It's about time I stopped here after passing by it dozens of times. WhiIe traveling The Great Loop by boat, I sought out the history of the places we visited. While traveling by car last week from my primary home (near Washington D.C.) to my 2nd home and Many Moons' homeport (in far-north Michigan), I … Continue reading Attack: Fort Michilimackinac
Tangier Island is disappearing. We've been hearing this for decades. I can confirm that it's true. I was there. The small, still-inhabited island in the Chesapeake Bay is now 2.5 miles long by 1.5 miles wide. That's apparently half its size several years ago, based on local written accounts. I went there to fill in … Continue reading The Disappearing Island
Three weeks after leaving The Great Loop, I still have a hangover -- to borrow a phrase from one of my readers. It's strange, because I was eager to leave it in some ways. That last month was pretty tough on me, for reasons too complex to share here. A hangover refers to the lingering … Continue reading Loop Hangover
When you end something big like The Great Loop, there's a kind of gap afterwards. It can be an unsettling time, filled with satisfaction but also a sense of loss. It's important not to set anchor in this "after" gap because it can suck you down. It's just as important not to rush through it … Continue reading The “After” Gap: Don’t Anchor Here
The pilot inherited his job. The "pirates" created theirs. I encountered both while cruising on the Nile River in Egypt recently. The surprises just kept coming... To be clear, they aren't really pirates. Our Egyptian guide called them "the pirates of Nile" because they come alongside the way real pirates sometimes did (and maybe still … Continue reading Of Pilots & “Pirates”
After a 20-day trip to Egypt, my head is swimming with the names of Ancient Egyptian gods. And the different ways, today, to worship God. And ... cats. In Egypt, God/s and cats are everywhere. It seems like we went everywhere, too ... starting at the capitol city of Cairo on the Nile River, then … Continue reading Of God/s & Cats
What jumps out at me most as our group of 40+ immerses itself in Cairo (the capitol of Egypt) is how warmly welcomed we are, how safe we feel, and how much damage the handful of extremists caused not just to Americans, but also to all Arabs, with their heinous act on 9/11. Extremists exist … Continue reading Mosques & Bazaars – Cairo Day 2
This is a country of contrast and paradox--not so different from the U.S. in that way. Religion and politics are strong factors--also not so different from the U.S. What is different so far, in my experience, is the willingness to openly discuss these things. That's because I'm traveling with Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT), which makes … Continue reading Egypt! (Cairo)
A time to look back and a time to look forward... Two pieces of news have rushed Navy memories to my head, both related to sailing: A woman assumed command of the Navy's historic sailing ship, USS Constitution - aka Old Ironsides. The Navy began operating a Saildrone (USV or Unmanned Surface Vessel). A time … Continue reading Of Sails and Science
The kindest face I know (Note: This is posted under "Reflections." If you want to read about the boat only, click "The Boat" from the menu above.) She died on Christmas morning. In her bed. After writing a message on her blackboard in perfect penmanship. A perfect exit, you might say. That was 3+ weeks … Continue reading WWMD? Honoring a Legacy
For Many Moons 