October 18 - 25

October 18 - Flew to Norfolk with crewmate BIll Gilges, joining S2 at Tidewater Marina across the river from Waterside.  Taxied to Blue Hippo for dinner. 

Oct 19 - Morning visit to Nauticus, still impressive after several visits.  It really takes a full day to visit and appreciate.  We didn't have time for the battleship or tugboat museum, but the rest was most interesting.  There was a group of WWII navy vets visiting and we talked with a few of them.  Bill wore his USS Henley hat so was right in the swing with the other vets.  Bill was stationed here when he was in the navy some 40 years ago.

Departed at 1430, motoring past rows of naval ships up the Elizabeth river and thence to an anchorage just north of the Deep Creek lock and the entrance to the Dismal Swamp Canal.  A very calm night with no wind, but a forecast which included wind and colder weather tomorrow.

Oct 20 - Locked thru at 0830, followed by 4 sailboats which comprised a flotilla for the rest of the passage through the canal.  This was my second transit of the canal, the first being in 1998 from the opposite direction.  The only thing I did not remember from the previous transit was the traffic on the highway that paralleled the waterway.  We learned that funding for the operation of the canal is in question and that it is possible that it will be closed in January.  The lockmaster at the first lock gave a plea to the assembled boaters to write their congressman and request that funding be continued.

We arrived at Elizabeth City at 1600 and tied up at the park in the same spot as in 2000.  We were assisted by John Lloyd one of the Rose Buddys.

Anchorage outside Deep Creek Lock

The owner of the building next to the park (Lance) loaned us a piece of planking so that we could get ashore.  Spent an hour and a half at Fred Fearing's Rose Buddy hosted wine and cheese party at the docks.  Fred is now 90 and has been hosting these events almost every day for the past 21 years.  Good turn out as the town docks were filled to capacity with boaters heading south.  Debbie fixed seafood crepes which we outstanding.

Oct 21 - Down the Pasquotank river and across Albemarle Sound to Alligator River Marina.  A short 4 1/2 hour run which while windy was comfortable.  The marina is very small and doubles as a gas station and truck stop. It lies just north of the owing bridge.  

Oct 22 - Departed for Belhaven in breezy conditions.  Used thruster to bring bow off pilings using port quarter w/fender as fulcrum.  This worked well, but we did need the fender as there is quite a bit of pressure on the rub rail with the beam wind.  Swing bridge opens on demand.  A 45 mile trip to Oriental on the north shore of the Neuse River.  Berthed at a the Oriental ? Marina about a half mile from the Oriental Marina where we stayed in 2000. Walked to the "town" and had a couple of beers at the old marina. Sun came out for a couple of hours and it was quite pleasant.                                 

Oct 23 -  Oriental to Beaufort A short 20 mile run down the river to Beaufort for berth at town docks.  There were several 125 footers there including one that had been in Belhaven, Aerie.  Bill and I walked the town and had lunch at the Beaufort Grocery, which was so good we decided to return for dinner with Capt. Luke and Debbie that evening at Bill's treat.  We also visited the maritime museum, which was pretty new and nicely done.

Oct 24 - Taxied to Jacksonville, NC for flight home, me to Fl and Bill back to KC.

Re-boarding November 12 in Georgetown, Bahamas.