Elizabeth City

Thursday, May 23, 2013.  We left the dock at the Alligator Marina at 6:30am.  The wind is still howling at 20+ knots.  We are motoring across the waves parallel to the Alligator River Bridge as we head for the channel to take us out to Albemarle Sound.  It is very rolley as we make this short run with 4 foot waves on our beam (coming directly from the side).  Lisa winds up below feeling ill for the rest of the day.  Once in the channel and heading north with the waves and the wind on our stern, it was much more comfortable.  We motorsailed across the sound to Elizabeth City – using the motor to maintain momentum as we surfed the waves. 

The channel leaving the Alligator River shoals frequently and the current channel is different from what the charts and chart plotters indicate.  If you follow the markers, staying close to the green ones, there is plenty of water.  If you follow the charts, you will wind up aground like Tom McGarry.  Coming up the Pasquotank River into Elizabeth City the charts show passing Green#7 to starboard, but if you do that you are aground.  We found that out the hard way.  Luckily we were able to back off.  If traversing this area, stay well north of this marker.

We got rain on and off while crossing the sound and it just stops as we tie u to the free docks in Elizabeth City.  These “docks” are very short finger piers.  You have to climb off the bow to get off the boat.

Tonight was a meet and greet.  The town has official greeters (Rose Buddies) for boaters and if more than five new boats show up, they have a wine and cheese party (beer too) and give out information about the area and give roses to the ladies.  Nice. We met several people and wound up at “Logan Rayes” (a Key West style restaurant) with Paul Herold and Jane Farrel on Aquila (Gulfstar 37).  Nice evening.

29NM 33.5SM today.  Mile Marker     36°17.90’N 076°13.10’W

Friday, May 24, 2013.  We awoke to the wind once again howling this morning.  They are predicting thunderstorms and 25-30 knot winds.  We decide to visit Elizabeth City today.  It rained on and off this morning, finally clearing up in the middle of the afternoon.  I don’t think the wind was as fierce as predicted today – maybe out on the sound it was……..

We had lunch at Sidney’s, very good food – breakfast and lunch only.  We visited some shops, bought the new Dan Brown book “Inferno”, and went to the Albemarle Museum.  It tells the history of this part of the Carolinas and is definitely worth visiting if you are here and have the time.  

Click this link for more info http://www.museumofthealbemarle.com/

This is a pretty town and they are really trying to keep the downtown area vital.  Nice to see.  It is also a very historic area, with markers and plaques everywhere.  Colonial era homes, nice parks, brick streets. 

We had dinner at “Thumpers”, the local watering hole.  Good food and very reasonable.  Local knowledge says get in and get out by 7:30 as the place gets loud and crazy – unless, of course, you are looking for loud and crazy.

Click here for pictures of Elizabeth City

Predictably Lost.  One of the people we met at the meet and greet was Daniel Alvarez.  He has backpacked the long hiking trails in the US (Appalachian Trail - 2000 miles, Pacific Crest – 2650 miles, Continental Divide – 3000 miles, and Hayduke Trail – 800 (very tough) miles).  Now, he has paddled a kayak from the NW Angle of Minnesota (most northern point in the US – except Alaska) to Key West (most southern point in the US).  Now he is paddling back north to Minnesota via the ICW, Hudson River, Erie Canal?????  Fascinating young man.  Here is his website if you want to read more and follow his travels   http://predictablylost.com/

Click here for pictures of Daniel

May 22, 2013 - Barefoot to Alligator River

Saturday, May 18, 2013.  We left the dock at Barefoot Marina in Myrtle Beach at 7:45 this morning.  It was 70 degrees and the sun was shinning and the wind was SW at 5.  Beautiful morning and the tide was with us.  We had no issues until exactly noon, when as we were passing Lockwoods Folly Inlet (what a name!) we touched bottom.  We were on the red buoy side of the channel as Skipper Bob and Active Captain suggest and it was half tide.  Maybe next time we’ll try the center of the channel.  We made Southport, our goal for the day at 2pm and decided to continue on.  We were making good spped all day, but going up the Cape fear River from Southport, we made 8+ knots over the ground with the current and wind helping, as well as the sails.  We hit the end of the flood tide on the Cape Fear River and managed to keep the current with us all the way to Carolina Beach (our second goal) – arriving there at 4pm.  We decided to continue on again (the current still in our favor) and were anchored at Wrightsville Beach at 6pm.  All in all, a very good day on the water!  71 SM, 55 NM today.  Wrightsville Beach 34°12.36’N  077° 48.02’W.  Mile Marker 283.

Sunday, May 19, 2013.  Anchor up at 7am and headed back to the inlet at Shinn Creek.  Partly sunny and 74 degrees.  No wind. For the record, it is 40 minutes from the anchorage to the Wrightsville Beach Bridge, which only opens on the hour.  We made the 8am opening, and in fact had to wait an extra 10 minutes for an ambulance to get across the bridge.

The Honeysuckle is in bloom and the ICW smells like a florist shop.  Nice.  The Osprey are just hatching out here.  In Florida, the chicks are already as big as pigeons, but here, they are brand new, or the mom is still egg sitting.

The ICW here is very wide, but the channel is very narrow.  The water either side of the channel may be a mile wide and a foot deep.

There were eight boats in the anchorage last night, and we saw two head offshore out of the inlet, but where did the rest of them go?

At New River Marina, gasoline is $3.12 and diesel is $3.96.  Cheapest we have seen.

We made all three bridges today (Wrightsville Beach, Figure Eight Island and Surf City) with no delays.

Today, the current was against us all day (making up for yesterday), but the wind picked up from the south in the afternoon  and we made good time motorsailing.  We arrived at Mile Hammock Bay (Camp Lejune, NC) at 2:45pm.  There is one other sailboat here.  By evening 3 other boast have anchored.  The Marines are not around, except for helicopters buzzing us.  39.8NM, 48.5SM today.  Mile Marker 244.5  34° 33.04’ N  077° 19.53’W.

Monday, May 20, 2013.  We had the anchor up and were underway at 8am.  Partly cloudy, no wind, 75 degrees.  It rained and was very wind overnight.  WE made the Onslow Beach Bridge at its 8:30 opening and then through the Camp Lejune Artillery Range successfully. 

The current was against us until the Onslow Beach Bridge and then turned in our favor,  The wind picked up from the SW @ 10-15.  With just the headsail out and the motor idling, we were making 8.8 knots over the ground through Bogue Sound.  We raced through Moorhead City and into Adams Creek.  Believe it or not, we were passed by another sailboat (Autumn Voyager) with Bob and Judy aboard (didn’t get their last name).  They winter in Hilton Head and then head north to Long Island Sound to see grandkids in the summer.

At he entrance to the Neuse River, we saw at least 20 dolphins feeding.

We arrive in Oriental, NC at Oriental Marina at 4:30pm.  We like this place.  It is a marina, a hotel, a bar and a restaurant.  Also, very protected.  The couple in the next slip are from Annapolis.  Dan and Melissa Kenshalo on Slow Dancing.  They are taking another couple with them from here on their (the other couple’s) honeymoon.  They have known them a long time.

Dinner at the Toucan Grill (at the marina).  Very nice.

53NM, 63SM today. Mile Marker 181.5  35°01.48’N  076°41.73’W

Tuesday, May 21, 2013.  Left the dock at 10am after taking care of some business at home.  Nice to be where there was great internet and phone service and they even let us use their fax machine.  We left some mail with them for the US Postal Service as well.  Very helpful folks.

It is partly cloudy and 75.  The wind is SW at 10-15, but there are some very dark clouds on the western horizon.  The wind gives us a nice push and we sail north on the Neuse River to Goose Creek.  As we enter the creek, the showers start and the Coast Guard is on get that far north today, and the storms are movinf northeast away from us, but we are still getting showers.  As we reach the Pamlico River, the skies brighten a bit and the wind shift to the west and dies down to 5-10 knots.

We anchor in Pungo Creek, just west of Bellhaven, NC, at 5pm as the sky starts to clear.  It turns out to be a lovely evening with a cool dry breeze.  40.5NM 45SM today.  Mile Marker 136.5  35° 30.48’N 076° 39.21’N

Wednesday, May 22, 2013.  Anchor up at 8:15am.  There were 5 boats anchored here last night and we are the last one out.  Wind is SW at 15 and it is beautiful.  Sunny and 70.  We make great time to the Alligator-Pungo Canal.  The canal is much cleaner than when we were going south through here.  At that time is was full of debris from Hurricane Sandy.  We did, however “bump” something.  There was 17 feet of water at the time, so it was probably a sunken log or something.

As we enter the Alligator River, the wind has built to 15-20, but is right on our stern and we make great time to the mouth of the river and through the Alligator River Bridge.  We are in the Alligator River Marina and refueled at 4pm.  We will sit here on the face dock out of the wind this evening and then try to cross Albermarle Sound tomorrow morning.

We met some folks from a couple of different boats at dinner at the café here in the marina.  The was Bob Binge (owner of a recently purchased Symbol trawler, Pendragon, in NC) and his paid captain Pete Peterson.  They are taking the boat north to Sandusky, Ohio.  We also met Tom McGarry, who is single-handing an Ericson 38, Ventrail Magh,  north to the Chesapeake.  He ran hard aground at the dog-leg turn from the Alligator River to Albermarle Sound damaging his rudder.  SeaTow rescued him and then ran his boat into the dock here in the marina damaging his pulpit.  Not his best day on the water.  I had a glass of wine with him this evening.  Nice guy.

Dinner in the restaurant was fried seafood.  Fresh and very good.  This is a nice little marina with fuel, dockage, showers, laundry and a store.  The folks are very helpful.  Reminds me a bit of Coinjock.  A good location if you need to hide after a day on the Sound or the Alligator River. Cheap diesel too!

Click here to see the pictures taken this week 20130523 

52SM, 46NM today.  Mile Marker 84.5  35°54.34N  076°01.76’W

We heard from Autumn Borne and they are in Norfolk.  We also heard from Nite Cap and they should be in Deltaville this evening.

May 17, 2013

Wednesday, May 15, 2013.  Today Jeff drove Lisa and I to Boston so we could fly back to the boat, which is at Barefoot Marina in Myrtle Beach, SC.  The flight was uneventful, uninspiring, boring and no fun, but we arrive in Myrtle Beach on time and safe.  We rented a car and headed to the boat.  Afterward, we went to Dinner at T-Bones and ate off the Happy Hour Menu.  Dinner and beers for both of us for $20.  Hard to beat.

This is Bike Week in Myrtle Beach.  One of three they have every year.  Two are in May, one for whites and one for blacks (segregation is alive and well here). A third one is held in October. Not sure what week this is as we see people of all colors and bikes of all kinds.  Strangely enough, most of the restaurants are not full of bikers – although we have been told that the booths selling beer are doing very well.

Click here for some Bike Week images

Click here for more Bike Week info

Thursday, May 16, 2013.  Today is a work day to get the boat ready for the trip to the Chesapeake.  Installed a new raw water filter for the main engine.  The old one cracked, although not sure how.  Changed the main engine oil and checked everything.  Checked over the generator and it and the main engine both started right up.  Filled up on fuel and water. Made grocery lists and did some route planning.  Dinner on board.

Friday, May 17, 2013.  Grocery shopping and other essentials from Walmart.  Stowed everything, changed the raw water filter element for the air conditioners, and returned the rental car.  Dinner at Dirty Don’s at the marina.  Bar food, but good and it was happy hour so another cheap dinner for two.  Tomorrow, we head north to at least Southport, NC.

We talked with four different marinas in the Chesapeake today.  They all pretty much have similar pricing.  It looks like prices have come down in the last 2-3 years compared to what was/is listed for rates on their websites.  Maybe the economy is helping us out in this effort at least.  We are pretty sure we will leave the boat at Oxford, MD for the summer.  We are familiar with the area and have friends there.

Stay tuned for more updates.