The Atlantic Ocean along the New Jersey shore going north showed Seas 3-4 occasionally 5, wind 10-15, and skies dark with rain. The ocean can be both calm and wild, both beautiful and dangerous.

We left Atlantic City in early morning hoping to make Manasquan by late afternoon. The guidebooks still tout Atlantic City as one of the best cruising destinations on the Jersey coast. That is not what we saw, we saw emptiness, cheerlessness and listlessness in the casinos, Atlantic City, a shadow of its former self. The marinas were an exception; they were full of huge yachts and sport fishing boats. Dream Seeker was dwarfed by their size and magnificence.

The trip to Manasquan started out extremely rough but as Loren predicted, the ocean calmed down and the trip was tolerable and at times quite pleasant.

Denny neglected to notice that Captain Bills marina where he planned for us to stay tonight has no facilities. It is too late to move, every other marina in the area is full.  I have decided to take back some of my First Class passenger status and make the arrangements again or at least, oversee them.

Met up with John (SailorChulda) a Sea Craft owner and Point Pleasant native. He and Denny have known each other on the classic Sea Craft sight for many years. It was a pleasure to meet him and learn about this beautiful seaside town.

Cocktails on the boat and dinner at the Shrimp Box, I am enjoying this evening pastime.

Tying Up

The Golden Nugget

Sunset

Shrimp Box

Shrimp boats

Sunset and Us

John and Loren

Denny and John

It is 9am; no water coming out of the faucets again.  Perhaps that pump was not properly repaired.  Don’t worry it will take me 15 minutes to change the pump. I have a spare.

Eight hours later and two trips to the store there is still no water.

There are very few things you can do without water. You can read but not cook.  You can write but not wash clothes. You can dress but not shower.

The ICW has not been well maintained in New Jersey and it is wiser to travel along the ocean rather than through the waterway.  The weather will be good for the next two days; we need to leave tomorrow morning to take advantage of this. New York harbor is two days away. It would be good to have water for this leg of the journey (or any leg for that matter).

Bob left this morning and Lauren came in his place. I need to maintain my first class passenger status.

Denny made one more trip to the engine room and WOW running water. Celebratory cocktails on Dream Seeker and dinner at the Lobster House!

Life is good!

South Jersey Marina

Denny and Lauren

Lauren

A Tiny Cruise Line

Words from the Doctor: You are doing very well, almost full range of motion in your wrist, but remember, no matter how hard you try or who you are, it takes six weeks to heal a wrist fracture so wear your brace, ergo, being a first class passenger has its ups and downs.

No working the lines and driving the boat but I can enjoy the journey.  No moving without hanging on but I can smell the sea air. Bob is helping us on this leg of the journey taking over some of my duties and I am trying to not pick up a line.

The Chesapeake and Delaware Canal is a 14 mile long, 450 feet wide and 35 feet deep ship canal that connects the Delaware River with the Chesapeake Bay and we came through it with a myriad of huge ships.

The Delaware Bay is at the end of the canal and we are currently working our way down it. The seas are much calmer than yesterday although far from flat. The destination is Cape May, New Jersey. The sun is shining.

Life is good!  I like being treated as a first class passenger.

Bob and Denny

We are traversing the northern end of the infamous and changeable Chesapeake Bay, and it is living up to its reputation.

Small Craft Warnings! When did that happen? Why didn’t you tell me there were small craft warnings?

Crash! The computer flew across the room; books and charts have a mind of their own. Bang!   What was that? Doors are trying to wrench off their hinges.  Flying missiles are everywhere. Who said we don’t need stabilizers?

The seas are rolling from 3-4 feet, except where they are pitching 6-7 feet. We are going against the current and only able to travel at 6 knots.

What happened to your mantra Denny? This is supposed to be pleasure boating. Needless to say the next seven hours were less than pleasure.

Denny has lost his hero status.  Fame is short lived.

An easy flight, a rental car, horrendous traffic from DC to Annapolis, a bumpy water taxi, the trip went from delightful anticipation to Bedlam in hours.

The batteries are dead! How about the generator?

No water coming out of the faucets. The water pump is dead!!

The starboard engine is not turning over!

Those engines were humming when we left!

Hot and humid! No air conditioning!

The boat is full of spiders. AGH!!!

Three weeks on a mooring ball has left its mark on Dream Seeker.

Denny is on full concentration mode. Let’s bleed the engines and get this to the dock.

Three hours later with thoughtful consideration and deliberation we were on our way to a motel for the night. Up early (Denny was up all night) and to the boat.

I don’t know what he did but he did it.   He would love telling you about it.    All systems are a go. We leave in the morning.

A huge storm this evening, made way for a beautiful rainbow.

Rainbow over Dream Seeker

Behind us at the dock

A call from Judy and Alex, on “MoonGlow”, friends from Nettles Island!

They got a late start on the Loop because of engine concerns and are now held up in Jacksonville Fl., with generator problems. Just when you think you may have gotten ahead of the game, fate always intervenes.

Are you returning to the Loop? When? Can we catch up with you? When do you get to New York? How long will you be there?

These are all questions we are asking ourselves as well.

We are flying back to Annapolis on Wednesday, to the scene of the crime; from there, we go due north into the abyss.

Our dilemma is now therapists or hospital visits soon it will be; The waterway or the ocean.

A call to action, yes, we are returning to the Loop. Life is fleeting enjoy every minute you have left.

Bill does sudoko in ink

My Occupational therapist.

occupational therapist

The homily was too long and church let out in the middle of a fierce electric storm. A typical summer afternoon in Florida found us running through four inches of water in the pouring rain and holding tightly to a lightning rod some would call an umbrella. We are home.

Easily readjusting to life on land, we realize we prefer the sea. There have been visitors from afar and local friends to commiserate with while home but the lure of the sea is enchanting.

Although I am making rapid progress with physical therapy, it still takes six weeks for bones to rejuvenate. If we receive the doctors blessing next week we return to Annapolis to clean and provision the boat for the next leg of our journey.

Because my duties as full time first mate and occasional Admiral have been suspended by my infirmity, assistance is needed for Denny to pilot Dream Seeker.  He has contracted with two “Captains” to come along with us and fulfill my role. They will be with us from Annapolis,  MD to Tarrytown, New York.

Only one more week before freedom!!!!

Rose and Bill

Maria and Sherrill neighbors and friends

Valerie and Gary

My hairdresser Michael

Jeff and Suzie

newer smaller cast

All visited with us during this unplanned interlude.

Bend those fingers, stretch that wrist but don’t lift that bale.

Doctors instructions and physical therapy, a new way of life but only in the short term.  Therapists are treating several patients at once with similar injuries. That is when I realize how lucky I am and how much worse the accident could have been.

Another expression that hurts my senses, “It takes time to heal, the process cannot be rushed.” My impatience manifests itself in irritability. I want to get back on the Sea. We want to get back to the journey. The biggest problem is my wrist still has twenty stitches in it and  is quite  swollen and sore.

A visit from two of my children and my personal trainer, John, eases my mind and helps speed me on toward recovery. I also know that even though they are platitudes, life is good and this too will pass.

Gary and mom

At The Boat House

Valerie and Gary

John my trainer

Five screws and a “T” shaped plate later, I was in recovery.The doctor said the surgery went well.  I wasn’t sure. I was trying to control my arm.

Clunk! My heavily casted hand fell on my head of its own volition. Powerful medication had been put into my arm during surgery so that the pain and everything else would be absent from my arm.  Whoa! My arm shot off in a strange direction. Catch it!  I think I would prefer the pain. Either way I cannot sleep.

Twelve hours later things have calmed down but I need a rest.

Thank you all for your concern and good wishes.  Denny is already planning our return to the boat.  I am not sure when I will be able to do likewise .

writing my Blog

learning how to cook

Denny reduced to cooking if he wants to eat.  He has been doing a little laundry too. No wonder he wants to hurry back to the boat.

It was The Loop Journey. It was the Loop calamity.

The following is the blog I was about to publish just before my wrist exploded.

“It is a pleasure to wake in the morning on Dream Seeker, after I have sent a post, and read all your comments. I share your thoughts with Denny and we relish its contents.  Although some of the journey has been challenging, it is new, different and fun. I am really enjoying the adventure. For me, the Blog is a delightful connection to my family, friends and home!  The Loop has been, so far, a wonderful journey”.

The calamity is the need to temporarily leave the journey.

A broad smile appeared on the doctor’s face as I told him that I heard he was the guru of hand surgeons in this area.  I am depending on his wisdom and skill to return my wrist to its former glory, so a little suck up can’t hurt.

Thursday, May 30, with the assistance of modern science, my wrist bones will be reconnected.  A few days in a large cast, then a small cast, then physical therapy and Voila, a renewed wrist. Hope it proves to be as easy as it sounds.

We are happy to be home in Palm City for this leg of the journey.

repair it or it heals this way

a rather large sling

it still hurts