Coming into Manteo, South Carolina was an adventure. The channel wasn't very deep and wasn't very wide either. We kids sat downstairs doing our homework as our parents sat nervous and cold in the cockpit. When it was time to dock, all of us went up on deck and helped out. Once we docked and … Continue reading Manteo, NC

We headed down across the Albermarle Sound which was, mercifully, much deeper. At this point we had to make a decision - to head back into the ICW and the Alligator River, or to head East toward the Outer Banks, Roanoke, and the town of Manteo. There's a notorious bridge on the Alligator, called the … Continue reading Down the Albermarle to Manteo

Leaving the town of Great Bridge we went under the eponymous Great Bridge for a quick trip down into North Carolina. The Bridge is massive and awe-inspiring, and opens on the half hour. We were up and through at 9am... ...And then went under a couple of 65' bridges, with a lot more confidence than … Continue reading More Fun with the ICW

  For people heading south, Norfolk marks the beginning of the Intracoastal Waterway, which gives boaters the ability to stay "inside" in sheltered waters and avoid going "outside" into the Deep Blue. Deciding whether to go inside or outside is a tough call, especially for our boat. On the one hand, going outside is faster … Continue reading Into the Big Ditch

Having a sailboat is a wonderful way to bring the family together, but a lot of that quality time involves cleaning the old oil out of the bilge or hanging upside down trying to reach a bolt that slipped out of your fingers and fell down into the keel well where you can't see it. … Continue reading Project List – (or, “Why We Were So Lucky To Wait Out Hurricane Season In A Town Devoted To Boatwork”)

  Finding electricity aboard a sailboat can be a serious hassle, especially if you're living aboard with a family. Everything eats electricity. Lights eat electricity. Fans eat electricity. Bilge pumps eat electricity. Nav equipment eats electricity. Computers for blogging eat electricity. Children seem to eat electricity. Teenage children eat more electricity than standard children. And … Continue reading Project: Arch and Solar Power

We spent a couple of lovely days in DC with the delightful and talented Aunt Maisette, but not wanting to find ourselves like fish (stinking after three days) we left after two and turned southward to Deltaville, where our boat has been on the hard since September. Perseverance is over on the left behind some … Continue reading Hanging in Deltaville