This is the last trunk restoration CD rescued from the bit bucket. I was not looking to restore any more trunks, but this John Goman Camelback trunk popped up on my radar and was in very good condition for its price so . . . This trunk was made by John Goman. John Goman was a prominent manufacturer in the trunk and bag business during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, primarily operating in New York City. John Goman operated from roughly the 1880s to the early 1900s manufacturing various styles of travel luggage, including steamer trunks, flat-top trunks, and dome-top (camelback) trunks. Despite its expensive brass lock, the shallow camelback, stingy protective wood slats, leather strap enclosure buckles, and canvas covering indicate that this trunk was priced to sell in the competitive New York luggage market. The camelback lid wasn’t just for looks—it kept other trunks from being stacked on top of it in a ship’s hold, protecting it from damage. And like all trunks, they carried a history. What stories could this one tell? Who owned it? Where had it traveled? What treasures once rested inside? Another trunk rescued, another trunk ready to collect new moments in time." Subscribe and share in our adventure! Become part of the conversation on Facebook by liking https://www.facebook.com/SV.MomentsInTime/ As always, please feel free to comment and let us know your thoughts.

We caught Amazon’s rocket launch and then turned in for the night. At first light we were up again, following the sunrise out into the Atlantic—our quiet farewell to Charleston, South Carolina. But the weather window we were counting on began to collapse, forcing us to divert into Beaufort and pick up the ICW. From there, we would finish the final stretch of our voyage home along the inside route. Subscribe and share in our adventure! Become part of the conversation by liking https://www.facebook.com/SV.MomentsInTime/ Feel free to comment and let us know your thoughts.

Another trunk restoration CD rescued from the bit bucket. This trunk restoration was for Toni. She wanted a trunk to store “this and that’s”, so we found another wall trunk that needed to be rescued. Wall trunks were unusual pieces, built by only a handful of craftsmen, each using their own patented hinge system that allowed the trunk to open fully while sitting flat against a wall. Because of those clever mechanisms, they cost more than the average trunk back in their day. This trunk was made by Clinton. The Clinton Wall Trunk Company was based in Clinton, Massachusetts, and was a prominent late 19th-century manufacturer known for patented trunks with special hinges designed to open flat against a wall, maximizing space. Owned by builder Lyman Leighton, the company thrived around the 1880s–1890s, specializing in innovative space-saving storage and travel trunks. The Clinton Wall Trunk Company was one of the most recognized American makers of wall trunks. This trunk was dated circa 1890. While wall trunks were popular for travel, they are highly functional for small apartments or spaces, making them highly sought-after antiques today. This trunk had traveled back in the day with various pings, dents, and scourges in the metal work, which adds to it charm. And like all trunks, they carried a history. What stories could this one tell? Who owned it? Where had it traveled? What treasures once rested inside? Another trunk rescued, another trunk ready to collect new moments in time." Subscribe and share in our adventure! Become part of the conversation on Facebook by liking https://www.facebook.com/SV.MomentsInTime/ As always, please feel free to comment and let us know your thoughts.

We drove back home so Toni could have her surgery and begin recovery, leaving Moments in Time secured in Charleston, SC. But the marina deadline was looming — we had to be out by the end of the month, and suddenly we were down to just four days. We kept a close eye on a developing weather window and, right after the Annapolis Spring Sailboat Show, we flew south to meet the boat. With only a single day to prepare for a coastal passage, we hustled through the checklist — including a trip up the mast to remove the lightning rod so we’d have the option to duck into the ICW if the forecast fell apart. At first light we slipped out of Charleston on the slack tide and spent the day sailing, motor‑sailing, and motoring up the South and North Carolina coast. By the time we rounded Cape Fear, it was clear the weather window wasn’t going to hold. We diverted into Beaufort Inlet and accepted that the rest of the journey to the Chesapeake Bay would have to be via the ICW. No usable offshore window around Cape Lookout or Cape Hatteras was shaping up anytime soon. Subscribe and share in our adventure! Become part of the conversation on Facebook by liking https://www.facebook.com/SV.MomentsInTime/ As always, please feel free to comment and let us know your thoughts.

Another old photo CD rescued from the digital abyss. This one held a trunk restoration Ben and I tackled back in 2003. We had stumbled across a rare wall trunk—one that was clearly begging to be saved. Wall trunks were unusual pieces, built by only a handful of craftsmen, each using their own patented hinge system that allowed the trunk to open fully while sitting flat against a wall. Because of those clever mechanisms, they cost more than the average trunk. And like all trunks, they carried a history. What stories could this one tell? Who owned it? Where had it traveled? What treasures once rested inside? This particular trunk was made by Eggeman, Duguid & Company, a respected late 19th century manufacturer out of Toledo, Ohio. They were known for producing high quality canvas covered steamer trunks, and their signature “wall saver” designs. The company operated from the 1880s into the early 1900s and even offered a lifetime guarantee on their hinge system. This trunk dated circa 1890. Wall trunks are still highly sought after today, so finding one in need of rescuing felt like striking gold. This one had once been covered in green canvas, but over the years it had been painted black—again and again. The canvas was torn and missing in places, far beyond saving. With its flat lid, it had likely spent years at the bottom of cargo stacks in steamship holds, and it showed the scars: stress fractures, cracks, and begging for plenty of repairs. Restoring this trunk was a fun project, and Ben was thrilled with the result. He still treasures it today. Another trunk rescued, another trunk ready to collect new moments in time." Subscribe and share in our adventure! Become part of the conversation on Facebook by liking https://www.facebook.com/SV.MomentsInTime/ As always, please feel free to comment and let us know your thoughts.

Toni’s surgery is now behind her. She’s already had her follow up appointment and some of the stitches removed, with another follow up and the remaining stitches scheduled in three weeks. After attending the Annapolis Spring Sailboat Show, we flew down to Charleston, South Carolina, where Moments in Time had been waiting for us. We had just one day to get her ready for the trip north to the Chesapeake Bay, but the weather windows refused to cooperate. Still, we were determined to make it home before Toni’s next appointment. Subscribe and share in our adventure! Become part of the conversation by liking https://www.facebook.com/SV.MomentsInTime/ Feel free to comment and let us know your thoughts.

I stumbled across an old photo CD I made back in 1999. Since CDs tend to lose their data integrity over time, it took some effort to recover everything—but the memories were worth saving and sharing. A lot of folks still don’t recognize a VW Karmann Ghia when they see one. On the U.S. East Coast, they’re nearly impossible to find anymore; most rusted away long ago. This one came from California, where the dry air helped it survive. Our 1971 Karmann Ghia Convertible had been restored in true California style, so not much of it remained original. It was Admiral Toni’s car, and she loved driving it. The tiny back seat had no seat belts, so we rarely put the kids back there. These cars were a blast to drive. They looked much faster than they actually were, but this one—with its 1500cc upright air cooled engine—would cruise at 70 MPH without breaking a sweat. People often mistook Karmann Ghias for Porsches, but they were actually Italian designed. Karmann was the same company that built the VW Beetle Cabriolet for Volkswagen. These days, she doesn’t get driven much. The car mostly sits in the garage collecting dust. The peaceful country drives in fresh air have been replaced by congested roads and unpredictable drivers. Subscribe and share in our adventure! Become part of the conversation on Facebook by liking https://www.facebook.com/SV.MomentsInTime/ As always, please feel free to comment and let us know your thoughts.

“Moments in Time” is tied up in Charleston, South Carolina. The city looks like a place we could happily get lost in, but with only a single day to explore, we set our sights on the French Quarter. We wandered the market, found a good lunch, strolled the waterfront, and wrapped up the evening with a fine dinner—just enough to know we’d like more time here. But once again, the tide of obligation is running. We need to secure the boat, rent a car, pack up some gear, and make the long drive back to Maryland so Toni can prepare for her surgery. With luck, the procedure and recovery will go smoothly, and we’ll return to Charleston with renewed hope—ready to enjoy what Charleston has to offer before waiting on the next weather window for our next hop north. Subscribe and share in our adventure! Become part of the conversation on Facebook by liking https://www.facebook.com/SV.MomentsInTime/ As always, please feel free to comment and let us know your thoughts.

While flipping through some old photo CDs I made years ago, I realized there were more Moments in Time that needed rescuing before those discs completely gave up the ghost. One of them was a trunk restoration Monica and I tackled back in 2003. We were on the hunt for a Victorian era camelback trunk with a feminine flair, and after enough searching, we finally found one—and promptly rescued it from eBay. The trunk arrived in the kind of condition you’d expect for something that had survived more than 120 years. It had the classic camelback top and an intricate stamped metal poppy pattern that was worth saving. Every trunk carries a history. What stories could this one tell? Who owned it? Where had it traveled? What treasures once rested inside? This wasn’t a bargain bin trunk in its day. It was fully clad in patterned sheet metal and decorated with stamped metal accents. There were no maker’s marks, but its style placed it around 1880. The camelback lid wasn’t just for looks—it kept other trunks from being stacked on top of it in a ship’s hold, protecting it from damage. Even more remarkable, this one still had a salvageable interior tray, which is rare. Restoring each embossed flower back to its original blue on white finish took time—and patience—but eventually the work was done, and Monica had a beautifully revived trunk she still treasures today. Another trunk rescued, another trunk ready to hold new moments in time. Subscribe and share in our adventure! Become part of the conversation on Facebook by liking https://www.facebook.com/SV.MomentsInTime/ As always, please feel free to comment and let us know your thoughts.

We slid into a side tie slip in Coinjock, VA with no reservation, feeling like absolute renegades. Our buddy boat “Winging It” somehow scored a table at the Coinjock Restaurant without a reservation, and we had exactly five minutes to get ourselves seated before the prime rib gods gave our spot away. Visions of that world famous Coinjock prime rib danced in my head like a meaty Broadway number. I leapt onto the dock, ready to sprint to the table like a man who had trained his whole life for this moment. Then—plop—a single raindrop kissed my nose. Back aboard I went to close up the boat. And that’s when it happened. That sound. That awful, soul draining, wallet tightening sound. Everything went quiet. My breath left my body. Somewhere, a seagull screamed. I had left the VHF handset at the helm. In my prime rib panic, I closed the port helm window… directly onto the delicate Cortex tether cord. It didn’t stand a chance. One gentle crunch and the cord gave up on life entirely. No power. No red light. No hope. A $650 mistake, unless… Well… unless I can convince my son to perform electronic surgery, otherwise we donate the remains to an artificial reef. 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 flipping through some old photo CDs I made years ago, I realized there were memories worth preserving—and sharing. Back when Toni and I were working our way through college, we didn’t have two nickels to rub together. Our chariot was a 1962 VW Bug with a 6 volt electrical system, a 25 horsepower engine, and absolutely no heat. We drove it back and forth to class, bundled in blankets, scraping frost from the inside of the windshield, and listening to that little air cooled engine rattle its way through the day. When I started working nights, we “upgraded” to a 1972 Super Beetle with a roaring 60 horsepower. Compared to the old Bug, it felt like a Ferrari. Volkswagens were cheap to run, easy to fix, and somehow full of personality. Once we graduated and landed our first real jobs, we moved on to more practical vehicles—but the Beetle never stopped calling to us. The candle melted onto the one inch dash we used as a defroster, the blankets we wrapped ourselves in for warmth, the rat a tat tat of the air-cooled engine… all of it softened into fond memories, little moments in time. So when a 1979 VW Convertible came up for sale in 1997—triple black, all original, fuel injected—we jumped at it. That car became our putt putt machine for local adventures, evening drives, picnics, and exploring back roads. There’s nothing quite like a Beetle convertible with the top down, the stereo playing, and the world rolling by at its own pace. Another moment in time, captured and kept. We still have this car, I need to replace the fuel pump. Subscribe and share in our adventure! Become part of the conversation on Facebook by liking https://www.facebook.com/SV.MomentsInTime/ As always, please feel free to comment and let us know your thoughts.

Toni’s surgery in Baltimore meant it was time to start making our way north. With no good weather window to run Moments in Time all the way to the Chesapeake in the time we had, we turned our bows toward Charleston, South Carolina—just 160 miles up the Atlantic Coast. We’d spent the winter in Fernandina Beach, an unexpected detour from our original plan, but one that wrapped itself around us. Leaving is bittersweet. We’ve grown to love this town—its restaurants, pubs, parks, beaches, and most of all, its people. We’ll miss the friends we’ve made here. But health comes first. We’ll tackle these challenges head‑on and return ready to continue our adventure south next season. And as we raised our sails, it felt good—right, even—to be underway again. Subscribe and share in our adventure! Become part of the conversation on Facebook by liking https://www.facebook.com/SV.MomentsInTime/ As always, please feel free to comment and let us know your thoughts.

While flipping through some old photo CDs I made years ago, I was reminded of other Moments in Time worth sharing. This is another trunk restoration. Back in day, trunks had a utilitarian purpose, before being relegated to grandma’s attic, to be stuffed with memories for the next generation. This old trunk was purchased from Ebay. It was in very rough shape but I thought the camelback top and the intricate stamped metal made it worth saving. Every trunk carries a history. What stories can they tell? Who owned them? Where did they travel? What treasures did they hold? This trunk was top of the line when built with its camel back top while being completely protected in sheet metal and adorned with stamp metal accoutrements. There were no builder marks but was dated circa 1875. The camelback lid prevented other trunks from being stacked on top of it in a ship’s hold, reducing the risk of damage. This trunk sits in my home office, filled with treasures—another collection of moments in time. Subscribe and share in our adventure! Become part of the conversation on Facebook by liking https://www.facebook.com/SV.MomentsInTime/ As always, please feel free to comment and let us know your thoughts.

I’m always surprised by how many boaters rarely use their onboard grill. The usual excuse is that it’s a hassle to fire up and a chore to clean afterward. Aboard “Moments in Time”, we’ve found the opposite to be true. Here’s how we clean our grill—faster and easier than tackling a sink full of pots and pans. 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/

This is Sandy, our beloved 1979 Bay Window VW Westphalia camper. Sandy was mint in all aspects. She took the family on adventures while Toni and I were in-between boats. We miss Sandy, there are times I regret selling her as the kids grew older. But life moves on. Yes, she had a deadhead sticker on the back window, because that is how we rolled, back when we were young and cool. Another Moment in Time . . . Become part of the conversation on Facebook by liking https://www.facebook.com/SV.MomentsInTime/ As always, please feel free to comment and let us know your thoughts.

We are reluctantly planning turning our bows north again, this time with an actual schedule to keep. Toni has surgery on the horizon, and we’re watching for the next good weather window to open. Until then, we’re savoring these final days in Fernandina Beach — time with Monica and friends, long walks on the sand, and a few last meals at our favorite haunts. We’ve spent the winter here, and it’s bittersweet to say our farewells. Our journey continues, and we invite you to 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.

Toni and I hadn’t planned on making it to the Annapolis Spring Sailboat Show this year, but with the logistics of getting back to Charleston and "Moments in Time", we found ourselves with a free day and decided to go. With the City Dock upgrades underway, the show felt noticeably smaller than in years past, but still worth the stop. We enjoyed a relaxed breakfast, caught up with friends, wandered through a few boats, lingered over lunch, and let ourselves get swept up in the boat show energy. Sometimes you have to become part of the vibe. Subscribe and share in our adventure! Become part of the conversation by liking https://www.facebook.com/SV.MomentsInTime/ Feel free to comment and let us know your thoughts.

We raised two kids, which naturally put a pause on building our next boat or chasing horizons under sail. While we were landlocked, we poured our energy into other projects. Recently, while flipping through some old photo CDs I made years ago, I was reminded of other Moments in Time worth sharing. One of them begins with a trunk. We found this trunk in an old barn. It was never in great shape, but my parents used it for storage until the day they tossed it into a dumpster. I pulled it back out—something about it had always spoken to me—and that rescue became the start of my addiction to restoring old trunks. Every trunk carries a history. What stories could they tell? Who owned them? Where did they travel? What treasures did they hold? This particular trunk was a high-class piece in its day, originally built in Baltimore, Maryland. Camelback trunks were more expensive because the domed top required extra craftsmanship. That curved lid also served a purpose: it prevented other trunks from being stacked on top of it in a ship’s hold, reducing the risk of damage. The ornate metalwork, brass fittings, and leather coverings all point to a trunk made for an upper class traveler. I wanted to bring this circa 1880 Camelback trunk back to the elegance it once carried. What follows is its restoration journey—a collection of moments in time. Subscribe and share in our adventure! Become part of the conversation on Facebook by liking https://www.facebook.com/SV.MomentsInTime/ As always, please feel free to comment and let us know your thoughts.

There is no job on a boat crappier—literally—than working on the heads. Our starboard head has been a thorn in our backside since the day the boat arrived brand new. First it was a leaking black water tank, which had to be replaced under warranty. Then came a mysterious leak somewhere around the toilet itself. Add in chronic backflow issues, and we finally just gave up and used the owner’s head in the port hull. But when the port head went down for maintenance, the starboard head demanded its moment in the spotlight. Marine toilets have a whole cast of characters that can fail, and in this episode the villain was the joker valve—the little rubber gatekeeper that keeps raw sewage from washing back into the bowl after a flush. While replacing it, we also uncovered the source of the leak and fixed that too. What started as a truly crappy day ended with a working head and a smile. Victory never smelled so sweet. 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/

People love to say that sailing is really just doing boat maintenance in exotic places—and they’re not wrong. During a routine engine check, I spotted some gunk in our port Racor filter and knew it had to be cleaned before we head north. Tackling a new maintenance task always brings a bit of anxiety, so I dove into the manuals and a handful of YouTube videos. With the Admiral’s help, I rolled up my sleeves and completed my first Racor replacement on the port engine. The second one went much faster. Once you understand the process, everything becomes easier. Skipping maintenance simply isn’t an option. Our journey continues, and we invite you to 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.