Surveying The Scene Up North

Belhaven  

Just like a scene from Groundhog Day, we awoke to face a string of familiar scenarios. The overcast sky muted any color cast by the rising sun. The wind had calmed a bit, but was still strong enough to amplify the unseasonable chill in the air. Following the normal routine, I checked off breakfast and stretching. Faced with more hours to occupy, I tackled the cleaning and dusting of more louvered doors. It is important work, but definitely falls in at about 436 on my list of favorite things to do while onboard. We didn't even leave the boat, preferring to stay in our warm little house on the water. Weather conditions are improving, however, another issue has now developed further up the Intracoastal Waterway. The persistent northeast winds have blown the water out of Currituck Sound and the North Landing River. Our normally narrow passage with just enough water to float us has turned into an impassable puddle. In Great Bridge, higher than normal water level is preventing the lock from opening at high tide. The whole world has gone haywire. The word on the internet is that Friday will see conditions start to turn toward normal. So we'll hang out one more day in Belhaven, dinghy to shore, and take another walk through town to enjoy the flowers and landscaping. Meanwhile, back at home, my crepe myrtles, ferns, and lilies have all leafed out. The azaleas and my pride and joy rhododendrons have finished blooming and the roses are just now starting to show pink. My haircut is scheduled for Monday at 2:00. We need to get moving.