We left Annapolis for Solomon’s Island Oct. 18th after spending four days in Annapolis. We motored most of the way - 45 nautical miles. We enjoyed watching Pelicans dive for food. They do the job but aren’t exactly graceful about it!
We anchored in Mill Creek, rafted to Counterpoint. We woke up to dense fog so we delayed our departure a few hours. We motored upwind in the fog for a few hours before sailing, tacking back and forth. Visibility was about two miles so we had the radar on and the crew on watch duty. We altered our destination, going up the Potomac River to Smith Creek.
We found a very nice anchorage in Smith Creek. We saw a bald eagle, a belted kingfisher, great blue herons and several ospreys. The kids went crabbing but released their catch. When we found out how polluted the Potomac was we were glad we hadn’t eaten the crabs for an appetizer! We spent two nights at Smith Creek, rafted to Counterpoint the first night but then anchored further upstream when the winds picked up the second night.
Oct.21 - We sailed down the Potomac with 18-25 knot winds dead astern. Once past Smith Point, we turned up, sailing at 120 degrees for another hour or so before the wind died. We heard Jazz and Jet Stream on the radio talking about an anchorage a little closer than our destination so we headed into Antipoisson Creek for the night. The adults congregated on Jazz for appetizers and cocktails while the kids hung out on our boat. It was great to hook up with people that we had met earlier in the trip.
We woke up earlier in order to have enough time to make the shot to Norfolk although we had a bail out point at Horn Harbour. It was a beautiful sunrise, the sky streaked with pink. We were bashing into the waves with the wind on our nose for a while but then the wind direction changed so that we were able to sail. The waves flattened and we decided to go for it! We sailed and motor sailed, and had to deal with a little rain and ships in the channel entering Norfolk/Hampton. We arrived in Hampton at the Town Pier just in time to make dinner, pleased that we had pushed on. We decided to stay at the dock for a few days while a cold front blew through.
We went to the history museum where we learned about the Civil War and the burning of Hampton. We went to the Virginia Space Museum where we learned about the history of flight. It was a very interactive museum. They opened a new flight simulator while we were there. Danielle and Katie were the second people to go in the module. It was quite entertaining to watch them “fly the plane”. They spent a great deal of time spinning, screaming and shrieking. The attendant was quite amused and then suggested that we might want to discourage the girls from getting drivers’ licenses when they got older. Stephen helped land planes on a carrier as deck crew and crash landed a few planes. Doug safely landed a few planes. There was an IMAX theatre at the Space Centre. The girls and Ian watched Roving Mars while I had the pleasure of viewing Open Season with the boys.
Oct.25 – We left the Hampton Town Dock for the ICW and the Great Dismal Swamp. When we got out into the channel, the wind was howling and the waves were three to four feet. Our engine quit on us so we put up the genoa and headed back in. Doug adjusted the filter and got the engine going again so we tried to cross again. We got partway across when we lost the engine again. Doug changed the racor filter and we headed back in to the Hampton Town Dock. We stayed there for another two days while we made arrangements for our fuel tank to be pumped out and waited for the winds to die down before crossing to Norfolk.
Oct. 27 – We crossed the river with no difficulty, arriving in Portsmouth, sister city to Norfolk. We had the fuel tank drained and Doug found the antisiphon, which is attached to the fuel uptake, filled with gunk so he cleaned it out. Hopefully our stalling problems are over! We stayed at the Portsmouth dock while another front blew throug. We went to Norfolk on the 28th, touring the U.S.S. Wisconsin. (photo on previous blog) The merchants of downtown Portsmouth were handing out Hallowe’en candy so the kids got dressed up and went trick or treating. It was great fun!
Oct.28 – With a bright blue sky and a stiff breeze, we set out for the Great Dismal Swamp. Although fairly narrow and somewhat monotonous at the beginning, I quite enjoyed the swamp with its colourful tree-lined shores. We saw a heron and many turtles while traveling. Going through the lock was an interesting experience. We had to raft up to another boat. The other captain wasn’t tending his stern line so Doug had to hop aboard to help out at the lockmaster’s request. Once we had locked through we had to wait with the other fifteen boats as the lockmaster got in his truck and drove down the road to open the bridge so we could pass. It’s not easy idling in a line with fifteen boats when the wind is gusting. We ended up doing a pirouette in the canal! We continued down the canal, stopping at the visitor centre, rafted up with fourteen other boats. (See pics on previous post) A few boats managed to pass by our raft in the little space that remained in the channel. We were warned about Watermocassins and Cottonmouths – two venomous snakes that lived in the area.
Oct. 29 – There was some discussion the previous evening about what time we were going to disembark. Several boats wanted to leave early but they weren’t on the outside of the raft, so that meant a mass departure. We got up around 6 o’clock and poked our heads out to see if anyone else was awake. Within fifteen minutes, everyone was awake; thirty unemployed people up on a brisk morning at the crack of dawn. Is there something wrong with this picture?!
We continued down the Dismal Swamp, leaving very early to make it through the next lock at the first opening. However, there were too many boats to get through. We ended up tying up to the wall before the lock with Cabernet rafted to us. Ina and Norm are from Deep River, Ontario. The kids discovered a new species of bird. Doug called them chucks or dickens. They had duck feet but chicken head and wings. The kids fed them while we waiting for the lock to open for us. The lockmaster filled the lock again for the six boats that didn’t fit. Thankfully he didn’t make us wait three hours until the next scheduled locking. We successfully handled the boat through the lock and continued our way through the Dismal and then into the Pasquotank River, which was quite beautiful. We tied up to the town dock in Elizabeth City and headed into town for groceries. The Rose Buddies, Elizabeth City’s welcoming committee, held a wine and cheese party for the boaters. We were welcomed by a spry ninety-two year old who provided information about restaurants and shopping and told a few jokes. We met David and Carol from Celebration, who are boating with Jazz, Cadana and Jetstream.
Oct. 31 We set off across the Albemarle Sound bright and early with a flotilla of boats. However, we very quickly fell behind as we put up our sails. Everyone else kept on motoring. We had quite a nice sail, with a few long tacks. We rolled up our sails at the Alligator River. We anchored in a bay at Catfish Point, in a wildlife sanctuary. It was absolutely gorgeous. When we first arrived, Doug heard thrashing at shore. He heard a huge splash in the water when he was pulling up the anchor the next morning. But we didn’t see anything. Alligator you say? Who knows?
Nov.1 We awoke to another beautiful sunrise and calm seas, We motored out of Catfish and continued on our way to Bellhaven with Cabernet.
Nov.2 The forecast was for 15-20 knot north winds, almost perfect for the Neuse River. The wind direction was great so we put up the genoa and sailed, almost dead downwind, making 71/2 knots. We came into the Whittaker Creek Yacht Harbor where we are now. It has been quite frosty so being at a dock allows us to run our little ceramic heater. There was frost on the deck and docks this mornin
Hi it's Danielle! I'm doing the blog today!
boats 300 years ago.
