The Dismal trip

We love the Dismal swamp. Its water is darker than chocolate milk and very still. It is a very peaceful place and only one or two other boats are seen in a days travel.











Small stumps and even old pilings sprout impromptu ornamental plantings of small trees, ferns, and wild flowers.

Dismal Locks

After Vinnie and Maria's Dad fixed the transmission cable, we headed off to the Dismal swamp.
At the locks early in the morning, we enjoyed coffee with the lock master.








The lockmasters office is decorated with shells and other gifts from the tropics which have been given by passing cruisers. These are attractively arranged around some banana trees in front of the office.

Crisfield

It is wonderful to share time with family on the boat and we met Maria's parents in Crisfield.

An afternoon sail on the Chesapeake







Crisfield is in waterman territory, where people have crabbed and oystered for generations. We were inspired by the sight of men working the trot lines in the early haze of morning and did some chicken necking on the boat, catching 6 crabs.

When family, especially parents, are visiting it is alway pleasant to have things go smoothly. Unfortunately, on their last day, the transmission cable broke at a crucial moment. A crowd of horrified watermen witnessed yet another example of the foolishness of those crazy sailboat people. Maria's parents took it very well.

Ahhh, the Chesapeake

It was a joy to return to the osprey and waters of the Chesapeake. We anchored in St Micheals as the Alberg 30 Association arrived for their annual rendezvous. Amante is an Alberg design and they kindly invited us to their soup pot luck at a local park for great food, beautiful boats, and visiting with other sailors.


Maria's sister and her family picked us up and portaged us to their home in DC so we got to enjoy another visit with Liza, Nat, Devin and Lexie. It is wonderful that in some ways we have been able to see them more since moving on to the boat.

Running from winter

The weather turned cold and ugly so we stopped our relaxed mosey down the coast. In several long day / night sails we hurried through Long Island Sound and New York City, down the New Jersey coast, up the Delaware River, and into the C&D canal.

Back with the Stacks

Ginny and Peter (and their lovely cat Tip) welcomed us back to their home and treated us to a wonderful time. We went canoeing and surf fishing. Thanks to Peter's catch we had 2 dinners of Vinnie's favorite, blue fish.

Newport

Newport Rhode Island is the land of beautiful boats and grand living. We walked for miles taking it in and thought the cliff path especially impressive. On one side the rocky coast lay far below and on the other were the grand buildings used as seasonal cottages by the rich and famous of past generations.


The breakers









Gates to a cottage.










In Newport, like many other places, there are the strang quirky things that appear without explanation or historical marker. This statue in a public park may be the national poodle memorial.

Heading South

After the excitment of Cape Cod and the islands, we returned to Rhode Island and for several weeks explored small towns and lovely anchorages. Ophelia the dreaded storm threatened but never appeared. All our work preparing for her arrival gave us practice for the stormy weather of the next several weeks, including Wilma.

Martha's Vineyard - Gay Head

On the western side of Martha's Vineyard are the clay cliffs of Gay
Head. The locals prefer the name Aquinah














The cliffs were sculputured color.















We should have known that all the signs, repeatedly admonishing, "NO NUDITY" indicated that the visitors were all nude (men). In this picture the details are blessedly imperceptable, but the nude guy does give a sense of perpective.








Just one picture more.

Nantucket

Nantucket was more than shops, and shops, and shops, and shops. It was the home of "kettle ponds", lovely little lakes formed by glaciers. These were not major attractions and it took us a long day of bike riding to locate several, but they were worth it.
















On the way we wandered the beach and found a gang of Labrador retreivers bobing in the surf. On closer inspection, they were more accurately identified as seals, but why they were staring at us was unknown.









They heart of the island was found in the whaling museum and its whale skeleton, lectures, and wonderful exhibit.

Family

We traveled by water, air, and earth to Cape Cod and it was wonderful to be together again.













Talking on the phone isn't good enough.













Dinners haven't been the same.



















We miss you all.


















And can't wait to see you again, even in Michigan.













We love you.

Cape Cod at MiniMeg's

We came to Chatham for a family reunion with Vinnie's sister Meg, her husband George, and 8 of our 5 kids. It was Meg and George's challenge to fit 14 adults into a 2 bedrooms and 1 bathroom home.










As Chiara said, we decended like locusts.













How did Meg and George do it?
Fortunately, there were inflatable beds and wide open spaces to sleep dormatory style for the younger members of the group.












Shopping, beaching, running around, eating, exploring, and painting. We all had a great time.
Thank you Meg and George.

Rhode Island

Off from Block Island and up Narragansett Bay to visit Peter and Ginny, friends from Vinnie's high school days at Albertus Magnus. They welcomed into their home two people with solo sailor tendency, near incessant chatter. It was great to be off the boat and visiting late into the night. They saw ALL the pictures and probably heard ALL the stories as well.







Their house is from the 1700's and in peaceful fields. The brook was quiet and we listened for the coyotes at night.

Long Island Sound and Block Island

We had a wonderful time cruising Long Island Sound and then made a dreadful discovery when we met Mike and Pat. They were happily sailing "Twice in a Blue Moon" with their two cats while we had left Ramone and Ubu behind in Grand Rapids. Kitty abandonment is a burden of guilt which will follow us throughout our travels. Sorry boys, but we are sure that Alessia is treating you very well.





The Long Island Sound provided beautiful beaches and great rocks for boat ballast.













We left the Sound for Block Island, a very crowded place in the summer. Hardly room to drop an anchor, but in the morning a man motors through the anchorage yelling "Andiamo, Andiamo" and selling coffee and baked goods.










We did get to enjoy another beautiful sunset in the land of boats before leaving the island.

Into Long Island Sound

We caught the tide down the Hudson and rode it around New York, past Hell gate, and into Long Island Sound. Passing under the Brooklyn bridge we said good bye to the city and the empire state building.

Hook Mountain

One day with the temperature 97, the humidity 70%, and the heat index 110, we decided to hike up Hook Mountain without a trail guide or water. It was great to be on the mountain looking down at the water and our home. The trail went further and rather than turn back, we walked ahead planning to return to the other side of the park. At every turn we greeted the highest hill and promised ourselves that it was the last hill. We stumbled over 4 teenagers with a half gallon of vodka and they gave us directions. In the late afternoon, having gone a different way, we found ourselves far away from the boat and the park, but off the mountain. It is the adventures which stay in the memory.

Bannerman's castle

As we approached Pollepel Island, we noticed small castles sitting in the water.













On shore the gateway opened to a world we were not allowed to go. Looking at the construction, we shouldn't enter if we valued health and well being.
















The castle walls sprawled above the island with the sun shining through the windows and breaks.


















Despite its disrepair, it was remarkable.














We stayed on the boat, except for several short swims. It was so hot that we watched the sun set through the windows in a quiet stupor.

Along the River

West Point was located on especially lovely area.

Up the Hudson

Along the Hudson were miles of handsome rock islands and cliffs.

Family reunion continued

Thanks to the Nyack Boat Club, we've been able to float on a mooring can in the shadow of the Palisades.

















There has been time to swim in mountain streams,


















hike along the Hudson,


















and relax on the boat.

It has been a wonderful visit with family from New York and far away. Those who could not come were greatly missed but we hope to see you soon and at the reunion next year.

Family reunion

It was wonderful to be together.













Horseshoes were flying.













New family members were welcomed.

Bridges

Above us, the bridges are humming with the cars and trucks of people who are living a normal life. They are dressed up, shopping, working, and returning to homes and neighborhoods. We are sailing under the bridge and a world away.