Back to Annapolis for the summer
The last month has been very busy on the cruising front! On the way up the coast, we met up with Phil and Kathy on Unicorn as they were southbound on the ICW. We arrived at the same free dock in Myrtle Beach about an hour apart. Not bad for a rendezvous with 2 boats moving at 7 mph over distances of hundreds of miles. We had a fun day together in Myrtle Beach getting burgers and shakes and shopping for a couple things we each needed.
The next day we continued north to Wrightsville Beach, NC and enjoyed an evening with some very dear friends we haven’t seen for some time, Bill and MaryLou Mahlow. Pressing on northward, we decided to go offshore for the day and had a beautiful sail from Wrightsvile Beach up to Cape Lookout Bight. It’s an interesting little bight or harbor about 7 miles outside of the Beaufort inlet. We anchored for the night and enjoyed the peace and quiet and the beautiful sunset!
The next morning, we left for a short leg up to Oriental NC and tied up at the town dock for a couple of days. Oriental is an interesting spot. It’s a very small town populated mostly by current or former boaters. There is one coffee shop in town right across the street from the town dock that serves as the local hub where everyone gathers to compare notes on the weather and routes either north or south.
This was when Tropical Storm Ana decided to intervene and make her presence known. After much deliberation, we decided it came down to either staying in Oriental until after the storm passed through or making a dash up the coast to get into the Chesapeake Bay ahead of it. Given our timing, we decided to go for it. So we pressed on up the waterway through the Dismal Swamp to Portsmouth VA. After resting there for one night, we headed north on the Chesapeake for a tiring 2 day run back to Annapolis.
Paperbird and Unicorn at a dock together in Myrtle Beach SC
Fun evening with Bill and MaryLou
Sailing alongside Unicorn
Cape Lookout Lighthouse
Fishing boats in Oriental NC
Passing through small towns on the ICW
Waiting to go through a lock on the Dismal Swamp
Inside the lock on the Dismal Swamp
Tied up to the dock in Portsmouth VA
Portsmouth Lightship
Grabbing an ice cream treat in Portsmouth.
Wolf Trap Lighthouse
Point No Point Lighthouse
Smith Point Lighthouse
Watermen out in the wind and rain.
Sharps Island Lighthouse
Cove Point Lighthouse
Bloody Point Bar Lighthouse
Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse
Waterfront downtown Annapolis
Some of the reasons we’ll always come back to Annapolis
Another reason…
Another reason…
More reasons…
Over 2600 miles and 7 months since we left, we’re back! We are back home with the Kids and the Grands!!! We missed them while we were gone and are glad to be home for the summer and are looking forward to spending lots of time with them.
We had the MOST amazing time and are already talking about plans for next fall…
He quieted the sea with His power
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