Last Dance: Added Bonus

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 29, 2011

Added Bonus

The alarm sounded at 7:00 am. Jill sat up in bed and squealed, “Look! Look!” Out the ports on the starboard side we could see ½ inch of snow on the toe rail and little grains of snow floating down. “This is an added bonus,” she said, excitedly.

We dressed warmly and ventured outside. It was not a surprise, the weather services we check to prepare for cruising each day had all predicted snow overnight into the morning. The little grains of snow soon became large flakes floating down in gentle swings. Over an inch of snow built up on the decks of the boat, which is probably a first for the Florida boat Last Dance, and it was the first time Jill had ever seen snow falling.

Photos were shot, snowballs thrown, and the beauty of a quiet snowfall was enjoyed. The soft snow must absorb sound as it was almost completely silent. The surroundings took on a different appearance as all the roofs were now white.

On a journey anticipating many adventures and new experiences, snow was not one of the anticipated. But, then, if only the anticipated happen, it would not be much of an adventure. Snow in Colonial Beach, VA, was surely not an event expected.