Dowery Creek, Marina (Day 018)

Dowery Creek Marina, Belhaven, NC MM 132.0
Distance Traveled = 30.5 Hours Underway = 5:25 Average Speed = 5.75mph

Weather: Morning fog burned off by 0830 hours; light wind out of the SW; temperature range 61 to 79 degrees; calm seas

The fog is lifting at the Tuckahoe Anchorage

Comment: We raised the anchor in bright morning sunshine at 0725 after waiting forty minutes for the fog to burn off. While underway, we saw fog hanging over the Alligator-Pungo Canal. We figured the canal fog would be the last to burn off so we motored at a slow 5 mph pace. Talk on the marine radio suggested that it might be 0900 before the canal was passable.

SUNSHINE traveled a mile or two to the beginning of the canal where, at 0805, we dropped the hook to wait for the fog to lift. Four other boats were at this anchorage, and they were waiting on the fog too. At 0830, the fog was lifting and motors were started. We were in a parade of five sail boats being led by two shrimp boats.

Shrimp Boat leads the way into the canal and the fog

It was a most pleasant trip. SUNSHINE was tied up in Dowery Creek Marina at 1250 hours. This is the first marina for which we have paid a slip fee since we departed Cape May. Given the weather forecast for 20 – 25 knots NE wind tomorrow, we decided to attend to chores today. The port and starboard engines received oil changes and oil filters, Anna Marie did the laundry. We also fueled up and pumped out the holding tank, after which, we borrowed the loaner can to get some staples from the grocery store. We splurged for a pizza and enjoyed it while watching a baseball game in the boaters lounge at the marina.

Back on the boat, we attended to the logs. Once again, we didn’t have an internet connection so postings and blog maintenance will have to wait for another day.