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.

Ellis Island

We walked more than 2 miles in blazing heat to the ferry for Ellis Island. The building held the stories, pictures, and cherished belongings of the people who immigrated here. There were beautiful photographs of the buildings prior to their restoration. The photographer's grandparents had come to Ellis Island from Russia with only a borrowed empty suitcase.






graffiti found inside.

















Many of the immigrants traveled across the country from this train station, which is now abandoned.

Entering New York

We sailed from the Chesapeake, through the C&D canal, the Delaware, and then off shore up the coast of New Jersey, arriving in New York several days ago.

Weather

We've had some foggy mornings,











cloudy afternoons,














and beautiful sunsets. Fortunately, no real storms.

July 4th

We sat on the boat and watched the holiday fireworks, which were detonated from barges on either side.

Together

It was wonderful to be together.

Baltimore

After several days we arrived in Baltimore. The anchorage was a small paddleboat pond roped off in the inner harbor between an enormous naval vessel, the Constellation and a submarine with a soundtrack repeating, "CLEAR THE BRIDGE, DIVE, DIVE, HONK". We were the only sailboat in a pond of shrieking children in dragon boats and unwilling guests in a party that lasted to almost midnight.

Back on the Chesapeake

After anchoring near the Mall in DC and running about the city, the Chesapeake seemed very still and quiet. We anchored near islands and watched the local wildlife: jellyfish, crabs, and seabirds. In just a day and a half, we had sailed over a hundred miles and were in a very different world.

DC

During out visit with Maria's sister Liza and her family, we went to the folk life festival on the Mall. After enjoying pictures of Pakistani trucks in magazines, we finally got to see this one and it was spectacular. The musicians from Oman were also great and often the stage was packed with dancing adults and children. Some of the kids were so small that the dancers had to lift them to the platform and carried them in the dance. We enjoyed it greatly, but be assured, we were not on stage.

George Washington's Home

On our way up the Potomac we anchored across the river from Mount Vernon. Early the next morning we toured the estate which has a remarkable place in our history and is a wonderful place to wander about. We learned that the French considered George Washington to be a father of their revolution. General Lafayette gave him the key to the front door of the Bastille, which still hangs in the main hall.

Traveling the Chesapeake

We left the warships and found a few of the old traditional Chesapeake work boats. This is a skipjack which sailed by us one night near dusk.

Norfork

We left the Dismal Swamp from the oldest locks in the US while the debonair lock master played a conch shell horn. At Norfolk, the water was an enormous military complex with warships moving through the harbor and helicopters buzzing the air. We toured the Wisconsin and talked with several elderly enthusiastic veterans who served as doscents. The day was full of museums and naval history.

Leaving the Dismal Swamp

The passage through the Dismal swamp was beautiful and narrow with overhanging trees. At least once we blundered into the branches and came away with the deck full of leaves and twigs.

We've eaten at a few great seafood restaurants. They are easily identified by a close look at their local patrons. This is "Humphrey" who is waiting for his daily order of fresh shrimp on the shell.

This is the Dismal swamp. It is was hot, humid, and the reflections were brilliant. We went through the oldest locks in the US and met our first feline sailor who attempted to jump aboard.

Some days are so still and quiet that the reflections are as real as the world. We've had some beautiful mornings.

Elizabeth City

We are now in Elizabeth City, NC. Heading for the Dismal Swamp, then the Chesapeake. We have had some difficulties posting photos, but will keep trying.
We went offshore from Wrightsville Beach, NC to Beaufort, NC. A beautiful day on the Atlantic. Quite a change from the marker to marker navigation on the ICW. We came across a school of sharks in a feeding frenzy. Sharks up to 6 feet, maybe fifty or more. Some were below the school of baitfish, keeping them on the surface so that the others could feed. What a site. Unfortunately, we did not think of the camera, so no pictures.

Walking in Beaufort SC

Several times a week we stop to pick up supplies and feel the ground
again. Both Beaufort and Charleston South Carolina had streets lined
with historic homes and churches. Walking tours were great, as long
as they didn't take attention away from the wonderful things to be
discovered off the path.

Cumberland Island

We hiked Cumberland Island on the southern coast of Georgia and
visited the ruins of the Carnegie estate. Now the primary landowners
are animals, including armadillo's, which can scamper at a surprising
pace, and wild horses.

Traveling the ICW through Georgia and South Carolina

The ICW in Georgia and South Carolina has led through beautiful
country. There are miles of Irish green salt marshes inhabited by
egrets, osprey, and heron. There are dolphin everywhere, often
swimming next to the boat. At times we have looked anxiously for a
motor problem, only to find that the strange coughing noises are
dolphin blowing at the stern.