Exhale52

The Keys are hot, Hot, HOT

There is a legitimate reason Exhale traveled north during most summer months in the past. It is freakin HOT in the Keys!! The temps have hovered in the 90s for weeks. In the words of Dirks Bentley, “What was I thinking?” click and enjoy! Okay, the lyrics have nothing to do with the Keys, but wasn’t that a fun moment!

Why did the chickens cross the road? To get off the hot pavement!

We know the heat will continue until late September so Capt Rick is now focused on keeping the air con ON – it has been a BIG challenge – in deep competition with every other boat in the marinas we visit. Boater’s Tip – low voltage at the power pedestal is the direct result of high demand. Too many boats, not enough watts. Yes, it’s a first world problem. And no, it’s not as deadly as France, nor have we experienced devastating earth quakes, a heart breaking condition in Venezuela, so I am done complaining. For real.

Good news – the water conditions have been better than usual. Capt. Rick reminds me it’s a tradeoff. Buttercup prefers smooth water, I prefer cooler weather.

This Girl is on Fire

Still on the topic of hot keys, here’s another music reference for Kat and Jean. Alicia Keys, American singer, songwriter, pianish, actress and record producer, was born in Hells Kitchen. That’s also hot. Perhaps you know her song “Girl on Fire”. Go ahead, click on the title and take the time to listen! Hopefully in a cool setting.

Key West – Little White House

Did you know that President Truman was a fashion influencer? With a little support from a brilliant vendor, he made a familiar look, especially for Capt. Rick, the encouraged attire at his key west respite.

Look closely at that group pic – Truman is in the middle! This closet contains a replica of his cherished wardrobe.

Let’s talk about house boats. A common sight in the keys.

A very special houseboat – The Larooco.

Sometime in 1924, Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) and his friend John Lawrence purchased a 71-foot vessel they named the Larooco to cruise the Florida Keys during the winters – yes, he was smart enough to avoid the summer heat. FDR did use the warm winter waters and sunshine for polio rehabilitation. Sadly, The vessel was destroyed in a 1926 hurricane.

The houseboat Larooco, owned by FDR & friend John Lawrence, 1924 to 1926.

Key West Tropical Forest and Botanical Garden, Cow Key

Thanks Gail B for finding this treasure! What thrives in heat? Cactus.

The gardens were well worth the stop, shade alone made it delightful. Here’s an unusual tree trunk, notice the tight curl, followed by a very strait rise to the sun.

Curious what type of tree we were viewing, I zoomed in on the descriptive sign:

Beautiful rainbow bridge for Morgan, and all the other people out there who have lost a loved one.

This was my favorite, the caption below the photo explains.

Hogfish Bar and Grill

Burger time! Capt Rick declared this was the BEST burger, EVER! That’s a strong statement for a man who has been ordering burgers at nearly every port we visit. True.

Known as the VandenBurger, the patty included Sirloin, Brisket and Chuck, topped with bacon, grilled onion, mushroom, cheese and onion rings! insane.

Marathon Yacht Club (MYC)

It was the first time we docked at MYC – what a lovely experience! We often eat there, but have never gotten a dock. Boater’s Tip – it is so popular people book for a full month, or even a full year. So plan ahead, it’s worth the stay.

For Ray and Caryl, time for taps.

Safe Harbor Marathon, Vaca Key

Always reminds us of Tom & Faye, we left at 6:59 am (that’s for Dave Lubs)

Key Largo

One of our favorite stops used to be the Pilot House Marina in Key Largo – but this time the water was so shallow that navigation of the narrow canal was less than pleasant. Boater’s Tip, check the water levels before navigating the Pilot House channel.

Good news, it’s reasonable walking distance from a true fav, Snook’s Bayside, where the food is delicious (Capt Rick ordered a burger),

and the live music is delightful.

A little Bayside magic – a sweet moment for Maureen, Craig, and Sue

sunset at Snooks

Sending a hug to Joe Occhino.

Celebrating Milestones

Happy Canada Day!! July 1; Happy 250, July 4.

Birthdays: June 26, Joe Occhino; July 1, Becky Weaver Browne, the queen of boat lines; July 3, Kathy Avanzino; July 5, Gail Doyle; July 7, Rodger Dodger

Anniversary: June 27, David and Jamie; July 3, Rick and Mary; July 4, Tanja and Jason

What’s Next: Ocean Reef, reuniting with Greg, Pamela, Morgan, and Luca!! Oh yes, it’s ice cream time for Capt. Rick.

One Fish, Two Fish

Look at that gorgeous water! Within minutes of casting his line, Capt Rick caught his first fish of the season. His bait consisted of morsels of steak from dinner on board the night before.

The second fish was hooked so hard he needed help to release the barb. Unfortunately, the needle nose pliers were still inside the boat.

While Capt Rick waited for anyone (David B. was nominated) to bring him pliers, he was concerned the hooked little fish could die – you know the fish out of water thing – so he magnanimously lowered it into the water to keep it alive. Oh, SNAP!! A shark appeared, gulped down the fish, and broke the line.

Okay, not this shark – but you get the idea.

Faro Blanco, Marathon

Now that the fishing tale has been told, the timeline for this story is slightly out of sequence, so let’s go back to the prior stops.

This is for Craig and Maureen – who were with us at Faro Blanco shortly after the resort opened for business, when Rodriguez Cigars was in the house,

and there was a beautiful wedding!

In Marathon, we were also within walking distance of CastAways, home of the huge hogfish – for Tom and Faye.

Perry Marina, Stock Island

It was recommended by new friends Doug and Natalia on PiraSea that we order chicken wings at the Perry Marina. Boater’s tip – during happy hour all food is 25% off, and several of the drinks are 50% off. Which I think causes us to eat and drink more for some ridiculous reason. I also recommend the wings, made with a dry rub of Old Bay, they WERE so delicious!

And the general atmosphere was great.

Good advice for emails, texts, blogs, and old fashioned letters!

Dry Tortugas National Park

10 minutes before the official sunrise, at 0630, we departed the Perry Marina in Key West.

Destination – Garden Key harbor, a popular anchorage at Fort Jefferson. The run is about 70 miles, at the pace of a turtle. We gladly followed Tonto’s Reward.

Capt Rick and I have been to the Dry Tortugas twice before, once with Jamie and David, and once with Maureen and Craig. Both times we rode the vomit comet, aka Yankee Freedom, Dry Tortugas Ferry. With a capacity of 250, rough waters equal a very unpleasant experience.

Capt Rick promised me we would only go on our boat if the water was smooth, but let me tell you I did NOT expect flat, calm water! I swear, this photo is NOT modified in any way.

We rafted off of Tonto’s Reward; that means they dropped an anchor, then we hitched together the two boats, carefully lining up the doorways for easy passage.

The boats were neatly snuggled together.

Fort Jefferson was a short dinghy ride from our anchorage.

You probably know that tortuga in Spanish is “turtle”; but did you know the Loggerhead Turtle weighs up to 440 lbs, proven by these crazy skulls, and it has a lifespan of up to 67 years.

A warm shout out to Commodore Connie B – thanks for the salty treat.

Bucket List Item: Anchor Out at the Dry Tortugas. Check. It was spectacular!!

Once again leaving at 0630 – have a mentioned how I am NOT a morning person – it was about an 8 or 9 hour run, getting us in while there was still staff to help us tie up.

Key West

Hello to A & B Marina on the Harbor Walk.

Deja Vu – nearby Cuban Coffee Queen was exactly the same – this is for David Hendry, who generously brought me coffee from there more than once!

More photos of key west

Hemingway moment – David B and Rick G shared a Papa Pilar Rum moment with Ernest.

While in Key West we added a fun new art piece, so Purple Pete is no longer lonely. Say hi to Ernie!

Sending POSITIVE energy to Craig and Maureen. Wish our trips together to Faro Blanco, Key West and the Tortugas had been this smooth. We plan to see you in LA in the near future. And, sending positive energy to Caryl for her long awaited knee surgery on Monday.

Celebrating Milestones

Birthdays: June 17, Harrison Wilder Bishop; June 22,

Happy Father’s Day on Sunday, June 21

What’s Next? Heading back to Perry’s Marina in Stock Island.

“It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere”

We returned to SCYC, joining Tonto’s Reward to commence Part II of our Florida tour. A departure on June 6 at 7:00 am yielded a spectacular sunrise, for Dave Lubs. To our surprise, PC Gary Ralph left the dock before we did, a rare occurrence for that late riser.

Buttercup has settled in

In the salon we have fresh violets for Maureen, it reminds us of a certain small town hardware store during an anniversary trip to Canada. Thanks Craig and MO for the sweet memory!

First stop on the new route was Naples City Dock. Boater’s Tip – this location is a reasonable (doable) walking distance to downtown. Sending happy thoughts across the rainbow bridge for Mike Gillespie and Chris Occhino, good memories at Bleu Provence.

To our delight, PC Gary Ralph joined us in Naples!

PC Gary Ralph, David B, Gail B,
Buttercup (on the floor, hoping for crumbs)

Naples Yacht Club

We had an interesting dinner at the Club

Gail B, David B, PC Gary Ralph, Capt Rick, Mary S

Gail ordered the Veal Chop – Milanese (not a familiar cooking term for Gail or me). The dish was massive, to say the least.

We now know what “Milanese” style means … It’s made by bludgeoning the veal cutlet to an even, thin thickness (about ¼ inch), coating the heavily clobbered meat in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs, plus Parmesan cheese and herbs, then frying the pummeled carcass until cooked through. Gail usually orders her meat rare, so this was NOT what she expected. She had hoped for something more like this

Eating very little of the miserable mega milanese, she said the best part of the dish was the arugula salad, leaving LOTS of left overs for David.

Naples Sailing and Yacht Club

We had a lovely Sunday brunch at NSYC (highly recommended). Grandpa Rick said the yogurt with M&Ms is for Tyler. Ynot.

Marco Island Yacht Club

It was a beautiful run from Naples to Marco Island! With PC Gary Ralph in the lead boat, Knot Dreamin’ NP44 Sedan, Exhale second, and Tonto’s Reward taking up the third position. Gary had just reported, “It’s so smooth out here you do not need stabilizers or a SeaKeeper today!”

Wait, what’s that bobbing in the water nearby? The fin of some sort of large fish? Maybe an unmarked hazard to navigation?

Before answering that question, let’s step back in time, just a few short minutes, when Capt Rick found himself in shallow waters, with immediate results. Now then, I’m Feeling a little Jimmy Buffet Vibe – from “It’s Five O’clock Somewhere”. Go ahead, click to listen with me!!

Jimmy Buffett: “Alright, we just want to make sure you can keep it between the navigational beacons.”
Alan Jackson: “Between the buoys, I got it.”

Good advice boys.

Extending our thanks to the fishing family in the center console who pulled Exhale free from the sand bar, and who retrieved the floating object. So sorry I did not take any photos of the effort.

Are you still wondering, what exactly was that thing bobbing in the water?? Answer: Exhale’s sheared off stabilizer. Sigh. Oh, and thanks, Gary, hopefully you are right, we “don’t need [no stinkin’] stabilizer[s]”.

Running Aground – Good News, our experience was not as crazy as Past Commodore Greg Rocque – you might recall the slide show from the PC’s roast, even more insane – this boat on the rocks is a North Pacific :-) For real!

As we have said before, if you claim you have never run aground in Florida, the question is, “has your boat ever left the dock?”

Seriously though, it has been a long while since Capt. Rick decided to sand surf, or clean the barnacles from the keel. Good news, Exhale is still operable, we did not take on water, and we got off the sand bar before Tow Boat US arrived.

Although it was NOT 5 o’clock, yet, it was definitely time for a stiff rum drink – thanks David and Gail for the arrival/survival drink delivery!

Hey PC Gary Ralph, thanks again for joining us. It was a lovely evening in Marco. Look have smooth that water is.

Marco Island Bridge, view from the yacht club

Zoom in to see the Local Youth about to take a plunge!

We are happy to report that last night we got a free boat wash, we say, bring on the rain! Fill up Lake O, please.

FCYC Update: Marco Island Yacht Club marks club number 17 for Exhale and Tonto’s Reward.

Celebrating Milestones

Birthdays: June 2, Sue Gillespie; June 3, Lorrie Swink; June 9, my younger sister Frances Straley; June 10, bonus cousin Debra McDaniel McGhan; June 15, Heather Rutherford

Anniversary: BELATED congrats to the beautiful Carly and Brandon Maurer, celebrating 17 years :-), June 14, Paul and Celeste celebrating 51.

Next up:

We will anchor for one night at Cape Sable, and then head south towards the Keys. Welcome back, Caryl and Ray, we hope Sideways is on the water soon.

Somebody’s Watching Me

This is for Cat Eisele- here’s why! She was spying on Captain Rick today as he was in repair mode for Tonto’s Reward at SCYC. Thanks for looking out, Cat.

Go ahead, click here and sing along with Michael Jackson: “Sometimes I feel like, somebody’s watching me.”

Zooming in …

This blog post will wrap up Part 1 of our Florida tour, focusing on the west coast of Florida. In this post we traveled from Longboat Key to The Field Club, to Pelican Bay, to Cabbage Key, then Fort Myers.

Longboat Key

Rick and David B. TRIED to help our dockmate, Sapphire – a 52 Beneteau – relocate the washer/dryer to the bow of the boat. But the cozy hatch opening was a bit of a struggle.

After several tweaks and determined tries, the appliance was lowering, but not enough, then the heavy rains came. Quick thinking, our dinghy cover did the trick, protecting the appliance from the deluge.

The next day Rick and David B removed ALL protruding nobs and hardware, and detached the hinges on the tight fitting hatch.

Finally, the appliance was lowering!

Unfortunately, there was another impediment inside, so they could not complete the job, a disappointing moment.

Quest for the Perfect Hamburger

Capt Rick LOVES a good burger. Longboat Key delivered.

Field Club

Boater’s Tip: We had to book nearly one month ahead to secure docks at The Field Club – it’s that popular!!

It’s an old club, sort of. Originally a mansion for the Field family (part of the Chicago family behind Marshall Field & Company), the main structure dates back to 1927. It was converted to a club in 1957, when the Fields, in their 80’s, moved back to the Chicago area full time. Sarasota Yacht Club was the first to be given the opportunity to purchase, but some short sighted board members passed on the chance. Capt Rick loves to say, “You can’t fix Stupid.”

The 16-acre waterfront property is absolutely beautiful!

Pelican Bay

The waters of Cayo Costa State Park include our favorite anchorage. We anchored out for two nights.

Cabbage Key

We docked at Cabbage Key for one night. First a shout out to Ray and Caryl – who are cruising the Greek Islands – we know you love Cabbage Key. For those of you who have visited, you know there is a LOT of money hanging from the ceiling and walls.

Did you know that Cabbage Key donates the money that falls from the walls to local charities? To the tune of roughly 20,000, annually. SOO cool.

Capt Rick knew this was a good place to honor Michael Gillespie since he and his wife Susan Gillespie absolutely LOVED this place!!

We miss you, Gonzo.

Fort Myers

We returned to Fort Myers on May 27. Here’s a little nod to my firstborn. Celebrating your recent birthday, on Memorial Day.

Breaking News: So far we have 14 Florida Council Yacht Club signatures, qualifying along with Tonto’s Reward for the annual Founders Award. Stops so far include Bird Key, Bradenton, Carlouel, Charlotte Harbo, Clearwater, Davis Island, Field Club, Isles, St. Pete, Sarasota, Tampa, Tarpon Springs, and Venice.

Hey Carl, Gary, Cat and Jim – YOU CAN DO IT! Keep Boating, Safely.

What’s Next – Part II

On June 5 we will head to SCYC, then we will join Tonto’s Reward to commence Part II of our Florida tour. First stop is Naples City Dock followed by Marco Island Yacht Club, then Marathon and Key West. Weather permitting we will anchor out at the Dry Tortugas.

Celebrating Milestones: Birthdays – May 25 – Zach Silverstein; May 28 – Scott Ginsburg, Brennyn turned 10; May 29 – Doug Belknap; May 31 – Pamela Ledward; June 1 – Craig Adford, Mark Marlow, Amanda Saylor, Skyllar Tanner; June 2 – Susan Gillespie.

May 25 – Anniversary Gail and David Bernstein; May 26 – Jeff and Patty North

Thanks everyone for following our travels!

Who ordered the french fries?

With Gonzo, a typical Fort Myers Beach day began with the shade of a perfectly placed umbrella, chairs facing the water, sitting next to his best friends – Rick and Joe Occhino – and a cooler full of cold beer. As the day progressed you would find him eating a grilled hot dog from Lani Kai, with a side of fries. Getting hungry yet?

It’s hard to express the pain of losing a dear friend. So hard to say goodbye. So hard to face your own mortality, and impossible to imagine life with a gaping hole in your heart. All in, this sucks.

Since some of you never met Gonzo, let me share just a few special things about the man, the myth, the legend.

Gonzo was one of Rick’s VERY best friends. Along with Joe Occhino they were the three amigos, the three musketeers. Mike, Joe and Rick met around 1989 when they were dockmates at Lakeside Yacht Club in Cleveland. Joe (M/V Benedict), Mike (M/V Sea Prince) and Rick (M/V Bodacious then Insanity) eventually moved their boats to Catawba Island Club (CIC) in Port Clinton, Ohio. Rumor has it the boats had well stocked liquor cabinets, aka ship’s stores.

In July of 2010, Gonzo was the Best Man at our wedding.

Mike Gillespie, aka Gonzo, HATED change, so he had a flip phone – the Original Motorola Razr – with maybe six duplicate phones, just in case he lost or damaged one. While all his friends had smart phones, he refused to upgrade. BUT, the choice was made for him when the carriers permanently shut down their 2G and 3G networks, making his precious phone obsolete.

Alas, when he switched to an iPhone we all moaned. Quickly adapting, he wouldn’t put the phone down as he talked to Siri continuously, “Siri, who won the 1985 World Series?” “Siri, what is the score of the Brown’s game?” “Siri, when is the next full moon?”

You may wonder, why was he called Gonzo? Inspired by the muppet character who first appeared in 1970, Mike’s beloved nickname began long ago. It’s all about the nose.

Rick and I were at CIC with Joe and Mike in 2014 – celebrating Mike’s 70th birthday. The party continued at the Crew’s Nest in Put-In-Bay, a familiar spot for many of you!

Rick Ginsburg, Joe Occhino, Mike Gillespie at CIC, June 19, 2014

Da Boys – their friendship is the truly deep kind, that only the very lucky few ever experience in life.

Mike, Rick, and Joe in Fort Myers, December 2017; Rick’s Surprise Birthday bash

Quite simply, it is because of Mike and Joe that we live in Fort Myers, FL. Mike loved the weather, especially compared to snowy Cleveland. His wife Susie found our condo at Lucaya, and the rest is history.

Mike, Susie, Rick and I traveled together to an eclectic mix of destinations, including Alaska.

Moose’s Butt shot, Anchorage, AK, August 26,2015

Mike and Sue also joined us at Mackinac Island, during our Great Loop adventure

Sue and Mike, Mackinac Island, August 12, 2018

As part of the SFYC Commodore’s Cruise to the BVI’s (Rob Howard) we chartered a 4-cabin catamaran, along with Maureen and Craig. Some of you were there as well.

there was so much more … we also spent MANY holidays together.

And he was at Rick’s SFYC Commodore’s Ball in 2020, just before COVID hit.

Sue and Mike Gillespie, January 18, 2020; SFYC Commodore’s Ball

Mary S and Commodore Rick Ginsburg, January 2020

Back to the opening story, Gonzo loved to ask, “Rick, who ordered the french fries?” even if there were no fries on the tab. The joke never got old.

Not enough can be said about this great friend, about the great loss that is felt by fellow musketeers Rick and Joe, by his many friends and by his extended family. Rick’s daughters, Jamie and Danielle, have known him their whole life.

His wife Susie is one of the strongest people I know. She has been by his side for over 40 years, unwavering. You are amazing Susie!

Mike and Sue, Girdwood, Alaska, August 22, 2015

Gone too soon, Gonzo, such a sweet friend. We hope you found peace.

Mike Gillespie, Put-In-Bay, June 20,2014

Born on June 23, 1944, on May 22, 2026, surrounded by family, Mike passed away. He was just shy of his 82nd birthday. Feisty and quirky, his dancing presence is already missed. Wishing you peace Mike, and wishing Susie and Michael’s family the best of everything. This special sunset from Put-In-Bay is for Susie, Lisa, Andrew, Mike Jr., Amy and the Gillespie grandkids.

The early bird gets …

to see the sunrise!

Okay, it’s actually a red sky at night sunset. Capt. Rick OFTEN gets up in the wee hours of the morning, so he is definitely an early bird.

We anchored out in the Manatee River; it was a beautiful, quiet night.

Stopping a second time in Bradenton, we like this Florida Council club. PC Greg, they have LOTS of fresh popcorn and soft serve ice cream. No columns.

It was a nice time to swing. Gail B and Capt Rick; David B and Mary S.

Glorious Sunset over Exhale

While the men did boat chores, Gail B and I toured the Bishop Museum of Science and Nature, a manatee rehab facility. The museum was spectacular, clearly millions of dollars have been invested in the well designed displays.

On the first floor you find the dinosaurs. Check out the fangs on this ancient alligator skeleton.

A giant armadillo, definitely not the tasty kind Capt Rick has offered to carve,

plus a little otter for Leigh,

not the vicious kind we encountered in Canada with Jim and Susan Merritt, they climbed onto our dinghy while we were eating fresh caught fish on Gypsy.

TRIVIA QUIZ

Time for a little trivia. Can you match up the years with the following four events? For those who are too embarrassed to try, the answers are at the very end.

Years

1877, 1893, 1905, 1912

Events

Titanic sinks in the North Atlantic

Albert Einstein proposes theory of relativity

World’s Fair in Chicago, dubbed the White City

Alexander Graham Bell establishes Bell Telephone Company

A nod to Sandy Grosvenor and Iron Bear!

Anna Maria Island, FL

Thanks to Tom and Faye Turke, M/V Treble in Paradise, who made a small detour to connect with us in AMI, at Galati Yacht Sales Marina. Best of Luck with your boat troubles!

If you love the beach, go to Anna Maria Island (AMI). The free Island Trolly, operated by Manatee County Area Transit (MCAT), traverses the entire length of the island between the Anna Maria City Pier in the north and Coquina Beach in the south. It arrives every twenty minutes. Hey Craig Adford, inspired by your love of the hop on hop off buses, we did the complete loop in about an hour.

Pizza with the Teenage Mutant Turtles – oh yes

Our lunch stop was exceptional. We strongly recommend Pizza Social!! Fabulous local restaurant at 308 Pine Ave., Anna Maria Island. They have FRESH pizza ingredients and delicious salads.

Back to the early birds topic, at Galati Yacht Sales Marina, you might be overwhelmed. Exhale and Tonto’s Reward were docked next to the mangroves, surrounded by trees that were densely populated with birds, it was soooo noisy (a good wordle start word). The most common bird was a black cormorant, it’s also crazy messy, note the white in the trees – it’s lots and lots of bird poop!

The white snowy egret is less prevalent, but shockingly chatty.

Best of all was the great blue heron.

Love the birds? Most likely Gail B will have more photos in her blog!

Fun facts: Perhaps you are familiar with the term “rookery”. As defined by Google: “A rookery is a large communal breeding ground or nesting colony for gregarious animals.” Further defined as highly sociable, outgoing, loud, and generally annoying – akin to a bachelorette party!

If the gathering of birds are mainly herons, the proper name is Heronry. But, if the loud, smelly spectacle has multiple species pooping everywhere, it’s still a rookery.

Hi San Diego turtle, Juliette, so excited to learn about this young turtle who was just named after our great granddaughter.

Here’s a fun boat name, Knot on Call, home port, Dallas Texas (that’s tricky – unless you have alien connections or are transported – Scotty, beam me up!).

Longboat Key, FL

Here’s one more boat, for PC Greg Rocque with a familiar name – BTW, you should be here. Don’t fret, we will post more popcorn and “column free” club photos when we visit the next FCYC stop.

Timeline Trivia Answers

1877 – Alexander Graham Bell establishes Bell Telephone Company

1893 – World’s Fair in Chicago, dubbed the White City

1905 – Albert Einstein proposes theory of relativity

1912 – Titanic sinks in the North Atlantic

Well, did you correctly guess all four? Thanks for following us!

Celebrating Milestones: May 19, Chris Moles birthday

Next Stop – Field Club, Sarasota

Celebrating our Mothers

Happy Mother’s Day everyone. Although this national holiday is heavily commercialized, it is still REALLY great to connect with family.

And flowers are wonderful, year round.

Havana Pleasure, Nancy Cunningham, 2017, Oil on Canvas

In 1914 President Woodrow Wilson officially declared the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day. Founded in Kansas City (for Craig and MO) in 1910, now that’s fortuitous timing, Hallmark continues to be largest manufacturers of greeting cards in the United States.

“A mother’s arms are more comforting than anyone else’s.”

— Princess Diana

We are very impressed, grandson Tyler (age 10), makes breakfast!

Miss you mom.

Carlouel (pronounced Car-Lou-El) Yacht Club.

Yes, the name is weird, although the history is sweet – a clever blend of three founding women: Caroline Hobart, Louise Palmer, and Eleanor Randolph. It’s another social Florida Council Club, thus, you don’t need to own a boat to join. PC Greg – they did have the best popcorn display so far!

Mary S, Carlouel Yacht Club, photo by Gail B.

Private Dining

Reservations are mandatory at Carlouel, it reminded us of Hotel Kenney on the Canal Rideau Canal, when the owners called the kitchen staff to make sure food would be prepared! Again we were the ONLY patrons in the space. Hey Sharyn Morgan, sharing good memories of some delicious ice cream, right??

The food was exceptional – here’s Capt Rick enjoying what he professed was “the tastiest Old Fashioned, ever”, along with his mouth-watering Osso Bucco.

It truly was a private experience – we confirmed with the staff, we were the ONLY diners for the evening.

Sponge Mania!

Tarpon Springs has proclaimed itself the Sponge Capital of the World. Who would dispute that? Why? The city does have the highest percentage (not population, percentage) of Greek Americans in the US – hovering around 10% of its 25,000 residents. Median age is 53. Opa!

The Greeks transformed the sponge industry by using divers to efficiently harvest the deep water treasure. Back in 1908 the Sponge Exchange in Tarpon Springs started as a storage and auction site for sponges, supporting ties to the growing Greek community. More than 100 years later, divers continue to harvest sponges from the Gulf of Mexico. Yep, the G of M.

Stock Photo: Hickory Point, Tarpon Springs

In case you are curious, Tyler, there were ZERO sightings of SpongeBob.

However, there were plenty of opportunities to buy sponges along the main drag. By far, the best local vendor is Lori’s Soap Shop, where I definitely bought a few sponges and locally made soaps. Click here – they ship.

Today the area is famous for some of the finest Greek Restaurants, Markets, and Bakeries in the Country. Thanks for the recommendations, Tom and Faye. We ate soo well. Yes. we went to Hellas – boater’s tip, it’s a sprawling tourist destination, so expect both the restaurant and bakery to be busy and noisy.

Our very favorite was Niko’s Grill House, a small family business, slightly off the main drag. MOST of the staff are Greek, likewise, a lot of the customers spoke Greek – a very very good sign. Click here for the menu.

Recommended: Greek Salad, with my very favorite soup, Avgolemono (chicken, rice and lemon soup),

and don’t forget the Grilled Lamb. YUM.

This sponge boat on Anclote River is for our Commodore, Kim. Zoom in!

Next Stop is a return to Clearwater Yacht Club for one night, then we will anchor out in the Manatee River.

Buttercup says thanks for following us! Happy Mother’s Day.

The Pace of a Turtle

We left SCYC in Fort Myers three weeks ago. Perhaps you have noticed this trip has been VERY different from past journeys, as we SLOWED down the pace, traveling relatively short distances and often stopping for three days at a time, rather than the typical one or two day visit. It is amazing to enjoy the pace of a turtle. Fun fact – Capt. Rick named the boat engines Myrtle and J.D. Turtle. Like my brother Sam‘s tractors, John Deere is strong and steady.

Here’s a throwback photo I took on our 2019 Bahama cruise with Tonto’s Reward.

The three musketeers were reunited in Saint Petersburg, FL. Check out this night shot! Yes, a similar photo is in Gail’s blog. It was a beautiful evening.

Front to Back: Treble in Paradise, Exhale, and Tonto’s Reward.
Photo by Mary S.

The St. Petersburg Yacht Club house dates back to 1917.

Notice the figurehead at the entryway – to me it’s a little creepy. For Finny: that’s the female carving that could be found at the bow of a wooden sailing vessel; it was common in the 18th and 19th centuries. This club is going to demolish and replace the clubhouse, will they keep the old girl?

Say Hello, Dalí

St. Pete’s is home to an exquisite museum. I loved it, but it’s okay if you are not so keen on his art.

Salvadore Dalí (1904-1989), a Spanish surrealist artist, was incredibly prolific with his original works. We can thank Reynolds and Eleanor Morse for their obsession with his works, dating back to 1942. In the early 70’s, Dalí cut the ribbon on their original museum, displayed in Beachwood, Ohio. With approval from Dalí, the extensive collection moved to Clearwater Florida in 1982, a very good year for Mija.

The Florida collection includes 96 oil paintings, over 100 watercolors and drawings, 1,300 graphics, photographs, sculptures, and objets d’art, plus an extensive archival library.

I have always loved this piece! Right, Zach!?!

*The Disintegration of the Persistence of Memory*, 1952-1954
Oil on Canvas

For me, his early work was surprising.

Port of Cadaques (Night) (c.1918) by Salvador Dali

Clearwater Yacht Club

Saying goodbye to the Turkes in St. Pete’s, our next port was Clearwater, yet another club under renovation.

Celebrating Cinco de Mayo, live music and good food!

Look Past Commodore Greg, Double popcorn – this club has two machines, upstairs and down!!

Throughout the downtown area we found dolphin statues.

Clearwater Marine Aquarium

While the boys hung out poolside, Gail and I explored the Clearwater Marine Aquarium (CMA), the primary organization for sea turtle rescue, rehab, and release in the Clearwater, FL area.

Since 2010, the CMA has rescued over 1,600 sea turtles. Florida’s sea turtle nesting season generally runs from March 1 through October 31.

Fun stuff for Heather and Maaaack – If you want to know more about the strength and resilience of a turtle, check out Turtle Odyssey (2018), a 45-minute Australian documentary, narrated by Russell Crowe – now that’s a delightful Aussie voice! The film, shown at the CMA, tracks the movements of a green sea turtle named Bunji; it was estimated, over the span of 25 years, she produced more than 1,000 baby turtles. No birth control for sure.

More fun exhibits at CMA included these neon Glofish Tetra.

A massive Kraken for Caryl

and a little columbian red tailed boa for all you snake haters, you know who you are!

We now pause with sad news from our boating friends Tim and Tracy Harris – 2022 NP 45 Pilothouse, M/V Golden Ours,

and Jeffrey and Dr. Patty North – 2023 NP 49 Euro, M/V Lady North.

Both couples have decided it is time to let someone new enjoy their beautiful North Pacific yachts. Parting is such sweet sorrow. If you are in the market for a boat check this link – they are both GREAT trawlers.

Celebrating Milestones: May 7, Ray and Caryl’s anniversary; May 8, Danielle Ginsburg hit the big 40!; May 11, Michele May Jackson.

Sunday, May 11 is Mother’s Day. Tyler, are you making breakfast for your mom? W know you know how! :-) Flowers for Morgan and Gibby.

Our next post will include Carlouel Yacht Club – for those of you counting Florida Council Clubs that equals 11 so far!! Then on to Tarpon Springs to find some sponges. Thinking of you Jim and Susan :-)

“Life happens, ice cream helps.”

Regular foll0wers know that Capt. Rick loves his ice cream, preferably soft serve, so it was a banner day when he found the all-you-can-eat machine at the Bradenton Yacht Club. Of course he had two servings. Silly questions.

They also have a popcorn machine, PC Greg Rocque!

This yacht club did a marvy job of displaying the club burgees. Glad to see the columns are only found at the perimeter of the room.

River Dunes Harbor Club and Marina

Bonus sighting – it’s Exhale II – NP 4911 – now known as Above Expectations.

She was docked at River Dunes Marina. It was great to see Dr. Karen and Ron Oldano. Looking forward to your retirement, doc!

Dinner with the Oldano’s at Sofra Kitchen Bar and Bistro was amazing – both Karen and I ate every morsel of the Cacio e Pepe – Mija’s favorite – so great to see you both. Apologies for not snapping a group photo.

The run to Tampa included a little excitement, as we witnessed a training exercise by the Coast Guard.

Zoom in to see the man lifted from the boat into the helicopter – impressive!

Vibrant Tampa

Tonto’s Reward and Exhale docked at the Tampa Convention Center, thanks to a great boater’s tip from Tom and Faye Turke. The city was energized. Our location boasted a live concert from Florence + the Machine. There were a plethora of restaurants nearby, oh, and so much more. Gail’s blog will introduce The Florida Aquarium.

If you are a hockey fan you know Tampa Bay Lightning plays at the Benchmark International Arena, just a short walk from where we docked. Our visit coincided with Game 5 of the playoffs, against the Montreal Canadiens. Yes my editorial friends, Paul and Donna will confirm the official team name is correctly spelled. As of Game 6 – played in Montreal – the teams were tied 3-3. Game 7 is Sunday, May 3, Go Bolts!

A quick Google search revealed that Tampa is the third largest city in Florida, with about 3.4 million people in the broader metro area. With a median age of 35-36 years old – compare that to roughly 106,000 in Fort Myers where the median age is 43, although it feels like it is 65+.

We noticed a significant amount of construction around the city, some of it quite stunning. For example, this eye-catching gem, known as Heron towers, is an Architecture Masterprize winner! It’s marketed as “a luxury apartment community with rooftop pools and a market cafe, set along the Tampa Riverwalk”. Hey Ryan M, the 420-unit complex is not affordable, but it is LEED Gold Certified.

A brief dinghy ride took us to Davis Island Yacht Club, another Florida Council Club, for a nice lunch.

Back in Tampa, an exploration of the riverfront by dinghy revealed more architectural beauties including the “Giant Slinky”, a 21-foot tall sculpture by artist Marc Fornes, founder of The Very Many.

Officially dubbed Form of Wander, apparently the aluminum structure has seven trunks made from 3,123 individual parts that are riveted together. Now that’s a LOT of pieces. Most impressive, this super sturdy hunk of metal withstood category 4 winds of Hurricane Michael. Well made. Here’s a photo from the artist – I think it’s more spectacular in the evening.

We also explored the beautiful walking trails found in Cotanchobee / Fort Brooke Park. David G was amused as he pointed out a hooker, Meroba Hooker Crane to be precise. Fun Fact for Dr. Karen Oldano: Born in Tampa, the 6th of 11 children (ouch), Meroba Crane was the first President of Emergency Hospital, the forerunner of Tampa General Hospotal.

BEST of Tampa included Bern’s Steakhouse, thanks David and Gail for a memorable evening.

Clockwise: David B, Gail B, Mary S and Capt Rick

More than a meal, Capt. Rick said. “it’s an experience”. Boater’s tip – arrive hungry, and don’t panic at the prices. When you order a steak, the entree includes french onion soup (yum), a generous salad, fresh bread, a loaded baked potato, onion strings and the veggie of the day! You also get a private tour of the kitchen and the chilly (50 degree) wine cellar!

For PC Greg Rocque – Bern’s wine collection contains over half a million bottles and 6500 labels from all over the world – it was overwhelming to see just a small portion of the cellar. If you are curious, click here.

Although we did not finish our meals, we enjoyed a light dessert in the unique ambience upstairs. Delicious!

Creamsicle: white chocolate mousse, orange cream, and orange sherbet.

Tampa Yacht Club (TYC)

We spent just one night at TYC, where the swimming pool was the perfect temperature! There are actually two connected pools, one is for laps, this one is for relaxing. Dinner at the club was 4-star worthy.

Here’s a wall of flowers for my Jasmine. It smelled soooooo good.

St. Petersburg Yacht Club (SPYC)

At St. Pete’s, Tonto’s Reward and Exhale reunited with NP45 Treble in Paradise.

Buttercup was quite content to hang out with Tom Turke!

Gail B and Faye Turke on Tonto’s Reward.

Yes, Faye made the adorable blue purse, she’s crafty that way!

On Saturday morning, Faye, Tom, Gail and Mary S went to the Farmer’s Market. Look at this produce! Yes, those are kumquats. Sooo good.

Meanwhile Rick G, David B, and Ron Oldano were working on a wide array of boat stuff on Above Expectations. Looking good!

Look at this Loopers – there was a confirmed spotting of Phanthom at River Dunnes! Jim and Susan, Ray and Caryl, here’s to Herb Seaton’s Back Porch – Good memories :-)

Now I am sending happy thoughts for my Kraken fan. Wait, is that cerulean blue? If you know the reference, The Devil Wears Prada 2 is in the theaters now!

Hey Sideways, happy to hear your repairs and upgrades are almost finished, hoping she will be on the water soon!

Closing this entry with an opportunity for more ice cream! Because when life happens, ice cream helps.

Celebrating Milestones
Birthdays: May 2, Celeste Amish; May 8, Danielle Ginsburg

Anniversary: May 7, Ray and Caryl.

Next up: More details from St. Pete’s – chilling for three days.

Cool Thing – Sarasota

For some, it’s a song from Rascal Flatts, “Cool Thing“

A little Sarasota moonlight
Driftwood fire burnin’

For us, it’s a place to Walk (a lot), to Shop (supporting the locals), and to Dine (with LOTS of delicious options)!

First, a little area History. The oldest documented reference to the area is found on a sheepskin Spanish map, from 1763, with the word “Zarazote”.

Girl Power: Bertha Palmer (Bertha Honoré Palmer) May 22, 1849 – May 5, 1918. Beginning around the start of the twentieth century she was the region’s largest landholder, rancher and developer, known to have purchased more than 90,000 acres in what is now Sarasota County. A well known socialite, and philanthropist in her time, her success was impressive – especially since women did not win the right to vote until 1920!

Male Competition: Also arriving in 1910, Owen Burns (October 31, 1869 – August 28, 1937) became the largest landholder within what is now the city limits of Sarasota; he also founded a bank, built bridges, developed landmark buildings, and constructed a few waterfront mansions. Most important to boaters – he dredged the harbor, using the soil to create more waterfront property!

Sarasota Yacht Club

This is for SCYC Past Commodore Greg Rocque – looking forward to the remodel!

Also for PC Greg Rocque, the Sarasota Yacht Club understands a grand lobby!

PLUS, they have a wine room, Commodore Kim, this would be great at SCYC!

Say hi to the resident mascot, a great white heron.

We returned to Blue Dolphin Cafe in St Armand’s Circle for a delicious breakfast, followed by some very successful retail therapy. Shoppers, there are over 100 stores and dining options in the circle, not sure where to go first? Check out this color-coded map!

To Buttercup’s annoyance, this pelican continued to dive nearby, making a great splash with every catch of fish.

Marie Selby Botanical Gardens – Downtown Sarasota

We walked with David B. and Gail B. around the 15-acre botanical garden, which included a Display Conservatory – think greenhouse – with a sweet Bonsai. For more details, see Gail Bernstein’s next blog!!

Here’s another angle for Zach.

Bird Key Yacht Club, Sarasota

Although the club is in the midst of a massive construction project (don’t worry, there will be no columns in the dining room), the marina is still welcoming to transients. Our timing was perfect as we were invited to join the monthly Grill and Chill! Delicious swordfish, chicken, salads, and more!

Hi to new followers, Bird Key Yacht Club members, and dockmates, David and Kathy Tucker, enjoy the water!!

The second night at Bird Key we ate on board. Grilled Tuna Steaks ‘ala Tonto’s Reward. Thanks Chef Gail B. for another delicious meal.

sunset by Capt Rick

One more comment about Bird Key – Buttercup did not appreciate the construction zone view – but she did seem very busy barking at the myriad of workers!

Shout out to Family

Hello to Mija Alisha and her cousin Joe Buckendahl, enjoying the Long Beach, CA Grand Prix.

And, for my brother Sam, this week the AK Straleys are celebrating the annual slush cup in Girdwood, AK – think Polar Bear Plunge on skis and snowboards! Too cold for Capt Rick, for sure.

Oh Hey Sideways! Looking Good!

Special Message to Mark Cardone – Get better, brother from another mother, all the way better, soon. XoXo

Celebrating Milestones: Toasting the April birthdays and anniversaries!

Next Up: Bradenton Yacht Club followed by Tampa Convention Center.

See you soon Tom and Faye at St. Pete Yacht Club!

A Windy Start

Singalong now …

And Windy has stormy eyes
That flash at the sound of lies
And Windy has wings to fly
Above the clouds (above the clouds)

Here’s a YouTube of the Song by The Association ‧ 1967

More than a blustery day, in the past few days we have experienced winds up to 30 knots, Capt Rick said the average was 20 to 25 knots. Although we were safely tied up, it was not fun for Buttercup. But I digress …

Pelican Bay / Cayo Costa

We started this journey with an overnight at Pelican Bay, a favorite spot for all of us. The only thing missing was the conch at sunset, blown with much gusto by SFYC Commodore Connie.

Boater’s Tip – open the hatches and enjoy the fresh air! The stars at night are beyond compare. The splashing sound near your hull is very likely bait fish!

Yes, there were Pelicans in Pelican Bay!

Isles Yacht Club (IYC), Punta Gorda

Our first Florida Council Club stop was at IYC.

Fun fact: Punta Gorda is Spanish for “Fat Point”. Spanish fishermen from Cuba, who frequented the area in the early 1800s, are believed to have given the area its name, long before permanent settlement.

Boater’s Tip: It’s a perfect place to launch a dinghy to explore the waterfront neighborhoods.

Charlotte Harbor Yacht Club (CHYC), Port Charlotte

The water is too shallow at CHYC for us to overnight, but it is an easy run by dinghy from IYC. The owner, Jeffrey, is delightful

and the brunch at the club is exceptional. Gail and I both ordered the Eggs Benedict, with a Bloody Mary, all was delicious!! It was nice to see the SCYC burgee prominently displayed in the club house.

The weather was calm in Punta Gorda.

Buttercup waited on Tonto’s Reward for Gail B. to bring her a treat, Capt Rick said what she really wanted was to take a nap with Bert and EJ, on David B’s pillow.

Venice Yacht Club, Venice FL

Celebrating it’s 75th Anniversary, Venice Yacht Club was a WINDY stop.

To our pure delight, SCYC Past Commodore (PC) Gary Ralph, on Knot Dreamin’, joined us on the second evening in Venice. He is also busy visiting Florida Council Clubs!

PC Rick Ginsburg (SFYC) and PC Gary Ralph (SCYC) on board Exhale.

The wind continued to howl! We were happy to stay put, to let the fowl weather pass. Heather R, don’t you love my crazy hair :-)

A little ambulatory update from this blogger – thank you to the numerous followers who asked about my recovery from the unfortunate gravity-driven accident last August on Tangier Island, VA. I am happy to report I have now taken on all First Mate duties, with no issues! And, I am walking like a normal human with minimal challenge (although not to be compared with super walker David B). Navigating stairs – going up – is fine, but going down stairs, and uneven surfaces, require extra effort; that’s just a minor inconvenience. So thanks again for checking!

Special Note to Sideways – we know you are making progress with all those projects. Can’t wait to connect on the water, again.

Celebrating Milestones: Birthday April 22, Katrin Ericson

Next Up: Sarasota Yacht Club and Bird Key Yacht Club – both in Sarasota, FL

Thanks everyone for following us! Your comments and “likes” are appreciated.

Let’s Go!

It’s April, and Exhale is on the water again! Buttercup says, it’s been a long time, been a long time, been a LONG time!

First, a little catch up. In our September 2025 post – Chesapeake Summer – Hello Gravity – we reported the bizarre boating accident – on August 29 – on Tangier Island, Virginia. The next day, with the first mate out of commission, Capt Rick moved the boat from Tangier to Onancock, by himself. Thank you for the escort by Tonto’s Reward.

The diagnosis was a fractured tibia plateau – fancy medical words for a broken leg. On September 5 surgery was performed to realign and elevate the knee cap, and to insert a total of 10 metal screws!

The ortho surgeon told us to hold still for another two weeks in Onancock. Meanwhile, Rick and Buttercup were just waiting to Exhale …

This patient was sustained by a lot of yummy grilled cheese sandwiches, with pickles and fresh fruit, thanks to Chef Ricardo.

We were cleared by Ortho to travel on Sept 19, a total of 21 days after the accident. Next up – Norfolk, VA.

SeaBee Ray Houle climbed on board to help! A true hero, after securing Exhale in Norfolk, Ray drove with Rick and I back to Fort Myers, a grueling 950-mile road trip. The next morning, the men said goodbye to Buttercup and me, then drove back to Norfolk to retrieve Exhale, with a helping hand from Caryl, who flew in to the St. Augustine area to join the men.

In Rick’s absence, a BIG thanks to the many friends and neighbors who walked Buttercup, drove me to medical and physical therapy appointments, and helped me hobble around.

Thanks Zach for this fancy cane from your travels in Asia!

Exhale is On the Move!

Fast forward to late March of 2026 … it’s time to get back on the water, but first,

Summer Breeze

a little tribute to Seals and Crofts, one of the great soft rock bands from the 70s. Sadly, Austin, Texas singer Dash Crofts passed on March 25 at age 87. They wrote “Summer Breeze”. You probably know the sweet lyric, “Summer breeze, makes me feel fine / Blowin’ through the jasmine in my mind”; and, you might know that my daughter, Alisha Jasmine, is named after that song.

Florida Boating in the Spring is Heavenly

On April 16, 2026 Exhale left the home dock, stopping for one night at St. Charles Yacht Club.

Jane Linscott, Capt Rick, Past Commodore John Linscott

What’s the Float Plan?

Early on April 17 we travel in tandem with Tonto’s Reward, heading first to Pelican Bay.

This boating season we will visit the Florida Council Clubs! There are 36 in total, let’s see how many we actually reach.

First, we will spend about six weeks exploring the west coast of Florida – going north from Fort Myers. Our destination is a bit north of Clearwater, to Tarpon Springs. On the map below it’s a little north of Tampa. After a short return to Fort Myers, we will head south towards Key West, then loop around towards Miami, heading north on the east coast of Florida, towards Jacksonville and Melbourne. Boating friends, please join us when you can!

Here’s a map and a list of the clubs

For now, say hi to Danielle’s new mascot from the birthday trip to Orlando.

Celebrations: Recent Birthdays include April 7, Ryan Mendoza;

April 8, Grandson Tyler Hendry turned 10, to celebrate in style, nine of us gathered in Orlando. He’s such a cool dude.

A shout out to Anders, can you believe that 10 years have passed since we took delivery of our first Exhale, time has flown by!

April 10, Dale Morgan; April 13, Piper Jackson turned 18! April 14, Meghan Reese; April 18, Rachel Gill; and April 19, cousin John Gill, Jr.

Congratulations to our sweet friends, Ray Houle and Caryl Moulder on their new boat, a Mainship 350, soon to be named “Sideways”.

Special Shoutouts – Thanks for the new bridge – Joyce and Dr. Bennett! Congratulations to Bill Greggs and our VITA team – it was a great season!

Next Up: Cayo Costa, looking forward to lunch at Cabbage Key and anchoring out in Pelican Bay with Tonto’s Reward.

Chesapeake Summer, Hello Gravity

The Chesapeake Bay touches six states – New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, and West Virginia – plus Washington, D.C. Over 18 million people live in the area, because it’s spectacular!

To learn more, click here (thanks, Wikipedia).

Rock Hall

Although Rock Hall was introduced in the last post, here’s the Crab Cakes from Sandy – DELICIOUS.

Sandy Grosvenor, crab cakes extraordinaire

Introducing a new safety protocol – the Mount Gay Life Jacket!

Pirates be ware, Admiral Buttercup “aka Killer” is on Guard.

Osprey for the bird watchers.

Chester Town

One of our favorite spots in the Chesapeake. Incredible historic properties with great local restaurants. It’s fun to photograph the old brick buildings,

but, beware of those uneven sidewalks with shifty attack bricks – you know the kind, they “jump up” and make you “fall down”!

Here’s a Hydrangea for Mija.

This is for Commodore Greg Rocque – for the remodel plans, of course!

Custom House, 101 South Water Street, Chester Town; built in 1746.

One of Capt Rick’s favorite historic sites, situated at one of Maryland’s many active and trans-national ports, the three-story brick house consisted of a spacious warehouse on the first floor used as a Chestertown’s custom house; living quarters were located on the upper levels. Rear section added in 1771.

What is a custom house? Typically found at ports, it is where customs officials processed and collected duties and taxes on imported goods (including slaves). The original owner was Thomas Ringgold (1715-1772). Ringgold and his business partner Samuel Galloway III – reminds us of a certain wealthy family in southwest Florida – operated the largest slave trade operation in the Chesapeake Bay. Not cool.

The structure was restored and donated to Washington College in 1993 and is now used as a cultural education center. Now, that’s cool.

This classic MGB is for my little sister, Frances. I know, Scott Taylor’s sweet ride was butterscotch.

Oxford

There’s nothing like the shade of a mature tree, overlooking the waterway; right Ryan Mendoza?? When walking about, take the time to appreciate their beauty.

Stats: Oxford Population is shrinking, with only 611 perm residents as of 2020. As of that census, the median age in the town was 61.1 years. Only 8.1% of residents were under the age of 18 – in other words, it’s a retirement community, not a family town.

Watermen’s Mural – Hey Miss Morgan, do you see the boat with your name on it?

This tiny house is for Ynot!

Solomon’s, Maryland

We stopped, again, at Solomon’s. Sorry no pictures this time. Goodbye Maryland, it was a wonderful visit!

Tangier Island, Virginia

First, to get in the mood, click here to listen to Gravity – by John Mayer, found on the award winning album, “where the light is”

The first line of the song goes like this, “Gravity is working against me, and gravity wants to bring me down.”

Spoiler Alert – the following true story may be cringe worthy to some. Here we go.

Visualize a heavy current, with fixed docks; for non boaters that means it is a challenge to get on and off the boat as the tide continues to change. Thankfully, Tonto’s Reward docked first, so the Bernsteins were standing on the dock, poised to assist with the lines. I smoothly tossed a bow line to David B, who adeptly wrapped it around a piling. Unfortunately, we needed to bring the bow closer to the dock to safely tie up. So, I planned to quickly remove and relocate the bow line from the forward hawse pipe to one farther back. Tragically, I tripped on a hatch in the process, then, gravity did it’s thing – I fell, hard, on the deck of the boat.

Next thing I knew, the Tangier Volunteer Fire Department had arrived, to extract my wounded self from the boat, onto the fixed dock via an Emergency Evacuation Stair Chair Lift, similar to this:

It was NOT an easy task. The men carried the heavy chair down a long narrow dock, followed by a gravel path, before finally reaching a paved surface where they could transfer me to an ambulance gurney. It is possible the entire department showed up, including but not limited to Rob, Gary, Andy, Wes, and Lucas – with assistance from Inez and Jerry; a great opportunity to perform a rare drill!

As it turns out, the ambulance ride was less than a mile to the clinic. Good grief.

Quite the surprise for an island population of less than 400 people, the Riverside Tangier clinic is modern, spacious, and equipped with XRay equipment!

David B Nichols Health Center, photo by David Bernstein.

Ms. Inez Pruitt, PA-C, is phenomenal. Born in Tangier Island she is the primary medical officer of the Riverside Tangier David B Nichols Health Center. Pictured here with her father, waterman Capt Jerry Frank Pruitt, owner of Pruitt’s Boatyard.

Jerry and Inez Pruitt, photo by Capt. Rick

Since they were not equipped to handle ortho surgery, with Capt Rick single handing Exhale for the first time ever (Sandy G, you would have been proud), off to Onancock we went!

Onancock, Virginia

We got real familiar with Onancock (prounounced oh-nan (like nancy)-cock (like rooster), a sleepy historic town with a full service hospital.

Prognosis: fractured tibia plateau. Yes, Mayer fans, gravity brought me down to my knees!

Remedy: Ortho surgery – realigning the bone and stabilizing with a plate, screws, and other hardware, plus a bone filler to lift my knee and help me walk again – scheduled tomorrow (Friday, Sept 5).

Next Steps: wait two more weeks for a “green flag” from the surgeon – hopefully by Sept 19. Meanwhile, Exhale is highly visible at the Onancock Wharf. So, if you are in the neighborhood, stop by. Visitor’s Welcomed!

Once we have approval to “go”, with the help of Tonto’s Reward, Exhale will traverse to Norfolk where this blogger will reluctantly get off the boat, destined to Fort Myers for PT – most likely beginning the week of Sept 22.

Moving Forward: Since the surgeon is requiring three months of non-weight bearing hobbling around, Capt Rick will be single handing the boat from Norfolk to Savannah, then from Savannah to Fort Myers.

Unique Boater’s Invitation – anyone interested in an adventure as co-captain of Exhale PLEASE reach out to Capt Rick. Short stints welcomed. Dates flexible, subject to Florida hurricane season. First Dibs belongs to Sideways, followed by Craig Adford.

Chesapeake Summer Recap:

We close with a recap of the many fabulous places we explored in the Chesapeake this summer, MOST for the first time. This map includes most of the stops – zoom in to see where we went.

In no particular order – Potomac River: Washington DC, Alexandria, Colonial Beach, St. Mary’s City; Rappahannock River: Urbana; Chesapeake Bay: Reedville, Deltaville, Rock Hall, Onancock, Tangier; Choptank River: Cambridge, Oxford; Eastern Bay: St. Michaels, Wye River; Chester River: Chester Town. Plus a few more stops I forgot to mention.

Boater’s Tip – in the past we may or may not have bemoaned these waterways; now we highly endorse the journey!! Just watch out for Gravity :-)

Celebrating Milestones: Birthday September 5, Susan Merritt (so very sorry to you and Jim for your loss); September 9, Connie B; September 15, Tony Rodriguez.

Delayed thanks to Libby McGuire, who hosted dinner my last night in Fort Myers, and who took me to the airport! Thanks Libby, you are the BEST neighbor. See you VERY soon.

That’s a Looong Bridge

The Gov. William Preston Lane Jr. Memorial Bridge spans over 4 miles! When it was opened in 1952, it was the world’s longest continuous over-water steel structure. Now, there are numerous bridges worldwide that beat that record.

The bridge name honors the former 52nd governor, who launched the construction of the phenomenal connector. But that’s a long name, even for a loooong bridge. Instead, you might call it the Chesapeake Bay Bridge or just the Bay Bridge.

Chesapeake Bay Bridge from Annapolis to Maryland’s Eastern Shore.
Stock Photo Wikipedia

Notice the guard rails are low, and the bridge is relatively narrow. No wonder Susan Jellen is not fond of driving across this scary bridge.

From the water it was sweet to see this sailboat passing smoothly under the bridge.

A brief Florida visit

This week I flew to Fort Myers, FL for a brief visit, happy to reconnect with several friends. First, let’s check in on our wildest neighbor, Ollie, the Burrowing Owl!

Natural camouflage. Wittman Drive burrowing owl, “Ollie”.

Curious about the local critter? Here area few Burrowing Owl stats: typical adult height 8-10” / Wing Span 22”. Although they can dig for themselves, they often let other animals do all the work, taking over burrows of prairie dogs, skunks, and other digging animals. In some cases it is a revival of an abandoned site, but in other cases the smaller animal was “evicted” unfairly, without notice.

Fun fact – These owls are not great fliers, with relatively short wings and tail; instead they have long, skinny legs so they hunt mostly on foot, and they are fast runners when chasing prey.

Another fabulous fact – the sexes are identical in size and color, they both guard the nest and they both hunt. Thus, gender equality is real in this part of the animal kingdom! Whooo. Whooo.

Friendly Visits

A planned stop at St. Charles Yacht Club (SCYC) was intended to be brief, to retrieve a few club burgees for David B. Lucky me, the timing was perfect as I was invited to sit with the Commodore and his wife for dinner! Say hello to Greg and Paula Rocque. Special thanks to the GM Justin Fleming for preparing an exceptional steak with sautéed mushrooms (pictured here!) Kim H, wish you were there! And thanks to Madi for spoiling me, again!

Say hello to another friend, Dr. Joe Occhino (ret. dentist), you look great, Joe!

Wittman neighbors, Morgan and Pamela,

Steven with a “v” Hunt and Donna Wallace,

and it was great to see Caryl Moulder (not pictured). Here’s Caryl’s cat, the observer, Brock-a-lee; keeping a close eye on yet another DIY project from Sideways!

The talented Mr. Brock – a – lee above the cabinets

Rock Hall, Maryland

After a short flight from RSW to Dulles International, on Sunday Exhale and Tonto’s Reward departed Annapolis (Madi’s special place!) to Rock Hall, yet another small town in Maryland known for it’s seafood.

We had lunch at the Harbor Shack Waterfront Bar and Grill, just a short walk from the marina. Absolutely delighted to spot this meaningful authentic Alaska license plate from Seward, Alaska, where I went to high school, for real! Blaine and former mayor Jean Bardarson, did you give them your plate? Seems plausible!

Zoom in. Issued from late 1997 through late 2004, the design commemorates the Centennial of the 1898 Alaska Gold Rush, featuring prospectors climbing the Chilkoot Pass trail.

Rock Hall is such a cute town.

Family Time

We close with a photo from our granddaughter Pristine Bleu. Our great granddaughter Juliette Bleu Martinez is turning 4 in November; as you can she loves to read! Bravo Pristine!

She is so excited to go to school soon!

Celebrating Milestones

Birthdays: August 23, Matt Jackson; August 24, Patrick Mager – who says, “don’t let the old man in” (you are as old as you believe, so keep strong and live long)!

Up Next: – tonight the Bernstein’s and us will be spoiled with Sandy Grosvenor‘s infamous crab cakes, cooking and dining on her North Pacific, Road Trip.

Next stop is Chestertown, Maryland

Oh, Maryland

Her state flower is beautiful!

Maryland State Flower – Black Eyed Susan

With a total area of 12,407 square miles, Maryland is the ninth-smallest state by land area.

For Tyler: Ohio is almost 4 times the size of Maryland, at 44,826 square miles. Let’s also compare Maryland to my home state, Alaska, which measures in at 665,384 square miles or 54 times bigger than Maryland! How does your home state measure up? Click here

Annapolis Regatta

Annapolis is well known for Spectacular Sailboats! These are for Gail B.

Wye River, Maryland

Thank you again to Bob and Susan Jellen for introducing us to their oasis, Wye River. We anchored out near their home with Tonto’s Reward; it was their first big journey on their new boat.

In the early morning we were surrounded by fog, the perfect fishing conditions for this hearty waterman.

SFYC minyan! Orchestrated by the Jellens, we had a fabulous dinner at the Fisherman’s Inn in Kent Narrows.

10 friends from Southwest Florida Yacht Club (SFYC) gathered together for dinner – clockwise from the bottom – Susan Jellen, Laura Magers, Patty Letzler, Patrick Magers, David Bernstein, Bob Jellen, Tom Letzler, Rick Ginsburg, Mary S, and Gail Bernstein.

A proper Maryland Crab Feast

Bob and Susan Jellen generously included all 10 of us in their annual crab feast at their home on Wye River. Buttercup appeared to be the guest of honor – spoiled with the best chair in the house.

We relaxed poolside at the Jellen’s – it was time for the BIG bottles of wine :-)

Left to right, poolside gathering – Bob Jellen, Susan Jellen, Patrick and Laura Magers, Patty and Tom Letzler.

Susan shared her technique to crack and pick whole crabs. It doesn’t get any fresher than this!

Not pictured: Fresh Shrimp, Grilled Alaskan Reindeer Sausage (provided by Capt. Rick – from Costco in Anchorage, AK, thanks Finny), and LOTS of paper towels.

Really Sorry, the video of Susan was too big to upload, although not as fun, here’s a page from the Annapolis tourist guide with similar instructions (thanks Jamie and David).

Old Bay is the BEST seasoning on crabs and shrimp. Note to novice pickers – although it’s very, very messy, it’s sooo worth it!

After a perfect evening of amazing food and great friends here’s a view of the Queenstown Clouds – reflecting on the water at our Wye River anchorage.

From the anchorage back to the Jellen’s home, time for a Dinghy Ride on Inhale with the Bernsteins. Buttercup is sitting pretty!

Wye River Lighthouse – sharing the beauty.

Visitors on Board – Hendry Celebration

We went back to Annapolis, again. This time it was to meet up with Jamie, David, and grandson Tyler who drove from Cleveland, Ohio to Annapolis to climb on board for a long weekend. Tyler is 9 years old. Grandpa Rick let him steer the boat with his big feet.

In St. Michael’s those big feet found the original Watermen Boots, as well as Grandpa Rick’s favorite reclining chair.

Tyler also found the Penguin Mascot – nothing like a fluffy pirate companion.

Tyler and David discovered a blue crab near the boat, which David swooped up in a net.

A few days later they caught two more. For the trained eye, yes, the top crab is a female! All of the crabs were to puny to cook and eat. Catch and Release.

Tyler really liked the breeze on the fly bridge – it felt like he could fly.

Along the water way we spotted Navy Yard Patrol 686. Used for midshipmen’s training, this vessel was outfitted for oceanographic research.

More Maryland: Closing with an easy listening moment for Ray Houle – written and performed by Vonda Shepard for Ally McBeal – video “Maryland” Take the time to listen, it’s sweet.

Celebrating Milestones – Birthdays: August 19, Alisha Silverstein and Julia Goral; Anniversary: August 19, Danielle and Sandra; August 21, Tom Turke; August 23, Matt Jackson; August 24, Patrick Magers.

Next Up: Exhale is docked in Annapolis until August 24. If you are in the neighborhood, please visit!!

Rappahannock River

Can you say that three times, real fast? The river is downstream from Washington DC; beginning at the Chesapeake Bay, the river runs a total of 195 miles with a plethora of beautiful homes along the shore. The name may be very familiar if you love oysters!

Urbanna, VA

Exhale and Tonto’s Reward stopped for one night in Urbanna, or “City of Anne”, named after Great Britain’s Queen Anne. Year round population as of 2000 = 543 persons :-)

We stayed at Urbby Boatyard and Marina – once 4 neighboring marinas, it has since merged into one colossal marina, covering 7 acres and offering 172 wet slips. Owned and operated by Andy and Amy Anderson it was a wonderful spot. Boater’s Tip: We highly recommend you stay there! Check it out.

Andy and Amy Anderson – photo from their website

The full-service marina now includes a phenomenal New York deli with the freshest ingredients imaginable. I suggest you order the Hot Pastrami or my favorite, the Rueben; you won’t be disappointed!

Exhale was tied up at the one end of the marina, adjacent to the bridge, on a floating dock. Insuring lots of extra steps for all of us, Tonto’s Reward was berthed at the extreme opposite end.

Boater’s Tip: the adorable town of Urbanna is easy walking distance from the marina. A very walkable little village, this photo is for Ray Houle, who loves trucks and classic stuff.

Here’s one more pair of Watermen Art Project boots, found in Urbanna! I love the authentic grass clippings on the toes of the boots.

Reedville, VA – a quaint fishing town

In 1874 fisherman Capt. Elijah Reed founded the village of Reedville, obviously naming the community after himself. Today Reedville claims to be is one of the major commercial fishing ports in the United States, second to Kodiak, Alaska. Let’s be real. You can’t really compete with Alaska since it produces about 60% of the nation’s commercial fisheries – including salmon, crab, Pacific cod, shrimp, herring, sablefish (black cod), pollock, and one of my personal favorites, halibut. Yum.

Take a look at Gail Bernstein’s blog to learn more!

The wealth generated from the fishing industry supported the construction of several Victorian mansions.

The 1909 Reedville Gables Victorian Mansion is now a lovely bed and breakfast.

Gail Bernstein and I strongly recommend a visit to the Reedville Fishermen’s Museum; if the building is closed don’t leave too quickly, make the time to walkabout (for Heather Rutherford), and enjoy the outdoor exhibits!

Reedville Fishermen’s Museum

And now, a new word (new to me, that is) found on the transom of this tiny boat located at the Fishermen’s Musuem.

Okay, readers, what is a Spat?

You are right, Alisha J, spats are footwear; for some it is also the past tense of spit; and for seafood lovers, it is a mollusc reference; essentially, it’s a baby oyster that has found a place to attach and grow. Here’s the official life cycle of an oyster, from FSU. Cool lesson!

Sorry, Capt Rick, Chitterchats Ice Cream Parlor was closed – open Thursday thru Sunday only.

Small towns have the most beautiful sunsets!

Spring Cove, MD, again

Exhale returned to Spring Cove for one night. The flowers and the grass in this location are stunning, attributed to the rich soil and rainy conditions. No brackish water here!

Cambridge Yacht Basin, Maryland

Founded in 1684 on the beautiful banks of the Choptank River, Cambridge, MD is one of the oldest colonial cities in the nation.

Choptank River Lighthouse

The original lighthouse at the Choptank River Station was built in 1871 in Baltimore. Keep reading – the lighthouse has a unique story to tell.

Tragedy Strikes – Bizarrely, the lighthouse was walloped by ice not once, but twice! The first collision was in 1880, cracking three pilings. The second time, in 1918, 30-foot high ice flows severely compromised the structure, causing it to topple into the raging river a few weeks later.

The freak loss was a tragic natural disaster. During an era of heavy steamboat, sailing and fishing traffic, it was the only manned lighthouse inside the Choptank River. Critical to safe navigation, the lights and fog bells helped to guide ships to Cambridge, and farther up-river to Secretary and Denton.

Unique Collaboration – In 1921, not long after the lighthouse crashed into the Choptank River, officials in Maryland reached out to officials in Virginia, striking a highly unusual agreement – to relocate the 1858 Cherrystone Bar Lighthouse from Cape Charles, VA (click to learn more) to Cambridge.

Cherrystone Bar Light, City of Cambridge stock photo.

The VA lighthouse had recently been mothballed and placed in storage, replaced by newer technology – with an automated fog bell. Unfortunately, it was another example of automation replacing a human.

Towed by barge about 100 miles up the Chesapeake, the VA lighthouse was successfully relocated to Choptank River, MD, labeled as the “original site” in the map below.

Fun facts for your Thursday night trivia teams – it was the only lighthouse to be transplanted and re-activated, and, it was the only one commissioned to serve in two states! Did you know that the fog bell in each lighthouse has a different sound pattern, so mariners could navigate in the fog?

Fast forward to modern times, the Cambridge River Lighthouse Society carefully rebuilt the Choptank River Lighthouse at the “replica site” shown in the map above – in celebration of the town’s rich maritime heritage.

The Choptank River Lighthouse replica was completed in 2012.

Now it is a popular museum located at the Choptank Wharf.

For more beautiful photos, click here: Jill Jasuta Photography

Family Feature

Reposting a photo from my Instagram feed – say hello to Juliette, she’s our great granddaughter, also Tony and Alisha’s granddaughter, and of course Pristine Bleu’s beautiful big girl! A statement of fashion at 3 and 3/4, she’s so adorable.

In closing we share this lawn sign, found at the edge of a well manicured lawn in Maryland. You probably know, the official motto of the United States, adopted in 1782, is E Pluribus Unum, translated Out of Many, One. The motto reflects the formation of the United States from the original thirteen colonies, which united to become a single nation. Diversity and unity can coexist. While the nation is comprised of many individual states, it is also one united entity.

The official motto appears on common symbols of the U.S. government, including the Great Seal and the Dollar Bill.

Celebrating Milestones:

Birthday August 10, David Hendry; August 11 Romeo and Ruby

Anniversary August 12, Mike and Sue Gillespie

Next up: St. Michaels; Tyler, David and Jamie Hendry arrive soon!

Chesapeake Watermen and Women

First, a few more stops along the Potomac.

Mt. Vernon – President Washington

Roughly 15 miles south of Washington, D.C. you can find George Washington’s Mansion – Private vessels are welcome on a first-come, first-served basis. Fortunately for our pupster, you can tie up to the ferry dock for a few hours, allowing plenty of time for her to water a tree.

Restoration is ongoing at the mansion, proof that tourist traffic supports the facility.

Washington’s Tomb is easy to find. Rather modest in size, I was shocked to discover the tomb is beyond CROWDED. In fact, George, Martha and 25 close relatives are buried together. Not a big fan of tight quarters or over-crowded spaces, I say no thanks on the family snuggle.

As you can see, the view from Mt. Vernon is serene.

The museum was well air-conditioned, a welcome respite from the record heat. This musical tribute is for Ynot.

Within sight of the Mansion, we anchored out. It was a quiet night, with little wind.

We returned to Colonial Beach – this sunset is for Dave and Holly Lubs.

St. Mary’s College

First, a throwback to our prior visit to St. Mary’s in 2018. Say hi to Lorrie Swink, M/V Reality, and our original boatdog, Maddie Sue, taken 7 years ago.

– and here are some young sailor’s from St. Mary’s.

Kilmarnock, Chesapeake Boat Basin, Indian Creek

The quaint litte town was founded in 1650, yes, it is named after Kilmarnock, Scotland. Year round population is about 1,500. Immediately adjacent to the marina you find the Perdue Grainary (seen below). Today it is used for storing and processing corn, soybeans, and wheat.

Boater’s Tip: The Chesapeake Boat Basin marina has a loaner car; take a short drive (about 3 miles) and you will find lots of delicious restaurants and local shops, worth the visit!

Watermen’s Way

Watermen’s Way is a public art project honoring the Watermen and Waterwomen of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. It turns out the project was inspired by a certain pair of boots you might recognize from an earlier blog post – found outside the marine museum at St. Michaels.

The oversized fiberglass boots, measuring 3 feet tall and 4 feet wide, are iconic representations of the men and women who make their living on the water.

In real life, the sturdy boots are used by the seafood industry across the world. This blogger wore such boots working in more than one smelly fish cannery in Alaska. In the Chesapeake Bay the sturdy boots have nicknames like “Guinea Slippers,” “Tangier Tennis Shoes,” “Red Balls,” or “Bubba Boots.”

Designs from 15 local artists were selected by Virginia’s River Realm. The vibrant boots are on display in Irvington, Kilmarnock, Deltaville, and Urbanna. To learn more, click here :-) Each fiberglass sculpture is unique, drawing from themes that reflect the lives of the watermen and waterwoman who work on the waterways. Popular themes include harvesting crabs, oysters, and fish.

Irvington, VA; Tides Inn – Church Prong

The resort is surrounded by serene scenery, such as this.

More boots – the chosen artist from Irvington selected oysters and fish as her theme.

Soybeans – crops in VA

We have seen numerous fields like this in VA. After a little research, we confirmed the crop is in fact soybeans. Bravo Capt. Rick.

Soybeans are Virginia’s number one cash crop, bringing in $165.7 million to the state, grown from the Eastern Shore to the Shenandoah Vally.

Did you know that soybeans are used in over 1,000 industrial products, such as plastics, paints, soaps, and crayons. They are also a key ingredient in animal feed, cooking oil, bakery products, and even biodiesel. If you want to know more, here’s a link to the Virginia Soybean Association Uses of Soy. You can’t make this stuff up!

Proud Mama

Congrats to Dream House Press! My phenomenal son-in law has officially opened a new printing business in Huntington Park, CA. We are so proud. Bravisimo, Ynot!

**Tony Rodriguez,** co-owner, Dream House Press

Celebrating Milestones – August 3, Andrea and Carly; August 4, Weston Wayne Sumpter Straley is 12; August 6, Morgan Wasmuth is 8, and Tanja Elliott; August 10, David Hendry.

Up Next – Rappahannock River, home of the BEST oysters. Headed to Urbanna, VA; Since it’s less than 9 nautical miles from our current location (Irvington, VA) I got to sleep in on a Sunday. Whoo Hooo.

Capital or Capitol?

First let’s resolve this common spelling question. Capital spelled with an “a” refers to the city, to uppercase letters, or to money; Capitol spelled with an “o” is the building in DC, pictured below :-). Whether you visit the city – spanning 68 square miles, or just the famous building, it’s a busy area! In fact, Washington DC brags 27 million visitors a year to the capital, including roughly 2 million international visitors.

DC now holds the title of the “Worst Traffic in America”, surpassing LA. Click here to verify! BUT don’t blame traffic congestion on the tourists – that’s a local commuter problem. Good news, slow traffic equals very few automobile accidents!

Capitol Building History

Most likely you have heard of the War of 1812, but did you know in 1814 the British army pillaged and torched the capitol building? The British occupation of Washington, D.C. lasted for roughly 26 hours; the attack was motivated by revenge for the American looting of York in Upper Canada, the provincial British capital.

US Library of Congress: *The History of England, from the Earliest Periods*

Local Celebrity Moment

When in DC, don’t be surprised if you bump into a friendly celebrity. On the docks of the Capital Yacht Club, Rick and Craig met the retired US Senator (D) from West Virginia. His yacht, “Almost Heaven”, named for the official W. VA state song, was just two boats away. Worth the listen, click here for the 50th Anniversary CMA awards video – the fabulous Forever Country version with too many artists to count.

Craig Adford, Joe Manchin, Rick Ginsburg

Touring the Capital City

With Craig and Maureen on board for our week in DC, we took turns identifying a tourist highlight for the day. There are so many Smithsonian Museums – most are free to the public, but some require a time slot reservation, so plan ahead. Thanks Maureen for picking the International Spy Museum.

Opened in 2002, the museum documents the history of espionage with a plethora of fascinating spy stuff from the Ancient Greeks and the Roman Empire to modern day. Located at 700 L’Enfant Plaza, the 32,000 square foot building reportedly holds the largest collection of international espionage artifacts on public display.

And, it is home to Bond in Motion. The favorite exhibit of our group, by far.

This is the Aston Martin DB5 used in the movie Goldfinger, the third part of the James Bond film series.

Smithsonian Hirschhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden

I selected the delightfully air conditioned museum, although there was only one Banksy on display – for Steven with a V.

The exhibit entitled Osgemeos: Endless Story was impressive. With over 1,000 pieces on display, the museum brags it is the largest US exhibition of work by identical twin brothers Gustavo and Otavio Pandolfo (note, the translation of “twins” in Portuguese is “Osgemeos”).

Known for urban art and graffiti traditions, the displays were both thought provoking and whimsical. Highlighting a few photos taken for mijos, Zach and Ynot.

for Zach

Other World Music for Tony

US Holocaust Memorial Museum

Rick chose the informative but depressing memorial, a reminder of the human suffering that should have been quelled sooner. It was “a sobering journey through the rise of Nazi Germany, the Final Solution, and the impact on Jewish people.” Sorry, no pictures. Nearby was a reminder of a beloved genuis who wisely left Berlin in 1933, during the early phases of human annihilation, to relocate to Princeton, New Jersey.

Alexandria, VA

A sidetrip on the dinghy took us to Alexandria.

In honor of a familiar tattoo, we toured the torpedo factory.

Built in 1918, the factory manufactured MarkXIV torpedos during WWII.

In 1974, it reopened as the Torpedo Factory Art Center, a vibrant co-op space for artists and educators. While we were there it was fun to watch the artists in action.

Walking around town we found numerous shops and restaurants, with a pedestrian section (no automobiles) that encouraged a lovely walkabout.

Arlington Cemetery

Boater’s Tip: Hop on Hop off is a nice way to see a LOT in a single day. After a full week in DC in record heat, we barely scratched the surface. Included in the Hop On Hop Off tour is a visit to the Arlington Cemetery.

Once you are at the cemetery, spend the extra $$ for the tram – the place is beyond massive.

Sadly, there were over 20 burials the day we visited. So far, gravesites number around 430,000.

We were surprised to discover the variety of sizes and shapes of gravestones, a well hidden secret. No longer an option as of 2017, now only standard issue white headstones are allowed – a change implemented as of Trump’s first term.

Under a grove of shady trees we found the final resting place of my idol, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (1933-1920) and her spouse, Martin David Ginsburg (1932-2010). Marty was an Army Veteran.

Ruth was a trailblazer who challenged and over turned discriminatory laws and practices, leaving a lasting impact on legal and social landscapes. It is unknown whether Capt Rick Ginsburg is actually related to Martin Ginsburg – that would be a proud discovery.

photo by Gail Bernstein. Justices Thurgood and Ginsburg, Annapolis, MD.

Burgee Exchange

Thanks to the Capital Yacht Club Vice Commodore who exchanged our St. Charles Yacht Club (SCYC) Burgee.

Closing with a picture from my brother Sam Straley, taken from his home in Girdwood, Alaska. His rustic abode faces a glacier, yes, the fireweed are spectacular!

Perhaps you already know, the beautiful flowers bloom from the bottom up, with the peak bloom often occurring in mid-July to mid-August. When the blooms reach the top, it’s a sign that summer is nearing its end.

Celebrating Milestones:

Birthdays – July 26, Barry Hildebrand; August 3, Andrea Davis and Carly Lennon Maurer.

What’s Next: anchoring out at Mt. Vernon, VA – exploring President George Washington’s mansion. Then a return to Colonial Beach, VA followed by an anchorage at St. Mary’s College of Maryland.

Cruising the Potomac

Spring Cove, Maryland

The run from Annapolis to Spring Cove is roughly 6 hours. Boater’s Tip, the marina offers a courtesy car (nearby grocery) to be returned by 6 ish. We opted to eat dinner on board. Sorry, no photos.

Colonial Beach, VA

Thanks Patrick and Laura Magers for the suggestion to stay at the Boat House in Colonial Beach, VA. About 8 hours from Spring Cove, the town is so adorable we stayed two nights.

Permanent population hovers around 3,600, this sweet beach town is a VERY popular stop for a summer vacation rental. Small beaches like this are plentiful, extending 2.5 miles along the Potomac River banks. A rare find!

On our second day, we were surprised by a visit from Florida friends Tom and Faye Turke, who are exploring by automobile this summer, rather than cruising the waterways in their lovely North Pacific Yacht, Treble in Paradise. Thanks for making the journey!

Local Restaurants in Colonial Beach were wonderful. We strongly recommend the Sunflower Cuisine (click here) – Sushi Thai fusion with French flair. Worth the walk. Flavors are extraordinary, and presentation is elegant.

Washington DC

From Colonial Beach we cruised up the beautiful Potomac to Washington DC. Exhale is spending a total of one week in our nation’s capital. Boaters, we recommend the Capital Yacht Club (as suggested by Ray and Caryl). We booked the marina reservation about 4 months in advance, note there are very few transient slips. Zoom in, Exhale can be seen on the left, notice the Washington Monument in the near distance. Within walking distance of the monuments, the location is superb.

Craig Adford and Maureen O’Gara flew in from LAX, to join us in Washington DC for a week of exploration.

July 20 is National Ice Cream day – put it on your calendar!

soft ice cream preferred

Lincoln Memorial

One of my favorite photographs of my mother, Laura Jo Straley, dates back roughly 80 years ago. She is relaxing at the reflecting pool, with the Lincoln Memorial in the background.

Visiting DC for the very first time, we attempted to reenact the photo. Thanks Craig Adford for the black and white photo.

The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was designed by Henry Bacon, completed in 1923. It is approximately 2,030 feet long and 167 feet wide.

You may recall that heartwarming scene when Forrest Gump and Jenny reunite in the pool (click here) :-). For those of you who don’t swim, don’t worry, the depth is only 18 inches on the sides.

Here are a few fun facts about President Lincoln and the memorial

The Lincoln Memorial was dedicated in 1922, 58 years after Lincoln’s death. My mom was there in the 1940s.
The statue of Lincoln is 19 feet tall and weighs 175 tons.
The memorial has 36 columns, each representing a state during Lincoln’s time.
There are 87 steps leading to the memorial referencing Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address (four score and seven years).

More Fun Facts about President Lincoln – he was the first bearded US President, the first to hold a patent and the first to be in an inaugural photograph.

Did you know – The bill to create the US Secret Service was on the President’s desk the night of his assassination? One of the principal purposes of the Secret Service is to protect national leaders, such as the President. Would their presence have saved Lincoln’s life? Unknown.

Washington Monument

The opposite end of the reflecting pool faces the Washington Monument. Completed in 1884, the phallic obelisk was built to commemorate President George Washington, like Lincoln, was dead when his memorial was created.

According to Wiki, it is the world’s tallest predominantly stone structure and it is the world’s tallest obelisk, standing 554 feet 7+¹¹⁄₃₂ inches tall [how’s that for precise!] , according to U.S. National Geodetic Survey measurements as of 2014.

The tallest building is found in Dubai (right, Craig?). The Burj Khalifa is 2,717 feet tall; the New York One World Trade Center ranks 7th, at a meaningful 1,776 feet high.

Vietnam Women’s Memorial

Thank you Danielle Ginsburg for sending me this historic book, “The Women” by Kristin Hannah. It is a perfect explanation to the real story behind the Vietnam Women’s Memorial on the National Mall.

It was a common misogynist perception that there were “no women serving in Vietnam.” Tragically, the VA denied benefits to women who served in Vietnam, refusing any form of help. But as stated in “The Women”, if you served in Vietnam, and did not see a woman, you were one of the lucky few who never needed medical care.

The Vietnam Women’s Memorial is dedicated to the US nurses and women who served in the Vietnam War. The emotional memorial depicts three uniformed women with a wounded male soldier. Dedicated on Veterans Day in 1993 by Vice President Al Gore.

Closing with an exquisite sunset from Capital Yacht Club.

Celebrations and Milestones: Birthday: July 22, Ray Houle; Julie Hildebrand; July 26, Barry Hildebrand; July 28, Diana Giraldo;

Anniversary: July 22: Matt and Michele; July 26, Larry and Laura Straley

What’s Next? We will continue to tour the DC area and the Potomac River with Craig and Maureen until Saturday, July 26

Celebrate Good Times, Come On!

Ten years in the making – It’s official – Tony Rodriguez and Alisha Silverstein got married on July 12, 2025. That announcement is worth the fireworks!!

Fireworks from St. Michaels, Maryland

Rick and I, along with Gail and David Bernstein, flew from Annapolis to CA for the sweet event. We started the weekend with Maureen O’Gara and Craig Adford (thank you!), in their beautiful home in Moorpark, CA. The monarch butterfly from their yard is for Alisha.

Wedding Magic – Mixed Tape

It is estimated that 150 people made the journey for the destination wedding at the secluded Pine Rose resort in Twin Peaks, CA [near Arrowhead]. Friday night was a casual mixer at the Strawberry Lodge, with roughly 60 people; a relaxed introduction of family and friends from both the bride and the groom, including childhood pals from Alaska, and special folks from CA, Oregon, Washington, Texas, Ohio, Nebraska, Kansas, Florida, New York and more!

Long-time friend from Alaska, Elizabeth, brought fresh Moose Meat, recently killed by her handsome hubby. Now that’s truly organic! Photos offer just a small sample of the happy faces who joined us.

Carly, Tony, Alisha, Mary S, Zach, Julia, and Elizabeth.

On the stairs Mo captured some (not all) of the Alaska Family: Austin, Kingston, Ella, Millie, Mary S, Julia, Tony, Alisha, Elizabeth, Joe, Brandon, Ruby, Carly, Zach and Elke.

Here’s one more from the stairs:

**Zach Silverstein, Mary S, Alisha and Tony** – photo by Maureen O’Gara

On the outside patio we found Alisha, Tony and Elke.

The Big Event

Saturday, 7/12/25 at 3:37 pm the magic commenced. If you are a fan of the epic Christmas movie, Love Actually, you must recall the wedding scene – go ahead, click on it, as a full choir and hidden band members surprise the bride immediately AFTER their vows, magically performing “All you need is love”.

To the delight of EVERYONE, the Big Event’s bridal procession began with live music, a marching band, with a trumpet and a drummer. The procession was accompanied by Alisha’s cousin, Joe Buckendahl, expertly performing on saxophone. Alisha’s cousin Kingston, and Tony’s business partner Joey, were strategically positioned in the audience on electric guitars.

Then the big surprise. Alisha sang, with confidence and skill, as she entered the venue. The procession song was Ray Lamontagne’s finest “You are the Best Thing”. Click here to listen to the original version – but you should know that Alisha did it BETTER. As she sang to Tony, there was not a dry eye in sight.

To keep the magic flowing, we are sharing some of the love witnessed that evening, with the help of many friends and family members who sent photos. Instagram captions give credit to the photographers.

Tony‘s vows resulted in uproars of laughter as he shared his deep appreciation of Alisha – who was caring for a well fed cat when they first met. When he realized it was a community cat, not actually her cat, he knew what she really needed – “not 1, not 2, not 3, not 4, not 5, not 6, but 7 furry babies” who are now spoiled members of their family. Beloved critters include three dogs – Jocey, Tilly, Mookie; and four cats – Taco, Belle, Luka and Jac.

The 100-year old wedding veil has been passed along in the Silverstein family, I believe it has been worn by eight women (is that right Wendy and Elise?). Thanks Grammy (Norma Silverstein), you were there in spirit every moment of the day.

Enjoying the magic with Craig, Maureen, Gail, David, Rick and yours truly.

Father of the Bride, and the bride, singing the Otis Redding classic, “Sitting on the Dock of the Bay“ . They both know all the words :-)

**Alisha Silverstein and Steven Silverstein**, photo by **Tanja.**

Yes the late night chicken was this good!

So Proud

Rick Ginsburg and Mary Silverstein, photo by Carly

Closing with an exquisite photo of the new Mr. and Mrs. on Sunday morning! Zoom in, Alisha’s t-shirt reads: “eat your heart out, I’m Married.” Mazel Tov and Congratulations to Alisha and Tony.

Special update: Tony’s beautiful daughter, Pristine, gave me a warm hug as we were checking out on Sunday. She seemed happy to enlighten me – since Tony is my son-in-law her two sweet babies, Juliette (age 3) and Penelope (age 1) are my great grandbabies! Pristine is truly beautiful, inside and out, and I am beyond thrilled to be a great grandma. Wow. Congrats again everyone.

The happy Mr. and Mrs. – photo by Mary S.

Next Up: Traveling Chesapeake Bay, a slow journey to Washington D.C. See you soon Craig and Maureen.