The weather cooperated enough for some offshore runs, but not enough for any overnights yet. Tom tells me that yesterday (it could have been the day before), they took a 30 degree roll. Everything that wasn't already put down, was now down, including my birds from Amelia Island. I'll need to sharpen my surgical skills and re-attach a head and a beak or two when I get aboard. I told those men not to trash my boat, so what do they do..........?
They had some excitement today when the Coast Guard pulled up alongside them while they were underway and announced that they were going to board Serenity. Poor Tom, that must have been a moment he'll not soon forget. Mike was cool, he's been this way before, but it was a first for Tom - at least where his personal boat is concerned. Serenity got a clean bill of health - we were asked to remove the "gift wrap" from our fire extinguishers, but otherwise all was shipshape. Here's Tom after the "boarding". He looks pretty cool.
So that you're not bored with too many words and not enough pictures, I asked the captains to take some pictures. "Of what" was Mike's first response. I can only tell you the part of my answer that's fit to print - "the scenery, what else?" They obliged me with a few boring pictures, but at least they did get some.
This is a photo of the carriers, Enterprise and Lincoln, I think somewhere in the Virginia area. Of course they just sent the photos without identifying the location, so I had to guess. At least we have a caption, so we know what we're looking at!
After over 950 miles, Serenity got thirsty, so the boys found a nice fuel dock so she could refresh herself.
Since like many of the places they found themselves in, this marina was the only game in town; because it was late, they were permitted to remain at the fuel dock overnight. Meanwhile, I get a text alert from Chase indicating that there may have been a fraudulent use of our card. Apparently Serenity's "drink" cost over $900 and since it was for fuel in North Carolina as opposed to Bloomingdales in New York, they got suspicious. Can't say I blame them - that purchase was clearly out of our spending pattern.
Some places they've visited/passed along the way, heading south out of NY: Cape May in NJ, the C & D Canal, Annapolis, Solomons Island, then onto Norfolk, several marinas in North Carolina - I think places I've heard are Coinjock (THE place for the best prime rib this side of the Mississippi), Alligator River, Bellhaven....
Some of their days have been as long as 18 hours. When you cruise in a trawler at this time of year, the going is slower than usual due to uncooperative weather and short days. When they're not "outside", they're subject to the traffic, bridges and wake zones of the inland waterways. At least they travel in comfort - they've been able to watch the college football games they both enjoy, eat decently and are warm at night. I don't dare ask if they've been doing laundry, but I do know they've been sampling the stocked-to-the-gills wine fridge at night. I can tell you that they have not been very diligent with the sort of baths Serenity is used to. They had the nerve to send me this picture of Serenity's waterway moustache.
The plan is to get Serenity to Southport in South Carolina before Thanksgiving so Mike can jump off and visit family in FL for the holiday. They'll get underway again a week from today. Once that happens, they'll be able to give me their ETA in Jacksonville, FL where I will be waiting at the marina to be picked up. The plan is for me to complete the trip to Stuart with the boys and get some helm time in along with docking and whatever else I can learn in that time. The "whatever" may require that the captain be tranquilized, but that's what Mike is for. It's a known fact that few husbands can teach their wives anything, and Tom is no exception to that rule. Since Mike is aboard, is a captain, has a Krogen of his own - and is not my husband - voila! The perfect recipe for a wonderful learning experience.
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