Springtime in the Carolinas

Taking time to smell the Flowers

Wildflowers in the Carolinas are fragrant and colorful, reminding us to stop and smell the roses.

We tried to identify the local flowers, be advised, you can’t believe everything you read.

Beaufort, North Carolina

The quant little town of Beaufort, North Carolina is not to be confused with Beaufort, South Carolina.  We finally learned how to properly pronounce each town..

Docking Skills

If you think it’s tough to parallel park, try docking between pilings.  Sometimes it’s a super tight squeeze, that’s when experience and patience come in real handy.

Marine Traffic

Sharing the water with boats big or small can add a sense of entertainment. Sometimes we see barge traffic,

Sometimes, it’s a fishing tournament!

Swansboro, NC

Casper’s Marina – cute logo, right, yet, the marina felt a bit like a ghost town.  Docking was easy, but as we attempted to hand the young dock hand our hose to hook up the water, he shrugged and said their water line was busted, and there was no water at any of the slips.  Stressfully, the next marina was too far away to navigate before dark.

When I said to the Marina boss, “Ma’am, I am surprised you did not disclose the water problem when we telephoned you early this morning” for me that’s a thinly veiled way to say WTF – she responded, “Well, we haven’t been able to get a plumber to come out here for the past three weeks, BUT there’s water in the marina bathrooms” I shook my head in disbelief.

Water in the bathrooms (which was less than clean, by the way) was not exactly what we were hoping for.  Fortunately, a very resourceful Captain Rick ran over 100 ft of hose from the main building to Exhale!

IceHouse Waterfront

Hey Dale, we found a restaurant within walking distance of Casper’s Marina that we think you might enjoy.  The clams and fettuccine at the IceHouse were delicious.  And just up the street is a local hangout, Bake Bottle & Brew, with an ice cold beer that my brother Sam would love.

Oriental, North Carolina

You must agree, live music and local tiki bars warm the soul. The marina at Oriental is one of the best so far – surrounded by live music and friendly locals.

Thanks Craig!

We truly enjoyed the company of Craig Adford – from April 2nd through April 15th he shared our journey. A close friend and great companion, he helped run the boat, drove round trip to Cleveland, helped with all things social, and was a personal chef (so, awesome). Craig flew to Charlotte in a commuter flight this morning and is currently stuck at the airport, due to a storm, hoping to catch a flight to LAX, sometime in the near future …  He texted “flight to LA cancelled due to tornado warnings. Wind and rain is intense, lightning to boot – stuck in the commuter plan until they declare it safe to deplane”

Thanks again Craig, can’t wait until you and Mo join us again.

Happy “birth” day little Gutierrez twins

Congrats to Erica, Elijah, London and Romeo – welcome to the world, sweet little twins.

Next Stop:

We are currently in Oriental, waiting for a storm to pass (the same one that has Craig trapped in Charlotte).  Next stop will be somewhere near Bellhaven, North Cackalacky.