A Presidential Attack On Our Freedom

Gotcha! You thought this was going to be a political rant. Assume nothing.

The Presidential yacht Honey Fitz, commissioned in 1918 and in use by all presidents from that time through Nixon, is berthed in the marina where we're staying.

It has been fully restored and looks beautiful.

The current at this facility runs VERY strong. The captain was trying to get back into his slip. The cross current pushed him very close to the stern of s/v Freedom. (hence, The Attack) He backed off just in time and got pinned against the pilings by the 4 knot current.

After a LOT of wrestling, they managed to swing the bow around and bring it into the slip next to us. At slack tide, they'll move it back to their regular assigned slip. Some teak trim got scuffed up but otherwise no harm. 

You can see how much bigger she is compared to our Freedom. No way we could have fended off. We successfully dodged a Presidential incident. Someday I'll tell the story of my "run in" with the FBI.

We'll Never Surrender!

Here's one of the many big guns at Ft. Sumpter in Charleston, SC; site of the first shots of the Civil War.

What is out there threatening the fort these days?

Yea buddy, bring it on! We're ready!

We anchored off the SW side of the fort and dinghied in for a visit. Interesting history before, during and after the Civil War. During a 2 year siege there were as many as 600 cannon balls per day shot at the fort! We decided to hold our fire for now.

Rolling Up The Miles

Here is our trip odometer May 21st offshore of Georgia. Total nautical miles since leaving Michigan in September of 2011.

Halen

"Money can't buy you happiness. But it can buy you a yacht big enough to pull up right alongside it"

David Lee Roth
Musician

We bought a new "car"

Three months in the Bahamas really brought home the need for a first rate dinghy.   The dinghy acts as transportation from the boat at anchor to everywhere we want and need to go.  The new dinghy is a little longer, much wider, and has a higher bow to deflect spray. We had it shipped to Titusville for pick-up on our return from the Bahamas.  There were  concerns with how it would hang on the old davits, but it fits just fine.  We have had it out a few times and we love it.....it is a big improvement.  We put the old one on Craigs List and the first person interested happened to be berthed in the slip right next to us in Titusville.   So long Avon dinghy, thanks for your years of service!

Appalling Literacy Rate!

The rate of litaracy amoung the manatee population must be extremely low.  Posted signs state that boats are allowed a speed of 30 mph inside the channel and only about 5 mph outside the channel in the "manatee zone".   Yet, time and time again we found manatee right in the channels.  Maybe they need reading glasses?