We've been having so much fun - we forgot to update the blog!! After a wonderful Easter dinner with family we left the dock in Naples on Sunday evening April 4th and anchored just inside the entrance to Naples Bay. We got up early to watch the launch of the Space Shuttle Discovery - it was quite spectacular, especially as the sun came up and lit up the jet streams. We started our voyage with our good friend Rose Loguidice on board. After watching the shuttle disappear into the atmosphere we pulled anchor and headed for Ft Myers. We crossed the Okeechobee Waterway with little excitement.

We had warm weather and then... we had COLD weather. Clay and I started out with just a sheet to cover us at night, then brought out a light blanket, then the quilt. I think Rose froze the entire trip.

The cats were not particularly pleased with the new housing accomodations. The engine noise was just a little too much for them. Poor P.T. (Phineas Taylor Barnum) crawled as deep into a locker as he could get and then proceeded to get sick. What fun! Both he and Bailey (Barnum & Bailey) finally developed their sea legs, although they both run into their favorite hiding place when they fear the engine is starting. They retaliate when we go to sleep, they start their circus routine by running around the boat, jumping through bulkhead ports and landing on us as we try to sleep, and then back through the port, sounding like a heard of horses as opposed to two nine pound cats.

P.T. Bailey

The first leg of our trip was done quite rapidly as we wanted to get the boat to Virginia, so we could leave it, rent a car and drive back to Naples for Chris & Jen's wedding on May 1st. Needless to say the Captain was rousing the crew before daybreak and the anchor was up and we were underway before the sun came up on the horizon. We could handle this, but... he also wanted to go until the last light of day after sunset. We usually had dinner underway and when the engine shut down, we sat down and rested for a few minutes and then laid our heads on our pillows. Did you notice I didn't mention anything about sailing? Other than a few short periods, the wind blew right on our nose.

We stopped in St. Augustine, where Clay worked on our roller furling. The few times we did try to sail it wasn't pulling out like it should, so he took it apart and greased it up and put it back together. (I make it sound so simple). We also had an enjoyable evening dining with friends Tom & Vicky.

Fernandina Beach was just a short jaunt where we said goodbye to Rose. Once again we had a delightful evening with her nieces. They filled us in on all the local history - it's such a quaint little town (on my list to visit again).

Swing Bridge, Beaufort S.C.

The weather did not work into our plan to go offshore from Fernandina to Charleston, so we trudge off through the circuitous Intracoastal Waterway of Georgia. We stopped in Charleston at the City Marina and we were treated to dinner at the Yacht Club by Don & Jackie Michaels. It was great catching up with them, first time since our last trip four years ago.

We spent a long day due to high winds off shore, finding anchorages that we previously used unsuitable. As a result, we ended up in Spooner Creek well after dark. Our spot light illuminated the entrance beautifully and then blew a fuse leaving us night blind. After some minor excitement we entered the narrow channel and made the 90 degree turn to the left to enter the creek itself. Aside from a few frade nerves and a little paint off the rudders, all was well again.

The next day we went past Moorehead City to Beautfort N.C. where we did laundry and then met Dick Adams, a longtime teaching friend of Clay's now living in New Bern, N.C. We had a nice visit over lunch and he was kind enough to tote us to West Marine and the Piggly Wiggly for restocking. Clay enjoyed going through the Boat Museum.

We left Beaufort and planned a short day, but when we got to our planned stop there was still two hours of daylight and a favorable current and it just killed Clay to stop, so we kept moving. We went another 20 miles in a canal, to anchor at the head of the Indian River, anchoring, as Clay says, just before dark (there were stars out). The next day we went to Great Bridge (Lori spotted a Dairy Queen) and spent the night on a dock with a group of Canadian boaters.

Norfolk was our next stop and we splurged and stayed at Waterside Marina for two days! We walked around downtown - even went into a mall. We had dinner at Joes Crabshack (our anniversary dinner).

After our rest, we left Norfolk and entered the Chesapeake, headed up the west shore towards Reedville. We into the Great Wicomico River to Heathsville and entered Tipers Creek. Waiting on the dock was John Texter. We met John & Joy at Church in Naples and they graciously offered to let us leave our boat on their dock while we returned to Naples for the wedding. Talk about hospitality - they entertained us with breakfast, lunch and dinner. They topped that off by taking us into Williamsburg to get our rental car. After a week's hiatus from the boat to go home for the wedding (which was wonderful) we again packed the car and headed North, returning to the Texter's and the boat. When we got back they had another wonderful meal for us, Oyster Stew and Crab Cakes right from the waters off their dock. Can't say enough about these nice folks, hope to renew our friendship when we return to Naples.

The Boat on the dock, Joy & John Texter and Clay

Annabelle as Flower Girl, The Happy Couple, Chris & Jen