May 24, 2011 . . . New Jersey to New York City

While walking the pier Don Miller met Luc Dupuis of BLUE MAX IV. Luc and Jocelyne will complete the loop when they pass Long Island. They will join us in our travel through New Jersey.

From Cape May to Atlantic City, Charlie's favorite is the Dorsett Avenue bridge just south of Atlantic City.

After an overnight at Atlantic City, away from the gambling halls, we stopped at Island Heights municipal pier, on the Toms River. Had a nice meeting with their law enforcement staff, Officer Curtis, and enjoyed a quiet peaceful evening.

We anchored away from the pier for breakfast and to wait for the fog to clear. The fog remained.

Radar navigation was required to the Point Pleasant Canal. We stayed at the Brille Marine Basin. The microwave was replaced courtesy of West Marine.

Underway for New York City at 0304, sunrise on the Ambrose Channel, almost there. The early underway time was determined by the Hudson River currents and the fact that in the early morning the Atlantic tends to be calm.

The Lady was waiting as we arrived. We traveled just to the South of Liberty Island to the park and anchored behind the Statute of Liberty, N40-41.645, W074-03.729. GREAT ESCAPE and BLUE MAX IV joined us in the afternoon. BLUE MAX IV has now completed the loop and placed its gold flag. Next we proceed up the Hudson to Lake Champlain.....

May 23, 2011 . . . Chesapeake City, MD to Cape May, NJ

To insure you move with the tides and current, an early departure is necessary to traverse the canal and the Delaware Bay.

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Some days you should stay home . . . oops, we are home, but maybe the expression works. The Delaware was a very rough ride. The microwave made a destructive dive and the anchor tried to escape. The microwave became trash and the anchor was secured aboard.

And then there was the final arrival at Cape May, Utches' Marina ... and then the night and a beautiful morning to erase the pain of the prior day.

May 19, 2011 . . . Departure on Loop #2, Ocean Marine to Onancock, VA

SONATA and crew are prepared for departure, first port of call is to be Onancock, Virginia, on the Eastern Shore.

Mike Kidd waves good-bye to SONATA as she passes "A" Dock leaving Ocean Marine.

SONATA will return next year..........

Our early morning departure takes us past Fort Wool and a last look at the Tidewater Area.

Pete and Sue Pawlus traveled with us to Onancock aboard MISS FAITH.

Our second night was an anchorage on Mill Creek near Solomon's Island.

At the South River, Pier 7, we joined Don and Theresa Miller who will be traveling with us on the Loop. We met the Millers during our first Loop experience.

The next day we are off to the C & D Canal and Chesapeake City.

You can never take enough pictures of the Thomas Point Light, here with ships waiting their turn to Baltimore.

As we pass Annapolis . . . did the Navy really have to send warship 60 to celebrate our departure?

GREAT ESCAPE on the C & D, then GREAT ESCAPE and SONATA alongside the municipal dock in Chesapeake City, Maryland.

May 18, 2011 . . . Ocean Marine Portsmouth, VA; Predeparture Preparation

SONATA has been returned to the water, to the Ocean Marine Marina, berth 10; has been waxed, engines made ready to go, fuel, water, and provisions loaded; ready to depart.

SONATA'Galley Table and TV area is ready to receive the guests we will have aboard along the way; the Galley area from the other direction is our Lower Helm Station.

Lower Helm Station

The Forward Berth . . . where our guests will sleep.

The After-berth is ours and has been tastefully furnished by Bonnie; it is very comfortable and attractive.

SONATA awaits the first light of the 19th, our intended departure date . . . just a few hours away. We will cross the bay and spend the first night of our SECOND loop at Onancock, Virginia, on Virginia's Eastern Shore.