April 27, 2016

Arrived in Norfolk, VA to be part of the American Great Loop Circle Route Spring Rendezvous. There were over 70 Looper boats there.

Greeted by a Waterside Marina Mermaid.

The IndiaJayne with a few other Looper boats.

Waterside Marina, Norfolk, VA.

Eating lunch with Kevin and Sandy Tucker

One of the many railroad bridges that open for boats to pass

Norfolk is a very large Naval city

Repairs going on at Navy Shipyards all around Norfolk

Lots of Security patrolling the area

Waterside Marina, Norfolk as we are arriving

Riding on the Tucker's Mainship from their home in Virginia Beach to Norfolk

Another view of Waterside as we were leaving

April 24, 2016


It's been so long since we have been able to update this record of our journey that, I fear, if I try to stay in chronological order I will be unable to proceed at all. Sooo....what follows here will be some pictures of places we have visited and people we have met but not exactly in the order it all happened.

After leaving Elizabeth City, NC we had to wait for the lock to open so we could head into the dreaded Dismal Swamp.

Here we are just entering the Dismal Swamp Lock northbound.

Friend Sandy Tucker, expert line handler, joined us for the transit

The Great Dismal Swamp, once over 1,000,000,000 acres, now about 112,000 acres, is a beautiful wildlife refuge but is also a canal between Elizabeth City, N.C. and Norfolk, VA.

The northbound lock as we ascended upward about 15 ft.

Arriving at the 150 ft. Visitor Center dock. It's about 3 hours past the south lock.

As you leave the Visitor's Center you enter into Virginia.

Room for 3 boats overnight on the Visitor Dock.

Very calm in the Dismal Swamp. We saw so many turtles sunning on logs, jumping fish, song birds and birds of prey, water snakes, muskrats, dragonflies and butterflies.

Sandy, happy to be there.

Lock on the northern end of the Dismal Swamp Canal. Waiting to descend.

Sailboat behind us in the Lock as we descend.

Do you see me up on the bow? I am making sure our line does not get hung up as we descend. I have my knife close at hand!

Traffic sign

Lockmaster's office on the edge of the Lock.

April 14, 2016

We left Georgetown, SC and headed north on the AICW (Atlantic Intra-Coastal Waterway) toward Myrtle Beach, SC. We traveled about 50 miles and decided to anchor out in a turn out along the waterway, Enterprise Oxbow, as Osprey Marina looked too tight for us.

After a while a big, metal, bulletproof looking Catamaran named Dyad dropped anchor. It had a kind of menacing appearance but we had no contact with the crew.

Waccamaw River

Cypress forest behind our anchoage.

Enterprise Oxbow anchorage on the Waccamaw River.



Dyad anchored near us.

Dropping the dinghy for an evening tour.

4-12-2016

Headed to Georgetown in South Carolina, one of the oldest cities in the lowlands. In fact, maybe one of the oldest in the US. It had a huge role in the economy of the pre civil war south. At one point, the major cash crop was rice which was grown in the marshy swamp land that was cleared and cultivated with slave labor. Fascinating but macabre history, in my opinion.

We stayed at DryStack Marina next to the shrimp boats and working docks. We were the only "pleasure boat" tied up there.

Coming up from the dock we found ourselves in a beautiful, old neighborhood of stately southern homes.

A short walk to town we visited the Rice Museum and the History Museum. Unfortunately, the Gullah Museum, which is what I really wanted to see, was closed as in vacant, gone.

We met up with Paula and Tom Vail from Life's TraVail's for dinner and then ran into Gail and Jeff from Yolo. It rained while we were in the restaurant but looked good when we walked outside.

Dinner on board the India Jayne

       April 13, 2016                                                          VISITORS


We had visitors for 5 days!! My sister, Genie, and brother-in-law, Craig, joined us at Isle of Hope near Savannah. They traveled with us to Beaufort, S.C, and then to Charleston, S.C. I am sorry for the weird text but that's the result of cutting and pasting and not knowing what I am doing. Here are some of Genie's comments on the visit:

Our fabulous week aboard the India Jayne had an auspicious beginning.  Lucky enough to spend some time with our dearest friends, Tom and Janet, in Greenville, including a trip to The Masters, we set about securing our rental car and making the trip from Greenville to Savannah to board the India Jayne. Not a rental car to be found within 100 miles due to the Masters tournament so out of desperation we rented a full sized U Haul moving truck to make the four hour drive!  Arriving at the Isle of Hope Marina in  Savannah, in no mood to be friendly, we inadvertently interrupted the filming of the movie "Baywatch". After protesting their request to move immediately things worked out in a friendly fashion.  The star of the movie, Dwayne Johnson, aka The Rock, even offered to help carry my bags.  

Aboard the India Jayne life instantly improved.  What a jewel of a boat. Pam and Kit made us so welcome and the boat is a beauty.  So comfortable and clean and stocked with food for the journey.  Unfortunately, the weather threatened to keep us at the dock for the duration but, as luck would have it, we were able to cast off of Thursday after a fun and informative tour of Savannah. 

Trolley Ride

At the TopDeck overlooking Savannah. Complete accident that we dressed like twins.

Entryway into Wormsloe Plantation

 The wind had diminished enough to  move on and head to Beaufort SC.  It was still windy but with expert abilities Kit docked beautifully on the outside dock of this picturesque Marina.  Even the Marina staff commented on the great job. What a lovely spot. One evening for a stroll and dinner was all we had. It was almost enough time to see the place but I could have spent days there.

Greeted by the Beaufort (bu-fert) Mermaid

Delicious meal at Old Bull Tavern in Beaufort

From Beaufort we set out to our final destination of Charleston.  My new favorite town!  The wind and tides can get the upper hand but we were lucky on both counts that Friday.  Captain Kit did another amazing job of docking behind the "Megadock" and getting us protected and secure. 

Tide variation of seven feet

 A couple of fun days exploring this beautiful and interesting town was, again, not enough but we enjoyed every moment.  We walked, we ate, we learned and enjoyed.  The weather cooperated even though it was unseasonably cool.  We will definitely be back.

So many gorgeous homes in the Charleston Historic District

Old Charleston Jail from the 1700's

Boiled Peanuts....definitely an acquired taste.

Grilled Shrimp and Grits to die for!