July 20, 2012 - Cobb Island, MD to Tangier Island, VA to Solomons, MD

You last heard from us via Melanie, who apparently did not know that what happens at Scuttlebutts stays at Scuttlebutts. How can she send out scuttlebutt about Scuttlebutts?

Since then, we moved down to Point Lookout near the mouth of the Potomac for three nights. The trip was most memorable for the lengthy and heavy thunderstorm that we pushed through. Melanie was there for one night – Bob and Peg for two (see pic). We really enjoyed spending time with them, but like everyone who shows up with a car, we also ended up in extra debt. Debi developed a sudden and severe case of sciatica. Her responsive doc was able to call in some prescriptions to the closest drugstore (about 15 miles), but we would have been out of luck without access to their car. Her leg is getting better every day – she rode a bike today.

When Bob and Peg left on Monday, we were without guests for the first time since July 2. We love all of our guests, but this brief break is also welcome. It will last until tomorrow or Sunday when Marcia arrives.

Two weeks ago we were in the heart of urban life in D.C. – but after leaving Point Lookout, we traveled to the opposite end of the spectrum – the isolated and remote society of Tangier Island. This is a place that is really untouched by many of our modern amenities and no cars (a few trucks). The first internet (still rare there) and TV became available only two years ago – sent by microwave from the shore. It is an island of about 500 residents – all of whom are descendents of the original British settlers hundreds of years ago. The majority of the residents are named Parks, Pruitt, Crockett and a few others – just a few family trees for the whole island. Their dialect sounds like a twisted British, but unlike anything else you’ve ever heard. They have one school, K-12, and graduated a large senior class this year – 3.

The island is marsh, beach, canals and a little land. It’s sort of like Venice meets Appalachia on the marshlands of south Georgia. We stayed at the only “marina” – a couple of docks on the main canal owned by 81-year-old Milton Parks – an ex-crabber who lives at the docks and can still tell quite a story or two. We were surrounded by fishermen – this is virtually the one and only means of employment on the island. Working fishing boats rushed by at all hours of the day and night – many go out at 3 a.m. All of the “driveways” on the canal were slips – and the “garages” were the little sheds built on pilings over the water – where the fishermen more or less live in between their shifts – little man caves over water. There are open-air structures holding tanks with water running through them non-stop. This is where crabs are held until they molt – this being “the soft-shell crab capital of the world.” We had some at the restaurant run by the fishermen’s wives – fresh that day and delicious.

We made friends with fellow visitors Marshall and Patty. Marshall ended up helping Debi and I learn some more secrets of boat maintenance down in our engine room - valuable lessons.

We left yesterday morning for neighboring Smith Island - a very similar civilization and economy (at one point islands were joined). When we arrived, there appeared to be no reasonable deep place to dock at the "marina" (again, a couple of short docks in front of someone's house). So we docked temporarily next door and I went knocking on the door of our marina hosts. Pam came to her door in her t-shirt and boxers apologizing for oversleeping (10 a.m.) and for the abnormally low tides - there was really no place to stay.

So we moved on to Solomons MD - a place with all of the comforts of modern society, for better or worse. It was a little embarrassing to realize how much we missed phone and internet for 48 hours. But as Debi points out, we are still running two businesses from a distance - so I guess it makes sense that we need these things. Last night we biked to a brewpub that could have been in suburbia anywhere - and met a jazz singer who is performing at the bar/restaurant right next to our boat on Saturday.

Today is a scary day. Debi says she's about to give me a haircut - something she claims she did 20 years ago or so, but....options are limited.

Below is the rainbow after the storm in Point Lookout - and the sunrise the next morning as we left for Tangier Island.

Hope to see many of you during our visit to Atlanta next week!

J&D

July 13, 2012 - Cobb Island, MD

Hello friends!

I am serving as a guest columnist for Boat Notes today, July 13! What an honor.

I have been here exactly 24 hours - on this "sleepy" island that Jim described yesterday. Well, I can honestly say that it is NOT very sleepy! Or maybe the island was just waiting for me to arrive! : )

Rob, Jim, and Debi happily greeted me upon arrival. Although I have boated with Jim and Debi many times, I have never been on Sea Fever. What a luxury! I am in my own bedroom right now, with sun light pouring in from above, cool air, and comfy pillows. Jason, you would be happy here! Maybe he can join me next time. He has parent-duty this weekend.

After settling in, we had cocktails, Debi and I caught up, and then Rob and Debi beat Jim and I at Bocci. Honestly, it was sort of Debi against me, as we were much better than expected. Debi prevailed as the champion. We played on the lawn behind the "Activities" sign, so yesterday we were the "island activity."

Debi prepared a delicious dinner - pork chops with spicy black bean sauce and fresh vegetables - one of her best ever. I couldn't get enough. We lingered on the boat for a while, and THEN....

We went to Scuttlebutts - the marina bar/restaurant. The only bar on the Island. Apparently the phrase around here is that "Everyone ends up at Scuttlebutts sooner or later."

When the four of us walked in - Rob all talkative, Debi dancing, Jim straight to the juke box, and me just being me, well, everyone stopped and looked and (as Debi puts it) the energy got cranked up several notches. During the course of the night (we left around 1:30 a.m.), activities that include the following flowed one after another, just like the beer from behind the bar:  Jim's 24 songs he chose got trumped by a guy who wasn't interested in Jim's "s***" so he paid more to hear his own music (although we eventually heard all 24 excellent choices), Jim ZZ-top guy hung out with us, a lovely couple offered their home for us to do laundry, I had somewhere between a love affair and a therapy session with a darling butchy lesbian who had just gotten out of a 7-year relationship, Jim was a somewhat willing participant in a spray-whipped cream war, an adorable gay man told me I smelled like "grocery store birthday cake" every time he hugged me, Rob became quite involved with a lovely woman who seemed to think she was at Mardi Gras (if you know what I mean), and Debi photographed it all amidst dancing and drinking her Corona Light. 

Sleepy, indeed.

We had a nice morning, talking with many of the same people we met last night, doing the laundry at Steve and Carol's, working out on the bow, riding bikes around the island (see me as the laundry lady in the last pix), and greeting Bob and Peg who arrived this morning. Rob has said goodbye, and we will see what tonight brings ....

Yours truly,
Melanie

July 11, 2012 - Washington D.C. to Cobb Island, MD

Today’s log will be focused on three points. 

1.      I’ve repeatedly referred to some of our destinations as “sleepy.”   I think the following picture conveys the sleepiness of our current location, Cobb Island. 

Nevertheless, Cobb Island is home to an art gallery, post office, ice cream parlor, funky bar, and two seafood restaurants.   What more could we ask for?  OK, maybe a couple of things.  But what it lacks in amenities in makes up in character and characters, including two new friends, Bob and Jim, for whom the term “character” is woefully inadequate.   The following pictures are of the funky bar (exterior and interior).   The interior picture features Jim, Rob (our friend who is visiting for 4 nights) and yours truly.

2.      I’ve repeatedly said that we aren’t on a 5 month vacation – we’ve simply moved our home to a boat for awhile, but still work as much (or as little) as we ever did.  Here is proof – me in my waterfront office attending a meeting by phone yesterday while Debi and Rob were at the helm, taking us south along the Potomac.

3.      Life on the boat is not always smooth sailing.  In doing our marina research (by book, internet, and phone), we look to fill three requirements – deep enough water, a wide enough slip, and 50 amp service.  Wireless is not a requirement, but it’s nice.  Otherwise, you wouldn’t get these silly emails from me.   So in the span of two days we’ve stayed in two marinas.  The first promised deep water (at least deep enough) and 50 amp service.   They had neither.  Instead, when we questioned the depth of their channel upon arrival, the guy said, “don’t worry – the bottom is very soft.  Your props just got a free sand-blasting.   The second marina took our boat dimensions and guided us towards a specific slip.  Debi can maneuver our boat into small spaces, but not a space that’s smaller than the boat.  So after she had the boat all lined up and was backing into the slip, the boat wedged itself between two pilings.  It really wasn’t going to go any further back at that point.  The owner said, “I just bought the marina a few months ago, and the charts said these slips are 17 feet wide – I never measured them.”    Then their promise of wireless turned out to be worthless as well. 

Perhaps I am just being grouchy – but I have the permission of Garrison Keillor from the first chapter of a book Debi just gave me, “60 Things to Do When You Turn 60”    His chapter was titled, Be a Grouch.  Debi says I really don’t need help with this, but I’m ready to fully embrace it.  “Nature doesn’t care about your golden years, it’s aiming for turnover.” 

And that’s the news from Lake Woebegone, or Cobb Island, or wherever we are. 



July 6, 2012 - Washington D.C.

Happy post-4^th, Happy Weekend, Happy Cool Weather is Around the Corner (at least in this part of the country). 

As anticipated, we had a great 4^th of July in D.C.   Actually, we started on the night of the 3^rd when we went to the Nationals-Giants game, which was a reasonable walk down the river from our marina.  Actually, we started on the night of the 2^nd when Debi and I went out to dinner to celebrate our 24^th anniversary. 

 Anyway, back to the 4^th.  Sweated through the parade along the National Mall, enjoyed the barbecue and beer donated by our marina, and then had a ringside seat for the fireworks over the Washington Monument – viewed from our aft deck.  All that is D.C. on the 4^th of July - this was the primary reason we made the trip up the Potomac (and back down next week) – and it lived up to our expectations. 

Of course, it was the presence of great friends that made it all work.   Bob Baer and Sara were down from NYC for three nights (left this afternoon), David Chavis and Shelley from suburban Maryland spent the night of the 3^rd with us and through the fireworks of last night.  Andrea Solarz (a fellow Spartan grad student back in the 70’s) lives in Arlington – she came by in the afternoon.    Shortly after that, Laura Jacobus-Kantor (one of my former grad students at GSU) arrived with her extended family of 6 – so there were 13 of us enjoying the spectacular pyrotechnic display. 

Other Spartans Marty and Charlene Kushler arrive from Michigan tomorrow for the weekend, followed by Rob Godsall (Atlanta) on Monday for 4 nights and then three more guests for the following weekend.   Good thing we enjoy entertaining!  Not too late to schedule your visit!