Windsong Recovering

Windsong is getting their mast repaired on the go. They met with the insurance adjuster in Belhaven, NC just two days after the accident. They decided to have an Annapolis, MD rigger do the replacement. As it happens this rigger would be in Wrightsville Beach, NC the following weekend visiting relatives and he agreed to remove the mast and take it back to Annapolis. A new mast has already been ordered and when it is ready it will be shipped to a yard in Florida for the installation. So far we have only lost one day due to the accident which is really amazing. We spent the weekend in Wrightsville Beach, rented a car and visited Norms's cousin Bob and his wife Hattie in Ocean Isle, which is about a hour south of Wrightsville Beach. On Sunday they had some friends from work, along with us from both boats over to their house for some Frogmore Stew. We all had a great afternoon and a wonderful meal.

Once called Frogmore Stew, this one-pot wonder was created by a National Guardsman when he needed to cook a meal for 100 soldiers. Richard Gay, who learned the recipe from his family, had everyone remembering his stew. The dish was later named Frogmore, where Richard was from, by the guards who teased him about home. The postal service eliminated the name Frogmore, which changed this popular dish to Lowcountry boil.
This seafood dish is a combination of shrimp, sausage, corn, and potatoes. Great for relaxing trips to the beach, it is also easy to create for a crowd. Lowcountry boil can be served on newspaper for easy clean up. Crab, onion, and butter are frequent additions to the pot, and having a removable drain basket only makes cooking easier. The rule of thumb here is the bigger the crowd, the bigger the pot.

Lowcountry Boil
4 pounds small red potatoes
5 quarts water
1 (3-ounce) bag of crab boil seasoning
4 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning
2 pounds kielbasa or hot smoked link sausage, cut into 1½-inch pieces
6 ears of corn, halved
4 pounds large fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
optional Cocktail sauce
Add potatoes to large pot, then add 5 quarts water and seasonings. Cover pot and heat to a rolling boil; cook 5 minutes. Add sausage and corn, and return to a boil. Cook 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
Add shrimp to stockpot; cook 3 to 4 minutes or until shrimp turn pink. Drain. Serve with cocktail sauce. Serves 12.

We are spending Thanksgiving at a marina on Pawleys Island, SC. The marina is managed by Ron Hamm. Ron and his wife Silvia are now former cruisers. We were introduced to them two years ago by Iain and Jan from Jocks Lodge. They just bought a home on Pawleys Island, finally giving up on cruising. We had a great visit at their new home Wednesday evening. They already had family plans for Thanksgiving, but left us with their car and the keys to their home. Windsong and Ariel have split the preparation of the meal and will have a traditional turkey dinner on board Ariel.