Happy Thanksgiving from St. Mary's Georgia

Well we made it to St. Mary's Georgia for the Cruisers Thanksgiving Feast.  We've made it 712 miles on the ICW and truthfully I am amazed that people have told us that the ICW is a ditch.  I have found the last 712 miles to be filled with wonderful natural vistas with wide rivers and bays (some that were filled with high wind and rough seas) and amazing swamps and marshes.  The Cedar Swamps of North Carolina were beautiful.  Some of the old cedars appeared to be 6-8 ft. around with long massive trunks and very little branch vegetation on top.  I could truely see how the indians used these trees for dugout canoes in the early days.  We spent a wonderful evening with the Talbots ( met in Northeast Harbor) who drove out with pizza and wine to the Waccawache marina in Cow House Creek in the Cedar Swamp Wildlife preserve and dined under the spanish moss and Cedar.  We then Made it to Beaufort NC where dolphins escorted us to our mooring. We had a thoroughly enjoyable visit to this seaside southern town that had a wonderful Maritime Museum that included a whole section on Blackbeard (Edward Teach - who lived and died in the area) and his Vessel the Queen Ann's revenge that was sunk nearby.  We got to see wild horses on he island and visit with our friends from High Five (three boys - twins Jakes age).  The next 100 miles did not have any place to get off the boat so we spent a bizzare evening in Camp Lajeune at Mile Hammock with about 25 other boats watching the new Osprey aircraft perform touchdown liftoff excercises, several other military aircraft practice and anchoring near their target enemy battleship.  The night was filled with high winds (concern about the domino effect on 25 boats anchored closely together), and the roar of military aircraft overhead.  We made it to Charleston SC after getting stopped at the broken Ben Sawyer Swing Bridge and spent 2 days walking around the city and visiting with our friends the Salomons (moved there from Maine-so funny to hear Jenna saying y'all and Yes ,Ma'am). It was great to see them and their beautiful home. The history of Charleston was a great lesson for home schooling and we read every historical plaque in the city.  The kids learned about Fort Sumter and the 3 year siege of the City.  It was the first time we heard about the "War of Northern Aggression".  We stayed at a wonderful marina in the city ($1.20/ft.  and free laundry), that was located opposite the Aircraft Carrier Yorktown Naval Museum. Our walk around the Battery and the surrounding neighborhoods filled with wonderful old southern mansions repleat with beautifully tended gardens was a highpoint.  From Charleston we sailed to Beaufort SC to sit out a massive cold front (with 35 knot winds and 4 knot opposing current) on anchor while Chris and the kids hung out with other kids from 2 other boats we befriended (High Five, Salt and light).  When the winds died down Chris and I took a nightime walk to the Piggly Wiggly to get provisions (4 mile round trip).  From there we sailed to Savannah stopping at a couple of marsh anchors that were filled with pelicans, and dolphins along the way.  At this point of the trip we found that our days were spent motor sailing through open vista saltwater marshes with islands of palm and palmetto trees and the skies filled with pelicans, seagulls and terns, and the water filled with dolphins.  We seem to spend 2-3 nights on anchor and when we reach a target destination we tried to stay 2 nights on a dock so that we can walk around and learn the history and get a feel for the place we are visiting.  Savannah was also a beautiful southern city that appeared to be a little more "touchable" than Charleston.  We left the boat about 8 miles from the city and took a bus into town.   When we arrived at the Savannah visitors center we were given a tourist map with sites to see.  One that was listed was the Temple Mikveh Israel.  This caught my eye and we decided to find this jewish island in a southern city.  What we found was one of the most memorable experiences of our trip so far.  We found the building at about 11:15am Sat. morning.  However it looked exactly like a big Catholic Cathedral with a star of david on top.  We were stopped at the door by a woman security guard that said services were going on  if we wanted to go in.  We decided to join the service and when we got inside I could not get my mind around this beautiful Catholic Cathedral repleat with organ, choir, and vaulted ceilings, and a rabbi up front.  I asked the gentleman handing out prayer books when this "church" was converted to a temple, and he said that since the building was built in 1830 it had always been a temple.  We found out later that we had stumbled upon the third oldest Jewish congregation in the US that was founded in 1733 when the colonists landed from England and that the building was based on drawings from a church in NYC.  The congregation had us join them for oneg (which ended up being a catered Chinese Food lunch) and then took us on a tour of the synagogue's museum that had the original Torah that was brought over in 1733 as well as letters to the synagogue from Washington, Jefferson, and several other of the early presidents.  It seems that the head of the congregation would send a congratulatory letter to the newly elected presidents and these were the responses.  The response from Washington was flowery and supportive of the religious diversity of the new united states.  The Savannah historical center was filled with lovely homes and parks with massive trees and statues.  The waterfront had a lovely walkway and original cobblestone streets.  We met a sax player that agreed to play "Georgia on my Mind" for Jake and I, and great little shops for Rachel to explore.  From Savannah we sailed through saltwater swamps for 3 days to St. Marys.  We truly feel we have finally entered the tropical south.  There are palm trees everywhere and the weather is warm and the night air is filled with noseeums (OK, you have to take the bad with the good).  Making St. Mary's for Thanksgiving was one of my key destinations.  I feel like we now may even make Florida and possibly the Bahamas.  We are staying on the town dock ($1/ft) for 3 days and I am finally able to let my guard down and relax.  We have had a wonderful 712 miles on the ICW and we will now spend a couple of days recharging and letting the kids run wild with other cruising kids( Salt and Light wth three kids the exact same ages and genders as ours- imagine that).  Love to all and Happy Thanksgiving.