Poor wi-fi; crappy – at 42% we could not even get on-line- and such was the lament of several other boats we spoke with. Mostly we were annoyed that we were getting the run-around about the wi-fi. AT&T 3G- no- not that either, although Verizon was OK. Choke, we were cut off- OMG how could we function what would we do??? Take the loaner car into Historic Oriental for provisions. Why do we say “groceries” on land and “provisions” on the water?  Either way, you know what I’m talking about.  We called Benj while in town; but no word yet on his study abroad.

During off-season the restaurant, which resembles a yacht club, only serves dinner on Saturday. Wed- Friday they do a fixed price one entrée buffet meal for $12; wine, beer and dessert extra. Nothing special; good company and the usual cruiser talk made for a nice evening.

On Monday we received the OK to move south prior to Nov 1 and fortunately Tuesday was going to be a good day to cross Pamlico Sound. Seas 2-3 ft with north winds 10-20; sails up here we come!  Getting caught with more sail than conditions or our comfort level permits, is worth avoiding, so when the forecast indicates more wind than 15mph we plan for more, just in case. Entered the Sound with a reef in the main, unfurled the jib and sailed along beautifully at 9 mph for 3 ½ hours. Then of course, the wind died down, we shook out the reef and shortly found ourselves motoring with no sails. Better to have reefed and not need it than need to reef- in my book. Along the way we enjoyed one of our favorite sites- dolphins having fun nearby. Spent a calm night near Swanquarter Island; a little marshy piece on the north shore. No swans in sight though.

DOLPHINS AT OUR BOW EN ROUTE TO SWANQUARTER ISLAND

River Dunes was getting plenty of good press; other cruisers spoke highly and it had 36 reviews on ActiveCaptain. A gorgeous marina that was to be part of a HUGE planned community… the economy halted development and now the huge billboards and some pretty buildings sit waiting for a brighter day. Pool, cabana, workout room, lovely grounds, screened-in porches, great floating docks- all at $1.50/ft. Not bad if you don’t need wi-fi, AT&T cell, cable or a restaurant. Out in the middle of almost nowhere, the basin is well protected and easy to enter. Russ says “4 stars”, – ok.

A TWILIGHT ZONE-ESQUE FEEL TO RIVER DUNES

Thursday we met a fan. George make the long trek out from Raleigh to get a firsthand look at a “being lived on” Maine Cat. Russ gave the grand tour while I finished up my muffin baking. George treated us to lunch in town and we shared the ride with Ringo, his wife’s beautiful therapy dog. We happily answered a slew of insightful queries. George hopes to acquire a shared ownership in a catamaran; liking MC 41 very much. No matter which boat he and his wife decide on (a few years from now), we wish them happy days and fun on the water.

We also got a tour aboard a 46’ Hunter bound for St. Thomas. We rarely get to see any monohulls (inside that is) and this was a treat. Beam-y at 14’, it had all the creature comforts including two recliners!

Quidditch Game at Green Mtn College

As our departure date draws near, I thought I’d share those things that we love and that make our life easier and more enjoyable. We’re talking about the little things, not the big stuff; that requires a longer post perhaps a two part-er!

In no special order then:  visiting our son at college is always tops on our list!

• my Nook– easy to carry and read anywhere. Takes up a teeny bit of space, weighs next to nothing and takes the place of the tons of books I expect to read over the years. mucho thanks to the terrific group who gave such a thoughtful gift!
• Green Mtn Coffee – a special love for Russ. He can order all his favorites on-line at decent prices and we stay well stocked with K-cups all summer long. October to May is a different story and except for the rare instance, we resort to paying through the nose for the smaller boxes at the grocery store.
• Active Captain –  an interactive cruising guide that interfaces with Navimatics Charts & Tides to create our most-used  iPhone app when cruising. Tons of current – that’s the “active” part – info about- well you name it; marinas, bridges, anchorages, problem areas, and more, provided by Captains (some Admirals too no doubt) who add reviews and new info by the boatload.
• Talenti – provides our gelato fix. Double Dark Chocolate is our favorite. We’ve tried a few other flavors but don’t find them to have the same great depth of flavor as the dark chocolate.  While a tiny budget buster at over $4/pint, one does need a few indulgences. We are not into suffering and would rather save $ by anchoring out vs paying dockage rather than give up chocolate!
• ChocoVin  – chocolate wine- yum. Introduced to this surprisingly tasty blend by sv Sanuk in Vero Beach.
• Amazon and Drugstore.com– when we searched locally and on-line for that one part needed to move ahead on a project, 9 times out of 10, Amazon had it when on one else did. Saved us many a time. Russ munches on protein bars between meals and we go through boxes quickly. Drugstore.com meets that need We recently found a top rated TP- Scott Rapid-Dissolving (for boats & RVs) for $4/4pk a better product for much less than other similar ones.
• Defender– we are blessed to be within a 25 min drive of Defender in Waterford, CT and the highway is well worn after a summer of numerous trips- leaving soon will cut off the regular contributions. Not that we don’t occasionally order once we head off.

I’m sure to be missing a few and when they come to mind I’ll have material to entertain you another time!