11/01/2007 Chesapeake

Hakuna Matata made an early start in the Cape May Canal and on into Delaware Bay staying clear of the main channel.















Made our way in behind Reedy Island for one of the roughest nights we've spent at anchor. Strong current and winds with things going bump all night long...could it be Halloween?

The next day we were in the C&D canal with more bridges and lots of traffic.

We stopped at Chesapeake City to wait out tropical storm Noel. We enjoyed our time there walking through the quaint village, their shops and local pub. Before we left we even found a pizza restaurant that delivered to us at the marina. Such joy...we missed pizza :-)
With the return of fair weather we continued down the canal and into the Chesapeake Bay.

There were now boats sailing all around us. We're nearing Annapolis which is said to be The Sailing Capitol of the World and that's even on a cold day in November.



There's always something that needs fixing or adjusting on the boat. Lucky for us, most things can be done by Bob.

Unless it involves the bottom of the boat and the boats in water. While at Zahniser's in Solomons, MD Hakuna Matata was hauled. This left time to visit another Morgan 34 owned by Wayne and Jan Rogers, enjoy a dinner out with them and get stocked up thanks to the loan of their truck. Since the boat was being worked on and our cat Zachary doesn't like to be locked up, he came along in a carrier as I walked the streets visiting the shops. He was the hit of the day as most shop owners welcomed him in out of the cold. Friendly place .We left Solomons in better shape than when we arrived and found a great little anchorage in another Mill Creek. Sasquatch noticed someone arriving...It's Leon & Kim March , they were in Solomons along with us....lucky us because we got an invite aboard "Gyspsy" for dinner. We're There!
From Mill Creek everyone moved to Deltaville, Va where friends of Leon & Kim (Ron & Brenda) had a car. The women went shopping, laundromat & pizza and the guys did boat stuff. We sailed out at sunrise enjoying the view.

Lighthouses along the way

more commercial traffic

and Norfolk, VA ready to begin the ICW.

12/29/2007 Charleston SC

Hi Folks;
Just a note from me, (Bob). As Ovida mentioned the windlass quit in Dewee Cr.. The motor's permanent magnets came unglued. I hauled up a 44lb. anchor and 20lb. of chain by hand. That was after hauling up 80ft (80lb.) of chain to get the anchor straight up and down. Yikes that was work! As soon as we got to Charleston I called around and found a motor in Fla..... He said 500 bucks. (No hesitation), I said when can you ship. It would take 5 days to get here. I then found out that after 8 or 9 days at the daily marina rate I could pay for a month. We paid for the month. Will probably leave earlier but I told 3 other boaters and they went for the month too. We hang out together some while we work on our boats. Charleston is a nice place to hang out.

I've ordered various stuff from Defender and it gets here in 2 days. Installed the new windlass motor and that fixed it. I will let Ovida tell you about our social and touring activities. I have relocated a wind generator brace that interfered with the genny winch, bought a 5lb. propane cylinder for a spare for when we run out, and changed the oil and filter in the engine. While changing the oil I always look everything over really good. I noticed the collar that I put on the prop shaft to prevent it from sliding over board if the set screws on the coupling should loosen up was hard up against the packing gland nut. It saved my butt like I hoped it would. Hate having a 7/8 hole in the bottom of my boat!!! I have a spare prop but not a shaft. I guess it happened way back when I ran aground at Browns Inlet over 200 miles ago. That was when I ran it in reverse at full throttle... Luckily I still had about a 1/2 inch of shaft still in the coupling. The set screws only hold it in place when in reverse. In fwd the prop is trying to screw it self into the coupling anyway. The set screws were wired in place but........ Now I used locktite and will check them frequently. Actually I check the engine over daily each morning when we are moving and now will be laying on top of the engine checking the shaft.

Still need to go up the mast and install a lighting dissipator. Don't know if they really work but I see a lot of them down here and only $80. Also trying to figure out where to install my spare VHF radio in the cockpit. The depth sounder interferes with the hand held VHF.

Between rainy days, project days, and touring days time goes quickly. But every day I watch boats heading down the ICW and am getting a bit anxious to leave.

10/22/2007 New Jersey

Leaving New York Harbor we encountered ships waiting to enter

From the harbor we made our way to Sandy Hook, NJ

Anchored for the night and then made our way down the Jersey coast to Manasquan Inlet.
This was our first opportunity to use the auto pilot - we named her Sally..."Ride Sally Ride!"

Waiting for the train to pass and the bridge to open.

Where there are pilings there are always birds....and muscles, barnacles and current.

A bridge to enter and a bridge to leave to make our way to NJ ICW...always a bridge to somewhere.

Atlantic City at sunset with all her lights.

Windmills to generate power...going to need it for all those lights.

A great little pool to anchor in with lots of birdlife and AC still in view.

Crew at rest just enjoying the view.

Next day off New Jersey shore headed to Cape May

Another safe harbor.

10/14/2007 LONG ISLAND SOUND

Hakuna Matata - the Yellow Boat
Yes, HAKUNA MATATA is a light yellow boat with a bright yellow dodger; I wanted a yellow Mustang so a compromise...yellow boat. She looks happy and when you're starting a new venture such as ours you can use all the instant happy you can get. Bob's ok with the yellow, not wild but ok. That's good enough!

10/14/2007 Family friends and fellow boaters, yes we have finally dropped our mooring in Stonington, CT and set sail. So to speak. There's been a fair amount of motoring due to conditions and the fact that I am pretty much a fair weather sailor. Yes, I can tough out whatever comes and be a decent 1st mate, but been there, done that and now's suppose to be as enjoyable as possible and we do want to get south before the snow flies.

First night in the Connecticut River. This was a small sail in any book but a giant step for the Carters. We're on our way :)

New Haven Harbor. Someone enjoys these brightly colored skiffs.

Sailed to Oyster Bay, NY on a beautiful sunny day.

Another Happy Morgan 34 owner!
Bob & Paul

Not so happy cat "Are We There Yet?"

Leaving Manhasset

The sail through New York was memorable.
Seeing such well known places from the water was exciting and so was the fast current.