We learned quickly that the cruising community is a small and supportive one.  Here are 2 quick stories that made us go, “What!?”

Wrightsville Beach, NC – November 18, 2013

We anchored right inside Motts and Banks Channels and dropped the hook a safe distance away from the 4 other boats that were there, one of which had been traveling in front of us all day.  After we slowly let out our chain, we took a break to let things settle in before we backed down.  I sat in the cockpit and checked e-mail.  We got an e-mail from our friend David (the previous owner of Journey) that said,

“JR and Drena – If you are stopping at the Wrightsville Beach anchorage tonight, try hailing a boat called Serenade.  They also used to have an O’Day.  Good friends of ours.  –David and Peg”

I looked at JR and said, “Jake, what’s the name of the boat next to us?”  He glanced over and said, “Serenade.”  We were like, “Whaaaaaat!?”

Southport, NC – November 20, 2013

On our only night in Southport, we hit up a local bar that someone had recommended called, Cape Fear Bar and Restaurant.  When we walked in, there were two guys at the bar and the bar tender.  You could totally tell we messed up their groove, because it got really quiet but before long, we were all buddies.  A little bit later, a woman came in and mentioned that she was a retired teacher.  We started talking about teaching and I told her that I taught in Prince George’s County, MD.  Another gentleman, who had been quietly sitting in the corner, piped up and said, “Did you say Prince George’s County?”  I was like, “Yup.”  Turns out he was a paramedic at College Park Fire Department for 25 years.  CPFD is located exactly between the two schools I had taught at.  We were like, “Whaaaaat?!”

He and his wife were both county employees, he knew the neighborhoods of Mt. Rainier, Brentwood, and Riverdale and he knew that my dad’s house was a few blocks from the old Brentwood Fire House.  His name was John.  Crazy.

He also said, which Jake and I thought was hilarious, “I’ve never met anyone from Brentwood or Cumberland who bought a boat and sailed to the Bahamas.”  You have now, John, you have now :)