As noted in our last post, before our side trip to Austin, Exhale covered a LOT of lovely water that we have not reported on yet – starting after South Port (NC, thanks David) then pausing at the Isle of Hope, GA. So grab a cup of coffee or a nice beverage and let’s fill in the gaps. In time, not teeth, although given our location either is possible.  Capt Rick is bundled up for the ride. Capt Rick and Buttercup, blankets provided by Tonto’s Reward Little River, South Carolina There’s something special about a pink house! It reminds me of “Mr. Pine’s Purple House” by Leonard Kessler.&nbs ..read more

While Exhale took a little break – tied up at the Isle of Hope, Savannah GA – Capt. Rick, Buttercup and I flew to Austin, TX; hometown of Dana Belknap, M/V Tumbleweed, and second home of Craig Adford and Maureen O’Gara. We left long before breakfast – Buttercup was not impressed. It’s 4:08 am – why are we going for a walk in the dark? First, a heartfelt thank you to Gail and David Bernstein who facilitated this amazing trip to see the Formula One races! Former Austin residents, they started going to the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) track when it opened in October of 2012, that year Mario And ..read more

First, a return visit to Alligator River At the foot of the Alligator Bridge the gas station / gift shop / food counter is a popular rest stop for US Hwy 64 motorists and for ICW boaters.  In the words of the patron who walked in behind us “this place never changes.” Alligator River – Fried Chicken We have stayed at the marina numerous times over the past 5 years. The fried chicken was sooo good we would talk about it for days; the well-seasoned cook was a charming southern woman, who seemed to put her heart and soul into every meal!  Unfortunately, this time she was not there, and I ..read more

Dreary weather is brightened by an unexpected gift of flowers; the very best! Thanks, Capt. Rick Bear, Delaware; Summit North Marina You might think it’s a blurry photo, but really it was just another foggy day. It seems we have had more than our fair share lately. But not to complain too much, we dodged another tropical storm. Chesapeake City, Maryland We passed by Chesapeake City with fond memories of our visit in 2018 with Donna Wallace. Boaters Tip:  If you opt to tie up at the Restaurant you will be perfectly positioned for a fabulous sunset.  Be aware when you depart, debri ..read more

In the words of Natalie Merchant, “Ophelia was a tempest cyclone” From New York to New Jersey, it continued to rain. Enough already, seriously. Sag Harbor, New York Navigating the puddles, we walked about Sag Harbor.  Like Tumbleweed, we enjoy this little spot. Sag Harbor Fire Dept. Civil War Memorial This memorial, “In Liberty and Union” commemorates the lives lost during the Civil War.  The 1864 cannon is nearly 1,500-pounds. Sag Harbor Trivia Phineas Taylor “P.T” Barnum once owned a segment of land running through the village.  The adage “there’s a sucker born every minute ..read more

We crossed into Maine some time ago; now we are in New York, again. That means this post will cover a lot of territory.  So, pour a cup of coffee, Ann Johnston, or a glass of wine, and let’s get caught up. Dysart’s Southwest Harbor, Maine Thanks to Jim and Susan Merritt, Exhale was scrubbed from top to bottom, just in time to say Hello to Ray and Caryl!  Buttercup loves it when the cookie man is in the house.  Capt. Rick, Buttercup, Gail B, Caryl M, Jim M, Ray “Sideways”, and Susan Merritt Reuniting with our 2018 Looper buddies, we intentionally overlapped our guests. Thanks to ..read more

Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia Entering the well-protected bay we could see the picturesque village was colorful, as advertised.  It’s no surprise that Hallmark likes to film here.  We could have stayed for several days, like Doug did, but a weather opening dictated that we moved on. See that blue sky! Shelbourne, Nova Scotia Another one-night stay, we were greeted by Kermit Local inn-keeper, Cooper (love the name, Jim and Susan), gave me permission to take a photo of him watching the sunset from his private oasis. Cooper watches the sunset Yarmouth, Nova Scotia At the entrance to ..read more

By now, I really expected to see at least one live moose, but nope. Moose head with feathered friend On Monday the weather lifted just enough to leave Fisherman’s Harbour. We made a long, long run to Halifax – traveling a total of 92 nautical miles, over 12 SLOW hours.  Red sky morning 5:42 am As the waves grew higher and the wind got stronger little Buttercup buried her head. Do you know why ostriches bury their head in the sand?  Unlike a frightened puppy who just wants the rolling nightmare to stop, the ostrich is not actually submerging her head out of fear. Myth buster: an ostr ..read more

The 1972 hit by Carly Simon, “You’re So Vain”, is one of my favorites, especially this part of the third verse, “you flew your Leerjet up to Nova Scotia, to see the total eclipse of the sun”. A fan of Simon’s music from a young age, exploring Nova Scotia was very high on my bucket list. For my niece, Carly. Click this link to see and hear your namesake, Carly Simon performing live! Can’t wait to see you in NYC! Commodore’s Quiz Hey Commodores Greg and Gary, what are people who live in Nova Scotia called? St. Peter’s, NS The marina is run by very friendly volunteers from the Lion’s Club. As we ..read more

Gaspe – Sturgeon Moon Old Farmer’s Almanac (that’s the Greatest of All Time (G.O.A.T.) resource) reported the full Sturgeon Moon would reach its peak on Tuesday, August 1, 2023, followed by a full Blue Moon on Wednesday, August 30, 2023—the closest supermoon of the year. Moonlight over Gaspe fishing fleet. Why is it called a sturgeon moon? The almanac chimed in again, “Giant sturgeon of the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain were most readily caught during this part of summer.” Sturgeon – the Dinosaur of the Great Lakes Referred to as living fossils, these prehistoric-looking f ..read more