Time to leave our buddies.

They say change is the only constant in life. I hate that. We fear change. But we face it head on with resolve. It is time to change. 

Charlie and Mary in Chicago

We can consider this trip to be divided into three parts. We began this trip alone and we stayed by ourselves mostly until Saugatuck, with visits from friends like the Bate's and Lipka's.

The second part started in Saugatuck MI where we picked up Charlie in Bama Belle for a few weeks, meeting him again in Mobile at his home base.

Anchoring out on the Mississippi
with our new friends
L: Sareanna, Seaquell, Jim'sJoy
One September, Good Karma

Jim, Mike, Dick, Deanna, and Katherine
on the Tennessee River

Then we joined with four wonderful boatloads of people: One September, Jim’s Joy, Seaquell, and Sareanna. Other boats floated in and out for delightful company along the way.

But we had a core group that included funny, adventuresome folks who were up for anything: the anchoring, the side trips, the thrown-together meals, the endless discussions about weather with decisions to stay or go.

Joe, Judy, Martha, Mike, Joy and the
rest of the gang in Charleston
visiting with Liz and Tom Taft

That is us!! In Captiva FL

Mike, Kermit, Judy, Peggy and Jimmy in Captiva, FL

Mike always calling Mom in the afternoon

One September gets boarded in Panama City

A rosy glow from sunset makes everything better

Big looper get together in Annapolis L: Darrell, Lisa,
Allen, Marianne, Jim, Joy, Katherine, Kermit, Laura, and Ross

Kermit, Katherine, Judy and Mike with Judy's cousins

Judy and Mike, Joy and Jim, and Dick and Deanna at
Bobby's Fish Camp

But everything ends eventually. Things change whether you want them to or not. The trip eventually ends and you have to figure out the next thing.

At Joe and Edie's house in Charleston

We left Joe and Edie on Seaquell at Joe Wheeler. They went ahead but met up with us without the boat in Isla Morada for Christmas and Charleston in May. Talk about adventurous people!

Dick and Deanna

Jim and Joy

We left Sareanna in Beaufort SC.

Finally today we leave Jim’s Joy and One September. The last links to a wonderful middle portion of the trip. Gosh we will miss them. We MUST see them again or we will fail in a really big way. These can be true friends for life. I guess that is what the great loop is all about.

Judy and Mike on One September

Now we step into the final portion of our journey, alone again for the final few months. When we get home we have to figure out what is the next thing, just like everyone else.

It is appropriate that our last adventure together is in St. Michaels. This is a beautiful little town, very historic and very picturesque. Cavalier Yacht Club welcomed us warmly and we had a lot of fun.

The Cavalier docktail party the first night --
very welcoming! Thank you!!

A little side note. On the way to St. Michaels out of Annapolis we encountered the Coast Guard practicing rescue maneuvers.

The town is full of pretty gardens and old homes dating from the 1700s. I am reading James Michner's book, Chesapeake, and it takes place around here so I feel a direct tie to this town.

St. Michaels Marina

The screw pile light house with a
fresnel lens

Dinner with the Klein's and Tischler's and Hechtkopf's
best pizza ever at Ava's - amazing!

Frederick Douglas was born and raised on a plantation near St. Michaels, and it is also the place he ran away from to freedom.

Jersey, Sandy and Jay's dog

The Wickersham House - really old

Rusty liked St. Michaels -
he is walking better

On Wednesday the club organized a scavanger hunt with 2 teams of men and 2 teams of women. Judy, Joy, and I were on a team with Janet, Millie, and Sandy Tischler. We had a blast!! We organized ourselves and divided up the work.

And we won!!! YEAH!! We won a nice bottle of local wine each. The best part was getting to know these nice people better and learning about the town. Every town should do this. It really helps connect boaters with the town outside of the marina.

L: Katherine, Millie, Judy, Sandy, Janet, and Joy

 The rest of the day Kermit kept comparing notes because he thought the game was rigged!! It wasn't!

Food note: I had gazpacho with lump crab meat. Delicious!!

Cavalier was supposed to move on to its next marina on their week long cruise on Thursday but the weather was really windy so our last goodbyes were postponed one more day!! YEAH!!

Mike and Judy

Kermit

While the Cavalier folks went to town for dinner, One September, Jim's Joy and Good Karma arranged one last dinner on One September. Judy made a great salad and chicken fingers with Mike's mustard from Canada. Joy roasted a chicken. I made squash ravioli with brown butter, walnuts, and dried cherries.

We drank a bottle of wine and toasted our experiences together. A good way to end this portion of the trip.

Jay Tischler

Sandy Tischler

Friday morning bloomed bright and everyone disbursed to their various parts of the world. Jim's Joy headed to Colony Beach on the Potomac to visit Joy's cousin. One September headed off with Cavalier. And we headed north to Delaware City. It was very sad.

Jay Tischler

There goes Jim's Joy

Wave goodbye to Mike and Judy

One September goes south and Good Karma goes north
to the Chesapeake Bridge in the background

Today our target is Chesapeake City or Delaware City at the top of the Chesapeake Bay. It will be a long day but this is our last day on the Chesapeake Bay. We are homeward bound!