Buzzards overhead, Canada Geese honking, potato chips that have Old Bay seasoning added - you know you're below the Mason-Dixon line. When going north it always seems to me that upon entering the Cape Cod Canal our North Atlantic waters its much cooler, seemingly clearer, more brisk.

The same seems to hold true when south-bound. Entry into The Chesapeake changes everything. The water is warmer, the birds are different, and the accents are no longer northern sounding. It also means that other than Cape Hatteras offshore, passages are shorter.

I'm investigating the ICW (Inter Coastal Waterway) to Beaufort, NC. With our 64' air draft (mast height) and 7-7.1' water draft it ought to be interesting to say the least in our boat.

We are starting to settle into more of a boat-based routine. Faune, as you all know, is always willing to embrace the new and interesting. Certainly living on a boat can change a relationship, and add new challenges. We have been very fortunate that each of us tend to have very different perspectives which allow us to make the best of most stressful decisions. Every day is different. Weather, navigation, currents, tides, local oddities - all have to be taken into acccount. To say there is never a dull moment would be an understatement. I am actually hoping for a few dull moments over the course of the next month here in The Chesapeake.

We are currently in Summit North Marina ($2.00 per Ft. per night) located halfway through the C&D canal. We stopped here once about four years ago on our way north. Very protected, a bit of a challenge draft-wise (we came in here at 1/2 tide and had less than a foot on the depth sounder). After a full day coming up the Delaware, it allowed us to be in early (3:00 pm) have a G&T then relax. I'm still a little off centre since our offshore night from NYC to Cape May. It was fairly sloppy (35-37kts) although it was a broad reach so we were doing over 9.0 kts. most of the way. However, it wasn't a whole lot of fun after 2:00 am from Atlantic City itself to Cape May.

We spent one night at Jersey South Marina in Cape May recovering, and left just before daybreak to catch the tide off the entrance to Delaware Bay. Unlike smaller water/air draft boats, we have to go out and around the Cape versus the much shorter canal to the Delaware. The weather forecast wasn't great but with the prospect of 3/4 days of poor weather we (read Faune) felt it best to go, and what a great day it turned out to be. We had a dead run up the Delaware, doing 9.5 to 10 kts. most of the way and we got into the canal just as the wind started to be steady 25 kts. Perfect!

We are presently feeling very spoiled as we are plugged in to shore power for the first time this year. I always thought that after moving up to a larger boat (our previous boats were a C&C 27 and a C&C Landfall 35) one wouldn't have to be so conservative with water and power on board. And you don't to a point. Our battery bank is 1400 amp hours (our 35 was 200+/-) which is big, but a bigger boat has bigger demands and without a generator (we didn't want the noise/maintenence etc) our options are limited if we have several overcast days. As long as the sun is out for the solar panels we tend to be able to hold our own power wise. So being here and plugged in allows us the luxury of being marina queens for a day!!

Tomorrow we are headed for Annapolis, MD (50 miles +/-) where we will get settled in before the upcoming boat show. We also have tickets for Paula Cole next week in Annapolis. And there the Crab Cakes will be a callin'!!