On our way home

Half way between Jacksonville and Savannah,  we are anchored out well past  Amelia and Jekyll Islands at Doboy. Surrounded by green, orange and purple marsh land, there is nary a boat to be seen. Anchored out, Steve blows our Bahama Conch as the sun prepares to drop for the evening. Peaceful doesn't even begin to describe this magical stretch. 

We are well on our way up the coast and headed north for home.  

Ice cream - Sea delivery

WhileKaren takes a few days off to visit friends in Houston, the captain finds an ice cream service that delivers at sea!  Need we say more about his frozen confection habit? 

A world colored differently

A week in the Bahamas, in the Abacos with our Useppa friends, Kurt and Kathleen. Marsh Harbour has terrific provisioning.  Hope Town has a Bahamian twist on Victorian gingerbread. Turtle Cay's museum is simply never open. Man of War is populated by American Loyalists - Brits kicked out of the US after the Revolutionary War - and Guana Cay's endless beach is a prize. But it's the unimaginable colors of water that is truly unforgettable AND indescribable. It is a different world. 

Boston - coming back

One of the joys of New England is Springtime. It may come late, but when it does, it's glorious!

Not so much this year.

The flowers are out in full force, the skies a rich blue and the temperatures delightful. But, the lightness is missing.

So many friends and families have expressed concern and support. We, with our city, thank you. Glass front buildings are nearly restored and streets have been open for a week. There are memorial groups of joggers and walkers to be seen evenings and weekends. The park memorial brightens a somber location. Everyone is moving back to the new normal.

Toronto - put it on your list

Karen spent 5 arts filled days in Toronto with MIT's Art Council. Liebeskind's sketch on the back of a cocktail napkin for the ROM's Crystal extension, personifies what you find repeatedly - modern slipping into Victorian. The AGO's wooden spines designed by Gehry, reflect the exhibit of ship's maquettes down below and make room for warehouse sized installations above. Then there's the incredible photo collection at the Ryerson Image Center, the Gardiner for ceramics or the Bata shoe museum - just to get started.

Did I mention the opera, symphony, theatre and dance?

The arts here are amazing, the architecture plentiful, the people relaxed - and in under 2-hours from Boston - it should be on your list. So remember to pronounce it "Toronno", pack light and trusts me, you'll have a wonderful time!

Toronto's ROM and David Libeskind

A 10day boat break. Karen goes to Toronto with the Council for the arts at MIT and back to Boston while Steve traipses the US doing board work.

The Royal Ontario Museum's "Crystal" entrance. The design was sketched by Daniel Libeskind on the back of a cocktail napkin while attending a wedding reception at the ROM and Inspired by the its gem and mineral collection. Emerging from the original Victorian structure, this expansion opened on June 2, 2007 after 5 years of construction and $260 million, to very mixed reviews. True, Toronto has nothing quite like this steal frame structure clad in glass and brushed aluminum.

What's inside? Equally amazing.

It can't be!

What are the chances?

Tempted by the Hope Town Inn and Marina's outdoor trellised restaurant, we wander off Blue Chip and who do we run into, but the Dimmitts! Fellow Useppan residents, Richard and Doreen, were escaping for a long weekend of R&R to this quant town with Victorian cottages on Elbow Cay. Having come here for many years, they shared the best places for the essentials - pies, ice cream and snacks. Here they are water shuttling across with the Dohertys to the other side of the harbor.

You never know who you might meet.

Saturday? Opti racing day!

A tropical Saturday without sailing?Never! Here in Hope Town on Elbow Cay in the Abacos, the young opti sailors are off.

The big question is whose manning Bill's Grill to feed those hungry sailors upon their return.

Bahamas - What a crew!

Carol and Jim Doherty are frequent Blue Chip crew. This is their first Bahamas assignment. Starting in the Berry's Bimini, we then went onto Chub Cay and anchored out during a rough night at Alder Cay. Onto the Abacos to dodge the winds, we continued onto a protected evening at Little Harbour and today the ever charming Hope Town and a well deserved evening out.

Every stop has had something unique to offer. So many wonderful sites, experiences and people. It really is hard to beat! Just ask the crew who would say - "You should wish that you were here!"

Before and After

On Monday we waited for the monsoon rains to pass and left from Miami, Florida for Bimini, Bahamas in the Berry Islands. Just 50 miles in three short hours. Can you tell which is which?