Morehead City

Here it is Friday 10/10 and we are underway again..... We left the Alligator River and headed through the canal along with several other boats.  Just as I was thinking we would not see any wildlife we spotted something swimming across the river.  It was a bear!  A few years back we saw a mother with a cub on her back and an older cub swim across and did not have the camera ready.  Not so this time!

 

 

 

We wondered if it was the yearling cub we had seen before.  On we went to Bellhaven and poked our nose into the anchorage but with the winds it was a bit rough.  In the interest of a good nights sleep we went around to Pungo Creek, turned the corner and it was slick calm.  We must have started a trend because two other boats that were in front of us into Bellhaven both followed us in.

The next morning we decided to forgo Bath and Washington and head onto Morehead City.  We were low on diesel so we decided to stop at R.E. Mayo fuel and seafood dock.  What a treat!  The people were so friendly, diesel fairly priced and the seafood selection was fantastic!  As we had plenty of meats on board we did not buy anything but certainly will on the way north next year.

We passed Oriental and decided to stop in Adams Creek for the night.  It is a quiet little spot and we just pull off to the side.  The ICW Chart books have little anchor symbols marked here and there and most cruising boats will head to the anchor spots.  Not us!  We like to find our own areas.  There is also a 'magenta line' on these charts and it is amazing how many folks stay right on it!  Really people!  Life is not meant to be lived on the magenta line! 

While talking we decided that since we had not been to New Bern in a number of years that we would head up that way. 

As usual our plans are written in sand at low tide! 

So as we were enjoying the evening and the sunset we heard on the FM that there was to be an eclipse of the moon the following morning about 5am.   We awoke in time to see it but have to admit we watched from the v-berth.  It was far too cold at that time of morning to merit getting out of bed.

We motored into New Bern the next day and tied at the free city dock.  No facilities but we really don't need them.  The money we would pay for a marina we would rather spend in town.  As we walked around we passed a very empty bar and the girl waved to us - since she was so friendly we decided to go back for a beer.  It turned out to be a 'private club'  (they are big in NC) so we filled out the paperwork & joined.  The following morning we played tourist and went to Tyron Palace and toured the gardens.  We did that on our last visit as well and found Bahamian Bird Peppers growing there but not this year.

 

 

 

 

 

Mum Fest in New Bern is a very big deal and was coming up that weekend so we decided not to wear out our welcome and got underway towards Morehead City again.  We will stay there about 2 days to see my friend JoRuth from St. Catherine's, now THAT was a long time ago!  One of her friends owns a seafood restaurant on the Morehead City waterfront & has graciously  agreed to let us tie up there.  Looks like seafood for dinner!  We have been gone 10 days now and have not yet used the dink!  That is a first for us.

We had a wonderful dinner at Capt. Bills & are tied up at their dock.  The restaurant is owned by one of JR's friends. Since we were sitting on the bottom at low tide, we will head out to Swansboro with Jo Ruth onboard for a boat ride in the morning. 

Sorry for the inconsistencies with the blog but they 'improved' it over the summer!  Wish they had left it alone!  Nite all!

 

 

Underway October 01, 2014

It took an extra month but we finally got underway the morning of the first.  We Stopped at Hospital Point in downtown Norfolk for the night, enjoying being away from the dock.   After discussing which route to take we decided on the Dismal Swamp Canal and a stop at the North Carolina Visitors Center due to the weather forecast.  If you must be caught in the rain, the Visitor's Center is as good a place as any!  Restrooms, garbage & free wi-fi.... what more does a boater need?

Sometimes when you stay at these free docks you feel as though you are living in a fish bowl!  Some of the comments people make  :-)  Do they not realize that the boat owner just may be listening?  One at the Visitor's Center was funny... two men discussing the depth of the Dismal Swamp Canal... "It is about 30 feet deep all the way to Elizabeth City!"  Actual depth about  7 to 12 feet depending on the rain amounts.   "Those sailboats have a keel thing under them that goes down 8feet!"  Of course that varies by boat. 

The following morning we left the Visitor's Center as the forecast had changed and went on through to Elizabeth City, NC.  We had not stopped at the town docks there since right before Fred Fearing died.  He was the last of the original Rose Buddies that actually put Elizabeth City on the cruisers map as the Harbor of Hospitality.  They have added more town docks since our last visit & we opted for a side to tie at Waterfront Park. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saturday the 4th we went to the Museum of the Albemarle which we had not been through since shortly after it opened.  Should you find yourself in Elizabeth City the museum is definitely worth a visit.  On Saturday mornings there is a Farmers Market on the waterfront too.  You know Rob & I love fresh veggies and that was great.  Okra, tomatoes, green beans, squash, turnips & greens!  And that was in addition to what we already had onboard!  We stopped at a local restaurant called Groupers and had an adult beverage & mussels when we noticed a sign that there would be music in the park that evening.  As it turned out, the stage was right by the boat.

 

I told Rob how someone I knew years before - friends with my ex, lived in E. City.  I told Rob that I probably would not recognize him should he walk to the boat.  A while later this man (remember the fishbowl?) stopped to chat.  There was just something about him that seemed familiar so I introduced myself and when he said his name I had to smile!  I looked at him and said "You were a groomsman in my wedding many years ago."  Talk about stunned!  It was good to see Moon!  It was good to hear about how all the folks I knew back in the day were doing - even my ex.  It was also sad to hear how many had passed away.  I had seen a photo posted on FB by my friend Robbin Thompson with Moon and he had a charter boat cap on.  I think it was the name of the boat that I remembered.  Even Rob told him that we had just had this conversation not a half hour before.

There were 3-4 bands that played but you know us boaters.... when the sun goes down - so do we - so we listened as we went to sleep.  Besides that, it is COLD!   We are in long pants, long sleeve shirts with jackets, socks & shoes.  We are too far north!  Heading to the top of the Alligator - Pungo Canal today.  We will probably bypass out usual stops in Bath & Washington due to the temperatures.