I know, I know, how many blogs are you allowed to post in one day?!?!? Well, we haven’t had wifi to upload pictures to the blog until now. I know…Excuses, Excuses!!! We do have an instagram account if you want more…you know…instant visuals more often!! It’s www.instagram.com/GregLynLong/.
We left our sons house in Annapolis and drove to PA to our daughters house and spent the night and went to church with them the next morning then left heading west.
We’ve had many adventures already and seen so much it’s hard to remember it all…so here are a LOT of pictures to catch you up on what we’ve seen, done and experienced!
Getting propane at a beer distributor, car wash and propane vendor when a truck stop was out of it and a Tractor Supply had their tanks installed backwards so couldn’t fill one that’s built in like ours!
We’ve had LOTS of wind to deal with for a couple of days…we didn’t leave watching out for the wind behind when we got off the boat!
Got to meet and catch up with several of Greg’s cousins when we drove through IL.
Route 36 through Kansas is the route the Pony Express followed waaaay back in the day.
I love the churches in the small towns we drive through.
We saw this army tank on a semi in Nebraska headed for Ft Kearney. Greg said it’s the first time he’s ever seen a tank on the highway!
We stopped at the Great Platte River Archway for the night in Kearney Nebraska. This horse with 2 brothers (12 and 15) was about how they narrowly escaped an indian attach where they were shot with arrows one that actually pinned them together. They both survived and grew up and had families of their own.
This is a sod house. There were no building materials on the prairie so they figured out how to use sod to make bricks for their houses.
The Mississippi, Missouri and other major rivers out west have caused serious flooding!
One thing we’ve learned is that the weather can NOT sneak up on you out here!
We got to Wall South Dakota yesterday. We walked around Main Street and went into the famous Wall Drug Store.
This monument was put up on Memorial Day May 30 1939 to honor the memory of those from Wall and vicinity who were called to serve their country during The World War.
We were blessed to worship with the very friendly people of Evangelical Free Bible Church of Wall South Dakota today. We praise God everyday for the opportunity we have to make this trip. We ask you to pray for our safety on the roads and to bless our actions and words that we will be worthy ambassadors for Christ as we interact with those around us as we continue west.
He quieted the sea with His power
We had one more day with each of our kids families after we returned to Maryland from Miami before we started driving west. We’re going to miss them all so much but will FaceTime often!! We love them and their sweet personalities!!
We were able to meet up again with our good friends from Canada…Mike and Mary Ellen from S/V Persuasion. It was such a blessing that they were in Annapolis when we got back from Miami! We picked them up and spent a short time catching up with each other over breakfast then they headed north in the Chesapeake Bay and we headed west! Hope to see you guys next summer!!
He quieted the sea with His power
You may or may not know that Greg still works part time and he was asked to speak at a conference for work the last week of April in Miami. So we took a train from Union station in Washington DC to Miami Florida. We booked a room for the 24 hours trip and it’s very comfortable and relaxing. Someone asked Greg how it is to travel by train and he said it is an inefficient way to get somewhere but very relaxing! One of the things we enjoy about it is the people we meet along the way.
Union Station is really a beautiful building.
This woman was subcontracted by the pest control company to come in with this falcon to scare away birds that are starting to build nest in the trees around the pool area. It is territorial so just the sight of it will make the other birds leave the area so they don’t dive bomb guest to protect their eggs or fledglings. She doesn’t even let it go just lets it flap it’s wings.
Yes, Mike, we very much enjoyed the train trip!
He quieted the sea with His power
Our kids rented a pavilion at a park half way between them and we met there on the saturday before Easter. It was sooo much fun!! The grands loved playing in the creek, hiking, playing hide and seek, playing on the play ground, having an easter egg hunt and eating picnic food! It was such a blessing to spend the day together!
Eliana’s (8th) birthday is 3 days after Gramps so she shared her cupcakes and we sang happy birthday to both of them!
Easter Sunday we went to church with Jenny’s family.
We were able to spend several days catching up with our good friends Jill and Butler.
He quieted the sea with His power
We returned to the Chesapeake Bay in early April, in our boat…Paperbird…and put her up on the hard (on land), took all our clothes and food off, cleaned her good then winterized her. We then spent time with each of our kids families and played with grandkids!! Our son used his power washer and cleaned the winter dirt off of our RV and we moved our clothes and food in and were all set!
We played about a million games of Sleeping Queens, Uno, chess, Legos, along with reading books to the grands! We also got started on a list of projects we had to get the RV ready to drive west.
Our plan is to drive across country and spend the summer exploring Alaska!!
We also celebrated Greg’s birthday with Noah and Ben!!
He quieted the sea with His power
No wind at all crossing the Neuse River…like glass! Beautiful day on the water though!
All the shrimp boats were at the dock at REMayo Seafood. No shrimping yet!
Sunrise on the Pungo River was glorious!
Still waiting for sunrise in the Pungo Canal. Yes, we got an early start! We had enough light to see the crab pots!
A fun down wind sail across the Albemarle Sound!
Sailed past the blimp and hanger going into Elizabeth City NC!
He quieted the seas with His power
Weather…probably the most talked about topic among cruisers. What’s the forecast…when’s the wind going to change directions…when’s the wind going to lay down? What weather apps do you use? When are you thinking about heading out?
The weather through the winter and spring changes often and sometimes in unexpected ways. Soooo you read all the apps, talk it over with other cruisers and listen to forecasters, then you decide on the day and plan your route, then you raise the anchor and head out…with places to bailout if it’s needed.
We left St Augustine Fl Friday with light winds from the west, forecast to go north the next morning but stay light until evening then go east then south to southwest and pick up to 10 to 14. A great forecast to head straight for Beaufort NC!
So we did!
But the weather didn’t – do what the forecasts all agreed.
Friday afternoon was great. But that evening, instead of going light north, it went north, but strong – 20+ kts with stronger gusts. And the seas went to 6-8 ft instead of the 2-3 ft predicted. It was a wild ride Friday night!
Sat morning was more of the same and we were starting to doubt the entire forecast. Just to give us some options, we tacked over and closed the coast around Charleston SC. As we approached about 30 miles off the coast, the winds started to clock to the west and abate somewhat. Over the next couple of hours, the winds dropped to 10-12 and shifted all the way around to the east. So we followed the wind and ended up sailing parallel to the coast in great conditions.
But the wind continued to slowly die. By Sunday morning at dawn, the sea was an eerie glassy calm. No ripples, no waves, nothing. Even the sea turtles were floating on the surface sunning themselves!
As we worked our way up the coast, we decided to transit the Frying Pan Slue, a shortcut through Frying Pan shoals saving a bunch of miles rounding Cape Fear. It’s a little weird to find a marked channel 10 miles offshore.
We came in the Beaufort NC inlet on Monday around noon…it might not have been a weather window we would have chosen if the forecast had been correct but we learned once again that we have a boat that can handle it…if we can!!
Now we’ll wait in Beaufort for another front to pass by with winds howling at 30 to 40 knots…that WAS in the forecast!!
St Augustine Lighthouse
Parasailing off the coast.
In company with Sails Call the first day and night…they were headed to SC.
Sails Call in the glow of the sunset
Rough seas the next day can be seen outside and the canvas got covered in saltwater! But good books demand attention.
Sunset on the second day
Sunrise the third day the water was like glass!
Another boat heading south.
A good time to refuel while underway with the jugs on deck while the seas are flat calm.
Yep…she does do windows!! 😀 Getting enough salt off the front window so we could see through them!
Reading…we do lots of reading on a passage.
Stayed flat calm the whole day and half the last night. Then the south wind gradually filled in. So gradually that the swell picked up before the wind was strong enough to sail.
Calm enough for a few projects
It was so calm that we went through Frying Pan Slue..a marked channel through Frying Pan shoals out from Cape Fear. We went days without seeing but a couple of other vessels but shared the slue this big guy!
One of the few ships we passed
Sunset the last night
Not many shrimp boats out…this was the only one. We found out that the shrimp aren’t here yet.
Waiting in Beaufort for the winds to lay down…currently blowing 30 to 40 knots from the north!
It’s a cold wind too!! We’re glad to be at this dock with our heater!
He quieted the seas with His power
We’ve been hanging around St Augustine waiting for the north winds to abate so we can head north up the coast. We’ve done lots of walking, boat maintenance, reading and seeing some of the history in the area with friends on another sailboat.
The first pictures are of the Cathedral Basilica of St Augustine, America’s oldest catholic parish in America’s oldest city. The first church was built in 1560 but burned down. Then the second building did too. In 1887 with contributions from Henry Flagler and members of the congregation, a third building was constructed. Beautiful mahogany and stain glass windows were used in the building which still stands today.
The pictures below are at Castille de San Marcos, the Spanish fort in St Augustine. There was a Colonial Craft day in honor of Women’s History Month with women demonstrating crafts of all sorts. There were spinning wheels and small hand spinners, basket weavers and other artisans.
Greg trying his hand at spinning yarn into thread on a small hand spinner.
She made it look easy!
The last pictures are of Memorial Presbyterian Church that’s been in use since 1824. It was built by Henry Flagler and dedicated to honor his daughter who died from childbirth, thus the name memorial. We went to an organ concert and took a tour of the building. It is beautiful with mahogany pews and it has 92 stained glass windows! The pipe organ is amazing with how it fills the building with beautiful music!
He quieted the sea with His power
We’re back in St Augustine! We love the history in this city so we’ll wait here until we get the right weather window to go off shore and up the coast. We’re also buddy boating with a couple (Dave and Nancy on s/v Sails Call) that we met in Vero that are from Annapolis. We’re having fun spending time with them.
Our good friends, Jill and Butler flew down for a weekend and we had so much fun bumming around St Augustine with them! We watched the St Patrick’s Day parade, went on a tour of Ft Matanzas and tried out a couple of great restaurants. Thanks Jill and Butler for coming to see us!
God shining in all His glory in the sunrise!
God’s after sunrise masterpiece!
Paperbird in the calm mooring field.
Spanish architecture is everywhere.
Great friends!
St Patrick’s Day parade
Hmmm…I don’t remember that from the movie!?!?
Ft Matanzas
Old Spanish Trail marker for mile zero from St Augustine to San Diego California. It would be interesting to see the one at the other end in San Diego!
Wandered through this boat store full of used stuff!!
God’s sunset masterpiece.
He quieted the sea with His power
We’re still hanging out in Vero Beach FL…we’ve spent our time walking, visiting the US Navy SEAL museum, walking, taking a tour of the Piper airplane factory, walking, wandering through the Indian River garden club’s Garden Fest and more walking!
Walking and talking with the Dalbys…
Navy SEAL museum
No one gets left behind!
The only easy day was yesterday! SEAL’s training motto.
Seabees work closely with the SEALs
Drones are used today.
Memorial wall of honor.
Piper factory…no photographs allowed inside the building! Planes are built mostly by hand – very little automation.
Catching up with a couple of Greg’s academy classmates and their wives.
Garden Fest in Vero…gives us hope that spring is almost here!
Jenny, these were advertised as pond plants…not sure how they’d do in the PA winter but we thought of you guys when we saw it!
Service dog we saw at the Garden Fest.
Greg and Phil always talking boat projects…I think this one was about electrical stuff…or was it plumbing…no, I’m thinking now that it could have been reading weather apps. Really enjoying the time with them!
He quieted the sea with His power.
