Cape Charles, Onancock, Crisfield

Well Fryedaze is starting to smell the barn. You can feel the giddy up as her bow moves slowly up and down through the swells of the Chesapeake. Fryedaze and Dave are ready for some time at home but Betsy has thrown out an anchor that the boat has to drag the rest of the way. She loves the boat, the cruising, the adventure, challenge, the cruisers and the friend we meet and the control of what we do next. The three stops before we get home have been picked based on previous cruising. We enjoy the eastern shore and Cape Charles, Onancock and Crisfield are nice stops to chill out on our way north. The ride across the wide ope stretch went well. The Chesapeake was kind and the winds were down. At Cape Charles we missed the MTOA friends by a day due to weather. Our MTOA mentors and friends Jim and Talley met us on the dock at Oyster Bay Farm Marina.  It was good to see them and catch up. We hung out for two day and headed to Onancock for a one day stop. We had a nice dinner at The Mallard and enjoyed the quiet of the Onancock Warf. The next day we headed out for Crisfield Somers Cover Marina. Several folk thought we shouldnt go due to wind predictionts. We knew that the forecast was for high winds after 11am so we just headed out early and got in before the winds picked up, easy peasy.  Crisfield has an awesome facility in a town that time has passed by. At one time the 700 slip marina had a waiting list. Now there are very few boats in the marina. The facilities are great but no one is there. Most of the restaurants are closed. Maybe one day the town will come back to life.
  We had to stay two day in Crisfield due to winds. It was blowing 25 knots with gusts to 35 and Fryedaze wouldn't fair well in those seas. We walked the town, checked out the the town docks and had breakfast at a nice restaurant near the docks. Somers Cove is a peaceful place and we always relax there. The next day is HOME!

 Hospital Ship moored on our way out of Norfolk harbor

 LHA 3 was built in Ingall Litton Shipyard in Pascagoula Mississippi. LHA 1-5 where in the yards when Dave was there 35 years ago!!

 Lots of ships in at the base, more than we have ever seen

 One of those sneaky subs hidding behind the nets.

 Cape Charles waterfront

 We have bad feelings about these guys. They are the Menhaden boats out of Reedville. There are at least five of these guys that use ocean fishing practises in the bay with spotter planes to harvest the Menhaden. Maryland doesn't allow the to enter Maryland water. 

 These boats ferry people and supplies to Smith and Tangier Island. The boat in the front is the US Mail boat, but it also carries crabs.

Ferry to Smith Island

 Sunrise 

Sunset Crisfield

Dismal Swamp Canal, Top Rack, Norfolk

Our time on the Loop is quickly coming to an end. We have been in familiar cruising waters since New Bern (except for our side trip up to Washington!)

We finally got to spend the night inside the Dismal Swamp tied to the Visitor's Center Free Wall.! We made the 8:30 bridge and lock opening at South Mills so we could be early to the free wall. We had attempted to stay there two other times but it was always so full when we came through that we ended up having to stay on the fender wall at South Mills. Not this time! When we arrived at the center there were already two boats tied up. A sailboater came and took my lines and helped me secure the boat to the wall. I am always so grateful for help especially since we had to pull into the middle of the two boats. The sailboat left shortly after we had tied up and eventually three other boats came onto the wall. Two of our fellow MTOA member boats rafted together behind us and High Cotton rafted on to us. We enjoyed them and their little dog KiKi. They would need to board and walk around our boat in order to get off onto the land. The guidebook says that if you are not willing to have other boats rafted to you and allow them to get to shore that you should not stay here. We have seen so many boats rafted together that it has almost closed the Swamp (across). This time of year that wasn't a problem.

We enjoyed docktails after dinner with all the boaters on the wall except for our new Canadian Looper friends who were getting an early start (6:00 am) so they could tie to Deep Creek wall and walk across road to Food Lion to provision before the 8:30 bridge/lock opening. We enjoyed catching up on MTOA news and enjoying a very quiet night in the swamp! It is so surreal to be on your boat at a roadside Visitor's Center where people get out of their cars and to stretch their legs walk down and look at the boats. I am so very glad we had this experience!

We were going to try and get to the 1:30 bridge opening at the north end of the swamp so we left just before 10:00. We were following Amanda J a 42' Tug that we had stayed behind at Washington NC. He was still single handling the boat and must have hit the 8:30 lock opening at the South end of the swamp.

Boaters always need to be advised when they traverse the Dismal Swamp they could potentially hit stumps or logs that are stirred up from the bottom. We entered the Swamp with a little too much speed (6.3 mph) and we did bump something pretty hard as soon as we left the South Mills Lock. We continued on to hit four more objects- the most we had ever hit on all our three trips combined! But thankfully when Dave was able to open it up after leaving the Swamp- we did not seem to have any vibration so hopefully we did not bend any of the props!

We got to Top Rack and took on the cheapest fuel of the trip! $1.83 a gallon for diesel! This marina also has a deal that if you eat at their restaurant- the Amber Lantern your dockage is free. Pretty good deal for us and them- as the restaurant is kind of pricey and it is easy to spend your required $75 at the restaurant. The food is really good there so we don't mind at all!

We were in no hurry the next morning to get up and moving as we were only going 6 miles into Waterside Marina in Norfolk. So we got to catch up on some boat chores and then got underway. It was a very hot day so when we got here we changed into cooler clothes and decided to walk around the city and then have lunch at Chili's- Dave's favorite which he hasn't had since Sarasota! We really aren't shoppers and really don't need anything so we only walked around the mall a little before walking towards the Nautilus and the battleship. We have come to Norfolk in the summer and fall and are used to bigger crowds walking all around the waterfront. They just weren't around! We thought maybe it would pick up Friday night but it remained pretty quiet- except for a wedding rehearsal on the sailboat American Rover which is parked at the Waterside Marina.

Saturday morning we decided to take the ferry over to the Portsmouth side and walk around. It too was very quiet- very different from the summer time when there are a lot more tourists. We got back to the boat early and then I experienced the best entertainment- all day long. I got to sit up on the bridge and watch 5 different wedding parties throughout the day. Some coming to the waterfront for pictures- (FRYEDAZE will be in some of their shots) and some coming to the large Norfolk tour boats for their actual ceremonies. There was also a prom from 10-2 on the large dinner cruise boat and it was fun seeing all the kids dressed up for the prom. What was really neat was watching some of them play in the water fountains next to the marina. I am not sure some of their mom's would have been too happy with their long, wet gowns when they got home but it sure was fun watching them just be kids! There were two weddings on the dinner cruise boat (afternoon and evening) and one on the paddleboat cruiser.

My favorite wedding was in the evening (the one we watched the rehearsal for the night before). The American Rover sailing vessel is large but limited in the number of guests and the movement on the boat. The bride came to the boat and hid out underneath with her bridesmaids who were beautiful in a very light green color! The groomsmen hung out in the park playing corn hole until it was time for them to board. I got to talk to some of the guests as they walked right behind us! Sadly, we didn't get to see the actual ceremony as they took off and it was performed underway. We knew when it was complete though as the boat fired off it's cannon!  We watched the guests all disembark and the bridge really looked beautiful! (didn't get to see her as she didn't come up until after the boat took off and the ceremony began!) What a neat way to get married!!!!

We are leaving early this morning for Cape Charles (yes I am typing these blogs at 4 am as I just cannot sleep!) It is raining pretty hard now- but hopefully that will let up before we go or I will be in full foul weather gear again! We should get to Solomon's by Friday- but as Dave likes to say I am dragging the anchor as hard as I can to just stay out on the water! I don't want our dream trip to end!

 South Mills Dismal Swamp Lock. Locked up about eight feet to enter the canal. Only one more lock to go. 

Goodbye South Mills. Just a few miles to the visitors center and an evening with other boaters on the free wall.

The Visitors Center is the Highway 17 rest stop and the entrance to the Dismal Swamp State Park visitor center.

 Welcome to Virginee

 We arrived at the Deep Creek bridge a little early so we just tied off to the wall and waited until 1:30pm when the Lock Master came down to open it for us.

This is Lock 114 and our last lock of our Great Loop Trip! That's a lot of up and down. We had two other boats in the lock with us. It will be a while before we hit any locks again.

 This is where you make your choice. Go to Elizabeth City through the Dismal Canal or head towards Great Bridge and the Intracoastal Waterway normal route. The distances are about the same.

 A free overnight stop at the Dismal Swamp Canal visitors center. Its the Rt 17 rest stop and access point to the State park.

After a great dinner at Amber Lantern. 

CVN 77 George Bush

Traffic in Norfolk. Good thing there is lots of room on the river. This is one busy place. Its fun just to listen to the tug operators talk to each other.

Beautiful lens on the Portsmouth waterfront.

Bridge going up! We are standing by to go through.

 The Waterside complex is undergoing a face lift, Heck, its a full off body restoration. They have gutted the entire complex and are tearing down the section that Hooters was in. The waterfront is dead. We were here for a weekend and is was sad, no one was here. Hope 2017 brings back the activity here on the waterfront.

 Look close, there is a sub in there.

 Waterside Marina, not many visitors. High Cotton is the first boat to the right. They spent the night tied to us at the Dismal Visitors center.

Wisconsin is always impressive

Belhaven (sorta) Alligator River, Camden Lambs Marina

We left early Sunday morning for the long run to Belhaven. Tropical Storm Bonnie was supposed to give us very hard rain most of the day but no wind or thunder and lightening so we felt safe taking off. The 30 miles back down the Pamlico River seemed endless but we stayed relatively dry up on the bridge- except of course for runs to the galley or potty breaks! 

When we made the turn off the river, the rains really picked up so Dave decided to hang outside of the town breakwall until the rain let up a little. As soon as it did, we headed toward the town of Belhaven. As soon as we entered through the breakwall the heavens opened up. It was raining so hard it was difficult to even see where we were supposed to dock the boat. After discussing it, we decided to just anchor outside the channel in the harbor. We got the anchor down and the rain seemed to let up a little. But within 30 minutes the wind and the waves really picked up and we were getting slammed pretty hard. Dave and I both realized that we had very little protection where we were so we decided to move to another cove. But pulling up the anchor in the wind proved very difficult! It took almost 20 minutes to just get it up as I had to keep driving the boat just to keep it in  a position that Dave could pull up the anchor, Needless to say, it was pretty stressful. We moved to Pungo Creek to a much calmer, quieter anchorage and the rain seemed to magically stop. We had a very quiet night- thank heavens!

The next morning we left around eight with about a thousand of our closest bug friends. They were everywhere! We cleaned them off as best we could and the rains that day helped take off more of them. Yuck! We went passed Elizabeth City which is known as the Hospitality City on the River and headed further up the Pasquotank River for Camben and Lamb's Marina. Lamb's was reported to be a "hidden gem" so we decided we would give them a try. I had a lot of laundry backed up and we figured it would be a great place to catch up. While the Captain's Lounge was okay- there was only one working washer and one dryer. But I got to sit in the air conditioner and read as I did my four loads so that wasn't too bad! Thank heavens for the air conditioner because the mold in the place was pretty bad! The restaurant/diner connected to the marina also had a good reputation so we decided to give it a try. What a great surprise- food was excellent!

We headed back to the boat as there really wasn't anywhere to walk to or see as we were right off a main highway. As we were sitting up on the bridge enjoying what promised to be a beautiful sunset, Dave heard a truck run over one of the live aboards belongings out against the side road. He backed up and ran over the stuff again then got out and just stood by his truck! Then the shouting began. A woman across the fairway witnessed the whole thing and she started yelling. Then the man whose belongings had just been flattened finally came out of his sailboat. Then the knock out brawl began. I didn't see much as they just seemed to be rolling around on the ground. But Dave said there were quite a few punches being thrown. The police arrived as did an ambulance. The driver of the truck was given a sobriety test which I am sure he failed miserably and he was taken away in the police car. The sailboater must have been bleeding from his face and was fixed up in the ambulance and then released. All in all- lots of entertainment and a beautiful sunset!

Even when the weather is bad, there are beautiful sites.

Cruzin Turtle style

Pungo River sunset. Anchored in a crab pot mine field. Good thing Bets has the skills to get us out of here.

Its "Jammie Time" (can't touch this) on the bridge.

Sliding gracefully through root beer colored tannic water. 

Alligator River Swing Bridge that leads over to the Outer Banks. Thankfully there was very little wind as it will not open in winds greater than 30 knotts

100 miles to Norfolk. Just before the Alligator River bridge= depression on the bridge

These folks don't like boating as much as we do. Can you blame them. They are waiting for our slow butts to get through the bridge so it can shut and they can get on their way.

Blimp building

Just off the Elizabeth City Coast Guard Station. 

Heading into Elizabeth City. Not stopping this time. Lambs Marina is just a few miles up river.

This was a bit of  a surprise. They made a new bridge but kept the old one in place with the left span down. When we went through they only opened the right span. It was a little weird sliding by the bridge deck and looking out over it. It was pretty close.

Just another evening of goofing off. I am such a slug! Dave's words not mine!

Pretty gnarly looking railroad bridge.

Its hard to tell but these pictures as upside down. Sunset at Lambs Marina.

Washington NC

We have never traveled to any of the small towns off the AICW so when we looked at places to go the town of Washington, NC looked very interesting. We left the Neuse River and turned up the Pamlico River- I thought we had measured out the distance but we didn't realize it was an additional 30 miles off the ICW- but we had some added motivation to get there! The winds continued to pick up as we went up the river- but fortunately they were following seas. We followed a 42' Nordic Tug through the railroad bridge and we heard him calling in to the marina that he had a reservation for the next three nights. The dock attendants knew nothing about his arrival (but then again they didn't know about us even though I had made the reservation earlier in the week!) The tricky part of the tug docking is he was single handling and hadn't set up any lines or fenders so he needed them to basically "catch" his boat. They asked him to circle around the harbor and at least put on a mid-line they could grab. We stayed back as they definitely had their hands full! Well, they were unable to get him into a slip so they put him on the same tee head that we were supposed to be put on (by ourselves). Needless to say, there wasn't a lot of room left for us- so from our gate back we were basically hanging over the end of the dock! They assured me that it would be fine because none of the other boats in the slips ever leave! Oh well, we were safely tied to the docks anticipating when the now Tropical Storm Bonnie was supposed to hit!

In the morning, we took a walk around the small town and sadly we found it to be like a lot of the small southern towns we had visited.A lot of the store fronts were closed and not a lot of places in town for people to live. But the people were so very friendly- no one passed us without saying Good Morning! What a nice change from some of the places we visited in Florida! We found a Nature Preserve where there were a ton of cool box turtles and even some larger terrapins lived. They had planted a lot of water lily's and it was so cool to see the turtles sunning themselves on the pads. The preserve was a large part of the waterfront and the boardwalk was awesome!

Our motivation to get to Washington was we were finally going to get to see our son Ben-who was going to drive down from PA the next day. Our credit card had been hacked for the fourth time (second time since starting the Loop) and Ben thought it was important to get them to us! Now the practical mother thought it was not such a great idea as he would have to drive 8 hours just to spend the afternoon (and I ALWAYS worry when he is driving)- but the true mom in me was thrilled! I didn't realize how very much I had missed Ben until I actually got to lay eyes on him. He brought my "grandpuppy" Titan with him. While it was "nice" to see Ttian, it added another "layer" of excitement on the boat. Just picture a 70 pound, three year old "puppy" getting out of a truck after 8 hours of travel and getting to go into a very small, confined space of the boat. It certainly was amusing- from Titan trying to jump off the boat to get to Ben, knocking our step into the water, and leaping from the table to the chair trying to look out both sides of the boat- we were all kind of exhausted. For that reason and not knowing how Titan would be by himself- I got to have Ben all to myself over lunch! Dave said that Titan "eventually" calmed down- well sort of! All in all- while it was a "getaway" for Ben- my heart was smiling big again! Ben drove "home" to Maryland from here- another 5 hours! He made great time and I hardly even worried at all- okay just a little!

The New Bern bridge at daybreak as we were waiting for it to open

We fly our AGLCA burgee proudly!

Sunset in Washington, NC

Yay, Ben and Titan are here! You can see how excited Titan was to get out of that truck!

Yes, he would even leap up on the freezer box on the bridge. Titan is an amazing athlete!

One of the older terrapins in the preserve

Charter sailboat that goes out 3 times a day from Washington Harbor

Same charter sailboat coming in from their sunset cruise

Turtle Motel