Chesapeake | Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch

Getting to Chesapeake Bay has turned out to take a bit longer than I anticipated, but that’s OK. It all about the journey. We are having a great time. We left Stuart, Florida on August 8, 2025 and today we are on our way to Coinjock, North Carolina. We have traveled about 800 miles and have just over 100 more to arrive at our destination, Chesapeake Bay. Last time I blogged, Finito was docked at Amelia Island and our puppy Diesel had become “the mayor.”

Finito docked along the marshes near Sunbury Crab Company, Sunbury, GA.

Since Amelia Island, we have stopped at Jekyll Island, GA; Sunbury, GA; Isle of Hope, GA; Daufuskie Island, SC; Hilton Head, SC; Beaufort, SC; Charleston, SC; Georgetown, SC; Myrtle Beach, SC; Southport, NC; Swanboro, NC; Beaufort, NC; Oriental, NC; and Bellhaven, NC.

If I had to choose running themes they would be: salt marshes, wide beaches, historic churches, buzzing cicadas, and a reverberating wake from Sherman’s “March to the Sea.” Thankfully many of the ancient oak trees still stand and much of the Deep South today is bustling.

Ed walks Diesel under an ancient oak, Isle of Hope/Beaufort, SC.

Debra Green sells beautiful Mount Pleasant Gullah hand woven sweetgrass baskets..

Historic Marker, Daufuskie Island lies right before Hilton Head.

St. Helena’s Anglican Church, built in 1724, Charleston, SC.

The waters here are alive. Winds, tides and strong currents push through extensive marshes — many, once rice paddies tended by slaves.

Certainly, in specific areas of Georgia and South and North Carolina, there is water contamination, mostly from industry. But unlike the St. Lucie River/ Indian River Lagoon, a combination of tides and marshes regularly cleanses.

Here, one finds massive estuaries and important bird migratory flyways such as Port Royal Sound between Hilton Head and Beaufort, SC; and the Neuse River near Oriental, SC. – which is at its mouth is one of the widest rivers in the United States.

It hasn’t been all Intracoastal or river: From Charleston to Georgetown, Ed insisted on going “outside” in the Atlantic Ocean due to shallow readings inland. I agreed, so long as I could see land and know which way to swim in case Finito stared sinking. Along the way, Okee barfed, but other than that, the wave action wasn’t too bad.

Towns and cities have included old fishing villages, former plantations lands, and incredible historic cities that now attract tourists and modern industries. In fact, many, especially the young, are moving this way. For instance, my niece Evie and her boyfriend Clay live and work in Mount Pleasant/Charleston, South Carolina. They love it there and it was so wonderful to see them and meet their rescue dog, Tiki.

Great American Egret in marsh, Charleston, NC.

Finito is a 55 ” Fleming with a 5″draft. Sunbury, GA.

Some estuaries are enormous. Port Royal Sound, mentioned above, lies between Hilton Head and Beaufort, South Carolina and is one of the largest estuaries on the Southeast Coast of the United States. Its salt marshes are key.

According to a Prichard’s Island Research & Living Shores Coalition sign, South Carolina has more salt marsh than any other state on the Atlantic Coast. Half the salt marsh on the east coast is in South Carolina and half of that lies in Beaufort County at Port Royal Sound. Of course, salt marshes serve as nurseries and habitat for numerous species- an entire food chain. Unfortunately, our Indian River Lagoon has seen up to an 85% reduction in salt marsh coverage.

Ed and I with my neice Evie Flaugh and her boyfriend Clay who we visited in Mount Pleasant, part of Charleston.

Ed and Diesel in front of the South Carolina Society, established 1737. Charleston, SC.

Diesel took his first horse drawn carriage tour in Charleston, SC.

As one would imagine, boating requires more attention in these waters! Charts can’t alway reflect sudden movements of sand. A couple of days ago, while cruising in the Intracoastal Waterway, Finito ran aground in Bogue Sound between Swansboro and Beaufort, NC. Before that, near Southport, we navigated the Cape Fear River and today on our way to Coinjock it will be Albemarle Sound– a body of water that was as rough as an angry ocean last time we went through while on America’s Great Loop.

So before I close, are you curious? 🙂

In case you are, here’s my running aground in Bogue Sound story…

Finito has a five foot draft——

~It was an extremely windy, sunny, gorgeous day and though in the channel, Ed and I sat in the pilot house and watched as Finito’s depth finder slowly went from 12 to 7 feet. And then to 4.2 feet in what seemed a matter of seconds. We had just been discussing how wind could exacerbate the shallowness and we were watching and holding our breath. But when it happens, you still can’t believe it!

Our conversation went something like this:

Bogue Sound, NC and surrounding waters, on our way to Beaufort, NC.

“Isn’t North Carolina where we got caught in the current on the Loop that time and humiliatingly smacked the dock losing a few fenders in front of all those people?” I inquired.

Ed was not amused as tried to assess the situation.

“Beaufort!” he barked.

“Beaufort, again! We’re on our way there now. I can’t believe it!”

I walked to the stern listening to the engines as Ed unsuccessfully tried to back out. I hollered: “You know sometimes when you try to force things you make them worse!”

Ed ignored me and kept doing the exact same thing.

I stuck my head in the pilot house. “I’m putting Okee in the bedroom.” I said. “This could get hairy! “I could hear Diesel’s loud barking.“Be sure to keep the doors closed so Diesel doesn’t jump overboard!”

In high stress situations, Okee is taken to the bedroom.

Ed waits for Sea Tow in Bogue Sound, NC.

My job was once off to let loose their lines.

As I carried Okee I could hear Ed on the phone with Sea Tow. He matter-a- factly gave coordinates. After I placed Okee on the bed I regrouped and tried to be a good first mate clearing the decks.

Sea Tow arrived, I noticed they never asked any questions, they just helped. This is what Ed always says he wishes I would do. I thought about this. And then, once again, I couldn’t help myself.

“Captian Ed, would you please ask the men if there are more sandbars along the way?”

Ed stared at me and there was silence until I heard a young kind southern voice: “It’s deepest near the red channel markers ma’am…”

“So we should steer left. Thank you so much,” I said shooting Ed my most charming glance.

Ed looked at me sternly, then smiled. Getting there is half the fun, isn’t it? We were underway —leaning port side—- to Beaufort and then Oriental…

Blue Crabs! https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/blue-crab

Ed tires a local “dragon drink “in Oriental, NC.

Next time I write, we’ll be in Chesapeake Bay!

The water has called once again and Ed and I are underway. This time our trawler journey will be to Chesapeake Bay. We have new puppy, Diesel, as we lost our beloved Belgium Shepard, Luna, last year while we were on America’s Great Loop. Okee, our beautiful 17 pound cat, will be making the trip too.

After our Great Loop adventure it was wonderful to return to Stuart, but boating has become a bit of a calling especially now that we are retired. We chose Chesapeake Bay because while passing through on the Loop we loved it most and decided to return. The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States, its watershed extends into states of Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New York and our federal capital, Washington D.C. Just magnificent!

While on the Loop I read James A. Michener’s CHESAPEAKE, and Ed and I enjoyed talking about the estuary’s long documented history and the spectacular wildlife. In fact the huge, loud, honking, close-nit Canada Geese, widely featured throughout the novel, became the symbol of our Loop journey. And then of course, Chesapeake Bay is a poster child for climate change and a leader in restoration attempts that predate National Estuary Programs such as our Indian River Lagoon. Chesapeake has much to teach about improving our impaired waters and the power of cooperation.

Canada Geese were sacred to the native people of the Chesapeake Bay area as survival depended on their coming. Later the European setters with new technology almost hunted them to extinction, but they have “miraculously” recovered.

To get to Chesapeake Bay Finito is traveling north along the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. This waterway is a combination of natural and man-made features and in Florida dates back to the 1800s. The Indian River Lagoon is connected through the Haulover Canal to the Mosquito Lagoon that is connected to the Halifax River. Following is the Matanzas River in St. Augustine where the water is the prettiest yet with massive currents and powerful tides flushing from the inlet. There is even coral life on the dock with sponges, and small brightly colored fish swimming around!

This water can also be dangerous. I dreaded docking this time recalling an experience when our boat got caught in strong currents and almost crashed into someone’s very large yacht. It happened in a second. The current takes you. A total loss of control. Ed and I stood open mouthed aware that with much luck we slammed against a piling and were able to avoid disaster. We made it just fine this time!

Power plant near Titusville on the Indian River Lagoon.

NASA’s Vehicle Assembly Building rises along the IRL.

Dolphins love Finito’s wake! NASA’s Assembly Building behind them.

Haulover Canal connecting the Indian River Lagoon to the Mosquito Lagoon. I saw many ospreys, pelicans, and an alligator. Reports have seagrass returning. Manatees in the upper IRL in the recent years died from starvation.

Bridge over Haulover Canal connecting IRL to the Mosquito Lagoon.

Water at entrance of Mosquito Lagoon looking algae like.

From Stuart to Titusville I thought the waters of the Indian River Lagoon looked mostly milky and dark. We are told by the water management districts that seagrass is retuning, maybe so, but we have to do better. Even the undeveloped Mosquito Lagoon, part of the Canaveral National Seashore, looked greenish as you can see in the photo above. This cannot be good water quality.

Along the way we visited Cocoa Village one of my favorite historic places along the Indian River. It is the state headquarters of the Florida Historic Society, a place my mother and father visited many times. Cocoa Village also has the bragging rights to S.F. Travis one of the oldest hardware stores in Florida! Its historic marker gives great insight into changes along the lagoon.

Florida Historical Society, Cocoa Village, FL

S.F. Travis Company is one of the oldest hardware store in Florida.

We also stopped in Vero where there is an absolutely incredible 5 acre dog park! Diesel made many friends although he did get nipped at once. The irritating, jumping, puppy thing! He is doing well on Finito so far, trying to help Ed with the lines and sometimes torturing Okee with his endless energy.

Diesel on Finito. He does not go on this pad. Prefers a walk to real grass!

Diesel helping with lines – head set — AI via Ed!

Okee? For now she is wearing her pheromone stress reliever collar and reading Chesapeake.

Incredible wind blown oaks are everywhere. Homes are nestled within — most saving the trees.

At Ponce Inlet Diesel walked to the beach! Very happy to stretch his short legs!!! Note sand renourishement piled very high.

Ponce Inlet just north of New Smyrna Beach is another gem with a maritime forest of windswept oaks and pretty sand dunes. Diesel enjoyed a walk to the beach and watching the “frozen” rabbits but once to the Atlantic he could only look– no dogs allowed! The beach was piled with sand.

Beach renourishment requires millions of dollars each year, only to be taken out to sea. Barrier islands are meant to work like a conveyor belt turning over on themselves, migrating over time. Development and beach renourishment interfere with this very powerful natural process. Guess who will win?

So — so far we after leaving Stuart, we have visited Vero, Cocoa Village, Ponce Inlet, and St. Augustine. Watching the sun set on this old city, I was reminded that the only constant is change.

Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch

Indian River Lagoon

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Getting there is half the fun, Chesapeake!

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