May 12, 2010 - Day 27

We awoke early (thanks to Buddy) to a beautiful morning. The temperature was in the mid 60s and the humidity had not started to climb. We took the time to enjoy a quick breakfast and then started the departure drill. The anchor was up at 0645 and we were on our way.

It was a short run from the anchorage to the southern entrance to the Alligator River/Pungo River Canal. The canal is usually quite boring, but this morning we encountered a number of deer down at the waters edge on several occasions.

As we continued the 20+ mile run through the canal, the temperature and winds began to increase. When we reached the Alligator river around 1100, the wind was screaming 20+ out of the SW. This meant a lumpy ride up the river with the wind driven waves smacking the port quarter. It sure would be nice to get a decent day of sailing or motoring for that matter.


The weather report calls for storms and gusting (no kidding!!) winds as we approached the Alligator River Bridge. That triggered our decision to pull into the Alligator River Marina for the night. We reached the marina and are docked at 1515.


We find several boats from the anchorage the night before. Everyone had the same idea…avoid the afternoon storms and high winds. “Shingebiss” a trawler with friends we met at River Dunes pulled in about an hour later and we had a nice reunion chat.


A little wind down time, a nice dinner, a hot shower and we settle in for the evening hoping the winds are more favorable for our dash across the Albemarle Sound tomorrow.


Location: Alligator River Marina, NC - MM 84
Distance Traveled: 43 mi

May 11, 2010 - Day 26

The wind has been blowing 15 steady since sometime after midnight. The sunrise is gorgeous but was not a true indicator of what was to come.


We decide to try leaving anyway and get underway about 0745. The wind is blowing about 15 with gusts to 20 and we encounter 2-3’ waves as we reach the ICW. It’s better than yesterday, but not by much.


We hang tough and make the turn at Maw Point and enter the Bay River. We are now running with the wind and following seas. Rolling out the jib makes things are a little easier, but lots of howling below means Buddy has gotten seasick. Yuck!


When we reached the Hobucken Canal, things settled down for a while but the calm was short lived when we reached the Pamlico River. It was a 5+ mile run across the river and into the Pungo River. The turn up the Pungo provided little relief until we neared the town of Belhaven. The eastward turn at Belhaven provided the best sailing we had experienced all day.


When we reached the western end of the Alligator River/Pungo River Canal, we decided to anchor in a nearby anchorage for the evening. We found 4 other boats already in the anchorage but were able to squeeze in and dropped the hook at 1545.


Location: Pungo River, East of Belhaven, NC - MM 127
Distance Traveled: 47 mi

May 10, 2010 - Day 25

Departed the marina at 0745 and headed toward the ICW. Winds are really up. By the time we reach the ICW magenta line, the wind is blowing 20+ and gusting above 25. Waves are 3'+ and on the nose. We are only making 3.5 mph against the wind so I decide to return to Broad Creek and wait for this mess to blow itself out.


Location: Anchored again in Broad Creek, North of Oriental, NC - MM 174
Distance traveled: 7mi (but it doesn’t count)

May 8 & 9, 2010 - Day 23 & 24

We awoke to increasing winds out of the SW and predictions of gusts to 25. We decided to move across the river to River Dunes Marina with its deeper water and protection.


We arrived there about 1030 and found several other cruisers hunkering down to wait for calmer conditions on the Neuse River. River Dunes is a “planned resort community” with a marina. The marina has all upscale amenities but is reasonably priced. It’s only negative is the approximately four mile run off the ICW route.


Location: River Dunes Marina, North of Oriental, NC - MM 17

May 7, 2010 - Day 22

We finally get underway from the Beaufort Docks about 1000. Maintenance operations were still going on at the Beaufort Bridge so we back tracked to the main channel to Morehead City and continued homeward.

I once overheard a fellow cruiser ask, “Will we ever get a favorable current?” Well today wasn’t the day either. The journey to the “non-tidal” zone was a battle today. As we traversed Core Creek and Adams Creek Canal the current was rushing towards the Beaufort Inlet. At one point our speed was down to less than 4 mph. Even the wind direction would not allow us to motor sail and assist our speed.


When we reached the Neuse River, it was apparent we were not going much further today. The wind was blowing 15+ from the NE and waves were 2-3 feet. A lumpy, not so pleasant Neuse awaited. So much for the “weather guessers” prediction of SW breezes. We motor jibbed across and as northward as possible. Then we turned into the wind and motored on to the entrance of Broad Creek. We entered the creek and headed to R4 and the anchorage there.


The water level in the anchorage seemed more shallow than in our previous visits. We were somewhat exposed to the NE wind, but conditions were tolerable. There were two shallow draft powerboats anchored further in and later, another sailboat anchored near us.


At dusk the wind switched directions and moved to the SW. This was not good as it moves water out of the creek and the water levels drop. We had anchored in 6.5’ of water which slowly became 5’ as the evening progressed.


Location: Broad Creek, North of Oriental, NC - MM 174
Distance Traveled: 26 mi

May 6, 2010 - Day 21

Around 0900 we started moving across the water to the town of Beaufort. We have always heard a lot of positive info from other cruisers about the town. To avoid the Beaufort bascule bridge, which was undergoing some maintenance, we took the main channel headed toward the inlet, then rounded Radio Island and headed back north into Beaufort.

The anchorage was extremely crowded so we took a slip at the Beaufort Docks. The floating docks and dock side help made docking easy. After a little cleanup, we took a walking tour of the town.

Front street has lots of restaurants and shops which liberated some of our wallet contents. The real interesting part of town starts in the block behind the “getcha” zone. There we found lots of historic homes, a graveyard, a couple of working artists’ studios and a maritime museum.

By mid-afternoon we had pretty much seen it all so we walked back to Front Street and had a late lunch at the Dock House Restaurant. It was a pleasant experience dining al fresco with views of the harbor, docks, and wild horses on the island across the harbor.


We did have a couple of negative experiences with the dock management. We requested a pump out as we were arriving and were informed the pump out dock was blocked by large motor vessel. They expected the boat to leave later. It didn’t leave and they let them continue to block the pump out service until the next morning. We were not the only customers denied pump out services. The other issue involved getting fuel. The advertised “fuel at your slip” was not to be had and required moving to yet another dock for fuel service. Most marinas have the pump out and fuel at the same dock.


As we were clearing our slip the next morning, the motor vessel finally moved off the pump out dock so we slipped in real quick, got the pump out and then moved over to the fuel dock to fill up.


Location: Beaufort Docks, Beaufort, NC - MM 200
Distance Traveled: 4 mi

May 5, 2010 - Day 20

More fog this morning. Visibility is about 1 mile when boats start leaving the anchorage. We weighed anchor and start moving north about 0720. One bridge to clear this morning at Onslow Beach. It was a struggle and I ran the engine harder than I like to but we make it to the bridge in time for the 0800 opening. There were nine boats jockeying about waiting on the old swing bridge to finally get fully open and then everyone took off.

About a mile north of the bridge, the fog closed in and visibility drops to 150 yards. Suddenly nine boats came to a crawl. I had all my running/steaming lights on but cannot see any lights on the boats ahead. I can barely make out the shape of the boat ahead of me and I am thankful to be the last boat in line. This is definitely when having radar would be helpful.


After 0930, the fog began to clear a little and we picked up speed. We struggled against the current as we approach Bogue Inlet and Swansboro. We entered Bogue Sound where the channel is narrow but fairly straight. We got a little breeze and did some motor jibbing. We soon crossed the tide line and begin fighting the incoming tidal current from the inlet at Beaufort.


Around 1100 or so, the wind turned cool and began to pickup. Fog began coming in and obscured the Emerald Island and Bogue Banks to the south. As the fog rolled across the sound toward us visibility got less and less. When we finally reached the Atlantic Beach Bridge, we could not see the land mass to our south.


Things looked better as we approach Morehead City. From the big channel I saw two sailboats at the Sanitary Restaurant dock. That meant 2 of the 3 so called “free docks” were taken. Having learned our lesson on the last trip, we avoided the shoaled small northeast channel and took the main channel to the port area and round Sugar Loaf Island to the Sanitary.

Once docked we took a walk about town and explored the construction at the Municipal Dock area. The town is building a Shower/Restroom/Laundry facility next to the docks. This should make these docks another possible stopping area. We also checked out a few shops including a great upscale bakery/gourmet foods place.

After the walk we dined at the Sanitary to qualify for the “free” ($10) slip usage. Next door at a newly opened place called Jack’s, there was quite a Cinco de Mayo celebration going on. A live band, lots of hot rod cars, custom motorcycles, and a celebrity of sorts. Mikey Teutul from Orange County Choppers and the TV show “American Chopper” was there with some of their custom bikes.

Location: Sanitary Restaurant Dock, Morehead City, NC - MM 205

Distance Traveled: 39 mi