From the Sea

Even the most casual follower of Dylan and Dee Dee's blog knows how the crew feels about playing in the ocean. During their time in the Bahamas, they quickly discovered the many "treasures" that can be found along the beach. A huge favorite was the dead coral that washed ashore. I think it was a combination of the sea smell and the texture. Coral is amazingly strong yet has a slight give to it making for hours of chewing fun.

During one of our (few) excursions without the kids, their dad picked up a piece of dead coral and brought it back the to boat for onboard playtime. It was a very big hit!

So before we left the Bahamas we found 3 or 4 large pieces of dead coral to bring along as a future treat. We squirreled them away in the lazarette. A few have already been brought out when a reward was due.

The first order is to break it into pieces but then the one only wants the piece that the other has. There is much tussling for position and "stealing" back and forth.

First, Dylan has it.

Then Dee Dee...

We're now down to a single intact dead coral which will be brought back to Maine.

One day this summer we'll bring it out, maybe when it's a rainy  or dreary day. We can all enjoy our treasure from the sea, remember the fun we had, and look forward to our next adventure there.

Everyone loves the smell of the sea!

Changing Plans

Dylan and Dee Dee had a great time at Cumberland Island, one of the crew's favorite stops. It was topped off their final morning with a huge dolphin sendoff. A dozen or more dolphins spent an hour playing around the boat. The kids were thrilled. We are pleased to report that all crew members remained onboard for the duration.

Tropical Storm Anna forced us to modify our plans and skip past Charleston. Charleston is one of Mommy and Daddy's favorite stops, sigh. We decided to push on in good weather and do a two day run from Cumberland Island, GA to Oriental, NC. It turned out to be a smart move.

It was the first double overnight for this crew and they pulled it off with aplomb, which made Dylan think they should each get a plum but they were happy to settle for treats.

After a few days at River Dunes Marina (another crew favorite), we left refreshed and finished our run to the Chesapeake area. We have some projects to complete and hope to be back in Maine in a few weeks. Of course, we're already thinking about where to head next winter. The kids are voting for some more time at Great Harbour Cay. Gotta keep the crew happy...

Cumberland Island Revisited

We've said it before and I'll say it again, Cumberland Island, Georgia is one of our most favorite stops along the Eastern Seaboard. We have visited many times with Dyna and Dylan. Dee Dee had her 1st visit to Cumberland Island a year ago. True to form for this little girl there were "issues."

Fortunately, her time on Great Harbour Cay, Bahamas has earned her "untethered" access to the beach.  It may not be the Bahamas with Gracie but Dylan and Dee Dee are taking advantage of every bit!

We leave tomorrow for an overnight to Charleston. But we'll be back...