The last day

Spent Monday night in a beautiful anchorage called Mill Creek half way up the Chesapeake Bay. For at least half of Monday we had 20 knot winds, so the engine got a rest.

The 6am start we had planned was closer to 7. However it was another beautiful morning.

After a couple of hours motoring up the Chesapeake an exhausted migrating bird came aboard for a rest. Just like the previous one it had no fear of humans and sat in the sun out of the wind right next door to lizzie. Although there were differences of opinion we finally agreed it was a black and white warbler, migrating north after winter in Florida , not unlike kinky turtle.

By the time we get to Vince's dock it will be after sunset but we should do it in twighlight .

PRAISE THE KINKY TURTLE. 

Dismal Swamp

The Dismal Swamp Canal was hand dug by slaves in the late 1700s, what a terrible task, first they had cut their way through, trees, vines, roots, no mechanised equipment other than spades and axes.. Poor sods. No fancy boats on it in those days, it was first used to transport timber. 

 It has a lock at both ends and about 20 miles long, both locks open three times a day so you have to get your timings right when making the passage. In the middle there is a visitors centre  and a free dock for those who couldn't make it through in one day. That is where we started Sunday.

Our first plan for departure was to leave at 5.30 and get the first lock opening but that didn't work out because it was too dark and the crew were too tired!! 

Second plan was to leave at 8am and get the 11am lock opening. This looked like it might work until we saw the tree that was blocking the canal!!!  I think work was being done on the bank, thus the barges , this and the high winds that evening probably brought down the tree.

 

 So we doubled back to the visitors centre where we had spent the previous night.  The US Army Corp of engineers were summoned (they maintain the canal).  It was Mother's Day , Sunday, so we didn't have much hope of getting out of the canal that day.  However they turned up trumps, did their stuff and we got away a couple of hours later. 

Made our way to Norfolk Virginia where we stayed the night.

  It was quite a fancy Marina (Waterside Marina) but they had the worst showers on the ICW,  YUK!!!

Flies

Their are flies that look like innocent house flies, however they bite! You feel them bite and you bleed!

They were at their worst on the Aligator river, even though we were doing 6,7 and more knots in a 15 knot breeze the little buggers kept up with us hitching a ride on the rear of the boat an then coming in for the kill when least expected. Captain armed himself with a fly swat, helmsman stood on and danced on his seat trying to avoid them while the lovely lizzie (who got the worst bite of all) ran around the deck killing them with her shoe. By the time we got to the Aligator River Marina the worst was over.

Not all boats that go along the ICW are fancy cruisers .

Sailing

We sailed ! Even had the mainsail up. The Neuse river provided some relief from the sound of the droning engine, wide open water and a brisk wind that wasn't coming from the direction we planned to be going.

 Yesterday we seem to have head winds and adverse tide all the way, we avoided Beaufort instead headed for Adams creek were we found a fine spot to drop the anchor.

  90 degrees forcast today and I think the forcast is correct, blue sky and strong sun.

Belhaven marina on the Pungo river is our destination.

A very pleasant place with fine gazebo for drinks.

Inside we found a moth of enormouse size.

That's a 200cm. (4 inch) wingspan!

This marina has to get my vote as the best I've seen on the ICW, friendly, free ride to super market, free laundry, fantastic showers with towels! Everything as it should be.

Masonboro marina

A cold windy trip up the cape fear river got us to Masinboro marina in good time. We had two social engagements to attend.

  We had met Bob and Diane in the Abocos and they too were on the their way back home, and like us unfortunately having engine problems. Their problem was a little more severe and needed assistance from proper marine engineers unlike Murfet and Thomas bodgers. It was good to see them and exchange stories again , Diane showed lizzie around their boat Islandia and she couldn't

 believe the accommodation . Kitchen with a fridge freezer , bedroom with  double bed , built in wardrobes , en suite. Very comfy!  Lizzie wants one!

I've known John Ayres for many years, one of my dear American friends. He visited us on the way down to the Bahamas at Beaufort and now on the way back he came to see us with his delightful daughter Bonnie.  After drinks aboard we head to a local restaurant. I have to say it didn't look that great from the outside but the food was really tasty, I loved it and the company was wonderful.

  We ended the day worn out and happy.

Long day

We pulled away from Hague marina at about 6.30, a beautiful Sunday morning not a cloud in the sky with a cool wind. Thankfully nothing much happened, no breakdowns,  smoke, or water leaks.

 South harbour marina is a bout 60 miles away, and we arrive in reasonable time.

  A boring blog entry but what a relief .

Sunset throught the fly screen

More problems

You can tell if there is something wrong with water cooling pump because the engine takes on a very rounded deep note rather than the as  throaty cough you get when water is be expelled with the exhaust. 

 Having had cooling problems before we spotted it straight away, Vince confirms the water pump fan belt has broken. Also it looks like we are leaking diesel into the bilge.  The Hague marina isn't your average marina on the ICW, it was built in the 60s needs a little TLC but has character and a friendly proprietor , I liked it and was a great place to fix things. 

 In fact we practically did a full service new fuel filters, new oil filter, new oil, and two new fan belts.

Hague marina