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Dec. 29 – Palm Beach, FL

By on December 30, 2014 in The Pearl
Lake Worth – Anchorage

“For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move.” ― Robert Louis Stevenson


We pulled out of Ft. Pierce a little later than our usual starting time. We had to return the rental car, settle our bill and retrieve a package that has been waiting for us. It was a beautiful day to be on the water, although a very busy day. I think everyone is still on vacation and they were out enjoying the warm sunny day. We are entering the land of the wealthy now…large estates and large yachts. From Palm Beach south to Miami the shoreline is covered in million dollar mansions and the marinas are full of mega yachts. It’s hard to believe that so many people have so much money…it’s definitely the land of the over indulged!

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Dec. 28 – Ft. Pierce, FL

By on December 29, 2014 in The Pearl
Harbortown Marina

“The sea is calling and I must go.”

We did an over nighter from Rockport Texas to Ft. Pierce Florida almost 1300 miles. We left Texas Pearl Friday morning and drove back to Port Lavaca, rented a car and then to went to our home and loaded up. Our plan was to drive part way on Friday, spend the night somewhere and then come to the boat on Saturday afternoon, but plans have a way of changing. We were ahead of a front moving across the country and wanted to stay ahead of the rain…so we just kept moving.

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Merry Christmas

By on December 22, 2014 in The Pearl

It’s been another busy year, but not quite the same as the last three. This year was more about family and less about new destinations to discover. The majority of the year was spent getting to know our new grandson Graham and spending time with our granddaughter Mayven. We didn’t put as many miles on The Pearl but we did mange to cover a lot of ground. We returned to the boat in February and moved it from Myrtle Beach where she was docked for the winter to Charleston. We spent a month in our favorite town enjoying some of our favorite hangouts and catching up with our friends on Gallivant.

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Nov. 29 – Rockport, TX

By on November 30, 2014 in The Pearl
Rockport Harbor

“At the beach, life is different. Time doesn’t move hour to hour but mood to moment. We live by the currents, plan by the tides and follow the sun.” —Unknown

A little work and a little play…that’s what’s been keeping us busy these days. We’ve been getting a few project done on the boat between playing with our grand wonders and visiting with friends. Besides doing a little decorating and a lot of enjoying of our new home, the following projects have been completed:

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Nov. 9 – Our New Neighborhood

By on November 10, 2014 in The Pearl
Rockport Harbor

“The ocean has been singing to me, and the song is that of our life together…”—Nicholas Sparks

We’ve been in our new home for a week and it feels wonderful. Not only is it close to family but the marina is located in a great area of town, with all kinds of activities and amenities close by. Located around the harbor is the a Texas Maritime Museum, Rockport Art Center and Sculpture Garden, Aquarium at Rockport Harbor, the Bay Education Center, Rockport Beach, four bait stands that sell fresh shrimp, oysters and crab, a fishing pier, and the Festival Grounds where a lot of the festivals and Market Days are held.

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Nov. 2 – Rockport, TX

By on November 3, 2014 in The Pearl
“It’s better to sit in a boat thinking about God than to sit in church thinking about fishing” – Kevin McGarr

We made it! 1707 miles from Jacksonville, FL to Rockport, TX in 25 straight travel days. We had fantastic weather…mostly clear blue skies and light winds. The last two days were the windiest, but still very comfortable and we only had rain one evening after we docked. We couldn’t have asked or dreamed for better. Now that it is over it seems like a blur of activity and it’s hard to remember where we’ve been…that’s one reason I keep this blog.

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Nov. 1 – Port O’Connor, TX

By on November 2, 2014 in The Pearl
The Sanctuary

Miles to Rockport, TX – 46

We’re home! Back to where we began our cruise in 2011…well ok, that’s not quite true. We didn’t return to the exact spot, but we are in the same county and that feels wonderful. It truly felt like we were home cruising across the bay…we’re in familiar waters where we’ve explored for a lifetime.

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Oct. 31 – Matagorda, TX

By on November 1, 2014 in The Pearl
Matagorda Harbor Marina

Miles to Rockport, TX – 79

“Unless you walk out into the unknown, the odds of making a profound difference in your life are pretty low” –Tom Peters

We’re getting close…tonight we are docked close enough to our home town that friends, Joan and Jim Auld drove up and had dinner with us. They travel in a RV and have tried to meet up with us several times in the past years on the east coast, but timing just hasn’t worked out. It was fun having them aboard and going out to eat. We also had time to visit with an old high school friend and his wife who are moving their sailboat back to the Houston area. This trip has definitely been different than the trip going east on The Pearl in 2011.

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Oct. 30 – Galveston, TX

By on October 31, 2014 in The Pearl
Offatts Bayou – Anchorage

Miles to Rockport, TX – 164

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.” –Steve Jobs

The ICW from Port Arthur to Port Bolivar is in a man made canal…wide, plenty deep and very busy. Barge traffic was heavy again today…if this is any indication, the economy is doing well. Once we passed Bolivar we were in Galveston Bay and crossed the Houston Ship Channel. It’s also a busy place, but after dealing with New York Harbor this seemed mild.

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Oct. 29 – Port Arthur, TX

By on October 30, 2014 in The Pearl
Taylor Bayou – Anchorage

Miles to Rockport, TX – 231

“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” ―Albert Einstein

We’re home…well almost. Just being back in Texas feels like home. We could be in Rockport by Saturday, but may take an extra day depending on the wind coming in with another cold front. We have quite a few large bays to cross before docking in Rockport.

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