Making The Turn For Home

Hampton to Deltaville |  6 Hours  |  40.5 Miles  

By reaching Hampton yesterday, we were able to sleep in an hour later this morning. At 7:30 I brought the anchor up for the final time. I could have multitasked and provided the morning traffic report at the same time. Directly in front of us was a perfect view of both directions of the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel (HRBT). All lanes were moving delay-free. Construction is progressing on the $4 billion expansion project. but still has a long way to go before its November 2025 contracted completion date. By the time I had the bow washed off and the bridle stowed, we had exited Mill Creek and were making our way around Fort Monroe toward the Chesapeake Bay. The early morning sun shone favorably on Old Point Comfort Lighthouse. This has always been one of my favorite lighthouses, but it looked like the old girl could use a fresh coat of paint. It is the second oldest light in all of the Chesapeake, and the oldest light still in use.  

We enjoyed another great travel day. The waves and wind were both low and the sun provided some nice warmth. We set a waypoint and relaxed, able to see most of the Bay's characteristic elements on our trip north. Crab pots were plentiful, but well outside the channels. The New Point Comfort Lighthouse, the third oldest in the Bay and the 10th oldest in the United States, could be seen in the distance atop its rocky island, surrounded by water. The flies noticed our return and came as expected. We each grabbed a swatter to protect our ankles. Barry went out to watch a few dolphin that came to ride in our bow wave. Passing Wolf Trap Lighthouse we knew we were half way to our turn into the Rappahannock River.

We rounded Stingray Point into the Rappahannock and saw the Norris Bridge in the haze ahead of us. Not needing to travel the six miles upriver to the bridge, we hung a left into Broad Creek. An osprey greeted us as we passed the first channel marker into our creek. Another left turn took us into our marina. A wayward glove seemingly waved "hello" as we passed by. As custom dictates, we stopped at the pumpout dock to take care of business. 

Heading to our slip, we passed the picturesque Stingray Point Lighthouse replica that serves as our marina's office. We eased into our spot and reconnected all of our docklines. We were home. Our next checklist item was to go get my car out of storage. We walked the docks to see who and what had changed since our departure. The sight of Laughing Place, formerly our 41-foot sailboat, always makes us smile. More reasons to smile followed as my car started right up and then we received a surprise welcome home visit from Glenda, Greg, Jaxon, and Cooper. We enjoyed a quiet dinner onboard (we still have enough food stowed to last us another month) and relaxed for the remainder of the evening. Tomorrow morning we'll load up my car with a ton of dirty laundry and head back to the house. Over the next few weeks I'll get Crossroads' exterior washed and waxed and the interior dusted and cleaned. We have a list of repairs and improvements to be done over the summer. The countdown has been started: 237 days until we do this again.

I'll close with a few final notes on our 2023 winter cruise that covered 2,887 miles over 128 days (and 125 posts). This year's voyage had many highlights and only a few low points (that were all overcome without too much inconvenience). We were able to explore several new places and revisit many of our long-time favorite spots. We especially appreciate all the folks who took time to visit with us along the way. Most importantly, thank you for reading these posts. This blog began as a way for me to organize my photos with captions so that one day in the (hopefully distant) future, I can look back and relive this time when Barry and I were fortunate enough to travel. I'm glad that you have also enjoyed following along. Drop either of us an email, text, or comment below if you don't mind. I can see the number of page views a day, but I never know who is reading. 

Thanks again and goodnight.

A Scenic Trip Through Tidewater Virginia

Belhaven to Hampton |  11.1 Hours  |  63.9 Miles  

The anchor was up with the sun and we were soon in the North River, cruising toward Coinjock. Along the way we enjoyed the moment someone yelled, "Fish On." Beyond Coinjock we crossed the Currituck Sound. We once again lucked out and had perfect conditions for crossing a large stretch of open water. It was still chilly outside and all these early photos were taken through the windows as we enjoyed the warmth of the enclosed pilothouse. An osprey was perched on my favorite fallen tree, while another pair tended a small nest on a day marker. I am always in awe of the perfect symmetry and beautiful proportions of the small pines growing all alone at the edge of the water. High overhead in a mature pine, a bald eagle sat quietly on its nest. The bright white of its head was the only clue to its presence.

By noon we had moved into the North Landing River, crossed into Virginia, and began to strategize our arrival time at the upcoming bridges. We slowed our speed to make the 12:30 opening of the North Landing Swing Bridge. I am convinced that a hobbit lives inside the oversized stump of a dead tree. It looks like Shrek's house in the swamp, but is much too small. Osprey were quite plentiful and occupied many branches. The most interesting bird of the day was a juvenile bald eagle perched atop a dead tree. Its trademark white feathers have not yet come in to cover its head.

By early afternoon the sun was out for all creatures to absorb its warmth. I spent a few minutes on Fiberglass Beach, channeling my inner turtle. The Centerville Swing Bridge was supposed to open upon request, but a traffic accident had cars backed up on the span. We waited an extra 10 minutes behind a sport fisher for the traffic to clear and the span to open. Waterside artillery along the shore paid homage the area's rich history.

A few more turtles and osprey were witness to our entry into Chesapeake where we staged for the opening of the Great Bridge Lock. This lock is experiencing electrical issues and is currently only opening every other hour. We had a few extra minutes to sit and wait for the bridge to open and spent that time checking out all the vessels docked along both sides of the ICW. Some were more interesting than others.

The bascule bridge opened right on time at 2:00 and we joined the parade of a dozen other boats into the lock chamber. Not since our days on the Great Loop had we seen this many boats in a chamber at once. Thankfully we were lowered only a foot before the gates opened and we all alternately merged for a single file exit.

The parade of boats soon lost several members as we approached the Gilmerton Bridge with a clearance of 35-feet. Our air draft is 26.5 feet so we scooted right underneath it. All the sailboats had to hold station for another 2.5 hours until the next scheduled opening at 5:00. The Elizabeth River led us through Norfolk and past many familiar spots. We checked out the progress of decommissioning the nuclear powered aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65). Much of her steel has been recycled and used in the next generation USS Enterprise (CVN 80), currently under construction in nearby Newport News. The new Enterprise has a planned delivery date of March 2028. Moving further north we passed by Waterside and then Town Point Park which was packed with folks attending the Virginia Wine Festival. Many cargo terminals and Navy docks were viewed before we reached the northern end of the Norfolk Naval Base where the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) was docked. She returned just two weeks ago from a year-long deployment. We crossed the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel and set our sights on the former Chamberlin Hotel at Old Point Comfort. The nine-story building opened in 1928 and sits on the grounds of historic Fort Monroe. It has been renovated from its former life as a hotel and is now a luxury retirement community for people 55 and up. Yes, I did do a double-take at my eligibility for a retirement home. We entered Mill Creek to the left of the grand building and passed alongside the Old Point Comfort Marina. Our anchor was hardly wet before the wind picked up and rain began to fall. We closed Crossroads up and began to prepare dinner. One more leg of our journey remains. Tomorrow night we should be back in slip D58 at Stingray Point Marina in Deltaville.

A Doe, A Gator, A Graduate, And A Coach

Belhaven to Camden Point |  9.7 Hours  | 66.8 Miles  

I won't sugar-coat the situation. It is getting more difficult each day to get up and moving. The chill in the air, the early arrival of first light, and long travel days all combine to have me longing for a snooze button. Belhaven is a great anchorage and we never doubt the anchor holding. Along with that, however, comes the expectation that the anchor chain will come up coated in inch-thick black mud. I was prepared for a wet and dirty morning and went to the bow in full foul weather gear and rubber boots. We were well outside the breakwater and heading north before I was satisfied that the deck was rinsed clean of all mud. I went downstairs to change clothes as we entered the 21-mile long Alligator-Pungo Canal. The margins of the canal are lined with stumps and downed trees that we try our best to avoid. As we approached one dark spot in the water I declared that "that's not a stump, those are ears." Sure enough, a large doe was swimming across our path. She didn't seem to disturbed by our presence. I happily followed her as she emerged from the water and gave us a casual glance as we passed. This the second time over the years that we've had a deer swim in front of us. So much for alligators. 

The wind was calm, but the cloud cover was thick, making it a chilly morning. Soon after entering the canal, we lost cell service. I kept an eye on the clock and my phone looking for any sign of a weak signal. A couple hundred miles to the west, Rebekah was graduating cum laude from Catawba College at 10:00 and I desperately wanted to watch the ceremony on the livestream. At 10:00 only the SOS service was available. I tried to keep my mind busy by taking in all that we were passing. A man rowing down the canal was odd, but his boat was even more so with all the holes in the side. The best shot of the day caught Barry and I both by surprise. While shouting, "that log has eyes," I grabbed the big camera and crossed back across the pilothouse to the starboard windows in time to catch the shot of a large alligator lounging in the sun. Now we can say we've seen an alligator in the Alligator River. 11:00 arrived and still only SOS service. I was getting frustrated.  

At 1:00 we had exited the canal and joined in the parade of a dozen northbound vessels to the Alligator River swing bridge. We passed through the open span without slowing down. Cell service had returned as we neared the Outer Banks. I found the commencement service on YouTube and was able to fast-forward to the point where Rebekah made the walk as a member of the Class of 2023. Woohoo.

Thankful for our return to the grid, I tuned into my second livestream of the day -- the 2:00 memorial service for former University of Virginia men's basketball head coach, Terry Holland who passed away earlier this year. Coach Holland is such a big part of my UVA memories both as a young fan and during my five years spent working in the Virginia sports information office. I enjoyed seeing so many familiar faces and hearing the stories of his lasting influence of kindness. I learned to politely applaud by observing the way Coach did so on the sidelines. It was a nice tribute to hang a banner in the rafters in his honor.

A quick dinner was followed by our daily sunset watch. We were treated to a good one tonight in celebration of Rebekah's graduation and Coach Holland's legacy. Tomorrow will again start early and move back into Virginia. 

A Trip Ashore In Belhaven

Morehead City to Belhaven |  8.5 Hours  | 59.9 Miles  

Our wake up call came before the alarm sounded. At first light the fishing boats began leaving the Morehead City docks for the Atlantic. Their wakes rolled through the anchorage and tossed us from a deep sleep. The cabin temperature had dipped into the low 60s overnight and made for excellent sleeping conditions. We didn't waste any time pulling up the anchor and getting underway. We were in the middle of a small parade of northbound boats that passed alongside the cargo terminal, under the hi-rise bridge, and toward Core Creek. The creek was busy with boats of all sizes ranging from small fishing boats to large tugs pushing empty barges. Core Creek transitioned to Adams Creek which opened to the perfectly calm Neuse River. We could not have asked for a better passage across this temperamental body of water. Today's route was very familiar and we kept our eyes open for familiar landmarks. The shrimp fleet in Hobucken always warrants long looks. 

We arrived at the Pungo River anchorage in Belhaven at 3:00 and were thankful for a shorter travel day. We lowered the dinghy and headed into one of our favorite small towns. Multicolored buildings mark the position of the town's nice floating dinghy dock. We walked to the end of the peninsula via Water Street to River Forest Manor then looped back to downtown on Main Street. Stenciled crab images on the sidewalks marked our path. The streets were lined with cute houses that featured colorful landscaped yards full of blooms.

The crab sculpture in front of the library provided a perfect opportunity for a photo. We stopped at The Tavern at Jack's Neck for an early dinner. When we returned to Crossroads at 7:00, the blue sky was still full of fluffy clouds. An hour later, those same clouds helped deliver another great Belhaven sunset. The dinghy is back in its spot on the upper deck and we will depart early in the morning and cross the Albemarle Sound, hoping it is as calm as the Neuse River was today.

Tracking A Straight Line

 Southport to Morehead City |  12.3 Hours  | 91.6 Miles  

We were on deck this morning for a 6:00 am departure. The relentless wind from the past three days had finally blown itself out. There was, however, still a strong current running lengthwise along the transient dock. We were fortunate that the boats forward and aft of us were earlier birds than us. Their departure made our exit tremendously easier. One boat was not so lucky. The current caught it and turned it broadside against the boats at the end of the dock. As we made our turn to exit, several folks had gathered on the dock to help fend off. Definitely not the way to begin a day. The sky took on the appearance of cotton candy with both light blues and pinks ushering in the morning. Off to our starboard, the Oak Island lighthouse still produced its reassuring beacon for travelers. The sun hit the treetops as we reached the end of Southport and turned from the ICW up the Cape Fear River.

The incoming tide gave us a little push and we saw speeds in excess of 10 knots. With that little push, it was no time before we were angling into Snow's Cut. It was another still morning with nice reflections of the trees and eroded red-sand banks. A large sampling of waterfowl waded in the shallows of Myrtle Grove and Masonboro Sounds. We were making great time and were running ahead of our schedule. At 9:15 we escaped the low water and low bridges of the ICW and passed through Masonboro Inlet to the Atlantic. 

Travel conditions were perfect for an offshore run which allowed us to cut out a full day of travel. A one day offshore passage would cover the miles of a two days on the ICW. The shortest distance from Southport to Beaufort is a straight line across Onslow Bay. We had a great run and each of us was able to relax. Entertainment was provided by a few flyovers by F35s around Camp Lejeune and several different pods of dolphin that came and went in our bow wave. Barry even came out on the bow to watch their shenanigans. Clouds mounted as the afternoon passed, providing a show of their own. The offshore weather window was beginning to close. 

We came back into the ICW through Beaufort Inlet. We were definitely not alone in this travel plan. The spring migration of northbound boaters is in full force. Our AIS showed dozens of boats already anchored in Beaufort's Taylor Creek. Since we would not be going ashore we elected to turn left to Morehead City and anchor off of Sugar Loaf Island with five other boats for the night. The clouds created a nice sunset as the full moon rose to the east. Our track for the day confirms that the shortest distance was indeed a straight line.   

Friendsday Wednesday

Southport   

Our final day in Southport was bookended by visits from friends. This morning longtime boating friends Pete and Denise came by the marina for a visit. We have known them through their sailboat and trawler days in Deltaville. While many things have and continue to change, friendship endures. They are now building a new retirement house here in Southport (which we got to tour). It was so good to see them, and dog Gracie. We look forward to keeping in touch and seeing them again soon in either Richmond or on our next stop in Southport. In the afternoon we walked back to the park we visited yesterday. Five large boats had moved into the anchorage. We recognized Puff Card from Virginia Beach as folks we met at the Chat N Chill Pig Roast in George Town.

We found our favorite bench and I enjoyed some quiet time watching the white clouds travel across the deep blue sky. We joked about finding stars in the playground sand. Not quite the sea stars on a Bahamian beach, these were pieces of children's cereal. A pair of cardinals was hopping through the low limbs of the waterfront trees. In the open field, an ibis pranced along unfazed by our presence. The Cape Fear Yacht Club sits outside the marina property. A gray squirrel munched on low hanging seed pods. The final few hours of afternoon were spent preparing Crossroads for tomorrow's early departure. 

At 6:00 we walked up to the parking lot to meet David and Sue. As I waited in the sunshine, a strange looking, short, and squatty palm tree caught my attention. We went to Smoke House for dinner and enjoyed Carolina pork barbecue dinners with the special regional treat of red slaw. Ah, yes, home cookin! David and Sue will be following us by a few days up to our shared home port of Stingray Point marina. They are beginning their Great Loop journey and we shared stories and tips as they make their final preparations for the year-long journey. They were most generous in dropping us by Walmart to pick up a few items. We talked in the marina parking lot for another hour before saying goodbye for now. We'll see them as they pass through Deltaville and I'll return the favor of a provisioning trip to Walmart. 

Happiness Is A Nap In The Sun

Southport   

This morning the emphasis was on the "North" in North Carolina. It felt more like the North Pole. We even had to turn on the heat pump to warm up the boat. I attempted to jumpstart my body's heater by knocking out my hour of stretching. It had been way too long since my last yoga session and it took a while to get my creaky joints moving. A hot shower followed and we then prepared to take a walk. I pulled out my jeans and a sweatshirt. The wind was still whipping and the marina's flag flew straight and stiff. Dutchman Creek Park was a short distance up the road. We walked to the little beach, while keeping an eye out for any logs with eyes. We did not see an alligator, but did wonder why the metal sign was so bent and crinkled. Seems like whatever did that damage may be a bigger threat. A bench in the sun by the playground called out to us. Barry played on his phone while I dozed off in the warm sunshine, out of the wind. He only threatened to leave me there looking like a homeless person. For me, on this day, this was my happy place.   

The hours after lunch were spent dusting, vacuuming, and restocking the pantry. We have a week to go until we are home so this was hopefully the final time for these chores while underway. A longer walk closed out the day. That stretch of road traveled was more about the sights and smells of North Carolina. Roadside muscadine vines were loaded with small grapes. The honeysuckle was mature, yellowing, and fragrant. The still stiff breeze carried the scent across the parking lot. I smelled the honeysuckle long before I located the vines. Carolina jasmine also added sweetness to the breeze. I'm not sure if the evening's sign warning of nuclear emergencies was scarier than the morning's warning of alligators. Neither one applied to us, so it was a good day. On our return to Crossroads, I spotted an interesting boat name, Veruca Salt. I was reminded of the character's song from Willy Wonka -- "Don't care how, I want it now."  This point of our travels is draining and tiresome. We both are ready to get home and the weather is not being cooperative. Added to the stress of ICW travel is the reduced operating schedule at the Great Bridge Lock. We have several plans and even more contingencies in place for when we leave Southport on Thursday. Tomorrow, however, we'll enjoy visiting with several friends who will share their time with us and stop over to visit. 

Going With The Flow

Butler Island to Southport |  10.2 Hours  |  75 Miles  

Whoa, this was a shocker. The temperature in South Carolina plummeted overnight and had me scrambling for a blanket sometime in the wee hours of the morning. The alarm again sounded early and I layered up to raise the anchor. We were off before the sun rose over the trees. We departed at high tide and traveled with the current, happy to see 9 knots. The rising sun was directly in front of us for a short period and made early morning navigation a challenge. We followed the ICW through the Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge. Swirls of pollen floated on top of the shadowy water's surface to the east. 

To the west, the water was mirror-like. The reflections were perfectly beautiful. Along the way we saw Canada geese, mallards, herons, and osprey. Channel markers often served double duty as foundations for osprey nests. This one came with its own landscaping. Once we exited the refuge, development took over the waterfront. The Socastee Swing Bridge opened for us and we entered the sprawl of Myrtle Beach. It was a very busy passage with new construction everywhere, people out in force on the many golf courses, and increased boat traffic. I always smile when I see the Myrtlewood sign as it reminds me of Bushwood from Caddy Shack.

We lucked out and were able to go with the flow of the current for most of the day. This was beneficial until we had to hold station in front of the Little River Swing Bridge waiting for an opening. By this time of the day, the wind had built and was gusting over 25 knots. The bridge operator had to call to receive special permission to open in the high winds. A compromise seemed to emerge that had us wait until the three boats behind us caught up, then send us all through with a single opening of the span. Reverse idle was not enough to keep us stationary with three knots of current and 20 knots of wind pushing us from our stern toward the closed span with seven feet of vertical clearance. After a tense 15 minutes we were finally able to move along. We navigated Little River Inlet at dead low tide without incident and crossed into North Carolina at 1:00. At Tubbs Inlet the current switched to on our nose and we slowed to 6.5 knots. Just like yesterday, the current vs. wind opposition resulted in a choppy sea state. On the other side of Shallotte Inlet we again picked up a favorable current and accelerated back to over nine knots. Soon we were passing under the Holden Beach bridge and reliving memories of previous trips along this stretch of water. One last inlet crossing put us on the home straightaway to Southport. The wind was whipping as we pulled alongside the floating dock to tie up. The dockmasters and I worked together quickly to get settled, much like a NASCAR pit stop. A few clean-up chores were followed by dinner and the end of another long day on the water. We'll stay here in Southport for a few days, hoping to meet up with a few friends and also hoping that the wind lays down for our crossing of the Cape Fear River.