Florida--Almost Home!

Sunday, November 16, Georgia to Florida
Finally across the border into Florida! We left Jekyll Island, Georgia, after a cold overnight stay.  The weather is not getting any warmer as we head south!  We were heading to St Augustine when we ran aground...AGAIN!  Although the MollyBelle has an affinity for sand bars, Capt Dick now has enough practice at getting off.  And so we did. Without any further damage to boat.  Enough said.

Monday, November 17, St Augustine, Florida
Stayed overnight Sunday and the whole day Monday in St Augustine.  Enjoyed some sightseeing--more old historic buildings--and nice food.  Rested up on a rainy afternoon.

Tuesday, November 18, St Augustine to Daytona
More cold weather!  Hope it warms up by Thursday when we get to Vero Beach!

REFLECTIONS ON THE JOURNEY

It's been fun!  We've certainly had a lot of boating experiences--some better than others!  We've seen a lot of places and met a lot of very nice people.  Spent a lot of time together!  We're ready to go home and look forward to planning another trip!

Favorite Prop Guy!

Adventures in the Deep South - Part 2

Tuesday, November 11, Savannah to Brunswick and St Simons, Georgia
Tuesday morning we took a bus tour of Savannah while waiting for the props to be repaired.  It was a beautiful day, there was a Veterans Day Parade in the city, and we were on a tour with a very animated tour guide.  We almost forgot why we were there!  Until we got a call from the shop telling us they could not repair our damaged boat props.  After anxious calls to the boat manufacturer--it would take several weeks and a ton of money to get new props--and to the boat yard where the MollyBelle was waiting on stilts without her propellers, the owner of the boat yard suggested we take the props to a bigger repair shop farther south in Brunswick, Georgia.  So off we drove to Tyler Dominey's propeller and metal work shop in Brunswick...thank goodness for GPS directions!  Tyler assured us that he could fix the props.  Our anxiety was growing so we decided to treat ourselves to a relaxing overnight stay at the beach on St Simons Island!

Launching the MollyBelle

Wednesday & Thursday,  November 12 &13,  St Simons to Beaufort
This story is getting too long!  I'll try to summarize:  Wednesday afternoon we picked up the repaired props and drove back (almost two hours north) to Beaufort.  Thursday the props were reattached and the MollyBelle was launched at Marsh Harbor Boat Yard at high tide.  We went back to the boat and stayed overnight at the Beaufort City Marina in preparation for our Friday morning departure and return to cruising and heading home.

Friday, November 14: Beaufort, SC to Isle of Hope, GA
MollyBelle is back to cruising!  We are heading south and will be home in Florida in a few more days!  I guess we were in too much of a hurry to get home because we got a ticket for going too fast in an "idle speed only" zone on the ICW in Georgia.  Although the Captain is usually very careful to slow down in the designated slow zones, he must have missed a sign.  It wasn't until long after we had tied up at the Isle of Hope Marina, near Savannah, that the zealous Georgia Ranger pulled up alongside our boat and told us that he was in his truck when he saw us cruising too fast on the waterway.  So he drove his truck to his boat and proceeded to search the ICW until he tracked us down at the marina.  He wrote up a violations ticket with a phone number to call for more information.  Upon calling that number, Dick was informed by the office of the Assistant District Attorney for the county that it would take at least a month for them to determine the outcome of our case.  So the Southern Saga continues...

Adventures in the Deep South

November 3-6, Charleston, North Carolina
Charleston is one of our favorite Southern cities so we spent three days there enjoying the sights, great food, shopping and meeting up with friends old and new.  We took a wonderful walking tour given by Anne Middleton Herron, a charming and animated 13th generation North Carolinian who guided us through hidden courtyards and alleyways as well as past centuries old churches and buildings, giving us a real sense of the city and its rich history.

November 6, Charleston, NC to. Beaufort, SC
The one event every boater would like to avoid is running aground.  And we had avoided that mishap until Thursday, November 6, when we left Charleston and headed down the ICW planning to tie up at Harbour Town on Hilton Head Island.  We hit a sand bar in the ICW just off Beaufort shortly after noon.  We were stuck hard with only about two feet of water under the boat and the tide was going out.  We were finally towed off the bar at 5:30 when the incoming tide brought enough water under the boat for us to get off.  It was a very embarrassing and uncomfortable situation because at one point we were entirely surrounded by land and tipped way over on our side.  All the slow vessels that we had passed earlier in the day sailed smoothly past us and, although sympathetic to our plight, I'm sure they must have been glad it wasn't them sitting on that sand bar!

High and Dry!

Fortunately we were close to the Beaufort City Marina and although the props were damaged, we were able to proceed slowly to the dock and tie up before they closed at 6pm.  We called a nearby boat yard and tried to make arrangements to have the boat hauled the next day to assess the damage.  But they couldn't do that until Monday.  The good news was that we didn't take on any water and were able to stay on the boat overnight.  The bad news was that we had to wait until Monday to find out how badly we banged things up!

November 7-8, Bluffton and Hilton Head
Since we had to wait until Monday for the boat to be hauled, we rented a car and drove to nearby Bluffton, SC where old friends George and Mary Duva had invited us to spend the night at their lovely Colleton River Plantation home.  We enjoyed visiting and catching up with them and also with Brian and Terri Haley the next day when we drove over to Hilton Head for lunch at the new beach club.  Our visits with friends took place as planned, but not with our boat docked at Hilton Head!

Monday, November 10, Beaufort-Savannah
Monday morning at high tide Capt. Dick drove the MollyBelle at idle speed to Marsh Harbor Boat Works, where she was hauled and the damaged props were removed.  The owner of the boat yard recommended that the props be sent to Savannah for repair.  Dick wanted to deliver them to the repair shop himself.  So we loaded the props in the rental car and drove to the repair shop in Savannah, Georgia where we dropped them off Monday afternoon.  We were told they might be ready by Tuesday afternoon, so we decided to stay overnight in Savannah and see some of the sights in that charming city.  We were tired and our anxiety was high!

North Carolina Notes: Coinjock, Belhaven, Beaufort and Southport

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Tuesday, October 28:  Portsmouth, Virginia to Coinjock, North Carolina

Smooth sailing on Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) and Currituck Sound.

Coinjock is a very interesting rural outpost!  Local roosters provided wakeup call at zero-dark-hundred. At least 15 boats lined up at long face dock.  Good overnight stop.

Wednesday, October 29:  Coinjock to Belhaven

Windy on Albemarle Sound, smooth going on Alligator River to Belhaven Waterway Marina.

One of our favorite places to stop.  Small charming marina, husband and wife owners and two small dogs, Belle and Haven, very welcoming and helpful.  Met Wendy and Peter and Rylee on board Adventuresome.  Brilliant sunset.  Found great restaurant in this small hamlet: SpoonRiver.

Thursday, October 30: Belhaven to Beaufort

Slightly choppy on Pamlico Sound and Neuse River; very windy with strong current entering Beaufort.  Delicious dinner, enjoyable camaraderie with new boat friends Wendy and Peter at Blue Moon Bistro.

Belhaven Sunset

Friday, October 31:  Happy Halloween in Beaufort!

Trick or Treaters of all sizes, many dressed up as pirates, throughout town.  Grocery shopping at Food Lion in loaner car from Beaufort Docks.  Poked around in some of the shops and took some photos in Old Burial Grounds.  Ended the day with a stroll to Cedars Inn for fabulous dinner!

Old Burial Grounds in Beaufort

MollyBelle at Rest in Beaufort

Saturday,  November 1:  Beaufort to Southport
Brrrrr!  Long day on ICW.  Long waits for hourly bridge openings.  Periods of sunshine provided some respite from the cold, rainy conditions that caught up with us before we reached Southport.  Docked and tied up in the rain.  Ugh!  Thankful for heaters on boat! Provisions picked up in Beaufort on Friday (and leftovers from restaurant dinners) provided nice dinner on board.

Swing Bridge Opening in the Rain

Sunday November 2: Southport, NC to Georgetown, SC
Another cold day but brilliant sunshine kept us warm on the enclosed flybridge.  Slow travel on ICW.  Bumped the bottom while passing a sailboat.  All is fine.  Opened a few swing bridges tendered by smooth talking southern gentlemen!  Tied up at Harborwalkwalk Marina in Georgetown along with several other boats we've encountered along the way.  We are like nomads wandering along and meeting up from time to time.  Looking forward to planned meetup with Adventuresome in Charleston tomorrow!

Norfolk to Coinjock

One of the best places to see some awesome Navy vessels is Norfolk, Virginia.  We had perfect viewing of these vessels on our way into Portsmouth yesterday and upon leaving that port this morning.

Navy Vessels in Norfolk

Today's cruise to Coinjock, North Carolina took us along the Intracoastal Waterway through Virginia into North Carolina where we are tied up at Coinjock.  As we travelled slowly along the intracoastal

we came across some interesting sights:

Slow Moving Vessels along the Intracoastal Waterway

Short post today...weather is beautiful, MollyBelle and crew are fine!!

Sunday in St Michael's

Captain at the Helm

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Sunday, October 26, was a beautiful day for exploring this charming old Maryland town which came highly recommended by several friends and fellow boaters.  We certainly were not disappointed!  Started the day with a complimentary breakfast at the Harbour Inn followed by 10:15 Mass at Sts Peter and Paul mission church located a mile from the marina.  The Inn provided a van service and after mass we had the van drop us off at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum where the captain especially enjoyed delving into maritime pursuits of the past.

Maryland Crabs!

A huge mound of fabulous Maryland crabs took care of Sunday dinner...for Dick!  I was very satisfied with a most delicious crab cake dinner and I didn't need to use a hammer to eat my meal.  We attempted to walk off lunch with a stroll around town and up and down side streets lined with lovely clapboard homes dating back to the 1800's.  Finished off the day with another gorgeous sunset and a light supper on the boat which included some delicious  coleslaw that we brought back from the Crab Claw Restaurant.

Monday, October 27.  We bypassed our scheduled stop at Solomon's Island on the western shore of the Chesapeake and cruised steadily for eight hours all the way to Portsmouth, Virginia.  The seas were calm, the sun was shining and the engines were purring.  All contributed to our decision to keep going.  Also Tuesday's weather forecast was not as favorable and we are trying to avoid any more WOW-ing!  However, bypassing several planned stops along the Chesapeake has us vowing to return at a more leisurely pace.

Sassafras River and Eastern Shore of Chesapeake Bay

We didn't plan on spending four nights in Georgetown, Maryland but we were "WOW-ing" or "waiting on weather" as some of our boat friends would say. At least we weren't "WOP-ing" or "waiting on parts" to fix the boat!  We had time to meet some very nice fellow boaters, clean up the boat a little and catch up on chores while anxiously monitoring conditions on the Chesapeake from this little safe haven tucked up on the Sassafras River.  I love the name!  Apparently it is the name of a root that the Indians used to make bread...I also had time to learn something about the history of the area.  European settlers to this area go back to the 1600's and they were mostly farmers and fishermen.  Most of the area was burned down by the British in the War of 1812, except for the home of Kitty Kitteridge.  She yelled at the British general and he went away!  Strong woman!

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Sassafras Sunset

Finally, Saturday was a beautiful day and we cruised out into the Chesapeake and down the eastern shore to St Michael's where they were in the midst of an Oyster Festival.  Most of the marinas were full for the weekend but we were able to get a slip at the busy Harbour Inn Marina where we tied up next to a beautiful new 44' Beneteau similar to ours but newer, prettier and more spacious!

Saturday afternoon, we visited with the owners of that boat, newlyweds Ken and Melissa from Bethesda, Maryland.  What a delightful afternoon we spent chatting about boats, travel, exchanging contact information and now we've got the "boat bug."  Is there a MollyBelle II in our future??

On our way into St Michael's yesterday, the starboard engine started balking and Captain Dick had to coax it along into the marina.  He replaced the fuel filters and we are hoping that has solved the engine problem.  Our itinerary has us off to Solomon's Island tomorrow and then down to Norfolk, Virginia. Hopefully no WOWing or WOPing is in our immediate future!

Down The Atlantic and Into The Chesapeake

We departed Jersey City for Cape May early Monday morning, October 20, in order to take advantage of calmer seas finally forecasted off the coast of New Jersey.  However the ocean was quite rough and the winds were against us so we decided to cut the day short and pull in at the Golden Nugget Casino & Marina in Atlantic City.  Fifteen yachts of varing sizes tied up after us. What an interesting place!  Dick and I haven't been to many casinos other than on vacations out of this country a while back, and we felt like we landed on another planet!!  What an experience just walking through a big casino in Atlantic City!  The sights, sounds and smells will linger with us for some time!

Casino Lights at End of Dock

Tuesday morning we ventured out into the Atlantic Ocean one more time, heading for Cape May. The seas were rough but once we got into the Cape May Canal things calmed down and we decided to continue on into Delaware Bay and the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal all the way to Chesapeake City, Maryland.  It was a long day for us--seven hours on the water, but we were glad we did it and enjoyed a nice dinner at the historic Banyard Inn and a walk around this charming small Maryland town all decked out with pumpkins and Halloween regalia!  What a change from Atlantic City and New York!

Chesapeake City Sunset on the Canal

Wednesday morning, as predicted, cold rainy weather hit but we chose to continue on our journey, heading for St Michael's on the eastern shore of Chesapeake Bay.  Once out of the C&D Canal, conditions on the Cheapeake gave us pause...so we took advantage of an opportunity to detour up the Sassafras River to Georgetown, Maryland, where we are tied up at the Georgetown Landing Marina and we are nice and cozy and warm on the MollyBelle.  The small portable boat heater that I bought at Liberty Marina is getting a lot of use!  Coincidentally, we are docked next to the facilities with a washer and dryer so we will have clean sheets tonight!

Thursday, October 23:  We are still at Georgetown waiting for the Chesapeake to calm down before heading to St Michael's.  Plan to rent a car today, explore the area and get some groceries.  Our nice dock neighbors delivered milk to our boat this morning.  But we really need to get some provisions on board!

New York, New York!

On Tuesday, October 14, we  departed Port Jefferson out to the Long Island Sound and down the East River.  Always exciting for us, cruising alongside Manhattan provides marvelous vistas of the Big Apple with its iconic skyscrapers, bridges and bustling traffic.  Traversing the water under the Brooklyn, Manhattan and Williamsburg (BMW) Bridges provides some great photo opportunities!

Happy Captain

So we slowed down and took in the sights while rounding  the tip of Manhattan.  The Statue of Liberty welcomed us as we crossed the Hudson River to Jersey City and tied up at Liberty Landing Marina where we are waiting for the seas to calm down enough for smooth sailing down the New Jersey coast.  The views from this marina are fabulous!  The lower Manhattan skyline is what we see from the MollyBelle and walks around Liberty Park affords views of The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.  Also directly across the channel from the marina is the burgeoning Jersey City skyline, dominated by the Goldman Sachs Tower.  I have posted several photos on Facebook and Instagram and will attempt to attach a few to this blog.

Special Approach

Along with all this excitement a bit of misfortune has befallen me:  I came down with laryngitis shortly after arriving at Liberty Landing.  Other than a few walks around the adjacent park and taking advantage of the photo ops, I've been reading, resting and writing...a little.  The short ferry rides we had planned to take to New York City,  Ellis Island and The Statue of Liberty have been curtailed.  We are so disappointed to have called off dinners and get-togethers with friends and family.  Dick has replaced his lopsided captain"s chair...now we can sail straight!  However, he refuses my exhortations to go off and visit some of the nearby sights.  Smoother seas are forecast for tomorrow, Monday, so that is when we plan to cast off and head for Cape May.

One Last View!

Sag Harbor and Port Jefferson

Last Friday, October 10, we left Newport and cruised across Long Island Sound to Sag Harbor where an independent film festival was going on.  We didn't recognize any celebrities, but we enjoyed our short stay in this tony village nestled among the Hamptons on Long Island.  Friday evening's  special treat was a tour of the megayacht Intuition II.  Thank you Pat, Candace and crew for an inside glimpse of your fabulous floating vacation home!  Our yellow slickers came in handy during Saturday's rainfall as we ventured out for a pizza and visit to the local hardware store and an art gallery.  The weather cleared and we walked to nearby St Andrew Church for five o'clock Mass followed by a most enjoyable dinner at the American Hotel.  Sunday brought sunshine and calm seas...mostly...for our sail to Port Jefferson where we tied up and enjoyed the amenities of the Danford Hotel and Marina for two nights.  Port Jeff is another historic Long Island village which has a bustling ferry to Bridgeport thanks to P.T. Barnum.

Sag Harbor Sunrise

An added bonus to our travels was a very special reunion with my Long Island cousins.  We found each other on Facebook a few years back and I contacted them to see if we could meet up in Port Jefferson on Monday.  What a wonderful day!  Three sisters: Colleen, Kathy and Joanne--daughters of my father's brother Edward Lang, and me, the only child of Josephine and George Lang, reunited after more than 40 years!  Coincidentally, Kathy was visiting from South Florida.  We vowed to meet up again, perhaps in Florida next time!

Special Cousins' Reunion

Back to Blogging and Boating

After a two-year hiatus from blogging I have decided to resume writing about our travels on the MollyBelle.  In 2012 I tracked our journey from Vero Beach to Boston.  Now we are sailing our boat back to Florida and looking forward to some new adventures on our trip South.  Our October first departure from Boston was delayed for five days while we waited for favorable sea conditions off the coast of Massachusetts.  We sailed smoothly down the coast and through the Cape Cod Canal but crossing Buzzards Bay and Narragansett Bay into Newport, Rhode Island was a little rough.  Also encountered a problem with the hydraulic steering system on the boat which made it difficult to dodge all the lobster pots! We arrived in Newport and docked successfully at the Newport Yachting Center at 3pm Monday afternoon.

We've been enjoying our stay in Newport while waiting for favorable seas to head over to Sag Harbor, Long Island.  The steering system has been fixed--it needed fluids!  Tuesday afternoon we took a long walk around this lovely historic town over to the Cliffwalk in front of the huge mansions along the ocean.  The weather was great and the view of the ocean was spectacular!  We've enjoyed some delicious meals at Aquidneck Lobster, The Black Pearl and The Revolving Door Restaurant.  We liked the Revolving Door so much that we returned there for dinner Wednesday evening with the Corbetts, our Florida friends who spend the summer in Westport Point.  We thought we would take advantage of that revolving door!

So after laying off writing and journaling for a couple of years, I hope to keep this journal interesting and entertaining.  My pen is a bit rusty but I will give it a try!  Captain Dick and I are well and we are looking forward to returning the MollyBelle to Florida.  He has not grown any more hair on the top of his head but he has grown a beard to help him look a bit more salty!  I have passed into another decade of my life but I think I can still manage to give orders from the bridge!

Newport Cliff Walk

                                                                           

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!