Coming down the ICW (Intracoastal Waterway) toward Florida has been an interesting experience every time. It is never the same as the route is pretty much ruled by the weather and if favorable, we run outside on the Atlantic and if rough and windy, we do the more tedious trek on the ICW.

Sometimes we see interesting things along the waterway. So I have to ask: What is a pelican doing so far up north? He obviously wanted to hitch a ride south and flew by our pilothouse windows a couple of times looking me straight in the eyes before he made his move landing right in front on the coach house. I talked to him though the open window as I tried to steer a straight line between markers and even honked our horns, but he stayed with us for quite some miles and luckily didn't leave anything behind before departing.

In Norfolk the channel is busy with commercial traffic. A tug came toward us towing a barge with a large object tied to its deck. We were wondering what was hidden beneath?





And finally, in the early morning hours of November 11th, while we were running down the North River toward the Albemarle Sound, a motor vessel passed us at high speed, throwing a wake that rocked us from side to side, rattling the contents of every locker before they made a beeline and stopped to fish something from the water. So what was the hurry and what were they looking for? If anyone of you recognizes this object, please let us know. Is it a fuel bladder or what?