I arrived back at Charleston on Thursday after a convoluted (and conversational) journey. Jim and I went off to dinner at the Shem Creek Bar and Grill for one more feast - this time we shared the Seafood Spectacular Platter and it was still spectacular. It was about 30 C and humid so our walk back was leeeeeisurelyyyyyy.

In contrast with my last trip and last rant, on the way from Moncton to Toronto I had a great conversation with Stefan, a pilot on his way to work,and we both managed to read our books as well. Once there, I was delighted to spot fellow sailor, Chris (Arctura) from Summerside, last seen in the St. Lawrence River last spring. My seatmate was congenial on the Toronto-Washington leg too. He had a nap and then as we were landing, told me about a neat system that links autopilot to PFD. If you fall overboard, the boat will turn itself around. Pretty cool! Washington was where the opportunities for interaction expanded beyond what I might have liked. My flight to Charleston was supposed to leave after a four-hour interval- by the time we loaded it had stretched to six hours, and by the time we sat out the second electrical storm of the day and returned to the gate, it was another couple of hours. You can bet there was lots of conversation going on. Then add the three and a half hours in line at the United Airlines Customer Service desk - lots of talk with interesting people there too, including Sue who had rented a house on Great Guana Cay a few years back.

There were companionable groans and sighs as many of us sprawled on benches and on the floor overnight, waves of recognition and wishes for smoother travels as we passed each other in the corridors the next morning. I had a nice nap on the way from Washington to Chicago - yep, Chicago! Then two hours later I headed south again to Charleston. What a roundabout journey.

Stepping back a day or two (this is a convoluted posting too), my visit to Amherst was very good. It was a chance to spend some family time with my father, my sister and her husband. Dad and I visited the Fossil Cliffs Museum in Joggins and it's a place to put on your list if you are traveling to Nova Scotia. The award-winning building is beautiful, the staff is friendly, and the information about fossils is just mind-blowing. The oldest reptiles on the planet were found there. Joggins is a tiny cluster of houses nestled on the edge of the Bay of Fundy. It was a mining centre years ago and repository of some remarkable finds in the cliffs along the shore, described by some as the "Coal Age Galapagos". Check out www.jogginsfossilcliffs.net for more info.

We went to the Dessert Theatre at First Baptist Church in Amherst, a welcoming church whose doors are wide open for tourists who want to view the beautiful building, folks who want to talk and those who want to pray. We laughed and cried and applauded the acting and dancing talents of the remarkable young people taking part. We roared with laughter at skits of Oprah interviewing polygamists from River Hebert, Martha Stewart ignoring global issues in favour of cupcakes, and a battle of the remote controls at a seniors centre. We also devoured every last morsel of delicious chocolate brownie topped with ice cream and fudge sauce and fluffy cake with lemon filling.

Mary Beth and I (and a big group of her friends) saw the new movie, Sex and the City It was pretty good, even though I hadn't watched any of the TV episodes. The clothes were great - especially for someone who has been wearing the same few pairs of shorts and T-shirts for the last 8 months. It was so nice to just hang out with her for a couple of evenings and fill myself right up with all that mother-daughter companionship.

Jim amused himself with scrubbing, waxing, and checking all the little parts that come loose, interspersed with some touring around Charleston.

We left on Friday morning after pumping in 23 US gallons of diesel (at a cost of $124.81) and pumping out a week's worth of sewage. The trip up the ICW was uneventful and after about 10 � hours we pulled into Georgetown, SC. The only bits of excitement were swatting at big deerflies - or horseflies - or somethings that were big and brown and took chunks out of us whenever they could, and counting fishing boats - over 30 passed us between 5:30 and 6:30 pm - heading back into the harbour. The current was with us for the first part of the trip and agin us at the last. Tomorrow Sue and Terry arrive for a couple of days of visiting. It's good to be on the water again!