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Chesapeake Bay New post

Overnight Fun!

Yesterday we finished up early, we have been working pretty hard lately.
My first thought was what the heck we can jump on the boat and head to our favorite anchoredge!

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So off we went yesterday afternoon, it was so nice out. Chips and a few beers on the way.
The place we head to is usually crowded during these months, yes they were all there too.
As we arrived we headed to our own little spot where no one knows it is ok to anchor here.

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My second thought as I woke up this morning… There is nothing like being rocked to sleep and waking to a beautiful sunrise!

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I told Trina “we could just keep going!” She laughed and said we need to head back we have work to do.

Have a great Tuesday!
Wolfbernz


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New post Sailing

Appreciation

If I have learned nothing else on this trip at least I have learned to appreciate what I have. Not material things, life itself, a wonderful wife, great kids, even a grandson and my bloggy friends. I have learned to simplify my life and I am learning more and more that less is best.

I am not saying I am going to get rid of everything I have but to enjoy what I have. My first thought use to be I want it all and I want it now! Am I just getting older or am I just getting it? I use to strive to have the best of everything, the biggest.

Things have changed I don’t need these things to be happy. I am content with what I have and who I am. Acceptance is a tough word but a good one its followed by peace and it is followed by love, love for others and everything around us all.

 

My second thought is it only took three years of cruising to figure this out! Sometimes I think we all take so much for granite, we all have so much and we have much to give and share, to be there for someone in need. I have no idea where this new mind set is leading me but as I have done all my life I will just follow the path laid out before me.

I was asked once ” How could you just get on your boat and just go with no real plan or destination?

I replied “Blind Faith, it all works out and becomes an amazing adventure.”
So here we are back in Vero Beach swinging on a mooring ball, the dinghy has become our car to shore again. It’s time to go walk around and see what’s here and explore.


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Sailing

Circumnavigating the keys and into the Gulf of Mexico

We sailed down to the Florida Keys, what a good time. The water was supper nice., One could see the big fish in the water it was so clear! Key West is one big party tow for sure.
We checked out the whole place, watched the sailboat races for a while.
Of course we had to go to Jimmy Buffett’s Margheritaville and have one 🙂
We returned to the boat and hung out for the next five days or so going to the beach and checking out he sites. It was time to provision again. I said we could do with out some things until we get back to the mainland, a box of Ritz crackers for five bucks. I’ll pass.
We began to talk about what to do next… I wasn’t tired an Trina was so she hit the sack, I stayed up and charted the difference between going back the same way ( boring) or Circumnavigating the Keys and crossing the gulf to Fort Myers to the St. Lucie River and across the Okeechobee lake back to the East coast.
My first thought was this would be new and Adventurous! It has been the crossing was a bit rough, scary and fun all at the same time. Any time you make a crossing overnight an have to stay up for what seem a lifetime is dangerous but is a rush all at the same time, Especially when you have never been there.
My second thought when we arrived at our first anchorage entrance in the early morning hours was… Holy crap it’s dark and we are going up a river in the Everglades, what the hell was I thinking! The current was so strong it pulled the boat up into the river at six to seven knots at idle speed. Trina to.d me to back it down, I replied I can’t the current has grabbed the boat.
Using what we have learned while cruising and how to read the water, the charts as a guide we charged up the river full speed ahead found the spot we wanted and dropped anchor.
We were so tiered, we slept in the next day and just appreciated where we were and all the Magnificent wildlife around us. Trina said I should go swimming, I told her… You know they have Crocodiles in this water? I know she replied with a chuckle then she said just kidding I need my captain…
Everything has gone well and we have made it to Fort Myers, now we will make the journey across to the East Coast. It was a long run but worth the ride, check out this shot of the moon while crossing the Gulf of Mexico.

Have a great Tuesday
Wolfbernz

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Categories
Atlantic ICW New post Sailing Top Sites Tuesday

It Makes Me Wonder

My first thought as we sailed into the Florida Keys is God has created such beautiful places.
It makes me wonder about home on the Chesapeake Bay… Did it look like this at one time before all the pollution? The bay at home does have times when it gets flushed out it turns sort of clear but nothing like this. It has been a long sail to get here, stopping for a rest last month was a good idea, I feel as though we have sailed to the end of the Earth, well worth it though. Check out the photo of the water when we anchored up a couple days ago.

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It was spooky, scary and exciting all at the same time. There is no depth perception when the water is so clean, one just has to trust in the instruments that you are in the right place. This was taken in uncharted water we had to feel our way in so to speak so not to run aground.

My second thought is as we have sailed the last few years I have realized how important it is to take care of our environment. We need to stop wasting money on things that are unnecessary, I won’t start listing what I think they are… That’s another blog post for sure, but I will say if I have to take a drug test to earn the money so they can hand it out, then the recipients should have to take one to get assistance. I never gave it so much thought before, maybe I was just caught up in the rat race. But they have been saying this for years and now I know why.

We are taking another break for a bit here in Boot Key Harbor… Maybe a little fishing, some beach time under the coconut tree, than it will be time to follow the wind again.

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Have a great Tuesday
Wolfbernz


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New post Sailing

The Land Of The Living

As I look out my port hole here in Dark Shadows…

I had to write that lol

Really though this is like night and day – coming from the farm and landing in Florida where there are people everywhere including boats on the water.

It’s almost like culture shock… We left the farm that is in the middle of nowhere and a thirty minute drive to do anything and landed in the middle of the land of the living. There are cars, barking dogs, boats going by, people strolling by and an occasional big bird that sounds like some one is on the boat! It is weird to wake up to music playing and it’s not yours to control, maybe it’s the not having neighbors on the farm that makes it feel that way. Just a short walk and there is whatever you need, it is so convenient.

So my first thought when we arrived was to ask – is that a restaurant that serves beer, a fish basket and fries!!?

“Why yes sir”, was the reply

My second thought was, well than… Get the hell outta the way!

It was nice to have a dinner out and a good one too. It is supposed to be in the high seventies all week and a comfortable mid-fifties at night. So today we get to walk and check the town out as we pick up some parts and make a few repairs before we head out again and go south. It looks like we will be here a month.

This makes the memories of the hard parts of the trip ( Coming around Maw Point – 35 knot, NE winds with Quartering large seas, water over the boat) seam not so big a deal now.


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New post Top Sites Tuesday

Deep Creek Lock To Hampton VA.

So we made it, we are at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, I almost can’t believe it myself. We are tied to the docks here at Hampton and plan to leave out at six am into the Chesapeake Bay. The weather is supposed to be in our favor according to the weather man… LOL So I guess I should get out my foul weather gear!!!

We entered the lock early this morning and then headed north on the Elizabeth River going under bridges waiting for others to raise so we could pass. At one point we had to just drift around for almost an hour before they would open the bridge.

One of the most exciting events of the day was dodging the big container ships. The Norfolk area is a very busy port full of ships, navy and many personal boats.

This brings me to my first thought… I have been told that the container ships loose one or two of those big containers now and then and to be very careful because they may be heavy but they still float just below the water. I don’t know how you feel about this but I could not even begin to imagine running into such a thing on the water! I would hope they would report such a disaster fast to mariners with the gps location.

My second thought is I can’t wait to get out into some open water and not worry about channel markers and which creek or river we should be going through, Just sailing away and no worries of what might be coming around the next bend in the river like this morning when the ship and tugs met us at a turn and was taking up the whole river! Just a couple more days across the bay and we will be home after six months and two thousand plus miles 🙂

Have a great Tuesday
Wolfbernz


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Atlantic ICW Chesapeake Bay Sailing Top Sites Tuesday

Final Run To The Chesapeake

We are back on the water after many trials, the new engine is working well. With all new engines it will need some adjustments, we will do this when we reach Elizabeth City, NC.

We had one heck of a first day out… It was blowing a stink 25 knots or better and large swells. The wind was in our favor most of the time so this made crossing the Pamlico Sound a bit easier but not much.

We are held up in a small anchorage just south of Dowery Creek It was so calm after the day I fell to sleep with the computer in my lap when trying to write my post…lol

So My first thought of this beautiful sunrise day is can it all go this smooth the rest of the trip? I really hope so we could use a bit of a break with the “little” bit of trouble we have had going home 🙂

My second thought is Thank God for friends… Without the help of my dear friend showing up who knows so much about the engine and how to get it all back together we would have been there, stuck for weeks longer I am sure. It is true what they say about sailing…. A few weeks of utter joy and fun coupled with moments of shear terror. But isn’t that just life?

Have a wonderful Tuesday
Wolfbernz


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