Waiting for a new engine in Paducah

Guess you were wondering what happened!  We have a broken  port engine, I came home to work.
Bill and I are doing fine we visited the Oklahoma family over the weekend and are just getting settled into our new place in Paducah.
I started on the tee shirt quilt....

Here are the first couple of rows spread out in out little apartment floor. I am trying to use to keep it in the order that we traveled but some of the colors have to be moved around to keep it interesting, we have to get border material from Hancock's fabric here in Paducah. I am planning to use something like sea green or blue so check in later for updates.

This morning we started ironing the interfacing to the back of the tee shirts and then we will begin cutting the blocks. 17x17.

Bill has taken an interest in learning to sew on the machine. COOL!

I am using our old burgee for the center block we bought a new one for Proud Lady.

 

Bill cooling by the pool.

 

FYI Bill has a lead on an engine so Proud Lady may be repaired soon so we will keep you posted

she is at Charleston City boatyard her second time this year.

 

Will post more later Love you all, Joy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Isle of Palm to Georgetown - "Whenever we finish we will have a story to tell", says Bill. There ain't nothing that we have not been through.

Dear folks back home,
Just about the time we start to relax and enjoy something else pops up but we made it to Georgetown, SC. on May 15th 2013 about 530pm.

 This Morning Bill said, "we have to call Janice Cromer from the Great Loop association and tell her when we get through we will have a story to tell because there ain't nothing that we have not been through". So, you ask what now?

My captain very discouraged.

Let me begin by telling about the trip from Isle of Palm to Georgetown

As I have said before the scene changes daily. This is marsh country, we were accompanied by lots of dolphins and gulls today.

More shipwrecks or sinking ships.

This is nature at its finest birds are singing, dolphins playing flies buzzing.

There are beautiful stands of pines and a glorious smell of jasmine in bloom.

Its 84 degrees and so beautiful even though the wind has kicked up to 20 knots.

On our approach to Hazard marina in Georgetown, SC

Shrimp boat coming into their slip. There is a fresh seafood store next door.

Down town has shops bakery and many eateries. 

We made this trip today on one engine. The port engine Lucy the one that does not give us trouble needs work the large bolt that holds the harmonic balancer on was found in the oil pan. So, we called to the nearest working marina and made an appointment with a mechanic. That doesn't t sound so bad you say, well hold on. OK, we ranged speed from 4 knots to 6 knots depending on the wind and current. That's 8 to 10 miles an hour making our trip on 5-15 from 830 am Isle of palms to Georgetown 530pm - 9 hours long. The starboard (Ethyl) engine hiccuped a couple times and shook and rattled then would not engage in reverse when we arrived to the dock. It was ok we had lines on and snugged her in with the help of a dockhand. BOTH ENGINES OUT OF COMMISSION. Bill was so depressed and  discouraged, ready to give up, go home call it quits. He even called Mark Stamps to come get us. 

Then, he and I put on our walking shoes walked into explore Georgetown's historic harbor walk, we met up with other Loopers, Gay and Mike, Buddy and Phyllis it was so good to see them. We visited for awhile came back to Proud Lady about 10 pm. Bill was in a better mood. AND we have cable T.V.

Today, May 16th the mechanic visited most is not as bad as it seemed all the parts have been tightened up and snugged. We will be here for a week at least because Proud Lady will need pulled out of the water and the starboard shaft pulled to replace the coupling, check the props and etc. We will see. But, all is well. Will write more later.

Love you all, Joy

A Happier captain.

Ebb Tide- Charleston to Isle of Palm 5 14 13

The trip from Wando River to Isle of Palms

Ebb tide - the flowing back of tide as waters return to the sea.  May 14th we completed the repair on Proud Lady' windows at City boatyard and headed back down the Wando river. Our trip back to toward the sea past Charleston into the intracoastal waterway to make or way north.

Bill and I hung the new burgee because the old one faded so bad and was riddled with holes.

A proud celebration to start the second half of the journey.

The City boatyard with our wake in the background they said they were out of tee shirts so it will not make the quilt too bad because this is a memory not to be forgotten but, we have 2 ball caps. Whoo hoo!

Back into the harbor at Patriots point this picture had a good view of the USS Yorktown, marina and in the background is then Cooper River bridge is it a beautiful sight! I think you may be able to copy and paste this picture to see the detail better.

Fort Sumter stands guard at  the entrance of the harbor coming and going, to and from the sea.

As we entered into the intracoastal we were greeted by a hurricane sign. These barrier islands were flattened bu Hugo in 1998 so most of the structures are new since then there is a lot of commercialism and boating in this area.  

A light house. It is on Sullivan Island just outside Charleston.

The Ben Sawyer bridge is a swing bridge it is 31 foot so we did not have to call and ask for it to open the house in the center is wood and painted green, its so cute.

We made it just fine to the Isle of Palm where we pumped the holding tanks, then refilled the fresh water, took on 100 gal. of fuel. Then, straightened our little cabin, did 3 loads of laundry, showered and went to dinner at the marinas restaurant.

Sunset on the Isle of palms.

Another shot of the sunset.

The Restaurant 

After Dinner coming aboard Proud Lady its been a long day but we are so happy and ready to move on with the trip. Our plan is to do some anchoring watching the dolphins, and birds along the way or goal is to get to the Hudson at least by mid June. I hope this finds you all happy and healthy. Tell the grand-kids sorry no real fun pictures, just Grandma Joy. Love you!

Mothers Day 2013 Sharing the Great Loop.... Romantic Pictures

For all you who do not know my family bear with me for a few pictures honoring my Mother and my daughters.

I wanted to make this extra special about women  I could not get the music to work. It was hard to find pictures I wanted to keep forever on the blog, but, here it is from my heart .....and my camera these are some of my most favorite and most romantic pictures from the travels of Proud Lady- to all the women who make life wonderful...friends, nurses, sisters ,in laws, mentors, many many women whom I want to thank. I also had the privilege of having loved and cared for both my maternal and paternal grandmothers they are no longer with us but I love them still. And then, there have been many women I have had the privilege of ministering to the needs as they bravely battled cancer or disease...I will remember them always, they were brave and strong.

Dad at the wheel my Mother to his right in this picture as we are sailing Kentucky Lake on Sarayu the sailboat before we bought Proud Lady.

Mother on the left and Pam my sister on the right. I have another sister I love her also.

My Mother in the center. Wendy on the left just like my own daughter and my Daddy on the right. She has my 53 years of love and respect.

Corrie and Shaunie Rose Happy Mothers Day! 

My Beautiful step daughter.

My daughters they are great MOMS the 3 women above have Blessed me with 9 grandchildren.

THANK YOU! I Love You so Much!

To all Women I know and many more, here are my romantic pictures of the south in spring.

God dressed the banks of the waterways just for you.

Somewhere near Charleston, S.C.

Then, He sprinkled in a few azaleas to paint color in the landscape.

The wisteria and the old tangled trees gone wild on the river banks.

Aren't they so beautiful?

This old boat shed with the trees draped in Spanish moss makes me feel like sitting in a rowboat and exploring the area and watch the boats go by. Rustic but lovely.

I could see you there on the bench with a beautiful gown draped around you.

Could it be a quiet place that you could meditate or pray?

See the holes in the bottom of the trees do fairies live there?

Of all the beautiful homes along the waterway this little house behind the wisteria and Spanish moss fascinates me most.

Oh my these walls made me a little sad in a romantic sort of way, in this area of the waterway the currents are very rough along with the tide and wakes from boats these walls had to be rebuilt or reinforced often. Life is sometimes like that we women go through rough places that try to knock us down but we rebuild and strengthen. We form scars. We may look a little worn and rough but we are still standing and holding our home up out of the rough waters. Rough places and scars make us stronger. They don't look very pretty but they hold on tight.

Ahhh....this looks like a perfect picnic place. Bring the kids and spend an afternoon just enjoying the beauty and the bbq.

This picture reminded me of Aunt Nanny and Uncle Jake they loved to fish. I could see them there in their boat line in the water. I could here the frogs and see the fish jump. This is the scene beside Proud Lady as we wait for the windows to be repaired. This lays to our starboard side of the boat.

Steeples make me melancholy. They are so beautiful.

and old churches through the Spanish moss

Pineapples are a sign of welcome and hospitality this woman's yard is beautiful she must have worked very hard here.

Oleanders with their haunting past of stories of old. Beautiful but poison.

I don't know what this is it looks kinda like a weed but this bank had 2 of them It made me laugh!

Who doesn't love a carriage ride under ancient 300 year old trees draped in Spanish moss with your lover and best friend at your side? Come along with me and ride beside the sea.

Angel trees are also romantic as they reach their arms down and protect their people.

We all dream of living in castles surrounded by beauty. These flowers look like roses, they smell divine.

I sure hope you enjoyed these pictures. I love sharing them with you. Love, JOY

Happy Mothers Day 2013