Summer in the City

Greetings from Boston!  Just a few thoughts on what has been going on since we arrived in Boston.  Also, I miss hearing from many friends and family members who were commenting on my blog/journal of our boat trip.  Staying connected with everyone was an unexpected bonus to writing about our travels. So I hope this post elicits more news from you!

Upon our arrival in Boston Harbor on July 2 we were greeted by the U.S. Coast Guard on the water and the Blue Angels in the sky.  The Navy jets were practicing for their big show on the 4th of July and the Coast Guard were zealously protecting the tall ships and big Navy vessels docked in the Harbor for the OpSail festivities that week.  The planes were an awesome sight to behold, both during practice on Monday and the real show on the 4th!  The CG kept us quite a distance away from Lincoln Wharf where our daughter was ready with camera to record our entrance into Boston.  We safely made it to the Shipyard Quarters Marina in Charlestown where the boat has been undergoing some minor repairwork and some much deserved rest after our two-month long journey from Florida.

Our cozy condo in the city feels very spacious after our lengthy sojourn on board the MollyBelle!  We are thoroughly enjoying our stay here especially after all the headaches we endured last summer during the prolonged and ill-fated renovation work.  We finished a few more decorating objectives--finding a wonderful small antique secretary on Craigslist and getting our special Tim Sanchez oil paintings shipped from Florida.  Got some flowers planted on our small "balconette" and now we are feeling right at home!

The "journey" continues with frequent morning walks along the Rose Fitzgerald Greenway where I observe the business types bustling up from the underground "T" stations and hurrying along the narrow canyons of buildings leading into the Financial District.  Oh they are so purposeful and focused!  And I am happy to be so aimless and free!

Last week's journey took us on a very comfortable Amtrak train trip to New York City.  We decided that we like traveling by train almost as much as by boat.  Sure beats airport hassles!  While in the City, Dick accomplished some business and we visited the 9/11 Memorial.  Recalling the details of that horrific event is not something I was looking forward to doing.  However, it is good to see the work that is being done in remembrance of those who suffered and lost their lives that infamous day.  On a lighter note, we enjoyed a Broadway play and visits with friends, along with the sights and sounds of The Big Apple.  One of the highlights was going to a club at the top of 250 Fifth Avenue as the sun was setting.  What fabulous views of a magical city!  Thanks to nephew Russell who lead us there after dinner and the play.

Now the captain of the MollyBelle needs some repairwork to his malfunctioning hip.  The Boston surgeon who was lined up to do the job last year, and who subsequently let him out of it because it "wasn't all that bad" last September, has been on vacation.  So we are awaiting a return phone call from his office in order to schedule another consultation and a date for Capt. Dick's hip replacement!

Looking forward to enjoying cooler days and receiving messages from friends!

FINAL PORT OF CALL

Departing Final Port of Call

Sunday afternoon we cruised over to Red Brook Harbor in Buzzard's Bay at the beginning of Cape Cod, MA, and close to the Cape Cod Canal which we planned to cross on Monday morning on the last leg of our trip to Boston. We tied up at the very busy Kingman Yacht Center where we met some fellow travelers from Boston.  It turns out that Chris and Susan, long time New England boaters, keep their beautiful Sabre at Constitution Marina next to the marina where we will dock the MollyBelle in Boston this summer.  On their way to Nantucket for the holiday week, they shared some boat stories and gave us some very helpful advice about entering Boston Harbor.  Susan snapped some photos of us departing our final port of call on Monday morning.

WICKFORD IS A WINNER!

After an enjoyable cruise from Mystic, we spent last Friday and Saturday in Wickford, Rhode Island, at a quiet marina in this charming small village on the RI coast.  Wickford is located in a protected cove in the West Passage of Narragansett Bay.  It has one of the best and least pretentious collections of 18th and early 19th century buildings. Thanks to Kathy and Jim Matthiessen for recommending this lovely stop as an alternative to nearby Newport where all the transient boat slips were taken because of the popular America's Cup Race taking place that weekend.

 

Wickford Lighthouse

The lighthouse at the end of the point is privately owned and on the market for $6.5 million!

A surprise visitor from Vero Beach came by Saturday morning in her kayak.  Ann Baker, who also lives in nearby Saugerstown, RI, was out kayaking with a friend when they came upon The MollyBelle in the harbor.  I don't know which one of us was more surprised when she called my name and I stuck my head out of the back door of the boat!   

Saturday afternoon Grand Harbor friends, Carol and Michael Corbett, drove over from Westport Point, MA, and took us out to lunch in Jamestown RI.  We had a great time viewing some of the sailboats on Narraganset Bay and taking in some of the sights along the rural RI roads.  We stopped at Dave's Market in Wickford on the way back so that I could pick up a few things for the boat.  What a fabulous grocery store!  Carol and I want to return to Wickford just to shop there!

Ann Baker picked us up at the boat Sunday morning and drove us to Mass at her parish of Christ the King Church in Kingstown.  Their new pastor was saying his first Mass there and he spoke about journeys in his homily.  His emphasis was on the journey of Faith in our lives.  I couldn't help but think about how that applies to our "MollyBelle Journey."  Our visits to the various churches along the way have been very enriching!  Earlier in our journey I took a photo of this prayer at a church in Hilton Head.  I thought it was just perfect for us!

ALONG THE COAST OF CT AND RI

Much like many of the seaport towns in the Southeast, the coastline of Connecticut is dotted with lighthouses villages dating from the 18th and 19th centuries.  Historic homes of former sea captains, museums dedicated to seafaring pursuits, ship building, whaling, fishing, all provide ample opportunity for browsing as we take our time cruising along the coast with stops at Milford, Old Saybrook, Mystic and on to Wickford, RI.

Visits with friends have been pleasant interludes along the way!





Soon we will be heading into Boston--our final destination.  The MollyBelle is ready for a rest and some repairs...and so are we!

NYC Captain

SURFING WITH THE WIND AND THE WAVES

It's Wednesday evening in Mystic Seaport and the boats are gathering for the Wooden Boat Show here in this historic shipbuilding port in CT. The MollyBelle is tied up at the face dock of the Mystic Seaport Museum after a rough day on Long Island Sound. Our departure from Weehawken after the rain subsided on Monday provided us with awesome views of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and the bridges and canyons of tall buildings across NYC. More memories of times spent working, studying and playing there were brought to mind as we traversed down the Hudson River, around the tip of Manhattan and up the East River out through Hell's Gate and past Laguardia Airport into Long Island Sound. The storm clouds lifted and we made good time getting to Milford, CT, where we were greeted by our old friends, Kathy and Jim, and tied up at their dock. It was great to see them again, catch up and spend some time reminiscing about trips and adventures from the past...like our visit to Foxy's in the BVI's in 1979! Kathy reminded me that I kept a journal back then but I don't know what became of it. Back out into LI Sound again on Tuesday, heading to Old Saybrook, CT, to meet up with friends Peggy and Bill Chadwick from Grand Harbor. We enjoyed a delightful dinner with them at their lovely home and discussed plans for our upcoming annual Boston reunion with fellow members of the "Grand Harbor North" contingent. Bill has our tickets for the Sox game on August 21, and we will host a gathering on the rooftop deck of the Bullfinch Building while the group is in town. Captain Dick said we have been sailing with the wind and the waves on Long Island Sound the past couple of days. And that is a good thing because the seas have been rough--wave heights at three to four and sometimes five feet and the wind has been quite strong. He said that today we "surfed" a few five-footers. The MollyBelle is earning her sea stripes...and so are we!

UP THE COAST AND DOWN THE SHORE

It's a rainy Monday morning and we're docked at Lighthouse Harbor Marina in Weehawken, NJ, across the Hudson River from Manhattan.  The view is wonderful; the weather is not!  We were planning to cruise up to Milton, CT, this morning to meet with old friends, Kathy and Jim Mathiessen.  Perhaps we'll be able to take the short trip later this afternoon.

Last Wednesday we crossed Delaware Bay in a light fog and arrived at CapeMay NJ where we were greeted with an oppressive heat wave and a recalcitrant air conditioner on the MollyBelle.  We escaped the heat by moving to a seaside motel until a mechanic came Thursday morning and fixed the problem which was an electrical issue.  Thursday promised to be a very long hot first day of summer and the Atlantic Ocean was very calm, so we decided to leave Cape May at noon and head up the NJ coast to our next destination, Belmar, and a visit with our Florida neighbors, Doug and Susanne Sweeney.  Our five-hour cruise up the NJ coast was delightful!  The breeze was so cool--we hung our heads out over the bow like puppies out of car windows--and the memories of days gone by "down the shore" came flooding back!

Once again on land, we enjoyed our seaside day with the Sweeneys on Friday, culminating with a delicious meal at their magnificent Belmar home overlooking the Atlantic Ocean...what a view! 

As expected, it was very exciting for us to cruise into New York Harbor on Saturday under the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, past the Statue of Liberty and up the Hudson between the majestic New York skyline and the growing parade of buildings on the Jersey side of the River.  We were looking forward to taking some of our family out for a boat ride on the Hudson, but the conditions were very rough--Capt Dick said the waves were confused--due to all the boat traffic in the harbor.  So we visited on board the MollyBelle while tied up at the dock and then walked over to the Chart House Restaurant where we enjoyed dinner outside on the deck overlooking the skyline of New York with the buildings bathed in the light of the golden sunset.

Visitors to the MollyBelle

BACK TO BOATING

God Bless Sienna Rose!

Last Thursday through Sunday we spent time away from the boat, taking a road trip from Annapolis to Wayne, NJ for the christening of Sienna Rose, our new grand-niece.

Dave, Isabella and Molly flew in from Houston; Susan (the godmother) drove down from Boston and we all converged on the lovely home of new grandparents Trish and Nick Del'Re, where we were welcomed with open arms and bountiful plates of food...as always!

Beautiful baby Sienna Rose was the star of the visit.  We tried not to spoil her too much...but how could we resist!


Izzy & Aunt Trish--Baking & Bantering

So much pleasure is derived from these family visits and stories told of times gone by and yet to come. We are ever so grateful to Trish and Nick for extending such loving care to our family and providing a "home away from home" whenever we return to our NJ roots!

Now we are back to the business of boating.  We departed Annapolis this morning and arrived early afternoon at remote marina in Bear Delaware along the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal.  Tomorrow we plan to cross Delaware Bay over to Cape May, NJ where we will stay for a night or two.

Then we are hoping for calm seas and good weather as we head out into the Atlantic Ocean and up the coast of NJ...perhaps for more visits with family and friends!







ANNAPOLIS EXPERIENCES

Good things have happened while in Annapolis: The boat was repaired today.  A sellanoid problem was causing the starter to misfire.  We were lucky to find a mechanic working at the marina Monday and he came to our boat that night, diagnosed the problem, ordered the part yesterday and fixed it this morning.   Capt Dick is very happy that Starbucks is within bicycle riding distance of the marina!  He's been enjoying his breakfast cappucinos and NYT while overlooking the Annapolis harbor

Although it rained most of yesterday, we toured the Naval Academy and were very impressed to see and hear about the life and education of midshipmen and the rigorous training they undergo to become officers in the US Navy.

Last night we were invited to dinner at the home of former classmate and reunion organizer extraordinaire,  Bill Kardash and his lovely wife, Judy.  They own a faithfully restored and lovingly cared for, 18th century brick home overlooking Spa Creek in Annapolis.  It is absolutely gorgeous and beautifully furnished in the style befitting a gracious home of that period. Judy served us a fabulous dinner prepared with herbs and vegetables grown in her garden.  I think she may very well have taught Martha Stewart a thing or two! The evening was definitely a highlight of our journey!

And we finally have our American flag flying off the back of our boat again.  After we lost our flag and staff in rough seas last week, I ordered a new one from a Beneteau dealer in Annapolis who could provide us with the varnished teak flagstaff in the necessary measurements (millimeters) to fit the holder on the upper stern of the MollyBelle. The dealer attached the new flag to the staff and Bill picked it up for us.  Another "plus" for our stay in Annapolis!

Bicycle riding in Annapolis has been interesting and challenging--it is very hilly, busy and has some very narrow streets.  Dick insists that I can do this.  I'm trying--but I do walk the bike up a lot of hills!  I have to admit that it is a great way to see this fascinating historic small town.

Another wonderful experience: Dinner this evening at Caroll's Creek Cafe outside on the deck overlooking the weekly sailboat races.  We had ringside seats for viewing boats with colorful spinnakers as they swiftly approached the finish line and came about just before colliding with Spa Creek Bridge. And then there was the brilliant sunset over the "sailing capital of the world"...

SPECTACULAR FIREWORKS AND INCREDIBLE CRABS

Saturday night the docks at the Tidewater Marina were filled with animated, boisterous, party-loving people!  Anticipation for the big fireworks display over the Tall Ships in the harbor was high. The show was fabulous and we saw it all from the bridge of the MollyBelle.  The fireworks were spectacular!

Earlier in the day we toured some of the Tall Ships including the USCG Barque Eagle.  Capt. Dick was thrilled to have the opportunity to board some of these ships and now he wants to join the Coast Guard!

Sunday morning we departed Portsmouth/Norfolk and cruised up the Elizabeth River through Hampton Roads past US Navy vessels of all sizes and shapes. Very impressive and awesome to see some of our country's Navy at work and at rest!

We then cruised up Chesapeake Bay to the tiny port of Chrisfield, VA, once known as "The crab capital of the world."
Of course we satisfied our appetites with mounds of fresh crab for dinner...they were incredible!

Now it is Monday afternoon and we are comfortably tied up at the Yacht Basin in Annapolis, MD.  After a nice cruise up the Chesapeake on a beautiful sunny day, we arrived here early this afternoon.  After filling up at the fuel dock, the starboard engine hesitated before starting.  Dick managed to get it started and moved us over to our slip.  However, after we tied up, Dick tested the engine and it would not start.  So we are waiting for a mechanic.  As many of you know, this is all part of boating!

 Fortunately, we had planned to stay in Annapolis for a while.  We plan to rent a car on Thursday and drive to NJ for the Baptism of our new grand-niece Sienna Rose and a reunion with our children and grandchildren.  Our  boating adventures are on hold for now!

PARADE OF TALL SHIPS

Today we watched a spectacular parade of boats in the Norfolk/Portsmouth Harbor! We enjoyed great viewing of the event both from our boat and from the seawall of the Tidewater Marina in Portsmouth. It was so exciting to see hundreds of ships sail up the Elizabeth River into the harbor! The parade was led by the US Coast Guard Sailing Vessel The Eagle, escorted by fire boats spraying hugh plumes of water into the air and smaller Coast Guard escort boats. The harbor was also filled with all types of pleasure boats dressed in full regalia flying many flags. The parade continued for more than an hour featuring more than 20 beautiful international tall sailing ships with their crews standing at attention on decks and yardarms of masts that reached far up into the sky. Many of the ships were playing music, cannon salutes were blasting, helicopters were circling and fighter jets flew overhead! It was all so impressive and absolutely breathtaking! It was a very warm sunny day, so when we got too hot from standing in the sun at the sea wall, we went back to the MollyBelle and watched from the fly bridge. The parade ended shortly after one o'clock with some big Navy ships and a partially submerged submarine. The surrounding pleasure boats, including us, blew their horns in salute to the Navy and Coast Guard vessels. This was a fantastic experience and well worth the discomforts of the past few days at sea! Although I took many photos with my iPhone, none of them could possible do justice to the awesomeness of this event. So I have attached a photo from the OpSail brochure to my email about this blog.

BEAUFORT TO COINJOCK, NC

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Beaufort, NC, is pronounced "BOW-fert".  It is quite different from Beaufort, SC, which is pronounced "BYOO-fert" (as in beautiful).  This has puzzled me for quite some time.  Recent visits to  these two small towns along the Southeastern coast have helped me appreciate the differences between them. We spent Sunday afternoon through Tuesday morning tied up at the Beaufort Docks in North Carolina.  This is a quaint small town, steeped in seafaring history and pirate lore. Blackbeard hung out here. Boat repairs, maintenance and chores such as laundry and a run to the grocery store in the marina's borrowed jalopy prevented us from seeing many of the sites.  However, during a walk around the block after dinner Monday evening we strolled past the Old Burial Ground and wished we had visited earlier in the day when the gates were open. We also bought a beautiful new American flag for the MollyBelle to replace the old one which had become very tattered.

We departed Beaufort early Tuesday morning for Belhaven, NC.  That trip was extremely rough and windy through the Neusse River...much rougher than our jaunt in the Atlantic Ocean on Sunday.  The winds and the water battered the boat and we arrived in Belhaven minus our brand new flag!  Also discovered that the hatch over our stateroom leaked and all the bedding needed to be washed and dried in the single washer and drier available at the small (but very charming) Belhaven Marina.

Now it is Wednesday evening and we are tied up for the night at the 1,000-foot-long dock of the marina in Coinjock, NC, along with several other trawlers and sailboats. Today's journey on the Alligator River and the Albemarle Sound was fraught with more rough seas and near misses with crab traps and runaway branches and  tree stumps.  We had been forewarned about these things--nonetheless it was a very challenging day.  Took on more water through the hatch in our stateroom necessitating another trip to marina laundry.  Dick and I are still speaking to each other...but only when necessary!  Tomorrow we head for Norfolk, VA, where we will stay for a few days and hope to experience some of the festivities of OpSail, including a parade of international tall ships on Friday and fireworks on Saturday as part of a bicentennial commemoration of the War of 1812. Perhaps we will get the leaky hatch repaired while we are there!

OUT TO SEA

CHARLESTON, SC to BEAUFORT, NC.  We spent Wednesday and Thursday in Charleston exploring the city on bicycles, shopping at the Market, touring antebellum mansions and hearing more history of the Old South. Thursday evening we splurged on a wonderful dinner at the Peninsula Grill where we enjoyed the ambiance and people-watching as much as the food. The Spoleto Arts Festival was taking place so we attended a show at the College of Charleston. A somewhat witty monologist spoke about Steve Jobs for two hours--too long for us, especially after a big meal!  Our evening bicycle rides along the Battery were delightful and brought back memories of childhood days, taking my big blue Schwinn out for rides around the block after supper!

On Friday we followed the ICW north to Georgetown, SC and on Saturday it was a very slow trip from Georgetown to Southport, NC.  Nothing too memorable about these two days other than noticing the changes in topography along the shoreline as we continued north. So today we decided to leave Southport early in the morning in an effort to beat some of the Sunday boaters and try to make an hourly bridge opening 25 miles north.  We were about five miles from the bridge shortly before 9AM when we realized that we were not going to make it in time and would have to wait around for the next opening at 10AM. However, we discovered that we were near the Wrightsville Inlet and could easily go out into the Atlantic Ocean.  Why didn't we think of that earlier?  We were just too focused on traversing the ICW where we have to go very slowly through many no wake zones and slow down for other boaters.

Out to Sea

It was a beautiful clear day, the seas were calm and we thoroughly enjoyed the four-hour run up to Beaufort, cruising at 18.5 knots and arriving at Beaufort City Docks in time for a late lunch at 1:30. The MollyBelle lived up to her reputation as a "swift trawler."  We were so happy to be at sea!

Charleston Sunset

The Molly Belle got some rest last night and so did we!  Yesterday (Wednesday), after a full day of bicycle riding around Charleston, we returned to the marina just in time for a beautiful sunset:

More of the same planned for today!

A LATE NIGHT VISIT FROM BERYL

Yesterday we sailed to Charleston behind a trawler that had been docked next to us in Beaufort. The owners of that trawler, Tim and Kathy, are a charming North Carolinian couple who escorted us on a wonderful tour of Charleston followed by a delightful dinner at "Slightly North of Broad." We discussed Tropical Storm Beryl and how fortunate we had been in skirting the ill winds of that tempest. Ha! Beryl showed us who's the boss, buffeting us with high winds and heavy rains beginning shortly after we returned from dinner. The MollyBelle weathered the storm very well, having been securely tied up to the floating dock by very capable dockhands at the Charleston City Marina earlier in the day. The worst of the storm subsided by around 4AM and I will try to catch up on lost sleep today!

MEMORIAL DAY IN BEAUFORT, SC
After a 12-day sojourn on Hilton Head Island, The MollyBelle and crew got back on the ICW this morning.  In spite of tropical storm warnings (Capt Dick just said "Beryl be Damned"), we are glad that we braved the rough waters of Port Royal Sound and arrived in Beaufort at noon.  It was well worth the two hour trip to get here and tour this beautiful old town by horse and buggy and learn a bit of history.
Our stay in Hilton Head was wonderful: visits with old friends, bicycle rides, walks on the beach were some of the highlights; along with alligator viewing for excitement!

Now it's time to get back to boating and blogging. Next stop: Charleston.

FROM ISLE OF HOPE TO HARBOUR TOWN YACHT BASIN

What a transition!  Early this morning I strolled past the most gracious old southern homes along the waterfront on Isle of Hope.  I met some of the neighborhood people and learned some history of the island.  These were the summer homes of Savannah residents who in the 1800’s would come here to escape the heat and diseases like yellow fever that were rampant in the city.  Overlooking the water, these stately homes are surrounded by live oak trees laden (of course!) with moss.  The summer residents came here by boat from Savannah—not too far away.  I got some great shots of houses, porches and gardens on my iPhone and I want to figure out how to post them to my blog.  Maybe I’ll have some time to do that while we are here in Hilton Head.  We had a nice non-eventful ride over to Harbour Town Yacht Basin this morning and Capt Dick was very adept at backing The MollyBelle into our slip which is somewhat hidden in a corner of the marina.  There are some very large yachts docked between us and the lighthouse, so we have to get off the boat to see it. We are surrounded by the condos and shops of Sea Pines Resort with many people walking around and lots of activity.  So different from our earlier stops along the way!  On Sunday we are going to move off the boat into one of the condos which I believe directly overlooks our boat.  I think I recognize it from photos—it is the only one with a green umbrella on the patio.  We are looking forward to enjoying the amenities of the resort, including bicycle trails, beaches and pool,  and visiting friends from HH, Atlanta and NC—not to mention getting off the boat for a while!

OCEAN BOUND AND RUNNING AGROUND. Neither of those two activities was planned for today. However, en route from Jekyll Island to Isle of Hope (Savannah) GA, we missed the marker for the Mud River and found ourselves heading out towards the Atlantic Ocean. As much as we might have liked to avoid the shallow passage through the Mud River, our plan is to follow the ICW north and not go "outside" in the ocean. So we found our way back and made it through the planned route okay. Later on we ran aground at the entrance to Hell Gate. Capt Dick managed to back off and get us through the rest of that passage unscathed. (Who wants to travel through places called "Mud River" and "Hell Gate" anyway?). We were very happy to tie up at Isle of Hope Marina (much nicer name) this afternoon. The marina let us use their loaner car and we made a run to Walmart for provisions. Dinner on board: pasta and meatballs from the Saturday Farmers Market in Fernandina accompanied by a bottle of red wine, of course! Tomorrow's destination is Hilton Head where we plan to stay for a while.

GUNSHOTS AND LIGHTNING Yesterday as we were dining on board, enjoying Capt Dick/Chef Richard's special shrimp and vegetable stir fry, we heard gunshots. They were coming from a big old vessel anchored about 1,000 feet across the channel from us. A man was shooting a pistol into the water off the back of the boat. This activity continued on and off for more than an hour. Some of the local people staying on our dock didn't seem to be alarmed by this. They said he is a good guy who lives on his 1900's refurbished oyster boat. He works for Sea Tow and that boat was tied to his big old boat. One of his friends from our dock called him and asked if everything was alright. No one had ever witnessed this kind of behavior from him. They said he is a really nice, mild-mannered guy whose mother died two weeks ago. He told his friend he was really upset with yesterday being Mother's Day and all. Did I mention he also was very drunk? So around 8PM Dick called 911 and they sent two officers from the Georgia State Patrol. Just as they arrived at the marina the shooter sent off another round of gunfire into the water. His friend from our dock called him again and was talking to him when the officers approached and then they talked to him. All of the "talking to" seemed to calm him down. The officers decided everything was okay and they left. The shooter came by the marina today and apologized to the harbor master for his behavior and for scaring us. We definitely were frightened! As I write this post we are experiencing a very strong thunder and lightning storm. Lightning is striking all around us. Yesterday--guns; today--lightning! I think I'll shut down the computer for now. Whew, glad that's over! We just finished drying the floors from the rain that came in through one of the portholes that was left open. It was a very strong storm and the rain was blowing sideways. Glad we were tied up at the dock and not out at sea! Earlier today the weather was beautiful. It was a wonderful day for bicycling around Jekyll Island under the big live oak trees laden with moss and blooming magnolia trees scattered throughout. After riding along the beach and the marshes, we followed the paths past the Jekyll Island Club and the "cottages" where wealthy business tycoons came around the turn of the century to escape the cold northern winters. We plan to do more exploring and bicycle riding tomorrow and then have a farewell dinner with Peter and Terry at the Inn before we depart and go our separate ways on Wednesday morning. Dick and I are anxious about navigating the shallow waterways of Georgia as we head on up towards Hilton Head. We plan to travel as best we can with the tides and pay close attention to the charts in an effort not to run aground!

SATURDAY MARKET & SUNDAY MASS: Nourishment for Body & Soul. Fernandina, FL to Jekyll Island, GA Yesterday we tied up at Fernandina after a four hour cruise from St Augustine just in time to get to the Saturday Farmer's Market. Fernandina is a charming old port town with many shops and restaurants and the market is just a few blocks from the marina. We stocked up on tomatoes, strawberries, olive tapenade, homemade bread and frozen meatballs to add to our pasta sauce--the next time we cook on board(?). We've been eating out a lot! Sunday morning we walked to St Michael's Church for 8 o'clock Mass. We were greeted along the way by residents sitting on front porches of pretty old homes along tree lined streets. We headed back to the boat for a 10 o'clock departure. The deckhands at the marina were most helpful in getting us off as we had to turn the boat around in a narrow space with a slight current and unfavorable wind. We followed the Intracoastal Waterway along Cunberland Island and arrived at Jekyll around noon. It was a short ride but somewhat tricky at times, especially navigating through open water between Cumberland and Jekyll Island in rough seas. Terry saw horses on the beach on Little Cumberland Island. We've been enjoying traveling with the Sullivans on board The Whimaway Two and will miss them when we part company on Wednesday: they will return to Vero Beach and we will head North. We plan to spend a couple of days on Jekyll, exploring the natural beauty of the island via the lengthy bicycle paths that run along the beaches, marshes and lush trees laden with Spanish moss. David called to wish me Happy Mother's Day and ask where he might send my card and gift. I said he could send it to Harbour Town Yacht Basin in Hilton Head where we plan to be May 18-28. That's where the harbor master from St Augustine will be sending my little red purse that I left behind in the bathroom at that marina. Don't ask...!

Friday, May 11, 2012. St Augustine Municipal Marina BOATS AND BICYCLES (AKA "SWIFTS" & "BEACH CRUISERS") After an overnight stay at Halifax Marina in Daytona on Tuesday, we arrived in St Augustine Wednesday around 11am. We struck up a conversation with a charming young man, Patrick, who came over to our boat to tell us how much he liked our "Swift", referring to the swift trawler style of The MollyBelle. He wished that his trawler could go as fast as ours. Pat and some friends are traveling from their home port of Savannah to the Bahamas. One of his friends asked me if the white "beach cruiser" on the bow of the MollyBelle was mine. I guess he figured who else would ride such a big bike with foot brakes! Anyway, he said he thought it was cool. We spent some time visiting our respective boats. Pat's trawler is about the same length as ours--42 feet, but his seems much larger because of the way it is built. They departed on their journey south that afternoon, but not before extending an invitation to stay at his mother's dock in Savannah. Boaters are the friendliest people! We also met Brian and Rose who are on their way home to Greenwhich, CT, from the Bahamas. Brian gave us some tips about places to visit on Long Island Sound. St Augustine is a very old historic city and Captain Dick believes the best way to view old historic cities is on a bicycle. So, yesterday morning with much trepidation I got on my shiny new big "beach cruiser", with foot brakes and 3 speeds and proceeded down the cobblestone streets of St Augustine. It took a while for me to overcome my fear of falling and crashing into cars, pedestrians and other bikers. Dick will tell you that I still have not overcome that fear. There were some interesting sights to see--whenever I could take my eyes off the bumpy road and loosen my grip on the handle bars. After lunch we bicycled to the Fountain of Youth to drink the fabled water that will keep us young forever! We made it back to the boat safe and sound and hopefully no older than when we started out!

Mating Manatees and Nesting Osprey
May 7, 2012, Day One of our journey North aboard the MollyBelle from our home port in Vero Beach to our second (new) home port in Boston, MA.  We left at 7:45am as scheduled, in order for Captain Dick to arrive at Cocoa Village Marina in time for his conference call at noon.  It was a beautiful day on the Indian River where we saw mating manatees (We think that's what they were doing--they were very frisky!) and nesting osprey.  We are happy to be under way after many months of planning for this trip.  We will be travelling with Peter and Terry Sullivan on their boat, the "Whimaway" as far as Jekyll Island, GA, with stops in Daytona, St Augustine, and Fernandina Beach in Florida.  After that we are on our own! This is my first post as a new blogger.  Hope it works!