A Mixture of Weather and Scenery

Left Mill Creek and while motoring out, we spotted our first dolphins. However, they did not play just came and went. We were able to sail to the Piankatank River with the best sailing early in the day and then it got continually lighter.  We were in Jackson Creek off of Deltaville Marina by 1PM.  Our friends from Discovery, Carl and Marilyn whom we met in the Bahamas on the last trip, came to greet us.  She took me to the grocery for a few things that I needed.  The Deltaville Marina charges $11 a day per person to land your dinghy.  You are then allowed to use the pool, showers or laundry.  But if you don’t want any of that, and just want to walk it is still $11 per person.  Not too cruiser friendly!  We waited until after five and went in to have dinner with a few more cruisers we knew and new ones who we got to meet in the screened in porch.  It was fun to reconnect with Carl and Marilyn and Chris and Craig on Tilt whom we came back up through the Abacos with on the last trip. 

We said our goodbyes to the Mershons because we decided to head to the Hampton area and they were headed up the York River to their new marina.  We certainly are going to miss them on this trip.

We had a cooked breakfast and headed out.  The

Passing Norfolk and Portsmouth

weather channel called for 10-15k out of the north.   What did we have?  2-4k out of the south- very flat bay for a motor day to Fort Munroe.  Discovery headed down the bay too, but chose to go on to Hospital Pt. which is the Portsmouth side of the river.  Al did not want to go another 2 hrs. so Fort Munroe it was.  It is not my favorite anchorage because of bridge and car noise, but it provided to be less desirable after a night of rocking because the wind changed to the southwest which was not called for and which is exactly the direction you don’t want in there.  I said Carl and Marilyn made a wise choice until we came upon Hospital Point and they were still there.  We called them and they said they could not get their anchor up.  We pulled off and set our anchor to see if we could help.  Carl had gotten a hold of Boat US and they were sending a tow boat which eventually helped them pull up the anchor which was caught on a cable.  Since they had help on the way we motored past Norfolk and  went on to Ocean Marine Marina and got fuel, water and disposed of garbage, all critical things while cruising. 

The broken bridge finally opens!

We motored on to the Gilmerton Railroad Bridge (the one they had plans to close on Tuesday and Thursday of this week to work on it.)  The one span was halfway up.  Powerboats could get under but not sailboats.  We waited 1 ½ hrs. until they got it working again. This is why cruisers plans are only written in sand and not stone!

Robert the lock tender at Deep Creek playing a tune
on the conch shell

This is at the beginning of the Dismal Swamp

 Once through we headed into the Dismal Swamp.  People often say how horrible it sounds and ask why do you want to go there?  Well, we don't find it so dismal, actually I think it is rather pretty and it has a uniqueness all its own.   The lock opens only four times a day so we had  to wait for the 1:30pm opening of the Deep Creek lock.  Two other boats were in the lock with us and Robert the lock and bridge tender was his congenial self.  He welcomed us back.  (Now it was four years ago we went through the lock, because last year we went the Virgina Cut route. What a memory!)  He was helpful telling you exactly what to do while the boats were coming up in the lock and he even played a tune on his conch shell for us. He has a whole collection from cruisers who bring them back from the Bahamas.

Blue Heaven docked at Deep Creek with lock to the right.

We planned to stay on the free dock immediately after the lock, so he invited us for coffee and danish the next morning.  Discovery, and boats named Ar-turus, and Outsider (people from Australia) came through the 3:30pm opening and came to the dock as well.

Robert told us about a good Pizza shop so Blair and Dennis from Ar-turus from West Chester, Pa, Carl and Marilyn and Al and I walked to the restaurant for a wonderful Stromboli and pizza.  We also hit the Food Lion store in the same area and walked back and called it a night.  It had been a long day!

Robert's breakfast spread!

Robert was the host with the most!

Putting on jeans and heavier jackets for the first time on our trip , all of us at the dock headed over to Robert’s office for not just coffee and Danish, but bagels, doughnuts, fruit and orange juice with strawberries, peaches and pineapple in it.  He went all out, and gave us a wonderful history of the canal as well.  He told us because this canal has no commercial traffic, they would like to close it down but 35,000 people emailed or wrote saying it should not be closed.  So at this time it is still open but it is the cruisers that need to keep coming and telling the higher ups not to close it.  It would probably be the downfall of Elizabeth City if it closed. 

Would you expect to find a mermaid in the swamp?

We said our goodbyes to Robert at the bridge he opens after opening the lock and continued down the Dismal Swamp Canal.  Once again I really don’t know why it is called “Dismal” because Al and I like it.   There are homes along parts of it, even ones with mermaids, and you can see some roads and trails that follow parts of the Dismal Swamp canal. 
 It rained heavily at times while we were motoring through, only hearing a thump every once in a while from “deadheads”.  (They are the water soaked logs that sometimes come up after being disturbed by other boats.) Those were no problem, but unfortunately Al must have been just a little to close to the shore and our mast hit a branch and damaged our wind indicator.  So now we have no wind direction or speed.  He will have to be taken up the mast to bring it down and check to see if we can get parts for this 1985 vintage equipment.  (Thank heavens, I wasn’t steering when it happened.  I think you wives know what I mean!)

We decided to stop at the Welcome Center which was just about when the rain stopped.  The other three boats headed on to Elizabeth City.  After lunch we checked out the Welcome Center (which is really a Rt. 17 highway stop) and got some maps of trails you can hike in the area.  
We decided on an easy one which was macadam actually old route 17 since it had just rained heavily.  We also learned more about the wild life in the area from the Education Center in the state park on the other side of the canal accessible by a walking bridge they put across.  On a dry day the other trails would have been nice to try, although there are bear in the area!  We met a couple at the dock from Boston with two small children on board.  More power to them with a 1 ½ yr. old and 4 year old on board.  They have only been sailing about a year and they plan to go to the Bahamas.  The boat’s name, Wildest Dreams, how appropriate!

We left around 7:30am to make the next bridge opening and lock.  As friendly as Robert was, the next bridge and lock tender was as unfriendly.  He did not answer our calls on the VHF, did not help us in the lock or explain what or when he was lowering us.  What a difference! 

The lower Dismal Swamp chartreuse algae bloom.

We continued down the winding section of the Dismal Swamp canal with chartreuse green algae or Al thought it was called “goose grass”  all along the waters edge.  Actually it was quite pretty although we don’t want it to clog the intake to the engine.  We made it to Elizabeth City around noon just when the rain started.  We got tied up to the bulkhead and quickly went down below to retreat from the pouring rain.  After lunch there was a break in the rain so we walked in town to the Arts Center which had a very nice display of local artists work.  Met Blair and Dennis from Ar-turus on the way back and visited with them on their motor- sailor answering many of their questions because this was their first time going down the ICW.  They are taking their boat to Fort Myers which was the farthest point we went on our first trip.  It is fun to share your knowledge and experience with “newbies.”

Rug hooking is great way to  pass the time!

We left the next day on a very gray dismal morning but the wind was 15k out of the north which gave us a nice sail down the Pasquetank River.  With no wind direction or wind speed indicator it was like sailing on our Chrysler 22 back in the seventies!  Wing on wing we crossed the Abemarle Sound and down the Alligator river with a nice easy sail, to anchor off Deep Pt. for the night.  I even was able to do some rug hooking. This area is in the middle of “nowheresville” with no cell phone, tv or internet available.  A night to watch a DVD!

Wednesday was another very gray day to go through the very gray Pungo Canal. I was looking for some color and found a little here and there, but not the prettiest place.  I think they should rename the Dismal Swamp something else and name this canal the Dismal Canal!  

Eagle-eyed Al spotting eagles!

Lots of bald eagles along the Pungo Canal

 I was down below working on the blog while Al was steering and spotting eagles.  He said they were so plentiful that they were like “pigeons in a city.”  Well, I don’t know if they were quite that plentiful but more than normal.  As the day wore on the weather was getting brighter and finally the sun came out which was a welcome sight after three days of rain and dreariness.  That is probably what urged us on to do a seventy mile day to reach Broad Creek off the Neuse River.  We are heading into River Dunes for some much needed marina life.  Al is going to try to get up the mast to see about the wind instrument, and I will be doing some much needed laundry, cleaning and food shopping as well as a nice dinner out.

I love those long hot showers too.!

One happy wife because we are going to a marina finally!