Finally!! .. . . . . The Bahamas

hjk

Dixie's 50!

 Well, it came - the birthday I have dreaded for the past 9 years! It's kind of funny; I really looked forward to being a grandmother, but simply couldn't comprehend that I could be 50 years old! Someone 50 years old is simply on the "downward side of the slippery slope" I always thought. Aren't 50 year old's expected to be more mature, settled, sure of themselves and simply more boring than I want to think I am?





Thanks to our cruising friends who have shown me that age is completely relative! Here's to Larry and Sharon, Don and Diane, and Dick and Liz who have inspired me and shown me that age is only what you make of it. My new goal is to celebrate my 80th on the water!!





Mr. Wonderful managed to pull off a suprise birthday party for me here in Stuart, even when up until the day before we planned to be on a beach in the Bahamas. I had a wonderful birthday luncheon and brought home the most gianormous birthday balloon bouquet I have ever seen (still floating around in the boat) - and lovely pink and white carnations!     

Yes, I am now half a century . . .    I don't feel any different, and I sure don't act any different.!   Now its just time to "own it"      Dixie is 50!!  
Dosn't sound so bad after all. 

Thanks  to my boys for their  renditions of Happy Birthday, 

and  all my wonderful family and friends

for your calls and songs and wishes.    

For those of you dreading turning 50 - don't;  it's GREAT!

50 yr old Grandma's get to use the Rockers!

Waiting . . . Waiting . . .Waiting. . . in Stuart for a Weather Window

Well, we hadn't anticpated being in Stuart, Florida  for more than a few days,  and especially not more than 10 days waiting for good weather to head to the Bahamas, but it looks like what we will have.  Between us and the Bahamas, is  the Gulf Stream,  which flows basically North,  and  it is  not advisable to cross the gulf stream within 24 hours of any wind  coming from the North, because when the two meet,  results are    choppy and "confused"  seas.   The rule of thumb is to wait 24-48 hours after any North wind has laid down  and   while there is  light wind and  swell.   So far we have had too much wind and all in the wrong direction.  So . . . we wait!!  

However,  if one has to get stuck somewhere, Stuart is a great place to be "stuck"   In fact most other cruisers stay here for a few months.  Unfortunately we  have to leave the boat on December 21, and  were counting on actually getting to the Bahamas before we left! 

We are in a mooring field  within walking distance to Old Town Stuart with great little restaurants and shops, and are surrounded by about 100 other cruising boats.   We  can fish from our Dinghy,  zip around and see the sights and   enjoy getting to know  fellow  boaters.  And what wonderful people we have met!   The day we arrived,  Larry and Sharron  brought us back some THanksgiving dinner and then  Dixie got to go Black Friday Shopping at 6am with Sharron -thanks for the invite!

Shopping with Sharron, Diane and Liz

The fellow-PDQ'rs  have really taken us under their wings and  we would like to thank all the cruisers out there who have shared their transportation and tips with us.  We learned where the best Sunday $1.99  breakfast was,  where to go for a full rack of ribs on Monday nights for $11.99 (and you can split it);  where  there is wonderful live theatre;  all the best places to go and anchor in the Bahamas - and so much more!  There is always something going on here at Sunset Bay Marina and so we haven't had a minute to be bored.

We have met so many inspiring cruisers  who have made us realize that  we need to slow down and take it easy and enjoy ourselves!  When we see boaters in their 80's  still enjoying the live-aboard experience  we  realize we can still look forward to many years of  "ON THE WATER"!  

Right Whales, Dolphins and Manatees

When we left Cumberland Island, we decided to go "outside" the ICW and  into the Atlantic Ocean for a day.  Finally - the Open Ocean!
We picked a wonderful day with a light breeze and relatively calm seas.   

Right Whale

This is what Cruising is All About! We were rewarded by seeing our first Right Whale, schools of Dophins and as we came in the outlet to Titusville, our first Manatee. 

Americas Oldest City, almost 450 yrs Old!

We arrived in St. Augustine, Florida right at dusk and what a beautiful sight, all lit up with holiday lights. After strolling around town we got on a "jingle train"  with cool  3d glasses that made all the christmas lights look super psychadellic.  

After that we decided we needed to stay an extra day to take

in all the gorgeous architecture and just have a fun day.

 We learned that St.  Augustine was the oldest city in America,

dating back to 1543 - wow!  

Here are photos of  the fort and some of the other buildings

that we that were pretty interesting!

Our Absolutely Favourite Stop

We Just spent a wonderful weekend on our most favorite place of the trip so far.    What an amazing island!  We had such a great time when we got to Cumberland Island, Georgia  that we stayed an extra 2 days.

We highly recommend this for anyone who wants to just "get away from it all" Cumberland Island is pretty unique. It has no way to buy anything on it, nothing commercial, you can only get there         by boat  and is run as a national park and the Nature Conservancy oversees it. 

 The island was once 90% owned by the Carnegie family but about 20 years ago

all the residents wanted to protect it from development and so donated it so it would

remain a park.  A few residents still retain the right to live on the island, and there is

one very exclusive 5-star B&B but other than that, it is all park.

There is public camping, but only 300 people maximum are allowed.  

Can you believe these trees? 

 

 

You might think this looks like a regular pastured

horse, but The horses on the island  are all wild, and have been on the island for many generations!

You can still see the ruins of some of the magnificent Carnegie and Rockefeller mansions, and the Rockefellers still have some private homes on the Island.

But  after all this, . . .the best was yet to come!

We agree that  the best part of the Island was the

miles of beach we had all to ourselves. 

We had never seen so many shells   and  truly enjoyed 

immersing ourselves in the sights and sounds

and smells of  the ocean!    

We hated to say Goodbye!

Grits, Collard Greens, Fried Green Tomatoes, and Boiled Peanuts

This is dedicated to some of our favourtie,  and  most memorable Southern Food!

We tried out  our  first truly Southern Food  at "Coast" a Charleston Seafood Restaurant that was certainly the place to try both!   What a  great restaurant and how lucky we were to get in without a reservation - must have been Brian's  charming ways!     We started with Fried Green Tomatoes  - and who knew Green Tomatoes could  transcend to such a heavenly  taste!    The tomatoes appeared to be  lightly dusted in cornmeal, and  pan fried and then served with a  red pepper aeoli, that was incredible.   This  has got to be a new staple at our house for sure!     Next we ttried  creamy  yummy grits  served as a side with Escolar,  an awesome  fish we had never tried before.    I ordered the  Grits, thinking they were one of those obligatory things you  had to try in the south,  but  positive we wouldn't like them!  Wow, we were sure surprised.   How do I describe the grits,  creamy texture but with a bite, and bursting with  seasoning and flavors,  ok - I can't describe them  but  oh my,  they were good!     

Shrimp dosn't come Bigger or Fresher than This!

After that experience. we decided we had better try cooking some real  Southern food before we left the south, so  off to the local farmers market we went.  Well,   I have to say,  we didn't recognize all the food, and had to ask what some of the delicicies were, and how to cook them and in some cases,  how to eat them.

Starting with Boiled Peanuts . . .  For those of you who haven't tried these,  they are simply fresh peanuts in the shell, boiled in salty water until soft.  For $2.00 "we got us some"  boiled peanuts from a big giant kettle  - dipped out with the  salty water into  a  plastic  recycled grocery bag.   We were told just to  squeeze them open and   eat the soft, salty peanuts inside.  What a messy delicious treat,  we saved them for  eating on the flybridge of the boat so we could just toss the shells over  as we meandered down the ICW.   Definitely an experience!

A very nice Southern ladyat the farmers market   explained Mustard and Collard greens to us.  First of all,  they were sold in bunches so huge,  it took both arms to hold them!   I would have to describe the look and size of the greens we got  as   Kale on Steroids.  We got our instructions and were told to The  cut all the ribs out of them,  then steam them till they wilted, then add some  meat to them and cook them,  and  the lady said - you think you will have gone to heaven!   It took John about 40 minutes to wash and cut the ribs out of the greens, and  they had to be stuffed into our biggest pot, and we eagerly awaited  their "wilting".    They were very flavourful,  quite bitter and with the bacon and a little bacon grease - like the real Southerners cook;  we  dug right in!   I have to say it made enough to feed a big family of 10,  but we  bravely dug in.  I think Annie liked hers the most,  but we all made a meal of it.   Not sure we felt like we were in heaven,  especially a few hours later,  but . . . .  when in the south . . .. !

John was determined to find some good Southern BBQ  while we were in the South,  but  the great BBQ places must not have been on the coast within walking distance to our boat, because we didn't find any good enough to write home about . . . .  none as good as John's  great home cookin BBQ right back home!

We are Saving the fresh pecans  for some real southern pralines,  and we will have to report on the "secret recipe"  when we know  it turns out! 

Well, there you have the end of our Southern Culinary Experience - all in all,  quite amazing!

Way down South in "Dixie"

You can't deny you are in the South when you arrive in Charleston, South Carolina.   It seems we stepped straight back into Gone with the Wind, as  we roamed the city streets.   We had a few days to explore, and  explore we did!  From  a  city tour, to a plantation tour and  just wandering through the streets  -  looking at a few  antebellum homes over 28,000 sq feet.    Life in the south still seems a little surreal  even to a woman  named "Dixie Dee"

Charleston is also full of  monuments and statues,
but here was Dixie's favourite!

Adios to our First Mate



LEAVING CHARLESTON

When we finally arrived in Charleston on November 13, our First Mate decided it was time for him to get back to his "real life" and so we bid him a very fond farewell!   

Brian Laidlaw came onboard in Kingston, Ontario and was with us almost a month, through  28 locks, the rain, wind, sleet, snow and  COLD!!  We will miss all his help, his unfailing cheerfulness, 5 o'clock toasts,  and most of all his great company!    Annie already misses her new buddy.   Thanks Brian!  Here's some of our favorite Brian photos from the trip.

CHILLIN IN CHESAPEAKE BAY

THESE LOCKS ARE HARD WORK

HAPPY 125 BIRTHDAY LADY LIBERTY

OUR FIRST N CAROLINA BEACH



LET ME JUST LOOK THAT UP



ME AND MY BFF

THOUGHT THEY'D NEVER FEED ME!

ITS COLD, ITS CANADA!



Sunshine on the South Carolina Water. . . .Makes Us . . . .

. . . Act Kind of Crazy?

November 8-9, 2011
Wow, we just had the most amazing sunny warm days ever, and as you can see, we weren't quite sure how to react. Our first day in shorts, and t-shirts!








Tuesday, November 8, we anchored in a bay just outside Wrightsville Beach and had a fun walk on the beach and feeling some sand between our toes and watching waves crash again!  We  also saw our first Palm Trees,

  





              We had an  amazing  personal airshow with several military aircraft doing  low overhead passes and touch and go's  in a circle around us!  Wish Max or Daniel were there to tell me what kind of planes they were!

This part of the ICW was pretty narrow and it seemed like we were in a convey jockeying for position with about 12 other boats who we had been listening to on the radio for the past few days. There isn't a lot of room to pass other boats, it is kind of like driving on a country dirt road!


 We were kind of glad to get to Myrtle Beach and  have a break, and luck for us we found  Happy Hour Appetizer special at T BONZ.  All appetizers were $5.00  so we each ordered 2 to share.  They came all  entree sizes and  there wasn't even enough room on the table for them.  And . . .they were all good - so we have lots of left overs for lunches.    You can't beat  Good Cheap Food!    We took a walk after and found the only store open after 7pm was an amazing Christmas Store,  so we managed to do some damage there and then retired early back to the boat to get ready for the next push in the morning!