Author: SLO Dancer

17 JULY 2022 – MONTREAL, QUEBEC

Wow! It’s hard to summarize the multiple highlights of this segment of America’s Great Loop and an exciting side trip. We loved staying in both St. Jean and Chambly on the Richelieu River as we made our way up from Lake Champlain to the St. Lawrence River. We were enchanted with our journey through the Chambly Canal where Park Canada college students hand-operate the valves and wooden gates of all the locks (sometimes three in a row, as shown below) and on-lookers watch the boats work their way through this beautiful area. There are well-maintained and well-used bicycle paths on either side of the locks, the waters are calm in between, and we even docked with some other Loopers for a couple of days. (Not as many take this route, and it’s always fun to meet up with each other and exchange stories.)

          

The St. Lawrence River and Seaway is 800 miles long and connects the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean. We didn’t realize until now that this waterway was not completed until 1959—a system of lakes, rivers, channels, locks and canals described as “a massive American-Canadian navigational project.” It is fresh water from Lake Ontario to just beyond Quebec City (where we stayed for 5 nights) and then it becomes an estuary (a mixture of fresh and salt water). We also discovered that “the Seaway” is only the segment from Lake Ontario to Montreal.

Quebec comes from the Algonquin word “kebec,” meaning “where the water narrows.” At Quebec City, the River is only about a half-mile wide. Where the Saguenay River meets the St. Lawrence, the River is 15 miles wide and the salt waters and abundance of krill are sufficient to attract over 10 species of whales. That’s why it’s called “the best whale-watching site in the world!” And that’s why we chose to take this 375-mile side trip to Quebec City. We took a 3-hour bus ride from Q. City to Baie Sainte Catherine with a bilingual guide telling us about the countryside. We passed the beautiful Montmercy Falls (below–higher than Niagara Falls at 300’) and also went through many forests, farmlands and quaint towns including Baie St. Paul, where Cirque de Soleil had its beginnings.

We boarded a 105’ whale-watching boat across the Saguenay River from Tadoussac and had barely gotten settled in our seats when the boat slowed and we watched a large pod of beluga whales go by. Oh my! It is said there are about 900 belugas that make their home year round on the Saguenay River, but they’re not always seen from the whaleboats. Even from a distance they are a very bright white. What a treat!

We also saw several humpbacks, a fin whale (2^nd largest, quite a ways away), a minke and several small porpoises. We saw about 10 spouts, several fins and two tails (as the humpbacks dove). Blue Whales (the largest) also feed and breed here, but they don’t arrive until the end of July. It was hard to get good photos, but we’ll remember this amazing experience for a very long time. We learned a lot from the bilingual naturalist on board and there were lots of very friendly people (all ages) who were just as excited as we were.  

Since the first language of Quebec is French, it was fun to meet other people onboard who spoke English. We discovered several other people who wanted to practice their English with us. In fact, some of the students on the Chambly Canal were very eager to hear us speak English because their English teachers in school all spoke with a French accent. They want to learn how to speak without a French accent!

And speaking of French, I know enough to at least say, “Je ne parle francais. Parlez-vous anglais?” Most of the time we get the information we need and can figure out what signs say, but sometimes it’s been a challenge. Frankly, I’ll be glad to get to Ontario and beyond where most everyone speaks English again. Gary and I both chuckle at some of his pronunciations of French words (he never took French) and I do admire those who can speak several languages.

One of the things we have noticed on this part of our adventure is the number of beautiful old buildings [including the famous Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac in Quebec City (below)–“the most-photographed hotel in the world”–where we had brunch before our whale-watching tour], and the number of beautiful church spires we can see from the water…all along the Richelieu and all along the St. Lawrence. They are quite inSPIREing, are often silver and very ornate. Sometimes we could see several at the same time.

 

           
On July 13^th we celebrated my 82^nd birthday by strolling through a phenomenal “Mosaiculture” exhibit in Quebec City on the banks of the St. Lawrence River called, ”Once Upon a Time…The Earth.” There were over 200 life-sized topiary figures created from six million (yes, 6,000,000) flowers and plants! Every figure was stunning as the exhibit strives to, “pay tribute to the life that vibrates on our planet…a hymn to the Earth.” Oh my! It’s hard to pick a favorite, but here’s some of what we saw:

           

We’ve just arrived is Montreal and look forward to sharing more about this visit together with our visit to Ottawa and subsequent cruise down the Rideau (Ree’-doe) Canal. Lots of locks and, we’re told, “the most beautiful part of the Loop.” Oh my! As we keep saying, there is beauty EVERYWHERE and we are enjoying it all! We’re glad you are cruising along with us and hope you are enjoying reading the highlights of this “adventure of a lifetime.”  It’s pretty awesome!

28 JUNE 2022 – ROUSES POINTS, NY
(last stop in U.S. before entering Canada)

Wow! Everywhere we cruise, there is beauty, beauty and more beauty, so it’s been nice to go at a much “SLO-er” pace and really take it all in.

When we left Waterford, NY (where most Loopers turn west to go across the Erie Canal), it was exciting to head north and enter the Champlain Canal waterway, which connects the Hudson River to Lake Champlain.

           

We got to go through several locks that are part of the New York Canal System. Each one looks about the same and is operated in a similar manner. As has been true with all the locks we’ve gone through so far, we contact the lockmaster via our VHF radio to find out if and when the lock will be open for us. Sometimes we go right in (green light), other times we must wait (red light). We approach each lock slowly and usually choose to tie up along the starboard (right) wall. These Champlain Canal locks have pipes or cables that we loop our mid-ship line (rope) around.

Then we loop the line around the mid-ship (“breast”) cleat of our boat in a way that allows it to keep the boat close to the lock’s wall AND move through the cleat as the lock either fills up (ascending) or lowers (descending); the line moves up or down the pipe or cable as the water level changes.

As we moved through these locks and cruised from town to town, we became much more aware of how much history took place along this waterway. For example, we tied up on the wall in Whitehall, “the birthplace of the U.S. Navy,” where 12 vessels were constructed in 1776. (And we also love discovering local art!)

We cruised near the battlefields of Saratoga, a turning point of the American Revolution. Farther north we passed Fort Ticonderoga where the Americans won another important victory in the Revolutionary War (both in 1777).

We especially enjoyed a 7-mile cruise up Otter Creek (off the southern part of Lake Champlain) to the sweet little town of Vergennes, where, early in the War of 1812, at the foot of the falls, a fleet of ships was built to protect Lake Champlain from British invasion from the north.

On right, note S.L.O. Dancer at the City Dock, taken from atop the Falls.

We also enjoyed the small-town flavor of Vergennes while tied up at their “free dock” and its waterside park. All weekend long families camped out to take part in their annual “Junior Fishing Tournament.” It’s amazing how simple pleasures can be so satisfying and bring such happiness. And the no-wake (very S.L.O.) 7-mile trip up and down Otter Creek was another one of those sacred cruises in unspoiled wilderness that once again nourished us heart and soul.

The lower part of Lake Champlain (the 38 miles below the Crown Point bridge, pictured below) is more of a river than a lake. The real “lake” portion is roughly 71 miles long and in places it is well over 200 feet deep, with many islands and anchorages as well as small towns. What was fascinating to us is that all of the western shore of the Lake is in New York (together with the Adirondack Mountains–below) and all of the eastern shore is in Vermont (where we could see the Green Mountains). And all of it was very beautiful—one of our favorite words!

We chose to stay in Burlington, VT for two nights, where we were able to buy provisions, some boat supplies (at West Marine—they seem to be everywhere!) and get prescription refills easily. Dining was delightful overlooking the lake and feeling the cool breezes. And of course we had to get an ice cream cone at Ben & Jerry’s, “Vermont’s finest!” Every region along the Loop seems to have its own favorite ice cream brand (often mentioned in Looper forum recommendations), AND there are few things more satisfying on a very hot afternoon, after a few hours of cruising, than ice cream! We especially liked the sign outside an ice cream shop in Vergennes. It still makes us chuckle!

We left Burlington, VT for Rouses Point, NY, the last U.S. stop before entering Canada, where we refueled ($6.49/gallon). We were told to reserve a slip in a Canadian marina BEFORE the July 1^st weekend. July 1 is Canada Day (like our 4^th of July), so, as we head up the Richelieu River toward the St. Lawrence Seaway, we plan to stay five nights at Le Nautique St. Jean in St. Jean-sur-Richelieu, QUEBEC—the first time either of us has been in this, our first Province on the trip.

SIDE NOTE: We’ve now been in 24 states, have cruised over 5800 miles and have navigated through 50 locks (with lots more to come)! Pretty amazing…and the adventure continues! Stay tuned! We’re so glad you are cruising along with us!

P.S. 1 JULY 2022 – Now in Quebec! Happy Canada Day!

17 JUNE 2022 – Mechanicville, NY

Most brochures say the Hudson River runs for 154 statute miles in a southern direction from the Troy Lock at Troy, NY to the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor. However, we’ve since learned it goes another 37 miles, all the way to Fort Edward. We’ve been cruising from south to north since leaving Liberty Landing on June 3.
On the southern half of the river, there is often a lot of boat traffic, including ocean- going cargo ships and barges (although we experienced very little). There are tides up to 8 feet plus currents that flow about 2 knots in both directions twice a day. In a boat the size of S.L.O. Dancer (40’ long, 14’ beam and weighing 38,000 pounds), the tides and currents aren’t as much of a challenge (except when docking and the winds are high), so we were able to focus most of the time on the sheer beauty of this magnificent waterway and all its amazing sights. (We did have to watch for the occasional logs, but no more crab pots!) It was especially fun to see the Culinary Institute (left below) and West Point (right) from the water after spending time there on land (reported in our last blog post).

As we headed north from NYC, one of the most poignant moments was when we cruised underneath the railroad bridge at Poughkeepsie, NY, known as “the
rowing capital of the world.” For those of you who’ve read The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown, you may recall that this RR bridge was the finish line for all of the intercollegiate rowing championships held in Poughkeepsie from 1891 to 1949, including the races with the brawny young men from the University of Washington (known as “the boys in the boat”) who in 1936 won the National Championships here and went on to defeat Hitler’s pride and joy, the favored crew from Germany. Gary and I had both read this exceptionally well written and exciting book before we left NYC, so, as we went under this bridge and cruised upstream along the race course, we couldn’t help but sing praises to every rower who ever raced along this four-mile stretch of water and appreciate all the more the accomplishments of the nine Americans and “their epic quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics.” (If you haven’t read this book, we highly recommend it—one of the best we’ve read in a long time!)

           

There were a few other things along the Hudson River that we noticed. First of all, in front of many homes along the river there were bright green rolling lawns. Coming from drought-ridden California where most of us have substituted grass with crushed rock, mulch and other hardscape features, we were a bit stunned at how many beautiful lawns we’ve seen. On the flip side, because the Hudson freezes during the winter months, the lighthouses and navigation markers are much sturdier than on most of the other waterways we’ve cruised. The main reason is because they must withstand the crush of ice floes. Note the rock barriers that protect the navigational aids below.

Midway up the Hudson, we stopped for over a week at Shady Harbor Marina in New Baltimore (about 20 miles south of Albany, the capitol of NY). We met the marina owners at the AGLCA Rendezvous in Norfolk and were invited to their annual Pig Roast, so the marina was full of Loopers—some we’d already met, others we had not. But the most fun was a visit from younger daughter Laurie and her five kids (2 boys, almost 10 & almost 19, plus 3 girls 12, 15 & 17) who live about 2 hours east (30 min. east of Hartford) in Connecticut. They drove over on Saturday afternoon, spent the night and, on Sunday, enjoyed taking a boat ride with us up the river a few miles and back. It was fun for me to sit on the bow with Laurie and the two younger ones while we were underway, and the kids were very good about following the rules (including wearing life jackets when on the decks). We also enjoyed meals together at the marina restaurant. So fun to be with this amazing family!

Laurie, Campbell (12), Drew (almost 10), Avery (17), Ty (almost 19) & Emmy (15)

The northern part of the Hudson River was a series of contrasts…going from the lush green tree-lined scenery to the very industrial Albany and Troy, then back to lush green again.

  Iron ore/Recycling cars          Downtown Albany Ahhh…back to lush!

We also went from seeing very few birds (an occasional cormorant in the Lower Hudson) to seeing a majestic great blue heron escort us out of the marina, an eagle catch a fish right in front of us and another perched on a rock below a small dam. We saw a few mallards, a few pet chickens (at Shady Harbor), then heard several flocks of Canada geese fly over, and later were enchanted by watching two families of these geese swimming across the river with their young goslings.

Waterford, NY is an important crossroads on the inland waterways. Most Loopers choose to turn west here to enter the famous Erie Canal. However, we were very excited to be going NORTH and are currently on the Champlain Canal waterway. We’ll travel another 37 miles to Fort Edward, where the navigable river ends, and then travel a man-made canal 23 miles long into Lake Champlain. We’ve already gone through 3 locks (our first since the Dismal Swamp in NC), for a total of 41 so far. I think we’ll go through at least 12 more locks in order to reach the St. Lawrence Seaway. On a side note, sometimes we go through locks with other boats; yesterday we locked through with a mother mallard and her ducklings.

We’re told that the Champlain Canal waterway could also be called the “History Canal.” It was a principal inland navigation route for Native Americans, European explorers and early settlers, and, before our country’s independence, the British, the French and Americans all traveled north and south along this stretch of country. In the next few days we plan to read up on the history of this beautiful area and the significant battles that were fought here. It looks pretty fascinating.

Our goal is to get to Canada before July 1, which is Canada Day (like our July 4^th), so stay tuned! We are VERY excited about this next segment…and beyond!

6 June 2022 – Croton-on-Hudson, NY

We are VERY pleased to report that what could have been an extremely stressful segment of our Loop Adventure turned out to be pretty EASY! It’s amazing what our minds tend to do when others describe something as “one of the scariest parts of the Loop.” In other situations along the way, rarely has anything been as “awful” as some have made it out to be (we call it “awfulizing”), although we have certainly had some unexpected challenges of our own. We both admitted that we were excited and a bit apprehensive when we first thought about this segment and even as we started out, but the weather forecasts were ideal and we knew we could do it.

Cruising down the mouth of the Delaware River into Delaware Bay to Cape May, NJ was quite easy since we timed our departure to go with the currents and simply followed the channel markers. We encountered several large ships, ocean-going tugboats (on the left below) and barges along the way but we were able to stay just outside the shipping channel and simply enjoy watching them pass by. The tanker on the right is 735′ long (more than 2 football fields!) and is being pushed by a towboat that is tucked into its stern. We find all of the ships and barges we see fascinating.

           

The weather fully cooperated with us so the very next day (Sunday, May 29), we decided to forego an interim stop in Atlantic City and go all the way to Great Kills Yacht Club (directly across the “Lower Bay” from Sandy Hook, on Staten Island). We cruised for 137 miles up the entire coast of New Jersey in 7.25 hours, averaging 20 mph, consuming 37 gallons of fuel per hour (vs. our usual 10 mph at 6 gallons of fuel per hour)!$! But we both agreed it was well worth it! S.L.O. Dancer purred right along and made it very, very easy. The winds were fair (less than 10 knots) and the swells in the Atlantic were less than 3 feet with a “period” of 6 (seconds in between swells), which made for very smooth cruising almost the entire way. We were quite proud of the way we did this, and I was especially pleased that I was able to be at the helm twice for over an hour each time to give Captain Gary the rest time he needed. It made me feel good that he could relax enough to actually take a nap!

I had never driven at high speed before, but Gary has really helped me “educate my eyes” to judge distances. This helped me deal with the cross traffic (mostly fishing and speed boats) so I knew whether we needed to change course or speed. He has taught me that, most of the time, the best thing to do is simply hold course and speed and let others navigate around us.

Since we cancelled an extra night at Cape May (in case of a weather hold) and one night at Atlantic City, we chose to stay two extra days at Great Kills where the locals couldn’t have been more helpful and welcoming.

As expected, we were a bit weary from the adrenaline rush of that 137-mile run in the Atlantic, and we both were very ready for just “being.” We also enjoyed reading, art journaling, napping, snuggling and watching the Warriors make it to the NBA Championships! We ended up making more plans than usual for the next four days in and around NYC, so it was good to renew and restore ourselves beforehand.

It was pretty exciting to cruise up the bay toward our next marina and see the 305’ Statue of Liberty from the water. She is also affectionately known as “Lady Liberty” and she is truly a treasure to behold. We traveled with another Looper “buddy boat” so we could take pictures of each other in front of Lady Liberty…and that was the only busy place we experienced in NY Harbor the whole time we were in or near NYC. There were several tour boats, water taxis, huge ferries (left photo below), plus jet skiers and other pleasure craft, all trying to get the best water view of this amazing landmark with her torchlight visible for miles.

           

We had lots of fun when a dear NAPO* colleague from New Jersey came to spend the night with us at Liberty Landing in Jersey City, right across from Manhattan. (*NAPO=National Association of Productivity & Organizing Professionals, formerly known as the National Association of Professional Organizers.)  Then more fun was in store when we had dinner with another longtime NAPO* buddy and her guy after taking a 2.5-hour narrated Circle Tour cruising all the way around the Island of Manhattan, seeing so many of NYC’s iconic landmarks. The variety of buildings was amazing—some elegant, some very ordinary, some with very unusual architecture. And, of course, the building that was most poignant to see was the 1,776-foot One World Trade Center, built on the site where the twin towers were destroyed on September 11, 2001. The photo on the left was taken on our Circle Tour; the photo on the right was taken early in the morning as we were leaving NY Harbor.

           

Continuing our very busy but fun opportunities, we cruised up the Hudson early Saturday morning and, in “the very busy New York Harbor,” we were the only boat on the water! It was amazing. Once we passed the George Washington Bridge (with its span of 4,760’), there were very few tall buildings and just a few barges.

It was then that we expressed our gratitude for the delightful time we had in NYC and welcomed the lush, deep-green trees and stunning cliffs that border the Hudson River as we headed north to our next stop—Half Moon Bay Marina at Croton-on-Hudson. The waters were calm, the skies were bright blue, the temperature was perfect and the bridges quite beautiful, including the 16,368’ Tappan Zee (the last of the 23 NYC bridges we went under). 

                       

Our next adventure during this busy and fun time was attending the annual “Movable Feast” at the Culinary Institute of America—ranked the No. 1 Culinary School in America. We were told that reservations are usually made at least two months in advance, but we called four days beforehand, got put on a waiting list, and 20 minutes later we filled a cancellation. The CIA campus is beautiful with many brick buildings, amazing displays and bustling groups of students training as chefs or studying food science, hospitality management and/or much more. We were served four courses in three different restaurants (Italian, French and American) complete with wine pairings and good company. What an experience!

The next day we rounded out this uncommonly busy but very fun whirlwind of activities with a guided tour of the United States Military Academy at West Point, on the west side of the Hudson River about 30 minutes north of our marina. What an amazing campus, reflecting so much of our Nation’s military history and its famous and extraordinary leaders (part of “the long grey line”). There are many beautiful gothic stone buildings including its stunning chapel (below), as well as state-of-the-art facilities for study, dining, athletics and leadership training. The newest building under construction is dedicated solely to cyber security. There were no students on campus but it still made us very proud to know there are so many extraordinary young men and women (24%) who will become some of our Nation’s future leaders. The photo of us was taken overlooking the aptly named West Point of the Hudson River–a very strategic fort that stopped the British during the Revolutionary War.

          

We were pretty weary after all these fun activities packed in only four days, but we are glad we made time for each of them and will treasure the memories we created. We’ve scheduled in several days of rest now and we’ll soon head farther up the Hudson, through Albany and into Vermont and Lake Champlain, anticipating lots more adventures as we cruise into Canada and the St. Lawrence Seaway. We are very excited about all of it, but plan to go at a fairly “S.L.O.” pace so we can stay as healthy and rested as possible and enjoy each segment.

Thanks again for cruising along with us. That makes it even more fun for us!

24 May 2022 – Georgetown, Maryland

The Chesapeake Bay is an amazing body of water. Explored and mapped by Captain John Smith in the early 1600’s, it is 200 miles long, 30 miles across at its widest (in Virginia), has 11,000 miles of shoreline and there are 10 major rivers feeding into it. It also has 33 lighthouses. Perhaps the map below will provide some helpful information.

When asked what the greatest challenge is in cruising the Chesapeake, most people (including us) would say THE WEATHER. In fact, after leaving Norfolk (“before the storm”), we got to experience our very first (and hopefully last) “Nor’easter,” with high winds rocking us continuously in a well-protected marina for 6 days. These winds from the northeast averaged 25-30 knots non-stop 24 hours a day, with gusts to 45. There were Loopers all over the Bay hunkered down, adding extra lines and fenders to their boats and watching out for each other. We were fortunate to be with about 8 other Looper boats and were able to gather in the boaters’ lounge for a pizza party one night and went out to dinner another without getting blown away. Some people played cards and other games. We got lots of reading and art journaling done and also enjoyed listening to the Golden State Warriors making their way through the NBA playoffs. (Go Warriors!) However, during an evening of high winds and thunderstorms, the rain-soaked Ukrainian flag we were flying added too much pressure to our radio antenna and broke it; it ended up perpendicular to the top of the boat. Our replacement antenna will be installed soon (in Delaware City), but we have a spare handheld VHF radio that’s worked very well.

We also found out that boating can be very different in the lower Bay than in the middle or upper Bay. It’s rougher there since it’s much wider and closer to the Atlantic Ocean. Winds and currents are also a factor and, of course, it’s an easier ride when we’re cruising WITH the winds and currents. Going against them can make for a very rocky ride. We don’t go out if the winds are higher than 15 knots or the waves are higher than 3’, but even so, we rocked and rolled for at least an hour (and sometimes longer) during almost every outing.

And then there are the bajillion crab pots! We were told to watch carefully for them in waters 20’ deep or less. That’s where most of them were, but there were some in up to 45’ of water—sometimes a single crab pot, sometimes several strings of them and sometimes a maze of them (thank goodness they aren’t attached to each other), so we had all 4 eyes on the water the majority of time, especially in the lower Chesapeake where crabbing is more a way of life. Fortunately, most of the crab pots here have a dowel on the top that make them easier to see than those on the Gulf and along the ICW. Nevertheless, they certainly add to our adventures! There was also a variety of commercial traffic on the Bay, but there is plenty of room for everyone and we mostly stayed out of the shipping channel. It was actually fun to see some of these large ships up close…and they’re much easier to spot than a crab pot!  🙂

  This monster supply ship passed by and rocked us pretty well with it’s huge wake!

As is often the case, we have LOVED the smaller towns on the Chesapeake, including Deltaville (where we hunkered down for those 6 days) that boasts there are “more boats than people!” We especially enjoyed taking a mail boat over from Crisfield, MD (Eastern Shore) to Tangier Island (VA), a very unique  community of 600 people, mostly watermen, who love living on this unspoiled land. The crab shacks are an integral part of it all…this is where the watermen dock their long and speedy crab boats and sort out their crabs, placing them in holding tanks until they molt and are ready to eat or ship. It’s a lot of hard work and there are fewer watermen than in the olden days—all the more reason to have the opportunity to step back in time and witness the watermen’s way of life.

           

We also fully enjoyed the beautiful and peaceful marinas of Solomons Island and St. Michael’s where we marveled at the large lawns, lush landscaping and trees in full leaf, and the helpful and friendly locals (and Loopers) we met there. We’re glad we stopped in Annapolis, especially to visit with a college friend and her husband in their lovely home in West Annapolis, but staying at the City Dock was certainly an adventure. It is in the heart of town with dozens of restaurants and lots of loud music–a very lively place–noisy, crowded, chaotic and definitely “party central” both nights. It is also adjacent to the U.S. Naval Academy so we saw lots of midshipman in their crisp, white uniforms, some ready to graduate this week. (We also learned that 30% of its students are now women!). I have a feeling the locals are glad when the tourists leave and this beautiful town returns to a less hectic pace.

We also had an opportunity to see the last of the screw pile lighthouses that used to be on Chesapeake Bay. The only one of its kind still working is the Thomas Point Lighthouse off Annapolis, but we were too far away for a photo. Here’s one called the Drum Point Lighthouse that is now on display at the Calvert Maritime Museum in Solomons, together with one of the “Tall Ships” leaving St. Michael’s when we did.

           

Knowing we have some higher-stress adventures coming up (as we travel through the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal into Delaware Bay and out into the Atlantic Ocean to travel up the New Jersey Coast to New York Harbor), we chose to spend three very quiet and peaceful days on the Sassafras River on Maryland’s Upper Eastern Shore as our last stop on the Chesapeake Bay. We stayed in the very small town of Georgetown, MD and were offered a courtesy car to travel through hundreds of acres of wheat and cornfields to visit Chestertown, “a graceful town of 18^th Century houses” along the Chester River and the home of Washington College, the tenth oldest college in the Country.

           

Once again, it is the quiet towns and peaceful environments that really fill us up, together with the friendships from years’ past and those we make and nurture along the way. We continue to count our blessings and enjoy this amazing journey and look forward to telling you all about our coming adventures on S.L.O. Dancer—our home away from home that carries us along so comfortably and reliably. Thanks for continuing to cruise with us!

P.S. For the first time on our journey, ducks and geese have entertained us quite a bit. We just can’t resist adding photos here of some very interesting brown geese we discovered on the Chestertown waterfront and a very busy mama mallard at our Norfolk marina….Make Way For 13 Ducklings!!!

May there be fair winds and calm seas as we move forward! Blessings to all!

Mackinac, MI to Norfolk VA

9 May 2022, Deltaville, VA

At the helm, passing my first duty station in the Marine Corps
in 1963: Naval Air Station, Jacksonville, Florida.

Annie continues to do a terrific job of capturing the feeling tone of our great adventure. As we finish another segment of America’s Great Loop, the Atlantic IntraCoastal Waterway, I thought you might enjoy the trip by the numbers. The ICW starts in Brownsville, Texas and runs across the Gulf of Mexico, around the tip of Florida and up the Atlantic Coast, ending at Mile Zero in Norfolk, Virginia. We chose to cross Florida on the Okeechobee Waterway (from Fort Meyer to Stuart, Florida) to avoid the heavily populated areas of South Florida, and left the boat north of Stuart in Fort Pierce for our holiday break.

The average Loop adventure is between 6,000 – 7,000 miles (excluding side trips) and we are about two-thirds of the way as we circumnavigate the Eastern United States.

THE SEGMENTS BY DAYS:
Lake Michigan 32
Down the Great Rivers 60
Across the Gulf & FL 30
Home for Holidays 50
Up ICW to Norfolk 70

THE NUMBERS:                                                             
Miles Traveled                                  4,580                    
States                                                        22                    
Rivers  (major)                                         7                      
Locks                                                        38                            
Engine Hours                                        495                   
Days on the Water                               192
Stops 88 (80 Marinas and 8 anchorages)

We’ve since added two side trips—up the Potomac to Washington, D.C. and up the York River to Yorktown, VA then back to Norfolk. So we have now cruised a total of 5075 miles (737 being side-trips) and added another 20 days, for a total of 212 days on the water since August 13, 2021.

One of my Realtor friends asked me, “What in the world are you two 80-year-olds doing taking a trip like this?”  The answer is:

                                           WE ARE HAVING THE TIME OF OUR LIFE
And so it is!

1 MAY 2022

As we got closer to completing our journey from Florida up the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) to Norfolk, VA (Mile Zero), we realized we had an extra 11 days before the start of the AGLCA Rendezvous in Norfolk (America’s Great Loop Cruisers’ Assn.). So we decided to take a side trip up the Potomac River to Washingon, D.C. and a shorter one up the York River to Yorktown. What fun adventures we had!

This was the first time since Lake Michigan that we had to figure things out on our own so it felt like “uncharted territory.” Again, we are so grateful we have several navigational aids—electronic and paper—and remarkable chart plotters that not only help us plot a course, but help us STAY on course!

We were a little nervous about getting through the Norfolk/Portsmouth/ Hampton Roads area—a nautical crossroad that is home to vessels of all kinds and sizes including those at the world’s largest naval base. (We plan to take a 2-hour boat tour before we leave so we can find out more about all the Navy ships that are here.) This area is said to be “as busy as New York Harbor.” For the first time, we were also dealing with all the tides, winds and challenges of the Chesapeake Bay, AND, this is “all part of the adventure,” so away we went. We saw lots and lots of military and commercial ships, but most of them were docked so there was very little traffic on the water. The same was true when we returned to Norfolk 11 days later. Whew!

There is very heavy security around most naval ships—24/7 patrol boats plus “barriers” strung across the water for added protection (far left and far right).

As we cruised across the open waters of the Chesapeake, it got very choppy and we weren’t sure our experience was going to be much fun. Fortunately, once we got across the south opening of the Bay (that goes out into the Atlantic), cruising became a pleasure again. The same thing happened on our return to get back to Norfolk …quite rough for 1.5 hours and then pretty smooth. Remember, S.L.O. Dancer IS a PLEASURE boat…and that’s the kind of cruising we prefer! AND we’re glad our boat is sturdy and so are we!  🙂 🙂

We made three stops on our way to D.C.—Deltaville, VA on the Rappahannock River, Drayden, MD on the St. Mary’s River and Colonial Beach, VA on the Potomac—all charming little towns with friendly marinas. We especially enjoyed seeing so many ospreys nested atop the channel markers enroute and the abundance of spring flowers.

We had good weather most of the way and got very excited as we approached the Washington, DC area. It was pretty amazing when we were able to see our nation’s Capitol building to our right AND the Washington Monument to our left, both at the same time (they’re about 1.5 miles apart). It stirred up deep feelings of patriotism and brought back many cherished memories of time spent in nearby McLean, VA (1977-1988), especially July 4^th gatherings on The Mall. It’s a very special place! It was hard to capture this panorama, but here it is:

We stayed at The Wharf Marina adjacent to the west side of The Mall and that was quite an experience. We arrived on a Saturday afternoon soon after the end of a major league baseball game at nearby Nationals Stadium where the San Francisco Giants beat the Washington Nationals (go Giants!…we’ve been fans for many, many years!). The Wharf was wall-to-wall people, very noisy, very chaotic and quite a change from the treasured peace and quiet of our favorite waterways. Had we made a mistake? No, it turned out to be quite a wonderful experience for many reasons. First of all, it’s really quite a beautiful waterfront place—an “urban renewal” project that is filled with interesting architecture and lots of places to walk, sit, gather, eat and have fun. Also a great place for people watching!

Fortunately, beneath the helm and aft deck of our boat we have very spacious living and sleeping quarters (for a boat), and when we close the large hatch door it is very quiet regardless of what is going on around us. So we could tune out the loud music, the traffic going across the nearby 395 bridge and (eventually) the airplanes taking off from nearby Reagan National Airport (that took some getting used to, especially at 6:00 a.m.).

We also happened to be in the path of the Marine helicopters transporting dignitaries to and from The White House, etc. many times a day. We even saw “Marine One” a couple of times—the helicopter-equivalent of Air Force One carrying the President! We never did capture a photo…by the time we’d get our cameras out, they were gone, but we enjoyed hearing and watching them overhead!

What made The Wharf the most fun was the people we spent time with during our visit. I got to spend very meaningful time with two dear college classmates who live in nearby Virginia. (We just figured out we’ve known each other for 65 years! Wow!) We also had a wonderful dinner with one of my grandnieces who’s been living in DC for the last year, as well as dinner in Alexandria with one of our favorite Looper couples from “Blue Dreamer” who were home for family visits. In addition, we had a special dinner at The Capitol Yacht Club where members there have built a very special boating community and welcome Loopers. Lots of social time in a very alive space!

Here’s a photo that captures some of the beauty of where we stayed. See if you can find the Ukrainian flag flying atop our radio antenna (it breaks up the neon light blue going across the 395 bridge), as well as the illuminated Washington Monument beyond the bridge. It was pretty spectacular!

We had some weather delays (small craft warnings, gusts to 45), but once the winds calmed down to 5-10 knots, we made our way back down the Potomac, stopping again in Colonial Beach. Right before that, a Ranger Control boat called us on our VHF radio asking us to stop. We were about to enter the firing range of the Naval Surface Weapons Center and it was “hot,” meaning there were exercises taking place. We knew this was a possibility and were happy to cooperate. We were delayed for about 20 minutes and then proceeded without incident (after one HUGE boom!)…more adventure! Here’s a photo of the Ranger Control boat:

We had a very fun time in Colonial Beach, where the Boatworks Marina lent us a golf cart. Not only did we get to tour this sweet beach-side town with its variety of homes large and small, but we discovered a restaurant we loved so much that we went back a second night. It’s the best food we’ve had so far, at a funky place with a 5-star chef called OomBoon (Thai for “health & blessings”).

Note the bicycle at the base of the signpost above. Throughout Colonial Beach, people have taken old bicycles, painted them bright colors, often adding flowers to their baskets, and “planted” them in their front yards as yard art. How’s that for repurposing?!?

We also stopped in Reedville, VA overnight and walked its main street. Some of the houses in these little towns are quite majestic, many built in the late 1800’s and beautifully maintained.

It feels like there’s a lot of hometown pride in these out-of-the-way places and it’s fun to discover special touches…like the old crab traps below, painted bright red, lined up beside a restaurant, spelling out one of our favorite words: LOVE! As you may know, “Virginia is for Lovers” has been a theme for many years, and there are many creative LOVE signs throughout the State. We’ve seen several.

Cruising a little ways up the York River to historic Yorktown was also a joy. We wish we’d arrived sooner so we could have toured some of the museums, but we did take a free trolley around the whole district and were very impressed with how well maintained and beautiful it is. After doing some research, the Victory Tower was especially moving. The Battle of Yorktown was the last major battle of the Revolutionary War against the British. AND, regarding the troops fighting on the Colonial side, half of them were American and the other half were our French allies helping us to victory. After the tour, we had a yummy dinner at the famous Yorktown Pub before an early bed and 12 much-needed hours of sleep.

Now we are happily back in Norfolk where the AGLCA Rendezvous takes place all week. This time the Waterside Marina is packed with always-friendly Loopers, all proudly flying their AGLCA burgees on their bows. It’s time to clean up the boat (from the muddy rivers and the salt) and get another good night’s sleep. After the Rendezvous, we plan to spend the rest of May exploring the 200-mile long Chesapeake Bay. Thanks once again for cruising along with us and sharing our joyous, fascinating (and sometimes challenging) adventures!!!

17 APRIL 2022 – NORTH CAROLINA VISITORS CENTER, Camden, NC

There are fewer stops along the coast of North Carolina, but it’s pretty interesting to be dealing with tides as high as 8-9’ twice a day (ever since the Georgia coast). Fortunately most marinas have “floating docks” that go up and down with the tides so it makes tying the boat up a lot easier. Now we’re down to 3-6” tides, if any, and most of the docks are “fixed,” i.e. they do not go up and down.

We had a surprise visit from the U.S. Coast Guard between Oriental and Belhaven. We had heard of random safety checks and welcomed them aboard (maintaining our usual 9.2 knots/10mph cruising speed as they came along our starboard side). They wanted to make sure we had adequate personal flotation devices (PFD’s, aka life jackets), fire extinguishers, horns, proper registration, etc. We are very grateful to know the USCG is available 24/7 via VHF radio and that there are dedicated men serving. Here’s the pair that boarded S.L.O. Dancer:

As we’ve cruised along, we’ve found some wonderfully fun, funky and fishy highlights to share with you, together with a few weather challenges.

It was especially fun to see sisters Hillary and Alicea, who’ve been like grand-daughters to me since we first met in 1998 (when they were in 4^th and 6^th grade in Marin County, CA, where I lived from 1988-2009). They now live in Durhan, NC and made the 2-hour drive to Oriental and New Bern (the birthplace of Pepsi Cola!) to visit us, with Alicea’s husband Evan and their adorable 18-month-old daughter Adelina. (Does that mean I now have a great-grandchild?!? How about a “bonus” great granddaughter!) 🙂 What a treat it was to spend time with them over last weekend! They love North Carolina and we love them!

As we’ve mentioned several times, we really prefer small towns and we’ve stayed in several these last few weeks…at some really classy marinas…and some that definitely qualify as “funky!” All of them have been very, very friendly.

We continued to see lots of shrimp boats through most of North Carolina and are beginning to see more and more crab pots (note those hung on the wall in photo at right above). We just learned recently, when using a local restroom (and couldn’t figure out which was which), that girl crabs are called “Sooks” and boy crabs are called “Jimmies.” Just never know what we’re going to learn on this wondrous adventure! There is also LOTS of fresh seafood available all along the ICW, including a fun place we found in Southport called Fishy Fishy (the house is made of corks)!

Part of our adventure this segment has been cruising ahead of or hunkering down because of high winds and several spring thunderstorms, but our boat is solid and safe and we’re happy to stay put until the weather is good. We do a lot of reading, planning, napping (G), art journaling (A) and boat clean up. There are several large inlets and sounds that come in from the Atlantic Ocean along the entire Atlantic ICW, and North Carolina has two of the most challenging that can become “nasty” very quickly—Pamlico Sound and Albemarle Sound. These are the places where we had been advised to “wait for the right weather window,” and that’s exactly what we did. In fact, to safely cross Albemarle Sound we had to wait 3 days for the winds to die down from 20-30 knots (with gusts higher) to a very doable 5-10 knots. We’re happy to report that we cruised across both of these quite easily and continue to be very grateful for a very sturdy and seaworthy boat (and a very wise Captain who studies a variety of weather reports very diligently and always knows when it’s time to go or no-go)!

Our final North Carolina adventure turned out to be one of our favorites. Instead of cruising the more common route to get to Norfolk (and Mile Marker Zero of the Atlantic ICW) called “The Virginia Cut,” we chose to take the alternate route a little farther inland called The Dismal Swamp. It’s a 22-mile long, narrow canal that connects the Pasquotank River in North Carolina to the Elizabeth River in Virginia and is the oldest continually operating canal in the United States, originally conceived, surveyed and supported by George Washington. In the 1800’s The Dismal Swamp was a vital commercial link as well as a strategic position during the Civil War for both Union and Confederate forces. The canal is very quiet now and also very shallow, so it mostly plays host to picnickers and pleasure boaters—“a real treat for those interested in natural scenery.” One of the reasons we loved it so much is because it is indeed very quiet, very peaceful, very beautiful, lined with mile after mile of trees, trees, trees and more trees. And we were the only boat on the entire canal for two days! As we were taking in the serenity and beauty, escorted frequently by ducks, great blue herons and Canada geese, Gary proclaimed, “This is why we bought the boat!” To be able to immerse ourselves in the natural beauty of our Country along its magnificent waterways truly nurtures our souls.

Can you spot the goose in the photo below, amid the reflections and swirls from the coffee-colored waters of our wake? The color is from the tannins released by the roots of trees and other vegetation along the canal and occurs on most of the ICW.

The next chapter of our Adventure takes us to the Chesapeake Bay and a side trip from Norfolk, VA up the Potomac River to The Wharf Marina right in the heart of Washington, D.C. We’re really looking forward to all of it, and continue to feel so blessed that we are able to continue this amazing journey. It’s quite the dance!

2 APRIL 2022 – NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, SC

Over the last two weeks we have enjoyed cruising the ICW along the South Carolina Coast from Hilton Head Island to North Myrtle Beach (part of the “Lowcountry”), and we have found many treasures along the way.

We spent a night at Harbourtown Yacht Basin overlooking an often-photographed lighthouse on Hilton Head Island and part of the swishy Sea Island Resort. This was in very sharp contrast to the very (!) rustic (!) Leland Oil Co. Marina we stopped at in McClellanville. And each had its own charm.

           

We loved touring the small town of Beaufort (“Bewfort”) and learning more about its role in reconstruction after the Civil War. It wasn’t just about rebuilding and forming new governments, but Beaufort became a model for teaching the newly-freed slaves how to read and write and conduct their lives in freedom. We also became intrigued with the culture of the Gullah Geechees or “Gullahs,” who created a common English-based creole language that allowed West African slaves of many tribes and dialects to communicate among themselves and with those of English and French Huguenot descent. We also discovered there are several Lowcountry areas where ancestors of the original Gullah people still live together and practice cultural traditions passed on through many generations—food, music, folklore, language, art, medicine and religion.

We’ve seen a number of shrimp boats with their huge outriggers that hold their nets out wide to catch the shrimp, and even found a large bed of oysters on the other side of our dock at McClellanville. (A few hours later, it was high tide and the oysters disappeared!)

          

Georgetown was another favorite stop where we could walk to the town center with all its shops, restaurants and museums. I found the BEST Pecan Pralines I’ve ever eaten as well as the best Garlic Green Pepper Jelly (great poured over a block of cream cheese and served with crackers for “Docktail” parties!).

Spontaneous Beaufort SC “Docktail” Party with 3 Looper couples we’d just met!

One highlight of Georgetown was The Rice Museum. For nearly 200 years, beginning early in the 18^th Century, Georgetown County produced over 80% of the rice in the United States (called “Carolina Gold”). A shortage of labor after slaves were freed together with multiple hurricanes in the early 20^th century wiped out the rice industry, but it was fascinating to learn how slaves with skills in growing rice in West Africa were specifically “recruited” to turn the “virgin swamps” of the Lowcountry into highly productive rice fields. We also learned how labor-intensive rice growing and harvesting is.

We chose not to play tourist in either Savannah GA or Charleston SC and purposely stayed at marinas that were not in town. We’ve been to both places by car and now prefer to explore the smaller towns. This gave us time to find treasures of all kinds including the quaint and sacred St. James-Santee Episcopal Church Chapel of Ease 1890 in McClellanville.

           

We also found many yards filled with blooming dogwood and azaleas and an ancient oak tree (said to be over 1000 years old!) .

           

In recent weeks, we’ve seen many blue and yellow flags of the Ukraine flying…on boats and on land. We especially liked this tribute to that country and its people.

         

We’ve spoken often of the friends we’ve met along the way on this America’s Great Loop Adventure. This continues to be one of the best surprises as we cruise the mostly-inland waterways of the eastern United States. These friendships will always be treasured. But I must include among the treasures of South Carolina our visit in North Myrtle Beach with a dear friend named Barbara whom I have known since our 50-year-old daughters were in kindergarten together in McLean, VA (a suburb of Washington, D.C. where I lived for 11 years until 1988). We were best friends and helped each other through many ups and downs, and I am so grateful we have kept in touch all these years. She has Parkinson’s now yet she is still filled with love and joy and gratitude for her dear husband and family and all the blessings in her life. I got to see her 4 days in a row and we had such a wonderful time. Her grandson created a very special painting for her:

No matter what is going on in the world or in our own lives, may we always look for and remember the treasures and be grateful for our blessings. And may we continue to spread the love, the joy and the gratitude, allowing it to ripple out to all we meet. Blessed be!

20 MARCH 2022 –  SAVANNAH, GA

Oldest grandson Eldon (turning 23 on April 16!) joined us in Jacksonville for a week of cruising. What fun to see our Adventure through the eyes of someone very curious, very eager and very appreciative of everything around him. He was thrilled when he saw his first dolphin off the stern of the boat and later when he discovered an entire flock of over 50 arctic terns dancing (!!) behind us for several miles.

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After leaving our Jacksonville marina, we cruised along the waterfront for about 15 miles to get back to the ICW. We were all enthralled as we watched the loading and unloading of monstrous container ships and huge auto carriers .

We saw monster ocean-going barges and tugboats, some over 150 feet long. And then we came across a very unusual structure that looked sort of like a railroad bridge (left photo below). As we got closer, we realized it housed a nuclear submarine (right…note flag on its conning tower mid-ship). 

We thought it might have something to do with protecting highly-secret radio frequencies, but after some research, Gary discovered a map of the area that labels this as a “Magnetic Silencing Facility.” It is part of the Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base that runs along the west side of the ICW just north of Jacksonville and is the U.S. Atlantic Fleet’s home port for U.S. Navy Fleet ballistic missile nuclear submarines. Fascinating!

We spent one night at Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island (our last Florida stop), and the next morning headed up the St. Mary’s River (the Florida-George line) to Cumberland Island National Seashore where there are over 300 species of birds as well as a herd of wild horses (which I was especially excited to see). When we got to the Marina, we experienced the power of tidal currents for the first time. When the tides are moving out or in (ebb or flow), the currents are much stronger than when there is a slack tide (no movement either way before the tidal stream reverses). We tried to dock when we arrived (in order to make an 11:45 ferry to the Island), but the tidal currents would have literally slammed us into the dock and the next slack tide was 3 hours away. So, Captain Gary wisely RECALCULATED (a favorite words of ours). We turned back to the ICW and cruised another 40 miles north to St. Simons Island, GA (where Aaron Burr sought refuge after his duel with Alexander Hamilton). That docking was much, much easier…and the Marina delivered free muffins to our boat the next morning–a nice perk! (One marina farther north delivers Krispy Kreme donuts!). We certainly have a greater appreciation for these tidal currents, which we now know are much more pronounced on a river than on the ICW, and even more so when they are near an inlet from the Atlantic Ocean. We also better understand why some Loopers choose to bypass the coast of Georgia, cruising outside the barrier islands in the Atlantic from Fernandina to Savannah. We’re glad we chose to stay inside on the ICW.

On St. Patrick’s Day we headed 5 miles up another river, timing the tides better, and where the currents were much less pronounced. We enjoyed a highly-recommended, very rustic marina and locally renown restaurant called the Sunbury Crab Co. As we walked to the restaurant a brawny local was wheeling in a huge basket of oysters he had just harvested and Eldon enjoyed a feast of their famous Seafood Platter—oysters, crab, jumbo shrimp (all harvested locally that day) plus corn and sausage. He ate for 1.5 hours and still didn’t finish, but he fully enjoyed every bite, using oyster scissors and a mallet. He was especially appreciative since he lives in Flagstaff, AZ where there is no fresh seafood. He’s also become a fan of shrimp and grits, which has been offered throughout the South.

The only downside of this particular adventure is that in the morning we woke up to teeny-weeny gnats covering every window on the boat plus all the seats on the bridge (where the helm is). AND they were flying everywhere as we were unplugging the power cord and freeing lines to get going. They flew in our mouths, hovered around our eyes and ears and some chose to nibble all over Eldon’s legs and feet. It was our first experience with any bugs since a few on Lake Michigan, and for the first time we brought out the repellent and a new gadget called a “Thermacell” which we’re told keeps all the bugs away (so far, so good!).

Eldon loves being outdoors even more than we do (except when bitten by teeny-weeny gnats or whatever they were). He really gets how nourishing it is and loved seeing the birds along the ICW, the endless barrier islands of marsh grasses and the large, ancient oaks draped with Spanish Moss. When we arrived at our Savannah marina, he was thrilled once again by a huge bald eagle that circled quite low over us for several minutes, joined by a red-tailed hawk. We all find this exhilarating and never seem to tire of all that nature has to offer. We’ve also enjoyed the delightful floral displays of azaleas and dogwood that are now in bloom here. So beautiful!

Eldon’s visit with us went way too fast—we had great conversations (many very deep and insightful), enjoyed fixing meals for each other, shared the duties of being on a boat (lines, fenders, watching for markers, turns at the helm, cleaning etc.) and had many laughs together. AND, on Saturday (3/19), daughter Carolyn and fiancé Drew met us at the boat and we all went to lunch nearby before they took Eldon with them to Alpharetta (second home near Atlanta—they live most of the time near us in San Luis Obispo aka S.L.O.)  They had driven to Charleston the night before to have dinner with Richard (C’s father) and Nancy (2^nd wife) who really like their new surroundings after many years in Key Largo. It was so much fun to be with family!!!

We head up the South Carolina coast next—Hilton Head, Beaufort, Charleston and North Myrtle Beach, and look forward to it all. There will still be 8’ tides to consider some places, but we’re certainly more aware of how to work with them now…all part of the Adventure! Happy Spring! And, as we’ve heard several times in recent days, “Til our wakes cross again, peace and love and shrimp and grits!”