Oriental NC

 I never thought I would be hot on this trip given the crappy weather we have endured, but today I was so hot I didn’t feel good.  It was 91 degrees and humidity to match, which is what gets you. So glad we are weenies who have air conditioning in our boat! LOL. We had a short 3 hour trip to Oriental and we left before Steve and Kathy since they had to stop and get an estimate on boat repairs. It was a nice, calm cruise and we drove most of it from the fly bridge, but once we got here and docked, the breeze stopped and it became stifling. Due to the set up of the marina it was a 10 minute walk to the office so after we checked in we ate a quick lunch at the marina restaurant - in the air conditioning!! That is where we saw the orange kitty who is the marina cat.  I can find them anywhere!

Steve and Kathy and another couple docked in front of us came over for docktails and then I made a late dinner of pork chops in garlic cream sauce and mashed potatoes. Nobody went to bed hungry… This was such a bittersweet evening, because it was Steve and Kathy’s last night on the loop.  They cross their wake tomorrow in New Bern NC which will culminate their year-long journey and end our cruising time together.  Such mixed emotions when you get close to the “end”. We still have a couple of weeks, but will be right there with the wake crossers soon enough.

We will go ahead and dock before them to get ready to video their return to the marina and we have champagne chilled to toast the hoisting of their gold looper burgee. We have a celebration lunch planned in New Bern as well.  The plan is for us to remain there for three nights before setting off on our own which will give us a chance to really look the town over again, since it was our first choice years ago to settle down in.  We have other locations on our list now, so it will be good to see New Bern again.


Marina cat


Madison traveling outside


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