Memorial Day 2013

For the last several years my Memorial Day Post has been from

somewhere on the road traveling thru this amazing country of ours.

It has always added just a touch of something extra to my appreciation of the day.

Knowing how much has been sacrificed by so few,

that so many of us can enjoy the bounty.

Today, while home, my thoughts still turn to those who passed before.

Its been said that a Veteran is someone who has written a blank check...

payable to the United States of America in any amount up to including my life.

As we pass about in our day to day life...

Upset over some minor mishaps

Or upset about the tax check we might have to write to Uncle Sam...

Think about the hundreds of thousands who willingly have written

the ultimate check.

There are hundreds of US Military Cemeteries all over this country and

in foreign lands.

Today I leave you with the US Military Cemetery at

Omaha Beach - Normandy France.

North on the ICW

Well yesterday we headed a few miles south to the ocean, barrier islands,

and bays along the coast near our home.

Today we headed north just to show how different the scenery is in that direction.

Leaving the marina, we make a right turn.

This is looking back at our development.

A couple of miles north and the bay starts to narrow down and is at

first lined with boat yards and a few homes.

Soon we are traveling up a man made canal that was dug to

create this stretch of the Intracoastal Waterway.

Houses line both sides of this part of the trip.

About 3 miles further up we enter Adams Creek and civilization is

left behind.  Trees line both shores and on a quiet day you feel like

you are out in the middle of nowhere.

No phone service in here but I'm working the bluetooth on the iPhone

so we can play our tunes on the stereo.   

Today was Hard Rock Day!

After several miles of the river, it widens and takes on more the look

of a wide lake.

Ospreys make their nests in most of the daymarkers (navigational aids)

A family came by pulling a bunch of kids on a tube.

They actually came by twice.

When they hit our wake they went airborne.

I think our AC/DC powering on the stereo was an inspiration for the kids.

Party on Garth!

And todays self portrait.

After a few hours we returned to home base.

It was a pleasant day for a Sunday ride.

Life is good.

Preview of Summer

We've been off the road for 6 weeks already and today was our

first real warm summer like day so Kate & I took advantage of it.

I had serviced the boat and engine a week or two ago and it was ready to go

so yesterday I put it in the water and tied it up in our slip.

Since we have good friends from Switzerland coming to visit us

this July, I thought I'd give them a quick tour of some of the nearby

waterways.   

First - after leaving the marina -

we headed south down the Intracoastal Waterway towards the Atlantic

Under the High-rise bridge at the Morehead City SeaPort

Passed some tour boats along the way

Eventually passing the Coast Guard Station just inside Beaufort Inlet.

Then out the inlet into the Atlantic Ocean

5 miles out at the Sea Buoy a ship waits its turn to come into the port to load.

Eventually we come back in the inlet and along the inside of

Shackleford Banks...  where the wild Ponies roam.

Kate strikes a pose.

We rode up the banks for several miles, saw some friends on the beach,

then drifted around for a while enjoying some music and the warm gentle breeze.

Todays self-portrait.

(time for a shave Greg)

We take a back channel inland to downtown Beaufort

Along the way we pass a 22' Catalina Sailboat.

Kate & my first ever sailboat was a Catalina 22.

We coasted along the Beaufort waterfront.

The waterfront is dotted with with Bars & Resturants and

is a nice place to catch an afternoon breeze.

There were boats of all shapes and sizes.

Heading back home we entered our bay via the channel that goes

under the drawbridge rather than the high-rise bridge.

Will we make it under?

No problem. 

With the old sailboat we would have had to wait for the bridge

to open....  those days are gone.

We now head back into the bay that we live on.

A couple of miles up the back we turn into the channel that

leads into our protected Marina.

(The Arrow points to our house)

Once inside the breakwater the marina basin opens up.

My slip is straight ahead, on the other side of the boats.

A few minutes later we are tied back up to the dock.

It was a nice and easy day back out on the water.

Tomorrow we will head north from the Marina and follow the

Intracoastal further north and inland.

You will see that it is quite different scenery.

Hope you enjoyed the boat ride.