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December 28, 2009 9:46 AM
Posted By Robin & Jim
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Christmas tradition holds that our "stockings are hung by the chimney with care"... so in the spirit of the season, this post is about socks. Maybe some of you even received some for Christmas?
Living north of the Keys, we took socks for granted. We all owned them... we rarely thought of them, but we wouldn't consider getting dressed without them except for the occasional trip to the beach or the pool on a hot summer day.
Annapolis was a little different since it's such a boating town. People love to wear their deck shoes without socks, but when the cold weather comes everyone dons their socks and waits until the First Day of Spring when the Maritime Museum hosts the annual "burning of the socks" party to signify the arrival of warmer weather (usually more theoretical than actual) and the ability to once again wear one's deck shoes sans socks. We have been known to wear our socks long after the Official Sock Burning since thermal comfort outweighs the fashion statement of bare feet in deck shoes... until summer, at least.
Living in the Keys it's easy to forget about socks since virtually no one ever wears them. We were talking to several locals just before we left for the holidays, and inevitably the topic of socks was raised by people who had to trek north to visit family for the holidays. These people didn't even own a pair of socks. Their ankles hadn't been covered in years. One fellow was heading to Pennsylvania to visit his sister, and she asked him what he wanted for Christmas. "Wool socks", he told her. Just give them to me as soon as I get there. The lady at the Library said that she and her husband have a big lumpy parka that they can use when one of them goes north to fetch their grandchildren... but they didn't have any socks. Seems strange, but it's a common problem in the Keys.
So the real question is: what does Santa do when he doesn't find any stockings hung by the chimney? No socks... no chimney. Makes you wonder...
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December 13, 2009 2:00 PM
Posted By Robin & Jim
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We've put just a few Christmas lights around the boat and we have some decorations out - including our 8' inflatable snowman. Some other boats in the marina also have lights, small lighted trees in a cockpit or cabin window, a tree in the marina office, etc. The Chamber of Commerce has put up lighted decorations along Route 1 - a holiday dolphin, lighthouse in holiday colors, and a palm tree with a bow are the common themes. It's a bit different getting into the holiday spirit here where it's 80 degrees every day (this is a very good thing). No one has shorts with a sleigh or holly motif... people aren't wearing red hats with white fuzzy trim (too hot!)... though the local real estate office has a mailbox in the shape of a manatee and it's always wearing something appropriate for the current holiday (an elf hat; you should see the red teddy it wears in February).
The other interesting thing about the Keys is that shopping isn't a big deal because we don't have malls and lots of chain stores. I don't miss the eroding of holiday spirit from fighting parking lot traffic and crowds in malls. But it's harder to wrap things when the wrapping paper is damp from the humidity. It's all a trade-off, isn't it??
Last night was the annual Holiday Boat Parade here in Marathon. I'm sure the one down in Key West was much bigger, but we decided to stay put and cheer for the local crowd. Many folks from the marina decided to make a party of it all. We had cocktails and snacks before parade time, then we all trooped down to the fuel dock to sing carols and applaud the parade boats.
The parade started with the Coast Guard and two other boats, but then there was a bit of a delay when a boat ran aground outside the channel and TowBoat/US had to come to the rescue. We cheered for them when they came by too!
There were only about a dozen boats, but everyone's spirit was great and the efforts ranged from fabulous to interesting.
One of the Customs and Border Patrol boats brought up the rear of the parade - probably making sure that Cuban Santa didn't sneak in.
All in all, we decided that watching a small parade with about 40 people when it's 75 degrees and the sky is full of stars beats watching a bigger, fancier parade with 30,000 people when it's 30 degrees and there are too many city lights to see many stars - no offense, Annapolis. Maybe next year, we'll get our boat really dressed for the holidays and enter the parade!
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December 2, 2009 10:03 AM
Posted By Robin & Jim
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We left Baltimore on September 9th and arrived here in Marathon on November 25th, putting 1405 nautical miles (1616 statute) under our keel. We had a good trip this year - we left early so we were ahead of the migration herd, and we kept nicer, temperate weather throughout the trip. This is the first trip south where we've had a chance to meander a bit, and we really enjoyed shorter underway days and stops in some new and familiar places. We spent a lot of time visiting friends along the way, and that was the highlight!
Now we're shifting gears from running the boat every day to working on our big boat projects - electrical upgrade including second charger and bigger alternator, moving batteries and wiring; some interior varnish, painting and repairs.
Monday started with a bath for the boat, oil changes for the main engines and transmissions, and fuel filter changes - primaries and secondaries. This is the cart full of oil to be recycled (14.5 quarts for each engine and 3 liters for each transmission). We have so many projects and repairs going on that we have to maintain it all on a spreadsheet.
Once we get into "project mode" we tend to forget to take some time to play, so we've been making note of art and music festivals and other fun events. We bought tickets to the Marathon Community Theater for Friday night, and we're going down to Key West this afternoon.
Nature is still the best reason to be here - this big dragonfly landed on the boat - he's even wearing the local color... "key lime", and we've had a green heron on the stern lines.
I had to put my kayak in the water right away - I missed all my birds and underwater critters. I paddled for about an hour until the sun set, and saw lots of stingrays, a small bonnethead shark, a 5' shark cruising along Boot Key, herons, ibis, pelicans, and kingfishers.
The marina is still somewhat empty, but boats are starting to arrive for the season, and the sunset gatherings on the dock are a good way to catch up with old friends and to meet new ones. We're trying to take the time to stop whatever we're doing and watch the sun set every evening.
We've put a few Christmas decorations around inside the boat, put up our wood "boat tree", and strung some colored lights in the cockpit - so we're ready for the holidays!
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November 26, 2009 9:32 AM
Posted By Robin & Jim
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After our nice little pause in Palm Coast, we decided that we were ready to just get down to the Keys and settle for a while. We have a big list of projects that we're anxious to start, so we left Palm Coast early on Saturday morning (after a very nice send-off from a few friends there) and ran to Titusville, near the Space Center.
White pelicans are unusual, but there's a colony just north of Titusville and I finally had a chance to shoot a few photos of them in the fading afternoon light.
It was a long day down to Titusville and another one down to Fort Pierce, and it was dark by the time we got the anchor down both nights. We've been spoiled by our meandering pace so far this trip, so we weren't used to running long days! The next day we had a shorter run to N. Palm Beach to visit our DeFever friends Hank and Nancy for an evening.
Tuesday morning was another early one - we left just after sunrise, through our last bridge, and out into the ocean for an 85 mile run down to Key Biscayne. The ocean was a little lumpy all day, but it was a decent ride and we were treated to the Goodyear Blimp right overhead for a while. We dropped the anchor just outside of No Name Harbor after dark, and we got to see Miami light up as the sun was setting. Nature still has the best light show.
Some weather systems were moving in on Thursday and would persist for a while, so we decided to make the long run to Marathon in one shot yesterday (Wednesday). We knew we would have some lumpy conditions for a few hours in the morning and we expected some rain and cloud cover - an advantage for the later afternoon when we're pointing directly west and trying to dodge crab pots.
We left in the dark through the narrow Cape Florida channel, and the shallow water and brisk wind directly on our nose gave us a lively ride for a while, until we could get to deeper water and turn southwards. The dawn sky was fiery red with billowing clouds, but our ride was too lively to try to get a photograph.
The seas settled down nicely for most of the later morning and early afternoon, though we had a few rain showers - some quite hard - to rinse the salt spray off the boat. We kept watch on the weather radar online as well as with the boat's radar, and we could see squalls well to the west and north of us. Unfortunately, we coudn't avoid the last squall line - though we could see that most of it would pass while we were out in Hawk Channel, before we made the approach to the marina. We named this simply "The Ugly".
This photo was taken about 10 minutes before the leading edge hit us - the temperature dropped by 10 or more degrees and the wind piped up at 5pm to 30-35 knots sustained. We were in touch with friends at the marina, so they confirmed that the worst of the front had already passed. We got into the marina after dark, but also after the storm - winds were 10 knots and we just had a bit of spitting rain. We were tired but glad to be settled, and Heidi and Peter were waiting to catch our lines and feed us a nice lasagna dinner - perfect!
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November 20, 2009 8:30 AM
Posted By Robin & Jim
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We've been paused in Palm Coast, Florida for a week to visit friends and to bring our car down to the Keys so it will be waiting for us when we arrive there in another week or so.
Earlier this week the Space Shuttle Atlantis was scheduled to launch. Our local friends suggested driving over to the beach to see it, and we were really glad we did! It's just a thrill - so exciting to see such great human accomplishment.
It was a perfectly clear day, and we could see the separation of the two solid rocket boosters from the main shuttle.
It was over all too quickly, but left us feeling excited and very glad we took the time to go where we could see it best. Godspeed Atlantis!
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November 14, 2009 5:03 PM
Posted By Robin & Jim
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We stopped in a few places in the tidal marshes of Georgia, including St. Simons Island to visit our friends Grady and Dottie, and Grady pointed out that we are actually west of Pittsburgh here on the Georgia coast. The shape of the land acts as a funnel for the incoming tide - which explains why the tides in Georgia are so great (9' or so).
We anchored in a number of little salt marsh creeks and since we've been running for shorter days I've sometimes had the chance to put my kayak in the water and go exploring in the tidal shallows.
The marsh grass is simply beautiful - tan at the base, then gold, then green, then tipped with gold again. It's no surprise that this area is known as the "Golden Isles".
The marsh is full of birds - herons, egrets, hawks, redwing blackbirds, and little sanderlings and plovers skittering around at low tide. We'll occasionally hear a dolphin blow nearby and we see their fins as they cruise around, and the shallows are full of tiny translucent shrimp and interesting fish.
Our next stop was Cumberland Island National Park, just across the St. Marys River from the north end of Florida. Cumberland is a barrier island with a variety of ecosystems: salt marsh, maritime forest, intertidal dunes, and beach. The island has a rich history starting with early Spanish explorers in the 1500's, and eventually becoming a winter resort for the ultra-weathy like the Carnegie family. The biggest mansion is in ruins, but there are other smaller family mansions on the island that have been preserved to some extent.
We loved the variety of the landscape and nature, particularly the maritime forest with live oaks that have grown gnarled and windswept, with masses of saw palmettos on the ground.
We saw wild turkeys foraging along the shoreline and the edge of the woods...
Sanderlings, semipalmated plovers, and red knots on the beach...
And a big flock of royal terns.
The dunes were also quite beautiful with berries and plant life, and sun-bleached tree trunks..
We only spent two days exploring, but we'll definitely be back for more!
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November 9, 2009 7:09 PM
Posted By Robin & Jim
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We left Georgetown and headed to Charleston - another wonderful place to stop and explore. We decided to try the Maritime Center marina on the Cooper River side since it's closer to the historic downtown, groceries, etc.
We got to watch a crane dredge working along the marina bulkhead the whole time we were there. When it was close to the basin opening, we'd get rocked a bit by the wake from the huge (40' or bigger) scoop hitting the water.
Our first day was cool and cloudy so we went to the post office and grocery store, then we spent the rest of the day at the aquarium. We love aquariums - with all the diving we've done, we know the names of so many of the fish and critters. The aquarium did a good job of showing the regional ecosystems, so that helped us understand more about the areas we've been traveling through on the waterway.
The next day we walked around the historic downtown, with the market and the vendors that sell the regional baskets made from sweetgrass.
We took one of the horse-drawn carriage tours - it's a great way to learn about some of Charleston's rich history and see some of the gorgeous homes.
A Charleston traffic jam...
The palmetto palm is a classic symbol of South Carolina...
This plaque located on the tip of Charleston, at the convergence of the Ashley and Cooper Rivers at the Battery, shows some of the significant historical events and places. Our short little visit barely scratched the surface of all that's here.
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November 6, 2009 4:03 PM
Posted By Robin & Jim
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Since we're able to take our time this trip, we decided to stop somewhere new and do a bit of exploring. We've always heard nice things about Georgetown so we thought we'd give it a try.
The area has a rich history as a thriving seaport - with indigo and rice as its primary export, and later lumber and steel wire after slavery was abolished. There is a small Rice Museum that does a great job of explaining the history and technology of rice production in the mid-1800s, and how the region was able to recover after the Civil War (or The War of Northern Aggression, as it's known here in the south). Very impressive!
We found the town to be a well-kept secret - it was warm and lovely and down-to-earth. Everything is so clean and neat, and the homes and streets looked like the Chamber of Commerce had just made a sweep through - gardens well tended and lawns just so, nice shops and little restaurants - more of a real community without being too touristy.
Of course we had to stop at a shop named after Jim - Sweetie's Chocolates... and he's wearing his Halloween "costume" - a t-shirt that says "I Am the Treat".
Since we were in town for Halloween, we were lucky enough to catch the annual Mutt Strutt - dog costume parade. The morning started off rainy, but it stopped just in time and mother nature put a rainbow up over the street.
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October 31, 2009 7:39 AM
Posted By Robin & Jim
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We tucked into a creek off the Waccamaw River just below Myrtle Beach, South Carolina for a few days to catch up on things and to kayak and explore. It's something we've always wanted to do, but we haven't had the time on previous trips. The Waccamaw is a river that runs through a thick cypress swamp, with gnarled tree roots sitting in the water and spanish moss draping the branches. It' has a spooky feeling to it, but it's also very beautiful.
Because of the swamp, the River feels very remote (do I hear banjo music?), yet local boats with fishermen and hunters zip by now and then just as a reminder that civilization is somewhere nearby. Kayaking is a great way to appreciate the sounds of the swamp and forest - and to get close to a shoreline full of fallen trees to see what's really going on.
There are water lillies and bright green water plants that look like curly romaine lettuce, swarms of water bugs dancing on the surface, and hundreds of little land crabs - each with one oversized claw. The water is murky - some from the tannins that give it a coca-cola tinge - so it's hard to see things, but there are lots of big splashes when fish jump. I saw one fish at the edge of the shallows - he was pretty big, just gently fanning his tail in the brisk current. There are also lots of turtles sunning themselves on logs, but they're impossible to get close to - it sounds like someone dropping large stones in the water when they plop in.
Delicate wildflowers grow on tree roots sticking out of the water...
...and a closer look reveals even more treats...
Birds are everywhere - kingfishers along the water, turkey vultures high overhead, and beautiful hawks hiding in the trees making the most awful screaming racket from time to time. One morning I heard some very loud sounds coming from shore - it was a flock of wild turkeys. A large flock of grackles invaded a little side creek, splashing at the water's edge and jumping from perch to perch making noises that sounded like a bird party. When they flew by me later in the afternoon out on the river, their combined wings made a weird whooshing sound.
With the tinge of fall color in the trees, it was a wonderful little pause that gave us some time to get better acquainted with one of the interesting places we cruise by.
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October 28, 2009 9:14 PM
Posted By Robin & Jim
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We cruised into New Bern, NC to see the town and also to leave the boat so we could drive up to New Jersey to see Robin's Dad and to Baltimore for Jim's dental appointment. Of course we had to drive north just as a wicked cold snap hit - we had to dig under the bed and get out some of our winter clothes! When we returned, the weather warmed and we had a little time to walk the town - it's very sweet with little shops and restaurants. The local church set up a pumpkin patch, and the tree-lined streets were overhung with spanish moss.
New Bern is the sister city of Bern, Switzerland and the symbol is the bear.
...and one of the antique shops celebrates the pirate history of the Outer Banks just to the east.
We visited with Jim and Jo Ann on the Grand Banks LONG HAUL, and the timing worked out for us to travel together for a bit. We had a nice glassy-smooth ride down to Morehead City, but the weather was turning and we had the choice to either stay in Morehead for up to a week waiting for good conditions on the ocean, or brave the skinny water and annoying bridges on the inside route in order to continue on. It's the only stretch of the ICW that we've never been on in all our trips, so we figured we'd give it a try. The waterway runs through a firing range that belongs to the Marines at Camp Lejeune - fortunately they weren't shooting that day.
Next time, we'll wait for good weather on the ocean - there were too many skinny spots and the few bridges, in the middle of nowhere, were on very restricted opening schedules! We arrived in Wrightsville Beach during happy hour on Friday afternoon, so the local boat traffic added to a long day. We decided to anchor there for the weekend to visit Pat and Chuck Berry on GOT THE FEVER - another DeFever 49. The Berry's boat is getting some work done in a yard in nearby Wilmington, and they gave us a nice tour of the area. Wilmington is a very well-kept secret! It's a lovely town with a pretty waterfront and rich history. We'll have to visit there again!
Regardless of the bridges and the shallow water and fishing boats crowding the channels, it's still pretty nice on the waterway - everyone waves to one another.
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