Cruising on Last Dance


This blog archives the adventures of Glen and Jill Moore and provides a means of communication for friends and family. Exploration and adventure have been synonymous with boats and water for centuries. The joy of adventures shared while exploring new places and meeting new people has built a strong bond for Glen and Jill. Last Dance is the platform for the exploration.

"The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page." St. Augustine, 354 - 430

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” Mark Twain, 1835 - 1910

"There is nothing -- absolutely nothing -- half so much worth doing as simply messing around in boats." The Wind in the Willows, 1908, Kenneth Grahame, 1859 - 1932

"I've never believed speed and ease are conductive to living fully, becoming aware, or deepening memory, a tripod of urges to stabilize and lend meaning to life." River Horse: a log book of a boat across America, 1999, William Least Heat-Moon,1939 -

The Great Loop -- The current adventure is a circumnavigation of the Eastern United States, cruising north up the east coast through New York into Canada, across the Great Lakes to Chicago, navigating multiple river systems south to Mobile, along the Gulf coast to the Florida Keys and back to St. Augustine. This trip by boat is commonly referred to as the Great Loop. Progress and current location are indicated by the red line on the map to the right. It was titled the Traceless Path in recognition of a German sailor we met in St. Augustine who published booklets of his travels with hand-drawn, detailed maps describing his travels across the water as the Traceless Path.



Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Too Early

Our friends who have made the east coast trip and our LBFs who have lived farther north on the east coast all gave us the same advise: "March 1st is too early to leave!"  We do appreciate any and all advice from our friends, wanting to benefit from their experience and wisdom.  But, in this case, we are happy we ignored the advice to begin the trip later, to be able to spend more time along the way.

One of the few specific dates we have in our plans is to be in Washington, DC, in time to visit the Capitol while the cherry blossoms are in bloom.  Our general itinerary is to move up the east coast following spring, across Canada and the Great Lakes during the summer, and down the middle US river system during fall.

A week before we left, February 22nd, I took the photo at left.  It is the blossoms of a cherry tree that the St. Augustine maintenance staff (Mario Resario & Tim Mouse) and I found at a nursery.  I had never seen a cherry tree in Florida or read about growing them in the southernmost state.  But, we gave it a try and it has signaled spring by the Administration Building ever since.  In bloom a week before departure, we felt it was telling us that spring has arrived and it was time to leave.


It is still technically winter and the cold fronts come across the coast with high winds and cold temperatures, but these do not hinder our enjoyment of the places we visit.  And, spring has shown her face everywhere we have stopped.  We just have to keep our pace slow enough to not get north too quickly.

The plant that has been the showiest at every stop is the Loropetalum, a shrub that I tend to call "Burgundy," due to the dark red leaves that emerge in the spring.  You don't realize how many of these are planted in landscapes until you see them bloom.  Most of these bushes are formally trimmed in Florida, which greatly reduces the number of blooms.  Many we have seen at places in Georgia and South Carolina have been allowed to grow naturally and are filled with blooms.  The blooms at right were a small part of a bush in Charleston.  Below are azaleas and dogwood at a church and cemetery in Charleston.


























And, Glen's favorite, Jill enjoying a spot in a waterfront park in downtown Beaufort, South Carolina.

We are on the early edge of Spring, but Spring is here.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Very beautiful flowers around you Jill. I can see why this picture is one of Glen's favorites. You look so happy. I'm happy for you guy's. Enjoy yourselves. Love Mary