Saturday Sunday and Monday - Hampton to Columbia and return to Hampton

Saturday was a continuation of the seminars in the morning and boat maintenance/provisioning in the afternoon.  The day ended with a wine tasting and music at La Bodega.  The owners were very welcoming and informative as they presented wines from Europe for our tasting.  It was a great way to finish another wonderful day.  We purchased several bottles of wine and some wonderful sharp, white cheddar cheese.  Wine was great and prices were very reasonable.  We’ll be back next spring.

Sunday was another wonderful day.  The sun was shining bright, porpoises were beaching on the river in front of the Hampton Yacht Club where we were served a wonderful buffet breakfast.  Round table discussions followed breakfast providing another great learning opportunity.  Dwayne spent most of the morning with Mark Doyle and a few others discussing the Florida Keys including the Marquesas Keys and Dry Tortugas.  We currently have a slip reserved at Key West’s Boca Chica Marina in January and February.  We haven’t decided yet if we will sail further south to the Marquesas or Tortugas.  If Carla had her way and if it were legal, we’d be sailing to Cuba so we could explore some there before it modernizes and becomes over-run by tourists.

The Snowbird Rendezvous officially ended after the round-table sessions.  Sunday afternoon was spend provisioning and Dwayne left Hampton for Columbia to return the car to his brother’s until the journey down the ICW is finished.

Monday Dwayne along with his sister-in-law, Janet boarded a Greyhound bus in Baltimore and headed back to Hampton.  Janet will crew on the journey south until Carla returns from Nashville. Janet’s first duties were doing the dishes Dwayne left in the sink over the weekend.  She’s a great crew.