1815) thousands of French sailors and soldiers were captured and incarcerated in English prisons. Prisoners of war whittled away time carving bones from their meat rations and sticks, putting together models with what every they could find. The prisoners could sell the models at public open fairs in the prison or near by markets. Working singly or in teams they produced decorative boxes, game boards, spinning jennies, guillotines and vessels. With their profits they could by food or clothing from the town merchants.
The first floor had traditional Navy History.
Maryland State House (Capital) and about town
Benjamin Franklin designed the lightening rod at the top of the Maryland State House. It’s still in use.Dale fixing George Washington’s collar before he delivers his resignation. Martha is watching in the upper gallery. This is believed to be the exact spot where Washington stood when he resigned as General of the Continental Army, officially ending the American Revolutionary War.
A capital parking spot
Governors Mansion across the street
Anne’s Parrish established 1602 in Church CircleReynolds Pub established in 1747, directly across the street from St Anne’s Church. George Washington and buddies had a pint here. We had iced tea and Smith Island Cake, 22 layers, the state dessert of Maryland
George Washington and buddies had a pint here. So did we.
We also stopped for a 12 pack on the way home.
Design on box is the Maryland state flag
This is why we are in the marina again tonight instead of on the hook. Taking down the marina flag.
Floccinaucinihilipilification
Annapolis is the oldest state
capitol in continuous legislative use. It once served as the capital of the
fledgling United States in 1783 – 1784 where the Continental Congress would
meet. It is also where the Treaty of Paris was signed.
Four of the 56 signatures found on
the Declaration of Independence came from residents of Annapolis, Maryland:
William Paca, Samuel Chase, Charles Carroll, and Thomas Stone.
John Paul added “Jones” in later life to hide from law enforcement for a killing a man that he claimed was in self-defense.
Nauti Words
Figurehead Origin: An ornamental figure placed on the front of a ship, under the. Originally a religious and/or protective emblem. The custom continued but for purely decorative purposes. Hence the term figurehead – a leader with no real power or function except to ‘look good’ or appeal to a certain group.
Know the ropes It’s a whole different perspective once you looked at the ship models. There are miles of roles in in the rigging. A sailor needed to know the principals for each type of sail. The only way of keeping track of the rope functions was to memorize where each of them went. It took an experienced sailor to “know the ropes”.
Drolleries and Yuks
Downtown restaurant sign.
Show a little leg Mary and turn out! A storm is coming!
May 29, 2019 Wednesday Solomon Island, MD to Annapolis Yacht Basin, Annapolis,
MD 46.2 nautical miles.
38°58’29.5″N 76°29’05.3″W
38.974848, -76.484801
Elevation: 0 ft Tides: 2 ft
Show a little leg Mary and turn out! A storm is coming! Mariners warnings have been issued for the Annapolis area. Severe thunderstorms and possible tornados are predicted for 4PM and 6PM. We called to reserve a slip at the Annapolis Yacht Basin. They said get here by 3PM so there was time to tie-up before the storms hits.
Alright. Alright. We were under way at 8AM…..
Along the Way
The run to Annapolis
Cove Point Lighthouse
Cove Point Lighthouse
Fuel dock
Calm before the storm
Loaded to the waterline
Four anchoring near Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse outside of Annapolis. I wonder how they calculate anchor rode scope.
Annapolis Harbor, Spa Creek
Annapolis skyline
Maryland State House
Naval Academy Chapel
Passenger liner
supply boat
Not to be caught in a storm again we slipped in our marina at 2:30PM. Whew.
Marina gift bags…. for that unexpected overnight guest?
With no storm in sight we bravely ventured out.
Main Street and State House
Alley
marina at end of street
Mary in Maryland hat. The marina in the background is the one we are in.
The 4PM severe weather storm went to the north of Annapolis. The 6PM storm went to the south. Annapolis didn’t get a drop.
Floccinaucinihilipilification
Annapolis, the capital of Maryland was originally called “Providence” when first settled by the Puritans. The owner of the proprietary colony later renamed the city after his wife, “Anne Arundel’s Towne.” Sir Francis Nicholson decided to rename the small seaport Annapolis, in honor of Princess Anne, heir to the throne. The Queen herself declared Annapolis a city in 1708.
Annapolis is the only capital city in America east of the Mississippi River without any rail transportation.
Nauti Words
Show a leg and turn out – wake up (show yourself) and get out of bed Origin: Boatswain’s mate calling the crew up from their hammocks. A leg our of the hammock or sitting up was enough to show him they were awake.
I think we took the wind out of his sail when we passed in the windward side.
Take the wind out of his sails – diminish one’s enthusiasm, excitement, advantage or positive outlook (about something) Origin: Sailing in a manner so as to steal or divert wind from another ship’s sails.
Ponder this
When we are on our boat and a tornado is close, where do we go? The engine room?
May 28, 2019 Tuesday Colonial Beach, VA to Solomon Island, MD 62.9 nautical miles.
38°19’43.5″N 76°27’05.3″W 38.328736, -76.451464 Elevation: 0 ft Tides: 1.5 ft
Some days there ain’t much happening II. It wasn’t inspiring enough yesterday to get the blog post out so I waited until we were underway this morning.
Along the Way
Chicken pox on the Potomac River. Passing through Kettle Bottom Shoals.
We took it on the beam for the better part of the morning in snotty weather. It cleared up and turned hot once we left the Potomac and headed north on the Chesapeake.
Point No Point Lighthouse.
Getting fuel and a pump out was the highlight of the day. Dale has an ongoing challenge fueling the boat without spilling a single drop fuel. He solved the biggest part of the problem a while back when he put a check valve on the fuel lines. The remaining part of the challenge is that some of the fuel nozzles are not standard.
Plastic palm tree at fuel marina
Testing out the new $50 ‘Clean Way Fuel Fill’ adapter. Didn’t work as advertised but the jury is out on whether or not it will work.
The fuel thing. I bet they used a urinal for the prototype. The lip on nozzle tip prevented airflow when inserted into the fuel tank, resulting in a back splash. Dale had to hold the nozzle like this and slowly fill for the entire 135 gallons. 45 minutes later his hands were tired when the tanks were full. Great job. A no spill fill!
Working on yesterdays’ blog. Mary’s little helper landed on her laptop while she was editing the first picture of him.
Hot nights are hot nights. Although we have good insulation in the salon floor above the engine room heat still bleeds through. It takes a while for the engines to cool down after running all day. On really hot nights we run the generator and A/C for about 2 hours to dissipate the heat, then open the windows. This is the second night in a row we had to do this.
Neighbors
We had heard Solomon Island was a fun place to stay, Maybe so. We didn’t even drop the dingy. It’s a cute harbor but there isn’t much to do there except hit the restaurants and bars. Believe it or not the Tobins passed on that.
Canadians
Nauti Words
Snotty weather – Drizzly and grey
Beam – The beam of a ship is its width at the widest point as measured at the ship’s nominal waterline. On the Beam – projected at right-angles from the fore and aft line, outwards from the widest part of ship.
Jim Beam is not a Nauti Word. Sailors are rummys not bourbonites.
May 27, 2019 Monday The Wharf, Potomac
River, Washington, DC to Colonial Beach,
VA 52.8 nautical miles.
38°14’23.6″N 76°57’46.7″W 38.239878, -76.962970 Elevation: 0 ft Tides: 2 ft
We slung the hook and headed back
towards the Chesapeake. Some days there ain’t much happening. We’ve already seen
this section of the river. Nothing new there. Not going to rehash it.
Along the Way
Fair weather daySail Tug PEKING. Unusual style boat. Do you think the rectangular frame is a roll bar?
Neighbor
Colonial Beach is a golf cart kinda
town. Nice to be away from the bustle and noise of The Wharf.
Going in for the kill
Floccinaucinihilipilification
Alexander Graham Bell’s summer home
was in Colonial Beach. Mary and Dale were too dang lazy to drop the dingy and
go see it.
The Gunderson clan always had a
family picnic Memorial Day when Mary was growing up. Someone ALWAYS brought
Jello.
If all the world were Jell-O,
And whipped cream filled the sea,
Then the only spoon from here to the moon
Would have to belong to me
~Jell-O Gelatin Dessert advertising
slogan
Nauti Words Sling your hook – to leave or clear off Origin: Sailors pulling up the anchor before leaving.
May 26, 2019 Sunday Potomac River, Washington,
DC 0 nautical miles.
38°52’49.2″N 77°01’42.9″W
38.880323, -77.028569
Elevation: 0 ft Tides: 1 ft
Living large we cracked open the
slush fund to stay another day.
Along the Way
Scooters to the National Mall. We took advantage of the streets closed in preparation for Rolling Thunder.
7th Street between Jefferson and IndependenceFinal year of the Rolling Thunder DC Memorial Week End ride.(maybe) Rolling Thunder is a United States advocacy group that seeks to bring full accountability for prisoners of war and missing in action service members of all U.S. wars.
We hit 3 Smithsonian. So little time too much to look at. Each room in each gallery in each museum alone is completely overwhelming. Absolutely too much to take in in a single day, but we tried.
National Gallery of Art
Gone Gone – Thomas Charles Farrer The picture is only 16×25 but the detail in it is amazing. You should see her finger nails.Favorite of the Emir – Jean Joseph Benjamin Constant Dale thinks Mary looks like this when we are traveling on the boat.
National Museum of Natural History
Line for the National Museum of Natural History. There were 3 lines all this long. I suspect there are better days to see the Smithsonian Museums than on Memorial Weekend.
We had to hit the ‘Oh WOW’ rooms first – National Gem Collection and the Minerals and Gems Rooms. Then charged on to the other rooms!
Smallest frog skeleton from the 15 or so on display. About 1.5 inches long.
We also got to see an Egyptian mummified snake. Mummified snake? It was right there with the mummified dog and the mummified ox.
National Museum of American History
A chunk of Plymouth Rock.
Rolling Thunder 4 hours later….. still rolling.
Over 4,000 motorcycles turned out for the ride. It really hoses up traffic for a long time.
Woo Woo! We were able to catch up with friends’ daughter Kelly H.
Off to the Main Street Fish Market at the end of the dock. Mary stood in the steaming line while Dale and Kelly went off to buy shrimp and crab. About 45 minutes we finally were at the front of the line only to discover we were in the wrong steaming line. The steaming line for the our seafood wendor was just around the corner to the left!. Ugh. Back to the of a different line. Fortunately this line was short. (Dale is looking down a tube of brown paper table cloth he purchased. Zoom in and you can see his eyeball.)The Feast – Dozen blue crab and 2 pounds of shrimp and bag salad.The Aftermath. All gone. Clean-up was simple. Re-roll the brown paper table cloth and trash it.
We are so glad you stopped by Kelly
H!
Floccinaucinihilipilification
The Capitol building was not
designed by an American. William Thornton was a British doctor. Similarly, the
White House was designed by an Irish architect, James Hoban.
The Smithsonian is named for an Englishman, James Smithson, who never set foot on American soil.
No one can figure out what the Tyrannosaurs Rex’s arms were used for. They are too short to reach it’s mouth.
Nauti Words
Slush fund – an unregulated reserve of money often used for illicit purposes Origin: A slushy slurry of fat was obtained by boiling or scraping the empty salted meat storage barrels. This stuff called “slush” was often sold ashore by the ship’s cook for the benefit of himself or the crew. The money so derived became known as a slush fund.
Overwhelm – strong emotional
feeling that takes over, feeling defeated, being overcome or to describe a
situation that’s ‘too much.
Origin: Old English for capsize or founder.
Middle English for ‘capsizing’ or ‘overturning a
boat’
May 25, 2019 Saturday The Wharf on the Potomac River, Washington, DC 0 nautical miles
38°52’49.2″N 77°01’42.9″W 38.880323, -77.028569 Elevation: 0 ft Tides: 1 ft
Catching up on the blog
Along the Way
First item on the agenda was to hit up a marina store for line and parts to make a new anchor bridle to replace the one that broke in the storm last Thursday.
The guys were great at the Washington Marina Company. They helped us find everything we needed and what they didn’t have told us where to find.
We also got advice on good anchorages and stops, and where to not purchase fuel.
HA the ugliest vodka I ever seen. Actually, it is fuel with water in it from a local marina. The guys at the Washington Marina Store recommended NOT to get fuel there.
The Main Avenue Fish Market is just outside our dock. All kinds of fresh seafood is available in any size and any quantity. Shrimp, crabs, oysters, clams, lobsters, octopus and many, many different kinds of fish.
Main Ave Fish Market 10:00am
People buy their shrimp/crab then take it over to get steamed. The seafood is placed in wooden half-bushel baskets in steamers. When done they are pulled and packaged.
Planes, trains and automobiles. Helicopters, buses, motorcycles, bicycles and scooters. It’s all here at the Wharf. Lots of them! And loud!
We needed to try the scooters. There are about 5 different scooter companies here in DC. You simply download the app and go find a rental scooter.Wilson Memorial pedestrian arch – Dale is in right corner on his scooter.
I wonder what her shirt looks like?
Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
Lunar module. Pop riveted sheets of metal, tin foil and tape.Left: SpaceShipOne was the first non-government jet to fly into space. Piloted by Mike Melvill it blasted just past the Earth’s atmosphere into space June 21, 2004. Right: The Bell X-1 Glamorous Glennis, piloted by Chuck Yeager, was the first plane to break the sound barrier in level flight on October 14, 1947, flying at an altitude of 45,000 ft.Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird. With a clocked speed of some 100 miles per hour faster than its closest competition, along with a personal account of the jet traveling upwards of Mach 3.5, the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird is the fastest jet on the planet — and it’s not even a close race. The speed so fast it wears the paint off it.More people on the mall today than for Trump’s inaugurationBumper Badger for competitive parallel parking
Neighbors
we are on a flight path
Washington Monument in back
Main Ave Fish Market and Thrasher Rum Distillery
Floccinaucinihilipilification
The oldest fish market in the United States is in Washington, D.C. The Maine Avenue Fish Market opened its doors in 1805.
Potomac Distilling Company Thrasher’s Rum is a James Beard Award finalist.
May 24, 2019 Friday Potomac River, Rison, MD to The Wharf on the Potomac River, Washington, DC 26.6 nautical miles.
38°52’49.2″N 77°01’42.9″W 38.880323, -77.028569 Elevation: 0 ft Tides: 1 ft
It was a beautiful, calm overnight.
Not even a ripple across the great river. The alarm clock for the windy went
off at 7:30 am. Wave quickly built. Time to pull anchor and get under way.
Along the Way
Ground Pounders (Army) with a boat – 6 outboards
In the hood (George Washington’s Neighborhood)
Class trip day at Mount Vernon. Look at all the colored shirts
If George Washington really through a silver dollar across the Potomac he either had a really strong arm or it wasn’t here. The Potomac is a just under a mile wide here. It is 8 miles wide where it enters the Chesapeake. Furthermore, why didn’t he just throw a rock?
White Battery at Fort Washington day mark green 79. It’s easy to understand why it was built here. Although the Potomac is quite wide the only water is deep enough for a vessel to pass in right in front of the White Battery…. cannon range
As we rounded the bend in the river we got first glimpse of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge in Alexandria, VA and the Washington Monument in DC.
Two crazies and a young child ….. no life jacket on any of them.Iconic Masonic Temple in Arlington, VA. Think Dan Brown ‘The Lost Symbol’
National Harbor and Aeronautical Smithsonian
National Harbor and Aeronautical Smithsonian
Presidential Plane
Old Town Alexandria, VA
US Naval Research Labratory
The boys out moving around.
DC landscape
Pentagon
National Cathedral on the hilltop
Heading into our marina
Tour boat
War College
The Warf
Dale took the bikes off the boat, oiled them up filled the tires and we were on a bike/walk. We hit all the monuments!
The area was filled with students on class trips. Some of the Mom’s shepherding them looked a little harried.
Martin Luther King
World War II
Korean War
Special Exhibit near Lincoln Memorial
On to the White House
Trump is in (flag is flying)
Front door
‘Protest Park’ across the street
I see you
Top of the W Hotel looking at the top of the White House (Thanks Kelly H. Excellent suggestion.)
Back to the boat through the National Mall
Tree sculpture in National Gallery of Art – free jazz concert
Hirshhorn Museum Sculpture Garden
The movie Forrest Gump was playing on the mall later tonight. Looper Midnight is 9:00 pm so we went back to the boat. And then walked the Warf till true midnight
Neighbors
The Warf
Fire sculpture on the end of a pier
Floccinaucinihilipilification
The sculptor behind the statue in the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial was Chinese artist Master Lei Yixin. He sculpted 80 percent of the artwork in China, had it transported to the U.S., and then finished the rest on site in D.C. It is made out of 59 pieces of Chinese granite. The memorial is one of four monuments on the National Mall dedicated to a non-president.
The familiar home of all presidents in Washington D.C. was known as the “Presidential Palace” until President Theodore Roosevelt started referring to it as the “White House” on presidential stationery in 1901.
There are 35 bathrooms in the White House. If you are counting there are also 132 rooms, 6 levels, 412 doors, 147 windows, 28 fireplaces, 8 staircases, and 3 elevators.
May 23, 2019 Thursday Lake Conoy, Scotland, MD (NW corner of Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay junction) to Potomac River, Rison, MD 69.7 nautical miles.
38°31’47.4″N 77°14’32.8″W 38.529823, -77.242436 Elevation: 0 ft Tides: 1.5 feet
We parted ways with THE BLESSING early this morning. They are on to Annapolis and we decided last night to go to DC.
Along the Way
The earlier explorers and merchant seamen on the Chesapeake Bay must have been true adventurers (or fricking crazy). Water was snotty leaving the anchor.
Bird-fishing polesRagged Point Lighthouse
Bombs away! We went through a Navy active firing range. Instructions were to stay well to the starboard of the yellow buoys as there was a tight range today. We edged forward as instructed.
Range boat
Navy buoy.
Could we get our money back? Only one boom and we didn’t see it because it was further up the river around a bend. 🙁
The Potomac River looks a lot like the Mississippi River in Minnesota with the trees and all.
Entrance to Pope Creek where G. Washington was born.
Sécurité, sécurité, sécurité – all stations, all stations, all stations. There is a mariner weather warning for the Potomac River.
Yup. They were right. The quick moving storm came earlier than projected, before we could get to the protected anchorage we were heading for. Instead we pulled into shore and tossed anchor to wait it out. Half way into the storm our anchor bridle broke releasing 200 feet of anchor rode. Dale tossed on life jacket and raced to the bow. He caught and stopped the free flow of anchor rode just in time before it got to the bitter end. By this time the waves were 4 feet and growing. Mary held the helm steady as she goes so we didn’t get pushed into shore by the punishing waves. It was raining so hard Mary could barely see Dale on the bow of the boat.
waves building
Put the camera down!!!!
Stuff got tossed around
After the storm
Quatico, VA (home of the FBI)Our anchorageDale bought a 7 day Maryland fishing license. It is good for the entire Chesapeake Bay (and the Potomac River)
Floccinaucinihilipilification
Legend has it that Captain John Smith named the Potomac River from an Indian word meaning “where tribute is brought”.
Usually rivers between states are owned equally by both states. Not true with the Potomac. Maryland owns the Potomac River up to DC. Virginia’s ownership begins at the high tide line. DC owns the river above the Woodrow Wilson Bridge.
Nauti Words Edge Forward Origin: Inch-by-inch progress, First used in the 17th century, referring to slow advance by means of repeated small tacking movements.
Steady as she goes Origin: Instruction from the captain to the helmsman of a ship, to keep the ship heading steadily on the same course regardless of gusts of wind or cross-currents.
Bitter end Origin: A bitt is a post fastened in the deck of a ship, for fastening cables and ropes. When a rope is played out to the bitter end, it means there is no more rope to be used.
May 22, 2019 Wednesday Hampton River Cedar Point, Hampton, VA to Lake Conoy, Scotland, MD (NW corner of Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay junction) 71.3 nautical miles.
383’09.6″N 76°19’44.4″W
38.052670, -76.329005
Elevation: 0 ft Tides: 2.0 feet
This explains why it took 6 attempts to set the anchor last night. It felt like we were dropping it on concrete. I must have been an oyster bed. Once we got into the mud we had a solid set.
Along the Way
Another BIG water day.
Battle grounds of the Monitor and the Merrimack. Is battle ground the correct term for a battle on the water? Battle field didn’t seem correct either.THE BLESSING takes a wave.
It’s definitely a better day coming out into the Chesapeake today than yesterday. But it was still seriously lumpy. It calmed down 6 miles out once we were away from the James River and Chesapeake Bay junction.
Fort Monroe – Check it out on Google Maps. It has a moat around it. 37°00’14.4″N 76°18’22.9″W 37.003991, -76.306360 Fly bys
Advanced Piloting
Mary at the wheel
Not to be out done, Dale using auto pilot.
Preparing noon meal (fish)Smith Point Lighthouse (as in Captain John Smith and Pocahontas) – White flashing light, period of 10 seconds, range 15 miles.Fort Lincoln at Point Lookout – north west intersection of Potomac River and Chesapeake BayTHE BLESSING scouting out depths in the Lake Conoy anchorage before we enter. Don’t want two boats in a tight spot.
Floccinaucinihilipilification
In 2005 Smith Point Light went up for auction under the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act, and was purchased for $170,000 by David McNally, a builder from Winona, Minnesota. The light remains in service as an active aid to navigation.
Ponder this
How much deeper would the ocean be if sponges didn’t grow in it?
May 21, 2019 Tuesday Great Dismal
Swamp State Park, South Mills, NC to Hampton River Cedar Point, Hampton, VA 42.9 nautical miles.
37°01’07.8″N 76°20’25.3″W 37.018826, -76.340350 Elevation: 0 ft
Mary went through her 3rd
set of clothing by 8:30 am, 4th if you counted her nightie. First
change ready for the day, second change needed warmer clothing, third change
COFFEE SPILL.
Preparing to un-raftOn our way. Following THE BLESSING
Along the Way
Canal to Drummond Lake, a big lake in the middle of the swamp.
Private ferry
Private roller bridge for a farm
Kudzu
A road runs along parts of the swamp. There is a RV camp ground in the distance on the left.
Opportunity presented it self at the Deep Creek Bridge and Lock. We rafted to the town dock and made a grocery run (well, walk).
Just like the South Mills Lock on the south side the swamp there is a lift bridge and then a lock. The lock master first opened the bridge then drove down to manage the lock. Great Lock Master! He collects conch shells from boaters passing through to line the walkway of the lock station. I wish I had an extra to give him.
rearview Deep Creek Bridge
hooking
secured for the 8 foot lock
conch shells and palm trees!
Back to civilization
Navy emergency housing boats
Semper fortis (Latin: Always strong) is the unofficial motto of the United States Navy.
Fore
Aft
refurbishingRefurbished ship shake down cruise. Zoom out the picture to see the civilians on boardWelcome to Norfolk! This building is at Mile 0 of the Atlantic Intercoastal Waterway.
pushing water. lots of it.
AWAC (airborne warning and control system) Air Force command plane
Mini air craft carriers and the hospital ship
The entry to Chesapeake Bay is guarded by two forts
Fort Monroe
Fort Wool
We didn’t get too far into the Chesapeake Bay before we decide the waves were a little more than we wanted. Heading into them wasn’t too bad but we’d be taking it on the beam for the next 2 hours. We turned around and found a sheltered anchorage in Hampton and dingyed in with THE BLESSING to see the town of Hampton.
at the dingy dock. loved the name.
lots of mural walls in the old section of town
Cig butt is wedged between the bricks. I’m sure Goodie 2 Screws would have pulled it out. Mary didn’t.
Dang it was a cool evening. Both the Canadians and the Minnesotans had their sweatshirts and jackets on.
Neighbors
We are anchored along Hampton University.
Hampton University. The clock tower chimes every hour.
Floccinaucinihilipilification
The Battle of the Monitor and the Merrimack is also called the Battle of Hampton Roads. It was fought over two days, March 8–9, 1862, in Hampton Roads, a roadstead in Virginia where the Elizabeth and Nansemond rivers meet the James River just before it enters Chesapeake Bay. The first meeting in combat of ironclad warships happened less than a mile from our anchorage.
Nauti Words
Leeway
Leeway Origin: The weather side of a ship is the side from which the wind is blowing. The lee side is the side of the ship sheltered from the wind. A lee shore is a shore that is downwind of a ship. If a ship does not have enough “leeway” it is in danger of being driven onto the shore.
Hulk/hulking
One hulk of a ship. A large and unwieldy ship of simple construction and dubious seaworthiness. On shore, it means big and clumsy.
Keel over
The middle section of the building at mile 0 of the Atlantic Intercoastal waterway resembles a keeled over boat. Keel over: to fall over, also a sailor’s term for dying Origin: When the boat’s keel comes out of the water it is very likely to capsize.
Ponder this
Where did the name Department of Interior come from when
they are in charge of everything outdoors?
May 20, 2019 Monday Elizabeth City,
NC to Great Dismal Swamp State Park, South Mills, NC 21.6 nautical miles.
36°30’24.5″N 76°21’21.4″W
36.506807, -76.355956
Elevation: 0 ft
Along the Way
Elizabeth City double lift bridge
Picking up our friends Jay and Barb on THE BLESSING (white boat)
Goat Island (probably the 8th we’ve seen)
cool swamp grass
We heard lots of birds but didn’t see many
Lots of dead heads (logs), some with turtle. The water was too stained to determine their size. You could only see a depth of 4-5 inches. I think they were all pretty big. Put a hole in your boat big. Cleopatra
Bringing home breakfast
do you see the eaglet head above the branches?
Entering into the 21 mile long Washington Canal through the Great Dismal Swamp.
Mannequin on dock!
Waiting for South Mills Lock to open
Stout beer colored water.
One the lock was re-opened the lock master quickly drove down to the lift bridge and opened it.
Reflections in the water
Great Dismal Swamp Visitor Center
Crossing bridge to visitor center. Jay Barbara Dale MaryOur boats are rafted furthest back. THE BLESSING on the portside and YES DEAR on the starboard. (you can see The Mooch (grey dingy) on top of YES DEAR.
Visitor center displays
Can you guess whose poop this is? The one on the far left is bear.
playing possum
zebra swallow tail
Neighbors
Cooling off in the shade. Nancy and Bill on FALKOR, Shelia and ED on FLOATING DEBT, Jay and Barb on THE BLESSINGGood night to the THE BLESSING rafted along side us.
Floccinaucinihilipilification
The Great Dismal was called “great,” possibly because of its size and “dismal” because that was a common term at the time for a swamp or morass.
Drain the Swamp! Not a new idea…. In 1793 George Washington proposed draining the swamp and harvesting the timber (cypress for ship building and cedar for shingles) then farming the land. He and other prominent business man bought 40,000 acres of swamp land and began to drain the swamp. Washington first supervised the digging from the swamp to Drummond Lake (primarily slave labor). The canal through the Great Dismal was completed in 1805 and is known as the Washington cut.
Do you think George Washing rode his white horse down here?
Nauti Words
Shiver me timbers Origin: One meaning of shiver, which is now largely forgotten, is ‘to break into pieces’. So, the sailor’s oath shiver my timbers, is synonymous with let my boat breaks into pieces. The question is whether any real sailor used the term or whether it was just a literary invention.
**Robert Louis Stevenson Treasure Island, 1883: “Well, he [Old Pew] is dead now and under hatches; but for two year before that, shiver my timbers, the man was starving!” **Frederick Marryat’s Jacob Faithful, 1834:”I won’t thrash you Tom. Shiver my timbers if I do.” **James Froude’s Caesar; a sketch, 1879:”As he crossed the hall, his statue fell, and shivered on the stones.”
May 18, 2019 Sunday Alligator
River, NC to Elizabeth City, NC 44.0 nautical miles.
36°17’53.7″N 76°13’06.7″W
36.298252, -76.218521
Elevation: 0 ft
Along the Way
Sunrise over the crab trapsInto the fog bank. Safety Jill (Mary) made sure the navigation lights and radar were on.
Seaman’s eye
Radar – the 2 dots at the top of the inside circle are the day mark and the sailboat in the above picture. The inside ring is .5 mile radius
The Albemarle Sound was 11 miles wide where we crossed it.
For a brief time in the middle of the Albemarle Sound we were all at sea. Just us, the sea gulls and the crab traps. Oh yea, the bugs too. The fog and haze obscured all visibility of shore.
Dragon flies and damsel files.
Ichy bugs. Thousands of them. They squish not swish.
Dirigible hanger and small dirigible near Elizabeth City
Elizabeth City thru a party for us right in the middle of town.
The Coast Guard had brought a ship into the harbor for the festival and were giving tours. We boarded the Coasties!The tour on the Bluefin so interesting they had to practically had to kick us off the boat. (love the emblem)The raft is driven into a chute in the back of the boat. We also got to see a 55 caliber gun, the helm and the galley/mess hall. Surprisingly there is no captain’s wheel in the helm. The boat is completely piloted using the auto knob. The lunch cooking in the galley made my stomach growl. Smelled good. Crew of 12. Impressive.LOL Recruiting young. Festival Coast Guard helicopter ride across from the Coast Guard boat.
Ketchup Kyle and Mary
It was hot so naturally Dale needed to find the Ghost Harbor brewery. Melissa, Jaron, Ryley, Doug and Ben stopped in after their shift on the Bluefin. We had a lot of fun and played Jenga (not easy to play that on a boat)
Upon goodbyes we were privileged to have been gifted a beautiful Bluefin coin designed by the wildlife artist Guy Harvey. Thank you ever so much. I am so glad we were able to spend time and visit with you.
Needing exercise we took the long way home and walked around the town.
Good Night
Party’s over. Time to put the ice cream cone away. I’d like to see this driving down the street.
Floccinaucinihilipilification
Oscar Mayer has 6 hot dog vehicles. They hire first year out college graduates for a period of one year to drive the weeny wagons. So far Ketchup Kyle has driven to 42 states!
Nauti Words
All at sea: In a state of confusion and disorder. Origin: It dates from the days of sail when accurate navigational aids weren’t available. Any ship that was out of sight of land was in an uncertain position and in danger of becoming lost.
May 18, 2019 Saturday Oriental
Marina, Oriental, NC to Alligator River, NC 73.6 nautical miles.
35°39’01.4″N 76°02’21.0″W 35.650376, -76.039173 Elevation: 0 ft
Geography check. Today’s route.
Along the Way
USCG Station Hobucken. Nice duty if you can get it!Evil on the left. Good on the right. The water in the canal was really squirrely when the bottom looks like this. Confused current.
Big water going into Pamlico Sound
Now where???????
This way
Bypass the bombing range
Relegated to taking pictures of seagulls…..
The 21 mile Alligator River-Pungo River Canal was completed in 1928. It was the last remaining link of the 1,090 Atlantic ICW. Nice to have autopilot
turtle
kids swimming!
kudzu creatures
duck blinds
Neighbors
Whoa! They have a different kind of horsefly here. Bigger. About the size of the tip of Mary’s thumb. They followed us to the lower helm hot chase.
top
bottom
Good Night
Floccinaucinihilipilification
Whoa! The 1 and 3/16 mile Preakness Race, second leg of the Triple Crown, length of track was run today. It is 3/16 longer than the Kentucky Derby. War of Will took top honors.
From the Horse’s Mouth – getting information directly from the most reliable source Origin: From the 1900s, when buyers determined a horse’s age by examining its teeth. It’s also why you shouldn’t “look a gift horse in the mouth,” as inspecting a gift is considered bad etiquette.
Nauti Words
Hot Chase – Chasing or pursuing someone or something very closely or with great energy or zeal. Origin: A principle of naval warfare, though without basis in law, that allowed a fleeing enemy to be followed into neutral waters and captured there if the chase had begun in international waters. The term hot pursuit or hot chase derives from this ‘principle’.
May 17, 2019 Friday Topsail Sound,
Surf City, NC to Oriental Marina, Oriental,
NC 79.9 nautical miles.
35°01’29.0″N 76°41’43.2″
W35.024715, -76.695324
Elevation: 0 ft Tide: n/a but I wonder
I did it! No houses. No docks. No
boats. Now if I only had this much self-control over my diet…..
Along the Way
Atlantic ICW follows closely along
the Atlantic coast in this section.
We could hear the baby sea hawks whistling as we went by. Earlier today we saw a sea hawk carrying a large squirming rat from his talons drop to the water in attempt to drown it. I suppose you don’t want to bring a live one home and let it go in your nest.
First base
First Base (first military base of the day)
Old military helicopter (no props)
The Marine Corps mans the 7-foot clearance swing bridge at Army base. It opens every half hour to let boat traffic through. You must be there exactly at the appointed time as the bridge will not wait or hold for you. We waited exactly 13 minutes.
Targets and target practice.
Campy ICW dirt marinas along the Atlantic coast and ICW.
Atlantic. Campround jusst west of the high rises
ICW
Just pretty
We broke the bank today! We entered the Outer Banks waterways.
Majuro??? Where do you think this is? (Marshal Islands)
The above picture is a ship. Mary took the picture. Dale took the below boat pictures.
forth sunk shrimp boat in 4 days
plowing waves
Sanding Water Shoals
Mary’s Rant of the Day since she can’t write about houses, boats
and docks.
Georgia and the Carolinas have a
bad reputation for having an insufficient number of ATONs (Aids to Navigation).
I disagree with that sentiment. If Georgia
and the Carolinas put of all the necessary ATONs it would be like having a picket fence on both sides the
waterway.
Read your charts!!!! A good pilot should always follow the charted channels, magenta lines while monitoring ATONs, water depth and seaman’s eye. ATONs are one tool in the tool kit. The thing about Georgia and the Carolinas is that you need to actively use the whole tool kit. If you are following charted channels and magenta lines you will quickly learn to pass close to the ATON and not wander more than 20 feet away. Other areas of the ICW do not twist and turn with varied depth the like this area does so fewer ATONs are needed to fully mark the waterway. Don’t blame Georgia and the Carolinas for you being an inattentive pilot
Neighbors
Coming into this marina took a great deal of sphincter control. The slip we are in is 10 inches wider than our boat. The slip is 15 feet and our beam is 14.2. We couldn’t make the first slip due to the heavy current and wind. The depth finder had the little 0 depth lines displayed on it. Skinny muddy water …. We are lucky we are in here without and incident. The boat to our left came in with only a single engine. The harbor master warned us and we put defensive fenders on the port side of our boat. Good thing. La Buono Vita used every one of them. No damage to Yes Dear.
Neighbors. The marina should have never put a boat our size in this slip location as both the slip and alley were too tight. Especially under a heavy cross wind. What you don’t see in this picture is the cement sea wall just to the left of our boat that added bounce back waves into this mix.
Oriental is supposed to have oriental dragons around town. We didn’t find much. Maybe we should have taken a longer walk.
There was a Game of Thrones Dothraki in the restaurant.
Commercial boats were just up wind to our slip. Ahhh the faint smell of dead shrimp was in the air.
BTW. Sorry I said those things while we were docking 😉
Floccinaucinihilipilification
Have you seen those black and white oval bumper stickers that say “OBX?” They’re referring to the Outer Banks. The Outer Banks is a 200-mile-long string of barrier islands and spits off the coast of North Carolina and southeastern Virginia. The Wright brothers’ first flight in a controlled, powered, heavier-than-air vehicle took place on the Outer Banks on December 17, 1903, at Kill Devil Hills near the seafront town of Kitty Hawk on Bodie Island.
Nauti Words
Shape up or ship out Origin: This expression originated in the 1940s, during World War II, as a threat that if one didn’t behave in an appropriate military manner one would be sent overseas to a combat zone.
May 16, 2019 Thursday Little River
Inlet, NC (barely) to Topsail Sound, Surf
City, NC 73.1 nautical miles.
34°23’38.6″N 77°35’49.7″W
34.394062, -77.597124
Elevation: 0 ft Tide: 2.5 ft
Along the Way
Myrtle Beach – from our anchorage
Cape Fear (Go watch the movie. It was a good one.)
Oak Island Lighthouse at Cape Fear
There is a reason they call this Cape Fear and Cape Fear River. The Atlantic ICW enters into the Cape Fear River at the inlet across from Bald Head Island. The water was really treacherous. This was on a calm day.
Entering the Cape Fear River from the ICW we suddenly spun 90 degrees and dropped speed to 0 kts. Mary, at the helm, was taken aback in all the current and churn. She pushed the engines to 2000 rpm bringing speed to a whopping 4.2 kts (which typically is 10 kts). We ducked behind a boat entering through the Cape Fear inlet. The boat appeared familiar with the water so we followed him all the way through.
Cape Fear River Naval Base – Fleet is out
Beaches and Inlets
Boats
Look where the motor is
School must have been let out. 33 came whizzing by.
One of the many small marinas
Oopsies. Should have dropped the antenna for the bridge. I hate oopsies.
Houses
Dock is the top of an old boat
1st place skinniest house
alternative living
Copper dome in progress
This house has a face!
Widows Walks and Sun Spots
Neighbors
Clam Farm
Harrier (we are on a flight path)
Floccinaucinihilipilification
From 1784 to 1796, there was a colonial state called Franklin added to the original 13. It was the western portion of North Carolina, ceded to the government to pay off the state’s Revolutionary War debt. Franklin eventually became the state of Tennessee.
Nauti Words
Taken aback – surprised or shocked by it and you cannot respond at once Origin: Dangerous situation where the wind is on the wrong side of the sails pressing them back against the mast and forcing the ship astern. Most often this was caused by an inattentive helmsman who had allowed the ship to head up into the wind.
May 15, 2019 Wednesday Harbor Marina, Georgetown, SC to Little River Inlet, NC (barely) 59.4 nautical miles.
33°51’18.3″N 78°32’35.2″W 33.855090, -78.543108 Elevation: 0 ft Tide: 5 ft
Breakfast of Champions. White bread. You buy what you can find.
Leaving Georgetown Marina
Along the Way
The landscape was different today than the past couple and no horse flies. We started the day heading upstream on the Waccamaw River (freshwater, no salt marshes). The Atlantic ICW then took us through brackish transitional water into canals and natural salt marsh waterway.
Waccamaw River
golf course
anchorage
nesting seahawk
spring leaves and optimism of new growth around bases of trees
Backside of The Grand Strand . The Grand Strand consists of more than 60 miles along an essentially around the Little River, SC and Winyah Bay (Georgetown), SC. Myrtle Beach is one of gems in the Grand Strand.
Houses along the way (I keep telling myself NO MORE)
new construction
affordable living
Go with the Italy look and the Florida look?
New housing development. Look there’s room for one more!
OMG
the blue is a terraced infinity pool
OMG
dugout private mini-marina
PARTY ON!!!!!
I always knew there were poor people in the world. Really poor people and lots of them. I never knew there were so many rich people in the world, really rich people.
Local Establishments
Lulu’s Myrtle Beach (we didn’t stop)
Myrtle Beach Bike Week Spring Rally
Seeing Double
Seeing Double
Casino boats
Fairway and clubhouse
Neighbors
We took our chances on the
anchorage. It is just off the Little River Inlet, NC. Wind off the Atlantic is coming
straight at us at 8 kts. If it picks up overnight we’re pooped. The anchorage is
wide open to the elements, but pretty.
Floccinaucinihilipilification
‘Where the Crawdads Sing’ is the #1 Best Seller in the New York Times. It takes place in Barkley Cove, a fictional town in North Carolina. Barkley Cove is located near a large saltwater marshland. Tobin Review: The book has the markings of a #1 best seller but isn’t quite there yet. Crawdads can’t sing but they can produce sound in and out of the water. They produce sounds through their scaphognathite, a thin appendage that draws water through the gill cavity.
Nauti Words
Pooped Origin: In naval architecture, a poop deck is the rearmost, highest deck of a sailing ship. The name originates from the French word for stern, la poupe, from Latin puppis. If a ship were unlucky enough to be overtaken by a massive, breaking sea which drenched her from astern, she was said to have been “pooped.”
The sea and shore uses of the word
aren’t that different: in both cases, you’re washed out.
May 14, 2019 Tuesday Wadmalaw
Island, SC to Harbor Marina, Georgetown, SC 71.3 nautical
miles.
33°21’51.9″N 79°16’56.1″W 33.364414, -79.282244 Elevation: 0 ft Tide: 7.4 ft
Will you still need me? Will you still feed me when I’m 63? Another successful trip around the sun for Mary.
Along the Way
We are still pushing our way through vast salt swamps with occasional signs of human life and towns. Once again we had to retreat to the lower helm to pilot because of the horse flies. I’m a little surprised at all the dolphins and crab traps we see along the entire Atlantic ICW.
Coasties fixing ATONs (Aids to Navigation). There are 6 people in this boat. How many Coasties does it take to …..Canal – our speed bumped up 4 kts ( 8->12 kts) through this short passage. Love the palm trees on the left.Attack of the seagulls. They were fighting for the small fish churned up by our props. One barely missed coming through our open upper helm window. Stupid birds.
Charleston – Home of the Charleston Chew. It’s definitely different seeing Charleston by sea. Last time we saw it, we saw it land.
Fort Sumpter – notable for two Civil War battles. Attack was either buy sea or across the open sand spit to the fort.
Dredging – We went through several sections of waterway today that badly needed dredging. We bottomed out and plowed mud a couple of times even at mid to high tide. The sailboat in the below picture is glued to the bottom with a draft of 4.3. We made it through at 3.6.
dredged stuff piled along the edge
Houses
apartments
If there were gold medals for Olympic dock building these two would be gold medal contenders.
Surveillance – dilapidated observation towers
lighthouse
Look at me. Look at me. LOOK AT ME! How can you NOT see me? I am 45 feet long, 17 feet high, 14 feet wide and 40 feet off your bow!!!!! We had our third near miss today from an inattentive skipper.
Neighbors
We tried anchoring in Georgetown harbor three times before we gave up and went into a marina. There are a lot of derelict boats anchored in this snug little harbor. We could get the anchor to stick no problem but with the scope required and the current swing we were only in 1 fathom of water at high tide. If we stayed on the hooked we’d have bottomed out at low tide due to the 4 foot tide.
Nice toys.150 horse jetski engine put into a dingy ($35k new, used $15k)Docktails with newbie Loopers Suchen and Gerry (SWAN SONG), old friends Loopers Sandy and Kevin(KOASTAL KARMA). This was Suchen and Gerry’s first docktail. We had traveled with KOASTAL KARMA down the rivers last fall and hung out with them during our stay at Dog River, AL.
Floccinaucinihilipilification
Georgia peach? South Carolina produces more peaches than Georgia does.
Actually the Charleston Chew was named for the Charleston dance. The Charleston is a dance named for the harbor city of Charleston, SC.
Nauti Words
Fathom/Fathom that – to figure something out, fathom it or get to the bottom of it. Origin: A nautical measure equal to six feet, used to measure the depth of water at sea. The word was also as a verb to measure, “to fathom” something.
May 13, 2019 Monday Blackbeard
Creek, Fancy Hall, GA to Wadmalaw Island, SC 107.7nautical miles.
32°42’28.3″N 80°10’40.1″W
32.707873, -80.177804
Elevation: 0 ft Tide: 7.4 ft
Muggy weather. When we awoke dew was over all the hard surfaces inside the salon and galley.
Along the Way
Anchors aweigh at 7:00 am we timed our departure to get to Hell Gate at exactly high slack tide. At about 8:30 am the horse flies started buzzing through the upper helm like storm troopers. Dale defended the aft helm and Mary the fore. I wonder how many calories were expended per hour swatting flies. At 9:00am we relinquished the upper helm and retreated to the lower helm. A half hour later needed to return to the upper helm to for better visibility crossing through Hell Gate. We quickly came to terms with the 50+ horse flies clinging to the bimini top. As long as they weren’t hungry they could stay.
Hell Gate was Hell Gate. As we
entered our seaman’s eye told us something wasn’t right and getting worse. REVERSE
COURSE! The tide chart we were using was exactly backwards (we rechecked). Instead
of being at high slack tide it was low slack tide. We needed quickly to change
course and head into the Atlantic to avoid becoming hard and fast.
Hell Gate. Look at the vegetation. You can clearly see it is low tide.
As long as we had to change course into the Atlantic, after re-checking weather, waves and winds, we set our course through the Atlantic to Edisto River inlet about 50 miles north. The horse flies evacuated.
Shrimper dragging nets
Kill it all commercial fisherman
We traveled outside the 3 mile nautical demarcation line so Dale could legally fish. The catch with the demarcation line is that you can fish without a license but you can’t bring a fish into port without a license. Catch and release was just fine with Dale.
Adding Spanish Mackerel to the list of fish Dale has caught.
Running in the Atlantic vs ICW
shaved ~20 miles off our trip. The greeting committee was in place when we crossed
back into the Atlantic ICW. We were immediately re-boarded by horse flies.
Neighbors
We’ve left the vast saltwater
marshes in Georgia, trading it for smaller saltwater marshes and small islands
in South Carolina. A different kind of pretty. More intimate.
*** No bugs *** After supper we sat outside in the evening air listening to the wildlife. There was one super crazy bird and the calming ‘oophst’ of dophins surfacing to breathe.
Floccinaucinihilipilification
Holy Mackerel – used to say that one is very surprised, pleased Origin: Recorded from 1803 with uncertain origin, but possibly a euphemism for Holy Mary, with Mackerel being a nickname for Catholics because they ate the fish on Fridays. Another suggested explanation is the practice of selling mackerel on Sundays in the seventeenth century (because its quality deteriorates rapidly), so it was known as a holy fish.
Nauti Words
Hard and Fast – rigidly adhered to, without doubt or debate Origin: A ship that was “hard and fast” was beached firmly on land. Land was known as “The hard” slang for Buckler’s Hard, a ship building facility in England.
May 12, 2019 Sunday Brunswick
Landing Marina, Fancy Bluff Creek, Brunswick to Blackbeard Creek, Fancy
Hall, GA 57.3 nautical miles.
31°39’35.4″N 81°12’21.9″W 31.659836, -81.206079 Elevation: 0 ft Tide: 8 ft
A mother is only as happy as their
least happy child. Mary is a very happy mother today.
Happy Mother’s Day to all of you
Mothers!
Along the Way
We escaped from the velcro marina. It
felt like ripping off a band aid.
We were each given a good bye gift (back scratcher)We new we’d escaped once we passed the Brunswick Bridge.
Horse flies and salt marshes. We
are in Georgia low country somewhere. I’m pretty amazed we have internet out
here as it is so remote.
The intercoastal waterway meanders through a vast area of salt swamp, little creeks, rivers and sounds (big inlets from the ocean). I had no idea the Georgia coast line looked like this. The horse flies were so bad in the upper helm we were eventually driven to the lower helm to pilot the boat. We saw about 8 houses total, three of which are pictured below.
Don’t know how they get here. Must be boat as they are in the middle of nowhere.
The only village we saw today.
A fierce squall come through just a we were approaching a sound.
Waves were building to 3 feet and higher. Quickly. We retreated back into the intercoastal waterway canal to get a break from the waves. Quickly.Tossed and anchor and waited it out.
When it was over we continued on
for another hour or so. Dale fixed Mary a lovely Mothers Day meat of bratwurst
and beans, cooked inside because the bugs outside were so bad.
Neighbors
Absolutely none …. unless you count the horse flies and no-see-ums.
Nauti Words
Sound – a sound is a large sea or
ocean inlet larger than a bay and wider than a fjord; or a narrow sea or ocean
channel between two bodies of land. The
Anglo-Saxon word of ‘sund’ which translates to swimming is the origin of the
word ‘Sound.’
Son of a Gun (in honor of Mother’s Day) The phrase “son of a gun” originated on ships in the early 18th century, when women were allowed to accompany their husbands or new boyfriends on long sea voyages. During such voyages, mothers gave birth to their children behind a canvas curtain near the midship gun. If the paternity of the newborn was in doubt — and often it was, as many of the women were prostitutes — the child was facetiously registered in the log as the “son of a gun.”
