Just an update on our travels...We have gone almost 600 miles in one month...Used 136 gallons of fuel (a little over four Nautical MPG - X 1.16 for statute)...We are hoping to leave tomorrow for Liberty Landing NJ and a visit with the Manzo's...We will have to stop at least once along the way  ...The we will be leaving the boat at Croton-on-Hudson for a month while we travel to Vestal and maybe New Bern.The current plans are to return to the boat around the first of July, spend July 4th with cousin Melinda in Manhattan watching the fireworks from the roof of her apartment (by the way, Chewy will get his first train ride when we go to Manhattan)...Then Melinda will travel with us to Albany and we will continue up the Hudson River, through Lake Champlain into Canada...so far no one has walked the plank......

 SOME SIGHTS ALONG THE WAY TO ANNAPOLIS

 BAY BRIDGE TO ANNAPOLIS

The view entering the river heading for Baltimore...

 These are some US Navy Supply ships on the way into Baltimore Harbor

For Jamey -- Baltimore City Fire Boats...

 This is Fort McHenry - The sight of the Battle in which our National Anthem was written...

The Admiral and Seaman First Class Chewy getting ready for another long day at sea...Not First Mate yet, but getting close...

 The Nuclear Power Plant on the New Jersey side of the Delaware River. We were able to ride the tide down the Delaware River by leaving Delaware City at 6:15 IN THE MORNING !!!However, we picked up three knots which almost doubled our speed (and halves our fuel consumption..

On of the still functioning lighthouses in the Delaware Bay...There are quite a few, indicating how dangerous the Bay can be...

 While we were docked in Cape May (still here due to weather as we write this), the Freedom pulled in...She is a sister ship to the Sequoia which was a Presidential yacht for many Presidents until President Carter sold it - on of the few things he actually did...You can google it and see the real beauty and style of yesteryear...She is now a fractional owner boat at $400,000 a share (5%). She is owned by McMillan Boat Company...

Another view as she was leaving...

 If there was any doubt, the US Navy has at least one blimp...We saw this one leaving Solomon's Island...Which, is an Island because the cut a ditch in the Isthmus (sp?) to allow the tides to equalize without creating a strong current...The 'box' as it's called was once 500 feet wide but now only about 50...

 These are our friends, the Gierschs, who we spent parts of a couple weeks with...He was our hero when we got a line caught in our prop and rudder....Thank you Brian...

In Oxford...Back home we would call it a mansion....Out here it's just another house...Unbelievable...










Sunset on the hook at the Strand in Oxford, MD

Sailboat race we encountered on the way to Annapolis...At least a thousand boats...It was a challenge to weave through them...

 Decorations on someones front lawn...Boy am I jealous...

The Admiral with Kaity and Dexter relaxing on the Mazel Tug...Have no fear - Chewy was there too, just under cover (pun intended)...

 We went from Onancock (o NAN cock) to Solomons Island on Tuesday (5-13)...Water was like glass all day...We snuck up on this Pelican who gave us a glamorous pose...We were underway about eight beautiful hours...Plenty of time for showers as we were filling up with water at this stop..

Another of a continuous stream of beautiful old lighthouses.

There are literally tens of thousands of these damn crab pots...

C

 As we got near the Patuxent Naval Air Warfare Base, we were treated to all sorts of Naval Aviation practicing...We saw fighter jets, the V-22 Osprey, some kind of Boeing 727 ??? variation, and these anti submarine aircraft

 Our first evening (on a mooring ball) was breathtaking...

Captain bringing the able seaman (sea dog) Chewy back from a reconnoiter ashore. Chewy is not quite a first mate yet as we still can't trust him to not jump off the boat...He is getting good at that when we are tied up...

 JUST A FEW PICS OF THE NORFOLK SCENERY AS WE WERE DEPARTING FOR DELTAVILLE

 

CAPTAIN AND CREW

Tight parking!!!

Just a shot from Hooters (yes Hooters) where we had dinner with some fellow loopers to show you how tightly they pack us in... And Katie - NO I didn't hit anything getting in ... lol

SLOWLY  MEANDERING THE DISMAL SWAMP 

A FEW PICS OF THE DISMAL SWAMP TREK. THIS CANAL HAS BEEN EXACTLY THE SAME SINCE THE DAYS OF GEORGE WASHINGTON.

FRIEND ALONG THE WAY

TRIP TOOK TWO DAYS AT A SLOW NO WAKE SPEED. STAYED AT THE WELCOME CENTER WHICH IS ALSO A REST AREA FOR ST RT 17 AS PROVED BY THE BUS LOAD OF DRUNKEN MEN WHO USED THE FACILITIES AT MIDNITE.

MORE BEAUTIFUL SCENERY

WE ARE IN NORFOLK AT THE WATERSIDE MARINA UNTIL FRIDAY. NO TORNADO WARNING HERE, JUST GORGEOUS. CHEWY IS A HAPPY BOY PLAYING WITH ALL THE OTHER DOGS AND PEOPLE AROUND.