We left Elizabeth City this morning to go through the Elizabeth City Bridge and on to the Dismal Swamp State Park. There are locks at either side of the swamp with about an eight-foot elevation.Early mapmakers described the swamp as a dismal and forbidding place. Our experience is quite the opposite, however if it were dark, cloudy and raining I could see howit might live up to that name.The first reference to the Dismal Swamp appeared on a map in…
Elizabeth City......here’s a city that knows the definition of hospitality, they even state it in a full size waterside billboard that welcomes boaters to their town along with welcome flags lining the dock and they’ve been doing it this way for over 25 years.On days when enough new boaters come into port a city representative (some times the Mayor) sponsor a short wine and cheese get together and all the women get roses. During this welcome party they provide up-to-date…
We were here three years ago with our son Skyler Nelles, who joined us for a week after his graduation. We only stayed one night but we knew that we wanted to come back again. This time we borrowed the loaner car to drive into town for a few food items and a quick tour of Bellhaven. Last time we got in late and didn’t have much time to explore.Shortly after we tied up we heard that there was a…
First time to Oriental, NC for us. We arrived today in very windy conditions and were relieved to have crossed the open spance of the Neuse River to get tied up before it got even worse. This is a cute little town, a favorite of the sailboat community.Our friends Wade and Susie Ehlen, on Miss Happ, drove over from their home in New Bern for a dinner out and a nice long visit. Our last time through this area by…
“Please, we just want y’all to RELAX!” This was the refrain we heard from the moment we set foot in the Wade’s beautiful beach house which faces north, northwest on the ICW in Morehead City, North Carolina. As you can see, Jim and Charlie really took their instructions to heart.No sooner had we left the boat at Coral Bay Marina, we were off to eat (a favorite pastime of Loopers it seems). The Wade’s decided that we needed to go to…
We arrived in Morehead City, North Carolina today for a much anticipated visit with our friends Louis and Diane Wade on Bella Luna (bottom-left). We have traveled with them on and off during our trip and some of our fondest Loop memories involve these two amazing people. They had graciously invited us to stop for a visit at their beach house in Morehead City, when we were traveling through, for some R & R off the boat and we knew that…
Helicopters, and other assorted aircraft, practice landings, bombs heard in the distance... it’s all a part of anchoring near Camp LeJeune, North Carolina. This is a popular spot for boaters to anchor as there are not a lot of options in this stretch between Carolina Beach and Morehead City.
Cruising this morning to an anchorage in Carolina Beach and saw this tug pulling a LONG load southbound on the ICW. It just kept going and going. At the end there must have been about a block long of dredging pipe dragging in the water. The things you see while traveling by water.
We remember traveling through this idyllic stretch in 2006 and today we just could not get enough of it. Lisa kept running outside to take photos of the mirror-like water reflecting the clouds and shoreline. Today, for the most part, was mostly uninhabited territory with dreamy fields and woods lining the ICW.Tonight we sat on the flybridge in our anchorage on Calabash Creek, off of Little River, watching the tide go up with our Kismet now almost hugging the state…
The third oldest city in South Carolina, following Charleston and Beaufort, Georgetown was founded in 1729 and became an official port of entry in 1732. Prior to this, all foreign exports and imports had to pass through Charleston.Our intention was to anchor in Georgetown's harbor tonight, but finding the harbor occupied by many boats already anchored or moored we decided to tie up at the Harbor Walk Marina right in the downtown area.Jim and Barbara, on Golden Lily and Charlie and…
We always love to go to Farmer's Markets. and today Pam and I arranged to meet and spend the day at the market as we still had more catching up to do. I picked up a lot of good looking produce and found some cilantro to replenish batch I had that was looking kind of sad.
Charleston is known as The Holy City due to the prominence of churches on the low-rise cityscape, particularly the numerous steeples which dot the city's skyline. The community was established by English settlers in 1670 on the west bank of the Ashley River, a few miles northwest of the present city. Charleston's name is derived from Charles Towne, named after King Charles II of England.Subject to attack from sea and from land, eriodic assaults from Spain and France were combined…
Lisa has not seen her friend Pam Baugh Trudeau for almost thirty years. That's a long time but when you live on different sides of the country, Pam lived in Washington State until a few years ago, time just kind of slips by. As always is the case with good friends, we seemed to pick up right where we left off after catching up on the general details of the years in between.Pam and her partner, Mike met us at…
We arrived mid-day to tie up at the Maritime Center which is within walking distance of downtown. We cleaned up the boat and went for a walk downtown. We like this marina because it is convenient walking to town, grocery store and the Farmer's Market on Saturdays.
The Low Country of the South is made up of marshlands and swamps along the ICW and for us it is most beautiful from Beaufort north. Bull Spit, Parrot Creek, Alligator Creek, Oyster House Creek and our favorite for an amazing anchorage is Tom Point Creek. Tom Point Creek meanders back off the ICW about 2 miles or so and is surrounded by marshland grasses and some trees for wind protection. From the vantage point of the anchorage you can…
We left Savannah, Ga., with 576 miles to travel before we make it to the Chesapeake Bay, our home for the summer. Next stop is Beaufort (pronounced Bewfort), South Carolina, a real gem of a small Southern town. There is also a Beaufort (pronounced Bowfort) in North Carolina and it’s wise to pronounce each correctly when you’re visiting. We had a nice walk through this one which is the second oldest town in South Carolina, founded in 1711, almost 300…
Just before we took Ross to the airport we made a final trip to downtown Savannah. We walked around a little more looking at houses and wondering what it would be like to live here. Came across this precious dog and I guess he gets a lot of unwanted attention.Just as we were becoming hungry, which seems like all the time lately, we came across this market which has a little of everything it seemed. Flowers, herbs, produce, nuts, james…
We rented a care this morning to explore some of the surrounding areas, revisit downtown Savannah and to take Ross to the airport later today.We thought Tybee island would be THE place to go but unless you just want to visit the beach it was pretty forgettable. But we did come across this little jewel of a spot on the way, Ralph Douglas Jones - Fish Art. This guy has quite the imagination and can make marine life out of…
Savannah, Georgia’s first city and one of the nation’s most unique cities, was founded by General James Oglethorpe in 1733. Savannah is also known as America's first planned city. Oglethorpe laid the city out in a series of grids that allowed for wide open streets intertwined with shady public squares and parks that served as town meeting places and centers of business. Savannah had 24 original squares; 21 are still in existence. This is what we find so appealing about…
We arrived late this afternoon to Tunderbolt Marina for a three day stay in the Savannah Area. This marina brings it's transients a box of Krispy Kreme donuts along with the daily paper EVERY morning. We really can't stay here too long, its a killer on the diet.We decided to just hang around the boat tonight and attack Savannah tomorrow morning. So, Ross, even though it is his birthday volunteered to make a gourmet lobster dinner for us (left over…
The salt marshes of Georgia play a major role in maintaining the delicate balance of nature so necessary along the coastal estuaries. Created as a result of glacial processes during the ice ages, the salt marsh serves as a primary nursery ground for many economically important fish and shellfish. Were it not for the marsh, juvenile populations of crabs, shrimp, and fish would be greatly reduced.Additionally, the salt marshes act as buffers against offshore storms. Without their dissipating effect, hurricanes and…
Nature still reigns on Cumberland Island offering many wonders from saltwater marshes, canopies of live oak richly covered in silver moss, sandy dunes, beaches and even some remnants of its past human inhabitants. The animal life brings some surprises especially when you come upon one, or a group, of the wild horses that this island is well known for. On his first day of exploring, Ross saw an armadillo. There are also many racoons, great horned owls and peregrine falcons just…
We left Oyster Creek and St. Augustine this morning transiting underneath the Bridge of Lions which has been in construction mode since we ventured by here in 2005. This iconic bridge links the city, founded by Spanish military forces in 1565, with the resort communities of Anastasia Island is getting more than a facelift – it will be rebuilt in its own image, but in a way that will stand the test of time for generations to come.After a long day…
Our son Ross Favors joins us on the boat for a week. We picked him up Monday, while docked for a few days in Palm Coast, and left there Tuesday morning for St. Augustine.This old town of St. Augustine is one of our favorite stops. We loved showing Ross the Oldest Wood Schoolhouse and the Oldest House. We stopped in to sample different hot sauces and Ross let us sip his expresso.From our last trip we remembered the great Cuban…
We like to stay at Oyster Creek Marina when in St. Augustine because it is off all the commotion of the ICW. It is still a short walk into town and it gets us a chance to stretch our legs.
We left our boat in Palm Coast while we rented a car and took a little road trip to the AGLCA Spring Rendezvous in Charleston. We planned to only attend the last day of the event and a AGLCA Advisory meeting the next day. It was fun to meet new Loopers or those planning for the future. We even saw some familiar faces among those in attendance. We ate well and enjoyed a little time off the boat. Now, when…
We arrived at Palm Coast Marina on Wednesday. We are leaving the boat here for a couple of days while we drive to Charleston for the last day of the AGLCA Rendezvous and a meeting the next day. Once here we decided to stay a few more days in this quiet little spot while we wait for our son Ross to join us on Monday.Easter morning we fixed the steering and then went for a long walk through the nature…
We love Free Docks. They are almost always situated right near the heart of a little town. There usually is no electricity or water however, we have been to some that do have these "extras." We have been to this one in New Smyrna before and loved how it is situated.While I was working on the boat Jim went to find a mailbox and came back sporting a new haircut. If you have seen his pics lately it was a…
We got into Cocoa early this morning and tied up to the Free Dock next to the big park downtown.We remember we enjoyed exploring this town on our first Loop and are excited to visit it again. Cocoa is such a cute little town. Lots to see and do. We had to do the usual errands... find a mail box, hardware and grocery store.The park (above), which is right on the water is well maintained and is a fun place,…
On our way up the ICW now with the first stop being in Banana River where Loopers Mike and Bobbie Huck live with their beautiful Grand Banks boats tied up to their dock right in front of their house. We anchored almost in front of them and were so happy that Mike came to visit up in his dinghy to invite us over to catch up on both our cruising adventures. We met Mike and Bobbie on our first Loop…
Our second night here Brad and Patti on Salvage Crew arrived at the marina and of course we all had to have a get-together. Happy Hour on Kismet and then off to Bike Night and a Greek restaurant for dinner. Guess we didn't know Patti's interest in being a biker. She talked this biker into letting her get a photo, of her, on his beautiful bike then invited him to get on with her. Maybe we should just call her…
Hello Florida, we're back enjoying, once again, the amenities we have forsaken while in the Abacos. However, while we are slowly calling and emailing friends and family to announce our return, we miss the pace of the islands and being AWAY. Jim had declared our first night in the Abacos that we should not watch any news the whole time we were there and I agreed. That small decision combined with no phone reception and sporadic internet connections made for…
Back to the West End today. Seems like we just got here. Six-and-a-half weeks sure flies when you are having fun. We finally met up with Andy and Mary on Good News and Brad and Patti Salvage on Salvage Crew. They have been waiting a week at the West End for the weather to cooperate for a smooth crossing back to the states.It looks like everyone is waiting for Tuesday, early morning, to venture out across the open ocean. Pretty…
After the harrowing experience through the Whale the next stop was Green Turtle Cay, Black Sound, again a short, ten-miles from Treasure Cay and this will be our last short Abacos water day.We had a leisurely day walking into and around town, one last time, just to make sure we would remember what it feels like to be on these small islands.Back at the boat we headed up to Pineapples with Charlie and Linda on Freedom’s Turn and had one…
In order to get from Treasure Cay to destinations north/south in the Abacos a boater has two choices to travel through the Whale Pass, which is totally exposed to the ocean for about 4 miles.Going on the outside of the pass, into the ocean (we took this going south back in February) or the Don't Rock passage where you head out towards the Don't Rock (rock) and make a sharp turn to portside (going north). The passage through Don't Rock…
Treasure Cay was another short ten-mile run and a place we'd never been to before however we have heard rave reviews from other boaters about the long beach and we didn't want to miss seeing it this time around. We stayed at the marina which was fairly well developed and had all the amenities a boater might need short term.Treasure Beach is a three-mile, horse shoe shaped, beach that was everything and more than we'd heard or read about and…
Trying to make our stay in the Abacos last longer, we have been dragging our feet by only traveling a short twelve miles to Guana Cay on our first travel day as we migrate north back up the Sea of Abaco.Tightly secured to a mooring ball we dinghied to shore at low tide to explore a beach side restaurant/bar called Grabbers as well as the ocean-side party bar, Nippers. We are only staying one night so we just had the…
We left Sea Spray Marina on Elbow Cay this morning to start heading back to the states. We plan to stop at a few different islands on the way out. Jim took this beautiful photo of the ocean, beach and clouds, you can almost feel the salty sea spray that was always in the air. We had an amazing month on this island and we have only positive things to say about this marina, its people and the location.We got to…
One last trip into Hope Town, for internet, the bank and to walk around the town one last time so that we can savour and preserve in our minds how perfect this little town is. Only three, narrow, cement streets run through the length of town with even smaller paths cut across. The houses resemble a little girl's playhouse with fresh coats of paint in a variety of bright pastels. Gulf carts serve as a popular mode of transportation in…
We dinghied into Hope Town for the big St. Patty's Day party at Capt'n Jacks. The restaurant had party cops who made sure the people without any green on got a pin, beads or sticker. We had the special corned beef sandwich plate for lunch, a bucket of bear and free jell-o shots. After lunch we walked around the downtown area and we noticed that almost everyone had some green on.
Our friends Mary and Andy Sarver, on Good News and Brad and Patti Salvage, on Salvage Crew joined us for a few days at Sea Spray. Three boats from Michigan at one dock (Freedom's Turn, Kismet, Good News - Salvage Crew is from Alabama).It was fun to have a Looper group gathering at our marina. We went to On Da Beach for lunch and had a big cookout/potluck at the marina. Bob and Peggy, who are Loopers on Baby Grand,…
Fridays are a big day on Elbow Cay. The Fish Man comes to the city dock around 3:00 pm and everyone who wants fresh lobster or fish waits for this boat to arrive with its fresh catch. All these people are patiently waiting to stock up for the coming week.Today we picked out about nine small lobsters. Most days they have grouper and whatever else they happen to catch that day. Lisa was happy to get her bag of fresh…
On our trip back to Sea Spray we anchored in Shark Cay for a few hours while we went exploring in our dinghy. While entering the inlet we found a deep water cavern just inside where the sting/manta rays, and colorful fish like to hang out in the deep water. It was here that we first saw the beautiful spotted rays, we had heard so much about, sliding through the water along with all the other spectacular sea life. On…
Also make sure to bring a thick, permanent, marker to record your visit. We think it will be fun to revist this inspiring little oasis in the future, find our markings and reminisce about this relaxing, romantic getaway.Although Randolph Johnston created the workshop and foundry in the fifties his son, Pete, built Pete's Pub which looks like it was created for the inner child in all of us. Constructed more like a homemade treehouse, this is unlike any bar you…
