When the weather gets cold: GO SOUTH

And go South we did indeed. We went down to the Keys for a hot minute, boiled in the heat, took a quick swim, and then boarded a flight back to DC where we spent one glorious night among friends and then headed to Annapolis where the next adventure began. After acquiring some last minute crew, we flung out bags on our new home for the next couple of weeks ("Island Retreat", a 40 foot Island Packet, or the Piglet as she is more, er, endearingly called for reasons to be explained later) and began the "leaving" process. I use the term "leaving" lightly as it is quite an involved process: full boat check to make sure we don't sink (good, very good), provisions for four people for two weeks (and yes, I made the mistake of promising to feed everyone well), and a list that seems to go on and on. So, after many hours of "leaving," a quick night's sleep, a last minute coffee run, we actually left. For 21 hours we pounded down the Chesapeake, motor at full speed, sails tightly rolled up, the boat barely moving (a total bonus for cooking dinner though, have to admit, am a culinary goddess in the galley, I even have pictures to prove it), ahhh, what a way to start. The Piglet, to explain, is a very sturdy boat, full keel, wide ass, the works. She pounds through the waves, steady as she goes, a little too steady in fact: she stops in the waves. Alas, movement was slow. We arrived in Norfolk to a disheartening weather report, ie, it was bad and we are now trudging down the Inter Coastal Waterway or ICW to all of you pros out there. So here we are, in Battle Bridge VA and the trudge begins...The bonus? This is some gooooood bacon fryin "sailing," mmmmm, the galley goddess strikes again!!