Tuesday, December 12, 2017

Walt Disney was wrong. It’s not a small world after all!

Since August 21, we’ve been traveling on or near the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) from Baltimore to St. Augustine and we are struck by just how massive everything is.


Tanuki travels at twice the speed of walking which is ideal for absorbing scenery, scents and sounds.  When we’re in remote patches of the ICW the panorama feels prehistoric.  Giant reptiles and birds hunt along the shorelines while fish and porpoises splash between the shore and Tanuki. 

Most major American cities are on rivers, lakes, and oceans.  When Tanuki glides through these waterways we see mammoth equipment that’s used to distribute all kinds of goods, from liquefied natural gas to anything that’s delivered with a tractor-trailer truck and even warships that carry scores of fighter jets. 


Visiting smaller and larger cities along the way has revised previous perceptions.  Museum visits have updated our childhood knowledge of the American Revolution, the Civil War and the legacy of slavery, giving us a better understanding of today’s politics.

There are differences, both big and small, from one place to the next.  It might be in the architecture, the way the streets are laid out, or the people and their demeanors. 

Exploring and discovering is great fun, whether it be provisioning at the next grocery store, visiting an estuarium, going to a street party or festival, deciphering the local public transportation system, or enjoying a restaurant. 

Every day brings new delights, challenges and revelations.  It’s hard to get in a rut when water rushes in to erase our path.


“The world is a book, and those who don't travel only read one page.” St. Augustine of Hippo, November 13, 354 to August 28, 430. 

Come read over our shoulders as we visit new or familiar places.  For more than the occasional blog, send a Friend Request to Sandra Pomroy Williams on Facebook.   


See where Tanuki is, anytime by going to MarineTraffic.com and searching for Tanuki. The pictures on our AIS profile are of Carolyn Ann, and perhaps one day we’ll update those too.