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.