Sunset; Awendaw to Charleston

10/28/11
Last night's sunset with CAVU was captured by Carey and Bobbi Colwell (Catspaw) who have been "Buddy Boating" with us for several days. They are wonderful people who have a great sense of humor. This morning's calm pre-dawn quiet was broken by a reveille call of New England Sea Chanteys transmitted by Carey over our "working channel". He, like Ron is an early riser....Nothing like a hearty laugh to start the day!
Of course, we were the first ones out of the anchorage. As we motored along beside the Wildlife Refuge we were once again treated to a pod of dolphins on our starboard. When Carey is in the lead he is a great "dolphin spotter" sitting high up with his pilot house view. We are so delighted to have joined up with Catspaw and Crew who have done this ICW trip 7 times. They have added great entertainment, company, experiential anecdotes, and enjoyment to our adventure.
Today's trip was a short one, only 5 hours. As we entered Charleston Harbor we were again escorted by dolphins on both sides. A cold front was building and our sunny day was fast disappearing, so we called it a day! Actually we had already made reservations at the Charleston City Marina for a few days to see the sights, and coincidentally, ride out the weather. We had settled in to our slip only long enough to check out the showers when Ed Land from Finistere (Rock Hall,Md) rode up the dock on his bicycle. He and Pat are at the next marina just under the bridge. We chatted for awhile until Carey and Bobbi showed up to go with us on the free shuttle to downtown. We walked for several blocks and saw some of the beautiful architecture, horse and buggy tours, cobblestone streets and sidewalks, Market Street....the first Catholic Church in the Carolinas and Georgia. At that point we needed refreshment and ended up at South End Brewery where we had great pizza and beer. From there we headed to an Irish Pub...where we heard the weather report of snow in New Hampshire and our son Kevin called to tell us it was even snowing in Virginia.... We hope we will be able to out run it!!!
At that point it was dark and close to "Cruiser's Midnight" so, we called the free shuttle for a pick up. Now we are back on  CAVU listening to the crackle of the shrimp under the boat. It is amazing that such little creatures can make so much noise.
Tomorrow we tour Charleston. What an awesome city!

 

Sunset off Mile 435, Awendaw Creek

10/27/11
Tonight we are enjoying one of our favorite anchorages so far on the Waterway.  Mile 435, Awendaw  Creek.   Total isolation in the Cape Romano National Wildlife Refuge.   Soft grassy marshes surround the great holding bottom as we swing into the current but against the wind, unique to the Captain. Good night....Charleston, SC tomorrow
Cat. Ron and MA

A Favorite Anchorage

10/27/11

CAVU and CATSPAW are anchored in what Bobbi and Carey consider their favorite ICW anchorage. Ron and I would definitely agree.   Mile 435, Awendaw  Creek.   Total isolation in the Cape Romano National Wildlife Refuge.   Soft grassy marshes surround the best holding bottom you can find.  Room for 30 boats, rarely more than 3-4.    Dolphins swim by at most every tide change. One or two were circling as we dropped the anchor.  The location is perfect to break up the Georgetown to Charleston stretch which we did on this cavu day! Glorious...

Spanish Moss in the early Autumn

It is impossible to truly capture the beauty of the Spanish Moss as the sun is rising over the Waterway. This is a fascinating plant which is neither Spanish nor moss. It's an air plant that likes water and high humidity. It is seen everywhere along this stretch hanging from the dark gnarled branches of old live oaks growing in and along the Waterway. Eventually we headed to the junction of the Waccama and Pee Dee Rivers to go in to Georgetown.
After a gorgeous day we turned in to take a side slip at Hazzard Marina. This is a great marina that offers fuel, pump out, fresh water and electricity right from the slip. The Laundry facility has two washers and dryers that actually work efficiently and very nice showers. We walked in to town for a late lunch and then we took a tour of The Rice Museum. Rice fields, we learned, covered mile after mile of the marshlands before the Civil War. It was a very labor intensive crop which was based on slave labor. After the War these rice fields went fallow do to lack of laborers. The remains of these rice fields are evident all along the banks of the Waccamaw. There is so much interesting history intertwined with the Waterway that I could go on for pages, but won't for your sake. One more tidbit I can't resist telling you is about the ole Stephen Foster song "Way down upon the Pee Dee River, far far away..."  Yes, that is what Stephen Foster had originally written down as he wrote the American Classic "Swanee River", but he didn't like the cadence ...so ...
Shrimping and a paper mill are the main industries in Georgetown and the wind was in our favor blowing the "smell" away!  Great Stop!
 

Morning Dew

Dawn on the Waccamaw

10/26/11

After a very peaceful night we weighed anchor at dawn to a most picturesque crisp dewy morning...alone with the exception of Catspaw, our Buddy Boat, we cruised with our eyes constantly astounded at the new scenery around every corner. Gliding along that early in the morning  with the low hanging fog is a unusually spiritual experience.

From Civilization to the Wild Stretches of the Waccamaw River.

10/25/11
First of all, a most important message for today, is to wish our Granddaughter, Jordan a most Happy Eleventh Birthday!!

Today we passed under several high fixed bridges  along a narrow land cut that offered a wide variety of views. One of the most surprising was an aerial tramway on cables (for golfers) that passes right over the ICW... Beautiful golf courses, homes, wildlife, etc. Next, we came to the Socastee Bridge which is historically slow to get through due to an unresponsive bridge tender....However, this was our lucky day! There were three boats(who had passed us earlier) already waiting there, so when we showed up I guess the bridge tender figured it was high time he open up the swing bridge, so we just cruised on through
 "CAVU clear Bridge Tender, Have a nice day!" It is so much easier going through a bridge when you don't have to circle around waiting for the bridge to open while dodging other waiting boats and dealing with wind and current at the same time.
After going through the bridge the Waccamaw River becomes a windy, twisty, narrowi beautiful section of the Waterway. It is filled with swamps, marshes, endless deep creeks, dense forests, Spanish Moss, etc.....We decided to stop in the early afternoon at an oxbow off the river to drop the hook and spend the afternoon exploring some of the inlets and creeks in this protected area.  As we dinghied back into some of the creek channels It felt as if we had traveled hundreds of miles from chaos  into the raw, rugged, extreme isolation of another world...both eerie and awe inspiring. Then, within 4 or 5 minutes we dinghied back to CAVU, our own little sign of civilization. Another 2 boats joined Catspaw and CAVU for the night in this anchorage of peace an serenity.

Barefoot Landing Marina, Myrtle Beach SC

Yes, we are now in South Carolina. After  a 9 hour day of motoring along an ever changing and picturesque passage, including one known as the Rockpile (very tricky), we waited for about a half hour with 4 other boats for a swing bridge (on demand opening...). Soon all 5 of us pulled into Barefoot Landing Marina, Myrtle Beach SC. This docking was smartly orchestrated by the dockhands as all 5 of the boats were coming in to the same dock.
 As we sat in the cockpit marveling at our new surroundings two of the military boats (one of several) that had passed us in the Cape Fear River earlier in the day motored by. The picture shows these odd looking boats, as well as the cosmopolitan surroundings here. Barefoot Landing is a very unique stopover. We were able to plug in and then walk up the dock to behold  a complete shopping mall. Unbelievable!! We joined Carey and Bobbi to explore the shops and have a fantastic dinner at The Flying Fish Restaurant. Ron and Carey even bought new crocks and sandals.....The girls purchased nothing!!
Top plan to motor for only a short time and enjoy a remote anchorage.....

Monks Island NC Inlet

Cockpit View of Barrier Island Inlet

There are many inlets behind the Barrier Islands that feed into the Atlantic. They are beautiful and inviting but we will  continue on the inside.

Returning down Cape Fear River

110/24/11
As we left Wilmington Monday morning we were treated to all sorts of action from loading of container ships to a passing train and more.

Passing train Wilmington shipyard 
 

Caught by Carey's Camera at River Dunes

CAVU at Wilmington City Dock

Beauty West of the Barrier Islands

10/22/11
Off the hook by 7:15 as dawn was breaking. This eventually meant we needed to slow our progress to go through several different bridges; Surf City Bridge, Figure Eight Bridge, and Wrightsville Beach....This made for a frustrating day for the captain.....who likes to just charge forward.This phase of the journey had fantastic views of  ocean front houses from a uniquely different perspective. We saw more dolphins, eagles and even a deer swimming across the channel right in front of us.The homes in this area are nothing short of spectacular. The charm of the south with the shockingly large mansions bordering the waterway are simply beyond description. It was fascinating to spot the ocean through one of the many cuts that lead from the ICW out through the marshes into the ocean. When we stayed all those years along the Carolina beaches for our vacations I never imagined there was all this beauty just a short distance away  running parallel to the ocean.
  Next, we turned in to Snows Cut doing 9.3 mph over the ground which spit us out into the Cape Fear River where we had our first "touch" right in the middle of the channel. But, we just kept going and did not "run aground". Another two hours up the river with a strong current of 3 knots we arrived in the port of Wilmington. A call ahead allowed us to have dock space on the floating dock right in front of Wilmington's River Walk.  We spent  Saturday evening and Sunday here enjoying Wilmington. It was a wonderful stop; great architecture, history, food, shops,churches, much better than we had imagined. Tomorrow we will take the current out and head to Myrtle Beach....

Dolphins, Egrets and Harriers, Oh My!

10/21/11
Left River Dunes slip at 7:20am at the same time as Carey and Bobbi on Catspaw. We will travel together for awhile. First thing out of Broad Creek we spotted Dolphins jumping in front of us. Happy Day! I've been waiting for this first sighting. I tried and tried to catch them on camera with little success. What a beautiful sight! We motored along on a gorgeous cavu day with Catspaw leading. This always gives me great relaxed confidence whenever I take the helm. Don't have to second guess my navigation!?!
Going through Adams Creek Canal the scenery was  changing by the minute; lovely homes, white egrets, colorful marsh grasses....Each hour brings a new refreshing view. As we were passing the New River Marine Corps. Air Station the sound and sights of Harriers doing touch and gos and vertical take of and landings was an extra thrill for the Captain. We anchored in Mile Hammock Bay with 15 other boats that evening. Calm, beautiful night.

Lay Day at River Dunes

10/19/11
Rainy dreary morning with wind increasing through the day. Good day to be in a slip with a work out facility at hand. Used the Courtesy Car to go to local grocery store with Bobby and Carey, and then, lunched at local eatery. Penny,we  drove by your house; it's lovely and I can see why you miss it. All looked fine from the outside. Your car is sitting in carport waiting for you still.
I'm getting ready to go to the Laundry room to do a load of wash. Carey and Bobby will be coming by boat  for Happy Hour this evening and then we'll do dinner together. Tomorrow we will make our decision  to go or not based on the weather...It is always in charge!

Quiet Morning Sail and Then Elegance

1/18/11
Glorious sunrise across an open bay view. Since we didn't have far to go we didn't haul anchor til 7:29 am.  Gale warnings were predicted through Thursday night so has we decided that today we would head for a marina that Carey Caldwell (Catspaw) had told us about. It cheaper rates and than the ones we found in Oriental and is very protected located just north of Oriental in Broad Creek.
Leaving the  anchorage, we took the zig zag route with the aid of the trusty chart plotter. The contingency of flies returned as we left so the First Mate did flyswatter duty...too early for this sort of activity...It was a beautiful sunny 63 degree morning sail with 11 knots out of the SW, until we needed to turn starboard to go down the Neuse. We entered Broad Creek by 10:30 and took the Hurricane day mark damaged route into River Dunes, one of the quietest secluded little private harbors we've ever seen. Captain says it will be the prettiest of whole trip. Fueled and pumped out before taking a slip at the farthest end of the marina, fourth slip in. Floating Docks love them!! Long walk to the laundry and showers, but the elegance of the entire Club House was worth it. This is not your typical stop. The anti-bellum   period furnishings throughout the two story building made you feel like you had stepped into another era. The showers, on the other hand, were modern up to date and the best we've ever seen.
The best part of the day was that we were joined by Bobbi and Carey (Catspaw) later in the afternoon. They will also wait out this front here. We had Happy Hour aboard Catspaw and then Ron drove us in the Club Courtesy car into Oriental for dinner at M & M's. Super dinner and great company.!  We get to sleep in tomorrow!! No travel...

Sailing and Red Wolves

10/17/11
At sunrise we quietly weighed anchor and were the first of 2 boats leaving to go directly into the Alligator Pungo Canal. This is a 22 mile passage that is lined with submerged stumps and bank erosion, so mid channel is the safest course. This requires attention from the helm. Some parts are lined with woods and then it thins out to swamps and patches of marsh grass. It was a beautiful day so the marsh grass looked golden in the afternoon sun.
Once we were into the Pungo River we sailed close hauled and beam reaching all the way to the Pamlico River. It was nice to give the engine a rest.We decided to drop the hook off Bay River instead of going on to Oriental that night. The Captain did a great job taking us through a tricky unmarked channel to a protected spit off Bonner Bay.
It was a quiet and calm evening, but we were driven below by an onslaught of flies. During the night I'm pretty certain that I heard the cries of the Red Wolf which has been reintroduced into this area.It's a rather eerie musical series of howls. Never heard it before, fascinating!

A Day Of Contrasts

10/16/11
We were blessed with a gorgeous morning. The wind had died down enough to allow us to push off the dock with ease. As the sun rose we were the first of three boats taking off  early that day. As we were cruising down the Pasquotank River I asked Ron "What is that strange dome like structure along the shore". "My goodness" he exclaimed...."that is a blimp hanger and there are two blimps tethered right beside it.. I received my ATC instruction in one of those down in Georgia.".  This is, as I might have mentioned before, a trip down memory lane for the Captain!
By 10:30 am we were motorsailing on a nice beam reach across the Albemarle Sound with west winds 11-13 knots.
We crossed through a swing bridge into the Alligator River by 11:45. It was a CAVU day...and we didn't see any alligators, thank goodness!
We dropped the hook just before the entrance to the Pungo Canal  off Tuckahoe Point at 3:00. This river and this anchorage is one of the most desolate places we've ever seen. Low growth on the shoreline, stumps everywhere, weather ravaged vegetation  for 50 miles. As we settled into this isolation, the only boat at this point, it seemed somehow appropriate to look out and see a lone bald eagle perched atop a tall dead tree. He calmly kept watch through the whole evening as seven other boats one by one drifted in and set their anchors. Three hours are needed to finish the Pungo Canal and since there is no stopping place and it would be difficult in the dark most people anchor if they can't make it before dark.
So here we were in utmost darkness, with no earthly lights around except for the little twinkling anchor lights....As the stars began to come out we were treated to the most magnificent starry night sky we can ever remember. It was absolutely mesmerizing. We were both so exhausted but couldn't stop starring up at the wonder before us....
This was an amazing day of contrasts, from the expansive stark desolation of the Alligator River to the magnificent spectacular night sky.
 Thank you, God!

From Dismal To Roses

10/14/11
Today we finished seeing the oldest canal in America. It was originally surveyed by George Washington in 1763. The Great Dismal Swamp is actually not dismal at all. It got its name from what locals used to call any swampy land, "a dismal".
Six of the eight boats all left at the same time to reach the 8:30 South Mills Bridge and Lock opening. This is a very interesting lock that drops 9-12 feet into the Pasquotank River. It leads into a very straight picturesque section called Turner's Cut which empties into the winding Pasquotank River at Mile 36.7 The Pasquotank is a very windy, twisty but wider body of water which requires strict attention to markers and water depths. It is quite beautiful. Woke Capt. Ron from his siesta as we passed Goat Island. The channel gets trickier (for me) as we approached the  Norfolk Southern Railroad Bridge opening which is only 42 feet wide with strong current...not my cup of tea! He, on the other hand loves it. By this time there were only two of the original boats traveling in sight of each other, CAVU and Valor. The wind started really kicking up and we needed to go through the Elizabeth City Twin Highway Bridge...missing the half hour opening.  We were happy to hear the bridge tender say she would open anyway for the two of us. So, we quickly caught up with Valor and went through the last bridge of the day. 
Our destination for the day was Mariner's Wharf at Elizabeth City's free docks....There was only one slip left which was taken by Valor, but the local "volunteer dockmaster" and another boater waved us on in to the wharf wall to do a side tie. This was managed smartly against a 19 knot west wind trying to push us off, with their friendly assistance. I'm getting better at line handling with each day! Meanwhile, the Captain threw his before cleating it...then again, he was also driving...
We were invited to a Wine and Cheese Boaters Welcome party put on by the famed "Rose Buddies" where I received the traditional roses. Back in the 80's a man in town used to personally greet all the incoming cruisers with a rose from his gardens. The town has continued this tradition in his honor, even though he passed away several years ago. It is very much a source of town pride to welcome cruisers.
10/15/11
Today is a lay day because of the heavy winds which make crossing the shallow Albemarle Sound uncomfortable.
We toured the town and went to a fantastic free Museum of the Albemarle Sound. It presented through excellent formats the history of the region that we felt was unexpected in a small town like this. Did you know that the Wright Brothers came to  Elizabeth City to be ferried with their equipment by a local fisherman to Kitty Hawk?
It's been a beautiful day, roses still blooming and tomorrow we move again!

Dismal Swamp

10/12/11
Fun Happy Hour aboard CAVU with new friends Jeannie and Bill on NEMO and  Kathy and Dan  on MAJIK. 
10/13/11
Left the slip at 7:20 am for the 8:30 Gilmerton Bridge Opening...of course...we would be the first ones...and to top it off the book departure times are off by an hour . The bridge did not open til 9:30!! This meant motoring, idling around for an hour with another boat who must have been given the same info we had. Other boats started to arrive around 9:15...they must have updated info or be locals..
Finally went under bridge with about 8 other boats and a huge tug. Almost missed the turn off, which comes immediately to starboard,  for the Dismal Swamp.  Only one of the boats chose this route with us, an American Tug named Winter Hawk.
As soon as we took this route all the hub-bub and confusion ended. It was total peace and quiet
First challenge was the Deep Creek Lock, which is fortunately run by a very friendly and helpful Lockmaster named Robert. All the fenders were in place but I was unsure of how to maneuver the lines. I told him immediately that this was "my first lock" and he responded with clear and patient directions which will make every lock opening from now on much more enjoyable.
Observed the owners of Winter Hawk present Robert with a conch shell whistle which he promptly began to entertain us with as the water in the lock rose. It seems there is a tradition for those returning from the south to give Robert a shell as a token of appreciation). Cool... will remember that!
As we motored out of the lock the whole world changed. It was almost magical with total quiet, surrounded by tall trees and lush undergrowth.  We motored along like the African Queen. If you haven't seen the movie you might not get the picture!  Soon a large Blue Heron began to escort us in majestic fashion swooping from side to side in front of us, keeping perfect pace with CAVU. as if to say "this way,this way" As we motored along with our escort we held back a bit and let Winter Hawk who had been in front of us pull away and then it was just CAVU alone, moving along with nature teeming on both sides. The sun popped in and out frequently making a reflective path upon the center of the canal, a perfect line to follow as we took this most pleasant colorful early autumn adventure.
As we approached Mile Marker 24 clouds started building and truck noise could be heard. Yes, we were paralleling US 17 on our portside, weird! At Mile Marker 25 we crossed over into North Carolina as the Captain took his afternoon snooze. As we pulled up to the free dock at Mile Marker 28 a loud clap of thunder matched my line looping the piling. We tied up quickly and dropped the enclosure to the powerful thunderstorm that hit us, thankfully perfect timing. When storm was over we were treated to a gorgeous rainbow.
We sat dry and safe in the cockpit remarking on our good fortune and at the place we had just discovered (rumor has it) the only Rest Stop/Visitor Center of its kind accessible by both boat and car. Too Cool!
Enjoyed a quick stir fry dinner in the cockpit and then walked up to the Visitor Center for a little tour.
Arriving back at boat we were greeted by another boat approaching the full dock. We helped him raft up to our boat. Wow, was this guy an interesting singlehandler. Well after dark an odd light configuration could be seen coming down the canal. Turned out to be a small sailboat with another larger one on a "hip tow". They also need to raft up to the boat rafted to us...This made for an interesting evening as all of these people need to go from the outside boat across ours to get to the dock. Crazy interesting night. ...

Yipee!

10/12/11
After sitting several days waiting for the regulator to be sent from Seattle!!! we got it installed today and all is functioning properly. We've met some great cruisers here at the dock and all have interesting stories to share.The plan is to depart tomorrow from Waterside about 7:30 to catch the 8:30 Gilmerton Bridge opening. Some rain is in the forecast, but with the trusty enclosure that should not be an issue. It will feel good to get moving again!

"If its going to happen it will happen out there"

Dreams Can Come True When You Leave The Dock
The morning of Tuesday, October 4 brought us long awaited sun and dry weather. It was a CAVU day, the perfect day to start our adventure south. Madelyn and Penny came out to wave good bye as we left the slip. We were able to almost immediately raise sails for a fantastic 70 degree day of sun and 15 knot west winds down the Bay...under the Bay Bridge in only two hours. As Ron was determined to keep his promise that this was to be a leisurely trip (not a delivery) we decided to drop the hook in the Rhode River for a relaxing evening and early night to recover from all the preparations that had led up to this lovely day.
Wednesday 10/5
Awoke to another "cavu" day. After cleaning the dew off the windshield, made decision to put cover on at night from now on to try to eliminate that chore in the early morning prep...Sailed out of Rhode averaging 7 knots down the Bay. Came to the aide of a confused chartless sailor who was asking for assistance getting into Solomons Harbor, leading her in. We took a mooring at Zanheizers and used the rest of the afternoon to reorganize a few things and do a few boat chores before dinghying in to meet Paul and Kath for dinner at Dry Dock. Wonderful meal and great fun hearing all about their trip to Italy. Thanks Paul and Kath for the gracious attempt to give us an early "Thanksgiving Treat". We'll miss the "real thing" this year and will be thinking of all of you!
Thursday 10/6
No dew on the windshield today...Slipped the mooring silently at first light. Ron was delighted to be the first of several southbound boats going out of the harbor. Magnificent sunny morning 68 degrees with winds southeast 13-16 knots, close hauled and beam reaching. We are so fortunate!! The NAS PAX River Range was not operating, so we could keep our course all the way. Many boaters complain of converging currents and rough ride past the Potomac, but we had none of that.
Pelicans, Pelicans, Pelicans, we finally began to see them as we passed Cedar Point. They are the most entertaining and comical birds on the Bay as they  crash land into the water and then quickly recover their dignity and float around beautifully. This is the kind of sail that I love, heeling comfortably, listening to the gentle sound of water trickling past the hull.... It remained fantastic  until about 1:00 when the wind started to lie down a bit and we ended up motorsailing into Fishing Bay to drop the hook for the night. This is a lovely anchorage especially if the winds are out of the NE. Our dinner time view from the stern of the cockpit is idyllic with lush trees and magnificent sunset! Another beautiful, calm night in a wide open anchorage twinkling with about 10 other anchor lights. What a privilege it is to experience this lifestyle!
 Funny....battery didn't seem to charge with all that motoring???  Good thing we have solar panels....
Friday  10/7
Weighed anchor at first light and began motoring out of Fishing Bay. This was to be a motoring day all day as winds never went above 5 knots. To conserve battery Ron decided to turn off auto pilot and then, of course, I took the helm....just kidding...we always take turns at the helm....just coincidental. Ron was in seventh heaven as we motored past all the destroyers, carriers, submarines, etc at Norfolk. It was a beautiful clear day, perfect for this "harbor tour", with landing craft maneuvers, helicopters buzzing, navy ships, tugs and barges going in every direction. We pulled into Tidewater Yacht Marina to top off our fuel and see if we could find anyone to help us with our alternator issue. Of course, this was Friday afternoon of a long holiday weekend, so we didn't have much luck there. Next, we went over to Waterside Marina where we took a slip and plugged in. Ed Land (Finestere) who arrived at Waterside a day ahead of us was still there and told Ron about a Marine Store in Portsmouth. The two of them quickly took the 75cent(for seniors) ferry over to the Marine Mile Zero store where Ron was impressed by the sincere assistance given by Bob, the owner. He worked for an hour trying to find us the right sort of help even though it was past quitting time....think we stumbled on to that renowned southern hospitality already!   So....we have a number and a source to follow through on and will hopefully, solve this problem early Tuesday morning.  In the meantime, we are sitting in a slip here at Waterside in view of all kinds of navy ships and meeting some wonderful cruisers who are here waiting for the end of the Big Schooner Race which ends right in front of this marina this week. Saturday we toured the Portsmouth Naval Museum and found it very interesting and best of all it was the first Saturday of the month, their free admittance day!!! We spent all day touring the new cleaned up Portsmouth and Ron kept marveling at how much better it is today than when he was here in his Navy days.
  At a lovely Bon Voyage Dinner aboard Gatsby were told by Cathy and Gary  that "there will be good days and bad days on this ICW trip"... I think we have had enough of the good fortune and gratitude from the last several wonderful days to put up with this latest expensive inconvenience of waiting a few more days til we can embark on the actual entry into the canal...

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Ron and Mary Ann aboard CAVU