Tues May 4 - Mon May 10: Land-based Adventures

 In which we have a fully-functioning boat, minus the water ...

Did you miss us, you 4 loyal readers, you?!?! We missed you too, as you can tell by the 10 days it has taken us to get around to working on the blog.  

*Important housekeeping note:  We are going to double our subscription price this year. In the interest of full disclosure, that means you will pay TWICE AS MUCH this year for the same poorly written posts, fuzzy photos and pun-ny boats names.  And we thank you for it!

**Another note, because I get asked about this ALL. THE. TIME:  I am not a hostage, nor am I on the boat to make my husband happy.  I am on this boat of my own choosing!  In fact, it was MY IDEA.

Off we go on the 2021 Blue Horizon boat seabbatical.  Don't forget your Bonnine, sunscreen and rain jacket.  Also important - a sense of humor, flexibility, patience and a guy with some tools and experience using them.  Also, a bank account because said guy, who recently balked at spending $36 on sheets, loses his MIND when it comes to the boat.

We arrived at the marina to find that the boat we had spent a gazillion $$$ on to have perfect and ready to go was still ...  wait for it ...  on land. Huh. Other words also sprang to mind.  But Mr. Weather said it was going to be windy for a few days, and the marina told us to go away as it makes them nervous to have owners watching them put their babies/boats into the water; AND I had always wanted to go to see the wild ponies of Assateague/Chincoteague (Misty of Chincoteague - need I saw more?!?), AND Rick had driven the minivan up from GA - so off we went.  Just not in the boat.

First stop: Rehoboth Beach in DELAWARE!!!  Does anyone even know where Delaware is? Has ANYONE ever BEEN to Delaware??? It's the First State, and it's adorably small - and we really enjoyed the Rehoboth.  It's probably a nightmare at peak season, but Rick and I always manage to travel at the wrong time, so it was very quiet.  There is clearly a LOT of money there - it's a quick commute to DC, Annapolis and Baltimore.  I enjoyed seeing chimneys on beach architecture and pines on the dunes. 

 

 It was a lovely boardwalk, and BUBBLES!  I'd live there.

 

Less compelling were the hundreds of Horseshoe Crabs that wash up nearby - either dead or molted shells.  They are truly creepy - I'm getting an Alien crossed with spider vibe.

 

On our way down to Chincoteague we passed the Wallops NASA facility, which I had never heard of, but which planned to launch a rocket in the next few days.  Rick had to geek out a bit about that. (Sadly, soiler alert, it still hasn't launched). We got to Assateague early enough to use our National Parks Pass so we could kill ourselves walking. 

 

It was good we did as we saw the PONIES up close!! 

 

The following day we had booked a small pontoon tour of the area, and since we had seen the ponies we got to see Horseshoe Crab harvesting.  OK - I have backed off a bit on my horror of the things as it turns out they are very valuable ($1.75 each to the fishermen) because  their blood is very important to a particular bacterial test process, and they are good bait for crabbing.  But I still don't ever want to see one under my bed.

Creepy Horseshoe Crabs Everywhere!!

 

Besides the ponies, and the fact that we did not get bedbugs from our hotel (sometimes we are too cheap for our own good - but Rick has used all our money for the boat), the highlight was the Island Creamery where we, off sugar since Jan 7, got homemade ice cream. There was an article about the 100 things you must eat in VA before you die - and the Island Creamery was #1!!!!  OMG, SO YUMMY.  As soon as we ate it we were sad we couldn't eat it all over again... But at least we got #1 in before we die.

On the way back to the marina we stopped for a long hike at the Calvert Cliffs - a famous fossil hunting area.  I'm all about the mobile app All Trails, and am forever trying to find a way to make our 5 mile walks more interesting (you most loyal readers will possibly remember the time in NC when I got very enthusiastic about a particular trail that got us so lost we almost had to call for help).

 

Back at the marina we found our Blue Horizon IN THE WATER, which is always what you want in a boat, and we were able to pack and provision - and in the process support the local economy in a big way.  We also suddenly discovered we had butterflies about leaving land.  I don't remember a single damn thing about boats.  WHAT ARE WE DOING??????

Outhouse calendar the kids gave us for Christmas!