We left Annapolis is nice conditions and went to the Solomons as usual. Then Jackson Creek, Deltaville, VA. From there we headed back out into the Chesapeake Bay but conditions had really changed overnight. They were pretty bad. 2 to 4ft seas on the nose and 20kt winds. After 13 miles and 5 hours we had enough and turned around and went back to Jackson Creek. It only took two hours to get back to where we started.
The next day was fine and we made it to Norfolk/Portsmouth, VA and the ICW. There was a lot of traffic as many boats were trying to get south of a railroad bridge that was scheduled to close and block boat passages the next day. But we got to Great Bridge. Spent some time giving advice to a couple that was heading south for the first time on a smaller catamaran. Advice is very dangerous to give but they seemed to appreciate it. They maintained contact with us and had more questions over several weeks.
We crossed Albemarle Sound in NC with little difficulty but the Alligator River Swing Bridge was having mechanical problems and we got held up there for about a half hour. Fortunately we got there fairly early because the next group of boaters was held up longer. The next day it didn't open at all. The next day was Pamlico/Neuse day. One of the worst spots on the trip south. It can be very nice, it is beautiful, but slightly adverse conditions feel terrible and nasty conditions are beyond awful. The Pamlico is only three miles across so we went and I could barely hold onto the helm. Because of this we anchored in a new spot for us, Bear Creek. It is just south of the Hobucken Bridge. It was pretty protected but to get to the protected area we had to snake up the creek following the white areas on our chart plotter. Could not have done this without GPS. When we left we saw that several boats had anchored in the open area of the creek. Not as comfortable as we were. Then we continued and crossed the Neuse. This day was not quite as bad. The wind had shifted further aft and eased... a bit. We stopped early in our usual spot in Cedar Creek off Adams Creek. Then it was an easy passage to the Mile Hammock anchorage at Camp LeJeune. Shortly before we got there we saw a long line of amphibious vehicles waiting to cross the ICW. Fortunately they waited to begin their assault until after we passed.
The other interesting event happened at Brown's Inlet. It is a tricky area that shoals rapidly after dredging and has a really odd buoy pattern. We slowed to let a medium sized sportfisherman pass relatively slowly. He gunned the throttles after passing us and completely missed the buoy pattern and went across the shoal. A week or so earlier a larger sportfish vessel did the same thing and it cost him nearly $100,000. Our guy was lucky it was high tide or he could have suffered the same fate. He was a bit rude (and from Westport, CT) so you can guess which way we might have been rooting. From Camp LeJeune it's one day to Wrightsville where we are now.
My cousin that lives near here did not respond to my email so we did not see her this trip. Maybe there's a new email address. Or illness. At our age (and she's an older cousin) it could be anything.
Next posting will be from Florida. I hope.
