Where's Bob?!

     Of all the stops we make between Rhode Island Florida this is one of my very most favorite.  Beaufort, North Carolina.  It is a quintessential waterfront town and it is impeccable where southern hospitality abounds.  Today is October 30th the weather today was perfectly clear sunny 75 degrees.  I know you were Islanders hate us right about now!  

     We are getting accustomed to the new boat in all its systems.  Becky has been doing a ton driving, in fact she saved our bacon 2 days ago by providing a quick course correction at a very confusion intersection.  We are getting into the routine of being under way enjoying our trip and once again saying, "Parkinson, you will not rob me of my spirit today and your chances do not look any better for tomorrow!"

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This is what Becky and I are striving for.......

Yesterday, we could have taken the easier route and continued on the intercostal waterway. Instead we took a route that had more challenges and we were rewarded by two things, missing traveling in bad weather for for 35 miles and finding a tiny island called Ocracoke.  This island, located 15 nautical miles south of Cape Hatteras, which is part of the outer barrier islands. Has a population of 900 residents and has a beach that stretches 9 miles. As we were traveling south suprisingly none of the other boats we saw took the left towards the outerbanks. This little island is what Beck and I are striving for, not another soul can be found......I'm glad the other boats kept going!

 

 

 

WHY I STAY SO BUSY

World Series......

 

 

World Series game 1, 2013 Red Sox vs. Cardinals

 



World Series bound.....
 

Talk about not letting a chance to make memories for grandsons and grandma, go by. My Mom is a huge Red Sox fan and has been for years. Attending tonight’s game is a once in a lifetime opportunity!  It is all my Dad’s idea, not being up for the trip himself he enlisted two of his grandsons to escort their grandma to the game. He hired a limo to drive them up and back, they packed roast beef sandwiches, warm jackets, cameras and fake beards to cheer on the boys!

 

I was asked if I was bummed that I wasn’t going to the game, nope was my answer! I’m thrilled that my dad saw an opportunity to see that his wife got to the game and will make memories that will stay with Mom, Bryce and Sam for the rest of their lives! Go Sox , Go grandpa # So alive!!!!

 Sandi MacLeod

Optimism won't help you with those tugboats!

People that have been with me on the boat know I have a extreme dislike for tugboats.  Check out this picture we are in a lock, do you think I can get any closer?  I'll probably get nightmares from this! 

Sorry......

I have often said "even if given the opportunity, I would not change places with a soul in the world!" Part of the reason is so many new friends have come into my life through PD events.

I was with one of those new friends a few weeks ago wh6en a new friend relayed to me that after many, many years of denial he was just now telling his friends, associates, clients, etc that he was "sorry" to have to tell them he had Parkinson's. I was shocked, my mouth dropped open as I quickly brought up my mental dictionary:

sor·ry 1. Feeling or expressing sympathy, pity. 2. Worthless or inferior; paltry. 3. Causing sorrow, grief, or misfortune; grievous.

I tried to prepare my words carefully (didn't work) and said in a loud firm tone, "what the (heck) are you sorry about!!!" No, I did not use the word 'heck'. But I guess I caught him off guard as he was speachless, so I asked him again, what was he sorry about? What did he do wrong? The way he used the word "sorry" implied he was guilty or at least culpable of some bad deed. Unfortunately, I hear this a lot.

It's not just that they say it apologetically, to me it is deeper than that. By saying anything like "I am sorry to say I have PD", that lessens me. It suppresses the spirit. As for me, I am looking to empower myself, and others, in the fight against this insidious disease. So while I am sorry for many stupid things I have done in my 55 years, I am neither sorry nor guilty of contracting Parkinson's. Though, I almost feel sorry FOR Parkinson for I intend to beat it, cheat it or do anything necessary to deny it the ability to live. But that is a whole different article.

As for where we are today? ROAD TRIP! to a family reunion 100 mi inland. The voyage resumes from Hampton VA ON Tuesday. Next week, Cape Hatteras. Going to see what the fuss is all about. (Just kidding Poseidon)

"Virginia is for repairs"

 

Well, we made it through the gales of last weekend, while at anchor, not at a dock.  Next we found our way to the first repair dock to fix a our magnetic compass as well as our 2 electronic compasses. They were definitely not right, one would show a heading of 290, the other two would show 301 and 309 respectfully. You simply cannot have that . If you're off by more one degree, that is a big deal and very dangerous, so they're all fixed.

 

That takes us to where we are now, Bluewater Yachts in Hampton, VA. for depth finder repairs, one went bad. Your thinking what's up with this Bob? You bought a lousy boat! Nope, not at all, think of it as a punch list on a new house, lots of little things to get done, it is par for the course and in fact the boat is running very strong. So far we have traveled about 659 nautical miles and burned but 1100 gallons of fuel.

 

They will work on the boat all weekend and hopefully we get underway Tuesday late morning.

That's it from the bridge, I'll leave you with this......

 

Sunset......Hampton, VA.