2020: Great Bridge VA to New Bern NC

 17 October 2020
Depart: Great Bridge Free Dock, VA 9:45
Distance:  62 nm
Conditions: 51 degrees @ 8:00 a.m., sunny

Arrive: Sandy Point anchorage, Alligator River, NC 5:55

 It was an electric blanket night last night. Even with a chill in the air, we were quite cozy.  As we ate breakfast this morning sculling boats whizzed past the boat – man can they move!

 

Clark noticed a nice looking boat docked at the Atlantic Yacht Basin across from the free dock.

 

Due to the chill in the air and more than a bit of laziness, we took a leisurely morning before starting our day’s travel. I watched a Trevor Noah comedy routine which always puts a smile on my face.

 Our travels today took us through the Virginia Cut to the Alligator River. Around 11:00 a.m., as we listened to the VHF radio, we heard a US Coast Guard announcement that the Great Bridge Lock was closed for the next two to three hours due to high water – talk about timing! Glad we went through there yesterday and not today!

 Starting at the North Landing Bridge, and for the majority of the day, we had a boat “tailgating” us. At times I was sure he would have been more distant had we been towing his vessel! As we approached a slow-speed, no-wake zone, Clark made a security call on the radio to say we would be slowing down – he was that close that Clark did not want to chance him missing the slow speed change. At the prior such zone, Clark said that he was pretty sure the guy did not realize he needed to slow down and got that much closer to us. He finally bailed out at an anchorage around 3:30.

 Points of interest along the way today included …

                              

Marsh Grass growing out of old tree stump

Trees growing out of old tree stump

North Landing Bridge

Small Fleet through the North Landing Bridge
(4 trawlers and 1 sailboat)

Dock to nothing in the middle of nowhere

Sunset at Alligator River Anchorage

 

18 October 2020
Depart: Sandy Point Anchorage, Alligator River, NC 9:05
Arrive: Campbell Creek Anchorage 5:35
Distance:  63.5 nm
Conditions: 57 degrees, NE wind, rolling waves

 We arrived at the Alligator River Bridge at 9:25 and received the news that the bridge had limited openings today due to bridge difficulties. We had wind speeds gusting to over 20 knots, but this appeared to be some sort of mechanical problems – not necessarily wind related. The tender said he would be collecting boats and open once for all. As we waited at the bridge, more and more boats arrived as several came out of the Alligator River Marina to await transit.

Coming from the north, the tender saw a tug / barge and asked his ETA. The tug responded 9:50 at current speed. He said he could slow down but not speed up. When the bridge tender replied, “Let me know when you are ten minutes out!” we knew we would be waiting for a while longer for the bridge to open. When the bridge finally opened, we had 1 northbound pleasure boat and 8 southbound pleasure boats and a barge. We made quite the parade. Heading south, Clark put us second in line!

 

Alligator River Bridge

Some of the boats waiting for the bridge:
1 S/V, 4 M/V, and the Tug bringing up the rear

Parade through the bridge

The last boat through the bridge was our tailgating “friend” from the day before. “Oh no!” I thought. I hope he doesn’t decide to latch onto us again today! Right after the bridge closed, I heard the sailing vessel "Redemption" call for an opening. He was told it would be at least an hour until they tried to open again. 

As I type this blog entry, Clark informed me that the bridge is closed to boat traffic now until they do a repair. Did we get lucky or what!

 Our travels today took us down the Alligator River through the Alligator River – Pongo River Canal  to Albemarle Sound and an anchorage just beyond the sound.

 

Shoreline of the Waterway

Natural Telephone Pole?

Marshes along the Waterway

 Log in the water ahead

LOG!

After passing the log, Clark called out the longitudinal location of the danger for fellow boaters.

Albemarle Sound – no waves!

Old Red Marker Piling
and New Red Buoy Beside It

We pulled into Campbell’s Creek and dropped anchor just in time to tune in the Tv and catch the 6:00 news. As we ate dinner, the sunset and gave Clark some good picture opportunities.

Later, he went out and captured a moon shot.

Tonight, I did some drawing and worked with colored pencils while watching the movie “How to Train Your Dragon”. I found it quite well done.

 

 

19 October 2020
Depart: Campbell’s Creek Anchorage, NC, 8:45
Arrive: Friend’s Dock, New Bern, NC 3:30
Distance:  48 nm
Conditions: Light breeze, mostly cloudy to begin day, 70s, sometimes warm and buggy and others chilly (almost cold)

 

Morning View of the Anchorage

Having never done so before, Clark suggested we stop at R.E. Mayo Seafood and pick up some frozen fish for the freezer. We arrived there at 9:25. Besides fish, they had a well-stocked chandlery. I practically had to drag Clark out of there. Besides fish, he managed to find 3 washers of an odd size that he had been looking for, so he left there a happy man. I am sure we will be back.

 

R.E. Mayo Seafood ahead

Capt. Potter Fishing Boat (one of three at dock)
(I wondered if his first name was Harry!)

R.E. Mayo Docks

Looking back at the R.E. Mayo Grounds –
not much to look at but nice stuff!

Before we could dock for the night, we had to find a pump-out for the holding tank. Clark called our friend, Ralph, who directed us to a marina near him. In just 15 minutes we were pumped out and on our way again. We arrived at Ralph’s dock 30 minutes later.

 Ralph and his friend Diane invited us to have dinner alfresco on their screened-in porch. They cooked sous vide steaks, baked potatoes, salad, and baked goods. I sauteed some speckled trout we picked up earlier in the day with a side of broccoli. We were stuffed by the end of the meal!

 Our friend Pat, whom we also met on the loop, came over to say hello.

 

Pat (standing), Diane, and Ralph

The one who stole our hearts for the night was, of course, Chewy!

 

No sunset picture tonight – too busy eating and talking and facing the wrong direction!

 

 

20 October 2020
No Travel today!
Conditions: Mostly sunny, 70s, one passing rain shower

We took an extra day to just relax and do some chores. I read and vacuumed the boat. Clark strummed his guitar. We made some phone calls. Ralph had to work so we were on our own. Mid-afternoon, I walked the three blocks to Diane’s house, sat on her porch with her, and chatted away a couple of hours. 

 Tonight’s dinner was “clean the fridge night” so basically pot luck!

 No pictures today!