What Happened to the Lady's Island Movie Thrater?

Weather: Mostly sunny and breezy; NE winds @ 15 – 20 gusts to 25 knots; temp range 61 to 77 (cool on the water)

Comment:
Lookout, we slept in again! What’s going on here? Perhaps the frequent anchor checks had something to do with it! Because the anchorage afforded us another opportunity to anchor in swift current, we set the anchor drag alarm and made frequent anchor and position checks.

After breakfast, we pulled up the anchor and were underway at 0900. The flock we have rejoined pulled their anchors about one-half hour after we departed the anchorage. I was asked to give a report about the entrance to Dawho Creek, which is reputed to be “tricky.” There are reports of boats grounding near the IC mark (“110”) and groundings of vessels that give too wide a berth around the mark. Apparently, the depths listed on the charts no longer represent the actual conditions. We rounded about 50 yards from the marks and held 20” feet. Once around the mark, depths dropped to no less than 9.3 feet.

We also heard of problems in negotiating sections of the Ashepoo River, but we saw no evidence of any problems there either. We reported our findings or lack thereof to the “flock.”

Motor-sailing was the order of the day. We had the jib out for several hours. We recorded a personal best of 10.8 mph on “SUNSHINE.” We sustained speeds in excess of 9.3 mph for much of the time the jib was out.

Since we spent an extra day in Charleston, we had planned to forego a stop in Beaufort, even though we had hoped to visit friends. From our previous trip, we also knew that there was a movie theater within walking distance.

On a whim, Anna Marie called the marina to inquire about slip rates. Phone tag and lack of service prevented her from getting the information she requested. When we arrived at Beaufort and the Lady’s Island Swing Bridge, Anna Marie made a last ditch effort to get the information. Surprisingly, she made tentative arrangements for a slip. I was hoping to get through the bridge and anchor further down river, but timing is everything! We had 20 minutes to kill, so we motored toward the marina. As luck would have it, the dock master was on the dock and offered to take our lines. It now looked as though we weren’t going through the bridge after all! We both felt bad that we hadn’t made arrangements to meet friends who live in Beaufort. “At least we’d have the pleasure of seeing a movie,” reasoned Anna Marie. We did that on both the north and southbound legs of our Catboat Adventure. We always like to find a town that has a theater within walking distance. The dock master gave us the bad news, “The movie theater closed down about three months ago.” He also advised that the on site restaurant was closed and would soon be bulldozed to make room for new condominiums. The final straw occurred when he told us that the rates had increased by 50%! Apparently two-thirds of the marina’s slips have been sold as “dockominiums.” He collects the slip fees and pays them directly to the slip owner.

It didn’t take us long to leave the marina. We ended up anchoring a few hundred yards away. Shortly after our hook was set, the “flock” arrived. “Tally HO” invited us and the crews from “Reflection” and “Kallista” to join them for cocktails. Once again we enjoyed a nice “gam.” Just after sunset, we returned to “SUNSHINE” where I tended to the logs (fuel, expense, solar and trip).

Tomorrow, we are all going to anchor in Bull Creek, south of Hilton Head and west of Dafauskie Island. The following day, we all have reservations at Isle of Hope Marina for two nights. We’ll take the opportunity tour and possibly taste Savannah.

The wind has calmed, it is quiet on Factory Creek and even the current seems restrained compared to our last couple of anchorages. We are expecting a quiet night with fewer anchor checks.

A Reunion!

Weather: It’s cool today, the temp range 61 – 68 degrees; winds N 15 – 20 knots.

Comment:
It’s 0800 hours and we are up and ready to go. Anna Marie checked on a pump out (needs 24 hour notice, which they never mentioned yesterday) while I secured the life lines (they were slacked off to make boarding easier while at the dock) and stowed the electric cord.

Anna Marie returned with a dock hand who cast off the bow line while Anna Marie tended to the stern line. We backed out of the fairway as nicely as can be and we headed toward the ICW and the Wappoo Bascule Bridge.

We arrived at the bridge at about 0950 for the 1000 opening. There were two other catamarans behind us, one was a PDQ 36. We were treading water as nice as can be when a tug pushing a barge approached from behind us. Her radioed the bridge to say that he was pushing “an empty red flag.” We graciously allowed the tug to pass as did the other PDQ. The third catamaran chose to lead the tug through the bridge. Once on the other side, the tug radioed the cat to say he’d see him “on the two.” This meant that the tug wanted to pass to the port side of the catamaran. The tug pushed forward and we settled into the “parade of catamarans.”

At 1145, we left the parade and made way to the Ross Marine fuel dock. On the way to the fuel dock, I heard a loud crack from the port engine well. Once stopped, we checked to see that the engine lifting cleat has cracked the fiberglass lip to which it was attached. We also found that the apparatus that locked the motor down to allow it to reverse no longer functioned. Without this lock down, the motor will just “fly up” when power is applied in reverse gear. We’ll have to fix this problem when we get to another dock (probably Thunderbolt Marina or Isle of Hope). We’ll do a temporary repair after we anchor for the day.

Our fuel stop lasted just fifteen minutes. With a full tank of petrol, we back off the fuel dock and headed back to the waterway. The other two cats were long gone and we proceeded alone, or seemingly so, down this winding stretch of the Stono River.

During the day, we were contacted by “Reflection.” It was great to talk to them again. We are headed for the same anchorage as was "Kallista" and "Tally Ho." We had the anchor down by 1430 and tended to some boat maintenance chores. The first order of business was to temporarily rig the motor lifting rope. The next task was to grease the port motor’s reversing lock. Sadly, I had no luck in getting it to function properly. It is still inoperative. I tried to grease the fittings on the motors, but the grease gun wouldn’t fit over the nipples. I had better luck greasing the hydraulic steering ram and even managed to clean the hydraulic hose fittings. "Reflection" arrived at the anchorage shortly after we had the hook down. About an hour later, “Tally Ho” and “Kallista” arrived. We were invited to a reunion of sorts aboard “Kallista,” where we shared stories about our adventures and compared notes for future anchorages, parties and great places to spend some time.

Back on “SUNSHINE,” we had dinner, watched a movie and hit the sack early!

Charlestown, SC

Weather: Partly cloudy; N wind @ 15 to 20 knots; temperature range 64 to 74 degrees.

Comment:
Everyone was up at 0800 and we set out for downtown at 1000 hours.

As we were driving toward the Maritime Area of Charlestown, we happened upon several trailers parked on the shoulder of the street. The RV’s had their “slides” in the open position. That seemed odd because the slide out rooms stuck out into the traffic lane. We also saw some cameras and lighting fixtures. As we reached to front of the RV’s we saw people “milling about,” starring down the sidewalk toward us. Looking to the right, we saw a couple walking hand in hand down the sidewalk. A cameraman was matching the couple stride for stride while staring into the view finder. Our black Saturn Vue was clearly in the background of the shot. Perhaps in a year or two you’ll see us in a “major motion picture!”

We arrived at the Fort Sumter dock to find 20 knot winds that stirred up white caps and a stiff chop in the harbor. It was a bit too rough to take the kids on the boat ride to Fort Sumter. We opted instead for the IMAX Theatre. The plan was to find a place where Rosie could take a nap but Josh could find something interesting to see. The plan was foiled when we saw the sign on the IMAX door that informed us that the theatre is “CLOSED.” If we wanted a ticket refund, we should call the listed number. It seems that the theatre is permanently closed!

Having studied the tourist literature in our possession, we decided to lunch at Magnolia’s on East Bay Avenue. We left the car in the parking garage and opted for the trolley to take us to the restaurant and marketplace. The old restaurant provided causally elegant dining and boasted “the best southern fried chicken” you’ll even eat. Sandi, Matt and I were up for the challenge. Anna Marie chose the southern bar-b-que shoulder of pork sandwichs. They were served on three mini-buns. She reported that it was a tad too spicy for her taste. Sandi, Matt and I gushed over the southern fried chicken. The chicken was moist, fried to a delicate golden brown, with a light bread covering. The sides included mashed potatoes with sausage gravy, creamed corn and collard greens. Besides the chicken, the creamy corn was spectacular, if you can rave about a side dish. It was stripped fresh off the cob and was lightly creamed. The collard greens were steamed and had a slightly spicy taste.

The meal was spectacular. If you are even in Charlestown, Magnolia’s is a must!

After lunch, we strolled in the marketplace and bought a few souvenirs for Josh. We then hoofed it back to the car and made to two mile ride back to the marina. The Foster’s visited for a while, but in no time, it was time to pack up and make the 2 ½ hour ride back to Myrtle Beach. I suppose the next time we see them will be after Christmas. Good-Bye Sandi, Matt, Joshie, and Rosie!

On the Way to Charlestown

Weather: Overcast most of the day; partly cloudy for the last two hours of travel; winds were west less than 10 knots most of the day; temp ranged from a low of 64 to a high of 77 degrees.

Comment:
0710 Engines on… anchor up!

1000 We hear “Tally Ho” on the radio. We met the crew way back in Elizabeth City and bounced down to Oriental with them. We enjoyed “mens’ night” at the “Tiki Bar” with them and the crew of “Kallista,” “Reflection,” and Canvasback Too.” We contacted them to inquire about their trip and their experiences. They are stopping in Charlestown, but not at the city marina. They opted for more opulent accommodations at a marina resort.

Dolphin sightings are daily occurrences and have been for most of the trip since we left Oriental. Today was an exceptionally good day with plenty of dolphins cavorting around us.

On the way, we passed a PDQ 32 “T – CAT” that spent the night in McClellanville; the Buck Hall Campground (part of the Francis Marion National Wildlife Refuge); the Isle of Palms and Goat Island (no cars… you have to get there by boat!), Charleston Light and Fort Sumpter.

We passed through the Ben Sawyer Swing Bridge at the southern end of the Isle of Palms at 1400 and were tied up to an interior face dock at the Charlestown City Marina at 1520 after an uneventful crossing of Charlestown Harbor.

Sandi and family arrived at about 1630 as scheduled. We are

going to experience Charlestown with them and the kids tonight and tomorrow. They’ll be our guests and will spend a couple of nights aboard “SUNSHINE.”

We dinned at the Mud River Bar/Restaurant. Formerly a church complete with huge wood doors and large stained glass windows, the building now is a popular sports bar sporting over a dozen big screen TV. Being Saturday, today is college football day at the Mud River. I didn’t know that so many college games were broadcast… ah… the wonders of satellite TV!

Back at the boat, we concluded the evening with several rounds of the Mexican Train Game before calling it a night.

Dragging Anchor!

Comment:

We arrived at Osprey Marina, just past in Myrtle Beach on October 19. We spent the past few days with daughter Sandi, son-in-law Matt, and grandkids Josh and Rose. It was a great visit. We did a lot of things and played a lot of games with the grandkids.

Now, it's October 26 and time to return to our travels. We’re up at 0645 to say good-bye to Matt and Joshua who are off to work and school respectively. The rest of us, Sandi, Rose, Anna Marie and I, are off to Osprey Marina where we will rejoin “SUNSHINE” to continue our trip south.

We enjoyed breakfast at the marina grill while we watched the weather channel. The weather is questionable for the next several days, and we are debating a “go/no go” decision. The sky is overcast and there are showers in the area. The wind is predicted to be in the 20 to 25 knot range, but it is calm in our protected marina.

We made the decision to “go” at 0930 and at 0935, the engines were running and we quickly slipped our lines. As we were backing out of the slip, we took a photo of a motor vessel bearing the name “Sea Paws,” a name that we would encounter for the next two days, although on a different boat. Our “SUNSHINE” had been known as “Sea Paws” by her previous owners.

We motored down the chocolate milk colored waters of the Waccamaw River. This stretch of the river is a large cypress swamp and the scenery is most picturesque, if you like looking at tree lined banks on both sides. The river is deep with some stumps along its edges.

For a few hours, the tide was foul, but it turned favorable before we reached Georgetown and Winyah Bay. This area is reminiscent of the Intracoastal Waterway stretch of the Cape Fear River that we did a few days ago. As we transited the bay, the winds picked up to 10 knots and then to fifteen knots out of the south. Eventually, the wind reached 20 knots, but the seas along the Intracoastal waterway remained flat with a few ripples. Some “snot” kicked up in Winyah Bay, but it wasn’t a bad passage. While traveling in the bay, we were passed by five boats, two trawlers and three motor yachts. One of the stinkers gave us the worst wake of our trip to date. Our “roll” knocked some things (none were breakable) off the galley counter.

The weather was overcast for the entire day and we had several periods of showers throughout the day. The temperature was comfortable in the low 70’s, the coolest weather we’ve had to date, but the high humidity made it a muggy day.

We had our heavy anchor (33 pound Bruce, 20 feet of chain and 115’ scope for the rode) down in the South Santee River at 1645 hours (mile marker 420 on the waterway). The evening was getting a bit chilly, and we were both a bit tired, so dinner tonight was a can of Hormel Chili with fresh rye bread. The meal wasn’t up to our usual standards, but considering that we were tired and didn’t want to take the time to fix a proper meal.

Our recent sailing adventures have included some TV time. We have a small DVD player on board and have a small library of sailing movies. One of our favorites is the A&E network series, “Horatio Hornblower.” We settled back to watch the episode about the “fire ships.” We’ve seen it several times, but never grow tired of the story. We are intrigued by the formality of speech, among other things.

On this evening, our viewing pleasure was interrupted by a “thud.” We were both up like a shot to find that we were beam to the bow of “Brie Sea,” one of four other sailboats in the anchorage. The admiral of “Brie Sea” was most apologetic about dragging into us. She offered that they had been having difficulty anchoring in areas with strong currents (ED. That’s just about every anchorage in South Carolina and Georgia). She offered that her boat seems to sail around the anchor rode witch is then "captured" by the vessel’s winged keel. I told her not to worry, no damage was done to either boat (not so much as a scratch) and that (horrors!) I believed it was our boat that drifted into them.

I fended off while the captain of “Brie Sea” fired up his engine and backed off. We then back off and tried to raise our anchor. “SUNSHINE” carries an anchor on each bow; one is a 33 pound Bruce with 20 feet of chain and the other a 25 pound CQR with 50 feet of chain. As mentioned earlier, the Bruce, had been deployed. We knew there would be strong currents and an overnight current change, not to mention 20 knots of wind. In conditions like this, we rig a bridle that runs from a point on the anchor rode of the Bruce to the opposite bow. This creates an inverted “V” (when looking from the bow of the boat) and its purpose is to limit the amount of “swing” of the boat.

To get the anchor up, our first order of business was to de-rig the bridle. It and the anchor rode were as tight as a guitar string. It took some boat maneuvering and strength to get enough slack to remove the bridle from the starboard bow cleat. Once this was accomplished, we were able to gain some anchor rode and eventually had the anchor up and secured to roller.

We picked out another spot to anchor and this time we opted for the 25 pound CQR primarily because it has 50’ feet of chain. We reasoned that the rode got caught on one of the stub keels. The change in geometry caused us to drag. We hoped that 50’ of chain might remedy this situation. We let out 130 feet of scope since we had plenty of swinging room.

We had the anchor down and the engines off about an hour after the “thud.” We were both unnerved by the experience. It is the second time in my 20 years of cruising that I’ve had an anchor drag. The last time was in late 1980’s or early 1990’s when daughter Shelley and nephew Chuck, were anchored in New Your Harbor, between Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. Our anchor dragged when the current in the river changed direction.

Recalling this incident, we settled back to finish watching “Hornblower,” but I kept a much closer eye on our position relative to the other boats and the shoreline. I continued hourly observations until the current changed again, after which, I settled in for a “three hour nap.”

During the second half of our “Catboat Adventure (2005 – 2006),” we replaced the rode with 250’ of chain. We never had a problem either with the rode or the chain during the entire trip. We went with chain on “Fodder’s Cat” because she rode a bit high in the bow. The weight of the chain helped keep her nose down.

We opted not to use all chain on the catamaran for two reasons. First, excess weight compromises the performance of a multihull and, secondly, Anna Marie prefers not to hook up a “snubber” to the chain every night.

The modifications we made to the house batteries and engine charging system seem to have been successful. We didn’t need to run the generator this evening and we were able to stay on one battery bank the whole evening.

The Sunset Beach Pontoon Bridge Captain

Weather: We had a mixed bag weather wise. We had periods of bright sun and periods of where the sky was overcast and there were also times when it was partly cloudy. We even had a 45 second rain shower. Winds were out of the SE at 10 to 15 knots.

Comment:
It’s Day 26 of our adventure!

Uh-oh! It’s 0910 hours and we’ve just made contact (unwanted contact) with the bottom! Curses! We tried to back off, go forward and spin around. A combination of backing and spinning allowed us to move and then a blast of power forward and we were back on our way by 0915.

According to the cruising guide, Wrightsville Beach is a must stop. This is our third trip through and the timing hasn’t been right on any of them. Perhaps we get to stop there on the way home in the spring. We can see lots of Tiki Bars and restaurants from the waterway and one branch channel has a plastic palm tree and a tiki umbrella to mark its channel.

Once through the Wrightsville Beach Bridge, we passed the inlet and hit speeds of 8.7 mph with the favorable current. These “pushes” are welcomed, but they are always accompanied by the “brakes” when we get to the other side of the inlet. Of course, sometimes it the opposite, we ride the breaks until we pass an inlet then it’s peddle to the metal.

We reached Snow’s Cut, the canal the joins the waterway with the Cape Fear River ato 1145 hours. We’re making pretty good time. The day has turned cloudy and it is now 81 degrees.

At 1200 hours, we are in the Cape Fear River and the day has turned overcast. Our speed is 6.4 mph and we expect we will slow even more as the river is “flooding.”

We are still on the Cape Fear River at 1315, but are able to unroll the jib and hit speeds of 7.1 mph in the foul current. The jib really drives the boat.

1400 We have just left the Cape Fear River and enter the AIW at Southport, NC. Southport has experienced some condo development since our last visit. We passed a northbound PDQ.

1500 The sun is back, we are making 7.2 mph and hope to make the 1800 opening of the Sunset Beach Pontoon Bridge which is 21 miles from our present location.

1600 We are steaming through Holden Beach, NC. When last we traveled this way, most of the docks were in sorry states of disrepair; apparently they suffered from hurricane damage. All of the damage has been repaired!

1700 It is bright and sunny and we are transiting the Shallotte Inlet. We continue to “smoke” speed wise, traveling at 7.2 mph. Sadly, our GPS indicates that we will get to the Sunset Beach Pontoon Bridge about ten minutes late. We are hurrying as fast as we can, but it looks like we’ll be passing through at 1900 hours in the dark! Neither Anna Marie nor I like that prospect.

1758 We are one mile from the bridge. Anna Marie contacted the bridge captain to inquire about the 1800 opening. He very politely and professionally told us that it was after 1800 hours. It looks like we’ll be treading water until 1900 hours!

1805 The Sunset Beach Bridge Captain radioed us to ask how long it would take for us to get there. We told him a couple of minutes, but the GPS indicated that 7 minutes would be more accurate. This “SAINT” of a bridge captain told us to steam forward and he would get us through! We are ecstatic, grateful and most happy at this turn of events. His generosity will allow us to get to the Calabash Creek anchorage (4 miles past the bridge) in the daylight.

1812 We are passing through the pontoon bridge and thank the bridge captain profusely for his courtesy. Encountering a bridge captain who would open the bridge “off schedule” is a first for us. We hope he doesn’t get fired for his kindness!

1850 The sun is slowly setting in the western sky and we are dropping the hook in the Calabash Creek, just outside the channel used by shrimpers who supply the plethora of seafood restaurants in Calabash. We hope they don’t roll us too badly as they pass in the night.

On the day, we covered 78.2 miles in 12 hours for an average speed of 6.5 mph. We are happy with our progress and the boat’s performance!

On Our Own Again!

Weather: We enjoyed yet another day of 80+ degree weather (actual high was 84) and bright sunshine although we saw some clouds in the afternoon. Winds were 5 – 10 knots out of the east. We were able to motor sail for about an hour.

Comment:
0800 We were conveniently placed on the fuel dock last night, so we were able to roll out of bed and fuel up!

At 0800, we slipped our lines from Dudley’s Marina and were on our merry way. For the first hour we reminisced about having Willis and Lucille join these past few days. We really enjoyed their company! Willis expressed an interest in joining us for a portion of our northbound trip. We would certainly welcome the company!

We followed the rather narrow and relatively straight watery path that is the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. We passed through Camp LeJune and the Onslow Swing Bridge located within the camp’s boundaries and operated, as we understand it, by the U. S. Marine Corps. We also passed through the Surf City, NC swing bridge. We routinely thank the bridge captains for the openings and on this occasion, Anna Marie mentioned that we were from the Surf City New Jersey Yacht Club. The bridge captain offered that he didn’t know there was another Surf City in the world!

We were a bit surprised and very interested to see two north bound trawlers, both of which hailed from Port Aransas, Texas. They are a long way from home… but… why are they headed north?

We ended today’s journey at the Sloop Point Anchorage, just behind the southern portion of Surf City, NC. I had hoped to make Wrightsville Beach, but considering that it was twenty miles distant, we would have been pushing the last remaining light of the day. Being conservative, we dropped the hook in our chosen anchorage at 1454 hours.

We are now traveling in an area where we frequently pass little inlets between the waterway and the Atlantic Ocean. Currents are favorable on one side of the inlet and foul on the other. We found ourselves popping along at 7.6 mph on one side only to hit a wall on the other. Our speed would abruptly slow to 5 mph and sometimes less. Considering all of this, our average speed was a respectable 5.7 mph.

Our early stop allowed us the pleasure of a nap. We also used the time to do a bit of boat maintenance. Being at anchor gives us an opportunity to use the grill (we don’t use it in marinas). It’s grilled steaks tonight!

We are expecting another quiet night on the hook. Winds are predicted to be around five knots. The forecast for tomorrow is good, but a front is coming and by Friday afternoon we are expecting 15 – 20 knots of wind. It shouldn’t be a problem in the protection of the ditch, but if it gets uncomfortable, we’ll pull over and wait it out. The weekend looks good!

We’re planning a long day tomorrow so we can get to Myrtle Beach, which is 90 miles way, for the weekend. We hope to be in Barefoot Landing by Friday evening. We’ll do the Cape Fear tomorrow. In preparation, we watched the movie “Cape Fear” with Robert DiNero and Nick Nolte tonight. Now we’re ready!

Goodbye Lucille & Willis

Weather: Calm and clear, light winds (0 – 5 knots); the water surface was like glass for most of the day. It was a bright, sunny day.

Comment:
0800 Slipped our lines at the Oriental Harbor Marina and proceeded across the Nuese River into Adams Creek, Adams Canal, Newport River, past Beaufort Inlet and into Bogue Sound.

Willis and Lucille did the bulk of the steering today. I had a fine treat… a 1 hour nap on the nets in the bow of the boat. It was great just lounging in the sun with the wind coming up from the tramp – very relaxing! Thanks Willis and Lucille!

We had a relatively quick passage from Oriental to Dudley Marina in Swansboro. We had a favorable current most of the way and hit 8.4 mph for a sustained period of time. As we passed Pretty Marge’s house (Willis' sister), we could see through the field glasses that she and friend Carla were waving and whistling on the pier at the house.

When we arrive at the marina, she was waiting to whisk us away to her house for dinner. And a great dinner it was! The crab cakes, macaroni and cheese and veggies were “out of this world” good! Mmm – mmm! We had a nice visit and even got in a abbreviated game of dominoes (the Mexican Train Game… what else?)! Lucille took Anna Marie to the store for a few items and Pretty Marge graciously gave us the use of her washer and dryer.

We missed granny Roma and can only imagine the wonderful memories the family has of their delightful matriarch. We fell in love with her on our visit two years ago. We will always remember the lamb with mint jelly dinner she fixed especially for us!

We bid Pretty Marge good bye. Willis and Lucille drove us back to the marina where we said our farewells.

On to Oriental, NC

Weather: We continue to be blessed with outstanding weather. Sunrise was spectacular. We awoke to a calm morning with a temperature of 66 degrees and nary a cloud in the sky.

Comment:
0750 Generator is on!
0810 Engines on!
0815 Anchor up and underway!
0850 Motor sailing
0925 Roll up the jib, Willis.

Another glorious day! We had breakfast on the fly today. Willis, Lucille and I shared watch and steering duties today. The boat handled well and when we arrived at the Nuese River, we unrolled the jib and hit 8.2 mph. The boat took off like a freight train and after a couple of hours we caught up with "Reflection," the Marine Trader Trawler that we have been traveling with since Elizabeth City.

We decided to take a dock at the Oriental Harbor Marina, compliments of Willis and Lucille. After tying up and checking things out in the marina, we walked a couple of blocks to town. We met the crew from “Kallista,” “Canvasback Too,” “Reflection,” and “Tally Ho” and had drinks and meatballs at the Tiki Bar. It was mens’ night at the Tiki and the barbeque meatballs were free for the taking.

We bid farewell to the crews we have been traveling with as we will be leaving tomorrow and they are spending the day in Oriental. We will surely see them again as we travel down the waterway.

We saw several pods of dolphin along the way and found another PDQ for sale in our marina.

While motor sailing on the Neuse River, I heard the S/V Piccolo being hailed over the radio. We knew a "Piccolo" that sailed out of Cedar Creek on Barnegat Bay. Knowing that "Piccolo" retired to New Bern, I hailed "Piccolo" and inquired about the possibility that it was the same "Piccolo" As luck would have it, it was old friends and sailing associates, Bill and Olwen Jarvis!! They were most happy to hear from us and invited us to meet them in New Bern in four days as they were on an outing with their Fairfield Harbor Yacht Club friends.

Tthat won't work this time as we need to be in Emerald Island in a couple of days.

Crew Aboard!

Weather: Cool – low 57 degrees, high 77 degrees; NW @ 5-10 knots; flat seas; clear and bright sunshine all day.

Comment:
0700 We’re up and it’s a cool 57 degrees! We are enjoying an cup of joe and a beautiful sunrise in our calm anchorage.
0710 The generator is on!
0800 Fire up and haul anchor. We’re headed for the Aligator-Pungo Canal which connects the Alligator River with the Pungo River.

There are no winds to speak of and the ride in the canal is relatively quick and very smooth. Between the canal and yesterday’s trip trough the Alligator River, one gets an overwhelming sense of wilderness. On the river, the only sign of life is a couple of fishing shacks that look as though they have seen better days.

The canal banks are lined with trees, bushes and grasses, with no sign of human habitation. About three-quarters of the way through the canal, one’s senses are accosted by a fixed bridge that carries a two lane highway across the canal. Aside from the fact that the bridge reminds you that there may be civilization in these parts, one wonders why a bridge and highway would be needed in this wilderness. From the water, there is no sense that a Super WalMart might be only miles away!

1200 The Pungo River is just ahead of our bows. We are reminded to look for the missing green “15.” A couple of weeks ago, the mark, situated on a big steel pole, was somehow pushed underwater, unbeknownst to a passing fifty foot motor yacht. The motor yacht hit the submerged piling which ripped its bottom out. It sank in less than one minute. All hands were rescued, but what a day for the captain and crew! The mark has since been replaced.

Anna Marie made contact with Willis and Lucille who are joining us for a couple of days. Our plan is to pull in to River Forest Marina for fuel, water and a pump out. With any luck, Willis and Lucille will be there while we are taking care of business.

The plan worked beautifully. Willis and Lucille arrived as we were finishing up. They and “chauffeur” Pretty Marge, were welcomed aboard and invited to look around while we settled the bill in the office. After a one hour stop, we were off to the Slade Creek Anchorage, some 6 miles away. We’ll rejoin our companions from Elizabeth City.

Once the hook was down, we hosted a happy hour aboard “SUNSHINE.” Everyone “loved” the boat and marveled at the amount of space. Once again, we enjoyed a gam. Our company left when an unknown alarm emanating from the raft, was heard.

We enjoyed Lucille’s “Hard Rock Pulled Pork” sandwiches for dinner. They were scrumptious! After clean up and story telling, we played the Mexican Train Game. Willis and I were the low scorers while Anna Marie and Lucile had “a ton of points.” We hit the sack at about 2230 hours.

Goodbye Elizabeth City!

Weather: Departure temperature was 57 degrees. It warmed up to 77 degrees by the mid afternoon. The sky was mostly sunny with a 5 – 10 knot breeze from the NW. The breeze was shifty in the afternoon and eventually turned SE. This was another glorious day!

Comment:
Reveille was at 0600! The entire fishing fleet (150 bass boats - remember the fishing contest?) drifting in the harbor on a clear dark morning. The temperature was 54 degrees, and the strains of our national anthem could be heard from the boat ramp. All the fishermen stood in their boats; hats removed, and listened respectfully as a young lady sang. The running lights of 150 boats made an incredible scene as the lights reflected off the water.

Sunrise was at 0615. At that exact moment, running lights were struck and it was announced that the contest would begin shortly and the wish for good luck was bestowed upon all the fishermen. The starting committee began calling boat numbers from their boat, adorned with a large American flag. As their numbers were called, the serenity of the morning was broken as each boat sped off in search of the perfect spot in which to present a lure to a waiting fish. IT took only seconds for the placid water to become awash in waves from the wake of the boats.

Most if not all of the cruisers at the town dark were leaving today. The weather promised perfect conditions for crossing Albemarle Sound and transiting the Alligator River. The cruisers waited until the last of the fishing boats were on their way before departing the docks.

We traveled down the Pasquotank River in the company of several other vessels, including our new friends, “Kallista” and “Canvasback Too.” The three of us were in the back of the pack, we were motoring at 6.6 mph and enjoying the chilly morning.

We took care around green mark #3 in entrance to the Alligator River and saw good depth throughout our transit. All three of us stopped for fuel at the Alligator River Marina, we went through the Alligator River Swing Bridge together, and anchored in Deep Point with PDQ, “Slow Dance,” Marine Trader Trawler “Reflections” (Ray and Pat) and another boat whose crew we haven’t yet met.

This was a 9 hour day, but it was easy driving!

After making the boat shipshape, we launched the dinghy and visited everyone aboard “Reflections.” Just at the time of launch, the wind picked up… for about fifteen minutes, just long enough to make it a wet dinghy ride. Anna Marie claimed that she was soaked, while I had was dry as toast.

Once aboard, we had a great time swapping stories with everyone. We really enjoy the camaraderie of the cruising community! After a few hours, we motored back to our boat for a restful evening.

Elizaberh City

Weather: It turned cool last night. The temperature reached 59 degrees and it was our first night sleeping with a blanket. Winds were NW @ about 15 knots and we had bright sun all day. The high temperature reached the middle 70’s. The wind is blowing the water down river to Albemarle Sound. We’re about a foot lower from the bulkhead then when we arrived. It’s the perfect wind for being tied up here as it blows the boat off the dock. The fenders are deployed but have nothing to bump up against, at least until the wind changes direction.

Comment:
Today was boat maintenance day! We applied the name and hailing port decals to the transom, changed the oil and painted the captain’s pedestal.

PDQ 36, “Slow Dance” arrived at noon after being locked through South Mills lock at 0900 hours. We were given a tour by owners Captain Bob and Jan. We reciprocated by giving them a tour of “Sunshine.” Bob commented the “Perhaps Love” (he saw our photo of two dolphins with the words to the song superimposed on the photo) was their song. They both liked the idea. We pointed out our “SUNSHINE” photo. The lyrics to “Sunshine” by John Denver are superimposed over the sunset photo we took while anchored at Lignumvitae Key while aboard “Fodder’s Cat” in 2006. The photo was taken seconds prior to our witnessing the green flash.

Once again, we shared dinner, this time at the Prime Steak Buffet, with Larry and Fran (“Kallista”) and Dave (“Canvasback Too”) and we shared stories and had some laughs with these nice folks.


We are all leaving tomorrow at around 0700. Our plan is to make the Deep Point anchorage, after stopping for fuel at the Alligator River Marina. Larry and Fran have the same plan. Dave may go the 50 or so miles, but he might also peel off at a closer anchorage, depending on how the day goes. Stopping earlier seems to be everybody’s “Plan B.”

Camaraderie, an Original Rose Buddy and Dinner and a Movie!

Weather: The day starts cloudy, but cleared to a nice sunny day until it became partly cloudy in the evening. The temperature was cooler (77 Degrees) and the winds were NW @ 15+ knots.

Comment:
Hello Houston, we have a problem! While enjoying fresh cantaloupe for breakfast, we heard strange noises emanating from the water pump that feeds raw water to cool the refrigerator. We also noticed that the usual “waterfall” sound from the discharge water being returned to the river was absent. Every vessel in the harbor, including two new arrivals today, that transited the Dismal Swamp has had problems with duck week in their cooling systems. We were spared that inconvenience, but reasoned that our refrig cooling pump might be clogged with the weed. We immediately sprang into action. I tested the thru-hull and the intake hose. Everything was A-OK there. I then checked the pump to find a minute amount of water getting through. We removed the pump and disassembled it to find what we expected… The output orifice was completely clogged with the unmistakable duck weed. After cleaning, reassembling and reinstalling the unit, we were back in business. The whole affair took a bit longer than a hour.

Our next task was to walk to a marina to buy parts and supplies for an oil change and other routine engine maintenance. Causeway Marina was a little over a mile distant from our slip but did not have all of the parts we were hoping to secure. They did have enough parts to allow us to do the most important of the tasks. We’ll look for other supplies along the way.

After a nice lunch, we were back on the dock for another gam with our cruising comrades. This is an especially friendly bunch and we talked about experiences and expectations in addition to welcoming the new comers.

Fred Fearing, one of the original Rose Buddies drove up in his golf cart and invited us to his house for a wine and cheese party. Fred was a founder of the Rose Buddy tradition in 1983 when he was 70 years old. Except for a recent cold which had him apologize for not hosting a party yesterday, he is still going strong at 94! (Fred passed away a few days later. ED)

Following the party, we enjoyed our own Elizabeth City tradition, “Dinner and a Movie” at the Carolina Theater. We were accompanied by Larry and Fran (“Kallista”) and Dave (“Canvasback II”). The dinner (Smithfield NC Barbeque Pork Sandwich) was very good and the movie, “Heartbreak Kid” starring Ben Stiller was enjoyable. During dinner, Larry, Fran and Dave regaled us with stories about their informal “Frog Mortar Yacht Club.” It sounds like a fun group. We matched them with stories about our own Surf City Yacht Club and invited them to be our guests whenever they visit LBI!

Rain & Duck Weed

Weather: What’s this wet stuff coming down from the sky? Accompanied by thunder and lightening, the early morning shower (0600) lasted about 10 minutes. The wind accompanying the storm could be heard in the tree tops but the boat didn’t rock and there wasn’t a ripple on the water. High temp was 85 degrees. The wind was not a factor in the canal or the upper reaches of the Pasquotank River.

Comment:
0700 Rise and shine! It is overcast and there is a haze over the canal but it looks like a good day to finish the swamp. The portion of the canal from the Visitors’ Center to the south Mills Bascule Bridge and Lock is covered from bank to bank with duck weed. We have been elected to lead our fellow mariners down the green carpet that stretches out in front of us. As we did yesterday, we bumped a few submerged logs, but no stumps thankfully.

0830 We are about ½ hour early for the 0900 scheduled opening of the South Mills Bascule Bridge which is no more than 1,000 feet before the lock when headed south. Anna Marie and I tied “SUNSHINE” to the fenders by the bridge and were hailed by the crew of “Kallista” who asked if they could raft with us as their cooling water intake was clogged with duck weed. As we were tying them alongside, the bridge began to rise! Larry, “Kallista’s” skipper was up to his elbow in duck weed and couldn’t stop clearing it from his strainer and seacock, so besides the bow and stern line, we ran a spring line and side towed him past the bridge. Just before entering the lock, his repairs were completed and we cast off “Kallista” and tied to the starboard side of the lock.

Through the course of the morning, “Wind Borne” had to drop the hook to clear the duck weed from his cooling system and a short time later, “Kallsita” had to make another stop to clear his strainer of the now dreaded duck weed.

A few miles south of the lock saw the end of the duck week and we motored in the dark tea colored waters of the Pasquotank River. We are in an old Cypress Swamp and on one of the most scenic sections of the intracoastal water. In a few weeks, we will pass through an even larger cypress swamp while transiting the Waccomaw River just south of Myrtle Beach, SC.

After tying up at the Elizabeth City Town Docks, we enjoyed another gam with the cruisers we met at the visitors’ center plus the crew from four or five other boats that were tied up at the docks.

Anna Marie and I took a short walk about town and perused the book store and the hardware store. As usual, the shop owners were very nice people and very accommodating. The people of Elizabeth City, the “Harbor of Hospitality,” obviously take great pride in being hospitable.
Larry, Fran (“Kallista”) and Dave (“Canvasback Too”) joined us for dinner at a local seafood dive. It was a clean, low key restaurant and fresh fish market. The food was reasonable and delicious!

The Great Dismal Swamp - Part I

Weather: Holy cow is it hot! Temp reached 97 degrees; it was calm the whole day with perhaps a wisp of a breeze on occasion; bright and sunny, even in the Dismal Swamp.

Comment:
0730 We spent another in what is becoming a long string of quiet nights at anchor. Now, we’re up and roaring to go!
0850 Anchor up and we’re underway!

The S/V SUNSHINE motored back out the Lafayette River to the Elizabeth River. The Norfolk, Portsmouth, Hampton Roads, and Newport News area seems like all one harbor with ships, tugs, barges and a zillion other type of boats moving in all directions. There are a multitude of channels from which to chose, many seem to lead one container dock or another.

To starboard, there are about a dozen cruisers anchored at Hospital Point (one is "Tally Ho") and the “0” mile marker buoy. To port, we are passing the Waterside Marina and the Nauticus Museum. Two tall ships are docked near the marina and another sailboat is on the move. She is “Shamrock,” a Cabo Rico Pilothouse sailboat hailing from Jersey City. We followed her through the Jordan Lift Bridge and the Gilmerton Bascule Bridge, not to mention a couple of Railroad bridges. RR Bridge 7, held train traffic so a tug/barge could clear it and the adjacent Gilmerton Bridge. Both bridges allowed us through before closing.

We parted ways with Shamrock a few minutes later. She proceeded to the Virginia Cut Route and we turned to starboard for the Dismal Swamp Route. There are two locks in the Great Dismal Swamp and they are operating on a limited (two times per day (0900 & 1500) as opposed to the normal four times a day) schedule because the water in Lake Drummond, the feeder lake to the canal, is low on water. We have heard that if the lake water drops another two inches, the canal will be closed. Some people have estimated that without rain, it will take a week to ten days for the water level to drop the two inches that will cause this waterway route to close (Note: the waterway was closed at the end of October and didn't reopen until late winter/early spring).

1145 It’s anchor down just outside the Deep Creek Lock. We won’t be locked through until 1500, se we have some time to kill. We’ve become pretty good at that!
1400 It’s time to prepare for the locks. Anna Marie inflated our two super fenders and we tied them and two other big fenders to the starboard side. Fore and aft lock lines were put in place and we were ready to go, but we had another forty-five minutes to kill - just enough time for a nap.
1440 “Hey, wake up down there!” said the Lockmaster in a booming voice. We were startled into action as was the crew of “Think Snow,” a Morgan Out Island 28 that was to be locked through with us.
1500 The back doors clang shut and “SUNSHINE” finds herself in the bottom of a giant bathtub. In ten minutes, the tub was filled with water and we were floating seven feet above sea level.
1515 We motor out the front doors of the giant bathtub and find ourselves in the fascinating world of the Great Dismal Swamp. On this day, with hot temps and bright sun, it’s not so dismal.

It’s a hot humid ride in the swamp today! We motored along at 5.5 mph and enjoyed the sights and what sounds we could hear above the hum of the motors. During the course of our “motor boat” ride to the North Carolina Visitor Center, we bumped submerged “stuff” on at least four occasions. It ‘s not a good feeling to hear an unexpected thump against the underwater part of the hull!

We made it to our destination in one piece and with no water in the bilges. There are four boats tied up along the face dock, so we have to raft up with one. Captain Dave of “Canvasback Too,” an O’Day 37 Center Cockpit, took our lines. Captain Dave and Larry and Fran aboard “Kallista,” a Catalina 28, are traveling together, making the trip south for the first time.

We also met Mack and Pat aboard “Wind Borne.” They 've been living aboard for six years. They reported that they love the Bahamas and have wintered there for four consecutive years, but not this year. They plan to “bounce” around Florida this winter.

The other boat, “Think Snow,” from Erie, PA, had a crew of two older gentlemen. This was the end of the trip for one. He was being replaced by the other’s spouse. Both husband and wife appear to be in the mid seventies!

We had a nice Gam on the docks of the visitor center. When we finally checked the time, it was 2100 hours! All I can say it that sailors have some great stories!

Back aboard “SUNSHINE,” I tended to the logs before hitting the sack!

After another full day on the water, we should sleep soundly tonight!

The Southern Chesapeake

Weather: Overcast and hazy in the morning; mostly sunny in the afternoon and into the evening; hazy on all horizons; SE@5-10 knots; seas = 1;’ high temp = 81 degrees

Comment:
We woke up and immediately attended to our chores. We’re hauling anchor today, so we have to stow the dinghy and the dinghy motor, the barbeque grill and the generator. After a morning juice, it’s up anchor!

0900 The anchor is up and we have motored a few hundred yards to the Deltaville Marina fuel dock for some gasoline and a pump out. The motors are burning about ¾ gallon of gas per hour - not bad, we thinks!

We are going to Norfolk today. More specifically, the Lafayette River, where we anchored both coming and going in “Fodder’s Cat” back in 2005/06. We recall it being a quiet anchorage with sufficient depth (for us!) and not too far from the waterway and much more protected than Hospital point.

FYI, once underway, our typical routine includes hourly recordings of our position, miles traveled, battery condition, and speed. The chart plotter has been very reliable, so we don’t plot our hourly position on the paper charts anymore, however, if necessary, we most certainly could.

The southern Chesapeake is wide open and there are hours when no shorelines are in sight. When one gets below Cape Charles, there is no shoreline to the east. The only object to see is the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, but that is low to the water and far enough away that we have never seen it by boat.

As you might imagine, Norfolk Harbor is exciting to navigate and interesting to see. There are ships and tugs of all sorts and sizes, not to mention pleasure boats. We always hug the appropriate side of the channel to keep clear of the larger vessels. We were passed by one particularly notable ship, the US Coast Cutter “Block Island.” She was returning from sea to her base in Portsmouth. The USCG cutter “Campbell” announced via radio that she was outbound but we didn’t see her.

Being a holiday, there were plenty of pleasure craft out with their owners enjoying the beautiful day.

1740 The mud hook is down and we’re lying at anchor in the Lafayette River, Norfolk, VA (Chesapeake waterway mm 203.4). We’ll enjoy a quiet night at anchor and have a leisurely departure tomorrow.

We’ll reach mm "0" of the AIW, the official beginning of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. Our later than normal start is prompted by the Jordan lift bridge which is closed to marine traffic during rush hour(s) 0630 to 0830. Another factor is the revised lock schedule on the Great Dismal Swamp Canal. Because of low water in the canal, the lock only operates two times per day (0900 and 1500). There’s no way we can be there in time to lock through at 0900, so we’ll go for the 1500 passage. Our other option is the Virginia Cut which passes through Coinjock but the admiral prefers to re-experience the Dismal Swamp! So, that’s what we’ll do, because a happy admiral in better than the alternative!

A Second Day in Deltaville

Weather: Another picture perfect day in paradise! Calm anchorage, light winds and brilliant sunshine!

Comment:
This morning, we find ourselves working on our logs and researching information about 12-volt electrical systems. Not that we’re having trouble with ours, we just need to know more about them. We wonder how much time we need to run the generator (a couple of hours every day? Four hours every other day? etc.).

While on a dinghy ride, we found a PDQ 36 “ALGOMA” tucked away in a little corner of a branch of the harbor. She is for sale with Annapolis Yacht sails. We checked their literature to find the she is sold (not that we are in the market, we having a great time with “SUNSHINE.”

We took a walk around the marina. There are lots of people working on their boats. We met a couple who drove down from Canada. They stopped at the Annapolis Boat Show (they reported that they only spent $1,000), stayed in a hotel for the night and drove the rest of the way to their boat which is on the hard right here is this marina. They figure it will take a week to get her ready for launching and then they’ll be off to the islands. They will leave their car in the marina for their return in the spring.

Anna Marie talked to the captain of “Monday Morning” who remembered her after she reminded him of the laundry room saga. The story from the 10/20/05 Nautical Notes is reprinted here for your reference:

After noting that people take inordinately long times to do their laundry, and after not being able to get a turn, Anna Marie awoke bright and early one day, determined to get her chance at the machines. She waited for a little over an hour and was finally able to start her chores at about 0900.

Lest you think I was twiddling my thumbs while she was working, ret assured that I was doing “manly” chores on the boat (i.e. checking the oil, sanding the teak, etc.) I will allow that my chores were nothing compared to Anna Marie’s laundry detail. At about 1100, thinking she would be almost complete, I went to check on her. There she was, in the laundry room holding court with 6 other people who were waiting in line to use the machines. The marina has one washing machine and one dryer. It takes about 30 minutes to wash a load and an hour to dry it. Considering that Anna Marie had to wait to use the machines and that she had 4 loads of wash, she was going to be there for a long time. In the final analysis, she spent six hours at the marina’s laundry facility that day.

Now, one would think that the other 6 people in line would leave and come back at a later time, but it seems that everyone knows it takes a long time to do the laundry and no one was anxious to give up a place in line.

One might also think that the “waiters” might become surly and unruly. This did not happen either, although there were many comments about the “washer woman” for the next week. People would run for the laundry if the saw Anna Marie walking on the docks.

Anna Marie met many people that day at the laundry. Most (if not all) are serious, heavy duty cruisers with lots of experience. She was folding the underwear and socks and putting them in the zip-loc bags we use. Some of the guys tried to poke a little fun but she told her system allowed easy access to daily clothes without the need to root through lockers trying to find each item. One guy was so impressed, that he not only commented on her creativity, but asked her if she had a sister!

After sharing stories and itineraries, one couple invited us to meet with them so they could share way points and special features about the west coast of Florida,
just in case we decide to do the Okeechobee Waterway.

This story continued (and will be maintained through the entire trip most likely). While in Elizabeth City, Anna Marie recognized one of the “patient laundry guys.” He was the captain of “S/V Monday Morning.” She shouted to him as he bicycled past us as we waited in line for the dinner in the movie theater. He stopped, took a second to gather his thoughts and loudly blurted, “You! …Do you know where the laundry is in Elizabeth City?”

The captain and his crew left Elizabeth City with us. They soon passed us and we lost them in the Alligator – Pungo Canal. The last time we saw them we were biking along the Jekyll Island waterway while they were motoring past.

I don’t think Anna Marie has ever had as much fun in the laundry room before or since that day!

Lay Day in Deltaville

Weather: Overcast in the morning gives way to a brilliant, mostly sunny day. E@5-10 knots; only minor ripples in the anchorage

Comment:
We are enjoying a leisurely morning in the cabin/cockpit today. The solar panel and generator are “feeding” our batteries and we are taking care of some business on the computers.

It is 1100 hours and time for a bike ride, our first of the trip. The Deltaville Marina has loaner bikes that we’ll use to ride into town. We intend to get a few groceries and visit the West Marine Store (the small town has two West Marine stores that are located about ¼ mile apart… on the same street… curious?) a lifting harness for the dinghy. As luck would have it, the closer WM does not have the item we’re looking for, but the “far” one does. That’s okay, the grocery store is in the same shopping center.

We are back on the boat at about 1500 hours and ready for a siesta. Life is good when you’re cruising!

Before returning to the cruiser’s lounge at the marina, we took a dinghy ride around the harbor. The motor is running fine, although the gas valve knob is not connected to the valve. When it’s time to run the carburetor dry, I lift the helmet and turn the valve to the off position.

The cruiser’s lounge is empty tonight. The only visitors beside us come in to get a drink from the water cooler and the leave. Anna Marie and I are watching a double header tonight. As it turned out, the Cubs were swept by the D’Backs in the first game and the Phillies were swept by the Rockies in the second game. In between pitches, Anna Marie managed to do the laundry!

We splurged for dinner and had a pizza delivered to the marina ($15.00 including tip!). The Phillies game ended right around 0100. We were two sleepyheads riding back to the mother ship.

Good Night!

On the Way to Deltaville

Weather: Overcast all day (but the solar panel still put out a charge); E@10-12 knots; 1’-2’ seas, lumpy in spots; Temp 77

Comment:
0700 We are up and at ‘em and enjoying a leisurely mini-wheat breakfast and cup o’ joe.
0800 Bring the mud hook on deck and away we go!

0930 From the radio log: There is a report of a small boat on the rocks on the first island of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel! The report was issued by the US Coast Guard, Hampton Roads Sector. They apprently heard about it from a mariner who was relaying the “mayday.” Not being on the scene, the mariner didn’t have any additional information. The lack of information must have frustrated the Coast Guard person who said, “Call me back when you have more information!” After about a minute, she realized the error of her ways and was back on the radio. After securing the name of the vessel that made the report, she hailed the “vessel in distress.” She was able to make contact and proceeded to rattled through a list of about 50 questions. We learned that there was one person onboard and he was fishing around the first island when his motor stopped. He hit the rocks and began taking on water.

After about 30 minutes, a Coast Guard “Asset” boat was on the scene. They reported back to base that the fuel tank on the “vessel in distress” was empty! The drama ended when “base” asked the “vessel on the scene” to find out if the owner wanted her to send a commercial salvager to the scene. We never heard an answer to the question.

Our destination, Jackson Creek, Deltaville, VA, is only about 16 miles distant (25 if we avoid the shallows – which we hope to do!). We were able to motor sail with the jib for about 2 of the 4.25 hours we were underway. The jib gave us an extra ½ mph in speed.

The entrance to Jackson Creek is most unusual. There is a narrow entrance channel that makes a turn right at the shore line. From the sea, it appears that boats, navigating the channel, are actually on the beach! We were able to negotiate it without any difficulty.

1215 The mud hook is firmly buried in the bottom and we are ready for some shore side activity. The marina across from the anchorage has a nice lounge, complete with TV, loaner bikes, a courtesy car, good, clean hot showers, and the famous laundry room, that was occupied for the better part of a full day by the “Deltaville Washerwoman” (Anna Marie) on our “Catboat Adventure.” For the next couple of days, we expect to make use of all their facilities!

Our first order of business was to walk around the marina. We like to look at the boats on the hard to see where they are from. This marina is a gathering place for mariners doing the ICW, those going to the islands and points further south. In fact one can meet a fair collection of world sailors here. On this day, we spotted boats from as far away as British Columbia, Montana, Washington State, Colorado, and Oregon. We also found two that we remember from our previous trip. They are “Monday, Monday” and “Hannaniah,” both of whom we have fond memories.

We expect that we will do the town tomorrow! Back on the boat, we ran the generator for two hours in the evening and will run it for several more hours tomorrow so we can get a full charge on the batteries.

It's the "EAGLE!"

Weather: Overcast, high humidity (89%) and fog (at it’s worse, ¼ mile visibility) in the AM; E @ 5-10 knots; partly cloudy in the PM and a most beautiful day! To the south, the water color was silver, to the east and north, the water color was a very clear blue. Seas <>



Comment:
0700 Awoke to fog and 89% humidity. It was flat calm and glassy in the anchorage.
0800 Breakfast and boat chores (stow gear, check oil, etc.)
0900 Generator on!
0945 Fire up, hoist the anchor and away we go.

1100 Generator turned off. We motored passed the US Navy target range. There was no activity at the time.

11:55 Two hours south of the Solomons, we spotted the first Pelican of the trip. I really love to watch these birds. Pelican would have been a great boat name. I don’t believe anyone entered it in the contest.

1200 We begin to hear a Coast Guard patrol boat and a Navy range boat hailing boaters near the target range to alter course. The first two boats were directed to head west and travel either north or south about 1 mile off shore. Subsequent to that, vessels were requested to travel east to the shipping lane and continue their journeys when they arrived in the channel. This went on for two hours, when it was announced that the exercise was concluded.

1300 We are at Point No Point and are about to cross the mouth of the Potomac River. Visibility in the fog is about ¼ mile. We kept a sharp eye for traffic, especially shipping traffic going to and from the river and bay. The fog lifted at around 1340 and blue skies were trying to poke through.

1200 The sky has turned a beautiful blue and there are white nimbus clouds along the eastern shore. The afternoon sun is shinning on the water and clouds and the scene is breathtaking!

1300 I’ve spotted a three masted ship off in the distance. It appears to be steaming up bay.

1400 We are able to ascertain that the ship is the US Coast Guard Barque “Eagle.” We diverted course (by 1.3 miles) to get a good look.

1440 Close encounter with the “Eagle.” We got the pictures. There were even cadets on the yardarms! Surprisingly, there were no escort boats.

1500 Back on Course!

1600 Heard the Chincoteague Coast Guard broadcast a report of about a dead Humpback Whale located off our beam, but about 4 miles off shore. It was reported to be 30’ long and sticking above the water by about 7 feet.

1700 Making our approach to the anchorage at Sandy Point on the Great Wicomico River in Reedville, VA.

HISTORY LESSON, HISTORY LESSON!

While making our approach to this evening’s anchorage, we saw three large ships entering the harbor. They appeared to be fishing vessels. Here’s the story (source: Waterway Guide – Mid-Atlantic Edition 2007)

Reedville was named after Elijah Reed, who moved here from Brooklin, Maine, to establish the first Menhaden processing plant in 1873. The town, with many well maintained houses built at the turn of the century, is on the national register of historic places. In years past, the Menhaden fleet prospered in Reedville and you can see the ruins of the Menhaden-processing plants still standing on both sides of Cockrell Creek. A tall factory stack stands alone at the tip of a small peninsula on the red marker side of the channel. The last remaining Menhaden processing plant is on the east side of Cockrell Creek. You can often see the one-hundred foot ships out on the bay seeking schools of fish and out laying their nets.

1730 Anchor down!

This evening, we made some phone calls, enjoyed rosemary and garlic barbeque chicken, corn and a fresh salad for dinner and used the cockpit shower for the first time. We are refreshed and ready for action!

The Solomons!

Weather: Overcast gives way to partly cloudy in the PM; Temp 81; E @5-10 knots; seas <1’

Comment:
0700 We’re awake and moving slowly again!
0730 Out of bed
0745 Adjusted dinghy bridle – The dinghy is going to ride on the davits today (it’s first time and our first time using davits).
0845 Overcast, periods of drizzle and fog forecast for this morning. So far, it’s overcast (ED. NOTE: We never did get drizzle and the fog was off in the distance along shore.) The afternoon turned out partly cloudy with big patches of blue sky. It was warm (81 degrees) and the air was light air).

We met our first cruisers on the dock this AM. It was a couple and a dog aboard “Wings” and brand new Gemini 105 Mc. They’re headed for the Bahamas, but not before stopping at the Solomons tonight (and perhaps a few other stops before jumping off)
.
0900 Motors on and away we go!
0915 It’s up sails and off engines. We’re making 4.5 mph.
1000 We’re sailing @ 2 mph so it’s on engines! We make about 6.5 mph under power.
1200 We both struggled to stay awake since turning on the engines! That means it time for some boat maintenance. I scrubbed the helm area and cockpit while Anna Marie turned her attention toward the starboard side of the boat which still had some tape residue from the window replacement project.

After cleaning a bit, Anna Marie went below to make lunch.

1300 In the past hour, we had lunch and did a little more fiberglass cleaning. While at the helm, I noticed that the wheel would get jammed on occasion. It wasn’t serious, but it wasn’t normal either. It dawned on me that it might be a good idea to pick up some hydraulic fluid for the steering at the next opportunity.

As it turned out, one of the rims for the auto pilot had become dislodged. Once I snapped it back into place, the steering returned to normal.
1400 Temp is a balmy 81 degrees. We’re still purring on our way to the Solomons.

1530 Anchor down in Back Creek almost near the head of the harbor. We used the little anchor again as the winds are predicted to be light.

1600 We’re in the dinghy and headed toward the “Naughty Gull” to watch the Phillies in game 1 of the NL division series (ED NOTE: The Phillies lost 4 – 2 to the Colorado Rockies). This marks the first post season play for the Fightin’s since 1993!

On the way in to the “Gull,” the dinghy stalled out twice. I got it running the first time, but not the second. It was row, row, row your boat all the way to the dinghy dock. Part of the problem is that the on/off fuel switch label is unintelligible. Secondly, I found that the switch itself was defective. The switch did not properly engage the valve. With the valve in the off position, all the cranking in the world wouldn’t start the engine.

For the ride home, I removed the helmet and manually set the valve to open. The motor ran fine the whole way. No rowing this time!

Once we got the motor back on the boat, I reinstalled the switch to valve connection. It’s working, but doesn’t seem very sturdy.

Speaking of the engine, it’s pretty cumbersome to get it on and off the dinghy. We’ll need to get an engine harness or perhaps an little crane to help lift the load and make the operation safer.

On another note, the dinghy seemed to be happy riding on the davits. We didn’t notice and chaffing or other problems. We have it tied down fairly well. There is no front to back motion at all and the only time there was side to side motion occurred when we were rocked by the wake of a passing motor boat.

Tomorrow, we may try to make Deltaville, VA.

The evening provided a calm, serene view of the anchorage. The twinkling of the anchor lights and their reflection on the water made for an idyllic scene.