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Sailing Vessel 'Rotop'

While strolling the riverwalk last week we were amazed to see another Scheldeschouw anchored off of New Bern. We had heard there was a boat like ours traveling the east coast so it was fun to finally see it. Martyn, the captain, is from Holland and he brought the boat across the Atlantic four years ago. He travels every year between Maine and the Caribbean, working along the way.


Martyn Dykstra

'Rotop's' hull is identical to ours but the cabins are very different. We had to laugh - Martyn installed Mexican tiles from Holland and we installed Dutch tiles from Michigan. You just never know what you'll see and who you'll meet on the waterway.

Sometimes we wish we were heading off to the Caribbean also, but land life is fine for now. Paul continues to job hunt and I enjoyed my first 2 weeks of work. (I must admit, I'm glad it's part time though) In between hunting for an affordable place to rent this winter we enjoyed an Art Walk and a concert last week. The Craven Arts Council Gallery was on the walk which was special for me because they accepted several of my pieces of sea glass jewelry for their shop. And the performance of 'Coyote' at the Coffee House was neat since we first heard them on Ocracoke Island this spring. New Bern's active art, theatre and music communities are a draw for us. So is the closeness to water and nature. The Croatan National Forest goes from New Bern to the coast so we have easy access to kayaking and hiking trails.



We hiked a trail Sunday and it gave Paul a chance to try out his new toy - a Nikon D90 camera. This has been a dream of his for a long time, and although you probably can't tell the difference in our blog pictures, photographic possibilities have expanded for him.

The weather has been fine so far for living on the boat and we're becoming accustomed again to autumn and the colorful, falling leaves. Although not as warm as the tropics we've had lots of pleasant days (in between all the rain) and look forward to the rest of fall.

Downtown New Bern




If we were to continue heading down south this would have been the week to take off in order to stay ahead of the cold. But we like New Bern and have decided for sure to winter over here. The decision was made easier when I got a part time job. I received a call on Friday from one of the local Community Colleges that they wanted me to be a part of a new program they are setting up to assist students with language arts, math and basic computer skills. I will help write the curriculum and work one on one with students and with small groups. They want me to start next week so we had to make a mad dash to buy a car. It's not easy buying a car when you don't have a car or car insurance. But we managed and now are a part of the real world again. Not having a car for over 2 years gave us a type of freedom from owning possessions, but having a car again gives us a new freedom to get around as we please. It seems everything is a trade off.

After a cool October we have had a gorgeous November, so now that we have transportation we decided to take advantage of the day and our new freedom and head off for the day to the ocean. Atlantic Beach is just off Morehead City and an easy drive from New Bern so we spent the afternoon walking the beach and relaxing in the sand. We had so missed the sound of the ocean waves and the great expanse of beach sand so it was an envigorating day for us.

Living on the boat in a marina as the weather turns cooler is not near as pleasant as time spent at anchor in the warm air so we are hunting for a place to rent for the winter. There are several liveaboards here at the marina but I much prefer the easier life if I'm going to be working and still maintaining my sanity in a tiny space that gets cold at night. Paul doesn't mind the cold but he's ready for a break from the boat and hopes to land a job soon also. We've been assured that few nights get below 32 degrees but even one is enough for me. Wintering over in Florida would have been much easier but we're going to give North Carolina a try and there is much to see and do here. I will especially miss the warmth of Florida or the Bahamas but it will still be there should we need to return another year.



Atlantic Beach, North Carolina

The night air was warm and the crescent moon rose amongst the clouds over New Bern as downtown was transformed into the 'Roaring 20s'. Glowing candles led the way through the cemetery where we encountered the 'ghosts' of grave diggers, the 1922 New Bern High championship football team, flappers and bootleggers. A brass quartet played on one porch and monks sang from the church catacombs as we made our way throughout town visiting museums and historic homes. Babe Ruth told hunting stories from his visits here in the 20s, firefighters informed us of the facts surrounding the tragic fire of 1922 and Buster Keaton entertained us on the silent screen.


Firefighter from Button Company

Members of the historical society led informative tours through several historic homes where we were greeted by 'ghosts' who regaled us with their tales of life in New Bern during the 20s. Flappers danced the Charleston for us, gangsters roamed the streets and antique cars graced the street curbs.


1927 Stutz

We needed all three nights to experience everything and I would be hard pressed to find a more entertaining way to be introduced to a new town and to learn its history.


Pharmacy 'ghost' with his tales of the railroad

Tryon Palace Garden

New Bern's Mumfest was a first for us and it was a fun introduction to the town. The local historical attraction, Tryon Palace, opened its acres of gardens to the public which served as the connection between mums and the festival. The usual carnival attractions and craft venders were represented as well as way too many junk food stands. Entertainment varied from flying trampolinists to mellow mountain dulcimer players. We especially enjoyed the "Kazoobie Kazoo" Show where kids of all ages participated in singing, dancing, blowing bubbles and of course playing kazoos.


Kazoobie Kazoos

After all that activity we spent a busy evening with fellow boaters we met through other boater friends. Kathy and Doug live in New Bern now and they graciously drove us all around, pointing out neighborhoods and boat yards for us to consider. Between them and the marina/hotel shuttle van which takes us shopping, we are becoming acclimated to New Bern. It's all still very new but the adventure continues as we make various discoveries.


Taking aim - Coast Guard buoy toss