hangin' with the Donald.............from P

What a dichotomy. Two nights ago no-one could have found us. We were anchored in a deep little cut that wound into the marshlands of the NE shoals of the Delaware Bay. Quiet. Lots of stars and a copper half-moon. Now we are on a different planet - yesterday afternoon we pulled into the Trump Marina Casino and Resort in Atlantic City. This is a gargantuan marina full of people who want to party and gamble all night. OK, we can adjust! I would have never guessed a marina could include a full band stage including effects lighting, a skywalk across the road to the super-gaudy casino, shopping mall, swimming pool, multiple high priced restaurants and too much kitsch. It is also the most expensive marina I have ever stayed in; a hotel wouldn't cost as much. We pushed our limit by staying up until midnight - played video poker at Trump's casino, played slots and poker at the Borgata Casino - and finally lost our limit and quit. Yes we blew all $20 in one night. I understand that Jimmy Buffett just closed a deal with the Donald to purchase this Trump Marina complex for around $360MM. The rumor is that Jimmy will renovated it and turn in into a Margaritaville casino. That seals it. We will have to come back here in a year or two and hang with Jimmy.

So far we have sailed 659 nautical miles from our boat slip at home. The sail from Cape May harbor to Atlantic City was exactly 40 miles. What a great day - we were blistering along at 7 knots in the Atlantic Ocean on a NW wind blowing off the beach in the morning, then we had to motor for a couple of hours around lunchtime because the wind died. It shifted to the South and started blowing about 15 knots so we cut the engine and broad reached the rest of the way running 6 to 7 knots again. This place is loaded with dolphin - several pods followed us for a while entertaining with their shennanigans. It was the kind of day that makes you really glad you are living on a boat. Today is laundry day - might as well take advantage of the Trump Laundrymat, the Trump Water Hose Hookup, and the Trump Septic Tank Cleanout! We'll be underway again tomorrow.