Voyage 2023: Chapter 2

22 Apr 2023, St Michael Memories, 38 47.196 N/ 076 13.068 W

At 0800, the wind was calm with the beginning of a flood current and an uneasy look in the falling visibilty. Oh well. At 0830, the ball was released and we were heading to St. Michael's via the Eastern Bay and Miles River. By the time we approached the anchored ships, they disappeared into the fog. A 1430 arrival does not seem too likely. We approached Bloody Point Light around 1030, or so the radar reported. We were less than .25 nm from the light but could see only nothing. I can hear Ann say, "I don't like this". Halfway across the Eastern Bay, the fog lifted and we were motoring towards St. Mike's. We arrived at our anchorage (off of Parrot Point) and it looked just like Ann and I remembered 2 years ago. It is early in the season, so we are the only ones around. We would be in for a treat tomorrow as we are expecting visitors.

Shanache (Sha-na-key) 'Comes a Visitin'. Scott, Mary, and JP were on a weekend sail and thought it might be nice to drop by and say 'Hi' to Mattie and me. They arrived on Friday, circled Jule a couple of times, and headed for their marina in the harbor. We agreed that they would come visiting tomorrow by water taxi for a brunch (Goldfish, Cheezits, Cherrios, and boxed wine (Franzia). They promised to augment the menu with stuff from their boat. Whew. Ann is frowning on me for not being prepared! It's tomorrow now and they are coming. Amazingly, everybody fit in Jule's tiny cockpit (sorta). Mattie and I gave everyone a 30 second tour of Jule's compact inside. Yes, Ann. I did cleanup before they got here. We had a great time but too soon they had to fetch the water taxi, head back, and point Shanache back to Shipwright Marina. They were great first visitors to Jule III in her new solo status role!! And so on the 25 April, we are heading back to Homeport. Why are we going back? We have an appointment to honor a good friend of ours who recently passed. So we are splitting our mini cruise into two micro cruises where micro cruise #1 is nearly over. Stay tuned as we will be back on the watyer in a couple of weeks

29 Apr 2023, Back to Reality, 38 46.512 N/ 076 33.774 W

On 25 April, we headed back to SWHM, cleaned up Jule, headed back to ILM, and left for Apex NC for Jim's 'Celebration of Life' on 29 April. "We sailed together; we worked on boats together; We did stuff together; They were there when Ann began her medical decline; They were there when Ann passed (2022); They were there when I had to learn to survive without her; They were there when I had my medical issues. We were there when Jim began his transplant journey; nearly to the end." I left that evening, not knowing when I would see the family again.

I headed back to ILM, and met up with friends there for a couple of days, then back to Vienna to chill for a while. I went on a couple of hikes on the C&O tow path around Harpers Ferry; walked with my younger son and his young grandson, and watched the 'dude' play in the creek, go to playgrounds, and try to run away (his favorite sport). In a week or so, the Cat and I will continue our Solo Remembrance Voyage.