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Roni Tails Sea Tales and Other Stories Pictures of Doublewide Mayaca Railroad Bridge

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Camden - Lambs Marina

2004-05-19

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May 18, 2004 - June 2, 2004

May 18, 2004: Tuesday

After a full day (and 47 miles) on The Great Dismal Swamp Route, going thru locks, cowering under bridges (that Doublewide easily scooted under) and waiting for various ancient machinery to grind away opening bridges just for me, I arrive at this little Marina paradise.

I will say that it may not be to some people's taste, but it is friendly, cordial, has all the amenities (hot showers!) and a convenience store that is right at the end of the dock! Most of the marinas I've stayed at advertise grocery markets close by. That's true if you don't mind walking 2 miles each way, one way carrying 20 pounds of groceries in 90 degree heat!

The depth into and inside the marina is good, at least 4 feet where Doublewide is sitting (and this is not tidal water), and it is so sheltered that wave action is not a problem, even in storms.

May 19, 2004: Wednesday

Roni and I explored all around, met some of the local people, Eileen who is the maven of the marina - knows all the goings on, keeps track of who is coming and going (came down to check me out right away...) Gary who is a retired Parks and Wildlife employee (worked in the area on The Great Dismal Swamp, actually) who has a Morgan two slips up from me and was there to help me with dock lines when I came in late, hot, exhausted and a bit brain dead last night.

May 20, 2004: Thursday: Roni

The bad news is that I am losing Roni - she isn't interested in me anymore and she keeps walking off and if I don't watch it, she'll head down the highway. She wants to go home, she says... She is losing confidence in me. She wouldn't come in to the master cabin last night to sleep with me - the first time ever.

When I got up today, she sat on the bench and wouldn't even look at me. She ate her breakfast as usual, but didn't want to come near me, not to play play or anything, she didn't want to go walk either. She just sat pointedly looking away from me.

This had been its genesis earlier, but I was not willing to believe it. I hoped she would be OK and that she would find her sea legs, know Mumma wasn't going to let her get lost and would take her home. But no, she didn't believe it.

So I made arrangements with Gary and Eileen to watch out for Doublewide and checked with Larry to make sure that it was OK to park Doublewide at his marina for a few days I undertook to play my trip home.

When I got a taxi to go pick up the rental car I took her with me. I paid the taxi driver a little more so that he wouldn't complain about her. I had a hard time getting her out of the taxi and an even harder time trying to get her out of the rental car when we got back to the marina. In fact, I had to force her to get out to go pee before we left. She sat in the car with the doors open, just waiting for me to finish packing. She sat there for an hour and a half just waiting...

I had planned to leave the next morning morning early, but said, "What the heck. The car's packed. Roni is gleeful and truly smiling for the first time in a while, let's go." So we left about 3:00 in the afternoon. Got into Ashville, NC at the other end of the state about 10:00 that night. The next morning we got on the road by 6:00 a.m. and stayed in Texarkana that night. Got up at 5:30 the next morning and we were home by noon on Saturday.

May 22 thru 26, 2004: Home

Roni is happy now, she is home. She doesn't know that I am going to leave her tomorrow and when I do she will not be happy, she will mourn for me, but she will do so from her 'home'. The only place she has known where 'good things' happen for her. This is her base, her security, her home. She knows that I will be back for her.

May 27, 2004: Thursday Message to Roni from Mumma

Bye bye, Roni. I will miss you so much on this trip that I cry thinking about it. I love you Baby Girl don't want to miss part of your life, even this small part, but I will be home soon and we will play frisbee, and tug, and catch and just sit with each other and be happy.

Jan's Journey Restarted

I have stayed in Texas a few days to be with my incredible, wonderful husband Dennis and to enjoy my home too. I love being on Doublewide and look forward to going back and restarting my adventure, but I will also miss my husband, my base, my security, my home just like Roni, but I know that I will come home again.

May 29 thru June 2, 2004

Changing the drive leg oil

    I call them angels. People who swoop down and spread their wings over you and 'make it all better'. Sometimes in the strangest guises! For example, I needed to change the oil in the drive leg (thing that holds the propeller) for my boat. This is something that should be done after 50 hours and I was just at 50.2 miles. I've heard some stories about how difficult it is, so I was a little nervous. But there is a small 'barge' (couple of pieces of plywood and some 2x6 pieces to hold it together), here that looked like it might fit behind the boat and be a good platform from which to accomplish this I figured I'd do it: "Right Here and Now!" But I was reluctant to move it by myself (how tippy WAS that thing? I didn't want to get down on it and find out!).

    So when Chris, one of the kids here at Lambs, came by I asked if he knew anything about it. He volunteered to move it and the rest is history. The thing was perfect and fit under the drive leg with an oil pan as well. He even helped! Great job Chris. You've earned your wings as far as I'm concerned. I hope you have a Wonderful Life.

    Another big help for this job was an item I got at Auto Zone. It is an oil pan with no top, just a big wide bucket with a pour spout. This made the oil change very easy, and prevented any oil from spilling either on the barge or in the water. Here's a picture of it. It holds 5 gallons so there is plenty of room, and I believe it would float if someone could stand in the water and hold it still. I was too busy to take a picture of it when it was 'in use'!

Taking care of my Boat

    I came back to find Doublewide in great shape - nothing missing, and she had been well looked out for by the Maven of Lamb's Marina, Eileen She keeps an eye on everything and knows insures that everything is as it should be, as I said earlier. She has gone out of her way for me and I appreciate it more than she knows. I have a souvenier fish magnet (oh, heart be still - how did she know that I collect fish stuff?? I didn't even know it until someone mentioned "You sure have a lot of fish stuff around the house!"). But when I see it I will think fondly of Lamb's Marina and of Eileen.

Diane

    Diane, who when she heard that I couldn't find a ride back from the rental car agency, offered to take me. This was no small offer as the nearest Avis location is in Chesapeake City, 42 miles away. Diane runs the counter at Lamb's convenience store and has worked there for 25 years. That's loyalty, and it also speaks well of the Lambs. Certainly their treatment of me has made me want to stay here as long as possible!
I could stay here for the next few months, but sheesh, I've already been here a couple of weeks Time to move on! Next stop will be across the Albemarle Sound...

Click an image to see a larger version.


Lambs Marina From Doublewides Birth
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Floating House For Sale
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Doublewide Tucked In
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Lambs Marina
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Roni Going Home
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Lambs Marina
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Roni At Lambs
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Inlet To Lambs Marina From Pasquatank
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Inlet To Lambs Marina From Pasquatank
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Doublewide From Across The Inlet
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Doublewide From Across The Inlet
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Doublewide From Across The Inlet
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Diane At Lambs Convenience Store
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Larry Lamb
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Moon Thru The Rigging
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Eileen - Maven Of Lambs Marina
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Chris On The Barge
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Drive Leg Oil Change Pan
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Getting Ready The Chesapeake Bay The Great Dismal Swamp North Carolina South Carolina Georgia Florida

Roni Tails Sea Tales and Other Stories Pictures of Doublewide Mayaca Railroad Bridge