Jacksonville, FL

For those of you who have this picture of us sitting on board with a fruity drink, the kind with an umbrella sticking out the top, here's reality......

Here I am in bed with 2 pairs of pants, a turtle-neck, fleece jacket, wool hat and gloves reading before lights out.  Yup, it's been cold in Jacksonville. 
Our friends who live in Jacksonville, Chris and Amy, have entertained us at their home, carted us around the town, and took us to Bistro Aix (www.bistrox.com).  It's a pretty fancy place for sailors like us.  Thankfully Chris, who works at Bistro Aix, guided us through the menu, making selections and providing information on where the ingredients came from, how the food was prepared, the whole shabang.  It was a fantastic meal!  We also were able to borrow a car to stock up the boat with provisions and to make a trip to the airport.  Jerry said goodbye to me on a frigid Jacksonville morning.  I boarded the plane for Maine to spend the holidays with my sister Susan, her husband Tom, their 3 kids and 2 dogs.  (It was warmer in Maine than FL when I arrived.) 
So I'll be north for the next few weeks (hoping for some snow to go skiing) - Jerry will take the boat south (hoping for warmer weather) to hang out with his buddy Dale in Stuart and then to West Palm Beach.  Happy Holidays to all!

Charleston, SC

We had a fast sail from Beaufort, NC to Charleston, SC.  20+ winds from the NW to start, then variable from 10 to 20, going back to 25 knots!  35 hours to the inlet in Charleston.  Now we're anchored across from Isle of Palms waiting for winds to settle down a bit tomorrow.  We're off to Jacksonville, FL...

Elizabeth City to Beaufort, NC

11/26/10

Yet again, our trip down the Dismal Canal in NC proves that the canal is inappropriately named.  I suppose to a land surveyor and land speculator, such as George Washington was back then, the area was not hospitable.  His crew used the water to transport timber.  We use the improved waterway here as a pleasure trip.  The sun was shining as we motored our way through the swamp and 2 locks.  A few brave turtles came out to sun themselves in the brisk 40 degree air.  An otter cruised the shore amongst the herons.  No signs of civilization until we near Elizabeth City and pass by the hospital and college.  

There's a dock available at the Elizabeth City town docks and we enjoy being able to stretch our legs and walk to the grocery store without having to launch the dinghy.  In the evening the "Rose Buddies" and the tourism department of the City put on their regular wine and cheese party for the boaters.  We hear stories from other captains of their journey to here and count the number of repairs they've had to do on the way....sails, engines, transmissions.  We feel lucky to have nothing to add to this conversation.  

Our friend Bob arrives on his boat "Scoot-N-Clan" from Long Island, NY.  He's been hoping to catch up with us so Jerry can install the autopilot he purchased during the summer.  Jerry spends the next two days with Bob preparing to install the autopilot.  Bob's friends, Jon and Nora who live in Elizabeth City, take us to their home for dinner a couple of times and another friend of Bob's, Pat, drives us around for parts, groceries, laundry, propane.  We've been spoiled!  Thanks!

Jon, Jerry, Pat, Nora and Bob

Jerry completed as much of the autopilot installation as possible.  One part has been ordered and shipped to our friends D and Don in Oriental.  He'll have to finish there.

From Elizabeth City we had a glorious sail down the Elizabeth River and across the Albemarle Sound on a close reach in 15 - 20 knots of wind and down the Alligator River.  At the end of the day we anchored on the Pungo River, the wind stopped and we enjoyed a perfectly still evening with a gibbous moon overhead and the smell of Carolina pines in the air.

The next day brought light air and we leisurely sailed the rest of the way to Oriental.  There is so much happening in Oriental!  D and Don live here and cousins Dick and Georgette are a short drive away.  Bob, Jerry and I felt like royalty as Dick and Georgette arrived with their van and chauffeured us to New Bern and dinner at our favorite Italian restaurant.  Our evening included a tour of downtown New Bern sparkling with Christmas lights.  Then apple pie aboard Persephone back at the dock.

D and Don, in addition to providing bikes for transportation around town, made dinner another night - topped off with a campfire and roasted marshmallows in their backyard.

Jerry and D

Don whittling sticks  

In between dinners, a movie, wine tastings, and visiting with other boaters, Jerry finished Bob's autopilot installation.

The autopilot will make traveling easier for single-hander Bob.  Especially those long passages where he sits at the helm for 24 hours +/-.

D loaned me a table and chairs to set up my sea glass jewelry and watercolor notecards at the Farmer's Market in Oriental.  Yup, I sold some.  Thanks, D.

And, our friends Mike and Liz (usually traveling on their sailboat) arrived in Oriental aboard their friend Joe's boat.  They've traveled from Oneida Lake in NY to here in Joe's 34' Rinker powerboat.

Dinner with Joe, Mike, Liz, Don & D (left early) and Bob at the Oriental Grill.

We love Oriental - it would be great to stay and visit more but we have to keep our track south to try to stay ahead of the cold.  

The sun goes down in Oriental.

Off to Beaufort.

Here in Beaufort we find our friends Ryan, Kari, Shawn and Haley aboard "Valkyrie" at the docks.  The winds aren't favorable for leaving so we plan a Thanksgiving dinner with them and a couple from New Zealand.

Kari and Karen in the galley of Valkyrie as Haley looks on.

Shawn fills his plate with the turkey I stuffed and baked in our oven.  (Yes, stuffed.  I took a tape measure to the grocery store and bought the largest turkey I could. 12.5 lbs.  Rubs on the top of the oven as it cooks.)

Kari's home made cranberry sauce (Jerry's mashed potatoes in the background.)

Haley's pecan pie with the turkey on top.  She made the crust, cracked the nuts, the whole kit-and-kaboodle!  Yum!

Shawn, Jerry, Karen, Pete, Kari, Ryan, Haley and Raewyn.

At the end of the evening we accept a tow from Pete and Raewyn back to the anchorage.  

Four-stroke outboards are very fuel efficient - but we do need to add some!

From here we go out on the ocean and head south............

Happy Thanksgiving!

Karen and Jerry

http://persephonesail.blogspot.com/

Oriental, NC

Look at towndock.net to see us on the harbor camera.

Elizabeth City, NC

We spent a fun-filled week with our friends Ryan and Kari and Shawn and Haley in Deltaville, VA.  Oyster Festival, movies aboard Valkyrie (Ryan's boat), dinners together and spending time down below on Persephone with the Aladdin lamp keeping us warm.  Here's Jerry's Swan pie.  I think we still have a bushel of apples left onboard.

We even had an early Thanksgiving with Kari's family at their home!  Ryan, Kari and kids are preparing to leave for the Virgin Islands asap.  We had to say goodbye and continue on our way south.
The wind has been blowing from the northwest and north for the last week - everyday 20 knots with higher gusts.  Perfect for our sail down the Chesapeake to Norfolk and a motor through the Dismal Swamp Canal.  I took a picture of Robert, the lock tender at the Deep Creek Lock on the Dismal Swamp Canal (and his dog too).  Robert has just brought coffee and pastries to the guys on the boat behind us in the lock.  How's that for southern hospitality!  We're encouraged to eat as much as we want because his dog has gained too much weight from the leftovers.  Before leaving the lock Robert entertained us with a song played on the conch horn.

Last night we arrived at the free city docks Elizabeth City, NC offers to passing boaters.

NY to Chesapeake

10/31/10
I feel that the notes we send are often a representation of our travels.  Some notes are dashed off in a hurry as we race towards a destination while the "weather window" is open for a safe passage.  Other notes are composed onboard in a leisurely fashion as we stop to "smell the roses".  Today's note would fit in the first category.

The Hudson River is such a beautiful sight by water in the fall............

Our travels though were hurried as the warm temperatures were expected to drop.  An overnite in Catskill Creek and an overnite in Kingston to put up the mast then onto New York City.

  The ferry traffic in NY Harbor can be like rush hour on a freeway.  On a small boat it's not an issue of being caught in traffic but being tossed in traffic.  The wakes caused by the ferries rocks and rolls us along until we pass the Statue of Libery.  We then dodge the ships and barges coming and going, go under the Verazzano Bridge, past the Coney Island attractions and anchor in Sheepshead Bay in Brooklyn.
Our journey south is usually one long 48 hour sail from NY Harbor to the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay.  This year we ocean hopped from NY Harbor to Barnegat Inlet, NJ and another day hop from Barnegat to Cape May.  Both ocean jaunts this year were accomplished in a hurry - the strong winds enabled us to sail at 8 knots (our normal average speed is 5-6 knots).   Here's a video to get an idea of what it was like.....

 some of you may want to take some dramamine before viewing.

This is my view of Atlantic City from the sea covered window from inside the cabin....

Here's a better view from the cockpit....

We had one passenger who flew aboard near Atlantic City, probably blown offshore far from home........

  Later, when we came closer to land the hitch-hiker took the opportunity and jumped ship.
And, yesterday we sailed from Cape May up the Delaware Bay with the current to the C & D Canal.  Here we anchored at Chesapeake City, baked an apple pie, played Scrabble and hit the hay.  Today's journey from Chesapeake City to Worton Creek, MD, only 20 miles, provided us with a sunny afternoon to do something besides navigate and sail.  The tranquil feeling of just sitting at anchor for a change, not sailing or navigating, or trying to maneuver around the boat at an angle.  I know it's hard for you to imagine but I was able to make a sandwich today on level counters - the ingredients stayed put and didn't roll off to the floor.  Ah, the luxuries of being at anchor.....tomorrow we'll head south down the Chesapeake toward Annapolis.

Erie Canal

10/22/10
Well, it's that time of year again.  The bushels of apples are loaded, we're stocked up on cans of tuna, and we're on our way east on the Erie.  We've been asked about what it's like to leave...anxiety, relief, sadness, confusion?   Is it difficult to leave family and friends?  Do you worry about what you may have forgotten or did not accomplish over the summer? I have to say it's like stepping into another world when you leave the dock.  Something about pushing off, untying the lines, becoming an isolated and self-sufficient entity that leaves cares behind.  All focus is turned over to navigating, steering, listening to weather forecasts and staying warm. 
Across Oneida Lake where we say one more goodbye at Callahan's Marina....onto the Erie.  With blankets clipped behind our dodger we stand in the companionway pushing the buttons on the autopilot hoping for sun to warm us through the plastic windshield.  It takes 2 days or about 22 hours of motoring to go from Sylvan Beach to Waterford, where the Erie ends and the Hudson River soon begins.
Here are some scenes from along the Erie...somewhere east of Little Falls and west of Scotia..........

  The moon rises as we end our day near Route 9 in Crescent, NY.

Today, Friday, we had just a few miles to travel.  The sun rose and sparkled the ice covering the decks as we made our hour and a half  journey for the few miles and the 5 locks to arrive at the Visitor Center in Waterford. There is a web cam at the visitor's center for lock 2 showing the dock in front of the Visitor Center where we're tied: http://208.125.161.182:7110/view/index.shtml.