When September Song, Tides In, and Sea Pearl left Portsmouth, we were in a traffic jam on the ICW. The weather has turned nice and everyone has put the pointy end South.

Ron and Janice on River Girl in the Great Bridge lock with us.

There were so many boats when we got to the Great Bridge Lock, there were several that had to wait for a second lock through. We could see from the lock that the Great Bridge free docks were already full, so I made a phone call to Atlantic Yacht Basin in Great Bridge and got the last three spots. I sure hope this huge group of boats spreads out soon.

My expert, and  so beautiful line handler

Our great friends Dave and Penny drove over to Coinjock, where the three South bound boats were docked, and joined us for dinner. Dave and Penny sold their boat (Stormy) last year, but still remain great friends, and we get together with them whenever we come through. 

Captain Morgan isn't looking too good tonight. Too much Captain and not enough Coke.

Dinner at Coinjock. Delicious prime rib, (try the 32 oz) tons of laughs, and just a good time with great friends.

It was great to see you, Dave and Penny.

Anchored out

We have been anchored out on a beautiful creek off Mobjack Bay for the last three days. When I last blogged, we were anchored on the Corrotoman. We left the Corrotoman, went into the city docks in Urbanna for one day, (had to have an old fashioned root beer float at the old drug store soda fountain) went back out to our anchorage on the Corrotoman for a couple more days, then cruised about 50 miles to the anchorage we are in off Mobjack Bay. While we were back on the Corrotoman, good cruising friends Steen and Trudy Baerentz(Shenanigans) invited us over to their new home, about a mile from our anchorage, for the afternoon and dinner. What a beautiful home in the hills on eight wooded acres on the Corrotoman. They still own Shenanigans and will cruise from time to time, but Trudy wanted a place for a garden. We told them they should just buy a barge to tow behind their boat for Trudy's garden, but she wanted ground that didn't move. (Maybe Virginia isn't a great choice! Remember the earthquake?) Thanks guys for a great time and a wonderful dinner. It was so good to see you again. hope to see you in Florida this winter.
While we have been anchored out, we have been enjoying the quiet beauty, taking naps, playing with the girls at the beach, exploring, and catching jumbo blue crabs.
We needed to rest and relax for a few days before putting the pointy end South and playing our way down the coast to the Keys.We probably won't have much time to anchor for days at a time like we do here on the Chesapeake until we are in the Islands this coming spring.
We will leave our anchorage tomorrow morning and cruise to Hampton, VA, where we will meet up with Joe and Julia on Sea Pearl. (let the party begin!) They left New York last week and have been steaming our way. Jay and Nancy (Serendipity) are traveling in their land yacht for the summer and will meet us there also. (now the party can really begin!!) We left Stephen and Pam on Tides In in Washington two weeks ago and they will be catching up with us also. (we hope they make it in time) After a three day kick off party in Hampton, the three boats will put the pointy ends South, (Keys here we come) and like all snow birds, (it is going to be in the 40's here Sunday morning) we will flock together, and "get the flock out of here" before the snow flies and the butter gets too hard to spread.

September Song (ready to play our way South) out
Bob


Footprints in the sand. The one on the left is Godiva's. That was a big bird on the right!

Godiva, Taking her daily roll in the sand at the beach.

A dog and her best friend.

Those of you who know Cassie know she loves to hunt fish. Well, she hasn't given up yet. Make sure your volume is on.

Enjoying the afternoon with Steen and Trudy on their screen porch at their beautiful home nestled in the woods.

What a great dinner we had. These are the pork loins Steen prepared perfectly on the grill. Notice the flags. Steen is from Denmark. Steen said these are Denmark pork loins.

Thanks guys, we had a great time catching up.

Do you ever wish you could fly like a bird for a day?

The New Point Comfort lighthouse at the mouth of Mobjack Bay.

That is what they call a jumbo Chesapeake blue crab. He was blue before he was steamed. How's the water Bob? Bob, BOB! BOB!

A little string, two chicken legs, a captain and Coke, and Voila, Jumbo crabs.

Guess what we had for dinner.

Finally, time for you and us!

Finally, a day at anchor with nothing to do but go to the beach with the girls, throw out a couple lines and catch some crabs, and catch up on my blog. We love these lazy days, just the four of us, all alone in a beautiful anchorage, and just off a beach for the girls to play on. later, I will fire up the grill, and we will enjoy a wonderful dinner and a quiet evening. God I love this life!

I know it's been a while since I blogged, but with all the exploring, and something going on with cruising friends almost every night, it's been hard to find time to do my blog.

I know there are lots of things we have seen and done over the last how ever many days since I've last blogged, but sometimes I forget (I am 62 after all) to bring the camera, and sometimes when I do, we are having such a good time, I forget to take pictures. Where are you when I need you Tammy?

I hope you enjoy catching up with us, and I promise I will do better in the future.

September Song (enjoying a Captain and Coke and catching crabs) out

Bob

We got to ride the underground train from the Congressional offices to the Capitol building because we had a private tour. compliments of Stephen and Pam's Senator. I don't think Stephen was sure about this, but after we got going, he thought it was a blast.

Congressional offices.

The old Supreme Court.

Looking up at the dome of the Capitol.

The antenna from the top of the World Trade Center.

A section of the Berlin Wall at the Newseum.

This is the compass rose that is in the floor in the center of the rotunda at the Capitol. This is the spot where you see many past presidents lie in state. 

The hall in the center of the picture is where the President walked through to enter the Congressional chambers to give his speech on his jobs bill that night. 

The Eastern Market is a hike on our bicycles, but well worth the ride. The hard part is lugging all the stuff we bought back to the boat.

How do you tell a male egg plant from a female one? You tell me.

Alll this exploring makes a person real thirsty. Real thirsty!

Found this great Irish Pub. What fun! Real thirsty!

Because we were there on 9/11, security was everywhere. 

The presidential helicopter with the President waving, thanking us for coming, and safe travel. Well, it could have been!

Coming down the Potomac, the debris from the floods was incredible. Lines of logs and junk went on for miles. It wasn't a case of dodging the logs, it was which ones were small enough to run over.

Crab pots were all over the place and we couldn't tell them from the debris. We only picked up one, and our line cutters did their job. When we arrived at Olverson's Marina, I dove September Song, pulled off the line still on the shaft from the crab pot, and removed all the debris from the stabilizers. What a mess the floods made in the rivers.

Cassie and her new little buddy.

Bill and Ana have a little dachshund. Bill casts out a wooden lure, the dog swims out and grabs it, and Bill reels her in. Too funny! It's little legs go one hundred miles an hour to stay afloat.

After we left Washington and were plowing our way down the Potomac, we heard Knot Tide Down (Bill and Ana) on the radio. They're a couple we know through Todd and Brenda. (Lifes2Short) We knew they were in the area and had been trying to get together with them. They were going to anchor close to Ricks Bar where they were meeting another couple. Fun bar...count us in. We anchored together and took the dogs to the beach for some play time. We discovered that Ricks was closed that night, but not to worry, Tim's was open, and it was just a short tender ride from our anchorage. We had a great time at Tim's with Bill, Ana, their friends, and another couple from Germany visiting with Bill and Ana's friends. The original plan was to have a quiet evening at anchor, but when duty calls! A late laaate night, but a fun night. Bill and Ana are great, and we will definitely  meet up again.

Godiva, with her boyfriend Dylan. Godiva loves younger men, I mean dogs. Dyna, Jeff and Karen's other yellow lab, is recovering from surgery, so she had to stay at home.

Godiva can't talk, but she knows how to respond. She's so smart! Be sure your speaker is on.

Freddie, the owner of  the Marina, loves to treat the dogs to dog jerky. Sorry about the finger you lost Freddie! Not really, just a little skin. There was definitely a contest to see who could get theirs first.

Jeff, Karen, and Dylan on aCappella. Dyna is inside because she is still recovering from her surgery, but she is doing well. It is always great to hook up with them.

What a great surprise when Joel and Marion came into Olverson's. They are our friends from Capitol Yacht Club in Washington, DC. Joel and I went golfing one day while we were there. Joel, Marion, Jeff, and Karen all headed out Monday for the MTOA Rendezvous. Four fun days with great friends.