For the past couple of weeks we have been on the run! Until a couple of days ago pretty much every day has been a long travel day. Some days we have traveled as many as eleven hours! But now we are slowing down again, taking some time to relax and enjoy the scenery and the culture. We are finally “cruising” again.

We left our anchorage early on the 24^th and traveled to Port Royal Landing Marina near Beaufort, SC. It was a terrible day as far as weather was concerned. When we arrived at the marina it was raining sideways and the wind was blowing so hard that it blew a huge sign off its post, breaking it into three sharp pieces, and nearly impaling John as we tied up. We had to leave the stabilizers on at the dock because the waves were bouncing us around so much. Finally the wind subsided and we had a comfortable night at least.

Enjoying what seemed to be an airshow just for us along the ICWThe beautiful scenery along the waterway.

The next day we traveled along the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) to the lovely Church Street anchorage in South Carolina. As always, the ICW continues to be lovely and fascinating. On this day, we were entertained by some fighter jets, the F22 Raptors. They flew in large circles overhead as we traveled the otherwise uninhabited and gorgeous river of the waterway. We continued our long days on the 26^th to another anchorage where we were the only boaters to be found, the Awendaw anchorage in South Carolina.

AfterMath docked next to the restaurant at Wacca Wache MarinaThis gentleman was a great entertainer.Tiffany was a lot of fun!Our view from AfterMath of the restaurant.

Beginning to feel as though we lost the fun of experiencing new places due to our long, ten and eleven hour trips, we happened upon Wacca Wache Marina in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina. There we found again the peace and relaxation that cruising is meant to bring. A tiny marina with a cute little restaurant right on the ICW, we were helped to dock by a friendly staff in a cedar lined inlet that was just what we needed. We went to the restaurant, right next to AfterMath, and were told we would have a 20 minute wait, but that we could go sit on our boat and they would call us when they were ready. A lovely lady named Tiffany, who was also a teacher in her past, served our dinner and we had so much fun bantering with her and enjoying the life we love so much.

Every day brings new and changing scenery.  It’s what makes the waterway so much fun.
The homes along the ICW vary from tiny to huge.The only pirates we have seen in the past two years have been aboard these friendly looking ships.It was Memorial Day weekend and everyone was out to enjoy the water.

Recharged after our night at Wacca Wache Marina, we excitedly traveled through the busy waterway and on to Southport, North Carolina. Besides changing states, we especially looked forward to meeting up with our good friends, Vera and Rolf Redin and Jan Kirk. We had seen them all a couple of weeks earlier for Don Kirk’s memorial service in Bethel, CT, but now it was time to see them at their home. Vera and Rolf had us all at their house for a wonderful cookout for Monday, which was Memorial Day, and the next day the five of us gathered on AfterMath for some fresh caught shrimp before heading out to a fun dinner together at Fishy Fishy, a restaurant in Southport. As always, seeing friends along the way is a highlight of this vagabond life we lead, and seeing our friends of more than 40 years along the way was the best imaginable.

A tiny island with a flag, a fake palm tree, and a parking meter.  The crazy ICW!

The retired tanks turned target practice in Camp Lejeune

We had some work done on AfterMath in Southport, as we had a leaking impeller housing (don’t worry, I don’t know what that means either), and then set out for one of John’s favorite anchorages, which is near Camp Lejeune. In the past there have been a lot of helicopters flying around that anchorage, but we really didn’t see too many the day we arrived. There are, however, some pretty interesting tanks and military vehicles on the grounds of the camp, and we passed them the following day. I commented to John that they looked pretty disintegrated, but he thought they might have been used for target practice. With a further look at the pictures, I found he was right. They are so full of bullet holes that they look like lace!

Our beautiful, calm anchorage for the night.

On June 3^rd we once again arrived at an anchorage where we were the only boat around. It was a long and winding path to get in, but it was absolutely gorgeous. In the morning, the water looked like glass, with perfect reflections and we hated to pull anchor. Outside the anchorage there stood a sailboat in the mist. From our perspective it seemed that the boat was floating in air. There was no distinction between water and sky. I wished I had stopped and asked him for his email address so I could have sent him his picture; sail boaters love pictures of their boats.

The next day brought us down the Pungo – Alligator River Canal, a wonderful stretch of the waterway through beautiful forests and flatlands. In the evening we arrived at the Alligator River Marina, a marina we had stopped at several years ago with Jeff’s boat. We spent the night there before crossing the Albemarle Sound. Years ago this sound was a big deal to me. I would put a patch on and hope for calm seas and light winds. This time we both said to each other, “It’s not the Mona Passage!” It’s funny how your perspective changes.

Coinjock Marina

Monday night was spent in Coinjock, NC. Coinjock is a eclectic place that is loved by cruisers. It is an extremely helpful marina, very dog friendly, and has a cute little store and a nice restaurant that is famous for its prime rib. We decided to try out the roast beef that night and we were not disappointed. You can get the 16 ounce or 32 ounce cuts; we both chose the 16-ounce and brought leftovers home for the next day. The beef was great, but equally wonderful were the homemade potato chips and ranch dressing they serve while you are waiting for your dinner. I probably could have made a meal out of them!

Enjoying the park at the Atlantic Yacht Basin

You never know what you may find along the way.  Here, right next to our boat at the park,  we found a Hump Day Food Truck Day in Chesapeake, VA.

The fireboat bringing Chessie, a mascot bear, to the food fest.

On June 6^th, we made our way to our first stop in Virginia. We arrived at the Atlantic Yacht Basin Marina where we bought diesel fuel to last us through our summer cruise on the Chesapeake Bay. Interestingly, there we found a couple of brokers who knew our boat before it was AfterMath. They had listed it for the previous owners and recognized it immediately. It was fun to talk to the men and tell them about our great adventures so far.   We stayed at the marina that night, but the next day, as the weather looked dreary, we moved across the river to the free dock at the lovely park there. I was so happy to get off and check out the park and then to take Kirby for a nice long walk in the woods yesterday afternoon. I kept thinking how the trees have changed throughout our voyage. We have been from Connecticut, to Canada, to Grenada and now up the ICW. We’ve moved from deciduous trees to pine forests, to palm trees and back to pine trees. Anyway, it was a lovely to walk in the perfectly maintained park along the water where magnolia trees grew and bloomed wildly and fragrantly, and the pine trees grew tall and green.

This is a sign at the one lock we needed to pass through after leaving Coinjock.  It raises you only four feet but it was the slowest lock we have ever experienced.  We were sure that the 60 foot ones in Canada took far less time.Norfolk, VA is always a fascinating place to travel through.  Boats of every kind are there.  This year we went through as they were preparing for a Harbor Fest.

Of course, we always love the many kinds of aircraft we see as well.The Coast Guard Eagle – a treat to see.We found ourselves anchored right in the middle of a sailboat race!

Today, June 8^th, we continued up the ICW through Norfolk, VA. Norfolk is always fun and interesting to see. Lots of ships, busy air traffic, and the city make the trip fun. It is so amazing how much of America you can see just on this waterway along the coast. The scenery is always changing. Tonight we find ourselves in an anchorage that is frequented by helicopters, airplanes, and a sailboat race. Today we passed by Navy ships and tall ships as they prepare for the Norfolk Harbor Fest. Tomorrow we enter the Chesapeake Bay, our goal for the summer. We left Grenada on October 30^th and have traveled 2974 nautical miles, or 3422 statute miles, since that time. Our days are filled with beauty and variety, and that is wonderful. We do miss some important things, like our granddaughter’s very first dance recital, which is breaking my heart (break a leg, Madison, we love you so much). Life is a trade off though and, all in all, I will never regret taking this trip of a lifetime.

Here is where we are today:

It was time for a vacation. It sounds strange to say, but it was time to visit family and friends and so we took a vacation. We left AfterMath at Lamb’s Yacht Center in Jacksonville, FL where the annual maintenance was taking place, and after spending a couple of days at Kelly and Craig’s house, we hopped in our rental car and started on our way. First stop, Annapolis.

Rush and Walt were happy helping to plant flowers in the yard.Ford’s only job was to look cute for a quick photo shoot.

John had not yet met Ford, our newest grandson, then two weeks old, so that was our first mission. Walter and Rush, Ford’s big brothers, hadn’t seen John since Christmas and they were thrilled to show off their new baby. They love to talk with John about boats and planes so “Bop” was whisked away quickly so the three could catch up. There was also a lot of landscaping going on at Jeff and Sarah’s house and I was happy to get my hands back in the soil again. Walt and Rush were great helpers with planting and giving those new little plants an extra fertilizer boost.

Don Kirk is sorely missed by this group of good friends.  We have been through everything together from the time we all met and were having babies till now, when we are all grandparents.  It is a group of friends like none other.

As the week ended it was time for another road trip, this time to Connecticut. One of our dear friends, Don Kirk, passed away last September. He and Jan moved to North Carolina a couple of years ago, but a memorial in our hometown of Bethel was planned for Saturday, May 6^th. We didn’t want to miss it. Jeff wanted to attend too, so the three of us started on our way shortly after dinner late Friday afternoon. Saturday morning we went to breakfast in the town in which all of our children we raised, passing by familiar sights and the house that we called home for 28 years. The service was lovely. Jeff enjoyed seeing old friends from school and we loved seeing our “gourmet group”, an incredibly close group of seven couples who met as young adults and grew up together as much as our kids did. Jeff stayed at his friend Greg’s house Saturday night and, after a fun dinner in town with the gourmet group, we went to John’s brother, Jim’s, and sister-in-law, Julie’s house in Southbury, CT.

Stacey and her horse, LucyJust another horse at the barn – but who could resist this face?Jeff and Stephen.  Two great guys!

We loved having time with Jim and Julie. On Sunday, Jeff transferred to their house as well.  After Julie and I made a visit to the barn where our niece, Stacey, keeps her horse, we were all able to spend time with Stacey and our nephew, Stephen, for Sunday night dinner.

From the top of Mohawk Mountain in Connecticut

Jeff moved on to see his friend’s new farm in Newtown, CT on Monday and then continued on to Groton to see another friend graduate from Officers Candidate School at the Coast Guard Academy.  John and I  took a nice ride with Jim and Julie through Litchfield and the surrounding areas, and ate lunch at an eclectic little restaurant. Later, after we returned to Southbury, another of John’s brothers, Rich, and his girlfriend, Kathy, stopped by on their way back to Newport, R. I. from Florida.

Brothers!  When Rush gets stuck, Walt gives a helping push with his four-wheeler.Yes, that’s John on Walt’s four-wheeler.  Some things you are just never too old for.Serious fence building taking place here.After a day of hard work a hot dog roast and s’mores cooked outside on the fireplace are the perfect dinner.It was a rainy day, but Jeff and Sarah found the perfect place for us to do a photo shoot – the Naval Academy, right near their house.John thought of asking Jeff to get our picture with the grandchildren.  I am so happy to have this.It is oh, so hard to not be silly!

Tuesday afternoon, Jeff picked us up and we drove back to Annapolis. For the next couple of days we just enjoyed our time with Jeff and Sarah and the boys. John and Jeff worked on building a fence, I got some time to take some pictures, and we both got to spend some fun time with our grandsons.

Saturday, May 13, came too quickly and we were on a plane back to Jacksonville. The fun part was that Kelly and the kids picked us up at the airport. We went back to her house for a little while to visit before getting Kirby at the animal clinic where Kelly is a veterinarian. We returned back to AfterMath that evening, but we only had to wait to the next day to get to spend time with her family again on Mother’s Day.

Madison just couldn’t resist getting right into the tide-pool, dress and all.Carter makes everyone smile wherever he goes.  Michaela is getting so grown up these days.  It’s hard to believe she will be 10 this summer!The perfect way to spend Mother’s Day.  With family and on the beach.

Mother’s Day was warm and beautiful, unlike the weather we experienced in Maryland and Connecticut, so we piled into Kelly and Craig’s van and went to Fernandina Beach. There we had a wonderful lunch and then walked along the beach. The children played in tide pools, of course getting wet and sandy, and we all had a wonderful time.

And finally, we had our picture taken with Kelly’s kids after dinner on AfterMath.

Monday was spent provisioning the boat again, and, as Kelly chauffeured me around to do so, we were able to spend the day together. There was shuffling of kids between school and dance class, but we ended up aboard AfterMath for a pizza dinner with the grandchildren. Of course it was sad to say goodbye again, but we are so happy we will be seeing them in just a few weeks when the whole family will gather at Jeff and Sarah’s house for the Fourth of July weekend.

It was great fun watching this helicopter practicing in Brunswick, GA

As always, it took a couple more days for the boat to be ready with last minute adjustments and fixes, but we didn’t get to see kids again as there was school and work for them to attend. On Friday we left Jacksonville and started our way north, stopping along the way at various anchorages in Georgia. In Brunswick, where we stopped to fuel for the first time since the east coast of Puerto Rico, we were entertained by a Coast Guard helicopter’s practice right near us. Today we are near Savannah, the only boat in an anchorage, waiting for some thunderstorms to pass by.

The waters are different here than in the Caribbean for sure, but we are happy to be here, nearer our family and in calm seas.  Everyday is still an adventure.  There is so much to see!  We are now looking forward to our weekend in early July with all of family at Jeff’s house in Annapolis,  We haven’t seen Jason and Lisa since we got back, as they were sticking close to home awaiting the birth of Lisa’s daughter, Ashley’s baby, Jace, who just arrived last Wednesday!  It’s so hard to get everyone together with births, work, school, and activities, but we will do it and I can’t wait!

Here is where we are today:

John drove me to Ft. Lauderdale on April 16^th to catch my plane to Annapolis. It was exciting to think that I was leaving AfterMath and would return just a few days later with our sixth grandchild as part of our world. My flight went well and Jeff picked me up in Baltimore the day before the new little guy’s arrival, which happened to be Easter Sunday. After a fun evening with Jeff, Sarah, Walt, Rush and Sarah’s parents, Mike and Susie, everyone scurried about packing and getting ready for the new baby who was scheduled to be delivered the following day.

Walt Rush

Ford’s arrival.  April 17, 2017

On the morning of Monday, the 17^th I enjoyed playing with Walt and Rush while the rest of the crew headed off to the hospital. Around noon I received a message that Sarah and Jeff were moving to the delivery room so I handed the boys off to Diana, their new au pair, and made my way to the hospital. Although it was just a couple of hours it seemed like a long time until those of us who were grandparents were actually called to the room where we could finally get our hands on the newest little boy of the Daigle and Dunn families. Ford Nelson Daigle was perfect at 7 pounds 8 ounces and 19 ½ inches long. Just a short time later Susie and Mike went back to the house and picked up the big brothers and the family of five was together for the first time.

Ford came home wearing the outfit John picked out for Jeff’s homecoming 35 years ago.

Walt loves his 4-WheelerSilliness with brothers!

For the next couple of days there was some shuttling about back and forth to the hospital so everyone could have a chance to visit and cuddle with Ford. Sarah and the baby came home on Wednesday, much to everyone’s delight. Both mother and baby are healthy and well and we are forever grateful that we have a new grandson to round out the Jeff and Sarah Daigle family.

AfterMath at the dock with a big sister LRC.

Thursday, April 20^th, came quickly and I was back on a plane headed to Ft. Lauderdale. I took an Uber back to North Palm Beach and climbed back aboard AfterMath that night. Early the following morning we left our dock and started back up the ICW. It was a beautiful day outside and we enjoyed our views of the waterway as we moved along to Fort Pierce. There we found an anchorage in Faber Cove and we dropped an anchor. As soon as we thought we were settled we got a call on the VHF radio from a homeowner on the cove. He saw us in our Hatteras LRC and offered his dock for us to tie up to. One side of the dock was already taken by his 58 foot Hatteras LRC, but he kept the other side open for visitors of this type of boat. We pulled anchor and took him up on his kind offer; Vince and his wife Mary were wonderful hosts. We enjoyed our visit with them in their home and loved seeing the two sister type boats together.

Traveling along the ICW

The beach at Marineland

Over the next couple of days we moved along and anchored at the Pinada Causeway, then in Titusville. On April 24^th we planned to anchor, but the winds were really blowing so we pulled into Halifax Harbor Marina where we met up with Jason and Lisa a little over a year ago. The following morning we continued up the coast to Marineland Marina, a quirky little spot that we stopped in on the way south. Across the street from the marina is a truly gorgeous beach and Kirby and I spent some time there that afternoon.

The bridge near Marineland is beautifully decorated.It was interesting to see some of the damage left by Hurricane Matthew, the hurricane that we were happy to dodge back in Grenada over the summer.The lighthouse at St. AugustineSt. Augustine is very picturesque from the water.

Several years ago, while sailing the ICW with Jeff, we saw just grass from the low vantage point of the cockpit of Prerequisite.  Here, I went to the fly bridge to see what we had missed.There is always something different to see along the way.Getting close to Jacksonville.One of the most fun sunsets I have ever photographed.Our view from the dock at the Metro Marina.

Continuing along, on the 26^th we made it to St. Augustine where we picked up a mooring for the night. The following day we continued up the ICW to the St. John’s River and tied up at the Metro Marina in Jacksonville. This marina is a real treasure for cruisers. Unless there is an event, boaters are welcome to tie up at the lovely docks for free and, if you want to plug into electricity, the fee is nominal. We witnessed a spectacular sunset that evening and really enjoyed our stay next to the sports complex there.

Heading to Lambs Yacht Center

Finally on the 28^th we made it to our destination for a couple of weeks, Lambs Yacht Center in Jacksonville. Before long Kelly came to pick us up. She took us to run a few errands and then drove us to the airport where we rented a car for our stay in the area.

At the butterfly festival

Michaela on Peaches.Kelly’s turn

On Saturday, while John worked on the boat a bit, Kelly and I took Michaela, Carter, and Madison to a butterfly festival at a nearby nature center in town. We had a wonderful time with all of the crafts and displays there, and, of course, loved the main event of being able to visit with all the butterflies in the enclosure. Everyone had dinner together that evening and we were happy being with our family again. Sunday, April 30^th, Kelly picked me up again and we went to watch Michaela’s horseback riding lesson. Not only did Michaela ride, but so did Kelly. This was great fun for me, as I hadn’t seen Kelly ride since she was not much older than Michaela is now. It was an altogether great day.

AfterMath was hauled on Monday, May 1^st to clean and check the bottom as well as to replace zincs and to paint the running gear. We moved out for the event and spent the next couple of nights at Kelly and Craig’s house. Kirby finally got to a groomer on Tuesday, and we prepared for our next journey – a road trip to Maryland and Connecticut that was to start on May 3^rd.

So, after all of our time overseas, and after loving being in all of those islands, we still are finding it wonderful to be near family and to enjoy the ease of being back in the states. We look at our pictures of our time in the Caribbean and those of our friends still there with a bit of whimsy, but we know we have lots more time aboard AfterMath and our adventure is far from over. We love our vagabond life and we are not ready to move back to land yet!

Many boaters choose to go on the “outside”. The “outside” means traveling along the coast on the Atlantic Ocean. For us, there is nothing better than doing “the Ditch”, otherwise known as the Intracoastal Waterway, or the ICW. After a year of passages where we saw nothing but water between islands, we love the sights and scenery the ICW offers. There is always something to look at, people wave hello all along the way, and the water is calm and easy to travel. There are, however, especially in south Florida, a lot of bridges! We are too tall to pass underneath almost all of them, so we need to time our arrivals carefully. Now, for me, who gets to sit on the bow and enjoy the ride, this is no issue at all, but John must control our speed to hurry up to make an opening or slow down so we don’t arrive too early. Still, the ICW is a joy and I can never understand why anyone would not want to cruise it.

Just a couple of the amazing homes along the waterway in Ft. LauderdaleSo much boat traffic!Iguanas thrive in south FloridaIf you look really closely you will see a real iguana on the head of this alligator statue.On the water taxi.The home of Wendy, from the restaurant, Wendy’sThe beach, which was just one block from the marina, is so different from those we have been visiting lately.Taking time to enjoy happy hour at Coconuts.This boat was docked right across from us in the marina.  It used to belong to Johnny Depp but is currently owned by JK Rowlings.

We decided to spend a couple of days in Ft. Lauderdale. We again needed some relaxation time, we needed to check back in with Customs and Immigration, we needed to re-provision, and we wanted to take a little time to see the sights. Although we called in to Immigration when we first arrived, we were told that we needed to report to the office within 24 hours. To get there we took our first Uber ride, which worked out OK. Not great, but OK. Our first driver arrived earlier than expected and left before we got to the pick up point so we were charged a cancellation fee, and our return driver took the longest way home possible, thereby doubling our fee. Both were straightened out soon afterwards, however. The following day we used another convenience new to us since we left the states: grocery delivery by Publix supermarket. What a difference that was from shopping in tiny Caribbean markets and shops. The same day as grocery shopping we decided to do a little sight seeing. The water taxis that move around the city are really mini tours and a great way to hear about all of the rich and famous people who live or lived on the waterway. We boarded one of these yellow water taxis and enjoyed the ride.

Leaving Ft. Lauderdale on AfterMathThis statue is in honor of the owner’s father, a race car driver who died in a crash

Wednesday, April 12^th, we traveled up the ICW, enjoying looking around at the amazing homes and boats that line the waterway. It is so difficult to believe that so many people have so much wealth! Thursday we arrived in Lake Worth and spent two nights at anchor before moving today into Old Port Cove Marina. Tomorrow I will leave for Annapolis to greet our new grandson while John will stay here until I get back. No fear, though, John will get to meet the new little guy in a couple of weeks when we drive up to Maryland again.

For now, here is where we are today.

Our friend, Scott, is writing an article about sailors who have given up sailing and bought a trawler, and we were interviewed by him.  He asked for a picture of us so I set up the tripod and here we are.

The push was on. Our goal to return to the states by April 1^st was looking pretty unlikely to be met. Holding up our newest grandson’s arrival in the middle of April was not a possibility, so we were off and on our way. Of course, as always, we needed to be respectful to Mother Nature and her whims; this meant pushing a lot harder through the Bahamas than we might have otherwise, but we made a firm vow that we will cruise to  those islands again and next time we will take it slow!

The inlet to the West Caicos anchorage.Sun sets over the Turks and Caicos.

We left Southside Marina in the Turks and Caicos on March 29^th and traveled to a beautiful little anchorage in West Caicos. The island is completely uninhabited except by a security guard. In the recent past, Ritz-Carlton planned a luxury resort there, but all progress on the development was halted in 2008. Although we didn’t see it, the island is a good site for diving and apparently for flamingos, turtles, and other wildlife. For us, it was a quiet and lovely place to spend a night before setting off to the Bahamas.

We met a wonderful family of five who were living on a catamaran along the way.  Their boys loved jumping from the top of our fly bridge, which is 20 feet off the water.

Sunset at MayaguanaA painted sky sunset at Acklin Island.

Sunrise at Acklin IslandThis rock is known as “Elephant Rock” and is at the entrance of Little Harbor, Acklin Island

The next night we anchored in Abrahams Bay, Mayaguana, our first Bahamas stop. The anchorage there is a bit rolly, but the water is just so beautiful that we didn’t mind as much as we might have otherwise. The following day we made our way to Little Harbor on Acklin Island, another gorgeous place to stay for the evening.  Continuing the push, we traveled to Clarence Town, Bahamas on April 1^st. At this point we were beginning to get a bit exhausted from our long days with their corresponding early mornings.

When we arrived in Georgetown on the 2^nd of April we knew we had to take a couple of days to get a little rest in. Not yet cleared into the Bahamas, the next morning, after sleeping a little later than 5:45 AM, we put the dinghy in and John set off for town. In every country we had visited over the past year, including the Bahamas, only the captain was allowed off the boat until checked in, so John took all the paperwork with him and went to shore to take care of the job. Of course, this time, they wanted to see me as well, so before long John was back and we were off to shore together. This all worked out well, though, as I stopped at the market to get a few things that were on my grocery list. We stayed another day so John could change the oil on AfterMath’s engines and we could take a little dinghy ride around the harbor to say goodbye to some friends we had met in the Turks and Caicos who were ready to fly back to Georgia.

Here they come!One of many caves on the shore of Big Major Spot

After a couple of days of projects and recuperating, we started out again on our marathon journey home. Our next move, on April 5^th, was to Big Major Spot where we anchored and once again visited with the swimming pigs. Before we started our journey, this was one of the attractions I was most excited about, but when I met the pigs with food in hand a year or so ago, I found them to be pretty aggressive and generally obnoxious. This time we had read that some irresponsible tourists had given the creatures alcohol and several had died. We also thought you were no longer able to feed the pigs, so we went to shore with no food in hand. This turned out to be a good decision. They swam out to meet us but when they found that we were just offering pats instead of bread, they were much better behaved and much more agreeable to be around.

One of my favorite stops on the way south was at Allen’s Cay where the beach is loaded with iguanas that come to see what you have to offer. This was my only real request of where to stop on the way north and time and direction wise, it worked out very well. This time I brought a cut up apple and some long wooden skewers to the beach and truly enjoyed feeding those prehistoric looking lizards.

Thanks to Allen Roberts, who sent us this great picture taken from his drone at Rose Island

Another early morning departure with our new friends.It’s always nice to buddy boat with others, and these people were great company.The Atlantis, Paradise Island, Nassau

Once again, back on the rat race, the next stop was at Rose Island on April 7^th, a tiny island near Nassau and Paradise Island. We loved the anchorage where the water was calm and clear, as it always is in the Bahamas and where we enjoyed the sight of the busy islands near us with their thousands of lights shining from the buildings at night.

Chub Cay for a short stopover.Another drone picture by Allen RobertsWhile Allen photographed AfterMath by drone, I photographed his drone.

Ft. Lauderdale!  It just seemed a world away from the Bahamas.This sandbar is actually a privately owned island.  The owner pays $2400 a year in taxes.

Then came Saturday. We planned on stopping on Chub Cay, a long enough ride from Rose Island, but John did another weather check and it became pretty apparent that if we stopped for the night we would not be able to make it back to the states for a long time. At this point I had a ticket to fly from Ft. Lauderdale to Annapolis so that I could be present at the new baby’s birth, and we were going to do everything we could for me to be on that plane. It seemed the only way to make it happen was to keep on going all the way to Florida. We stopped for about 3 hours at Chub Cay to time our Ft. Lauderdale arrival well and headed out on yet another overnight.  Thankfully, the moon was shining and it was calm.  After 31 hours of driving the speed of a riding lawn mower, we pulled into Ft. Lauderdale only to find that the docks were all full due to an annual music festival called Tortuga Fest. Persistence paid off, though, as I took over the calls. I was able to find one marina where a boat had just left for the weekend. Thankfully, we could dock and get some much needed rest.

As for the plans to meet our new grandson, I will fly up on Sunday and return on Thursday, thereby allowing me to cuddle with him right from day one. John will stay on AfterMath with Kirby as we really didn’t have any idea where we would be at the time, but he will get to meet the little guy in a couple of weeks when we will go to see Jeff, Sarah and family and also take a trip to Connecticut for the memorial of a dear friend of ours.

So, we are still a little worse for wear as there always seem to be more time limits that you would think of two retired boaters, but we love our life and wouldn’t trade it for the world.

When cruising, sometimes you hurry and sometimes you wait. Flexibility and adaptability are the keys to the life we lead. As far as I am concerned, as long as I have a beach or a pool, a good book, and a few other cruisers to chat with, I am pretty much content. Good Wi-Fi makes life even better, especially for checking the weather that determines our progress. Oh, and a drinkable water supply in a marina and a nearby grocery store help too!

The infinity pool at Puerto BahiaFunny about that life jacket.  The guide said it was a law that we wore them on the tour boat.  However, the boat’s engine broke down and they sent out a new boat for us.  We were told to leave our life jackets behind and, when on the the new boat, we noticed we were not required to have life jackets.  When we asked about the difference we were told that the captain of the new boat forgot to bring them.  We traveled for the rest of the day with no life preservers while the broken boat returned to shore with plenty.  That’s life in the DR.Some scenes from Los Haities National Park in Samana, DRA male Magnificent Frigate bird during breeding season.The female Magnificent Frigates.Our guide, CarlosOne of the caves in the parkCave drawings.

The strangest pina colada ever.  It had a whole pineapple crushed into the drink.That’s a lot of chairs at the beach on Cayo Laventado.John demonstrating how to relax a little.Leaving Cayo Laventado.

After spending more than a week in the lovely Cap Cana resort near Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic, the winds and waves were finally favorable for us to leave on March 12^th, for our next stop at Puerto Bahia in Samana, also in the DR. The twelve-hour day trip was a comfortable and easy ride and we were happy we waited for such good conditions. We stayed at this beautiful spot on our way south and I was more than happy to once again visit the gorgeous infinity pool on the grounds. However, a big reason to return to Samana was to see the Los Haities National Park, which we did not have time for previously. Although this park must be reached by water and has a lovely anchorage, we decided to play tourist for the day; therefore, we took a cab to the city and boarded a fast boat along with the other tourists for a fun trip to the park and the nearby island, Cayo Lavantado. It was a wonderful day and we were happy that our knowledgeable and fun tour guide, Carlos, guided us through the sights.

Although I wouldn’t have minded staying at Puerto Bahia longer, the weather dictated that it was time to leave for Ocean World in Puerto Plata, DR on March 15^th. This was to be the first of the overnight trips we would do on our return trip to the states. As you may remember, we really didn’t like traveling through the night on our way south and none of the trips we did at that time were in especially calm seas. I worried again, put on a patch to quell as much seasickness as possible, and we set off for the seventeen and one-half hour trip to our next stop. To clarify why we would go so far at a time, the coast of the Dominican Republic does not have good anchorages and the distance between ports is long. We always need to leave a port in daylight and arrive at the next port in daylight. A trip of the length of Samana to Ocean World, therefore, requires an overnight voyage. A lot of cruisers don’t mind continuing through the night, but I really have trouble staying awake during my normal sleeping hours and John gets the brunt of the trip placed on him. I believe I only stayed at the helm for a couple of hours during the whole time, but John was a great sport about it and, aside from a slightly rough sea in the beginning, we had a good ride to Ocean World overall.

Ocean World is an unusual place that is made up of a marine theme park, a casino, a couple of restaurants, a timeshare, and a beautiful pool. Last time we were there we were able to use the pool as long as we purchased a drink from the bar. This time I was told that new owners took over and the pool could only be used if I paid $30 a day per person. Of course I was not going to pay that fee, so my opinion of the marina decreased quite a bit. I did get to go to the grocery store in town, though, as the store sends a car to pick up cruisers. My ride turned out to be quite a tour of Puerto Plata as the driver, who spoke only Spanish, told me we needed to stop by his house; once there I had to meet his son and see his granddaughter. He dropped me off at the store and then picked me up a half hour later. From there we stopped at several other places where he picked up items and dropped them off along the way. Motorcycles are tremendously popular in the DR and don’t seem very safe. During our drive we saw a crash between two of the vehicles, but everyone was all right. I have to say that I wondered what I got myself into for a while, but I did get to see a lot of the town and I arrived back safely to the marina a couple of hours after leaving.

Along the Caicos Bank

John took this shot of his view from the helm.

We left the Dominican Republic from Ocean World on March 19^th for a twenty-four and one-half hour crossing to the Turks and Caicos. Once again we traveled overnight, but it was a very easy crossing and, with John doing all but three and one-half hours of the work, I got plenty of rest and relaxation. After the one hundred and ten mile Atlantic Ocean crossing we arrived in the Caicos Bank with forty miles more to go. There I was back on the bow in the sunlight enjoying the beautiful sight (I always stay inside when it is dark out). This is an area that is calm and lovely, stretching about forty miles in length and twenty miles in width. It is full of reefs, preventing a straight course; the water is shallow, at about eight feet deep, and crystal clear turquoise blue. The blue sky is so clear and the color so deep that it almost looks violet and I am reminded that so many colors in nature blend in spectacular ways.

In Providenciales, Turks and Caicos, we docked at South Side Marina, a friendly little spot where we stayed almost a year ago now. The owner, Bob, guided us in by radio, as the entrance is very tricky and narrow. In fact, since we have been here we have watched a few others run aground and be stuck right outside the channel. Safely tied up we soon filled the boat with water again. None of the water at marinas is safe to drink in the Dominican Republic and, although we carry about 400 gallons of water on AfterMath, it took us a long time to get from Puerto Rico where we filled up last. We use our water in our tanks for drinking as well as everything else, so we did not want to contaminate it with the water that was not safe. This meant that, as time went on, we started showering at the marinas and I stopped doing laundry aboard. It was nice to know that we could fill up our tanks again and have plenty of water again.

At the fish fry.Note that this gentleman is playing a rusty saw.

Wednesday night at South Side Marina is barbeque and potluck dinner night, so we joined in and enjoyed the company of other cruisers. On Thursday night we attended the local fish fry at a nearby beach; it is a loud and crowded event that is more like a street fair than anything else. We enjoyed the food and the music and the company we had with other cruisers we met at the marina.

The tidal lake across the street from the marina.  There is a gentleman out here on the right fishing for bonefish.The view from Bob’s Bar.Some views from the hill next to the marina.A few shots taken from the path around the marina.

While again waiting for good weather, we have had fun visiting with others, taking a walk to the tidal lake across the street from the marina, and taking a look at the spectacular view from the hill next to us. Tomorrow we will leave South Side and anchor at Sapodilla Bay in preparation for our 60-mile trip that will bring us back to the Bahamas. We are anxious to get back, of course, but I have to admit that I am starting to realize I will miss these amazing places we have been visiting over the past year in the Caribbean.

Today I end with this quote:

You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment. Fools stand on their island opportunities and look toward another land. There is no other land, there is no other life but this. ~ Henry David Thoreau

 This is where we are today:

The day finally arrived: the day for the Dreaded Mona Passage. We moved AfterMath away from the dock on Saturday, February 25^th and anchored just outside the marina so we wouldn’t have to deal with dock lines or worry about waking others who were sleeping when we started our engines early Sunday morning. I was prepared with a scopolamine patch stuck behind my ear, medication that helps prevent seasickness. Every item, both inside and outside the boat, that could move when a wave hit was secured, put in a cabinet, placed down on the floor, and otherwise tied up. I even stowed my cameras because I was sure I wouldn’t be using them for this leg of the trip. We had a cup of coffee as we waited for enough light to pick our way out of the bay, and then we entered it: The Dreaded Mona Passage. But then there was nothing. No waves, no wind, not even a whitecap for almost the whole way across. While I knew John would pick a great day, you just never know on this dangerous stretch of water, and I had myself all worked up for nothing at all. I sat outside and read for the entire eleven hours it took us to make our way from Puerto Real in Puerto Rico to Cap Cana in the Dominican Republic. The weather was perfect, as was the sea, and one more passage going north and west proved to be much kinder than going south and east.

We arrived at Cap Cana in the late afternoon and were met by the friendly dockhands and dock master there. As soon as we were tied up, Frank, the dock master asked me if I would put Kirby on a leash so he could take him for a little walk. Of course I obliged and Kirby and Frank had a great time while John and I got ready for the visit of the Customs and Immigration people. In the Dominican Republic, before you leave the boat, a group of varying numbers shows up and boards your boat. We had a party of five that included Customs, Immigration, Department of Agriculture, the Navy, and the Port Captain. Everyone had their papers to check and their fees to charge, of course. Also, it is expected that tips should be given to all who “visit”.

The beaches at Cap CanaA pool at the beachThe lovely scenery and pools around Cap CanaAt the marina.  AfterMath is over on the right.Most of the bikes around the marina are not locked, but this one is locked to an anchor.  Pretty creative for a marina bike!John and Kirby walking through the section known as the Fishing Village at Cap Cana

Cap Cana was easy to settle into. We were eager to walk around and explore on Monday morning and it wasn’t long until we realized that the marina is just a tiny part of this huge development that right now includes condos, schools, spas, five star hotels, restaurants, golf courses, beaches, an adventure park, and much more. It is a home base for fishing boats that seem to constantly bring in red snapper and huge mahi-mahi. The area is also famous for the excellent sailfish and marlin fishing and boats leave daily with tourists who want to try their hand at catching these sport fish.  What is currently on the property is just the beginning, however, as there is endless land still to be developed. For us, though, it quickly became obvious that we would be enjoying the area for a while as the waves for our next 80 mile leg were predicted to be in the 10 to 12 foot range for the foreseeable future.  Therefore, we adjusted our plans and knew we would stay in this safe marina for a couple of weeks. Although we know we need to keep moving, I was pretty happy visiting the beaches just about every day and enjoying the sun, the water, and a lot of good books on my Kindle. John, who is not quite the beach lover I am, even had to admit that these were ideal beaches to relax on, and he joined me on some of my afternoons by the sea.

At the beach in Bayahibe.The little restaurant we found on the beach before most of the crowd showed up.Our view from our lunch table.

Usually, when visiting a country, we either take a tour or rent a car. Here, in the Dominican Republic, we decided a car would be advantageous as we could get a few errands done such as grocery shopping and finding a hardware store in addition to doing some sightseeing. We spent several hours just driving around Cap Cana one afternoon and then, the following day, we took a drive to Bayahibe, a small town that used to be a fishing village, but now is the home to many big and beautiful resorts. We found a public beach and enjoyed strolling around before having a lovely lunch in a restaurant on the beach. Of course, it is always entertaining to order in a country that speaks very limited English. My rusty Spanish worked pretty well, but we did laugh that we ordered two different items, mine three hundred pesos less than John’s, but we both got the same exact lunch. The waitress called them by different names as she set them down, and I only had to pay 600 pesos for mine while John’s was 900. It was delicious though, and just another part of the adventure.

So, tomorrow we leave Cap Cana and go to Samana. There we hope to see some of the humpback whales that enter the bay for breeding season and we will spend a few days in a national park we missed on our way south. Again, the weather doesn’t look perfect, so I will stick on a patch and hope for the best. But no matter what, we know how fortunate we are to be healthy and able to live this dream of ours. We know each day is a gift and tomorrow is not guaranteed. We send special love to a very dear friend who is going through some tough health issues now. Be brave, we miss you and love you.

Here is where we are today:

Just as for every home, AfterMath needs regular maintenance, and we had planned all along to take some time in Puerto Rico for these chores. We also had made plans to see some of the sights we missed in our eastward voyage last spring, so we settled into the marina, Puerto del Rey near Fajardo, Puerto Rico, right away and got started. John changed the oil and arranged to have a one-day haul out while on the east coast of Puerto Rico. The services at the marina there were extensive, so it was perfect timing. The boat was in and out of the water the same day and we were thrilled that it all went so smoothly.

Old San Juan. One of the best parts of Puerto Rico is the people’s love of color.  Everywhere you look, there is color!
Castillo San Juan Cristobal, the fort that surrounds Old San Juan.Children flying their kites.  It is quite the sight to see!
The free tourist trolley through Old San Juan.  And this gentleman was so happy to be in my picture!

While in Puerto del Rey we also rented a car for a couple of days. One day was dedicated to shopping in stores that were much more familiar to us than those in the little islands had been. We went to West Marine, Advanced Auto Parts, Sams, and Walmart among others. When shopping has been difficult for the past year, it’s hard to describe how nice it is to be able to walk in stores that are large and have endless stock. The other day of having our own transportation was left for touring Old San Juan. While there, we enjoyed the sights, had lunch, and then had quite a scare.

Read below why this guard was so special to us!The full moon illuminated the mast on the sailboat opposite us that night.

We had parked our rental car in a parking garage, leaving quite a bit of my camera equipment in the trunk. After touring and having lunch, we went back to get in the car. We paid for parking and then took the elevator to the 5^th floor, walked to our parking place, and, who would have thought, but the car was not there and the spot was empty! The car we had parked next to was still there. We went up a floor and down a floor, but we really knew we were in the right place by the stairs we had walked down to get to the street when we first parked. Hurriedly, we went back to the cashier where we had paid and told her that our car was missing. She called a security guard over and he walked with us telling us there was no way the car could have left the garage without the parking ticket, which we had with us. The guard told us to wait by the elevator, that he would find it. Just a few minutes later he came back and told us the car was on the third floor. We were both so sure we had parked on the fifth that there was just no question in our minds, but sure enough, there was the car on the third floor in the same position from the stairs we took to get down and next to a car almost identical to the one that had been on the fifth floor. As the guard walked away, we saw the sign that made us think we were on Floor 5. It was a speed limit sign that said “5”! Back in the car we could laugh at our mistake, but it sure was a nervous time. We were both more worried about my camera and lenses that were in the trunk than anything else!

Sunset at the Patillas anchorageMoving along the southern coast of Puerto Rico.  I love the windmills!The lighthouse near Cabo RojoThe houses aren’t big, but, oh, what a view!Along the streets in the fishing village at Puerto Real.  Again, color rules!This varnished house is just amazing!  The yellow building serves as a hardware store, lunch counter, and fish market.

We stayed in Puerto del Rey for a few more days before moving along the southern coast of Puerto Rico.  The first night out we stopped in Patillas at a lovely anchorage where the sunset was spectacular.   Then, the following day, we stopped in Ponce to get fuel, continuing to Guilligan’s island for the night before finally reaching the east coast near Cabo Rojo on Wednesday. Specifically we are in Puerto Real, a small fishing village that is full of color and fish markets. The Marina Pescaderia here is small and friendly and the owner, Jose, is unbelievably helpful. John called ahead and told him of two more maintenance jobs we wanted done that the contractors in Puerto del Rey did not have time for. Jose had people lined up for us for the day after we arrived and within two days all of the work was done. Again we rented a car, this time just for doing some sight seeing.

The lighthouse at RinconFrom the park at the lighthouseWhich way are they supposed to be going?Catch a waveAnd….You’re sitting on top of the world.The Steps at Step BeachLooking out at the dreaded Mona PassageAt the square in RinconThe cemetery was full of color and beautiful flowers.As always, I like people the best.  

Saturday we made our way up the west coast to Rincon, where we had lunch and then went to a lighthouse park.   At the park, we were able to watch the surfers who love the waves that are a product of the passage that we dread, the Mona Passage. Nevertheless, the surfers were having a great time and we enjoyed watching them catch a wave and ride it to shore. After the park we went to a beach in Rincon called Steps Beach, presumably because there is one set of a few steps just sitting there for no apparent reason. The beach was gorgeous, of course, with sand that looked like gold powder.

The Arecibo ObservatoryThe hole in the bottom is so that people can access the dish.  That opening is 3 by 18 feet.A shoe used for workers to walk on the panels of the dish.This is a rock from Mars, broken from an asteroid.John, learning to spin like an ice skater at the observatory.

On Sunday we finally made it to the Arecibo Observatory, an amazing and interesting place in Puerto Rico. It took over two hours to drive northeast into the karst hills where the observatory is located, but it was a drive that was well worth it. Arecibo Observatory, a huge radio telescope, was built in the early 1960’s and, to this day is the largest functioning telescope of its kind in the world. It is used for research in radio astronomy, atmospheric science and radar astronomy. The dish is 1000 feet across. Although the observatory has contributed much to our knowledge of space and astronomy, and has even been used to try to contact extraterrestrial beings, it is has also been used in TV and movies, probably the most famously in the climax of a James Bond movie, Golden Eye. We found it fascinating and were very happy we made the trip through those winding roads to the middle of nowhere.

So now we sit and wait. We are looking for a good weather window to cross the dreaded Mona Passage and to arrive in the Dominican Republic. Originally we expected to leave tomorrow, on Tuesday, but now it doesn’t seem to be a good crossing. Wednesday doesn’t look very good either, and we are determined to go when it is safe and comfortable. In the meantime, we will continue to enjoy Puerto Rico. For those of you who are looking for a warm, tropical vacation that is easy to get to, we highly recommend this island. There are beautiful beaches, lots to do, gorgeous sights, and the people are friendly and mostly speak English. Really, we believe this island is underrated as a vacation spot.

As always, please take time to treasure your friends and family, relax, and follow your dreams. Life is short, try to live it without regrets.

Here we are today:

What can be better than cruising in the British Virgin Islands? Not much! While all of the islands of the Caribbean are beautiful, there just isn’t another spot that quite equals the beauty of the BVI. The islands are near each other, making cruising a breeze, the weather is warm and the water temperature matches the air, the reefs that surround the islands are healthy and loaded with coral and fish, the water is crystal clear and gorgeous, and there is a spark of whimsy that surrounds everyone who is nearby. But there is one thing that has made this part of the adventure even better: that is having dear friends arrive in Tortola with almost no notice at all to share the days of fun.

When we figured out on Monday, the 23^rd, that we would be able to arrive in Virgin Gorda in the BVI on Wednesday, we called Chris and Sam to see if there was any chance they could hop a flight to join us for a few days of boating. We knew they hadn’t been to these islands before and, as they had met us in Canada and in Grenada, we thought it would be great fun to have them experience our favorite cruising grounds with us as well. By the end of the next day, reservations were made and we were all excitedly awaiting their arrival on Friday, January 27^th.Entering the BVI we passed Richard Branson’s home where the Obamas were relaxing after the Inauguration.Back in the BVI

Our trip to Virgin Gorda, once again, was flawless. We had gentle winds and calm seas and our twelve-hour ride just flew by. We picked up a mooring and decided to stay there for two nights while we waited for Friday to come. Thursday was spent doing what little preparation we could for our guests, but the truth is, with such a spur of the moment visit, there was not much we could do! We had plenty in the freezer, the shelves were stocked with goods, and we knew that with Chris and Sam we could just be completely informal and relaxed. As long as we had some wine, some rum, and some gin and tonics, we were good to go!Traveling to Soper’s Hole.  I love the BVI!Chris and Sam’s ferry arrived!

Friday morning we moved to Soper’s Hole, which is on the west end of Tortola, and picked up a mooring. Chris and Sam flew into St. Thomas and took a ferry to Tortola, arriving around 3:15 PM. John took the dinghy in and met them after they passed through Customs and Immigration and from that time on the fun never ended. Chris loves to load up her huge red canvas bag with treats for us and we couldn’t have been happier to see goodies that we haven’t seen in a very long time. Thomas’ English Muffins, Cheez Itz, and steaks had been sorely missed over the past year, and they appeared in the bag along with gifts, banana bread, chocolate chip cookies, popcorn, quinoa, coffee, pretzels, dog treats for Kirby, and so much more. It was like Christmas!

Chris made it to Foxy’sThis crazy sign is new even since we were here last summer.Strolling the main street on Jost Van DykeFor $5 a person Rena took us to the Soggy Dollar.This bar is called the Soggy Dollar because there is no where to take a dinghy to shore so, if you come by boat, you swim in and therefore have soggy dollars.Going back to Great Harbour by taxi we spotted AfterMath and asked to stop and take a picture.Sam got the little hammock.John got the big one!At the barbeque.

We started off Saturday morning for Jost Van Dyke, one of my favorite islands in the BVI. We needed to arrive early enough to get a mooring in Great Harbour, the nicest anchorage there, and the one that would allow us access to Foxy’s. Foxy’s has been a favorite place for us on all of our trips to the BVI. The first time we went there was over 30 years ago. It has changed over the years, and this time we didn’t get to see the star of the bar, Foxy himself, but we did get to attend the delicious barbeque on Saturday night. During the day, though, we took a fun cab ride to the Soggy Dollar Bar, a well-known spot on the island. After going back to Great Harbour the guys climbed in hammocks while Chris and I swam at the beach. We had fun meeting other boaters and chatting about their adventures as well. All in all, our day on Jost Van Dyke was perfect.

Sam on the path up to the top of the hill at Marina Cay.That’s a potato chip tower.  A tower of chips covered with blue cheese dressing, lettuce and tomatoes.  Amazing!An ingenious way to hand us a dessert menu.  Of course we all had to look through it!And another day ends on Marina Cay.

The next day took us to Marina Cay, another lovely spot. There we walked around the island, took a look in the Pussers Gift shop and stopped for the famous Pussers Rum Painkillers and a potato chip tower in the restaurant. It was a relaxing and wonderful day aboard AfterMath and onshore.

Dramatic clouds started our morning.The first view of The Baths after swimming to shore.The trail going up to the restaurant.AfterMath at a mooring near The Baths

Monday morning looked cloudy at first, but quickly cleared as we traveled to the famous Baths, again on Virgin Gorda. The Baths is a national park in the BVI and they are breathtaking. To get to the main attraction from a boat, you pick up a mooring and then dinghy in to the roped off swimming area. From there it is a good swim until you meet the beach. At the beach, boulders as large as 40 feet in diameter are scattered together in such a way that pools are formed inside what seem to be huge rooms of granite. To pass through the boulders, there are places you need to duck, turn sideways, use a rope to climb, and traverse ladders both up and down. It really is not difficult at all, and it is just spectacular. After passing through the rooms and pools you end up at Devil’s Bay, a gorgeous beach. To get back to your starting point, however, you must either once again go through the boulders or take the path up the hill to the overlooking restaurant and then take the stairs back down to the beach. There were quite a few cruise boat passengers when we were there and they slowed down progress in the caves, so we chose the hill route. Once again, we had to swim back to the dinghy before getting back on AfterMath, so we all felt as though we had gotten some exercise for the morning.Snorkeling near our boat at Norman IslandThat colorful fish is John Daigle!Do you see the cute puffer fish above?The next stop, still on Monday, was Norman Island. This island is uninhabited, peaceful and beautiful, and really only available to boaters. There was a beautiful reef only a short distance from AfterMath so we all donned snorkeling gear and hopped off the swim platform. I was so happy to see such colorful coral of so many different types there. Much of the Caribbean coral has been dying off, but here we saw countless varieties in a rainbow of colors. Of course the fish were the best part of the show. The underwater world never ceases to amaze me.The Indians near Norman IslandAn entrance to a cave at Norman IslandThat’s SamA school of blue tangs.  I’ve never seen anything like this before.And that’s Chris!

We decided to stay another night at Norman Island as we wanted to go out to see the rock formations known as The Indians and also we wanted to snorkel at the caves along the wall of the island. The Indians can be snorkeled, but there was a swell that none of us wanted to take on, so we just checked them out from the dinghy before motoring on in to the caves. Here the water was calm and clear and the fish were happy for our company. They just swarmed around us and it truly was like swimming in an aquarium. Again, the corals and the fish were spectacular.Willy T’s boat bar.They did eventually jump, but we had tied up Tangent by then.Painkillers all around at Willy T’sLater in the afternoon we took Tangent, the dinghy, to Willy T’s, a boat that has been made into a bar in the harbor. Willy T’s is a peppy place with a typical bar crowd enjoying Painkillers and every other type of drink imaginable. It has an upstairs area as well and from there those that are brave jump into the water below. It is a fun place for all! And, no, we didn’t jump.When evening came we went to the calmer and more elegant restaurant on the beach of Norman Island. There we had a delicious dinner of seafood and we sat and reminisced about what a wonderful visit we had with our dear friends from way back.

Wednesday morning came too soon and we had to return to Soper’s Hole so Chris and Sam could catch their ferry back to St. Thomas. We went to shore with them to bid them goodbye and to check out of the BVI ourselves, as we were headed to St. John, a US Virgin Island, that afternoon. To say that their visit added to our pleasure would be an understatement. We will always remember the dinners, the laughs, the adventures and the fun of our time together in the BVI.

John and I moved the boat to St. John’s that day, then to St. Thomas on Friday. Saturday brought us to Culebra and Sunday found us in Puerto Rico at the Puerto del Rey Marina. Our adventure continues here, as we will do a little touring and some boat maintenance before moving along the southern coast of this island. We still have 1200 miles to go before we are back on the United States mainland and we are keeping our April 1^st goal in mind. But for now, we are living our dream everyday and we thank Chris and Sam for helping make our trip even better.

This is where we are today:

Finally! Finally the time came to leave Antigua. Our friends’ boats were ready, the weather looked favorable, and the cabinets, refrigerators, and freezers were all well stocked for the next few weeks. It was time to go.

Leaving Antigua early in the morning.

We all untied from our docks early the morning of January 20^th and started on our way to a night’s stopover in St. Kitts. The sea conditions could not have been better for the trawlers in the group, Tropical Blend and AfterMath, and Symbiosis, the sailing vessel, was able to set sail as well. After a voyage that lasted about eight hours we arrived in Nevis, marveling at the calm seas we had along the way. We anchored our boats in the bay and the captains of the group hopped aboard Tangent to check in. Although we would only stay in St. Kitts/Nevis for one night and would leave early in the morning, we knew that the country was famous for bothering boaters who had not checked in properly with Customs and Immigration. Unfortunately, the check in took a very long time, as there was a family in Customs that seemed to be having a problem. About three hours later, John, Larry, and Scott returned to their respective boats and we started out for another hour to our anchorage in St. Kitts, arriving after dark. It turned into a very long day, but it was an easy one for everyone.

Lovely hills in St. KittsThese calm conditions in open water are what we like to call “Trawler Weather”Thanks to Debbie Gaddy, this is a picture of us entering the lagoon in St. MaartenSome beautiful boats just inside the bridge.Eclipse is the largest personal yacht ever built to date.  It is 533 feet long!We last saw Venus in Grenada.

The following morning, we again started early. Anchors were up by 6 AM and we were on our way to Sint Maarten. Once again we were rewarded for our long wait in Antigua; the seas were perfect for those of us in trawlers, but a little slow for our sailing friends. We arrived in Simpson Bay in St. Maarten at 3:10 PM, just a few minutes too late for the 3 o’clock bridge opening that allows boats into the lagoon and its marinas on the island. We dropped our anchors and waited for the 5:00 opening though and all was well. If ever you own a boat and think you have a good- sized one, you only need to enter Simpson Bay and the lagoon to be humbled. Outside the lagoon sat Eclipse, the largest personal yacht built up to this time. Inside we found Venus again, Steve Jobs’ boat that was completed after his passing away. Everywhere you look there are huge, beautiful boats owned by some very rich people in this world.

St. Maarten is the Dutch side of the island, the other half being St. Martin, which is French. Our marina was right in the midst of stores, restaurants, and banks, so we were happy to enjoy some conveniences and comforts of home. St. Maarten uses the US dollar, so even being able to make purchases without having to convert from one currency to another was a joy. It felt good to have familiar dollar bills and coins in our pockets for a change.

Larry, Debbie, and Scott on Little BlendKirby and Noi keeping watch with John and me on Tangent.Debbie, Noi, and I went to breakfast at Zee Best while the captains checked into St. Maarten.

While on the island we enjoyed riding the dinghy around the lagoon and trying some of the restaurants. One evening we went to a piano bar for some live evening entertainment. We planned on staying a few more days but suddenly a very nice weather window opened up and John and I decided it was time to start on our way to the British Virgin Islands. We are trying our best to re-enter Florida by April 1^st. If you hadn’t heard, Jeff and Sarah are having a baby boy in April and we want to be in the states for the event. We have less than two months to make that deadline and we still have a very long way to go.

Leaving St. Maarten.  What looks like an island out there is Eclipse anchored in the Bay 

Unfortunately, our friends aboard Tropical Blend and Symbiosis were not ready to leave so we said a fond “see you soon” to them and passed through the bridge with the 4 PM opening on January 24^th. Our thoughts of anchoring in Simpson Bay quickly dissipated when we saw how rolly it was there. A trip to the French side and Marigot Bay left us in calm, beautiful waters in a lovely anchorage. We got a good night’s rest, in preparation for the 12 hour trip the following day to the British Virgin Islands.

It was sad to leave St. Maarten so soon. It felt as though one chapter of our adventure had ended somehow, but we are excited that there is so much more to see and discover on this planet that is made up of 71% water! Remember to live your dreams; tomorrow is never guaranteed.