From: Diana S Decker To: ‘Mike Vannata’ Sent: Monday, May 28, 2007 10:22 PM Subject: RE: Trip Update
The past few days have been spent at anchor and totally out of touch via cell phone. Again we had an exciting day anchored at Mile Hammock in Camp LeJeune. The Navy was conducting live ammo maneuvers off Onslow Beach and the marines were conducting take-off and landing techniques with their Osprey (STOL craft) and helicopters until 10 PM. The short take-off and landing craft were really awesome to watch. Our trip up the ICW has been great most of the time. Georgia is really getting very shallow. We hit depths of 4.5 feet at low tide. The marina’s gave us a 2 sided sheet of warnings where depths were particularly low. Thank goodness their advice as to which side of the channel to favor was particularly helpful. The area between Isle of Palms and Charleston was also very low. We were really picking our way up the channel. Today we are in Coinjock and back in civilization with cell service and WIFI.
I’ve met some of the most delightful people along the way. We spent the afternoon with some folks who used to live in Fitchburg and are also making their way up the ICW. Please tell Bob Graff that I ran into friends of his from his cruising club in Duxbury. Walter May from Walter May Insurance greeted me as I arrived in Marsh Harbor and who should walk into the cafi where I was having breakfast in Hilton Head but Pat and Rocky Carrabas from Doctors Hill. It’s a real small world when you’re sailing. I’ll be changing crew again in Annapolis on Wednesday.
The weather for the most part has been good. We were held up in St.Simon for 2-3 days as a result of that low associated with Andrea. It was really great!! We rented a car and toured St.Simon and Jekyl Islands. Of course the weather in the Bahamas wasn’t the best. I probably told everyone I was held up in Nassau for 17 days due to weather. It gave everyone at the marina a chance to get to know everyone. I had a great time. One night the guy in the slip two doors down stood up on his finger pier and played the bag pipes for all of us. I had people from New Zealand on both sides of me. They were on their way to Spain for the Americas Cup races. Then their was Phil from Maine in his new Catamaran and the guy from Texas in a 44′ Island Packet across from us. He and his wife were taking 10 years off to sail while they were still young enough to do it. I hate to see the trip come to an end but I am anxious to get back and reunite with everyone in Scituate. I did have a week with my daughter and family in the Isle of Palms. Weather was great and the 3 year old cried her eyes out. She wanted to stay forever. I think I better stop my jabbering. The crew looks like they would like to go to bed.
Sorry this didn’t make it in time for the opening day brunch. I’ll be seeing everyone sometime around June 25 or 26. Say hello to everyone.
Diana
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