Captain and first mate of the Picobello are back home in Arthur Ont. Canada. We are grateful to Kathy and Harold Rogers of the Sonsie of Meaford, who gave us a ride back home so we could pick up our vehicle .
The plans are to take our own transportation back to Annapolis (where the Picobello is docked) and prepare to get her hauled in due time and be winterized for a overwintering in the Annapolis area.
It is indeed a pleasure meeting all the people we have met so far on the loop. It has greatly enriched our lives!!!!
We especially want to thank the Huggins who have made their private dock our home for the last few weeks, while we were waiting for word on the flooding situation on the Erie canal. We can not transit the other route home (the Champlain) as we are too high to get under some of the fixed bridges. Our only option is to wait for the canal to open again, which will not happen for possibly 2 months. Once it opens again (if it opens again this season) we will not have enough time to make it home in time for other commitments we have in the fall.
So God willing, we will continue our loop next year, and arrive back in our home port in beautiful Georgian Bay!!!

Harold and Bill think the food is finger-licking good

The end result, a delicious feest of corn, potatos, shrimp, sausage, and crab, and delicious spices, that is "dumped" on spread out news papers on the picnic table.!!!! AND every one dig in.....

Saterday July 8th we are invited aboard the Sonsi of Meaford and are guest of Harold and Kathy Rogers (fellow loopers)
Roy and Elvie Short prepare a "low country boil" for us.

Eleanor showes us the sites in Annapolis.

This is the statue of Alex Haley, author of "ROOTS" The reason it is in Annapolis, is that this is the site where the first slave arrived in America.

One of the meals on the deck overlooking the creek
F L T R-- Richard- Joanne- Eleanor- Jeannine and David

The Huggin's residence is nestled in the trees on the bank of the creek

Despite the high water we are very comfortable at the Huggin's private dock.

The severe rains of the past days causes the water to rise in the creek

Entering Saltworks Creek near Annapolis

Last Monday June 26th we arrived in Annapolis. After anchoring out for a night we found the dock of David, and Eleanor (Eleanor is a cousin of our friend Richard Ross) On Friday, we met Richard and Jeannine. We are docked at what must be the prettiest creek in and around Annapolis. We will not soon forget the warmth with which we have been received here, and the beauty of our surroundings.

One thing that is not so nice is the fact that the rains have caused havoc with the waterways we have to travel in order to get home. On the Hudson river just south of where the Erie Canal dumps in to it a marina could not withstand the fast current, and the debris. The net result was that all the docks and all 75 boats in the marina gave out. You can imagine the destruction that caused for marina, and boats alike.

Some of the locks in the Erie canal have sustained severe damage, to the point that they are inoperable. Apparently it could take more than a month to repair them, and rumor has it that the canal might not open again this season.

We will have to wait and see.