Countdown To Departure

Ley Buying Pumpkins In Vermont

In the weeks after our recent accident (see here and here), we had time to escape from the depressing scene and spend time away with friends. We travelled to Quechee in Maine where we stayed with old friends Nick Steffey, Ralph Hurlbutt and Jo Meecham, relaxing in Nick's beautiful holiday home there.

We also stayed with cruising friends Arthur & Amy Hoag in Washington DC, where we ticked off a long awaited visit to the National Museum Of The American Indian. It's a beautiful and modern museum, obviously sad and moving at times, but also an inspiring and respectful place. Not to be missed.

Smithsonian Museum Of The American Indian

Ley Walking Past The Capitol, Heading For The Smithsonian

Ley, 22 Years Earlier In DC

However most time was spent at our "second home" in the USA, Reedville in Virginia, where we stayed with Walter Keith and Mary Frazier at their waterside home. Yes, we covered a lot of miles up and down the east coast over those two months.

Ley & Caroline Prepping For Halloween

Our many friends in Reedville rallied around and we were kept busy with the local social schedule, plus re-purposing a lot of the equipment removed from Crystal Blues. We're now planning a camping trip around the USA next year, and quite a bit of gear from the boat is already pre-positioned in Reedville (thanks Donna!), which we'll be able to use on the road trip.

We enjoyed our first Halloween Festival in the USA, sharing the event with local friends plus visiting cruisers Andrew & Caroline off SV Askari.

Then came the big one - The annual Oyster Roast at the Reedville Fisherman's Museum. It was a damn cold day, but it didn't dampen the enthusiasm as over 500 people crowded the museum site, ready to rock. The Oyster Roast is a fixed price all-you-can-eat event, and after sucking down literally dozens of fresh and roasted oysters we spent an hour as volunteers on the wine stall, dispensing wine to the guests. Soon after that event we were on our way to New York again, finally preparing for departure to Australia.

Neil At The Oyster Roast, With Local Friends Ron & Micki From MV Slow Dance