Wednesday 12/7/11.           McClellanville  has house after house with historical markers on the front wall.  Large Live Oaks are in almost every yard covered with Spanish moss. 

It took me back to being an eight year old living in Florida.  I could just imagine riding my bike with my friends tearing up and down the streets. 






It was a great day to explore. The people are very friendly.  A smile and a wave came from nearly each vehicle that past as we walked the sidewalks. 

We found one huge oak tree with a marker so we had to check it out.. 
Deerhead Oak: Height 67 ft; Cricumferemce 30.6 ft.;Longest Limb 70 ft.; Age 1000 yrs.
We found the only restaurant in town.  We got there too late to eat because they only serve lunch Tue-Sat 11A to 3P and dinner Thu – Sat 530P to-930P.  You just gotta be there at the right time!

After sundown the wind started to pick up.  Soon we were rocking gently at the dock.  In about an hour the cold front went through and the storms had us rolling at the dock. The wind must have gone to over 20 mph sustained and frequent gust around 35.  The little harbor was full of whitecaps.  This continued until 11 P.  We were so thankful we were tied to the dock.


Thursday 12/8/11     The storms have pasted and the morning is bright and a chilly 38°. The weather forecast is good for cruising.  We’re on our way by 9A.  (Guess we’ll have to check out the restaurant another time.) 

We made good time since there were very few no wake zones.  We caught up with a tugboat about 15 miles north of Charleston and followed him quite a ways.  The water was low from all of the wind blowing it out last night plus there are some shoal areas locally on the ICW.  We passed him just north of Charleston.  He asked if we might not make it to bumpy because, as he put it, “I’m sniffing the bottom”.

The trip through Charleston Harbor was pretty straight forward but I didn’t get any pictures to speak of.  Hopefully I will make up for it on the return trip.

Because both Charleston and Savannah are deep water ports there is considerable Tug and barge traffic between the two on the ICW.  Today was Tug Boat day.  Linda and I both have a love of workboats be they tugs, shrimp boats, lobster boats or most any waterman’s vessel.

Just pasted the bridge in Johns Island, SC there is a creek on the northwest side of the ICW.  This will be home for tonight. 

An email from Wendy brought some sad news.  They had met a couple from Canada cruising in a sailboat.  As they were traveling today they saw the sailboat up on the rocks.  Apparently the high winds last night broke their anchor loose.  We are all praying they are alright. 

Johns Island:            N32 47.025   W080 06.917

Friday 12/9/11    This part of the trip deviates from the long man-made cuts of NC and now we find ourselves twisting and turning through the rivers and creeks of the Carolina Lowlands.  Occasionally there will be a cut  less than a mile long to connect one river with the next. 

Just as we turned into Fenwick Cut between the South Edisto River and the Ashepoo River  the tug “Candice L” came around the other corner.  I later measured the cut using a tool on the electronic charts.  The entire cut is 120 yards across and the channel is 30 yards wide.  Because of his deep draft we snuck along the starboard side and gave him the center. Since he is about 10 yards wide and we are three yards wide that only left about 10 yards between us when we passed.  Linda exchanged waves with the captain.

Beaufort (Bue’ fort) SC has a four mile long “Idle Speed No Wake Zone”.  This one is a bit different.  As you pass under the bridges on each end of the zone there is a sign

“Idle Speed No Wake Zone.  Strictly Enforced.  Fine $1025 or 30 Days In Jail”

Idle speed for us is about 2.5 mph.  It will take an hour and a half to transit through

The end of the day found us south of Beaufort tying up at Port Royal Landings Marina.. 

Port Royal , SC:        N32° 23.762  W080° 40.660

Sunday 12/4/11        Last night the wind really blew until just before sunup.  Then there was a breeze of about 5 mph.  This boat tends to swing at anchor when there is a strong breeze so many times I will put a small anchor (lunch hook) out the back.  This really makes a difference.  Up to now there’s never been a problem but this morning when I went to pull the anchor up the line was lying on top of one of the propellers.  It wasn’t tangled …just lying there.  But each time I would pull on the line, the anchor would hang on the prop and I couldn’t pull it up.  We dropped the dinghy off its davits and I crawled in and pulled from a different direction and up it came.   Every day is a thrill show…Some days you’re a spectator …Some days a participant.                           

Up next, after Carolina Beach is Snows Cut which is a manmade cut over to the Cape Fear River.  The name is intimidating and the river can be really rough if the flow of the river, the tide and the wind don’t all agree on going the same direction.  We weren’t really sure what to expect.  The wind was out of the east and we would be headed south and southwest.  The river was almost calm, the wind at our back and the tide going our way.  At the usual power setting we should have been doing about 8.5MPH.  At one time we were actually cruising at 11.5; a 3 mph bonus. 

Just after getting settled in to the Cape Fear River channel we heard Wendy from “Reverie” call us on the VHF.  They were right behind us and getting ready to pass us on the port side.  The girls exchanged good mornings and soon John slowly pulled her away into the horizon bound for Myrtle Beach.                     

 While cruising on the Cape Fear River two pelicans flew near the boat.  The one circled around and came close to the bow it gave us a start.  Linda said if she would have reached over the railing she could have touched him.  First Mate’s Editorial:  “How did I know it was a him?  Because a girl pelican wouldn’t fly so close and risk getting hit”. This is the first day the temperature in the cabin reached 80°.

 We’re all used to the big green signs over the highway directing you to the proper exit.  Not so, on the water.  Where the ICW leaves the river there’s just two markers; one 2’ x 2’ green square on a piling,  #1, and one red buoy, #2, along the southern bank near Southport, NC.  The First Mate kept a sharp lookout for the entrance and showed the Captain where to go .  (Sometimes I think she would like to tell the captain “where to go”!)  When we were out of the river she left out a cheer and said “We made it”.

Shallott Inlet

We anchored in Milliken Cove on Calabash Creek, the first creek in SC.  Actually if you would go another ¼ mile up the creek you would be back in NC.  At this point the ICW joins the Little River which flows form the Myrtle Beach area.  There is a crossroads here made up by the ICW, and Little River crossed by Calabash Creek and Little River Inlet. From our anchorage we can’t see the Little River Inlet and how it parrallels the ICW .  About a half hour after anchoring  we saw a ship coming down what we thought was the ICW. We were a bit amazed.  Then when it looked like he was turning into Calabash Creek, amazement turned to PANIC !  There was barely enough room for us in here... what is he thinking???               The crossroads is only 150 yards wide, so when they are inbound they actually have to span the ICW to make the left turn.  It gives the illusion they are entering Calabash Creek.  The ship was the “Aquasino”, a floating casino based in the town of Little River.  About a half hour later came the “Big M Casino” and the scinerio palyed out again.  Later that night they both went back out to the Atlantic with another load of high-rollers aboard.  I have no idea when they returned but the next moring we passed them moored along the ICW.

Calabash Creek: N 33° 52.387 W078° 34.190

 

Monday 12/ 5/11.     Today will take us from north of Myrtle Beach, through the “Rock Pile”, to somewhere on the Waccamaw River.  This is a rather slow stretch of the ICW because of all the homes built against the waterway, each having a boat dock, and many no wake zones. 

There is no shortage of fabulous homes and golf courses along the Grand Strand as it is known.

Also in this area is “the Rock Pile”.  Along the banks there are shelves of rock right at water level.  It’s a manmade cut so it is narrow.  Passing a tug-barge combination or any large yacht can get really cozy.

There are stories of large boats hitting the rocks while trying to pass in this area.  Linda called ahead on the VHF to see it there was any northbound traffic.  No answer…Here we go.  Staying in the center of the channel is the key and we didn’t see another boat in the three mile stretch. 

Just south of the Rock Pile is an outlet center with a bulkhead where you can tie up if you’re in the shopping mood.

We finally made it into the Waccamaw River.  This is a desolate area of Cypress swamp.  Any minute you expect to hear Dueling Banjos coming from the shore.  This looks like the movie set for Deliverance.

Bridge tenders for the most part are rather a friendly bunch.  Some bridges open on demand while other have a schedule you must meet.  At some on demand bridges the bridge tender will try to time the opening of the bridge with your arrival.  This makes a seamless process. But others seem to enjoy making you stop and hold station in the wind and current until they are good and ready. Socastee Bridge is a town on the Waccamaw.  While the bridge tender was courteous on the VHF we had to almost run into the bridge, stop and hold until it opened.  Then we were barely inside the swing and he started to close the bridge.  It’s posted “Idle Speed. No Wake”.  That’s kind of hard to do when you have a thousand tons of steel chasing you!

The most peaceful anchorage we have had yet was up Bull Creek.  Cypress and pine woods…the hooting of an owl, the call of a turkey and the croaking of frogs were the only sounds.

Bull Creek     N33°36.114   W079°06.451

Tuesday 12/6/11      There was just a wisp of fog floating over the still waters of Bull Creek as we made our way back out to the Waccamaw in a  gentle rain which was barely visible.  The wind was calm and the trip was calming.

At Georgetown, SC the Waccama River empties into Winyah Bay that in turn flows into the Atlantic. Five miles before the Winyah Bay Entrance the ICW takes a left turn almost identical to the Cape Fear River.

Here you enter a manmade cut called the Estherville- Minim Creek Canal.  Suddenly you realize that you have left the cypress swamps behind and the view becomes vast expanses of savannah lands.  It’s a quiet serene trip with pelicans, gulls, cormorants and the occasional dolphin coming by as if to say hello.

A check of the weather and we find there are to be high to gale force winds for the next few days.  We checked with Leland Oil Company, in McClellanville, to find if they would have a slip available and decided to stay tied up until all this passes.  We were given instructions as to where to tie up when we arrive and the owner said he would check in with us in the morning.  McClellanville has been a fishing village since the 1700s and is home to at least a dozen shrimp boats.  The tide here is about six feet.  Thankfully there is a floating dock which will ride the tide with us.

 McClellanville SC   N33° 04.983  W079° 27.751

Wednesday 11/30/11.         The weather forecast changed so we thought we would give the Neuse River another try.  The wind was from dead ahead at 10-15 mph and waves were 1-2 feet.  Not the most comfortable ride but we only had two hours and we would be in Adams Creek across from Oriental, NC.  Adams Creek was a lot like Goose Creek.  It started out wide and narrowed to a land cut to the Newport River, just north of the busy shipping harbor of Beaufort and Morehead City.  The Beaufort Inlet is a deep-water inlet suitable for large ships.  This is the first sighting we had of dolphins.  They would surface and dive right under the boat.  There never was a bump so I guess they knew what they were doing. 

There are two Beauforts. One is in NC the other in SC.  The pronunciation for each is different and the locals will let you know if you got it wrong.  In NC its Bow’fort... in SC its Bue’fort.

We have been having trouble with the computer suddenly shutting down with the “Blue Screen of Death”.  At that point the only thing you can do is to reboot.  Since we use the computer to display the nautical charts and the GPS interface to show us where we are on the chart, it becomes kind of unhandy when it happens.  Sometimes it just loses the GPS and you have the chart but no position information.

Just as we were coming into Beaufort the GPS went off line so there went our positioning.  There must be half a dozen channels in the area.  The First Mate’s stress-o-meter went off the scale as she busily tried to keep pace with the paper charts.  Looking at the charts it seems simple enough…but looking at the surroundings from the helm station, all of the markers ,buoys and  day marks  look like a forest of markers, some of which are hidden by the tugboats pushing barges up the ICW.  Should you miss the turn and go through the Beaufort Inlet the next land you will see is Portugal!  She got me through and we made it into Bogue Sound.
Bogue Sound is nearly 25 miles long and 2 ½ miles wide at the center with the ICW channel running about 400 yards off the northern shore.  Get out of the channel and you will find yourself in knee-deep water.  Most of the sound is only one to five feet deep.

This is U.S. Marine territory.  This is home of Camp Lejeune.  There were Harrier jets (the ones that can hover and do vertical takeoff and landing) flying over the ICW and hovering to a landing just behind the trees out of sight. 

They say that anyone who has traveled the ICW and says they never ran aground is a liar.  No lying; we ran aground in Swansboro.  When we dropped anchor the anchor held but the current was really swift.  As I surveyed the situation I realized this winding cut through the flats was another invitation to Portugal.   We pulled anchor and the wind and current gave us a soft grounding on a shoal next to the mouth of the cut.  I backed out and while trying to turn around it put us back on again.  That’s when I decided to use the 540 horsepower this boat was blessed with and backed way off the shoal and back to the channel.  It was getting late and there is nearly no place to anchor in this stretch.  We continued south a few miles and anchored just barely out of the channel at Queens Creek.  It was not a very relaxing night wondering when a tug and barge combo might come by.  Neither one of us got much sleep.

Queens Creek/Swansboro:           N34 °39.3633            W077° 09.100

Thurday 11/31/11.    After leaving Swansboro we passed a military area with a red and white watchtower next to the ICW with a sign stating if the lights are flashing do not proceed.  The Marines and Navy were firing guns 3miles to seaward and also conducting hovercraft and landing craft drills in the Atlantic.  The ICW was open but several times we heard a call from the Atlantic Ocean…“ Warship 71 to the vessel at (GPS coordinates) you are in Naval training waters you will have depart the area and keep clear”.  At one point there were Quonset huts along the ICW that looked like the TV set for Gomer Pile USMC.   

You cant miss the Pink House on the north end of Alligator Bay behind Top Sail Island

 It is time to do a laundry, some shopping and try our land legs, so we decided to stop in Surf City, NC  at the Beach House Marina around 12:30P.  What a cool little town.

This is basically a blue collar town the tourists have discovered.  The “Boardwalk goes from one restaurant, past the visitors center, to another restaurant.  All 150 feet of it.   There is just about any kind of food available, surf shops, fishing tackle, and beachware you can imagine.  This is a very mini Rehoboth, with a southern drawl. 

Buddy's Crab House and Oyster Bar was a hit
We decided to stay until Saturday morning. 

 

 

Linda met Wendy in the laundry room and later she introduced us to her husband John.  They were our slip neighbors.  Like us they are on their way to Florida in their boat “Reverie” with a destination of Key West. 

Surf City: N34°25.719         W077°32.749

Saturday we left Surf City and continued onto Carolina Beach NC.    We anchored in the “Basin” which is a rather deep water cove surrounded by townhouses and condos.   Not long after, we heard “Reverie” call one of the marinas and we could see her disappear behind the homes as she pulled in.   

The wind was up to 20 with gust of 25 so it wasn’t going to be a quiet night.  Speaking of quiet night maybe I should have said Silent Night…Boats started anchoring all around us.  This must be quite the anchorage me thinks.  Then all of a sudden the night was full of lights and music.  Everybody was here to see the Carolina Beach Christmas Boat Parade.  There must have been a dozen boats of all sizes decorated with lights and playing music in a parade that went completely around the cove.  You could hear the spectators in their boats blowing their horns and the people on the shore cheering them on.  It was a special event.

Carolina Beach Basin:       N34° 03.011  W077° 53.322

Friday 11/25/11   We departed Elizabeth City at 7:35A with clear skies and no wind.  South of Elizabeth City the Pasquotank becomes a W I D E river. 

Soon we got a view of the Navy Blimp Hangar.  My understanding is it is one of, if not the, largest in the world. Up until a few years ago there were two.  The one burned to the ground.  That must have been some bonfire.

Albemarle Sound was rather gentle and we made it into Alligator River dodging the well-marked shoals at the entrance.  Just after the shoals is a swing bridge. Just recently they moved the markers to go around the shoals and it put a dog-leg in the channel.  If you’re using old charts the markers are in a straight line. Some boats find themselves aground because they tried to make a straight approach to the bridge.

The bridge tender said they had 14 feet 9 inches of clearance.  With our antennas lowered we measure 13’6”.  That’s only a 15” margin.  One wave or the wake from another boat can eat that up in a hurry. There can be a fine up to $10,000 for making a bridge open if it is not necessary.  Usually this would be a situation where there was way more than enough clearance and you insisted on an opening.  Antennas that can be lowered must be lowered if you can fit under in that configuration. I’m sure the Bridge Tender would have never questioned us but, we had just passed two sailboats a mile or two before the bridge so we just slowed down until they caught up. With their 50 foot masts the bridge has to open.  Everybody’s happy.

 The Alligator is even W I D E R than the Pasquotank.  The area is picturesque but you’re so far from the shore you can’t get any pictures.   The south end the Alligator becomes narrow and shallow.  At this point you pick up the Alligator River-Pungo River Canal.  Since it was midafternoon and we didn’t want to be in the canal after dark, we anchored off Tuckahoe Point near the canals entrance.

You are really in a wilderness here.  It has Bald Eagles, deer and bear but no cell phone coverage.

Tuckahoe Point:       N35°40.385    W076°05.832.

Saturday 11/26/11 Alligator River – Pungo River Canal          This morning we set the alarm for 6:00A so we could get an early start and make a long day of it like we did yesterday.  When I climbed the steps out of the cuddy cabin and took my first look around it was a beautiful sunrise in a cloudless sky.  The cruising guides mention that there is frequent fog in the mornings in the area during the fall.  As I scanned the horizon the only place where there was fog was the entrance to the canal!

 There were about six or seven sailboats anchored a mile north of us and they all headed for the canal at 7:15A.  (sing…”I love a parade”) The first one disappeared into the fog…then reappeared a minute later coming back out. Then there were three who gave it a go and kept going.  A few minutes later there was a radio call from one of the boats… “Calling all boats, following the sailboats on the canal.  We are in the center of the canal going three knots.”  Another sailboat called back “How are conditions in there?” the answer was “We can see both sides of the canal but only a few feet, front and back.  We just didn’t anyone to rear end us.”      We just stayed at anchor until 8:30A when it burned off.

The AR/PR Canal is more than twice as wide as the Dismal Swamp Canal.  The project width (dredged) is 90 feet plus some wide shoals on each side.  This is punctuated with all kinds of snags Cyprus knees, and uprooted trees.  The depth averaged 14 to 16 feet. The farther south you travel the swampy area turns into savanna land with stands of pine.  Then by the time you reach Belhaven it is mostly piney woods.           This part of North Carolina was pretty devastated by Hurricane Irene on August 27, 2011.  As we pulled into Upper Dowry Creek to go for fuel at Dowry Cree Marina, there was a sailboat about 35 feet long lying on its side at least 100 feet on shore.  Many boats were lost here and several marinas were basically put into ruins.   Not knowing this, we lucked out since Dowry Creek Marina was the only one in the area to have fuel. 

Off the Pungo River, south of Belhaven, is Slade Creek.  It is about three hundred yards wide with an eight foot depth in the center.  It’s quite protected and surrounded with piney woods.   It looks like a good place to call it a day. 

Slade Creek: N35°28.406    W076°32.310

Sunday 11/27/11.    Linda and I both woke up at 5:00A (tinkle-time).  Whenever I awake and come up from the cuddy cabin it’s just habit to look around and make sure everything is where it’s supposed to be.  I went out on the weather deck and the air was so clear, the stars so bright, and the water so calm that the stars were reflected in the water as bright as they were in the sky.  I don’t believe I have ever seen this before.  You could actually see every star in the constellation Orion dancing on the water just to the starboard side of the boat.  We left Slade Creek at 8:00A with the water like glass.  The cruise down the remaining Pungo and across the Pamlico was quiet.  There aren’t as many boats on the water as we thought there would be.  However, we are going south later than most of the snowbirds.

I love to look at a dot on the map and dream what it would be like to go there.  On the way back from Florida, on a road trip with Linda’s parents’ years ago, I talked them into a few hours detour to see the town of Washington, NC.  It is a beautiful town at the head waters of the Pamlico with a refurbished waterfront, old buildings from the 1780’s and genuinely friendly people.  You just felt at home there.  At one time we thought Wichards Beach, just across the river from Washington, near Chocowinity, would be a great place to winter.  Wichards Beach Campground and Marina would have been the perfect spot.  A few years back the campground was sold to a land developer and all of the facilities except the main office were torn down.  The 300+ unit condominiums have yet to be built.  It appears the land is sitting idle.   With that idea down the drain I started looking at Aurora, NC, not as far up the Pamlico.

We arrived at Aurora at 11:30A.  We actually anchored out about a half mile down South Creek before getting to the town.  The chart showed shallow water and we didn’t want to chance running aground.  We took the dinghy to the town boat ramp and dock then walked the five or six blocks to the Aurora Fossil Museum.  It’s closed on Sundays. The fossils are brought here form a phosphate mine a few miles away.  They bury some in a digging bin across the street and you can dig for sharks teeth and the like.  The sign show a cartoon shark with a shovel and the words “I Dig Aurora”.

We went around the corner to the Piggly Wiggly Store.  For those of you not raised in the south, Piggly Wiggly is a chain of grocery stores that have been around for as long as I can remember.  They were kind of like the old IGA stores in the north.         We got back to the town dock and talked to some fishermen who had been fishing for speckled trout.   The father was once a trucker who used to make runs to the Harrisburg area for M&M-Mars, Hershey and Ralston Purina (all places that were customers from where Linda retired).              With high winds predicted for later in the week we decided to skip the museum and try to make more mileage south in the morning.  Aurora is not really a cruising destination.  The marina pier and wharf, that was there many years ago, is falling into the water and just the pilings remain.  However the locals say that it holds 6 feet of water to the town dock.  Maybe another time.

South Creek:                        N35°18.778   W076°47.065

Monday 11/28/11.    Today’s travels will be the lower Pamlico River for a few miles then down Goose Creek, Bay River and the Neuse River.  Goose Creek is ¾ mile wide at the entrance then in five miles tapers to less than 500 feet, leading into a man-made cut connecting to Bay River. Rivers in this area are very wide.  Actually all of the waters are so interconnected that there is less than a one foot tide. Bay River and Neuse River each have their own water shed but as they widen they become arms of Pamlico Sound.  It is a huge estuary.  Travel is like being on the upper Chesapeake Bay.  Shallow water (less than 20 feet most places) and a wind of only 15 mph can rise up some steep chop.  Winds in the morning were 10-15 MPH but after turning from Bay River into the Neuse the winds increased to 15-20 chop increased to more than two feet so we opted for the protection of Broad Creek. 

Broad Creek: N35° 05.371  W076° 37123



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.