January 15, 2021.   Returned to Bradenton and Riviera Dunes Marina, a fun place & well run by our friend Bill Chamberlain.  We enjoyed a short stay at Safe Harbors Pier 77 also while visiting local friends Bob and Lynn and the Minnesota getaways, Bill and Jodi.  Weather was cool but friendships were warm and we got some boat rides in, walks and bike rides & celebrated Karen's birthday in style.  

We had a wonderful Christmas in Minnesota.  We missed our larger gatherings with friends and family but we were blessed to have lots of quality time with the kids and grand babies.    Minnesota had moderate temps and was beautifully white. 
Now we are also happy to back on the Beyond Kare'n and in warmer weather. 
Spent a few days at Sunset Bay Marina in Stuart, saw our new friends Albert and Sara and met up for a couple days with Tom and Jeanie McCarthy - our long time friends and neighbors from home.  They are on their new RV adventure and it was fun to catch up and compare the land and sea versions of traveling.  

 1/9/21 We left Stuart at first dawn to cross the Okeechobee Waterway.  The lake is very shallow so the you have to watch the channel carefully.  The dredged channels on each end of the lake go through sugar cane fields and wetlands. It's very rural and remote and we were lucky to find a park dock in LaBelle to tie up for the night as there are very limited places to stop in the narrow waterway.  Got a great sunset out of the deal!

Nov. 23, 2020 - January 5, 2021.  A few additional stops on the AICW before we headed home for the holidays. We pray that all will find hope, peace and grace in whatever form of celebration your holidays look like.  While different this year, I will look for all the Grace moments I can.  Merry Christmas.

Nov. 15-17, 2020. 

Under the Bridge of Lions and into the City Marina, we then met Albert and Sarah for drinks at AIA Ale House and eventually dinner at Harry's. They know the town well and were great tour guides. The entire city is lit up with their annual Night of Lights and it is a magical place to be with great weather (albeit windy) and the beautiful and festive town.  St. George Street is a fun pedestrian street within the original walled city, marked by the original City Gates.  The next morning we walked the town, ate breakfast at the the popular Maple Biscuits Company and then hopped on the trolly tour to get more history.  The Castillo de San Marcos National Monument is the oldest surviving fort in the US dating to the mid 1700's.  There are many sights here built by Henry Flagler (Standard Oil and RR) including the original hotel which is now Flagler College. Met up again with some more boaters we've met along our journeys for drinks. After taking in more of the festive feel of the city we caught most of the Vikings game win.  Overall this charming town is a place to return to whenever passing by.  

Nov. 13-14, 2020

Nov. 12-13, 2020.  A long day on the GA intracoastal through the grasslands with lots of rain and some wind (Hurricane Eta again).  When we arrived at the Brunswick River cut we found this freighter, the MV Golden Ray, on its side.  Researching we found that it sunk in Sept. of 2019 at only 3 years old, for unknown reasons. It is being cut up in place.  We into Jekyll in time for a mini tour on the golf cart through the Historic District.  This area includes the original Jekyll Island Club.  The Club officially opened its doors in January 1888, quickly becoming a retreat for families that represented one-sixth of the world's wealth. Many of the members built expansive houses over the next 30-40 years which are now hotels and wedding venues.  Dinner at the marina at Zachary's was good with local fish.  We spent the next morning taking the golf cart to the driftwood beach which I found to be photographers paradise.  Enjoyed a lunch at the Jekyll Island Club in the Historic District before heading to Fernadina Beach, FL. 

Nov 9-12, 2020.  Isle of Hope is a suburb of Savannah along the Skidaway River. When we arrived we were able to use the marina courtesy car with Brian and Michelle to go into Savannah.  Walked around a quiet town and had a great time at Treylor Park with super unusual food combo's and great drinks.  The next day was a total rainout. (related to Hurricane Eta) so we were on boat projects all day and ran errands.  The next morning we drove Brian and Michelle to the airport and then stopped in Savannah for several hours, doing the Prohibition Museum & lunch on the water at Huey's (great shrimp and grits).  Dinner close to the marina at Jalepeno's Mexican.  

Another port we missed on our hurry north.  Still traveling with Kitumba.  Rainy day from Charleston on the AICW with Hurricane Eta starting to have impact on the east coast with high winds and squalls.  We arrived to a warm a decent remainder of the day.  Spent the afternoon walking the downtown and the historic district.  Saw the Big Chill house, got local chocolate and got great pictures of the moss covered trees. 
Downpour rain moved in about dinner time and we just hung out on the boat for the evening relaxing and getting pizza. 

Nov. 5-8, 2020.  An inside (AICW) passages about 60 miles to Charleston, traveling with Kitumba.  Upon settling in we met Brian and Michelle at the Vendue Rooftop for HH with a lovely sunny view, but a lot of wind.  Walked downtown and settled on dinner at Amen for great oysters and seafood. 
Other highlights of our 3 days stay include: the Slave Trade Museum, lunch at Masons Lobster Rolls, shopping the market area & Byrds cookies, Ansons for dinner was fabulous with Brian and Michelle, followed by our Ghost & Cemetery Tour, lunch at Poogans BBQ with Noah Ruh, riding our rented bikes around town, and finally sunset HH and evening on Kitumba (where we also met Steve and Suzie (All Talk) and Andrew & Jason). 

November 4, 2020. We missed this lovely small town on our way north and hope to stop here again as it is a most charming place.  A 60's downtown with local shops, studios and pubs. 

We were able to take the outside route today with following seas. Met Brian & Michelle (Kitumba) for dinner  at the Big Tuna and a nice evening - watching updates on election on Kitumba. 

After waiting out the winds of Hurricane Zita in Coinjock, VA, we made our way back through the North Carolina ports.  Weather included some wind but definitely warmer than Minnesota where early snows are falling. 

 whthOctober 28,. 2020
After a night at anchor in the marshland below Norfolk, we headed south.  ​Fully intending to make it to Bellhaven, NC the next day, the hurricane Zita remnants were bringing gale winds and crossing the Abermarle Sound was not a good idea, nor was there a safe place below the Sound to find refuge.  We arrived at Coinjock by 9:30 AM and they found a place for us to wait out the storm for 2 days with lots of company.  More famous prime rib for Joe. 

  October 27, 2020.  Norfolk, VA
Foggy but had some clearing off and on as we traveled the 60 miles to Norfolk to Waterside Marina. On our way into the harbor we got into a military area and got chased out by some military boats, then met the aircraft carrier, the Gerald Ford leaving port.  The next morning we went to tour the USS Wisconsin.  We couldn't get into some of the lower areas due to Covid still but did have an informative tour. Norfolk has lots of local street art which included lots of mermaids, one of Joe's favorites.  

October 24, 2020.  St. Michael, MD is the town known as the one who fooled the British.  During the Revolution, the town had 6 or more ship building facilities which attracted the British troops. As the British approached the locals darkened the town and hung lanterns in the trees above the town.  This caused the British to overshoot their cannon above the town.  Today this is a quaint and popular destination with great food and shops.  They display the British and American Flags around town.  The original homes and buildings are in good condition and you can absorb lots of history here.  We spent the afternoon at their maritime museum.

October 20. 2020.  With the many issues and delays of 2020, we were not able to make our way back through the Great Lakes and to home port of Sturgeon Bay, WI.  We have decided to use this as a gift and return to the warm weather and blue waters of Florida and finish out Great Loop in 2021. 

We had a good travel day from NYC and made it to Cape May, NJ.  This is about 130 miles where you must go on the Atlantic.  We had stopped at Atlantic City on the way up and were not too excited to stop so happy the weather cooperated and we made good time to Cape May.  They have a great local restaurant called the Lobster House and we had the best fresh off the boat scallops ever.  

The next day brought us the 50+ miles up the Delaware to the C&D Canal where we anchored with a beautiful sunset.  Unfortunately the next few days were fogged in and our travels were slow.  

Kent Narrows is across the bay from Annapolis and is a popular boating meca for both commercial fishing and the Annapolis/Baltimore recreational boating.  Great sunsets and good food.

October 18-21, 2020
Back through the somewhat familiar East River, Hells Gate, past Lady Liberty and arriving at Liberty Landing.  Feels like home getting back here.  Arrived early enough to get into the city with the Defiels to see the 911 Memorial Museum (this was closed a couple months ago when we were here), Times Square and walk around the city some.  Good to get back to Jersey City at the end of a long day in New York.   Spent Monday, Oct. 19th in Jersey City, getting some history on Ellis Island, the old train station by Liberty Landing and having a nice lunch downtown.  

October 16, 2020 - Greenwich, CT
Winds calmed enough to head out for a 70 mile ride to Greenwich,  CT, an affluent town with a nice downtown.  Rain was persistent all day so we walked around in pretty solid rain, had a nice lunch of clam chowder, and looked around town.  Shopping was pretty high end but it was fun to look.  Got back to the boat with a chill so we ordered pizza and watched the new Clouds movie. 

October 17, 2020 - City Island, NYC
A beautiful day and short ride to City Island, NY.  This island is part of the Bronx, is 1.5 miles long and .5 miles wide.  It consists of nice neighborhoods and quite a few restaurants, all serving some form of seafood.  We stayed at Minneford Marina, a family owned operation, where the people were incredibly friendly and helpful. This is clearly a destination for many New Yorkers to come and pick up good seafood and hangout. 

September 15-17, 2020
Pilots Point Marina in Westbrook, CT is our stopover to go home while having work done on props (yes, again) and other minor things.  A  vacation town with nice beaches and cute cottages. Anna & Ted left after we had chance to tour the harbor and have one more dockside dinner of lobster.  

October 14, 2020 
We returned to Westbrook with our friends the Defiels, who were able to join us on our journey south to NYC.  

A calm 35 miles to Essex, which is 5 miles up the Connecticut River.  A quaint community with so much charm and history, including the Griswold, the oldest consecutively operating hotel in the country.  Our marina was on Essex Island so we had to take the ferry across about 100' channel each time to the main land.  We were able to tour around the inside of the Griswold, although not fully open yet due to Covid.  We visited nearby Old Saybrook, which is just at the mouth of the Connecticut River.  More great lobster rolls at the marina outdoor cafe!

September 11-13, 2020. Mostly following seas to Msytic Seaport with Anna & Ted.  We got one of the last slips in town at the Mystic Town Dock, thanks to Brian, the Dockmaster who was awesome. Brian also got us restaurant reservations and tips on pretty much everything local to do. The Mystic Seaport Museum, a historical maritime legend is a well done and interesting museum.  Since most museums have been closed during Covid, we were elated to find this gem open.  We reveled in the mystical Mystic Seaport including dinners at the Mariner and S&P consisting of lobster for the entire table. 

The day we headed out was a huge Trump boat parade of hundred of boats.

Sept 9-10, 2020.  A quick stopover again at Wickford, RI (through another pea soup fog day) and then back to Jamestown to meet our friends the Mungers for dinner at their house.  Later in the evening we met up with Anna and Ted Sage (Joe's sister) from California.  

Got Jacob and Emily off from Hyannis and we headed towards Woods Hole, a supposedly tricky passage to get through.  Was uneventful but you could easily get confused and the current is strong. Ended up at anchor at Cutty Hunk, the outermost island of the Elizabeth Islands, MA, which separate Buzzards Bay from Martha's Vineyard Sound.  There are exactly 2 businesses in town, (other than a few VRBO's) a raw bar and a lobster shack.  We chose fresh lobsters!  Loved this remote and quiet fishing village.

September 4-6th 2020 Labor Day Weekend

Arrived to Nantucket Harbor on Friday night just a dusk.  The harbor and town are stunning as you enter the harbor with an interesting combination of quaintness and mega yachts. Katie and Paco had a B&B a short walk uptown and we all met for some late night eats and ice cream. 

Saturday morning the weather was glorious to enjoy the island and go exploring.  Early afternoon we took a dinghy ride (about 5 miles) out to the great Point Lighthouse Beach, minus Paco who needed to attend to some business. The bay was unusually calm and the weather unusually warm so had a wonderful bay tour. Floated, swam and hiked the beach and the lighthouse & ate some delicious lobster rolls we brought along.  Later upon our return to the marina we took time to stroll the town, rest and meet for drinks & more lobster on the back deck.  Obviously we all could not get enough of the local lobster. 

Sunday we rented mopeds and toured around the island, visited a local brewery (we just got it to go as it was way busy), then lunch at a food truck Raw 162.  Harbor cruises on the dinghy & takeout lobster dinners, compliments of Emily and family, the ending a perfect day.  

Monday we said a slow good-bye to Nantucket and by later afternoon we arrived the 27 miles across the Sound back in Hyannis, MA.  Katie and Paco left for home and we explored Hyannis a bit and had a lovely dinner at Tugboats at Hyannis Marina with Jacob and Emily.

Labor day weekend and we got to have special guests Jacob and Emily, and Emily's sister Katie and Paco.  We arrived in Oak Bluffs just to see a fabulous sunset and then the seafood at Nancy's did not disappoint.  The next day we enjoyed the Oak Bluff harbor and beach for 1/2 the day and then moved the boat to anchor at Edgartown where we had lunch before heading to Nantucket.  Arrived in Nantucket just in town for a beautiful sunset and some late night eats. 

​Some bigger waves starting out from Newport harbor but around the bottom of Cutty Hunk Island, MA  we found some protection.  Pulled into Falmouth, MA, which is a narrow bay chock full of marinas and slips and a downtown stuck in time from the past. Great food and pastries, plus our boat was several hundred feet from a West Marine. The locals were extremely friendly and very interested in our Great Loop story as they are not on the typical route and were not as familiar with the Loop. Rain and fog heavy for a couple days and we finally had to leave in the fog to meet Jacob and company arriving at Hyannis.