We enjoyed a carriage ride through Beaufort SC with cruising friends. There is beautiful architecture and live oaks with Spanish moss all through the historic area.
Beaufort is filled with lots of Antebellum history. It seemed the 3 major events that shaped the area were the American Revolution, when just about every country tried to claim the port, the Civil War, after SC seceded and all the local inhabitants fled the Union take-over, and 1907 when some kids got caught smoking a cigar in a shed behind their house. They tossed the cigar over the wall and the ensuing fire burned down 44 beautiful mansions.
One of our favorite stories was of a wealthy woman who, at the outbreak of the Civil War, left her house slave in charge of her property, telling her “I’ll be right back.” Right back turned into 4 years. The slave went to work for a local hospital saving up all her wages. Meanwhile, the wealthy homeowner failed to pay her taxes and the property was sold at auction. Her former slave, now freed by the Emancipation Proclamation, used $80 of her savings and bought the property. The homeowner then returned to find her former slave now in charge of the property. She sued, took the case all the way to the Supreme Court, which found in favor of the NEW homeowner!
Can you tell who is from Canada?
But if not…
That is Beaufort NC to Beaufort SC…285 mile passage anchorage to anchorage…two days and two nights of sailing. What we saw and did along the way…
A shrimp boat waiting for daylight out at Cape Lookout Bight.
Cape Lookout Lighthouse as we were leaving.
Beautiful sunny day for a sail!
We were entertained by dolphin multiple times over the two day passage.
We never get tired of watching them!
Reading…
Plot the course electronically before we leave then follow it.
Plot the course on paper chart every 3 hours. This matches our watch rotation and is a back up if the electronics fail for some reason.
Overcast the second day but perfect wind for sailing!
Gray skies all day!
A big schooner passed us with all their sails up.
Dolphin show…
More dolphin…
Dolphin again…
And again…
And again…
Yep again…
We really love watching them.
They are such happy creatures.
We had a huge pod at one point with big ones and small ones leaping all around us then we noticed that we were sailing through a huge school of Krill…it was a smorgasbord for the dolphin!
Paperbird in the mooring field in SC.
Welcome to South Carolina! Thankful for a safe passage.
He quieted the sea with His power
Elizabeth City has been welcoming and hospitable to mariners arriving at their waterfront for several decades. Two men, Mr Fearing and Mr Kramer, started the tradition. In the early 80’s, they would meet the boats and hand out roses to the ladies aboard and give out maps and other helpful info. They became known as the “Rose Buddies”. When Mr Kramer died in 1987 his widow had his rose bushes transplanted to the waterfront where they still flourish. A golf cart was donated for Mr Fearing to be able to easily meet the boats at the waterfront as he aged. He continued the tradition until his death in 2008 at the age of 91. Since then there have been other locals that meet the boats who come in and help them get tied up in a slip and give roses to the ladies aboard. The city continues to be a wonderful place to stop as they maintain the tradition of the Rose Buddies.
They are very friendly and the boat slips are free!
The rose that I was given as we tied up at the waterfront.
Wandering the Albemarle museum with other cruisers.
View of a shad boat that was used in this area in the early 1900’s
This is a great museum with lots of history on the Albemarle Sound.
Looking at one of the first trains with our friends that worked for the Canadian railroad.
The golf cart and info on the Rose Buddies.
A table and benches that were once at Chowan beach front.
Scenes from the 1960’s at Chowan beach.
Sunset in the Alligator River…the most peaceful place to anchor!! The middle of NOWHERE!!
Bald eagle watching us from the top of his tree.
Bald eagle in Pungo canal.
Sunrise on the Neuse River…and yes it was red sky in the morning and today there are thunderstorms! Yes, we took the warning seriously and are hunkered down hiding from the wind and rain!
We love watching these boats lumbering around out on the river dragging their nets…working hard for a living!
So far we’ve enjoyed fresh fish that they brought in…we’re still waiting for fresh shrimp.
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He quieted the sea with His power
The 6th Annual Dismal Day was basically a fall festival with emphasis on learning about the swamp. Robert, the lock master from Deep Creek was the historian that talked on the wagon ride. AND because we’re in North Carolina we had amazing BBQ and Brunswick stew for lunch!
We are one of the boats in this picture.
It was 60 degrees and cloudy so not much ice cream eating today!
Robert teaching us about the Dismal Swamp State Park.
Back in the day moonshine was made here.
A small barge that things were carried up and down the canal in.
He quieted the sea with His power
We enjoyed walking through all the tents at the boat show last weekend. We didn’t need anything but just enjoyed the day wandering among boaters and boat stuff!
He quieted the sea with His power
We hit the ground running when we got back to Maryland in May and have enjoyed every minute of it!
Our summer in pictures…
Reading to grands…one of our favorite things to do!!
Church program with grands.
Catching up with cruising friends!
Lots of laughing!
3 year old birthdays!
Our new (to us) RV. We’re going to see the US by land during the summer!
Grands visiting in the RV.
Grands playing in the RV!! Hey…Nana!!
Water fun with grands!
Camping with kids and grands!
Chess with grands!
Baseball game with friends.
9 year old birthdays! With home made ice cream!
Party fun!
Corn hole fun!
Visiting Assateague island National Sea Shore on the eastern shore of MD.
Where are those wild ponies??
Ohhhhh…on the road!!
Fun seeing them up close!!
Two new Assateague Junior Rangers!
Camping with more kids and grands!!
Campfire fun!
Family tradition of “banana boats” from the campfire with the next generation!
Our RV’s first ferry ride.
Lunch on the coast of Maine. We DO enjoy the RV!
Our first moose sighting…we were told by a local that it counts!
Yep…Fog in Maine…but we were there by RV not boat so were able to keep right on going!
Of course we had a Maine lobster roll!! Delish!!
Globe in the lobby of the Garmin home office in Maine.
Beautiful Maine wedding! Congrats Zach and Sarah!
Stopping to see the sights. We did a lot of this!!
Low tide in Bar Harbor Maine.
Drove through the White Mountains in New Hampshire and Vermont over to Lake George NY.
Swimming area at Robert Treman state park in the Adirondacks in upstate NY. The water temp was 62 degrees…so we only stuck our toes in!
Train fun with grands!
Cuddling grands!!
Laughing with grands!
Niagara Falls with friends.
Beautiful day!!
Kayaking with friends on the Moose river in Old Forge NY in the Adirondacks.
Beautiful day on the river!
Another moose sighting…we read about a life size chocolate one but Greg said they’re a myth so we skipped it!
Science experiments are sooo much fun…elephant toothpaste.
Navy football!
40th reunion at the Naval Academy!!
Chatting with a 3 year old.
Apple picking!
Yum yum!!
Play ground fun!
Watch…Nana.
Sunset from the RV!!
Our summer has been blessed with time with kids, grandkids and friends! We are thankful for our time with each one! Now we have to get a couple of projects done on Paperbird before we head south for the winter.
How’d you spend your summer?
He quieted the sea with His power!
We were still enjoying the islands and friends, but we were missing family even more. So when a rare multi day weather window opened up we took advantage of the opportunity.
We left the Abacos via Man o War cut and went outside to the top of the Bahamas and then west over to the Gulf Stream. The current around the islands was bad, but the Gulf Stream made up for it. After about 52 hours, we had covered the 320 miles between Man o War and St Augustine, FL where we ducked inside to avoid an approaching weather system.
Now we’ll rest up a bit then head back outside when winds and seas permit to continue the northward trek.
So close. Someone else wanted our fish for dinner.
Great fight, cool fish, but not dinner.
But if not…
We were blessed to attend the Easter Sunrise service on Man o War Cay. Three hundred people live on the island with 3 churches. And about 70 people on the beach an hour before sunrise singing hyams and reading Scripture.
The heavens truly are His handiwork.
Daylight starting to light up the scene. The service was held at Cemetary Beach, on the ocean side of the island.
After the service, the Church of God hosted a breakfast buffet open to everyone. Food was amazing and the fellowship awesome.
But if not…
Life at a slower and windier pace this season. The fronts that have brought snow to the mid Atlantic and northeast US, have brought wind and waves to the Bahamas. We still enjoy excursions out to favorite spots in the Abacos during the periodic breaks between the fronts.
“The low place” on Man o War Cay…Sea of Abaco on the left, Atlantic Ocean on the right.
Watching the youth racing club at Elbow Cay in front of Hope Town.
Snorkeling at Mermaid Reef near Marsh Harbor.
He quieted the sea with His power
Greetings from the Abacos, the northeastern part of the Bahamas. It took us a while to get here, but it’s so beautiful it’s worth the effort and the waiting.
We spent some time in Green Turtle moored at Donnies. He was the first person we met on our first trip to the islands. We’ve seen him each year and usually get to go to church with him. This time the service was amazing, one of the best we’ve been to in a long while.
Once the weather calmed down, we went thru the infamous Whale Cay cut, bane to many who find themselves on a schedule and go thru when they shouldn’t. Down to Man o War Cay, one of our favorite spots. It’s still beautiful, the people are friendly and welcoming and the church is vibrant, over 100 people attending from an island population of about 300.
Navigating Green Turtle by golf cart
Most beaches are a combination of rock and sand. Some few are all one or the other
Tourist…
Lunch at Pineapples
Turtles everywhere, and surprisingly fast!
Sunsets are always breathtaking
Parents are the same everywhere
Lunch at Pete’s: where the elite eat in their bare feet…
He quieted the sea with his power
