Orient Point, NY

The Harvey Gamage, currently anchored in the safe harbor of Orient Point on the east end of Long Island, NY, is waiting out weather before heading up the river to Mystic, CT. After rounding a becalmed Cape Hatteras, students and crew experienced heavier wind and seas from the NE as we tried to beat to weather around Montauk Point, as well as pelting rain and cold temperatures. Waves constantly swept the deck but the entire crew's persistence and skill prevailed in the end. Though there are only 20 short nautical miles to Mystic, it will be nice to not fight the weather, if only for one night!
- Josiah

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Heading North

We've rounded the fearsome capes: Capes Fear, Lookout, and Hatteras, and are headed north along the North Carolina coast in a light south easterly breeze. This morning we passed the Wright Brothers memorial in Kitty Hawk.

After spending a lot of time, and money, in Charleston, we've decided to forgo New York and head for the east end of Long Island and southern New England. This will allow us more time sailing in Maine before we disembark in Portland in a month's time.

All are well aboard!

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Happy Easter!

A fantastic Easter holiday to all of our family and friends! We're excited to get under way tomorrow and continue our voyage north. All are well!

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Angel Oak

A quick stop at the biggest live oak this side of the Mississippi on our way back to the boat... all are well!

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Beached Dolphin at Seabrook I.

While enjoying a walk along the sandy beach, I saw two trucks parked near the crashing waves. As I got closer to investigate I could see the body of a bottlenose dolphin. Two women, marine biologists, were taking different tests such as temperature, and were photographing the beached mammal. After looking more closely at the dolphin, I could see lesions scattered on its body. The women told us that the lesions and the fact that the dolphin died on the beach were definite signs of Morbillivirus, though she couldn't tell us conclusively at the time without more extensive testing. This virus has killed over 1,100 dolphins up and down the east coast over the last year. This is the second epidemic, one in the '80's killing only 800 bottlenose dolphins.

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Modern ports and southern hospitality

Another day waiting out weather ashore doesn't mean we can't learn about the seaport of Charleston and the ships that call here. This morning we visited the commercial port of Charleston, and saw how the containers that carry the goods we consume are shipped around the globe. We saw how different kinds of cargo, like cars or grain,  require different kinds of ships and seaport facilities, and how technology has impacted maritime labor and seaport culture.

After the port visit, we traveled to Seabrook Island to visit the home of the Watsons, who have been overly generous to a bunch of grubby sailors! Real milk, showers,  beach,  bonfire,  bbq and a watch-free night of sleep... thank you so much! While the Watsons hail from Chicago, their hospitality is clearly of the southern variety. 

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