The "ARUNDEL" On The Great Circle Loop 2007

That's All Folks............................

2007-11-14T16:39:00.001-06:00

We passed under the Dolphin Island Alabama bridge at 10:25am................so after 6,365 miles....we have crossed our wake. It's difficult to describe how wonderful this adventure was. It's a lifetime of memories and so many new friends!!!!! Thank You All.....................

The End Is Getting Near -----MOBILE

2007-11-14T16:12:00.000-06:00

Going through the ship channel at Mobile made us realize the end is getting near. Spent 2 nights at Dog River....dinner with friends Maureen and Dennis Schmeichel on Bacchus III.

It's Not Much......But

2007-11-14T16:04:00.000-06:00

I kept hoping I would find lots of foliage somewhere, but this was about all I could locate. Perhaps next year..........................

Now This Is A LOCK!!!!

2007-11-14T15:54:00.000-06:00

This is the Whitten Lock & Dam. It feels like being in an 84 foot Black Hole. It's the ninth highest single lift lock in the Nation. I have no fear of locks but this fellow does catch your attention.

Ten-Tom River

2007-11-14T15:21:00.000-06:00

The Tenn-Tom river, which is 450 miles long, does not have many picturesque scenery to capture, but the White Cliffs of Epes were beautiful and catching them with a little fall foliage was outstanding!!!!

Fall Foliage

2007-11-05T13:59:00.000-06:00

Okay, so fall foliage is a little sparse so far. We saw a few colored trees on our car trip but it's just been too hot and dry here and the leaves are not changing. My friend Diana Cole and I went for a walk in Joe Wheeler Park and I picked some colored leaves and made this collage. Maybe on our way down the Tenn-Tom there will be some color.

Jack Daniels Distillery

2007-11-05T13:22:00.000-06:00

The Jack Daniel Distillery in Lynchberg ,Tennesse is definitely worth the trip. Jack's life story was very interesting. He was only 5'4" tall but dressed every elegantly so as to impress the ladies. He never married but had many lady friends. He talked a lot about his "Belle" and each of his ladies thought he was talking about them. However, his step-sister was named Belle and history believes he was talking about her. He started in the business when he was 13. A preacher who reared him sold the distillery to him when his followers said he had to be a preacher or own a distillery but he couldn't do both. .The entire process was very interesting....take a tour if you're by that way.

2007-11-05T12:53:00.000-06:00

The entrance to Lookout Mountain

Lookout mountain where one of the great Union, Confederate battles took place. This battle was also known as the "War Above The Clouds".

Overlooking the Tennessee.

LookOut Mountain Battle National Park.

The Gang!!!!

2007-11-05T12:42:00.000-06:00

As I mentioned before, there were over 300 people who attended this Fall Rendezvous. What a great bunch of people.............

HomeTown Friends Come To Visit

2007-11-05T12:34:00.000-06:00

Our good friends Don and Rose Peck...of "Just Rosie" drove into town to attend the Rendezvous with us. We all had fun learning and after it was over, the four of us went on a 3 day adventure to Chattanooga and Knoxville....then up to Cumberland Gap in Kentucky to a small town Don was born in....Middlesboro. We also visited the Pinnacle..in The Cumberland Gap Natl. Historic Park.

At the Pinnacle you overlook, Virginia, Tennesse and Kentucky.

Let The Games Begin

2007-11-05T12:24:00.000-06:00

Our friends, Howard and Diana Cole on "C Horse" participating in the great Olympia Games....(well maybe not Olympia exactly) but they were a lot of fun to watch.....

Voted Most Popular

2007-10-28T13:47:00.000-06:00

The most popular person at the Rendezvous was not actually a person, but Brocker the dog....
In fact, he was so popular....everyone called his masters, Brocker's Mom and Dad. What an extremely well behaved animal....with the sweetest face we all had ever seen. Everyone wanted to take him home.

He was a rescue dog that has brought so much joy to his masters, they are the ones who feel blessed.

The Great Circle Loop Rendezvous

2007-10-27T17:04:00.001-06:00

What a great time....80 boats, over 300 hundred people. Met lots of nice new people and ran into so many friends we had met along the way.

The fall gathering was at Joe Wheeler State Park in Rogersville Al. It's a very nice setting with a lodge, swimming pool, and great facilities.

Monday through Thursdays there
were seminars, dinners, contests and lots of fun. This is the fall get-together for those boaters who have completed the Great Circle Loop. It's also a time for those who have just started or have not yet begun their trip to come and learn more about this amazing adventure.

Morning Mist on the Tennessee

2007-10-10T16:41:00.000-06:00

Needless to say I could not capture the beautiful mist at sunrise here. It was a quiet serenity that we have come to appreciate more every day. Nature always could paint pictures like no one else.

Homes on the Tennessee River

2007-10-10T16:32:00.000-06:00

This was just one of many beautiful homes that overlook the river. Many

limestone bluffs line the rivers.

Mermaid On The River

2007-10-10T16:07:00.000-06:00

This was an interesting sign announcing a Marina along the way.

Made In The USA...........

2007-10-10T15:54:00.000-06:00

This is an abondoned building used for shipping grain on the Tennessee before Kentucky Dam was built. The story goes that the building was built sooooo well that attempts to destroy it failed. Officials decided to just leave it. Quality American Built I'd Say!!!!!

Don't You Know A Duck Blind When You See One??

2007-10-10T15:02:00.001-06:00

I couldn't image what this was....kind of looked like a "war tank" that was camouflaged but I learned it was a "duck blind". There was a boat underneath all those bushes. Had to love it!!!!

A Mill Pond

2007-10-10T14:39:00.000-06:00

On our return from Nashville, after spending the night in Clarksville Tenn. (I have a nephew who lives there) and staying at Barkley State Park, we came across Barkley Lake this morning and it was as smooth as a mill pond. We then crossed over to the Kentucky and Tennessee rivers by way of the Land Between The Lakes. We spent one night at Kentucky Dam Marina. Then it was down the Kentucky river. For many years this river was known for mussel harvesting. In the early 1900, the mussels were harvested and sent to Japan. There, the mussels were used for seeding oysters for pearl production. Once on the Tennessee, we were treated to five miles of one of Tennessee's wildlife refuge....52,000 acres of water, woodland and farmland. It is home to 200,000 ducks and 25,000 Canada geese....and 7 bald eagles.

Friends And More Friends.....

2007-10-10T14:19:00.000-06:00

Both James and I have been to Nashville on several occasions and I never get tired of visiting the sights there....but this visit was about friendships of many years...so I dragged poor James around to visit with Jim, Betti, Bobbi and family. I tried to make a quick stop at the Parthenon....I've seen it several times from the outside but it was always under construction so I've never been inside. I've still never been inside.....it's closed on Mondays. Oh well....back to Nashville again in the near future.

Batman In Nashville???????

2007-10-10T13:29:00.000-06:00

In this picture you can see the tall telephone company building on the left....the locals call it the "Batman Building"....it really does have that Batman feel!!!!!!!!!!!

Fog On The Beautiful Cumberland River

2007-10-10T13:09:00.000-06:00

The Cumberland River was so lush, with large peaks and gently rollings hills. The river also takes in Barkley Lake in Southeastern Kentucky and north central Tennessee. Barkley Lake has 1400 miles of shoreline. On the western shore is the Land Between The Lakes. Cumberland river takes you to downtown Nashville Tenn. What a beautiful city..............very clean and so much to do. I've been to Nashville on several occasions but seeing it by river was very special.

Green Turtle Marina.....busy...busy

2007-10-10T12:24:00.000-06:00

This is Green Turtle Bay Marina in Kentucky, on the Cumberland River. All the boats on the loop seem to head for this Marina to rest ...leave their boats and fly or drive home for awhile....or leave them for the winter and continue the loop in the Spring. It's a place to meet up with old friends from along the way and catch up on how their trips are going. It is also close to "Patti's Restaurant and 1880 Settlement". The entire small town with nice shops and the restaurant are famous.....excellent food (2 inch pork chops are their speciality) and unbelievable pies... We shared a meal and still brought home leftovers...that did NOT go to waste. Hey, this place won Southern Living Magazine's Reader's Choice Award for Best Small Town Restaurant in Southeast US. I thought it might be "too Cutzie" to have good food....but the food was fresh and very tasty. A must stop along the way.....

From here we took a detour and headed to Nashville Tennessee.

Hats Off to the Single-handed

2007-10-10T11:31:00.000-06:00

This is Graham Shedo, on the SeaShell, giving us a hand getting off. One of many single-handed men....and women, who have tackled this Great Circle Loop on their own. James was single-handed the first time around so he can appreciate the knowledge and plain "guts" these people have to complete this adventure solo. And they all seem to love every minute of it. Other boaters also enjoy watching out for them but trust me, they assist you as much....always there to lend a helping-hand.

The Famous Arch...

2007-10-02T20:40:00.000-06:00

Unfortunately we didn't get to stop in St. Louis but I was happy to finally get a glimpse of the "Arch". Maybe someday I'll get to visit awhile...................

Where Did You Get That "DO"!!!!!

2007-10-02T20:25:00.000-06:00

Can you believe the "Pompadour" on this guy. Actually, he was not only the leader of the pack but what a MOUTH on this guy. You could hear him coming from miles away. I got such a kick out him....couldn't help but take this picture. I think he is a regular at the Marina.

Friends along the way

2007-10-02T20:07:00.000-06:00

We arrived in Alton, Ill. and friends Norman and Connie, came over to go to dinner with us. There's a place there well known among the "boating world" called Fast Eddie's. It's a very popular place with the locals also....food is excellent....and believe it or not...everything is $1.00....hamburgers, shrimp, pork....I certainly wasn't expecting it to be good but it really was. it's a lively place and we saw many of the boaters at our Marina there. Also, while at Fast Eddie's they had a picture of the World's Tallest Man.....8ft. 11inch. who was born in Alton.

Even Rocks can be beautiful....

2007-10-02T19:22:00.001-06:00

These were some rock formations we saw along the way from Grafton to Alton Illinois.

Illinois, Ohio and Mississippi Rivers

2007-10-02T19:11:00.000-06:00

Everything changes so quickly. One minute we were on the Illinois, then the Ohio and then the Mississippi. This picture is where the Ohio and Mississippi meet. We stopped along the way in Peoria Ill., Then Beardstown Ill. We went for a walk in the town square and they were having a Mexican Independence Day Festival...so lucky for us because we were just talking about how we needed our Mexican fix.....the food was fabulous!!!

What Were They Thinking?????

2007-09-14T13:16:00.000-06:00

This is called "Starved Rock". It's part of a National Park that's quite beautiful. The history story goes.....two tribes of Indians were in a battle and one tribe ran up this rock to defend themselves. That part worked, however; the other tribe decided to just surround the "rock fort" and simply waited until their enemies starved to death....hence the name!!!!

Washington Square - Wish I had been there..

2007-09-14T12:58:00.000-06:00

This park on the right is where Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas held their first of seven senatorial debates. Lincoln lost the election but then several years later became the President of the United States. They have several murals depicting the history of Ottawa...this is the one regarding the debate.

A Simple Act Of Kindess........

2007-09-14T12:37:00.000-06:00

Ottawa Illinois is a wonderful city, full of history; and none more interesting than this Boy Scout Memorial on the gravesite of W.D. Boyce. Mr. Boyce was a resident of Ottawa and millionaire publisher of three weekly newspapers: The Chicago Ledger, Saturday Blade and Chicago World.

While on a trip to London England; one foggy evening, he asked a young boy if he could assist him in finding his destination. The boy said he would be pleased to help. Upon reaching his destination, Mr. Boyce attempted to tip him and the boy said "No thank you Sir, I'm a boyscout and it is our duty to be helpful".

Mr. Boyce was so impressed with the boy's simple act of kindness, that upon his return to Ottawa, he founded the Boy Scouts of America....Feb. 8, 1910. Each year, thousands of scouts have made pilgrimages to the Boyce gravesite to pay their respects to the man who brought Scouting to America.

Close Encounter of a different kind...

2007-09-14T12:19:00.000-06:00

We were sitting at the dock in Ottawa Ill. and suddenly, four other motor yachts showed up. They all rafted up and it turned out to be fun. A special thanks to John Mobley, Sue Spencer and all of the Ottawa towns people for giving us their assistance while we were here......a great spot to stop!!!!

Hurry Up and Wait!!!!

2007-09-14T12:00:00.000-06:00

Nine boats leaving Joliet Ill. arrived at the lock only to discover there was a problem and we all had to wait a couple of hours before locking through... This is not unusual for the Illinois River, mainly because of all the barges that travel here. It is a beautiful river, wide and very pretty.

Two Sleepy People.............

2007-09-14T11:48:00.000-06:00

After crossing Lake Michigan, we were just too tired to continue to our next destination.....so James called the Lock Master and asked if we could tie up on the side of the lock and spent the night.....as he put it....two elderly, tired people. Of course they fell for his charm and said sure....no problem....sleep tight and we'll see you in the morning. This was the sign outside our door where we tied up......

Good Bye Michigan

2007-09-08T13:27:00.000-06:00

A few more interesting towns in Michigan......South Haven and Pentwater. Now it's time to leave...........I do hope to come back and visit again.

Florida Has Nothing On You!!!!!

2007-09-08T13:18:00.000-06:00

What beautiful beaches all along the coast. This one is in Grand Haven Mich. Each coastal town had such a great history and many quaint shops to browse. People were very friendly and as interested in our journey as we were in their town.

Old Friends - We meet Again

2007-09-08T13:05:00.000-06:00

We pulled into Grand Haven and James had the chance to meet up with some people he had traveled with the last time he did the loop. Don and Carol Tasker live there and they invited us to stay at their yacht club. Also at the club were another couple he had traveled with so everyone had a great time reminiscing. James couldn't have been more delighted to see them all again. We stayed an extra day and went to see the famous dancing water light show. It was very pretty and homey looking....I hated to leave.

More interesting towns in Michigan

2007-09-04T08:37:00.000-06:00

We visited several more quaint towns....Frankfort Michigan. There we met a couple, Ed and Nancy Pierce, who had traveled from Texas (their home is in Spring Texas) to Michigan every summer for twelve years. Finally they decided since they loved Michigan so much, they now winter their boat here and fly back and forth. We anchored out in a town called Pentwater....breathless scenery.....

All along the coast there were beautiful sand dunes. One place called Sleeping Bear National Park had dunes 480 ft high. I grew up in Virginia and we had sand dunes but really, nothing like this place.

Who Knew!!!! Michigan

2007-09-04T07:42:00.000-06:00

Did you know Michigan....actually Traverse City ,is the Cherry "Captial of the World". Petoskey is where Earnest Hemming spent his youth. It's city also is charming with all the gas lights downtown.

Michigan is also where some of the great stained-glass is made. We visited a shop, which was owned by woman who are nationally renowned artist.

Leland Michigan had this darling place called "Fish-Town" which is a National Landmark and is home to an authentic Great Lakes fishing tug. Ancient ice and fish shanties now house an operating fish house. Michigan is so filled with beauty and wonderment, I'm impressed and surprised every day.

Worth the Wait!!!

2007-09-04T07:06:00.000-06:00

Two hours on a buggy ride was about all Taylor could handle for one day...so I left him to nap while I took another Horse-taxi to the Grand Hotel. They do not allow any motorized vehicles on the Island and even though it's a bit smelly at times, it's wonderful to be taken back in time. I spent several hours going through the Hotel. Did you know it's on the list of the best 100 hotels in the world. I didn't.... Did you know it has the longest porch of any hotel in the world....I didn't. I first spent time at their art show....called "Somewhere in Time". It was a group of portraits, a number of them have been exhibited at the National Gallery of Art in Washington and the Metropolitan Museum in of Art in New York. It's also the hotel in the movie "Somewhere in Time" which stared Christopher Reeves ....I knew that!!!!! but then most woman do... I walked the famous porch and sat down for a while to take it the great gardens and gaze at the Ester Williams Pool. The entire place was quite magical.

The Rock Church

2007-09-04T06:51:00.000-06:00

On my walk back to the marina I ran across this little stone church. It is the "place" to have a wedding in. In fact, you have to book it at least a year or so in advance. Now that would make a girl think twice about breaking off the engagement. It was so quaint and quiet inside and the stain glass was so beautiful.

2007-09-04T06:37:00.001-06:00

Top left is Fort Mackinac, which was originally a British outpost until the Americans captured the island 20 years after the Revolution.

Top right is the Arch Rock, a natural limestone formation with a 30 ft. wide hole gouged over time by glaciers and waves.

Bottom left is one of the many beautiful gardens and homes throughout the island.

Mackinac Island

2007-09-04T06:27:00.000-06:00

I wasn't really prepared for the beauty of this small quaint Island. Mackinac Island was so clean and the sight of so many flowers and gardens just overwhelmed me. They don't just have Lilac brushes, they have lilac trees. It was the time of year when not so many tourist were there so it made roaming the town easy. We went for a ride on a horse-drawn buggy which took us over the whole island. That was about as much "sight-seeing" as Taylor could handle so while he had his afternoon nap, I hopped on a horse-taxi and went up to the Grand Hotel......

Dining on the Lucky Star

2007-09-03T10:27:00.000-06:00

Celebrating meeting up with some of our new friends. We all brought some extras and Jan and Bob made the main course......

Back In The Good Ole USA

2007-08-26T13:02:00.000-06:00

This is a picture of the C Horse. Also picture of Howard Cole and Jim. The boat in the background is the Vagabond. Both C Horse and Vagabond were in Drumond Michigan where we all went through US customs.

Nice Boat You Got There!!!!!

2007-08-26T12:42:00.000-06:00

Virgil Zink, on the 42 ft Grand Banks, Vagabond. Great salon and wonderful top enclosed deck.

The top photo is the LUCKY STAR which we drooled over. Mainly because it had such a fabulous layout. A kitchen to die for and a salon with sofa and plenty of room to have a dinner party. All one level so it was definitely a beauty.......

Fancy Running Into You Again!!!

2007-08-26T12:27:00.000-06:00

These are some of the folks we kept meeting along the way. We are on Bob and Jan Christensen's boat...Lucky Star. James and I thought it one of the prettiest motor yachts we've seen. We met Jim and Margy Robfogel who have been all over the world in their yacht, Ping. We also got to know Howard and Diana Cole on the C Horse. They spend the summer cruising and then in the winter live on their boat in Key Largo. We have been traveling with Virgil Zink on the Vagabond for a week or so now. He travels the seas single-handed and is loving it. He spent several months in the Bahamas.

Byng Inlet and Killarney

2007-08-26T11:11:00.000-06:00

These two small villages we visited were just wonderful. We met lots of people at the Marina in Byng Inlet......but I mostly did laundry.........talk about boring. I did hear one man saw a bear that swam across the river and walked up to the marina and up behind the restaurant. Wish I had seen him but oh well....I'd much rather be washing clothes...sure....right.....NOT!!!!!

Killarney was all about the bus restaurant that sold fresh fish and chips. We barely made it in time to get some.....very popular place. Also I showed up at the local bakery at 9am and was lucky enough to get the first wild blueberry pie hot from the oven........and oh those chelsea buns.......yum!!!!

More Narrow Lanes

2007-08-26T11:00:00.000-06:00

If you look close you can see the right red and left green buoys. A lot of the travel through Georgian Bay and beyond had these narrow "lanes" to go through. Sometimes Capt. James wasn't sure he could "thread those needles" but he did.

Point Au Baril Lighthouse

2007-08-26T10:53:00.000-06:00

All lighthouses are interesting to me but this one was especially so. On the side of the house (you can't see it in this picture) was the original light, which consisted of a pole in the rock, a wooden barrel in which they kept a lantern. Sorry we didn't stop so I could take a close up picture of that light.

Parry Sound

2007-08-26T09:39:00.000-06:00

Parry Sound was a interesting small town. I went to visit some of the shops there....they had very interesting local shops. James and I bought an ice-cream cone and sat at the park on the water and people watched. Boats and planes are the greatest mode of transportation so it
was fun to watch the comings and goings. Since we stayed at the city dock we had lots of visitors who would come by. Most of them just wanted to talk about our boat....one man wanted to know how much our boat cost. They were not shy with their questions. But they were all friendly and we enjoyed talking with them.

Somewhere Over The Rainbow...........

2007-08-26T09:17:00.000-06:00

You have to look very close to see the "second rainbow" above this awesome sight. We were in a small cove called Snug Harbor. Took refuge there to get out of a sudden storm. There aren't many words to describe this scene.

An Island Of Your Own

2007-08-26T09:01:00.001-06:00

In Georgian Bay, there are 30,000 islands. A lot of them are privately owned and have summer cottages on them. Some of them are "Bald"...saw one with a cottage on it....seemed a little too "out there" for my taste"....bet they got it for a good price though. Anyway, many we saw were vacant. Some of them are owned by Americans. Most who own them tend to pass them down to family members through the years.

A Sense Of Humor

2007-08-26T08:54:00.000-06:00

We loved this Moose Statue on a Georgian Bay island....sure delighted us.........

A Church in Hell!!!!

2007-08-26T08:37:00.000-06:00

Hell's Gate on Georgian Bay has a lovely little church and how can you NOT smile. God does know what he's doing......

This stretch of Georgian Bay was definitely one of the most beautiful places we traveled through. Whether the island had a small cottage or a large one, these waterways and islands simply mesmerized us. The water was crystal clear and the scenery some of the prettiest we've ever seen.

Close Calls On The Narrows

2007-08-26T08:15:00.000-06:00

We went through several "Narrows" on our trip in Canada. This one made us both hold our breath because we were always within inches of rocks.....Beautiful to be sure....but a little close for comfort.

BIG CHUTE.....A CANADIAN LEGEND

2007-08-26T07:53:00.000-06:00

What an Experience!!!! They put your boat in big slings that are on a train track and you go over the road and down to the next lake. We stayed on the docks the night before and I walked over to watch other boats go over. I wasn't scared but just can't figure out how they do it.....It was like being on a cable car but boats weigh alot more than people so even though they have been using this system for many years, I did find myself hoping it would work at least one more time.......

Another Great Guy!!!!

2007-08-26T07:37:00.000-06:00

I do have to tell you a small story about Buckhorn Ontario. A gentleman by the name of John Hall settled this town. He built his own timber mills where the dam is today. Once Hall's land was stripped of its timber, he hatched a novel plan to divest himself of the barren land while fostering continued development of the community. Ahead of his time on equal opportunity issues, he surveyed his property into village lots and distributed them among the eldest girls in every family. Lets hear it for ole John, ladies!!!!!!!

Fenelon Falls

2007-08-26T07:04:00.000-06:00

We stopped here for lunch and of course, a walk to the falls. It was a beautiful town that was settled by the Irish. We met four couples who were going on a small daytime cruise. Because we were from Texas, they were sure we knew Willie Nelson. If fact, two of them who were the first to greet us, told the other two when they arrived, that James was his good friend and I was an ex-wife of Willie. We all had a great laugh on that one!!!!

Bobcaygon And A Taste of Texas

2007-08-26T06:35:00.000-06:00

Bobcaygon was a wonderful small town and we really enjoyed walking around. It is one of the most popular spots on the Trent-Severn and it was crowded that weekend. The young kids at the lock helped us find a spot to stay. They simply moved several boats to make room for us. We really appreciated their effort....

Also right in front of us a boat pulled up from Montreal. The name of it was it'll Do II; which happens to be the name of our friends Don and Rose Peck's boat . Home never seems that far away...we keep meeting people who know people from Kemah and Clearlake.

Go Fly A Kite!!!!

2007-08-26T06:20:00.000-06:00

In Petersborough the marina is at the town park. We brought a folding kite with us, so James went out and flew it. It was a perfect day for kite-flying and we both got a kick out of trying our hand at it. They also had a concert and water-light show that night in the park. We met and really enjoyed talking with a lot of the people staying there. We met six delightful people from Windsor Ontario who were on a houseboat. We love houseboats!!!!

Peterborough

2007-08-08T09:12:00.000-06:00

This picture is difficult to see but this is a hugh water fountain as you enter Little Lake, the entrance to Peterborough Marina. We are going to be here for two days. Today we will walk to the Canoe Museum which boasts the largest collection of canoes and kayaks in the world. Also, every Wednesday and Saturday night they have a concert at the Marina and also a Festival of Lights at Del Crary Park which is next to where we are staying. It consist of a choreograph display of illuminated boats and fireworks.

Tomorrow we will leave for the famous "Bathtub" locks. I'll definitely take pictures..............

Flowers Everywhere!!!!

2007-08-08T08:57:00.000-06:00

This was one of the largest homes we saw but even the smallest homes along the lakes and rivers, have beautiful gardens.....

We crossed Rice Lake which was dotted with summer homes. Canadian are very outdoor people. All the homes had canoes, rowboats and at least one fishing boat. All the kids were out swimming and most homes had diving platforms. Not alot of "Go Fast" boats or "Skidoos" but they were all in the water. We also traveled on the Otonabee River which really winds it way around for miles of serene beautiful scenery. So many small fishing boats and everyone of them wave to you if you go slow............

Interesting Pictures Along The River

2007-08-08T08:49:00.001-06:00

Small Town but......

2007-08-08T08:39:00.000-06:00

We made Hastings our next stop and the whole town wasn't two blocks long on one side of the river and one block on the other side. We decided to walk the town and since all they really had was four restaurants, we went to them all and read their menus. We chose the locals favorite , called "The Captain" and we both experienced a wonderful meal. I had Halibut that would rival any lobster in town and James had roast beef and a Caesar salad that was unbelievable.....Great Find!!!!

Proud Of Their "TOONIE"

2007-08-08T08:24:00.000-06:00

We were anxious to get to Campbellford because we heard they were having the "Cardboard Boat Regatta" races but we were a day late. They are not itty-bitty boats but are large enough to be "crewed"....bet that's a sight to watch. In the park where we stayed, they have this 20ft replica of the "toonie", Canada's $2 coin...the artist is from this town. There were six boats tied up to the dock so we visited with everyone. Found one couple who vacation in Texas every year for two months.

They also have the world's Finest Chocolate Factory there. It was quite a walk so I felt compelled to purchase 6 different kinds of that nectar of the Gods.

Traveling on the Trent-Severn

2007-08-08T08:02:00.000-06:00

The minute you leave Trenton you enter the Trent-Severn Waterways. They have 45 locks and two of them are one of a kind in the world............Can't wait for this adventure. Our first stop was the village of Frankford, which by the way is the "Wild Turkey" capital of the world. Not much to do here but we did go for a walk and stopped by a cemetery on our return. We actually stopped by because we saw some wild turkeys but we ended up reading some of the fasinating headstones.

Thou Shall Not Covet Thy Neighbor's Fenders!!!

2007-08-08T07:15:00.000-06:00

James couldn't stop staring at our neighbor's fenders. He has tried to buy a new large fender since we started the canals but to no avail. They either weren't large enough.....he did buy one smaller one....or they were overpriced. By the time we arrived in Trenton and were parked beside the "Mamoose" he was drooling over their many, many fenders. He went to town and would have paid "any price" but alas, they had sold the last one.

This couple were from Montreal, 65 foot, definitely named appropriately and the older gentleman was driving it by himself.

Our Smiling Docmaster

2007-08-08T07:06:00.000-06:00

When the Docmaster really enjoys his work, he tends to bring all the boaters together. That was Craig!!! He was out amongst us all and so we met everyone there. Really made for a pleasant stay....

Definitely recommend staying at the Fraser Marina in Trenton.

Trenton Canada

2007-08-08T06:32:00.000-06:00

This was the setting at the Fraser Park Marina. We were lucky enough to be placed right on the wall of the park. It had a Gazebo where they had music both nights we were there. Also, lots of the town folks walk the parks at night so we met some interesting people. So many beautiful flowers gardens..................

Kingston Canada

2007-08-08T06:06:00.000-06:00

Sometimes we are so enthralled with a town that we forget to take pictures. That was Kingston!!!! What a charming place that was....we walked to the Open Market, which each town in Canada seems to have. It's a wonderful place for flowers, vegetables and bakery products. I saw a Giant Sweet Roll - they call them Chelsea buns here. It would have easily fed 6 to 8 people so I dared NOT buy it....but it was sure tempting.

We also took a trolley ride tour. It's a great way to get an overview of the entire town. They have several famous colleges there (Royal Military College and Queens University), great old homes from the 1800's and of course they usually tell you stories about the people there. Evidently, Canada's first Prime Minster, Sir John Macdonald was quite the interesting man.

They also told a funny story regarding the three forts that housed cannons. They were placed strategically around the city. In the 1800's, Canada was always in fear the US would attack them so they built these forts for just that occasion. However, to use the cannons, they would need to lift the roofs, which took a day. Canada just had to hope that if the US did attack, they would give 24 hours notice!!!.

New York Was An Adventure !!!!

2007-08-03T07:00:00.001-06:00

We hated leaving this state....it was a wonderful adventure from beginning to end. Oswego had one more "lock" which we had to go through and I laughed because they had a problem and it wouldn't fill up with water. It took them almost an hour to get it fixed. I felt as though my Dad were with me on this one....telling me to take one more look at the city where he was born. One of those throat catching moments that makes you smile. We were off to Canada and looking forward to the next great "lock adventure" on the Trent-Severn. I know I said there wasn't much to say about locks but looking back...the people who work the locks have all been so nice and friendly.....and each lock had flowers all along the sides.

Good To See You Again...

2007-08-03T06:46:00.000-06:00

We waited in Oswego an extra day because Charles and Pat Culotta were coming into town. I've heard about them for years, everyone we talked with along the way knew them....except me...They are very good friends of James and I was delighted to meet them. We had a great visit, some Chinese food and unfortunately had to say goodbye. We hope to stop by and visit them in LA when on our way home.

We Love Zoos"!!!!

2007-08-03T06:07:00.000-06:00

We left Brewerston and everyone said....it will be a " Zoo" in Oswego, they are having Harbor Days and it draws every boater around. As Jim says, we love Zoos so we went anyway and it was a lot of fun. Yes, the boaters were tied up to everything they could get to...some of them were rafted several boats across. We got one of the last spots on the river wall just outside a lock. There were people floating in the water withs drinks and cigars.....lots of people had set up tents. They had the best fireworks we've ever seen. Very unusual and so pretty. We were content just to sit there with our drinks and enjoy the activities. The next day we moved up the canal closer to the town and enjoyed the last of "Harbor Days".

Relax and Enjoy

2007-08-03T05:26:00.000-06:00

Ess-Kay Marina was so laid-back and comfortable. They had lawn chairs and flower gardens. They gave you that...."What can we do for feeling." They have a courtesy car that the keys were left in and you used it whenever you needed. No signing up and threatened with 50 lashes if you didn't have it back with-in 59.59 minutes. We met a wonderful couple, Jim and Julie Bertch on the motor vessel "Insight", sat out on the lawn and chatted with them over evening refreshments. Jim is a former president of MTOA. He is also friends with a couple, Ralph and Patricia Guidry on the "Galley Up" who we met several times on our way from Waterford. They are from Slidell, LA.

Brewerton - Ess-Kay Yards to the Rescue!!!

2007-08-02T19:06:00.000-06:00

We arrived in Brewerston thinking this was not going to be a fun time. George, the owner, came strolling down to talk with us after we docked. It's been awhile since I have met someone so calming and kind who put us both at ease. He not only immediately assured us we would be up in slings to check the props early in the morning but he knew someone who would come look at our refrigerator. Trust me, that was music to my ears. We could not find anyone who was willing to come out to check our frig because it was on a boat. The company who makes it, Magic Chef, told us even if they could find someone; they didn't make compressors for this model anymore. The fool thing is only two years old for goodness sake.

Good ole George found someone and it was a defrost switch gone bad so it was fixed the next day also...............and both jobs were done perfectly and at a fair price. Sometimes things do go well when you least expect it.....

Enough Locks!!!!!

2007-07-27T19:37:00.000-06:00

More Locks....one of them took us up 40 feet. I am learning to take the boat into the canal while James has to crew. Don't you know he was more scared than I...and I was pretty scared of crashing into the sidewalls. I did okay the first one....the second one was better but the third time was NOT the charm. I had the boat going sideways and "Lightnin Jim" had to come to the rescue. I was shaking in my deck shoes..............

We stopped off at Herkimer; they have a large gift shop and it was interesting to walk around. Then it was another lock and into Utica, which is somewhat of a blur because our refrigerator went on the blink. What a thankless mess that was....we got everything into a cooler and then had to walk to town and get some ice. We put the ice in garbage bags and threw them over our shoulders and tramped back over a large bridge with lots of traffic. Do you have a big 8x10 of THAT look......bag people......

Also, that day, James decided he needed to have the boat pulled and the props checked out. So the next morning it was up early, through more darn locks....whipped right past Sylvan Beach and flew across Lake Onieda and into Brewerton NY. Whew!!! are we having fun yet...

"I'm All Advil"

2007-07-27T19:14:00.000-06:00

We ran through another 3 locks today... By the time we arrived in Canajoharie, every muscle I have hurt....oh the shoulders, ouch the knees...my achy, breaky back......Yes, I would be perfect for the Advil commercial.

Canajoharie was a very quaint little town. It was raining a little so I carried my umbrella instead of my camera. The Village of Canajoharie has, architecturally, the most original, intact Erie Canal Commerical district found on the Mohawk River. They are doing a lot of renovating because of the great flood they had but we enjoyed walking their streets. The police were on bikes and very friendly. We had lunch at an old-time diner....right down to the low stools and big meals that would have fed three....for $6.00. I very much wanted to go to the Art Gallery....it has one of finest small art collections in the US. Unfortunately, they are still renovating from the flood and had to move all the paintings and they won't be back until September.

The Erie Canal

2007-07-27T11:22:00.000-06:00

The first day we went through 9 locks after leaving Waterford to Amsterdam. I didn't take any pictures of the locks because.....what's to see in a lock...ropes and water rising....

When we finally arrived in Amsterdam, we were both too tired to go skipping off to town. The trains ran all night long right next to us but we love the sound of trains so we didn't mind. Also, during the day when we were NOT going through locks, the Mohawk River was nothing short of enchanting. It's wide and beautiful and I could watch it and picture the Indians paddling their canoes up and down her shores. The Adirondack foothills were on our right....no sounds except for an occasional train. Traveling on the Mohawk River made me realize how lucky we are to see America this way....it renewed my faith in just how beautiful she is. I've always been a travelers...cars, trains and airplanes..... But this is the America I have missed....the quiet America....the breathtaking vistas, the small quaint villages....the history of our country, her warmness, her pride and the wonderful people that live and work along the way. Did our hearts good !!!!

A Breath of Fresh Air

2007-07-27T10:20:00.000-06:00

When we were in Savannah, we left a card on the "Ithaka" because we saw a Great Circle Loop flag on their boat. We then talked by phone with them and emailed eachother a couple of times. They were the ones who told us about our favorite restaurant to date....the Cru Cafe in Charleston.

While in Waterford, I heard someone yell...Arundel....we're Ithaka...and there they were.....Chip and Michelle Harris, from Naples Florida. They immediately came over after they docked and what a wonderful, joyful couple they are....they are so enthusiastic about their cruise. They are stopping in Brewerston and leaving their boat for the winter and then coming back next summer to complete the loop. They have that wonderful happy feeling you really enjoy seeing in a couple; we loved being with them for a few days. They even saved our runaway"bad dingy". James untied it and was called away immediately for something else and didn't retie it well enough..........so when we came back from shopping, they had our dingy tied us on the back of their boat. They saw it floating down the river......and retrieved it. We drank wine and laughed about it all.

Stop By for Coffee - Stay Awhile

2007-07-27T09:21:00.000-06:00

When we were in Kingston NY, we met with James' friends, Capt. Bernie Jacobs and his wife Joan. They left the next day for Troy; we followed several hours later and stopped by Troy to have dinner with them before traveling on to Waterford.

They called the next morning on their way to the Champlain Canal and decided to stop by and have coffee with us. After coffee, they jumped on their boat...........and as we all know those great plans we make have a way of getting "delayed". Their boat wouldn't start......No Problem right.....Bernie and James climbed down in the engine room and came up sure it would work, everything was in place........but........next day, back down they went. Joan and I sat on our boat in the cool and comfort and solved the problems of the world, while they worked. They ended up having to call their relatives they were going to visit and they drove down to have dinner. The next day after many "cussings" the boat started and they finally got off. It was fun getting to know the two of them but we were sorry for their problems.

De-Ja Vu

2007-07-27T09:01:00.000-06:00

In my blog on the Dismal Swamp, I mentioned that we felt riding down the swamp had that "African Queen thing" going on. Well, you can imagine how surprised I was when we pulled up to the dock in Waterford, and tied behind us was a replica of the "African Queen". It's quite popular up state and they take the boat to many fairs...it's a big draw. I took a lot of pictures of it...I guess I went a little crazy you'd say.

Wonderful Waterford

2007-07-27T08:43:00.001-06:00

We really fell in love with this town. The locals jog here at the Marina, they gather at night to visit with the boaters and their friends. They bring their dogs..........it was very nice here. Add to that, all the very friendly boaters and it made for a great stay........we stayed 5 days.

The Harbor Master came out to visit with everyone and asked James if he would take him for a spin, he had never steered a two engine boat and wanted to try it. They had a nice outing....I sat on the pier reading and "guarding our spot" as this is an extremely popular boating place. Actually the Harbor Master had a yellow taple placed across our space so no one would take it. Trust me, I still had several boaters ask me if they could park there.....

They had several tug boats here. The Tug Boat Round-up is on Labor Day and it attracts 25,000 plus people. Wonderful old neighborhoods and good restaurants....what more could you ask for.................

Sing-Sing

2007-07-27T06:01:00.000-06:00

This is Sing-Sing. I never connected the saying "sending you up the river" with this prison. But that is what the judges would say to the criminals from New York. This picture doesn't show how morbid and cold it looked.

Choices, Choices!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2007-07-19T19:25:00.000-06:00

We have arrived in Waterford NY and had to choose between going through the Champlain Canal and continuing on to Montreal and Quebec, which we both would have loved to do.........

But alas, time is of the essences, so we have chosen to go on the Erie which will still take us to Canada on the Trent Severn and Georgian Bay.

Getting Noticed!!!!!

2007-07-19T19:17:00.000-06:00

Whatever it takes I guess. Got a kick out of this rather unusal tug boat as we were coming into Kingston NY.

Standing At Attention

2007-07-18T17:34:00.001-06:00

West Point was so powerful looking....so massive, it made you want to stand at attention just looking at it. So much history, so much pride....it was one of my favorite sights.

The Hudson River so far has been beautiful.....each mile prettier than the next. The weather has been outstanding....mornings so cool you need a light jacket (definitely my kind of weather). Seeing the commuter trains running along the Catskill Mountains edge...the many Castles and Mansions....even the smaller houses are lovely. Since they have a lot of Dutch History here, the towns all have that quaint, Dutch feel about them. We stayed a couple of days in Kingston, which by the way, was the First Capital of New York.

We anchored out one night in Havershaw Bay....which is a big weekend boating getaway. There must have been close to 100 boats there when we arrived. Lots of families and friends, having a grand time. It was fun watching everyone.....we dinged around and said hello to all our boat neighbors.

Lighting The Way Up The Hudson - part II

2007-07-18T17:11:00.000-06:00

This is the Hudson/Athens Lighthouse that I could not get on the other page. Each one of them are kept in pristine condition and were a joy to see.

Lighting The Way Up The Hudson

2007-07-18T16:52:00.000-06:00

There are four unique Hudson River Lighthouses

Esopus, Rondout, Saugerties and Athens/Hudson. These are truly houses that were built for a lighthouse keeper and his family and were occupied until the navigation lights were automated, starting in the 1950's. All of them has been preserved and one of them is actually in use as a Bed and Breakfast.

The City That Never Sleeps

2007-07-18T11:34:00.000-06:00

Since James and I both have had the pleasure of visiting this wonderful city many times, we only stayed a few hours.....we stopped by the 79th street Marina and told them we needed to go to Zabars Deli for an hour. They let us tie up so we walked up to Broadway and 80th to visit this famous spot. It would be easy to spend the day in this family deli that has been in business since 1937. It takes up an entire block.....the cheese department alone takes up an entire room. We loaded up on cheeses, deli meat and a wonderful apple strudel.

Then it was up the Hudson River...............................

My Inexperience is showing!!!!

2007-07-18T11:03:00.001-06:00

One more story about New Jersey and then we will leave that poor state alone. We had to wait until 10am before leaving Ocean City because the fog was so heavy. When we finally got on our way we ran into fog again and then finally before we arrived in Atlantic City we ran into a problem. The last bridge (a railroad bridge) was broken so we couldn't pass through. Since they had no idea when it would be fixed, we had to back track and leave the ICW at Ocean City and go out into the Atlantic up to Atlantic City....

The minute we got out into the Atlantic, the fog was so thick we could not see the bow of the boat. We have lots of radar and navigational equipment so we knew we could make it.....we just didn't like the fog. James blew the horn a lot and I just sat there in a "fear state"...which means I get very quiet. Now, in all fairness to myself....what happened next was a result of the fact that the night before, we had watched a TV program on the history channel called "Rogue Waves". It was unbelievable how they can rip a ship right in two. Okay, keeping that in mind, what happened next was.....James turned left a little too soon and the next thing I heard was him saying....oh shit....and quickly heading the boat on another course. I experienced total heart failure because suddenly there were gigantic (to me).....6 ft and higher waves coming over the boat. Of course I'm sure it's the "rogue waves" I had seen the night before. I sat very quietly until we were out of the waves and into smoother water. When I finally looked at him, I expressed how frightened I was. He then proceeded to tell me how "close to shore we had come"....he had turned too soon. I said....close to shore!!!, I thought we were in the middle of the Atlantic and we were being hit by rogue waves..........he laughed himself silly and said...shit....the only thing I was afraid of hitting was a "surfer".............honestly, do you think I felt silly or what....however, I was delighted to know it was just inexperience that was the reason for my fears.

The Lady Awaits..............

2007-07-18T10:47:00.001-06:00

Does anyone ever tire of seeing this beautiful lady when you arrive in the New York Harbor. We certainly don't....I was a little concerned about how I'd feel seeing NY again after 9-11. I thought maybe it would be depressing.........but not at all. She's still a beautiful city and her welcome mat is always there for you.

We anchored out close the Statue of Liberty, right behind her at Liberty Park. Wonderful anchorage!!!

A Haven in New Jersey

2007-07-18T09:47:00.000-06:00

Okay, so I did find one pretty town while I was there. It was called Beachhaven and it had wide streets and very pretty houses with lovely flower gardens. Also, the house to the left, which is actually on an Island close to Beachhaven, was once owned by the Post Family (cereal fame). Mr. Post bought it from the City of Beachhaven in the 1950's for $50 dollars. He started building a mansion for his wife (we like him don't we ladies!!!). Anyway, she died before it was completed and the building stopped. Years later they started building again, only to have Mr. Post die. The family had to keep it for years because when Mr. Post bought the island, the contract stipulated it had to stay in the family. Just recently, the city gave permission for the Post family to sell it to an architect, who finished it out. He was suppose to have a grand 4th of July party and fireworks display there to celebrate it's completion but that never happened. I enjoyed hearing that story....so you see, I did find something I liked about New Jersey.

What I liked about New Jersey

2007-07-18T09:17:00.000-06:00

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm....................

In all fairness to the State of New Jersey, I KNOW there are many beautiful places to visit there....after all, it is called the garden state. It was just so tough going on the ICW from Cape May to Manasquan (which did look pretty from the water). If you were lucky to have 4 feet of water, it was a good day. We had to anchor during one day and wait for the tide to come in because it was only 3 feet. Then even when the tide was IN, we ran aground. Like I said, not a fun place to travel through.

And what's with the flies New Jersey!!!! The incessant creatures nearly drove us nuts. James had a difficult time steering as I leaped up and down trying to kill the entire population of the beasts. They were all bite and goodness knows, "OFF" didn't phase them...they just went for the face when the Off was too thick on our legs and arms. We stayed in Atlantic city....I have always wanted to visit there. They bill themselves as the Las Vegas of the north...........I don't think so!!!!!! It was rather depressing....... Las Vegas is alive and fun.....Atlantic city was scary, it was so empty....no one was in the rather gaudy casinos. There were no patrons cheering or smiling.

A Lady's City

2007-07-18T09:06:00.000-06:00

What a charming city Chesapeake City is...... Didn't have my camera when we went ashore so no pictures but it was nice. We anchored in the harbor and dinged in to visit the town. Very quaint, with lots of B&B's and antique stores. What I really liked was the gardens they created. They were all beautiful and so worth all the trouble I know they go through to show them off. Jim really didn't say a word while we walked around, that's why I knew this town was for the ladies. No West Marine or hardware!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Smile!!!!

2007-07-18T07:44:00.000-06:00

This is my very good friend and former Dentist, Dr. Paul Medlock and his wonderful wife Claudia. All you sailboaters will probably know them....they are now RVing across America and loving every minute of it. We were lucky enough to find them in Baltimore when we arrived. They treated us to dinner; took us to the pharmacy and checked to make sure we didn't need a grocery store. It was fun to see him again and meet Claudia , who made you feel you've known her all your life...the minute we met her.

All the Boys in White - Annapolis Md.

2007-07-18T07:29:00.000-06:00

As we entered Annapolis harbor, a large group of Cadets were marching (picture on right). You can barely see them... they are on the left....mostly it looks like a line of CARS marching. Oh well....you really need to BE in Annapolis to appreciate it's beauty because....beautiful it is!!!! It was so crowded the first day we arrived, we had to go past the bridge and up the river to anchor. There were so many ships out circling the mooring balls, we looked like a bunch of sharks. We discovered one of the reasons it was so crowded was so many weddings were taking place at Harbor Town . Seems as though all the young married couples wanted to be wed on that day....7/07/07. A Good Omen!!!! Let's hope so.

We moved to the harbor the second day and spent the day walking around the town. It was extremely interesting and charming. I did manage to walk up to the State Capital....a little too up hill for Jim. Of course I had to have a Maryland crab cake and yes, it was worth the wait....

We both wish we could have stayed a little longer but we're still a little behind our schedule.

Coffee Talk...............

2007-07-05T12:23:00.000-06:00

We were sitting on the porch having coffee and this family showed up. I stood there chatting with them (one of them squawked back as if to say, shut up lady and give us something to eat). How could anyone refuse to feed those darling babies. So I gave them some bread and they hung around for about 30 minutes following every move I made. James didn't join in the conversation........he just looked at me and smiled while rolling his eyes. Who cares, I truly enjoyed them..........

Our Own Personal America's Cup???

2007-07-05T12:19:00.000-06:00

We were sitting on our back "porch" one evening and suddenly about 20 boats came racing into the Cove. They actually had someone at the finish line who blew a horn when a boat crossed it. What a beautiful sight with so many colored sails.