Fortunately, we were spared the devastation of Superstorm Sandy  because it veered  northeast and offshore of us in Oriental, NC, then  turned northwest again to lash the coast of New Jersey and New York.  We only experienced 50 mph winds and lots of rain.  There was minimal storm surge.  Windspell suffered no damage.  While waiting out Sandy, we took full advantage of our lovely surroundings.  Donna was in her glory at the fitness centre daily jogging the miles away on the treadmill as the rain slashed down outside.  Walt enjoyed the elliptical followed by the steam shower.  We met lots of other cruisers who shared their experiences along the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW).  We spent the next day undoing all of the preparations we had taken in anticipation of Sandy.  

After being stationary for six days we were glad to continue our southbound voyage which has taken us through Wrightsville Beach, Myrtle Beach, and now we are in Georgetown.  We anchored one evening near Calabash, NC where we had dined 28 years ago when we had done this trip on our previous sailboat.  We had a typical southern dinner of hush puppies with fried shrimp mounded on our plates.  We were delighted to see that nothing had changed in this small fishing town whereas  there has been extensive waterfront development along the ICW with homes and condominiums.  

We are now in the deep south.  We all  know of the vast plantations and the wealth of their owners in this area.  And what did their wealth come from?  Cotton?  No.  Tobacco?  No.  They made their wealth in growing rice and  indigo in this area!  It is unbelievable that they cleared/burned the swamps of cypress trees, drained the swamps, built dykes and planted rice using African slaves.  Of a population of 20,000 people in this area back then, 90 percent were slaves!  Further back from the waterways they grew indigo.  The blue dye was sent to Britain for their naval uniforms.  Many of the plantation owners also had homes in Georgetown.  Strolling the streets of Georgetown you can see the Georgian architecture of their homes, and the streets are lined with Live Oak trees several hundred years old.  

We are now bound for Charleston!

This was the low point during Tropical Storm Sandy...the lowest we have seen our barometer!

Resort River Dunes diningr oom...where we dined during Superstorm Sandy

River Dunes lounge where I beat Walter at Scrabble!

River Dunes pool and fitness centre

Shrimp fleet at Calabash, NC

Cypress swamp along Waccamaw River near Georgetown, SC

diorama showing how the slaves cleared the swamps to  prepare for rice fields

 diorama showing rice fields around Georgetown, South Carolina in early 1800s

Georgetown streets lined with Live Oak trees 

It's blowing 20 to 38 knots at the moment and we are expecting the brunt of hurricane Sandy by 9 a.m. tomorrow morning. We have Abba on high volume to disguise the howling of the wind and all is good as we have spent the last day preparing Windspell for this "special event". It has been 10 days since we left  Yorktown where we took great advantage of all the historic sites and also did a successful repair of our anchor windlass and had a voluntary US Coast guard inspection which we passed with flying colours. In ten days we have have incredible varieties of experiences and made some  new friends. The photos will explain things well. We hope you don't get too badly effected by Sandy but feel free to join us if you need a safe place to stay....

We will keep you posted.

Donna and Walter

SV Windspell

It's a boat...another repair...a new windlass motor that hauls the anchor up.  It only took Walter 2 days of searching on the internet the entire USA to find one. Thank goodness for the internet;  we didn't have it 28 years ago, but then again, we didn't have an electric windlass.

Norfolk harbour-the largest naval base and busiest seaport in the world.  One of several US aircraft carriers.  To get an appreciation of the size of this ship, check the size of the guy standing on the deck  (LHS) .

Norfolk is mile 0 of the 1100 mile Intracoastal Waterway leading to Miami, Florida.   The first of numerous lift bridges we must pass under.

Entering the lock leading into the Dismal Swamp Canal.  We'll be lifted ten feet.

Dismal Swamp Canal

Sailing across Albermarle Sound to the Alligator River.  Mile 80.

Early morning start...entering the Albermarle-Pungo River canal

Morning mist on the canal

Side trip to Ocracoke Island on Pamlico Sound-the home of  pirate Blackbeard (alias Edward Teach).   

Bike rental to see the ponies of Ocracoke Island.-

DNA samples from the ponies indicate they are descendants of Spanish Mustang ponies- likely  from shipwrecks back in the 1600s.

Voted America's #1 beach for good reason...

We had some awesome body surfing waves 

Overturned horseshoe crab

Pelican in search of his supper

Shorebirds frolicking in the surf

Ocrocoke lighthouse, second oldest original and still functioning in   USA

Gazing inside up the spiral staircase of the lighthouse

We wonder how Hurricane Sandy will measure up...

Windspell stripped and spider strung on a floating dock in a hurricane hole at River Dunes up back creek off the Neuse River in Pamlico Sound    North Carolina

Since our departure from Rock Hall just over one week ago, we have sailed 150 miles down the Chesapeake Bay.  We sail somewhere between 40-50 miles each day, stopping at quiet creeks along rivers emptying into the Bay, or visiting towns.  We  try to depart each anchorage just as the sun is rising to make use of shrinking daylight hours.   As we have neared the mouth of the Bay, we have seen dolphins and pelicans!  We have visited historic St. Mary's City -a reconstruction of Maryland's first capital city before it was moved to Annapolis.  The last few days have been spent at the marina, York River Yacht Haven. so we could catch a shuttle bus that visits the three historic towns of Jamestown, Yorktown and Williamsburg.  Walter & I have enjoyed the tours conducted by the National Park staff who have made American history  come alive for us.  It has also been an opportunity  to hunt down a new motor for our anchor windlass that suddenly quit working.  If all goes as planned, we shall soon be leaving the Chesapeake Bay and  entering the Intracoastal Walterway-over 1100 miles of canals, rivers and bays extending from Norfolk, Virginia to Miami, Florida.

A hogshead of tobacco at historic St. Mary's City-the first capital of Maryland

Replica of John Smith's vessel that mapped the Chesapeake Bay in 1608.  

Williamsburg-Virginia's 18th-century capital  city

Captive captain

Milnary in Williamsburg

Silversmith making spoons and wine cups

Home of  George Whythe who taught law to Thomas Jefferson.   Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence

Cannon overlooking the Yorktown Battlefield where George Washington with the help of the French defeated  the British General Cornwallis in 1781.  

Model of Jamestown in 1607-the first permanent English-speaking settlement in North America.  

Ongoing archeology at Jamestown

Statue of Pocohontas-who married  Jamestown settler, John  Rolfe.  Rolfe cultivated the first tobacco grown in Virginia.  He later takes Pocohontas and their son back to London where she becomes ill and dies.

    The time has come to depart these waters as it is getting quite nippy. Windspell is looking great and her crew are eagerly anticipating casting off the lines as are many other cruisers also pointing their bows south for warmer climates.

   We have enjoyed visits over the past week from our good friends, Laura and Barb and then Dexter. The weather was perfect for our cruise to a quiet anchorage on the Magothy River followed the next day by a wonderful sail to Annapolis where we toured the Naval Academy, shopped the quaint stores and had a great seafood feast at a local restaurant. 

We have done "The big shopping", acquiring enough food/provisions for the next month or so as we make our way towards Florida and ultimately the Bahamas. We will restock again in Florida. All systems are at a high level of maintenance and many spare parts have been placed aboard. We have moved into the modern era by acquiring the latest IPad which will allow us to keep connected even without WIFI.      

Spring Cove has been a perfect location for us over the past 5 months and we have made some great new friends, some of which we will be playing leap frog with as we head south.

We'll keep you posted,

Donna and Walter

Windspell ready and waiting for the southern departure

The three sopranos

Laura learning to use the  helm as we sail to Annapolis

Barb-another natural at the helm

A historic whaling schooner from Mystic Seaport, Connecticut, anchoring beside us in Sillary Bay,  Magothy  River

We had to use an electric drill to remove a wine cork as we are used to twist tops  or cartons. Just another example of the resourcefulness required for the cruising life...  

Barb getting into it!

Laura under the Bay bridge

Annapolis Naval Academy chin-up bar  with  an unrealistic wannabe candidate

Bronze bust of Tecumseh  mascot of the Naval Academy, depicting  the virtues aspired to by the students. Ironically, he helped the Canadians/British defeat the American invasion at the Battle of Queenston Heights. 

Naval Academy midshipmen mustering before lunch

Madelyn Reni, our host and friend at Spring Cove Marina with her grandson and Donna

Our car ready for a long winter's nap at Spring Cove