Solace

4/29/14-5/15/14

After having arrived in Key West on Friday, April 28th, we were ready to go ashore to check out the happenings on the island. We have Solace anchored in Man of War Harbor in greater depths than we usually anchor. The waters are approximately 24 feet and there is very strong current and strong winds. We drop the anchor in the area closest to the center of activity, and among some other transient boaters. As far as the eye can see, are other anchored boats. Andy calls them derelict boats, and I prefer to call them unfortunate souls. It would be impossible to count the number of deserted boats, and the number of liveaboards on these boats. Having stayed on the boat overnight, Andy is confident that the anchor is holding and that we can leave the boat to do some exploring. Andy prepares Rover, our dinghy, and we head into the island. Our dinghy ride over is not far, but we must maneuver past the local Coast Guard station that has lots of activity and big vessels, coming and going. There are several marinas located in the harbor, so we must also watch for boats, some very large, going and coming into the docks. The ride across can get pretty choppy, and sometimes, I find my clothes a bit wet, but all worth it!

After getting the dinghy tied up at the dinghy dock, amongst 50 other dinghies , we check in and pay the six dollar fee. The first thing we do is have breakfast at Harpoon Harry's, a neat little place to people watch. Then Andy takes me on a quick walking tour of Key West. Because he has been many times before, he becomes the tour guide. The charm and flavor of the island immediately surround us and I become excited about spending a week or so here. We are expecting friends to join us for the Songwriter's Festival next week, so we have that to look forward to. In the meantime, I plan to see all the historical sites and landmarks, as well as check out the music scene and the many "famous" bars. I have learned that almost every bar has a story behind it, with some historically significant person of Key West tied to it. The stories are probably not all true, but they are fun to hear.

We spent many afternoons in Schooner Wharf Bar, a friendly laid back bar in the sand and under tiki huts and umbrellas with a stage for musicians. Andy was pleased to find that one of his favorite musicians from many years back was still performing there on a daily basis, Michael McCloud. Some things never change, and it was fun to listen to Michael's original tunes and lyrics about life in Key West. Actually, we found several local musicians that we enjoyed, each with their own version of how they got here and why they stay, woven into the lyrics of their songs. It has become clear to me that the story about people coming to Key West and then never leaving is a reality. We even met a beautiful young gal that came down 14 years ago for vacation, and has never left! There is a funny story behind this young lady, which I will spare you from. We created some of our own "stories" about her before our meeting was over .

While in Key West I see the famous Hemingway House and descendants of his six-toed cats. The house and grounds are pretty much as they were when he used it and his studio for writing some of his most well-known books. The cats on the property continue to thrive and to be treated like royalty. There is even a cat cemetery that Hemingway created, with tombstones for each, bearing their clever names: Errol Flynn; Zsa Zsa Gabor; Tigger; and Kim Novak. The stones indicate that these cats have had a wonderful life, as evidenced by their longevity, some living over 20 years.

While sitting at anchor, we occasionally saw some dolphin and jumping fish. One of the most interesting things I saw is a new bird that I have not seen before. It turned out to be a Frigatebird, a huge black soaring bird with a forked tail. I misnamed the bird for days, before I did further research, thinking it was a skimmer. The interesting thing is that we had learned of this bird when in Bahia Honda and there was mention that this bird is rarely seen down here. Funny thing is that we have now seen these birds in several locations while we are at anchor. I have yet to hear a sound from them or see them drop down for fish. We only observe them soaring, and that they have mastered. They do not flap their wings while soaring for long periods of time.

The following Friday we decide to go into the Key West Bight Marina to stay for a while. Our friends arrive on this day and it will allow us to shower, do laundry, wash the boat, provision, and have access to the events of the Songwriter's Fest. Going back and forth to the dinghy for each thing is difficult when you factor in weather, time of day, and the number of times you get on and off the boat. It turned out to be a great decision and we think one that allowed us to come and go much easier. We ended up staying in the marina for ten days because weather was not in our favor. The winds were blowing 20-25 knots on many days, and there were thunderstorms. We could not have traveled, and anchorage would have been tough. So...we ended up in a holding pattern, just as we did in Deltaville and our Chesapeake trip. On May 12th, we gave it up at the marina and headed back out to the anchorage in the harbor, with the current and the winds. Marinas become costly, day after day. We have since thought that we should have purchased a month's stay at the marina, to wait out the weather and continue to enjoy the sights, but we did what we thought was best at the time. No matter, we have enjoyed every minute of the Key West experience.

On the 15th of May we decide to head out of Key West even with weather. Things did not look as if they were going to change, and so we were off to Marathon. As always, Andy watches the weather closely and he was sure we still had lots of waiting to do for ideal sailing conditions. We thought that we could get further east and north and possibly get out of it. So, we traveled in strong winds and some rain, reaching Marathon at 3:30. It was an 8 hour day, so we headed into Marathon Marina after getting fuel and water in the tanks. We again are in another holding pattern, waiting on winds to die down and for winds to be coming from the right direction. If we continue to head in the desired direction we have to contend with fighting the wind instead of using the wind. It is much like riding a bicycle in strong winds, and "into the wind" is much more difficult and forward progress is slower.

All in all, we spent 3 weeks in Key West and we could have easily stayed the entire month. I still never saw everything. I did take time to visit many historical things and learned quite a bit about the history of the Key. Some highlights included the "southernmost point ", Museum of Art and Natural History, Key West Lighthouse, Flagler's Casa Marina, Mel Fisher's Treasure Museum, the Key West Cemetery, the Key West Key Lime Pie Company (home of the first original), and art galleries. And of course we visited some other "historical" sites like the Hog's Breath Saloon, The Green Parrot Bar, Sloppy Joe's Bar, The Smokin' Tuna Saloon. I also did the tourist thing and rode a trolley through town which pointed out historical sites and homes, as well as provided some very interesting facts about the history of Key West.
Our trip home will begin in earnest now. We still are not sure if we will stay in the ICW or go outside and into the ocean to make faster tracks. Weather will determine that....so we will see. Until next time...

VENI....WE CAME
Day 1 April 1, 2014
Solace and her minimalist crew of Andy and Cindy left Jekyll Island on April 1st. This trip we are headed to the Keys and warmer weather. For Andy and I, the winter at home was much too long because it was unusually cold, dark, and damp. We are both warm weather fans and charged by the sun, so we were ready to head south, after putting up with our local winter weather. I know we should not complain, as we have friends and family up north, who still have snow and a long time before they thaw out!

We pulled away from the dock at JI at 9:20 with good friends waving us off, and wishing us well. Check out the video of our departure that we must credit Doc Jones with. He was kind enough to produce this memory for us. The extra bonus here is that the background music is Andy's famous song. This is the one that sucked me in. We motored on down the ICW heading south instead of north this trip. I am excited and looking forward to seeing the coast line from the water as we head south.

We start this trip at mile marker 685 and will finish at mile marker 1242. We needed fuel so we stopped to get diesel in Fernandina at 2:20. (15.81 g) We needed more fuel than we thought. There is no fuel gauge in Solace, so Andy has devised a way to know just how much fuel we use and need. It is a trusty yardstick, which we dip in the tank and measure the number of inches of fuel. Each inch is two gallons of fuel. It works just fine. Who needs a fancy fuel gauge?

Another sailing lesson observed by me: The current proved to be quite strong going in to the fuel dock, and was moving under the dock. Solace got sucked into the dock for a little "booboo". I continue to see how current can move the deep keel of Solace in a New York second. Working with current and winds, and controlling her, is just not the same as driving a car up to a fuel pump. Next, we must secure the boat with lines, to the dock, as quickly as possible.

Today I notice that we are seeing Cormorants instead of Osprey on the ICW marks that are southbound. You may recall that heading north last summer; ospreys had commandeered all the red and green marks by building their nests to raise their young. Cormorants are fascinating little fishing birds. For most of the day we maintained really good speed, up to 8.8 knots, with the winds and current behind us much of the time.
We motored past Amelia Island, a place I have visited many times. It was interesting to see it from the water this time. I saw the "Down Under" Restaurant and one that I have been to several times with friends. Sadly, it is closed now, with no sign of life. This leg of the trip proved to be low tide, but not low on beautiful scenery and nature sites. We saw Blue Herron and White Pelicans. The White Pelicans are different than the ones I am used to seeing at home, much prettier. We anchored on the Fort George River at the Timuchan Preserve and the estate that remains there for tours. It is a pretty picture indeed. It was a nice way to end our first leg of the journey.

Day 2
We weighed anchor at 9:30 this morning, after resting well last night. I will note that I am now pretty proficient at dropping the anchor and raising the anchor most of the time. This is my weight lifting exercise on the boat. If Andy weighs anchor, then I do the driving away. To date, I have not chosen an anchor spot and completed the anchoring process. There is much involved in that, as I have previously rattled on about in my last journey. Depth of water plays in to the anchor process and the length of chain, with ratios factoring in(some more math). So, one can see that I still have so much to learn. But I am continuing to listen and soak things in.
We saw very few north bound boats, which Andy remarks to be surprising for this time of year. We passed Jacksonville Beach area and a working boat yard, and the Tolomato River via the ICW. There were lots of homes along the water. Today we saw Canadian Geese. Again, it was interesting to see things from the water that I have been seeing from land when I drive to Jacksonville. Instead of driving the boulevards, we were crossing under the bridges of them. I got excited today when I saw the first Manatee. We anchor at Pine Island at 2:15 and had a relaxing afternoon and evening.

Day 3
We left the anchorage today in a rush, at 7:30. When we got to St. Augustine, we checked out the moorings, but Andy did not like our options, so we moved on. St. Augustine from the water is just as I remember it, beautiful. It is an old town, and you can see the old architecture from the water. I had fun taking photos of things there. The Bridge of Lions, Fort Matanzas, and a beautiful tall ship which was docked there.(look on line for info). We cruised several inlets and also Crescent Beach. This evening we opt to stay at Halifax Marina.

Day 4
We leave the marina today at 11:15. We got 11g of fuel and filled the water tank. Our fuel will typically last us for 150 miles and our water for 4 days, if we conserve it wisely. Today we travel to Rockhouse Creek. It is near New Smyrna Beach and Ponce Inlet. There was lighthouse at Ponce Inlet. Rockhouse Creek is a beautiful spot to anchor. Folks were fishing and having fun in the water at the beautiful anchorage. The creek is just a sand bar away from the ocean. We had fun watching the dolphins and cormorants.

Day 5
Today we weighed anchor at 7:30, and we are starting at mm 842 today. We had to wait 20 minutes at the bascule bridge in New Smyrna, so that slows us down with our early start. The tide was low. New Smyrna is a nice town and not commercial looking. We raised the Jib at Mosquito Lagoon and that increased our speed. Haulover Canal was the next part of the journey and it proved to be a beautiful stretch of water, unlike its name. The canal was full of fisherman and wildlife. As we traveled on we could see Cape Canaveral and Cocoa Beach. I may not have mentioned that we have had problems with the depth sounder. It is not reading correctly, so it leaves us guessing sometimes about how deep our waters are when in anchorages and side waters outside of the ICW cuts. This may pose a significant problem when we get to Key West and the waters become very shallow around the keys. This evening we anchored at 7:00 in Melbourne at Dragon Point. Dragon Point is named for a huge dragon sculpture about one hundred feet long that was once standing on the point. Today, it lies on the shoreline in crumbles and looks rather sad. It was a long day. We waited for the sunset and enjoyed watching the dolphins play.

Days 6-13
We left our anchorage at Dragon Point at 8:00 and we are headed to Vero Beach. Today we passed a tiny little island named Grant Island. It had the most charming little houses on it and Andy says it has been like that forever. The only way to get there is by boat from the mainland Sebastian area. I do believe that I could live there if the opportunity arose! When we arrived in Vero Beach, we headed into the mooring field. This time the moorings were full, all of them. We "rafted" for the first time to boat named Renaissance, hailing port San Francisco. Rafting to another boat requires that you tie the boats together on the same mooring ball or anchorage. We talked with its owner, John, and found that we had some things in common. John shared his guitar interest and musical background.

While staying in Vero Beach, I was able to do some daily walks to the town area and the beach area. We rented a car and Andy showed me his old haunt; Melbourne, Sebastian, and his property. Christine and Jeremy came up from Stuart and we had happy hour for three evenings with them. It was great to spend time with them, and Christine is the gal responsible for introducing Andy and I. She is quite thrilled with her matchmaking abilities. The water and beach are beautiful at Vero Beach and the homes along the ICW also beautiful, but a bit rich for my taste.

Because Andy had some concerns about the engine losing coolant we stayed a bit longer than planned so that he could do some engine work. We had to laugh at ourselves because we stayed for eight days on our mooring. The marina is known as "Velcro" Beach instead of Vero, because many cruising boaters decide that they will just stay, and they do. We too, enjoyed our longer stay there.

Day 14
We took off from Vero at 8:15. In preparation, we got 10g fuel, gas for the dinghy, and refilled the water tanks. Andy had planned to scrub the bottom of the dinghy, but was pleasantly surprised to find that there was no "scum" on our Rover. The waters heading south are so different than those in the ICW headed north. Last summer, we needed to scrub the dinghy at least every 10 days, due to growth of barnacles and other marine life on its bottom.

We passed Fort Pierce Inlet today and I immediately noticed the color change in the water. It is beginning to be a gorgeous turquoise. We cleared the drawbridges at Hutchinson Island on the Indian River. There were high-rises and homes on the east bank. I noticed a nuclear plant on the coast. Today the winds were at 15-20 and we cruised at around 5 knots today. This is a bit slower than we would prefer, but again, the current and winds determine how quickly Solace moves through the water. We faced the wind all day and by the time we were done, we're covered in salt. Lays Potato Chip could have bagged and sold us! At 4:45 anchored at Hobe Sound and mm 1000. There were more grand homes and boats surrounding us as we rested and wound down from another beautiful day.

Day 15
This morning we left Hobe Sound at 8:00. I have stayed up much of the previous night to see the "blood moon" lunar eclipse. I watched for hours and never saw any "blood". Then Andy awakens me after I finally crashed. He was up at just the right time to catch the red hue of the moon. It was beautiful and I finally captured a photo of it. We had a 30 minute wait for the bridge opening at Jupiter Sound. The water continues to prove beautiful and full of color, especially at the inlets. It was a short trip today with anchorage at North Palm Beach and Lake Worth. There was quite a bit of wind and lots of boats anchored here with us. Andy suggests that many "stage" here at his anchorage for their trip across the Gulf Stream to the Bahamas. Andy continues to work with the engine trouble that was discovered at Vero.

Day 16
We left today at 8:00, but stopped almost immediately when the engine overheated. We turned around and anchored almost in the channel so that Andy could work on things. Andy is quite the mechanic, so he did his magic and we headed further south to West Palm Beach, stopping at 11:45. Engine work can really mess up a day's plans, but time we get the anchor down and begin looking at the scenery, only the beauty becomes our thoughts.

Day 17
This morning we pulled away at 6:40. At the beginning, we got lucky with the bridge openings, but that quickly went south. After three easy ones with good timing, we encountered several waits for the remaining bridges that day. Bridges are set to open on a regular schedule, usually 30 minutes or 15 minutes apart, so a boat traveling at 6 knots will make the next closing. Very much like catching green lights if traveling at the speed limit. We continued to cruise past the cities of Palm Beach and West Palm Beach. There were mega yachts and huge homes to match. We also passed a huge boat yard and builder Rybovich; known for their mega-yachts. These were some biggggg boats. A barge delayed one bridge opening which set things in motion for long waits for other bridges to follow. We anchored at Wyman Lake, a little hole in the ICW, around 12:45, to avoid a storm. We added 5g of fuel which we had on board since only 5.5 inches were left in the tank below, and it would not last the day. After the rain, we headed on again and passed Del Ray, Boca Raton, and Pompano Beaches. We dropped anchor at 4:20 In Lettuce Lake and mm 1057. Today I drove a bit more, and I still need much more experience. I am beginning to feel more comfortable with taking the marks on the correct side and staying in the channel. After we anchored, we had rain most of the afternoon here. Rain does not hamper our enjoyment, and it is often welcomed, since it provides a quick cool down. Temperatures are getting warmer with each passing day.

Day 18
This morning we weighed anchor at 9:15. We passed Lauderdale by the Sea and finally had some dolphins swim with the boat and I was able to video their action. We caught the bridges pretty easily today with the exception of last one, Las Olas. We had to wait for the opening, so Andy had me practice turning the boat and remaining in a holding pattern, since there was wide enough water. We got the bridge at 11:30 and got a mooring ball at Las Olas Marina in Fort Lauderdale, after several attempts by the chief mooring getter, ME. When we take a mooring ball, it is my job to take a hook and grab the line attached to the mooring ball. Because there was quite a bit of current affecting the movement of the boat, it took three attempts and Andy having to drive almost on top of the ball. With this anchorage, we finally got a shower and clean hair. It felt wonderful since it had been 5 days since the last real shower. We walked the beach road and enjoyed a few beers at different bars. We even heard a little music we enjoyed at the Elbow Room Bar. We finished the day with a wonderful meal at Casablanca Café. The delicious food and wonderful atmosphere was a wonderful treat. The beaches in Fort Lauderdale are beautiful and we would spend lots of time walking up and down A1A enjoying the water and other views.

Days 19-20-21
We stayed on the mooring ball at Las Olas Marina in Fort Lauderdale Beach for 3 days and went ashore each day to do some sightseeing, enjoying the beach side for two days and the city side for one day.

We took a tour of the Bonnet House, named for the Bonnet Lily that grows there. It was really quite eclectic for an old generation home, with an interesting history behind it. The wealthy Birch family gave the property to his daughter and her husband, Frederic Clay Bartlett, and American artist. They were both artists with a desire to escape busy city life in Chicago, so they created a private haven for themselves on their private coastal barrier island. They surrounded themselves with artwork and plants that they collected from around the world. Unfortunately, Ms. Birch did not live more than 5 years and Mr. Bartlett remarried a Lilly of the Eli Lilly Pharmaceutical fortune, and they continued the dream together. The site has been preserved in the same manner that they lived there.

At the end of the day, we were serenaded by a bag piper playing at the end of the day on his personal dock near the moorings.

Day 22
We leave Fort Lauderdale this morning after taking a shower and getting some water ashore. We put 5g of fuel in the tank from a fuel can on board and replenished our water with 10g. Today we cruised past Hollywood, Hallandale, and Miami via the ICW, and made it to Biscayne Bay. It was interesting seeing some areas that I was familiar with some 38 years ago. I was seeing this time from the water. I went to many of the beaches when I lived in Miramar, just north of Miami and south of Hollywood. Coming into Miami, I saw Government Cut and the Port of Miami, where many cruise ships and military ships make their arrivals and departures. Unlike the other day, today the bridge timings worked out well.

I did not think that the water could get any more beautiful, but it does keep getting more beautiful with the green and turquoise hues. I began to see warning signs about protecting the sea grasses from damage by boat props. We have also seen warnings about the manatee and its' protection. Slow speeds are needed by power boats, so that they don't chew up the grasses in the shallow waters or hit an innocent animal. Solace is a different ride altogether, we move slowly and don't venture into shallow water deliberately. You may remember that we need five and a half feet to move along. Those power boats will move as fast as they can and over a spit of water often, so I understand the need for the warning signs.

We took a mooring ball at 3:15 in Coconut Grove and the sailing club there, among 290 other mooring balls! It was a sea of sailboats. All you could see forever were masts and sails. The nice thing about this mooring is that they provide a 24 water taxi service, so Andy did not have to struggle with getting Rover, the dinghy, up and running. We walked to town and explored and then had dinner and a few beers at Scotty's waterfront restaurant. We provisioned a tiny bit at Fresh Market which was new since Andy was last there. One of the neatest things I saw as we walked through town was an entire workout with exercise equipment set up in an open park right there at the marinas, provided by the city. No need to join an expensive gym, it was all there with instructions on how to use the machines. It would be nice if all cities had something like this, to encourage a healthy lifestyle to those who cannot afford a gym.

We are far enough south now that I mentioned to Andy that I can already hear the steel drums

Day 23
This morning we left around 11:30 after provisioning and showers. We headed to Crandon Park Marina on Key Biscayne across the bay to get fuel and check out their moorings and facilities, for future trips. After we fueled up with 11 gallons, we traveled a bit further and then dropped our anchor in Biscayne Bay at 1:45; situated in front of the waterfront property that President Nixon had a home and a helicopter pad. Appears that the pad is still there, but the home has been taken down and another built in its place. Apparently, it was too modest and not glitzy enough. We spent the afternoon relaxing in the cockpit and enjoying the view and watching other boaters and water activities, while sipping margaritas. Not a bad way to end the day.

Day 24
Last evening we had quite a bit of strange wind action, so it was a somewhat sleep deprived night. Andy is like a mother with children, and can sense when things need to be checked out with weather changes. He wakens to movements and sounds of the wind to check the weather quite often. Then he crawls out of the berth to check the anchor hold and the position of the boat. I am glad to say that we have never dragged anchor, but he has needed to let out more chain sometimes in the middle of the night. This night it was like being in a washing machine. The boat was rocking and rolling, and both Andy and I were awake much of the night checking the anchor hold. We weighed anchor at 7:20.

Just beyond the end of Key Biscayne there is a group of 7 homes in Stiltsville. Andy says that there used to be many more, but that storms have knocked them down, and the state will not allow them to be rebuild any longer. The remaining numbers 7, so I guess they are the" lucky 7". Cape Florida is seen and the lighthouse that is there. I had such fun looking at the ocean floor and observing the things underwater. I saw a sea turtle and fish, as well as sea grasses and what appeared to be sponge and coral. The water just gets prettier and clearer each day. Depths continue to get shallower but Solace is faring well so far. We traveled through many sounds and mangrove cuts. We passed Alabama Jacks and Gilbert's marinas and restaurants; both famous dives in this neck of the woods. I could see Key Largo most of the day and learned about the Ocean Reef Club-home of the rich and richer, and famous. We anchored at 2:45 in Tarpon Basin, and only one other boat anchored with us. It was a beautiful sunset after enjoying the afternoon in the cockpit and dinner outside as well. I continue to capture photos of sunsets and sunrises so that I can one day wallpaper a room.

Day 25
We left the anchorage around 7:30 and finished passing Key Largo. This particular day, we passed on the water, a boat named Express Mail, one that we had seen in Annapolis this past summer. We saw lots of boats doing flats fishing and poling the boat. There were several very shallow cuts we passed through, with only about 6 to 7 feet of water. When we traveled under the Channel 5 bridge, Andy told me that it is the way to Cuba, and about 90 miles offshore. We had a most unexpected visitor with us today. A Kentucky Warbler landed on a jib sheet and rode with us for three hours. He appeared to have flown too far from shore and needed rest and to get his bearings. We also had some dolphin run with the boat and saw a flying fish out of the water three times for a distance of 15 feet or more. We dropped anchor at Boot Key and Marathon at around 4:30 after a long day. We relaxed in the cockpit in the late afternoon and the first thing I saw was a sea turtle swimming around the boat. It was quite fun to hear him breathe when he surfaced and swim around the boat.

Day 26
Today we remain anchored just outside of Boot Key Harbor for another day. We drove into the harbor to see the marinas and the mooring balls which have been placed since the last time Andy was here. There were hundreds of them. The city has made it difficult to use the facilities without a mooring ball, but nothing seemed user friendly. Lots of people have chosen to be "live-aboards" and appear to be content and have made this place their home. We stopped at Burdines Marina for fuel (10.4 g) and some water. We actually had to pay for the water, but got 10g for 1.50. It is kind of sad to think that we have to pay for water. Andy was surprised and said that he has not done that since the Bahamas. We spent this day watching the activity of fishermen and other boaters and jet skis.

Day 27
We set sail at 9:30 headed to Bahia Honda, a key that is only a state park. There are no residents on this key. It was the first day that we actually sailed. Winds were 15-18 knots and we used both the Jib and the main sails. I was at the helm most of the way and attempted to hold our course. Just as we neared Bahia Honda, a group of dolphins swam and played in our surf and it was quite a show. Andy drove now since I was distracted by the dolphin and the waters were tricky with shoals and depths as we entered the anchorage, which is a pass between two islands. Just after Andy took the helm we got "pooped" for the first time, which means a large wave breaks over the stern of the boat. It surprised us and got us both a bit wet.

We had the anchor down around noon, and made a trip to shore to see the state park on the Key. It was very interesting with plant and animal life that have landed here through the years. We went down to beautiful water and it is here that I first set foot into those turquoise waters. We saw the old train bridge that Henry Flagler built to open the Keys up to people and residents. We stood on the old Route 1 that existed years ago and experienced how very narrow the roadway was and what a tremendous achievement it was to cross so much water and run so many miles. There were lots of families enjoying the beautiful beaches and waters.

It was a rough night with choppy waters and winds. Spent hour or so watching a catamaran attempt to anchor in the dark after learning that he was dragging anchor. Luckily, we did not drag anchor and Andy just checked much of the night to make sure our anchorage was secure.

Day 28
We depart Bahia Honda at 9:20 this morning and we're headed to Key West, our destination. The waters continue to become more beautiful. Andy and I share the driving today and most of what we see today are small islands, and water everywhere. Andy points out the markers that indicate the reefs. Andy explains to me that the reefs are about 5 miles from the keys and they run the entire length of the keys. The water depths between the keys and the reef are less than 20 feet, with the water depth suddenly dropping to 600 feet and more in places beyond the reefs.
We arrive in Key West at almost four o'clock this afternoon, and drop anchor off Fleming Key where many other boats are also anchored. It was an exciting ride into the anchorage for Andy since there was hard wind and strange currents as we rounded the tip of the island.

We are here after 28 days of wonderful travel on beautiful waters. So now the VEDI...conquer Key West! Let the fun begin. We are looking forward to meeting some friends later this week for the 19th Annual Key West Songwriter's Festival.

Well, I am back home and we have been for several weeks. It is almost Thanksgiving. I had trouble bringing myself to write this final episode of my blog about our trip to the Chesapeake Bay. I have attempted to immerse myself back into the real world; a bit of nesting at the house, back to the office and work, and some yard work to clean things up. It has been hard! Letting go of the relaxing life that we were living, comes with some costs. I get up to get showered and dressed for work instead of get up and hurry to the cockpit to see the sunrise or the beautiful scenery that always surrounded us. I go to bed without seeing the beautiful sunsets that have become the anticipated event in the evening. I feel the impending cold weather and dread it! Oh well, life must go on.

Foot note: I am resuming this blog after my brother in law indicated that we must be stuck in North Carolina. It is now February 7, 2014. And I am going to make myself write this. I guess I hated to accept the fact that the trip had actually ended.

We left Deltaville to head south on October 16th, after making a car trip home and back. We left the boat at the Deltaville Marina for a week, after having stayed on an anchor there while waiting for better weather to head south, as you may recall.

The first leg of the journey took us as far as Norfolk, where, we anchored in a place called Hospital Point. Named that because , guess what? The hospital is right there. One would think that this would not be a pretty picture, but it was absolutely beautiful that evening. The sky was clear, the stars were out, and the city lights were beautiful. Going north earlier in the year, I remember Norfolk, and the busyness that was there. I remember the sights, but they did not compare to the way Norfolk and the harbor looked in the evening lights.

The next morning we leave Norfolk and spend almost twelve hours motoring to Coinjock Marina. It was late by the time we arrived and pretty dark. Marinas were full and we were tired. This particular marina was not Andy's first choice, but things were full because we had put in such a long day. We had several bridges, so we lost some time waiting on the timing for those. Since marina slips were hard to come by, we were thankful to find space here. The dock master was very helpful, even in the dark. I took a quick shower and headed across a foot bridge to pick up some dinner at the diner.

As we departed the next morning, we went across the way to get fuel and water before heading on our way. This day, our goal is Alligator Marina. We have a much shorter day this day because there was just no place to anchor before we could make Pungo River. Andy says he has never anchored in the Alligator River because there is too much debris in the river, and we would stand a chance of fouling the anchor. You may remember the story about this marina from my earlier blog and my rant about not getting my fried chicken. Well, this time I did get my fried chicken and it was delicious, just as I suspected. The hummingbird feeders were no longer hanging and there were no birds, a sure sign that the weather was changing. We saw an interesting thing at the marina. There were two boats named Sheet Music. What are the odds of that?

NEWS FLASH...it is March 16, 2014 as I resume my writing.......

The next day we awaken to rain, so we decide to wait a bit before we head out. Most of the other boats left before us, since we thought we might be able to wait the weather out. Not so. We finally departed around 10:00 am and headed out in the rain. And it rained all day. I was at the helm a good bit of the day and steering in the "ditch". I remember there was much debris in the water. I guess that the weather had stirred things up. I managed to make it through without hitting any logs. I tried to take great care to stay in the middle, since the waterway is cut deeply, all 12 to 13 feet of it, with much shallower water on either side. We finished this day around 5:15 and anchored at the south end of the Pungo Canal. We are now at mile marker 127, and will be home at 685. So....we still have traveling to go. Neither Andy nor I are really ready to see the trip come to an end.

We leave the anchorage the next morning later than usual, about 8:45 and travel this day for nine hours to Adams Creek, which is off of the Neuse River and still the North Carolina coast. We motor sail most of this day and I continue to practice being at the helm. For some reason, I have trouble staying in the marks, which means I am not always in the channel. Poor Andy, he still has to keep a close watch as I drive the boat, which means that he really does not get much rest. Very rarely does he close his eyes to take a nap. He has taught me so many little tricks and strategies to stay within the marks and to check myself, which I continue to do, but I still have a long way to go before he can feel like I can maneuver on my own. I very much want to get there and to feel like I can trust myself and my decisions. I trust that confidence will come with practice, like most things in life.

We get away earlier the next morning and travel past Moorehead City and Beaufort NC. A little tidbit of info you may not all know is that Beaufort is pronounced "Bofort" in the state of NC and "Bufort" in the state of SC. Go figure! Kind of like "Peeecan" and "P'can". I guess each state wants to be original and sound special. I continue to say them incorrectly.

Today turns out to be a longer day then we expected because we unexpectedly went aground at mile mark 61, somewhere in the Camp LeJuene area. I had been driving and we were making excellent time with a tail wind and motoring working hand in hand. We were traveling at about 7 knots which is faster than normal, and means that we make about 8 miles per hour. Being overly cautious, as I previously mentioned that my confidence level is not up yet, I was watching the depth finder very closely and noticing quite quickly that the depth was going from 8 to 7 to 6, and this is where I usually panic. You may remember that Solace needs 5.5 feet of water to make headway. So I tell Andy that he better take the wheeI, and it was not a minute later that we hit bottom. Now we have had several "groundings" before, and I was learning that it is part of the sailing adventure sometimes, but this was not a smooth landing. I am here to tell you we were both shocked and surprised! Because we were moving at such a fast clip, we literally stood on our nose, or so it seemed! A new boat owner came up, with a large boat and a "blonder" female than I, (who attempted to throw lines, bless her little heart), while her husband tried to drag us off. But to no avail. So Andy called the Coast Guard, who really was no help other than sending TowBoat US in our direction. Meanwhile Andy worked his magic and he got us rocked off, so that we could be on our way again. Long story short, the marks had shifted from weather and the channel was no longer marked as it should have been. We were well within the marks, but that was not good enough for this passage. The area had shoaled to 3.5 feet, so we were stuck like glue. Needless to say, with this grounding, we lost about an hour and a half, finishing up the day at Mile Hammock, where we had anchored on the way up north. By the time we got there, there were quite a few boats, so Andy squeezed us in so that we could anchor for the night.

The next morning, we get away at 7:15. This is earlier than the past few days, but the mornings are getting much chillier, and we seem to stay under the covers for a bit longer, and drink more coffee to warm up. We get fuel and water on this day and stop around 5:30 at Carolina Beach. We take a mooring ball here, as there really is no suitable place to drop an anchor. Andy says that the mooring balls are new in recent years. The weather is not pretty this evening, with rain and cold.

We start our second week of southbound travel the next day at 7:00 am. We are wanting, and probably needing, a real shower and needing to do some laundry. We make this a short travel day and stop in at Southport Marina at 10 am; again another marina that we stayed in on our way up north. There are predicted high winds for the afternoon, and we can get showers and do laundry, along with walk into town and do some things.

Up again the next morning and heading now into the waters of the South Carolina Coast. Home is getting closer, and weather is getting colder. We have stretched our summer as long as we can and feel the oncoming fall weather. This day we stop again early at 2:45, at Barefoot Marina, in Myrtle Beach SC area. There is quite a shopping venue here, but we both find it very touristy and not very interesting, so we don't spend much time in the shopping area. We do walk around and stretch our legs, but even return to the boat to have dinner. We find that we prefer to eat Andy's meals instead of dining out. Andy has perfected quite a few delicious meals that can be prepared easily on the boat, so we eat quite well! No sandwiches, but really delicious gourmet meals. We do not have an oven, so all meals are prepared on the the stovetop, unless we grill something, which have only done about 5 times, the entire summer.

We leave Barefoot Marina the next morning at 7:45 and make it to Georgetown SC by 4:15. We have plans to drop anchor in the harbor there. When we arrive, we find that there are quite a few boats and not much space to anchor. There are many derelict boats anchored around and clogging things up. I still find it unimaginable to think that people just leave their boats on anchor to either sink, or rot away. It is very sad. Today, I offer to drop the anchor, since I think that is safer, so that Andy can maneuver between the tight spaces, and find the right spot to drop the anchor. After several "drive-bys", we manage to squeeze in to a spot and settle in for the evening. I have read the cruising guide and my interest is peaked by some of what I read, so I think we might dinghy over to the main land to sight see. Neither one of us could ever locate the clock that is mentioned, so we decide not to go over. Maybe next time.

Our next few days we stop at Inlet Creek in Charleston and then South Edisto River, south of there. We have now made it to mile marker 504, so we are only 181 miles from home. We are cold in the mornings, with temperatures in the 30's. Getting back home is beginning to sound good because we are wimps when it comes to cold weather. The good news is that we now begin to see dolphins, which indicates that water temperatures are warmer and that we are really closer to home. Going 181 miles in the car would take about 3 hours, but traveling in Solace, it takes us 4 more days; or almost 29 more hours of travel; one more marina, and two more anchorages. We stop at Skull Creek Marina in Hilton Head one evening, needing fuel, then at New Kettle Creek, in the beautiful surroundings of the Georgia coastline. We hear the familiar marsh hens and see another beautiful sunset and sunrise. What a wonderful way to end our trip, just as I remember the beginning of our journey in May. We just have one more day of travel and we will arrive at Jekyll Island, Solace's home.
Needless to say, this was a trip I will never forget. I have learned so much about sailing, but not nearly enough to call myself a sailor. Andy has taught me so much and showed me parts of the country that I have never seen before. It has truly been wonderful and I count it as another one of my blessings. I am so fortunate to have been able to do this. So back to the real world I go, to begin work again, and to plan the next trip, since it is in my blood!

To those of you who have followed our journey and read the blog, thank you. I know I am longwinded, but it is hard to describe it all. If you are interested in our next journey, stay tuned for Blog number two which will chronicle our trip south to the Florida Keys. I can't wait!

If you are wondering how this is happening, with my return to work.....well, I retired again, and for good. Life is short, and getting shorter, so I plan to fill it with opportunity and memories. Hope you will join me for the ride!

It is October 18th, and we have really begun to make the trip south in earnest. This morning we are in a little marina in Coinjock, NC, not far after crossing the state line from Virginia. This means that we will not do as much stopping and "lingering" as we have in the past. Unfortunately, I must begin to think about heading back to reality, which means work. I have that familiar dread I always got when I had to return to the school year, after a summer's vacation. I must say that this vacation has been the most relaxing one that I have ever had. I have truly lived a different lifestyle, one that allowed me to totally unwind and forget about things that normally consume my life when I am at home. I assume that getting up in the morning and applying makeup, coiffing my hair, and putting on work clothes will come back to me, but it just does not conjure up that "Oh goodie" feeling.
Since my last post, we have been holed up in a marina in Deltaville VA. We initially settled there, knowing that we needed to head home for a week in early October. Our plan was to stay for a week, and then begin our journey further south. However, tropical storm Karen began to wreak havoc on our travel plans. The storm stalled, and for weeks, created winds and rains that were not favorable for sailing or motoring. Andy continues to think about the experience that his crew will have, and wants the travel to be pleasurable, so we wait, and wait. Even the last couple of days at Deltaville, there was very little visibility.
We did manage to make some adventures while at the marina and in Deltaville. We actually got to Deltaville after leaving the Reedville area and Tangier Island on September 25th. We anchored out from the marina for several days. The marina charges a facility fee, so that entitles us to use the showers and laundry facilities, as well as borrow the lender car to provision. So, I did all of the above...laundry, provisioning (Andy is in charge of this since he is chief cook), and got to wash my hair in a "real" shower. That is a luxury. Don't get me wrong, I still love the boat and living on it...a good, long warm shower is always a treat though.
We took a day trip up the Rappahannock River to Mosquito Creek where Andy could show me one of the homes that he designed and built. The creek that the home is on is too shallow for Solace to make the trip up, so we anchored her out in open water and dinghied back up the creek to its end, and where the house was located. Andy was glad to find that it looked the same as when he sold it, because he had built this particular home for himself, and lived in it. It was fun to finally see some of his work. The place was really beautiful and set back on the lot so that it was very private. Andy later took me by car to see the street entrance. The area was a beautiful drive and wooded area, and the home's driveway is ¼ mile long, so we could not drive to it.
The next day we took another day trip up the Piankatank River. Again, another beautiful river with beautiful estates lining the shore. We chose to motor this day because the waters and winds were not right for sailing. I got practice my driving skills again, so that is always good.
We borrowed some bikes and took a ride to the little town of Deltaville. Little, it is! We visited the True Value store, which was really quite nice, and surprisingly well stocked. I could have bought some fairly decent gifts for anyone there, and Andy was able to get things for the boat too. We stopped at a little sandwich shop and had the 5 dollar lunch special, before we checked out a couple of the gift shops. Deltaville is another little town on the water that is geared to watermen and boaters' of all kinds. I happened upon a watercolor done by a local artist of a waterside marina in Annapolis, the very one that became our "go to" store for beer and ice most of the summer. I saw the painting and said out loud, " I may have to get this just because it looks just like that marina we moored in front of ....and then I realized that it was! What a pleasant surprise! Needless to say, I bought it and it will be my favorite remembrance of our trip. We also took a bike ride to the local Mariner's Museum in Deltaville. The museum tragically burned down last year, and they lost almost everything they had. They are in the process of rebuilding it, but I can only imagine what a huge loss of historical things, including boats. We have seen so much history of boating in each Mariner's museum that we visit. Each one is specific to the town that you are in, and they are all uniquely different. We did get a personal tour of the restored ninety year old working "buy boat", "F.D Crockett", by the gentleman who was responsible for its restoration. It is fascinating to hear how these huge boats are constructed and also about their history. This particular boat was used by the family for many years after.
We got a slip at the marina, knowing that we would be gone for a week to SSI. We hoisted Rover on deck and cleaned Solace up, so that she would be ready for traveling south when we returned. Little did we know that we would arrive back to weather that was just miserable. It was cold, raining and foggy for almost two weeks. Each evening, Andy the meteorologist would check the weather to see if sailing or motoring conditions existed for the next day. Needless to say, the winds and weather from tropical storm Karen were holding us to Deltaville for much longer than we expected.
So, as we truly began to get cabin fever, Andy came up with a plan. I was really rather proud of myself, because I do not think that I ever complained about "being stuck". Andy had told me so many times that this scenario is just part of sailing. To date, we had been so fortunate with weather conditions and travel plans. One of my wishes when we started this trip was to visit Ocracoke Island, one of the outer banks islands. Andy's suggestion was to rent a car and take a road trip. So we did, and we drove to the outer banks of North Carolina. It was a beautiful drive. As we drove down the coast, we crossed many of the rivers that we have cruised, and it was fun to see where we had been by land view. I saw the beautiful sand dunes and the water was so beautiful! We took a car ferry over from Hattaras. I had not been on one of those for many years. We spent the night in a little old fashion motel, which is what gives the place its charm. We did a little exploring of Ocracoke, which is supposedly where Blackbeard hung out. We did not see him, or his ghost.
On our drive back, we stopped at the Cape Hattaras Lighthouse. Since it is part of a National Park, it was closed to the public. But it did not stop those of us who wanted to get an up close view. We parked the car and walked the mile or more to the site of the lighthouse. Cape Hattaras Lighthouse is a beautiful working lighthouse that is huge! Years ago, it was moved from its previous location because engineers determined that it would not last with ongoing beach erosion due to storms. It was amazing to think how this enormous structure could be moved up a beach without crumbling to pieces. But it was done and she stands beautiful and tall today. As we walked out of the park, there was a Park Ranger attending the closed gate, and it seemed that he was somewhat ashamed of the fact that our government has chosen to close the parks. He had trouble making eye contact with any of us.
Our little road trip was just could you repeat that we needed, and it gave us some relief from the weather in Deltaville. We traveled back to the boat and waited again for three days for the weather to clear so that we could make our departure. After days of fog and mist, we finally left on October 16th, and we are making progress south. I will look forward to seeing the dolphins on a regular basis, as we get into warmer waters. I will not look forward to the end of this trip though, because I think it just started!

On September 20th we leave beautiful quiet Reedville to make a trip across the Chesapeake Bay to visit a little island called Tangier. The size of Tangier is quite small, 3 miles by 1 mile. We sail across the bay on this morning and it takes almost 3 hours to get to our destination, but sailing with no motor going is always the preferred method of travel. It might take a bit longer, but the ride itself, is always better. The distance to Tangier from Reedville is about 12 nautical miles.
Because the winds are in our favor this day for sailing, we use both the jib and the mainsail. I am again practicing staying on course by following our compass heading and also by sighting a landmark and using that. On trips such as this, I have learned that we do not use the red and green channel markers as much as we use landmarks and headings. The red and green markers, you may remember, are used primarily to mark the shipping channels and passage from one end of the bay to the other and to come from sea. Steering a course has taken some practice. When all you see on the horizon is water, then watching the compass becomes very important in order to maintain your course. I was thrilled when we did see the tops of the trees on Tangier Island.
As we near Tangier, the daily ferry from Reedville passes us, full of tourists going for their visit too. The ferry makes a daily run to the island. It seems that the trip on the ferry is about 1 hour, compared to our trip of 2 and half hours. As we approach the island the passageway way is clearly marked with red and green markers, making our entry pretty clear cut. Andy has called ahead to Parks Marina asking for a slip at the dock for the night. Mr. Parks is known to be quite the character, and Andy suggests that I “talk him up” when we arrive, because he likes the girls. I immediately wondered if I should put on my makeup, which, by the way, I have not applied in 5 months! After Andy called to reserve a slip for the night, Mr. Parks called us two times on the radio to see when our arrival time might be. I think he was just as excited about our visit as I was. Mr. Parks assured us that he would be waiting for us at the dock to help us get in. There is a fairly strong current that runs through the channel where the docks are, so getting Solace into the slip takes some fancy maneuvering. Captain Andy did that of course. I think I am years away from docking the boat, but I am willing to learn when the time comes.
We arrive at the tiny island and slowly begin to navigate the narrow channel to the docks. Upon arrival, I see workboat after workboat, in slips, with little shanties attached to each dock. The boats are lovingly named after their moms or their wives. I see one that is named Cynthia Lou. My father called me Cindy Lou when I was little  Of course, that was my favorite. The docks are filled with crab pots, hundreds of them. It is apparent that the fishermen rely on crabbing for a living. Tangier is known for its soft shell crabs. What is sad is that we know the crabbing has been terrible, so I suspect that many fishermen and their families are struggling to make a living. The pots would be in the water if they were catching crabs. On this day, there are several men working on their boats, or in the work shed, busying themselves with work related things. One man is painting his boat, another is working on the crab pots, and another is standing in his work shed late in the day, and I think partaking in a “nip”. We see many small johnboats moving up and down the channel and hear two men talking about the frustration of the crabbing experience. Sound travels across the water, so we feel as if we are a part of their conversation. The awesome thing is that they sound hopeful that things will get better.
When we radioed Mr. Parks that we have arrived, he assures us that he will help us in and that he will be waiting for us. Sure enough, when we inch our way in, we hear a “beep, beep”, and sitting at the end of the dock, is a young looking “80 something year old” gentleman, sitting on a scooter, waving at us. This is Mr. Parks. Brings a smile to my face as I think about it  He proceeds to “holler” direction to Andy and me about how to dock the boat. Now you must understand that Andy is the Captain, and I have learned that I should listen to the captain and his direction. I am holding a dock line and waiting on Andy to give me further direction. Meanwhile, Mr. Parks is calling me sweetheart and giving me instruction as well. Gets a girl rather confused! I also know from experience that Andy knows his boat and what to do. I try very hard to ignore Mr. Parks’ direction and wait on Andy. I think Mr. Parks finally figured that out, because he finally hollered to Andy and me that he was an old man and that he had been telling people what to do for 80 years, so it is hard to change an old man. Andy moved right into the slip, even with a strong current, and tried to appease Mr. Parks by acknowledging his directions. All was good. Mr. Parks was a charmer, and I was looking forward to more chats with him. I immediately let him know that he was the first gentleman to meet me at the dock on a scooter. I secretly hoped that he might take me on a ride.
We did the usual get the boat ready to live in, instead of sail in, procedure. Then we went and took a welcomed shower with lots of warm water. We wanted to talk a walk on the island and see the sights. It will be hard to explain the lifestyle that we observed. The few paved roads are very narrow, just about as wide as a car. Speaking of cars, I only saw one car, and it was parked in a yard. We immediately heard scooters coming from all directions, and golf carts and bicycles everywhere. The ferry had landed, so there were lots of people roaming around, tourists like us. It was abundantly clear that the folks living on this little island have very little to do, compared to what we know as living and working. I counted five little restaurants, and three little souvenir shops. There was also a B and B, called Heavenly Haven, which was about the size of a single wide trailer. Neat and tidy, but not what most of us consider to be a Bed and Breakfast. They did have a vacancy School had just let out, and there were children of all ages on their bicycles, or scooters. I think too, that all the women on the island were out and about on their scooters and bicycles. Andy and I wove our way through the activity. The houses on Tangier are very old, and have history that I will never know. We wanted to take a golf cart tour with one of the locals, but this did not work out. After the ferry pulls out at 4 o’clock, the tourist traps shut down.
We strolled the streets and located the post office, the community center, the church (appeared to be only one), and the museum and historic homes. One especially charming house was the Patrick Benson home purchased in 1879 by a ship’s captain from Dublin Ireland. The post office door was plastered with papers full of ads and things for sale. It was like a community bulletin board. We were too late to visit the museum, and too late to get the golf cart tour by a local. We made plans to do that the next morning. Unfortunately, we could do neither the next morning, as we learned that they did not begin or open until later in the day. They clearly start their day when the ferry boat arrives with tourists in great numbers. We did not qualify.
We managed to find a restaurant open past 6 pm and decided to have dinner at Lorraine’s. All the other places closed earlier. We had a decent dinner of crab cakes… very large crab cakes and fries. Enough crab cake to take some home for sandwiches the next day. Our dining experience was interesting, because the waitress and cook came out and sat down at the table beside us. Andy and I were the only customers at the time, with seating available for at least 80 people. We hardly filled the restaurant! I think the ladies wanted us to feel welcome, so they struck up a conversation by asking where we were from, and then it gave me the opportunity to ask some burning questions that I had.
I was most curious about the school and education on the island. We learned that there are 68 children of school age on the island. The school has enough teachers and staff to meet the needs of all grade levels, with two classes being taught together in K/1 and 6/7. Average class size…4 to 6 children! Being an educator, that would be my dream class! Unlike the island of Sapelo, in Georgia, the children are not ferried across to the mainland for school. The reason for this is primarily weather and wind conditions in the winter prohibit safe travel for the children. The state of Virginia must continue to provide the education for the children, so it appears that the little school house on Tangier is held to the state requirements of all children in the state. They receive the same core curriculum that any child in VA has, including foreign language and college prep courses. I very much wanted to make a visit to the school and talk with the principal, and hopefully get to see the kids and classes in action. I plotted my plan to get up early the next morning and do a “surprise visit”. However, just before crawling into bed, and excited about my plan, I realized that it was Friday evening….so, no school in the morning. We also met one of the teachers who came into the restaurant to pick up his meal. He grew up on the island and was now teaching. He taught history and physical education. It was most interesting talking with these locals. The people on the island speak something close to the “Queen’s English”, as Andy describes it. It is an accent clearly different than any I have heard before.
The homes are very old, and most are very small and modest. Each one is decorated with yard art and items that most of “us” would label junk. There are many homes along the way that have historical markers, indicating the past owners and their livelihoods. Many yards have tombstones and graves in the yard because dry land is hard to come by. The reason given for this is the need to protect the family member from being lost in floods. There are also cemeteries everywhere you look. I assume that everyone who has ever grown up on the island is then buried on the island. Imagine how many people that is if this has gone on for hundreds of years.
The island of Tangier is charming and I have it on my list of places to return to next time I am up this way. I still have a million questions that I would like to ask the locals. I would like to learn more about how they do the soft shell crabs, but we did not see this happening because of the bad season. We did see the equipment and boxes that they use, but nothing going on. I would like to spend an afternoon with children, both young and teens, to see how they see their world, and what their hopes and dreams may be. Andy shared a story of a father he met some 20 years ago on the island who had two daughters. They were both ready to graduate, and one said she was leaving Tangier the minute she turned 18, and the other said that she would never leave. It leaves me wondering so many things about how they live. It was very clear that there is a sense of community that we do not see any more in much of mainstream America. I had to chuckle knowing that everybody knows every body’s business! Oh, and one more thing, I want to get that ride on the back of Mr. Parks’ scooter. So, I will be back Tangier Island!

One of many on the island with stones dating back hundreds of years.