On Saint Patrick’s Day 2024, Toni and I climbed aboard "Moments in Time" for the first time—five years of dreaming and preparation finally becoming real. It was a surreal moment. We marked the anniversary today with a quiet celebration.

Fernandina Beach, at the northern tip of Amelia Island, is steeped in history. In many ways, little has changed—but look closely and you’ll notice the quiet passage of time: trees have grown tall and full, roads are now paved, sidewalks line the streets, and modern touches continue to appear. Yet the Victorian architecture of the historic homes remains remarkably intact, looking much as it did more than a century ago. Most of these houses were built between the mid 1800s and early 1900s, and many have been lovingly maintained or restored to their original splendor. They were crafted with pride and attention to detail—qualities rarely seen in today’s housing market. Some of these homes are true works of art. Join us as we wander these streets, admiring the architecture and stepping briefly into a bygone age. Our journey continues, and we invite you to share in the adventure. Subscribe and share the adventure! Become part of the conversation by liking https://www.facebook.com/SV.MomentsInTime/ As always, please feel free to comment and let us know your thoughts.

Sunsets happen every day. It marks the end of the day and the beginning of the night. However, sometimes a spectacular sunset marks the end of a spectacular day, recording a special moment in time. Feel free to comment and let us know your thoughts. Subscribe and share the adventure! Become part of the conversation by liking https://www.facebook.com/SV.MomentsInTime/

While snow and ice storms were wreaking havoc back home in southern Maryland, Fernandina Beach was basking in the 70s. Monica joined us as we drove the short two miles east to the Atlantic side of Amelia Island. Warm air meeting cold seas draped the shoreline in a soft veil of fog. We wandered along the surf in search of treasure—shark’s teeth, unique shells, and perhaps a stray Spanish silver real or gold doubloon from the old treasure fleets. No silver or gold revealed itself, but we did come away with pockets full of shark teeth and a pair of pristine conch shells—a true moment in time. Treasure, after all, lies in the eye of the beholder. And it certainly beats shoveling snow and scraping ice back home. Our journey continues, and we invite you to share in the adventure. Subscribe and share the adventure! Become part of the conversation by liking https://www.facebook.com/SV.MomentsInTime/ As always, please feel free to comment and let us know your thoughts.

We experienced some rough seas on our journey south off the coast of South Carolina. “Moments in Time” was tossed in every direction. At some point, the emergency light attached to the life ring was knocked off the stern. We do not know how long we were dragging it but during the night we noticed the light behind us and realized it had come loose. The plastic clips were spongy and no longer could reliably secure it any longer. We drilled out the pop rivets and bolted stainless steel clips in its place. Another easy and inexpensive fix. Feel free to comment and let us know your thoughts. Subscribe and share the adventure! Become part of the conversation by liking https://www.facebook.com/SV.MomentsInTime/

We left Moments in Time tucked safely in Fernandina Harbor Marina and drove back to Maryland to spend the holidays with family. When the celebrations wrapped up and we returned south, we traded Maryland’s biting low 30s chill for Florida’s welcoming warmth in the high 70s. Monica drove up from Jacksonville to spend the day with us, and together we wandered to the Amelia Island Lighthouse, taking in the sweeping views and the old oaks draped in Spanish moss like nature’s own lacework. From there, we headed to Fort Clinch, exploring its grounds and historic brick corridors before the rising temperatures—now in the 80s—pulled us toward the beach. We ended the afternoon combing the shoreline for shark’s teeth and other small treasures, the kind only the sea decides to share. As the sun slipped below the horizon, painting the sky in soft golds and purples, we made our way back to Moments in Time for the night. It was one of those rare, perfect days—a true moment in time. Our journey continues, and we invite you to share in the adventure. Subscribe and share the adventure! Become part of the conversation by liking https://www.facebook.com/SV.MomentsInTime/ As always, please feel free to comment and let us know your thoughts.

Treasure is always in the eye of the beholder. Whenever I’m walking along a beach, my gaze is constantly sweeping the sand for shark teeth, arrowheads, unusual shells, or—if luck is really on my side—a stray gold doubloon. Even with the beach packed with people, we still managed to uncover a few shark teeth and some small shells. At day’s end, we laid out our finds for comparison. And, well… it appears Skipper Pete claims the prize for both quantity and quality, despite Monica’s spirited protests. What do you think? Feel free to comment and let us know your thoughts. Subscribe and share the adventure! Become part of the conversation by liking https://www.facebook.com/SV.MomentsInTime/

We first visited Monica in 2019, when she introduced us to Fernandina Beach for an afternoon. From the start, it felt like our kind of town. I remember strolling the docks at Oasis Marina—now Fernandina Harbor Marina—and thinking, if I ever sailed south, this would be a place worth lingering. Six years later, here we are, and settling in took no time at all. The town brims with restaurants, cafés, pubs, and saloons, making the hardest decision simply where to eat or drink—a challenge we happily embraced. The marina sits along Front and Centre Streets, right in the heart of the historic district. In this chapter of our journey, we wandered Fernandina Beach, savoring local flavors, enjoying lively pubs, and joining the “Dickens on Centre” festival. Even so, we’ve only skimmed the surface of what this town offers. Leaving will not be easy. Our journey continues, and we invite you to share in the adventure. Subscribe and share in the adventure! Become part of the conversation by liking https://www.facebook.com/SV.MomentsInTime/ As always, please feel free to comment and let us know your thoughts.

We love Fernandina Beach. It is a walking town and we want the exercise. Join us as we take a short stroll through Fenandina Beach. There are no shortage of restaurants, pubs, and saloons to sample. We plan to do our best to try sample as many as we can while we are here. Feel free to comment and let us know your thoughts. Subscribe and share the adventure! Become part of the conversation by liking https://www.facebook.com/SV.MomentsInTime/

The seas favored us as we rounded the last of the three sister capes—Cape Fear. Navigating its crowded waters proved our greatest challenge, threading carefully among the many vessels making their passage. Once clear, we steered south toward Fernandina Beach, while others chose a more westerly course. The sailing was at times exhilarating, at times less forgiving, as the weather strayed from the forecast. Ultimately, we arrived safely and marked the occasion with a well-earned dinner and drinks. Our journey continues, and we invite you to share in the adventure. Subscribe and share in the adventure! Become part of the conversation by liking https://www.facebook.com/SV.MomentsInTime As always, please feel free to comment and let us know your thoughts.

We experienced some rough seas where the winds and waves plowed over the bows for eight hours. We did not escape without damage. This is our repair of our sail locker door piston that was caught by a huge wave that forced it back, breaking the piston coupler. We were lucky, I wish all repairs were like this. Feel free to comment and let us know your thoughts. Subscribe and share the adventure! Become part of the conversation by liking https://www.facebook.com/SV.MomentsInTime/

After clearing Cape Hatteras, we anticipated a peaceful night rounding Cape Lookout. Instead, we were met with a fierce reminder of nature’s unpredictability. The wind turned against us, the waves grew hostile, and the rain erased the stars from the sky. Cape Lookout was anything but welcoming. Shaken and soaked, we made our way to safe harbor in Morehead City. This leg of our journey tested us—join us as we share what unfolded. Subscribe and share in the adventure! Become part of the conversation by liking https://www.facebook.com/SV.MomentsInTime/ As always, please feel free to comment and let us know your thoughts.

From all of us to all of you, We wish everyone a happy and healthy New Years for 2026.

As luck would have it, we managed to time our stay in Fernandina Beach during the annual “Dickins on Centre” festival. The streets were festively lighted, crafts tents lined the walks full of wares, bakeries hawking their sweets, performers at every corner, here a Christmas tree, there a Christmas tree, locals and tourist meandering the streets in Victorian garb, drones lighting up the night sky, and hot cocoa stands everywhere. It did not take long for me to realize that we were stuck in a holiday Hallmark movie with no way out, oh the horror,,, the horror of it all . . . Merry Christmas everyone. Feel free to comment and let us know your thoughts. Subscribe and share the adventure! Become part of the conversation by liking https://www.facebook.com/SV.MomentsInTime/

During the holiday, take the time celebrate the year and remember only the good, take the time to create a Moment in Time that will last forever.

Previously, we held position in the southern Chesapeake Bay, awaiting a break in the weather. In this episode, the window finally arrives. With icy winds at our backs, we depart the bay’s protection and enter the Atlantic Ocean. Three sister capes stand before us—mysterious, merciless, or merciful. Will they welcome us, or test our resolve? Join us as we press southward, chasing warmth and striving for equilibrium with the sea. Subscribe and share in the adventure! Become part of the conversation by liking https://www.facebook.com/SV.MomentsInTime/ As always, please feel free to comment and let us know your thoughts.

The time has come. With the uncertain future of UP Boats, I made the repairs and modifications necessary to splash our UP340, Miss Annemarie, named after my mother from a piece of art commissioned by my father. We properly trimmed the outboard motor and took the UP340 through some initial paces before hoisting her up and securing her aboard “Moments in Time” We are not happy with the build quality of our UP340. It appears that UP Boats, LLC has gone dark and is questionable if they are still in business. Feel free to comment and let us know your thoughts. Subscribe and share the adventure! Become part of the conversation by liking https://www.facebook.com/SV.MomentsInTime/ *** Please Read *** During our dinghy review process, we conducted thorough research—examining manufacturers and speaking with multiple owners to gather their insights. In our videos, we explained why we chose the UP340 from UP Boats, LLC, based in Opa Locka, Florida. It met all our criteria and was proudly made in the USA. Unfortunately, our UP340 arrived 14 months late and already showed visible damage while still on the delivery truck. The damage turned out to be structural, and we immediately reported it to UP Boats, LLC. Despite having shipping insurance and receiving repeated assurances that a replacement would be provided, none ever arrived. As of July 10, 2025, all communication with UP Boats, LLC has ceased. It now appears that UP Boats, LLC is no longer in operation. Numerous complaints and legal actions have been filed by other buyers, indicating we are not alone in this experience. A quick online search for UP Boats reveals a troubling pattern. We will soon be posting videos on this channel detailing the problems we encountered with our damaged UP340 and the steps we had to take to make it marginally seaworthy. In hindsight, the cost savings from purchasing the UP340 do not justify the compromises we faced. We would have been far better off investing in a proven, high-quality Offshore Cruising Tender such as the OCT 350. *** End of Read ***

Toni and I had hoped to hold a boat blessing early on, but the timing never quite worked out. Now, as we prepare for our voyage south, we were fortunate to have Deacon Jim and his wife Ginger—both seasoned sailors—join us to bless "Moments in Time". They even offered a special blessing for our dinghy, "Miss Annemarie", complete with a few extra splashes of holy water across her transom. We are now nearly ready to embark on our odyssey toward lower latitudes and warmer seas.

The sound of flocking geese heading south begin to fill the twilight air, the white glaze of morning dew frosting the grass, the brisk sunset with a single dog barking off in the distance, and the clear star lit skies highlight the moonless cold nights. In the past these were normal events marking that Autumn is now in control. But we have other plans. We need to be heading south. Prior commitments have now given away to a mad rush to stock the boat with supplies and wait for an acceptable weather window to sail south. A weather window presented itself so we untied “Moments in Time” and pointed the hulls into the sunrise and started our odyssey south in search of warmer temperatures, sunsets, and girly drinks. Join us as we begin this adventure. Subscribe and share in the adventure! Become part of the conversation by liking https://www.facebook.com/SV.MomentsInTime/ As always, please feel free to comment and let us know your thoughts.

In mid-November of 2024, a 42-foot catamaran, Qori Inti (Golden Sun) was found capsized 60 miles off the coast of Georgia, the crew Dave and Charlie, both experienced sailors were missing and never found. As “Moments in Time” cross these very waters in very rough conditions, we pay honor to Dave and Charlie with two shots of rum, one shot for the sea and skipper and crew of Quri Inti, and one for “Moments in Time”. The rough seas soon laid down.