Grass Growing – Isle of Hope, Georgia, USA, July 23, 2026

Literally.  I think this is the longest we have been in one spot for quite some time.  In the last month we did spend a weekend in Jekyll Island, Georgia visiting my parents and another week in Columbus visiting our daughters (and wedding dress shopping which was exciting!).  Other than that, we have been hanging out working on the boat.  For anyone not familiar with the Georgia water, it is the swampiest we have ever been!  The weather here is pure humidity and the water is thick.  Since we have not been moving, we have started to have plumbing issues.  This is Ron’s least favorite fix.  He can but let’s face it, no one likes to fix a toilet that doesn’t flush since the through holes are clogged with barnacles!  In addition to that, our AC filters have started to clog which means it is Africa hot in the boat and an immediate fix is necessary with weather that is 100% humidity and a heat index of 104 degrees!  Our poor air conditioner is on its last leg, and Ron was able to keep her going.  Ironically, in the Bahamas we don’t use air and the only time we do use the AC is when we are on the dock in places like Georgia or Key West.  Other projects Ron has been working on include an oil analysis which showed we have minimal leaks and that will require new seals and exhaust elbows.  He has ordered all the parts, and it will be an engine day here very soon. 

We have both been feeling a bit stagnant and although we love the boating lifestyle, we have been yearning for a trip to break things up a bit.  So, we started a new plan.  For the rest of hurricane season, we pretty much have something that falls in the middle of each month, and a big trip does really fit into our calendar.  We just made it back from 10 days away in July between Columbus and Jekyll, in August daughter #1 is coming home from Spain.  This will require another trip to Columbus to ensure we get to see her and then in September we get hauled out to fix the recent boat damage from getting hit as I described in the last post.  October starts with the prep and provisioning for our next cruising season and early November we are off again to the Caribbean.  That means any new travels we imagine cannot happen until we return.    

Now for the new plan…speaking of Africa hot…we just applied for a volunteer opportunity to in Malawi.  It is an incredible opportunity and we are thrilled.  Keep in mind we have just applied and are not accepted.  Let me elaborate.  Elefence International is a non-profit who partnered with Wildlife Action Group and protects people, elephants, and the environment.  They work to build fences around nature reserves, have a team of rangers who enforce poaching laws, and keep villages and farmers safe from any damage the elephants may cause.  This has helped increase the safety of the villages, protect and increase the elephant population.  If accepted, we would spend 3 weeks in Africa initially helping the camp there and potentially helping build the fence reducing human elephant conflict.  This is just as exciting as it sounds and a place neither of us has been able to adventure to before.  Ron’s experience with living off the grid, engineering, auto mechanics, and generally jack of all trades could provide great value to the team there.  I on the other hand could help the office, marketing, and the school kids there.  I think it would be a blast, and I encourage you to review their site for more information.  They also have a very interesting blog which is hosted by my father and describes the journey he and my mother took just a few years ago.   

https://www.elefenceinternational.org