C-Pearl (aka SeaJamm)

Saturday, April 30, 2022

Virginia Is For Lovers

Virginia Is For Lovers!

Cruising

Our first and only lock this trip. Great Bridge lock in the city of Chesapeake. They lowered us only a couple of feet.

Entering Norfolk. Lots of big ships and working boatyards.

21 & 22 April 2022 Tidewater Yacht Marina

Portsmouth, VA

Portsmouth is a historic seaport with many antique homes. A lot of the streets are having a much-needed makeover. Such an enjoyable walk looking at the old and eclectic architecture. I hope they continue to restore this place because it's a treasure.

See the face in the "O"!

The Bier Garden - German fare for a change from seafood

Cruising to the eastern side of the Chesapeake

Our instrument panel. The red arrow is us. All the green boats are container ships anchored waiting to go up the Chesapeake, probably to Baltimore. So if you're waiting on something from overseas, it's probably in this conglomerate.

23rd April 2022

Cape Charles Town Harbor

We got an early start from Portsmouth and made it to Cape Charles in time for breakfast at a little town cafe. The last time we were boating here, we traveled the west coast of the Chesapeake. This time we headed over to the east coast.

After breakfast, we took a walk along their beach. Then we sauntered through the town's retail district enjoying galleries and beachy boutiques. The captain headed back to the boat to do captain things, and Sherry continued sauntering until she visited every shop and headed back to join her captain carrying only a few small bags. You have to remember, C-Pearl can't hold too much retail.

After a short nap, we headed back to the restaurant district. The ice cream shop seemed to be the most popular followed by the whisky distillery which we patronized before going back to the marina for shrimp dinners at the Shanty, our marina restaurant.

Cars back in their diagonal spots. I've never seen this. And nobody could tell me why they park backward.

We say this dog riding on the back of this motorcycle a couple of times.

We finally got to talk to the owner of this very well-trained dog named "Perro". Perro is waiting patiently for his owner to finish his breakfast in a nearby cafe.

24th of April 2022 - Onancock Wharf

Much like Cape Charles, but smaller and less touristy. There's not a beach down the street. But it is a summer destination for Virginians. Lots of little eateries, art galleries, and quaint shops. Not so populated now because the temperature is in the mid-60s It's walkable with an abundance of large Victorian-era homes on tree-lined streets.

Unfortunately, it was Sunday night when we were here and most places were closed.

One can only imagine what this "daddy" osprey is telling us as we near their nest.

25th of April 2022

Colonial Beach Boat House - Potomac River

We crossed the Chesapeake Bay to the mouth of the Potomac. We're here to stage ourselves to go up the river to DC and visit Ellen and Ingrid.

Playing Bingo with the locals at the Ice House. No, we didn't win anything.

26-28 April 2022 - City of Alexandria Marina

Potomac River

Always love this walking old town! And love it even more that Ellen is here!

Ellen's townhouse is the salmon-colored one in the foreground.

See the blue house. It's called a "spite " house. Only an 8.5 feet wide house, it's built not for the purpose of building a house, but for the purpose of "getting even" with someone. This particular one was built to block people from using the ally way.

Open gates to gardens

The garden.

Notice the winter coats

Ellen, Ingrid, and Alan enjoying lunch on the wharf.

Lucy! She has her eyes on the other dogs in the park.

One of many cobbled streets.

George Washington Masonic National Memorial shows support for Ukraine

Stayed Friday night, the 29th back at the Boathouse in Colonial Beach.

We stopped at this place on our way to Alexandria for convenience. We now call it one of our favorites. We like it here because we have our own private dock at the end of the pier. And Bill Bowman, the owner lets us use his golf cart to go to town to patronize the many local eateries and to visit the Ace hardware store.

It's still early for summer, but there were a few families enjoying the beaches.

One of the best dinners at this local French Thai restaurant. Oomboon.

Our last night in Virginia

Saturday 30th of April - Solomons Yachting Center

Tomorrow we cross the Chesapeake again to Maryland!! and then to Delaware and New Jersey!!

Thursday, April 21, 2022

Being Nautical in NC

12th April 2022

St. James Plantation, South Port, NC

An upscale subdivision marina with manicured gardens and shingled-sided nautical houses overlooking the waterway.

In the small v-berth Alan and I share, we have a skylight. Through this two-foot square, I've lain at night watching a billion vivid stars twinkle, always in awe of our universe. How could someone not believe that there is one God of this awesome universe?

This night as I lie here stargazing through our little skylight, I've watched the almost full moon glide from one corner of it to another. Very slowly.

This month's full moon is called the "pink moon." The name doesn't come from the color of the moon, but rather the time of year that it appears. It's called the Pink Moon as it's the first full moon of spring and the name comes from a pink flower with 5-petals that blooms in spring in North America. They're small and cover the ground, often looking like, a pink carpet of blooms.

I took pictures of these before knowing what they were called.

Cruising

A shrimp boat hard at work on Cape Fear River

13th April 2022

Between markers 149-150

The Tides @ Joe and Catherine Beaman's Home

What a treat to stay with good friends who live along the waterway! Catherine and Joe were at the dock to greet us coming in from the ICW. Catherine's son Coley, childhood friends with our girls from Thomasville was there too.

These guys ubered us to the essential places like Harris Teeters and Advanced Auto Parts store to buy new windshield wipers for C-Pearl. First, we caught up while enjoying a southern brunch complete with fresh-squeezed orange juice. The Beaman House will be hard to leave!

Enjoying our aperol spritzers

Hard to say "goodbye."

14th April 2022

Beauford City Docks, Beauford, NC

We enjoyed being at the city docks where we could get right off our dock and be in the little town of Beauford (Bo-ford). Sherry got to pursue the shops while the Captain did captain things.

On our walk through the neighborhood, we met a couple from Camden Maine who had been following us all day in their boat named Frisky. Always a treat when you arrive on land and meet the others that boated with you all day.

Speaking of treats, Frisky's first mate, Libby, greeted us the next morning with warm, fresh scones from the local bakery.

An iris begging me to take her picture.

Lots of blue bows and ribbons in support of Ukraine.

I've always wondered why this area is "Pepsi Country." Now I know. A local pharmacist Caleb Bradham invented the original formula in New Bern NC, a town not far from here. It was first called Brad's Drink and was crafted with a mix of sugar, water, caramel, lemon oil, kola nuts, nutmeg, and other additives.

15th - 19th of April 2022 Full Moon

Morehead City Yacht Basin, Morehead City, NC

The fisherman's capital

Looks like our fast streak has ended and we'll have to stay put until several days of 20-25 MPH winds cease. The last time we were here, also because of the weather, we had to stay for a week and I don't know where else I'd rather be. This place is considered a "fisherman's paradise. And, within walking distance of many restaurants that prepare and serve their fresh catches.

The dock we tied to was lined with these expensive fishing vessels.

Their catch today is yellowfin tuna.

A walk through the neighborhood.

Azaleas always remind me of Easter.

We were able to celebrate Easter in Morehead City. A very special day of rejoicing and celebrating our risen Christ Jesus, thanking God for the miracle of the resurrection!