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.



Friday, April 27, 2012

Key West - President Harry S. Truman


President Truman spent many winter vacations at this house in Key West during his tenure as President.  Because he spent much time here, moved many staff and Cabinet members here to continue conducting the Nation's business, it became an auxiliary Presidential home and office, gaining the nickname: The Little White House.  It is a quite modest home, appropriate for the nature of President Truman.  The house has been used by Presidents Eisenhower and Kennedy.  The Secret Service does not allow indoor photography since the house may possibly be used by current and future Presidents and other high ranking Government Officials.


The Little White House was once officers' quarters at the Key West Navy Submarine Base.  First militarized by the Army in 1845 as Fort Zackary Taylor, the facility served a number of purposes before the harbor was used as a submarine base.  Since the harbor was too small for nuclear submarines, it was decommissioned in 1974 and later sold to a developer for $17 million.  For utility easement rights, the State of Florida negotiated from the developer the renovation of the house and its donation to the State.  Thus, a small portion of what has become an exclusive, high-class residential development is still open to the public as a museum.


Docked at Key West, 1951 Presidential Visit
There is a boat in this story.  The Presidential Yacht, U.S.S. Williamsburg, began life as the motor yacht Aras in 1930.  She was taken by the Navy in 1941, converted to a gunboat for the war period, then commissioned as the Presidential Yacht in 1945, serving in that capacity until 1953.  President Truman traveled on the Williamsburg for the first vacation journey, but due to the length of time required for boat travel and the fact they encountered a big storm, it was his only trip to Key West by boat.  The Williamsburg was always docked in the harbor when the President was in Key West, serving as additional housing, a modern communications base, and her galley used to prepare all meals.

Key West was, at times during the Truman Administration, functioning as the Nation's Capital.
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