I am currently cruising down the coast of Georgia about ten miles off shore. The seas are pretty calm and there isn't much to do so I have time to catch up the blog. I rarely stay on the dock and usually anchor out, but tonight I'm going to dock at Jeckyl Island GA. because the marina has a low country boil dinner that I'm not going to miss. Then tomorrow is off for a day in Cumblerland Island. What a great quiet place. I look forward to a long walk on the beach with Max.


We left New York City about the 15th of September after riding out the tropical storm. With just a few hops we were back in the Norfolk VA area and stayed for another storm anchored in Hampton VA. Harbor. This Nor Easter was worse then the tropical storms. Even though we saw 45 to 50 knot winds we rode it out fine in the very protected harbor.

After leaving New York we went about 20 miles to stage for an overnighter in Sandy Hook NJ. Then we went non stop to Cape May NJ about 150 miles south of there. We stayed a couple of days waiting for the next weather window. After about 4 days we took off for Norfolk VA about 170 miles away. It took us exactly 24 hours so you can see we were making good time. The winds were about 10 knots fast then they had predicted.

After a week in Hampton we headed South down the inter coastal waterway with a date of October 11th to be in Charleston. Linda made plans to fly home to visit family on that date. We felt it important for her to be with her mom because we are leaving for the Carribean and will be gone for atleast 8 months. Our goal is to sail all the way to Trinidad down by South America by June of next year. At that time we will fly home for a visit during the hurricane season. Most sailors insurance policies require boats to be south of the 10th parrell latitude or North of North Carolina during hurricane season. Trinidad meets that stipulation.

For the first time we stopped in Kitty Hawk NC to visit one of linda's old girl friends. By old I don't mean she was old, just they have known each other since grade school. Mary and Tom were very gracious and invited us into their wonderful home on the water with an award winning view both out front and out back. For my 51'st birthday we sat out on their dock and ate fresh, just pulled out of the water crabs that Tom caught. After that we had a wonder full second meal followed by a home made birthday cake. It doesn't get any better then that.

One funny story to tell. On our way down the ICW in SC about 12 miles outside of Charleston, mind you we are out in the middle of e in the morning that we had dragged the length of a foot ball field
no where with not a house to be seen. We pulled off the ICW in the mud flats. It was very dark when we anchored and we had a hell of a time getting the anchor to hold. Well I went to be thinking we were good only to find out in the morning that we had dragged the length of a football field and we were stuck real bad in the mud with an out going tide. I foolishly tried to drive the boat out of the mud but she was 6 inches out of the water and would not budge. About this time a saint came down the ICW in the form of a big shrimp boat. I called the Laura Anne on the radio and they volunteered to help. So I tied some really heavy rope together and they tried to come over to me but it was too shallow. So I jumped in the cold water at 7:30am and took the rope to them. Talk about a strong boat. They dragged us out with no problem. It was a father and son team on the boat and I'm Thankful they came along. Just another experience. Any cruiser who says that they have never been stuck aground in the ICW is lying to you.

Hope everyone's well. Don't be afraid to write.