Hi F&F ,
This is the end of our first stage south!
Woke up to the unpleasant perfume of the nearby paper mill! Obviously the wind direction had changed! We decided to forgo the wonderful 3 egg fluffy omelettes at the Good Break Cafe in Georgetown this morning and headed off around 9 am.
I forgot to mention yesterday a funny situation.Just after we got on the ICW from Grande Dunes Marina I suddenly spied on the edge of the bank a small low lying boat completely camouflaged in green and brown colors.Around it were several floating plastic ducks! We were going about 12 knots so I called to Graeme to slow down! I am known as the anti wake police on our boat! There was a guy inside the boat also in his camouflaged gear! Well he got quite a rock and roll from our wake ,but all was ok. We truly did not see him til the last moment! No doubt he is hoping the live ducks will not either!
Back to today,We had a great run to Charleston.The canal was straight for the most part, wide and smooth and the vistas wonderful. Lots of low lying marshes, birds everywhere and dolphins accompanying us every now and again. We passed Slow Dancing a boat from Mobile Alabama once again and also Rosie a sailboat from Philadelphia .Its funny how you see the same boats over and over again on a journey like this. We passed the Charleston City Marina full of boats or should I say in some cases ,ships. Saw some beautiful big sailboats parked on the outside docks. Had another 15 ft bridge to negotiate once again just before our Marina , but fortunately the tides are bigger the further south you go ,so we were able to get under with a good foot or so to spare.
We will keep our boat here for the next 2weeks as we will drive north to join family and friends for Christmas.
I will resume the blog after the 1st January 2013.
I will leave you with this saying on a small plaque which sits on the boat.
" Every day is a gift,that's why they call it the present!" We hope you to can value each day and we wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Over and Out,
Erica and Graeme.
Monday, December 17, 2012
Sunday, December 16, 2012
Day 16 off to Georgetown
Hi there F&F
Got up to a misty day and decided to wait a half hour for it to clear. Left about 8.30am and started off back down the ICW.Two other boats were chugging along ahead of us.First time we have really ha dcompany.There was a lovely stretch of canal not unlike the Dismal Swamp for most of the way .all Cypress trees lined the way and the water was very still.We had to avoid quite a lot of water lilies growing in the canal and also several floating logs, some were quite large.So its important to keep alert , you don't want damage done to those expensive propellers!We had a swing bridge of 11 ft to wait briefly for an opening, but no dramas this time. I was able to download on the I Pad and listen to a sermon from my church Cornerstone in Leesburg Virginia along the way. Then I prepared lunch on board ( one of the benefits of traveling by boat ) something you can't really do so easily traveling by car or RV ( Campervan). We arrived at 1 pm and then after tying up went for a walk through the town.We were here for Graeme' s birthday just over a year ago.The town is doing ok ,barely.Several restaurants still open ,but unfortunately our favorite The Rice Paddy was closed Sunday.We had heard the Krazy Fish Restaurant / Bar had great food so decided to wander back in the evening and try it out.As we entered there was a cockatoo bird sitting on top of his cage saying" Hello."This bird belongs to the owner of the restaurant and the husband walked around with it on his arm .Quite a talkative bird it was too and most entertaining.They think its about 25 yrs old.Also there was an Italian Mastiff dog wandering about belonged to one of the staff.It looked a bit like a Sharpei without all the wrinkles and was a very calm and quiet dog fortunately. Well, the food was good , but the biggest surprise came when we received the bill!I kid you not, there was no mention of food.
Laptop bag $ 9.95 was Graeme's entree
Laptop bag $8.95 was my entree
Laptop bag $ 3.50 was the soup
Wallets $ 2.50 was my beer
Tote bag $5.50 was Graeme's glass of wine
Tote bag $5.50 was Graeme's 2nd glass of wine.
Were they posing as a Bag shop perhaps?
Oh well, I guess crazy can be spelt many ways!
Over and out
Erica.
Got up to a misty day and decided to wait a half hour for it to clear. Left about 8.30am and started off back down the ICW.Two other boats were chugging along ahead of us.First time we have really ha dcompany.There was a lovely stretch of canal not unlike the Dismal Swamp for most of the way .all Cypress trees lined the way and the water was very still.We had to avoid quite a lot of water lilies growing in the canal and also several floating logs, some were quite large.So its important to keep alert , you don't want damage done to those expensive propellers!We had a swing bridge of 11 ft to wait briefly for an opening, but no dramas this time. I was able to download on the I Pad and listen to a sermon from my church Cornerstone in Leesburg Virginia along the way. Then I prepared lunch on board ( one of the benefits of traveling by boat ) something you can't really do so easily traveling by car or RV ( Campervan). We arrived at 1 pm and then after tying up went for a walk through the town.We were here for Graeme' s birthday just over a year ago.The town is doing ok ,barely.Several restaurants still open ,but unfortunately our favorite The Rice Paddy was closed Sunday.We had heard the Krazy Fish Restaurant / Bar had great food so decided to wander back in the evening and try it out.As we entered there was a cockatoo bird sitting on top of his cage saying" Hello."This bird belongs to the owner of the restaurant and the husband walked around with it on his arm .Quite a talkative bird it was too and most entertaining.They think its about 25 yrs old.Also there was an Italian Mastiff dog wandering about belonged to one of the staff.It looked a bit like a Sharpei without all the wrinkles and was a very calm and quiet dog fortunately. Well, the food was good , but the biggest surprise came when we received the bill!I kid you not, there was no mention of food.
Laptop bag $ 9.95 was Graeme's entree
Laptop bag $8.95 was my entree
Laptop bag $ 3.50 was the soup
Wallets $ 2.50 was my beer
Tote bag $5.50 was Graeme's glass of wine
Tote bag $5.50 was Graeme's 2nd glass of wine.
Were they posing as a Bag shop perhaps?
Oh well, I guess crazy can be spelt many ways!
Over and out
Erica.
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Another Day in Myrtle Beach Day 15
Hi F&F ,
We had a nice leisurely day in our Grande Dunes Resort. Started off with a cooked breakfast at Waterside the resort restaurant, then it was off to the supermarket for provisions and later we were taken over by the resort staff to the Grande Dunes golf course once the weather warmed up. Played a good nine holes, course was nice and easy ( if there is such a thing !) in perfect weather not too hot or too cold. Later at the cocktail hour we walked all of about 20 steps off the boat to Ruth Chris restaurant where they had a lovely bar area and tried out their Christmas cocktails .Wandered back afterwards for a vegetable chili on board the boat . We would come back here again It is very convenient on the ICW , good amenities and the staff friendly and helpful.
Over and out
Erica.
We had a nice leisurely day in our Grande Dunes Resort. Started off with a cooked breakfast at Waterside the resort restaurant, then it was off to the supermarket for provisions and later we were taken over by the resort staff to the Grande Dunes golf course once the weather warmed up. Played a good nine holes, course was nice and easy ( if there is such a thing !) in perfect weather not too hot or too cold. Later at the cocktail hour we walked all of about 20 steps off the boat to Ruth Chris restaurant where they had a lovely bar area and tried out their Christmas cocktails .Wandered back afterwards for a vegetable chili on board the boat . We would come back here again It is very convenient on the ICW , good amenities and the staff friendly and helpful.
Over and out
Erica.
Friday, December 14, 2012
Day 14 Off to Myrtle Beach
Hi again F&F ,
We had quite a long journey today at least 73 miles.It doesn't sound much by car but believe me it takes a while by water! We started off back down the Cape Fear River and to the open sea. The sea was very mild about 1 ft seas and a following slight wind .A beautiful sunny day to top it off. We travelled down to the Little River Inlet and entered in at Little River SC.On the way in we saw the two casino cruise ships near the entrance. These boats go out several times a day. As we entered in to join the ICW , we also crossed the line between North and South Carolina. Now we crawled along as it was in a fairly built up area and we are mindful of the wake our boat leaves that can affect the shoreline .All the bridges we passed were easy to clear until we came to a low swing bridge.Had forgotten that to hail this bridge on the VHF radio now we had crossed into South Carolina we had to change channels from 13 to 9. Couldn't at first work out why the bridge attendant was not responding. We caught on after a few minutes and carried on. The marina we are staying in for the next two nights is called Grande Dunes and has most pleasant staff. At check in , we received a nice bottle of wine and a promise to drive us to supermarket tomorrow and also book a tee time and drive us to the golf course in the morning .It is fairly quiet here at present although there are surrounding high rise condos and 3 restaurants on site.
Chose to eat on board with a nice glass of wine and tried out our electric George Foreman grill.It was highly successful. Lovely sunset and a crescent moon completed the evening.
Over and out
Erica.
We had quite a long journey today at least 73 miles.It doesn't sound much by car but believe me it takes a while by water! We started off back down the Cape Fear River and to the open sea. The sea was very mild about 1 ft seas and a following slight wind .A beautiful sunny day to top it off. We travelled down to the Little River Inlet and entered in at Little River SC.On the way in we saw the two casino cruise ships near the entrance. These boats go out several times a day. As we entered in to join the ICW , we also crossed the line between North and South Carolina. Now we crawled along as it was in a fairly built up area and we are mindful of the wake our boat leaves that can affect the shoreline .All the bridges we passed were easy to clear until we came to a low swing bridge.Had forgotten that to hail this bridge on the VHF radio now we had crossed into South Carolina we had to change channels from 13 to 9. Couldn't at first work out why the bridge attendant was not responding. We caught on after a few minutes and carried on. The marina we are staying in for the next two nights is called Grande Dunes and has most pleasant staff. At check in , we received a nice bottle of wine and a promise to drive us to supermarket tomorrow and also book a tee time and drive us to the golf course in the morning .It is fairly quiet here at present although there are surrounding high rise condos and 3 restaurants on site.
Chose to eat on board with a nice glass of wine and tried out our electric George Foreman grill.It was highly successful. Lovely sunset and a crescent moon completed the evening.
Over and out
Erica.
A surprise dinner at Wilmington
Hi there F&F ,
Day 13.
Today you get two days as Wifi not so good where we were docked in Wilmington.We are so glad we made this diversion.Maybe wouldn't return except for the restaurant but more later on that one! We woke up to a cold , windy and cloudy day. Would have been easy just to stay curled up with a book for the day in the cosy boat ,but we need the exercise ( one downside of cruising is lack of opportunity to exercise) And as for trying Pilates on the boat, forget it!We set off to explore the town and find the trolley tour of the historic area and check out the restaurants for our evening meal tonight. Turns out the trolley tours are not operating in December expect for Saturdays, so armed with a map we did our own.This town is full of lovely old homes one after another. Each with a plaque giving the history of the house. We also made a lovely River Walk along the Cape Fear river where there are lots of shops and restaurants all with a view of the river. We picked out a nice looking restaurant called Pilot House on the waterfront ( a favorite with the locals ) and returned there after a leisurely afternoon. The waitress suggested where we should sit even though it was free sitting.Turns out we were put next to a group of 6 business people who were fairly noisy , but in a happy kind of way. But so what, the meal was fabulous ? I had salmon en papilotte which I would go back for any day! When Graeme asked for the check, the waitress said the table next to us was paying our check! Turns out another couple had sat at our table and then asked to move because of the noise . So,we walked out having had a free meal.Extraordinary! We walked back along the waterfront.Apparently there were meteor showers in the sky thought we didn't see any. There is quite a current running in the river so we heard a fair amount of slapping on the hull when the tides changed.But ear plugs really help so we were not too bothered.
Over and out
Erica
Day 13.
Today you get two days as Wifi not so good where we were docked in Wilmington.We are so glad we made this diversion.Maybe wouldn't return except for the restaurant but more later on that one! We woke up to a cold , windy and cloudy day. Would have been easy just to stay curled up with a book for the day in the cosy boat ,but we need the exercise ( one downside of cruising is lack of opportunity to exercise) And as for trying Pilates on the boat, forget it!We set off to explore the town and find the trolley tour of the historic area and check out the restaurants for our evening meal tonight. Turns out the trolley tours are not operating in December expect for Saturdays, so armed with a map we did our own.This town is full of lovely old homes one after another. Each with a plaque giving the history of the house. We also made a lovely River Walk along the Cape Fear river where there are lots of shops and restaurants all with a view of the river. We picked out a nice looking restaurant called Pilot House on the waterfront ( a favorite with the locals ) and returned there after a leisurely afternoon. The waitress suggested where we should sit even though it was free sitting.Turns out we were put next to a group of 6 business people who were fairly noisy , but in a happy kind of way. But so what, the meal was fabulous ? I had salmon en papilotte which I would go back for any day! When Graeme asked for the check, the waitress said the table next to us was paying our check! Turns out another couple had sat at our table and then asked to move because of the noise . So,we walked out having had a free meal.Extraordinary! We walked back along the waterfront.Apparently there were meteor showers in the sky thought we didn't see any. There is quite a current running in the river so we heard a fair amount of slapping on the hull when the tides changed.But ear plugs really help so we were not too bothered.
Over and out
Erica
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Day 12 To Wilmington
Hi F&F ,
Well this morning we planned a really early start 7am! But it was such a grey day and visibility not so great so ended up leaving nearer 8 am.Today we needed some strategy to get through two low bridges , so we worked out the distance and speed and were able to successful go under them with a few minutes wait. Along the way we fueled up at a really cheap fuel dock in Swan River ($3.39 per gallon).This makes sense when you are putting in up to 200 gallons at a time at around $4 a gallon for diesel . With speeds of 23 mph , we average around 30 gallons per hour. Graeme has a special app on his I Pad which lists all the docks and fuel prices. Of course in the ICW we are going anywhere between 6 and 12 mph.
This stretch of the ICW had lots of fishing activity mainly clam harvesting. The boats had lots of hungry pelicans surrounding them. They were looking for a good feed. occasionally the fishermen would throw out some tidbits. At one point we saw a boat with the name Heather R.A.E on the transom and thought of our good friend Heather Rae! Sadly Heather I didn't get my camera ready in time ,but it really did say that! We had a couple of scary points along the way where temporary buoys had been place because of shoaling .One of them had been marked incorrectly and we felt the dreaded shuddering and the boat stopped.By putting the boat into neutral Graeme was able to nudge his way forward into deeper water. It was cloudy most of the way but no rain.Once we entered the Cape Fear River we were in deep water and no speed restrictions , so had a lovely run up to Wilmington. This place has a big port and lots of Coast Guard activity. We tied up just outside the Hilton Hotel along the River Walk in front of the big Coast Guard Ship called Diligence. Lots of young guys and gals are living on board and training up and down the river Also opposite us ,is the famous battleship North Carolina.Saved from demolition , it has its resting place here and is a great tourist attraction. This battleship had over 50 battle engagements, mainly in the Pacific arena during WW2.
The rain started to come down so we holed up inside and had dinner on board.Will explore the town tomorrow.
Over and out
Erica.
Well this morning we planned a really early start 7am! But it was such a grey day and visibility not so great so ended up leaving nearer 8 am.Today we needed some strategy to get through two low bridges , so we worked out the distance and speed and were able to successful go under them with a few minutes wait. Along the way we fueled up at a really cheap fuel dock in Swan River ($3.39 per gallon).This makes sense when you are putting in up to 200 gallons at a time at around $4 a gallon for diesel . With speeds of 23 mph , we average around 30 gallons per hour. Graeme has a special app on his I Pad which lists all the docks and fuel prices. Of course in the ICW we are going anywhere between 6 and 12 mph.
This stretch of the ICW had lots of fishing activity mainly clam harvesting. The boats had lots of hungry pelicans surrounding them. They were looking for a good feed. occasionally the fishermen would throw out some tidbits. At one point we saw a boat with the name Heather R.A.E on the transom and thought of our good friend Heather Rae! Sadly Heather I didn't get my camera ready in time ,but it really did say that! We had a couple of scary points along the way where temporary buoys had been place because of shoaling .One of them had been marked incorrectly and we felt the dreaded shuddering and the boat stopped.By putting the boat into neutral Graeme was able to nudge his way forward into deeper water. It was cloudy most of the way but no rain.Once we entered the Cape Fear River we were in deep water and no speed restrictions , so had a lovely run up to Wilmington. This place has a big port and lots of Coast Guard activity. We tied up just outside the Hilton Hotel along the River Walk in front of the big Coast Guard Ship called Diligence. Lots of young guys and gals are living on board and training up and down the river Also opposite us ,is the famous battleship North Carolina.Saved from demolition , it has its resting place here and is a great tourist attraction. This battleship had over 50 battle engagements, mainly in the Pacific arena during WW2.
The rain started to come down so we holed up inside and had dinner on board.Will explore the town tomorrow.
Over and out
Erica.
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Day 11 Try to go outside into the Atlantic
Hi F&F
We had an early start ( well for me that is!) around 8 am this suspect first bridge was even better today as we were at low tide and easily went underneath with good clearance. The Neuse river was calm , lots of pelicans flying about especially near the entrance.We had a good trip back down to join up the ICW near Oriental where we had spent a night recently.We made a decision to go for Beaufort ( remember its pronounced like Bowfort in NC but Bufort in SC even thought both have the same spelling) At Beaufort we stopped , tied up with free dockage just for lunch.Enjoyed a nice lunch at Queen Anne's Revenge ( named after Black Beard's flagship which was found somewhere in NC waters) bug surprise , we met up again with our lady friends on Raising the Bar cruiser .Turned out they are a mother daughter team named Hope and Faith! Wonder if there is a sister called Charity or Love in the family! They were the ones delivering a boat to Florida and were about to head out into the ocean so we suggested we give them a call and if things looked good we would join them ..However it was awful, 6 ft seas so we decided to scrape that idea and head down the ICW the much slower course.I think in future it is best to go outside weather permitting and come in at Wrightsville Beach .Both inlets are very good and not bad for shoaling .Many of the inlets are not recommended unless you have local knowledge in this area.
We arrived at Casper's Marina where we had stayed in March and finally got to try the IceHouse Waterfront Restaurant.Well worth the visit.Watched a DVD then off to bed.Over and out. Erica
We had an early start ( well for me that is!) around 8 am this suspect first bridge was even better today as we were at low tide and easily went underneath with good clearance. The Neuse river was calm , lots of pelicans flying about especially near the entrance.We had a good trip back down to join up the ICW near Oriental where we had spent a night recently.We made a decision to go for Beaufort ( remember its pronounced like Bowfort in NC but Bufort in SC even thought both have the same spelling) At Beaufort we stopped , tied up with free dockage just for lunch.Enjoyed a nice lunch at Queen Anne's Revenge ( named after Black Beard's flagship which was found somewhere in NC waters) bug surprise , we met up again with our lady friends on Raising the Bar cruiser .Turned out they are a mother daughter team named Hope and Faith! Wonder if there is a sister called Charity or Love in the family! They were the ones delivering a boat to Florida and were about to head out into the ocean so we suggested we give them a call and if things looked good we would join them ..However it was awful, 6 ft seas so we decided to scrape that idea and head down the ICW the much slower course.I think in future it is best to go outside weather permitting and come in at Wrightsville Beach .Both inlets are very good and not bad for shoaling .Many of the inlets are not recommended unless you have local knowledge in this area.
We arrived at Casper's Marina where we had stayed in March and finally got to try the IceHouse Waterfront Restaurant.Well worth the visit.Watched a DVD then off to bed.Over and out. Erica
Monday, December 10, 2012
Now to New Bern for two nights Day 9 & 10
Hi there F&F,
Day 9:
We woke up to the most glorious day Still glassy water and a shining sun. As we pulled away from the dock we saw sail boats gently moving and our first sight of a pod of dolphins .We drove up the Neuse River to New Bern and due to the low tide were able to squeeze under the bridge just before the Grand New Bern Marina. Normally 15 ft clearance it was more like 16 ft so no problems.The beauty of having a boat without a Fly Bridge or Mast. This Marina is run by the Hilton Hotel group so we get all the privileges we would if staying in the hotel.Free newspapers and coffee every morning . Many boaters use this Marina as a permanent place to live.Several have sold up their house and possesions and live very simply.We took this deviation so we could visit our friends Carolyn and Bill Carlton who we know from CYC ( Chesapeake Yacht Club where we keep our boat) Had drinks on board Lady Erica and Bill promised to bring the best fried oysters as he had done back in April when we visited them also by boat. Went back to their house for a lovely dinner then back to our home away from home for the night.
Day 10 :
Woke up to wet conditions which soon cleared and we ended up with another sunny day 73 degrees.
Walked into town just a block away and made for the Tryon Palace built in 1770. In 1798 it was destroyed by fire but has been lovingly restored using original plans and is beautifully kept. This was designed by a British architect and was out to impress the locals as a show of Britsh might and regal status. The tour lasts 45 mins and the guide is dressed in 17 th century clothing.Our lady was most informative.Well worth a visit. We also got to see inside two other homes nearby as part of the ticket price.Then we were in for a treat ! We went to MJ's restaurant to meet Bill Carlton's 100 yr old Dad and have lunch with him ,Bill and Carolyn .He insisted on sitting between us so we could talk. Just an amasing man!Apart from some hearing loss ,he was as sharp as a tack! He talked of his doctor 's surgery practice back in 1923 when there were no cures for anything! He has seen great strides in the
medical field since then. He insisted he wanted to see our boat , so Graeme and Bill took him on board.Just loved it had to see everything.Shades of my Dad. Had a leisurely afternoon reading then dinner on board. We will be leaving around 8.30 am tomorrow as we have a longer journey again .
Over and out
Erica.
Day 9:
We woke up to the most glorious day Still glassy water and a shining sun. As we pulled away from the dock we saw sail boats gently moving and our first sight of a pod of dolphins .We drove up the Neuse River to New Bern and due to the low tide were able to squeeze under the bridge just before the Grand New Bern Marina. Normally 15 ft clearance it was more like 16 ft so no problems.The beauty of having a boat without a Fly Bridge or Mast. This Marina is run by the Hilton Hotel group so we get all the privileges we would if staying in the hotel.Free newspapers and coffee every morning . Many boaters use this Marina as a permanent place to live.Several have sold up their house and possesions and live very simply.We took this deviation so we could visit our friends Carolyn and Bill Carlton who we know from CYC ( Chesapeake Yacht Club where we keep our boat) Had drinks on board Lady Erica and Bill promised to bring the best fried oysters as he had done back in April when we visited them also by boat. Went back to their house for a lovely dinner then back to our home away from home for the night.
Day 10 :
Woke up to wet conditions which soon cleared and we ended up with another sunny day 73 degrees.
Walked into town just a block away and made for the Tryon Palace built in 1770. In 1798 it was destroyed by fire but has been lovingly restored using original plans and is beautifully kept. This was designed by a British architect and was out to impress the locals as a show of Britsh might and regal status. The tour lasts 45 mins and the guide is dressed in 17 th century clothing.Our lady was most informative.Well worth a visit. We also got to see inside two other homes nearby as part of the ticket price.Then we were in for a treat ! We went to MJ's restaurant to meet Bill Carlton's 100 yr old Dad and have lunch with him ,Bill and Carolyn .He insisted on sitting between us so we could talk. Just an amasing man!Apart from some hearing loss ,he was as sharp as a tack! He talked of his doctor 's surgery practice back in 1923 when there were no cures for anything! He has seen great strides in the
medical field since then. He insisted he wanted to see our boat , so Graeme and Bill took him on board.Just loved it had to see everything.Shades of my Dad. Had a leisurely afternoon reading then dinner on board. We will be leaving around 8.30 am tomorrow as we have a longer journey again .
Over and out
Erica.
Sunday, December 9, 2012
On to Oriental
Hi there F&F,
Today we had a longer journey ahead of us so we left promptly at 8 am. We headed back south down the Albemarle Sound towards the coast .Instead of joining the ICW we decided to take the wider and no bridge option of Pamlico Sound..fortunately it was calm but we did strike fog on occasions sometimes quite thick.Probably because of the fluctuating temps we have been having. This sound runs parallel to the ICW route of Alligator River.Very few boats around although we did have a large 50 ft boat pass us going at a rapid speed early on .Then the NC coast guard came on the radio asking the boat questions such as where are you heading , have you been boarded recently by the Coast Guard.Turns out they were delivering a boat for someone , hence the speed I guess. So then they turned to us and we were asked the same questions but they decided to come on board and check us out. They came along side boarded and checked our paperwork declared we were Ok and let us carry on.Last December we were boarded down inFlorida. I guess they are looking for drug runners or just liked the look of our boat. Six and half hours later we arrived at Oriental Marina.Country music was playing here and lots of festive spirit.Cookies and drinks for the guests and encouragement to come watch the street parade at 4 pm.After docking we did go down to watch the parade .A collection of cars some very old like model T Ford, other vehicles such as fire trucks, bands church groups ,dogs kids groups.The streets were lined with bags with real candles inside.Once it was dark they were lit and it made for a pretty sight down the Main Street.They stretched at least a mile or so. Later we had dinner on board and had a relaxing evening. Over and Out Erica.
Today we had a longer journey ahead of us so we left promptly at 8 am. We headed back south down the Albemarle Sound towards the coast .Instead of joining the ICW we decided to take the wider and no bridge option of Pamlico Sound..fortunately it was calm but we did strike fog on occasions sometimes quite thick.Probably because of the fluctuating temps we have been having. This sound runs parallel to the ICW route of Alligator River.Very few boats around although we did have a large 50 ft boat pass us going at a rapid speed early on .Then the NC coast guard came on the radio asking the boat questions such as where are you heading , have you been boarded recently by the Coast Guard.Turns out they were delivering a boat for someone , hence the speed I guess. So then they turned to us and we were asked the same questions but they decided to come on board and check us out. They came along side boarded and checked our paperwork declared we were Ok and let us carry on.Last December we were boarded down inFlorida. I guess they are looking for drug runners or just liked the look of our boat. Six and half hours later we arrived at Oriental Marina.Country music was playing here and lots of festive spirit.Cookies and drinks for the guests and encouragement to come watch the street parade at 4 pm.After docking we did go down to watch the parade .A collection of cars some very old like model T Ford, other vehicles such as fire trucks, bands church groups ,dogs kids groups.The streets were lined with bags with real candles inside.Once it was dark they were lit and it made for a pretty sight down the Main Street.They stretched at least a mile or so. Later we had dinner on board and had a relaxing evening. Over and Out Erica.
Catch time time again Day 7
Hi F &F,
As you know we decided to have an extra day in Edenton. My favorite small town so far along the East Coast and I think others have found it so as there are many who moved to live here permanently from other parts of USA. They are celebrating 300 years 1712 to 2012.
Graeme took himself off on a mission in the morning to check out a small oil painting he had seen in an art gallery .Came back smiling with a parcel under his arm! We found a perfect spot to hang it but minus the large gold frame it came with.Called Together Forever ,it is a water scene with two boats and seemed the perfect choice for an early Wedding Anniversary gift .It will be 37 years
next January10th !
We bought tickets for the annual Christmas in Edenton.Started off with a trolley tour of the many beautiful homes then visited two of the homes Iredell house and Barker house. Treats inside the homes included their famous eggnog A cholesterol delight! Wassail, a wine based punch and lots of home baked cookies.Also music been played by local residents made for an authentic tour.
Myra and Noel joined us at 3.30 pm and we visited the Cupola house , there we were welcomed with men and women in traditional costumes of the period A lot like Williamsburg in Virginia.
At 4 pm the house Candlelight tours stared and we started with the Hayward Plantation first.A most beautiful home and sitting right near the Edenton Bay. After that we visited about 6 homes again well decorated for the Christmas season and we finished off with a visit to the Old Edenton Courthouse 1767 for Christmas Carols.They have a all men choir , they all sang archipelago then we join in later on.Finished up with dinner at the 309 Bistro .I had the most delicious pork Osso Bucco.
Great day.
Over and out
Erica
As you know we decided to have an extra day in Edenton. My favorite small town so far along the East Coast and I think others have found it so as there are many who moved to live here permanently from other parts of USA. They are celebrating 300 years 1712 to 2012.
Graeme took himself off on a mission in the morning to check out a small oil painting he had seen in an art gallery .Came back smiling with a parcel under his arm! We found a perfect spot to hang it but minus the large gold frame it came with.Called Together Forever ,it is a water scene with two boats and seemed the perfect choice for an early Wedding Anniversary gift .It will be 37 years
next January10th !
We bought tickets for the annual Christmas in Edenton.Started off with a trolley tour of the many beautiful homes then visited two of the homes Iredell house and Barker house. Treats inside the homes included their famous eggnog A cholesterol delight! Wassail, a wine based punch and lots of home baked cookies.Also music been played by local residents made for an authentic tour.
Myra and Noel joined us at 3.30 pm and we visited the Cupola house , there we were welcomed with men and women in traditional costumes of the period A lot like Williamsburg in Virginia.
At 4 pm the house Candlelight tours stared and we started with the Hayward Plantation first.A most beautiful home and sitting right near the Edenton Bay. After that we visited about 6 homes again well decorated for the Christmas season and we finished off with a visit to the Old Edenton Courthouse 1767 for Christmas Carols.They have a all men choir , they all sang archipelago then we join in later on.Finished up with dinner at the 309 Bistro .I had the most delicious pork Osso Bucco.
Great day.
Over and out
Erica
Day 7
Hi There Bloggers,
Sorry you will have to wait as the wifi and blog site have been acting up I will try it again in New Bern later.
Over and Out
Erica.
Sorry you will have to wait as the wifi and blog site have been acting up I will try it again in New Bern later.
Over and Out
Erica.
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Day 6 In Edenton
Hi there F &F ( Family and Friends)
We are enjoying our stay here in Edenton ! It is another beautiful day although a bit cooler ,ie down to 50 degrees. Our slip is wonderful with full views of the Edenton Bay. I could stay here for at least a couple of weeks! Armed with our maps and info we walked up one side of the Main Street and down the other.Stopped to look at St Paul's Episcopal Church ( the oldest in NC) also checked in at the visitors center and bought some blistered peanuts .So called , because of the process to prepare the peanuts which are boiled first in water then cooked in canola oil which blisters the skin .Supposed to be less oily. Stopped for lunch at the bistro 309 Had a delicious Cuban Reuben sandwich with salad and homemade honey Dijon mustard dressing.Hoping to go back tomorrow night for dinner there! That leads me onto the next thing ,we have decided to stay an extra night so we can go on the Christmas candlelight tour of 15 of the historic houses .Apparently it is a must do and there will be egg nog served and desserts along the way.We called Myra and Noel and they will join us around 4 pm.
Decided we would go on a long walk to get some exercise and walk off our big lunch, so set off to a nearby Plantation . The air was crisp and clear, the water was sparkling, the sun sunning brightly, it can't get much better! Got back around 3 pm and then borrowed Bob's courtesy car get get our provisions from the local Food Lion supermarket. Graeme is on duty to cook up the Lets Dish Moroccan Chicken while I do this blog.A little history to finish about Edenton.
It was established in 1712 and served as the first Colonial Capital until 1743.In the days before the Revolution it was a small but highly prosperous seaport .With the building of the Dismal Swamp , Edenton no longer held its importance as a port and put an end to its boom in 1830's.
Over and Out
Erica .
We are enjoying our stay here in Edenton ! It is another beautiful day although a bit cooler ,ie down to 50 degrees. Our slip is wonderful with full views of the Edenton Bay. I could stay here for at least a couple of weeks! Armed with our maps and info we walked up one side of the Main Street and down the other.Stopped to look at St Paul's Episcopal Church ( the oldest in NC) also checked in at the visitors center and bought some blistered peanuts .So called , because of the process to prepare the peanuts which are boiled first in water then cooked in canola oil which blisters the skin .Supposed to be less oily. Stopped for lunch at the bistro 309 Had a delicious Cuban Reuben sandwich with salad and homemade honey Dijon mustard dressing.Hoping to go back tomorrow night for dinner there! That leads me onto the next thing ,we have decided to stay an extra night so we can go on the Christmas candlelight tour of 15 of the historic houses .Apparently it is a must do and there will be egg nog served and desserts along the way.We called Myra and Noel and they will join us around 4 pm.
Decided we would go on a long walk to get some exercise and walk off our big lunch, so set off to a nearby Plantation . The air was crisp and clear, the water was sparkling, the sun sunning brightly, it can't get much better! Got back around 3 pm and then borrowed Bob's courtesy car get get our provisions from the local Food Lion supermarket. Graeme is on duty to cook up the Lets Dish Moroccan Chicken while I do this blog.A little history to finish about Edenton.
It was established in 1712 and served as the first Colonial Capital until 1743.In the days before the Revolution it was a small but highly prosperous seaport .With the building of the Dismal Swamp , Edenton no longer held its importance as a port and put an end to its boom in 1830's.
Over and Out
Erica .
Day Five Off to Edenton
Hi Family and Friends,
Today we decided to leave mid day as we wanted to see the Albemarle Museum which had rave views in the area .It indeed lived up to its name a well put together museum with lots of exhibits starting from the beginning settlers ,Native Indian and European then going on to the Civil War , WW2 and the modern day. Its a short run in the Albemarle Sound up north to Edenton.This part of the trip is a deviation for us ,as we want to catch up with some old friends Myra and Noel McKechie .Noel used to work for Mobil Oil and retired in this area some years ago..Also we were intrigued to see the town and on top of that the dockage was free! The journey took 2 1/2 hours and easy running at about 20 knots. We had to avoid quite a few crab pots and pass an area off limits (sounds like navy military may do some training in the area!) Arrived at Edenton harbor and we were greeted by Bob the friendly dock master.He helped us tie up , gave us a welcome packet with maps, a bag of peanuts in the shell (popular down here) and bottled water and said he had a courteously car we could use if we wanted to do any shopping.This is service and all for free! We were the only visiting boat ( the advantage of traveling south so late) Just us , 3 small resident boats and the seagulls.
At 5 pm Myra and Noel arrived for drinks and snacks on board.We had fun catching up then walked together the one block to the Waterman's Grille for dinner. We found the town friendly and certainly stronger economically than Elizabeth City. Beautifully restored old homes line the waterfront. it turns out that this area did not receive much damage during the Civil War. we feel we are really getting into the south now!
Over and Out
Erica
Today we decided to leave mid day as we wanted to see the Albemarle Museum which had rave views in the area .It indeed lived up to its name a well put together museum with lots of exhibits starting from the beginning settlers ,Native Indian and European then going on to the Civil War , WW2 and the modern day. Its a short run in the Albemarle Sound up north to Edenton.This part of the trip is a deviation for us ,as we want to catch up with some old friends Myra and Noel McKechie .Noel used to work for Mobil Oil and retired in this area some years ago..Also we were intrigued to see the town and on top of that the dockage was free! The journey took 2 1/2 hours and easy running at about 20 knots. We had to avoid quite a few crab pots and pass an area off limits (sounds like navy military may do some training in the area!) Arrived at Edenton harbor and we were greeted by Bob the friendly dock master.He helped us tie up , gave us a welcome packet with maps, a bag of peanuts in the shell (popular down here) and bottled water and said he had a courteously car we could use if we wanted to do any shopping.This is service and all for free! We were the only visiting boat ( the advantage of traveling south so late) Just us , 3 small resident boats and the seagulls.
At 5 pm Myra and Noel arrived for drinks and snacks on board.We had fun catching up then walked together the one block to the Waterman's Grille for dinner. We found the town friendly and certainly stronger economically than Elizabeth City. Beautifully restored old homes line the waterfront. it turns out that this area did not receive much damage during the Civil War. we feel we are really getting into the south now!
Over and Out
Erica
Behind already! Day 4
Hi there Friends and Family,
Another beautiful sunny day and warm 72 degrees on the Dismal Swamp Canal. We left mid morning , the sailors (our neighbors for the night ) had got up early to make the 8.30 am lock opening.We decided the 11 am opening suited us fine.In fact we never saw any other boats on today's trip apart from the odd small fishing boat .One guy offered us a specked trout he had caught.We politely declined.Filleting fish is not one of our skills yet! The South Mills lock had the same arrangement as the other one.This time in reverse.The bridge opened first then the lock keeper raced off in his car to organize the lock opening.This time we went down 8 ft.This guy was not as friendly as our other lock keeper.No tips or advice or history lesson. The rest of the Canal was idyllic .Graeme had music playing on his I Pod Diana Krall soothed us all the way ! We rounded the last bend and there was Elizabeth City. The dock was right on the edge of town. Elizabeth City became popular after the completion of the Dismal Swamp was completed in 1805. It's named after a resident innkeeper called Elizabeth Tooley. After settling in , we made a walk into the town carrying our very dirty fender covers ( caused by the locks) to find a laundry place.While walking along a lady informed us we were entering a bad part of town and mentioned there had been a drug bust just last night near where we were walking! Great! Well, we were fine .Found a great little coffee house called Muddy Waters .Had the best cup of coffee , sure beats Starbucks! Lovely old homes here but the area not so thriving and definitely several places were run down. We decided to eat out and there has a handy place called Groupers right next to our dock. Naturally we ordered fish and seafood! Early to bed again.
Over and Out
Erica.
Another beautiful sunny day and warm 72 degrees on the Dismal Swamp Canal. We left mid morning , the sailors (our neighbors for the night ) had got up early to make the 8.30 am lock opening.We decided the 11 am opening suited us fine.In fact we never saw any other boats on today's trip apart from the odd small fishing boat .One guy offered us a specked trout he had caught.We politely declined.Filleting fish is not one of our skills yet! The South Mills lock had the same arrangement as the other one.This time in reverse.The bridge opened first then the lock keeper raced off in his car to organize the lock opening.This time we went down 8 ft.This guy was not as friendly as our other lock keeper.No tips or advice or history lesson. The rest of the Canal was idyllic .Graeme had music playing on his I Pod Diana Krall soothed us all the way ! We rounded the last bend and there was Elizabeth City. The dock was right on the edge of town. Elizabeth City became popular after the completion of the Dismal Swamp was completed in 1805. It's named after a resident innkeeper called Elizabeth Tooley. After settling in , we made a walk into the town carrying our very dirty fender covers ( caused by the locks) to find a laundry place.While walking along a lady informed us we were entering a bad part of town and mentioned there had been a drug bust just last night near where we were walking! Great! Well, we were fine .Found a great little coffee house called Muddy Waters .Had the best cup of coffee , sure beats Starbucks! Lovely old homes here but the area not so thriving and definitely several places were run down. We decided to eat out and there has a handy place called Groupers right next to our dock. Naturally we ordered fish and seafood! Early to bed again.
Over and Out
Erica.
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Day 3 on the Dismal Swamp
Hi Family and Friends,
Woke up to a beautiful sunny day and decided to leave at 8.30am in plenty of time to catch the 15ft Gilmerton bridge which first opened at 9.30am.Would you believe it ,the previous rail bridge usually open decided to close to let on a 49 carriage train! So we waited a good half hour there and missed our opening.However we called up the bridge keeper who informed us it was a 15ft 1/2inch clearance so we just got under ( we have a 15 ft clearance on the boat)and headed off for the Dismal Swamp. So named because the diggers of the canal( all employed ruffians back in 1787 ) declared it a dark and dismal area.It is the oldest operating artificial waterway in the USA. Our first stop was at the Deep Creek Lock where again we had to wait for an opening of about 45 mins. Not the kind of journey if you are in a hurry!
The Lock Master organized us and the sailboat behind us then proceeded to open the gates and the water flowed in to a height of 8 ft. Once completed, the Lock Master decided to give us an informative lecture about the canal . The area surrounding the Canal has Jupiter and Cypress trees in abundance .They leach tannins into the waterway and the fresh water becomes very acidic.So much so ,no bacteria can survive in it. The water is the color of dark tea. George Washington owned the whole area of the dismal swamp. He was a man of many talents and means.He harvested the trees for lumber , and another fact little known fact, he was also the largest rum producer in USA ! The Lock Keeper had double duty and once we were underway,he drove off down the road to open a bridge we then went through. The journey to our destination the Dismal Swamp Welcome center took about 5 hours going through the lovely serene vistas at about 6 miles speed and using 1.7 gallons per hour.
( normally we would be using around 30 gallons per hour)The sailors would be proud of us ,we were enjoying the journey not aiming to get there as fast as possible! We tied up and two sailboats joined us for the night.We went for a nice long walk through the nature reserve then cooked dinner on boat thanks to Lets Dish. I was in bed by 9.30pm!
Over and Out
Erica.
Sent from my iPad Canal.
Woke up to a beautiful sunny day and decided to leave at 8.30am in plenty of time to catch the 15ft Gilmerton bridge which first opened at 9.30am.Would you believe it ,the previous rail bridge usually open decided to close to let on a 49 carriage train! So we waited a good half hour there and missed our opening.However we called up the bridge keeper who informed us it was a 15ft 1/2inch clearance so we just got under ( we have a 15 ft clearance on the boat)and headed off for the Dismal Swamp. So named because the diggers of the canal( all employed ruffians back in 1787 ) declared it a dark and dismal area.It is the oldest operating artificial waterway in the USA. Our first stop was at the Deep Creek Lock where again we had to wait for an opening of about 45 mins. Not the kind of journey if you are in a hurry!
The Lock Master organized us and the sailboat behind us then proceeded to open the gates and the water flowed in to a height of 8 ft. Once completed, the Lock Master decided to give us an informative lecture about the canal . The area surrounding the Canal has Jupiter and Cypress trees in abundance .They leach tannins into the waterway and the fresh water becomes very acidic.So much so ,no bacteria can survive in it. The water is the color of dark tea. George Washington owned the whole area of the dismal swamp. He was a man of many talents and means.He harvested the trees for lumber , and another fact little known fact, he was also the largest rum producer in USA ! The Lock Keeper had double duty and once we were underway,he drove off down the road to open a bridge we then went through. The journey to our destination the Dismal Swamp Welcome center took about 5 hours going through the lovely serene vistas at about 6 miles speed and using 1.7 gallons per hour.
( normally we would be using around 30 gallons per hour)The sailors would be proud of us ,we were enjoying the journey not aiming to get there as fast as possible! We tied up and two sailboats joined us for the night.We went for a nice long walk through the nature reserve then cooked dinner on boat thanks to Lets Dish. I was in bed by 9.30pm!
Over and Out
Erica.
Sent from my iPad Canal.
Sunday, December 2, 2012
On the water again heading South Dec 2012
Hi there Family and Friends!
Well this year we left it a little late to travel south but so far it worked out on the trip down the Chesapeake Bay to Norfolk , the start of the ICW.
Day 1:
Saturday 1st Dec we left our boating home and headed for Reedville a quaint little Virginia town at about the half way point to Norfolk. We had following seas which made for a pleasant ride, only problem was there was fog sometimes quite thick with visibility less than a mile most of the way. Fortunately as we're headed into the marina at Cockrell Creek the weather cleared and the sun was shining .After a 4 hour journey we were able to tie up at the small Reedville Marina and Crazy Crab Restaurant at the fuel dock. . After settling in ,we took a walk through the town and visited the little Fishermens Museum ,the Model Train Museum and a tour of one of the old houses owned by the Taylor family.All for the price of $3 each! After a cocktail onward the boat we walked all of about 12 steps to the Crazy Crab Restaurant where we dined with the locals.The place was full by 6.30pm and people waiting to be seated.The steamed shrimp were one of the best meals we have had recently, and the fresh flounder and rockfish were pretty good also. A successful first day cruising!
Day 2:
Had a leisurely morning and left about 11am , the water was less calm initially but at least no fog! A we approached the York River area , amazingly the water calmed down and took on a smooth glassy appearance .We also saw our first brown pelicans , three of them in a line skimming the surface .They usually only come up the Chesapeake Bay about half way .As we entered into Hampton area we slowed down and made the last part of the journey passing by all the Navy vessels, mainly aircraft carriers Norfolk is famous for. Reminded me of when my Dad came over from NZ and we were invited to go on board the brand new John C.Stennis aircraft carrier. he was like and excited school boy! We decided to try Portsmouth as we had stayed in Norfolf previously. Docked at the Tidewater Marina with its nice floating docks and then took a short walk into the town. Started out with a beer at a huge sports bar with about 14 TV's playing various American Football games simultaneously . Two exciting games were just finishing and the crowd were really getting excited.Afterwards we took a stroll through a lovely old historic housing area and then went to eat at the genuine German Bier Garden! Graeme had schnitzel and I the pork loin complete with red cabbage,sauerkraut and German potato salad and mustard .
Back to the boat for an early night.
Over and out
Erica and Graeme.
At
was following current
Well this year we left it a little late to travel south but so far it worked out on the trip down the Chesapeake Bay to Norfolk , the start of the ICW.
Day 1:
Saturday 1st Dec we left our boating home and headed for Reedville a quaint little Virginia town at about the half way point to Norfolk. We had following seas which made for a pleasant ride, only problem was there was fog sometimes quite thick with visibility less than a mile most of the way. Fortunately as we're headed into the marina at Cockrell Creek the weather cleared and the sun was shining .After a 4 hour journey we were able to tie up at the small Reedville Marina and Crazy Crab Restaurant at the fuel dock. . After settling in ,we took a walk through the town and visited the little Fishermens Museum ,the Model Train Museum and a tour of one of the old houses owned by the Taylor family.All for the price of $3 each! After a cocktail onward the boat we walked all of about 12 steps to the Crazy Crab Restaurant where we dined with the locals.The place was full by 6.30pm and people waiting to be seated.The steamed shrimp were one of the best meals we have had recently, and the fresh flounder and rockfish were pretty good also. A successful first day cruising!
Day 2:
Had a leisurely morning and left about 11am , the water was less calm initially but at least no fog! A we approached the York River area , amazingly the water calmed down and took on a smooth glassy appearance .We also saw our first brown pelicans , three of them in a line skimming the surface .They usually only come up the Chesapeake Bay about half way .As we entered into Hampton area we slowed down and made the last part of the journey passing by all the Navy vessels, mainly aircraft carriers Norfolk is famous for. Reminded me of when my Dad came over from NZ and we were invited to go on board the brand new John C.Stennis aircraft carrier. he was like and excited school boy! We decided to try Portsmouth as we had stayed in Norfolf previously. Docked at the Tidewater Marina with its nice floating docks and then took a short walk into the town. Started out with a beer at a huge sports bar with about 14 TV's playing various American Football games simultaneously . Two exciting games were just finishing and the crowd were really getting excited.Afterwards we took a stroll through a lovely old historic housing area and then went to eat at the genuine German Bier Garden! Graeme had schnitzel and I the pork loin complete with red cabbage,sauerkraut and German potato salad and mustard .
Back to the boat for an early night.
Over and out
Erica and Graeme.
At
was following current
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