Iconic view of the Bella Nova in front of the Statue of Liberty.

Jeff White, Amy and Scott Andrews, Mark and Diana Bartlett - new looper friends.

Not sure if Bella is the one getting the attention from the 5 ladies or if it is Howie?

The day we went into Delaware City they were holding a marathon. The finish line was right near our boat.

Spent a wonderful afternoon sampling wines with dear friends Rex and Terri Pelto.

My dad was in the navy ROTC during his time at The Ohio State University and then spent two years on Kodiak Island on active duty. My mom and dad have spoken many times about their positive experiences on Kodiak. They met friends that they still keep in touch with over 75 years later.

With that in mind, spending time at the US Naval Academy was something that will stay with me for a long time. The grounds are impeccable and the museum and visitor center were well worth the time. Howard talked to the volunteer who was a retired naval officer for quite a while. They had just held graduation, so there weren’t that many students on campus, but speaking with a few of them, they were respectful and seemed quite content. They all wear on their uniforms their current year of university.

Definitely have to come back to Solomon’s Island. Beautiful spot with a lovely marina area.

Thrilled to be back on land after our harrowing experience on the Chesapeake River.

The Tides Inn was a fun spot as they allowed us to use the beach for ball throwing with Bella. The swimming pool was right next to the sand so we could trade off going into the pool with sitting with Bella.

What a close knit beautiful family!

Yellow Crowned Night Heron that I saw near our boat.

If you are on the loop, you can’t NOT stay at Coinjock, NC. They are expert in docking every type of boat and they put us damn close together.

Map from River Dunes to Manteo (see red line). Crab pots EVERYWHERE once we went from Alligator River to Albemarle Sound.

The only picture I took while at the Tides Inn. Was a seriously boring place.

Bella boo-boo, which was really a Linda “dumbass” decision.

Bella after 24 hours of not peeing, she enjoyed this release.

Due to a steering issue, we had to go up to Wilmington, NC and have the boat hauled out. We were there two days with a cost of $13,500. We are ‘supposedly’ getting a check back for $5000 as it was under warranty. Still haven’t seen that check.

Bald Head Island lighthouse.

As you come into the Myrtle Beach marina, this unique lighthouse is there to greet you.