Thursday 11/24/11

First a few notes on yesterday. 

This is Roy.  Roy kind of hangs around the shipyard and watches the new docks being built.  He moved to the States in 1977 from England and married an American girl.  Living in the Norfolk area he worked for a company that imported and refurbished the old, red, double decker buses from London.  After a bus was sold he and his wife would deliver them.  They delivered a bus as far away as Seattle WA.  From there it would be shipped to Alaska.  These were real sightseeing trips since top speed on the bus is 47 MPH!  Roy smiled and said “It took an Englishman to marry an American girl and show her the Country”.  Roy is now 80 years young and widowed and, if I understood him right, lives on a sailboat.  He was such a joy to meet and talk to.

 

Linda started preparing for our Thanksgiving feast.  She took the smoked turkey breast that our son made for us, out of the freezer and then made no-bake cookies for dessert.

Thanksgiving in Elizabeth City, NC.

Last night we had gale force winds until just before sun up then it magically turned into a beautiful day with clear skies and a cool breeze.                      

Linda prepared the smoked turkey breast and broke out a can of potatoes and creamed corn from the stores with her no-bake cookies for dessert. We really enjoyed our Thanksgiving Day. 

Since this is more of a shipyard than a marina we are the only ones here.  It’s very quiet and peaceful in the slip.  This serenity gave us time to reflect on the many things we have to be thankful for.  Even with the unexpected events we have had on this adventure we have had a safe voyage, met some terrific people, have been treated more than fairly by those who we had to depend on for services.  We have family and friends who love and support us. We have each other and TwoGether.  (And delicious home smoked turkey breast left-overs)  Cell phone reception here is great and we had good conversation with our son and daughter-in-law and Linda’s parents. For all this (and so much more) we give thanks to God.  Tomorrow the Albemarle!

Sunday  11/20/11                Sunday morning was tranquil on Deep Creek.  We arrived at Deep Creek Lock at 8:20A being first in line to enter the lock.  The lock schedule is 8:30A, 11:00A, 1:30P and 3:30P.    We were accompanied by two sailboats and a large trawler.  The Lockmaster was quite helpful and put us at ease.  The lock lifts about 8 feet.  When you come to a stop in the lock you pass the lockmaster a line attached to a cleat on your boat, which he puts around a bollard (post) then throws you back the end of the line.  This is done on each end of the boat.  Linda held the bow line and I did the stern.  When all the boats are secure the downstream lock gate closes and the water comes in through the valves below the upstream gate. This seems a bit intimidating at first as this rush of water is swirling all around you. But it is doing just that …swirling; there is no real current to fight.  When the lift is over the lockmaster opens the upstream gate and tells you to pull in your lines.  Then you proceed slowly out the lock.  The whole process takes nearly an hour.  Now we are officially in the Dismal Swamp Canal.       

Just inside each end of the canal is a draw bridge.  The Lockmaster is also the Bridge Tender, so after all the boats have cleared the lock he makes a ½ mile trip to open the bridge.






The Dismal Swamp starts at mile 11 on the ICW and continues for 22 miles to South Mills Lock.  There you are lowered 8 feet into Turners Cut.  This cut, which is a little wider than the canal, goes another 5 miles then joins the head waters of the Pasquotank River.

The canal was true to everything we have heard or read.  It is truly a beautiful waterway.  It is only about 50 feet wide with overhanging trees on each side giving about a 30 foot clear channel.  The sides of the canal have countless snags (dead trees and branches) and some floating wood.  Water depths in the center run around 6 to 9 feet.  Almost totally tree lined on both sides you would never know that US route 17 parallels the eastern bank for much of the canal except the occasional sound of a truck on the highway. 

 As we were enjoying the scenery about 8 miles into the canal I made an adjustment to port and we heard a loud KLUNK.  As I turned the wheel back to starboard another KLUNK.  The helm froze up!  We were angled toward the east bank of the canal.  A quick spurt of reverse and we stopped short.  Linda radioed the trawler behind us and told them we have lost our steering.  Everybody passed us carefully an offered to give assistance.   

Trying to steer a boat that constantly makes a left turn was quite the challenge.  After a few minutes I was able to get the helm centered and we continued another 10 miles with the port engine running 1500 RPM and adjusting the starboard engine to keep us going straight.   It took 3 hours to arrive at ICW mile 28 where North Carolina has a unique Welcome Center where on one side is the canal and the other is US route 17. 

Around 3:30P we tied up at the Welcome Center and made arrangements with Tow Boat U.S. to come and tow us to Elizabeth City, NC the next morning.  The closest Tow Boat U.S. is in Coinjock, NC, 25 miles away as the crow flies but 60 miles by water.  The tow to Elizabeth City will be close to 25 miles.  Tow Boat U.S. is the AAA of the boating world.  I’m sure glad we have the unlimited towing option!

 

Deep Creek Lock:    N36°44.781   W076°20.392

Dismal Swamp Canal
Welcome Center:     N36°30.439  W076°21.330

Monday 11/21/11     Tow Boat U.S. arrived just after 10:00A with Captain Wayne Twiford at the helm.  He put TwoGether “on the hip” to start the journey to Elizabeth City.  After we locked through South Mills, and were on the straight section of Turners Cut, he had us tie on towlines on the bow and gave us a conventional tow the rest of the way.  While this type of trip wasn’t what I had in mind I have to admit that it was quite relaxing to be able to just sIt on the “front porch” and watch the scenery go by.  It gave me a chance to take some videos.                    

We tied up at Elizabeth City Shipyard at 3:30P and Captain Wayne started his hour and a half trip home.   Wayne Twiford has worked onboard tankers, tugs, captained a ferry and now in retirement serves as a tow boat captain.  He said he loves it. Once again we have been privileged to be served by a real professional.

Tuesday 11/22/11                8:00A we were greeted by Lloyd Griffin, owner of the Elizabeth City Shipyard.  He took time out of his busy schedule to troubleshoot and repair our steering problem.  He found a broken gear in the helm assembly, was able to find a replacement unit and had it installed by afternoon.  Lloyd is also a Certified Marine Surveyor and owner of Frigate Marine Surveyors.   He inspects boats, tugs and barges for prospective buyers and writes reports of their seaworthiness.  Having a survey before buying can save you from a “boatload” of problems.

With a cold front in the forecast and the Norfolk TV saying there could be winds of up to 60 MPH we decided to stay here at the Shipyard until Friday when the winds on the Albemarle Sound are forecast 10-15 with waves 1foot.  The Albemarle is about 18 miles across from north to south and 50 miles east to west.  The ICW cuts through the center leaving the Pasquotank River and entering the Alligator River.  (I’m not quite sure if the name comes from gators living in the area or if it because it is shaped like an alligator.)   When the wind is directly out of the west or east this shallow body of water can become very rough with steep choppy waves.  There are warnings in every cruising guide to be sure you have low wind conditions when crossing.  Even the locals will caution you “if you don’t know the Albemarle… wait it out”.

Elizabeth City Shipyard:     N36°17.777  W076°12.866

Wednesday 11/23/11.         We woke up to a good rain this morning and a few flashes of lightning as the cold front passed.  The winds weren’t anything like forecast but it was a pretty stiff breeze and the decks got a good wash down.  Today will be a day to relax and enjoy being snug in a slip.

Saturday 11/19/11               Last night got really cold.  The temps went down into the upper 20s and lower 30s.  But we stayed snug in the cuddy cabin.  The boat had about a 1/8^th inch of heavy frost all over it.  The sun came up to a cloudless sky.  We were on our way from Yorktown at 8:50A.        By noon we reached the entrance to Hampton Roads.  The traffic was much lighter than we expected.  There was a tug and barge at anchor with a diver in the water working on the Navy Degaussing Range.  Then we passed about every type of Navy ship you could imagine in berths along the next 10 miles. 

One of the highlights was when we had to pass an oncoming ship, with a tug on each side, in one of the narrowest parts of the channel.          To add to the fun…. there was an aircraft carrier docked on one side of the channel and a marina on the other.  But we made it through without swapping any paint!

At 2:00P we reached Gilmerton Bridge.  There are actually two bridges there.  Gilmerton is a highway bridge and just 20 yards past it is the Norfolk & Southern Railway Bridge #7.  The bridges open on the half hour so we waited patiently.  We were the only boat there.  By the time the bridge was to open at 2:30, there were 3 tugs, 2 trawlers and a sailboat for company.  It got kind of cozy because the bridges are on a tight bend in the river.  Two trains went by and delayed the opening another 10 minutes.

By 3:15P we made the right turn into Deep Creek and anchored about a mile before the lock marking the beginning of the Dismal Swamp Canal. 

Gilmerton Bridge:     N36° 46.509              W076° 18.777
Deep Creek:             N36° 45.342              W076° 19.352

Monday 11/14/11                 The waves continue to be forecast 3 to 4 feet until late Thursday.  We rented a car to so we could run some errands like the grocery store and laundry.  We met a slip neighbor, Tim, who is sailing single handed to Florida and then to the islands.  The three of us spent part of the afternoon in the Laundromat.  In the evening Linda and I went to a Japanese restaurant for a delicious Teriyaki dinner.

Tuesday 11/15/11                Today is perfect for exploring historic Yorktown.   This area is a mecca for anyone with even the slightest interest in history.  Being the off season the historic district was rather peaceful.  This isn’t a one-day deal.  There is so much to see.  The Waterman’s Museum, although smaller by far than St Michaels or Solomons Island, is none the less worth the time to go through.    In addition there is a one room area, in the coach house, with a collection of U.S Marine uniforms from colonial times through present day.

Then there is the Yorktown Victory Center.  This place is worth whole day itself.  Pristine grounds with self-guided or guided tours, IMAX type theater presentation, living history Colonial Army encampment with live fire demos of muskets and cannon, and typical colonial farm.  This area is worth a drive back someday to spend a week! 

When we got back to the boat we had an email from my cousin Rodney and his wife Linda who live near York, PA.  They were in Williamsburg (about 12 miles away) from 11/4 through 11/11.  We arrived here 11/8.  We were so close but had no idea.

Wednesday 11/16/11 Jamestown VA.

  Even with a slight chance for rain again we have a nice day for exploring.  Linda has wanted to see the Jamestown Settlement for some time.  Out in the parking lot you could catch the aroma of pulled pork coming from the café.  Delicious!    The settlement has a lot to see.  There is a recreated Powhatan Indian Village, replicas of the three ships that brought the English settlers, and a recreated James Fort.  In addition, there is a huge museum with galleries, a mockup of a Colonial Jamestown street and several movies relating the history of the area.   Like Yorktown this is a must see again.  The next time we must include Williamsburg.

The marine forecast says…. SAT SW WINDS 5 TO 10 KT. WAVES 1 FOOT.  It looks like we will be southbound Saturday morning.

 Thursday  11 17/11              More excitement!  Last night a squall line of thunderstorms came through.  The wind was so strong it sounded like we were on the departure end of an airport with jets going overhead.      There were reports of a tornado south of here.  This morning we noticed that Tim’s dinghy disappeared.  It was blown loose from his deck and landed onshore about 100 yards from his sailboat.     The rain, wind and fog continue as we rock and roll in the slip.  This will be a good day to snuggle up in the cuddy cabin and take a nap.

Sunday 11/6/11        Woke up to a great morning.  There was a high overcast but just the faintest breeze.  We refueled at Harbor Island Marina in Solomans Island, MD.  While we headed down the bay the overcast gave way to clear blue skies.  The east wind of around 10 Kts. gave us a gentle roll as we made our way south.

We turned west into Fleets Bay going up Indian Creek and arrived at Pitman Cove at 3:50P.  What a beautiful area.  This is a quiet cove is surrounded by elegant houses, but still has a rural atmosphere.  Soon after we anchored a great couple, Dan and Debby, who were out in their dinghy, came to welcome us.   They just moved here from NJ about seven months ago  and have their sailboat docked at their house on Pitman Cove.   We really enjoyed meeting and talking with them. 

Pitman Cove:  N 37° 41.588   W76° 21.091

Monday 11/7/11         Just after sunrise Pitman Cove was alive with color.  The trees showed everything from brilliant yellows to bright orange and blazing reds.  We pulled anchor and refueled at Chesapeake Boat Basin.  IndianCreek was clear, but there was fog on the Bay.  We went back to the anchorage to wait it out and Dan came by and wished us a good morning as he was taking his dinghy to a meeting.    The fog lifted around 10:00A and again we were southbound..          Light east winds gave another day of comfortable travel.  Evening found us in the Poquonson River near Langley Air Force Base. Tomorrow should be the trip through Hampton Roads and the Elizabeth River through the Norfolk/Portsmouth area.

Poquoson River       :           N 37°09.071   W 076°24.710

 Tuesday 11/8/11     Another morning with clear skies and light breezes.  It’s a great day for going the remainder of Chesapeake Bay and into Hampton Roads… Not so fast there Captain!   The starboard volt meter is only showing battery voltage.  The alternator is not charging.  I checked it out and found a broken terminal on the field wire.  I replaced it, but there was a lot of black residue under the alternator and I wasn’t sure what it was.  We called Dare Marina, just around the corner from where we anchored, and talked with General Manager Mike Hanna.  He said they can either find a replacement alternator or have ours repaired if needed.   We were met at the dock by Captain Bob James who serves as dock master and Tow Boat U.S. Captain. He got us settled in. 

While backing into the marina slip the port side reverse decided to quit!  So I guess we will have them take a look at it too.  Maybe it’s time to take a break and go ashore.  One of the lessons I have “almost” learned from life is… normally the situation is not as bad as it is perceived.  Dennis Sparks, Dare’s mechanic with 35 years’ experience, said the black residue was “belt smutz”(His term for the dust from the new belt breaking in). Then he checked the transmission linkage above the water line and didn’t find any problem.  That means the boat will have to be hauled out. Dare Marina has a fork lift, not a travel lift.  TwoGether is too big for them to haul out.  Mike actually scheduled us in at another marina to have us hauled out on Wednesday.   Dennis would come there to continue his inspection.

 Wednesday 11/9/11                       We are scheduled to be at York Haven Marina at 9:00A for haul out.    Pea Soup!  Visibility, maybe 50 yards (if you squint really hard).  Finally around 10:00 the fog lifts for about ten minutes then back to zero.  Captain Bob came to the boat and said they are ready for us at York Haven.  If we want he will escort us down through the fog.  That sounds like a good idea.  As we left for the 3 ½ mile trip the fog started to break again.  That lasted about five minutes and we were in it again. The channel is rather narrow and goes from eight feet to nada in a heartbeat.

 I have been privileged to fly in in the cockpit of airplanes while making instrument landings to minimums.  But you always break out into at least ¼ mile visibility before touch down.  Captain Bob took us through fog so thick we could not see beyond his boat 30 yard ahead.  We didn’t see the channel markers (which he made everyone right on) until he had passed them and then they were only an eerie shadow passing abeam.  The last few markers are less than 75 yards apart bring you into a “z” shaped channel.  Just as we reached the marina the fog started to lift for the day. 

York Haven Marina is an Old-Salts type of place located in White House Cove, off Bennett Creek.  There are old workboats being repaired and restored.  The haul out was in progress when Dennis arrived.  They were giving her a wash-down and it was lunchtime so Linda, Dennis and I walked next door to Owens Marina/Restaurant.  If you are ever in this area it’s worth the “Z” channel trip.  The food was great! The service was great!  They don’t have a website so you just have to take my word for it.

The reverse problem turned out to be a missing locknut on the cable.  Dennis went for some lock nuts and in a about an hour had us ready to be “splashed”.  On the trip back to Dare Marina we realized, and were amazed at, how Captain Bob negotiated the trip without a hitch.  He is a real professional.          We returned to the slip and checked the weather radio. The next few days call for high winds and waves. It looks like we just might stay tied up here for the weekend.   

In this area I haven’t heard the female computer voice on the weather radio I call “Wanda the Weather Witch” but the male counterpart our friends Bill and Pree Bell, who owned the sailboat Nightwind, call “Lying Larry”.   Either one will get you if you don’t pay attention.

Dare Marina: N37° 11.014  W076° 25.367

Dare Marina «««««« Yorktown, VA

That’s right.

Out of a 5 star rating we give them a 6!                  

Wednesday, 11/1/11      Departed Swan Creek of Rock Hall 10:05 AM.  Although a bit hazy it was a beautiful day.

While cruising  under the Bay Bridge at Annapolis, we passed a large container ship headed north bound.  That was cool!  The cruise down the bay, following the eastern shore was smooth with light winds and the haze burning off.  We passed through Knapps Narrows (Tilghman Island) for our first experience with a draw bridge.  Even though we have a drawbridge on the Sassafras we have never taken Twogether up river far enough to pass through.   Then we turned north up to Dun Cove arriving at 4:15PM.  It was a nice anchorage.

Dun Cove : N38° 44.416 W076° 19.133

Thursday, 11/2/11.          Just after 10:00 we headed south behind Tilghman toward the

Bay. 

Ancient mariners have many tales about the Sirens (mermaids) who would lure them into the rocks by playing sweet music on their lyres.  Well it seems these Sinister Sisters of the Seas have kept up with technology.  They now they lure you with a sweet feminine voice on the marine weather channel.  “South winds 10 to 15 knots…waves one to two feet.”  The late Paul Harvey would say “Now for the rest of the story.”   It was more like steady at 15 with ”chop” of two to three feet with a frequent four footer thrown in for a little excitement!

After a somewhat bumpy ride across the Bay, we cruised into the Patuxent River and anchored about three miles upriver in Mill Creek.  This was another beautiful anchorage.  But our Weather Witch forecasted north to northwest winds increasing to 15 to 20 with gust of 25.  So we anchored near a bluff that would give us good shelter.  But when the winds came from the east there wasn’t much protection.  We gave new meaning to “swinging on the hook”.  There had to be times when the wind reached gale force.  While this wasn’t our most restful night we were glad to be where we were. 

Around 10:00 PM we listened in suspense as a 38 ft. sailboat hailed the Coast Guard for assistance.  He was adrift near Breezy Point.  We could only hear the Coast Guard side of the conversation.  He was apparently the only person onboard.  Maryland Trooper 7 (state police helicopter) found him and stayed with him awaiting the arrival of a fire/rescue boat.  Trooper 7 stayed with him until he had to return for fuel. It would appear the water was too rough for the F/R boat since we didn’t hear anyone talk to the F/R boat after that.  The Coast Guard kept in touch with the sailboat via a radio call every 15 minutes.  Then in the early morning darkness the Coast Guard issued a statement that the sailboat was taking on water and for all other vessels to be on the lookout for him, report his position and offer any assistance they could.  With five to six foot waves (chop) there weren’t any other small boats out there. Finally around 7:00 AM the Coast Guard issued a statement that he had received assistance and cancelled the watch.  We were so relieved to hear he was safe.

Saturday, 11/5/11.           This is getting exciting!!!  About 4:00 AM Linda noticed that our anchor had drug about 20 feet. But reset itself.  We kept a watchful eye on it, with the GPS, and with the arrival of daylight we moved to another location on Mill Creek.  After a hardy breakfast, served by the First Mate, we started to relax.  She even fell asleep on the settee.  A well-deserved rest.  The winds are forecast to be gentler tomorrow so we will just stay put today. 

Mill Creek:  N38° 20. 069  W76° 30.074

Snow in October?  The boat was ready to go and all that remained is bringing the folding bikes and clothing from home.    It was the plan to do this on Saturday the 29^th, return home and have our son and daughter in law bring us back to the boat in their car.  Mother Nature had a different idea.  We got six inches of heavy wet snow on Saturday and the highways were not the place to be.  So on Sunday morning Terry Jr. and his wife Sharon rode along in the packed minivan and gave us a real send off.  They gave us a bottle of strawberry wine, a box of candy, a lettering kit for our life ring and a Christmas ornament with the picture of a small skiff and the words Sassafras River.   Terry Jr. provided our Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners by giving us some of his home smoked turkey breast and canned hams.

Some people might think I’m crazy, but in my career as a mechanic I find machines have a personality.   We think the boat may have been a bit apprehensive about the trip.  Last week everything on board worked perfect. We left Duffy Creek Marina at 3:35 P M Sunday to the sound of a squeaking alternator belt.  But we made it nonstop ( 3 miles) to Knight Island one of our favorite anchorages.  Monday was spent tightening belts, setting up the dinghy (painting on the numbers, installing the outboard, going for its maiden voyage), then the generator wouldn't start. We got it running and enjoyed a quiet evening.

Tuesday morning the VHF would not come on line; the port voltmeter read only 10 volts  We checked and the alternator is putting out 13volts and the VHF magically started talking!  So up came the anchor and we were underway at 10:10 AM.  Once we made Ordinary Point, TwoGether decided that we are serious about taking this cruise and didn't even hick-up. At 2:35PM we anchored in Swan Creek at Rock Hall. 

N39° 08.844: W076°15.600

Can't wait to see what tomorrow brings