St Marys, Ga

We arrived in St Marys on October 28th and a few days after we arrived our friends Bud and Elaine aboard Diamond Girl, stopped in for a couple of days to visit.











Saint Marys really decorates for Halloween. We found scare crows all over town as well as every other conceivable decoration.

This has to be one of the most colorful sunsets we have ever caught. Click on it so you can see it in a larger size!











Our friends John and Ann aboard Steel Away have been living here for the past three years. We first met them Thanksgiving of 2010. This year they are located closer to where we are docked so we get to see them more often! John built this boat which is steel and over 107' long.









Another cool Sunset that Paula caught with a military helicopter, probably from Kings Bay Submarine base.











Here is another scarecrow. This one is a bow hunter sitting up on his tree stand. If you look closely at the third step down you will notice a squirrel. The squirrel is real, and not at all afraid of the hunter!















Paula caught this flock of wood storks flying over one morning. They aren't a very pretty bird when on the ground, but they are beautiful when caught in flight.











Paula was really lucky to get this picture of a Golden Eagle. They are rarely found in this area. We hope to get a better picture next time we see him!









This is a picture of our friends Larry and Rosie on Flying Cloud. If you look closely you can see that Larry is flying the Marine Corps flag!

Paula's fondest wish is that when we decide to move back to land that we live some where that she can have a golf cart!

Today is November 21st. We have seen at least 30 boats arrive today for the coming Thanksgiving celebration. Last year over a hundred boats were here for Thanksgiving.

St Marys, GA

Brunswick Landing Marina. After two days of travel we are in Brunswick, GA (a little over 100 miles down the ICW from Savannah). We stopped here for a couple of days to visit our friends Rick and Julie Rochelle. We find out on arrival that old friends Ralph and Bonnie Jean Small are also at the marina. We hook up with Ralph and Bonnie Jean for a quick trip out to eat dinner and to catch up on each others travels. The next afternoon Julie Rochelle picks us up and takes us on a fantastic tour of St Simons Island, then to her house where we find Rick getting out adult beverages for everyone. We had a great home cooked meal in a beautiful setting with several of their friends. Ahhh, life is good!!

This is a Coast Guard tug that we saw coming back into Kings Bay Submarine base. We had been hearing a lot of chatter about a "war ship" on the VHF and suspect they had been escorting a sub out of the inlet back to sea.

We had a beautiful sunset in the St Marys anchorage on our first night back in St Marys, GA. We will be staying here for Thanksgiving again this year. Last year we met our friends Rick and Julie Rochelle here at the cruisers' Thanksgiving dinner, as well as several other people that have become good friends.

Second day traveling to Brunswick, Ga.

When we left Isle of hope on the way to Brunswick, GA, we anchored out for the night in the Duplin River, just off of the Doboy Sound. This was the beautiful sunrise that greeted us the next morning.

Crabbers at work! These are the guys that put all those floats in the water that you have to be continually on the watch for. They are also the ones that provide all that fantastic blue crab we all like so well.










Paula caught this picture of an immature Wood Stork.













And of course she had to take at least a few pictures of the dolphin that follow us playing in our wake.

This is the wake that Sea Eagle puts out when I kick in all 900 horses. It is actually about 4 ft higher than the swim platform on the back. Sea Eagle's weight is over 50,000 lbs when full of fuel (800 gal) and water (220 gal) etc.








This is a couple of guys teaching this lady how to fly fish.

The shrimp fleet in port as we arrived in Brunswick.

Leaving Isle of Hope

This is our wake as we leave Isle of Hope, Savannah, GA at sunrise on October 25th, 2011. It's hard to believe that we spent five months here! What an enjoyable time we had. We will miss all the new friends that we made. But it really gives us something to look forward to for next summer!!








Paula spotted seven eagles on on the first day of our trip from Savannah heading to Brunswick, GA.












We had dozens of seagulls following us as we traveled for two days to get from Isle of Hope to Brunswick.











These guys are busy getting shrimp. Yummm! Check out the boat's name.

One of the many tugs you may see on the ICW. This one's name is "Anger Management". Some are kept really nice looking like this one.

Hilton Head Island Coastal Discovery Museum

Maybe I should have named this "Butterfly's".

Paula and I have been to several "butterfly gardens" but we have never seen so many. This place had them everywhere and so many kinds that we must have taken 50 pictures. We of course saw dozens of White Egrets, Herons, etc but we have hundreds of pictures of them!























Of course Paula got one to land on here arm!
























































We did have this Cardinal sit still long enough to get a few pictures of him.

This picture is special, the horses are Marsh Tacky horses. They live wild on several of the islands and are descended from horses left here by the Spanish explorers in the 1500's. There are thought to be less than 300 left. There are three distinct breeds originating with the Spanish horses, including Banker Horses in North Carolina and Florida Cracker Horses.

Paula walked up to fence, talked to the horses and spent time petting one, of course.  Later we were told that they are not friendly and will bite!

Savannah Ships of the Sea Museum

We had a rental car for the weekend so we could range a little further than when we are walking. We took a trip to downtown Savannah to the Ships of the Sea Museum. What a treat!

Here are just a few of the scrimshaw items that were on display.












Of course you can't have a Ships of the Sea Museum without a display of the Titanic. The detail is awesome on all the ships. The Titanic even has the band members playing on the deck as she started to sink!










This is another sample of dozens of models on display. Most of the models are 3/8" scale (3/8" equals 1 foot). Each depicts a real boat with information on the history of the boat as well as the specs.

This is an example of some of the detail you will see on these models! I can't even imagine how much time even one of the models represents, let alone the dozens that are on display!

New deer pictures from Isle of Hope

On a recent walk we spotted this doe with two fawns. Paula spent the longest time taking pictures and getting closer and closer. Then when she went to turn and walk away the doe started following her. So she stopped and the doe stopped. Paula started walking again and the doe started following again. I wish I'd had the video camera.





Doe and two fawns in someone's front yard. We think it's cool but the residents here see them all the time eating their flowers, etc so they aren't really that excited about seeing them.

Parris Island USMCRD (by Jim)

Entering South Carolina.

USMCRD. United States Marine Corps Recruit Depot.

I haven't been here since 1966.  I didn't recognize anything until we got to the base. Which makes sense, in 1966 I got there in the dark and I left in the dark!

They have a really great museum.  Since it is an "open base" anyone can come and just go to the museum. Recommend not doing it on a Thursday or Friday since those are graduation days and the base is packed by 6 a.m.  You will need picture ID for everyone in the car and registration and proof of insurance to get on to the base.

Tybee Island (by Jim)

We found this really cool old tree outside Fort Pulaski National Monument and couldn't pass up an opportunity to get some pictures!

A demonstration of musket fire at Fort Pulaski. Since we are in the South they of course are wearing grey uniforms.

An outside view of Fort Pulaski. It is really in good condition.

Tybee Island Light House. The light house and grounds are really well kept and it is just a short walk to the old coastal fortifications last used during WWII. There is a really well done museum there. Both are well worth the trip.

Beaufort, South Carolina (by Jim)

There is a huge flock of Canada Geese that live at a park here in Savannah.  Paula got several good shots of them.

This is, as Paula calls it, a "string art" bridge that crosses the Savannah River from Georgia to South Carolina.

We spotted these two restored antebellum houses on our walk around Beaufort. Another old town with some really beautifully restored homes.