Until We Meet Again!

So that is the end of another great journey!  My next big excitement will come on October 8th when I begin a new job......I am so excited and happy to be back in the working world.....Frontier Communications is the company I will be working for in MB.....they are a publicly traded company and their CEO is a woman, Maggie Otterwilder.
Frontier Communications accepted 277 applications and 110 people were hired for the new positions in MB.  I am happy to say, I was one of them.....
Downside is:  my life is about to change dramatically.....but, I soon will have another exciting journey to look forward to in May.
My youngest son,  Josh, will be getting married in MB and I am very excited to say, it should be a great party.
I am very blessed with 2 great young men for sons, soon, I'll have 2 daughter in laws, and 6 grandchildren.  Life is a blessing and I thank god for it everyday.......
                   "My dad once told me, if you can't wake up with a smile on your face every morning, then you shouldn't wake up at all" "Smile, be nice to people who treat you well, and always take care of each other"

Well DAD, I think you know, we are all taking care of each other - and YOU always took care of all of us.
We love and miss you!

So until later, happy blogging!

Myrtle Beach Yacht Club here we are!

The beaches of NC - just beautiful for miles...

Gen totally surprised when a dolphin jumps up out of the water near our boat

Heading down the Little River Inlet

We made it Babe!

The Lighthouse is the entrance to MBYC.....

Finally HOME!

Wow, we left Wrightsville, NC at 6:56am headed down the ICW, oh, we only hit bottom twice, a little shallow in a few spots.......Anyway, it was a whirlwind week, BUT we made it. Saturday afternoon at 4:50 pm we pulled into Spirit's new resting marina......Myrtle Beach Yacht Club - it is a very nice place.  We were immediately met by some of the nicest people and introduced to the boss or dockmaster.  They helped us tie up and showed us around.
Needless to say, Genaker was glad to be a SC soil again!  Then, John & Maureen Allen met up with us and brought my car so we could start unloading to load up again!  I made us all some hamburgs and hotdogs, beans, boat drinks and some good conversation and boat stories went on! It was great to see them!
Home we finally headed.  Bill hasn't been in MB since the first week in April....he was very excited driving through the gates of Edgewater....Genaker's nose was out the window, happy also......Me, I was just exhausted!
Bill and I did a great job getting us all home, if I do say so myself!  His experience and expertise really gives me confidence in all the conditions we entailed.
There were only a few mishaps, which actually only happened the last leg of our trip.....I dropped the boat hook into the ICW in Wrightsville, he left the water hose behind there also and alittle bit of fuel leaked into the bilge on Saturday which was the day we left.  NOT bad at all!
It is a great journey and you really find alot out about yourself and your spouse when you must spend 10 days on a boat, without TV.  You learn to communicate, trust, believe and most of all, we must have complete confidence in each other.  I never question Bill when he asks me to do something, especially when he says "quickly" cuz I know somethings up.....
Genaker on the other hand, didn't have a great trip, she would not void once on board....she also was very loud each time we pulled into a marina and very nervous when alot of power boats went by us on the ICW.  She only had to be drugged twice....
Thanks so much to all my family and friends, who without your support & encouragement,I couldn't get through it...and
Bill, I love you and so appreciate what you have accomplished in your life to help make all my journeys on Spirit so enjoyable and a great learning experience.

Last sunrise, today we head home...

Early morning workout...

I NEVER tire of this site early in the morning..

Cape Fear River - getting there

Myrtle Beach Yacht Club here we come!

Friday we had a great offshore journey....the winds were in our favor and the ride was comfortable.......It was great to see the emerald green water......but, Sat, its back to the ICW and we'll be home tonight.....What a whirlwind week its been......Here are some great pics of Wrightsville, NC...Enjoy!

Coming in through the channel was dicey.....

Reminds me of the OBX

This mother big boat docked behind under a beautiful moon...

Beaufort, NC WHAT a gorgeous place to be!

What a gorgeous place to be!

Today we made it all the way to Beaufort, NC......We aren't far now!  We are exhausted and today I had to take a strange car to a Piggly Wiggly all by myself. That was interesting.....Got groceries and made dinner.....Bill has been so busy w/the boat and all the work on that end, while I have been trying to keep us fed well.  Here are some great pics!  Tomorrow we go offshore, full sailing.....can't wait! Beaufort is a place I could stay the rest of my life and be very happy! Love to you all!

Anchored outside Bellehaven

ICW - its a very lonely place

Pamlico Sound- leading out of Bellehaven to Beaufort....

What a great day! We made it all the way to Bellehaven from Coinjock, NC......we anchored out, relaxed, ate dinner and went right to sleep....8:05 pm....We woke at 5 drifting alittle so we decided at first light to head out to Beaufort, NC. Can't wait....I love it there. Then, not to far from Home!........Here are some pics of Nothingville yesterday......and our beautiful sail today is calm & warm. Damn dog, still hasn't done a thing........while going by the Coast Guard base in the ICW today she barked for 20 minutes, wanting to get off - but, we can't, not deep enough for us.....so the struggle goes on!

Wednesday, September 19th

Bye, bye Coinjock, NC....we pulled out at 7:56 am alittle hesitant about the weather....But, we make some great yachties from New Zealand (sailed to here)they are headed to Moorhead, anyway, she was pulling out this morning, I said "Bill, let's go". So far we are moving along pretty well, 7.2 knots.....we have the genoa up and we're motor sailing.......its alittle choppy, but guess what, not as bad as Saturday......pics a this "in the middle of no where land".....

Stormy Day!

Boats waiting out the storm, all in a row!

So what do you do, onboard, when there is a storm coming and you have no TV....We listen to great music, I play on my laptop, Bill sets up his next course for south on his IPAD.......then I cook, breakfast, lunch, OH and I made some homemade soup.  And if you're really out of ideas - well, there's always sex!

This is how Gen spends a stormy day!

Bill plotting our next course....

Genaker on Board

I love to watch everything that is going on!  How soon do I get off this boat anyway?
  She has been a good girl, but, barking every time we start the engine or shift! Every time we make our way to a marina or dock, she lets it rip, very loud and deafening.....this is a new habit she has developed, I think we need the Dog Whisperer.......Caesar, where are you?

Tuesday, Sept. 18th

Well, Monday we made it to Coinjock, NC which was our intention.  Capt. caught every bridge and the Locks on time.....bigger drop this time in the locks, I actually noticed it.....We stayed at Midway Marina last night, and its looking like we are stuck here for today, the weather is turning bad again.   We just can't catch a break...I know its because DWTS is Monday night. But, beware, IPAD! If we aren't in a no signal area, we should b e good to go....I have some pics from yesterday I'll try and post......

Bridge #4

George W. Bush (just commissioned)

Army Corp of Engineers (picking up trash in the ICW, that'll take a while)

One being, The George W. Bush, which was just commissioned hanging out in Norfolk.....she is huge.....the ICW was as boring as usual, Bill had to steer all the way, it was pretty complicated so I kept busy cooking and trying to figure out the new blog...........electronics never stays the same.....love to you all!  Hope I make it home to start my new job!  ha ha Just being a smart ass!

Monday, Sept 17th

Woke up early, took Gen out, made the coffee and headed out of Norfolk, VA toward the ICW.  Bridges 1 & 2 opened at 9:30am, and we're through......Gen barked during the whole process.....She loves watching all the boats going by...........

Sorry folks, I'm really having a problem with my blog......its so different from last year, I'm still trying to figure it all out.  After a long day, my tolerance is low. Hang in there and I'll get it.....
Off to Coinjock tomorrow.......yeah, bridges, more bridges.....

SUNDAY, September 16th

We started out with a beautiful sunrise, but it took us 12 good hours to arrive in Norfolk, which we did safely.  No wind, but we motor sailed most of the day.....we watched the dolphins follow us and tried like hell to get Gen to go on the sod I brought w/me from MB.  Not happening as of right now......she is one stubborn lady!  Anyway, here are some pics to enjoy !

Friday & Saturday, Sept.14-15th

Pics of our morning getting bashed around: Coming later, internet down again..


Friday at early light, 4:45am to be exact, we headed out of the marina. We had some really good sailing and then it happened....Gusts up to 30 knots blew us around & up & down......it was like wind surfing on a sailboat....I asked Bill, think Tom & Pam would try it......ha ha
We battled winds all morning till noon, Bill said, we're anchoring out somewhere.....couldn't anchor, bottom too hard so we headed to a small marina in Reedsville.....Cute, Po Dunk, no phone service & no internet....
We had a great supper, some drinks & settled in for the night.....Early, needless to say, I was up at midnight ready to go.

We left on Sunday morning at the break of dawn....what great motor sailing....not alot of wind but enough to push to Norfolk, VA tonight for around 6.....gotta pick up a part, we'll anchor out and head toward the bridges in the morning. ICW here we come.......Look at this sunrise we witnessed this morning.....

Bill & I w/Keith, Diane and Cole

A great night with some of our friends here at Calvert Marina.  They had us over for wine, cake and coffee.  Genaker kept running up the dock to steal some steak tips from the people bar b qing at the grill.  She is so sneaky. We have had a great year in Solomon's....we docked with some great friends, until we meet again..... Night all!!!

HEADING to MYRTLE BEACH, SC

Arrived Wednesday, September 12th, 2012 at Solomon's, MD via rent a car.  Bill picked Genaker and I up at Reagan International Airport and we headed to the boat.
We have worked endlessly today to try and get her ready....Not sure if the winds will cooperate to leave tomorrow but if not, we'll head out Saturday and do an all nighter to Norfolk......pics and daily posts will be updated for everyone to follow along.
Talk soon!!!