The Parkinson’s Adventure to the Bahamas, April 25- May 29, 2009

This edition of my journal was the hardest to write because it is my last composition & I was unable to spend the time each day to write. Many of the later days have been filled with non-cruising activities.

April 25^{th(Week 29, Day 195)}: Good-bye Charleston, S.C.! You are beautiful! You are so gracious! We must meet again! It was another sunny, fabulous morning with a light 5-8K wind beginning the day, despite being woken at an early hour by power boat traffic wave action. We are in no hurry to leave. More of our cruising friends have arrived at this location (Charleston City Marina). But is time for us to move on. We had to kill a bit of time for the Ben Sawyer Swing Bridge opening. There are four of us travelling today together & the majority of time in a falling low tide (max. low= 1530 hrs.), so we are seeing a lot of exposed shoreline & skinny water depths in a number of areas. In fact, 2 of the 4 boats went aground at 2 different spots requiring TowBoat US assistance. This service is an absolute necessity. Winds were from the SE & gusty between 10-12K in the PM. At 1645 hrs. we anchored at our predetermined destination---Awendaw Creek, a deep water creek. Distance= 33.6sm or 30.8nm. A very calm, quiet night with a sky filled with stars.

April 26^th: Another magnificent sunny dawn. Light NE winds with a light mist over the saltwater marshes & mirror water when we raised the anchor at 0645 hrs. Dolphins greeted us as we were exiting the Awendaw Creek. Without any thought, I said ‘good morning’ to them & thought of my Dad with tears welling up in my eyes. We started with a rising tide as we passed the known skinny waters towards McCellanville , but the current was against us most of the day. Through the South Santee River towards the Minim Creek we were seeing wooden docks in marshes that seemed to lead to nowhere; there were no houses or buildings anywhere around. Slowly the NE wind increased to 5-8K as we were approaching Georgetown, increasing to 10K after Georgetown & started clocking NE, ENE, to E, making for a good ride on the Waccamaw River, except for the increasing number of power boaters out on a beautiful, awesome Sunday. How could you blame them. Some were very conscientious, well others … The Waccamaw River in the Springtime is so different from the Fall. In the Fall it was so bleak & dreary looking & the shores were lined with leafless trees. Today it was stunning, beautiful vibrant green leafed trees & as the Waterway Guide describes it as one of the most scenic & beautiful areas of the ICW; it truly was. At low tide these yellow pines at shoreline have root systems that are visible. Docks in the Waccamaw are so long from water level to homes or marinas that golf carts are used to travel the distance. There are several creeks off the ICW, but we chose Cow House Creek at Mile 383.5; good depth at the mouth & has a charted minimum low depth of 7 ft. at low tide. Sure--- we went aground in a falling tide in 5’2” then 4’8” water & unable to get off despite 2 guys taking our anchor & dropping it in deeper water. So there we sat BBQ’ing & eating our supper until the tide started coming in at 1945 hrs. At 2015 hrs. we now showed 5’8” on our depth sounder, we started floating, so relocated back towards the mouth of the wonderment proportions. Distance= 52.2sm or 47.7nm.

April 27^th: Once the sun was over the horizon, it was a very sunny morning, no wind & a mist that was magnificent as it hugged the still water & the treetops. We were on our way by 0630 hrs. with a low tide & a slight current against us passing more beautiful creeks of the Waccamaw River; Prince Creek is suppose to be nice & Osprey Marina comes hightly recommended--- cheap, great facilities & friendly; the next time round. Once we left the Waccamaw River & approached North Mrytle Beach the contrast was so alarming; the wilderness & naturalness of the Waccamaw to the commercialism of Mrytle Beach. Brown turtles were sighted on the logs on port sunning themselves; we also had a water snake following us for a bit. We stopped for fuel at Barefoot Resort Yacht Club & Marina, then through the Barefoot Landing Swing Bridge & then onto Pine Island Cut also called ‘The Rock Pile’ from Mile 365.5 (G19) to 347 (G15)--- the name aptly expresses the bottom; although a falling tide, we encountered no problems seeing 9-11 ft. depths. After the Little River Swing Bridge we were seeing 7-8.5 ft. depths, the tide was still falling for a few more hours & we were hearing conversations from our intendant destination of Calabash Creek over the VHF between Celtic Cross & Temptation re Earl manually sounding the depths & Waterparke going aground (draws 4’11”). Right then & there we decided to make a U-turn back to Cricket Cove Marina, the last marina before Calabash Creek. This marina is in dire need of dredging--- suppose to be done any day now; nice facilities here ie huge showers , nice lounge with laundry facilities that are relatively inexpensive (washers X2= $1.00 & dryers X2 = $0.75). Distance= 38.4sm or 36.4nm. We spoiled ourselves with a piece of Key Lime Pie after supper. In the western sky the crescent moon was upside down like a bowl & this position with relation to the sun is responsible for the extreme high & low tides we were experiencing.

April 28^th: The fog was so bad this AM that we could not see 100 yd. in front of the bow. The tide had also just started to rise so all was more favourable in half an hour. We left the dock at 0700hrs. with 6ft. water under the keel & maneuvered into & down the ICW channel towards Calabash Creek, the terrible area for many yesterday, by GPS alone as visibility was still questionable. We crossed into North Carolina territory a short distance from the marina & had no problems in any of the charted shallow areas. We even were able to make the 0800hr. opening of the Sunset Beach Pontoon Bridge, which has been closed on many occasions at low tide because of the extreme Spring lows. Now with the fog lifted it was a magnificent sunny, warm, windless day. Slowly & gently the wind filled in from the ENE, on our nose until we got closer to Southport when the wind shifted a little more to the NE & became a little stronger sometimes on a run & sometimes on a broad reach. Past Southport on the Cape Fear River the wind increased more but we were fighting a strong current. In Snow Cut the current reversed & was with us on a still falling tide & we were nicely pushed through at 5.8K. After the Cut we turned to port up the North Carolina Beach section of the ICW where the inlet comes from the ocean & is infamous for shallows. Dead middle of the channel we bumped on & off sandbars continuously until we came to a dead halt about 50 ft. past G155 in 5’2” of water & unable to get off. We were tired because of the long day, it was 1630hrs. & we still had 5 more miles to go in known shallows on a max. low tide for one more hour. With no hesitation we hailed TowBoatUS (unlimited membership was one of the smartest things we did); in 30 min. they would be here. We were bounced further into shallow water by power boaters as we tried to use their wake (4’8”). TowBoatUS dragged us a few feet to starboard to the green side of the channel & the only words of wisdom he had was stay mid channel (as we had being doing) & yes take the Shinn Creek passage which is naturally deeper water. It was so spooky; there was no other sailboats on the ICW that we could see & only a few power boats & some kayakers. We arrived at Wrightsville. N.C. & anchored at 1915 hrs.--- a 12hrs. day. Thank goodness for Spring & longer daylight hours! Distance= 61.9sm or 53.8nm. Late supper, late dishwashing, but a welcomed shower sitting on the cockpit floor under the stars & the crescent moon still in the western sky.

April 29^{th(Week 30, Day 200)}: Brilliant sunny, warm, cloudless & windless morning as we up anchored trying for the 0700hrs. Wrightsville Beach Bascule Bridge opening. Once again, well in channel, most unexpectedly we went aground (G19—4’8”) & we haven’t yet reached G25 that has given numerous boats problems. Then again, as advised, kept our distance off G25 & went aground a second time in a matter of less than 15 min. A power boat went inside us close to G25 & he had 10ft. of water; go figure! We backed up, turned to the mark & passed through. But now we were late for the 0700 hr. opening & had to wait the hour for the next. Temptation went offshore; I wish we could have, but it is over 60 miles & the wind was nonexistent in the early AM. A SE wind slowly picked up within a few short hours as well as a slight cloud cover. We approached the New River Inlet 3 hours after high tide & that would be the latest we would recommend for a safe passage through this constant re-shoaling area; flavouring the red side we slowly crept to R76 to R74 turning with the sinuosity of the starboard shoreline, snuggled right up to R72A & R72 ignoring R72B entirely & saw humps of 6-7ft. otherwise 8-18ft. depths & anchored at Mile Hammock Bay Mile 244.5 at 1500 hrs., with only 3 others boats there. Distance= 38.7sm or 32.2nm. Mile Hammock is within a military training zone, so we were all entertained with 2 twin blade helicopters doing maneuvers above us. A Skipper’s Meeting was held with a discussion as to where & how long to stay at various stages keeping in mind that the ICW would be closed May 3, 4, & 5 for removal of the Jordan Lift Bridge (just south of Norfolk, Virginia). After a BBQ supper I sat out in the cockpit watching the pelicans dive bombing & slamming their heads into the water, watching the tons of fish jumping all around until after the lovely sunset & when the dampness set in. There were only nine of us here tonight, not like the Fall. I had a wonderful shower in the cockpit then some journal writing & reading. Time is flying by. This is the beginning of our 30^th week or 200^th day & we’re one more day from the end of the month!

April 30^th: A misty foggy morning but could see enough to up anchor at 0700 hrs. The air was damp & the sunless sky made it feel cool enough that I had to wear long pants, long sleeve T, sweat top & a tuque & a scarf for heaven’s sake. By mid morning a warm sun broke through but the breeze was still chilly. A light NE wind in the early morning that built to E to ESE about 8-10K as we headed in an easterly direction for Morehead City/Beaufort, N.C. on a beat. Most unusual---the bridge tender for the Onslow Beach Swing Bridge told Graeme when we asked for an opening to favour the red or port side. The current was at times with us & other times against us as we passed many inlets ie Browns Inlet (shoal at G60), Bear Inlet, Boque Inlet, rising tide as were passing the first 2 inlets, then slack to a falling tide nearing Morehead City. Everyday we have encountered dolphins gracefully swimming up & down & all around, but can never get a good photo of these amazing mammals that instill such peacefulness inside me; if I believed in reincarnation I would come back as a dolphin! We arrived at 1540 hrs. at these brand new docks called Morehead City Docks (Fall ’08); water & electricity but no washroom/shower or laundry facilities but these are expected to be available in the Fall ’09. Payment was made at the Webb Memorial Public Library, one block north. This library is old but fantastic; multi rooms of old wooden floors & furniture, a children’s room, a computer room with 3-4 desktops, a reading room where I linked up to the internet. A good hair salon 3 blocks up to the left; Trendsetters= $22.00. The group had a great dinner at Ruddy Duck. A warm night with a moderate wind. Distance= 40.9sm or 35.7nm.

May 1^st: The first day of May. I wonder what the tulips are like at home! This month is a busy month of family celebrations of Mother’s Day, birthdays & anniversaries which we will be missing; that really tugs at my heart! This is the day also that we should be in Deltaville, Virginia re our new boat & all, but they are aware of our situation & present location. The morning included some nearby window shopping; O.K. maybe a little more than window shopping. Good hardware store & bakery & gourmet food shop. With a SE-S winds at 10-12K which increased towards noon, we untied from the docks at 1300hrs. & motor-sailed a huge distance of 3.7sm or 4.3nm to Town Creek Marina. Two courtesy cars were organized for propane refills & basic groceries ( Food Lion better than Piggly Wiggly). Then it was BBQ supper, shower, laundry ( 2 washers= $1.50 each, 2 dryers= $0.50 but top one runs free), & free WiFi. I squeezed in some reading until my eyes could not focus anymore at 2330hrs.

May 2^nd: A windy, warm night with high winds & thunderstorms predicted for today as well, hence we were staying put. The cloud & mugginess of the morning was soon replaced by hot & muggy sunny weather. We arranged for the courtesy car from 0930hrs. till 1330hrs. then again 1430 till 1630hrs. to visit the shopping area in Morehead City away from the harbour on the main drag, ie West Marine, Wal Mart, Lowe’s Food, buying fresh fish from stands at the side of the road. S to SW winds at 15-20K increased as evening approached & as the clouds darkened from the W, with a downpour about 1900hrs. but no lightning & thunder as predicted. And the weather forecast for this coming week does not sound promising--- more wind. Laundry, internet & then sleep.

May 3^rd: Sunny, warm but also windy about 15K. No great hurry as we were planning to go up to Cedar Creek off Adams Creek approximately 15 miles, so had our showers & checked the internet before leaving at 1030hrs. We skillfully untied from the piles & dock & motored out into Beaufort River soon followed by Celtic Cross & Waterparke. It was near maximum low tide & the shallows were very evident with the lighting & the time of day; in the channel was a commercial fishing trawler aground just patiently waiting for the tide to come in. As we were nearing Adams Creek Channel we rolled out 1/3 of the jenny & unexpectantly went aground on the red/port side of the channel before G21, but were able to motor off X 5-10 min. & warned the others; Celtic Cross touched. Winds S-SW at our stern were now blowing 15-20K, but by Cedar Creek there were whitecaps+++ & blowing 20-25K. The channel into Cedar Creek is shallow & dotted with fish traps; we were seeing depths of 5’2”-5’6” & generally less than 8’. Celtic Cross tried repeatedly to anchor unsuccessfully & motored out as we arrived. There would have been no protection with the current wind direction; in fact, there was no anchorage with adequate protection in the vicinity; and the sky to the NW was looking ominous. Decision time--- we would try for a marina. The winds were now SSW with whitecaps+++ continually blowing ; Celtic Cross captured 37.?K on her windspeed instruments. Oriental Marina was too shallow for us. There is no tides to speak of here off the Neuse River, but interestingly enough because of a southern component of high winds X 3 days, the water had been sucked out of the creeks & rivers by 2-21/2ft (called wind tide)! Whittaker Creek Yacht Harbour was able to accommodate the 3 of us & our 6ft. draft, only with strict observance of directions--- the range + hugging R2 & R4, staying about 35ft. from G1, 3, & 5. Despite seeing 5’2” & 5’4” depths in some spots otherwise 6’ish ft., we made it through & had lots of hands at the piles & dock to catch our lines. The weather certainly was the topic of conversation as we chit chatted on the dock with the 2 other boats who also happened to be from Canada from Port Stanley. We had internet, water & electricity at dockside for $1.50 per foot with TowBoatUS 1^st night, $1.00 2^nd night & ? free 3^rd night. Supper, shower, bonfire then to bed at 2200 hrs. under a cloudy sky & SW winds howling. Distance= 19.9sm or 21.2 nm.

May 4^th: Grey, cloudy & still SW winds blowing at 20-25K in the AM & 25-30K in the PM with lots of white capped chop about 1-2ft. The water level was still low & difficult to get out of the channel--- wind tide. And thunderstorms are predicted all week. By mid morning the sun came out & stayed out for most of the day & it became muggy (80F). I powerwalked X 1hrs. into Oriental & caught up with Sandcastle & Plumpuppet. After lunch Graeme & I actually got on courtesy bikes (poor shape) & rode to West Marine & in & around the area. The fantastic smell of pine reminded me so much of home; beautiful assortment of colours of azaleas in their prime, the irises, peonies, & the roses & their fragrance that knocked me over. We saw our 1^st robin. I worked on the internet, then it was Happy Hour followed by supper (brought our own) on Waterparke. Suddenly the wind & chop stopped at 1700hrs. & only lightly increased at 1930hrs.; a very pleasant night.

May 5^th: Early Am the weather seemed O.K.; the water had laid down & the water level was up by at least 6 in.. We topped off the water tank & rolled up the electrical cord & off the dock at 0730hrs. We followed the exact instructions out of the marina channel into the Neuse River without going aground & sailing a beam reach in a 5-8K E to SE wind. The weather deteriorated as the AM progressed; grey-black rain clouds to the SE gave way to quite a downpour & 12-15K of wind, so we furled in 2/3 of the jenny. From the Neuse River we turned round Maw Point Shoal into Bay River, through Gale Creek past the Coast Guard Station & Hobucken Bridge into the Goose Creek. Then it was the Pamlico River where we encountered pouring rain again; due to the wideness of the river & the greyness of this day, it was difficult to see the marks & the wind died here as well until we turned into the Pungo River up to Belhaven on a beat in a good wind. When we turned past & changed direction away from Belhaven we were sailing on a beam reach in a SE 10K breeze turning at G23 Mile 127.5 to port just before the Alligator River- Pungo River Canal at 1800hrs. We are back to tannic water. Distance= 53.5sm or 48.7nm. Toilet was not pumping so Graeme replaced a few parts so as it is functional but still leaking at the handle; probably time for a new toilet. The skies were cloudy & threatening all evening with winds gusting 10-12K & later very gusty at 25K.

May 6^{th(Week 31, Day 207)}: We had set ourselves up yesterday for the Alligator River –Pungo River Canal followed by the Alligator River today & tomorrow for the dreaded Albemarle Sound. We pulled the anchor up at 0640hrs. & black, sticky, stinky muck all over everything ie sail, pulpit, anchor & chain , deck, my feet & legs, arms & clothes. Yuk! We were headed due E. Sun & clear blue skies were to the E & S, but grey rain clouds W & N with deteriorating conditions predicted. Zero to less than 5K E- ESE breeze in the AM & building throughout the day. Coming up to noon the winds increased to 15K, whitecaps & shifted to SE then to S, from beam to broad reach then a run. It took us 41/2hrs. to do the canal. We have not seen any dolphins since leaving Beaufort, N.C., no wildlife along the route yesterday & this AM’s passage & no palms; only green coniferous trees & spring green deciduous. Mid afternoon the winds were 25K & the whitecaps in the Alligator River were sitting on the crests of 1ft. chop that were so close that it almost had the appearance of a blanket of snow over the water. Thunderstorms & heavy winds forecasted for the area. Hence after the Alligator River Bridge opening we turned to port into the Alligator River Marina Mile 84.1. Price= $1.00/ft., cheaper diesel prices, laundry facilities (2 washers= $1.25 ea., 2 dryers= $0.75 ea.), 2 large showers + AC lounge. Arrival= 1450hrs. Distance= 43.4sm or 39.4nm. The nasty weather with tornado warnings was visibly around but did not materialize except rain during the night. Today along the route I did more thinking of my family; I was recalling the night before I returned to the Bahamas in Feb. & how Donna & Tom came over to say good-bye & how Dave had his lunch break with Mom & I & how he squeezed me saying good-bye & how the two of us choked up. I know I have said this before but I yearn for my family, my friends, my life in Ottawa more & more as each day passes closer to the end of this adventure!

May 7^th: Today’s forecast--- cloudy, thunderstorms, possible tornados, high winds & heavy rains for the afternoon. This is sounding repetative. Radar showed the bad weather was heading toward our destination of Elizabeth City, N.C. We were off the docks at 0715hrs. & into about 15K winds. The water appeared calmer north of the bridge where we were than south of the bridge. No problems encountered from G9 directly to G7, a noted trouble spot. We were having a good sail across the Albemarle Sound, dodging crab pots+++ until 1030hrs. when the threatening clouds we had been keeping an eye on were all encompassing; lightning, thunder, nasty blue-black clouds, then sudden 40+K winds & heavy rains to the point where we had no visibility. We had the jenny furled in time, but now the high SW winds against us cancelled all our speed ; our knotmeter read ‘0’ & crab pots surrounded us. Graeme had no boat control but quickly decided to turn back in the direction of Albemarle Sound from where we came from in order to gain control & speed. Then turned back towards the mouth of the Pasquotank River again losing speed & control , so back out once more to the Sound, passing the same crab pots over & over again. I did know we were right side up as the water was concave from port to starboard but all was a light brown colour, water & sky. I don’t recall how long this went on. I do know that if we had left 30-60 min. earlier we would have been in some protection by being in the Pasquotank River. The rain continued to pelt us but the visibility improved & the number of crab pots increased aggravating Graeme to no end; we had to slalom through the multiple strings of pots that had no pattern, no rhyme or reason. We learnt later that they are owned & placed by Vietnamese fishermen who claim they “no speak English” yet chatter away in English on their VHF’s. The government is trying to clamp down on them. The chop was far less, the rain stopped & slowly the skies even cleared to blue with sunny breaks. At 1330hrs. we arrived & tied up to a slip (free X 48hrs.) in Elizabeth City, Mile 51.0 & now it is hot & muggy. I squeezed in a haircut as a walk-in & used an RBC facility both within 1 block of the waterfront . Then cruisers ( Larry & Lynn Morrow) who we had met in Florida that have a home 30 min. away in Edenton N.C., drove to Elizabeth City to visit all of us (6 boats), since at this time it was not feasible for us to detrack from our schedule & route to sail to their home 35 miles off the ICW up the Albemarle Sound. They drove us to Fresh Farm for a few groceries (fantastic & also provide a complimentary service of picking up & dropping off boaters at the docks to their store) & to the gas station for diesel; anything we needed they were willing to drive us! We all went to the Welcome Party The Rose Buddies of Elizabeth City put on each day at 1630hrs if there are 4 boats around; this small Coast Guard community is so friendly & is the hospitality capital. It is an absolute ‘must visit’. Then 14 of us went out for dinner at ‘Thumpers’ & had a great time with wonderful people; this is what makes the trip so fantastic--- people! At bedtime we were given a stupendous lightning show in the western sky between the layers of clouds, almost a match for the fireworks on July 1 or the 4^th of July depending on your country of patriotism. Distance= 33.1sm or 30.2nm.

May 8^th: Sunny, hot (80’sF) with a little breeze & water surface in front of the docks here in Elizabeth City was calm all day. Powerwalk X 50min. then 2 loads of laundry at the Laundromat (washers= $1.50, dryer= $0.25 for at least 10 min.). I rushed back because at noon 6 of us ladies attended the Harbor Tea Room for a light lunch--- real old fashion china tea cups & tea service + a scrumptious cheddar red pepper soup, tea sandwiches & English tea scone with blotted cream & strawberry sauce. Owners= Cotrisha & Tommy; both down to earth delightful people. Then it was to the Arts of the Albemarle--- paintings, sculptures, photos, ceramics, jewellery, & woodcravings by artists of this district. I bought some fresh shrimp ($4.99/ lb.) for supper for myself anyway, while Graeme had BBQ hamburger. And to top this highly cultured day was attending a musical at the Arts of Albemarle Theatre at 2000hrs.; free ticket from a spouse of one of the actresses who was promoting culture & hospitality of Elizabeth City once again! What a wonderful, warm evening! What a wonderful day this has been!

May 9^th: A warm night was followed by another hot, sunny & muggy AM. A Farmers’ Market every Sat. at 0900hrs. was set up directly in front of us--- produce, arts & crafts. I talked to Mom on Skype before leaving the slip at 0940hrs.; she was pleased to hear that we have definitely decided to finish our homeward bound adventures in Deltaville, Virginia & have Sweet Chariot hauled back to Ottawa. Weather apparently coming in this afternoon. We wound through the Pasquotang River, jenny in, jenny out, on starboard, on port, & back & forth numerous times from the wide then the narrow parts of the river. We saw numerous brown turtles on the sunny or starboard side of the river sitting sunning on fallen logs. We timed our arrival perfectly to catch the 1330hrs. opening of the South Mills Lock, then the bascule bridge; 9 boats were in the lock, a process that took over an hour. The sun was very hot at ?92F with a west wind that was variable in strength & direction. Eight boats tied up at the Dismal Swamp Welcome Centre Mile 28.0 at 1540hrs. Distance= 23sm or 19.9nm. A big social was organized up at the picnic tables from 1730 till 1900hrs. Who wanted to cook supper now but need to cook the meat we have aboard before it goes bad. A welcomed shower in the cockpit via the warmed shower bag water. The possible storm never materialized except slightly cooler & dryer weather followed. An important note--- upon Graeme registering he was informed that the Gilmerton Bridge was closed tomorrow from 0500-2300hrs. in order that work on the Southern 707 Railroad Bridge could be done. So we are in the Dismal Swamp for another day. Oh oh!--- I have a sore throat starting up.

May 10^th: Happy Mother’s Day! The most beautiful crystal clear sunny day with blue skies, no humidity, a hot sun with temps of 75-80F & a very light S-SW wind. A few boats in our gang moved on after we said our good-byes. Barb from Plumpuppet gave all the ladies a gold box with a piece of white & chocolate fudge inside--- absolutely divine! Sandcastle does not plan to stop in Norfolk & like Plumpuppet & Sea Change, they wish to explore the eastern Chesapeake. Arrivederci! It has been so much fun with you guys! We attended a lecture at 1030hrs. at the Museum followed by my hour powerwalk. Boats kept arriving & tying up with each lock & bridge openings until at the end of the day the total= 12. We met a nice couple from Elizabeth City (Phil & Martha Richardson originally from Buffalo) out for a Sunday drive & to take photos. After a very late lunch we played Mexican Train (dominos) on a picnic table under the shade of the trees. I finally used my $5.00 phone card I purchased in the Fall in Brewerton & phoned Ottawa & spoke to Colleen, Donna then Mom to wish them a Happy Mother’s Day; family dinner at my brother’s & we’re missing it. But instead we had a potluck dinner where Sharon cooked Bombay Chicken, I a Japanese Cabbage Salad & Brian a cranberry loaf from the Farmers’ Market in Elizabeth City. My sore throat has progressed to a hoarse voice & a chesty cough. What a peaceful night!

May 11^th: Happy Birthday Dave! A cloudy day with a few sprinkles of rain on rising . I’m feeling rough this AM; chills & sweats during the night & waking on & off coughing. It took awhile to get the rafted boats woken up to get moving so we can make the 1100hrs. Deep Creek Bridge & Lock openings. We finally got moving at 0725hrs. Bright green shrubs, trees, vines & vegetation gently encroaching onto the narrow path of the Dismal Swamp. Unlike the section of the Dismal Swamp south up to South Mills where the depths of 10-12ft. are maintained whereas north of South Mills depths are only 7-8ft.--- no commercial traffic. We saw a black bear swimming across the swamp; some boaters saw moccinaws. We adjusted our speed in accordance to the bridge & lock openings. Deep Creek opening was at 115hrs. followed by the Deep Creek Lock; lock opening was painfully slow taking over an hour (1130-1245hrs.) for 8 boats. Finally we were able to lunch on chicken noodle soup & cheese & crackers to warm us up from the inside in conjunction with our sweat tops & bottoms, scarf, tuque & sailing gloves on the outside. We arrived at the Waterside Marina, Norfolk (Mile 0.4) at 1420hrs. Distance= 27.6sm or 20.7nm. A hot shower was just what the doctor ordered, then a leisure walk around the MacArthur Centre. A social & a lovely lasagna dinner hosted by Waterparke. Some emails, some reading in the comfort of heat from the electric heater we resurrected from the bowels of the bow storage. It has been confirmed that Gail & Richard will drive from Ottawa to Deltaville in their truck on May 19^th & I will hitch a ride on the 20^th, then will drive our van back to Deltaville. And Parke has informed Dave Bratt that we will be calling him to haul Sweet Chariot back to Ottawa from Deltaville. We will stay here in Norfolk one more day for better weather, getting an early start for the long passage to Deltaville on Wed.

May 12^th: Despite an uncomfortable bronchitic cough, I slept well & slept in. Breakfast, shower & fridge wash down. Graeme & I then did a historical walk of homes, museums whose tours are Wed. to Sat., churches mostly on Freemason E & W, Norfolk Scope & Arena, Performing Art & Theatre Centre from 1015-1530hrs. taking in lunch at Granby Street Pizzeria, where owner Peter remembered us from the Fall & showed us the expansion area under construction. The sun was out in all it’s glory in a cloudless, bright clear blue sky today; air was slightly chilly when a light breeze periodically came up, but a perfect day for walking about. A social on Celtic Cross, then said our good byes to Waterparke as Parke needs to fly to Ottawa for business 13^th -15^th & we will be moving on early tomorrow morn. I applied online tonight to be a volunteer for the Vancouver Olympics, Feb. 2010!

May 13^{th(Week 32, Day 214)}: The end is near! The alarm went off at 0500hrs., breakfast was consumed as the sun was rising & we untied from the docks at 0625hrs. It was a clear, sunny AM with a very light NNE wind as we headed towards our last destination north on this adventure, Deltaville Virginia; direction= NE. Again we passed the miles & miles of naval ships, destroyers & aircraft carriers & the endless sight of freight lifts as we were leaving Norfolk’s huge harbour. From 1100-1400hrs. the wind was almost flat & the water surface was flat calm with no chop. The breath of wind we had just enough to keep our jenny full & working must have been well off the water surface. There was a change of wind direction to the S & a sudden increase in wind speed to 10K then 15K (whitecaps) at 1400hrs.; we were now doing speeds of over 6K! There was also an increase in the number of crabpots, but they seem to be in an organized pattern & not an issue today. We turned from the Chesapeake to port towards the channel marks to Broad Creek about 1500hrs. & the water depth changed from 30 to 20 then down to 10 ft., but at R2 we bumped a couple of times in 5’4”- 5’6” water, then back up to 9ft.; guess that was our last reminder as to what touching bottom felt like, lest we forget! We hailed Norton’s Yacht Sales on the VHF & then called on the toll free number on the cell, but only got the secretary as they were closed. So at 1630hrs. we just tied ourselves up at the end of the fuel dock. It was nice & calm here & the night was quiet & tranquil. Celtic Cross anchored in Jackson Creek close to Deltaville Marina & Deltaville Boatyard as that was their boat’s destination & home till the Fall. Sandcastle, Plumpuppet & Sea Change were exploring the eastern Chesapeake & were anchored in Onancock Creek. Distance= 52.5sm or 47.5nm.

Reflection: In some respect it is almost sad that the real adventure is over; 8 months to the day ---Sept. 13 ’08- May 13. ’09! There are so many memories; many good, but some sad.

We are not taking Sweet Chariot any further north, but she will be trucked to Ottawa. Sweet Chariot--- you have be mighty sweet , & strong, patient , never complaining ; some may say you are old, but wise & dependable! Thank you for taking good care of us!!!

As much as I would like to explore the Chesapeake, I want to go home even more. I miss my family, my friends, my exercising, my Ottawa! Hopefully the near future will be the time for exploration of this area! We have met so many fabulous people along the way & so many of them that I would like to remain friends with!

EPILOGUE

May 14^{th(Week 32, Day 215)}: A warm, sunny, muggy & breezy day, although we seem to be well protected here in Broad Creek compared to Jackson Creek; the Chesapeake was very rough last night & today. We had a meeting with Mike & Ken from Norton’s, & discussed our plans for Sweet Chariot & the Jeanneau. Norton’s is not a marina & not a location for long term liveaboards but rather a brokerage & a sailing school & boatyard for storage & maintenance. Boat storage= $100.00 per month, free car storage, in & out hauling fees= $7.00 per ft. with a travel lift. Ken sees no problem demasting Sweet Chariot & supplying horses or the like to dissemble the mast & prepare for shipping & lifting her onto Dave Bratt’s flat bed. Final payment for the Jeanneau was completed + a walkabout was done. We also had a discussion with Scott re some changes to previously discussed canvass work. We were given a Volvo no less as a free loaner vehicle to do our running around. We made our first purchase for the Jeanneau today--- a 45lb. CQR from the consignment shop at Nauti Nells, only to return it the next day for a 35lb. CQR. (45 too big).

May 15^th: Sunny, hot & muggy & a calmer day out on the Bay. We did malfunctioning equipment replacement at the 2 West Marines & some grocery shopping, then visited Celtic Cross & Waterparke who had just arrived at Deltaville Marina in the later PM. We were given a tour of the joint; nice key in showers & washrooms, laundry facilities with 2 washers & 2 dryers, lounge open 24/7 with TV, internet access, complimentary coffee & the fixings.

May 16^th: Happy Birthday Ian! Sunny, hot & muggy again & windy out in the Bay. A cold front is predicted Sat. night & Sun. morning. We celebrated Ian’s birthday at Bella’s Pizza followed by a brownie cake & coffee back at Deltaville Marina in the screened in patio that houses a propane BBQ for customer use. A gentle rain during the night.

May 17^th: A gentle rain, warm & muggy first thing in the AM. I attended Mass at The Catholic Church of the Visitation at 0900hrs. & by the time mass was ended, the wind was howling, it was cold & raining heavily. The rains continued all morning & most of the PM. A good day to do 3 loads of laundry as I worked away at my email journal, finishing at 1530hrs. A social gathering with Celtic Cross , then supper & preparation of a few meals for Graeme while I am in Ottawa.

May 18^th: A cold & cloudy morning with high winds from the north; not a good day again for Waterparke to leave for Annapolis. The Jeanneau was lifted into the water at 0930hrs. Jeannie from Nauti Nells had some fresh asparagus & fresh green & red leaf lettuce from her garden for Graeme & I. Sun broke through in the afternoon but the wind remained cold. A cold & windy night.

May 19^th: I slept in till 0715hrs. then prepared some sweet & sour meatballs as another meal for Graeme while I am away. Dave Bratt called at 0800hrs. confirming that he will haul us around June 1. It was a bright sunny, blue cloudless sky day with moderate light cool breeze; temperature= 60-65F. We drove to White Stone for some lumber for Sweet Chariot’s furler when we demast. I packed a bag & some things to return to Ottawa. Gail & Richard arrived in their truck at 1930hrs. & we all helped pack her up with Celtic Cross’s goods.

May 20^{th(Week 33, Dy 221)}: A sunny, pleasantly warm day. We didn’t get away from Deltaville till 1230hrs.; 5 adults cramped in the truck. We arrived in Ottawa 13 hours later. I stayed overnight at Mom’s.

May 21-23^rd: The next few days were filled with readying the van for me to drive back to Deltaville ie. oil change, checking the tire pressures. I gathered up all our empty plastic Rubbermaid containers & boxes to fill with articles that would not be transferred onto the Jeanneau & to make Sweet Chariot as light as possible in order to use the NSC crane to transfer her from Dave’s flat bed truck to Sweet Chariot’s trailer rather than renting a commercial crane (expensive). I bought a adapter to play my iPod via the radio for the 13 hour drive back all alone; if I feel tired I will be pulling over & sleeping. This is Memorial Holiday Long Weekend in the US, so I decided to make the drive on the Sunday. I slept over at Mom’s on Sat. night.

May 24^th: Shower, breakfast & on my way by 0510hrs. It was cloudy, then cloudy & rainy until Watertown. No problems crossing at the border at Ivy League--- #1 stop: for duty free & O.K. a pee. #2 stop: at for gas & a pee in Kirkland, N.Y. at 0930hrs. #3 stop: for lunch at Rest Area in Pennsylvania at 1330hrs.--- feel good. #4 stop: for gas at Tappahannock, Virginia at 1730hrs.--- still feel good. #5 stop at 1830hrs. in Deltaville! Graeme was surprised to see me, thinking that I would split the drive in 2 days. It was sunny & warm for most of the later morning & all of the PM. And Sunday was the best day to have chosen to drive in terms of traffic & road construction. I was able to successfully program & operate the GPS & I drove it nuts when I did not keep to her route pattern. The highways I chose in the US was Interstate 81 to 17 to 66 to 33 to 336; approximately 600 miles. The panoramic landscape in some areas was stunning.

May 25^th-28^{th(Week 33 &34, Days 226-229)} : The days were all gorgeous , sunny & warm. It was now that I realized how great the storage capacity & the easy accessibility on Sweet Chariot really was. We filled the days cleaning both boats as we transferred articles from one boat to the next & thinking of the best working arrangement on a boat we have sailed for one hour in the Fall. We packed all linens & cans, clothes & shoes in bins & boxes to take home. The van was nicely filled by departure day. The jenny sail & the mainsail & stack pack were removed. Sweet Chariot was demasted on May 27^th & the mast was prepared in the usual fashion + plastic wrapped for transportation to Ottawa when Dave arrives. The dinghy was hoisted onto the Jeanneau & tied down onto the foredeck & the dinghy motor was mounted on the pull pit. Sweet Chariot’s bimini, dodger & their frames were removed & tied securely down on the foredeck. All the cockpit cushions were stored in the main cabin. The fridge was emptied at the very last, with perishable articles stored for the trip home in the van in a cooler. We said our goodbyes to Carolyn & Ken & Mike & presented them with a small Canadian gift of maple syrup to each of them. Late nights came too quickly.

May 29^{th(Week 34, Day 230)}: At 0610hrs. we said our goodbyes to both boats & started our 13hrs. drive home in brilliant sunshine & hot temperatures. After Graeme had driven the first 5 hours, I was called upon to take over those duties. But after barely 2 hours my eyes closed three times & I had to hand the reins back to Graeme, yet days prior I drove the 13 hours myself. I redeemed myself by driving the last 3 hours. The weather in Syracuse had turned cold & windy & we were digging in our luggage for warmer clothes. We crossed the border at Prescott & stopped in the Customs Office as Dave had instructed us to do to give them the heads up that Sweet Chariot would be crossing on June 3^rd. But they were not interested to hear any such news. At 2015hrs. we were unlocking the front door. And now the hectic city life is upon us! I have often yearned over the last month for the simplistic boat life that had become our life for 8 months!