Almost Home

As we post this update, we are in Washington, NC, less than 200 miles from our "semi" permanent home for "Knot Busy" in Carolina Beach, NC.  Although we had intentions of traveling to Charleston for our home port, we were very fortunate to find a temporary slip at the Federal Yacht Club at Carolina Beach as we look for a more permanent mooring closer to Charleston.

When we last posted, we were at the Statue of Liberty, anchored and waiting for our friends John and Sue Winter aboard "Just Relax" for our trip down the east coast to the Carolinas.  Over the last few weeks we have traveled the ICW through New Jersey after a bumpy ride on the Atlantic, anchored in Atlantic City, traveled up the Delaware River to the Chesapeake where it rained for days (everything wet and waterlogged).  We spent 2 days in Annapolis, Md before continuing down the Chesapeake to Norfolk/Portsmouth before entering the Dismal Swamp and arriving in Elizabeth City, NC.  From Elizabeth City we traveled through the Alligator River to the Pamlico River and have spent the weekend in Washington.  We really look forward to spending more time cruising the many towns and waterways of Eastern NC in the near future. 

Next weekend, weather permitting, we will arrive in Carolina Beach and will be met by our former "crew members" Ed and Faith Long and Mike and Lynne Albert who will travel to the coast to welcome us home.  Although we will be happy to complete this final leg of our journey and returning home, we also look forward to our next journey - wherever that may be. 

Please enjoy the selected pictures for our latest travels:

Pia and Lucas "spooning" on the bow

John and Sue on "Just Relax"
arriving at our anchorage behind
"Lady Liberty"

Arrival in Atlantic City

View of Atlantic City at night from our anchorage

Lucas 1st Birthday "cake"

"Just Relax" and "Knot Busy" in Ego Alley
at Annapolis

USS Cole as we entered Norfolk on 9/11

In The Dismal Swamp
sign reads "Welcome to North Carolina"

Restaurant in Washington, NC

We passed this house a few times in
Washington with a dog on the roof.
Lucas was amazed.

Our last posting began with the statement "it has been an uneventful few weeks...".  The last week or so since our last posting has been just the opposite.  We were joined in Schenectady on August 20th by friends from home - Mike and Lynne Albert - to make the final 6 locks on the Erie Canal, travel down the Hudson River to New York City.  We departed Schenectady on Sunday morning, traveled through a huge thunderstorm (while in a lock) and arrived in Waterford, NY that evening.  Mike and Lynne had never done locks before and were fascinated with the procedure as well as the amount of work involved in holding the boat in the lock while water churns below the boat.  I do believe they left with an appreciation of the process.

While in Waterford, we first heard of a potential Hurricane named Irene that may make it's way up the coast in the next few days.  We continued our trip down the Hudson aware that we could make changes in travel plans as the storm approached.  As we now know, Hurricane Irene did make its way up the east coast after hitting eastern NC and was headed directly into NYC. Unfortunately, Mike and Lynne were forced to depart early as we needed to find a safe harbor to ride out the storm.  They both thoroughly enjoyed the time they were on the water and felt that this was a unique experience for both of them.  I have no doubt this shortened trip only served to strengthen their committment to coastal boating in the near future. 

We were successful in securing a slip in Haverstraw Marina 30 miles north of NYC where we stayed until the storm passed.  A lot of wind and rain with a lot of rocking in the marina but we made it safely.  All of us agreed that we don't want to do that again!

With a few days delay due to Irene, we arrived in NY on Tuesday, stayed at a marina one night and traveled a short distance on Wednesday to anchor behind The Statue of Liberty.  Here we met up with John and Sue Winter aboard "Just Relax" - friends and boating partners from The Lake Norman area - who we will travel with the rest of our journey to the Carolinas.  We traveled with John and Sue when we began The Great Loop and look forward to spending time with them again.

Our plans are still to be somewhere in the Carolinas at the end of September and find a semi permanent home for "Knot Busy" for the winter.  We will continue to keep you informed of our travels through The Chesapeake and into eastern NC and hope Irene was the last storm of this season.  Hope you enjoy the pictures of our travels down the Hudson with Mike and Lynne.

West Point on the Hudson

The navigator and his assistant Pia reviewing charts

Lighthouse on the Hudson River

Entrance to Catskill Marina
None of the marinas in Catskill made it through the storm

Lucas posing with one of the decorated
Cats in Catskill

Celebrating Pia's birthday with Mike and Lynne

Lucas has developed a technique to
climb the stairs to the bridge

Calm before the storm?

Flooded marina after the storm
Water rose almost 10 feet

Sunset while on anchor in Haverstraw Bay
One day after the storm

Pia navigating The Hudson with NYC skyline in view