Bonthorn: Living My Version of Life: The Great Migration South

Thursday, November 14, 2019

The Great Migration South

Grandparents bring so much joy and love. We were very sad to say goodbye to Gramps Guy Thornington yesterday after a week of fun and adventures. More to come on that....

But onwards we must go. This morning we said goodbye to Coinjock, North Carolina.

We have a long day of motoring the ICW (Intracoastal Waterway) ahead of us. Not sure exactly where we'll stop, depends on how we feel, how the boat's doing and how the weather's behaving.

By tomorrow, Friday, we are trying to be tucked away in either Belhaven NC or Oriental NC.

There's another winter storm brewing over the weekend with gusts forecasted at 60 knots.

As I reluctantly climbed out of the warm bed this morning, I reminded myself to try and remember this frosty feeling because in a couple of months when we're in tropical temperatures we'll be longing for a cool cold day.

For now, we have joined the masses for the Southern Migration. Some sail offshore, others motor inland on the ICW. Some do a combination of both, which is what we're planning. But we are all pointing south.

The further south we go, the southern hospitality is evident. So is the southern drawl and the food we see on the menus.

We've had shrimp and grits, collard greens, fried chicken, biscuits with gravy and hush puppies.

Oh and applesauce!

At every cafe I'm asked, "Would ya like some applesauce with that Ma'am? It's real good and it's homemade and everythin'."

It really is so good and it really does come with everything. And I always say yes because life is that much better when we say yes.

The Great Dismal Swamp looking truly dismal in cold incessant rain. We did manage
to avoid getting stuck in the notorious duckweed ... by renting a car and driving
there while the boat stayed safely in the Virginia Cut.