GRAY GEORGIA

On A Gray Day

We were told that Georgia has more marsh land than any other state but proving it online was too much of a challenge. One thing for sure, our marine pathway through all the salt marshes was serpentine. No sooner did we traverse one section of the Intracoastal Waterway only to make a near U-turn and then nearly repeat the same route, albeit 100 yards further east. Above is one such segment as we snaked our way though the considerable wetlands of Georgia.

Though common but well named, Snowy Egrets pick tidal scrub growth to fashion their nests and raise their young. Scientists tell us that these egrets only recognize their mate by a "greeting dance" they do when returning to the nest, no matter how long they've been together. What do scientists know - maybe the birds are just happy to see their relief return.

At times we seem to cruise in remote backwaters but there is a actually a fair amount of traffic on the ICW. 

This is the tug LouAnna Guidry pushing two small barges, one of which is a fuel barge.

 Approaching Sapelo Island, the lighthouse is as much cosmetic as it is practical now that shipping follows other waterways.

Sapelo Island is 97% owned by the State of Georgia so I can only guess that this is a part of a tidal catwalk for the University of Georgia's Marine Biology Institute there.

This is the only way on and off Sapelo Island. Once established as a slave plantation, the island has gone through several other owners before the State of Georgia took over. The last major owner was R. J. Reynolds, Jr, scion of the tobacco empire. His mansion is now a Georgia State Park.

These twenty-plus hardy souls are coming back to the American Spirit after an afternoon on Sapelo Island. Of all the many fine field trips and excursions, this turned out to be the least popular. The weather and limited facilities on Sapelo conspired to produce something less than an optimal experience. The R. J. Reyolds's mansion was rented out, thus closed, the school bus that took them around was a tad uncomfortable and the wind and rain made moving about outside uncomfortable.

Despite the weather, there were always adventuresome souls who loved being outdoors. Get a little exercise and watch the world go by the Intracoastal Waterway - this is Janine who didn't let any weather bother her.

LIFE ON BOARD

As Busy Or As Lazy As You Like

Scattered like little bits of colorful confetti, there is an afternoon for kite flying.

Our first week out saw little use of the exercise equipment as the weather wasn't always conducive to a workout. 

With good humor and sharp insight we learned here from Rae Perkins about how pelicans go blind after years of diving for their prey. Everyone usually attended naturalist Rae's talks. At least once a day she filled us in on the natural world around us on the ICW. A new speaker, historian Ralph Eshelman has come onboard for the second week.

The sun deck was popular even in cool weather. 

Though the lounge was for all, it was often possible to find a quiet moment for reading or reflecting.

If they can't make it, it doesn't exist. This was the scene everyday just before 5:30.

After the evening's talk there were often games. This was a spirited bingo game. 

This second week we may get some musical entertainment.

There are several smaller more intimate side lounges where you could gather with new or old friends for conversation or games. 

Night or day, docked or underway, there are always crew members on duty and watching over everything needed for a safe cruise. Service all over the ship is very good and the crew does a fine job of pampering the passengers.

ORIENTAL, NC

Of Sailboats & Serpents

Odd little Oriental. This little town of 875 souls brags that it is the Sailing Capitol of North Carolina. It also is home to dragons of many colors.

And they are quite serious about their dragons as the items above and below will indicate.

We saw rocks like this scattered around town, some with this very official looking sign posted above (complete with the state's Wildlife Conservation Department's seal). We saw a dragon floating in a pond, a dragon sculpture emerging from a lawn and little and big serpents all around.

Due to past hurricanes, all new homes are built at least 10' above ground. Oriental sits at the edge of the Neuse River which is the widest river in the USA. Who knew?! That alone would be enough to crow about but the folks of Oriental like the eclectic more than they like their landmarks perhaps. I only learned of it when I googled the net for more info on Oriental.

I've seen old barns and buildings with many things on them but never a piano keyboard.

This  blue bottle garden caught everyone's eye. It was much bigger than this small scene indicates. 

This was our first port of call that required the use of the ship's launch to get us to shore. Our boat was too big for the public dock. There were two thousand sailboats moored at several marinas that lay at the foot of the city. Many have left their boats parked here for the winter.

 The smiling face of a steward is almost lost in the broad details of the stern.

 

ALONG THE INTRACOASTAL

Flyways, Byways & Highways

Not only is the Intracoastal Waterway a wonderful place to watch the world go by, it is also a great perch for sunsets. Here the long thin clouds mark a byway of a different sort - these are jet contrails of all the air traffic that runs north and south along the Atlantic coast.

We made one passage along the Pamlico Sound where there appeared to be lots of obstructions along one side of the ship channel.

They turned out to be duck blinds. Since the iCW also parallels the East Coast's biggest migratory bird flyway, it makes sense that you want to be out from shore for the waterfowl. Bet it can get cold out here in the early morning hours awaiting the start of the hunting day.

At times you seem to be surrounded by water in some of the larger sounds. It seems like there is no other way to get around than by boat. Emerging from an empty horizon is a bridge. You can't hardly see where it begins and you sure can't see where it ends but it provides a way for those wanting to get to the Outer Banks Islands in North Carolina from interior lands.

A bridge also provides a social hub for the gulls. In many places they would put on an aerial show as we passed over the shallow waters. Our prop would stir up goodies for their next meal and, not unlike the output from the kitchen here onboard, there was always enough for everyone. No one goes away hungry if you get close to this boat.

Not everything on the ICW was a sleek pleasure craft. This was just one of the many odd ducks we saw as we bobbed our way south.

On The Water

Baltimore & South

No, not our cruise ship but rather the USS Constellation. Built in 1854, it was the last "sail only" warship built by the Navy. During the Civil War, the Constellation spent much of it's time in European waters as a deterrent to Confederate raiders sent to hijack cargoes to the south. While I was there a contingent of midshipmen from nearby Annapolis were visiting the ship.

Our cruise ship, the American Star, is only partially visible as the bow area is peeking out from behind the old sailing ship

Not quite a view from the bridge, this is the lounge where we'll be spending a fair amount of time over the next few weeks. We have a historian/naturalist on board who will be giving multiple talks throughout our days on board. Every evening about 5:30 there is a forced march to this lounge for cocktail hour.

This is the dry bulk ship "Alpha" unloading raw sugar at the Domino sugar factory.

Upon reflection I shouldn't have been surprised by the industrial strength of Baltimore's spacious port but I was. Due to the extreme protection afforded from the tidal reach and winds of Chesapeake Bay, this is where our cruise ship took shelter during Hurricane Sandy. We heard there was lots of cutthroat bingo that went on during their forced layover. We're praying for better weather the next few weeks.

Though we are over 100 miles away from Norfolk and the navy base there, scattered throughout out the Chesapeake area are any number of the Navy's Merchant Marine Fleet. These two, with several others nearby, seemed semipermanently moored. Others down in Norfolk were in a more active area of docks. The two above are called "Roll On, Roll Off" freighters. The huge apparatus at the stern of each ship are ramps that can be positioned to load most any kind of mobile military vehicle from jeeps to tanks and anything in between.

The Chesapeake Bay Bridge has a longer, politically connected name but we aren't going to introduce any more politicians, dead or alive, to you especially so close to the election. Suffice it to say that this is one of the worlds longest over-water spans at almost 4.5 miles in length. When the original single span bridge was opened in 1952, heavy traffic was an almost immediate problem. Also suffice it to say that the politicians had to explain that they hadn't counted on so many people wanting to use it. The second span was added in 1973. Like the Golden Gate Bridge, this bridge is under constant upkeep, which accounts for all the scaffolding and shrouds on the original span at left as they maintain all that weather beaten steel.

Looking like heavy traffic of a different kind, this was the sight that greeted us as we exited the Baltimore sound area for the larger Chesapeake. Though several ships are underway, all the craft that are sitting with their bows pointed into the wind are anchored. The speculation was that Hurricane Sandy had so delayed the normal arrival and departure of these big behemoths in and out of Washington and Baltimore, that these ships had nowhere to go for awhile.