REVISITATION

Swansboro, NC 34º41.152N | 77º7.072W

New policy: work 'til you get there, have fun when you do.

After several long days, we've decided to make three short hops, treating ourselves to some of the spots we love along the way. Besides, today is Saturday, and one thing we've learned: all the folks who just bought blue light special water toys come out to play with them on the weekend. The less time we spend with rednecks dragging their progeny through questionable waters on anything that floats the better. Charles Darwin. You have work to do here.

Starting earlier than most rednecks, we made an easy six-hour hop to Swansboro, for no other reason than to visit a pub we like here (who's a redneck now?). This little town caught us unawares last October when we were newly minted cruisers, before we had experienced first-hand the many charms of ICW towns.

Tonight we revisited that pub and then sat on the porch with locals at the cigar shop across the street. It was a pleasant conversation until the topic turned to one that seems to be on everybody's mind these days: healthcare. One woman actually seemed to say she could never cruise, because she was afraid to be away from health care facilities. Her husband didn't agree.

We left them there and went to check on Cara Mia, anchored in a swift current upstream from a concrete bridge. As always, she was right where we left her, happy to welcome us home.