Here is a shot of us entering the marina after our long journey.

Home at last!

Well, we are home so it is time to end this blog for now. Will there be a creakycruisers blog part 3? Stay tuned!

Serious glass time!

SGT means time looking through a windshield.  That is my fate for the next week. Today I am driving north from Stuart, Fl having picked up my truck. Having just made this trip by boat, it feels funny driving up the same coast by car. Easier but not nearly as much fun.   Places we visited by boat like St. Augustine and Daytona have been reduced to meaningless exit signs on the interstate.
The glow of a sunset will be replaced by the glow of the tv in my hotel room. The good news is I can go for a nice walk after I eat, just not on the beach. I sound whiney but I am not. So thankful for the wondrous experience that is the ICW!
Tomorrow it's on to New Bern and points further north.

Fly away...

I'm sitting in the airport terminal waiting to board the first of 2 fights to get me back down to Stuart, Fl. where I left my truck. So now that I have completed the long journey by sea, I get to repeat it on land.  The good news is that I am heading to Florida as opposed to someplace like Minnesota!!!

Gonna spend the night in Stuart with friend Kathy Kull Bossinger and then hit the road tomorrow. For me, flying is just a hassle.  I do enjoy the view from a plane but that is about where the good part ends. So I will just endure today and hope that I don't end up sitting with a large person on the "puddle jumper" flight to Charlotte.

The last few days here in New Bern have been just absolutely beautiful with great weather and a city in full spring bloom!  Dogwood and azalea everywhere!

We took my father-in-law out for a 92nd birthday dinner on Tuesday and then dinner with friends Ed and Mary Ann last night.

Sunset at my home dock in NC

Not bad, eh?

Home Base

Northwest Creek Marina

47 days later...

We made it!!!!!!!!!!!!!  We docked around 4:30 pm after getting a 6:45 am start in Swansboro.  Nasty ride which got better as the day progressed.  By the time we docked it was calm, sunny, in the 70's and the birds were chirping.  

We rushed into town with Ed and got to see "Pop", and then dinner at my favorite restaurant, Arturo's (Mexican). We even had time to see a few dear friends in town before coming home to sleep like little weary children.

Today we will rush around again as I have a doc appointment and it is "Pop's" 92nd birthday. 

we are back in the "real" world! 

Another..

Nasty morning on the ICW!

Restaurant Music

I have had a chance to dine in quite a few restaurants during my trip. Today it was the Salt Water Grill here in Swansboro for an Easter buffet dinner.

One strange thing that I have noticed as we have journied up the coast is that invariably the music played for the enjoyment of the diners comes from the sixties.

Hey, no complaint from me pal! That is my decade. But when I look around at the customers, the vast majority are not from that era. And certainly not the hired help, many of whom look to be about 20.

And when one is in an elegant Italian Rest. in Charleston, which is  oozing European atmosphere, Tiny Dancer just doesn't cut it.
It seems to me then that it is probably a baby boomer owner or manager who makes the choice. Right? It has nothing to do with the atmosphere or what is right for the customers.

But cmon, when I am eating a casual dinner at an Italian Trattoria in St. Augustine, do I really need Sexual Healing?  Do I even need music???  After all, we are sitting at a curbside table.

Restaurant music should help set the atmosphere for the meal, not keep a busy manager tapping his toe back in the office. Get with it or get rid of it. (With apologies to Mr. John and Mr. Gaye.)

Now, where's my key lime pie?

Creaky Cruisers Cruising Awards!

Well, we have done all of this traveling so now is a good time to hand out our travel awards.  This is strictly our own opinion about what we liked best, but perhaps you can benefit from what we have learned:

Nicest and Classiest Marina we stayed at:  St. Augustine (you get what you pay for)

Best Marina deal and a great place: Marineland (Farmers Market on Tuesday is a 

don't miss!)

Best Overall Rest. Experience:  Hyman's in Charleston (Wow!)

Best Anchorage:  Wahlburg Creek (Peace and quiet and wildlife)

Best sunrise: Minim Creek, SC

Best Sunset: Too hard to call.  (So many good ones)

Best clam chowder:  Fishy Fishy Rest. in Southport, NC

Best Key Lime Pie:  Still any Publix Supermarket

Best Town/City to Visit: Charleston (Honorable mention: Stuart, Fl)

Best ticket: I only went to see the Mets in spring training, but it was a wonderful day at a beautiful facility.

Best all time cruising experience: The Everglades and Flamingo (National park) (not on this trip)

Best place to see the Green Flash: Matecumbe Bight in the Keys (not on this trip)

I also need to mention all of the wonderful people we have met along the way: old friends, relatives, family, and new friends wherever we went. By far the biggest reward!

So Close!

We have had to struggle with bad weather ever since we crossed into North Carolina.  We are in Swansboro, and it is a nasty nasty day outside with driving rain and blustery wind.  We feel fortunate to be tied up at Casper's Marina where it looks like we will be staying until Monday. We had hoped to be home and in church for Easter, but alas, it is not to be. We are one long day away from home base, so if all goes well we will arrive there late Monday.  

That has a bittersweet sound to it.  We will be sad to see this cruise end as we have had a great adventure and made many fine memories.  However, as aging cruisers the trip was ever more demanding and at times a bit of a struggle. Since all good things take effort, we accepted the inherent trials for the great payoff that is cruising, but I think our days on the water are numbered. 

I am particularly proud of my 27 year career as a sailor.  The dream was planted as a kid growing up near Long Island Sound watching the boats go by. When I was 37, my family bought me a sailing book for Christmas and the fulfillment of that dream and the resulting adventure began.  We studied (you can learn anything from books) and trained and in 1987 we purchased our first boat, a 28 ft. Irwin sloop named Grendel. We learned our trade on Lake Ontario, terrified at first but gradually earning our wings.  Soon we were accomplished sailors and began a 12 year run on the Great Lakes with our 35ft. Hunter sloop, Windy Topp.  Finally in 2003, we bought good ole CrossRoads and it has been a terrific 11 year run!  Overall I would say we have put close to 10K miles under our keel and experienced many wonderful things.  I for one can say that I was never more alive than when we were cruising!

And of course I must thank my wonderful wife, Joanna, who has come along for the ride and shared the adventure.  Without her support, this would never have happened.

Yes, we will be glad to reach the finish line and become CLODS: Cruisers Living On Dirt!   But we will greatly miss the blessed life we have had on the water.    

Surf City, here we come!

Finally made it up the Cape Fear River. It is definitely a body of water that has earned my respect! Made an early morning run at slack tide and still did our share of slamming into waves .
Then it was a race to the Wrightsville Beach Bridge with 8 other boats to make the hourly opening. Whew! Long hard day!
Heading out to dinner with Jimmy and Denise Lincon. Should be fun! Go Falcons!

Rule #1

Well, we broke rule #1 today:  Never ever try to get someplace in a hurry.  If you do the weather will always bite you!  It did today!
So now I get to replace a broken running light on the bow.  Snapped it off in high wind this morning trying to leave our dock at St. James Marina. We knew it was gonna be breezy but we were anxious to meet up with friends in Surf City (Jimmy and Denise Lincon) who are going away Friday.
So we left St. James and headed into the Cape fear River to make the run north. NOT!
Wind howling against the tide...we might as well have been on the ocean!!! After 10 minutes of thating machine we turned around and now we are tied up at Southport Marina.  The good news is we are close to town so I can bike over for supplies.
We will try again tomorrow, but only if the weather is right!OK, enough hard work for one day!  Time to relax!

Well Rosie,

We can't go anywhere till the darn wind stops howling!  Where's my Gin?

St. James Plantation

Nice community....walking and bike trails and parks. I tried to ride my bike to the development main gate but gave up after a half hour when sidewalks ran out.

Full moon over Southport

Scamper on duty

This is where Scamper hangs out when we are moving. She hates to be waked by other boats. On another note we crossed the border into North Carolina. Woo hoo!

Special Night!

We are heading to Waterscapes Rest. for a romantic (think:expensive) dinner here at Grand Dunes Resort.  It's our third time here.  Guess I need to get cleaned up for my Rosie!  The appetizer better not be leeches!

Grand Dunes Resort

Upper crust for one day! Dinner at Waterscapes Rest.

Waccamaw River

We spent last night in an isolated but beautiful anchorage at Minim Creek in remote South Carolina. Nothing but birds and swamp grass for miles except for a clump of trees to provide cover for us. Today we motored up the most beautiful river of the whole trip, the Waccamaw. Cypress swamps line the shore and every other waterway marker has a nest of Osprey on top. Just a magical ride. Tonight we are at Osprey marina and tomorrow it's Myrtle Beach and a grand time at the Grand Dunes Resort.   Fancy dinner tomorrow night with the upper crust!  A stop at Grand Dunes has been a tradition for us ever since we were forced to stop back in 2006 with an engine problem.If all goes well we will cross into North Carolina before the weather turns bad. 

Our marina in downtown Charleston

Replica of the CSA Hundley

Rainbow row 2

Rainbow row

Walking tour 4

Walking tour 3

Walking tour 2

Walking tour

Nice prop!

Last day in Charleston

Farewell Charleston

We have had a phenomenal week in Charleston! A different restaurant every day with Hyman's taking top honors for the week. Had fried green tomatoes for the first time and loved them! We love being on the boat in downtown Charleston, all for less than 300 bucks for the week! Visited the museum today and did another walking tour. So many interesting buildings and homes. We will be back! Thank you Charleston!
Tomorrow we are back in the ditch!

Spread eagle

Beautiful eagle!

Ribbit!

Is that a murse?

The swamp fox!

Charleston carriages

And shopping!

More walk in today!

Charleston Aquarium

And here

And here...

Spring is here

Beautiful old homes in scenic neighborhoods

Walking tour of college area

Shrimp and Grits

Gotta have it at least once!

Trolley

The city provides your free ride!

Hyman's Rest. Wow, so good!

Everything happens for a reason

We have spent the past few days enjoying the visual sights, sounds, and culinary delights of Charleston. What a great place! Still a few more days to go.  Today's mission was to do some reprovisioning.  That is done so we will catch a trolley for some fun!

The other day we were at the downtown market and learning how to use the trolley.  We argued about which corner to be on and tried several. Finally we settled on one and I stood lookout curbside while Joanna  headed for some awning shade. As I waited, a couple approached and the lady began to step out into the street to cross. At that moment a big SUV came barreling through the intersection.  I instinctively reached out and grabbed the lady just as the car whooshed by inches from her nose. Calamity averted.

 I think I was more shook up than the woman. 

If I hadn't been put there at that exact moment she surely would have been hit. Thank you Lord!

Downtown Market

Lots of big ships!

The Beej

Being the Beej!

Dinner at Fleet Landing

The culinary delights

Charleston#6

Downtown

Charleston #5

(Former)Mad River Club Member 98

Charleston #4

Oh yeah!

Charleston #3

Looking toward Patriot Point

Hi honey!

Charleston#1

Marina and Cooper River Bridge

Two Cats

We have two cats on board Crossroads. They might as well be night and day.  One is friendly and loving, the other is....

Scamper.  Feed me, clean my litter box, and stay away from me!  She walked out of the barn 8 years ago and has been our guest ever since. The only time she is nice to me is when I am eating and she thinks she can mooch a sample, or we are being waked by a big boat and she is afraid.  Then she lies right between my feet in the cockpit.  

We have been a lot nicer to Scamper than she deserves.  After all,she put me in the hospital once with cat scratch fever.  They had to infuse me with antibiotics for three days and my hand was the size of a boxing glove.  A close call indeed from a cat who shows affection by biting or hissing.  And yet I know she loves us because she'll lay down next to me or bump me occasionally for some love and attention.  So we have kept her all these years in spite of her sour personality, even though Wayne MacDougal once suggested I drop her off on a dock and sail on.

And that brings us to "the Beej".  BeeJay is the cat I got because I got tired of living with a mean cat.

She makes up for Scamper in spades!!! Such a tender little girl who follows me around like a puppy!

After all, in the end life is about being tolerant and taking the good with the bad.

Moon River

Yesterday we passed by Moon River.  Yeah, that's the one Andy Williams sang about.  If I coulda anchored there I would have, but the entrance is silted up and impassable.  That darn song danced around in my head all day yesterday!  And again today!  Maybe now that I said this it will be outta my head and into yours! :-)

Anyway, I did sing it to my sweetheart.  It wasn't the most memorable of moments, but I tried my best.  Here are the lyrics for you:

Moon River, wider than a mile, 

I'm crossing you in style some day

Oh, dream maker you heart breaker

Wherever you're going, I'm going your way

Two drifters, off to see the world

there's such a lot of world to see

We're after the same rainbows end, waiting, round the bend

My huckleberry friend, moon river, and me

On another note, Joanna and I are sitting here at anchor watching a family of wild boar walk the beach.  Pretty cool.  Guess I'll cancel the beach walk for this evening.   Then again...I do have my shotgun!

Closing in on Charleston!

We are hoping to get to Charleston tomorrow before the weather starts to turn.  That is why we pushed out another 62 miles today.  We need to get in position for Elliot's Cut. This cut is right before Charleston and is known for its swift and dangerous currents.  When we came south for the first time in 2006 as ICW rookies, I lost a lot of sleep worrying about Elliot's Cut. It turned out to be easy at slck water, but last winter I mistimed it and it was a white knuckle experience.  Hopefully not tomorrow, because we plan to get there around 11:30 and slack water! :-)  

During the passage in '06 we were making headway in the cut at about 1 mph.  Some guy sitting in a lawn chair on the bank got to watch us take what felt like 10 minutes to get by him.

Our anchorage is a little breezy right now and the tide is ripping through here.  Took extra time setting the anchor so hopefully we will be snug...time will tell. 

Have to do an engine inspection this evening, so i need to get going.  Busy...busy...busy!

Overall things are going very well!  

My dashboard

I navigate with an ipad