Ho Ho Ho!

We hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas and Santa treated you well!  We are really enjoying Stuart - there is a charming downtown area within close walking distance that has some fun restaurants and shops.  There are also lots of bigger stores (Target, Publix, etc) all within a mile or two.  It's a very pretty area - not terribly over-developed.  On Christmas Day, we spent the morning catching up with our dear family via the phone and then met up with our friends Don & Susan and rode bikes to the beach.  Bikes are available at the marina at no charge and we had a great ride.  Overall it was pretty flat, but we did go over two big bridges.  The beach was beautiful - the water was that lovely Caribbean blue and although a bit breezy, it was very comfortable in the sun.   We did dip our toes in the water and it was pretty chilly, but it felt good to have our feet in the sand.  We enjoyed a picnic lunch and just hung out for a while - then in the evening - we went to Mulligan's - a fun pub - for dinner. 

Today it has been sunny, but the wind has been blowing like crazy - up to 35 mph.  We're very glad we're in a protected dock area - because the gusts have been pretty intense. We had a delightful lunch with our friend Amy Roskilly - who is from Cleveland, but visiting her Mom who lives in Jensen Beach (about 15 minutes away).  Amy was joined by her Mom, her sister Mary, Mary's husband Chuck and their beautiful daughter Rory.  It was wonderful to see them and a very fun lunch! 

It's supposed to get down in the 30's tonight, but it will slowly warm up in the days to come.  We will probably stay at this marina until Wednesday - then head down to the Keys for a few days, then return to Stuart to a different marina in early January - the plan is still a little fluid.  Tomorrow, we plan to grab bikes and ride over to the marina where we will spend the winter and check it out.  We've heard great things about it, so are looking forward to seeing it first hand!




Thanks to Amy Coffey, we had these fun Santa hats for the photo op - can't you see that Paul is thrilled?!  Here we are on one of the bridges overlooking the St. Lucie River - on Thursday, we went under this bridge to get to the marina.

We will be in touch again soon - Ho Ho Ho!  Lots of love, Jen & Paul

Today's Quote:
"And now let us welcome the new year--full of things that have never been."
                                                                                                                                                                           --Rainer Maria Rilke

Stuart, FL - At Last! Mile 987 + 8

Greetings from Stuart, Florida and Sunset Bay Marina.  This is a beautiful spot and we had an easy trip today - just over 20 miles.  We left Ft. Pierce this morning and enjoyed a nice cruise down the ICW - at mile 987, we turned into the Ft. Lucie River - which is also the beginning of the Okeechobee Waterway - which crosses Florida from East to West.  We went 8 miles which brought us to our marina here in Stuart.  We will be here for at least 3 or 4 nights and we are so excited to reunite with our friends Don and Sue from Nova Scotia.  We had originally met them in Elizabeth City - then we spent over a week wtih them in Charleston (to include Thanksgiving) - and we are now together again for Christmas! 

Of course, we saw some playful dolphins en route - so of course, we took more photos!  Then today, for the first time, the water was a beautiful blue - we really felt like we were south!  So cool.  The sun shined brightly today, but it's still a little windy - but truly lovely.  Sunset Bay Marina is the marina we wanted to stay at for the winter, but they don't have space - so we're going to check out the marina we do have a reservation at tomorrow.  This marina, however, is lovely - recently renovated and tons of amenities - great restaurant, restroom, shower, and laundry facilities, a few lounge areas, etc.  It's only about a 5-10 minute walk to downtown Stuart and also a short walk to a Publix!  We haven't explored much yet - we were into relaxing when we first got here - but we'll explore more tomorrow. 

Today the water looked really blue - so cool!

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and all the joys of this great season.  With love, Jen & Paul

Today's Quote:
"Holiday gifts: To your enemy, forgiveness. To a friend, your heart. To all, good will."

--Don Ward                                                                                                                                                                         

Ft. Pierce, FL - Mile 966

Greetings all - Finally today, I traded in my Merrills for flip flops!  We arrived to Ft. Pierce just before 5pm after 90 miles from Titusville.  It was a long day, but sun-filled and Paul maneuvered Master Plan beautifully.  Not sure if we mentioned this before, but we've seen a few dolphins (ha ha ha) and today they were out in force frolicking in our wake - of course, I took more photos - sorry if they bore you, but honestly, it just never gets old. 

Ft. Pierce is a cute little town - they have Christmas lights on a bunch of palm trees in a park that is right next to the marina and they go on and off in synch with the music of Christmas carols - very cool.  Lots of families and people were walking around and enjoying the lights and music.

Tomorrow, we will head to Stuart - just about 30 miles from here - and we'll stay there for at least 3 nights.  Our plan is to stay there - but since next week is a quiet week on the work-front - we do plan to play a little along the lower east coast of Florida and return to Stuart in early January. 

Thanks for following along - hope everyone is in the Christmas spirit!  Merry Merry!  HO HO HO!

Lots of love, Jen & Paul

Today's Quote:

Let a joy keep you. Reach out your hands and take it when it runs by.

-Carl Sandburg

Titusville, FL - Mile 877

Greetings from Titusville!  We are really close to Cape Canaveral and were able to see the launch site and the shuttle hangar from a distance today - we'll get a closer look tomorrow.  We had a bit of a late start from New Smyrna Beach as we were waiting for our mail to be delivered - but we made good use of our time and got some chores done and odds and ends.  We left at about 1pm and pulled in here at about 5pm - just over 30 miles.  Because we traveled through quite a bit of the National Park seashore today, there were a lot of no wake zones.  But - it was so beautiful - barely a breath of wind and Master Plan glided through the water that looked like glass - amazing. 

Enjoy the photos - you're probably sick of hearing about all the dolpins - but they were incredible today once again - they were playing off the stern right before we left New Smyrna Beach and they once again played in our bow as we glided along - since there was very little wind, the pictures came out very clear today. 



Sunrise over New Smyrna Beach - just beautiful.

Playful dolpins just off our stern just before we left NSB.



Another dolpin just off the bow - the water was so clear - I could almost touch them!



Another self portrait - the water was so calm and my reflection is so clear!



Right after the self portrait, I turned around and took this photo of my sweet captain!



Master Plan's wake amidst the glass-like water . . . COOL.



Right after we arrived in Titusville - the lighting was so cool . . .

 So - another great day on Master Plan - we are truly blessed.  We send our love and best wishes to everyone following along - we appreciate your support and it brings such comfort to know you're out there reading my words and looking at the photos and sharing this great journey with us.

Until tomorrow - lots of love, Jen & Paul

Today's Quote:
You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment - Henry David Thoreau

New Smyrna Beach, FL - Mile 846

Greetings from Master Plan!  We had a beautiful day today - although still a bit chilly, the temperatures are definitely getting warmer and the sun shined brightly today!  We "fed the bitch" this morning and left St. Augustine just before 8AM.  We traveled 70 miles and arrived to New Smyrna Beach at about 3:30 PM.  Cruising in Florida is much more pleasant than Georgia - the tides aren't as tricky and there isn't as much stress with water levels.  For the second time in our journey, Paul ran the boat from the fly bridge this afternoon.  The wind, tides, and current were at our back all day and it was a great trip.  We also had a lot of dolphins playing in our bow wake today. 

We are at Mile 846 - which means we've traveled 846 miles from Norfolk, VA where the ICW starts.  Enjoy the photos:

Still haven't figured out how to do vertical pictures - so you'll have to tilt your head - this is Paul "feeding the bitch" with the Bridge of Lions opening in the background - right in the heart of downtown St. Augustine.

Leaving St. Augustine - what a cool area - I would love to go back here when we have more time and it's warmer!  Our dock slip was right next to the schooner ship in this picture.

Paul and Jen's retirement home along the ICW . . .  NOT.

This is the Daytona Beach area - lots and lots of bridges today - 11 total, but only 2 that needed to be opened for us.

Captain Paul from the fly bridge!  Thumbs UP!

Dolpins in our bow wake - basically, I took this picture right at the bow leaning over as far as I could - they get right in front of the boat and let the wake push them along - fun!

Ponce de Leon inlet lighthouse



First mate's shadow - you could say a self portrait!  HA!

This tiny island is just off our stern at the New Smyrna Beach City Marina - it is FILLED with birds - Pelicans and Egrets - like Paul said this evening - "it's like wild kingdom!"  Let's just call it Bird Poop Island!

Full moon rising over the beach - just off our stern this evening.  Sigh.

Thanks again for following along - hope all is great where you are!  Love, Jen & Paul

Today's Quote:
"May you have warm words on a cold evening, a full moon on a dark night and a smooth road all the way to your door." - an Irish blessing

St. Augustine, FL

Hello from St. Augustine!  A bit of a dreary day here - gray and cool - never really got out of the 40's, but the weather forecast for the remainder of the week is looking much better.  We had an easy morning - then bid a sad farewell to our dear friend Amy as she left for the airport.  I have heard from her that she made it home safely and her sweet dog - Spaulding - a dachsund - was THRILLED to welcome her home!  After Amy left, we stocked up at Publix then left Jacksonville Beach at about 12:30 PM and got here just after 4pm - an easy day - 30 miles. 

Tomorrow, we'll head to New Smyrna Beach, then the plan is to get to Melbourne on Tuesday and then to Stuart on Wednesday.  Our friends, Don and Sue, from Nova Scotia - who we originally met in Elizabeth City will more than likely be there and we are excited to reunite with them.

I seem to be able to upload pictures without difficulty today - so here are a few more from yesterday:



Sweet Amy enjoying her book and relaxing on Master Plan while underway.  We miss her!



Another shot of the Dolphins playing in our wake yesterday - unbelievably COOL!

There are tons of snowy white egrets here along the shore - this is a common sight while cruising the ICW in FL.

So we are going to head into the town of St. Augustine and walk around and check it out.  We've heard great things about it and are looking forward to doing a little exploring and grabbing some dinner.

Until the next post - sending lots of love and hugs from Master Plan - Jen & Paul

Today's Quote:

Love, and do what you like - Saint Augustine 

Jacksonville Beach, Florida!

Greetings from Florida!  Yes - we crossed another state line and we are in Florida!  WOW!  It was a great day cruising the ICW - we were delayed leaving a bit due to fog, but then got underway and eventually, it cleared up and was a beautiful day.  Earlier in our journey, we passed Cumberland Island - which is so beautiful and remote - and also the site of JFK Jr.'s surprise wedding - remember?

We had lots of dolphin sitings today and they were playing in our wake - I got some great shots!

I'm experiencing some technical difficulties and am unable to upload any more photos for today - but it was so incredible having the dolphins so close to the boat!  SO COOL.

We're heading out to dinner - it's Amy's last night - BOO HOO - it has been so wonderful having her with us and we will miss her . . .  She has been on board with us for 10 days and crossed two state lines for a total of 282 miles on the ICW! 

Thanks for following along as always - lots of love, Jen & Paul

Today's Quote:
"Always maintain a kind of summer, eve in the middle of winter." - Henry David Thoreau

Jekyll Island, GA - Another great day!

Greetings from Jekyll Island!  We spent a full day here and really continue to enjoy the area. 

But before I go on , I need to report that my day started off on a great note - I had a lovely conversation with a dear old friend - Michael Burke - who was afraid we had forgotten our old friends while meeting all of our new ones.  Well Mike - and everyone else - fear not - as wonderful as this journey has been, is and continues to be - and we have indeed met some wonderful people - we think of and miss our dear old friends and family each and every day!  Especially you Mike . . .   :-)

OK - back to our day.  There is another couple at this marina who own a 46' Navigator - we visited their boat and they visited ours and we enjoyed seeing the differences and similarities between our boats.  This is the first Navigator we have come across on this journey.   Navigators are made on the west coast, so you don't see many on the east coast. 

We then ventured back to the historic district via the bikes and enjoyed a delicious seafood lunch on the water (the GA shrimp are so amazing) and then went to the Georgia Sea Turtle Center and the Jeykyll Island Club.  

The work at the Sea Turtle Center is amazing - this turtle named Griffin suffered a stroke.  There were probably over 30 sea turtles who were in the "hospital" - Griffin was definitely the largest.

Amy and Paul on the bikes heading back to the marina - SUCH FUN!

The lovely marina where we're staying - Master Plan is in the middle of the photo along the Face Dock.

Amy and Paul waving from the dock - the lighting this afternoon was really cool.

Tonight we're enjoying a nice dinner on board - and tomorrow we'll depart early for Jacksonville.  Since this area tends to have lower water levels, we need to make sure we leave near high tide - which is at 6am tomorrow - so we'll plan to leave by 8am.

Until our next posting - thanks for following along!    Love, Jen & Paul

Today's Quote:

“Our truest life is when we are in dreams awake.”  ~Henry David Thoreau~

Jekyll Island, GA

Hello Friends - we made a quick jump from St. Simon's to Jekyll Island today - about 10 miles total.  The Jekyll Island creek (part of the ICW) is notoriously shallow and we did have a few scary moments - but we made it through just fine and arrived to the dock in the early afternoon.  The wind was really blowing today and Paul's docking job was nothing short of spectacular - even the marina staff who helped us with the lines were very impressed! 

We are in the land of fresh shrimp here - have seen many shrimping boats and eaten many shrimp - YUM!  They are also filming a movie here on Jekyll Island - X Men 4 - so we saw lots of movie trucks and equipment today.  The marina has free bicycles so we took a little jaunt today and it was so fun - we even saw lots of deer!  I honestly can't remember the last time I was on a bicycle.  Jekyll Island has great history and we plan to do a lot more exploring tomorrow.  We will stay at this marina tomorrow night too - and then head to Jacksonville early on Saturday.

A shrimp boat in full action!

Shrimping boats in Brunswick, GA

Sunset from the boat - beautiful.

Thanks again for following our journey - we'll be in touch again soon - lots of love, Jen & Paul

Today's quote:
The larger the island of knowledge, the longer the shoreline of wonder - Ralph W. Sockman

St. Simon's Island, Georgia - GETTING WARMER!

Good morning everyone!  Greetings from Master Plan - the sun is shining and the temperatures are climbing - we even have the door open and the heat off.  It is forecasted to be in the 60's today. 

Yesterday was a long day - we left Isle of Hope (near Savannah) at about 7:45 AM and arrived to St. Simon's Island at about 4:15 PM - we made great time, but there were a lot of tricky areas.  Of course, Paul handled the boat masterfully and it was a beautiful day.  The sun shined brightly and lots of dolphin sitings. 

Moments before sunrise from our slip on Isle of Hope - breathtaking.  One of my favorite things about living on a boat is waking up early in the morning and being right on the water.

Lots of dolphin sitings along Georgia's ICW - it is always so cool to see them playing around the boat!

OK - all of these beautiful scenic pictures - and this??  What is this??  Really??  Really??  The restaurant at the marina where we had a delicious dinner featured an Elvis impersonator and it was hilarious and irritating all at the same time!

How about this for some power?  Four 300 HP engines on this tiny boat.  My guess is that it can get from Miami to Boston in about 10 minutes.  HOLY GUACAMOLE!  This boat can definitely move!

Taken this morning from the marina - Georgia's low country - beautiful!

This morning, we have been doing some stuff around the boat - laundry, cleaning, etc. - and we will head to Jekyll Island shortly for two nights.  It's only about 10 miles from here, so it will be an easy day.  They have a turtle center there that we will check out, along with other sites.  On Saturday, we will head to Jacksonville (about 55 miles) and then our dear sweet Amy flies out on Sunday.  Then - we'll figure out a plan south from there.

Thanks again for following along - sending lots of love, Jen & Paul

Today's Quote:

If you want to succeed you should strike out on new paths, rather than travel the worn paths of accepted success - John D. Rockefeller

Isle of Hope (Savannah), Georgia - BRRRR!

Yes - this is our welcome mat with ICE on it!  Oh yeah, and some dirt too . . .

Greetings from Georgia!  We traveled about 55 miles today from Beaufort, SC to south of Savannah, Georgia!  Another state line crossed - but unlike the "crossing" into South Carolina, there was no crooked stick along the shore . . .  There was no marker - rather, there was a very busy Savannah River to cross with two large ships.  So no fanfare to speak of, but it feels good to continue our journey South and check off another state on the list!  Next state - FLORIDA!   

Although going South doesn't necessarily mean warmer temperatures. We woke up in Beaufort this morning and the temperature was 21 degrees.  Fortunately, Master Plan's heat works beautifully and the passengers were very comfy - however, the poor boat is just not used to this cold.  The engines started, but you can tell she's a little irritated at this cold - but our solid ship weathered the frigid temperatures well and we had another beautiful day on the ICW.  The sun shined brightly - not a cloud in the beautiful blue sky - but it never got over 40 degrees.  We are very fortunate, however, that we can be inside out of the wind (unlike many sailboats) and can stay warm and comfortable while under way.

It is great to have Amy Coffey with us - despite the cold temperatures, I think she is really enjoying herself - doing lots of reading and taking naps and relaxing - all good.  We have seen lots of dolphins which is always cool - like I've said before, it never gets old.

When we arrived at the marina today at about 3:30 PM, it seemed warmer simply because there was very little wind - what a difference!  This marina is in great condition and has great amenities - free wi-fi, great showers and a courtesy car!  We took it to the Walmart today to stock up on some groceries and then picked up some pizza at Papa John's and came back to the boat to enjoy some pizza and beer.  I just went up and took a nice hot shower and am here in my PJ's on the couch and am quite comfortable - thank you very much.  It is supposed to get down to 20 degrees tonight - but then the forecast is for a steady warm up and by the end of the week we'll be in the mid-60's!  Thank goodness!  Enough is enough!

The Savannah River lies ahead and you can see the large ship heading towards downtown Savannah - there was another ship leaving Savannah going in the opposite direction towards the Atlantic - a very busy River!  This is right where the state line is.

Yet another bridge along the way - however this bridge is one that I used to cross daily when I lived in Savannah back in 1989.  I remember getting stuck when the bridge went up and then being late for work . . .

Master Plan at the dock at Isle of Hope - a beautiful marina in a lovely area.  Hard to see, but Amy is peeking her head out the sliding glass door!

So tomorrow, we plan to leave early (7am) and hopefully make it to St. Simon Island, GA - about 85 miles.  There is very little between here and there, so thus the long day.  The tides and water levels along the ICW in Georgia can be a little tricky, so Paul has been doing his research on line tonight to make sure we are careful not to get into "skinny" (shallow) water. 

Thanks for reading along - we'll keep you posted and so appreciate your love and support!  XO, Jen & Paul

Today's Quote:
"The journey not the arrival matters." -- T. S. Eliot

Beaufort, SC - Second Night and It's COLD!

Greetings once again from Beaufort, South Carolina!  We woke up and it was blowing wind and freezing cold so we decided to stay here one more day.  Paul is coming down with a bit of a cold, so he napped a lot and Amy and I strolled around Beaufort doing a little shopping and browsing.  It really is FREEZING here - there is even ICE on the dock!  But the forecast is showing a warm up in the next day or two.  CRAZY. 

Master Plan at our slip in the Downtown Marina at sunset.

ICE on the dock . . .  CRAZY.  Sorry this is sideways - I don't know how to fix it!

This is a quick glimpse at the house where the Big Chill was filmed.  Beaufort is a beautiful little town filled with great history, beautiful homes, and fun little shops.

So our plan is to leave early tomorrow morning and head towards Savannah - I think we will go past it slightly to the Isle of Hope.  Then our plan is to keep going on Wednesday to St. Simon's Island in southern Georgia.  It is forecasted to warm up thankfully . . .

Thanks again for following along - we'll be in touch again!  Love, Jen & Paul

Today's Quote:

Being on a boat that's moving through the water, it's so clear. Everything falls into place in terms of what's important and what's not.   - James Taylor

Beaufort, SC - Sunday night, December 12th

Well - after almost 4 weeks - today we left Charleston.  It was sad to say good-bye to such an amazing city, but we are ready to move on and continue our adventure south.  We traveled 71 miles today and are now in Beaufort, SC.  It was a beautiful and easy trip overall - we had some rain this morning, but then it cleared up this afternoon.  We had returned to Charleston with Amy Coffey on Thursday - we spent Friday and Saturday running errands and showing Amy the city.  This morning in the beautiful light, we said farewell - but see you again soon - to Charleston.

Master Plan at the Charleston Maritime Center - we moved to the fuel dock last night for an easy exit this morning.  The light was incredible this morning so I just had to take a photo!

We sadly waved good-bye to Rick, Linda, and Kirby the wonder dog - we hope to run into them again soon!

Here I am with sweet Amy in Beaufort!  It's a beautiful downtown - the second oldest city in SC.

In Beaufort tonight, it's blowing wind at about 25 mph and is easily around 30 degrees - I have one word - BRRRRR!!  But fortunately, we are cozy in the heated Master Plan.  We enjoyed a nice dinner at an Italian restaurant - Panini - and met two wonderful gentlemen from Virgina who have a Nordic Tug and are also heading to Stuart.  I hope we bump into them again soon, as they were very fun, entertaining, and interesting!  Paul loved talking boats with them.

Tomorrow it looks like more heavy winds are in store, so we may stay or we may go - we'll play it by ear when we wake up tomorrow. 

Thanks again for following along!  With love, Jen & Paul

Today's quote:

Every day brings another chance to make a difference.

—LESLIE ANN GIBSON