Wrightsville Beach

The anchorage at Wrightsville Beach reminded us a lot of the harbor at Destin Florida.  Its about a half mile wide and a mile or so long. We had two days on the hook with lots of wind. The first evening we just hunkered down and watched the boats coming in.

The next day we decided to launch the dinghy despite the 25 mph gusts. It was time to go to shore. The wind caught the dinghy as I was hoisting it off the top deck. It sailed in a wide arc over the stern and as it came around to the port side the wind caught the bow and it dove down. Marion on the deck below struggled using the boat hook and the painter to stabilize the situation. It was pretty wild but we found that a dinghy can be safely launched on a windy day.

We motored to shore, walked to the beach and grocery store bought a few items.  Next a long walk to the post office where I mailed bills and then to a local seafood house for lunch.

The winds and the seas were still up, so we got quite wet on the dinghy ride back to the boat. I delayed hoisting the dinghy for several hours. As darkness approached I decided to just do it. We rehearsed a plan for keeping the dinghy under control... snag the bow pulling on the painter and pushing with the boat hook to keep the dinghy level.  It worked ... even in the 20 mph winds.

That evening Marion took ill with fever and aches and pains all over. It was clear she would not be feeling well at anchor, or underway, or ashore for that matter.

"I'll be OK, you drive the boat, I can rest on the aft deck," she said. "lets just go."
 
 

Beaufort, North Carolina It was a long day of traveling, made longer by waits for bridges that only opened on the half hour.  We saw a bright pink house to brighten our day. Marion rested most of the day and by the time we arrived in Beaufort (that's pronounced Bo-fert) she pronounced herself well enough to go ashore for dinner. We ate at Clawson's. Its a popular place on the waterfront, food was all right, we could have done better. Rating $$$ **.

Next day was Easter and Marion felt much better.

We biked through the town... Shopped for Groceries... found a bike trail back.

Marion was bushed so she rested and I went alone to the Maritime Museum. I learned about the Rescue Corps.. and how they used a small cannon to shoot a light weight line from the shore to ships in distress on the shoals off the beach. The line was used to haul out a much larger hawser (a very heavy line) which was tied to the mast of the grounded ship. Shore side the hawser was propped high off the ground and secured to a "Dead  Man" buried in the sand.  A "Breeches Buoy" was attached to a pulley which rode on the hawser. Lighter weight lines were used to haul the Breeches Buoy out to the ship. There one or two passengers from the ship would get into the buoy and hang on for dear life as the shore side rescue squad hauled them to safety. Often the buoy would hit the water and the passengers would be drug through the waves to the shore. Nowadays ships carry lifeboats, and shallow draft inflatable powerboats are used in  rescue operations.
 

I met Joe Lane and his girl friend Allyson Daugherty at the City Docks Bar.  They were down from New Bern for an afternoon of partying.  I had two beers and Joe taught me how to balance two diner forks on a pair of tooth picks.  Got it on the second try.  The harbor was a continuing parade of boats and we were in an ideal location on the end of the T-Head to watch it all. Our stuffed parrot on the sun deck got a lot of second looks.

Marion made a special Easter dinner:
    Chateaubriand and asparagus with a horseradish Bernaise sauce. ***** $$

Belhaven

We were blessed with a great day of weather for cruising the Neuse River and Pamlico sound.  Then all of a sudden the genset quit and would not restart. To complicate matters the starboard alternator was not working. the voltage on the house batteries were reading 11.5 V.  That's Not Good when you are 4 Hours from the nearest port.

The port alternator showed  13.5 V so I decided to parallel the port battery into the house battery set. The  port battery also falls to 11.5 V.   I call ahead for a mechanic to be on hand when we arrive around 4:30. No problem they reply.... we will help.

In port the genset starts and runs fine...

Dinner at River Forest with Howard and Carol Hughes from S/V Maximum Comfort. A Gulfstar 44 sloop.

We had met them briefly in North Myrtle Beach.

Next morning after two hours of component checkout we found 0 V at the starboard engine alternator input... it should have been 12 V.  Tracing the wire from the alternator to the starter terminal, Bob, our mechanic, found a breaker switch in the alternator circuit... Somehow it had tripped and the alternator could not function. Once this was reset everything worked fine.

River Forest Marina provides courtesy golf carts for getting about town. We took one into town to buy some eggs.  The eggs cost $37 but they came with a magnum of Cabernet Sauvignon and three shopping bags of groceries.  Driving a golf cart is fun.

Back at the boat it started raining... boats were beginning to come in reporting lousy cruising conditions on Ablemarle sound and the Alligator river.  Lousy weather convinced us to stop hurrying to the Chesapeake. The further north, the worse the weather.

"Let's spend another night here" I suggested. "We can do some chores and I can catch up on writing."

That evening George and Nancy from S/V Pelagic Soul dropped by for an evening of watching rain drops, telling stories and a drinking Merlot. It was a great way to spend an evening.

Coinjock Anchorage

After an early departure, Marion suggested that we ought to get across Albemarle Sound. We had good weather and the forecast was for worsening conditions the next day. The Sound has a bad reputation if the winds are up.

We had been counseled to check on the status of the Dismal Swamp because it is sometimes closed. After three failed attempts using phone numbers in the Cruising Guide, a call to the Coast Guard gave us a number for the Corps of Engineers Dismal Swamp Operations group.

I was glad we called, because they said the bridge leading to the swamp from Elizabeth City was down for repairs for an indefinite period. That's why we changed our plans and went to the anchorage five miles below Coinjock.  It was recommended enroute by Les and Brenda Porter, M/V Basic Needs. They were there when we arrived.

The anchorage gave great protection from the North East winds. We rested comfortably.

Great Bridge Bridge

We were going short distances each day. We stopped for fuel at Midway Marina for diesel, $1.05 per gal. and picked up a frozen pizza for lunch. It was only 30 or so miles to Great Bridge Bridge... (Yes, that's what it's called).

When we crossed from North Carolina into Virginia the sun came out.  For the last several days, all through North Carolina, we had been subject to COLD and WET weather. It's April! Why are we going north? Let's just wait here for May, surely it will get better.

There is a free dock on the East side and we chose to spend the night there. A while later George and Nancy, Pelagic Soul came in to dock behind us. We went to dinner with them at Hodad's Bar and Grill and had an absolutely fine dinner.  Nacho Appetizers, Baked Swordfish with a light lemon butter sauce, Rice and Black Beans.  Fine Food Super value. Rating $$ ***.

Mile Zero ICW

Mile Zero is at Norfolk, Virginia. There are wonderful things to see. The Chrysler museum was awesome. Check out the glass art collection... Ancient Egyptian.. Tiffany..  Art Deco... Don't expect an art critique from me, the museum will give you a better appreciation. Pick up one of those handheld briefing gizmos they hand out as part of the admission....

"The Tiffany artists not only did the most elegant lamp shades, but for those who could afford it, there was the full stained glass treatment of the patron.... "

Go see what I'm talking about at the Chrysler.
 

Next day we did the Nauticus. It houses the Naval Museum and a lot of hands on Maritime exhibits. My favorite was the Tugboat Museum. Its on the Huntington, a famous tug built in 1933.  On our last night at mile zero our anchor dragged and we ended up across the Elizabeth River at Mile 0.5. We landed against the town point docks with a gentle thump. A much smoother docking than I would have made under power.

Marion woke me from a deep sleep and I vaulted topside, Full Monty, and secured a spring line. There was no one there at 5 AM to enjoy the show, so I went below and got clothes on, before completing the docking.

At 7:30 I was up again adjusting fenders and lines when I discovered the Sunday paper.

"Marion," I called out, "I think we must be in OZ.  First we were transported gently across the river, and now we get the Sunday paper delivered".