Log of the ELISSA II: New Berne, NC to Ft Monroe VA 7/9-14/2013

07/09/13: Left in the rain at 0830 and stayed in the rain for about 5 hours. Very light traffic (except from the commercial shrimpers). Covered 72 miles in @ 10 hours. Skies remained threatening but we didn’t see rain again until safely tucked into the free dock at Bellehaven, NC…. a classic example here of a small & struggling town (actually more “village” size) using imaginative approach to economic development. They set up a town dock with electric & water ALL FREE and are promoting a number of small, visitor oriented shops, stores & restaurants. All in all, a neat little place. Initially, we anchored off from Bellhaven. However, skies looked increasingly threatening so I re-looked at one of 3 cruising guides and discovered the town’s “free dock”. OK, we are not really after all that is cheap/less costly but the price of Diesel and Medicare changes last winter which restricted my PRN OT work Options (was going to get a T-shirt saying, “Work for Diesel”) has us looking at creative docking/anchoring. We were able to tie up behind 2 sloops, which had 4 Boy Scouts each aboard. There is a BS summer program out of Washington, NC where slightly less than 200 Boy Scouts get the opportunity to learn to sail during 1 week summer cruises on the ICW. We had lots of help maneuvering tying off on the wall. This is a small coastal town with several historic buildings-dog walking gets a good feel of the community.

Ferry service crossing the Neuse River

Lazy Day of fishing

Small but appreciated US Coast guard Station protecting our waters

07/10/13: A lovely day for a boat ride. Had a lazy AM, supported local economy with a delicious breakfast at the local bakery, and got under way at 0945. Clear, breezy and bright day, no storm threats (for a change) on radar. Made an uneventful (if you do not count the very irritating crab pot mine field) 7 hour, 63 mile run to a most delightful anchorage on South Lake, just off of junction of Alligator River and Albemarle Sound. Another kudo to the Navigator Supremo for finding a totally protected bay adjacent to a Wildlife Refuge with the largest population of black bears in eastern US. Breakfast was enjoyed with the Boy Scout Leaders and the “Captains” of the sloops the BS’s were on. The claim to fame of The Gingerbread Bakery are cheese biscuits-can’t go wrong with @ 3 oz of cheese in the middle of a biscuit- and freshly made donuts. Was an enjoyed shared mealtime with these BS leaders-while the BS slept in! Leaving Bellhaven we went through the Alligator Cut-straight shot to the Alligator River (nope, no gators seen) to South Lake of the River before the Albemarle Sound. We were the only ones there J. The Cruising guide guided us in the dinghy to a boat ramp, which was up a very narrow creek. I used an oar to fend us off of low lying bushes and trees, all the while looking for Black Bears, and probably a snake or two. The ramp led to an open area where, if our furry girls were under excellent voice command, they could have run free---and probably found a bear. Since they do not know what blind obedience is, they were leashed, did their business and we were back in that narrow creek which seemed ¼ the distance returning than entering! Had a beautifully clear starlit night.

Beautiful skies over South Lake

A dead end in the creek or boat ramp area to walk the girls around a bend?

The creek continues surrounded by the largest Black Bear refuge on the east coast

The boat ramp=no bears

As creek empties back into South Lake

07/11/13: Following a 30 minute dinghy excursion for the dogs, off anchor at 0800 on clear, sunny and very breezy morning. Again, we had to negotiate the crab pot minefield (we have had friends with horror stories of crab pots in FL waters; even having one tangled around props-not fun. Either you choose to go into the water to disentangle and hope not to meet a gator or snake or you call BoatUS!); the good news, we made it w/out incident, bad news, it stretched for > 15 miles. It seemed that all of Albermarle Sound was one gigantic crab farm. To complicate matters, many of the crabbers were sufficiently STOOPID to paint their floats in dark colors (green, blue, black) that made them very hard to see at a distance. (FYI: Boaters HATE crab pots because they are attached to floats with a strong nylon line. If you run over one the line is likely to wrap around your prop & shaft. At best, that stops you dead and you MAY be able to clear tangle by diving under with a sharp knife. If you can’t it’s a tow to nearest haul out spot for $$$ fix. At worst, damaged prop/bent shaft, again a haul out, this time with add’l $$ for repairs & parts (my spare prop cost almost $2,000-not due to a crab pot line). Crossing Albermarle and heading up the Pasquotank R. to Elizabeth City was the roughest passage since our Gulf crossing to Crystal River – complicated by the crab pot issue. Enough venting! Four hours and 38 miles later we were in slip at the Penguin Marina, Elizabeth City, NC. We intentionally planned an early arrival to give us time to see the city & particularly, visit their highly praised museum. Instead, we sat out a torrential rain/wind storm in restaurant adjacent to Marina, then back to boat for the rest of a very rainy day. Am learning that shallow waters+waves+wind make for rough crossings! Once docked, we did start off to explore Elizabeth City-by bike. We got as far as the neighboring seafood/steak grill when the blackblackblack sky suggested we just spend the afternoon eating. Ordering a crab cake sandwich, I was a wee bit shocked to have it arrive with the bun, lettuce, tomato, onion and mayo with the crab’s 8 legs hanging out. Seems the waitress was new and brought me a soft shelled crab sandwich---the crab has molted it’s shell, they have cleaned it and the WHOLE flippin’ crab is in between the bun! Yikes. Once guaranteed I’d not be eating shell, I “dug in”. It was OK but not as enjoyable as a crab cake! Think the legs sticking out had a less than positive effect. Oh yes—with all the wind ablowin’, we lost a pair of shorts Bill had on the clothes line—just like I lost my fav jeans when we crossed Mobile Bay!!!

The Weeksville Dirigible Hangar, site of former WWII US Naval Air Station Weeksville, NC 1941-1957. These airships played a vital role in U-boat spotting during WWII; presently is occupied by an airship manufacturing company.

Elizabeth City Harbor

07/12/13: Decided, based on weather forecast for 2nd day, to take a Lay Day; hope to a) visit museum & other attractions of Elizabeth. City, and b) get caught up on admin details (internet stuff mostly, and c) tidy up the boat a bit. The skies looked threatening, so we left the bikes and walked across the draw bridge into town-with umbrellas. Never really rained hard so we were able to enjoy, immensely, the Albemarle Museum (which had a special exhibit-Real to Reel-of the making of Gone With the Wind; loved the screen tests of famous actors that didn’t make it) and a historic walk around town. For lunch we stopped at an exceptional-and simple-seafood restaurant… Quality Seafood Market-yummy crab cakes, scallops and shrimp.

Elizabeth City homes

Former apartments, now home for Girls' Inc.

Civil War era wooden leg

Lonesome kitty

Bridg building

Wonder if they'll miss these

Filling in the river for the Bridge's foundation

07/13/13: Still more rain, delayed departure until 0830. No problems though as we planned a short run to the Visitors Center (and free dock wall) at the Great Dismal Swamp Visitors Center. Four hours and 24 miles later arrived, tied up (only boat there) and decided it was too bloody hot to bother taking bikes off the boat. However, the scenes on the way and the pristine beauty of the park tempted us ashore, on foot, to visit the Park Museum and walk a short Nature Trail that returned us to the boat. No-See-Ums and Skeeters were present in clouds so we were tucked in behind our screens with the fogger running full speed. Will let Bonnie tell you about the Dragonfly swarm we encountered – a first ever for both of us. The Great Dismal Swamp is anything but----got its name by one of the first surveyors in the 1760’s who commented, “this is a dismal place”. Its beauty is unique but not so different from other places. Quiet but could have been due to only one other boat on the water-a sloop returning from Belieze to their home port of Prince Edward Island and it is a no wake zone so motor noise is at a minimum. The Isabella and Elissa II met while waiting at the first lock-all of 8 feet. The crystal clear blue sky suddenly turned black and as I looked behind us, a wall of sheets of rain was rapidly following. One thing about these storms in the summer heat is that they are rather refreshing! The fact our foul weather jackets are still hanging on the hooks at home gave us no alternative but to enjoy the cool-down, which transitioned when dry to sticky HOT! Instead of looking for gators and tropical waterfowl, I kept an eye out for slithery things. Much better seeing long slithery snakes swimming away from the boat, when I am high above the waterline. The Dock Wall is part of an US Highway 17 Rest Stop-thus we had a large variety of visitors walking sleepiness off. Also had truckers spending the night , which at first made me a bit uncomfortable but they all had interesting stories to tell and the evening was spent by each of us in our own “vehicles”. As dusk turned into night, we were swarmed by huge dragonflies…at least 100-200. It was unbelievable and frustrating not to be able to capture them with my camera.

The Isabella

Water Reflections

Caught in sudden rain storm while waiting for the lock

Dangerous if you ignore that red striped barrier

The Great Dismal Swamp

The "Free Wall" at the NC Dismal Swamp Visitor's Center

07/14/13: Away at first light (@0600) to make a 0830 lock opening. We did and had we not, we would have been stuck in middle of the Great Dismal until 1100. This was our last lap, the “homestretch”, for 2013 as we will remain here in the Chesapeake Bay area until we put the boat to bed for the Winter (@ mid-October. Was a beautiful trip, only 4 hours and 24 miles, but such contrasts: the quiet wilderness of the canal followed by the commercial/industrial hustle & bustle of Portsmouth and the entrance to the Chesapeake. The morning departure had the Canal shrouded in fog---beautiful. Wish I could paint but pictures will have to do. As Bill has said, the sudden contrast with rural beauty with the industrialization and naval industry of Norfolk was startling. Think I took as many pictures of the various Naval vessels as I had of the Swamp, including the Naval Hospital ship Hope. As we cruised by Portsmouth, many pictures were taken of the US Naval Hospital, Portsmouth where the Parson Twins will greet the world. It was a quick crossing to Old Point Comfort, Ft Monroe. Mike and Meridian were at our slip to greet us. The Old Point Comfort Marina is across the street from Elizabeth and Mike’s “quarters”. Rather convenient!