Nov 10 - With a 2 knot favorable, we made Beaufort in less than 3 hours. I took a slip at Town Creek Marina and Bill anchored Galena just off the marina. I decided to stay here rather than the marina on Camp LeJeune, because for a few dollars more, I get many more amenities here and it is the same distance to Christopher's house as the base. Christopher came by in the afternoon with Alexandra and Fiore and after dinner ashore, we watched "Captain Ron" aboard Lastdance. Chris and the kids spent the night aboard and I have to say, this was the highlight of my trip so far. It was great to be "Papa" again and I'm actually really excited about spending a month here with my family.
Nov 12 - Christopher and I returned today from our drive to Maryland to get my car. We stopped for the night in Fredricksburg and then before getting on the road again this morning, Chris took me for a tour of the Civil War battlefield at Chancellorsville. I'm back aboard Lastdance tonight and may go to the hospital at Camp LeJeune tomorrow to get these ribs looked at and to do a bloodtest for my oncologist back in Pennsilvania. After that, I'll be spending the weekend with Chris, Michelle and the kids at a cottage on Onslow Beach. I'm really looking forward to this coming month with them!
Nov 13 - Bill called to say that a doctor-sailor commented on his blog and said that the symptoms of my rib injury may indicate a pneumothorax, which is a punctured lung leaking air into the chest cavity and could result in sudden death! Shit, I dropped everything and drove over to the Naval Hospital ER. They did an X-ray and checked me out and all is well but I have to go back next week for a follow-up. I returned to the boat and Bill and I went for dinner at Clawsons and then a few beers at the Back Street Pub, a really cozy sailors bar. 
Nov 18 - I returned to Camp LeJeune the next day  and spent 3 days with Christopher, Michelle, Ali and Furi in a cozy, if not well used cottage (read mobile home) right on the beach at Onslow. Again, I really had a great time being part of my family for more than just a hurried 2-3 day visit. The kids and I are really connecting and while babysitting one afternoon, I walked along the oceans edge with them for several hours and could almost sense Carol smiling her approval. I'm back aboard Lastdance today after Bill took me sightseeing last night. We sampled local fare and beers in the Handle Bar, Back Street Pub, Clawson's, the Dockhouse Bar and the Royal James Cafe...whew. There is yet another gale warning with winds predicted to be 40-knots today and if the front passes tonight, Bill will leave tomorrow. I've got some mixed feelings about parting ways with him at this point but the tug of the "wee ones" is strong and I'll gladly stay on another 3 weeks as planned. Also, for the first time in more than two years, I've gone through a day with only a few of my usually frequent and deeply saddening "Carol moments." I'll be returning to Camp LeJeune on Thursday for 4 days with the kids and to plan Thanksgiving which we'll either have aboard Lastdance or in Chris and Michelle's new home, depending on when the moving company delivers their furniture.
Nov 21 - It is blowing 32- knots, gusting to 40 and the temperature is going down to 24 degrees tonight which will be a record for Beaufort, NC. I was in a warm and comfortable cottage at Camp LeJeune, right on Onslow Beach with my son and his family but with these winds and freezing temperatures, I decided to come back to Lastdance to double lines and get the heaters on to keep things from freezing. Bill left yesterday and after a night in Mile Hammock Bay, he should be in Wrightsville Beach tonight, hopefully at a marina and not freezing his kista off at anchor. Tomorrow, I'm going treasure hunting with my grandson using Carol's old metel detector to look for Blackbeards gold coins which my grandson is sure are buried on the beach right in front of the cottage. Also, they will be closing on Monday so we'll be having Thanksgiving Dinner at their new home, not aboard Lastdance.