I will post the last few current entries on Ming's homepage and then as that page begins to get cluttered up, transfer them onto the current log book.

If a log book page gets too big — too many entries or pictures — I'll start a new page. There will be navigation links at the bottom of each page to take you through the log book.

Hi All Just to let you know that I have left NH. Left at 6am.

Bound for Gloucester Mass. The wind was about 5 to 10 kts and the 3 to 4 ft swells were broad side,which made for a bunpy ride to say the lease. As I was pulling into Gloucester the phone rang it was Mark my friend from Hobbie Sound FL. where are you Gloucester said I how about you, Gloucester, said he.I see you I see you too. Shure enought there is the ship he works on. He works for NOAA they make the charts for us. I dropped the hook near by in hopes he might make it over when his watch ends.

Up and running by 6am and so far it has been a fast trip, most of the days are 10hrs or less to do. On a bad day I might have taken 14hrs and be happy with that.

The trip from Gloucester Mas to Onset Mas was a bit wild. It all started a little rought but do able. As the day wore on things became mean. Some times I was face to face with a wave. that part was ok until some of them would spill into the cockpit, not much, just enought to let me know who is boss. Than others would just turn the boat 45 deg's or so, this made be work. I am retired? With a lot of luck I made the Cape Cod Cannal on an in going tide. 8kts or better all the way through. Got into Onset dropped two hooks(anchores), Changed the fuel filter(had to) cleaned up ate and before I knew it I was in BED asleep.

Now on to Point Juith RI. It's 6am the hooks are up and I am off and running. A bit slow as the tide was againist me. Than it turned , Ming got up to 7kts all the way down buzzards Bay. Oh did I say a friendly wind did it's share until I got to Block I.Sound, the wind died Ming slow down to 6kts and we had the current all the way to point Juith RI. In Onset I saw 3 other Boats loaded for cruising and two of them left when I did, and went in different directions when we got to Block I. Sound. Never to be seen again. Well here in Point Juith I see one other that might be cruising, but the day is still young as I still have day light.

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Just to talk about my trip from Point Juith RI to PortJefferson LI.

Started out with a light wind In Block I. Sound by using the Jib and the motor I got to 6kts, by the time I got to the race(the narrow spot between Block I. S. and long I Sound) I was up to 9 1/2kts. I had the current (tide), wind and the motor all helping me, looking good.

When it was time to make the turn for Mattituck L.I. it was 1pm and was still going 81/2kts, no way was I going to turn. The seas weren't too bad and were getting better so I kept on going. About 5pm I rolled up the jib as the wind had died and continued on to PortJefferson where I dropped two hooks and stayed the night along with three other boats. The next day one rented a mooring, one took off and the other disappeared, never nto be see again.

I am going to stay putt until I know more about the storm and its path. Than I will need to wait for the seas to calm down, slide in to NYC and make down the NJ shore, and Cape May NJ.

Just to let you know that it is Sept 18th and I have been in PortJefferson LI NY for a week now waiting for the storm to come and go. PortJefferson is some 50 miles east of NYC and at thefar edge of the expected winds from the big storm. My wind machine is only 20ft off the water so it might read a little low. But it is this wind of 20mph, that hits the boat.

Ming is behind a little sand bar which gives some protection. As the wind is blowing now I only get hit with half the white caps, and believe me there is plenty of them. The waves are only a ft high as the tide is going the same direction as the wind. High tide will be at 5:30 and the tide direction will change at that time I think the wind will kick up to 25mph tonight and a little bit higher in the morning. Don't think I will get much sleep tonight as thing seam to bounce a bit. Tryed to go to sleep but the noise keeps me awake, never did like to sleep in the daytime.

Had a nice breakfast on a boat from CT I made muffins and they did the rest, than they took me back to Ming as they had to leave. A lot of my friends are still in MD, VA, NC will have it bad. Heard from a couple of them one of which is tied to a bridge in Great Bridge VA, I think he will have it the worst, I haven't heard from anyone in Oriental, Bill Schmitter in Wrightsville Beach said he will get back to me. Jack and Nikki in MD put there boat in a swamp, Bill and Sandy left there boat in Norfork I could go on but I think these people have been there done that.

The big deal for me will be come hell or high water or is it just trhe high water, the current in hell Gate might be a little faster than normal, as I would like to leave here sun and stop short of the Gate and do it mon after that the NJ coast will tell me when and where.

Now this might come as a supprise to some of you people, I only have two anchors down (8 eight more on board if needed). My choice was two danfords, one was a gift from Orinoco (38 ft sail) the other is one I kept from OT(3 or 4 boats ago) They are about 150 feet apart, the two lines are then tied togther after that I let out another 75 to 100 ft of line. All of this in 20 ft of water. I can drag many feet in three direction and a couple hunderd in the direction of the wind.

I am glad to be alone at this time, if anyone thinks the Cpt goes down with the ship their nuts.

A couple of things. It looks like my address book was screw up and everyone was not included. I have no Idea who got left out. But things are looking better now. I have split you into two groups I hopes this will stop the rejections. (all &all2 are the groups).

Here I sit in PortJefferson LI NY, the days after the storm went by. As you know I have been here for a week so the storm could pass, it did. Yeasterday was bounce, bounce , bounce, Not bad, the windy only got up 25mph here and the waves we less than two ft, with rain off and on, into the night. I didn't sleep much as the noise was something else. It was like power boats going by all night with the noise and the rocking. The trip sofar has been a little on the rough side and each day I gained more and more respect for Ming. With luck I will head for NYC Sat or Sun.And stop short of hell Gate for the night and do the Gate the next day. Hell Gate is a squeeze in East river where the current goes wild at times.Can be hell or fun. If the NJ coast is calm I will leave NY harbour and make it to Manasquan NJ, other wise I will drop a hook near the lady.

I now have three solar pannels which work great I can run the computer during the day and watch the weather at night if the TV works (snow). If the cell phone has a strong signal I do e-mail after 9pm (free time) or befor 6am (free time). The two bad spots for the cell phone are Dove Point, NH and Oriental NC the two places I need it the most. What do you think the storm did to my land in Oriendal. It will be interesting. If the dock is in what damage if any and did the water get high enough to put Mings lift under water.

Peter might have the web page updated so take a look at it. It will tell you to go to (www.towndock.net) This is Oriental taking a bath, she sould be nice an clean when I get there.

Ming and I stayed in PortJefferson LI for the storm, we saw winds up to 25mph and some rain. Good news noleaks and I still have halft the windows to do. While in PortJefferson the flys came not bad just a few hundred, than ten or twenty yellow jackets came, I was doing battle with them when one went up my pant leg. Well made it up the pant leg an inch or two when I nailed him not befor he nailed me. The reason I was so excited was I was wearing shorts, shorts, it was close. Yes I think this live I lead might be dangerous at times. Glad I was on the hook.

I have left there and made it to Throgs Neck Bridge a safer place stay. The only danger is power boats.

Well I left Throgs Neck Bridge about 6:45 made it down hell gate doing 10 kts which is about right and on to the mouth of NY harbour and just kept on going, pulled into Mansquan about 3:30.

The open ocean was calm compared to the mad house in Mansquan. Power boats, a few sail boats running all over the place, not as bad as I95. Found a spot that should be ok for the night. I hope this will be my last time that I do the dum thing and stop here.

Last fall I met up with some friends that live here, but I think they blew the coop. E-mails that I send them come back. They must have know I was coming.

During the week it's as bad as this . Need to hone my over night skills.

Doing good, had a fast trip down the coast of NJ. Refueled at Cape May, stayed over night and made it to Chesapeake City, where I am now.

One lay over day (weather) in Atlantic City [picture from the boat]. It was a do nothing day being to rough to work on Ming or go ashore. The day went by fast as I w as able to listen to the water way net on ham radio in the am.

If any one has a single side band radio and wants to listen tune to 7268 lower side band at 7:30 am. They don't use boat names but ham call signs. Also 8152 upper side band about eight I think , another net that uses boat names

Before I forget the last up date to my web page had a couple of pictures that I sent Peter. One I had labled E City which was wrong It should have been Oriental NC. The other was a power boat picture that JO JO had sent me. I didn't lable it but I should have put a lable like Have power boat want catamaran. What screw up do you think I will send Peter this time. [***Peter comment: you sent 2 pictures of Atlantic city, but the 2nd didn't make it. And I fixed the E City reference. How's that?]

I have been too busy to write and have forgotten where I left off. I made the storm alright and had a nice slide down Hell Gate on to Manasquan. Never go there on a week end never.

Fast trip to Atlantic City, had to stay near the bridge as it looked like the inlet to the little pond had shifted. Next day was a stay put day. I bounced around so much you conn't hold the lap top in your lap to write. But the day went by fast any way.

A short day to Cape May where I got fuel, went on land for the frist time just long enough to pay for the fuel. and out to the anhorage I dropped the hook in three ft. of water with plenty of room to drag, IN FACT I ONLY USED ONE ANCHORE. What do you think of that? Next, lots of big boats tryed to drop a hook near me, were they supprised to find only three ft of water. I had it made or did I A power boat here a power boat there I was boxed in. By three am we were sitting on the bottom by six am there was enough water to take off. Made it to Chesapeake City. Found a spot, droped two hooks. About seven pm another boat came in and droped his hook right over mine an move it a bout twenty feet. Didn't say a word he or I. No bumbs in the night an thats all that counts.

Saw my frist cruising friends of this trip. Salty Spouse they are from Washington NC and were looking out for land for me. Not far from Oriental which is where I ended up.

Will stay put for my exstepdauther will be here on sat. haven't seen for a couple of years. Than off to annapolis. Bad new the Dismal Samp is closed and great Bridge has problems so from Norfork South the ICW is closed for a while. Might stay in Annapolis for the boat show.

It has been a long time and no I didn't fall off the end of the earth but it seams like it.

I am in Annapolis and have been here for a week a long time and do not expect to leave for a while yet as I my new water pump has not come in. I like Annapolis but things are going slow or I might have ants in my pants. I hear other boats under way and it gets to me after a while.

I am in Spa Creek all the way up where the mud is deep. I have three anchors down and holding good. Fitz cat was here and couldn't get his anchors to hold he was only using two. So he left too bad they are nice people.(They liked my muffins)

The boats seam to be getting bigger each year. When I frist started a forty footer was a big boat and they always used the marinas now you see fifty footers on the hook which makes it harder for the rest of us to find a spot. One fifty footer will take the room of three thrity footers.

Both Spa and Back Creek are full of boats on anchor or mooring you have to weave your way up these creeks.

I just talked to Sea Dancer of Vero Beach fame. It goes like this, he was having some work done on his boat at a private dock. He had been using the water and went to shut itoff and the faucet broke off, water going all over the place (Out side faucet). No big deal he found a shut off and shut the water off going to the house. All of this on a week end. Now he calls the plumber. No can do see you monday. He called the water dept. no can do see you monday. No big deal or was it. The police came, the fire dept came , and than the water dept came with a plumber. The shut off he found not only shut the water off to the house but the whole street as well. This is all I know about the subject as he doesn't seam to want to talk about it.

At time things might seam a little slow , but all you have to do is look around and the pace will pick up.

Oriental: No dock yet. The missing neighbor has not signed off yet. The next step has been taken ,in about 10 days or so things should be looking better or could be.

Last week I did a lot of walking looking for repair parts for my water pump but ended up empty handed. I order a new one and will look for repair parts in Vero Beach or when I get back to NH in June. Might try to make it it late May If the ice is gone. Right now it is time to make my call to see if my water pump came in.

Well My water punp is in but could not go an get it because of a head problem. I asked to have the holding tank pumped out but it wouldn't pump. Took the hole zzzzz thing apart only to find the vent was pluged. Tryed to unplug it with a snake only to have the end of the snake break off. I shaLL go to Westmarine and get my water pump in the morn as well as junk to repair the head. This is the worst thing that can screw up on a boat.

Well I left Annapolis Sunday and made it to the Solomons Md..The innerharbour was full and I didn't feel like trying to find an iffy place to anchor with so many others.

On the way in I saw a couple of trawlers (slow moving power boats) on anchor. So I slid back out and joined them. I had no sooner got the anchor down and one of them came over in a dinky and said. Come over for supper I can take you over and bring you back. Befor he could change his mind I was in his dinky. Had a nice time and found out that they see me each year and say (There is Ming it must be time to go south). Ok

I made it to Delaville in short order but didn't have time to make the next anchorage so I pulled in. There must have been some growth on the bottom of the keels as I ran agound. A back up and a go ahead got me free, and off to a nice spot to drop the hook which I did. Had to open a can that night. It was so quite I couldn't believe it. In the morning I washed the windows and got under way befor 7am. Yes I ran aground on the way out too. Had some good wind in the morning but it changed to be head on not good. Slowed down to 3 and 4 kts.

But pulled in Norfork by 3:30 pm. The wind was picking up and by now it was 25 to 30 mph and the weather man siad it could go to 65mhp. It is good holding in Willoughby bay so I only used one anchor as I was the only boat here and had plenty of room to swing or drag the anchor. About an hour later another boat pulled in and that was it for the night. On the way in I saw a lot of polls, logs and othe junk half floating , had to go slow and pick my way in. It will be this way for many miles . The wind peaked out at 45mph or that was all I saw. In the morning the wind was still 20mph and on the nose so I stayed put for the day.

As I had some work to do on Ming. Frist I worked on the head, than Only one anchor light would work last night. One had a bad bulb the other checked out ok. This one is and automatic one I think there was to much ambient light to make it work. Some places are so bright I have to close the curtians and if I am near a bridge I close the windows and wear ear plugs bcause of a noisey bridge or hyway.

Solar pannels (.5 Amps) looking goood.

I hope to make 10 more mile tomorow get fuel stay for the night and get ready for the Dismal swamp.

There is another email black hole just around the bend it could last up to 3 weeks as I plan to stop in Oriental for a week or two.

The Dismal Swamp got hit hard by the storm. Some trees were torn from the ground other were just broken up. The leaves were blown away or to bits and the moss is only half there. It was some what like a big ice storm had been there leaving broken , limbless stumps 30 to 50 ft in the air. The cannal its self was full of broken limbs, trees and other debree that has been removed.

The good thing is it will grow back in time and we can watch it grow just like kids do.

A lot of houses had plastic covering the holes in a roof or the side of a house where a tree had landed. The people are sad as to be expected but none the less the are still happy to be alive. Some stores had as much as 3 ft of water in them. The lucky ones had a place to store things high an dry and the time to do it.

I pulled in to my land on 9-22. And found no dock , but I kenw that. Had to have Ming pulled out so I could paint the bottom. The paint was a year old and had some bare spots which I took care of and after that I gave her two coats of bottom paint and back in the water the next day. Off to Ship Creek.

Still no dock. but they were working on Jeffs dock.Changed the oil in Ming. The next two weeks, I would go to town with Paul (lot next to me) have coffee at seven and than see who was at the town dock. Saw Fitz cat and patience plus a few others . You never knew who would be there. Back to the Ship Creek (by car)

Jeff would be working on his shed so I would give hime a hand. By the end of two weeks it was done. Still no dock.

Cold weather came yester day and I an off today to find 70degs. Hope to have dock by spring

Ming & Neal

The big guns were shooting a short ways down the water way and a small boat with guns and all said we should stop we did for 40 min. Thats ok should make it before dark. Whats this, I am at the bridge and it will open in 20 min ok. oh look at this it is going to open right now for the tug and we can go right after. The tub made it and two south bound boats made it now it is my turn I am in the apron doing my thing.

I look up to see the bridge closeing (this is a swing bridge) (It closed withou a warning horn) I made a hard turn to theleft and just missed the boat that was on my tail. The bridge closed and said he was open for the aloted time and would reopen and another half hour. Well I made it to my stop and had the hook down before dark and thats what counts.

I made it to Titusville Fl and will spend T day with my son etc.

Next stop will be Cocoa where I will spend about week working on Ming.

At this time If the email gods let me I plan to bring you al up to date on my been there done that things

I left Oriental in a big fat hurry as I needed to make Titusville by nov 27 (some 700 miles 50 per day) I had about 16 days to do it in. I can do that and have a dayto spare.

I am doing 50 and 60 miles per day as the wind and tide was with me. Great until I got to Charleston and the bad weather came and I lost two half days because the bridge would not open if the wind got over 35mph which it did. But being the luckest man on earth the wind and tide once again were with me.

Now from time to time the bridges need to be worked on and at such time they shut them down. This was hanppen in Beauford SC on the day that I need to to get by it. lucky me I was the last one through it before they close it for the day. Thing are going good until I had to make a couple of short days in each case the problem was no place to stay for the night. Now I am in a tough spot, but I can do it if I run a little longer at night which I did. I made up the lost time only to have my son call me and ask if I can make it a day early. Didn't know but will will try. I now have 86 miles to go. Can I do it in one day. I ran three hours into the dark hours to make it.

My son picked me up on Wed the 26 and Ming had two anchors down and swung with them on the tide so thing will be ok.

At my sons house I saw my new grandaughter for the frist time 13 months old and the other two kids 4&5. They picked on me. But it was fun.

Ate the bird played with the kids some more and got back to Ming about dusk on Fri. A good time was had by all.

Woke up Sat to cold and windy and white caps on the water. Stayed on Ming to rough to row and Ming needs fuel. Pushing her hard dropped the per thing miles per way down. I shall leave in a day or so after I get fuel. And the heads vent needs to be workd on.

My mooring is no. 50 and I have it to myself most of the time, or with another Cat. It is about a 3/8 of a mile row which is ok as I need it.

Due to some motor problems I will stay until the middle of Feb and than head to Oriental or NH for repairs. Should be able to make it. If not I will cross that bridge when it happens.

I have friends both on land and live aboards Who keep things interesting. Bus goes into town on the hour, all of this starts at 8am and ends at 5pm. It is only 4 to 7 mile walk which depends what stores you wand to go to. The beach is less than 2 mile but a little cold right now. 60 dreg during the day should be about 70.

Most of the time we get together in small groups five or six.There is a day room with TV and a phone line that we can use to get on the web, email @20 cents a min or we can go to town and work out of the library. The beach is less than two miles away You might want to look at the web page that Peter set up for me.

About forty to fortyfive of us boater were invited over to Karen and Rons condo (there on Seadancer) for Christmas Dinnner. It was a bring what you can. I did brownies and lemon bread, others did more of the main meal. But it was great, we had everything anybody ever wanted to eat. Being boaters we had more than our share of worker bees. Karen, Janet, Jackie seam to be the lead worker bees and the rest did there best to keep up. Even us drones helped afterwards we put things away and even cleaned a little.

Things ended about 8pm we all said our good by and waddled away as we all ate toooooooooo much. Top buttons on pants were undone or should have been undone. Durning the five hours we were there only talk and laughter was heard.

We had a mix up, John Bunkers family that was supposed come didn't know that they were supposed to come (they wanted to come) They were not on a car list as they have there own car. As we about to eat Jackie asked me where they were. They didn't know they were to come. I am very sorry as I should have looked into it.

I go ashore at lease once every other day and take the bus into town once or twice a week. Food, Radio Shack. Circuit City, Wall Mart, Lowes, West Marine, you know all the hot spots. I also go over to my friend John house(he is the one with a bad hart) If it is warm we will go for a walk other wise we talk. Now it is about noon time and back to the boat which can be a 15 min or up to a 2hr talk and row back to Ming. As I am almost all the way to the end of the North mooring field. This exposes me to lots of people who might say hi or lots more. I even get towed or pushed to the south mooring field, which is ok as I have friends down there. Life is fun no mater where I go. Water people are great.

I seem to be one of the early risers and some times it goes like this. Up at five, wash, make muffins, eat two with my tea put the rest in a ziplock bag and into a small foam bag to keep them warm and if the wind is right I will drifft down the mooring field looking for a muffin recipient, some one that is about to cast off the mooring and slide down the wayer way looking or 70deg weather, hey here is your 9 oclock break. More offten than not they will be eaten before they get out of sight. Some call me the muffin man. I am not shure what the rest call me.

Christmas was like WOW forty people spent five hours together on land in a dayroom at a friends condo. We each add our own treat to the over flowing food table and ate away. Not planning to do much for the New Year but that can change at the drop of a hat, after all we are boaters.