SHIP'S LOG:
Well, it has been a couple of days since I have been able to get online. I am sure that as the population of the state increases, more towers will be built and the online deadspots will be eliminated. Unfortunately, such ins not the case currently. I am have "taken refuge" in Oriental, the "sailing capital of the North Carolina!" or so they claim. It is a small town and is what you would call "quaint." I hoofed it up to the market about a mile away and got to see pretty much the whole "village." And it is quaint! I can understand why the local want to keep it this way. Yes, please come and visit but don't stay long or even consider moving here. It rally would spoil the atmosphere of the place. Think in terms of Stockbridge, MA or Wickford, RI. If it were bigger, it would loose its panache!
When last we "spoke" I was headed into the Neuse River. I spent the night in Long Creek off Bonner Bay. when I woke up the next morning, it was raining and it was a good thing that I didn't have far to go. I made it to the South River, about 5 miles outside of Oriental on the eastern bank. It rained on and off the whole trip of about 15 miles. I was able to motorsail most of the way which kept the rolling and yawing down to a minimum. The part of the trip that was uneasy was when I broke form the "herd" of boats heading south down the ICW to cut over to South River. There is something a little scary to go off on your own when everyone else is going in another direction. I was able to find South River even though I couldn't see the mouth in the rain and overcast. Following the charts and the course laid out non the chartplotter, I hit it on the nose. As Skipper Bob predicted, there was plenty of room. when I got into the river, there was one other boat anchored so I moved in and left him with tons of room. I didn't want to crowd him. After I dropped the hook( good bite) and had done all of the anchoring procedures, and settled in for a stay, another ketch came in and did the same. I couldn't tell what she was, though she had to be a good five feet larger than ABISHAG. When I was anchoring, the rain came down in buckets, pouring so hard that it hurt to standout in it securing the anchor. But no sooner had I finished and so did the rain. A third boat also came in and anchored. I gather that the weather reports for Thursday, had made an impression (gale off the NC coast & 70-100% chance of rain) and people were unwilling to stay out in that!
Thursday, I awoke to fog and I mean FOG!!!! I don't believe that I would have been able to see the end of my boat hook (if I still had one) if I held it out from the bow of the boat. It was surprisingly warm but clammy all the same, and no rain. No rain by noon either and I was beginning to become a little irritated that I made a move that would turn out to be unnecessary. Still, I had a chance to look over the ICW from Oriental South. It is not a good stretch in the sense that there are not a lot of places to drop the hook and with the thundering herd on its way south from Newport News, things might get a little tight! I called Chuck Estell, the launch driver from TYC and he promised that he would go through his logs and charts( he has made the trip numerous times) and come up with spots that worked for him . . . . then of course, Chuck was one of those 50+miles a day guys.
About 3pm, NOAA came through and the skies opened up like there was no tomorrow. It rained like someone had a fire hose playing on the boat. I don't know how much actually fell, but it seemed like a foot! Unfortunately, South River is a "deadspot" and I couldn't get online. I had planed to to some bill paying and email sending, but it was no joy! It was interesting though sitting and listening to the rain. When you just listen, it can be very entertaining, very peace-producing, and utterly enjoyable. It helped put me in a peace of mind to make the decision to go into Oriental and get a slip. Getting the free spot at the town dock would have been nice but I would have had to pay for the showers and the laundry and there was no electricity so it was just as well to bite the bullet and pay for the slip.
Friday morning(Nov. 5th) I pulled up anchor in the sunshine and headed across the river to Oriental. I got a spot on the facing dock and shortly after I tied up, Dick Nelson, showed up and me made arrangements for dinner. Dick lives in Oriental and he was the one who tipped me to the free town dock. A nice gesture but in this case, the marinas was the better move for me this time. Oh the showers was a joy. I must have spent 15 minutes just soaking. Too bad they didn't have jacuzzi! I am spending the afternoon blogging and sending emails and getting the weather and planning the route for the days ahead. The sun is out and it is wonderfully warm though tonight, and for the next couple, the temps is heading down into the high 30's!!!!!!!!!!! They keep things tight in the Oriental Marina. They parked a LARGE MOTOR VESSEL not two(2) feet off my stern. Hope his dock lines are good! I just have to remember that if the crunch comes, the first thing to yell is "WHIPLASH!!!!!"
Friday, November 5, 2010
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
If I'm Cold, You Must Be Freezing!!!!!
SHIP'S LOG:
It did get up into the low 60's today, at least I think it did. It was in the LOW 40's last night and even the low 60's of today, if they got there, were the cold low 60's. what is causing this cold weather is probably the vacuum caused by the rush of boats out of Newport News on the first, sucking all that cold air along with them as they speed south. Hey, it makes as much sense as anything you are going to get from NOAA!
Actually today was a good sailing day for most of it. Once out of Dowry Creek and back on the ICW, it was sails up and 5.8 knots to the good under just the Genna. Down ( or up, I can never tell) the Pungo River and into Pamlico Sound.Of the two, Ablemarle and Pamlico, Pamlico lived up to its "bad" reputation. Nasty, shifting winds, 15+, with following, 2-4 foot seas. I would yaw one way and then the other all the while trying to keep course for the opening of Goose Creek and avoiding tugs pushing barges, and crazy people in big motor vessels whizzing by like they were in a flat calm, totally oblivious to the havoc that their wakes were causing.
It takes a bit of attention when transitioning from the ICW in open water, like a sound or a river, to the ICW in a creek or in a canal. The entrance always seems to have a turn in it and it takes a bit to re-orient yourself to how to approach the marks. More than once I had to stop today to figure out just which way to go to stay in deep( relatively speaking) water and avoid a grounding. That's one of the rules of the ICW, always stop if you are unsure. Another is that crabpots rule! Crabpots will line the edge between deep water and shallow water. No matter what the other marks say or what you depth sounder says, or what the charts say, Carbpots Rule! I saw three incidents today where people following their chartplotters as if they were infallible, ran aground. Nothing serious and only one had to call for a "Two,' but they were amazed that their chartplotters had led them astray. The locals, the crabbers, know where the shallow water is, so follow their pop lines.
Along the canal between Goose Creek and Pamlico Sound, there is a Coast Guard Station, the Hobucken Coast Guard Station. In one sense. It is right in the middle of nowhere, and in another sense it is right between to places that keeps them busy, Pamlico Sound and the Neuse River. It was just so surprising to be cruising down this canal and suddenly come upon a bunch of Coasties. The "New London, CT" on ABISHAG drew a few cheers and it was nice to be recognized. But Boy, they seemed really out of place. It didn't help that they were right next to the R.E. Mayo Fishing Company which, if it is still operating, is on its last leg. They occupy more "canal frontage" than the Coasties and all their buildings are falling apart. it was sad to set it.
Dropped the hook in Long Creek, off of Bonner Bay, off of the Neuse River. The first drop produced a skipping anchor that wouldn't bite, no matter how much rode I played out. I had to haul it all back it, move the boat so that it was in "acceptably deep" water and drop again. This time she bit and, as we "speak", holding just fine in 15 knots of wind. The weather tomorrow is supposed to deteriorate. Rain probably in the the afternoon and at night, with rain a "70%" probability on Thursday. Friday will be a little drier. So I am heading for a spot opposite Oriental. I'll wait til Friday morning and scoot across the Neuse and hopefully get one of the free spots on the town dock for two days! The chances are good as there is a website with a video camera that focuses on the dock so that you knew when there are free spaces. Perhaps I will luck out!
It did get up into the low 60's today, at least I think it did. It was in the LOW 40's last night and even the low 60's of today, if they got there, were the cold low 60's. what is causing this cold weather is probably the vacuum caused by the rush of boats out of Newport News on the first, sucking all that cold air along with them as they speed south. Hey, it makes as much sense as anything you are going to get from NOAA!
Actually today was a good sailing day for most of it. Once out of Dowry Creek and back on the ICW, it was sails up and 5.8 knots to the good under just the Genna. Down ( or up, I can never tell) the Pungo River and into Pamlico Sound.Of the two, Ablemarle and Pamlico, Pamlico lived up to its "bad" reputation. Nasty, shifting winds, 15+, with following, 2-4 foot seas. I would yaw one way and then the other all the while trying to keep course for the opening of Goose Creek and avoiding tugs pushing barges, and crazy people in big motor vessels whizzing by like they were in a flat calm, totally oblivious to the havoc that their wakes were causing.
It takes a bit of attention when transitioning from the ICW in open water, like a sound or a river, to the ICW in a creek or in a canal. The entrance always seems to have a turn in it and it takes a bit to re-orient yourself to how to approach the marks. More than once I had to stop today to figure out just which way to go to stay in deep( relatively speaking) water and avoid a grounding. That's one of the rules of the ICW, always stop if you are unsure. Another is that crabpots rule! Crabpots will line the edge between deep water and shallow water. No matter what the other marks say or what you depth sounder says, or what the charts say, Carbpots Rule! I saw three incidents today where people following their chartplotters as if they were infallible, ran aground. Nothing serious and only one had to call for a "Two,' but they were amazed that their chartplotters had led them astray. The locals, the crabbers, know where the shallow water is, so follow their pop lines.
Along the canal between Goose Creek and Pamlico Sound, there is a Coast Guard Station, the Hobucken Coast Guard Station. In one sense. It is right in the middle of nowhere, and in another sense it is right between to places that keeps them busy, Pamlico Sound and the Neuse River. It was just so surprising to be cruising down this canal and suddenly come upon a bunch of Coasties. The "New London, CT" on ABISHAG drew a few cheers and it was nice to be recognized. But Boy, they seemed really out of place. It didn't help that they were right next to the R.E. Mayo Fishing Company which, if it is still operating, is on its last leg. They occupy more "canal frontage" than the Coasties and all their buildings are falling apart. it was sad to set it.
Dropped the hook in Long Creek, off of Bonner Bay, off of the Neuse River. The first drop produced a skipping anchor that wouldn't bite, no matter how much rode I played out. I had to haul it all back it, move the boat so that it was in "acceptably deep" water and drop again. This time she bit and, as we "speak", holding just fine in 15 knots of wind. The weather tomorrow is supposed to deteriorate. Rain probably in the the afternoon and at night, with rain a "70%" probability on Thursday. Friday will be a little drier. So I am heading for a spot opposite Oriental. I'll wait til Friday morning and scoot across the Neuse and hopefully get one of the free spots on the town dock for two days! The chances are good as there is a website with a video camera that focuses on the dock so that you knew when there are free spaces. Perhaps I will luck out!
Monday, November 1, 2010
Two For The Price Of One!
SHIP'S LOG:
I may have forgotten to mention that cell phone coverage and online access can be a little spotty down here in North and South Carolina. You will just have to put up with these difficulties as do I.
Since last we spoke, I have journeyed up the Alligator River, through the Alligator river - Pungo River Canal and have drop the hook this night in Dowry Creek. Not much to say about the Alligator River except that for the most part is is untouched, which is strange when you think about it. Miles and miles and miles of water front property and nary a house in sight. Perhaps it is the fact that there doesn't seem to be any way to get here except by boat. Or Perhaps they named the river wrong. Truth be told, "Mosquito River " would have been more accurate. Still in all, at "39" QG, it was one of the most silent places I have ever experienced. You could hear the beat of the wings of a bird as it flew by. That's quiet!
The Canal is a straight as an arrow stretch some 29 feet deep, 10.8 miles long and not quite 50 yards wide, if that. Loose your concentration for a second. . . and it is easy watching the scenery go by . . . and you go from 19feet to 0 feet in a heart beat. No, I did not go aground today, I didn't even Kiss, but several times, I probably came close . . . looking for those Alligators. Actually thought I saw one, but it turned out to be a deadhead . . . not a fan of the Gratefully Dead, but a water logged log. Hitting one of those will ruin your whole day and hitting a partially sunken stump, well, you don't even want to think about that.
But I made it safely to Dowry Creek, just out side Belhaven, where I can actually get a signal on my cell phone and I can get online. Can civilization be far away?
I may have forgotten to mention that cell phone coverage and online access can be a little spotty down here in North and South Carolina. You will just have to put up with these difficulties as do I.
Since last we spoke, I have journeyed up the Alligator River, through the Alligator river - Pungo River Canal and have drop the hook this night in Dowry Creek. Not much to say about the Alligator River except that for the most part is is untouched, which is strange when you think about it. Miles and miles and miles of water front property and nary a house in sight. Perhaps it is the fact that there doesn't seem to be any way to get here except by boat. Or Perhaps they named the river wrong. Truth be told, "Mosquito River " would have been more accurate. Still in all, at "39" QG, it was one of the most silent places I have ever experienced. You could hear the beat of the wings of a bird as it flew by. That's quiet!
The Canal is a straight as an arrow stretch some 29 feet deep, 10.8 miles long and not quite 50 yards wide, if that. Loose your concentration for a second. . . and it is easy watching the scenery go by . . . and you go from 19feet to 0 feet in a heart beat. No, I did not go aground today, I didn't even Kiss, but several times, I probably came close . . . looking for those Alligators. Actually thought I saw one, but it turned out to be a deadhead . . . not a fan of the Gratefully Dead, but a water logged log. Hitting one of those will ruin your whole day and hitting a partially sunken stump, well, you don't even want to think about that.
But I made it safely to Dowry Creek, just out side Belhaven, where I can actually get a signal on my cell phone and I can get online. Can civilization be far away?
Saturday, October 30, 2010
"Paging Capt. Harry Schiffman!!!"
SHIP'S LOG:
When I rose at the crack of 7AM, it was a bloody cold 42 degrees and as much as the wine and cheese sounded like a good idea, I gave Elizabeth City a pass. It is no fun really drinking all the wine and eating all the cheese by oneself.
I was having morning coffee in the cockpit, cold as it was, as the two Canadian boat who were anchored by me last night took off. Actually I only saw one go. When it passed, the crew bundled up like Nanook of the North, I looked around for the other boat and he was gone. I mean, he wasn't even on the route of the ICW as far as I could see. They really must have wanted to go south . . .or get to Elizabeth City to be first on the dock for wine and cheese.
I had to re-reef the pennant on mizzen topping lift, repair the radar reflector, and dismantle my new, jury rigged anchor light system. I had an old kerosene anchor light which worked great but the bashing of the wind the last few days destroyed the chimney and it will not function now. Another item to get somewhere, sometime.
Got out and away about 9;30. i am sure that many ICW pilgrims would cringe at the thought of such a late start, but I am just going at my own pace. I'll get there, wherever there is, eventually. Out on the ICW, I was passed by an "American" sailboat. The guy must have great insurance or he is pay for the privilege of going south at this time. The home port is Fort Pierce in Florida which is where my buddy Gerry lives. He is one of my goals. I have been meaning to get down to see him for a couple of years now. He has a bottle of FINLANDIA in his freezer that we are planning to do some serious damage to when I get down to the sunshine state.
Albemarle Sound is beautiful and I was all set for it. When I cleared the last buoy to the sound, up went the sails but the heralded winds of Albemarle failed to put in an appearance. What I thought would be a nice, fast reach across the sound turned out to be another dull motor. I keep looking over my shoulder for boats to be overtaking me on their way south, but so far they have few and far between.
Oh Yes, Capt. Harry Schiffman . . . . Capt. Harry is the local Towboat/US operator the area of the Alligator River. I broke one of the 10 rules of the ICW, I failed to make my turns wide when I was going around a mark. Mark "8" FL R got me. Plowed right into a sand bar and got stuck, not hard and fast, but well enough that I couldn't get myself off. So off went the call and out came Capt. Harry. It took him more time to fill out the paperwork than it did to free me from the grasp of the Alligator River. Just prior to leaving, I bought Boats/US Unlimited Towing Package. It is sort of like AAA for boats. What it would have cost me to get freed today would have been more than what the package cost. From now on, it is gravy . . . so long as it isn't a hard grounding . . . like those previous one, by why bring up bad memories. Ok, I am 2 for 4!
It took me about an hour after Harry left to get to South Lake just off of the Alligator River where I am spending the night. A truly beautiful spot. Tomorrow, it is back out onto the River, a quick stop for fuel and a pump-out and picking up a few things and then off I go south. . . . . "towards where the water doesn't freeze in the bilge!"
When I rose at the crack of 7AM, it was a bloody cold 42 degrees and as much as the wine and cheese sounded like a good idea, I gave Elizabeth City a pass. It is no fun really drinking all the wine and eating all the cheese by oneself.
I was having morning coffee in the cockpit, cold as it was, as the two Canadian boat who were anchored by me last night took off. Actually I only saw one go. When it passed, the crew bundled up like Nanook of the North, I looked around for the other boat and he was gone. I mean, he wasn't even on the route of the ICW as far as I could see. They really must have wanted to go south . . .or get to Elizabeth City to be first on the dock for wine and cheese.
I had to re-reef the pennant on mizzen topping lift, repair the radar reflector, and dismantle my new, jury rigged anchor light system. I had an old kerosene anchor light which worked great but the bashing of the wind the last few days destroyed the chimney and it will not function now. Another item to get somewhere, sometime.
Got out and away about 9;30. i am sure that many ICW pilgrims would cringe at the thought of such a late start, but I am just going at my own pace. I'll get there, wherever there is, eventually. Out on the ICW, I was passed by an "American" sailboat. The guy must have great insurance or he is pay for the privilege of going south at this time. The home port is Fort Pierce in Florida which is where my buddy Gerry lives. He is one of my goals. I have been meaning to get down to see him for a couple of years now. He has a bottle of FINLANDIA in his freezer that we are planning to do some serious damage to when I get down to the sunshine state.
Albemarle Sound is beautiful and I was all set for it. When I cleared the last buoy to the sound, up went the sails but the heralded winds of Albemarle failed to put in an appearance. What I thought would be a nice, fast reach across the sound turned out to be another dull motor. I keep looking over my shoulder for boats to be overtaking me on their way south, but so far they have few and far between.
Oh Yes, Capt. Harry Schiffman . . . . Capt. Harry is the local Towboat/US operator the area of the Alligator River. I broke one of the 10 rules of the ICW, I failed to make my turns wide when I was going around a mark. Mark "8" FL R got me. Plowed right into a sand bar and got stuck, not hard and fast, but well enough that I couldn't get myself off. So off went the call and out came Capt. Harry. It took him more time to fill out the paperwork than it did to free me from the grasp of the Alligator River. Just prior to leaving, I bought Boats/US Unlimited Towing Package. It is sort of like AAA for boats. What it would have cost me to get freed today would have been more than what the package cost. From now on, it is gravy . . . so long as it isn't a hard grounding . . . like those previous one, by why bring up bad memories. Ok, I am 2 for 4!
It took me about an hour after Harry left to get to South Lake just off of the Alligator River where I am spending the night. A truly beautiful spot. Tomorrow, it is back out onto the River, a quick stop for fuel and a pump-out and picking up a few things and then off I go south. . . . . "towards where the water doesn't freeze in the bilge!"
Friday, October 29, 2010
Christopher Columbus and I have More In Common Than I Thought
SHIP'S LOG:
I went from Virginia to North Carolina without moving a foot. Like Chris, i thought I was in one p,ace but was actually in a whole other spot. Somehow, I missed notation on the chart that indicated that I had actually passed into North Carolina way before Coinjack, which I thought was in Virginia. Shows you how easy it is to make a mistake on a trip like this. Ah, but such is life.
The wind was really cranking today, 20-25 and gusts to 35, so I put down roots and stayed another day.It gave me time to lay out courses to the south for the next few days and the opportunity to mark my charts with all the recommended anchorages between here and someplace in the middle of South Carolina. I'll get to the rest of them on the next lay day.
The troubles with the dinghy continue. I checked out the rip and I have a patch that will cover it but I don't have the adhesive to do the mending. Fortuitously, I had purchased some adhesive before I left to add some handles to the dinghy. Unfortunately, the stuff is very humidity sensitive and if the humidity is over 50%, it won't adhere to anything. Being surrounded by water is a guarantee that the humidity will be over the magic 50% and so I have contacted some fellow sailors to see if they can come up with a fix. And no one seemingly repairs inflatable dinghies. Every marina I have contacted says they don't and they don know anyone who does. I was not really happy to begin with in having an inflatable dingy, but you have to go with what you have and that is what I had. It has been more problems than it's worth though some people really love them.
I am weighing the pros and cons of side tracking to Elizabeth City, North Carolina. If you get there and there is space, you can get two(2) free nights docking. Not only that, the Rose Buddies come down to your boat and give you wine and cheese! How can I pass up an opportunity like that. The down side is that the docking is limited and I could get shut out and it will cost me two days, one going and one coming back to make the trip. Decisions, decisions, decisions! ! ! !! !
If it is not to Elizabeth City, it is across Albemarle Sound and down(or up) the Alligator River and into the hinterland of North Carolina. The morning light will dictate which way I go. Win & cheese? Hummmmm!
I went from Virginia to North Carolina without moving a foot. Like Chris, i thought I was in one p,ace but was actually in a whole other spot. Somehow, I missed notation on the chart that indicated that I had actually passed into North Carolina way before Coinjack, which I thought was in Virginia. Shows you how easy it is to make a mistake on a trip like this. Ah, but such is life.
The wind was really cranking today, 20-25 and gusts to 35, so I put down roots and stayed another day.It gave me time to lay out courses to the south for the next few days and the opportunity to mark my charts with all the recommended anchorages between here and someplace in the middle of South Carolina. I'll get to the rest of them on the next lay day.
The troubles with the dinghy continue. I checked out the rip and I have a patch that will cover it but I don't have the adhesive to do the mending. Fortuitously, I had purchased some adhesive before I left to add some handles to the dinghy. Unfortunately, the stuff is very humidity sensitive and if the humidity is over 50%, it won't adhere to anything. Being surrounded by water is a guarantee that the humidity will be over the magic 50% and so I have contacted some fellow sailors to see if they can come up with a fix. And no one seemingly repairs inflatable dinghies. Every marina I have contacted says they don't and they don know anyone who does. I was not really happy to begin with in having an inflatable dingy, but you have to go with what you have and that is what I had. It has been more problems than it's worth though some people really love them.
I am weighing the pros and cons of side tracking to Elizabeth City, North Carolina. If you get there and there is space, you can get two(2) free nights docking. Not only that, the Rose Buddies come down to your boat and give you wine and cheese! How can I pass up an opportunity like that. The down side is that the docking is limited and I could get shut out and it will cost me two days, one going and one coming back to make the trip. Decisions, decisions, decisions! ! ! !! !
If it is not to Elizabeth City, it is across Albemarle Sound and down(or up) the Alligator River and into the hinterland of North Carolina. The morning light will dictate which way I go. Win & cheese? Hummmmm!
Thursday, October 28, 2010
The First KISS! ! ! !
SHIP'S LOG:
It was raining this morning and I wasn't sure about going, but it stopped by 10 and I figured, "What the heck?" and took off. This part of the ICW is very rural. In deed the only signs of civilization are the houses by the ICW and the boats on it. Most are still of Canadian Registry as they have some different type of insurance coverage that lets them, go farther south before November 1st. When the Nov. 1st deadline is reached, Hospital Point is going to look like something out of the Oklahoma land rush. Boy, those bridges they will have to pass through in the first20 miles will be a congested mess. Glad I won't be there.
I really hadn't wanted to push today. There was a spot at the 28.1 mile marker, a little creek that seemed to off a perfect spot to drop the hook. Unfortunately, since the charts were last published, a bar had filled in the mouth at about 5ft. That's 1/2 shy of letting me in and so I " Kissed" the mud for the first time. I deny full responsibility and blames it on the chartmakers for not updating things! It wasn't a hard grounding. Moving at only a not, I simply stopped moving and when I realized it, I just backed out. So I am 1 for 2, one(1) grounding for Two(2) days on the ICW.
The not fun part of this was that I had to rush and push for about 30miles to get to the next good anchorage, south of Coinjack, VA, at mile 61.8. It wasn't the most fun of the trip. Several large sportfishmen powerboats past during this time. They throw up tremendous wakes when they are move fast, which they all like to do. These would, however, slow down as they approached and so minimized their wakes. Unfortunately, as soon as they were just past, they would slam the throttles forward and their sterns would drop and dig a hole in the water and it would bounce me all around. I had some very unkind thoughts about those boat operators, speculating whether or not their parents ever married. I passed the two marinas in Coinjack which flank the ICW. If I had had the bucks, I probably would have stopped for one is noted for its restaurant and the Prime Rib it serves. However, I didn't have the cash and so, with a sigh, I passed by.
I am anchor now with three other boats in Broad Creek and we are less than 20 miles from the North Carolina Border. It takes less than 80 miles to get through Virginia, North Carolina not so much. I am suddenly besieged by mosquitoes! I haven't had to battle them since September! It is the one part of the return to summer I can do with out. Who thought of bug spray?
MASTER'S PERSONAL LOG:
This morning before departing, I was looking at the charts of the trip so far. I find it hard to believe that I have come all this way. I know I did, I can remember the stops and all that happened, but it seems somehow a bit unreal. Really everything is focused on the moment. I am living in the now. It is a little disconcerting as there is a sense of rootlessness to it all, yet enjoyable at the same time. It sure makes going to bed at night and getting up in the morning a real adventure!
It was raining this morning and I wasn't sure about going, but it stopped by 10 and I figured, "What the heck?" and took off. This part of the ICW is very rural. In deed the only signs of civilization are the houses by the ICW and the boats on it. Most are still of Canadian Registry as they have some different type of insurance coverage that lets them, go farther south before November 1st. When the Nov. 1st deadline is reached, Hospital Point is going to look like something out of the Oklahoma land rush. Boy, those bridges they will have to pass through in the first20 miles will be a congested mess. Glad I won't be there.
I really hadn't wanted to push today. There was a spot at the 28.1 mile marker, a little creek that seemed to off a perfect spot to drop the hook. Unfortunately, since the charts were last published, a bar had filled in the mouth at about 5ft. That's 1/2 shy of letting me in and so I " Kissed" the mud for the first time. I deny full responsibility and blames it on the chartmakers for not updating things! It wasn't a hard grounding. Moving at only a not, I simply stopped moving and when I realized it, I just backed out. So I am 1 for 2, one(1) grounding for Two(2) days on the ICW.
The not fun part of this was that I had to rush and push for about 30miles to get to the next good anchorage, south of Coinjack, VA, at mile 61.8. It wasn't the most fun of the trip. Several large sportfishmen powerboats past during this time. They throw up tremendous wakes when they are move fast, which they all like to do. These would, however, slow down as they approached and so minimized their wakes. Unfortunately, as soon as they were just past, they would slam the throttles forward and their sterns would drop and dig a hole in the water and it would bounce me all around. I had some very unkind thoughts about those boat operators, speculating whether or not their parents ever married. I passed the two marinas in Coinjack which flank the ICW. If I had had the bucks, I probably would have stopped for one is noted for its restaurant and the Prime Rib it serves. However, I didn't have the cash and so, with a sigh, I passed by.
I am anchor now with three other boats in Broad Creek and we are less than 20 miles from the North Carolina Border. It takes less than 80 miles to get through Virginia, North Carolina not so much. I am suddenly besieged by mosquitoes! I haven't had to battle them since September! It is the one part of the return to summer I can do with out. Who thought of bug spray?
MASTER'S PERSONAL LOG:
This morning before departing, I was looking at the charts of the trip so far. I find it hard to believe that I have come all this way. I know I did, I can remember the stops and all that happened, but it seems somehow a bit unreal. Really everything is focused on the moment. I am living in the now. It is a little disconcerting as there is a sense of rootlessness to it all, yet enjoyable at the same time. It sure makes going to bed at night and getting up in the morning a real adventure!
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
A Good Day!!!!!
SHIP'S LOG:
This morning I listened to the weather on the radio, read it on three different sites online, and as crappy as it was supposedly going to be, I decided to leave Willoughby Bay and make for the ICW. I figured that if it was really bad, I would anchor off Hospital Point, the start of the ICW.
From 9- noon, I would have said that the weather people(that means NOAA) were right in their predictions. I had to get the anchor up by motoring ahead, hauling in the rode, motoring ahead a little more, bring in more rode, and again and again, until I got the whole deal on board. It was not a lot of fun in that wind. But the wind was the key as I got out of Willoughby Bay and headed south under Jib and Mizzen. Passing the Newport news shipyard, I went by some incredible big naval vessels, including a couple of carriers. You just can't imagine just how big these ships are. Thank goodness they were not moving at the time. They were simply impressive.
When I got to Hospital Point, the wind had not really died but shifted to its favorite position on this trip, right on the nose. So it was sails down and motor on and into the ICW. Initially it was very disappointing. It smelled like Northern New Jersey by the refineries and both shores had docks and wharves in various states of disrepair. After awhile however, the land turned more "pastoral" and under developed and it became more like I expected the ICW to be. It was actually quite lovely but I had to be careful not to wander from the center of the channel less I go aground.
I had to do the hurry up and wait at two bridges, waiting for them to open. At one I was joined by two military rubber boats armed to the teeth with soldiers for what purpose I don't know. The strangest thing is the lock at Great Bridge which does not lift you up or down but rather is intended to keep the salt water of the Chesapeake out of the ICW. One side of the lock has rubber bumpers and the other side is steel and concrete. The rubber side requires you to do your own tie-off while in the lock, the "hard side" has helpers. Nothing really much happens. You go in, they close the lock door bind you, then they open the lock door in front of you and you leave. I am not sure how effective the whole process is as the water flowing by my boat as I sit dock south of the lock is toward the lock!
There are two free docking areas on either side of the Great Bridge. The one north was "filled" with boats. There would have been room for more but everyone was spread along the dock with generous spacing which, if kept to a reasonable amount would have allowed several more boats to dock there . . .like me! So I tied up on the south side . . .the low class neighborhood. Heck, when you close your eyes, its all the same.
One the south dock was a couple from Texas in a Has Christan 38. Mounted on the bowsprit was a Canadian Goose Decoy. When I ask the lady on board its purpose, she said, "It keeps the elephants from walking on the deck!" Obviously she has been sailing much too long!
I really have no idea where I am going tomorrow except south. Or even if I am going tomorrow. I'll just have to wait and see. It ia hot and humid and I have no schedule!
This morning I listened to the weather on the radio, read it on three different sites online, and as crappy as it was supposedly going to be, I decided to leave Willoughby Bay and make for the ICW. I figured that if it was really bad, I would anchor off Hospital Point, the start of the ICW.
From 9- noon, I would have said that the weather people(that means NOAA) were right in their predictions. I had to get the anchor up by motoring ahead, hauling in the rode, motoring ahead a little more, bring in more rode, and again and again, until I got the whole deal on board. It was not a lot of fun in that wind. But the wind was the key as I got out of Willoughby Bay and headed south under Jib and Mizzen. Passing the Newport news shipyard, I went by some incredible big naval vessels, including a couple of carriers. You just can't imagine just how big these ships are. Thank goodness they were not moving at the time. They were simply impressive.
When I got to Hospital Point, the wind had not really died but shifted to its favorite position on this trip, right on the nose. So it was sails down and motor on and into the ICW. Initially it was very disappointing. It smelled like Northern New Jersey by the refineries and both shores had docks and wharves in various states of disrepair. After awhile however, the land turned more "pastoral" and under developed and it became more like I expected the ICW to be. It was actually quite lovely but I had to be careful not to wander from the center of the channel less I go aground.
I had to do the hurry up and wait at two bridges, waiting for them to open. At one I was joined by two military rubber boats armed to the teeth with soldiers for what purpose I don't know. The strangest thing is the lock at Great Bridge which does not lift you up or down but rather is intended to keep the salt water of the Chesapeake out of the ICW. One side of the lock has rubber bumpers and the other side is steel and concrete. The rubber side requires you to do your own tie-off while in the lock, the "hard side" has helpers. Nothing really much happens. You go in, they close the lock door bind you, then they open the lock door in front of you and you leave. I am not sure how effective the whole process is as the water flowing by my boat as I sit dock south of the lock is toward the lock!
There are two free docking areas on either side of the Great Bridge. The one north was "filled" with boats. There would have been room for more but everyone was spread along the dock with generous spacing which, if kept to a reasonable amount would have allowed several more boats to dock there . . .like me! So I tied up on the south side . . .the low class neighborhood. Heck, when you close your eyes, its all the same.
One the south dock was a couple from Texas in a Has Christan 38. Mounted on the bowsprit was a Canadian Goose Decoy. When I ask the lady on board its purpose, she said, "It keeps the elephants from walking on the deck!" Obviously she has been sailing much too long!
I really have no idea where I am going tomorrow except south. Or even if I am going tomorrow. I'll just have to wait and see. It ia hot and humid and I have no schedule!
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