Wow! It did feel good to be out on the water again after two months in a marina. There’s something about the mystery of adventure and wondering what’s around the next corner that fills a yearning deep in my soul. Although I’ve always had a bit of wanderlust, this sailbatical has certainly magnified it beyond… Continue Reading
It’s hard to believe that we spent two full months in New Smyrna Beach (NSB) Florida! When we docked at the courtesy wall in mid-December, we planned to stay in NSB for just one night. But the quaint town tugged at our hearts and we moved to the city marina for one month, and then… Continue Reading
On the eleventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…. Not eleven pipers piping but one beautiful wonderful amazing folding Dahon bike. And the Captain’s true love (that would be me) gave him a matching Dahon bike on the twelfth day of Christmas. Don’t ask why these twin bicycles were delivered on different… Continue Reading
The morning of New Years Eve found me ready to return to Dudley and Belle Bateau in Florida after the long holiday break in PA and MD. I waved goodbye to my parents in PA as Jean-Luc served as my chauffeur again, and the long drive to BWI felt quite short as we chatted incessantly… Continue Reading
When we left St. Augustine, we had planned to spend one night at anchor near Daytona Beach, one night at a rare courtesy wall in New Smyrna Beach, and then arrive our “holiday” destination of Titusville near Cape Canaveral. We had made reservations at a marina in Titusville for a whole month in order to… Continue Reading
St. Augustine was simply amazing. From the moment we arrived, we were swept back in time by its rich history while being warmed daily by the vibrancy of this City of Lights. We did not have time or opportunity to visit everything, which just means that we’ll be back on our way north next spring. But… Continue Reading
As cruisers along the ICW, we typically have three possibilities for “spending the night.” In descending order of cost, we can 1) take a slip in a marina, averaging $1-$3 per foot, per night (Belle Bateau is 50’ overall, so that’s $50-$150/night), 2) pick up a mooring ball, for $20-$30/night on average, or 3) anchor,… Continue Reading
My sister Joy once commented that listening to Dudley and me talking on our sailboat was similar to hearing a foreign language. Until she mentioned it, I had been so intent on learning sailor jargon over the years that I hadn’t really thought about what it may sound like to non-boaters who join us for… Continue Reading
When Belle Bateau departed Baltimore on October 19, we were hailed on Channel 16 (on the VHF radio) three times within a few hours. That’s quite a lot actually. On the Chesapeake, days of sailing could pass without anyone hailing us. But on Day 1, we heard “Belle Bateau, Belle Bateau, this is X” three… Continue Reading
What makes headlines in the nightly news can take days to reach us on the water. More often than not, we only hear about horrific events, like the terrorist attack in Paris or yet another mass shooting, because a friend posts something on FaceBook. Which then prompts us to google to find out what’s happening… Continue Reading
Cheryl Duvall and Dudley Whitney
3 Church Circle, Unit #138
Annapolis, MD 21401
cherylduvall@mac.com
dudleywhitney1@comcast.net