Dismal Swamp

We have just had a beautiful trip down the Dismal Swamp. The oldest canal system in the US, hand dug by slave labour in the late 1700's, connecting Albermarle Sound and Norfolk/Portsmouth. It was like its own world and we found it very magical.

quite the ride up!

Not everyone is able or wants to take this route while heading south. It is not a deep canal, we followed a boat down with a 6 foot draft and witnessed him "bump" ground many times. Actually, 14 in total is what he told us when we stopped for the night at the visitors centre about half way to Elizabeth City. Some find it boring or mundane as the upper part of the canal is extremely straight with tree after tree. Anyway, not for everyone, but we thought it was the best couple of days on the water yet.

We stopped for the night at the visitor centre about 20 miles down. Service to both canal transistors as well as the freeway. Lovely, friendly staff in the visitor centre. Washroom facilities and park like setting.

After all the boats transiting were tied up together, Al and I pulled our bikes off and went for a tour into the woods and down the canal.  Later on we had drinks and visited with many of the other 9 vessels that were rafted with us.

leaving the visitor centre in the morning

lower Dismal Swamp

We are having so much fun meeting fellow boaters. Jim, Barbara and Harris who were out for a weeks vacation from Williamsburg. Al and I were talking earlier about whether "local" used this waterway other than snowbirds. So there was our answer. They were doing the loop in Jim's 39' Bristol, Manitou, down the dismal swamp then back up the Virginia cut on the other side and back home. Very adventurous for late October, they were clearly having a fabulous time.

free town dock in Elizabeth City - So, interesting story...the boat to Haven's starboard side is "Harmonium". Turns out that their home port is Ashbridges Yacht Club out of Toronto. We had actually seen this boat and talked to the owners last year while visiting Paul, Joanne and Chloe on our summer holidays. Small world eh!  Great people and we hope to meet up with them again on our journey.  

We had a blast visiting with lots of folks in Elizabeth City at the free dock. The locals through a little wine and cheese meet and greet at the docks called the Rose Buddies, a tradition that has been going on for over 30 years. We visited with the crew aboard Manitou and Phil and Krista from Harmonium. After the bourbon tasting we all walked over and had a fabulous meal across the street.

Barbara and I with our roses (and free fly swatters!)

dinner with some new friends

Gus, the unofficial dock master. Here he is helping me fill up with water.

The camaraderie in the sailing community has been so incredible. You never feel like you're out here all alone, always meeting new sailors or bumping into those you have met from somewhere along your travels. Sharing stories, cocktails and a laugh. I didn't think Al and I had it in us to be so social. I guess it's easier when there is such a common bond. I had my first "emergency" doggy question and I was glad to be of help.

Impromptu social, it started with Al sitting in the sun on the yellow chair. Lots of fun.

Our time in Elizabeth City was great spent 2 nights. The locals are amazing and really go out of their way for the boating community, they are so happy to have us stop in their community. They recently received a grant to build washroom/shower facility dock side and have already begun construction. Should be up and running for next season. It was a shame to see how much the town is struggling. So many businesses in the downtown area are closed up and real estate sitting empty. Hopefully times will change soon for them.
There is a beautiful museum a short walk away. Highlighting the history of the area, a civil war exhibit as well as a really neat exhibit on the making and history of Gone with the Wind. Lots of fun.
I scrubbed the bottom of our dingy and Al managed to check something else off his list (New nav light)

outside the Museum

Leaving Elizabeth City, Anne took this photo aboard Sea Angel

We travelled 71 SM down Albemarle Sound into the Alligator-Pungo Canal. We hadn't planned on going so far but we were having a great day on the water and the plan A for anchoring wasn't very pretty. We anchored for the night just before sundown then up early heading off towards Oriental, about a 45 mile run.

Swing bridge entering the Alligator River

Alligator-Pungo Canal

At anchor in the Pungo River

Ducking out of some very snotty weather, we are now at dock about 5 miles from Oriental NC. A place called River Dunes, the nicest marina we have stayed in by far! Amazing setting, and facilities with a beautiful club house and fabulous folks looking after it all.  A community living development with spectacular vision.  The restaurant is usually closed during the week but because the docks were so full they threw a impromptu party with live music and a buffet dinner for $15/person. Great night!  There is a courtesy car that we took advantage of the following day, sharing it with  3 other boaters as it booked up quickly. Did a little touring of the VERY small Oriental, some grocery shopping and had our propane tanks topped up. Shrimp boats have their fleet tied up to the docks downtown and we were able to purchase some fresh shrimp for dinner last night. Incredible, taste like we were back home on the west coast eating the prawns we had just pulled from our traps. 

The boat cabin is clean again and the V Berth re organised.

Entrance into River Dunes

River Dunes club house

Boaters meet and greet

View from across the bay while on our bike ride

The weather has switched around this morning and the winds have eased so we are heading out again soon.

Bye for now.

Solomons Island-Norfolk

Well we've had a fabulous week, although the temperature has dropped considerably. The locals tell us that its been colder than normal, just our luck, but they should start to get warmer over the next few days. Definitely time to get moving more south.

We spent a few days in the beautiful anchorage or Solomons Island, such an amazing little waterway at the mouth of the Patuxent River. Lots of boats tucked in there, many that we have met somewhere along the way - 80% of us Canadians!

SOLOMONS ISLAND ancorage

We made our way into California via city bus for a few groceries and an attempt at replacing our VHF remote mic for the radio that has decided to pack it in. Getting home turned out to be more of a challenge and ended up sharing a cab back to the boat.

view from our bus ride to California, looking down to Patuxent River

We went by to invite the crew of Sea Angel over for sun downers to find Brian crabbing off the bow, with one keeper in the bucket and a huge smile on his face!  We were pleasantly surprise when they brought it to share with us after Anne had cooked and cleaned it, a wonderful treat, thanks guys!!

Brian was a tiny bit intimidated by that feisty little crab in the bucket! 

Just a quick note on this  "poor boys" crabbing. We haven't had a chance to try it yet, but it's on our list.
We've been told this is how you do it...
involves a string, a piece of meat or fat, and some patience. Place the string with the meat tied to it down until the meat is sitting on the bottom, when you feel the crab start to walk away with the bait you slowly start to pull him up. As he gets close to the surface have your net ready because he will let go when he sees his fate approaching. yum, yum!

Tasty treat 

Making the decision early on not to be in a rush or on a schedule helped us turn back from  some very  uncomfortable seas.  Beating hard into the waves for 7 hours when we didn't have to didn't make much sense or sound fun, even though as a sailor it did feel a little like defeat.
5 boats had headed out of the anchorage, with 4 for us returning a few hours later. A lot of like minded cruisers.
We did spend some fun time playing around in the bay with great wind and no waves, great way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

For the first time since we have owned the boat I'm experiencing some mold growth around in different places which is quite disconcerting. Talking to fellow boaters I realize I'm not the only one, but now to tackle the problem and keep up on top of it.

Our trip the next day, now had the light wind behind, was a sunny tranquil trip into Mill Creek. Another awesome anchorage, tucked way back with a very narrow entrance in and only a few other boats.

MILL CREEK ANCHORAGE

Next stop was into Jackson Creek (Deltaville) where we fueled up took on some water then headed to the free dock where Sea Angel, already tied up, helped us settle in. Managed a bike ride into "town", actually passed another West Marine so ordered that new cock pit radio, to be picked up in North Carolina.

Auto pilot

Entrance into Jackson Creek

Morning on the dock in Deltaville, getting ready to push off

Al's quite fascinated by all the Pelican's we are starting to see, I think it's reminding him that warmer weather is in our near future. 

Off to Hampton which is just across the way from Norfolk. Great sail but cold and raining. Almost at the mouth of the Chesapeake and it's a bit sad that this part of our trip is nearly over.

Gourmet lunch on the move - Peanut Butter and Jam

Norfolk is a huge Navy base with too many vessels to count. While entering Willoughby Bay we had the exciting privilege to experience an aircraft carrier transiting out of its berth towards the Atlantic, pretty awesome.

Anchored for the night, hiding from the rain and wind down below with some good wine and a movie.

We've been here in Norfolk for the past few days, catching up on laundry and cleaning as well as being a tourist. We actually made it to Portsmouth and Virginia Beach in one day (all for $3.50 each) via ferries, trains and buses, what a day!  Although still cold, the sun is out again and we are enjoying beautiful fall days.

View of the shore line traveling into Elizabeth River

"Haven" at the dock in Norfolk

This is a picture that I took, really! USS Wisconsin at dock permanently as a museum docked at Nauticus in downtown Norfolk 

HISTORIC OLD TOWN PORTSMOUTH

Making our way back to the little walk on ferry from Portsmouth to Norfolk

Virginia Beach

We decided to take advantage of the free dock in Portsmouth overnight.  Taking another walk around town and wanting to get some groceries. Turns out we need to pay more attention to the Active Captain website, as we stumbled across a great little Marine store called Mile Mark "0" with the owners offering free rides to pretty much anywhere you need to get to for provisioning - liquor, beer, groceries etc. How awesome.  

We hadn't had lunch yet and they were waiting for another couple who had made a time arrangement for departure so off to lunch we went with plans to meet back at 2:30pm. Our lunch at "Segundo" Pizza was absolutely wonderful, amazing food and service and all for a fabulous price. Lunch took longer than we had thought and when Pete, the general manager and fellow boater, found out we were going to miss our ride he very kindly passed over his keys to his car. Can't describe how these kinds of gestures make us feel. Almost hard to wrap our heads around it. Thanks Pete!

One of the best Pizza'a we have had so far! On Court Street one block West of High Street

Line up, ALL Canadian boats at the free dock with "Haven" at the front

"Haven" and "Vita"

We are heading to the lock opening into the Dismal Swamp in the morning.

Bye for now, stay tuned.