10/31/2015, 11/1/2015 AnchoragesNorth of Bellhaven

 10/31/15   To 36 11.398N,  75 53.687W    North River by Jarvisburg, VA    49.1NM

Happy Halloween!
After finishing the chores yesterday, we did the loop walk by the lower free dock at Great Bridge that we'd seen in the spring.  It was a nice, wooded hike that wandered along the canal to the high rise bridge about a mile S, and back along the marsh where there was a viewing stand overlooking the marsh.  We chatted briefly with a man totting a camera with a big lens who had seen a pair of bald eagles and a marsh hawk out hunting .  We'd spotted one of the eagles as we crossed the bridge, and saw the hawk soaring overhead as we watched from the stand.   A nice end to a walk.

Hawk flying in the evening sun (marsh hawk isn't a true species!)

Marsh view from the viewing platform

Given my choice of nights to eat out (Great Bridge or Coinjock), I chose to eat at El Toro Loco, a Mexican place close to the  dock at Great Bridge.  A great place - lots of inexpensive, good food and some of the lowest beer prices we've seen.  I subscribe to the philosophy of a bird (or meal) in hand is better one that might be in a bush!  We were served enough food for 2 dinners, fine by me!

Saturday was the first day in a while that we didn't set any sail given the near calm conditions.  We cast off the lines in time to make the 0800 opening of Great Bridge, taking advantage of a weekend day to avoid one of the bridge restrictions that apply M-F.  Leaving early put us ahead many of boats that would be leaving Norfolk, although several motor yachts passed us during the day.

Morning mist on the Albemarle & Chesapeake Canal as we head S from Great Bridge

We only stopped long enough at Coinjock to fill the water and fuel tanks and get a pump out before continuing.  It was easy motoring -  by mid afternoon, most power boats stop at Coinjock, so we no longer had anymore cruisers passing us.  By 1700, we had the anchor set and called it a day - it would have been dark before we would have reached either Manteo, on the Outer Banks, or cleared the tricky entrance into the Alligator River.

Sunset on the North River by Jarvisburg

Although we bought some candy for any ghouls and ghosts that might pop up alongside our vessel, I didn't think we were likely to see any, since we were more or less in the middle of nowhere, and at a new anchorage for us.  Our closest neighbors were crab pot bobbers which would hopefully keep their distance and not come looking for trick or treats during the night.  We were within sight (and long fetch) of Abebmarle Sound, but with L&V winds forecast overnight, we hoped for a quiet night.

According to the knot meter log, in the 3 1/2 weeks since leaving LCYC, we've traveled a bit more than half way, about 1075NM, to Tiger Point, where we'll leave the boat.  We debated taking the Outer Banks route, but given the variety of wind directions, speeds and the likelihood of rain forecast for the next few days, we'll follow the magenta line up the Alligator River to Belhaven.  That anchorage has plenty of good water and protection, making it a decent place to sit for a day if we choose.  We can still head over to Ocracoke after the rain clears if the forecast is good.  Or we can head up to Washington or Bath, or continue along the magenta line to Beaufort.  Lots of options and some time to spare.

11/1/15    To 35 33.690N,    76  28.479W    Anchorage off the Pungo River north of Belhaven, NC   60.6NM

Our night on the North River wasn't all that quiet since the wind was a bit more S than forecast and a bit stronger, building just enough waves over that long, exposed fetch to be a bit lumpy.  Not sure if we'd anchored on the other side of the river if it would have been any better, but neither of us were eager to try crossing one of those blue areas on the chart labeled 'spoil area' with no depths given.  Also we would have had to back track in the morning or cross such an area (my captain doesn't back track!).  At any rate, between the time change and the restless night, we were underway by 0630, ahead of the most of the fleet at Coinjock.

Coots swimming in Albemarle Sound

As we approached the Alligator River Bridge, we were hailed by a trawler approaching from our stern, Isis, and although their hailing port is Newport, RI, they are from Charlotte, VT.  I think it is the same vessel we've seen anchored at Kingsland Bay on the lake, although it looks too high to fit through the Champlain Canal 15' height limit.  We slid through the bridge on their wake.

Following Isis through the Alligator River Bridge

It was a fairly warm, gray day with a light S wind.  We ran the jib out while we ate breakfast, getting a bit of a boost from the wind, before it went dead ahead.  It would have been nice to have gotten some help from the wind to help us on our way, but it didn't happen.  Instead, the wind went on the nose every time we changed course.  Thankfully we were almost off the main part of the river when it picked up a few notches. We did hit something in the water, unseen before or after we clipped it.  We were in 14 ft and the boat slowed momentary then continued on as nothing had happened.  The chart does claim snags can be anywhere, including the channel.  Argh. 

One of 2 Navy landing craft that passed us on the Alligator River

The Alligator Pungo Canal hasn't gotten any shorter since the last trip - it's one long straight cut with a single, slight jog and 2  65' bridges.  It took about 3 hours, but had little traffic and not a lot to see.  Unfortunately it requires keeping a sharp look out since we saw several big snags alongside the canal.  Glad we weren't trying to run it after dark!

Looking SW on the Alligator/Pungo Canal

It was after 1600 when we finally exited the canal, too late to run the 15NM to Belhaven before dark.  We joined 3 trawlers tucked into the anchorage west of the ICW, and were followed in by a several sail boats.  We're hoping for a quieter night, which it should be, with little wind or fetch.  The lack of wind means the likelihood of bugs, so we'll need to dig out the screens.  Bugs haven't been a concern for some time.

Panorama of the anchorage off R24, just S the Alligator/Pungo Canal