»» Annapolis to Maine to Annapolis 4.15.2002-12.13.2002
»» Bahamas 4.22.2003-


April 21, 2003 - Key Largo, Florida
We hauled our anchor and motored out to Molasses Reef, our staging ground for our jump to the Bahamas. The trip is only 78 nautical miles, but we wanted to get to Bimini with plenty of sunlight and at high tide, so we left at night. We calculated that it would take us about 13 hours and we wanted to get there before noon, so we gave ourselves a cushion and left our mooring at Molasses Reef at 22:30. Our first through the night sail. Thankfully our crossing was uneventful, with relatively calm seas and next to no wind. We had 4-8 foot swells from a dwindling depression in the Atlantic, but no breaking seas and no "elephants" in the Gulfstream.

Our buddies on Expatriate were never more than half a mile away and it was reassuring to see their lights in the blackness. We would call each other on the VHF radio whenever we saw a contact on the radar or with our eyes. Several times we saw the lights of large ships on the horizon and were amazed that they were as far away as the radar confirmed them to be. When there is nothing but blackness and more blackness, lights play funny games with your mind. Throughout the night, Nina and I took turns being on watch, and the off watch had the opportunity to find some sleep. I was able to get a few hours of sleep, but with the rolling of the seas and the hard to forget fact that we had miles of water below our keel and quite a few more miles without land on either side of us, sleep was difficult.

When the sun rose we were unable to see anything but our two boats and the gentle swells of the Atlantic. Had we not been so tired, I'm sure one of us would have taken a photograph. A few hours later we saw the islands of Bimini and made landfall around 9:30. The Bahamas don't have an organization like the Coast Guard that installs and maintains what we call "Aids to Navigation," so the aids when in the Bahamas are the colors of the water. With the continuously shifting sandbars the charts that we rely on aren't to be relied on and our entrance to North Bimini was more shallow than we expected. With our 4 foot draft we made it through, but Expatriate with a 5 foot draft ran aground. Thankfully Mark was able to power off with each passing swell and we made it safe inside the harbor and docked.

We cleared Customs and Immigration with no problems and were ready to start exploring the Bahamas, but not until we get a little bit of sleep. -Kristan-

April 18, 2003 - Key Largo, Florida Keys
Still here in Key Largo waiting for the perfect weather..... But we are having a pretty nice time anyway. Steve and Lori took us out again on Miss Lori to Molasses Reef for more diving and snorkeling. Kristan and Mark gave Steve some scuba diving lessons and he passed with flying colors. Lori and I snorkeled and spotted a 5 foot nurse shark and several barracuda. The waters are also teeming with huge schools of fish - they swim right with us because they aren't scared of people (thanks to a no fishing policy on the reef). After the guys ran out of air in their scuba tanks, Lori and I got "snuba" lessons using their hookah gear. Being a natural born scaredy cat under water, I was nervous about going down the 15-20 feet to explore. Kristan patiently worked with me on equalizing the pressure on my ears by slowing pulling myself down a rope with an anchor hanging on it. When we we got all the way down the rope, he attached a weight belt to me and we explored the reef for 15 or 20 minutes. It was very neat - my first real underwater experience.

Lori and Steve have invited us to stop by and see them in Solomons, MD when we head back north. It will be good to see them again - we've become fast friends. -Nina-

April 17, 2003 - Key Largo, Florida Keys
Today's big project was Kristan trying to teach me how to dive into the water - nope, I never learned. I always just jumped feet first and now at 35 I'm trying to learn to dive headfirst. I'm getting there, but still have a ways to go - my feet just don't want to wait for my head and arms.

Tonight we met Steve and Lori (and Steve's business partner, Hank and his wife) for dinner at the Mandalay Bar which we have been using as our shore access. Steve and Kris/Mark entered the Karaoke contest. Steve ended up winning a $10 food gift certificate and a cheesy plaque for first place and Kris/Mark scored the second highest points with a song from Queen. We all had fun heckling the singers. -Nina-

April 11 - 16, 2003 - Key Largo, Florida Keys
We are finally ready to make our crossing to the Bahamas, but now the weather forecast is not cooperating. The weather is beautiful here, but the winds have been and are still forecasted to be from the north for the next four or five days. To get to the Bahamas, we must cross the Gulfstream which is treacherous with any substantial winds from the north. The Gulfstream has a constant northward current of about three knots so you don't want any winds opposing the current to whip up nasty seas. So we wait..... We have made friends with Mark and Ginger of Expatriate and they plan to make the crossing with us. Of course having another boat along makes our parents much happier (and us too actually). The crossing to Bimini where we plan to make our first landfall is 75 nautical miles with probably 50 of that in open water. And to arrive with the appropriate daylight to navigate the coral reefs, we plan to make our crossing overnight. So we are excited but a little nervous about the upcoming final phase of our cruising.

While we are here waiting, we fill our days with snorkeling, swimming, diving, reading, picnicing, exploring with the dinghy, and hanging out with our friends. It's a tough life, but someone has to do it! - Nina -

April 9-10, 2003 - Islamorada, Florida Keys
We splurged on a slip at Holiday Isle Marina and Resort for two days. The winds were heavy for a couple of days and there wasn't a great anchorage around. So we took the opportunity to fill up our water tanks, clean the boat, and take real showers. Our friends from Expatriate were also there, and Greta enjoyed playing with their dog, Geezer on the grassy patch at the end of the dock. Our two boats were the only two sailboats in a "Sportfisher" dominated marina. We trade off making dinner with our friends most every night so it was convenient to walk over to their boat instead of "dinghying" over. - Nina -

March 19 - April 8, 2003 - Marathon (Vaca Key), Florida
After three weeks in Marathon, we were sad to leave. Most places we go, we are oddballs for living on a boat and for our current lifestyle. In Marathon, we were quite normal. Boot Key Harbor in Marathon is a very large, well-protected harbor that has attracted a large number of fulltime, liveaboard residents. Some live in floating shanties and some live in relatively nice boats of all kinds. With several hundred boats moored and anchored in the harbor, there are many facilities catering to transient boaters. Anyway, we became regulars at Sombrero Dockside where we ate, did laundry, filled our water jugs, accessed the internet, and socialized endlessly. We caught up a little on world events on their tv's and spent many evenings listening to live music and taking advantage of the inexpensive nightly food specials. In fact, we filed our taxes electronically from here and verified our refund was deposited electronically two weeks later. We made very little money last year so the refund from Uncle Sam is funding the upcoming cruising in the Bahamas.

We saw our first Manatee here in the harbor swimming close to the boat. We still see dolphins sometimes in the morning and evening but mostly the number of boats and people in here likely discourage the dolphins frolicking in the harbor too much.

Anchored a few boats from us was a steel ketch called Saved By Grace. Every Sunday morning they hold worship services on the boat so Kristan and I dinghied over for church. It was kind of fun going to church in shorts and t-shirts in the open air on a sailboat. It was a small group (about a dozen) but the minister and his wife were very nice, and we enjoyed a heartfelt non-denominational worship service.

We enjoyed meeting up with old friends and making new friends in Marathon. We caught up with people we had previously met on our way south or in the Dry Tortugas. We enjoyed many fun grill outs with Mark and AJ from Maraj who we originally met in Vero Beach, FL. They will be returning to Virginia soon and we hope to catch them again on our way back north. We also made fast friends with Steve and Lori of Miss Lori, a custom Sportfishing boat from Solomans, MD. We have been invited to stop and see when we make it back up to Maryland. Steve owns an electrical contracting company and they take off six weeks every year to speed down the coast in their 50 foot sportfisher. They cruise at 25 knots compared to our 6 knots so it doesn't take them long to make the trip.

Nadine and Robb Parks came to visit from Dallas. It was great to see them again, and they treated us to a couple of fancy dinners. Unfortunately, our head (toilet) picked a bad time to clog up. So we sent Nadine and Robb ashore for half a day while we rebuilt the head - what a disgusting job. I'll spare our few readers the details. Anyway, we took a road trip down to Key West in Nadine and Robb's rented convertible and walked our legs off in Key West. We also spent time swimming and hanging out on the beach, but the weather didn't cooperate during Nadine and Robb's visit, so we didn't take them for a sail. Thanks for coming to see us Nadine and Robb! -Nina-

March 4 - 5, 2003 - Newfound Harbor, Florida
With Marcia and Terry aboard we sailed then motorsailed to Newfound Harbor. Kristan and I enjoyed relaxing and turning over the helm and sail trimming exclusively to Terry. Since we get plenty of sailing, we don't usually do that much sail trimming but Terry thrives on constantly tweaking the sails to get the absolute most out of the available wind. We came back to Newfound Harbor because we had been here previously and knew it was a nice place. Much to our surprise, we have been very disappointed in much of the Keys which many times consist of thin, trashy beaches. But after anchoring at Newfound Harbor, we dinghied back to the small uninhabited island to let Greta explore while we waded in the shallows and watched the sunset. We saw a cute baby hammerhead shark - we all disagreed on how big it was - anywhere from one to three feet.

The next day we took a day sail out to the reef at Looe Key. This is a great snorkel and dive spot with beautiful clear water. Kristan scuba dived and Marcia, Terry, and I snorkeled. We saw our first Portuguese Man'O War - glad we didn't touch it; we later realized how dangerous they can be. It's just a strange looking creature that we first thought to be some kind of floating trash - a blue balloon like half moon shape with long tenacles.

Kristan caught a small yellowtail snapper with the new fishing pole but then we were all sad watching the fish struggle for life as Kristan pried the hook out of its mouth. Ugh - we will have to get thicker skin to actually clean one ourselves. Back to Newfound Harbor for the night to anchor. -Nina-

February 27 - March 3, 2003 - Key West, Florida
Sailed most of the day on a beam to close reach until the winds died and then motored on in through the choppy channel into Key West. Just before we entered the channel to the harbor, we noticed a PT type boat that looked like a real navy boat with armed crew aboard. Suddenly the boat sped up and started speeding directly toward our stern. Then they started firing toward a nearby schooner. After we fought down the panic rising in our throats, we realized the PT boat was part of a reenactment for the tourists on the schooner. We didn't find it was very funny and thought maybe they should broadcast on the VHF to the other boats when they were planning something like this (especially considering we are getting ready to go to war).

We anchored out with a couple of hundred other boats scattered throughout the outer harbor. There is no real protection from wind or wake so it was very bumpy especially when all the fishing boats zoomed out in the morning. We were disillusioned with our view of paradise. The uninhabited island adjacent the anchorage was trashed out, and there are many floating and half sunken shanties that many of the locals call home. Kristan and I had to examine our souls to figure out why it bothered us more to see "poor" people living on shanties on water than homeless on land. I think selfishly it just ruined the "picture perfect postcard" view of Key West. There's also the inevitable letdown of finally arriving somewhere that you have anticipated for a long time. We are a little grumpy anyway because it's really hot and humid.

We pulled into Conch Harbor Marina on Monday morning in anticipation of Terry and Marcia's arrival in the afternoon. We had to squeeze into our slip pulling the boat in by the slip separator lines because a large powerboat was docked perpendicular to our slip. I think the marina is better suited to powerboats with better maneuverability than our boat. Anyway, Terry and Marcia graciously agreed to pay the $100+ nightly fee for Monday night and again on Thursday night when we return. That dockage price doesn't fit into our budget. Anyway, the marina was very nice and new and we enjoyed the new swimming pool and the pristine restrooms and showers.

Marcia and Terry arrived bearing many gifts - a new fishing pole, food, books, dvd's and at our request, several jars of Hotter Than Hell Of A Relish. We haven't lost our taste for the spicy foods we enjoyed in Texas. We enjoyed dinner at Turtle Kraals after watching the sunset on Mallory Square. This is the southernmost point of the United States so everyone is obligated to enjoy the spectacular sunsets. -Nina-

February 26, 2003 - Newfound Harbor, Florida
Motored out into Hawk's Channel on the Atlantic side of the Keys and proceeded south to a group of keys around Newfound Harbor. It is a nice place with lots of small islands around. Anchored with three other sailboats, one of which had one man and three women on it. Kristan wants to know what his secret is. Five dolphins swam by to welcome us to the anchorage. Dinghied to a small island to let Greta play. -Nina-

February 25, 2003 - Bamboo Key, Florida
The guide book said that Bamboo Key is a good anchorage with protection. It might provide protection, but if you were hiding behind it for wind protection, you had better hold your nose. The mass of bird and bird waste on this little island produces quite a stink. Not to mention we had a very difficult time finding any place with good holding. I'm beginning to think this guide book is for the birds. -Kristan-

February 24, 2003 - Key Largo, Florida
Had a good sail for most of the day, until I let the wind come around our stern and throw us into an accidental jibe. Definitely something you don't want to do too often. If you are ever interested in seeing the power of wind firsthand, I suggest you give it a try. The force of the boom coming from one side of the boat to the other was strong enough to pull the stainless-steel carabiner into a straight line. The breaking strength of that carabiner is more than I want to think about. No more accidental jibes please.

Met Joe and Dolly who dinghied by. They live in Key Largo and have a 30 year old trawler named Gypsy. They offered us use of their dock for getting into town for provisions and water and trash. We're not needing any of that right now, but it is nice to have people offer anyway. Boaters, a mostly friendly lot. -Kristan-

February 23, 2003 - Elliot Key, Florida
Sailed to what the author of our guide book calls, "one of my favorite spots." I can only hope his other recommendations prove better. The beach, if you want to call it that, was completely littered and there wasn't much in the way of view or protection either. We will move on tomorrow. -Kristan-

February 22, 2003 - Hurricane Harbor, Key Biscayne, Florida
Motored up to Crandon Park Marina to fuel up. We were going to keep heading south but there were high winds right on our nose. So we decided to go back to Hurricane Harbor to get protection from the wind. Enjoying watching the scenery as two male only boats flying the rainbow flag swam back and forth getting to know each other. By sundown, their boats were rafted up. We'll keep the binoculars inside the cabin tonight. -Nina-

February 21, 2003 - Hurricane Harbor, Key Biscayne, Florida
Yet more bridges today - probably a dozen to negotiate through. Cruised straight through Miami and passed all the cruise ships and pleasure craft. Several cigarette boats (with thong clad women draped across the back) blew by showing off their big engines and bronzed babes. -Nina-

Anchored in Hurricane Harbor with three other boats. Took the dinghy to No Name Harbor to check it out - too crowded, we'll stay where we are. Played in the shallows with Greta and swam around in the anchorage. -Nina-

February 20, 2003 - Lake Sylvia, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Travelled 36 miles today through very busy waters and a myriad of opening bridges. Typically, the bridges were spaced every 1-2 miles so a large part of the day was spent hovering and waiting for bridges to open. A good portion of this area is bulk headed on both sides so there is nowhere for the wake to escape when another boat passes us. So the wake keeps bouncing off the bulkheads and creates a very bumpy ride. This is a very ritzy area - giant yachts and 10,000 square foot houses. We anchored in Lake Sylvia and went for a swim. Greta doesn't like to swim where she can't escape to shore so I made her a little floating platform out of two big flat fenders and I swam her around for awhile. She has such a rough life! -Nina-

February 19, 2003 - Lantana Bridge, Florida
Proceeded down the waterway through 5 or 6 more restricted opening bridges. Anchored just pass the Lantana Bridge behind the causeway with a handful of other boats.

February 17-18, 2003 - Lake Worth, Florida
Dropped the hook in a nice anchorage with no bugs and no wake. Mark and AJ from Maraj showed up a few hours after us and dropped anchor near us. We swapped some DVDs and made it a movie watching day and a half.

February 15-16, 2003 - Peck Lake, Florida
Damn little bugs. The only problem with this place. OK, not the only problem, but the bigger of the two problems. Actually, this is a great place and we are happy to be here. A little "lake" just off the ICW channel with a splinter of land about 50 yards wide between the "lake" and the ocean. Being just off the ICW and close to an inlet for the ocean, there is considerable wake and surge from the passing boats. The wind has kept us broadside to the wake and when a big powerboat comes down the ICW all the boats anchored start their dancing. Sometimes it can get us rolling enough to throw items from their cubbies and Greta from one side of the cockpit to the other. I decided it was time to deploy an anchor from the stern and winch us in to keep the bow pointing into the wake.

We took the dinghy to shore and walked the 50 yards over the dunes to the ocean beach. Very nice. The only way to get to this section of beach is by boat. And that keeps the crowds down. Greta had plenty of room to run. I played in the surf. Nina read. After a few hours we went back towards the boat and our quiet anchorage had grown into a frenzy reminiscent of a Labor Day Weekend at Lake Louisville. Apparently this is the place to be on a nice weekend day. No less than 75 boats came and went throughout the day. Only 12 were still here by morning and our anchorage was again quiet. We'll probably stay for a few more days. -Kristan-

February 14, 2003 - Manatee Pocket, Florida
Finally left Vero Beach this morning. The term Velcro Beach really applies. We came for one night, we stayed 4. Continued on down the Indian River and continued to marvel at the natural beauty of this part of Florida. We passed the St. Lucie River Inlet and all the sport-fishing boats that such an inlet includes and turned into the St. Lucie River— the beginning of the Okeechobee Waterway that cuts across Florida to the Gulf Coast. Just passed the river entrance is an off-shoot called Manatee Pocket. A pretty and well protected anchorage with lots of sport-fisher traffic and marinas. We anchored just past a boat, Wings from Kemah, Texas— our first encounter with a boat from Texas. We should have gone to talk to them, but the moment never presented itself, or I am just lazy. We will see them again. -Kristan-

February 10-13, 2003 - Vero Beach, Florida
Decided it was time to leave Cocoa. Our friends Dave and Charley were heading north a few miles to catch the inlet that would take them to the Atlantic and then to the Bahamas. We had no reason to stay any longer so we motored south toward Vero Beach.

About half way there the Indian River narrowed and became quite beautiful. With little islands from the spoil of long-ago dredging endeavors covered with Australian Pines and mangroves. Several with little scant beaches that invited us to anchor. We probably would have if we hadn't run aground while we were still in the channel. The charts indicated it to be very shallow outside the ICW channel. I suppose it can be shallow in the channel as well. We were able to get ourselves off with our reliable dinghy and Yamaha 15 horse outboard. Continuing down the river we noticed two other boats that had run aground, Tow-Boat/US had to be called in to help them off. Makes us feel good to be self-sufficient in that regard. (knock on wood)

We called an hour ahead to see about a mooring for the night. Our destination didn't allow anchoring, but has numerous moorings managed by the Vero Beach Municipal Marina. We were offered the last free mooring. Otherwise we would have had to "raft-up" with another boat. We entered the harbor and motored to the next-to-last row, mooring number 50 of 57. A beautiful anchorage with lots of cruisers around, yet peaceful, everyone respecting the sanctity of a nice anchorage.

The mooring cost $8 per night and included the use of the dinghy dock and most of the facilities. Showers were $1 each plus tax. And were they worth it. The best shower experience I have had in a very long time. The town of Vero Beach is very friendly and the dockmaster was very courteous. We might just have to stay here for a few days.

And we did. A few boat projects. A day full of laundry and grocery shopping. I guess we should stay another day to play. Walked a couple/three miles to the ocean and enjoyed some surf. Drank a beer, ate a burger. Maybe we should stay another day. Took Greta up the river in the dinghy exploring the nooks and crannies of the beautiful waterway, an act that is quickly becoming a morning ritual for the two of us. Had drinks and snacks with Mark and AJ and their cat Bosun on Maraj a Tayana 42. One night was all-of-a-sudden, four. -Kristan-

February 6-9, 2003 - Cocoa, FLorida
On the Indian River there aren't any protected anchorages. We just drop the hook in the lee provided by the numerous bridges and causeways that jut out into the river. As the winds were from the south we picked a spot on the northeast of the SR520 Bridge. Before we even got the hook down we met a guy named Dave that told us all about the area. Where we could land the dinghy to go shopping, where we could get showers, but couldn't take the dog, etc. He is a very nice guy and has been cruising on his catamaran for 10 years.

The following day we started a few more projects while we were close to hardware stores and the like. As Nina and I were polishing some stainless on the bow I looked up and saw the winds coming from the north. In less than five minutes the calm, warm air turned quite breezy and chilly. And of course we were on the wrong side of the causeway. No protection from the wind and the fetch that the wind was kicking up. We thought about picking up the anchor and moving to the other side, but thought the wind might calm down and we would be all right. We couldn't sleep.

After a very long and sleepless night bouncing and rolling and splashing and moaning, (We should have just gotten up and re-anchored, but as we are gluttons for punishment, we endured.) we hauled up the anchor and went over the southwest side of the causeway and found peace.

Around 5 o'clock I look out the companionway and see a Bristol 45 motoring right past us with the name Ru'Ah on her hull. Ruah was the name of the boat I grew up on, my father's Vagabond 17. Hebrew for wind, and the "Breath of God" as in the first chapter of Genesis. We have seen a lot of repeated boat names, but this was the first I have seen of that word in many years. As soon as they were anchored I was in the dinghy to go over and talk to them. Very nice couple, German, but most recently from Annapolis. They were excited to finally meet someone who knew what the boat name meant. I was excited to tell them of my memories and of the theological discussion I had with my father in the previous minutes about the word and the differences between the Hebrew understanding of soul and the Greek/Christian beliefs in their relevance to the ru'ah. You never know what is going to come and drop anchor and get you to think.

I then motored back to our boat to take Greta to shore for some leg stretchin'. When around the causeway I see a schooner come barreling down the river. Our friends, Dave and Charley on Adventure, whom we last saw in Georgetown, South Carolina were here. So I gather up Greta and go say hi. They invite us over for a sundowner, which then becomes dinner and we talk about harpsichords and pipe organs, sine waves and square waves, Dudly Dix and the docking adventures. You never know who is going to come and drop anchor. -Kristan-

February 5, 2003 - Sheephead Cut, Florida
Left the marina at Daytona around 12:30 after doing a couple of boat projects. We couldn't stay another day because everything was booked due to the upcoming Daytona 500 and Harley rally. Motored three hours to our anchorage enjoying watching the dolphins swim alongside the cockpit in turquoise waters. These dolphins must be curious about the boat - they get within a couple of feet of our cockpit. -Nina-

February 4, 2003 - Daytona Beach, Florida
Fueled up at the Halifax Harbor Marina and then decided to rent a slip for the night to get a little more protection from the heavy wind. The rate was fairly reasonable at $1.20/ft. and there was a nearby West Marine where we could get some supplies. Wandered around town in the afternoon and picked up a pizza and greek salad at Stavro's. We should have walked to the ocean beach side of Daytona but it would have required a long hike across the bridge, and we must have gotten tired looking at the span of the bridge. Spent probably an hour trying to get Greta to stay on the boat alone while we walked the docks, but after about 25 tries and reprimands, she got the best of us and we gave up. Need more work on this little training piece. -Nina-

February 3, 2003 - Palm Coast, Florida
Waited anxiously for Landfall Navigation to open at 9:00 so Kristan could purchase the unlock codes to the next region of charts. Since we were getting a late start anyway, we decided to go ashore and take a shower since it was covered in our $5 dinghy dockage fee. Left around 11:00 and spent the afternoon in canals bordered by mostly high-end stucco villa type homes. Since we couldn't make it to Daytona Beach before dark, our only anchorage choice was at the dead-end channel by the Sea Ray powerboat plant - not very exotic. -Nina-

February 2, 2003 - St. Augustine, Florida
Motored into St. Augustine using just the ICW markers - our electronic charts had run out of data a few miles back. Our last purchase of a "chart region" didn't cover quite as far south as we had thought. We knew this when we started the day but decided there wasn't much risk since the ICW is normally well marked. Anyway, we still felt a little blind traversing the busy and circuitous entry into St. Augustine harbor without charts. Paid $5 for dinghy dockage at the municipal marina and went ashore for a stroll. Unfortunately, our nation's oldest city is quite commercialized and touristy - not really our style. Anchored outside the "Bridge of Lions" and adjacent to the Castillo de San Marcos, which was an interesting backdrop to our anchorage. -Nina-

February 1, 2003 - Fort George River, Florida
Motored three hours to an anchorage in a shallow creek (at low tide anyway). We followed a Canadian cutter ketch into the anchorage and we both ran aground trying to anchor. Luckily, we have our trusty 15 hp outboard on the dinghy that is usually able to pull the big boat free - looks kind of funny, like the cart pulling the horse. Went shore to a little beach to relax. Some fishermen casting the hook about 50 yards away let their dog swim over to play with Greta, which of course she enjoyed tremendously. -Nina-

January 31, 2003 - Fernandina Beach, Florida
It's as yukky today as it was beautiful yesterday - foggy, overcast, and cold. But hey - we're in Florida, the sunshine state. Saw Fire Dog III across at the marine so we dinghied over to finally meet the people that we've talked to on the VHF the last several days. Ray and Bernie Smith - a nice couple hailing from near Annapolis. Ray is a retired Fire Chief; hence the name Fire Dog. Their friend Alice who was in town took us to re provision and then later we all hooked up for dinner at Slider's on the oceanfront. -Nina-

January 30, 2003 - Crooked River, Georgia
Another sunny and warm day of motoring. Had intended making it further and entering Florida waters today, but it was a gorgeous day and we wanted to find a beach to enjoy. Anchored in Crooked River adjacent to a small beach that is only there at low tide. Greta chased birds and romped in the warm tidal pools - she had on a big doggy smile. Kristan zoomed on the dinghy - seems to make him happy going fast since our max speed on the sailboat is about 8 mph. We both took much-needed bucket baths in the cockpit and then relaxed to watch the sun set. -Nina-

January 29, 2003 - Wally's Leg, Georgia
Motored another 52 miles south on the ICW. No bridges today - not much around here but grassy marshland and water. -Nina-

January 28, 2003 - Big Tom Creek, Georgia
It's a beautiful day - probably in the 50's, but feels nice and warm with lots of sun and little wind. That means we were able to shed our outer layer - jacket, hat, and gloves. Passed sailboat Polaris Jack this morning. We remember meeting Aeo and his boat last July in Cape May, NJ. Neat to see some of the same boats months later in a far removed state. Fueled up at Savannah Bend Marine - nice dock and friendly lady to take our money and give us some more free paperbacks.
We're in Georgia now. Anchored in Big Tom Creek with Fire Dog III again. Took Greta ashore in marshy, crunchy grassland. Returned to the boat to grill steaks and make a batch of margaritas! -Nina-

January 27, 2003 - Bull Creek, South Carolina
Motored past Beaufort, SC this am and Hilton Head, SC this afternoon. More dolphins today - typically several swim together in a pod (is that the right word?). The trawler Fire Dog III passed us again and we chatted for a while on the VHF. Anchored in Bull Creek just north of the Georgia border. A couple of other boats are anchored here as well including Fire Dog III. Took Greta ashore to play on a salt marsh - she loved running, leaping, and playing on the soft springy ground. Grilled burgers outside then tucked inside to get warm for the night. -Nina-

January 26, 2003 - Ashepoo River, South Carolina
Ashepoo... Reminds me of a time when my sister as a very little girl, fell asleep with her butt in the air waiting for my mother to come and wipe her. Sorry Ash. A beautiful river with an interesting mix of palmettos and liveoaks with Spanish moss hanging in the branches. The currents here are quite strong, so there is a bit of gurgling sound eminating from all around the boat. Quite pleasant or annoying depending on your mood. There is a 59 acre plot on the waterway for sale. Anyone want to go in with me? The South Carolina Low Country is beautiful. I'm finding it hard to pick a favorite part of this country. It's all very unique and beautiful. The inspiration for "America the Beautiful" is easy to see when you get a chance to look at the unspoiled parts of this great land. -Kristan-

We passed through Charleston Harbor today. Past Fort Sumter and the Battery. When I was a little tike, my Grandparents Boggs lived here and we would visit most every summer. I have fond memories. It was nice to get the quick water view today. On our way back North I hope to spend a few days here to relive some of that. I witnessed my first swing and bascule (draw) bridges when I was visiting Charleston as a child. They were so huge and amazing. Bridges are just things to go through, to mess up our schedule now, but it was fun to remember the thoughts and feelings from the past. -Kristan-

January 25, 2003 - Dewees Creek, South Carolina
After several days of sitting on our butts freezing, we got finally left Georgetown. Having waited for the fuel dock to open, we got a later start than I wanted and didn't quite make it to Charleston. It's OK, we're in no hurry. Around 9 I went up top to encourage Greta to do her thing and had a surreal environmental experience. The water and air which had previously been churning, was as calm as could be. It felt as though someone had picked up our boat and placed us in a still-life photograph. -Kristan-

January 22-24, 2003 - Georgetown, South Carolina
To escape the expected frigid temperatures in the teens and low 20's, we decided to splurge and pull into a marina so we could have shore-power for heat. It's interesting that heat is now a luxury for us. We chose Harborwalk Marina because it was closest to the town, but that ended up being all it had going for it. There were showers but they were housed in a tiny concrete unheated building. The window frame in the shower didn't fit well and allowed the cold air to stream right in negating the warming effects of the "almost hot" water on a naked body. Enough about the shower. Anyway, we treated ourselves to a nice dinner at the Dogwood Cafe. Kristan ordered the cashew encrusted seared rare tuna with grits and I chose the pecan encrusted chicken with fried eggplant and "smashed" red potatoes. Yum - a gourmet southern dinner. It snowed the following morning and lightly dusted the boat and dock. While eating breakfast at a little cafe we heard they closed the schools for the day - even though none of the flakes had yet to stick to anything but the marina docks. I guess we are really in the South now even though the temperature doesn't feel like it yet.
Georgetown (about 60 miles north of Charleston) is a small town founded in the 1700's with a mix of neatly restored colonial homes and unkempt shotgun style cottages. The downtown area is cute, but there are allot of empty shops indicating the town is struggling to stay viable. We also have been reminded of the strained race relations in these parts. Lots of negative comments from our race about others of darker skin - it's sad we still have these issues in 2003.
After two nights at Harborwalk Marina, we decided to move to Georgetown Landing for one night at the suggestion of the owners of a nearby sailboat. We were glad we moved - nice warm bathhouse with unlimited hot water. Charley, a lady from the schooner Adventure, and I spent the day (Friday) hailing a cab to take us to the laundromat and grocery store. Kristan and Dave, Charly's husband, spent the day changing the oil and filters, etc. on our respective boats. In the evening, Charley and Dave invited us over to their boat for appetizers and drinks. We had a great time chatting and after comparing notes on where we'd been found out that they had been living on their schooner in Ridout Creek (near Annapolis) at the same time we were there last summer. We even remembered seeing them across the creek and admiring their boat, but never got around to going by to meet them. Also, their boat was "on the hard" at Bert Jabin's Marina in Annapolis in December during the time we were having our mast replaced. We somehow missed seeing them there as well. But 368 miles from Annapolis (as the crow flies), we meet up in Georgetown, SC. It's a small world. -Nina-

January 21, 2003 - Little River, South Carolina
Pretty pleasant day with tolerable temps in the 40's-50's. We made good time until reaching the Sunset Beach Pontoon bridge. With the unusually low tide, the bridge was not able to open so we were advised to stand by..... After we tired of circling, we dropped anchor in the middle of the ICW and waited 80 minutes for the tide to rise enough for the bridge to open. So we had a drink and a snack and watched the sun set. In the meantime a tug had pulled up behind us so we called the tug captain on the VHF and advised him to go ahead of us when the bridge opened and we would follow him through. After finally getting through the bridge, we continued motoring another 45 minutes in the dark with the spotlight sweeping the channel until we reached our anchorage in Little River. -Nina-

January 20, 2003 - Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina
Warmer today, sunny with highs in the low 50s and the wind on our nose. We were hoping to make a longer run today, but were cut short. Two swing bridges would only open on the hour and of course we arrived at both just after the hour. Yes, we knew of the schedule for the bridges, but with the ever changing currents, we couldn't plan our speed to arrive at the correct time. So we spent close to two hours circling in front of these two bridges. Giving the motorists crossing them a show. Hope they enjoyed it.

Of course we also needed fuel and the marina with the fuel was just beyond one of these bridges, literally not more than 50 yards the other side. So we fueled up at a nice marina in Wrightsville Beach and got to inspect the area just a little more closely. Beautiful little town with nice marinas and homes on the waterway. Might have to come back and check it out.

Well, two hours later we did just that. The anchorage that we were hoping for was inaccessible. At low spring tide it was just too shallow an entrance. We ran aground three times and I had to hop in the dinghy and pull us off. We decided to backtrack and get a more in-depth view of Wrightsville Beach and find another anchorage. We cut through a channel connecting the ICW with the waterway that snakes through this beautiful town on its way out the Masonboro Inlet to the Atlantic. We anchored 100 yards off the island that is the beach with beautiful homes all around us. I think we will definitely have to give this place consideration when we begin looking to settle again. Any jobs in Wilmington? -Kristan-

January 19, 2003 - Mile Hammock Bay near Camp Lejeune, North Carolina
Brrrr.....It was a very brisk day with temps in the 30's and a strong wind on our nose all day. Leaving Beaufort this morning we were approached by a Coast Guard boat advising us to circle and wait until the Navy ship had passed and docked nearby. We presume this ship may be involved in the current deployment of troops from Camp Lejeune. We circled for about 45 minutes and finally were on our way. Some of the local dolphins entertained us in the harbor during our wait.
The ICW waters have evolved into a nice "almost tropical" green color since we entered southern North Carolina waters. To bad its much too cold to swim.
The scenery the first part of the day was filled with beautiful and colorful houses along the waterway. The second part of the day was spent along the Camp Lejeune military base land that was mostly swampy and littered with an occasional old tank used in artillery practice. We called ahead this morning to see if artillery practice was scheduled today. Otherwise, you must pay attention to the signs upon approach to see if the lights are flashing which means live firing is in progress.
Around 4:30 we anchored in an empty harbor and closed up the boat to conserve the heat generated by the engine. It will be another frosty night - we'll snuggle deep into the sleeping bags. -Nina-

January 18, 2003 - Beaufort, North Carolina
"A Sailboat at rest tends to stay at rest." This we discovered while looking for the right time to leave New Bern after returning from the holidays away. We were waiting to recover from our colds and waiting for the weather to warm up. We finally gave up on both and left on the "coldest day of the year" (according to the dockmaster). It was in the 20's but we bundled up and were on our way.
Midway through the day, Kristan was below in the cabin and I was at the helm. Greta started staring intently and practically hanging over the stern of the boat so I went to inspect. Much to my surprise, there was a dolphin swimming right beside our boat. I yelled at Kristan to come look but it was gone before he came back. Then, about an hour later, we saw six or so dolphins swimming, playing, and jumping. We certainly didn't expect to see these creatures in the ICW, but it made our day.
We anchored in Beaufort which looked to be a picturesque little town. We didn't go ashore since it would have been a very cold dinghy ride, but enjoyed our view from the cockpit. We were adjacent to an island where there were a half dozen presumably wild horses. Greta had fun looking at them but was bummed that she couldn't go ashore to chase them.
After dinner, we snuggled into the v-berth early to read since that seemed to be the only way to keep warm with no heat. It is tricky trying to keep your hands under the covers and turn the pages to your book. Unfortunately, it wasn't a very restful night because the boat was caught between the opposing wind and currents and kept sailing up on the anchor chain. This caused an awful scraping sound as the chain kept snaking back and forth over itself. Better luck tomorrow night. -Nina-

January 10-18, 2003 - New Bern, North Carolina
We returned to the boat on Friday night with the Grandparents Boggs' Volvo. We ran some errands and put the boat back together again in preparation for the Grandparents arrival on Saturday. Kevin Boggs (Kristan's second cousin) drove the grandparents down and we all enjoyed a day sightseeing in New Bern. After a nice lunch, we spent the afternoon touring the Tryon palace which was both educational and interesting. The Tryon palace was the first capital in North Carolina and was built for the colonial governor, Lord Tryon.
The rest of the week we relaxed trying to stay warm and win our battle with our colds. We squeezed in a little boat work installing some new hardware Kristan received for Christmas. -Nina-


January 9, 2003 - Claremont, North Carolina
We rolled into Claremont around 10:30 pm after a long day on the road from Fort Smith, AR. As usual, Granddaddy Boggs had prepared a wonderful meal (potroast with all the fixin's) that he warmed for our late night dinner. The following morning Kristan installed a new showerhead for Grandmommy (a Christmas gift from Kristan's aunt). Greta always enjoys running around at the Grandparents Boggs and they are always very tolerant and sweet to her. -Nina-

January 7-9, 2003 - Fort Smith, Arkansas
On Tuesday evening, we spent a loud but enjoyable time with my sister, Julie and her eight kids and one grandchild. Julie fixed us a great meal and we spent time catching up. I met my newest niece, Evangeline Mercy who is now 4 months old. Of course she's a cutey. The next morning Julie took us to the A to Z discount grocery outlet. We stocked up on dented cans and overstocks for a fraction of the normal price. Our sailing adventure has taught us a thing or two about stretching our dollars.
Wednesday was spent with my father at his farm. Greta thinks it's great here - horses to chase, running loose, trying to entice Dad's giant white dog Caruso to play. Dad read us some of his newest literary works which he plans to enter in the Oklahoma Writer's Association contest in February. Good luck Dad! Jeremy (my oldest nephew) has a new 5 week old puppy and Greta found it especially fun. It was very cute watching the puppy trying to pounce at Greta and then running back to Jeremy for protection. The visit was short but relaxing. -Nina-

December 24, 2002-January 7, 2003 - Fort Worth, Texas
I never thought I would be taking a vacation to Dallas/Fort Worth, but here we are. After our time on the boat, both good and bad, it was nice to get away and spend unhurried time with friends and family. Of course there was too many people to see to be able to spend the right amount of time with any. We'll plan better next time.

We spent New Year's Eve at Josh and Carly's and got to see most of my old mates. Sure missed those that have moved away. We spent several days with my folks and sister, Ashley. We were able to catch up with Nina's sister, Jennifer and her husband, Pete while we enjoyed their new digs. Especially the hot-tub and the theater. Some things about boat living leave a bit to be desired.

All in all it was a great time. Good food, nice visits, pleasant weather. -Kristan-

December 19-24, 2002 - Americus, Kansas
For the last 8 months we have travelled at a snail's pace— 6 miles per hour, 20-60 miles per day typically. Enough of that, we decided we would make the drive from North Carolina to Kansas in one day. North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas. It was nice to spend time with my Kansas family. We celebrated Christmas, did chores, went to cousins' basketball games, shot guns, made the annual trip to Blue Stem (the best store in the world for Tim Allen type people), and just had a good time visiting with everyone. Most people think Kansas is the antithesis to scenic beauty and for the majority of the state they are right, but Kansans keep some of the most beautiful land quiet and to themselves. If you are ever in the mood, just let me know and I'll show you. Quite awe-inspiring. My only complaint, no oceans... -Kristan-

December 18, 2002 - Claremont, North Carolina
Kristan took a cab to pick up the rental car this morning while I started packing for our anticipated month away from the boat. I loaded up some extra things to take to Texas to storage that we haven't used yet on the boat. Then, I emptied the refrigerator and pulled up all the cushions to allow some ventilation in our absence. Off we go.......
It was about 4 1/2 hours inland to Claremont, NC to Kristan's grandparents house. We had a typically nice visit with lots of Southern homecooking and hospitality to send us on our way. -Nina-

December 17, 2002 - New Bern, North Carolina
We motored into New Bern, which is about 25 miles off the ICW. After travelling under two fixed bridge and one opening swing bridge, we made our way into Bridgepoint Marina. We were pleasantly surprised at the nice facilities considering the reasonable monthly rate we had been quoted ($175). We will leave the boat here and leave in the morning for the holidays. -Nina-

December 16, 2002 - Hobucken, North Carolina
Another sunny but cold day as we sail down the Pungo River and across Pamlico River. We are sailing at 6-8 mph with about a 25 percent degree of heel on a broad reach. There's beautiful scenery along Goose Creek, and we anchor south of Hobucken. The downside to the anchorage is quickly apparent as soon as we anchor. There are duck hunters in a blind at the edge of the water about 50 yards away. They start shooting and some of the spent shells splash in the water near the boat. Yikes - I hope sundown comes soon and the hunters retire for the night. -Nina-

December 15, 2002 - Tuckahoe Point, North Carolina
It's sunny and cool today. We fueled up at Alligator River Marine - diesel was $1.03 per gallon, what a deal. Met Jim and Lynn on the cat Mariah. Greta got to go ashore and stretch her legs for a few minutes. As we travelled under the Alligator River bridge, the boat Balboa Clipper caught up with us. It's a small world - Kristan had met the owners, Cristal and Chris, at Bert Jabin's in Annapolis. They have a wolf/dog that Greta loved - they rolled around in the snow at the marina together. After sailing across the Albemarle Sound, we anchored at Tuckahoe Point in the Alligator River. All in all, a good day. -Nina-

December 14, 2002 - Buck Island, North Carolina
Another cloudy and blustery day with the sun peeking through on occasion to tease us. Travelled under about a dozen bridges today - some which required waiting and hovering because the opening schedule was only on the hour and half hour. Followed two catamarans most of the morning. We experienced our first lock, the Great Bridge Lock. Our guidebook said to prepare to dock on the port side so we prepared our lines and fenders accordingly. Unfortunately, this was inaccurate so we were scrambling at the last minute to switch all our lines and fenders and didn't make a very graceful or efficient show of docking. I think we scared the catamaran in front of us when our bow swung out very close to their stern. Of course we had it under control - didn't we? Anchored with one other sailboat by Buck Island. Made 56.6 statue miles today - we're making good time. -Nina-

December 13, 2002 - Norfolk/Portsmouth, Virginia
Good sailing this morning - we made between 6 and 7 knots most of the time and occassionally hit 8 knots. Wow - that's fast for us! It started raining around noon so Greta curled up under the sailcover and made it her cave to keep dry. In the Elizabeth River, we shared the channel with heavy commercial traffic. We passed one towboat/barge combo that was several hundred yards long. With visibility reduced due to the weather, we were alarmed at one point to look up and see a warship bearing down on us. "Big Boat Rule" applies here - get the heck out of the way. We anchored near the Portsmouth Naval Hospital at ICW Mile Marker "0". -Nina-