Discovering Ithaka

Discovering The Home of Our Hearts

2010-01-24T13:35:00.005-05:00

To think that this is the last entry on the amazing sojourn that Chip and I experienced on The Great Circle Loop is probably the biggest reason why it has taken me so long to sit down and write it out and publish it....How does one sum up 31 months and nearly 7,000 miles in one last blog post? I was worried as each day passed that I might somehow lose the emotional energy that those last few days on the loop were charged with...We got home about 3 weeks ago, and quite honestly, we haven't stopped long enough to really put all of our thoughts down on paper...but, the emotions haven't quieted themselves down at all...in fact, it is possible, the joy of the experience has only since intensified with every retelling of a story from our wonderful adventure...and so, please allow me these last few words about our trip which took us to places we never thought we would ever see, and worlds within ourselves that we didn't know existed...

~We are not the same people we were when this journey began---that is one thing for sure I can tell you will happen if you ever decide to jump off the ledge in life where you look out onto a horizon with a longing in your soul to see more of our beautiful planet, But beware...once you have touched the other side, there is no coming back to where you began---of course, I mean that totally in a metaphoric way...We are so happy to be home, but it is truly the home of our hearts that we discovered on ithaka...and man, what a beautiful place it is...

~Some say what we did took a lot of courage...I never thought of it as courageous...You see, I've knelt beside the well at the home of Helen Keller where as a small child she came to understand her first word, water...and while gazing all around me I saw the blue sky, the flowers in the gardens, the magnolia trees that were planted before she was ever born--I listened to the birds sing--knowing that she never experienced the simple gift of gazing into her mother's eyes, yet went on to publicly speak around the world and inspire people everywhere--Our journey pales in comparison when you think and try to imagine her world of dark silence...

~I have walked through the halls of the shrine of the multitudes who at Ellis Island 16 million immigrants crossed over the threshold of America having risked everything in pursuit of a dream---sailed across a great ocean with all their worldly possessions wrapped in a blanket---How could our journey in a comfortable trawler ever compare, how could it ever be described as brave and ambitious when we think of our ancestors and their vision of the Statue of Liberty as they arrived in their new home...

~My best memories you ask? --There are too many to have a favorite. I sang the national anthem in the city where it was written as I watched my Yankees play the Orioles in Camden Yard...and sat in the stands at Doubleday field where our national pastime began....We visited West Point, and Annapolis...and countless forts and battlefields from both the Revolutionary War and the Civil War...Shiloh, Fort Sumter, Fort Stanwix, Williamsburg, Yorktown. --Countless churches and cemeteries...lighthouses and landmarks...galleries and studios...locks and a chute and lakes and gorges...even a carp barrier...farmer's markets, even fond memories of Super Wal-marts (fellow loopers will understand)...We've been through tropical storms and micro bursts, 8' seas, fog and rain...but mostly sunny days. --We've hiked across Cumberland Island as feral horses ran right beside us and biked around Jekell Island where we visited mansions from yesteryear......we picked wild blueberries & fished in the north channel where granite islands were pink and mauve...cruised up the Hudson River past countryside so breathtakingly beautiful we no longer need wonder how the great River Valley artists were so inspired...We touched the doorknob to the office where FDR gave his fireside chats...We've seen the changing leaves along the Tennessee River as ancient mountains rose up along side us...we walked in sand drifts as white as snow in the Florida panhandle...took the dinghy to hidden treasures, up quiet rivers and around the bends...and cruised through water along Lake Michigan that rivals the Caribbean in its clear blue color...I've left a thousand things out!

~Most of all, life is all about the relationships we create and hold dear, and the loop is no different...So, here's to those that met us along the way (in order of appearance)--Jack & Holly...our friend Leigh...Fern of course, she met us twice! ~and Aunt Dot & Uncle George...my brother Joey and my dear friend Fred...Frank & Denise and their family...Uncle Bill...Gil & Pam...Art & Sharon, Brandy, David & Leonardo, Chino & Yvonne...Carol, Uncle Joe, Tim & Betty, Ed & Marcia...and we cannot forget the new friends we made along the way...Milt & Fran...Guy and Peggy...James and Renny...and countless other loopers who, when any of us saw that AGLCA burgee flying, we knew we'd soon be making another new friend! ~and then there are those who also became family...like Bill & Eileen on the BlueMax and Bud, Muriel & Shelly on Sunshine...

~Yes, it is about the journey--not the destination, but for what it is worth...the destination, as it turns out, is not a place afterall, but rather a feeling inside of us at the depth of our being, a new way of seeing the oneness of our planet and the lovely connectedness of it all.

...and we can't wait to do it all again!

We're Home

2010-01-05T14:13:00.000-05:00

On January 4th, 2010 at 4:32 pm, the Ithaka crossed her wake in Gordon Pass, Naples Florida,
officially closing the circle on one of the greatest adventures of a lifetime. It took us nearly 3 years overall to cruise the 6,777 miles.
Everyone is asking us..."What has been the best part of the loop?" There is no 'best part', but rather hundreds and thousands of wonderful experiences all coming together to become one unbelievable adventure that we can't wait to do again!

*Photo of my very happy captain as we crossed our wake!

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by those you did. So, throw off those bowlines...away from safe harbors...Explore. Dream. Discover." ~Mark Twain

Borrowed Words

2010-01-04T03:14:00.004-05:00

I have enjoyed keeping this blog...I love words. A lot of time and thought goes into each post. ~and, I am sure later today as Chip and I cross our wake, an emotion will take my pen in hand and right words will indeed come to me. But, for now I would like to borrow some words from John Steinbeck, an excerpt from "Travels with Charley."

"When I was very young and the urge to be somewhere else was on me, I was assured by mature people that maturity would cure this itch. When years described me as mature, the remedy prescribed was middle age. In middle age I was assured that greater age would calm my fever and now that I am fifty-eight perhaps senility will do the job. Nothing has worked. Four hoarse blasts of a ship's whistle still raise the hairs on my neck and set my feet tapping. The sound of a jet, an engine warming up, even the clopping of hooves on pavement bring an ancient shudder, the dry mouth and vacant eye, the hot palms and the churn of the stomach high up under the rib cage. In other words, I don't improve; in further words, once a bum always a bum. I fear my disease is incurable. I set this matter down not to instruct others but to inform myself.

When the virus of restlessness begins to take possession of a wayward man, and the road away from here seems broad and straight and sweet, the victim must first find himself a good and sufficient reason for going. This to the practical bum is not difficult. He has a built-in garden of reasons to choose from. Next he must plan his trip in time and space, choose a direction and a destination. And at last he must implement his journey. How to go, what to take, how long to stay. This part of the process is invariable and immortal. I set it down only so newcomers to bumdom, like teenagers in new hatched sin, will not think that they invented it.

Once a journey is designed and put into practice, a new factor enters and takes over. A trip, a safari, an exploration, is an entity, different from all other journeys. It has a personality, temperament, individuality, uniqueness. A journey is a person unto itself; no two are alike. And all plans, safeguards, policing and coercion are fruitless. We find after years of struggle that we do not take a trip; a trip takes us. Tour masters, schedules, reservations, brass-bound and inevitable, dash themselves to wreckage on the personality of the trip. Only when this is recognized can the blown-glass bum relax and go along with it. Only then do the frustrations fall away. In this a journey is like a marriage. The certain way to be wrong is to think you control it. I feel better now, having said this, although only those who have experienced it will understand."

Life's Little Speed Bumps

2010-01-03T10:51:00.006-05:00

It was a sleepless night in St. Pete Beach; bad waves, wind & current...Chip had one eye open all night and stayed on the couch, checking the lines throughout the night...I didn't drift off till after 3 am when the wind finally settled down. We headed out before the sun came up, with the magnificent Skyway Bridge in the distance. We knew it was low tide; but all the charts, electronics, visual aides and local knowledge could not have foreseen the events of the day as they were about to enfold. As we approached Tampa Bay, right in the middle of the channel our depth gauge went from 5' below the keel to NO READING. Luckily Chip was at idle speed, slowly maneuvering through the skinny water with sandbars along side us all the way. I could have reached out to touch some of the shore birds wading in the mud. The bow bumped first which popped the stern up slightly or else the damage would have probably been much worse...After a call to our mechanic in Naples, we made the decision to get to the closest marina to have Ithaka checked. We crept across Tampa Bay at 3 knots because of the vibration above 1000 rpms...think unbalanced washing machine on the spin cycle times a thousand. Throughout the 3 1/2 hour bay crossing we listened over the radio to several other boaters in distress who had gone aground during this unusually low tide.

The folks at Bradenton Beach marina couldn't have been nicer. Chip had a spare prop on board. He always says he has a spare for everything except his first mate! Had he not been prepared we might have been spending a few days on Anna Maria Island--which, by the way, turned out to be a good stop in spite of the reason that got us there. While the mechanics worked on the prop, I spotted a steeple off in the distance so I went for a walk. A sweet little clapboard sided church was unlocked...I went inside to say a prayer to find a dozen or so church ladies taking down their Christmas decorations, playing music and enjoying fellowship. They were all so happy to have a visitor! They told me all about the history of the church and the story behind all the beautiful stained glass windows. I sat in awe of the holy spirit, that feeling you get when you cannot put something into words. Just think of something that brings you so much joy you cry. That is how I felt. I knew at that moment that everything is always in perfect order and God knew we needed one more gentle reminder, a "speed bump" so to speak. I heard Him whisper, "Slow down, enjoy the journey."

Once we got the Ithaka back in the water we determined we would not be getting to Englewood before dark, so we called a marina in Venice and set out to enjoy the rest of the cold but clear afternoon. We counted our blessings and reminisced about all the adventures, both planned and unexpected, that we've experienced along this journey. Once docked at The Crow's Nest Marina, we called our dear friends Ed and Marcia who live nearby. They came down and picked us up and brought us back to their loving, warm, wonderful home for a delicious dinner which included a champagne toast in celebration of our nearly completed loop and their 15 year anniversary!

Last night we slept like babies as Ithaka gently rocked us---and it was the first time in many days that we did not set the alarm. We are now 100 miles from home so we will stop tonight somewhere between Captiva and Sanibel...Probably our last night on Ithaka on The Great Circle Loop. We expect to be crossing our wake tomorrow afternoon at Gordon Pass at high tide...

"Bizarre travel plans are dancing lessons from God." ~ Kurt Vonnegut

Happy 2010!

2010-01-01T14:54:00.006-05:00

Happy New Year from the cast and crew of the good ship Ithaka!

Tarpon Springs is one of those places that needs to be seen once, but when you leave you say to yourself, "Ok...been there, got the t-shirt." (although we didn't buy any t-shirts!) ha ha! -You can see it all in a day, two at the most...and most of it is pretty touristy. It was interesting to learn that it is the sponge capital of the world. The gulf waters north of Tampa Bay is one of the few areas in the world where the species of natural sponges suitable for commercial use are found. The local industry began in the late 1800's. Initially they retrieved sponges by gigging or hooking them. Diving for sponges was introduced in 1905 when the first Greek immigrant came to the west coast of Florida. As we walked along the docks we overheard Greek spoken as often as English. The restaurants were very good. I love Greek food! Our favorites were Hellas and Mykonos. Please, have you ever had fried cheese? Opa! ~We stayed at the city docks, which were pretty dilapidated to tell you the truth, but within walking distance to everything you'd want to see. (photo is of the Anclote River cruising into Tarpon Springs).

The two best things to happen to us in Tarpon Springs however, had nothing to do with sponges or fried cheese! We had two wonderful visits! First, early in the day, our friend Carol came to see us. Carol's husband is Chip's longtime friend Dave, who passed in August. We are dedicating the 4th and final leg of our journey to Dave's memory. Carol lives in Largo, not far from where we docked and she and her daughter Stacey, who was visiting for the holidays, came by to spend some time with us on New Year's Eve day. It was great seeing her...there were lots of tears and lots of reminiscing. Later in the day, my Uncle Joe, my dad's 'baby' brother, joined us for New Year's Eve dinner! What a treat for us to spend such quality time with such special people in our lives. A great way to start the new year and the new decade! Happy 2010!

Today we pulled out early; the sun was barely popping up over the horizon. We maneuvered our way past all the sponge boats and tour boats and made our way out into the intracoastal waterway. Tonight we are taking cover from the 25-30 knot winds in Tierra Verde near St. Pete Beach. It's pretty bouncy out there! When we cruised past the Bellaire Beach bridge around noon we called Grandma Helen and she waved to us from her window as I blew her kisses...I promised her we'd be back with mom in February. Tonight we are meeting up with Chip's cousin Tim and his bride Betty. They're on their way to get us now...We went 30 days without seeing more people than we could count on our fingers, but as we approach the end of the loop we are filling our days and nights with a lot of fun & happy people! All part of this wonderful journey home.

"A journey is best measured in friends, rather than in miles." Unknown to me

A Lovely Cruise Up the Steinhatchee River

2009-12-31T08:22:00.005-05:00

We made the trip from Carrabelle to Steinhatchee (stein rhymes with bean) on Sunday. Happily, it was uneventful...fear of unruly waves, crab pots and low depths dispelled...From the marker at East Pass to the waypoint in Deadman's Bay, 62 nm, Chip keyed in the coordinates and our autopilot did the rest. Eight hours later we were 'right on the money'! The crab pots didn't appear until we were just a few miles from the channel. We approached at high tide and never had less than 7' below the keel. We ended up spending an extra day in Steinhatchee, a combination of less than ideal traveling weather plus the fact that it was a Monday and we were working on office business--we thought it best to stay where we knew we had reliable cell and internet service. We caught up with all work related emails, updates and correspondences as well as laundry and housekeeping...I even made homemade soup...then late in the afternoon we went for a ride in the dinghy all the way the Steinhatchee River~past all the fishing cabins and vacation cottages...up up up the river to a quiet sanctuary where moss hung from ancient trees and palms gently curved away from the winds. We saw an Opossum, that I know we startled, as well as the usual array of feathered friends. The stillness of the water gave us a wonderful opportunity to photograph the shadows and reflections around us. The sky was bluer in the water! (click on photo for enlargement) Sunlight peeped through the cypress, and danced on the leaves...and the nearly full moon smiled down on us all the while. It was a peaceful communion, lost somewhere between heaven and earth...to be a part of such tranquility was a luxury.

On Tuesday; an early alarm, one last check of tides and weather and we set course for the Cross Florida Barge Canal. At low tide the Steinhatchee inlet is not as forgiving, so stay right down the middle. Even so, we never had less than 1.5' below the keel...anyone drafting up to 5' would be fine in any tide...there were a lot larger boats up the river than ours. We had another long day ahead out on the gulf...alot more crab pots on this leg. We made it to the barge canal to anchor before dark...possibly our last anchorage of the loop. We have had some of our most enjoyable evenings at anchor. Tuesday was no exception. Steaks on the grill, a good movie, dolphins jumping around the boat, a beautiful sunset.

We are spending the last day of 2009 in Tarpon Springs. We arrived last night. The city docks are terrible, but the location cannot be beat...right on the main street downtown, walking distance to all the Greek restaurants! Entering Anclote River, it didn't take us long to know, "We're back in civilization"! Crazy boaters darted all around us, bouncing Ithaka about more than any seas had in the last few days! More on Tarpon Springs in my next post...trust me, there are a lot of surprises on the way!

*to see the movie about the Steinhatchee cruise, please log onto our YOUTUBE channel.

Christmas week on Ithaka

2009-12-27T19:07:00.007-05:00

I apologize for losing track of the days...soon I'll be home and on a rigid schedule and I'll be booking my appointments right down to the minute...But for now, when someone asks me what day it is, I've been saying, 'it's Christmas week'...and, What time is it?...Uhhh...'Sometime between sunrise and sunset'...

...After 9 days in Mobile, then Gulf Shores Alabama, we were glad to FINALLY get to our home state...Hello Florida! ~The dolphins greeted us and the air felt clean and clear and crisp...the sky was brighter and we knew, we were that much closer to home.

We were quick in and quick out of Pensacola Beach, but it was awesome to take my shoes off and walk in the white sand...crunch crunch...and amazing to lay in the sand and make sand angels! Really pretty beaches! The smell of salt air was very therapeutic. We stayed at Beach Marina on Little Sabine Bay. It was close to the Intracoastal, walking distance to the beach, and had a little grocery store upstairs with a very good wine selection.

From Pensacola we headed to Destin...watched and listened to the jets from the nearby airforce base break the sound barrier...fascinating! In Destin we stayed at Harborwalk Marina, a new facility...minimal assistance with docking and lines, but steps to a few restaurants and a few new shops and galleries (reminded me of The Escalade on Marco Island). It is off-season in the panhandle so nothing is crowded, however shortly after dark the docks were crawling with revelers out to see the annual Destin Christmas Boat Parade. I don't know how we plan (we actually don't plan anything) these things, but the boat parade just happened to be the night we were in town and it just so happened to pass right in front of Ithaka's bow...Yup, front row seats to all the lights, singing and fun! We loved it! Chip however was fast to remind me that Naples' Boat Parade is much better! Again, Destin was a one night stand and we were on to our next stop...

Between Destin and Panama City (which by the way was the prettiest day on the water so far) we transversed through an area referred to as "The Grand Canyon" of Florida...The dunes along the 'ditch' were beautiful...different shades of beige and grey and tan and white...layers upon layers of sand. We saw eagles and osprey...the entire day was a smorgasbord for the eyes! We couldn't help but to just be grateful for all our blessings. Onto Panama City, and as we rounded the bend into Bay Pointe Marina in the Grand Lagoon, God gave us a breathtaking sunset, one for the record book! It was a really nice marina, too--very accommodating staff...We treated ourselves to massages at the spa on site...Much needed and a wonderful gift to each other! The rate at the marina is $430 per month including electric, water and cable...we can see why it was filled to capacity...and for a moment thought about how simple life could be...Once we docked, a couple from a boat the next dock over, recognizing our looper burgee, came over and offered us the use of their car to re-provision...This is just what 'loopers' do. Anyway, we stayed for two nights.

Over to Apalachicola on the 23rd--we were expecting bad weather on Thursday and Friday, so at last we knew: This is where we will be spending Christmas! So...we bought a turkey and all the trimmings and decided to make it a feast; if only for ourselves!

Apalach, that's what the locals call it, turned out to be one of my most favorite small towns on the loop! I'd rate it right up there with Oriental North Carolina, Catskill New York, Leland Michigan and Columbus Mississippi...It reminded me of Goodland Florida times ten...no, times one hundred! A real Old Florida fishing village with lots of local color and flair! Bed and Breakfasts, galleries, nautical antique shops...great photo opportunities! We met Richard Bickel, a photojournalist who at first glance reminded me of Clyde Butcher. His work is mostly in black and white also, but after studying it, I dare say, it is even more poetic than Butcher...Among his followers he is collected by Bill Gates. Richard came to Appalachicola on a photo assignment and then made it his home. He is one of many talented artists that have made this sleepy village their home...We ate lots of oysters and shrimp....unbelievably delicious! We highly recommend Boss' Oyster Bar and That Place In Apalach (mouthwatering gumbo)...Papa Joe's was closed, but we heard it is also very good. We stayed at Scipio Creek Marina...nothing to write home about, but it might just have been the fact that we pulled in late on the 23rd....they were ready to close up shop for the holiday. It was about 8-10 blocks from town, which we walked frequently (including the walk on Christmas morning when we spotted the eagle pictured-click on him to enlarge)...Scipio Creek is a looper sponsor, so we wanted to honor that. Plus, it was snuggled in as far up the creek as we could safely dock, so we were very protected from the wind that whipped through on Christmas Eve...After a candle light service at St. Patrick's (which at one time was the only Catholic church in western Florida) we experienced higher than normal tides...waded back to the boat...35 knot winds...and a boat breaking lose in the marina late in the night heading right for Ithaka! That owner will never know the good Samaritan who saved his boat on Christmas Eve!

Christmas day the cabin was filled with good smells, a turkey in the oven and homemade breads...good sounds, Christmas carols played all day...and lots of love, we opened presents (luckily neither of us took the 'no presents' promise to heart)...We talked to mom a few times as well as the kids and even got to Skype the grandkids! It turned out to be a very special day, one we will never forget...a most profound part of our journey "home"...

Next stop was Carrabelle...Once docked, Tony, the fellow who runs The Moorings Marina, stopped by our boat and helped us chart our course from there to where we are tonight: Steinhatchee...I was really happy he told my captain that he did not recommend a crossing of the gulf all the way to Tarpon Springs this time of year...Now we will hop-scotch our way down the west coast...still unsure of an exact date when we will be home...

*There are too many photos from this week to post, so I hope you will check out our videos on YOUTUBE!

The Reason for the Season

2009-12-25T07:49:00.007-05:00

Some lessons learned on board Ithaka this Christmas Season:

Let Go and Let God...detach from the outcome....release worry. Be trusting.
Enjoy the Journey...we'll get home when we get home. There isn't anything we can do about the weather or anything else that can delay our homecoming. Be joyful.
Be Content Where you Are...all along we have referred to this as "discovering Ithaka"...the home of our hearts, rather than focusing on the physical place on Jewel Box Avenue in Naples. Be Loving.

Leaving schedules and agendas behind, especially at this time of year has allowed us to connect with the true essence of Christmas in a way that we never have before. It may not be the Christmases that we had when we were children...nor is it the Christmases we had when we had little children of our own. Those memories are tucked away safely in our hearts to be remembered always. Of course, it won't be easy to not see our loved ones, especially the grandchildren today, but we know we will be home soon.

~Instead something magical happened on Ithaka this holiday season...Being alone turned into a wonderful gift...and hopefully we will be bringing it home to share with everyone we love. We didn't have the usual holiday distractions. Instead we have celebrated the real reason for the season...and it is Light! Some people celebrate the Winter Solstice; a quiet, abiding faith that in our planet's stillest moment a change occurs: the days begin to get longer, a promise of more light on earth's darkest day...a metaphor for what is true and perfect. Some people celebrate Hanukkah, the festival of lights! Lighting the 8 candles, signifying the trust and knowing that we will always have enough. Thankful that we will never run out of what we need to light the way...and, Some of us celebrate the birth of Christ...once again knowing it was the guiding light of a star that announced his birth to the world and led the magi to his manger...it was an angel's bright light than shone from the heavens and appeared to the shepherds letting them know of our saviour's birth...the light of the world!

In the coming year, we are going to try to be the best we can be...the best spouses, the best parents, the best Mimi and Papa...the best siblings, cousins, neighbors, co-workers, real estate agents and Friends. We are going to try each day to be and share the light...to keep the reason for the season alive in our hearts all year.

So, whether you are someone we know & love or someone who happened upon our blog by chance; whether you are sharing Christmas dinner with loved ones today, or feeding the hungry at a shelter, whether you are working to serve others as a nurse, a policeman, a waitress...or a soldier far away from home...Or maybe, just maybe you are a sailor on a boat on a journey, discovering the home in your heart like us...May the love and Light that Jesus taught shine in your hearts this Christmas Day and everyday throughout the coming year...

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.

Have Mistletoe will Travel

2009-12-24T23:01:00.000-05:00

The Captain's Best Mate takes no chances and brings her own mistletoe along for the Christmas season!

P.S. We posted a couple of silly YOUTUBES tonight, too! Merry Christmas-Eve blog followers.

Our Last Photo of our AGLCA Burgee

2009-12-24T05:48:00.000-05:00

Sometime late yesterday afternoon we lost our "looper burgee". This is the last picture taken of it. Along the entire loop I have always tried to get shots, wherever we were traveling, with the burgee in the foreground of the photograph. We flew her proudly for the past 6000+ miles and we are both disappointed that we won't be able to frame it as we had wanted to do. Throughout this experience, it has been the AGLCA burgee that we have looked for when pulling into a marina...like looking for a common thread...seeing one flying on another's boat immediately created a bond...loopers are a crazy family and this is our crest!

We already bought the gold burgee, which denotes the completion of the loop, back at the rendezvous in October.
We are days away from completing the circle and we will fly our new burgee once we cross our wake in Gordon Pass.

What a Feeling!

2009-12-19T19:20:00.010-05:00

If you know me, then you know...I don't hide my emotions very well...happiness wells up inside of me like bubbles in a champagne flute! Today is no exception...I am bursting! I'm high on sunshine and as giddy as a child on Christmas morning! I've been smiling all day! We weren't but 4 miles from the Florida 'border' when out of nowhere a momma dolphin and her baby leaped beside the boat (click on pix)...A welcome home straight from heaven!

I went outside to snap a few pictures and was thinking to myself:

'Is it me, or does everything all of a sudden just look prettier'? --Look, I know it's been raining and grey, but honestly, it really did feel as though we crawled through the looking glass when we cruised over the state line. I stepped back into the cabin and Chip turned to me and said, "Is it just me, or does everything just look prettier?"

Ahhhh...15 states...over 6000+ miles...and the white sands of Florida, the dolphins jumping, the sunshine streaming into the cabin...our home state welcomed us back with a wonderful warm embrace...it's good to be on our way home. What a feeling!

* Don't forget to check out our latest video clips and additional photographs set to music on YOUTUBE!

Florida...Here We Come!

2009-12-19T08:46:00.004-05:00

The sun is shining and we will FINALLY be sleeping in Florida tonight!

~After 5 days in Mobile...and 4 more days here in Gulf Shores; we are finally heading out this morning, under a sky of blue. "I know I have a pair of sunglasses around here somewhere"! It's chilly outside, but the sun is expected to shine for the next few days.

Ithaka is homeward bound.

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

2009-12-18T10:00:00.002-05:00

Well, we thought we were making forward progress by taking the chance of crossing Mobile Bay in the fog, but here we sit at Homeport Marina in Gulf Shores Alabama for three days waiting on a computer chip for our chart plotter! Seems UPS has tried to deliver it a few times, but no one's been around the marina office to accept the delivery which needs to be signed for and the drivers do not have phones on the truck so it's not like they can call us so that we could just walk the 50 yards up to the marina office to accept our package...a bit of a dilemma! When we asked the gal at the UPS office this morning to give us a general time frame for delivery she said anytime between 9 AM and 7 PM. We are in a clearly marked slip...the driver would simply have to walk down to the docks rather than to the main office (exactly halfway in either direction from the parking lot) but asking them to "re-route" to another address (aka the slip we're in) is not policy. So...here we are, making the very best of it...Sitting still that is...enjoying each other's company...relishing the solitude...reading...facebooking...skyping...journaling...finishing my real estate continuing education...cooking...listening to music...watching movies...We walked the 3 mile round trip to the grocery store yesterday to pick up a few things...felt good to 'move around' a little...Hoping to someday be back in Florida, just not today.

Florida...Almost!

2009-12-16T09:58:00.004-05:00

After checking 3 weather sites before turning in on Monday night we thought we'd be at Dog River Marina for at least a few more days. It rained all night...but, at 7 am my captain had the coffee going and was checking "wunderground" and all at once I heard him say, "Let's go for it"! ~Now, for those of you who know my captain, you know he is a cautious captain...So, when he says it's clear to go I do not question his judgement. In less than 15 minutes we were underway! We followed the channel markers (which seemed to be a lot further apart than they actually are) and stayed just outside the shipping channel hugging the reds...at marker 58 we set our course to bearing 145, our speed to 8 knots and headed through the fog into the direction of Bon Secour Bay...It was foggier out in the bay than it was inside the river. I sat outside (in the rain) on the bow with my radio and kept an eye out for floating trees and such....there's a lot of debris in the delta. Chip had the radar going and spotted several large freighters and barges before they were visible by sight. We could hear fog horns all around us. We got glimpses of ol' Mr. Sunshine throughout the 2 hour trip across the bay. The radar also assured us that we were in the weather window as heavy rain was on our tail, but we were confidant we'd beat out the nastiest and get to our destination with time to spare. ~As we backed into our slip in Homeport Marina it started to pour! What timing!

Safely snuggled in at Homeport Marina in Orange Beach Alabama, we walked over to Jimmy's crazy sista's place for dinner last night...Lulu Buffet makes a great margarita! Rumor has it big brother makes a surprise appearance every now and then, but no such luck for us last night. Today the sun is shining...in fact, when Chip went out to do some exterior housekeeping on Ithaka he couldn't find his sunglasses...they were buried under the rain gear and goulashes (is that how you spell that?)! Anyway, the wind is really blowing for now so we're going to sit tight and hopefully head out tomorrow when we will find ourselves back in our homestate of Florida...at last!

"Every dreamer knows that it is entirely possible to be homesick for a place you've never been before, perhaps even more homesick than for familiar ground." ~ Judith Thurman

Do You Youtube?

2009-12-14T14:34:00.001-05:00

Just made a video out of some of our photos from the past few days in Mobile on YOUTUBE! Check it out!

Thicker Than Pea Soup

2009-12-14T11:25:00.006-05:00

Well, we cruised into Mobile Bay, under sunny skies last Thursday, and have been sitting in the fog ever since! Originally we had planned to stay a couple of days...primarily selected Dog River Marina over the one in Fairhope on the eastern shore as we needed some minor repairs, which they took care of promptly. Once we realized we'd be stuck here for a few days we decided to rent a car rather than be constrained with the 2 hour limit on the marina's courtesy car. I "mapquested" a few of the local attractions and we were off!

We went to Battleship Memorial Park and walked the decks of the USS Alabama. The Alabama is one of America's most decorated battleships. It was interesting to be so up close and personal on such a ship as this and imagine how the 2,500 men lived on board. We also went into the USS Drum submarine, very tight quarters...inside the Aircraft Pavilion we met one of the volunteers who went to great lengths to explain the history of all the planes and jets on display. I actually got to sit inside what was once Airforce One's helicopter (1972-1993) which was decommissioned after the first President Bush left office and became a rescue chopper in Colorado before flying to Mobile just recently to become part of this impressive exhibit. We both highly recommend visiting this site when in the Mobile area.

We also went to the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, downtown Mobile. Chip & I both agreed that it was one of the most beautiful churches we have ever visited. It was the first Catholic Church in the state of Alabama...the cornerstone was laid in 1835; although mass has been celebrated in Mobile since the 1730's. -and, The archbishop lives right across the street!

The downtown area is very reminiscent of New Orleans, with ornate wrought iron balconies, lots of brick, and lovely town squares. The locals are proud to tell you that Mardi Gras actually began in Mobile! They took a hard hit after Katrina, but there is a lot of potential, and I could tell the town fathers are interested in appealing to tourists with new restaurants and galleries and other urban amenities popping up all over. We noticed that Carnival Cruise lines had a terminal here now, too!

Because of the weather we decided to drive to Fairhope, which would have been our next marina stop, rather than cruise there. We'll just by-pass it and carry onto Orange Beach once this fog lifts. Fairhope is a sweet little town, sits atop a bluff overlooking the bay. It is very prosperous with lots of quaint shoppes, Bed and Breakfasts, antiques, charming homes, museums, parks, beautiful flowers everywhere...Next time we do the loop we will make this our stop after the rivers. We could have easily spent a couple of days meandering in and out of all the wonderful stores.

Last night we went to the Bellingrath Home and Gardens where we were treated to an unbelievable light show. Owned by the Bellingraths, former owners of the Coca Cola Company, the home is situated on over 65 acres and is located on Mobile Bay about 12 miles from the gulf. When Mr. Bellingrath passed away in 1955 he left his home to the Foundation that still maintains it today. There were over 900 Christmas light displays, comprising of over 3 million lights. Never in my life have I ever seen such anything more extraordinary...honestly, it rivaled Disneyworld! I told Chip, I want to come back next year with the grandbabies!

Now, we sit here awaiting a break in the weather so that we can move on...Four days in fog, thicker than pea soup, has set us back. But, we have thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Also, we are all caught up on laundry & grocery shopping...plotted our course from here to Tarpon Springs, mailed all our Christmas cards, put up a tree and lights on the boat, swabbed the decks...Guess we'll get where we're going when we get there...

"The true voyage of discovery consists not in seeing new landscapes, but in seeing with new eyes." ~ Marcel Proust

Just an Observation

2009-12-11T19:48:00.002-05:00

Today's observation goes like this:

When I am in Naples Florida in the middle of August and it is 98 degrees outside, it takes me but a few moments to cool off when I'm hot...Whether it is from a dip in the pool or the gulf, a sip of a refreshing iced tea, or by simply walking into an air-condioned building or driving in an air condioned car....

On the other hand, when I am in Mobile Alabama in December, and it is damp, grey and cold (it was 41 degrees today) I am cold to the bone and I cannot warm up no matter what I do...

I'm ready for some sunshine!

I Smell Salt Air!

2009-12-10T11:31:00.008-05:00

We took off early again on Wednesday morning and within 10 minutes we were entering the last lock of our trip--I couldn't help but recall how nervous I was at the Virginia Cut, our first lock, over 2 years ago. More than 140 locks later, the old adage, "Every expert was once a beginner", rang true as Chip overshot the bollard and I had to lasso the line and work harder than usual to pull Ithaka in and secure her...

While cruising along the Waterway we've seen our fair share of wildlife...we witnessed a young buck swimming across the river, just his head and antlers above the water's surface, we had to look through the binoculars to figure out what it was! We've continued to see beautiful birds, never a shortage of egrets and herons, and seeing an eagle perched on a lonesome tree top or an osprey soaring high above us is always a thrill. It was fun to see wild turkeys and wild hogs scurrying along the river's edge...and of course, the playful otters and busy beavers a treat as well.

Wednesday night we stayed at a very well protected anchorage at mile 41.5 of the Black Warrior-Tombigbee Rivers called David Lake. We set the anchor within minutes of complete darkness--it was a long day, nearly 9 hours. We highly recommend this as a great stop between Bobby's Fish Camp and the Dog River Marina in Mobile. The anchorage is about 3.5 miles past the junction with the Alabama River on the descending starboard side. The entrance is narrow (not as narrow as Bashi Creek) and we had 17' below the keel. The lake itself was big enough to accommodate 25 boats...but it was just us and the Alabama stars.

Thursday (today) we were underway by 6:15 AM and were rewarded with another breathtaking sunrise. This last leg of the river cuts through the Mobile River Delta, 2nd only to the Mississippi Delta in size, it measures approximately 45 miles long by 16 miles wide. The Mobile River is the southern most river on the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway. We are getting close now, I can smell salt air! Ithaka hasn't been in salt water since July 2007!!! WOW!

I must add, our cell phone and internet coverage has been much better than we expected...Thank you Verizon! *I'll be posting more photos and Youtube videos once we get settled in at Dog River!

For more info about this area Click HERE.

More News on the Waterway

2009-12-08T16:21:00.003-05:00

On Sunday we traveled past one of the more sublimely beautiful scenes on The Waterway, The White Cliffs of Epes...After cruising through the Florida Keys, up the Hudson River, island hopping in The North Channel and meandering along the eastern shore of Lake Michigan, the landscapes from Chicago to Mobile are pretty forgettable. Don't get me wrong, we've seen some lovely sights along this section of the blue highway, but it won't be the visual highlight of the loop. I did a bit of research to see if I could find out more about these majestic 200' cliffs that go on no more than a half-mile. Thanks to the river guidebook, I was ready with camera in hand at mile 249! I couldn't find out much online, but our own conclusion is it is some kind of geological anomaly. Several more miles down river another row of cliffs, much higher, but not as starkly white...less dramatic....but over 400', dotted the shoreline...Again, not much on google other than the blog entries of fellow loopers who made their way through this neck of the woods before us.

At mile 225 we found ourselves exactly half-way between the Tennessee River and Mobile Bay! Then at mile 217, another milestone, we passed the mouth of the Black Warrior River. We put the Tenn-Tom charts away and opened the Black River-Tombigbee Waterway charts...our last chartbook of the river system on The Great Circle Loop...I can almost smell salt in the air!

At the Demopolis Lock we waited over an hour while a northbound tug with 18 barges in tow came through. I still can't get over how they squeeze them in there! It was raining and cold, but I still went topdeck to get some neat pictures of the water cascading over the rocks and dam on the other side. For at least 6 miles past the lock the sides of the waterway became a beautiful smooth rockface wall, shaped by years of water rushing along the banks...here it is easy to mark the differences between the man-made channels that connect the God-made rivers that are bringing us south...

We are glad to have an electronic chart plotter, as many of the buoys are down due to the latest tropical storm, Ida, that made its way right up the path of the rivers just a month ago.

Monday was another long day...we arrived at Bashi Creek, mile 145, with just enough daylight to get both the stern and bow anchors set. When Chip turned into the creek I gave him one of those looks that said, 'you've got to be kidding me'! --From the bow I mouthed to him, "what is our depth?", he replied with both hands up, full-fingered...Hmmmm, 10 feet, interesting. Keep in mind, the width of this creek is less than 40'...you do the math.

~Well, we had no cell phones or internet service (we are in the middle of nowhere)...But, I had a delicious dinner cooking by 6:30...the wine cork was popped and we settled in...We are keeping the movie selection varied. So far this week we've watched Raging Bull, Blazing Saddles and Running with Scissors (thank goodness for $5 movies at Walmart, right?) Tuesday morning (today), it's raining again...We only went 26 miles and decided to stop at Bobby's Fish Camp...a bit of a let down...not at all what we expected after all the hype...It is not quite 5 PM central time and it's already dark outside...Tomorrow we will try to make it all the way to the Alabama River cut-off and anchor again. The last of the waterway locks (known as the dirty dozen) in Coffeeville is only a few miles from here...it also officially marks the very last lock of our entire trip! I haven't counted them all, but I'd guess we've locked through over 140 times...and I can start looking for alligators soon!

There's Ice On Ithaka!

2009-12-07T08:37:00.004-05:00

We left Pirates Marina Cove on Saturday morning--got a late start because we were concerned about cell and Internet reception. We are in the middle of negotiating a few sales contracts and we needed to stay "connected"...We anchored at mile 270 at Sumter Landing. A very peaceful and quiet anchorage...but I suppose they are all going to be peaceful and quiet until we get back to warmer waters...not too many crazy loopers are this far back. I think we are pulling up the rear for sure. It's good that Ithaka is red, because she is the caboose!

It was 23 degrees in the morning when I went out to get the anchor up, and there was frost on the deck (click on photo) and icicles hanging from the windshield's eyebrow! Last night we stayed at The Demopolis Marina. We drank martinis and ate a hearty meal and turned in early...there are now 3 blankets on our bed!!! Brrrrrrrr...

We charted our course, and are hoping to be in salt water again in a few days! Looks like we will be anchoring again at least 2 more nights this week before we get to Mobile Bay on Thursday or Friday. There might be 'ice on Ithaka', but at least we know we are heading in the right direction...Take me home Captain...this Florida baby needs some warm sunshine!

On The "Road" Again

2009-12-05T09:21:00.003-05:00

The Tennessee and Tombigbee Rivers are connected by a series of channels, locks and lakes known as the Tenn-Tom Waterway. Completed in 1985, more dirt was moved to construct the Tenn-Tom than was moved to build the Panama Canal! Author Fred Myers says, "At no other time in history has man moved so much to get what he wanted."

The Tenn-Tom officially runs from The Tennessee River, 234 miles south to Demopolis, Alabama. Technically, the segment of the waterway from Demopolis south, another 217 miles to Mobile, is the Black Warrior-Tombigbee waterway. Most boaters just call the entire 451 miles The "Waterway". Surprisingly, there are very few cities along the waterway, and you can travel for days without a marina stop or cell service, so planning ahead is very important.

The river system from The Tennessee River to Mobile Alabama via the Mississippi River is 1,278 miles vs. 451 miles, a savings of more than 800 miles! It is hard to believe without actually looking at a map, but 17 states are impacted by The Waterway. The existing river system in the United States can connect Sioux City Iowa to Pittsburgh Pennsylvania to Tulsa Oklahoma without ever getting your hull dry! I am totally fascinated by this.

Chip and I will be spending the next week or so maneuvering our way south on the waterway as we head to Mobile. Last night we stayed at a funky little marina called Pirates Marina Cove. We used their courtesy van and drove to the Tom Bevill Visitor Center which is just up the road. The center is housed in a replica 1830 Greek Revival home similar to those that were built in The Tombigbee River Valley. The U.S. Snagboat Montgomery, circa 1926, is on display at the visitors center. Retired from service in 1982, this restored stern wheeler steamboat is a National Historic Landmark.

~And so, we are on the road again, both the Blue Highway, as well as the back roads of America thanks to the courtesy vans we get to borrow along the way...

The Beginning of The End

2009-12-04T09:39:00.003-05:00

Today begins the last leg of the journey: Discovering Ithaka. We arrived last night and found all things on board to be just as we left them save a few dust bunnies on the inside and clusters of hyacinth floating around the boat on the outside due to a month of sitting still. We shove off shortly, leading Columbus Marina, which could not have been more accommodating and friendly...the manager, known as "T", is a wonderful guy...We told him we would be back! We are heading to Pickensville, Alabama...the first lock of the day is just around the bend. I am not looking forward to locking through as the temperature is in the 30's! Brrrrrrr! We will have intermittent cell and aircard service over the next week, so I will blog when I can...

We have about 900 miles to go to get home. At 90 miles a day, we could be home in less than 2 weeks. But of course, we are trying to "discover ithaka" so you know that won't happen! Thanks to you all for following along... Each of you are with us in spirit as we set out on this amazing adventure.

Leg III ~ Part 2 ??

2009-11-08T15:04:00.004-05:00

Well, we certainly hit the ground running, as we fully expected. Home since early Thursday morning, we haven't stopped! The time we spent with my mom on Ithaka was great. We traveled from Rogersville Alabama to Columbus Mississippi. Once settled in Columbus we rented a car and took the opportunity to see a few sites. Aberdeen is a quaint little town situated right along the Tenn-Tom Waterway. It's actually where we had planned to stop prior to losing a day to weather, so we decided to drive back up the river to check it out. We stumbled upon a sweet Catholic Church, St. Francis. Of course, mom was thrilled and we never expected it to be unlocked, but it was! We went inside to say some prayers and light a candle. In speaking with the lady who runs the Catholic mission in Aberdeen, that the Catholic population in Mississippi is about 2%. She was also very happy that we took the time to visit their church so she gave us a tour of the hall and rectory. She celebrates the mass there most Sundays because the priest who services the area travels to several small Catholic churches and usually is only there in Aberdeen about once each month. She also told us that they have no young families and no children in their parish family.

We also went to Columbus Mississippi where we were greeted by a very informed volunteer at the welcome center which is housed in the home where Tennessee Williams was born. The main street corners throughout Columbus are beautifully decorated by members of their garden club. Both Aberdeen and Columbus boast well preserved period homes, some of which are Antebellum. We visited the cemetery in both communities, but what really fascinated us about the one in Columbus is the story about the very first Memorial Day. Originally called Decorations Day, it was after the civil war that the wives of both the Union and Confederate soldiers joined together to decorate their husbands graves. This was a true act of unity and friendship, hence the cemetery is called Friendship Cemetery.

Also worth mentioning is the fabulous dinner that we enjoyed in Columbus at a restaurant called J. Broussard's...we highly recommend this one and put it right up on the top of the list of the best 5 restaurants where we've eaten along the loop!

We went to Waverly Plantation (click on photo inset) in West Point Mississippi and hope everyone visiting this area would take the time to find this hidden gem. Built in 1852, it was left vacant for 50 years after the remaining family of Col. Young, who built the home for his wife and 10 children moved out. Then in 1962, the present owner purchased the house from 12 of Col. Young's great grandchildren. He and his wife raised their 4 children there. Today Mr. Snow lives in the home which is filled with wonderful treasures. His wife passed away in 1991. He opens his doors and allows the dozen or so visitors a day to touch a part of the past.

Back home in Naples now and already counting the days till we get back on board Ithaka for the 4th and last leg of this amazing adventure (Chip likes to call it Leg III part 2)...till then remember, "It is not about the destination...it is all about the journey." --We hope you are enjoying yours.

**To view additional pictures of Aberdeen and Columbus please check out our YOUTUBE videos!

Cruising with Fern

2009-11-01T22:54:00.001-05:00

Today is a bittersweet day...we're a little bit sad because it is our last cruising day of Leg III of the "Discovering Ithaka" adventure. We are currently docked at Columbus Marina, mile 335 on the Tenn-Tom Waterway. Leaving Ithaka behind one last time while we head back to Naples....don't worry Ithaka, next time you're bringing us all the way home! ~And, it's a happy time, too, because I am counting the minutes to when I get to wrap my arms around my Marvelous Munchkins! I miss my grandbabies most of all...plus all my loved ones of course! But, I cannot forget to mention missing long hot showers (long being the operative word), a king size bed and my waterpik!

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After losing a day to bad weather on Friday, we stepped it up today and continued onto Columbus rather than stopping at Aberdeen as previously planned. The next couple of days will be spent organizing, packing, doing a bit of site seeing and trying to eat what's left in the fridge. Last night we had fun at the Halloween Party hosted by the owners of Midway Marina in Fulton. Then this morning, thanks to "falling back" our clocks gained an hour and we were underway before 6:30 AM. We saw another spectacular sunrise...there was a mist rising on the river with silhouettes of the cypress trees standing along the shore...hundreds of American Coots were swimming in the slough as we departed the marina's entry and headed back into the flow of the Tenn-Tom Waterway. Mom has really enjoyed cruising and many times through-out each day she has said, "this is such a beautiful world." Today, on two occasions, we saw an otter swim across the river, although once it may have been a beaver...a huge bald eagle perched in the tallest tree...countless blue herons, of course the coots at sunrise...we've kept a watchful eye out for deer as we were told we might see them along the banks, but no luck yet...then as we approached the marina, the White Pelicans greeted us in the channel. It may very well have been one of the flocks heading south that we saw when we left Grafton over a month ago.

I'm enjoying posting our videos on YOUTUBE and creating movies with music from our photographs...It's a great way to share since I am a possessed shutterbug! I'm sure I'll add a few more posts on the blog before hanging up my writer's pen for awhile. I know I can speak for my captain when I say what a wonderful time we have had cruising with Fern. She is a joy to be around and an inspiration to everyone who knows her. Thank you mom for being here.

The Fall Rendezvous

2009-10-30T12:51:00.005-04:00

We arrived last Thursday night at Joe Wheeler State Park and Marina just in time for 'dock'tails...with this group, it's always 5 o'clock somewhere! --On Friday we got caught up on cleaning and boat work plus made a run to get groceries thanks to the graciousness of another Mainship owner, SeaMoore! Carlton and Becky won't be starting their loop until next October...we told them they bought the perfect boat for looping! Well, 3 loads of laundry later at the Rogersville launderette, then onto a pool party Friday night hosted by the boats from the Florida Keys! A very funny gave of darts, Key West Style, that I will definitely have to remember for the next fun pool party at home...a conch blowing contest...and a 'Pin the label on the Bud girl' competition. Yours truly came in first place, thank you very much, and won a really neat Conch Republic flag! (see picture inset) Of course everyone else was trying to get the label on the boobs or butt...I aimed for the Bud bottle of course...Sheesh, where else would the "LABEL" go?

Our neighbor on the dock, "Bombay Lady" has parents who live on the beach in Naples! We enjoyed meeting them and talking about all the great restaurants we love back home...Imagine being at a state park in Alabama and docking directly next to a boat with close family in Naples? It is a small world!

The Rendezvous started on Sunday--over 200 boaters were registered! The seminars were fabulous...really informative and interesting...the food was great, every meal...and, of course, all the loopers were fun-loving, warm friendly people...some who have already completed their loop, others like us still looping...and quite a few in attendance who don't even own a boat yet, but they have a dream, and that's how we all got started! Speaking of dreams: we bought our charts and cruising guides for the Bahamas...that's next on the bucket list! It really is amazing when you get together with a group like this and realize how few people actually circumnavigate the entire eastern United States in a year...We are so blessed. For a view of the week's activities, please click here to see the videos I posted on YOUTUBE!

Mom arrived on Tuesday...we are so lucky to have her on board. We told here she's the only crew allowed to stay for more than three nights! She loves that we make her feel so special! She's here for the last week of this leg of the trip. We have reservations to fly home from Columbus Mississippi next week...today we are hunkered down at Grand Harbor marina, right at the beginning of The Tenn-Tom Waterway--there's a storm expected to blow through pretty hard so it's a good thing we had a weather day provided for in our cruise plan...

Yesterday's trip through the locks provided us with some excitement...we locked through on the Wheeler Lock with 11 other loopers. A few had to actually raft together because there weren't enough bollards to go around! Then, because of the water levels, our drop in the Wilson Lock was over 90'! It was cold, and pouring down rain, but it was great, and having mom on board made it even more fun!

We have enjoyed the month spent on the Tennessee River; from Kentucky Lake to Chattanooga, it has been one of our most favorite part of the entire loop! ~and, as always, Life is Good on Ithaka!

It's All About the People You Meet

2009-10-26T10:27:00.001-04:00

~Along life's path...it truly is all about the people you meet along the way...and The "loop" is no exception to this. Since leaving from our homeport in Naples, we have met and made friendships to last a lifetime...

Speaking of lifetime friendships; when I lived in Galveston Texas, many many moons ago, I met Chino and Yvonne (click on photo). We became fast friends. I sang at their wedding! Over the years we never lost touch...we watched each other's children grow up in photographs sent in with Christmas cards and caught up in person when Yvonne came to Naples occasionally on business. We calculated that it had been nearly 30 years since I last saw Chino and over 19 years since Yvonne and I last saw each other. I don't think we have talked on the phone once in all those years. But, when they arrived here in Joe Wheeler State Park on Saturday (they live close-by near Huntsville) for a visit that we planned almost a year ago, it was like no time had gone by between us...The years melted away and we picked right up where we left off.

...and so, when we read other loopers' boat blogs, and talk to folks out on the docks...when we attend a rendezvous and run into cruisers we haven't seen since the Chesapeake in 2007, or get a call from the ones we maneuvered through the Georgian Bay with in 2008...when loopers reminisce about what was the best part of their journey and always start by saying, "it's all about the people you meet along the way", they couldn't be more right...

One Particular Harbor

2009-10-20T12:20:00.002-04:00

"The sons and daughters of trees older than Earth itself---whose veins run into the Mother's veins-

The ancient seed planted before the ice,

Continuously fed by the mist on this river...

and it feels like home

as Mother Earth embraces me."

We woke up this morning and soon realized that today would be our last day of solitude on this leg of the journey...Don't get me wrong, we've met a lot of really nice people...but, our busy calendar back at home is already filling up, and we are not even there yet! We'll be at Joe Wheeler State Park tomorrow; the site of the Looper Rendezvous where we will be reacquainted with folks we've met along the way and also meet lots of new friends, too...

In the meantime, we are at a beautiful anchorage so we decided to stay an extra day...It is one of those places that inspires poetry...that once you've been there you will always remember it without hesitation. Chip and I will look at each other years from now when reminiscing about this adventure and one of us will say, "There was that 'one particular harbor'...", and the other will know, it is here at Goat Island off Lake Guntersville on the Tennessee River.

*(click on link above to see videos and photos of this magical place)

Shrimp and What?

2009-10-18T13:21:00.000-04:00

We spent another quiet couple of days on the hook after leaving Chattanooga...We really like Little Cedar Mountain and highly recommend it! (see photo inset). It has gotten very chilly for us "Florida babies" the past few days and I am very grateful for the space heater that Chip bought while he was up visiting Gil! Definitely one of the best purchases on this leg of the trip! Makes the cabin nice and toasty!

We are back at Goose Pond Marina, pulled in late yesterday. We've been hearing all about the restaurant here and their house specialty, so we went out for dinner and I tried the "Shrimp and Grits" (When in Rome)...I must say, that it was wonderful! The Docks Restaurant was lively, the service was tops, and the food was delicious! Save room for the home made desserts!

We went to church this morning with a few of the other folks who are staying at the marina...as it turned out, a Catholic Mass at St. Jude's with a very inspiring priest...We left feeling very blessed. Later today we will be borrowing the courtesy car and making a grocery run...my mom will be joining us in another week or so to spend the last few days of this leg with us before we head back to Naples together for a month of catching up with business, friends, and of course GRANDCHILDREN!

As always, life is good on Ithaka.

A Wonderful Visit

2009-10-15T20:45:00.004-04:00

Our trip through the ancient gorge wasn't as dramatic as it could have been had we not spent most of the day dodging rain drops---the clouds hung over the mountain tops while a gentle mist rose like steam...Most of the view was blocked by fog, but something about that fog just added to the magic. There were over a dozen turns in the 30 mile course that is 'nick-named' the Grand Canyon of the Tennessee River...We are just hoping for some sunshine on the return trip down stream...

Mimi & Papa were thrilled to get a call that David, Brandy and Leonardo were on their way to Chattanooga. It's about a 3 1/2 hour drive from their home in Western North Carolina and we had been trying to coordinate this for the past week or so--It's hard to give specific dates when you're trying to meet people because you just never know when you are going to be held up with weather and locks and other things like that which can come up along the way...But, we were docked by 4 PM and they arrived just in time for dinner! We "skyped" Uncle Rock and Leo was soooo excited to SEE his cousins! Afterwards the four of us played Scattergories...It's really pretty funny when a 4 year old is helping the rest of us come up with answers! "Pssst, Leo, can you think of a tool that starts with 'F' ?" ...and he quickly replies, "How about 'File'?" Geez, why didn't I think of that? Anyway, we all slept great, with happy smiles...and Leonardo thought it was really cool that he was the first grandchild ever to sleep on Ithaka!

This morning I made my 'world famous chocolate chip pancakes' then we headed out to the Tennessee Aquarium, which is walking distance from where Ithaka is docked! We had a fantastic day exploring the rivers and oceans...the exhibits were so well done. We saw a 3-D movie which was narrated by Jim Carey--Leonardo got to pet a sting ray, a sturgeon, a rat snake and an opossum! It was a wonderful day which will be a highlight of the trip for us! I think you can tell by the photo inset how happy 'Mimi' is!

It was hard saying good-bye tonight after such a short visit...A Wonderful visit! I have posted video and a photo collage on YOUTUBE!

From Grand Harbor to Chattanooga is about 500 miles round trip...It's what Chip & I call a "deek" (only longer than usual)...We have seen a lot of beautiful sites along the way, but none as beautiful as our grandson's face...The deek was worth it, just for that alone!

What Time Zone Is It Anyway?

2009-10-14T11:25:00.004-04:00

We've had a wonderful few days traveling along the rivers and lakes from Florence Alabama back up into Tennessee...We should be in Chattanooga tonight, which I know will keep us busy, so I thought I had better post something. Our reception hasn't been the best, and I don't even know for sure what time zone I'm in at the minute!

Here's a bit of a recap of some of what we have seen and done these past few days...

Late Friday afternoon we heard a loud siren going off...at first thought we suspected there was a fire department nearby...then, the manager of the marina came knocking on our boat and directed us to take cover...Nine of us huddled in the ladies room and waited out the storm until the threat of passing tornadoes ended. That was our excitement for the day!

On Saturday morning we cruised through some beautiful landscape, even tho' it was another dreary day...we made the short run to Joe Wheeler State Park. We confirmed our reservations for later in the month when we make our way back for a one week stay during The Great Circle Route rendezvous...we expect another 40 or so "loopers" will gather for a few days of sharing stories and seminars--more on that later.

We headed out early on Sunday and once again conducted our own 'church service' on board Ithaka--both of us wondered how anyone could ever doubt the existence of the divine as we took in all the peace surrounding us and thanked God for our blessings...Also, on Sunday, we passed the mid-point on the Tennessee River...and we cruised by the Redstone Arsenal and Marshall Flight Center. It was right there that America's Space Program was launched in 1960. Most of the day we cruised through the Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge. We are becoming quite the 'bird watchers' lately. We bought The Audubon Society's Sibley Guide to Birds which we keep right next to the charts. I swear, I think we refer to it almost as often!

In addition to it being Columbus Day, Monday was Canadian Thanksgiving--We had gotten off to a slow start due to the normal Monday morning influx of real estate activity, calls and emails...It was grey throughout the day, rained nearly the entire trip so we stayed in the cabin rather than navigating from the flybridge. It was nice for a change to be able to nest a bit while underway...Chip told me stories about what Thanksgiving was like when he was a kid. He and his Dad would get up really early and go duck hunting. As it turned out, that night we stayed at Goose Pond Marina, which just so happens to be the name of the pond where he and his dad used to hunt together...In fact the Indians in the area later changed the name from Goose Pond to Doc's Pond and we have a photo of it in our cabin in North Carolina! Just as we turned into the embayment the sun started to peep through the clouds....The lily pads were as big as garbage can lids....There were ducks and Canada geese everywhere...It was as if his dad had sent him a message, 'I am here'. It was a lovely spot, and we will definitely stop there again on our way back.

Last night we anchored at mile 426.9, at Little Cedar Mountain. Possible one of the prettiest anchorages on the entire river system...and in my top 5 of all anchorages to date! We have rain again today...I am glad we will be coming back through again after spending a few days in Chattanooga because the beauty is breathtaking, even in the haze. In fact, at times I actually think the clouds rising from the mountains like steam just adds to the mysticism of this area.

As always, life is good on Ithaka...

The Human Spirit

2009-10-09T16:49:00.006-04:00

"No pessimist ever discovered the secret of the stars or sailed an uncharted land or opened a new doorway for the human spirit."

~ Helen Keller

We are in a town along the Tennessee River called Florence Alabama. The river has dipped into Alabama and will curve northward back into Tennessee east of here near Chattanooga. There's a lot to see in Florence, so we hopped into the marina's courtesy van with map in hand to do a little exploring.

We found the Rosenbaum House; the only home designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in the entire state. It has been called the purest form of Wright's Usonian design ever built. He also designed much of the interior furnishings. I love the geometrics of his designs and I thought this home in particular was stunning, but I was surprised that it didn't have a view of the river.

We also located the birthplace of W.C Handy, the 'Father of the Blues'...Today, the simple log cabin is a museum and has a large collection of his memorabilia including his piano. As a boy, they say, he used the notes of the bird's songs to create tunes. I was smitten with the metal art sculpture in the yard depicting a blues quartet.

Perhaps one of the most inspiring visits to a home or museum that we've had along the trip was our tour today of the home where America's First Lady of Courage was born. Located on a beautifully landscaped and tree-filled 640 acre tract of land in Tuscumbia, right over the river from Florence, sits Ivy Green, the home where Helen Keller lived. Having survived the Civil War, the home is perfectly maintained right down to the tiniest details including some of her childhood toys and dresses on display. The most moving experience of our visit was to actually see the 'the pump' (click on photo inset) where Helen first understood the correlation between letters, words and things. Her recognition, at 7 years of age, that w-a-t-e-r meant something cool and wet flowing over her hand...It is impossible to even begin to imagine what that moment must have felt like. But, from that moment on her learning never faded...within six months she knew over 600 words...by 10 she mastered braille...by 16 she spoke well enough to attend prep school. She went on to graduate cum laude from Radcliffe College. Her teacher, Anne Sullivan, never left her side and became known as 'The Miracle Worker'. Also the name of a play by William Gibson, and later made into a movie which won Academy Awards for both Patty Duke and Anne Bancroft. I suggest everyone, at the very least, see the movie. There are countless books written about Helen Keller. Her life's story is worth reading about, a story of unmeasurable courage...a true testament to the human spirit.

--Once she wrote, "They took away what should have been my eyes, but I remembered Milton's Paradise. They took away what should have been my ears, Beethoven came and wiped away my tears. They took away what should have been my tongue, but I had talked to God when I was young. He would not let them take away my soul---Possessing that, I still posses the whole."

What more can I say?

Right Place, Right Time

2009-10-08T20:09:00.001-04:00

We decided to stay the extra day at Grand Harbor before continuing up the Tennessee River. Going to Chattanooga is a "side trip", and not part of the actual loop.

We had a few very nice things happen to us yesterday. For starters, we were the 'welcoming committee' for Salvage Crew as they passed by the dock at Grand Harbor, just moments after crossing their wake, after nearly 12 months away from their home port...It was very exciting to witness the end of such a memorable journey first hand...Of all the folks they met along the way, how ever did we get to be so lucky to be right at Grand Harbor to share in their joy? We went to dinner with them last night to celebrate. They are retired real estate agents from Birmingham...I am sure our paths will cross again.

Also yesterday, we stopped to chat with a sweet couple docked close by who seemed to have an extraordinary wealth of information about the area--all of a sudden, Chip recognized their boat, Liberty Belle, from the cover of one of their books! Imagine our delight when we realized we were chatting with Fred and Joan Myers! They welcomed us to sit down and proceeded to give us additional tips on marinas and anchorages from Chattanooga to Mobile! Fred has been a professional writer and photographer for about 50 years. Florence Alabama is their home port. He has written all the Cruise Guides that we are using to assist us in navigating the river systems!

We certainly are always finding ourselves in just the right place at just the right time!

Next stop Florence, Alabama!

(Chip took that picture of me piloting Ithaka on our way to Florence through Pickwick Lake).

5000 Miles!

2009-10-07T12:31:00.004-04:00

We left Birdsong Marina on Monday morning after 6 days...and no other "looper" boats in sight. It's my guess that most transients pass up Birdsong because of its proximity to Pebble Isle, which is much more "looper friendly". Plus the fact that the trip up Birdsong Creek is a bit windy and off the beaten path. We really had a pretty good stay there...the owner, Bob, actually gave us the keys to his pick up truck and it was ours the entire time...we were just down the road from a Super Walmart and any other convenience...We also drove over to Pebble Isle one night for dinner and it was fabulous...

The highlight of the day for us on Monday was going over 5,000 nautical miles on our trip log (see picture attached) since leaving home in May 2007! That night we anchored behind the larger of two islands named "Double Islands" at mile 148. We grilled steaks for dinner and watched a bald eagle perched on a tree not far from where we sat. We didn't have cell or Internet service, so we turned in early and watched a couple of movies.

On Tuesday we did 67 miles plus a lock...it was a long day and we dodged a bad weather system. By the time we got to Grand Harbor Marina we were ready for hot showers, a glass of wine and a nice dinner...Today we are just sitting tight...catching up on 'snail' mail, paying bills, writing postcards, charting out the next few days, a few boat maintenence and housekeeping items and enjoying the beautiful sunshine. There are 2 other looper boats here and they, too, are going to the rendezvous at Joe Wheeler State Park later in the month...

Life is good on Ithaka.

Place of Peace

2009-10-04T11:19:00.002-04:00

Ironically, the word shiloh is Hebrew for "Tranquil".

Chip and I visited Shiloh National Military Park yesterday. Established in 1894, it is considered one of the best preserved battlefields in the nation. During this 2 day battle nearly 24,000 soldiers were either killed, wounded, captured or missing.

The battlefield gets its name from the Church of Shiloh, Place of Peace, which stood not far from where the fighting ensued...
During April 6th and 7th, 1862 Confederate Generals Albert Johnston & P.G.T. Beauregard and Union Generals Ulysses S. Grant and Don Carlos Buell raged a fierce battle. Considered a pivotal battle in the war; the Union armies went on to take Corinth, only 22 miles to the south. Two rail lines converged in Corinth: The Memphis and Charleston Railroad and the Mobile to Ohio Railroad, making it one of the most important rail cities to conquer, second only to Richmond. Taking Shiloh, then Corinth, led Ulysses S. Grant to start his Vicksburg campaign.

While walking out onto the battlefield cannot begin to make clearer the bloodshed that occurred during those two days..nor do I even attempt to understand the bravery of those young soldiers, or what makes someone feel so strongly about a cause that they would risk life and limb. I did however look around me and imagined some of the very trees that stood there now gave shade even then to those brave men...I believe their sacrifices were not in vain as they were part of a war which united a great country...I was humbled by the enormity of it all: the numbers of those who perished...those interred at the cemetery without a name, simply a number on a headstone...the magnificent statues and monuments....the view out over the river...the beauty of the park...it truly is a Place of Peace.

*(click the photos at right to enlarge)

My new best friend...

2009-10-02T16:57:00.000-04:00

Shortly after Chip left to drive up to surprise his brother Gil for his birthday, I had an unexpected visitor make her way down the dock and sit herself right outside my door. (click on photo to enlarge picture).
Meet "Birdie"! ~Now, I don't know if that's going to be her name in the end, but that's what I've been calling her for the past 3 days. She's a puppy...I would guess maybe 4 or 5 months old. She's as sweet as maple syrup and has made herself at home here at the marina. No one knows where she came from...and so far, no one is claiming her, but everyone is giving her lots of love and attention...feeding her, rubbing her behind the ears...why she may just end up being The Birdsong Marina mascot by the time we leave...I've already told the manager that they can have t-shirts made, ball caps, visors, koozie cups! Anyway, my new best friend knows I'm by myself...and she comes down to check on me throughout the day.

Being alone has been strange...Chip and I have been away from one another before...but usually it is either me going away or him going away and we are at home: in our house, close to friends and family and all things familiar...Being on Ithaka for three days in a quiet marina in Tennessee without any other transient boats, no other living soul in sight once the sun goes down is quite a different story. In a way it has had a therapeutic effect...almost like a healing...the passage of time alone...connecting with feelings...keeping busy...working, reading, painting, praying...eating when I was hungry and cooking what I like to eat...Being alone on Ithaka last night through a lightning storm was a bit scary...the boat rocked and rolled a lot. The wind whipped around me and the waves sloshed up against the bow right above where my head was trying to rest...this went on for several hours! A storm that, anyone who knows me knows, I would have normally slept right through if my captain had been on board...I never felt frightened except for the passing thought of how lonely my life would be without Chip...I can fill the idle time in many ways. I am never bored.

So, Chip is on his way back to Ithaka now. I know he had a very good visit with his brother...Gil has not been well, and Chip would not let his birthday go by without being there. I knew it wasn't my place to be there...we will have a big celebration together as soon as he is able...It is a long drive, nearly 12 hours so I know he will be tired...dinner is ready (what he likes)...and I can't wait to see my real best friend! (sorry Birdie)...

A "Pearl" of a Tour

2009-10-01T19:34:00.002-04:00

"But the pearls were accidents, and the finding of one was luck, a little pat on the back by God..."

~John Steinbeck

The only one of its kind, I went to the Tennessee River Freshwater Pearl Farm and Museum today. Located right here in Birdsong Creek near Camden Tennessee, in an embayment right off Kentucky Lake, tucked in behind the marina, exists the only farm that cultivates freshwater pearls in North America! I enjoyed a brief video which highlighted the pearl farm as it was featured on a nationally broadcast television show and I learned so much about how freshwater pearls are cultured and harvested. The implanting techniques and the variables which create different shapes and colors...It was fascinating. I just couldn't believe it was right here within walking distance of where Ithaka is docked! After being implanted, the mussels used are set into nets which are attached to floating PVC pipes (click on photograph to enlarge). There are literally hundreds of thousands of mussels in the farm, known as a "garden". After leaving the museum I toured the farm on my own. There is a variety of mollusks species used for pearl farming...and very few places on earth that offer the conditions deemed ideal for such an operation....and here I am...Alas, divine appointments are made for me each day.

Morning Mist at Birdsong Creek

2009-09-30T09:32:00.002-04:00

The quiet stillness of a sunrise...early bird fishermen dot the landscape...a mystical mist surrounds them...
Hush...no sound. Look...a thousand shades of gray.

How can something so muted make everything seem so clear?

Picturesque Kentucky Lake

2009-09-28T12:06:00.001-04:00

What a beautiful afternoon we had yesterday on Kentucky Lake.
The temperature was ideal...the wind was perfect...and there were a lot of sailboats out on the water enjoying the day.
Last night we anchored at mile 60.2 in a little cove named Panther Bay. Tucked in behind a bend in the bay, we were the only boat here! We could anchor every night for a month of Sundays and never pull into the same cove twice...After the sun went down we sat up on the foredeck and watched the stars...even spotted a few satellites moving through the night sky. We would highly recommend this anchorage for all the loopers behind us. We are taking it slower than usual this morning because we decided to only go 19 miles today to stay at another anchorage before our next marina stop...as long as the ice holds out, we are happiest at anchor...
~especially when there's not another living soul in sight!
A video of Panther Bay, along with other short clips of Barkley Canal and Kentucky Lake will be posted on Youtube, too!

A Heavenly Day

2009-09-27T20:06:00.004-04:00

It's Sunday...we missed mass again today...

Some days there is just no time for prayer...but, when I stop, on a glorious day like today, and lift up my arms to the sky and say, "Thank you God", I know He hears me because my heart hears him reply, "You are welcome"...and that's when you know, you are communing with God in a place that is holier than any temple or church...Today was a heavenly day.

Herons and Turtles and Ducks, Oh My!

2009-09-26T21:21:00.002-04:00

Can you find Ithaka docked at The Green Turtle Bay Marina?

(click on photo to make image bigger)

We've had a wonderful reprieve after the trek down the Mississippi and up the Ohio and Cumberland Rivers...four lover-ly days at
The Green Turtle Bay Marina...I can see why this has become a looper favorite...popular possibly more so because it is strategically located at the end of 350 dismal miles of nothingness...If someone were to ask me now, which of the segments along the loop were the least desirable, I'd probably have to say the journey from Chicago to Lake Barkley...not withstanding the great folks we've met along the way...ah yes, Who could forget Fern at Hoppies smoking her cigarettes just a few feet away from the fuel tanks on her dock...BOOM! and of course, Captain Moe at Heritage Harbor in Grafton and Jan & Joe in Grafton...and, There were some nice anchorages: Upper Henry Island at mile 194.6 and Duck Island at 135.6....mile 61.6 where we anchored at the western most point of the entire loop! Little River Diversion Channel was quiet, except for the fisherman trying to stir up the carp by driving their bass boats in mad circles, trying to show us how they [the carp] actually jump right into their boat from the sound of their motors! (Didn't happen) ..We met a few other loopers and travelled with them on and off along the way...We've spent a few days exploring Lake Barkley in the dinghy, posted on (click) YOUTUBE and used the marina's courtesy van on several occasions to go into 'town' for dinner and re-provisioning as well as driving around parts of the (click for website) 'Land Between the Lakes'...the largest inland peninsula in the eastern United States! All very interesting and had we had our own car we would have visited the planetarium and the Elk & Bison Prairie...

We've caught our breath again...laundry is done, pantry is stocked, and the crew is well rested...we set out tomorrow for a few days of anchoring as we cross over the Barkley Canal from the Cumberland to the Tennessee River and begin our adventure towards Chattanooga...Life is good on Ithaka.

A Little Bit of "Sunshine"

2009-09-24T20:08:00.003-04:00

We had a wonderful surprise visit yesterday from the crew of Sunshine! ~ About 10:00 AM yesterday morning the phone rang and Muriel asked where we were...We told her that we had just pulled into The Green Turtle Bay Marina, south of Paducah Kentucky on Lake Barkley the night before...she said, "Well, we'll be in that area on our way to Kansas City around 3 today...Can we stop by for a visit?" STOP BY FOR A VISIT! You've got to be kidding!? Bud later told us that when they were planning the trip they mentioned they would look down while crossing over the Ohio River with the hopes they might see Ithaka cruising by...Never did they actually think the timing would have been so perfect...But, you know us...we do seem to have things fall into place in a rather divine way! It was great to see Bud and Muriel and of course, Chip's 'fishing buddy, Shelly! We reminisced about our time together last summer and we made plans to see each other again while they are down in Florida visiting Jeff and Anne (their son and daughter-in-law) in November when we are home! We called Bill and Eileen (Blue Max) while they were here, too...and we all got very nostalgic.

We got "socked-in here today, but we did have a "little bit of Sunshine" yesterday!
Life is good on Ithaka!

(click on picture to make it bigger)

The Cumberland River

2009-09-23T09:40:00.001-04:00

We left our anchorage on the Ohio at 8:00 AM and began the arduous task of continuing upstream, against the 3-4 knot current and on constant watch for logs and deadheads...It rained on and off all day and although, up to this point, the Cumberland River isn't nearly as impressive as the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers, we have seen more eagles than on any other stretch of the rivers...The Barkley Lock and Dam lifted us an impressive 57' and we then entered a beautiful, serene lake on the other side... Today we will spend much of the day organizing, re-grouping, cleaning, doing laundry and shopping. The town that we are near is Grand Rivers, Kentucky...it is at the northern entrance to Land Between the Lakes. I'm sure I'll have more to blog about in a day or two as we intend to set out and explore the area both on bikes and dinghy over the next few days. Don't forget to check out the videos I'm posting on YOUTUBE!

Old Man River

2009-09-21T20:37:00.005-04:00

"Mee-zee-see-bee" which means, Father of all Waters
~ Ojibway Tribe

It's interesting to me, but as we turned into the Ohio River today I was struck with the thought that it seemed a more 'feminine' river that the Mississippi...not thinking for a moment about the song, Old Man River, but just noticing the 'softer' shoulders...the gentle way the banks rolled down to the water's edge...then tonight I listened to the song, as sung by Judy Garland, and I knew that 'Old Man River' was Mother Nature's way of wearing the pants...tough and sturdy and dirty and forceful...It was a great 4 days cruising down this magnificent body of water...even in the quiet boredom, mile after empty mile, it was filled with something deeper than words...a lone bald eagle perched on a rock jetty...a breathtaking sunset...it truly is the Father of all Waters...

~and, How could I ever conclude our trip down the Mississippi without mention of one of its more famous steamboat pilots: Mark Twain? Born in Hannibal Missouri as Samuel Clemens in 1835, he took the pen name Mark Twain after the term of measurement. A fathom being 6 feet, and a twain being 2 fathoms...the deck hands would yell out "Mark Twain" to notify the pilots of the depth of the river...his stories have brought the river life to readers around the world...

We are ahead of schedule...not that we actually have a schedule...Originally I thought we'd be on the Cumberland River by month's end, but at this rate we should be there either tomorrow or Wednesday. We aren't supposed to be at the rendezvous in Joe Wheeler State Park until the end of next month...so I would say we're going to have some down time coming up soon....I am looking forward to a little chill time in the Kentucky Lakes...maybe get my paints out...read a few books. After spending 6 of the last 9 nights on the hook, The Green Turtle Marina is going to look good to this weary first mate.

Tonight we are anchored on the Illinois side of the Ohio River in a town called Metropolis, best known as the hometown of Superman...It's a good safe spot, off the path of tug traffic, tucked in under a RR bridge behind a floating Harrah's Casino...

Honor the Sabbath

2009-09-20T20:16:00.006-04:00

We missed church today...but spent the day in God's heavenly flow. Days like this can be monotonous...but, it all depends on how you look at it. We cruised 110 miles, taking full advantage of the river's current, and ended up in a creek called Little River Diversion Channel. I like the name...its almost as if the person who named it knew that after a long day on the Mississippi most captains would be ready for a 'little river diversion'. It is very peaceful. We don't even have the generators running...shhhhhhh...

It was raining lightly when we set out at day break...and it gently rained intermittently throughout the day. There weren't many other pleasure vessels on the river...mostly tugs and tows...plus there are not many places to stop on the way to the Kentucky Lakes, which makes it even less desirable for day boaters...We traveled with two other 'loopers' that we met at Hoppies...and I'm glad Fern, and our friends Bill and Eileen, who were here last year, told us about this anchorage.

There weren't any bright colors today...Ah, but the mist was a soft gray...the water muddy brown...the cliffs were touched with burnt umber and deep earthy greens...the sky was as blue as my grandmother's eyes...and God shined his sunbeams between the clouds on and off --we were treated to a light show dancing on the river...These are God's colors...No, we didn't go to church today, but we were in His cathedral all day...and it was wonder-full.

"My country is the world, and my religion is to do good." ~Sir Isaac Newton

Alton to Kimmswick

2009-09-19T22:40:00.006-04:00

Here we are at Hoppies "Marina"...if that's what you want to call it--It's 4 or 5 retired barges, rusting out, attached and chained to rocks, floating near a quaint little town called Kimmswick which just so happened to be celebrating its Sesquicentennial today, yes today! (that's 150 years for us mere mortals that don't speak Latin...thank you Chip for telling me how to spell it)...Our perfect timing of showing up at places at exactly the right moment continues! The downtown is a bit surreal...kinda' like Goodland on Steroids. The Stores are all brightly painted and mostly all sell the same sh#@ and knick-knacks, yet we had to go in and out of each and everyone of them in the hopes we'd come across a treasure (which indeed we did...and packages are on their way to our 3 granddaughters as I write)...I highly recommend all loopers coming through to check out 'The Design Haus' on Front Street...possibly one of the cutest shoppes I have ever been in!

--After a two hour wait (check out the videos on YOUTUBE ) we locked through and actually made up the time lost by taking advantage of the 3-4 knot current..Ithaka actually saw double digits for probably the first time ever! I had to put my wind-breaker on!

One of the highlights of the day...heck, one of the highlights of the entire loop, was passing by the arch (click on picture to make it bigger) in St. Louis...The Gateway to the West! (video also on Youtube)

Ending up at Hoppies was not by chance...we've been planning to stop here for years...To meet Fern of course! On the Mississippi she is famous--(happens to be my own mother's name, too!) We attended her 'River Talk' tonight and with her assistance, we are plotted right through to Mobile! Thank you Fern.

It's over 200 miles to the next marina...we are aggressively planning to do 110 miles tomorrow and make it all the way to Little Diversion Channel. This is more remote than the Canadian wilderness!

Sunset on the Mississippi

2009-09-19T07:12:00.001-04:00

Taken last night, here at Alton Marina.

Grafton to Alton

2009-09-18T21:17:00.002-04:00

Picture #1 is of me at the Grafton Lighthouse.
#2 of of Captain Chip as we entered the great Mississippi River...and,
#3 is me outside The National Great Rivers Museum...how do you like my yellow bike?

Grafton to Alton was a whopping 16 miles--we decided to pit-stop here to take the edge off what could potentially be an otherwise long day from Grafton to Hoppies, just south of St. Louis. Since neither of us has ever navigated on the Muddy Miss before, we didn't know what to expect...As it turned out, the chart plotter is working much better from the flybridge and the traffic was pretty minimal...we will likely do much of the piloting down the rivers from the top deck. It certainly was a very exciting moment to turn from the Illinois onto the Mississippi--No sooner did we do so and we spotted a church steeple up on top of the bluffs and right on que the bells started ringing...Chip just looked at me and said, "We are blessed"...

Pulling into Alton we spotted the infamous Piasa image which dauntingly graces the side of the bluff along the river. In 1673 when Joliet and Marquette made their way down the river to this region they first documented the engraved 'monster' and described it as being 'as large as a calf with horns, a horrible look with red eyes, a beard, a tail like a tiger that wraps around its body and ends like a fish tail...green, red and black are the three colors composing of the pictures'. If you are interested in learning more about the 'monster' that the Illini Indians called The Piasa, pronounced Pie-a-saw, which means 'Bird That Devours Man', click HERE to read the legend.

Alton is known for many historical figures and events. Of them, Elijah Parrish Lovejoy, a preacher who relocated to St Louis from Maine, only to move to Alton because Illinois was a 'free state'...and in 1836 he is best known for taking a brave stand against slavery...Also, since we had only just been to Ottawa last week, the site of the first Douglas-Lincoln debates, it is only fitting we are now in Alton, the site of the last of their debates in 1858...it is said to be here that the term, "A house divided cannot stand" was first coined...Regionally there are many stories connected to evidence about the Underground Railroad, not far from here, a settlement in Godfrey known as Rocky Road is probably the oldest and largest of the underground railroad and was known as the 'Alton Route'...Recently, most notably, Miles Davis was born in Alton in 1926...and a flood in 1993, said to be the flood of the century, tested the tenacity of the folks in Alton...sandbaggers worked day & night reinforcing the levees...the river crested at 42.7 feet. --For those of you familiar with the Guinness Book of World Records, born in Alton in 1918 was an average size baby whom his family named Robert Wadlow...by 6 months old he weighed 30 pounds! Ultimately he grew to be 8' 11.1" and still holds the title today as the world's tallest man!

As important as any of these facts probably is that of Captains William Clark and Meriwether Lewis as they began their journey west in 1804 just a few miles south of Alton, at the mouth of the River Dubois in their quest to find the Pacific Ocean...This is where that great journey was launched...

Today we visited the National Great Rivers Museum where we got a bird's eye view of the Melvin Lock and Dam...We will be passing through here tomorrow at first light...Alton was a good stop...if we ever pass this way again we will spend more time here.

Meeting of the Great Rivers

2009-09-18T10:09:00.005-04:00

After spending 3 wonderful nights alone anchoring on the Illinois River, we pulled into Grafton Harbor Marina on Wednesday evening. Historic Grafton, IL is a sweet little town offering both scenic nature & wildlife as well as a picturesque main street with antique shoppes, specialty stores featuring the work of local artisans and a variety of restaurants. We ate dinner last night at The Mississippi Half Step, which we would highly recommend. I had a glass of a local Illinois wine from a nearby winery and it was delicious!

This is where the Illinois River meets the Mighty Mississippi...all along the confluence of the two rivers the water birds are plentiful...We've spotted thousands of the migrating white pelicans...and less than 20 miles away, the Missouri River converges just south of Alton, which is our next stop. It is amazing to be in the place where these three great rivers come together. From where we are docked we can see the Mississippi River and the limestone bluffs in the distance...the sunrises and sunsets here have been breathtaking. Grafton is best known for the birds that come through this area in flocks as they follow the great rivers south. It is the winter home of the majestic American Bald Eagle. The road that runs along the river, known as The Great River Road in Illinois has been rated one of the "10 Greatest Drives in the Nation"...

I never thought I'd ever be cruising down the Mississippi River in my own boat someday...well, today's the day...Come on Captian, let's get going...our next adventure awaits us!

"Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry and narrow-mindedness." ~ Mark Twain

90.38'64" W

2009-09-15T20:35:00.003-04:00

This is as west as we go...Tonight we are anchored under a RR bridge, just south of the little town of Naples, Illinois (no kidding)...at the western most point of the entire Great Loop! Now we have been to Naples, Idaho; Naples, North Carolina; and of Course, Naples, Florida! --Someday: Naples Italy! We pushed it today to make sure this was where we would end up...75 nautical miles at 7.5 knots plus one lock took nearly 10 hours! We are tired but happy. ~and, Life is good, as usual, on Ithaka!

(photo attached is a picture of the white pelicans in formation-click on it to make it bigger!)

The Morning Mist

2009-09-14T20:20:00.004-04:00

Mystical Morning

Photo 1. Chip going out in the dinghy to pull up the stern anchor.

Photo 2. A Great Blue Heron flying by.

Photo 3. Before the mist disappeared. (remember, you can click on these pictures to make them bigger)

Got up early and made Chip french toast out of the homemade apple bread we bought at the farmer's market on Saturday...we took care of about two hours or so of "real estate " related work; then decided to head out into the peaceful morning fog...we knew it would burn off quickly, and there was definitely something mystical about traveling alone through the mist.

We saw several flocks of white pelicans...they are amazing! (click on link to learn more, too) I did a little bit of research and found out that they are a bird watchers delight...they show up every year, at this time, right in this very place as they migrate south through the upper Mississippi River Valley on their way from the fresh water lakes up north to the Gulf of Mexico! We watched a magnificent hawk circle overhead, and saw more great blue herons than we could count. The binoculars are coming in handy...

The barge traffic has been minimal...and we passed an old-fashioned paddle boat called The Spirit of Peoria. We didn't have to wait longer than 10 minutes at the lock today and it was the very first time we just floated through...no lines, which was really cool! --haven't encountered many floating logs...and still haven't seen one of those $500 carp! Sheesh! We watched the duck hunters, in anticipation of the upcoming season, trim their blinds and throw the "dumbie" birds out to their Labs--a method of training the retrievers, amazing... We cruised by several little towns, but opted to anchor again tonight...the weather has been beautiful...the water is calm...the sunset is breathtaking...this is the the kingdom...we are so blessed.

A Lovely Anchorage

2009-09-13T19:40:00.004-04:00

The fog lifted as we left the harbor this morning and headed downstream about 10 AM along with all the other Sunday morning pleasure crafts and barges on the Illinois River. As the day went on it got prettier and prettier. It was a picture postcard day....the water was like glass, the sky was blue and the temperature about 84 degrees. I couldn't believe that I was actually wearing a bathing suit in Illinois in September! Lovely.

We saw a bald eagle...lots of geese...a few osprey...still no leaping carp (which by the way, they lifted the ban 2 days after we paid $500 bucks to get towed through...ARGH!)...so many beautiful blue herons...and best of all, we saw the white pelicans, which if we had not been told to look out for them, we probably would have mistaken them for cranes...the river is very peaceful here...more lovely.

We waited over two hours at the one and only lock of the day...Sundays are busy...next time we'll know better. We did 57 miles today...I was at the helm for a good part of the day...now, at last, we are anchored...behind Upper Henry Island at mile 196.5...we got the hook to stick first try...there's not another living soul within miles of us...we are drinking wine and listening to the Be Good Tanyas...and there is nothing more lovely than floating on the hook. This is paradise and Life is good on Ithaka. Amen.

The Friendlist Town on the Loop

2009-09-13T08:34:00.007-04:00

We've stayed put for a few days in this sweet little town, mainly because we had some work to catch up on from back home at the office that needed our full attention...Day 1 in Ottawa IL consisted mainly in doing laundry and buying groceries...we cleaned Ithaka from stem to stern...had dinner at a pub called Crawdads right here at the marina. Ah yes, the marina...Heritage Harbor. For those of you traveling down the river behind us, this is one of those tips you'll want to make note of...as you enter their basin off the Illinois River, Heritage Harbor Marina has a sign that reads, "Welcome Loopers and other friendly boaters" ...I must say, possibly the friendliest and most accommodating marina we've stayed at on the entire loop. Captain Moe is a wonderful fellow with a great knowledge of the rivers which he is happy to share. --A fairly new facility; by next summer they'll have added a pool and other services. We used their van to go into town (about a 2 mile hike) three times in the past few days...After working all day we watched one of the movies we had on board: The Prestige. Most nights we read but, it was fun to turn in early and watch a flick (we don't get very good TV reception, which is fine with me, but we do have an interesting selection of movies on board).

Day 2 was set aside for some sight-seeing...we went to the Visitor's Center and were met by two gals, both of whom actually knew what a looper was, too! I really think these folks are smart to cater to the 100 or so loopers who cruise by and stop every year...anyway, they loaded us up with lots of good information about Ottawa. Here in Washington Square, in 1858, Abraham Lincoln first spoke in public. He debated Sen. Stephen A. Douglas. This town with a population of barely 10,000 had over 14,000 people turn out to witness the debate! They say this debate got Lincoln noticed and made him a presidential contender for 1860. The bronze statues of Lincoln and Douglas grace the fountain in the town park. The farmer's market close-by was wonderful. We bought freshly baked apple bread and home made jam as well as locally grown, organic sweet corn which we enjoyed for dinner last night! Public Art was developed to revitalize Ottawa's downtown, and it has created quite a cultural attraction. To date, there are now 8 wall murals painted on the sides of building depicting the people and events important to the town's history (do you see anyone familiar in the picture attached? Remember, you can click on these photos to make them bigger)! There are Lincolnesque "Top Hats" painted on barrels by various local artists, too, done as a fund raiser. Of course, we also did a little bit of shopping...couldn't leave town without contributing to the local economy. Lots of quaint shoppes & antique stores. You can tell there's a lot of scrap-booking and quilting going on in Ottawa. One shop in particular I will recommend for all who visit Ottawa...Deja Vu...whimsical and fragrant...great gifts! I could have done all my Christmas shopping in one stop!

Last night we attended mass at a beautiful old cathedral-like church. I had never before been to a Catholic church named St. Columba. It was my great-grandmother's first name...I didn't even know Columba was a saint...of course I 'googled' it and found several saints with that name...none of whom were Italian...One of the stained glass windows caught my eye, which I will post here, of a cross on one side and an anchor on the other.

We are fogged in this morning, so we are getting a later start than intended...Looking forward to doing the loop again someday and stopping back to Ottawa IL, the friendliest town on the loop!

"People travel to faraway places to watch in facination the kind of people they would ignore at home." ~ D.D. Runes

Marmalade Skies

2009-09-11T09:14:00.001-04:00

Sunset in Ottawa

Chip and I left Joliet (mi 288.0) at 8:30 AM central time and continued along the Des Plaines River...With the radar tower lowered, we have not had to hail the bridge tenders, just making it under the 16.5' drawbridge heights at center; allowing us to make some good time. We would recommend the Free Wall in Joliet to anyone cruising through...it is a convenient first night stop from Chicago, and a good place to arrange crew changes as the Harrah's right across the street from the park where we tied up has an airport transfer. There aren't any facilities, and there were a few shady characters roaming around, but all in all, a good night sleep...We had a wonderful visit with Art & Sharon, and as I watched them walk away I realized that we would likely be traveling alone now until Chattanooga where we are hoping my mom will join us the end of October.

At mile 273, the Des Plaines and the Kankakee Rivers meet and form the Illinois River. Up to that point the riverfront has been very commercial with a lot of chemical plants, grain elevators, sunken barges...We traveled completely by sight and paper charts (which is fairly easy on a river) as the chart plotter chip, sent to us from the manufacturer was blank. Once we got through the 2nd lock at the Dresden Dam the river began to get a little more picturesque. We began to notice wild flowers and wading birds as well as several pairs of wild swans, Canada geese and a random monarch butterfly...

It was a warm day, the temperature gage on the fly bridge read 93 degrees, and at a cruising speed of 7-8 knots we weren't creating much of a breeze. We are tucked in now at a "Looper Friendly" marina in Ottawa Illinois (mi 242). The photograph is of the sunset last night, taken off the stern, looking out over the inlet leading into the marina with a silo reflected in the water. Now I am off to do a little reprovisoning and laundry...and of course, some exploring. If you are interested in learning more about where we are, please log onto the Ottawa website HERE.

09-09-09

2009-09-09T18:54:00.004-04:00

After weeks of anticipation, transversing through the Asian Carp Fish barrier was a bit of a let down...a very efficient crew of 3 aboard a tug boat named the Buster White towed us through the 1.5 mile stretch...it was pretty uneventful. We tied off to their vessel, disconnected all our batteries (necessary as the current charges the water at 2 volts per square inch) and remained on their tug during the 15 minute process--You'd think they'd have served lunch for the $500 bucks they charged! Geez!

For those of you who have not been following along I will give a brief summary of the Carp dilemma: To combat the migration of this invasive species the Illinois waterways and Lake Michigan joined forces with the Corps of Engineers and installed a barrier back in 2002 consisting of cables running along the bottom of the canal which disperses electrical charges which can destroy a boat's electronics (thus the disconnecting of batteries etc), but will hopefully deters the fish from migrating up into the Great Lakes...Supposedly this only effects wooden or fiberglass hulls. We were told that approximately 40 to 50 miles down the river we will encounter 15 to 25 lb. carp flying through the air, some can actually land on the deck...trust me, if that happens, I will post photos!

Sorry for the boring blog post, but I was certain many of you would be just dying to know all about this! Oh well, at least I can say that for all my life I will always remember exactly what I was doing on 09-09-09...

Chigaco Recap

2009-09-09T18:29:00.002-04:00

We spent four fabulous days in Chicago with Art & Sharon!

The morning they arrived we walked over to The Navy Pier from our marina, had breakfast and enjoyed "people watching"...later that day we took the Trolley Tour of the city and learned about some of the cultural, architectural and historical distinctions that make this city so special - from the John Hancock building and the famous Water Tower at the north end of Michigan Avenue to Soldier Field and the museum campus at the south end of Millennium Park. The beauty of this magnificent city is evident around every corner. On Sunday night we walked to Grant Park and got great seats and listened to Dee Alexander, amoung others, at the Chicago Jazz Festival! The timing of our visit could not have been better...imagine, here we were in Chicago, just in time for this fantastic FREE entertainment! Great weather, great music...

On Monday we took the Architecture River Cruise...the river has become the heart and soul of Chicago and seeing the city from this vantage point is something we highly recommend to anyone visiting...Some of the tour highlights included Marina City, The Merchandise Mart and the Willis Tower (formerly known as The Sears Tower). Perhaps one of the most beautiful modern buildings in the city is the newly completed Trump Tower. On Monday night we ate dinner at Gibson's, one of Chicago's famous steak houses--dark and smokey with literally 1,000's of photographs of movie stars adorning its walls, we enjoyed a terrific meal and then experienced a memorable cab ride back to the marina which we will laugh about for many years to come...

On Tuesday we made our way back up to Michigan Avenue where we had seen the beginning stages of set-up the night before for Oprah's taping of her 24th season kick-off party! We joined the nearly 250,000 other fans who were already crowding into the streets by noon for the 5 PM celebration. I made a sign which read, "Naples Florida Loves Oprah" and was stopped to be interviewed by both the local news anchor from Chicago's channel 2 news as well as a reporter for the Oprah Sirius Radio station...everyone seemed interested to learn that we had traveled all the way to Chicago by boat from Florida to see Oprah! We wanted to get as close to the stage as possible so as we tucked in behind some barricades where Telemundo TV was setting up less than 100' from the main stage and just acted like we belonged there...Chip left early and headed back to prep Ithaka for today's departure; but Art was a trouper and stayed with me and Sharon for the duration! We enjoyed live performances by James Taylor, Chris Angel and Jennifer Hudson...not to mention experiencing seeing Oprah command the enormous audience as well as witnessing the entire 5 blocks dancing to The Black Eyed Peas! Seriously, could we have planned this any better?

We packed as much into a 72 hour visit as anyone could and left early this morning to begin our adventure down the rivers...and so it only seems appropriate that I would end this post with a quote by Mark Twain: "It is hopeless for the occasional visitor to try to keep up with Chicago-She outgrows his prophecies faster than he can make them. She is always a novelty; for she is never the Chicago you saw when you passed through the last time."

Hello Chicago!

2009-09-05T21:05:00.002-04:00

It was a great cruise into Chicago Harbor earlier today...the fog rolled in just as we left Hammond Marina...gave us a chance to really "trust" our instruments! Probably the last time for a long while before we get to use the chart plotter again...once we are on the river system it's all paper charts and line of site navigation. It was exciting to maneuver through the markers and dodge the sailboats as we made our way into this magnificent harbor. I put a few videos on YOUTUBE if anyone is interested in checking them out!

Once we docked Chip scrubbed down the outside of the boat while I got dinner started...we went for a long walk up along Lake Shore Drive to Grant Park where the Chicago Jazz Festival is taking place all weekend. Now we are going up on the top deck to watch the fireworks at The Navy Pier which is just off our starboard bow. Life is good on Ithaka.

Click on the photo to enlarge and the skyline of Chicago will come into view!

My Kind Of Town...

2009-09-04T22:19:00.001-04:00

...Chicago is...my kind of town!

Here's were we will be "camping" out for the next few days: Du Sable Harbor. The marina shown in this aerial photo is right on North Lake Shore Drive, at the foot of Randolf Street...smack in the middle of Downtown! --and walking distance to the world famous Navy Pier, Michigan Avenue's Magnificent Mile, Millennium Park, The Water Tower, and so many more of this great city's landmarks and neighborhoods...Am I ready for a steak at Gibson's, a deep dish pizza?? You betcha'!

My kind of town, Chicago is...My kind of razzmatazz...

Home Sweet Home

2009-09-03T20:27:00.000-04:00

For those of you who have never been on Ithaka...I am attaching an interior photo (remember, you can click on it to make it bigger).
It really is beginning to feel like home today. Spent the best part of the day cleaning and organizing...settling in. We want to mention what a wonderful experience we had with Skyway Yachtworks. Steve and his crew are awesome...especially Arturo, ace #1 mechanic and employee of the year! The entire team at their facility made the process of going from storage to getting underway easy-squeezy! Anyone thinking of wintering their boat in this area should definitely consider calling them! 773-734-777. We give them top grades!

--Ventured out and found the closest Wal-Mart Supercenter and Ithaka is now loaded down with groceries to last a couple of weeks! We talked to Shelly from the good ship Sunshine this morning and spoke with Bill & Eileen from Blue Max earlier tonight (two of the looper boats we traveled with last summer). We opened the 1st of many bottles of wine tonight...Ithaka's first official happy hour of Leg III! Now, the candles are burning...music is playing ala Jane Monheit...(no TV reception--YAY!)...and we both started a new book: Chip is reading The Shack, and I am reading 700 Sundays)...The weather is absolutely perfect...don't think we'll need to use the AC very often. The rental car goes back tomorrow, so we'll be on our own...no more land lubbing....It's walking shoes and bicycles from this point forward. Art and Sharon called us earlier and we are counting the days till they join us! I may not be blogging when they get here! We "party" a lot when they're around!

~The electronic carp nets are still in place so if we want to get south of Joliet anytime soon we will need a tow...we will be checking on that tomorrow. Last check the cost was over $600 bucks to tow us a mere 7/10's of a mile!!! Yikes! So much for public waterways...but I won't go there. Guess that's cheaper than camping out in Chicago for any length of time (2nd only to NYC for docking fees)...For now, we are happy where we are: Hammond Marina in Indiana, and we cannot believe it has actually been an entire year since last we slept on Ithaka. Sweet dreams all...for us it's "Home Sweet Home"!

Day 1 Leg III

2009-09-01T17:47:00.000-04:00

We're Finally Here!

Captain Chip on his way up to check on Ithaka! She's looking pretty darn good for having been in indoor-heated storage for almost a year! I got most of the dry goods, boat parts, charts, books and movies (oh yes, and wine) unpacked while Chip touched up the bottom paint and took care of other maintenance items. Back tomorrow to haul her into the Calumet River by noon. We will probably sit tight at Skyway Yachtworks in Hammond for a day or two before heading to downtown Chicago...getting Ithaka ready for the long journey ahead...a trip to Super Walmart, a Laundromat...and more than just a little bit of elbow grease...We are so happy! (click on the photo to make it bigger)

Last Mango in Paris...

2009-08-27T22:21:00.005-04:00

Tonight is different from the other "last nights at home before the big trip"...I'm not sure what it is, but we are calmer...more organized...not as concerned about how things will be back home while we're away. We've done this now a couple of times and it is definitely easier this time...I'm a List Maker and my lists are coming in very handy! My mom will be here in the morning to drive us to the airport...all our storm shutters are in place...(feels like we're sleeping in a tin can)...we said our "good-byes" at the office...'fridge is nearly empty...the kids and grandkids were here for Chinese...the laptop is packed, the movie camera and the the baggie jeans...and I've got my favorite dancing shoes ready: a comfortable pair of hot pink flip flops...and so for our last mango in paradise we are doing "La Vie Dansante"...The Dance of Life!

...'de ja vu, to you'...

Carp-e Diem

2009-08-26T23:17:00.006-04:00

Carpe Diem: "Cease the Day": make the most of present opportunities...OK, ok, I just came up with a new translation...how about "Cease The Carp"...literally! --as in , "GET those nets out of our way so we can proceed down the rivers...PRETTY PLEASE"!! It's obvious that the Asian Carp population is a serious problem...and netting them as they swim upstream prior to entering Lake Michigan is necessary, but I am not sure why the corps didn't wait until after the Labor Day holiday (peak boating season in this area) to begin this operation. Hmmmmm.

Last year, due to a certain hurricane that dumped 10 acres of rain for every acre of land, the river cruisers were dubbed "The River Rats"...Floods were prevalent and no one was going anywhere till the water subsided and the locks reopened...It took weeks. Now, as in RIGHT NOW, THIS YEAR...the pleasure boats are backing up into Lake Michigan awaiting the thumbs up from the authorities. -and We are being called 'The Carp Captives'! It seems the powers that be decided that it would be a good time to test out these new electronic carp nets just below Chicago...It's a long fish tale, but if you are interested click on this LINK for details...

As we get closer to our D-day...it's not looking too good for us if we want to venture south of Chi-town...Only 7/10's of a mile is closed off from pleasure boaters locking through, however, that's all it takes to bottle-neck us loopers up for days and maybe weeks...Soooo..for now, we are still planning on coming up later this week & getting provisioned and sitting tight till the Illinois River reopens. Sha and Art are on board [pun intended] no matter what happens. Yeah, we have fun when we are floating regardless of where we are...if it takes 2 weeks instead of one, or 4 instead of two...who cares...Carp-e Diem I say! Carp-e Diem!

It's A Wrap!

2009-08-11T21:09:00.009-04:00

For months I have been collecting all the books I want to take with me on this 3rd and final leg of the loop...perhaps one of the things that I look forward to the most whenever Chip and I are away together is the quiet time spent reading a good book. Life is hectic at home...happy, but hectic. I seldom get the luxury of just lounging around with my nose buried into a good book...only 17 more days...

Tonight we wrapped up our packing...Of course, I know I am bringing too much stuff...I bought two big boxes from UPS the other day, but by the time I packed all the books I want to read; and all the DVDs that I've bought to watch, all the art supplies and Cd's packed --and oh yes, CHARTS (yeah, guess that was a good idea: charts...ha ha), there wasn't much room left to fit all the clothes! This is not as bad as it sounds...normally we wear the same 4 or 5 things over and over again...flip flops, baggie shorts, t-shirts, jeans...Ah, my favorite wardrobe. On a boat it is better to be comfortable than fashionable! Last year when we came home I made a list of everything we left on board, so if I don't bring anymore clothes at all, I know we'll be just fine! Less is best! --and, After all, a good book doesn't really care what you're wearing!

We are shipping the boxes up to Michigan to Chip's brother's house because that is where we are starting our trip...From there we rented a car and we'll drive to Chicago to pick up the boat and provision it. My cousins, Art & Sharon, are flying into Chicago a week later to spend a few days with us where we will begin the journey down the river system. We've been to Chicago before and we've taken the Architectural Tour. The thought of actually cruising through downtown Chicago on our own boat is unbelievable! We made reservations tonight online for Gibson's Steakhouse! --and, the Chicago Jazz Festival is happening the weekend we're in town...I just love when a plan comes together!

It's A Wrap!

23 More Days!

2009-08-03T20:18:00.003-04:00

I can't believe it's already August! We are really getting excited now...the reality of leaving for the last leg of our journey is much more tangible now than months ago...or even weeks ago. I'm actually getting butterflies just thinking about it! Now, the lists are being prepared...the packing has commenced...plans are being implemented, charts are being scanned and highlighted...marinas selected...reservations confirmed! --and it is definite...Art & Sharon ARE flying to Chicago on September 6th to join us for the cruise through Chicago! Whoo Hoo! We will cruise together, through the 40' Lockport lock to Peoria on the Illinois River! --the beginning of the river system! They have never been to Chicago before...I am so happy they will be joining us for part of this trip. Looks like we will be staying at DuSable Harbor, right in the heart of downtown Chicago!

Everything at the office is falling into place, too! We are so blessed to have Krista, Meagan and Sam holding the fort down in our absence...Our plan for now is to get as far as Joe Wheeler State park by the end of October, then rent a car & drive home...work our butts off again in November then return to ITHAKA by the 1st of December to bring her home by the first of the year! What a great way to begin a new decade...a new chapter...ending a 7000 mile journey with my sweet Chip! That's the plan for now, but as anybody knows who has ever boated, plans are subject to change on a moments notice...the weather or a whim can set the course in a totally different direction...and that's the part I love the best! Everyone who knows me knows what a planner and organizer I am...being on Ithaka sets me free! 23 more days to no make-up, no cable and no appointments! Ready or knot...here I come!

56 Days and Counting!

2009-07-02T11:37:00.002-04:00

We're starting our count-down! 56 days to go and we will be off to begin the 3rd and final leg of our awesome adventure...Once again the coffee table is filled with travel guides, charts, maps, books, and lists...lots of lists! Leg I ~ 2007, we left in May; Leg II ~ 2008 we left in July...now we head out to finish the loop the end of August! Plans now include a trip first up to see Gil & Pam, then up to visit with Dave & Carol before heading over to the boat...hoping that Art & Sharon will join us for the first few days onboard as we shove off from Chicago right after Labor Day! Looks like we will take about 7 to 8 weeks to travel down the Mississippi and the Tennessee Rivers, September and October...then back home for the month of November--leaving the boat in Alabama till after hurricane season...PLUS, while home, we will be busy getting all systems and advertising ramped up for the upcoming 2010 selling season! It's hard to believe 2009 is already half over, and that we have already been away from our "Ithaka" for 10 months! Times sure flies when you're having fun!

...We will head back up the end of November to conclude the journey...hoping Bobby will join us for a few days so that he & I are together for his big 3-oh! We thought it would be amazing if we could cruise back into Naples just in time to celebrate the holidays! Imagine that...what a memorable way to start the next year!

Departure Date In Sight

2009-06-23T21:17:00.002-04:00

The journey began at the Miami Boat Show in 2003...we happened upon the "Looper" exhibit and bought a book called, "Honey, Let's Get A Boat". Both of us had always been around boats, had always been drawn to the water...we knew there was some adventure carved out for us in our future...we had heard about The Great Circle Cruise...But, after reading the book and doing a bit of research we began to believe it was more than just a dream...Leg III departure date is in sight!

--and, We are Living the Dream!

You are my Sunshine

2009-04-27T19:52:00.003-04:00

You are my Sunshine
...my only sunshine...
you make me happy, when skies are grey,
you'll never know dear
how much I love you...
Please don't take my sunshine away.

Our dear friends on Motor Trawler Sunshine crossed their wake at 9:35 AM yesterday, Sunday April 26th, and called us immediately after...We are so thrilled for you Bud, Muriel and Shelly --and we feel so blessed to have shared a part of of our "loop" with the three of you last summer. We will never forget Canada, 2008!

Godspeed, till we meet again.

The Longest Wait

2009-04-07T12:36:00.003-04:00

For the past two Springs I have been eagerly preparing for our Summer adventure aboard Ithaka, but not this year. A week into April, and by now I would have been making my lists and organizing charts, putting aside the books I intend to read while away, dusting off the art supplies...researching the marinas we would be staying at, the gunk holes where we would anchor and "googling" the cities and towns along the way where we hope to explore. But, it looks like we will be enjoying our Summer here in beautiful Naples instead...We do not want to travel into the Gulf of Mexico during hurricane season, so we are estimating our 2009 departure to be somewhere closer to mid-September this year. This is the longest we have been without Ithaka...although we are much too busy at work right now to enjoy her anyway, it will be nice to see her out in the back yard again when we get back home at the end of this journey. Chip actually suggested the other day that we just fly up to Chicago in June and cruise back up Lake Michigan and stop at all the places we missed last year...then go back again the following year to bring her home. I must admit, for a moment I considered this as an option...It is so lovely there...it would definitely be a great way to spend the Summer. He also thought that maybe we could cruise during the summer months down to Tennessee, then go back in the late Fall and arrive home in time for the holidays...make it 4 legs instead of three. That also sounds intriguing. I guess it mostly depends on business. For now we are grateful to be very busy...makes the longest wait go by quickly...Ah, I think I am ready for a peaceful sunset aboard Ithaka...

"Travel is not a reward for working, it's an education for living." ~Gap advertisement

A Naples Reunion

2009-02-23T11:16:00.000-05:00

Recently we had a wonderful mini looper reunion at our little cottage in Goodland; as Sunshine, Southern Comfort and Blue Max were all in town together! Having left them all behind when we headed home from Chicago in September, it was wonderful to reunite and see all our friends. We walked over to Stan's Idle Hour Bar to watch the show...we watched the dancers, we drank a few mudslides and had a lot of laughs! Dinner back at The Pineapple Hut, then the night was over too soon...

Godspeed dear friends...until we meet again...

Out of the Loop

2008-10-14T17:14:00.000-04:00

You know, now that we have been home for a few weeks we are beginning to feel a little "out of the Loop". But, last night we had quite the treat right in our very own backyard. Here is a beautiful shot of a magical sunset taken from our dock looking west out to Naples Bay.
Thank you God.

Bog Entries

2008-09-27T11:26:00.002-04:00

I guess we "bailed" right in the nick of time (pun intended). All our friends with whom we travelled all summer have been stuck in marinas along the Illinois River for 2 to 3 weeks. As far as I know they are all trying to coordinate the commencement of about 40 or so loopers once the rivers are open again to recreational boats. We've been reading their blog entries (and teasing a bit about them being "bog" entries)...but seriously, it is a blessing that they are all safe and sound...This could have had a much worse outcome than just getting delayed in marinas for a few weeks. Chip and I are sending them all our good thoughts and prayers and certainly hope they will all stop by and visit us in Naples this winter when they are passing through.

God Speed dear friends. You are the Champion Loopers of 2008!

A "Duck" Out Of Water

2008-09-15T11:01:00.003-04:00

Ithaka came out of the water at Skyway Yacht Works last Wednesday...she'll be in storage for a year before we head back up to Chicago next fall to begin Leg III of "Discovering Ithaka". We have been watching the weather closely and our prayers are with all our looper buddies south of Chicago entering the river system.

The folks at Skyway were great. It was sad to leave knowing that a whole year will go by before we are back onboard. We spent a couple of days in a beautiful, brand-new hotel (Ah! Amazing king-size bed and the longest hot shower I've had in over 2 months) before we flew home on Friday. My mom picked us up at the airport with an armful of yellow daisies! We missed her so much! She treated us to lunch then dropped us off at home where we began the process of getting settled in...We really did land running. Security Shutters came down, yard work, grocery shopping...Our little house felt huge to us! It's good to be home. We had all our family over yesterday for a big Sunday dinner...the hugs felt wonderful...the laughter filled our home...and the love filled our hearts. We are so blessed!

Today we are back at the office and I didn't want to wait too long to post a few pix of Ithaka coming out of the water...Once I get rolling here at the office there's no telling when I'll be blogging again. Our boss, our daughters, our assistant, and all our colleagues have made us feel so missed and welcomed us back with open arms...

We will continue to check out the location of our friends on The Looper Locator site...Thank you for all the good information that you are posting on the AGCLA website, too. We are hoping to make it to the fall rendezvous in Alabama next month!

Lest We Forget

2008-09-11T17:21:00.003-04:00

We must never forget,

"On a day when buildings fell, heroes rose."

Please take a quiet moment today, and everyday, to count your blessings...

NUMB3RS

2008-09-09T16:28:00.004-04:00

Here are a few interesting statistics...

We travelled approximately 1,800 nautical miles in 71 days. That is an average of 23.35 miles per day. Some days we went 40 or 50nm, others only 15 to 20...(and somedays we didn't move at all)! Our shortest day travelling was from South Benjamin Island to Hotham Bay...Our longest day, distance wise, was probably Pentwater to Grand Haven, but I will need to double check that when we get home (we shipped the charts back to Naples yesterday)...other long runs include Oswego to Picton, Lakefield to Bobcaygeon and Kirkfield to Orillia. But the longest day was Trenton to Campbellford where we went through 12 locks in one day ! Each lock takes approximately 30 to 40 minutes from start to finish. All total we went through 42 locks on the Trent Severn canal system and 7 on the Oswego.

We topped off the gas tank 4 times, which averaged out to $1,500 total spent on fuel...and we have more now than when we started in Brewerton. That calculates out to approximately .83 cents per mile. We cruised at an average speed of 7.2 knots; although when we were going through the locks, narrow channels, back waters and such that average was closer to 6 knots. We kicked it up to 10 knots a few times just to let her run warmer...

The deepest water we were in: Lake Michigan, 660 feet...the shallowest about 2 feet under the keel going back into the pool at Baia Fine.

During the 71 days on Ithaka, taking into consideration the nights we spent "on the wall", "on the hook" or at marinas, we averaged a little over $28. per night for accomodations.

We ate out a total of 5 nights, which does not include nights that we were treated to a home cooked meal by other loopers or the Labor Day Cook-out which cost us a whopping $4 bucks apiece! I did not tabulate groceries because I figure if we were home we'd have to eat, right? One thing is for certain, it is likely we would have eaten out more often if we had been home all summer....I will consider this a savings. Okay? We weighed ourselves yesterday for the first time since leaving home and let's just say our "score" is 15-love. Yes, for those of you who figured that one out, I've gained 15 pounds and Chip stayed the same! No excuses, but I must add that living within 5 steps in any direction of a refrigerator is not the best set up for me...Also, the old saying of, "it's 5 o'clock somewhere" has also taken on new meaning.

Last but not least, boat insurance. When Ithaka is in her homeport of Naples Florida, where there is a 6 month hurricane season, her insurance runs about $5,000 per year. For the 3 years it will take us to complete the loop, Ithaka's insurance is only $900. per year. I have determined that with the insurance savings plus the fact that the girls have done an extraordinary job running our business while we are away, it actually makes sense for us to stay away every summer! That's my story, and I'm sticking to it! Guess it's not so loopy to be a looper afterall!

**********************************************************************************

Ending Leg II

2008-09-09T12:42:00.003-04:00

We've spent these last few days of Leg II enjoying our time together before heading back to Naples where we will jump right back into work and all the other activities that fill our lives. I've already planned a BBQ at our house for Sunday...and we can't wait to see our loved ones!

We rented a car and drove up to the towns on Lake Michigan that we skipped because of the weather last week. We thoroughly enjoyed Saugatauk and South Haven. We recommend both to anyone looping through...and for those of you that have never visited the east coast of Lake Michigan; it is a destination unto itself with wonderful little towns and villages along the way, beautiful beaches with magnificent dunes and crystal clear water.

We also drove into Chicago twice. The first time we spent an entire day at The Field Museum (photo of Chip standing on the steps of the museum) The 2nd time we went to The Chicago Art Institute. That day we were invited to dinner at a private home in Chicago along with about 10 other looper couples who are in the area. Those in attendance are either in the process of doing the loop, hope to someday do it or have already completed it. We actually met another couple who I remembered meeting last year in Little Falls New York! Woody and Ellen were gracious hosts who generously treated all of us to a Chicago feast including Deep dish Chicago style pizza! Their home is on the 15th floor of a beautiful new highrise building overlooking Soldier Field and Lake Michigan...It was a fun night!

Last Friday evening Chip & I went to see Chris Botti along with Bill, Eileen and Clarissa from Blue Max. He was performing right next door to the marina here in Hammond at The Horseshoe Casino! We had great seats. It was a thrill to hear him in person and his ensemble was magnificent. Lucia Micarelli was one of the artists that accompanied Chris. The audience was moved to tears...

We will be taking Ithaka out of the water and putting her into storage tomorrow. She will be here for about a year until we come back in '09 to complete the circle.

...more news and photos to follow soon!

People, Places and Things

2008-09-07T16:03:00.005-04:00

Today we began the task of "breaking down" the boat...defrosting, cleaning & scrubbing...making lists, re categorizing, compacting, putting away, packing...organizing cupboards & closets...Deciding what to keep, what to give away, what to ship home...what we couldn't live without and what we have just too much of...Throughout the day we have reminisced about the people, places and things we have experienced these past two months...Asking Chip, "What is your favorite memory?" opened up so many conversations about Discovering Ithaka...

First of all, the People...hmmmm...we've met so many nice people this summer...and who would say that they have favorites? But, there are a few who may have pulled at the ol' heart strings a little tighter than others...Shelly Sunshine, of course, and her mom & dad, too! The whole crew from Blue Max, we love you...and Peggy & Guy from Southern Comfort...We four boats crossed each others' wakes throughout the summer and we feel very blessed to have met kind-hearted, like-minded people, all sharing a similar dream. -In addition to new friends, it was wonderful to see Bill in Picton, Brandy in Mackinac Island and Gil & Pam in Charlevoix...Thank you all for being a part of this trip. I believe that people are innately good, and this was proven time and time again this summer.

It was even tougher to try to pick some of our favorite Places...The scenery in the North Channel, especially South Benjamin Island, hiking to the top of the overlook at The Pool in Baia Fine and gazing out over the topaz-colored water, what a view; How about going over The Big Chute? -and the Kirkfield Lock...Bobcaygeon, Leland, Saugatauk...amazing, beautiful, friendly, breathtaking, unforgettable...The lesson here however is, no matter where you are there is beauty...if you open your heart and eyes and look for it...I can't wait to sit on the dock in my backyard and watch a sunset...I believe that the best place to be, is to just be.

Lastly, Things...this can refer to so many things...Flea markets and wild flowers, swans and Canada geese, waterfalls, rainbows...How about all the fish Chip caught? (fish are things :-)...the smoore's party on the rocks (thanks Peggy)...the dock party in Killarney (hey Bud's buns!)...Some new things: New bikes (and they fold up so small for storing)...a new electric frying pan (one of the things I wouldn't want to live on board without), Chip's new inflatable dinghy (with a 2hp air-cooled motor-oh yeah, now we're talking), a new lamp in the salon (nice, soft lighting), a new storage trunk which doubles as a coffee table (to use next year as a pantry instead of the ugly blue rubbermaid bin), a new habit of grocery shopping with reusable bags (Meagan will be proud of us)...Of course, some old favorites from last year: My camera (never leave home without it-over 3,000 photos this summer), Navnet and paper charts (couldn't leave home without them), DVD player (thank you for Amber for the videos), laptop (for when we did have a connection), rechargeable fan, flyswatter, zip-lock bags, good books to read...The best things were: holding hands while watching gorgeous sunsets, observing the monarch butterfly migration, watching a meteor shower in the middle of the night on the top of Ithaka, finding rocks shaped like hearts, hearing from friends and family from home and seeing the grand babies on our webcam...Yes, I believe some things are meant to make your life easier...and some things aren't really things at all...so I'll be watching sunsets and looking for that monarch in Naples, too...and I can't wait to hug my loved ones!

Colorful Markets

2008-09-05T17:20:00.005-04:00

One of our most favorite things to do this summer has been to visit the many farmer's markets along the way...Whether it was a big town or a tiny village-in many cases, the markets were the highlight of our stay. The Grand Haven market was probably our favorite of all!

We found a neat website that will help you to find where and when the markets are in some of the towns along Lake Michigan: http://www.localdifference.org/ In addition to the freshly baked breads, the jams and the jellies, of course the wonderfully delicious locally grown fruit and vegetables; it was the colors of the markets that impressed me the most. Don't get me wrong, the Dutch Love corn was possibly the best I have ever tasted in my life...but the colors...ah the colors...well they defy description. You'll just have to see for yourself. I hope the photos portray the palette as vibrantly as they appeared...Imagine purple cabbage!--and tomatoes so red the sight of them makes your mouth water...I will never forget the dahlias and sunflowers... Ah yes, like the poem...we 'entered harbors for the first time and stopped at markets to buy fine things'...Discovering Ithaka every step of the way, knowing it is truly the little things that makes our hearts sing.

Changes In Lattitudes

2008-09-02T10:02:00.005-04:00

We changed our course 3 times in as many days-such is the life of a boater...long term plans are loose at best, short term plans can change with the winds, as is the case today...
Yesterday we set out to South Haven where we intended to try again to rent a car for a day or two to visit a couple of the towns we by-passed: Holland and Saugatauk. But, half-way down the lake, after looking at the weather predictions for later in the week we decided it best to move along a little further south. A few phone calls later, cancelling one reservation and trying to find a slip for the night, we found ourselves on our way to the St. Joe-Benton Harbor area. It was an aggressive day, 73 nautical miles in all and the first 35 were in rolling seas...We checked the weather again before we went to sleep and again first thing this morning and considered all scenarios-Chip made the final call and by 9 a.m. we were heading (St Joe lighthouse in photo) back into Lake Michigan and across the big, blue water to Hammond Indiana. This will be the last stop of Discovering Ithaka Leg II. It's a bit overcast today; not cloudy, just a hazey grey across the horizon with the sun trying with all its might to shine through...the waves are choppy but only 1 to 2 feet-easy. This is the last wide open water we will experience until we get to the Gulf of Mexico next year.
Last night we said "so long" to Sunshine-They are heading to Chicago...It's been great travelling with them and we will look forward to seeing them in Naples when they pass through..
We've decided to forgo Chicago this year and just stay put in Hammond-get Ithaka ready for her year-long hibernation...the marina where she'll be stored is only a couple of miles away...It just made sense, rather than going to Chicago now then having to back track with uncertain weather approaching. Besides, it will be so much fun to start Leg III in the windy city next year!

More photos and updates to follow in future blog entries...but for now, this is Captain Chip's Best Mate signing out...there's no land in sight, however a lovely monarch butterfly is delicately dancing around on the breeze...now, that's what I call discovering ithaka.

A Looper Cook-out in Grand Haven

2008-08-31T10:06:00.007-04:00

A few of the looper captains got together and decided to organize a cook-out here in Grand Haven since there are so many of us all together in one place! -And, afterall, it is Labor day weekend so a BBQ is pretty standard practice.

Those attending came from far and wide...one couple from Australia actually came to the states to buy a boat specifically to make this journey...they are cruising on Kiwi Explorer. Others at the party included our friends on Sunshine (Bud, Muriel and Shelly) from Mooresville North Carolina and Blue Max from Shelter Island New York (Captain Bill, Eileen and Clarissa)...Wanderin' L & M is from New York, too... oh yes, and C-Life from Southport North Carolina...Phantom of the Aqua from Ft Myers Florida and Bella Luna from Leesburg North Carolina...Etc. (that's the name of their boat...Etc.) and, full of grace: Grace-full...the biggest of us all: Victory & let's not forget Our Turn, too! (I hope I didn't miss anyone). It was a super gathering of fun folks all happy to share stories about this wet, wild and wonderful adventure. Someday I'll write a poem using all the names of the boats we have met along the way!

Not much longer before we hang up our boat hooks for the winter, but with so many of these loopers passing through Naples by the end of the year, we know we haven't seen the last of them!

"A journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles."

Life is a Beach

2008-08-29T15:56:00.001-04:00

A few scenes of the lovely beach in Pentwater!

*Remember you can click on these to view them bigger!

Good to the Last Drop!

2008-08-29T11:46:00.006-04:00

On Monday we left Charlevoix Marina early to make the 7:30 am bridge opening. We travelled 35 miles to Leland in calm seas. We were all settled in by noon. We are so glad that we decided to make this one of our stops! Leland is a picturesque village, home to the historic "Fish Town". Commercial fishing began here in 1870. Today it is one of the few remaining fishing complexes left on the Great Lakes. The fish tugs are icons on the waterfront...one of the shops even specializes in art, clothing and accessories with the green and white tug "logo". All the waterfront shops and galleries and many of the restaurants are housed inside the rustic shanties which date back over 100 years...The opportunity to take photographs was unbelievable...at every turn another postcard! While on the docks we watched a fishing boat come in with salmon-after the captain filleted them, he tossed the carcasses over, and we were privy to a wonderful show put on by the local river otters who came out from under the docks to gather up the bones and scales...we watched them swim back and forth and finally they made their way to a group of rocks across the river where they feasted on their "catch"! By far, this was one of our favorite stops along the loop. (I will download photos as soon as I get to a place where my aircard gets a stronger signal)...
We got up early on Tuesday and headed to Manistee at first light. It was a glorious day to be on lake Michigan~a gentle breeze right out of the east; we enjoyed an entire day underway. We passed by Sleeping Bear National Park where for miles honey colored sand is swept up along the shore in dunes as high as 500 feet! We began to notice quite a few monarch butterflies...it seemed unusual as we were about 4 miles offshore, so later that night I decided to "google" Monarch Butterfly migration routes...Sure enough, we were right in the flight pattern for those which leave the Great lakes and head to Mexico this time of year. Unlike most other insects, Monarchs cannot survive a long cold winter so they spend their winter in roosting spots. Daylight and temperature changes influence their movement. In all the world, no butterfly migrates like the monarch of North America...up to 3000 miles. Amazingly they fly to the same winter roosts, often the exact same tree! They only make the round trip once. It is an unsolved mystery how they find their way each year...somehow they just know their way even though the butterflies returning south are the great-great grandchildren of those who returned north the previous spring. We arrived in Manistee in time to walk up and down the main street along the waterfront, eat a fabulous dinner out at the Tuscan Grill (reason alone to make this a stop)...and went back to Ithaka to call it an early night. Right beside us on the dock was a looper from Ft. Myers, Florida!
On Wednesday morning again we decided to take off early...and even though it was a beautiful day to be out on the water we wanted to stop to see the charming town of Pentwater. In fact, it was so charming, we stayed two nights! Pentwater welcomes you the moment you enter the harbor...ginger-bread trimmed cottages, brightly colored umbrellas and wind socks, and a dozen or more wonderful art galleries are just a few of the reasons we loved this town...a sparkling lake dotted with sail boats at anchor was our view from the top deck of Ithaka. We spent the afternoon at the beach where we found miles of soft sand, crystal clear water and more breathtaking dunes sculpted by the ever persistent winds off the big lake. We got back onboard around 8 pm...just in time to watch a perfect sunset...we sat upstairs drinking wine, listening to soft music and watched swans swim by...It could have been a scene from a movie. By the way, we are docked at Snug Harbor Marina and I highly recommend it! Our second day in Pentwater was a catch up day...cleaning and laundry, organizing and charting out the course for this, our last few days on Ithaka for the summer...We are going to live it to the fullest and enjoy Lake Michigan right down to the last drop!

Sharing The Good Life

2008-08-24T17:45:00.006-04:00

We had a nice visit with Chip's family. We went to a cocktail party here at the marina on Friday night and it was fun to introduce Gil and Pam to all the "loopers"...Then on Saturday we set off to explore the sights that surround the Charlevoix area. Gil was our driver and we headed to Harbor Springs in his convertible...With the radio cranked up we listened to the tunes and drove along the coast of Lake Michigan up through Petoskey to this sweet waterfront community...a real estate agent told us that a lot of the "cottages" command upwards of $10 million dollars! Many of the snowbirds in Naples come from this area. The harbor is pristine and there are dozens of sailboats dotting the bay at anchor between the downtown area and Harbor Point...plenty of shops and restaurants...an abundance of flowers, wrought iron benches, spinners and flags, bleached white church steeples...and of course, lots of fudge stores! I finally succumbed! On the way back to the marina we stopped at Bay Harbor, a prestigious new community about 10 minutes from town. I don't believe I have ever seen this many mega-yachts outside of Fort Lauderdale! Wow!
On Saturday night we enjoyed raw oysters at a local Charlevoix pub then back to Ithaka where the 3 Harris' tried in vain to teach me how to play Euchre...(they play cards funny in Canada)...give me a good game of hearts or rummy anyday! I told them I would "google" euchre strategies and would be ready for them next time! I have already been scanning the web and found http://www.gamesinfodepot.com/ to be quite helpful!
Today we walked around the town after breakfast and found the Earl Young homes...He was a real estate agent and builder here in Charlevoix many years ago, who with no formal training in either construction or architecture, left his mark in Charlevoix. His small stature combined with his fascination with Frank Lloyd Wright led him to design the "mushroom"-like homes...Looks like the kind of cottages you would see in movies about trolls or smurfs! Some of the chimneys had morter "running" down them like icing on a cupcake. I looked him up on the internet and his story is very interesting.
After Gil and Pam left we walked around the marina and found two boats from Naples! No kidding...small world!
Tomorrow we continue our trek south. We love this area...it is so beautiful...I could spend an entire summer up here...you just cannot see it all in a couple of weeks!
We had a great time in Charlevoix, sharing the good life...Euchre anyone?

I knew you were coming so I baked a cake!

2008-08-22T08:48:00.004-04:00

We spent a couple of peaceful nights in Petoskey (after the rolling in the Mackinac Island marina anything would have been better). Petoskey has a great downtown within walking distance from the marina. The waterfront park is lovely and the bikepaths are wonderful! The "crew" from Sunshine: Bud, Muriel and Shelly, joined us one day as we explored the quaint shops and ate lunch together at The City Grill. The flowers in Petoskey are beautiful. We miss the "crew" from The Blue Max already...they ventured on past us, but as is often the case on this trip, we keep catching up to or passing by familiar loopers at every stop. One of the best parts of this trip has been the friendships we have made...the companionship with fellow loopers, folks all sharing the same dream...It really is amazing how many loopers we have met this summer. During last year's leg of the trip we ran into so few loopers, but we realize it was mainly because we pulled out of Naples about 30 days behind the more usual timeframe that the Great Loop guide recommends...This year however, we are right in speed with about a dozen or more loopers and we cross each others wakes often...I always get a kick out of seeing that burgee flying from a distance, then looking to see where their boat is from. Right now there is a couple from Ft. Myers in the pack!

Anyway, we arrived in Charleviox yesterday and this morning we are getting ready for our company: Gil (Chip's favorite brother) and wife, Pam! They are driving up from Clarkston Michigan to spend the weekend with us and we are so excited that we ended up in such a cute town for their visit. The marina is fabulous...close to everything, located on Round Lake, a short river ride in from Lake Michigan. We took the dinghy out to Lake Charleviox yesterday, but decided to wait for Gil and Pam check it out further...There are so many amazing antique wooden boats here...and a "pirate" ship, several mega yachts and sailboats and trawlers of every size, make and color! (Ithaka is the only red boat in the marina, which is not unusual)...She always stands out even when docked next to one of the "big girls"!

Well, I better get going...I've got a cake in the oven!

The original Big Mac!

2008-08-20T08:36:00.004-04:00

My cautious captain left Mackinac Island yesterday morning in spite of the white caps which he viewed from the flybridge with his binoculars looking out towards the straits...we decided, with the prevailing east wind, it wouldn't be so bad after we got out and headed south into Lake Michigan-- and that it was a better travel day than waiting for today. So, here we are in Petoskey...I thought I would post a few pix of the bridge. The Mackinac Bridge is the 12th largest bridge in the world with a span of 3,800 feet. It was opened in 1957.

Oh Fudge!

2008-08-18T20:07:00.008-04:00

In 1634, only 14 short years after the Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock, Jean Nicolet, a French adventurer exploring on behalf of Samuel de Champlain-the governor of Canada, paddled his canoe through the Straits of Mackinac. I personally find this accomplishment quite extraordinary considering the distance and elements he had to overcome to find his way west. In the early years Mackinac Island was home to the Jesuits, including Father Jacques Marquette in 1671 and a British outpost where English Major Patrick Sinclair choose the site for his Fort Mackinac in 1780 (the photo inset is a view from the fort down to the harbor-remember you can click on these photos to make them larger...look closely and see if you can find Ithaka). It was also the western most fur trading outpost, John Jacob Astor's American Fur Trading Company was centered here and produced beaver pelts for over 30 years...in 1815 the island was restored again to the Americans by way of a treaty. Mackinac Island is located in Lake Huron (not Lake Michigan). From here we will travel to Petoskey and begin our voyage down the east coast of Lake Michigan where we will find boater friendly towns all along the coast on our way to Chicago.

While here on Mackinac Island we did all the "touristy" things one can do, including a Horse and Carriage Ride, which pointed out all the highlights of the island: A tour of the fort, the Arch Rock, and a visit to the beautiful Wings of Mackinac: a butterfly conservatory...and of course, The Grand Hotel, where one of my all time favorite movies was filmed: Somewhere In Time with Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour. (If you have never heard the movie soundtrack, you must make a point to listen to it next chance you get!) We had an amazing meal at The Carriage House at Hotel Iroquois (the scallops were perfect)...afterwards we went up to The Grand Hotel and had a nightcap at The Canopy Room on the top floor and strolled on the world famous veranda...For lots of fun and a really yummy rum runner we highly recommend The Pink Pony (a great view from the patio, too)...good buys for cheap t-shirts and that sort of stuff at The Big Store...and of course, I cannot include a blog entry about Mackinac Island without mentioning the fudge! There are 17 fudge establishments operating on the small island...just about everywhere you go on Mackinac you cannot escape the smell of fudge...and horse manure. Oh fudge!

Today we got on our bikes and Brandy joined us for a ride around the entire perimeter of the island: eight miles on Michigan State Road 185. There were hundreds of cyclists, but no cars! (they aren't allowed on the island). It was a great ride even though we got caught in the rain. I could not get over how clear and blue the water is here...like the Florida keys, seriously. We stopped at Saint Anne's church on our way back into town. It which was transported to the island in 1780 across the straights on the ice. It was relocated to its present site in 1820 and remodeled in 1873. The stained glass windows were installed in 1900...they're beautiful. Mackinac Island's name was derived from a Native American Indian word for turtle and there are turtle sculptures all over the island! Today it continues to be a very popular tourist resort. 80 % of the island is a state park and the entire island is a National Historic Landmark. We are so happy that we made this stop part of our trip. It is certainly a treasure.

A Familiar Face

2008-08-18T10:27:00.001-04:00

We arrived on Mackinac Island on Saturday after a bouncy 35 mile run from Drummond Island where we had gone through customs the day before- Our "daughter" Brandy, Leonardo's mommy (she is on Mackinac working for the summer) was on the dock waving as we came through the breakwalls. By travelling directly to Mackinac Island, rather than Mackinaw City or Saint Ignace (both on the mainland and reachable by ferry) we took a chance. Because it is a state park, reservations are made in advance (especially for a weekend in August), and made on the internet...as you know, our service has been sporatic plus when travelling by boat it is difficult to determine when exactly you will arrive at specific destinations so, when we did finally try to make reservations we were told they were "full"!
Well, with a little prayer and a whole lot of positive thinking we did something we haven't done before: arrive at a port without a reservation-somehow I just knew they'd have a slip for us. We were put on a "waiting list"...we tied up to a gas dock long enough to get Brandy onboard, then proceeded to circle the harbor for about 30 minutes when a voice on the radio called, "Ithaka, this is the Mackinac Island State Harbormaster and we have a slip for you!" Yahoo! I'll write more soon to fill you in on all the fabulous things we are doing on this wonderful island! Till then, we're off to explore!

Thank you Canada!

2008-08-14T22:28:00.004-04:00

Tonight we are spending the night at the most northern point of the entire Great Loop; Blind River, Ontario. Tomorrow we head to Drummond Island and go through customs, then onto Mackinac Island for the weekend. We will be cruising down the east coast of Michigan and look forward to the next few weeks of our trip before we call an end to Leg II of "Discovering Ithaka" and return to work in time to prepare for our busy season in Naples, Florida!

Thank you Canada...your people and your country are beautiful, Eh!

"My country is the whole World, my religion is to do good deeds." blog author

The Benjamins

2008-08-14T21:42:00.002-04:00

We have spent six wonderful weeks in Canada. We could not have planned it any better...each day a surprise that unwrapped itself right before our eyes and revealed over and over again the magnificent world we live in.

Look for the beauty, wherever you are-it is all around you...

...and I do believe we saved the best for last!
The Benjamin Islands are spectacular, smooth, pink slabs of granite melting into a sapphire sea...

Kagawong Falls

2008-08-14T21:04:00.001-04:00

Truly, here is where the rainbow touches the earth!

The colors in the rocks are both brilliant and subdued; shades of tan, brown, red, green, yellow, yes-even blue. More than two billion years of geology on display dating back to the earth's creation...

Gone Fishing

2008-08-14T20:59:00.001-04:00

We were beginning to think there weren't any fish in Canada!
-I think my captain is a very happy fisherman!

(use mouse then click on "pix" to see his grin up close)!

"Spirit" Island

2008-08-10T20:56:00.002-04:00

We are in the charming village of Little Current on Manitoulin Island (see aerial). It's rainy and about 55 degrees outside. We were socked in due to bad weather so we decided to "nest". We went grocery shopping & did laundry...I cut my hair, read a good book, made pot roast for dinner, baked banana bread, watched the Olympics...Chip reviewed the charts and kept an eye on the weather forecast...looks like we should be able to shove off tomorrow morning...just another week or so and we'll be back in U.S. waters.

The word Manitoulin in the Ojibwe language means "spirit island". This area is the northwestern-most part of the region known as the Niagara Escarpment...the rim of an ancient sea. The rocks are different here than they are even just across the channel...mainly comprised of limestone rather than the granite and quartz that we have seen all along the Georgian Bay and the north shore of the channel. This island is the 174th largest island in the world. --and Here's an interesting fact: Lake Manitou is the largest fresh water lake on a fresh water island in the world! There are 3 rivers on Manitoulin Island...one of which we will be visiting tomorrow: Kagawong, where we will see the magnificent Bridal Veil Falls. The water surrounding the island is so clear you feel like you could drink it. The lakes are bluer than topaz. The North Channel was part of the route used by the daring voyagers to reach Lake Superior. The first known European settler on Manitoulin Island was Father Joseph Poncet, a French Jesuit, in 1648. After that, most of this area was settled by fur traders, loggers and fishermen. There is an area on Manitoulin still inhabited by native peoples, called Wikwemikong.

Each year around the middle of August our earth experiences the peak of the Perseid Meteor Shower, dubbed The Ol' Faithful of meteor showers. Manitoulin Island is part of the Dark Sky Association, also known as a dark sky reserve...We are hundreds of miles from the nearest city and the sky does not get much darker anywhere in the world than it does here...so the stars are brilliant and this prolific meteor shower will be viewed (08/12 is best) from the top of Ithaka...We hope that wherever you are, you, too will go outside after midnight and gaze up to the billions of sparkling lights in the summer sky and watch the stream of falling stars...

-and don't forget to make a wish!

Blah! Blah! Blog!

2008-08-09T16:35:00.006-04:00

Again, we have been days between ports with reliable cell service and no internet access. While we were "away" we completed our journey across Georgian Bay and entered The North Channel. It took us 14 days to transverse Georgian Bay-we spent 8 nights in marinas and 6 nights anchored. If I ever do this again I definitely want to anchor out more often in quiet coves and pristine bays, the likes of which, seen this past week, as close to heaven as I have ever been...

Here are a few highlights of what we've seen and where we've been since I was last able to blah blah blog!

Day 1- On Sunday August 3rd we headed out of Britt early and headed to The Bustards. We snaked our way through a very precarious inlet off the Gun Barrel Channel, around Pearl Island and into a lovely spot...once set we took off in the "dink" to explore only to return a little while later to discover Ithaka had crept a bit closer to the rocks. We pulled up the anchor and decided to find a spot in the center of the small bay. Several tries later (it was nearly 5pm) she finally stuck! The bottom was mainly rock so it was tough to get the anchor to snag...Once we felt confidant we made a wonderful dinner and watched a gorgeous sunset. It was very windy all night. (I am beginning to get a little bit homesick).

Day 2- Awake before dawn, a pink sunrise...coffee made, anchor up by 7:30 am..and we were off to our next destination...Mill Lake. We entered the first half of Collins Inlet through Beaverstone Bay- a beautiful, narrow waterway...well marked with low water warning buoys; we went slow, watched the charts, I stood bow watch and we got through it without any problems. We arrived early and spent the entire day fishing in the dinghy up and down the rock walls along Mill Lake. I really liked this anchorage a lot...still no phone and no computer...just the two of us and our fishing poles lounging in the dinghy catching the warm rays of the sun...but not catching any fish...it didn't matter. We relaxed all day. --And even though we weren't "connected" to the rest of the world, we were very connected to "our" world.

Day 3- We are now in The North Channel. The trip from Mill Lake to Killarney took 2 hours. We are not out to set any speed records, that's for sure. We cruised through the second half of Collins Inlet. The channel averages about 150' across with 75 to 100' rock walls on either side creating the feeling like we were travelling through a gorge. I wish you could see the size of the evergreen trees growing right out of the cracks in the rocks! We stayed at The Sportsman's Inn & Marina which was a sweet place, but their advertisement in one of the guides proclaimed they'd have free wireless...Not true...another couple of days without contact from the outside world. Shucks!

Day 4- It is now August 6th...there are 24 loopers in Killarney today! Yikes! I will download a few photographs of the sunset party we had on the dock across from the Inn...It was fun to share appetizers and stories with so many other like-minded cruisers! Earlier in the day we took the dinghy over to Covered Portage, an amazingly beautiful cove only 2 miles from Killarney Channel. There is a rock formation there which strongly resembles an Indian's profile which I will also post on the blog. Killarney is a tiny village with very little to offer in the way of provisioning. They do have a "chip truck" (except it's in a red school bus). We ate lunch there...and the fish and fries were pretty good, but nowhere near as awesome at Joscelyn's in Nelson, British Colunbia which are still THE best in the universe! (Go BITE)! In Killarney there is an artist's studio, a church (of course), a small grocery store, a post office, a couple of gift shops, an ice cream parlor where you can also purchase bait...and that's about it!

Day 5- We knew we would be cutting it close stopping at the pebble beach on the way through Baie Fine to "the pool", but we are so glad we made sure to leave early enough to wade our way through the multi-colored stones at the entrance to Bay Fine...the weather was about to turn, but we had a rainbow onboard. A rainbow of stones and pebbles collected at this not so secret beach just as you leave Frazer's Bay and turn into Bay Fine. The entrance is well marked, but once you decide to go for it, you must trust your chart plotter and your eyes! There were times when we only had a foot under the keel...a few boats have been known to kiss a few rocks making there way back to the pool. I sat up at the bow with my binoculars and counted islands and shoals as I kept track on my chart...Chip did a great job getting us back through this 9 mile fjord. We anchored in the pool, a small body of water at the end of Baie Fine accessed only by a 2 mile narrow cut. We cooked steaks on the grill, watched a movie and slept like two babies in this very calm and protected anchorage. We would suggest that everyone who ever does this trip put this stop and Covered Portage on their list of "must see"!

Day 6- Before leaving Baie Fine we hiked up the beautiful white quartz ridge to Lake Topaz. We also found the cliff that overlooks the pool. We picked blueberries...more homemade cobbler is guaranteed! This hike was possibly the highlight of the entire trip so far! It is 08/08/08 and I knew that something phenomenal would happen today! The view from the vantage point above the pool was spectacular. I will attempt to put a few on the blog, but I'm afraid it's probably going to be one of those times when you just had to be there! We cruised to the small town of Little Current, population 1,500. We met several other loopers at the marina and we went to dinner together at The Anchor Inn. It was a very nice dinner....good to eat out and not cook. A treat! We will do all of our provisioning here so that we won't have to worry about anything but ice for the next week...

It looks like we may be heading off into the Canadian wilderness again where laptops are pretty useless and where you're lucky to get one bar on a cell phone. I'll try to keep you posted...In the meantime, sorry for the lengthy blog entry...yeah, yeah --blah! blah! blog!

A symbol of Canada

2008-08-03T08:07:00.003-04:00

I just thought I would tell you a little bit more about the inuksuit. These are stone landmarks used by the native North Americans from Alaska to Greenland. It is believed that because the area has so few natural landmarks these were placed at areas to mark hunting grounds, good fishing bays, for herding markers, and as navigational tools. Historically most are single stone markers positioned in an upright manner, but the ones we have noticed are multiple stones of various sizes. The word inuksuk translated means, "something that acts or performs the function of a person". A structure similar to the inuksuk, but meant to look more like a human figure is called an inunnguaq.

The Inuksuk is a symbol of the Inuit culture. It is on the flag and coat of arms of the Canadian territory of Nunavut. They are increasingly becoming a more mainstream symbol of Canada, as more markers have been erected across the country including the 9 meter high inuksuk in Toronto on the shore of Lake Ontario. An inunnguaq was the inspiration for the logo of the 2010 Olympics which is going to be held in Vancouver! There are four authentic inuksuik around the world which have been donated by Canada. They are in Monterrey Mexico, Oslo Norway, Guatemala City Guatemala and Washington D.C.

We are enjoying spotting them along the way...

In Between

2008-08-02T20:51:00.004-04:00

We are in Britt Ontario...I am not sure exactly what qualifies a place to get a name, but Britt isn't really a town...it does have a small market (closest grocery is an hour away), a fire department, a Canadian Legion Hall; a library, a school & a nursing center all in one building (no hospital for 40 miles) and a church & cemetery...oh yes, and a marina with WiFi! The folks at Wright's Marina are friendly (4 generations have worked here) and I would say it is a good stop between Parry Sound and Killarney...we picked up a few essentials here...ice, bread, milk, butter, eggs, ice cream! ha ha

We went to Saturday mass at the Catholic Church which was small and sweet...a priest with a thick Irish accent who was hard to understand gave a nice homily about the miracle of feeding the 5000 with 5 loaves of bread and a few fish. I've always liked that miracle. Hmmmm...I wonder how he got this parish?

Tomorrow we are off to The Bustards...a group of islands which are said to be more amazing than anything we've seen so far. This summer is so different than last year...no big cities, no forts, no museums, no tours...Just us and nature, anchoring out in the beautiful bays in the Canadian wilderness with a few neat little stops like Britt in between!

Chip and his "dinghy girl"

2008-08-01T21:54:00.000-04:00

My favorite mode of transportation!

Going Over Big Chute

2008-08-01T21:40:00.001-04:00

One of the "Loopers" we are travelling with just shared these pictures with us of Chip and I going over the lock at Big Chute and I could not resist sharing them with you on the blog! Isn't this amazing?? Remember, you can click on these to make them larger!

Five Days In Georgian Bay

2008-08-01T19:12:00.007-04:00

Day 1- We left Bay Moorings Marina in Penetanguishene on Sunday July 27th at noon in 15 knot winds and 2'-3' seas...it was a bit overcast, but not raining. Penetang Harbour seemed busier than New York Harbor...most of the vessels were sail boats under sail, so they had the right-of-way and they were coming at us from all directions. We cruised on the Leeward side of Beausoleil Island and up around the north side past places with names like Honey Harbour, Minniehaha Point, Mermaid Island, Big Dog Channel and ended up in Frying Pan Bay. With names like that, are you sure I'm not in Disneyland? Beausoleil is the largest of the islands in The Georgian Bay Islands National Park and is accessible only by boat. We sure were in for a treat...

Day 2- We slept well and woke to the sounds of birds singing...went ashore in the dinghy and hiked to Fairy Lake...we saw fresh bear tracks and got eaten to bits by the mosquitoes--this was not fun! We left our anchorage at noon and headed to Twelve Mile Bay and Wani Cove. Wani is not charted, but we were told it is a lovely place to anchor and it is. The cruise through the 30,000 islands was skinny and crowded...some of the channel markers were so close together it was "single file". The water is so crystal clear you can see the shelves of submerged rocks all around. How the heck did Champlain do this with only a compass? At one point, for about 10 miles, we were completely exposed to the winds coming off of Georgian Bay which looked like an ocean from our perch. Once anchored we went for a dinghy ride (my favorite part of the day) and explored all the little nooks around this perfect anchorage. We fished and relaxed--after all, I didn't have internet so Chip had my undivided attention. The wind off the bay kept the air cool so were wore jackets, but the sky was clear and oh so blue with low, thick clouds with purple in them. Peggy (Southern Comfort) made dinner for everyone-we all took our dinghies over to Blue Max and enjoyed Bill and Eileen's comfortable boat and Peggy's fabulous Jamaican Chicken and Rice dinner. We got back to Ithaka by 8 pm and went upstairs to watch sunset...the sun comes up about 5:30 and sets around 9 pm so we generally don't see either, but this was a sunset for the record books!

Day 3-Today, July 29th, we are heading to a remote anchorage called Port Rawson Bay. We have an idea where we want to go, what we want to see and approximately how long we want to be there, BUT-when a local guide tells us about a place that wasn't on our agenda, we make room in our very loose schedule. Port Rawson Bay was one of those unplanned places...it is a perfect anchorage totally off the beaten path in a remote area where few venture into. How lucky are we?

Day 4- Headed to Killbear Marina, 12 miles past Parry Sound because we were told they have WiFi only to find that while we were there we didn't even have cell service let alone internet! I was a little disappointed that we bypassed Parry Sound...You should have seen Chip's face when I told him we would see it the next time we do the loop! It feels really weird to be so out of touch...the next morning, before we left, I walked up to a little general store to call the office on the toll free number from a payphone and left a message for Sam that the month-end reports would be a late...All things considered, we would have skipped this stop and anchored out again if we were going to pass Parry Sound anyway..."next time"...hmmmmm

Day 5- We left Killbear early and took a route to avoid Canoe Channel because we were told it is a very narrow passage with depth issues. It was a cool morning so we had on long pants and sweat shirts...this is how I thought we'd be dressing most of the time, but instead we have been so fortunate to have such beautiful weather almost everyday! The cruise to our next anchorage was spectacular. We are getting further away from towns with any sizable population, but the tiny islands are still dotted with cottages of all shapes, sizes and colors; most only accessible by boat...most with a Canadian flag proudly flying. We picked a lovely bay just off the small craft channel located in Shawanaga Island. Hopewell Bay is possibly the prettiest spot yet. The entire cove is lined with amazing rock formations, layers of striated boulders in earthy colors like raw sienna and burnt umber...some smooth, others with carved deep ridges. Add to that an abundance of wildly colorful flowers and pine and maple trees and you have a masterpiece...a canvas well over a mile across by a mile wide...God's hand has created this landscape-and we are here to witness it...It is both breathtaking and breathgiving-and so few can say they have ever seen or touched it...how very blessed we are. By mid-day there were 10 boats anchored for the night and six were loopers! We all got together over on a rock beach for happy hour to share stories. (see picture). I love being at anchor~ 1000' away from the closest boat...no noise...floating on a sea of glass with a billion stars in the sky twinkling through the hatch. Hush...

New Boat Bikes !

2008-07-26T21:01:00.001-04:00

Well, what do you do when you're stuck in a town called Penetanguishene for 2 days longer than planned? YOU GO SHOPPING! Check out our new boat bikes! Pretty cool, Eh? Mine is the yellow one...Chip picked red! They fold up and fit neatly into bags which can be easily carried and stored! That is Penetang Harbour in the background. Notice we have the first slip coming into the marina--this has made for some EXTREMELY bouncy moments!

Looks like the weather will break tomorrow...winds have been pretty crazy...15 to 20 knots. We are only going 12 miles, but I'm at the mercy of a very cautious captain! It should be so much fun anchoring out...we are headed to a sweet, little cove near Honey Harbour called Frying Pan Bay...hoping to get some serious fishing in...I decided "frying pan bay" got its name because of all the trout one can catch there...you know, and fry it up in a pan...one can only hope! Anyway, we will be away from email and Internet connections for a week or so...(what will I do?) cell phones should work fine...if you really miss us, just call.

Thank You Blog Readers

2008-07-25T08:36:00.005-04:00

When I started this blog, the idea was so that our kids, grandkids, my mom, friends and family could all keep track of our whereabouts...I have since come to realize that much of the time our loved ones are busy and don't read the blog as often as I thought they might, but perfect strangers are enjoying it very much. I get emails from people I don't even know. I have boaters in marinas stop me and say, "Hey! aren't you Ithaka? I'm enjoying your blog!" This will not create the need for me to change my content...in the end, I am really doing this so that Chip and I have a nice story to read when we are back home...or maybe when we are old and in the home! ha ha
Anyway, for those of you that look forward to reading the blog, like watching a t.v. show with a cliff hanger and waiting eagerly for the next episode, we thank you for coming along for the ride...To our loved ones who don't get a chance to read it as often as they'd like, we love you no matter what and (most of the time) wish you were here (one at a time) experiencing this adventure with us first hand...To our loved ones who do read it often and tell others about it, your encouragement and comments mean more than you will ever know...For those thinking of doing the loop and reading the blog hoping to find some tips and advice, I'm sorry I don't post that sort of thing as often as I should, but I will try from time to time to write about the really important stuff...promise.

Well, the generator is fixed...High marks go to Frasier at Doral Marina outside of Midland. We are a little behind in our schedule (I use that term loosely--schedule, what schedule?), but that is boating and besides-the wind is blowing at about 15 to 20 knots today so I doubt we'd be going anywhere anyway...We are now in Penetanguishene (just say it as it is spelled); arrived yesterday afternoon. We went to a play last night with 14 other loopers. It was at a fabulous venue called The King's Wharf Theatre...right on the water, there were tall ships in the harbour. The name of the show was Sorry..I'm Canadian, and everyone was glad Chip was there to translate! It was a bit of a geography lesson with humour and dancing and wonderful music by The K9 Four...Canada truly is a magnificent country!

OK, now here are a few of those tips I promised you:

1.) Be very careful coming out of lock #45. The water is very skinny, the current swift and buoys are very close together...under the bridge is particularly hazardous. The next narrow spot with lots of twists and turns is the Waubaushene Channel. While at the Doral Marina a boat came in, a brand new 70' Marlow, that hit a rock and messed up their rudder, props and hull just because they missed one little buoy...and this was done by a professional captain that the new owners hired to make this leg of the trip for them! Yikes!
2.) PLEASE be careful on deck...here at Bay Moorings Marina, there are two loopers in the hospital; one fell overboard at lock #45 leaning over the railing to take photos (remember, ONE HAND ALWAYS ON THE BOAT) and one got knocked out cold by a runaway dinghy cable, it just snapped!...crazy, huh?
3.) Bay Moorings Marina is the BEST place to stay in Penetanguishene. This town is the most convenient first stop coming into Georgian Bay. The facility is well equipted (they even have a nice pool) and the service is great! Thank you Mary!
4.) Great weather website: http://www.weatheroffice.gc.ca/

Once we head out of here it could be days or even a week between blog posts as we will be doing a lot of anchoring...Until then, "Thank you blog readers".

Divine Order

2008-07-23T18:17:00.005-04:00

For those of you who know me, you know, I always try to look for the good in each situation--this morning when I said my prayers, I told Chip that I felt something really amazing was in store for us today. --that the mishap which happened yesterday at the marina which messed up our generator was just God's way of letting us know that He thinks our plans are good, but His are better.

After locking through the last lock on The Trent Severn, we found ourselves heading into Georgian Bay in a different direction than that which was in our plan...Our mail is waiting for us in Penetanguishene, but our boat needs to get fixed in Midland Bay at The Doral Marina Resort (the marina that we were referred to after the other marina in Port Severn accidentally broke our generator). We did not have a "specific" chart for Tiffin Basin, so I checked all the guides about the area that Chip has onboard and sure enough, clear directions for getting into the marina was in one of the books. God's order moves in and through all things...even Tiffin Basin.

I didn't know what unplanned joy awaited, but I was certain of a positive outcome...I actually look forward to God's surprises when things don't go as planned. Come to find out there is a Martyrs' Shrine, built up on a hillside, within walking distance of the Doral Marina. So while Chip worked with the mechanics here, I decided to take a walk. It was up a narrow country road and it was ALL uphill...huffing and puffing...half way there (it was about 2 miles) I wondered if maybe I misunderstood God's plan for me to visit the site. Luckily one of the men working at the marina told me about a fence on the back of the shrine's property -that if I scaled it I would be inside the grounds (Don't worry, I put more than the 3$ entry fee in the collection box). It was a much quicker entrance for someone on foot. Anyway, I ended up in this HUGE field and off in the distance I could see what looked like a small band shell. As it turned out it was an alter, built in 1984 for a visit from Pope John Paul II where he gave a mass to a million people. Today, I was the only person there, standing on the alter I began to cry. It was an amazing feeling, and just for a moment my faith was that which I had as a child...no metaphors, no science, just a simple unshaken faith...I can barely remember that time when I didn't question and seek. But for that moment, I was about five years old and in awe of something much bigger than I am...and certain that I was a part of it.

As I walked around the sacred grounds, I found memorials, peace gardens, monuments and shrines to saints including the eight Franciscan priests who were massacred here on this site in 1639. The church itself, built in 1926, is a place where men and woman come from all over the world to be healed and there were hundreds of crutches and canes on the alter...and a sculpture of Mary with Jesus as a baby in her arms with children representing all the children of the world surrounding her...one of the most lovely depictions of Mary I have ever seen.

When I got back to the marina I told Chip all about the beautiful things I experienced so we borrowed the managers van here at Doral because I wanted him to see the church and the Papal Alter, too. We walked around the grounds together and found our way following a path under a highway bridge to the burial site of 2 of the martyrs at a place called Sainte-Marie-amoung-the Hurons. I was so glad that we had the time to come back together because even Chip said seeing it for himself was so much grander than I could explain...We discovered together also that St. Joseph is the patron saint of Canada. I bought a little booklet about the shrine called, "Saints Lived Here" which I look forward to reading.

Looks like the generator will get fixed in a day or two, and I am thankful for divine order everyday. Amen

From Trenton to Port Severn

2008-07-22T14:38:00.006-04:00

The Trent Severn Waterway:

16 days
240 miles
44 locks
28 bruises (I counted them)
10 bottles of wine
8 wonderful new friends
3 lost fishing lures
2 good size bass
1 bee sting (michele's finger)
millions of wild flowers
billions of stars
AND, countless magical moments--I'll post some of the highlights from the past few days...just too numerous to tell all...

We spent 3 nights in Orillia...right downtown at the port. On Friday we provisioned, did laundry and general cleaning...our Ithaka was sparkling! We had everyone over to our boat for Happy Hour...Chip made us all Caesars..the Canadian equivalent to Bloody Marys (only better!)...it was loads of fun...and he's got everybody saying, "Eh?"It's hilarious! --Up early on Saturday and walked to the Farmer's Market--found a scrumptious store along the way called The Mariposa Market...it was set up like an old fashioned general store with fresh breads, homemade fudge, jams, dips and the best chocolate cake I have ever had in my life!!! Why didn't I buy two!? By noon we were set up in our folding chairs along Centennial Drive waiting for the parade to begin. 25 Scottish Drum and Pipes bands marched by--it was a fantastic show. Afterwards we walked through the park along the water front where dozens of vendors were selling arts and crafts and food and ice cream. Chip bought me a new hat. There were plays going on and jousting, music playing, cloggers dancing...it was a really nice day.

Sunday morning we left the dock early in a thick fog. It rained most of the day, and of course as soon as we approached a lock it came down in buckets. By the time we got to the dock on the top-side of Big Chute we were soaked to the bone. One of the prettiest parts of the cruise was a narrow passage called McDonald's Cut. It is a beautiful, deep gorge...even in the grey mist we enjoyed the pink and orange rocks layered with lichen and velvety ferns...it gave us a taste of what is to come in Georgian Bay.

Once docked, we spent hours walking around the lock at Big Chute observing how it works and preparing ourselves for our big ride the next morning. This is a marine railway lift...and I am told, the only one of its kind in North America. The overall lift is 58', but you actually cover more than 600 feet over dry land from one lake to another. It is spectacular to watch, but to actually take the ride yourself on your very own vessel is unreal. I will attempt to put a few photos on the blog, but I am sure they will pale in comparison to the actual experience.

Anyway, we got up early yesterday morning and were the first at the lock wall. Our 3 other travelling companions lined up behind us...Up and over, the trip takes about 7 minutes and the lock hands are so good at what they do you hardly give a thought to whether or not they have you fastened in securely. Before you know it you're up out of the water and sliding down the other side. We tied up at the public docks on the downside and waited for our buddies. We waited...and waited...a very bad storm blew through just moments after we got off the train and it knocked the power out...4 hours later...still waiting and after walking back over to the other side a few times to check on them, we decided to leave and get to our next stop here in Port Severn. About 4 hours later they pulled in, tired from the crazy day, but with many stories to tell.

This morning Chip took Ithaka over to a local marina to have the oil and filters changed...I stayed behind, here where we are mooring for a couple of days, because they have a nice laundry facilty plus I thought it best to take advantage of the internet while I can...once we head into Georgian Bay we may be a week between ports as we expect to mostly just anchor in quiet bays and coves. Anyway, that was about 6 hours ago and I got word earlier that the mechanic put the oil in the wrong input (I do not know mechanic terms)...all I know is now it will take a week (or so they say) to get a mecahnic up here to Port Severn to get the oil out of the generator that was supposed to go into the engine and we are hoping it did not damage the generator...I have not yet spoken to Chip directly. Captain Guy and Captain Bud went over to the other marina in a dinghy to check on Chip and came back with the news...I'll let you know how this turns out, but not to worry...this is all part of boating. We are fine, we are safe, we have clean clothes and we still have some chocolate cake left. Yahoo!