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   Travel and Life

   A blog by NorthGeorgiaWX in General

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   • The Start of The Great Adventure

   

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   The Start of The Great Adventure

   Ever since we were down in the Keys, I've had this desire to get back on the water. My fun on the water started when I was 7 years old and continued through high school. My dad had been a fighter pilot in the Air Force and weather was an important thing to know when flying. So when he put me in charge of keeping track of the weather, I handled that job until I left for college. We went through three boats before I went off to college and missed the rest of the fun, but during the time I was there, we traveled up and down the Cumberland River to Lake Barkley and Kentucky Lake, and brought his third boat down from Holland Michigan, where it was made (Chris Craft), all the way back to Nashville. My love for the water was solidly entrenched in me and despite all of these years being on dry land, it's something that doesn't ever really go away.

   Boat #1 - No Name - 17 foot Chris Craft

   I was probably in the 3nd or 4th grade when this picture was taken. I lived in Paris Tennessee when I was in the 2nd through 4th grade and my dad kept this boat at the Paris Landing Marina on Kentucky Lake. I don't remember a lot about this boat except for the time me and my dad took it out to drain some water out that had accumulated after some rain. To do that you had to get up on plane and then open a plug that was located near the lower rear of the boat. Easy enough. Except that the lake was REALLY rough (the lake is almost two miles across at that point) and I was driving while my dad pulled the plug. I was pretty young to be doing that and I remember that it scared the crap out of me. 🙂 But I did get to spend 2-3 years on Kentucky Lake as a kid, and that was the start to my boating fun.

   

    

   Boat #2 - BobaRue - 32 foot Burns Craft

   We moved back to Nashville and we had the first boat there for a short time before my dad bought this boat. It was a 32 foot Burns Craft houseboat and he spec'd out everything on the boat. I remember going to the factory and looking at all the boats they were building, and listening to my parents go over all the options etc. It was a boat that I spent a lot of years on. We kept this boat at Old Hickory Marina and ran it up and down the Cumberland River to Lake Barkley and Kentucky Lake. To do that you end up going through several locks, and being a kid, I loved the adventure! 

   The boat was pretty nice. It used twin Mercruiser 302 cubic inch gas engines that made 215 hp each, and the boat would get up and go! It was great traveling around in all kinds of weather, and we even took it out when it was snowing! Awesome experience! My sister and I slept in the forward cabin, and that cabin had the little window that you see on the side of the hull. 

   

   

   

    

   Boat #3 - Moonraker - 41 Foot Chris Craft

   This was a step up from the house boat and was a much more capable boat in rougher water. My dad bought this boat brand new (he had it built) from Chris Craft in Holland Michigan. My dad, the owner of the marina that we were going to keep it at, and myself, flew from Nashville to Michigan to pick it up and sail it back to the home marina. The plan was to bring the boat down lake Michigan to Chicago, and then through the locks to the Chicago Sanitary Ship Canal where we passed directly through downtown Chicago, At some point past Chicago it becomes the Illinois River, so you continue south to the Mississippi River. Head downstream until you get to the Ohio River and hang a left to head toward Paducah Kentucky. At that point you have two choices to get back to Nashville, get on the Tennessee River and go through the locks at Kentucky Dam, or continue a few miles further and get on the Cumberland River and go through the locks at Barkley Dam. Either way will get you back to Nashville since Kentucky Lake and Barkley Lake are connected by a narrow canal. Kentucky Lake is fed by the Tennessee River and Barkley Lake is fed by the Cumberland River.  Once you're on the Cumberland River you pass through the locks at Cheatham Dam before arriving in Nashville. We continued past the downtown area toward Old Hickory Lake where the boat would be docked. The last lock is at Old Hickory Dam where you make a 60 foot rise to get to the lake. 

   

    

   The trip was fairly uneventful except for the first 3 days. Lake Michigan is always full of surprises and on this trip that was no exception. We headed south toward Chicago from Holland which is on the east side of the lake. After traveling about an hour or so under pretty nice conditions, the weather took a turn for the worse and the waves got larger and larger. They ended up being so large, that when you were in the trough of the wave, you couldn't see over the top of the next wave. Look at the picture above and you can see how high I am off the water and you start to get an idea of what we were facing. The other issue with waves on Lake Michigan is that the wave period is very short meaning not a lot of distance from crest to crest. Combine the short wave period with the wave height, and we ended up getting the props out of the water when we crested the wave peaks. We finally got close enough to find a place to take shelter, and it ended up being the docks for the ore carriers. They allowed us to stay until the lake calmed down, but that took three days. In the meantime, they were not letting any of the ore carriers leave either. 

   

    

   Once we passed through most of the Chicago area, we stopped to spent the night at a small dock on the Illinois River. At some point someone from the other side of the river started taking pot shots at us using a pellet gun. Chicago is NOT my favorite place and I don't care if I ever see it again. But I will have to do it one more time.... and I will talk about that soon.

    

   

   

    

   Boat #4 - Eastwind - 53 Foot Chris Craft 

   I don't know much about this boat as I was off in college and working. I don't think my dad had this one for long, and I don't have many pictures. I believe this was taken before they bought it.

   

    

   Boat #4 - Silver Cloud - 65 Foot Hatteras 

   I never got to spend much time on this boat either. I was living about 8-9 hours away (they lived in Venice Florida) and was working, so I couldn't come down as often as I would have liked. My parents took this boat on part of the "Great Loop", leaving from Venice Florida and travelled all the way to Maryland and Chesapeake Bay. Unfortunately, I wasn't on that trip but sure would have loved to have been there. All of these boats don't mean a lot to most people, and you probably wonder why I have shared this with you.

   

    

   When we were down in Key West and we took that sunset cruise, I walked up to the bow of the boat and stood for a while. The sound of the water, the warm wind, and the feeling of freedom flowed all over me and brought back all of the of memories of being on boats. There is just something magical about it that I can't even describe. 

   A few months ago I discovered a site that was discussing a boat trip called the "Great Loop",  so I started reading about what that was all about. 

   "Loopers cruise the 6,000-mile Great Loop route aboard their own boats completing a circumnavigation of the eastern U.S. and part of Canada via mostly protected inland waterways. The Great Loop route follows the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, the Chesapeake Bay, and the New York Canals northwards, goes across the Great Lakes, south on the Inland Rivers, and then east Gulf Coast to complete the Loop."

   Here's a basic map of the loop. There are alternate routes in some areas, and lots of places to enjoy side trips along the way. 

   

    

   The loop has been done in as little as 6 weeks and as long as 12 years, but generally it takes people a year or so to complete the entire route. There is no timeframe for completion. However, there are certain times of the year when you need to be on specific sections of the loop. During the winter, you need to be down south as most of the marinas and facilities are closed on the northern part of the loop. So you do the northern part during the summer and the southern part during the winter. People generally do the loop counterclockwise as that direction keeps you from having to sail upstream against the strongest currents, so you're doing the downhill portion from Chicago to the Gulf in the spring and up the east coast in the fall. Maybe... Weather, side trips, trips back to the house for a little break, all dictate the timing of where you will be at any specific time. 
   
   Some people take extended side trips off of the main route. For example if you are in Florida during the winter, you might as well head over to the Bahamas to spend a little time there, or around the Tennessee area, I would explore the Cumberland and Tennessee Rivers as far as they go. Once you get up to New York, some people head up to the seaport towns of New England. It's all about what you want out of the trip.

   So.... Amy and I have decided to start looking for a boat so we can participate in this big adventure! There are some size restrictions for boats that want to make the loop, and it all comes down to the draft of the boat, both water draft and air draft. A lot of the time you'll be traveling on the intercoastal waterway as well as some shallow offshore areas and canals. A boat for the loop needs to have 5 feet or less of draft in order to keep from hitting the bottom and/or tearing up props. The out of water height (air draft) is just as important, as there are some fixed bridges that are pretty low, so you generally want a boat that is less than 17 feet high out of water, although there are alternate routes that allow you to go a little higher. Many boats have mast and antennas that fold down for those situations, but it's critical to know the exact height of the boat for this trip. The boat will probably be int he 40-50 foot range.

   Otherwise, get whatever boat you'll feel comfortable in for an extended amount of time. The boat doesn't have to be fast since in most areas you can't go fast anyway.  It needs to have at least 250 mile range since there is a stretch or two with no place to stop for fuel, and with diesel engines that is not a problem. Diesel engines are a must as well as the latest electronics (navigation, radar, radios, beacons, auto pilot). A good solid dinghy is a must as well as bow and stern thrusters, the capability of enclosing the fly bridge and aft deck, walk around beds in the main cabin, cat walks down the side of the boat, as well as other miscellaneous things that I'm sure I'll have to add. I would love to have a Great Harbor 37 or 47, so I may start my search with that in mind. Can't wait to get started!

   I now belong to the Great Loop Association, and they have a ton of resources for making this journey. This site will answer any questions you might have about the loop.

   AGLCA | Homepage

   WWW.GREATLOOP.ORG

    

   Here is an article from some loopers about traveling through the "Dismal Swamp" that I thought was pretty cool.

   

   Great Dismal Swamp – For Many Moons

   MINDFULMARY.ORG

   ---

   We're here! I've been looking forward to this for a long time, having heard about it for decades. We had to time it right to arrive at the southern lock at opening time, since the two locks that book-end the canal open on a schedule. We traveled in a parade of three boats...a Nordic Tug…

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2. 

   Our Cadillac ATS-V's

   A blog by NorthGeorgiaWX in General

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   Recent Entries

   • Modifications for Both Cars
   • Siblings
   • Garage Update - 03/25/22
   • Garage Update - 03/24/22
   • Garage Update - 01/25/22

   

   Latest Entry
   

   Modifications for Both Cars

   If changes are made, the latest changes will appears here. 
   Last Update: 01/23/23

   2016 Obsession Red Sedan

   

   • Xtreme-DI high pressure fuel pump
   • Xtreme-DI fuel cam
   • ZZP valve springs
   • Deatschwerks DW400 low pressure fuel pump
   • JMS Voltage Increaser for low pressure fuel pump
   • Renick Performance charge pipes with Synapse bypass valves
   • Renick Performance cold air intake
   • GM throttle body for LFX motor
   • Renick Performance vacuum tank 
   • Renick Performance downpipes
   • Vibrant 4” resonator with custom 4” single mid pipe
   • Turbobay turbo's with custom designed inlets
   • ZZP rear trailing arms 
   • Carlyle rear toe bars
   • Renick Performance RP 556 wheels, 19x9.5 and 19x11
   • Renick Performance Swift springs
   • Michelin PS4S tires, 275/30-19 and 305/30-19
   • ZZP Flex fuel sensor 
   • Renick Performance carbon fiber mirror covers
   • AEM Wideband Sensor
   • Stainless brake lines
   • Porterfield R4S pads and Motul 600 brake fluid
   • Renick Performance blacked out grills and emblems
   • Roof wrap
   • GTechniq's Crystal Serum Ultra ceramic treatment
   • Tuned by Justin Schmidt

    

   2017 Phantom Gray Coupe

   

   • Aric Miller HPFP
   • DSX Flex Fuel Sensor
   • AEM Wideband Sensor
   • Xtreme-DI low pressure fuel pump
   • Renick Performance downpipes
   • Renick Performance cold air intake
   • ZZP rear trailing arms 
   • Renick Performance RP 556 and RP 416 wheels, 19x9.5 and 19x11
   • Michelin PS4S and Yokohama AD08 tires, 275/30-19 and 305/30-19 
   • Renick Performance sway bars
   • SPL adjustable end links
   • Stainless brake lines
   • Porterfield R4S pads and Motul 600 brake fluid
   • Renick Performance blacked out grills and emblems
   • Eibach springs
   • GTechniq's Crystal Serum Ultra ceramic treatment
   • Tuned by Justin Schmidt

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3. 

   Media Room Project

   A blog by NorthGeorgiaWX in General

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   Recent Entries

   • Final Design and Equipment List (Project on Hold)
   • Design Update - 03/09/22
   • Line Source vs Point Source Speakers
   • Design Update - 11/27/21
   • 07/18/21 - Room Design Update

   

   Latest Entry
   

   Final Design and Equipment List (Project on Hold)

   EDIT: The room has been put on hold indefinitely due to a new adventure that we've decided to undertake.
   I finally have the as-built drawing from Shawn Byrne and the first revision of the equipment list from Adam Pelz. The as-built is 21 pages of drawings that I won't show here, but this is one of the pages.

   

    

   Here is the equipment list for the moment. This shouldn't change very much as this point. There are miscellaneous bits and pieces like cables and other connections that will be needed, and all of that was included in the equipment list. I already have a nice rack with lots of space, so all of the rack equipment in the list below (with the "r") will fit. 

   • (1) - Seaton Sound SS2-4000-DS18 (2x4000 watts) for sub (r)
   • (2) - Seaton Sound DS212-8 Dual 12" subs
   • (2) - Wisdom Audio SA-3 Amp (500 wpc x3 channels) (r) (for Left, Center, and Right) Each speaker requires two channels of amplification)
   • (1) - Wisdom Audio SA-8 Amp (375 wpc x8 channels) (r) (for surrounds and Atmos speakers)
   • (1) - Lumagen Radiance Pro (r)
   • (1) - Trinnov Altitude 16 (r)
   • (1) - JVC NZ9 Projector
   • (1) - Stewart Filmscreen WS25138HHMG2APX acoustically transparent screen
   • (3) - Wisdom Sage Cinema Line 2 (L/C/R)
   • (8) - Wisdom Sage Cinema Point 2 V2 (surrounds and Atmos)
   • (1) - Roku Ultra Streaming device (r)
   • (1) - Reavon UBR-X200 4K Blu-Ray/SACD/DVD-Audio player (r)
   • (1) - Roon Nucleus (r) 
   • (1) - Kaleidescape Strato C player (r)
   • (1) - Kaleidescape Terra Movie Server 12 TB (r)

   Everything will be controlled by Crestron control devices and all of this will work independently from our existing Control 4 system. I will have a connection from the Trinnov to our existing Sonos system. 

   Right now the installation is scheduled for September but I think I'll be lucky if it's all working before Christmas. 

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4. 

   SCCA Solo Weather for Lincoln Nebraska

   A blog by NorthGeorgiaWX in General

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   • 2021 Solo National Championship - 09/05/21

   

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   2021 Solo National Championship - 09/05/21

   Good morning!

   There will be a chance for a little severe weather this morning and with that chance comes some hail with it. Make sure the cars and other items are put away if possible. A severe watch is not anticipated. The rest of the week will be rain free and chances for rain don't return until next weekend. 

   

    

   Current (5:20 am CDT) radar

   

    

   Quote

   Monday through Saturday

   The remainder of the forecast is characterized by rising mid-level heights in association with a building ridge that slowly pushes east towards the central CONUS. With most of the strongest forcing for ascent expected to be kept well north of the area, any chances for widespread rain or storm activity are expected to steer clear of eastern Nebraska and southwestern Iowa.

   Low-end chances for showers and storms will likely pop up at some point during the week, but where and when will remain questionable until we get closer. With strong signals for above-normal temperatures through the work week, the area is in for a reminder that summer isn't over quiet yet. Temperatures currently are hedged on the lower end of the distribution via the NBM from Tuesday through Thursday but as we get closer and the signals for increased warmth become stronger, we could see those highs pushed into the upper 80`s to near 90 in some spots.

   The area's best chance for rain in the extended forecast period could come in the form of a shortwave trough Saturday, but by that point models are in disagreement in terms of how strong this system could be, how far east this system will be located Saturday, and how widespread precip coverage could be.

   Regardless if you are hoping for any rainfall through the week, you`ll likely be disappointed by hot and largely dry weather.

    

    

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5. 

   Weather Blog

   A blog by NorthGeorgiaWX in General

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   Recent Entries

   • Saturday, August 31
   • Friday, August 30
   • Thursday, August 29
   • Wednesday, August 28
   • Tuesday, August 27

   

   Latest Entry
   

   Saturday, August 31

   I'll try to be quiet while you sleep.... it's 3:28 am here in Atlanta, do you know where your cars are? 🙂

   There are some light showers moving into the Lincoln area right now and they may linger through the early morning hours, bu most of the day should be dry. 

    

    

   Here's the hour by hour

   

    

   Here are the expected temperature anomalies (GFS) through the end of next week. Sun-Tue will be warm, but great after that. 

   

    

   Annnnd the forecast. I'll tell you what... after today, you won't need me to help you with the weather. 🙂 It will be great to have a dry and relatively cool Nationals. 

   

    

   Hope everyone has a great day!

    

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6. 

   Our Journey Through the New England States

   A blog by NorthGeorgiaWX in General

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   • Day 4 - Nantucket - June 3
   • Day 4 - Nantucket - June 3
   • Day 4 - Nantucket - June 3
   • Day 4 - Nantucket - June 3
   • Day 4 - Nantucket - June 3

   

   Latest Entry
   

   Day 4 - Nantucket - June 3

   NOAA Satellite Image of Nantucket

   This was our first big adventure (and our first blog post together!) after arriving in New England. Exploring Cape Cod on Sunday was nice and scenic and the National Seashore was very awesome, but our Monday Nantucket Island trip was even better. 
   ​
   This also happened to be our first ride on the high speed ferry. Because we were staying just a few miles from Hyannis, we were close to the Hy-Line ferry terminal. Hy-Line operates a fleet of high speed ferries to Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard and is the company we used for both island trips. 
   
   And high speed is an appropriate adjective to use as I clocked the Nantucket ride at 36 mph. This is not a little boat (158 feet) and it probably had at least 200 people on board, not to mention all of the luggage and other "freight" type baggage.  Being a guy... I was really interested in how they made this thing move so fast... and the reason is below.

   ---

   The Grey Lady IV is the newest vessel of the Hy-Line fleet. It is one of the few high speed ferries that has 3 passenger decks, and when fully loaded, can carry 493 passengers and their baggage. 
   
   Measuring 153.5 x 34.5 feet and a draft of approximately eight feet loaded, the vessel is powered by four Cummins QSK60-M EPA Tier 3 diesel engines, each delivering 2,200 Bhp at 1,800 rpm. Each engine propels a Hamilton HM721 water jet through a Twin Disc MG61500SC horizontally-offset gearbox. The ferry’s top speed is more than 34 knots (39 mph) with a fully-loaded deadweight of 64 metric tons.

   Sleepy passengers

   We arose early to depart at 5:12 am for the first High Speed Ferry to Nantucket. We arrived at the ferry at 5:20 am under some fog and high overcast skies and a temperature of 59º. Most of the other passengers were sleepy workers commuting to work with an early 6:10 am Monday departure time. On this ride, Amy and I paid extra to sit in the "Captain's Seats", the top level passenger deck with more room and larger forward facing seats, and the views were great. All of the pictures and videos that I took traveling to Nantucket were taken from inside the ship from these seats, and I was pretty happy with the way they turned out.  ​You can also get drinks and snacks on board during the ride.  The trip was about as smooth as it gets.  Other than the vibration from the engines there was no motion at all unless you happened to cross another ships wake. This water can get very rough and visibility can drop to nothing, so days like this are a treat. I spoke with a tour guide that travels back and forth on a regular basis and she told me about one trip where it was so foggy you couldn't see in front of you. She said they blew the horn continuously through the entire trip. They do stop the ferry if the seas get too rough, but I don't know how they determine that. 
   
   I have a few short videos of the ferry leaving the Hyannis Harbor and cruising across Nantucket Sound just to give you an idea of the views and the calm water. 

   ---

   As we approached the island the skies were dark from the rain clouds that had passed earlier in the morning. Here are a few pictures of those clouds as we approached Nantucket. 

   When we arrived on the island at 7:40 am, we were the life on the island! After the hustle and bustle of the ferry passengers settled, Nantucket was still asleep. It was cool, tranquil and quiet. It was so serene that the still beauty stops you in your tracks. The calm AFTER the storm feeling… PEACE that surpasses ALL understanding. It may be true that a picture is worth a thousand words and this one captured the moment perfectly.

   Our bus tour of the island wasn’t until 11:00 am so we had some time to explore a little of the town on our own. Of course, food was of interest. While scouting looking for something that was open, we walked around looking at all the cool shops and gorgeous old houses/buildings. Since it was so early, there really wasn't much open, so we headed back to this cute little place called "Provisions" that we saw after stepping off the ferry. We ate a wonderful breakfast sandwich  that was just what we needed. "The Original" consist of herbed egg frittata, cheddar, bacon and house-made tomato chipotle jam. They have all kinds of coffee as well as sweets, juices and other light food. Keep in mind, everything is more expensive on Nantucket, but with drinks we paid $19 for our breakfast. Remember... if you get to Nantucket too early... NOTHING is open, it's almost like a ghost town. This may have been one of the reasons it was so surreal. Take the 6:10 am ferry and see what I mean :-) 

   ---

   ​Once we were fed and we located the bus tour spot, we were ready for adventure. We pretty much scoured the town while Steve was able to capture some incredible images. The sun began to peep through just as the town seemed to wake up. PERFECT in every way! It actually warmed to 74 degrees later in the day. Below is a little slideshow of a few of the downtown pictures before everyone woke up. Notice that many of the buildings will have the date they were built on the front, and you'll see a few here but there are more in the link further down the page.

   Siasconset Post Office

   ​The 11:00 am tour guide was with Billy from Australia. LOL. He was AWESOME!!!!!!! I wish we had a recording! (EDIT: We found it!) Now I HAVE to return. Here are a few items I learned:
   ​
   There is a HUGE Preservation Society in charge of everything. Even 2% of real estate sales go to this establishment. Not sure of the political inclination, but if they are responsible for actually preserving this incredible island, then they are doing a mighty act. Only 12 colors can be used on exteriors and Billy spouted them off like the days of the week. The average home is $2.5 million (and I’ve always considered myself above average. HA! and Zillow sales confirm. LOOK!) and they just got squirrels. Can you believe that? Only sweet animals allowed here. I think rodents came over as stowaways. Gasoline is $4/gallon, there are NO traffic lights (Steve can put it on cruise and never stop), there has only been one murder in 150 years, one stucco house (before the conservation society), and CRANBERRY bogs galore. There are 11,000 residents year round and 60,000 during the summer. Oh, and the two hotels run $1000-$1500/night, so this sheds new light on the phrase “DON’T miss the BOAT!” You may end up sleeping on a bench!
   
   The history was fascinating! It embraces you and makes you a part of the island story. So much has stayed exactly the same since the island was placed on the National Historic Landmark District in 1966. It is considered the "finest surviving architectural and environmental example of a late 18th and early 19th century New England seaport town". I LOVE that.
   
   This is where naming your vessel began to identify the numerous shipwrecks. The island is referred to as the “Little Grey Lady of the Sea” and our ferry boat was the “Grey Lady IV.” There is a Whaling Museum with a remarkable scrimshaw collection and the quaint shops are curiously inviting. We saw the little airfield where “Wings”, the TV show, was filmed. Our stop at Sankaty Head Light and exclusive golf club was spectacular. The most amazing views and lighthouse stamped golf ball (found courtesy of Steve) were the bonus takeaways. 
   
   This island tour was an additional service available through Hy-Line cruises and was $25 per person. It is highly recommended by both of us in order to gain an understanding and appreciation of the total Nantucket experience . Billy’s narrated tour was truly a MUST in our schedule.

   ---

   Amy and her new lifelong friend

   The tour was about an hour and fifteen minutes, allowing us plenty of time to tour the town of Nantucket again on our own. Nantucket is the smallest of the two islands and is only about 48 square miles, so it would be real easy to navigate the island by bike. Both islands also have car rentals, so if you chose to get around and explore on your own, you have options. The video below is from the Sankaty Head Light over on the east side of the island. As you can see, there is a reason there are so many lighthouses in New England. Warm land and cold waters make for some pretty dense fog. 

   ---

   We purchased lots of goodies from several shops and also visited the Whaling Museum.  I had lots of pictures from this place and I have somehow lost them along with a few others. Hopefully I'll find them misplaced in another folder. I do have a video of an old restored clock that is on display there and I've included that video below. A little history of the clock...
   
   "In 1881, William Hadwen Starbuck presented the Town of Nantucket with an E. Howard No. 3 flatbed striking clock. Manufactured by the E. Howard Watch & Clock Co. of Boston, it was installed in the tower of the Unitarian Church and began operating on May 28, 1881. It powered the four clock faces of the south Tower and the church’s familiar bell, 52 chimes, three times a day, until 1957, when the dials were electrified.
   ​
   The Howard clock was donated by the Town to the NHA in April 1972 and was moved to the Peter Foulger Museum. It was restored in 2004–2005 to be installed in the glass-enclosed three-story stairwell of the Whaling Museum for its grand reopening in 2005, a location that displays the clock and its intricate mechanism in full view. Today, from the lobby to the museum’s rooftop belvedere, visitors can closely observe the clockworks chime the hours."

   ---

   It was afternoon and time to eat, so we went back to a location near the ferry dock and secured a lovely patio spot at The Tavern for a late lunch consisting of clam chowder (we were committed to having it every stop), roast beef sandwich, fries, and beer ($54). Yes... no seafood here, Nantucket is a little pricey and we were saving up for points north. 
   
   With newfound energy, we footed on, did a little more shopping, and enjoyed all that we could before leaving for Hyannis on the 4:15 pm ferry. We had planned on returning on the 5:40 pm, but by that time we were done so they let us swap.

   ---

   Finally, we have two short videos of the return trip. It was sunny but very windy and the back of the boat had lots of people on it until we got out in open waters... and then the wind and the spray chased everyone inside except for us, a couple of Hy-Line employees and this one girl. ​Every now and then she would get blasted by a COLD spray... and she never flinched. One person even came out and asked her if she was ok! :-) We talked with her after we pulled in and discovered that she had moved from Miami to just north of Boston and was here for the summer to work on Nantucket, and on this return trip she was headed back to the mainland. Amy just KNEW that she must have lost a bet. :-) Wouldn't it be great if you could somehow let these people know you have a picture of them? I wished I had gotten a video of her getting sprayed. :-)
   
   Both of these links are pretty explanatory, but if you'd like to see all of the Nantucket pictures, click on the first link. It seems I've probably lost about 100 pictures or so and can't find them anywhere, but the remaining pictures are located here. 
   Nantucket Pictures
   
   This link is to our YouTube playlist that has about 35 videos (still adding some) from the entire trip. 
   New England YouTube Playlist
   
   So a great day with great weather, and it just so happens that this wonderful weather will be our traveling companion over  the following 9 days. We were both  blown away by the beauty and charm of the old seaside port and the staggering amount of documented history. It's amazing and not uncommon to see building's from the 1700's that are meticulously maintained and still in use today. The fact that the brick and cobblestone roads and sidewalks have withstood the wind and weather and 300 years of use is amazing. Overall, our island trip was surreal and exceeded our every expectation (as each day has so far). I came as a visitor and left as a faithful friend, and this visit would be tough to beat.  But what we didn't know was that the next few days would end up being even better. :-) 

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   Leaving Nantucket Harbor

   Entering Hyannis Harbor

   Ferry and Island Tour Cost

   Nantucket Climate

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