Heading to Norfolk/Portsmouth

First Light on the Alligator River

Sunrise on the Alligator River

       May 4, 2015


We leave our dock early to get under the bridge before the restricted bridge opening hours go into effect and head down the Pasquotank River.  It is as smooth as glass with the trees, sky, and sun reflecting in the water.  Around marker 19, we discover a huge log with long branches in the river. Dave reports it to the Coast Guard who then sends out a warning to all navigators to be watchful for the log.  Our destination for today is the Dismal Swamp Canal Welcome Center.  This is the spot during the Civil War where the Confederate soldiers prevented the Yankees from blowing up the locks and were thus, able to keep the canal open.

South Mills Lock
Dismal Swamp

We arrive at the South Mills Lock at 9:30 am, but the opening isn't until 11:00 so we tie up to the dolphins in front of the lock to wait.  The lock keeper opens the lock on time and we enter with three other boats.  As soon as we are locked through, we must wait for the lock keeper to leave the lock to open the bridge for us.  We then continue on to the Welcome Center.  Along our way Dave sees a 2 1/2 ft. black snack acting very aggressively. Instead of retreating from us as we head upstream, the snake heads right for "At Last" as if he is planning to take control of the boat. Dave loses sight of him as the boat passes.

"At Last" at the Welcome Center Dock
Dismal Swamp

At the Dismal Swamp Museum

We continue to the Visitors' Center and arrive by 1:00 pm where we discover that "Almost Perfect", a 42 ft. Hatteras that had been in Elizabeth City with us, is also tied to the dock.  We spend the afternoon visiting with other boaters, exploring the museum, and talking to the park rangers.  Dave describes our experience with the snake to one of the rangers who indicates that she has never heard of a snake behaving in this manner. The Welcome Center is much less crowded than it was in the fall and only one sailboat rafts to us at about 5:00 pm since all the dock space is now taken.  In the fall there were about 18 boats tied to the dock and rafted out into the canal.  Our friends, Carole and Tom, who live in Chesapeake City, visit for a few hours and we enjoy hors-d'oeuvres and libations while catching up and reminiscing about old times. It's been another fabulous day!

May 5, 2015  
     

Traveling in the Dismal Swamp Canal

It's the Cinco de Mayo and we head along the swamp at about 7:15 am.  It is another beautiful day as we head to the Deep Creek Lock Bridge.  We arrive around 9:45 am and the opening is at 11:00 am.

We tie up to the wall to wait and "Calculation", our rafting partner from last night, rafts next to us again to wait for the lock's opening.

Deep Creek Lock
Dismal Swamp

The lock keeper, Robert, loads us into the lock at 11:00 am. Robert is very friendly and efficient and is a wealth of knowledge concerning the area. He gives us many suggestions regarding museums and places of interest that we should see as we head to the Norfolk/Portsmouth, VA. area.  Based on Robert's advice, we decide to head to the basin in Portsmouth, VA for the night.  We are planning to meet our friends, Betsy and Dave, who are at an AGLCA (American Great Loopers Cruising Association)  conference in Norfolk, but Robert has assured us we can take the ferry across the Elizabeth River to get to their hotel in Norfolk. After leaving the lock, we continue north towards Norfolk.   As we head towards the Gilmerton Bridge, we find ourselves standing off to the southeast side of the channel in order to allow "Miss Cate" an extremely large pusher tug and barge to come through the bridge opening.  It is so large it looks as if it will scrape each side of the bridge as it goes through. It does not, of course and we hear the bridge operator congratulate the captain of "Miss Cate" for his skill.  After its passage, Dave successfully navigates under the bridge, but we are stopped again at Mile 3.6 when the Western Railroad Bridge is closed (it is usually opened).  We wait until the train passes and the RR bridge to open and then we continue towards Portsmouth. Following Robert's suggestion, we dock at the wall in the High Street Landing basin in Portsmouth. The ferry to take us to Norfolk is nearby.   We organize the boat and then head to the Elizabeth River Ferry for our short ride to Norfolk.  We spend a few hours with Dave and Betsy and catch up on both our summer cruising plans.  They plan to leave from Solomon Island, MD on May 18th to begin their looping adventure.  We will be behind them by a few weeks as we are stopping at Maryland Yacht Club for about 10 days.  Hopefully, we will catch up somewhere along the route.  We take the 5:30 ferry back to our boat because we have decided to go to the Commodore Theater which was one of Robert's suggestions.  This theater is a restored movie theater.  It was built in 1945 in the Art Deco style.  It's main auditorium is a dining room and dinner is served during the movie.  When we arrive, we choose our seats.  We place our orders by calling the kitchen from the phone on our table.  It is really quite the experience.  The theater shows first-run movies and tonight we see the latest Avengers movie.  Did I mention the Dolby sound system is amazing and the screen is huge, and that the manager who opened the theater was wearing a 38 pistol on his belt?            

At the Table at the Commodore Theater

Commodore Theater's Viewing Screen

The Journey Continues....North to Elizabeth City, NC

Adventures of "At Last"

April 27, 2015

Turtle swimming next to At Last

We leave our anchorage early and continue north.  Osprey Marina, Myrtle Beach, SC here we come!  It is a great travel day....cool and a bit windy.  Along the way we see dozens of turtles....it's mating season.  We arrive at Osprey at around 4:00 and immediately go to the fuel dock to replenish our tanks.  This is the first time we have purchased fuel since we were at Osprey on our way south in the fall.  We take on 364 gallons after traveling 1119 miles.   Dave is very pleased with our fuel consumption.  Osprey Marina is a great facility.  It is well protected.  The people are great and it usually has the best fuel prices in the area, and you can't beat their welcome bag...best pepper jelly around.  Today's ride was 85 miles and we put in about a 9 hour day.

April 28, 2015

We are spending today at Osprey Marina as well.  It is a "work day" for us.  The weather is cool, sunny, and dry.  I tackle the boat chores....cleaning, changing sheets, doing laundry.  Dave takes this opportunity to wash and polish "At Last".  She needs a little TLC after her salt bath in the sounds. When Dave is done, the boat looks great....all spiffed up and ready to continue.  Osprey Marina is often a stop for "Loopers" and we meet three other couples who are also doing the Loop.  We are all on different schedules, but we might catch up with each other along the way.  After a dinner of baked ham and fried rice, we relax and enjoy a glass of wine on the bow.  The weather forecast is for rain. We'll have to wait and see if we wait out the weather or continue.

April 29, 2015

It is already raining when we wake up, but we top off our water tanks, empty the garbage, store our cushions, buy ice and we're off.  We'll travel as far as we want today, depending on the weather. Today is "Rock Pile" day.  We have absolutely no problems "en route".  Our transit through this area is easy.  It rains most of the morning, but eventually clears.  At about 5:00 pm the downpours begin once again.  As we arrive in Southport, NC, we decide to head in for the night.  We dock at a free dock in front of the Provisions Company.  If you have dinner at this restaurant, you can remain at the dock for no charge.  It is a great little restaurant....very casual...the food is good and reasonably priced.  Unfortunately, it is raining heavily and we do not have a chance to explore the town.  Today we traveled more than 8 hours and went about 56 miles.

April 30, 2015

Mahogany Tree
(after clean up)

We are up early after a restless night and head out by 6:30.  It is gray and cool, but the rain has stopped.  Today is "bridge day".  We need to time our travels, because some bridges open only on the hour while others will open on the hour and half hour.  In a trawler there is often not enough time to make the openings between bridges and we usually have to wait. Through the day we pass under fixed bridges and through lift and swing bridges. We also receive news from our friend Gary in Okeechobee that our Mahogany tree was damaged in a bad hail and thunderstorm and is now missing it's top.  It used to have a mushroom top and provided a lot of privacy between the creek and the house.  The good news is, our Royal Pociana tree is in bloom (May) and is absolutely gorgeous. Too bad we are not there to enjoy it.

Royal Pociana Tree
in May

After more than an 11 hour day and over 70 miles, we arrive in Swansboro, NC where we tie up to the town dock.  The current is raging, but we manage to secure the boat.  Around sunset, we are joined by a beautiful 1943 wooden fishing boat, "Karen" which was refurbished to a yacht.  The four gentlemen aboard are on their way to the wooden boat show in Beaufort, NC.  (Pronounced with a long o sound)
The boat is very nice and the captain graciously allows us to take a tour.

"Karen"

May 1, 2015

We leave the dock at Swansboro by 7:00 am and begin our trip to Whittaker Pointe Marina in Oriental, NC.  The weather is cool and overcast, but there is no rain until just before we get to the Marina.  The marina is very quiet compared to when we were there in October.  Ashley helps us into our slip.  After checking in, we borrow the courtesy car and run some errands.  We re-provision, buy some oil, get a pizza for dinner and head back to the boat.  Ashley has left for the day and we are the only ones in the marina for the night.  It is a bit strange, but kind of nice to have a whole facility to ourselves.  It is a very windy night with lots of bugs.

May 2, 2015

We are up by 6:00 and Dave checks the weather.  It looks okay, so we decide to continue.  Before leaving, I do the laundry (one has to take the opportunity when it arises) and Dave changes the oil. Today want to be able to position ourselves so that we can cross the Albemarle Sound tomorrow. The forecast is calling for good conditions.  We travel in choppy conditions for most of the day, but the sloppy conditions improve after passing RE Mayo.....a good stop if you are looking for fresh seafood.  It is a working dock.  We stayed there for one night in the fall, but today we continue to head north.  We find a nice anchorage at mile 127.5.  It is Kentucky Derby Day......we are anchored just in time to see American Pharaoh win the race while enjoying chili.  We watch a beautiful sunset and enjoy a bright moon tonight. The trip today took 7.5 hours and we traveled 46 miles.

May 3, 2015

At 5:50, we pull our anchor and have a beautiful ride down the canal.  It is a misty sunrise.  We make excellent time to the Albemarle Sound.  It is a bit choppy, but a very comfortable ride and we arrive in Elizabeth City around 3:45 pm.  At Mariner's Wharf, there are plenty of slips available for free dockage and we choose one.  The wall is also available for boaters.  We opt for an early dinner at Grouper's Waterfront Restaurant.  When we arrive back at the boat, we meet Gus.  He is a gentleman who has continued the practice of Rose Buddies.  The tradition is that when 5 or more visiting yachts are in port, a wine and cheese party is hosted by the local tourism office and the lady of the boat receives a rose from the beautiful bushes grown along the walkways.  Tonight there is no party as it is a Sunday, but I receive my roses from Gus.

Heading North

The Great Loop Journey Begins

"At Last" on her way

April 17, 2015

Harlow opens the bridge for us in Taylor Creek at 7:00 am as we begin our big adventure. He's happy to see us as bridge openings for him are few and far between since mostly pontoon boats, Carolina skiffs, and bass fishing boats are most popular on the canal.

Taylor Creek Lock

Next it's through the Taylor Creek Lock and then across beautiful Lake Okeechobee. Due to no change in the water level, both gates are open and we cross straight through the Mayaca Lock.  Our trip down the St. Lucie River is uneventful until an entourage of 55' Prestige cruisers pass us....some causing huge wakes that Captain Dave must navigate around to keep "the Admiral" happy.  There is a long wait at the St. Lucie Lock, but we finally enter and lock through.

St. Lucie Lock

We head towards Stuart, Fl and anchor just before the two bridges at North Point. After a delicious dinner of fresh salad and stuffed peppers, we discover that the generator is overheating.  We need to solve that problem asap as it is 90 degrees today and the same uncomfortable weather is forecast for the next few days.  Today was an easy 47 mile day for us.



April 18, 2015

We leave our anchorage at 8:15 and continue north.  We have a beautiful ride, but it is very hot with no relief in sight.  We anchor near Vero Beach south of the bridge near the Environmental Center.  It is a quiet anchorage which we have to ourselves, but the bugs decide to join us and chase us inside....a bit unpleasant due to no generator.  Lots of lightening in the area, but no bad weather develops.

April 19, 2015

We haul the anchor by 7:00 am and head north to Cocoa Village and I make breakfast for the Captain while we are underway.  It is very hot and muggy.  We arrive by 1:30 pm.  There is a free dock here and we are lucky to be the only ones on it.

Cocoa Village Dock

Dave begins to research where he can have the generator repaired.  Later in the afternoon, we walk into the village which has a very artsy flavor to it.  There is a beautiful park and a hardware store that has everything you could ever need.  Since AC in the boat is not an option, we find a great restaurant "Sublime" for happy hour and tappas.  There is a concert in the park, so we listen from the bow of the boat until a huge rainstorm soaks us for the next couple of hours.

April 20, 2015

We are up early and Dave finalizes arrangements to have the generator serviced at the Camachee Boat Yard in St. Augustine. The yard is a Northern Lights dealer, so we are hopeful that they have the knowledge and the parts to solve our problem.  The day is overcast and humid, but it is really quiet on the water.  We anchor near the yacht club at Smyrna Beach.  It's tacos for dinner.  There is lots of rain in the evening, but it does help to cool us down.

April 21, 2015

We wake to an overcast day, which turns into a absolutely perfect day of sunshine and much cooler weather. It is great ride to St. Augustine.  Beautiful houses line the intracoastal and there is a lot of wildlife along the way.  We must wait for the bridge opening at St. Augustine before continuing.

St. Augustine

We arrive at the Camachee Boat Yard/Marina at 4:30.  It is a nice facility and offers a Boat US discount for dockage.  After check-in, I straighten the boat, change the bed, and do laundry while Dave confirms that we are scheduled with the mechanic tomorrow at 8:00 am.  We have dinner at the King Fish Grille, a nearby restaurant.  We return to the boat where it is nice to have electricity and finally, the ability to use our AC.  "Life is good."

April 22, 2015

It is another beautiful day and Drew, our mechanic, arrives bright and early to trouble shoot our Northern Lights Generator problem.  Drew soon discovers that there are impeller parts in the intake hose (upstream) and replaces the hose.  He also changes out the pump because it is leaking.  Drew does a great job.  He is very knowledgeable, efficient and personable.  He makes all repairs in less than 3.5 hours and we were on our way again by noon.  Our ride is smooth, with a few dolphin sightings and we take the free dock at Jacksonville for the night.  There are already three other boats on the dock, but we squeeze in at the end.  Dave does an excellent job docking in the very strong current.  Today's journey was only 32.1 miles.

April 23, 2015

We leave the dock at 7:30 am and head to Georgia.  The conditions today are perfect for crossing the sounds.  The Cumberland, St. Andrew's and St. Simon's Sounds are calm and easy to pass through, unlike our experience in St. Andrew's Sound on our way south.  We decide to anchor in the same spot we used in the fall.  It is a beautiful, cool night.  Of course it is....our generator is fixed and we could have AC if we needed it.  Today we put in a 9 hour day and travel 57 miles.

April 24, 2015

We leave our anchorage at 7:35 am.  It is a cool and breezy day and there are lots of sounds that must be crossed today....Buttermilk, Altamaha, Doboy, Sapelo, and St. Catherine's.....it is choppy with lot of waves, splashes, and salt spray on the boat, but Dave captains us through.  There is a beef stew cooking in the crock pot and the boat smells great all day long.  Most of the ride is on creeks and rivers with little change in the foliage or wildlife.  As we approach the Isle of Hope Marina, the scenery changes to beautiful docks and homes. Today is a 12 hour day for us and we travel 76 miles. We anchor just outside Savannah near Thunderbolt Marina.  Dinner is ready as soon as we finish shutting down the boat.  Yummmmmm.......Dave is exhausted as he has driven from the pilot house most of the day and has been standing for most of the 12 hour ride.

April 25, 2015

Up early and we set off for the day before 7:00 am.  The weather forecast is not good for the day, but we hope to get some travel time in before bad storms set in.  No such luck.  At about 11:00 am, a front goes through with torrential rain, thunder and lightening.  We are just before Port Royal Sound. We drop the anchor for 2 hours until the storm passes and then continue on.  The sound is still churned up from the storm and it is an uncomfortable crossing.  The water is rough and the wind is blowing so much that At Last ends up encrusted in salt.  Captain Dave expertly handles the situation once again.  We are staying at the Lady's Isle Marina in Beaufort, SC  (pronounced with a long u sound) tonight.  It is located just on the other side of the swing bridge, up Factory Creek.  The marina manager, TJ, is great.  He puts us on a T-head, gives us a discount, and lets us borrow a courtesy car for re-provisioning at Publix.  For dinner we walk to Dockside, an on site restaurant.  The food is delicious.  Because of our 2 hour delay, we only traveled 40 miles today, but it took us over 6 hours.

April 26, 2015

We are up early and off the dock by 6:30 am with TJ there to help.  Lady's Isle is a great stop and we highly recommend it. It is a beautiful day and is beginning to warm up.  There is very light traffic on the waterway.  We carefully cross the cut (low tide) and head toward Charleston, SC.  There are 

Charleston, SC Walking Tour

beautiful homes along the way.  We don't stop as we spent some time here in the fall when we were headed south.  The boat traffic picks up significantly as we pass through Charleston.  It is a weekend and there are lots of recreational boaters.We see a magnificent bald eagle soaring high above us. Around 6:00 pm a cold front comes through, the wind picks up and the temperature drops by about 15 degrees.  We continue north and anchor in Awendaw Creek.  As we are setting the anchor, I spot a bear through the trees on the shore...no time for a picture...he's pretty fast.  Dinner has been cooking in the oven... a shepard's pie....so once again, dinner is ready when we are.  Another great day....and we traveled 83 miles in 12.5 hours.