travel – Wendy on the Water

We have made it to our Waypoint #2 at the mouth of the Alligator River-Pungo River Canal. Today was an adventure! But first, an update on my previous post.

You’ll remember that yesterday we chose to anchor for the night in the Bay River. We hung out there for a few hours, but the wind came up even stronger and we were really rolling around. Our anchor seemed to be holding well, but for everyone’s comfort, we decided to motor over to Bonner Bay where it was so much calmer. The only stressful part was trying to find an adequate anchorage amidst the minefield of crab pots before the sun went low. Those things are a royal pain in the arse! I’m so glad we decided to relocate, even if it was a bit of work. We both slept well last night. I thought I would fret the whole time about dragging our anchor, but I was so tired I pretty much conked out.

The sunset and full moon over the water last night were utterly spectacular.

Laurie FINALLY went potty when he got up this morning. Thank God. He hadn’t gone in over 24 hrs. I was getting worried. He still hasn’t done a full complement (if you read me) and it’s already been a day and a half. Ugh.

This morning we got underway around 7:45. After leaving Bonner Bay and the Bay River, we entered Gale Greek and headed toward Hobuken, NC. It was quite chilly and very windy but it was a lovely morning.

Just past RE Mayo Seafood and the Coast Guard station, we encountered our first bridge, Hobucken Bridge, which has a fixed clearance of 65 feet. Our boat’s mast hight, including the wind vane and electronics, is 56 feet. Even though my head knew we had enough clearance, my heart still plummeted into my stomach. Holy moly.

From Gale Creek, we crossed the Pamlico River to the Pungo River. Let’s just say that if either of us had a propensity toward sea sickness, we would have discovered that today! The sea was angry that day, my friends (Seinfeld joke if you don’t know, lol). At it’s worst in the Pamlico, the wind was blowing 15-25 knots with a lot of fetch (the distance traveled by wind or waves across open water; the longer the fetch the greater the waves). The seas were extremely confused around Wades Point, just like the guides instructed. WindLass was rolling! I wouldn’t be surprised if the waves weren’t four feet or more. Charro did a great job managing our wild ride. He found that if he went a little off of our course to keep the bow pointed into the waves that it slightly lessened the motion. I had to remind myself a couple of times that this is what our girl was built for. WindLass is an ocean boat and she can take it! I felt like today we became mariners for the first time.

We had one alarming situation (pun intended) around 11 am when a very loud alarm on the navigation panel sounded. Upon investigation of all the boat’s systems (engine, bilge, battery, etc.), Charro found nothing wrong. He turned the breaker off and back on again and it seemed to reset itself. It didn’t do it again, thank goodness.

And now, here we are. Safely and snuggly tucked in for the rest of the day and night, anchored in about 8 feet of water on the Pungo River, just outside of the ICW at the mouth of the Alligator River Canal. It is 77 degrees and partly cloudy and just as peaceful and serene as one could wish.

This is what dreams are made of.

Thursdays Goal: 37.9 nautical miles

We will depart from our anchorage and head into the Alligator River-Pungo River Canal. It is a 21 mile run and promises to be very scenic. Our guide says to look out for deer, bears, and maybe even alligators! After the canal, we will cross the Alligator River and anchor just north of the Alligator River Bridge.

6:22 pm Update: Due to a Small Craft Advisory tomorrow afternoon through evening on the Alligator River, we decided we will instead anchor at the south end rather than the north. Full disclosure: There was actually a Small Craft Advisory on the waters we traversed today (ssshhh, don’t tell my dad). For our ocean-worthy vessel, the difference (for us) between traveling during the advisory today vs. the one tomorrow has everything to do with a safe place to land at the end of the day. We have a perfect anchor spot tonight. Tomorrow, there is really nowhere to stay that wouldn’t be either too shallow or too rough as we approach the Albemarle Sound. It’s a compromise! 🙂

Fair winds,

Wendy

The butterflies have truly set in. Until now, our upcoming journey has been all planning, preparation, and talk. But with less than 24 hrs. till departure, stuff’s getting real! We’ve made our lists and checked them twice. Now it’s time to find out if the voyage will be naughty or nice.

In case you are not familiar with the Intracoastal Waterway (or what in the world we are getting ready to do), the ICW is a “3,000-mile (4,800 km) inland waterway along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts of the United States, running from Massachusetts southward along the Atlantic Seaboard and around the southern tip of Florida, then following the Gulf Coast to Brownsville, Texas. Some sections of the waterway consist of natural inlets, saltwater rivers, bays, and sounds, while others are artificial canals. It provides a navigable route along its length without many of the hazards of travel on the open sea.” (Wikipedia) In short, it’s a way for boaters to travel up and down the East Coast without having to risk their lives on the Atlantic Ocean. We are thankful for that!

Currently, our boat is docked at Northwest Creek Marina in Fairfield Harbor, NC (New Bern). Though we have thoroughly enjoyed the time we have spent here the last five months, it is now time to take our girl north to our home marina – Regent Point – in Topping, VA. Our total journey, marina to marina, is 235 nautical miles.

When traversing the ICW, there are two options. For reference, if traveling south, this “fork in the road” appears around the I64 bridge in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia. One of the routes is called the ‘Virginia Cut’. It is a deeper water route, so basically it’s faster and the one that all of the commercial traffic uses. Think of it like an interstate for boats. The other is called the ‘Dismal Swamp’ route. It’s akin to the Blue Ridge Parkway or Route 66. A lot quieter, slower, and very scenic. The downside is that you must have a very shallow draft (5 feet or less) and it will likely be buggier. Let’s just say that I have cornered the market on bug spray! If traveling south, the two routes converge again in the Albemarle Sound.

So, what does preparation for our 5+ day journey look like? Well, our boat’s water tank capacity is 100 gallons, which means that Charro and I will each be able to take our (FAST) morning and evening showers. We will also be able to flush the toilet with fresh water as opposed to seawater (when we flush using seawater, the boat’s holding tank fills up faster). We are planning to use all disposable plates and cutlery, as washing dishes is a water suck. We will cook all of our meals on the grill or in the oven by wrapping our food in aluminum foil. The goal is to not have to use any dishes, pots, or pans that require washing. We plan to eat well, though, even with the restrictions! Hamburgers, hot dogs, steak, pork chops, fajitas, loaded baked potatoes, fruits, and vegetables are all on the menu. I have also stocked us up with an ample supply of peanut M&M’s to boost morale!

Just in case, we are also carrying four extra jugs of water that in total, hold 21.2 gallons, plus 4 jugs of distilled water and 24-16 oz. bottles. I think we should be fine, even if we never stop at a marina to top up our tanks along the way.

Our boat holds 40 gallons of diesel, plus we are carrying an extra 10 gallons. Charro says we use around .6 gallons per hour, so it’s likely we won’t even have to top up with the reserve.

Right now the weather looks absolutely wonderful! We do have a generator, however. Just in case temps soar, we will be able to run the AC for a few hours at night as needed.

I think one of our greatest challenges is going to be getting Laurie and Ruby to potty on their grass mat. We have practiced at home, but for some reason, they stubbornly refuse to use it on the boat. It becomes a battle of wills, and I’m ashamed to say that sometimes they win and we just go to the yard. Once we are at anchor, though, they aren’t really going to have a choice! Heaven help us with that one.

Today is going to be a full day as we finish off our checklist. I need to make a last grocery store run for produce and dairy and I will need to wash laundry. Charro has to fill the two reserve diesel tanks and the boat needs a wash. Today is also pump-out day, so our holding tank will be nice and empty. And Monte the diver might be coming by to clean the boat’s hull (hope he doesn’t forget). Oh, and it’s my birthday!

Tuesday’s Goal: 35.9 nautical miles

The plan for tomorrow is to leave early in the morning (going to shoot for 6 or 7 am). We will depart from Northwest Creek Marina and travel the Neuse River to our Waypoint #1 where we will anchor in the mouth of the Bay River.

If I have cell phone signal, my plan is to write another update tomorrow evening.

Fair winds,

Wendy

Wendy on the Water

Tag: travel

Today We Became Mariners

T-Minus (less than) 24 Hrs.