Sales & Nails II

Fairport Harbor & Home to Vermilion

2010-08-28T20:52:00.001-05:00

The weather has been beautiful, little wind, blue skies and comfortable temperatures, a real treat on Lake Erie. Knowing how the lake can change, we have decided to head for Vermilion today from Fairport Harbor. It is about 53 nautical miles, a good days run at 8 kts. We are still in the "trawler mode" saving on fuel.

An overnight stay last night in Fairport Harbor would not be complete without a stop at Pickle Bills for all you can eat crab. So we had a delicious celebration dinner, a day early, and stuffed ourselves with crab.

We will be heading into familiar stomping grounds today, no paper charts or waterway guides are needed now. Such a gorgeous day to be coming home.

We crossed our wake in Vermilion at 2:25 P.M. and we are excited to be home, safe & sound.

Presque Isle & Erie, PA

2010-08-25T21:09:00.002-05:00

Yea! We are once again in the good ole' USA. The run from Port Colborne was about 65 miles across Lake Erie, we arrived in Erie, PA on Tuesday around 4:30. Thankfully there was a break in the weather, the lake was a little roley, but not bad. Checking into customs was as easy as as a phone call.

Today is Jim's birthday, his second birthday on this trip. We had a nice day walking around town, and his birthday dinner was pizza hut pizza! Only the best for the captain!

Vermilion, our home port is approximately 120 miles from Erie PA, if weather holds and we travel everyday, we will be home in 3 days. This is where it gets bittersweet, our adventure has been a great experience, but being away from family & friends for over a year has been tough. And now we are within days of being back home, and I think we will miss the boat. When we have 3 ft of snow in the middle of February, I know we will miss the Florida Keys.

Pt. Breeze, NY / St. Catharine's & Welland Canal, Ontario

2010-08-21T18:45:00.001-05:00

After leaving Rochester, we opted to travel about 30 miles to Pt. Breeze on Oak Orchard River. The weather was calling for T'storms and there was a small craft warning issued for Lake Ontario, so we didn't go far. This was an interesting stop, with a few surprises. The marina we stayed at had mostly fishing & charter boats. Right off the bat Jim recognizes the fishing charter that he had been on a few times with his friends out of the Cleveland area. About 10 minutes later there is another fishing boat on the ramp going into the water, and it turns out to be Fr. Jenne, the priest that married us 32 years ago. It was wonderful to see him again. Then we get a call from our friends, Ed & Diane, who will be helping us on the Welland Canal. A requirement of the canal is that a boat needs at least 3 people to transit the canal. They were passing by Pt Breeze so they caught up with us there and spent the night before heading out to meet us in St. Catharines where our Welland Canal adventure would start.

St Catharines marina in St. Catharines @ Port Weller, is where we spent a few days before entering the canal. Ed & Diane had a car, a real luxury when you travel by boat. The four of us drove into Niagara on the Lake, a cute, quaint, small city, filled with gorgeous flowers, boutiques type shops, restaurants, and wineries. This was our first visit to Niagara on the Lake, but Diane & Ed had been here many times. So I guess we not only had a chauffeur, but tour guides as well. After the shopping, and exploring, there is only one thing left to do, visit the winery. We had a nice afternoon, and as we were leaving the winery, we bump into more friends. Joe Box and his fiance Carol, they were there with another couple. Incidentally, Joe was one of the guys that Jim went on the fishing charter with that I mentioned earlier. Diane & Ed knew Joe & Carol as well because in my real estate absence, Diane sold Joe's condo, as part of handling my business.

The Welland Canal is primarily a commercial shipping canal. It is 27 miles long and has 8 locks and 21 lift bridges. All commercial traffic has priority over pleasure craft. We arrived at the canal at 8:30, tied up to the wall, and used the phone provided at the wall to call the lock master to request passage. They told us the wait would be about an hour and a half, we finally started our lock through at 12:30. Once you start the Welland Canal, you must go all the way through, unless you are waiting on commercial traffic, then you have to wait outside the lock until you have the green light to move ahead. We were on the Welland for 15 hours, pulling into Sugar Loaf Marina in Port Colborne at 12:00 midnight. It was a long day, with what we thought was needless waiting, since there was not any other traffic going our way except one large freighter. Trying to find a marina, and more specific, the assigned slip, in the dark, is not an easy feat. Jim did a great job of maneuvering around in the dark waters, where we temporarily tied up to an empty face dock. Jim & Ed proceeded to walk around the marina to find " E-20", our assigned dock for the night. The security guard joined them, and finally we were tucked into a slip complete with electric and water. The day came to an end for us at 2:10 A.M. Our friends, Diane and Ed left on Saturday morning to take a cab back up to St. Catharines to pick up their car, stopped back at the boat to get their belongings and were on their way back home. I have said it before, what would we do without our family and friends. We sure have some truly wonderful people in our life. Thanks again Diane & Ed for your help on the Welland.

We will spend a few days in Port Colborne, Ontario due to some forecasted storms over the next couple days. At this point if we wanted we could be home in 2-3 travel days. Since we have never explored the east end of Lake Erie, we will take our time and see the other end of the lake. Crossing back to the States is a priority however, as soon as the weather permits, my cell phone bill will be outrageous if we don't get out soon. It is good to be in Lake Erie again and almost home. :)

Rochester, NY

2010-08-15T20:50:00.000-05:00

Lake Ontario was a bit choppy when we started out, after a few hours it calmed down nicely. The skies were cloudy and it was a bit cool. By the time we entered the Genesee River going into Rochester the temperature warmed up and the sun was out. We will spend 2 days in Rochester before moving west on Lake Ontario.

The lighthouse was constructed in 1822 on a hill just west of the Genesee River and south of what once was a marshy area on the southern shores of Lake Ontario. The current Keeper’s House was built in 1863 to replace the original one which was just to the south of the current building. The Tower is 40 feet high with an additional 12 feet of height for the Lantern room. There are 42 steps and then an 11 rung ladder that takes you into the Lantern room.

Oswego NY

2010-08-13T18:55:00.002-05:00

Today is Friday the 13th and we left the marina in Brewerton at 9:11. Good thing I am not superstitious. The saga of the over heating engine on The Laura Lee continues. Rich and Laura decided to continue travelling down the Erie Canal at a reduced speed of about 5 kts, it only overheats at 7+ kts. So we wished them safe travels and fair winds as we parted ways. We will both end up in Lake Erie so we may meet up again.

The Oswego River is much the same as the Erie Canal. Houses dot the landscape, along with small towns, bridges and locks. Six hours on the water today, we transited 9 locks
and 31 miles.

Our destination today was Oswego Marina in Oswego NY, at the mouth of Lake Ontario. We are officially back in the Great Lakes. Notice how blue the water is now that the lake is in sight. A nice change from the Erie Canal and further down on the Oswego river.

Amsterdam, Little Falls, Sylvan Beach & Brewerton NY (Erie Canal)

2010-08-12T13:15:00.003-05:00

Our journey on the Erie Canal is almost over, we have visited a few towns along the way, it's impossible to see them all. The canal is freshwater, no more salt, I think I can almost hear Sales & Nails cheering. Along the way we have seen kayaks, row boats, john boats, canal boats, dinner cruise boats and the list goes on. There is a towpath that runs along side which is a great attraction for bicyclist, walkers and runners. They enjoy watching the boats meander down the waterway an lock through. For the most part it is quiet, very picturesque, and rural.

Amsterdam was a overnight stop, we pulled into the city docks to avoid the thunderstorm that was heading our way. We secured the boat just as the first rain drops fell. The docks were newer and surrounded by a park, all in all it was a good stop. BTW, actor Kirk Douglas was born and raised in Amsterdam, NY.

Next on the list was Little Falls, very rich in history, as most of these towns are. We went through Lock 17, the highest lift on the Erie Canal at 40 feet. There are 35 locks on the Erie Canal, we will only go through 23 before we exit onto the Oswego.

Sylvan Beach is the last stop before crossing Oneida Lake. An amusement park next to the water brings in tourist from all over. We walked into town and went to the amusement park. The rain moved in and we were stuck in a downpour. There apparently are no taxis in Sylvan Beach, we ducked into one of those beach shops and bought umbrellas for the walk back to the marina.

We crossed Oneida Lake on Tuesday and stopped at Ess-Kay Yards Marina in Brewerton. We knew it would be a 2 night stay, Rich & Laura on "The Laura Lee" have an engine that is overheating, and we are reluctant to leave them without it being fixed. Jim and Rich worked on it all day yesterday, while Laura and I went to get pedicures, haircuts and groceries. Bobbie, my wonderful talented hairdresser at home, and Lesley my nail tech have been greatly missed. I cannot believe how hard it has been to get good haircuts & manicures/pedicures on this trip. I know... it's a tough life!!

It is Thursday afternoon, and we are back in Brewerton after leaving this morning. There was a 90% chance that the guys fixed the engine problem . After about an hour and going

thru Lock#23 on the Erie Canal, The Laura Lee overheated again. There was allot of grass, and sea weed ( Jim calls it salad) on the other side of the lock, it may have clogged the sea strainer and burned up the impeller. So the repair continues, I'm thankful it is not our boat this time. The lock keeper had a garden along side the lock and invited us to tie up to the wall after locking thru and help ourselves to the fruits of his labor. Some of the best cherry tomatoes I've had in a long time. The bright side of coming back is getting more tomatoes when we lock thru again.

Here's hoping the Laura Lee's engine problem is solved soon and doesn't require a bank loan to do it. :)

Waterford to Schenectady on the Erie Canal

2010-08-04T20:26:00.000-05:00

The locks did not open on time, there was a delay until 12:30. We went through 7 locks today. Stopping for the night at Schenectady Yacht Club, the pool was a real treat. The weather was hot & humid, with more of the same for tomorrow.

Troy Federal Lock & Waterford, NY

2010-08-03T16:12:00.002-05:00

Back to locking through the waterways. We start out with the Troy Federal Lock, it has a rise of 15' feet.

The visitor center at Waterford, NY offers a wall to tie up to with electric & water before starting the Erie Canal.

A walk into town for dinner and sight seeing.

Right next to the wall is the first of 5 locks on the Erie Canal, we walked over and took some pictures from above the lock to give a different perspective. We were planning on staying only 1 night, but one of the locks was down for repair and were not opening until around 2:00 P.M. so we decided to stay another night and head out at 8 tomorrow morning.

The first 5 locks are called the "Waterford Flight" they start with E2 up to E6. This is a series of 5 locks where boats are lifted & lowered to the greatest height in the shortest distance. The total height is 169 feet, twice as much as the total lift from sea level to the summit of the Panama Canal. We will transit 23 locks on the Erie Canal before making a detour to the Oswego.

The afternoon brought rain showers, I am glad we stayed an extra night and are not travelling in that.

Castleton and Albany, NY

2010-08-02T22:18:00.001-05:00

We stopped at Castleton Boat Club about 5 miles shy of Albany for two days. Rich & Laura on the sailboat "Laura Lee" needed to unstep their mast here. They are too tall to get thru the upcoming bridges. Between the 4 of us, we were able to get it down and secure it to the top of their boat. It was a good stop to get some laundry done as well, then we all went to the local Italian Place for a great dinner, Rich & Laura's treat. Our days are numbered with travelling together. Once we hit the Erie Canal we will only go a little less than half way before we turn off into the Oswego. Rich & Laura will continue all the way on the Erie canal to Lake Erie. On the Erie canal there are a few bridges with a height of 15' we can't get under them, so we have to take a detour to get to Lake Erie.

Albany was only 5 miles north of Castleton, so it was a short travel day on the water. My sister Lisa's in laws, Joe & Ann, live in Albany. They took all 4 of us back to their home for pizza, wine and good company. Lisa, Nick & Jillian, came in about an hour after we got there from Ohio, they brought their new dog, Lacey with them. She's cute, all white, black eyes and nose, the breed is a Maltese. I guess I didn't get any pictures of Lacey, or Jillian. And despite the way these pictures look, we did have a good time, I think everyone was tired. Nick and his sister Donna are missing as well, they went to get the pizza.

Hyde Park, NY

2010-07-30T14:10:00.004-05:00

Hyde Park is a stone's throw from Rhinebeck NY, I mean right around the corner. You know, Rhinebeck, where Chelsea Clinton is getting married on Saturday. Well we made it on time, but the invite must have gotten lost in the mail. I called home and Mom assures me, it's not there. So we will have to find some other way to entertain our selves.

The Vanderbilt & Roosevelt Mansions are located in Hyde Park. We toured both of these stately homes on Wed. with Rich & Laura from the Laura Lee.

The FDR Presidential Library and Museum were also located on the property. He was the first president to give his papers to the American people, and they form the core of the library's research archives. Today it houses over 17 million pages of manuscript materials, 51,000 books, and 150,000 photographs, negatives, and audio-visual items.

Some interesting facts that I did not know and some that I just forgot, about FDR.

The Library was the first Presidential Library and the only one to be completed and used while the president held office.
On March 4, 1933 when FDR took office for the first time, the unemployment rate was 25%.
His first 100 days in office, he drafted 100 pieces of legislation.
For 8 years he led the country through the Great Depression. In 1940 the nation reelected him to an unprecedented third term.
Amid a separate epic crisis - World War II, the nation would reelect him for a fourth term. In all Roosevelt would serve over 12 years, longer than any other president.
He died 3 months into his fourth term, missing the ending of World War II by one month.
FDR drafted the legislation to institute Social Security.
His wife Eleanor, was his fifth cousin, once removed.

The Frederick Vanderbilt Mansion
The Vanderbilts of Hyde Park

The Frederick Vanderbilt Mansion sits high above the Hudson River, just as FDR'S home does. The views of the river & valley below are spectacular. Again like FDR's home, inside photography was not permitted. The Vanderbilt mansion is also a National Historic Site. Frederick Vanderbilt is one of eight children, grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt, and son of William Henry Vanderbilt. Both the richest men in America at the time.

In 1878 Frederick married Louise Anthony Torrance, 12 years his senior and recently divorced from one of his cousins. They married against the wishes of his parents, as punishment, Frederick only inherited $10 million. Over time Louise became one of William Henry's favorites. Unlike any of his brothers he managed to increase the $10 million into $70 million by the time he died. His accomplishments were impressive, he sat on the boards of 22 railroads, he was the director of the New York Central for 61 years

Frederick & Louise never had any children, Louise died 12 years before Frederick . Louise's niece inherited the estate upon Fredericks death in 1938. She told President Franklin Roosevelt, a neighbor and close friend of the Vanderbilt's to donate the house and grounds, (211 acres) to the Government as a National monument to her Uncle Fred. Frederick Vanderbilt was also very generous to his staff, leaving a portion of his wealth to them and various charities.

By the way, George Vanderbilt, the youngest of the eight children, built the biggest home of all the children, 250 rooms. He built the "Biltmore Estate" in Asheville, NC

Manhattan to Haverstraw on the Hudson & West Point

2010-07-28T06:34:00.000-05:00

The Hudson River is lined on one side by New Jersey and the other by New York both cities offer gorgeous views from the water. We had blue skies and warm weather, with lower humidity levels, making it a very comfortable day.

Once in Haverstraw we plan on renting a car with Rich & Laura and going to USMA (Unites States Military Academy), commonly known as West Point. Named for being the most Western point on the western shore of the Hudson river in NY. The proper term is USMA @ West Point.

More Manhattan

2010-07-26T20:49:00.004-05:00

Riding the sub way was a new experience for us, it can be a bit confusing, but once you get the schedule straight it is a great way to get around. The sub way station was very hot, no air movement, I was relieved to find the sub way cars were air conditioned. We visited Times Square, the United Nations, and Central Park where we took a carriage ride.

In Times Square it seems every building has a video screen on it. The following is a description according to Wikipedia. Times Square is a major commercial intersection in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue and stretching from West 42nd to West 47th Streets. The extended Times Square area, also called the Theatre District, consists of the blocks between Sixth and Eighth Avenues from east to west, and West 40th and West 53rd Streets from south to north, making up the western part of the commercial area of Midtown Manhattan.

These pictures were from the outside of the United Nations building

The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States. Completed in 1883, it connects the New York City boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn by spanning the East River. With a main span of 1,595.5 feet (486.3 m), it was the longest suspension bridge in the world from its opening until 1903, and the first steel-wire suspension bridge. Begun in 1867 and ultimately completed in 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge is now the city's best-known symbol of the age of growth that seized the city during the late 19th century.

Here are some shots of Liberty Landing Marina that we stayed at. I have done laundry in a lot of different kind of buildings, some even on the outside in Florida, but this was a first. The red ship is where the laundry facilities were for this Marina. They are in the process of completing the building you see in the background, and that is where the laundry will be moved to.

I have taken so many pictures of this fascinating city, I can't possibly post even a 1/4 of them. The architecture is unbelievable. I have tried to label each picture, so if you double click on the picture it will enlarge and you will see a description.

Central Park pictures, and the carriage with "Joey" the horse that took us through Central Park.

Ellis Island, Lady Liberty, Manhattan NY & Jersey City, NJ

2010-07-24T21:02:00.004-05:00

Fun Facts about the Statue of Liberty

If you have ever visited the Statue of Liberty in person, you already know she's an imposing figure, but consider the following fun facts:

• Official dedication ceremonies held on Thursday, October 28, 1886

• Total overall height from the base of the pedestal foundation to the tip of the torch is 305 feet, 6 inches

• Height of the Statue from her heel to the top of her head is 111 feet, 6 inches

• The face on the Statue of Liberty measures more than 8 feet tall

• There are 154 steps from the pedestal to the head of the Statue of Liberty

• A tablet held in her left hand measures 23' 7" tall and 13' 7" wide inscribed with the date JULY IV MDCCLXXVI (July 4, 1776)

• The Statue has a 35-foot waistline

• There are seven rays on her crown, one for each of the seven continents, each measuring up to 9 feet in length and weighing as much as 150 pounds

• Total weight of the Statue of Liberty is 225 tons (or 450,000 pounds)

• At the feet of the Statue lie broken shackles of oppression and tyranny

• During the restoration completed in 1986, the new torch was carefully covered with thin sheets of 24k gold

• The exterior copper covering of the Statue of Liberty is 3/32 of an inch thick (less than the thickness of two pennies) and the light green color (called a patina) is the result of natural weathering of the copper

Our journey from the Atlantic into New York Harbor was filled with boats of all sizes. Huge ships coming and going, freighters, container ships, sailboats, power boats, fishing boats, tour boats, water taxis and cruise ships, it is a very busy port. And the thrill of seeing Lady Liberty from our own boat was a pretty amazing feeling.

Liberty Landing Marina is just to the left in the harbor before you enter the Hudson River. We arrived on Sunday 7/18/10 and will stay for a week, leaving on the 25th and heading up the Hudson River. The marina is on the New Jersey side of the harbor with Manhattan across the water. A short ride on the water taxi takes you across to all the sounds and sights of the city. We made about 3 trips into Manhattan to sight see. I have tried to capture in pictures some of the architecture, parks, and emotion that make up this exciting city.

A visit to St. Paul's chapels was a touching experience. St. Paul's was the sanctuary for rest, prayers, and food for the thousands of rescue workers after 911. Visitors still flood this chapel in memory of all that was lost on that tragic day. And out of all that was bad, rose the spirit and love from the people of this great country.

Walking toward the southern tip of Manhattan, we came to Battery Park and Robert F. Wagner Jr. Park. In the middle of blocks and blocks of concrete, glass and steel, sprouts a beautiful park offering much needed shade from the heat & humidity.

Atlantic City, Brielle, & Point Pleasant Beach, NJ

2010-07-17T23:08:00.001-05:00

Since the ICW in this area is so shallow, we decided to run on the outside, this would be our first run in the Atlantic Ocean. Atlantic City was our next stop, about 30 miles north, it took under 2 hours. The ride was a bit rough, with the seas at 2 - 4 ft.

We stayed at the Farley/Trump Marina, a very secure marina, each dock had a locked gate. We enjoyed the pool at the top of the casino, and of course I left a donation at the casino.

Atlantic City was a 1 day stop, we are steadily moving north to be home by mid September.
Our next stop was the Brielle, Point Pleasant Beach area. Again we ran outside in the Atlantic Ocean, but a much calmer scenario, hardly a ripple. The trip took about 3 hours and was approximately 50 miles. Here are some pictures of another beautiful Jersey beach, and very crowded as we came into the inlet.

Next to the Brielle Marina is a commuter RR bridge. It sounds an alarm before it opens or closes, luckily there is not allot of boat traffic at night, as you can see we are docked very close to the bridge on the "T" dock.

Avalon, NJ.

2010-07-16T22:27:00.002-05:00

The ICW in New Jersey has very shallow water, they say if you draw less than 4 ft you should not have any problems. Sales & Nails draws 2' 8" so we should of been fine, but we weren't. Halfway to Atlantic City we hit bottom in the channel and kicked up black muck, and shortly after we noticed vibration. OK, new plan . Pull into the next marina that we spot with a travel lift and have the boat hauled to check the props and shaft. That is how we arrived at Avalon Pt. Marina. The good news is it was only a slightly bent prop, no problem with the shaft. They put our spare props on and sent the other ones out for repair. They would be back by Friday.

Avalon has many beaches on the New Jersey shore, Avalon is a borough in Cape May County, New Jersey, on Seven Mile Island. The town is one of the most affluent communities along the Jersey Shore and is home to some of the most expensive real estate on the east coast. In 2007, Forbes listed Avalon to be the 65th most expensive zip code in the United States.

On this trip I am constantly amazed at the kindness of the people we meet, and Avalon was no different. Rich & Mary have their boat in the slip across from where we were docked, and Cheryl & George were in the boat next to them. Both couples were very welcoming, and invited us to go to dinner with them. It was a fun place called Windrift, they had live entertainment, 2 guys on pianos playing songs from the 60's thru the 80's.

Rich & Mary had 2 cars at the marina, and gave us the keys to one for our use while we were there. It was great, we ran some errands, and spent the afternoon at the beach. So a big "Thank You" to Rich & Mary and Cheryl & George for making our stay so enjoyable.

Cape May, New Jersey

2010-07-15T23:00:00.000-05:00

Utsch's Marina is where we stayed in Cape May. All the marinas were out of walking distance to the beach and activities.

Picturesque Cape May holds the distinction of being the oldest seashore resort in the United States and one of the most unique. Most of the homes, hotels, shops and other buildings were constructed in the late 1800's at the prime of the Victorian era. Today small gingerbread houses stand beside magnificent Victorian showplaces.Cape May is a fun place to visit, I would come back here for a vacation. The weather was off & on rain when we went into the town. We took a cab in because it was too far to walk. The shops are quaint touristy sort of stores, and the restaurants are numerous, ranging from bar & grill types to linen tablecloths. And as you would expect there is not a shortage of ice cream shops.

An important milestone was reached in the Bicentennial Year of 1976 when Cape May was officially designated a National Historic Landmark City, only one of five in the nation. That designation requires that the community must retain all structures in their original form and design and will insure that Cape May will remain within the architectural guidelines of the Victorian period.

C & D Canal & Delaware Bay

2010-07-15T21:57:00.000-05:00

From Castle Harbor Marina on Kent Island we headed north toward the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal. We stayed at the Summit North Marina on the C&D overnight, a very protected marina in bad weather, but no air movement, so it was very hot. Heading out the next morning for Delaware Bay, the weather was good and the Bay was pretty flat. We went past the Salem Nuclear Power Plant, and passed a few freighters. This is the first time in many months that we throttled up and actually got on plane. We have travelled at trawler speed for most of the trip, which is approximately 7 - 8 knots. So it was fun to pick up the speed a little. From the Delaware Bay we entered Cape May Canal and into Cape May Harbor. I have heard that the houses on Cape May are beautiful. We are looking forward to exploring Cape May.

Oil in Pensacola

2010-07-08T23:07:00.001-05:00

I received these pictures from my cousin Cindy, who lives in Pensacola. We had visited with them for Thanksgiving and of course the beaches were beautiful. It is sad to see such devastation. What a difference a day makes.

Next day

Kent Island, MD

2010-07-08T22:05:00.003-05:00

The trip to Kent Island took about 5 hours, and started out a bit rough. The weather improved as the morning passed and it turned out to be a very pleasant day on the water. Castle Harbor Marina is where we are staying, Jim's cousin Dennis keeps his sailboat here. The marina is quite large with a beautiful pool, good thing since the temps have risen to a sizzling 103 degrees.

Dennis and Daniela came down on Wed. and gave us a ride to and from the airport. We headed to Chicago for our nephew Connor's graduation party over the holiday weekend. It was a nice break from the boat, and we enjoyed seeing family and friends.

On Thursday afternoon they took us into Annapolis for dinner. We enjoyed watching the boats on the water, and had a wonderful dinner at McGarvey's. After dinner we walked around the town, definitely a place to re-visit.

What would we do without our family and friends. Dennis and Daniela have been amazing, they picked us up from the airport on Monday and we enjoyed another good dinner at the local rib place. They went back home on Tuesday, but left us one of their cars to do some sight seeing and shopping. We went to St. Michaels, Baltimore, and Ocean City by car.

The following pictures are from St. Michaels.

The following pictures are from our trip into Baltimore, most of them were taken from The World Trade Center's observation floor called "The Top of the World", it's the 27th floor. The view was incredible, and with the temperature and humidity unbearable outside, it was the perfect place to spend some time.

This next set of pictures were taken in Ocean City, Maryland, a very fun place to people watch.

Oxford, MD

2010-07-01T12:09:00.001-05:00

Our journey continues north to Oxford, MD where we stayed at Hinckley Yacht Services. They have certified Volvo Penta technicians to help us diagnose the issues we are having with the starboard engine. Long story short, we fixed the starboard only to have the port engine act up. I suppose nothing is ever simple, after a few days of eliminating various scenarios, they came up with a solution. So we ordered more parts, and hopefully that will take care of the problem.

Oxford is a peaceful quaint town, whose main business is tourism. If you want to go somewhere quiet, this is the place to be. You can stroll down the picturesque lanes with their brick sidewalks and admire the old houses. In 1683 Oxford was the first port-of-entry on the Eastern Shore, a prominent international shipping center, moving tobacco grown in nearby plantations. A century later, with advances in the food packing industry and the railroad, Oxford's oysters became a nationwide product.

Our first night at the marina, we had a little excitement. There were sirens going off in the town, which turned out to be the siren that summons the volunteer fire dept. And lo and behold the fire trucks came to the marina. Turns out in the office they had some flea bombs that went off and set off the smoke detectors.

We stayed in this wonderful small town for a week, due to the engines. The weather has been in the 90's with 80% or better humidity, so hot is an understatement. The marina does have a pool, so I really can't complain too much, especially after such a cold winter in the south.

Our next stop was supposed to be St. Michael's, and I was really looking forward to that. Due to the fact that we need to be in Kent island by the 30th, we decided to bypass St. Michael's, at least by water. On 6/29/10 we headed to Kent Island and Castle Harbor Marina, where we connected with Jim's cousin Dennis.

Cambridge, MD

2010-06-21T20:24:00.000-05:00

Most of Monday was spent temporarily fixing the broken window. We called Carver for replacement glass, hopefully we can have that sent to us soon.

Afterwards we walked around the town, the homes are old and very large. Many of them have been turned into Bed & Breakfast Inn's. The church's are very ornate, with large stain glass windows and well kept. Cambridge is filled with art galleries, restaurants, shops, and is bursting with authentic timeless charm of the Chesapeake region.

Leaving Solomon's en route to Cambridge

2010-06-20T22:33:00.007-05:00

We spent 6 days in Solomon's at the McCarley's guest dock.

They showed us around town, took us to some great restaurants and made us feel at home during our stay.

We had breakfast with Ted & Nancy before leaving their guest dock @ Solomon's Landing. After reviewing the charts and receiving some good info from Ted we decided to make our next stop Cambridge, MD.

It was a beautiful travel day, although a bit humid. The bay was almost like glass, and not much wind.

Over the last 2 weeks we have been having a bit of an issue with the starboard (right) engine. It seems we have been running at "trawler" speed for so long that the starboard engine balks at running it's regular speed. That of course, is simplifying the issue. After many diagnostics, and a million dollars later, we thought it was fixed. Much to Jim's dismay, the alarm is still going off at high speeds. So we continue to travel at "trawler" speed, that is "slow trawler", it's great on the gas mileage though. However we were passed by several "fast" trawlers today, when we start getting passed by sailboats, we definitely have a problem.

It was a nice day on the water, and we arrived in Cambridge about 3:00, early enough to go into town. The wind kicked up as we were coming into the marina and gave the captain a hard time. As we were backing into the slip, we heard a loud crash, and we both realized that we left the awning style window open and it got crushed against the piling. So as I am sitting here updating this blog I have a cardboard view to my right. Tomorrow we will walk into the town to get a piece of plexiglass until we can have a window ordered. Oh the joys of boating!

Solomon's Landing & Solomon's Island

2010-06-17T20:39:00.006-05:00

The weather has been hot and very humid up until today. A little rain last night did a good job in knocking down the humidity, making it very pleasant today. Rich & Laura from S/V The Laura Lee left today, we all had a great dinner last night at "Jerry's" a terrific seafood restaurant. After dinner Ted and Nancy drove us over to Solomon's Island, we saw some sting rays in the bay, and a beautiful evening sky with the sun setting.

These are the two couples that we crossed the Gulf with from Carrabelle to Clearwater, December 14th, on that very foggy day. We will hopefully catch up with Rich & Laura along the journey home.

On another note, Sue it always good to hear from you, thanks for your comments. Have a fun party this weekend, say hi to everyone for us, sorry we have to miss it. We look forward to seeing everyone at Connor's graduation party in Chicago over the holiday weekend. Hi Nick, Katie, & Kristen! See you soon.

Solomon, MD

2010-06-15T11:12:00.008-05:00

Another beautiful stop in the Chesapeake Bay is Solomon's. We arrived here on Saturday, and spent 2 days at Calvert Marina, before heading over to Solomon's Landing to visit with fellow loopers, Nancy & Ted McCarley. Ted & Nancy live here in a condo that has a marina, they were kind enough to offer us a guest dock to use. While here another looper came in to visit, Rich & Laura on The Laura Lee, which is a sailboat. We crossed the gulf with both of these couples, and once arriving in Clearwater around Christmas, everyone had different plans. So this is the first time since December that all 3 of us have been together. Our plans are to stay until Sunday, then head about 20 miles north and cross to the east side of the Chesapeake Bay to St. Michaels for a few days.

Reedville, VA

2010-06-13T22:00:00.019-05:00

Reedville is best known for its Menhaden fishing industry, sometimes called pogies. They are small bony fish used for bait or used in fertilizers and pet foods. In 1874 Elijah Reed transferred his Menhaden fishing operation from Maine to the Chesapeake Bay. When the wind is blowing the right way, there is a pretty stinky smell coming from the plant. Yes, the wind was blowing the right way on our visit, lucky us.

In the early 1900's the Menhaden industry success was reflected in substantial architecture and the bustling commercial activity evidenced in Reedville. A portion of the homes along Main St. north of the church were called Millionaire's Row. Reedville is one of the largest fishing ports in North America.

Some of the houses located on Millionaire Row.

During our stay we visited the Reedville Fisherman's Museum, which was very interesting, went to a fishing tournament celebration, and spent some time exploring all the creeks with the dinghy.

Urbanna, VA

2010-06-09T20:56:00.000-05:00

Urbanna, VA is a small town, probably the smallest we have visited, with a population of approx. 650. One of our nations oldest seaports, it is located on the Rappahannock river which is off the ICW. A small side trip we decided to take with George and Kathy on "Spey". Every year in November they have an oyster festival complete with a oyster shucking contest, this festival attracts approx. 75,000 visitors. I cannot imagine where they put everyone.

The weather has been all over the board, we had tornado warnings, which I am happy to say, did not materialize. It did clear out the 85% humidity , and lower the temps to around the mid 70's for a few days. We will leave Urbanna in the morning and anchor out for a few days near Reedville. Then on to Solomon's.

Hampton & Deltaville, VA

2010-06-06T16:50:00.003-05:00

Our next 2 stops were Salt Ponds Marina in Hampton, VA and then on to Deltaville, VA. This is all in the Chesapeake Bay area.

Salt Ponds Marina was a two day stop, they had a beautiful pool, and an on-site restaurant. We took a cab in to town to do some grocery shopping, got caught up on some laundry, then just relaxed at the pool, like boaters. In the evening we went for a long walk along the beach which wasn't too far away.

The weather has been in the mid 90's and humidity is about 85%. Seems we went from unusually cold to unusually hot. It's safe to say we are setting temperature records all along this trip. The marinas with pools are a welcome site. :)

Dozier's Regatta Point Marina in Deltaville is only about 37 miles north of Hampton. We are taking our time, and it still feels like we are moving up the coast quickly. I agree with you Sue, when you say it seems like we were just in the keys. Our time schedule is to be in our home port of Vermilion, mid Sept.

We did some biking in Deltaville, went to Cocomo's for lunch with fellow loopers Ron & Bev from M/V Sea Venture, and Ed & Nancy from M/V Dream Fever. George & Kathy from M/V Spey, who we had been traveling with, were anchored out. We rode bikes to Fishing Bay, where George picked us up by dinghy and took us back to their boat. So we spent an afternoon with them.

Norfolk, VA

2010-06-03T20:55:00.001-05:00

Norfolk was a good stop, we were there with George and Kathy on "Spey" Two other loopers were also at Waterside Marina in Norfolk, Gerry & Linda on "Monk's Vineyard" and Ron & Bev on Sea Venture" . It was good to see them. Gerry & Linda had a rental car and were kind enough to give Jim a ride to the local West Marine store.

Dinner was at Hooters, it is right next to the marina. I have never been to a Hooters, that was interesting, and the food was good. The picture to the left is of the shopping area next to Waterside Marina. We had an unwanted visitor at 3:00 in the morning, there were 3 teens hanging out around the docks, one of them decided to board our boat, which instantly woke us up. Needless to say, Jim had a few choice words for this young adult and he quicky got off the boat.

While in Norfolk we went to Nauticus, which is part Navy museum and part ocean kind of info. We toured the USS Wisconsin, the next 2 pictures show that.

These pictures were from the ocean part of the museum, top and bottom.

We left Norfolk on Tuesday and headed to Hampton, VA

Elizabeth City and Dismal Swamp, N.C.

2010-05-31T22:37:00.004-05:00

Elizabeth City is the stop before entering the Dismal Swamp. A small waterfront town that has suffered in this economy, and is struggling to survive. The waterfront is beautiful, as you walk in to town there are many buildings that are now standing vacant. A site that is all too familiar as we travel these beautiful waterways. They still offer complimentary docks to the traveling boater, no power or electric, but a secure place to spend a night or two. We stayed in Elizabeth City for a night an explored the town.

The day started out a bit overcast but quickly started to heat up, and by early afternoon the sun was out in full force. We headed to the Dismal Swamp, a very protected canal with tall trees and water so calm its resembles glass. Construction began in 1793, and had to be dug completely by hand so progress was slow and expensive. Most of the labor was done by slaves hired from nearby landowners. The slaves became so familiar with this swamp that it eventually became a haven for runaway slaves.

There is a bridge and lock at the beginning and end of this canal, with only 4 openings a day. We took 2 days to go through this fascinating area.

Look closely at this picture, it is not upside down, you are seeing the reflection of the blue sky and trees in the water. The next picture shows the rails on the side of the boat to show that we are in the water.

We stayed overnight at the welcome center along the canal, and went to the Dismal Swamp National Park across the foot bridge.

The next 2 pictures were taken as we walked around the park.

Last bridge, with the lock about 1/8th of a mile up the canal, we are almost through the Dismal Swamp. It is about 9:00 a.m. and we are headed to Norfolk, VA.

Oriental, N.C.

2010-05-26T21:21:00.001-05:00

On Sunday the forecast was calling for rain for the next 4 days with possible T'storms. Jim checked the various weather sites, and Sirius weather, then made the decision to leave Beaufort for Oriental. It drizzled off and on, was overcast, cloudy, and a tad chilly, but we made it without T'storms. After we docked the sun came out and it was a very nice afternoon. We took the courtesy car into town to check it out. Oriental is quite a small town, approximately 875 residents. There is a small Town & Country grocery store, a small hardware store, and various small gift shops and restaurants. The Bean is the local coffee shop that also sells ice cream, that was an obvious stop for us, I enjoyed death by chocolate and Jim tried the nutty coconut, very good!

The marina is about 5 years old and a pretty nice place, with a pool, and club house.

With the weather developing some wicked wind and churning the water up, we decided to stay put for a bit. Thursday is suppose to be much calmer, so we will leave Oriental for Belhaven. That should be about 49 miles north of here, or 5 hours on the water at 7 knots.

We got together with Kathy & George from MV Spey this evening and had dinner at one of the local restaurants in town. It's called "The Silos" because they are metal silos. The food was great and very reasonably priced. They will also be leaving tomorrow morning for an anchorage in Belhaven. Other than George & Kathy we haven't seen any other "loopers" for awhile, I think most are ahead of us, we are lagging behind just taking our time.

Beaufort, N.C.

2010-05-24T20:00:00.001-05:00

Friday morning was a beautiful day to travel, it was sunny, and warm. We headed about 29 miles north to Beaufort, N.C. Jim's brother Mike, was kind enough to drive 4 1/2 hours with Rob & Erin, to visit with us. We had a great visit and drove to a local restaurant for an early dinner. Thanks again Mike! Rob & Erin, have a terrific summer it was fun to hear about all your upcoming plans. This picture below was taken by the waitress, I neglected to realize that she did not get all of us in, Mike is missing.

While in Beaufort, we rented a car and drove to Atlantic Beach, about 10 minutes from the marina. The sand is very fine, almost like a powder. It wasn't warm enough for me to go in the water, but there were a few people in.

The following picture shows you don't need a boat to go out on the water fishing.

Beaufort has some beautiful older homes, many have been restored and are sure to last another 100 years. We spent the weekend at the Town Creek Marina in Beaufort, and again headed north, another 25 miles to Oriental, N.C. slowly working our way up the east coast.

St. James, Surf City & Swansboro, North Carolina

2010-05-20T20:28:00.000-05:00

We left St. James Marina on Tuesday and headed for Surf City, USA! Actually that would be North Carolina. The weather was partly cloudy, with temps in the mid 70's. The following pictures are taken in and around Surf City.

On our travels to Swansboro, where we will spend 2 nights, we came across some interesting sites along the ICW. Here is a sample of some of the sites we enjoyed.

Swansboro is a very small town, with mostly older buildings. We are staying Wed & Thurs, then heading to Beaufort, pronounced Bofert, for the weekend.

St. James, N.C.

2010-05-17T21:11:00.000-05:00

This morning we awoke to rain, with the promise of more throughout the day, and the occasional thunderstorm. Since there was no reason to get moving on the water, we had a very lazy morning, afternoon and evening. It was a good day to curl up with a book, or watch TV. During a lull in the raindrops, we did get out and take a walk. The forecast for tomorrow is more of the same, so we may be here another day. The marina is pretty nice, they have an on site restaurant, a small grocery section in the marine store and plenty of people coming and going. Not a bad place to be held up.

Here are some of the dredging rigs that we saw as we walked along the river today.

Georgetown, Myrtle Beach and Little River, S.C.

2010-05-16T22:05:00.001-05:00

After leaving Charleston we stopped at Georgetown overnight, then an overnight stop at a marina in Myrtle beach. Not close enough to go to the beach, but a very nice stop. The next stop took us to Little River S.C. where we caught up with Dan & Biddi on "Biddi and the Beast". We planned on staying only 2 days, until we found out that the 29th annual Blue Crab Festival was that weekend.

The festival was fun, there was great music, food and vendors, we did our share of eating and drinking.

Along the way we saw some interesting sites, a tram system that crossed the river to get golfers across, a boat that was stuck in the sand during low tide, and the water changing from root beer color to green again.

We have learned allot about the tides, currents and the ever present wind. The tides in Georgia & South Carolina can be as much as 9 feet. The wind can start out at 5 -10 knots, and just as we are ready to dock they kick up to 15 - 20 knots. One good thing about the wind is it keeps the bugs away. There are these little bugs the size of gnats, and when they bite, it feels like razor sharp teeth. And the current can be quite confused, one minute running with us, and the next it changes. The boat has held up well, although I am sure she will be happy once she is on a salt free diet again.

We have had so much fun and adventure on this trip, along with meeting some of the greatest and kindest people. The big question everyone asks is, what is your fovorite place. There are so many favorites, I don't think we will ever be able to answer that.

Charleston S.C.

2010-05-10T20:29:00.001-05:00

Charleston is one of our favorite cities. We were here for Mother's day, and went to this great brunch. I spent the next 3 hours doing laundry, a necessary evil.

On Saturday we took a horse and carriage ride, with a horse that has issues. Marcus, the horse, has a problem with trucks and buses, he doesn't like them. Matt, the tour guide/trainer, has trained Marcus to stare down the bus or truck. If he encounters one of these he actually stares at it, turning his head until it is completely passed. The whole time taking direction from Matt telling him to "stare it down Marcus". That is the only way Marcus would know in his head that the bus or truck wasn't going to attack him. I have to say it was pretty funny to see this 1800 pound horse staring at the trucks and buses. Matt told us during the training process, Marcus attacked a UPS truck, putting his hoof through the side of the truck.

The market place where people sell their goods

A wedding in progress

While we were in Charleston there were two major graduations taking place, The Citadel, and the College of Charleston. Needless to say, it was a very busy place.

Our next stop will be Georgetown, about 64 miles North of Charleston, we will only stop for the night there.

Beaufort S.C.

2010-05-10T19:16:00.000-05:00

Homes along the ICW

" Beautiful Beaufort by the Sea" is indeed a beautiful town. Beaufort S.C is pronounced Bufort, not to be confused with Beaufort of N.C. pronounced Bofurt. We took another carriage ride, and learned allot about this historic town. The streets are lined with grand oaks, historic homes, churches, and plenty of restaurants. Beaufort has been featured in several movies, Forrest Gump, The Great Santini, Prince of Tides, and The Big Chill. We spent 2 days here to relax and see the town.

Hilton Head S.C.

2010-05-05T22:59:00.001-05:00

On Sunday we left the Thunderbolt/Savannah area and headed about 26 miles north to Hilton Head Island. The island is sectioned into several residential "plantations" . There is a color scheme for residential and business alike, this keeps the island from being over run with "resort flashiness". Homes exteriors are done in muted earth tones to blend into nature, and nature it has. Pines, oaks, and palms flourish here.

The marina was pretty nice, there was an in ground pool, and it was 80 something degrees with high humidity, so we spent most of the afternoon cooling off and relaxing. The next day brought rain, we rented a car with another looper couple and drove around the island. This would be a great place to come back to.

This is the first "gator" we have seen on this trip, he was hanging out in the marina.

Look closely, there was a rainbow after the rain cleared out.

Thunderbolt and Savannah, GA

2010-05-05T22:21:00.001-05:00

Thunderbolt, GA. is just outside of Savannah, and is where the marina is located that we stayed at. We arrived on Wed afternoon and spent the rest of the day doing chores on the boat. It is in constant need of cleaning, the salt water clings to all the surfaces outside, the rails look like someone took a salt shaker to them after a rain. Jim sure gets his exercise, wax on, wax off, you know the motion.

Some of our marina neighbors. We are told by the dock master that they run between 30 to 80 million. The yearly up keep is about 10% of their value.

Thursday we spent the day in Savannah, exploring the city and taking a horse drawn carriage tour. Those are always fun and informative, the tour guides are young, cute and witty. The architecture of these historic buildings is truly beautiful, again another great city rich in history.

This last picture is a building that was originally a horse stable that was turned into one of the first automobile showrooms by Henry Ford. A story that has been told, is that Henry Ford used spanish moss for stuffing his automobile seats, because it was so plentiful. Well, spanish moss has a microscopic bug called "chiggers" and it will get under your skin and cause a rash and severe itching. To take care of the chiggers, you have to boil the moss, evidently that did not happen or some survived, because people were itching. It was the first automobile recall. The marketing after that was "Aren't ya itchin to buy a Ford".

Our nephew Frank and his girlfriend Olivia drove down from Macon, about 3 hours away. We went back into Savannah and had a great time checking out the market and craft vendors along Riverfront Street. Thanks Frank and Olivia for making the trip down to Thunderbolt to see us.

Brunswick GA to Richmond Hill GA

2010-04-28T16:25:00.002-05:00

The scenery on the ICW has changed, we are now in Georgia, and it feels and looks like we are back on the river system. Gone are the magnificent homes and boat docks along the way. Instead we have seen many birds, and even some wild horses on Cumberland Island.

The last two days we have spent traveling, going approximately 50 miles a day or about 6-7 hours on the water. Today we should reach Savannah. We will be spending about 5 days there, our nephew Frank, and his girlfriend Olivia will be driving down from Macon to join us. Looking forward to having a grea time with them.

Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island

2010-04-25T15:58:00.001-05:00

Fernandna Beach will be our last stop in Florida. I can't say that it warmed up much during our 5 month stay in the sunshine state, but true to it's nickname, it was sunny 95% of the time.

Three days in Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island, and now it's time to move on. We enjoyed visiting this old town, the second oldest in Florida, St. Augustine being the oldest. The downtown area is next to the marina, so everything was within walking distance. Except for the beach, it is next to the ocean which is on the east side of the island, and the grocery store. I've been asked by a few people where is, and what is the ICW? It is a waterway, often with a river name for the different areas it goes through. The ICW runs between the mainland and a strip of barrier islands, on the other side of the barrier islands is the ocean. So we are basically travelling in a river, not the ocean as we move along the east coast.

I can't complain about the views, sometimes I can't get the whole house in the picture, they are spectacular.

This next group of pictures are from the town of Fernandina Beach, views of the retail shops, and historic homes.

Walking around the docks we met Kurt and Lynda, they dock at this marina, their boat, Ready Oar Knot III, is also a Carver. We had great conversations with them, and Lynda offered to take us on a grocery run. That was a terrific help. Thanks again Lynda & Kurt, we enjoyed getting to know you both.

St Augustine, FL The Nation's oldest city

2010-04-22T20:39:00.002-05:00

The trip down the ICW from Cocoa to St. Augustine was picturesque, we saw some very large yachts, beautiful homes, an occasional dolphin, lots of fisherman, and the coastguard. The coastguard was pulling boats over and boarding them. We had heard them on the radio, and knew they had boarded the 3 boats behind us, so when we saw them approaching us, we assumed we were next. Not the case, they passed us up and checked out a fishing boat ahead of us. No excitement today.

St. Augustine has existed for 444 years, founded in the 16th century, in 1565. This city has seen endless calamities, including fires, floods, destructive storms, and wars. St Augustine has survived and now flourishes in the 21st century. We took the trolley ride thru the city and got a history lesson as well. The marina is in the heart of the city, right on the ICW, also called the Matanzas River in this stretch. There are numerous restaurants on every street, it's a tough choice where to eat.

A city this old has to have a historic fort, here are some pictures of the Castillo de San Marcos.

Thursday was a chore day, at least for half the day. We had dinner at Harry's, a seafood restaurant, excellent food. A competitive game of putt putt golf rounded out the evening. Tomorrow will be a travel day, the weather should be sunny with temps in the mid 70's, and winds around 5 knots. Tomorrow is also our oldest son's birthday. Happy 31st Birthday Dan!

Cocoa

2010-04-17T21:55:00.002-05:00

Cocoa was another wonderful small town, it was also the home of Jeannie in a bottle and her astronaut master from the TV series "I dream of Jeannie". Located between Cape Canaveral Air Force Base and the Kennedy Space Center, Cocoa and its neighbor Cocoa Beach quadrupled in size when NASA launched its space program in 1959 at Cape Canaveral. This sleepy town got its first taste of tourism from the thousand of visitors who traveled to see the space launches.

Cocoa City Hall

Cocoa Village Marina

Rich and Jeanne drove up from Hudson Florida, 3 hours away, to spend some time with us. Here we are at Normans restaurant, thanks again for lunch Jeanne and Rich.

More awesome homes along the ICW

We stayed at Cocoa for 2 nights, while there George & Kathy on "MV Spey" came into the marina. We met Kathy's brother Paul, who was visiting them. Beverages and great conversation were enjoyed by all of us aboard their boat. Hoping to connect again somewhere along the way.

Marilyn, Sheron and Sue, thanks for your comments, it is always so nice to hear from you.

2010-04-14T14:45:00.001-05:00

Vero Beach is a pretty cool place to spend some time. They have a wonderful bus system that goes through and around town, and works on donations. There is a box upon boarding and you put in what you want, and if you can't put anything in, that's ok too. We took the bus to the beach area and into town to do some shopping. The weather has been sunny, mid 70's, and very breezy. We will head out tomorrow morning for Cocoa, it will be about 6 hours on the water, that's a long day. There should be some interesting scenery, of which I will take pictures to post.

It will definitely be difficult to leave this town, that is why they call it Velcro Beach.

Fort Pierce, Florida

2010-04-11T21:07:00.007-05:00

This is a bad day at the dock. The boat was at a dock in front of a house on the Intracoastal waterway on our way to Fort Pierce.

Ft. Pierce is located approximately 13 miles south of Vero Beach, and one of the oldest communities on Florida's east coast. Known as "the Sunrise City," Ft. Pierce is where agriculture meets the ocean. It is right on the ICW, called the Indian River in this section of the ICW. We stayed at the City Marina, a nice facility with a very helpful staff. While here they had a huge farmers market, and art/craft fair. The fresh produce and fruit was delicious, dozens of vendors selling everything from soup to nuts.

These pictures show the Indian River, which is part of the ICW. In the background is Hutchinson Island

Joe and Ann live in Vero Beach during the winter, and heard we were close, they are leaving to return to New York this week, and did not want to miss us, so they drove to Ft. Pierce. We had such a nice visit with them, and they treated us to dinner at a great restaurant. Thanks again Joe & Ann. It was fun to see them. When we get near the Albany area, we will visit with them again.

Boca Raton to West Palm Beach

2010-04-07T21:41:00.001-05:00

The weather has been great, averaging in the mid 80's, and so far not too humid. We left Fort Lauderdale this morning to continue up the east coast of Florida. Approximately 48 miles, and 20 bridges, has brought us to the West Palm Beach area. We will stay here over night and head to Fort Pierce tomorrow. I have not grown tired of seeing the mega homes and yachts along the ICW, the pictures do not do them justice, but here is a sampling of what we are seeing.

Key Biscayne to Ft. Lauderdale

2010-04-07T21:13:00.000-05:00

The trip along the ICW took us through Miami, Port Everglades where all the cruise ships are and into Ft. Lauderdale.

Dubbed the Yachting capital of the world, Ft. Lauderdale is overflowing with amazing boats. From small boats to incredible yachts, there is so much to see. We are staying at the Las Olas Municiple Marina which is right on the ICW, which offers a front row seat for all the activity on the waterway. It is 2 blocks from the beach, and surounded by great restaurants.

We have caught up with some fellow loopers, Dan & Biddy on "Biddy & the Beast", George & Kathy on "Spey" and Jerry & Joann on "Morningside". We met Dan & Biddy in Kagawon, Ontario for the first time, and George & Kathy in Hardin, Ill on the river, we haven't seen George and Kathy since the first meeting, so it was nice to catch up with them. This is the first time we met "Morningside" and we have seen Dan & Biddy off and on through out our trip.

Goodbye Islamorada, Hello Key Biscayne

2010-04-03T23:06:00.007-05:00

Our month stay @ Plantation Yacht Harbor in Isla morada has come to an end. We have enjoyed our time there, but have been looking forward to getting back on the water. This will officially start our loop North and eventually to our home port of Vermilion in October. We left Thursday around 9:30 and arrived @ "No Name Harbor" in Key Biscayne at 4:33. It was a pleasant day on the water, we took our time and enjoyed the sights. There were five dolphins that swam along side us for various stretches.

"No Name Harbor" is an anchorage located in Bill Baggs Cape Florida state park. We will stay here for two nights. The park offers one of the top 10 rated beaches in the U.S. a lighthouse that was completed in 1825, and plenty of hiking, biking and fishing.

Here are two of the five dolphin that were

traveling with us.

Some miscellaneous pictures along the way are below.

It's a good idea to stay in the marked channel

This is U.S. 1 above the cut called Jewfish Creek

This is the Cape Florida lighthouse, located in Bill Baggs state park. It was completed in 1825, and repaired in 1846 after it was damaged during the Second Seminole War. This island served as a secret meeting place for runaway slaves and black Seminoles waiting for a passage to safety in the British Bahamas. Although the lighthouse was built to save lives and ships, its unflinching light brought an end to this avenue of escape. In September 2004, Cape Florida was designated a National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Site.

*Information Courtesy of Florida State Parks.

These photos were taken from the top of the lighthouse 95 feet up.

Cape Florida beach is rated as one of the top ten beaches in the U.S.

Houses that hover above the water Stiltsville got its start in the 1930's when "Crawfish" Eddie Walker set up his bait shop on the bay. The area takes its name from the houses built on stilts above the water. By the 1950's and 60's, it was a popular gathering place for fisherman, boaters, club-goers, and well known citizens, such as former governor of Florida, LeRoy Collins. Today, the National Park Service owns the land on which Stiltsville stands, and is part of Biscayne National Park.

Houses that hover above the water

Islamorada, Florida Keys

2010-03-21T18:16:00.001-05:00

Today we met a relative that we had never met before. For lack of knowing the proper relationship I will simply say Jim's cousin Vicky lives in Key Largo with her husband Doug and daughter Megan. Jim's grandmother and Vicky's grandmother are sisters, so what does that make Jim to Vicky?

They came down to the marina, and we headed out to Wahoos @Whale Harbor for lunch. It was a nice afternoon, and we all had a great time. Megan was a real trooper, putting up with hours of adult conversation. Hopefully we will connect with them again before we leave the area.

On Saturday @ Founders Park, next to our marina there was a music fest called "Bay Jam". During the course of the day various bands would take turns playing, and of course there was food vendors.

The weather is getting warmer, it is starting to feel more like Florida. There is a heated olympic size pool at Founders Park that the marina can use, so we have taken advantage of that.

Plantation Yacht Harbor @ Founders Park in Islamorada

2010-03-18T23:09:00.004-05:00

We arrived here Monday, the 1st of March on schedule with no problems. The following day my herniated disk decided to act up, so I have been out of commission for the last 2 weeks. During that time our oldest son Dan, came down for a visit, being this close to Key West, we had to go, so I took my pain meds and here we are at Sloppy Joe's in Key West. We enjoyed Dan's visit, wish he could have stayed longer

One of the many chickens that roam free in Key West.

Mile Marker "0" is on the corner of Whitehead St and Fleming St. in Key West. When you enter the keys you will begin with Mile Marker 126 on U.S 1

Here are some recent visitors to our boat

Last days in Banana Bay

2010-02-27T18:59:00.002-06:00

Last evening there was a spectacular sky at sunset here @ Banana Bay. The sun will not set over Florida Bay until the end of March as it moves a bit more to the North, so we will miss an actual sun set on the water at our marina, but the orange and pink hues in the sky were truly beautiful. We should be in a perfect position at the next marina in Islamorada to view the sun dipping into the water.

On Monday we will leave all the wonderful people we have met here @ Banana Bay in Marathon, and move up to Islamorada. It is only about 38 miles north of here, we will stay at Plantation Yacht Harbor, another great marina. Some of our friends that we have traveled with in the past are there, and it will be fun to catch up. Our schedule should allow us to stay there for the month of March. Still wondering where the warm weather is. High today was 65, with off and on rain.

The happy hour is breaking up, it's dusk and getting colder.

Visit to Key West

2010-02-24T21:22:00.005-06:00

Key West is about an hour ride from Marathon where we are staying. Our friends Ed & Diane came down for a visit, and the 4 of us went to see the sites in the most southern key in the U.S. What can I say about Key West, maybe I'll just post some pictures.

This guy played his banjo as his dog "Cleo" would walk around and take dollar bills from the crowd with his mouth and put them in the bucket. The dog was a big hit. At one point a toddler in a stroller was holding a dollar in one hand and a cracker in the other, the dog ate the cracker, walked away without the dollar, went back and checked for more food before he took the dollar. Cute act!

These are street performers in Key West on Mallory Square. It was a beautiful day, sunny and about 82, the sea fog rolled in about an hour before sunset and swallowed the sun. We will probably return when our son Dan comes down, so maybe there will be a sunset picture opportunity then.

The Stuffed Pig is a popular breakfast/lunch spot, and rightfully so. Good food, out door restaurant, great service and sunshine. Can't get better than that. Thanks for coming down Diane & Ed.

Miami Boat Show & Friends

2010-02-16T19:51:00.004-06:00

The Miami boat show was an interesting visit, much larger than any show we have been to. Lots of vendors selling anything you can imagine for boats. Here's a picture of Jim's next boat, in another life of course. This is a boat Ken can appreciate, Pam it was good to hear from you.

Getting around Miami was an adventure in itself, I never realized just how much water there is down here, seems like almost every road you turn down has a bridge to get over the water. Beautiful turquoise water everywhere you look. Now I'm not complaining, but it has been cold here, low 60's with a stiff 30 mph wind is a bit nippy, I don't care who you are.

This week also brought us a surprise visit from some friends from Macedonia. Thanks George and Louise Post for coming to visit us while on your trip to Florida. It was so nice to see both of you down here, wish we had more time to visit, but just glad you fitted us in. Thanks for the wine, my favorite! Our apologies for not taking pictures, I even had the camera out!

After George and Louise left, Jim's sister Sue, her husband Ed, and 3 children came to spend a few days with us. We had a great time, visited the beach, even though it was chilly, went to eat at various places and visited the pool and hot tub. A good time was had by all, thanks Nick, Katie & Kristin for visiting with us. Maybe next time it will be warmer.

Jan from Vermilion Power Boats, thanks for the email, we are heading to Islamorada March 1st, staying there for about a month before we head up the coast. Any great spots to hit?

Jeff, hang in there, boating season is right around the corner, in the mean time stay warm.

This picture was taken at the looper get together, there were over 60 "loopers" that attended this event. All of these people are here in the various marinas in Marathon.

Marathon Florida

2010-02-05T22:02:00.002-06:00

It's been a very relaxing week, we had planned to head down to Key West on Monday via the local bus. We woke to the sound of rain, and as luck would have it, it rained all day, so the bus trip to Key West will have to be rescheduled. One day of rain is not bad, the rest of the week was sunny with temps in the high 70's. There was a music festival held over the past weekend, it was the 1st annual Florida Keys Traditional Music Festival, it was fun even though we were not familiar with any of the musicians. Pat Daily who plays at the round house in Put in Bay will be in Key West this weekend. The rest of our time has been spent doing little maintenance jobs on the boat and hangin out at the pool. Not much to report, oh yeah, Jim was carded, can you believe it. Here's the story, we went to the local IHOP for breakfast and Jim decided to order off the "55 and older" section of the menu, also known as the "senior section". The waitress did not believe he was old enough, he had to show her his drivers license. It was the hi light of his day!

Tuesday there is a looper get together at one of the other marinas, there will be 60 loopers attending. Marathon is a popular spot to winter in for people doing the great loop. It should be fun catching up with friends we have met along the way. Most of us are spread out amongst the many marinas down here, and get around either on the dinghy or bikes.

Next weekend we are having our first visitors from home on the boat. Ed, Sue & crew will be coming down. We are excited to see them and have them spend some time with us. There is a standing invite to who ever would like to come down and see us, we have an extra bedroom and then there is always the couch.

Here's Jim & Ted clowning around at Key Fisheries, where we had a great lunch one afternoon.

Have a great weekend, hopefully the snow won't get too deep, as always, stay warm and safe.

Banana Bay in Marathon

2010-01-28T20:13:00.003-06:00

It is almost a week that we are here in Banana Bay, we have been to the pool and hot tub only once, because..........you guessed it, the weather turned cool. I know you feel real bad for us, not to worry, we have allot of maintenance items to take care of, so the cooler temps are just fine. I also have a correction, I was told our view is of Florida Bay, in the Gulf. Not called the Gulf right here.

Our friends Ted & Nancy on "Aloha Friday" drove up from Key West on Tuesday, it was great to see them again. They have spent allot of winters in Key West, so we are planning on taking the bus from Marathon to KW on Monday for a personal tour. The bus ride should be a real adventure, just another thing to experience on this trip.

On Wed. another looper boat came into the marina, Fred & Linda on "Young America" they finished their loop trip as they came into Banana Bay. So of course there was a "celebration" party on the dock today at 5:00. They have been living aboard for 2 years, and will stay here until March.

Just a few pictures of our marina, stay warm and keep smiling.

Everglades City to Marathon

2010-01-24T21:33:00.005-06:00

Everglades City was interesting, we stayed at a luxury motor coach resort and marina. They just opened last year and only had about 5 RVs there. There were only 4 boats in the marina, a bit strange, but it was a nice place. We went on a air boat ride through the everglades and mangroves, too cold to see any alligators.

We left the Everglades on Saturday to head to our winter destination, Banana Bay in Marathon. Our ride over was perfect, the Gulf was as flat as can be, the temps were in the 70's and it was partly sunny. It took about 5 hours, which brought us into the marina around 2:45 on Saturday. Plenty of time to get settled and meet some people.

The pictures show the Gulf as we were crossing on Saturday, the water seems to run into the clouds. The other two pictures show the marina, Banana Bay, our home for the next 5 weeks, and the view we will be looking at. There is also a in ground pool and hot tub here. It should be a very relaxing 5 weeks.

Cape Coral to Naples

2010-01-21T00:10:00.001-06:00

The gulf was beautiful on our trip from Cape Coral to Naples, the dolphins were out in full force and I am getting better at my timing with the camera. Here are a few of my better shots.

This one was quite the performer. I did miss a shot of him jumping pretty high out of the water. Next time!

We had great weather this past week in Cape Coral. It finally warmed up to the high 60's, low 70's. The sun was out, along with many people. It was so nice to be out of hibernation, and talking to everyone. While in Cape Coral we got together with Andy & Terry Horrick, they came to the Marina and took us out to dinner, Thanks Terry & Andy! Then they twisted our arm to go to the wine store so we could replenish our stock. We had a great evening with them. Cape Coral is a pretty nice place, we stayed at Tarpon Point marina. Next to the marina they just completed a hotel with restaurant this past November. There are numerous shops in the process of opening, it should be a pretty busy place once everything opens. The pictures show the hotel & restaurant, and the captain walking down the dock.

We headed to Naples on Monday morning, another gorgeous day for travelling in the Gulf.

The water just gets clearer an clearer and aqua in color. We broke the bikes out of storage and went for a ride for the first time in months. On Monday evening we got together with some friends that use to live in Ohio, Jerry and Carol Papesh. They came up to the marina and we had dinner at the restaurant by the marina. Their treat, Thank you Carol & Jerry, we had a great time. I shot some pictures of some houses along the inlet to Naples City Docks, unbelievably huge.

The weather is suppose to turn windy, so we may stay in Naples for a few more days. I think our next stop will be an anchorage in "Little shark river" then we will head to Marathon Key, where we will stay for the next month or so.