We make our final push through South Carolina and head south towards Beaufort, SC. There's not a lot of wind on the ICW, but there are plenty of marshlands and the occasional pod of dolphins to see. As we hang out awaiting a bridge opening, we notice that the steering pivot on the motor broke, leaving the motor dangling from the boat by the gear shift rod. Duke tied it back in position with rope and we passed through the swing bridge into Beaufort, SC. 9 LIVES no longer has engine-steering and we no longer trust the engine as an auxiliary, so it is no longer safe to take the family out into the ocean. This sets off a wave of depression, but we still manage to make it to the Savannah River and cross into Georgia. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We can't produce quality inspirational content indefinitely without the support of our fans. Please, consider becoming a patron today and help us to create art and spread positive messages about living life to the fullest! https://www.patreon.com/9LIVES Thank you! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Like us on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/DukeAndVirginiaSteel Follow us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/sailing9lives ***************** #sailing #sailingchannel #sailingfamily

We find ourselves enjoying the iconic mariners' port of Charleston, SC a bit and take the opportunity to catch up on some boat chores and self care. Virginia reveals that she has a secret, in the form of being pregnant with Baby #2! When we do leave port, we find a very strong current against us in Elliot's Cut, but we manage to get through and arrive at our anchorage. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We can't produce quality inspirational content indefinitely without the support of our fans. Please, consider becoming a patron today and help us to create art and spread positive messages about living life to the fullest! https://www.patreon.com/9LIVES Thank you! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Like us on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/DukeAndVirginiaSteel Follow us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/sailing9lives --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ***************** #sailing #sailingchannel #sailingcouple

A funny thing happened on the way to Charleston, South Carolina. It all started innocently enough, with us motoring down the ICW. We managed to transition to some motorsailing for a while, heading from a swamp to the clear beginning of our seemingly endless time spent in marshland for most of the remainder of the trip. We again saw some dolphins in our anchorage, and Duke said "Well, we're on our way to Charleston" far too many times. We lost a cushion, but Virginia rescued it. Then it happened. While waiting for a bridge to open, we drifted to port and found ourselves in the mud. Then the tide went out... WAY OUT... and left us high and dry. We had to wait out the tide, and only became unstuck minutes before the final bridge opening of the night. This left us crossing the bay to Charleston in the dark. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We can't produce quality inspirational content indefinitely without the support of our fans. Please, consider becoming a patron today and help us to create art and spread positive messages about living life to the fullest! https://www.patreon.com/9LIVES Thank you! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Like us on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/DukeAndVirginiaSteel Follow us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/sailing9lives ***************** #sailing #sailingchannel #sailingfamily

We start our journey through South Carolina by crossing the state line in the evening, coming into port from the sea just north of Myrtle Beach. We anchor in a dead boat graveyard and manage to make a semi-permanent fix to the steering before starting our next day of ICW cruising. We find ample mall parking at Barefoot Landing and take the opportunity to stretch our legs a bit and fill our bellies with tacos before continuing on down the ICW to anchor in a swamp. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We can't produce quality inspirational content indefinitely without the support of our fans. Please, consider becoming a patron today and help us to create art and spread positive messages about living life to the fullest! https://www.patreon.com/9LIVES Thank you! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Like us on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/DukeAndVirginiaSteel Follow us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/sailing9lives --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Check out a legend in the YouTube Sailing genre, our friend and an inspiration, Captain Rick Moore! http://youtube.com/cstaguy --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ***************** #sailing #sailingchannel #sailingfamily

Well, we had to slog on down the Intracoastal Waterway with more motorsailing, more grey skies, and more bridges but we made it to the beautiful seaside town of Carolina Beach. And, the beach there was beautiful! It was just the change of scenery we needed for a nice reset. Then it was down the Cape Fear River and out into the Atlantic Ocean for some beautiful sailing south. Of course we broke the steering a bit, but that was easily patched up with a temporary fix. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We can't produce quality inspirational content indefinitely without the support of our fans. Please, consider becoming a patron today and help us to create art and spread positive messages about living life to the fullest! https://www.patreon.com/9LIVES Thank you! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Like us on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/DukeAndVirginiaSteel Follow us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/sailing9lives --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Check out a legend in the YouTube Sailing genre, our friend and an inspiration, Captain Rick Moore! http://youtube.com/cstaguy --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Select Audio Tracks: Bassa Island Game Loop - Latinesque by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100840 Artist: http://incompetech.com/ ***************** #sailing #sailingchannel #sailingfamily

As the sun rose on Oriental, North Carolina we set out across the Neuse River and down the Adam's Creek Canal towards Beaufort, NC. The weather is getting progressively worse as we motorsail the Bogue Sound. Our path takes us into a bombing range near the USMC Camp Lejeune, where we do not ACTULLY encounter any live bombing activity but we do find ourselves battling a squall on a narrow channel. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We can't produce quality inspirational content indefinitely without the support of our fans. Please, consider becoming a patron today and help us to create art and spread positive messages about living life to the fullest! https://www.patreon.com/9LIVES Thank you! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Like us on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/DukeAndVirginiaSteel Follow us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/sailing9lives --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Check out a legend in the YouTube Sailing genre, our friend and an inspiration, Captain Rick Moore! http://youtube.com/cstaguy --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ***************** #sailing #sailingchannel #sailingfamily

We continue sailing along in North Carolina, choosing the Pungo River / Alligator River Canal for our return to Belhaven, birthplace of the ICW. Our friends at the Belhaven Marina went out of their way to assist us with some logistical challenges, and then we were off to a day of sailing in the Pamlico Sound and Neuse River on our way to Oriental. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We can't produce quality inspirational content indefinitely without the support of our fans. Please, consider becoming a patron today and help us to create art and spread positive messages about living life to the fullest! https://www.patreon.com/9LIVES Thank you! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Like us on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/DukeAndVirginiaSteel Follow us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/sailing9lives --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Check out a legend in the YouTube Sailing genre, our friend and an inspiration, Captain Rick Moore! http://youtube.com/cstaguy --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ***************** #sailing #sailingchannel #sailingfamily

OK, this is not the ONLY reason we sail, but seeing gorgeous sunsets is one good reason why we love being out on the water! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We can't produce quality inspirational content indefinitely without the support of our fans. Please, consider becoming a patron today and help us to create art and spread positive messages about living life to the fullest! https://www.patreon.com/9LIVES Thank you! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Like us on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/DukeAndVirginiaSteel Follow us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/sailing9lives --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Check out a legend in the YouTube Sailing genre, our friend and an inspiration, Captain Rick Moore! http://youtube.com/cstaguy --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ***************** #sailing #sailingchannel #sailingfamily

This is our very first sail on our super old catamaran sailboat on the Chesapeake Bay. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We can't produce quality inspirational content indefinitely without the support of our fans. Please, consider becoming a patron today and help us to create art and spread positive messages about living life to the fullest! https://www.patreon.com/9LIVES Thank you! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Like us on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/DukeAndVirginiaSteel Follow us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/sailing9lives --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Check out a legend in the YouTube Sailing genre, our friend and an inspiration, Captain Rick Moore! http://youtube.com/cstaguy --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ***************** #sailing #sailingchannel #sailingfamily

The Chesapeake Bay can be rough, at times! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We can't produce quality inspirational content indefinitely without the support of our fans. Please, consider becoming a patron today and help us to create art and spread positive messages about living life to the fullest! https://www.patreon.com/9LIVES Thank you! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Like us on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/DukeAndVirginiaSteel Follow us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/sailing9lives --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Check out a legend in the YouTube Sailing genre, our friend and an inspiration, Captain Rick Moore! http://youtube.com/cstaguy --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ***************** #sailing #sailingchannel #sailingfamily

We cross into North Carolina while traversing the Great Dismal Swamp Canal. There is no sailing in the canal, so we motor our way out of the swamp and head to Elizabeth City. It is t-shirt weather, at last! We sail slowly across the Albemarle Sound, and enjoy beautiful vistas in North Carolina. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We can't produce quality inspirational content indefinitely without the support of our fans. Please, consider becoming a patron today and help us to create art and spread positive messages about living life to the fullest! https://www.patreon.com/9LIVES Thank you! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Like us on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/DukeAndVirginiaSteel Follow us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/sailing9lives --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Check out a legend in the YouTube Sailing genre, our friend and an inspiration, Captain Rick Moore! http://youtube.com/cstaguy --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Select Audio Tracks: Barroom Ballet - Silent Film Light by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100310 Artist: http://incompetech.com/ Corncob - Country by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100565 Artist: http://incompetech.com/ Doh De Oh by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100255 Artist: http://incompetech.com/ ***************** #sailing #sailingchannel #sailingfamily

First time out on the catamaran sailboat, first time getting seasick in the rough chop of the Chesapeake Bay! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We can't produce quality inspirational content indefinitely without the support of our fans. Please, consider becoming a patron today and help us to create art and spread positive messages about living life to the fullest! https://www.patreon.com/9LIVES Thank you! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Like us on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/DukeAndVirginiaSteel Follow us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/sailing9lives --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Check out a legend in the YouTube Sailing genre, our friend and an inspiration, Captain Rick Moore! http://youtube.com/cstaguy --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ***************** #sailing #sailingchannel #sailingcouple

Our very first experience on our catamaran sailboat, heading out into the Chesapeake Bay! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We can't produce quality inspirational content indefinitely without the support of our fans. Please, consider becoming a patron today and help us to create art and spread positive messages about living life to the fullest! https://www.patreon.com/9LIVES Thank you! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Like us on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/DukeAndVirginiaSteel Follow us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/sailing9lives --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Check out a legend in the YouTube Sailing genre, our friend and an inspiration, Captain Rick Moore! http://youtube.com/cstaguy --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Select Audio Tracks: ***************** #sailing #sailingchannel #sailingcouple

Ron and Judi take last looks and say goodbye to their beloved catamaran sailboat. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We can't produce quality inspirational content indefinitely without the support of our fans. Please, consider becoming a patron today and help us to create art and spread positive messages about living life to the fullest! https://www.patreon.com/9LIVES Thank you! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Like us on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/DukeAndVirginiaSteel Follow us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/sailing9lives --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Check out a legend in the YouTube Sailing genre, our friend and an inspiration, Captain Rick Moore! http://youtube.com/cstaguy --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ***************** #sailing #sailingchannel #sailingcouple

A dozen dolphins swim with our boat in the Chesapeake Bay! We head south through Virginia towards Norfolk and complete our journey through the Chesapeake Bay. A railroad bridge is stuck down, so we have to anchor early in the afternoon in Portsmouth, VA. Fog the next morning delays our start, but we eventually make our way to the start of the Great Dismal Swamp Canal, where we encounter our first-ever lock and finish our day crossing the North Carolina state line. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We can't produce quality inspirational content indefinitely without the support of our fans. Please, consider becoming a patron today and help us to create art and spread positive messages about living life to the fullest! https://www.patreon.com/9LIVES Thank you! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Like us on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/DukeAndVirginiaSteel Follow us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/sailing9lives --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Check out a legend in the YouTube Sailing genre, our friend and an inspiration, Captain Rick Moore! http://youtube.com/cstaguy --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ***************** #sailing #sailingchannel #sailingfamily

Drive the entire Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel in less than 60 seconds! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We can't produce quality inspirational content indefinitely without the support of our fans. Please, consider becoming a patron today and help us to create art and spread positive messages about living life to the fullest! https://www.patreon.com/9LIVES Thank you! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Like us on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/DukeAndVirginiaSteel Follow us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/sailing9lives --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Check out a legend in the YouTube Sailing genre, our friend and an inspiration, Captain Rick Moore! http://youtube.com/cstaguy --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ***************** #sailing #sailingchannel #sailingfamily

We made it to Virginia! Still heading south in the Chesapeake Bay, we cross the state line on our sailboat into Virginia as we pass the mouth of the Potomac River. As we make our way further south, we finally encounter our first reasonably warm weather of the trip sailing from New York. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We can't produce quality inspirational content indefinitely without the support of our fans. Please, consider becoming a patron today and help us to create art and spread positive messages about living life to the fullest! https://www.patreon.com/9LIVES Thank you! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Like us on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/DukeAndVirginiaSteel Follow us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/sailing9lives --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Check out a legend in the YouTube Sailing genre, our friend and an inspiration, Captain Rick Moore! http://youtube.com/cstaguy --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ***************** #sailing #sailingchannel #sailingfamily

When decorating an old boat to try to make it more your own, you can't just go down to Walmart to buy new curtains and upholstery. They all have to be custom made. So, Virginia got some sewing lessons from Grandma and then started her first sewing machine projects ever. DIY boat curtains and DIY upholstery! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We can't produce quality inspirational content indefinitely without the support of our fans. Please, consider becoming a patron today and help us to create art and spread positive messages about living life to the fullest! https://www.patreon.com/9LIVES Thank you! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Like us on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/DukeAndVirginiaSteel Follow us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/sailing9lives --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Check out a legend in the YouTube Sailing genre, our friend and an inspiration, Captain Rick Moore! http://youtube.com/cstaguy --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ***************** #sailing #sailingchannel #sailingcouple

Our sailboat, 9 LIVES, came with an old Avon Redcrest hypalon inflatable dinghy from 1983. We have since named it Cloud 9. The dinghy is a very old design. It is not a RIB with a solid fiberglass hull and flat transom, though it does have a wooden floor insert and a small motor mount on the back that can handle up to 2.5 hp. Though outdated and slow, it does have some benefits. It is fairly lightweight, and can be disassembled, deflated, and easily stored in a locker when rolled up. So, we decided to give it a new lease on life. It had one small hole in the front tube, so I cut out a small hypalon patch and used a special UV-inhibited glue from Weaver Adhesives. I used this glue to reattach some of the loose edges of the rub strips and rubber hardware on the boat, as well. To cover up the old registration numbers and names painted on the stern, we prepared the hypalon on the top of the dinghy and then painted it with white Flex Seal! It is good for hypalon, after all, and provides a nice white coating that is waterproof and also provides some UV protection to the most vulnerable parts of the dinghy. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We can't produce quality inspirational content indefinitely without the support of our fans. Please, consider becoming a patron today and help us to create art and spread positive messages about living life to the fullest! https://www.patreon.com/9LIVES Thank you! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Like us on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/DukeAndVirginiaSteel Follow us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/sailing9lives --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Check out a legend in the YouTube Sailing genre, our friend and an inspiration, Captain Rick Moore! http://youtube.com/cstaguy --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Select Audio Tracks: Bad Ideas Distressed by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100488 Artist: http://incompetech.com/ ***************** #sailing #sailingchannel #sailingDIY

9 LIVES came with an old Avon Redcrest inflatable dinghy and a 2.5 hp Yamaha Four Stroke engine. The dinghy is a very old design, and without a solid transom it can only handle a small engine, like the little Yamaha. The engine had been sitting, full of fuel, for years... and so the carburetor was gummed up with residue from bad gas and would not run. So, I quickly disassembled the motor so I could remove the carburetor and clean it out. Now, the engine runs like new! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We can't produce quality inspirational content indefinitely without the support of our fans. Please, consider becoming a patron today and help us to create art and spread positive messages about living life to the fullest! https://www.patreon.com/9LIVES Thank you! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Like us on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/DukeAndVirginiaSteel Follow us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/sailing9lives --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Check out a legend in the YouTube Sailing genre, our friend and an inspiration, Captain Rick Moore! http://youtube.com/cstaguy --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ***************** #sailing #sailingchannel #boatDIY