Birthday Boy

Portimao, Portugal 2012

Progress continues on updating WJ3's 2008-2010 blog; only photos need to be replaced now (so they don't disappear into the ether when we shut down Typepad!) but that could be a job for Big Dell at home.  In the meantime, we've had fun reminiscing...

Those google eyes in my dinner are following me!

You may well be aware that the Cap’n celebrated a birthday recently.  We made for floating restaurant, the Rivole and ordered a local lunch fit for an old salt.  Run by a husband and wife team, we were made to feel welcome and encouraged to take lunch in typical Portuguese fashion.  After a refreshing Sagres beer, we munched our way through large, grilled prawns, lightly seasoned to take advantage of their freshness.  Our congenial host recommended monkfish to follow; a thick rice and fish casserole with lashings of olive oil, fresh coriander and garlic.  We washed it down with local wine, a crisp, dry white and reflected on our good fortune to have celebrated his last 5 birthdays in such exotic locations. 

Just so that you can be envious too, remember these….

                        

2008: Anything goes in Phillipsburg, Sint Maartin (Caribbean) with BW (& Sweet Michael on the Segway’s).
 

2009: Vero Beach (Florida) with champers on board, then catching up with Jim and Tammy later.  More officially (for the big 60 & with BW) further up the ICW at Spouters Inn, Beaufort NC.
 

                       

2010: A night out whilst “on tour” at the Kings Arms in Colonial Williamsburg, (Virginia).  Followed by some Alaskan crab legs on WJ3 back in Deltaville. 

Apres Tiki Bar at the hospitable Richmond County Yacht Club

2011: Dinner at the Tiki Bar, a local hotspot, in Great Kills Harbour (New York) with BW.  Earlier we’d had Brimmers and friends aboard.  Max, who had been travelling through Canada and the US, finally caught up with us too!

Boys at large in NYC

2102: On the Rivole, floating on the Arade in Portimao (Portugal) followed by champers on board Emma Laura (Roger, Sue and Tony). 

Now that is spoilt!  GS though, feels a white Christmas must be coming up for her one year very soon.

Sharin' with Barefoot & Fatty Knees

A most kissable nose

Deltaville, on the Hard: 22 October 2010

Well, the Motleys are in the Deltaville Boat Yard.  Windjammer is all hauled out and propped up near some big, sheltering pine trees.  Our Cap'n is busy winterising and GS is cleaning & oiling timber - none of it fun!  We are scheduled to fly out in a few days, so this is most definitely the last post of the season.

A real windjammer on (a grey day) Chesapeake

We'll add some photos to the posts when we get home and have a chance to play with this new blog site.  Our tracking site however is still operating here so you can see how many pins we've put into America's East Coast and zoom up close into our anchorages - or perhaps even wave to us in the boat yard. 

Deltaville Boatyard.  WJ3 & our flash bikes

Fair winds & following seas

Patuxent River Piranha

Solomons Maritme Museum Lighthouse

What did we do in the Solomons? Sheltered from the storm, froze to death, cooked baked dinners so the oven would heat the cabin at night, found a supermarket so we wouldn’t starve and finally visited their very interesting maritime museum. Now every town on the Chesapeake has a maritime history and most sport a museum, but this one is exceptional.

We strolled through local maritime and area history; many of the exhibits have been donated by local watermen and their families. The exhibition hall has a huge variety of displays including very old outboard engines, models of character craft that plied the waterways, such as a 250 seat theatre, and today’s feature exhibit, a tank of live rays and skates. Docents, all volunteers, knew their stuff and actually made it interesting. They also get to supervise a discovery room where children can hoist sails in a skiff, climb a lighthouse model (& turn the lamp on) or explore a touchtank full of squishy fishies. We looked for crabs in the marsh, watched two fat & happy otters perform like spoilt kids, and gazed at estuariums full of local marine life. We climbed the Drum Point Lighthouse (1883) to the lantern room and were surprised at how much “living” space the lighthouse had. (GS took measurements for a Dangar prototype.) Most fascinating were the (20 million year old) fossils taken from nearby Calvert Cliffs. Coming eye to mouth with 37½ feet of megalodon, a shark ancestor & one of only two in the world, made our white pointers look somewhat docile.

37 feet of teeth

The fun was nearly over - time to make our way to Jackson Creek and WJ3’s winter home. We set sail early leaving with a crowd of migrating locals. Like their namesakes (snow geese) they honked and fussed all day; the VHF rarely silent. All the way back down the Bay Cap’n & GS wished they could remember the words to that truckin’ song “Mercy sakes alive, looks like we got us a connnn vvvvoy…”. (Apologies to CW Mcall) 

Unbelievable but true for an early start! It’s still quite dark at 7am. (No wonder we’ve been sleeping so late!)

From: Solomons Island, MD Lat/Long: 38 19N 76 27W  Date/Time: 19/10/10: 0715

To: Deltaville, VA  Lat/Long: 37 32N  76 19W  Date/Time: 19/10/10: 1605
Time Taken: 60nm (9.5hrs)  Distance (this year): 1736nm (303hrs)
Distance Total (since 2008): 5376nm (1002hrs)   Fastest Speed: 7.6kts
Weather: Winds E starting 25kts down to 3kts; Seas 1-2ft;

In case you missed the above figures, we’ve done an astonishing 1736nm (303 hrs) again this year!

Not so Chirpy on the Choptank

After living the fantasy at Annapolis, it was time to move on.  The Eastern Shore (its warm & very shallow waters) and St Michaels beckoned for a more laid back experience.  Don’t believe it.  First we nearly went aground looking for an anchorage, the weather changed to “solid” rain and to our amazement, a mini-cruise ship berthed in town.  Our anchoring efforts were watched closely by a neighbouring yottie, who immediately moved, not once but twice.  Finally, he took a marina slip.  All the while shouting at his wife - he must be worth a mint is all I can say…

Jolly cold on the trip back

Rather than sit like glum bunnies, we moved on in the rain to Oxford.  Just in time of course for screeching 25kt North Westerlies to set in.  They found us hidden up in Town Creek too!  Needless to say, we dragged on the anchor*, across the channel, into 6 feet of water….at 5.30 in the morning.  “Lets get going”, shouted a stern Cap’n.  It was still blowing a gale, and it was DARK.  Let’s just say that this part of the voyage ended off the mouth of Tred Avon River in gusting 30kt winds, 3-6 foot seas and NO working motor.  Did I mention it was dark?  Cap’n Calamity set the sails (real quick) and took us back up the Tred Avon way from that nasty white spider lurking on a shoal nearby.  Back in a relative calm, we dropped anchor (Under sail – aren’t we getting good at this?) and waited for daylight and a fuel dock to open.

Fresh fuel seemed to settle nasty bits of sediment that keep blocking WJ3’s fuel supply.  That fixed, we had another go.  After a few hours of windward bashing out the Choptank, all sails were hoisted and off we went like a rocket, south to the Solomons, now a busy refuge for snow geese (Canadians) sheltering from the weather too but definitely on the move for some Bahamian warmth.  Time for us to have a few days off as well!

Back down Chesapeake Bay - seems like home!

*We later found out that the Oxford Creek bed is covered in layers of old oyster shells and holding is notoriously poor - otherwise known as a "shell back"!  Also Tred Avon is a corruption of Thread Haven. In 1683, supplies of rope, hemp and cordage were produced here to meet seafaring needs.

From: Weems Creek Lat/Long: 38:59.9710N  76:30.1740W  Date/Time: 13/10/10: 1000
To: Solomons Island  Lat/Long: 38:19.9160N  76:27.5520W   Date/Time: 15/10/10: 1620
Time Taken: 27.6nm (6 hrs) St Michaels; 31.3nm (6hrs) Oxford; 30nm (6hrs) Solomons Island 

Distance (this year): 1675.9nm (293.5hrs) Distance Total (since 2008): 5313.5 (992.5hrs) 

Weather: NW; 15-20kts G30; 3' seas; this continued for days......    Fastest Speed: 7.6kts

Honk if you're Happy

We arrived back at Great Kills in time to re-provision (in still more rain) and fuss over Windjammer having ignored her for so long.  Our Cap’n Trusty managed to work the tides just right and we had a great overnight ride, flying down the coast to Cape May, sucked up into Delaware Bay, funnelled into the C&D Canal and finally deposited into Chesapeake Bay.  We anchored up Sassafras River next to a huge flotilla of noisy honking Canadian geese briefing each other on the evening’s flight path.

Oh Good! Channel Markers Again!

What a dream run we’d had!  We did make some sacrifices of course.  The Cap’n kept himself busy practising his waving technique.  Few waved back.  And whilst GS didn’t have to swear and curse at little blood sucking black flies or engines that didn’t work, the weather was noticeably cooler.   So, we did the whole "rugged up kit and caboodle" again, this time without the down sleeping bag knee rugs .  The Motleys also donated yet another expensive lure to various creatures of the deep.  We can only imagine that they were whoppers….  The first lure was lost at sea somewhere over the Delaware Bay shoals and the second at sundowners (guaranteed an inconvenient time) on the Atlantic corridor.

Wall to Wall Boats

Looking at our watches, we realised we could make the last day of the Annapolis Sail Boat Show.  Baltimore or Annapolis?  Annapolis or Baltimore?  The Show was great and despite giving it our very best, we probably only covered about 1/3 -1/2.  It’s big….  Our bags were full of goodies, our feet sore from walking over any number of contenders for WJ4, and our jaws tired from yakking to experts.  We even found Clive from BVI Yacht Sales to report our various adventures since buying WJ3.  At show’s end, the fun is to buy a pint or a painkiller (Caribbean rum cocktail) and when the gun is fired, watch docks being dismantled and an expensive flotilla sail off into the sunset.  Beneteau have our award for best showing off.  Those new 50 foot designs could spin on a dime – and they did, much to the crowd’s admiration.  I'm guessing a few more would have been sold after that little display!

Historical Annapolis

Annapolis is actually quite an historical town.  The next day, Cap’n and crew took a trolley tour from the Visitors Centre then the usual, separate ways.  Guess who went to see the Naval Academy with its 180 ships models and 4500 midshipmen?  Not GS!  She headed for downtown Main Street to look at works by local craftspeople then on to see two historic houses – the Hammond-Harwood House, a colourful Georgian classic and the William Pacca House, home to a signee of the Declaration of Independence.  The latter has a picturesque pleasure garden which has recently found light of day after years of being covered by bitumen (a car park).  We biked back home in the dark to WJ3, happily floating on Weems Creek.  In our absence, “Monday Morning” had taken a USN mooring nearby.  She’s a timber classic and home to Boston Tom, whom we met during our stay at Deltaville.

A bustling Weems Creek at Boat Show Time

From: Great Kills, NY  Lat/Long: 40 32N  74 08W  Date/Time: 8/10/10: 1100

To: Weems Creek, MD  Lat/Long: 38 59N  76 30W  Date/Time: 10/10/10: 1540
Time Taken: 257nm (36hrs)  Distance (this year): 1587nm (275.5hrs)
Distance Total (since 2008): 5227nm (974.5hrs)   Fastest Speed: 9.2kts**
Weather: Winds W- NW 10-15kts G20kts; Seas 2-3ft; a bumpy Atlantic ride
(**7.8kts out NY Harbor, slowing to 5.4 (against current) at Ocean City then 9.2 up Delaware Bay & 8.6 through C&D Canal. A skittish WJ3 thinks she’s young again…)

Sea Nettle Bay

Annapolis to Cape May (via Chesapeake & Delaware Canal)

Naval Academy, Annapolis

After Solomons, WJ3 dropped the hook in very unsettled waters, right in front of an impressive Annapolis Naval College.  Yes, we were up for reveille early next morning, did callisthenics (a whole hour & a half – never my best subject) and finally took a short break for breakfast (at 8am!) before engaging in noisy, rough-house gridiron on the out-field.  It was exhausting just watching it from our bouncy deck.

A little more sport - racing on the harbour

We had arrived at Annapolis on a Sunday, the day everyone is out posing on their boats, boat watching others or just messing about (to be seen of course, darlinks!).  The Motleys watched the world go by - mini-cruise liners with wine/cocktail sipping lounge lizards; large pointy boats with throbbing engines and oh so hip owners; fabulous 100’ schooners packed to the brim with day trippers;  annoying jet skis & their acrobatic owners and dinghies of every conceivable shape or size, many stocked to the hilt with kids & dogs or if luckier, bow bunnies in skimpy bathers.  No wonder the boat show is held in Annapolis – it’s just part of a permanent exhibition!

Still Pond Sunset

After the high-life we moved on further up-river to the lovely and aptly named, Still Pond.  Amazingly, we seemed to have seen the last of those horrid sea nettles, stinging jellyfish that just lap up the warmer Bay waters.  We had our first swim of the season in brackish water – but it was refreshing!  From here, the First Mate plotted our attack on the C&D Canal, said to be a challenge due to its size (small) and size of vessels (large) travelling on it.  The Canal, although planned as early as 1661, was completed in 1829.  It had 4 locks and six mule teams to pull towboats through it.  Not so today, it’s a busy bypass with a snappy current.  Look forward to that!

Traffic and Obstacles on the C&D Canal

As the Motleys needed the tide with them, we were up at the crack of dawn and well into the Canal before morno’s.  Luckily, we had it to ourselves and the tide pulled us steadily along – we were actually travelling at an unheard of 9 knots!  At least it was in the right direction.  We spat out onto a mirror-like Delaware Bay, the subject of many a nautical horror story. So, making the most of our good fortune, the Cap’n steered us (yep, still no wind but we held a fast, outgoing tide) down the bay, over some interesting shoals with weird names like prissy wicks, negotiated around a very large, very close ferry, felt the swell of Atlantic waters and on into Cape May. 

Delaware Monsters

Space to anchor was a premium in Cape May, so we resorted to asking advice from a very nice water-policeman.  We finally settled in front of the Coast Guard Station, just off the New Jersey ICW, and dropped anchor right on dusk.  The Motleys had broken out of secure bay waters (sort of) and were now trying to recall what this overnight sailing thing was all about…..

From: Solomons Island, MD  Lat/Long: 38 20N  76 27W  Date/Time: 8/8/10: 0910

To: Cape May, NJ  Lat/Long: 38 58N  76 28W Date/Time: 10/8/10: 2020

Time Taken: 188nm (29hrs)  Distance (this year): 261nm (44hrs)

Distance Total (since 2008): 3901nm  (743hrs)   Fastest Speed: 9.1**

Weather: Winds E 5kts; Seas 1ft; mill pond conditions – jellyfish moved faster

(** In the C&D Canal.  Otherwise mostly motoring with a little sail at times; avg 5-6kts best with tide)

Water Torture

Solomons Island:  5 Aug 10

Chesapeake Lighthouse

Our first obstacle on entering the Patuxent River was to avoid going anywhere near a huge Navy Base on the southern shore.  It, of course, came to us.  Booming jets practicing landing drills roared overhead, using us as pretend target practice.  We could almost see the smiles on the pilot’s faces as we ducked and tried to move just a little faster. 

Idyllic Anchorage

Our next challenge was a sudden thunderstorm creating great gusts (35mph) trying to flatten WJ3 out.  Fortunately we had no sail up as WJ3 had been having a few engine “issues” (dirty fuel).  GS was sent forward in this storm to set up the anchor in case “we” suddenly had no forward propulsion.  Gee, thanks…

Early morning on Back Creek

Eventually, but not soon enough, the Motleys made it in to safe harbour, passing by Tow Boat US escorting a hot water boat that had earlier sent out a Mayday call.  We tried not to stare judgementally, but what the hey, everyone else at a nearby marina was gawking, so why not?  Finally at the end of Back Creek we dropped the hook.  “No good,” said Cap’n Ready for Action, “there’s only 4 ½ feet of water here".  What?  We draw 5 ½ ‘ – how did that happen?  GS was sent forward again as lightning flashed and the heavens opened up (our Cap’n was safe and dry under the bimini) to haul up the anchor and then reposition it in deeper water.  Gee, thanks…..

So here we sit just outside the Holiday Inn in an idyllic little creek waiting for northerlies to give way to more friendly southerlies.  We’re taking photos to send to Hornsby Council.  We think the Hawkesbury waterways should look like this, ducks and geese included…..

From: Reedville, MD  Lat/Long: 37 50N  76 16W  Date/Time: 5/8/10: 0800

To: Solomons Island, MD  Lat/Long: 38 20N  76 27W Date/Time: 5/8/10: 1750

Time Taken: 47nm (10hrs)  Distance (this year): 73nm (15hrs)

Distance Total (since 2008): 3713nm  (714hrs)   Fastest Speed: See Note**

Weather: Winds SW-W  5-10kts; Seas 1-2ft; overcast

(** Mostly motoring with a little sail at times; avg 5-6kts)

Take the Spider to the Nun

Reedville: 4 Aug 10

Some people have ordinary gazebos, others don't.....

The entrance to Great Wicomico River is guarded by a 42’ “red spider” surrounded by shallow water and thickets of oyster stakes.  Welcome to the oyster shores  and deep water of our first overnight anchorage, Cockrell Creek.  Before you have visions of lovely fat juicy oysters, Reedville, now a quiet fishing hamlet, is home to the only (and remaining) menhaden processing plant – a vast steaming and smelly cauldron; worthy of a supporting role in any of Shakespeare’s plays.

Back at the Plant, things were a little quiet

Menhaden are also called alewives, bunkers or pogies.  Any the wiser?  Will “little oily fish” do then?  Reedville was founded in 1873 by Elijah Wood who recognised the potential of these little fishies and set up what was to become a huge and profitable industry.  The town itself is festooned with Victorian mansions set between fisherman’s cottages, from those prosperous days. 

Purse boats on either side of mother 

Meanwhile, back at the plant, huge, industrial-gray mother ships line sparse docks, peeping out behind a backdrop of steam, smoke and smell.  Spotter planes are used to make a fix on schools of menhaden.  The mother ship, bearing 2 small purse boats, moves to the identified location.  These purse boats then encircle the school (called purse-seining) and bring it in for ummm, “cooking”.  

Heading home with the days catch

Yes, they were “cooking” when we arrived and despite choosing a secluded anchorage upwind of the factory, it became downwind right on dinner-time.  There is nothing more enhancing to the gentle waft of cooking pizza than breathing in gasps of piquant air akin to rotting hops and out-of-date whiskers (cat food).  Yum, hand me another pizza slice, please.

From: Deltaville, VA  Lat/Long: 37 32N  76 19W  Date/Time: 4/8/10: 1300

To: Reedville, MD  Lat/Long: 37 50N  76 16W Date/Time: 4/8/10: 1800

Time Taken: 26nm (5hrs)  Distance (this year): 26nm (5hrs)

Distance Total (since 2008): 3666nm  (704hrs)   Fastest Speed: 6kts**

Weather: Winds S  5-10kts; Seas 1-2ft;

(** Mostly motoring with a little sail at times; avg 5-6kts)

Moving to the Start Line....

Jackson Creek 30 July 10 (noon)

Puppy Love (Rosie)

Not wishing to overstay in Deltaville (11 weeks now was it??) we packed and positioned ourselves on “the start line”.  Decorated with new solar panels, a newly serviced engine and various other absolutely necessary commodities, WJ3 dropped anchor and some very, very rusty chain in muddy Jackson Creek. 

On anchor at last!

After some social days starting with dinner on board with Greg & Bev, who also have a Hunter 460 & are Aussies too, we were kindly invited to neighbour’s cocktails by Bill and Mary in their Jackson Creek boathouse.  The GS was kindly invited to the Sting Ray Quilters monthly meeting.  The odd bit of prep work was worked in around our social mores and then finally we set about throwing away our dock lines.  Only WJ3 caught us napping and threw a solenoid spanner in the works.  The solenoid belonged to the gas bottle and that meant, horror of all horrors, NO COFFEE….

A Working Deadrise

So we delayed for yet another day.  Meanwhile Hurricane Colin was threatening and predicted to head our way.  Life is never simple. 

(Editorial note:  We are sitting in Starbucks, Staten Island (yes - so close to NYC!) and it's the only internet we've had in a little while.  So you are getting posts now with photos to follow later when we have the luxury of wifi on an anchorage somewhere - anywhere!  Meanwhile I feel like I'm on the set of a Woody Allen movie.)

A Short Message from Boy Wonder

Wanted:  Good Home

G'day Cap'n Speedo,

Yes, happy something birthday. I've lost count after your 50th, so I'll just assume its somewhere around that figure. I will have a beer this evening on your behalf.

How's everything, sailed anywhere yet or are you still pulling the boat apart to find that one rusty bolt that could cause a leak in maybe 15 years?????  Not much here has changed since my last e-mail so i'll let you get back to reading more instruction manuals, and remember, if you need any help, i know everything!!!

Take it easy,  BW

And then I saw it....blurp! blurp!  (recovering a lost mooring )

Giday BW,

Thank you for your birthday wishes and smart a*** comments.  I'll have you know that we simply haven't worked out how to undo the mooring lines - and we're working on it. 

Meanwhile, our solar panel kit arrived today, and we have resorted to paying a fabricator to make the frame work to hold solar panels.  Also today we finally worked out what was wrong with the autopilot and fixed it (with just a  little help from an electronics technician!!!).  We are due to check out of the marina this coming Wednesday, hopefully, solar panel fitting allowing of course.

Jus' Hangin in the Vegie Patch

So there!  Great and significant progress is being made.

Cheers, The Cap'n

PS  Love from Mummy  (who has doubts about achieving our Wednesday departure....) 

PPS  We had a really nice fresh crab feast for my b'day dinner.  You would have really liked it!

On WJ2 in Broken Bay

Happy Birthday also to Tree Boy who really can sail (here's proof) but for the moment prefers trees.

(Names have been changed to protect the not-so-innocent. Spelling errors left to incriminate.  Ed). 

A Dog an' a Cob

Heritage Day in Downtown Deltaville 2010

First came a Little Red Engine

We were warned.  A Chesapeake duster** strikes with force late afternoons on the hottest of days.  So too it was that the Deltaville Heritage Day Parade (celebrating 4^th July) swept into town.  Where did all these people come from?  The roads were so busy, we had to have traffic and pedestrian control; State Troopers, Local Sheriffs and even the Coast Guard came. The whole shebang... 

Then we raced a couple of crabs

The day started early with a nautical flea market (Cap’n Frugal bagged a few bargains) before we biked to the Art & Food Market to become involved in the heady atmosphere of Crab Races.  Kids were paired with feisty blue swimmers and given spray bottles of water.  The atmosphere was electric.  And a good few crabs survived although they were not expected to participate in the afternoon's scheduled parade.  (Someone had a steamroom bath already drawn for them.)

Friendly firemen in big red trucks led an advance guard.  Miss Spat and Miss Oyster candidates sat on the back of comfortable convertibles.  Others were towed by their mums in decorated pull-along wagons.  Boys and girls marched and gymnasts leapt about despite the heat.  Clowns posed for happy holiday snaps and buggies, dangerously overloaded with balloons and sweets shared them liberally with little (and big) kids.  Old cars, new cars, enviro cars and bat mobiles edged along Route 33 with unaccustomed reserve.  It still sounded like a tank invasion.

And a Gaitor blowin' bubbles came by

By far the largest representation was from ACCA Shriners, a large troupe of Masons who support children’s hospitals.  Their membership had precision driving teams of go-karts, motor bikes, bright orange clown cars and even bubble blowing 'gators - all worthy of Edinburgh Military Tattoo performances.  These guys take their community support role very seriously but even so manage to enjoy themselves. 

Hey Dad...want one?

After the parade, we headed for the dog and cob stand to try some local fine dining.  The dog cost $1.50 and GS had ketchup.  But where were the onions, hmmm?  The Galley Slave also picked up some farm-fresh peaches and corn for later, then roved an (experienced?) eye over too many garage-sale tables in search of a treasure she could sneak on board. 

Antique Tractors rolled by

We followed the crowd to a baseball game scheduled to “play ball” in a vintage 1940’s ball park shrouded in chicken wire netting pocked with ball impressions.  Don’t sit behind the pitcher!  Cap’n Rowdy showed the reserved locals a thing or two about barracking for your team, a-la rugby style.  I’m not sure Rudy (on the opposition’s team) appreciated being told his mother drives a truck! 

We all love a big old car

Watched a ball game in a 1940's stadium

Despite such fantastic support, the home team, the Delta’s, lost.  After the game, the really old & bolds were paraded out before the crowds for a batting demonstration.  Some of them should have been invited back to play in the home team (especially those who hit balls outside the ground!).

Supported the local team from the bleachers

And finally, waited in the cemetery (in the dark) for fireworks 

Behind the ball park the crowd gathered for 9pm fireworks and were a trifle fidgety.  Fireworks had been delayed by at least an hour while the winning baseball team kept hitting ‘em home.  It wouldn’t have been so bad, except the parking lot/picnic spot for the fireworks was the local cemetery.  “Pull up a pew.  Oh sorry, that’s someone’s gravestone!” 

We rode home in the dark in time to watch the fireworks from our floating home (and to eat real food).  Indeed fireworks erupted around the Creek and all over nearby Gwyn Island.  It was some show.  A celebration of independence; a hazy memory of a war-torn land, and a show of national pride.  Everyone joined in!

**A Chesapeake duster is like our Southerly buster