Brooke Smith
04/29/2012, Deltaville Marina, Deltaville, VA

Under dismal skies and misty rain our great adventure came to an end yesterday at 3:34PM as we backed into our slip at Deltaville Marina. We had a good ride most of the day from Portsmouth up the Chesapeake Bay. Our friends Wanda and Windy Chandler flashed their car lights at us 2 1/2 miles across the water at Gwynn Island. With only a few miles left for Liquid Therapy to go, we were excited to see Jackson Creek entrance marker be the last waypoint in our chart-plotter. You could see the markers with binoculars and then you could just see them with your eyes. There were people on the dock to wish us welcome home. I took a while adjusting lines for our permanent tie up while talking with everyone. A little while latter Delatville Marina had a wine and cheese party for the slip holders, which felt like a welcome home party. John Delbello, our designated driver, drove Cindy Ann and Steve Lott & us to THE GALLEY Restaurant where we had some of our old favorite food and desserts.
We have traveled 2761 nautical miles; 3177 statue miles. That is quite a distance in a boat. Liquid Therapy had been well prepared and performed exceptionally well.. Just a great old boat!
So, now it's pack up time and head home.

Todays picture is "LOOKING BACK" across Liquid Therapy's stern to the south, where we have lived in for the last 6 months. We will be looking back for quite some time.

General

Comments [0] | | More

Brooke Smith
04/27/2012, Ocean Marine Yacht Center Portsmouth, VA

We are almost home. 2712 nautical miles (3121 s. miles) so far and about 45 more to go to Deltaille. We got to Portsmouth yesterday about 4:15 after a pretty ride from Coinjock, NC. Of course it was windy and storm threatening. Timing was crucial on several bridges and the Great Bridge Lock, or we would get to a bridge that would not open for several hours during rush hour traffic. But we made it in with very gusty winds, but, before any rain much hit.. Last night we caught up with Casey and Laurilea Gibbs, and Steve Lott and Cindy Anne Bowers at the beautiful Patriot Inn Bed and Breakfast. We had a libation and then walked to Lobscouser restaurant for dinner and non stop conversations. Great food. We might drive from home to eat here sometime. Laurilea and Casey fly to their new home in Oregon in a few days and will return to their boat this fall They have put Winds Alot "up on the hard" as it is said when a boat is stored out of water here in Portsmouth. Steve and Cindy Anne are boater friends from our marina that live in Norfolk. Such fun..
So, Portsmouth is bustling with the water commerce sounds and sights. the military vessels are here being refurbished in the yard right across from the marina. Pretty noise place with constant changes in scenery as the tugs push large ships and barges about. We decided to stay one more day in Portsmouth as there are small craft advisories for today with the high winds that started yesterday afternoon. So, tomorrow morning we will set our sites on our slip at Deltaville Marina...
Todays picture is our boat with it's brown water mark on the bow. This is commonly referred to as the ICW mustache. We will be scrubbing that off soon enough..

General

Comments [3] | | More

Brooke Smith
04/23/2012, Oriental Marina

Jello Plans, Jello Plans. That's what it's called when things just change on a cruising trip. We are canceling the Outer Banks segment of our trip due to extended bad weather forecast. We will make a special trip there some other time. So, instead I guess we will move north along the protected ICW to belhaven today.
We have really enjoyed Oriental, NC. The marina is nice; good hardware/boating store; a great store called "Nautical Wheelers" that has great clothing, shoes, wine and many other gift and outdoor items. WE also bought fresh seafood from a little seafood store almost across the street from the marina. There is also a very nice coffee shop that made a good latte'. And last night we ate at the Marina's restaurant called Toucans where we had great hamburgers and homemade banana cake.
So, todays passage is going to be chilly. It's 51º as I write this and the barometer is extremely low at 29.51" but is rising from lasts night when the barometer read 29.37". What this means is it is going to get windy as the pressure goes up. 29.92" is normal pressure. I don't know to relate to millibars as the weatherman now speaks. Oh well maybe they will change to dynes per square centimeters next!!!
Today's picture is sunrise at Southport, NC.

General

Comments [0] | | More

Brooke Smith
04/21/2012, Beaufort NC

Just had to tell a little bit about our travel from Surf City to Swansboro concerning the US Marines. Yep, Camp Lejune is on both sides of the ICW here and they actually have a stop light on the ICW when the marines are practice fighting from one side of the ICW to the other. This was not the case. But the Marines were doing something with canons or something with big explosions. We would hear the big guns fire and several seconds later the impact explosions. Kind of cool at a distance. But then as we got closer I started flinching when the guns would fire. And, then the weirdest thin happened IMPACT. The boat actually had shock waves traveling through the earth and water. Nothing quite like feeling concussions through your hull. WE WERE NOT very close to this action. But the power of the explosions travel through the earth quite a ways. As I write this we are in Beaufort, NC about 35 miles from the Marines and I hear the big explosions this morning. Don't feel those through the hull though..

The picture might I wanted to use today is too hard to read. It is a warning sign on shore saying KEEP OUT IMPACT ZONE. I would take this sign very seriously.

So, instead todays picture is some contraption being pulled and pushed by two tugs and a third in for good measure.

General

Comments [0] | | More

Brooke Smith
04/20/2012, Casper's Marina Swansboro, NC

Sunday we left Osprey Marina just south of Myrtle Beach and traveled to Barefoot Marina, North Myrtle Beach. We got there shortly before Eddie and Florence (Brooke's brother and mom) arrived. They came to see us, all the way from Richmond!! After telling a few more details about our trip to the Bahamas, we tried dinner at Jay's Asian Fusion Restaurant. What a big day we had on Monday: running more errands, checking out Eddie and Mom's oceanfront suite, dinner and show at the Alabama Theater. I have to say that Florence chose the funniest rib restaurant we've ever been to, not to mention food was great. The current production at the Alabama Theater, a variety show, was excellent! They have a 'deadpan' comedian who plays a stage hand who is not too brilliant. He comes on and off throughout the show and was so funny we had tears in our eyes! We recommend Dick's Last Resort for dinner and Alabama Theater afterwards, North Myrtle Beach, at Barefoot Landing. I think Brooke covered the next day and evening when we met Judy and Chuck Young in Southport for dinner at the Dead End Saloon and Fish Market. What a treat seeing them. Yesterday we made it north to Surf City, on Topsail Island and had a nice two dinners with for $14!! Homemade food, mom and pop style! I am going to have to get used to cooking when I get back home!! Tonight, we are staying very near the historic area of Swansboro, NC. Some very good Canadian friends are stopping by as they drive toward Ottowa. Donna and Ron, from No Snow, and their dog, Winnie the Pooh, joined us in the Bahamas UP on our fly bridge for Happy Hour! Winnie is a large dog and just climbed right up the stairs! So funny! I see why people often say dogs think they are humans, too. Ron, Donna and Winnie showed up abut 7:30 after driving from Jacksonville, FL. They closed up their boat and will return in November. We had a nice meal at the Italian restaurant and talked non-stop. Then they needed to move along and get a room for the night. They might make Ottawa tomorrow. Long ride for sure. Today, we are headed to Beaufort, SC to catch some other people we met in the Bahamas. Lee and Cheryl aboard their boat, LIVE WIRE, are in Beaufort. They are on the way home to Martha's Vineyard.
Picture today is WINNIE THE POOH fishing Tahiti Beach, Elbow Cay, Bahamas

General

Comments [0] | | More

Brooke Smith
04/18/2012, SOUTH HARBOUR VILLAGE MARINA

Just a brief note and picture of Chuck and Judy Young at South Harbour Marina's Dead End Saloon Restaurant. Susan worked 16 years with Judy and Chuck is an avid boater. Way in the past we traveled with them in our first boat to Onnacock, VA where Chuck was proud that he had to tow us. A sailboat towing a powerboat. Seemed ok to me. Anyhow, Check and Judy have retired to Southport and have a nice condo overlooking the ICW. How, great is that? All interesting things come by their balcony each day. We had a nice dinner with them and now this morning we are off to around Topsail or Surf City for the night.
Suz will be recapping our hilarious time at Myrtle Beach with my my Mom and Brother while I Drive!!!!!!

General

Comments [0] | | More