Saturday 23 February

After a quiet evening we got underway on Saturday before 7am.  Stuart Fla is 140 miles away and it’s possible we might make it there in 2 long days, but definitely 3 days.

Stuart is where we are taking Eos to this trip to have some work preformed.  After 22 years of faithful service to 3 previous owners, it’s time to replace some of her rigging and systems before we begin some extended cruising ourselves.  The work will take about a month to complete and we have a scheduled time with the marine contractor for March to get the work done. That’s why we’ve taken this initial trip now and have not been stopping much along the way to enjoy all the small towns and ports we’ve passed by.  We’ll see them on the way home in April or May.

The highlights for today were seeing our first of several manatees (they are even harder to photograph than dolphins so you’ll have to take our word that we did see them) and also passing by NASA and Cape Canaveral. We didn’t get to see any rocket launches though.

We also passed through Cocoa Beach where Diane spent time with her great aunt and uncle. Florida holds some fond memories for both of us and we’re looking forward to creating more as we go along.

We ended up making it a short day and anchored off Merritt Island at mile 904. Stuart is 86 miles away so it’s looking like a Monday arrival.

Friday February 22

Daytona or New Smyrna Beach were our next destination and we were excited to travel past both of these cities.  When my grandparents retired decades ago they moved from northern Virginia to Florida.  They first lived in New Smyrna Beach and then later moved to Daytona Beach.  We visited there when I was a child and then eventually Diane and I both got to visit them in Daytona a time or two before they passed. 

The trip from St. Augustine to Daytona was relatively uneventful and we were enjoying being in shorts, tee-shirts and flip-flops.

We made it to Daytona early afternoon and knew we could easily make New Smyrna. Our plan was to find an anchorage early and enjoy a shorter day and quiet evening – and that’s exactly what we did. (It’s nice when a plan comes together.)

Thursday 21 February

Some harbors and ports we’ve come across during the trip down are very quaint and picturesque while others are busy commercial hubs with lots of shipping traffic and or industrial activity along the shore. 

San Fernandina was the one of those ports that was definitely heavier on the industrial activity.  We actually anchored right across from a huge industrial complex, and while we did enjoy a beautiful sunset, we also were treated to sounds of clanks, bangs, and trains during the evening. We were tired enough though to sleep through most of it.

We got underway shortly after 7 am with our sights set on getting to at least to St. Augustine but also excited for a day of traveling through canals lined with beautiful coastal homes.  As the morning went on we passed by many stunning homes.  We also got to travel through several undeveloped sections of the waterway and enjoyed spotting the birds as we motored on.

This section of the ICW roughly parallels Florida’s famous A1A highway – the route south prior to Interstate 95 that runs up and down the East Coast.  Several times during the day we could literally see cars and trucks traveling only a few hundred yards away from us.  We had this same experience in North Carolina where the ICW and US 17 run parallel paths.

On the way to St. Augustine the ICW crosses the St. John’s river and then enters a canal. While crossing the river there was a rather larger container ship coming down the river.  We crossed the river well in front of the ship, but were still impressed by the size of the ship and how quickly it came down the river.

Entering St. Augustine we encountered another large ship, but this one was more of a tall sailing ship replica that was taking tourist out for a day sail.  We were able to get close enough to take a few good pictures and even captured the fort in the background. 

We had to wait about 15 minutes for an opening at the Bridge of Lion, so we motored around the harbor and enjoyed the sites.

Since we had made pretty good time throughout the day, we decided to press on towards one of the anchorages a few miles further down the ICW that we had seen in our cruising guide when we were planning today’s route the night before.

The cruising guide warned that several of the closer anchorages had poor holding or could be crowded with derelict (abandoned) boats and a few others were close to highway bridges. The furthest anchorage or best case, assuming we made good time, was described as having good holding, tucked away in a quiet area off the main channel and had 6 to 7 feet of clearance (water depth) at the entrance and got deeper as you went in. 

We passed by the anchorage with the derelict boats, skipped by the bridge and motored on towards the quiet anchorage with plenty of time to get there before sunset.  All was going according to plan until the 6 to 7 feet at the entrance ended up being something less than 4 feet. Not good.

I think I’ve mentioned earlier that Eos draws 4 ½ feet – that is, from the top of water to the bottom of her keel is 4 ½ feet.  As long as we have more water under us than that all is good. Less than that and we’re not going anywhere until the tide rises.  Fortunately we were entering near low tide so the water level would increase over the next several hours.

We were stuck a few yards into the entrance of this anchorage for about 20 to 30 minutes just watching the tide slowly rise. Eventually the water depth increased enough and we turned Eos around and headed to another ‘quaint’ anchorage just off the channel.  We were skeptical of the depths of this anchorage and as we started to enter we again ran out of water briefly but were able to back our way out rather quickly.

We were quickly running out of daylight and were thankful that with the combination of GPS and Eos’ navigation system we can find our way up or down a channel with little or no light.  The navigational aides in the water (bouys and daymarkers are lit, each with a light blinking at unique interval so you can distinguish one marker from the other).

We made our way back to the anchorage by the bridge and were thankful to quickly get the anchor down and everything secured for the evening.

Wednesday 20 February

We put on our foul weather gear as we prepared for another fun day in Ga and the sunshine state within striking distance if we could make decent time.  The Ga/Fla border is approximately at ICW mile 715 and we were starting the day at ICW mile 651 – just 64 miles away.  Easily within range assuming favorable currents and no navigational mishaps along the way.

Mid-morning the clouds began to clear and we were treated to some sunshine and were blessed with light to moderate winds.  If we were sailing back home on the Chesapeake Bay we wouldn’t consider light winds ‘a blessing’, but after yesterday we were indeed thankful to see winds in only the single digits.

While we didn’t have strong winds, we did experience some pretty significant swings in tidal currents which ended up giving us some challenges.  As the tides change from low tide to high tide the water starts to flow in a direction from the ocean and into the head of the river or bay.  This causes the tide to rise and is called a ‘flood’ tide. Going from high tide to low tide, the current reverses direction and flows down stream from the head of the river or waterway and towards the ocean and is called an ‘ebb’ tide.

In this passage as we traveled the last few miles in Ga the waterway crossed several inlets to the ocean. So we would be heading with the current as we approached the inlet making great speed, cross the inlet, and then be heading against the current as we traveled away from the inlet.

At one point in the day we had a very favorable current that pushed us along at speeds of over 9 knots crossing the St. Simone Sound. As we rounded the point and started heading back the other direction, our speed dropped to just over 3 knots!  Eos typically motors along at around 6 knots with no current so we figured the current in the sound must have been approximately 3 knots.  That was great when we were going with it as you see it gave us a boost, but when we were going against it our progress was significantly slower.

Oh well, at least we didn’t have high winds, or narrow & shallow channels today.  And Florida was right around the corner!

As we motored along the miles ticked away and the clouds continued to clear.  A few miles north of the Ga/Fla boarder up the Cumberland sound is a US Navy Submarine Base, Kings Bay Ga.  Kings Bay is homeport for submarines that carry the long range ballistic missles, the Trident Class submarines. These are the submarines that leave port for 3 to 4 months at a time and spend much of that time underwater just ‘hiding’ and avoiding detection. 

As we approached Kings Bay you could see several large block looking structures off in the distance. Getting closer and eventually passing by, it became obvious that these were submarine hangers that covered the docks so that you couldn’t tell if the submarines were at sea or in port.  If you read the book or saw the movie “Hunt for Red October”, the Cumberland Sound & Kings Bay is where they ended up taking the Russian submarine to once Sean Connery & crew defected and surrendered.

Somewhere between 3:30 and 4 we crossed the border and reached Florida.  We had to breakout the flip-flops to mark the occasion.

We ended up anchoring that evening in San Fernandina Beach and took a few photos of our first Florida sunset of the trip. (ICW 717)

19 February -Tuesday

We were treated to fresh Krispy Kreme donuts in the morning, compliments of the marina staff.  We had heard this was a tradition there but weren’t sure or not if they still served them to guests during the winter offseason.  They did, and it was a wonderful way to start off our day.  Especially since during the day we would need to navigate several narrow and shallow passages, one even appropriately named ‘Hell Gate’, and pass by ‘Blackbeard Island’.

Since we needed to be concerned with shallow water in some parts of our passage we wanted to time our departure from Thunderbolt so that we would be passing through Hell Gate near or just before high tide if possible. In theory this would ensure we had maximum water depth as we transited this narrow but tricky passage. 

According to our calculations it would take us approximately 2 ½ hours to reach there assuming we made our average speed of 6 mph. Since high tide was going to occur around 830 am that meant we would need to leave the marina an hour before sunrise, and that just wasn’t going to happen – donuts don’t get delivered until 730! 

We left a little later than would have been ideal, but given it was almost full moon, the tides were higher than normal anyway so we would have plenty of water to pass through the channel.

In addition to the water, we had a lot of wind!  The forecast for the day was calling for winds to be between 15 & 20 mph which is definitely brisk. Since the winds would primarily be coming from behind and we had very favorable tides we elected to press on.  Our motto for the trip so far had been, as long as we have water and bouys to mark the course we were good.

After today, we added a new one condition … plenty of water, good markers, and not too much wind!

As the morning went on, the winds continued to build and was blowing a constant 20 mph as we crossed the sounds and proceeded through the cut at Hell Gate.  The entrance was tricky, and with the wind and waves both coming from behind, we were literally ‘pushed through the gate’ without any issue.

Once we made the turn to our next mark, the wind was still behind us, but the waves were now coming at us from an angle from behind.  This made steering a little tricky and at times it felt like Eos was surfing down the channel and we were thankful that at least it wasn’t raining as we now were seeing gusts well between 25 & 30 knots.

As the day went on and the miles ticked away, the winds remained strong and the rain decided to show up.  We were fortunate to find a good spot to anchor, just off the North & Back rivers north of Brunswick, Ga. (ICW 651).

As we were anchoring, we were greeted by a small pod of dolphins that were feeding in the channel.  Apparently the rain didn’t bother them and we appreciated the warm welcome to our resting spot for the evening.

Once anchored, we dined on a dinner of fresh guacamole and chicken tacos.  It was a nice ending to a long day.

The wind was still gusting pretty good as we  turned in for the evening so we periodically would get up in  to check to make sure the anchor was in fact holding and Eos was drifting down the waterway!  The winds eventually died down as predicted around 1 am and we slept soundly for the rest of the evening.

Florida is right around the corner!

Monday 18 February

Awoke to an almost full moon setting in the west over Paris Island.  Our little uncharted anchorage proved to be a very protected spot, although since there are fairly strong currents flowing in this area we could hear the water running past boat almost all evening.

We had no issues at all getting underway and were treated to a beautiful sunrise shortly after we pulled up the anchor.

The motor into Savannah was pretty uneventful but we did experience strong currents as we motored down, across, and up the various sections of the waterway.  Since the full moon was only a day away, the currents were stronger, the high tides higher, and the lows lower than normal. 

When we were headed with a falling tide we saw speeds of over 8 knots.  We’d cross a small sound and then find ourselves now with the current against us and our speed would drop to right around 4 knots. To cover the 40 miles to Savannah took us just over 7 ½ hours.

We had reserved a slip at Thunderbolt Marina just south of Savannah so that we were only a short drive away from our niece. The marina was nice and had huge floating docks which is a necessity for an area like Savannah that has such a large tidal swing.  The water depth will change between 6 to 9 feet from low tide to high tide! If you docked your boat to a fixed or stationary pier then you would need to constantly be adjusting your dock lines as your boat rose or fell in relationship to the fixed dock.  With a floating the dock, both the dock and boat rise and fall with the tides so there is no need to adjust the lines continuously.

When we reached the marina it was low tide and we had to walk up a steep inclined ramp to reach the land.  When we returned later that evening from touring the town and a lovely dinner with our niece, the water had risen almost 8 feet and the ramp was now almost level with the land.  That’s a big tide.

We had a lovely time in Savannah visiting our niece who attends college there. She was a great host, an excellent tour guide as well, and we thoroughly enjoyed our afternoon/evening.

February 16^th

The weather was ‘misty’ as we pulled up anchor in morning just before 7 am and gradually changed from mist, to a drizzle, and then full on rain later in the morning.  Before the rain picked up we did manage to snap a picture or two of the local paper plant and sent it off to our friends from York that work for the mill back home.

This part of South Carolina is called ‘the low country’. I believe that’s because the terrain is flat, marshy, and as far as you can see it looks, well, very low.  Travelling through the low country at low tide requires whoever is driving the boat to constantly pay attention to the charts, the instruments, and the surroundings. 

Eos’ draft is 4’ 6” which means as long as the water is deeper than 4’ 6” she floats and doesn’t touch the bottom.  When boats touch bottom it’s not good news.  The boat has either sunk in deep water and is sitting on the bottom or it’s run aground and is just temporarily ‘stuck.’  Either case isn’t great, but given the choice, we’ll take being aground over sinking any day.

To help boaters keep from running aground, navigation charts will typically show the depth the water will be at low tide, that is, the lowest it will possibly be during the tide cycle.  So, if you know your boat’s draft, know the charted depth, and know where you are or will be going on the chart you should be able to keep you boat from going aground.

During our trip from Georgetown to Charleston some of the channels we were going to be crossing had charted depths of 5’ to 6’ in the channel and less than that along the edges. Needless to say it we were slightly on edge during this passage.  We’d be traveling along with the depth gage showing depths over 9’ and then all of a sudden the depth would drop to 6’ then 5’6”, then 5’ and then …. It would go back up again. All in the matter of a 20 to 30 yards. It made for a long couple of hours.

Finally as we got closer to Charleston, the water got deeper, the channels wider, and the sun even started to shine.

When I first graduated from college I was stationed on a Destroyer (USS Mahan DDG 42) that was based out of Charleston and after returning from our deployment I lived in the beach community of Isle of Palms, SC for the summer.  The Isle of Palms is right on the ICW so it was pretty exciting to travel back to Charleston via the waterway, pass by the Isle of Palms, and cross the Charleston harbor again even if it was in a much smaller boat this time!

Even despite the less than ideal weather in the morning and tricky navigation earlier in the day we did make good time and were able to find a nice anchorage just south of Charleston.  When we eventually anchored we were treated to another beautiful sunset. We traveled approximately 70 miles on Saturday and finished up at mile 472

Sunday 17 February

Seems like bright sunny mornings and South Carolina are not two things that go together very well, at least not for us on this trip. 

We woke to more ‘mist’, put on our foul weather gear (fancy term for a bright yellow rainsuit), and got ready to hoist the anchor so we could start motoring just after 7am. 

When we aren’t in a marina tied to a slip, we stop the boat and are held in place for the evening by our anchor.  To help ensure the anchor will hold us in place during the night while we sleep, it is connected to the boat via heavy chain.  The combination of the anchor ‘burying itself’ into the bottom and the weight of all the chain we put out helps ensure the Eos doesn’t start drifting during the night.

The general guideline for the amount, or scope, of anchor chain you let out is 3 to 5 times the depth of the water. So if we anchor in 15’ of water, we’d put out any where from 45’ to 75’ of chain. 75’ of anchor chain is quite heavy and not something I’d want to lift manually every morning.  To assist in retrieving the chain we have a large powered winch, an anchor windlass, on the front of the boat and when it’s time to leave the anchorage each morning we count on it to help us out. 

When we started pulling up the chain on Sunday morning, a link of chain became jammed and the windlass stopped.  It took several minutes, ok more like 20 minutes, to get the chain unjammed and the windlass working again before we finally got started. So much for an early start!

We were hoping to be near Savannah Monday to meet up with our niece who is in university there and the marina we were going to be staying in is at mile 585,  110 miles from where we were in Charleston.  We can easily cover that distance in two days, but wanted to try and repeat our arrival in Myrtle Beach and arrive as close to lunch time as we could. This would give us time to get cleaned up and then spend the afternoon and evening with our niece.  To arrive by mid-day, we would need to make Sunday and long day and cover 60 to 70 miles, leaving us only 5 to 6 hours of travel on Monday.

The jammed chain did set us back slightly, but we were blessed later that morning with some very favorable currents which helped move us along at between 7 ½ to 8 knots (8.5 to over 9 mph) for a few hours. That really helped.

We were still in low country so it was mostly marshes. We eventually were treated to several stretches of the waterway that were lined with live oaks draped with Spanish moss.  We also passed several very elegant looking southern mansions along the banks of the rivers.

Dolphin sightings are becoming more common now as we travel south and we didn’t see any bald eagles today.

In the end, we did manage to make it to mile 545 by the end of the day, anchoring just before sunset right in front of Paris Island, SC.  Paris Island is the Marine Corps facility where the hold basic training for all the new recruits.  The Marines must be getting softer these days as we didn’t hear any drill sergeants barking out commands as we passed by. Tomorrow, Savannah.

Wednesday February 13^th

Another early start but not as early as the Marines.  They were already active and moving onshore as we left the anchorage at 715.  We passed my parents beach house at 8, took a few pictures, called my parents who were actually home in Virginia, and waved at the empty house.

Our next destination or milestone we were headed for was Myrtle Beach, SC to meet up with some friends.  Myrtle Beach is at ICW 354, so it was going to take us two days to get there. We did want to cover as much ground on Wednesday as we could so that we could possibly get into Myrtle Beach around lunch time on Thursday if possible.

Compared to traveling in the fog, Wednesday was a breeze!  We did have to go through two bridges that only open at specific times for pleasure boats so we had to coordinate our speed to arrive at the correct time.  We were 5 minutes late getting to the first bridge (Figure 8 Island bridge) and had to wait 25 minutes for it to open for us at 1230.  That wasn’t too bad, but because we missed the 12 o’clock opening there was no way we could travel the 4 ½ to 5 miles in 30 minutes to make the Wrightsville Beach bridge in time for the 1 o’clock opening.  Unfortunately this bridge only opens for pleasure boats on the hour. 

We did call ahead to confirm that we could not get an unscheduled opening and decided to take our time to get to the bridge. We put one of the sails up slowed the motor down and coasted along at a very slow pace.

As we rounded the bend and had the bridge in sight at 1:15 we heard a tug boat that was travelling north call the bridge on the radio and request an opening and the bridge tendered replied  ‘ no problem captain!’ Eventhough we had the bridge in sight we were too far away to reach the bridge before it would close again so we had to wait another 45 minutes for a 2 o’clock opening. In the end, missing the first bridge by 5 minutes ended up delaying our passage by an hour.

Once we cleared the Wrightsville Beach Bridge, we traveled south to Carolina Beach, NC (ICW 295) . This was our initial ‘ most likely stopping point for the day’ that we had calculated the night before.  But since we really wanted to try and have Thursday be a short day, we elected to proceed to our ‘best case stopping point for the day’ – Southport, NC (ICW 309/311). Again, while Southport marina’s or anchorages were only 14 to 16 miles away, electing to push on meant we would be motoring another 2 to 3 hours that afternoon.

As we continued south we went through a Snow’s Cut which connects the Carolina Beach area with the Cape Fear River.  Entering the cut we were immediately met with a very strong opposing current.  This meant that rather than moving along at our normal (and planned) speed of 6 knots (7 mph) were going less than 5 knots (4.5 to be exact or 5.2 mph).

Fortunately the cut was only a mile and a half long, and when we left the cut and entered the Cape Fear River we had the currents running with us.  Eventually the current was so strong in our direction that Eos was consistently traveling along at over 9 knots (10.5 mph).  We were really flying along and quickly made up time for the earlier delay at Wrightsville Beach Bridge and the opposing current in Snow’s Cut.

According to our cruising guide there were two potential places to anchor and several marinas in Southport.  As we approached the town I noticed one or two restaurants that had floating docks and no boats present. I called them and asked if we ended up eating dinner at their restaurant would we be able to stay overnight.  Seemed like a fair trade to me – we’d pay for dinner and a drink and they’d let us stay tied up for the evening.  Unfortunately no one took me up on the offer and we continued on for a mile or two to the anchorage.

We arrived at the anchorage (ICW 311) right at sunset and were blessed with a very spectacular view. The sky was on fire, the water was calm, and it was a very peaceful way to end the day.

We covered 67 miles in just under 11 hours that day.  It was a long day, but we knew that meant we would arrive in Myrtle Beach that much earlier the next day.

February 14^th

We got up very early and were looking get started before 7 am.  We enjoyed a since warm breakfast along with some Valentine’s Day chocolate and got ready to pull the anchor up.  When we went outside, we were greeted with morning vista that was almost as beautiful as the sunset we saw the previous evening.  It really was a peaceful anchorage and one we would like to visit again on the way back.

As we exited the anchorage we saw a boat that had run aground sometime in the evening and was leaning very far to one side.  Apparently as they were entering the anchorage they either cut the corner too close and ran aground, or had originally anchored successfully but when the tides went out and the water fell 2 to 3 feet they found themselves in very shallow water.  It wasn’t clear whether or not the people were still onboard or not but no one was on outside as we passed by.  Unfortunately there was nothing we could really do to lend a hand had they been around, but fortunately the tide would be rising again soon and it appeared the boat would once again float upright.

We made excellent time from the anchorage to Myrtle Beach and arrived shortly before 1 pm. We covered the 43 miles in just over 6 hours, traveling right at 7 mph! We had arranged for a slip at Barefoot Marina (ICW 354) as you were no longer able to stay overnight at the public landing (Barefoot Landing) which is right on the other side of the waterway.  You can however tie up for free for several hours and visit the shops and restaurants but you need to leave by midnight!

We were met at the dock by some friends from work who were spending the month of February warming up in Myrtle Beach.  Another buddy who retired several years earlier and moved to Myrtle Beach actually took up a part time job at a convention center/venue that his church owns on the same property as the marina came down to see us as well. 

Later that evening we had dinner with a good friend and his wife that now work and live in the area. After a tour of the boat, they treated us to a delicious dinner right across the waterway.

We all had a blast getting reconnected, exchanging old stories, and catching up.  It was a great way to spend the day & evening.

February 15^th

After a great evening, we were treated to breakfast by one of the couples, picked up some ice and got ready to get underway.

We untied the dock lines at 945 and again headed south.  As we headed down the waterway we encountered more opposing current limiting our speed to just over 4.5 knots.  While this was less than ideal for covering a lot of ground, it did allow us plenty of time to look at the homes the line the waterway in the Myrtle Beach area.

We did not see too many bungalows but the houses ranged in size from older very modest single story homes, some ‘stilt homes’, to mansions that made you wonder how in the world anyone could afford them.

After leaving the Myrtle Beach area we entered the Waccamaw River around ICW 375. It was amazing to witness the difference in scenery that 20 miles can make.

The upper region of the Waccamaw is total undeveloped. The banks of the river are lined with old growth Cyprus trees and you go miles without seeing any houses, marinas, or signs of civilization.  It truly is a beautiful part of our country and seeing from the water was a blessing.

Other than the scenery there isn’t much to write about for this portion of the journey.

We made it as far south as Georgetown, SC (ICW 403) and covered almost 50 miles.  We anchored in the town harbor just before 6, cooked dinner, and then began to plan for the next day.

Charleston here we come!

Tuesday 12 Feb

We settled into a routine now of spending time each evening looking at the cruising guidebooks & our charts to figure out how far we need to travel the next day. We need to decide whether or not we can get to a marina or free public dock, or if not, where along the route can we anchor.  There some stretches where there can be 15 to 20 miles between marinas and anchorages. That may only be 15 to 20 minutes driving time in a car, but in the boat that could take up to 4 hours depending on currents, wind, etc. So we need to figure out where we are going to stop before we even start each day!

On Tuesday our plan was to get as far south and close to Topsail Island as we could.  My parents have a beach house on Topsail for around 12 years or so. The house sits off the ICW and were excited to do a ‘drive by’ and wave.  However, coming down this next stretch of the ICW the anchorages & marinas were spaced such that we either needed to make it a short day stopping about 25 miles (4 to 6 hours still away) or make it a long one anchor about 3 to 4 miles away from their house. 

We departed Adams Creek (ICW 187) at 730, stopped at a marina an hour down the waterway to top off the tank.  Twenty-two and a half gallons was all that was needed – not bad for running the engine another 33 hours.

As the morning went on and we reached the port of Morehead City. It’s a large port and the waterway guides warn boaters to be on the lookout for large vessels.  We didn’t see any large vessels but did run into our first encounter with f-o-g.  It was amazing how a little bit of water vapor in the air can make it so hard to see anything around you.  It’s even more amazing how quickly it would appear and then disappear. 

Our first encounter was as we were approaching a high-rise fixed bridge.  One minute you could see it, the next minute you couldn’t.  Diane went up front on the bow of the boat and served as another set of eyes for me.  We proceeded slowly and she helped guide us through the bridge and onto our next mark.

The fog cleared and we began to motor on.  After 20 or 30 minutes the fog returned as we were making our way down a more open stretch of water.  While we didn’t have any large hazards in our way like a bridge, the navigational aides (bouys and day markers) were spaced much further apart – anywhere from ¼ to a ½ mile apart – and impossible to see until you were right on top of them.

We again proceeded slowly and relied on navigation skills from my years in the Navy that hadn’t been used in over 30 years, but quickly came in handy.  We would locate the next navigation aid on the chart, mark down it’s bearing or location from us, and then follow that steer that course exactly, trusting the compass heading and not what trying to steer by looking ahead.

Along our way in the fog we picked up a ‘buddy-boat’ who was traveling the same route.  As soon as one of us would visually locate the next mark as we passed by, we would notify the other boat to help confirm we were all traveling in the right direction. It was helpful to have someone else navigate the way with us.

Eventually the fog did burn-off and disappear for good and as the day went on, we had very favorable currents with us and began to makeup some time.  As mid-afternoon approached and we were getting close to the first anchorage we made the decision to pass that one by and continue on.  The only thing between our current position and our intended anchorage was a US Marine base, Camp LeJune.

The ICW actually cuts right through the base and as long as the Marines aren’t conducting live fire exercises civilians are allowed to pass through.  ‘Pass through’ being the key phrase here as you aren’t allowed to stop or go ashore. There is one anchorage at the very end of the base that you are allowed to spend the night, but again, you can’t leave your boat.

As we entered the base via the waterway we saw that the signs warning you of live fire exercises indicated it was safe to pass through so we began our quick trip through the base.  There were numerous helicopters and harrier type aircraft flying around and you could hear the sound of gun fire in the distance.  I guess they were only shooting blanks since the waterway was open.

We made great time down the waterway and reached the anchorage right at 5 o’clock and just in time to see the Marines pulling several small boats out of the water for the evening.  The anchorage was very quiet but was lit-up by a huge spot light which we assume was there for security reasons.

The anchorage, Mile Hammock Bay for those that care to use Google maps and checkout the satellite image, is at ICW mile 244 – we covered 57 miles.

Sunday Feb 10^th

It was 28F outside when we woke early Sunday morning and just at 40F INSIDE the boat …  we were very thankful for warm sleeping bags and the technological advances that have been made in winter clothing over the years. Despite the cold temperature we were comfortable.

Once the coffee was made and additional layers of clothing were added we untied Eos from Marina’s Wharf in Elizabeth City and headed south.  We were out of the slip just before 7 am.

Although chilly, we did have another smooth departure and great start to the day.  Since it was Sunday, we did have some Praise music going on the iPod and speaker as motored down the Pasquotank River. 

A few miles down the river we passed some large hangers that were once owned and operated by the Navy. The blimps that flew from this base were used to provide surveillance and protection of the coast during WWII.  Today the blimps and hangers are operated by a private company and we actually saw 2 blimps – one huge blimp and a much smaller one (at least it was small compared to it’s partner).  What we saw weren’t actually blimps but tethered, unmanned, balloons used for communications.

It warmed up as we left the Pasquotank and entered the Albemarle Sound.  By cutting a corner during our crossing we shaved a mile or two off the 14 mile crossing.  Since the sound is relatively shallow (18 – 20’ deep in most places) and very wide open, it doesn’t take much wind to create waves and make the crossing very uncomfortable.  If you’ve ever heard the nautical blessing ‘fair winds and following seas’ that sailors sometimes will wish for someone, well we had them during this crossing. 

The waves were coming behind us as was the breeze making for a very smooth and fast passage …. Keep those prayers coming!

Upon crossing the sound we entered the Alligator River, and no, we did not see any Alligators.  We did go through another canal or cut -The Alligator-Pungo canal. This one did not have any locks but crossed through almost 20 miles of undeveloped natural habitat.  We saw several bald eagles again, lots of osprey, and herons.  It was too cold for the turtles to be out sunning themselves though.

We anchored that evening south of Belhaven NC just before sunset.  We started the day at ICW mile 51 in Elizabeth City, and made it to ICW mile 127. Just shy of 77 miles in 11 hours.  Not too shabby for a sail boat motoring, and just slightly faster than a 4 hour marathon pace (you need to run a mile in just over 9 minutes – 9:08 to be exact – if you want to finish a marathon in under 4 hours!)

Monday 11 Feb

We once again started early and got underway just before 7 and anchored at 3:30 pm (ICW 127 to ICW 187 – 60 miles in 8 ½ hours).  We spent time on the Pamlico River, went through another small cut/canal, passed a Coast Guard Station, and crossed the Neuse River.

Again the scenery was beautiful, the passage was calm but the highlight of the day was that we were greeted by several dolphins feeding in the river when we anchored in Adams Creek!  They were impossible to catch for a good photo so we stopped trying and just enjoyed watching them.

What a great way to end a wonderful day of cruising.