Day 276 - Puff the Magic Dragon — Captain Father John

Miles cruised 44, fuel purchased $0, slip fee $150 at the Golden Nugget Casino Marina in Atlantic City, daily high temperature 74°f

On Thursday night we bumped into our Looper pals from Lone Star as we walked to the Lobster House restaurant. They had dinner at Lucky Bones and were bringing ribs back to their boat. Kevin’s first name is Julia but her mother always called her by her middle name, which is Kevin. Her husband is Steve and we chatted him up and he revealed he was with the 1st Cavalry in Vietnam. He called in the air strikes. He said the plane called Puff the Magic Dragon ( C 47 ) lit up the jungle at night with bullets and tracers in a football field size swath using three 7.62 mm miniguns, designated AC-47 “Spooky”.

He also worked with SVA troops ( South Vietnam regular army ). They went on patrol on the same route every night. They never made contact with Charlie (NVA – North Vietnamese Army ). Charlie would shell their fire base once a week but the shells never hit the base.

Kevin and Steve ( Lone Star ) will be at Half Moon Bay around July 4th with us and Moondance too. We have a new herd. Yeah!

The cruise up the Atlantic Ocean from Cape May to Atlantic City started out flat but then started to build as we headed North. The winds were NE at 15 – 20 mph. By the time we arrived off of Atlantic City the waves were 2 -3 feet. We watched a head boat (public fishing boat) come out of the inlet and then turn around and go back in.

We had been having a slight problem with the aft head. No vacuum for the flush. We pumped out and used a plunger and now all is well. Our marina is the Farley State Marina at the Golden Nugget Casino. It started raining while we were pumping out and poured rain as we tied up at our slip.

Farley Marina as it looks on a sunny day.

Bonus photo – don’t forget to put in your stern plug.

We will stay in Atlantic City for two nights and then cruise to Brick, NJ near Barnegat Bay to visit George and Pat Hospodar for two days. Then we will cruise to Staten Island.

Carl (Chef) Wooden – quote of the day.

“Success soon palls. The joyous time is when the breeze first strikes your sails, and the waters rustle under your bows.”

Charles Buxton

”’Charles Buxton”’ (born 18 November 1823 and died 10 August 1871) was an English brewer. philanthropist, writer and member of Parliament.