Archie Bunker

November 2, 2016

It has been smooth sailing for few days now without having to make repairs and just saying that is tempting the fate. If anything else happens someone will have to float us a loan.

Beaufort SC was just as much fun as it was the last two times we were there. We took the dinghy into town as soon as we dropped anchor. From the dinghy dock we could hear a low buzz. All of Bay Street was closed for tricker or treating at  the businesses. According to the police there were over 3000 kids waiting for the sugar high. We had really good ice cream at Yo Yo’s and there wasn’t line.

For some reason we thought we had to make a stop at Hilton Head, so now we have that out of our system. The Skull Creek Marina was one of a few marinas that survived Matthew and it still had a million and a half dollars worth of damage.  The fuel dock was gone as well as some other docks. The marina and Hilton Head were a disappointment, the wifi was useless on the docks and there wasn’t a lounge to sit in to do any online work. The marina was located in a gated community with a golf course and a country club. There was one restaurant within walking distance and apparently a couple more outside the gate, but no real sense of Hilton Head and no place to shop or poke around.  According to the dock master, the community will not allow Uber to enter the gate, the only way we could use an Uber was to walk the mile and a half to the gate to be picked up. The good thing about the Hilton Head stop was the three miles we walked, seeing a beautiful car and the inside of a concrete floating docks.

We saw the most gorgeous 1996 Saberline 43 on the dock. We were at the marina office and within 5 minutes we heard the gossip about the boat.  Evidently the previous owner was in financial trouble so sold the boat for $125,000!  We met the owners and although they didn’t invite us in they were very social and interesting, from our neck of the woods-Nova Scotia, that probably is a stretch.

At one point I remembered I have a friend that has a cousin, Nancy that lives on Hilton Head and that maybe we could visit her, but soon realized I had my Heads mixed up. Nancy lives on Marblehead.

 I almost forgot to mention the Ford Galaxy 500, maybe a 1964.  I don't really go too crazy about old cars but this is the prettiest old car I have ever seen.  Take a look.  The color was something I had never seen before.

Again we arrived the same time as boaters we met at Beaufort, a nice young couple with a beautiful 34’ Catalina sailboat, spotless.  He had “used dinghy envy”, wanting his dinghy to looked used instead of having that new out of the box look. I wanted to tell him that raising his dinghy at night won’t help it show it’s age but once again I played Edith and stifled myself.  

Speaking of Edith.  There is a TV channel we get that’s called Decade and we have watched a western, All in the Family and Man from U.N.C.L.E.  The MFU we watched had Sonny and Cher, both barely 20.  All in the Family is just as I remember it, however MFU is very different.

I listened to a very interesting interview with Norman Lear on one of my podcasts where he talked about the creation of All in The Family. As you probably know All in the Family changed family shows from that time forward. By the way Norman Lear is 94 years old. He described Archie as being scared of the changes in his world where black people could have their own business, be smart and earn more money than he did. I see that now. Mr. Lear said that he figured out what Edith would ay by asking “what would Jesus do”.  

When we are motoring I sit on the bow in my camping lounger, I have had for 40 years, and listen to NPR Politics Podcast. It is worth a listen, young people, well several decades younger than me, keep me up to date about politics.  I like to be caught up on the latest and they do a really good job. Other good podcasts are This American Life, Wait Wait Don't Tell Me, Serial, and How I Built This about how different companies started, for instance Spanx and Airbnb. Another way to pass the time is to read The Family Markowitz by Allegra Goodman, a good book recommended by Jeanine of the Lobster Lane Bookstore.

On Halloween, we were in New Teakettle anchorage where the grass is high and the bugs are big and bite.  We had a five hour day in the heat, yes Susan the air condition was worth getting fixed and you know what pushed me over the edge? you told me about the terribly hot winter you had without air conditioning.  I am so glad we have it. We covered 2000 miles of grass, well it felt like 2000.

I told a fellow boater to make sure she brought her down jacket on the trip south.  Ha Ha! It has been in the high 70’s or 80’s on the East Coast most every day since leaving Maine.

I would like to share with you my helpful phrase.

Definition of Clean Dirt

When one uses elbow grease to scrub as hard as they can on a surface and the surface is still dirty but no more dirt comes off onto ones rag then the area is defined as having clean dirt. Using clean dirt in a sentence:  “Captain the mold on your seat is clean dirt.

Sailing the seas is a great learning experience for everyone.

While doing dishes I could see a beautiful sunrise and dolphins playing in the water.

I meant to show you some temporary markers guiding us out of Wrightsville. These were positioned to help with the changes in the harbor since Hurricane Matthew.

Parting Shot

I thought this was a lilac tree until I realized that lilacs are not blooming this time of year.  The beautiful ibis or crane.

Hope your days have been as nice as mine.

Tricia