On the Hook at the Hook

Been moving fast up the coast! Wind pushed us to take the Dismal Swamp route up the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) instead of the alternate Virginia Cut route. This is the only portion of the ICW where you have the choice of two possible routes. We had taken the Dismal Swamp on the way south and were planning on trying the Virginia Cut on the way north but weather made it a lot easier to head for the Dismal Swamp again and we felt that the Virginia Cut was probably not worth fighting it for. We spent the night docked free at the Dismal Swamp Visitors Center, which is weird because it doubles as a highway rest stop so we had plenty of people gawking at us and our boats while they stretched their legs.
The second lock master was super friendly and really impressed us with his ability to actual play a tune on a conch shell!


In Norfolk Portsmouth we again had free dockage right downtown. It's remarkable how living on a boat your home can have such a variety of scenery. One night we're in a lush swamp land the next we're next to high rises and aircraft carriers (literally). We visited Norfolk proper more than on the way south. Steakhouse restaurant, bar, movie & dinner at the Commodore, america's oldest theatre (you actually eat at tables during the movie).


We had a weather window through the Chesapeake bay and up the Atlantic coast to Cape May NJ (southern tip) but en route the window extended and thus we decided to also extend our passage another day & night all the way up to Sandy Hook NJ (northern tip) where we now lie comfortably at anchor, just a short hop to NYC and Long Island. This was our last major ocean passage and likely our last overnight. The end of a chapter.


We're now a little ahead of schedule so we'll recover & relax a little bit here, then, in a few days we'll head over to Long Island to see my sister, brother-in-law and darling little niece all of whom I've been missing dearly throughout the voyage.


Visiting Long Island means parting ways with Pierre-Luc & Isabelle on our buddy boat Oceane. We've travelled many many miles together and shared so many great times with these two. We celebrated Pierre-Luc's birthday with breakfast on Topanga. We are sad to split but we'll see them later this summer either in Montreal or Quebec.

Up the lazy river

Crystal blue Bahamian waters has turned to poo brown

Just kidding, he's still never helped with the lines. Freeloader.

Taco night aboard Oceane

The whole boat was blanketed in these little bugs. The buzz outside was scary.

Immortalized forever on the lock wall

Like Dexter's a cameo

Cassy made it so clean I could shave in it. But I won't cause that would mess it up again! 

Dismal Swamp Visitor's Center dock

Doh! A deer! A female deer!

Come one, come all, marvel at those who travel really slowly.

We're so urban

Oceane and that very pretentious aircraft carrier. Ah the 1%...

Awful movie, great thatre.

Date night. Cause we haven't been spending enough time together...

Always, always check your blind spot

Let me sleep on your head

Toto, we're not in the Caribbean anymore. Booty call!

Like any respectable redneck we like to have our stuff all over our front lawn.

Last ocean sunset. Thank You.