11-11-11. Some numerologists say it doesn’t have much great significance, but I say it’s kinda fun. For us, it’ll be a day in port, as the Bay is kicking up a celebration---not the kind we want to take part in. There’ll be high winds, lotsa waves and probably some rain just to make it special. The date kinda looks like corduroy, doesn’t it?
We’ve not had much rain since arriving back in Solomons. Has it been chilly? You bet. Nighttime temps have been in the 40’s many times. Our dandy new furnace sprung a leak in its muffler, and as the exhaust fumes were going into the engine room instead of outside, we shut it down until further notice. Gook and new clamps are waiting in the wings to tighten things up and keep the air we breathe fresh, clean and warm. Fred has it rigged so that when the engines are running, he can turn on the fans and blow heat into the boat without running any motors. Silent, free heat (if you don’t count the installation costs…).
Tuesday was our last day in Solomons, and the weather was beautiful. Crisp and clear. Our trip south began with a long stop at the marina’s spiffy pump-out station. I’m not sure if you are interested in the waste removal system on our boat, but it is an important topic for us, and this pump out machine is the best! It is tied directly into the hotel sewage line, and self operated so we were able to run large amounts of water thru and really wash out the holding tank. It seems we bought some TP that doesn’t dissolve, and the holding tank motor was letting us know regularly that a problem existed. So once again, the tp test was done with three brands. Turns out that cheap works best—7-11’s house brand won the test by breaking right up in the test glasses. Walgreen’s came in a close second. West Marine’s new WM brand? We won’t be using that any more. The motor is now happy, and this is good.
By the time we finished the pump out, cleaned up and lingered on the dock over lunch, it was mid afternoon, so we spent Tuesday night anchored at the mouth of the Patuxent River in Mill Creek, a run of about 3 whole miles. In the morning, it looked as if we would have yet another late start. The fog was oh, so thick, and in no hurry to burn away. Schools in the area had 2 hour delays, so we weren’t the only ones held up! By 10:30 though, we were off, and after 6 hours tied up in Reedville.
We had a good time watching, and maneuvering around, the fishing boats. Reedville is one of the major centers for the processing of Menhaden---a member of the herring family that has a long history. Native Americans taught the Pilgrims to use menhaden as fertilizer for their corn crops, and today it continues to be used as fertilizer, bait and the manufacture of fish oil products, as well as providing food for wild and farmed fish. So heavily harvested is the fish that today the population is only about 10% of what it was in colonial times. This week the Atlantic States fishing commission decided to impose limits, to phase in over the next year, in order to give the species a chance to build up its numbers. The estimates say that reducing the catch by 25% will leave about 60,000 metric tons of fish in the water. The boats we saw netting and scooping the fish out of the nets are big business!
It is too late in the season for the Crazy Crab Restaurant to be open every day, but we docked there and left our fee in the mailbox provided. Walked downtown to Tommy’s restaurant for dinner. Hallowe’en in Reedville was a very highly decorated event, and Tommy’s, as well as many houses along the street, still had goblins and ghouls on display.
The Bay was friendly early on Thursday, with a promise of winds and waves kicking up late in the day. We decided to investigate the Rappahannock River, and by noon had made the turn, leaving the large black cloud behind.
Remember the bridge that collapsed in Minneapolis? An identical one (only this one is 110 ft. high) crosses the Rappahannock. After the Mpls. event, tests were done, and 80 stress points found to need reinforcement, we’re told. I’d not want to be that guy doing the work. We’re happy that the bridge held as we passed under it—twice.
Our destination was a resort hotel/marina called the Tides Inn. It’s on the Northern Neck of VA, an area we’ve not explored before. Only 40,000 folks live in the 4 counties of the Neck, and they reportedly love the ‘small town’ flavor. The Tides is an old, used-to-be-family owned resort that has retained the family feel and offers lots of amenities--- including a ride to and from the grocery store, a bonfire on the deck every nite with complimentary s’mores, and then milk and cookies in the ‘View Room’ at bedtime. We especially enjoyed meeting Craig as he delivered the newspaper to the boat every morning!
At this time of year, if you want to get anywhere, early starts are mandatory. Daylight only lasts until 5 o’clock or so. Even being underway at 7 (who, US?) we weren’t able to make it to Portsmouth and the Commodore dinner/movie. Enjoyed Hampton Marina, though, and had a nice long walk. We did stop in Portsmouth the next day for fuel, and then headed for the Dismal Swamp. The 1:30 p.m. lock was the earliest we could make, and once inside the Canal, couldn’t resist the Mexican Restaurant. George, the Lockmaster joined us, and shared stories of his 18 year career at the Canal. Robert, the usual lockmaster at Deep Creek (the northern end of the Swamp) was docked by the lock when we finished lunch. Last time we were through, Robert said he was planning to open a Dismal Swamp Tour Boat service. He now has 4 boats and 3 captains and is a frequent speaker at meetings and events in the Norfolk area. Good for him!
That thing about dark came into play as we motored along the Swamp. Couldn’t do 17 miles to the Visitors’ Center, so we tied up opposite the Feeder Ditch. Lake Drummond supplies the water for the Canal, which is maintained by the Army Corps of Engineers strictly for recreational boater use. One of the duties of the Lockmasters is to monitor the water level in the Canal. Dry weather last spring had forced a cutback to 2 lockings per day, instead of the usual four, but Hurricanes Irene and Lee took care of that problem very nicely, thank you.
If you have a wee boat (under 1000 lbs) you can ride up the Feeder Ditch and across a railroad (not unlike the Big Chute in Canada, we think) and go boating in the lake. Sure enough, around 8 pm a little boat came paddling out of the Ditch and headed for Deep Creek. In the dark. And man, was it dark! We’d planned to go for a walk at dusk, but when we saw the “What to do if you meet a bear” signs, returned to YA and had a delightful dinner on the foredeck under the dark, dark sky.
It was still dark when we tossed off the lines in the a.m. and so still and beautiful as we hummed along toward South Mills Lock. 3 sailboats were tied up at the visitor’s center, with a fourth waiting at the lock. We were happy to see more travelers, and led the parade out of the lock at 8:30 a.m., through the gorgeous Turner’s Cut, and on down the twisty Pasquatank River to Elizabeth City. It was only 1 o’clock, and the wind was barely blowing, so we decided to pass on the traditional wine and cheese party (given to groups of boaters by the Mayor of Eliz. City) and hop right across Albamarle Sound. Our usual plan is to cross that Sound in the early a.m. as it is very shallow, and it doesn’t take much wind velocity to create a really unpleasant---even unsafe---ride. We lucked out though, and were snuggled into the Alligator River Marina before dark!
In the morning we passed through the Swing Bridge that we drove across last July when we went to the Outer Banks. Headed south in the Alligator River, and then the Alligator River-Pungo River Canal. The canal is another straight line with a deep channel and very little water on either side. We saw a sailboat actually sailing ahead of us, a rare sight, as we see a lot of ‘masted motorboats’ but rarely see boats under sail---especially in a heavily wooded canal where the wind is puffy, gusty and unpredictable.
Turns out that Dale, aboard CHANCE ENCOUNTER with his English Springer, Chili, was counting on the wind to get to Belhaven—about 25 miles away. His engine was running on fumes and he was pretty much ready to choose a spot to drop the anchor and call for a tow boat. A few minutes later, we became that guy. The boats were rafted together and we all had a pleasant afternoon ride. And the best part? Dale was heading south from Rondout Creek in Kingston, NY. He'd had the boat hauled at Certified Marine, where YOUNG AMERICA 2 lived for 17 years! Gave Fred a good excuse to call and say hi to Sharon and Fred! How small is this world, anyhow? CHANCE went into the River Forest Marina just inside the breakwater on the Pungo River, and a few minutes after we were tied up at Belhaven Marina, Dale and Chili drove up on a golf cart.
We were soon joined by Brant Wilson, with whom we chat whenever passing by Belhaven, and enjoyed a happy happy hour in the marina’s gazebo.
This morning the weather persons announced small craft advisories and 2-3 foot waves in Pamlico Sound, but it looked so lovely at 7 a.m. that we decided to go as far as was comfortable, and then anchor if necessary. Wasn’t necessary. The waves were low, as was the wind, and it wasn’t until we rounded Maw Point in to the Neusse River (our old friend!) that the bow began to slap the water. By then we were too close to quit so we just endured until 2 p.m. when we made the turn into the Oriental Marina. Our July slip was damaged by Hurricane Irene, so we’re snuggled in by the Tiki Bar. The wind and lots of rain are my companions as I write this.
So it took me from 11/11/11 until today, 11/16/11, to get to the blog. Biggest deterrent was the 1522 page book, 11/22/63, Stephen King’s latest. (Those are e-pages. I think the real book is only 800 or so pages long.) It is a hard-to-put-down story of ‘what if JFK hadn’t been assassinated?’ But now it is done, and so off I go to post photos.
Be well, and keep in touch!
