Fernandina is the first port going south on the Florida Atlanic coast. We loved the place. It is small, quaint, old Florida, and full of history. Leaving Fernandina we took the Inter Coastal Waterway (ICW or ditch) to Daytona Beach.

Savannah is one of our favorite southern cities. On our Christmas vacation trips to Florida over the past few years we have visited Savannah even though it was a side trip. Savannah was not burnt by General Sherman on his march to the sea during the Civil War. The result is a an old southern river port with a lot of historical buildings and other sites. The modern port of Savannah is the fourth largest port on the east coast, shipping cars and containers to Europe and other places. We had a dock on the waterfront in the center of the city.

After staying a couple of day at Beaufort, NC, we sailed for Charleston, SC. Two hundred twenty nautical miles with the wind at our back. Twice we had dolphins playing in the bow wave. One pod had around ten members. Charleston is a major container and car ship port, as well a beautiful old historical city. They have not forgotten the Civil War in Charleston. We spent a day with Tom and Laura, had brunch, took a horse drawn carriage tour of Charleston, and drove through a beautiful holiday light show in the evening.

Following a day rest at Hampton, VA., with our new friends, Hans-jorg, Andrea & Alex, we started our trip outside around the notorious Cape Hatteras and the Diamond Shoals that have claimed many ships and lives. Dolphins swam under the bow of the boat in the afternoon. We rounded the Cape at midnight and headed for Beaufort, NC. Beaufort is a small southern town with one main street and lots of hospitality. When you are all tied up and settled they buy you a beer. Catching shrimp is a major industry in Beaufort

Deleware Bay is just a river channel with shallows on each side. The upper Chesapeake is the same, shallow brown water. Annapolis, not much there without a boat show. Hampton and Norfolk at the south end of the Chesapeake are interesting stops. Ship traffic, military and civilian is interesting.

After a slow long trip down Long Island Sound, we entered the East River which connects Long Island Sound to NYC harbor. It runs down the East side of Manhattan and flows in both directions. The result is that there many pictures in the gallery of Manhattan and NYC harbor including the Statue of Liberty.