Saturday, 20 October

We pulled up stakes and left Hampton behind on Tuesday and motored past the naval might of this nation, at least that part which was in port at the time. Norfolk is loaded with the US navy. We cut a corner to get to a marina for fuel, got a little close to one of uncle sams boats and out came a couple of sailors in an inflatable to let us know that we were NOT to get any closer. ARMED TO THE TEETH I AM SURE THEY WERE. One false move and I’m sure they would have blown us out of the water. We got to the lock at the beginning of the Dismal swamp canal to late to be locked through so we anchored in front of it to wait for the morning lock through and by nightfall there were about eight boats waiting with us (N36 44.8670 W076 20.2819). When the morning lock through came we had 14 boats in all being raised about 10 feet to the level of the canal. The canal it self is beautiful. About 40-50 feet wide and about 8-9 feet deep, it runs pretty straight for about 25 miles.

An interesting historical fact relates to the slave labor digging the canal as I mentioned before. During the digging the slaves learned the Dismal Swamp like the back of their hands and later this knowledge was put to use as a stop on the underground railway for run away slaves. Talk about your unintended consequences.

We stayed overnight in the canal, docked at the visitors center (N36 29.9640 W076 21.1510) then took off in the AM to catch the 9:00 am lock out and move on to Elizabeth City, NC. We locked out with only one other boat, but sat in the lock for at least 30 minute all the time with the engine running. The lockmaster was a displaced Chicagoan and very talkative. Along with us in the lock, beside the boat was a carpet of duck weed a sort of miniature lily pad plant about the size of a typed o. Well the cooling water intake sucked tons of duckweed up and just as we left the lock the flow of engine cooling water stopped. We stopped the engine and drifted while I cleaned out the raw water filter, which was stuffed with a baseball size glob of duckweed. We later learned in Elizabeth City that many boats had a similar problem with more dire consequences, burned out exhaust systems, burned out pump impellors etc. We were lucky.

On the Elizabeth City (N36 17.9999 W076 13.0469). When we got there we learned of the passing of an icon, a man called Fred Fearing. You see about 25 years ago he and a pal were coming out of church one Sunday and saw all the southbound cruising boat docked at the city docks so he and his buddy decide to greet all the ladies aboard with a rose. They repeated this every day during the southbound cruising season and soon added a reception of wine and cheese. So he has been doing this for the last 25 years until now. We stayed in EC for two days doing “chores, VIZ. groceries, laundry etc, then headed out across Albemarle Sound for the Alligator river, some 50 miles away. Well let me tell you that this is probably one of the most isolated places on the east coast (N35 40.5809 W076 04.3709). Nothing but bears, wolves and a few anchored out cruisers. The cell phones showed NO bars, nada, none. No shore lights, no loom of “city lights”, it is DARK, but it is beautiful. The sunset was spectacular as you should see if I figure out how to add pictures to this log.

On the AM it was on to the lovely, but dead town of Belhaven (N35 31.8770 W076 37.3). Lots of vacant storefronts, but many beautiful houses. There is a new condominium going up on the waterfront units selling for 200 thou, with a dock included.

24 October 2007

We are in Oriental NC after a hard slog to windward against a 20 knt wind. Go here wet and tired.