River Dunes

Thursday was spent in the River Dunes Marina, a nice, modern, marina where the Neuse River meets Pamlico Bay and a few miles up from Oriental, NC (of which more later today...we are going to borrow a courtesy car later this morning and drive down to tour around)

The Marina complex include a main house, several cottages scattered around, some large vacation homes and a condominium in addition to the marina.

The Marina, with the Main House in hte background

Clubhouse, with marina boats in the foreground

Looking down the docks from near the clubhouse

Priority in her slip

 The plan was to create a vacation community for boaters but I"m told that progress to that end is slow...real estate has been hurt here like everywhere else.
But the quality is high, amenities are good and the staff is very helpful.
One of the amenities that is featured is the steam shower with multiple spray heads  and steam at the push of a button..although I do like the shower on the boat, I have to admit this is nicer.

Fancy Shower, a feature of the marina

The day was spent on small tasks..The only challenging one involved crawling into the chain locker. I had placed a 4"PVC pipe in the chain locker to carry the anchor chain from the hole into which the windlass feeds it to the back of the chain locker where there is more room for it to pile up (Otherwise the pile of chain grows up to the hole and blocks input of further chain).

Looking up at the PVC carrying the chain from the windlass to the back of the anchor locker. It now has a reasonable slope down to the back

Looking at the PVC pipe from the front...The chain has plenty of room to fall

Radeen and Hayden invited us all to a Beef Stew dinner on board their boat...it was wonderful

Friday morning we borrowed the courtesy car and drove about 15 minutes to Oriental. This is a town I've heard much about as a sailing center of the middle atlantic coast and I"d been looking forward to visiting.... I was much disappointed. The "town" is about two blocks long, with a small harbor at its center, a few small shops, a few restaurants (one of which gave us a nice breakfast...but I still don't understand grits) and a few smallish marinas.

The harbor in Oriental, NC

We did feel obligated to visit the local marine supply store and then the West Marine "Express" but didn't spend much...

Then back to River Dunes where we attended to small tasks..Hayden varnished the teak on the front half of his boat, Bob worked on his intermittently failing wind instrument..I went and sat in the hot tub...its a task!

We had dinner in the Marina Restaurant..quite nice

Tomorrow we are off to Beaufort, NC

The Alligator-Pungo River canal and beyond

When we turned in last night it was clear, calm, the stars were out...peaceful. I was looking forward to a quiet night..and it was..till midnight. The wind started  howling, the rain pouring, and lightning danced in the clouds on the horizon. I know all this cause the noise woke me up and I hurried into the cockpit to check. The wind gusted to over 30 knots, but we weren't dragging...I thanked my new 55lb Rochna anchor, and went back to sleep.

We raised anchor the next morning at 7am and went directly into the Alligator-Pungo canal. It is 28 miles long, about 50 yards wide, lined with trees, sawgrass, cattails and such, well protected and no place to stop.
There were a lot of boats heading south, a very few heading north and we passed one good size tug (everyone scooted to the side as it came by

Looking ahead

looking ahead again

Looking back

Looking further back

The tug passing by..I'm giving it a wide berth 

We finally finished the canal and entered the Pungo River. It had been calm in the canal, protected by  the trees, but as soon as we hit the river we were exposed to the wind - 15 - 20, gusting to 25.

For the first 1/2 hour it was on the nose, but then we turned South and it was behind us, off our starboard quarter (to our right and behind) so we hoisted sails (I raised the Staysail, the others raised a reefed jib...they went faster but mine was easier to handle). 

We were moving along down the Pungo River till we came to the Pamlico Sound. By this time the wind had increased to 20-25 knots with gusts to 30. Spray was everywhere. Luckily we crossed it quickly, although I had one mishap.

About half way across I went forward in the cockpit (I was tethered to the Jackline I talked about earlier) to adjust the sail. I thought I had set the autopilot to hold course, but apparently I didn't..when I looked up after adjusting the sail I found we had spun around and I had no idea where I was heading...so I regained control and spun the boat around again, looking for landmarks. I soon recognized where I was and was quickly back on course

We were aiming for Goose Creek which would lead to a canal joining the Pamlico Sound to the Neuse River. The entrance to the Creek is a bit curvy, well marked by shoals to either side, and many calls for help were heard on the radio from boaters who had gone aground. 

Just as I entered the Creek to negotiate the turns the wind gusted to 32 knots and it was challenging to maintain course..but it worked out and I was soon in the Creek and now well protected by the surrounding trees..the wind dropped suddenly to 9 knots...nice!

We sailed for a bit more then dropped the sails as we entered the canal. The canal is short, with its main feature being the Hohucken Bridge 

Looking back at the Hohucken Bridge

Just past the bridge we passed the Mayo Brothers Fish Processing company with some largish fishing boats tied to their docks

fishing boats tied up alongside the Mayo Brothers plant

 After the canal we looked into Bear Creek with the thought of anchoring for the night, but it was not well protected and we decided to push on to the River Dunes Marina, reputed to be one of the nicer Marinas in the area.

We arrived at 5pm (10 hours of sailing since raising anchor) and happily the dock hands had stayed to help us in. We were quickly tied up, connected to electricity and had the heat pumps working..72 degrees is much nicer than 48 degrees!

I am writing this on Thursday morning, because I was just too tired to write it last night.
We are staying here today to rest up and do minor repairs and rest up.

The map of the voyage (to the top and right of the blog) is working great and shows our travels for the past 24 hours by default. when you open the map you can see more of the voyage by choosing the option you'd like

Saililng the Albemarle Sound

Note..this post is being made a day after the fact since there was no internet (or any other) connectivity from our anchorage
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At 8:30 am we cast off from Elizabeth City and motored down the Pasquatank river towards the Albemarle sound. 

One of the few industries in Elizabeth City is a dirigible factory. Now some  of you know of my great interest and fascination with dirigibles, - every since I read John McPhee's tremendous book "the Deltoid Pumpkin Seed", which I encourage all of you to read - and you can imagine my excitement when I saw, rising above the shoreline, a small dirigible..presumably one being tested by the factory because it would float up and then be dragged down as we motored by.

After an hour or so we came to the Sound. The Albemarle sound has a bad reputation among sailors because it can often be difficult to negotiate.. It is a large body of water - 14 miles wide, but very shallow - less than 20 feet at its deepest part, and it only takes a little wind to create fearsome waves.

But today it was excellent and we raised sails, turned off the engines and sailed completely across the sound, carrying on for several hours

Island Spirit (Hayden and Radeen)

Then to the Alligator river, first passing through the Alligator Swing Bridge and then down a broad but calm river which became increasingly narrow and we sailed and then motored on. We stopped near the entrance of the Alligator river-Pungo river canal. The canal is 28 miles long with no place to stop along its course so if you can't finish before sunset you really shouldn't begin..so we anchored. 

We chose Deep Point, a large anchorage just off the ICW with reasonable protection.. only 7 boats were anchored, and 3 were our flotilla. 

Another beautiful sunset, enhanced by Haydon playing a Conch horn as the sun went down...sounds amazingly like a shofar. 

A Cold night, but warm day in Elizabeth City

Last night was seriously cold, with temperatures outside the boat dropping to 43 but with a balmy 51 degrees inside the boat. Happily I was comfortably warm in my sleeping bag...untill of course i had to get up!

We were treated to a beautiful sunrise as can be seen in this series of photos taken as the sun rose that Hayden took and was kind enough to share with me

With the sun up it quickly warmed and I was able to get up and about.

The first thing you see asyou leave the boat is this welcome banner

Which has an interesting history.

It turns out that Elizabeth city that has fallen on hard times. Many of the buildings in the area around the harbor - the downtown, are shuttered and the stores that are open are struggling. In an effort to boost the econommy a former Mayor, Mayor Fearing, had the idea of welcoming cruisers to town. The town created free docks, arranged for volunteerss to be on duty too help with docking, gave visint ladies a rose and had a cocktail reception every evening on a patie adjacent to the docks. The theory was that the vising cruisers, appreciative of the hospitalty, would support the local shops and restaurants. The problem is that cruisers, especiially sailors, tend to be a frugal lot, not quick to part with their money and would rather eat at home...they are not torists, they simply move their home about, more or less following the sun. Just as you mostly eat at home, so do cruisers.

The town keeps the tradition going, but the shops remain closed until someone figures out a way to revitalize what is really a very nice place.

I spent the day in small boat tasks - took the dirty cllothes to a laundry (drop off dirty and pick up clean), then cleaned to contacts on the engine tachometer which had been giving erratic readings, then cleaned the engine water strainer, removing all sorts of weeks and branches that had been sucked in as we passed through the Dismal Swamp.

That took till lunch, after which I read for a while, took a walk around town, joined the cocktail party hosted by the town and went to dinner in a local fish house..nothing at all fancy.

The town is nice, wiith some vicctorian type houses that spoke of an earlier more affluent time, but none of the houses were nearly as nice as Josh and Gretchens, so I quickly lost interest. 

Tomorrow we cross the Albemarle sound and go into the Alligator river. We'll go to an anchorage neear the beginning of the Alligator-Pungo canal - 28 miles and no place to stoo once you enter, so we save that for the next day. We plan to cast off at 8:30, with the expectation of getting to the anchorage at 4:30pm

Dismal Swamp, part 2

We cast off at 9am this morning to catch the first opeining of the Deep Creek bridge (just down riverr from the Deep Creek Lock..the opening of both are coordinated and in fact when the lock tender opens the lock to let the boats out he drives down to the bridge to become the bridge tender and opens it...we had gone through the lock last evening and so got back in sync this morning. 

We travelled through a canal about 50 feet wide and and in some places quite shallow (less than 2 fet under my keel). Its like going through a forest, with trees on either side, sometimes rustling through the shrouds of my boat. .

Looking back down the swamp

Looking ahead

In about 3 hours we came to the second lock (the first raised us up 7 feet, the second, the South Mills Lock would drop us down about 8 feet...basically we were going over the top of a hilll). Its the sme arrangement..a bridge, then the lock.  We got there early and rafted up against a wall at the entrance to the bridge and hung out for about an hour. Then through the open bridge and into the lock. The lock tender was helpful and gave me stern warnings about how to handle the lines...it worked out fine and we were soon on our way again

Island Spirit got a late start out of the lock

But he is catching up

Moondance gaining on me

Island Spirit pulling away ( they just put in a new engine...Hayden and Radeen did it themselve...amazing)

I 

Soon after exiting the lock we were into the Pasquotank river, a wide, pretty river that meanders to Elizabeth city and then on to Albemarle sound. 

We arrived at Elizabeth City at 5pm. Island Spiring and Moondance tied up to the city wall and then I tied up (rafted) to moondancce (there wasnt enough room for me to tie up too the wall. 

We went to dinner at Groupers, a nice restaurnat a block away

The great idea the city had was to encourage cruisers to visit by offering free dockage with the expecttion that they would frequent the local businesses..we did our part!

The view towards Albemarle sound

At the city wall..looking at Island Spiriit

Tomorrow we will layover in Elizabeth city, to rest and wait out southerly winds (whcih makes rough travelling over the sound).

Then off to the Sound and Alligator river on Tuesday.

Tomorrow we tour the city (and maybe do some laundry)

Travelling the Dismal Swamp

We raised anchor at 7:30am, planning on a short, 10 mile trip to portsmouth to tie up at at the Ferry Basin, tour the town and enjoy a nice dinner theater for dinner. 

We passed the Navy yard, being reated with views of some seriously large navy boats (carriers, destroyers, etc.)

And then quickly passed through Hampton Roads and into the Elizabeth River with the Ferry basin a few miles down.

But when we got to the Ferry basin it was full of Classic schooners, big and small. Turns out this was the weekend of the annual classic schooner raise, from Annapolis to Norfolk and back, and they were all resting before their return leg. There were forcasts for big winds tonight and tomorrow morning, so open anchorages didn't make sense. The folk I'm with don't reallly like marinas, so we decided we wouldpush on to the Dismal swamp, aiming for the visitor's center located about half way down. The dismal swamp is one of two routes from Norfolk to the Albemarles sound, one called the Eastern Cut and the other the Dismal Swamp. The Swamp (not sure why it has that name..it isnot actually  a swamp) was opened in 1805 as the first part of what would be the AICW ((Atlantic Intracoastal Water way) and in fact was initially surveyed by George Washington who among others was anxious for a safe route for commerce between the North and the  South. 

The waterway through the Swamp is about 50 feet wide, with a depth of from 8- 10 feet and lots of twists and turns. It is lined by tall grass and lots of trees, and not muchdevelopment..Quite nice actually.

We soon came to the first of two locks - The Deep Creek Lock, which raises the level, and so the boats within it by 7 feet. It only opens at specified times about every two hours and we got there about 1 hour early and so just dropped anchor, right in the middle of the waterway, waiting for the lock to open. 

Going in was a bit intimmidating, as we were surrounded by high walls

Looking back from the bow of my boat to Island spirit (Hayden and Radeens Island Packet.

The lock tenderr, Bob (that's him stanind on top of the lock in the picture just above,  was a friendly sort who gaveme lots of help (have to handle lines at the bow and stern more or less simulltaneously) and informed us that the visitors center ((our goal) was full and suggested a free dock, just beyod the lock, that would be much easier and nicer.

It took 45 minutes between entering the lock, tieing up, waiting ffor the water to fill and raise us seven feet and then the exit doors of the lock to swing open.

We decided to take Bobs advice and it was good. Its a nice dock in a pretty setting (a park actually) and only our three boats were there. 

Looking down the dock at the other two boats

After an afternoon rest and some small repairs (we helped each other by kibbitzing)

we met for dinner on Bob and Nina's boat (its the one in front of me in the photo). Beet salsd, followed by beef tacos and refried beens with nachos chips, a box of wine and a dessert of Famous Amos cookies. did I mention we had wine?

Cruisers live well

All in all a most enjoyable day, even if we had to miss a day in Portsmouth

Tommorow we transit the remainder of the swamp (including one more lock) aiming for Elizabeth City. 

As always, a map of the voyage can be seen by clicking a link at the top of the column to the right.

To the end of the Chesapeake Bay

Awoke to a beautiful day..no clouds,gentle breeze, ready to keep going south. 

Up anchor at 7am, just before sunrinse and the flotilla headed back out to the Bay.

The view from the cockpit as I headed out of Little Bay

A few minutes later, as the sun came out. In both of these, if you look hard, you can see the other two boats of the flotilla leading me out

The wind piped up to 10-14 knots from the west and all salls were raised. After a bit the engine was turned off and I actually sailing, doing ~6.5 knots in12-14 knot winds...not bad!

After a few hours, as we passed the Wolf Trap ligh (see below)

The Jib was furled and the engine came on, and I motor sailed with the main, staysail and the engine doing 2700 rrpm. We had a favorable current and was moving at 7.5 knots over the ground

At 12:20 as I was finishing lunch IAmys Low Sodium Split Pea soup...delicious) as I was passing th e mouth of the York River, I looked up and saw a pod of Dolphins (about 20) doing leaps out of the water long ide my boat in graceful rainbows...by the time I got my iPhone out to catch a picture they were gone...but an amazing sight..take my word for it.

We arrived at Willoughby By in Hampton, just around th bend from the Navy Yard, where they kppe ll the carriers (photos tommorow as I pass by). It's a small protected Bay and should provide protection from the winds expected this evening.

I was greeted by a Pelican on my way in

and anchored next to the two other boats, as seen from a port window in the cabin

This bay is not nearly as pretty as the one last night, but it is about 50 miles closer to Miami!

View to the port side...the flotilla is out the starboard side.

At 5p Hayden and Raydeen hosted a clebration in  honor of our aking it to the Bottomm of the Chesapeake. Bob and Nina from Moondance (the third boat in our Flotilla) picked e up on theri dingy and we went over to Island Spirit (Hayden and Raydeen's boat)

The center piece of the clelbaration was chapagne fro New Mexico (who knew they made champagne in New Mexico) and Salmon on crackers, along with crackers and humous and crudites. 

We toaasted each other and chatted for a while. Bob and Nina are fro Oklahoma, had sailed on a lake and two years ago retired, bought an Island Packet 38 and are full time Liveaboards. Hayden and Radeen are retired High School Teachers from the suburbs of Philadelphia and while they maintain a house in Pennsylvania, are rarely there, spending most of their time cruising from Maine to the Bahama.

Some Photos of the get together

Radeen on the left, Nina on the right, Hayden getting ready to pop the cork

Bob on the left, Radeen on the right

Hayden popping the cork...it was surprisingly good champagne..go figure.

And so back to the boat to make dinner (I barbecued a wonderful steak.

My view from the baarbecue, overlooking the control tower from the navy air station.

By the way, if you haven't noticed, the Map of mmy voyage can be viewed by clicking on the link to the right.