We must be way ahead of everyone else. It is a crushing truth, that the cruising folks that migrate back north after wintering in the Bahamas or Caribbean are not here yet. But the Canada geese and the migrating duckies are moving, including us, let me tell you!!! It is the week before Easter and our anchorage here in Liberty State Park, New York City, is deserted. No wonder, the nighttime temperature last night moving along the New Jersey Coast in glassy atlantic water was a chilling 3˚ Celsius. I don't know how we could have existed without our two Webasto diesel heaters, which are working overtime. So, life is good on Diesel Duck, although it's cold outside.





This picture of the Webasto Air Top 2000ST forced air diesel heater is mounted forward in Diesel Duck's utility room, next to the anchor locker with the heating outlet in the saloon. It has given us flawless service for seven years. An identical unit is in the aft cabin.

As we travelled up the coast, stopping in some familiar spots and several previously unexplored ones, I was thrilled by the kind gestures of strangers and friendliness of the American people bestowed on us. Ashley Erwin, SSCA Cruising Station in Oriental, NC, personally delivered charts to our boat at the town dock, which we had sent to his address. He even took me on a little sightseeing tour of the area and to the grocery store to buy some essentials.

In Solomon Island, Andrew and Digna passed us in their sailboat and spontaneously invited us to their condo the next day. Not only did they treat us to coffee and doughnuts at their beautiful place, we were to bring our dirty laundry to wash in their apartment while Andrew took us grocery shopping. What a Royal treatment. Thank you!

For a few days we were back in Weems Creek, Annapolis, swinging on the same mooring ball we had occupied in the summer months. Several people stopped by in their water crafts to say, "Welcome back." David Skolnick, director of the SSCA, sent us a nice email with tons of information and even inviting us to use his slip during his absence. Lauren Anthone drove all the way from Kensington, MD, to Annapolis to bring us a package with a much needed fitting for our furling, which had been ordered by mail.

While tied up to the 200' floating free town dock of the Chesapeake City, at the C&D Canal (stands for Chesapeake and Delaware Bays Canal) we took a stroll of the area. At a bench Benno found a nice looking smart Casio cell phone but no one was around. Sometime later, when we were back at the boat, three young people from a small motor vessel walked by and Benno asked them if they were missing a phone. All three checked and yes, one guy was missing his Casio phone, the make we had not revealed. He was relieved that we had found it. We got talking and inquired if they were from the area and knew if we could purchase milk somewhere close by. But unfortunately, it required a car. The reunited cell phone owner said that after motoring back his boat to the launching ramp down river and putting it on the trailer; he would then return by car and bring us a gallon of milk. And you know what, he did!