Vita Stuck in the Mud

They say there are two types of cruisers on the ICW. Those who have been aground, and those who will be aground. And now we have accomplished both. Yep, that's right, even at 3' 8", which is considered a very shallow draft, we found the bottom right in the middle of the channel, parked between a green and a red marker.

So, we left Darien, and took the advice from a couple of locals, through our friends Brian and Anne, of a short cut through a locally known, unmarked back way, that, would shave 13 miles off of our trip down the ICW. And I know what your thinking, but we didn't go aground during that route. In fact it was a genuine shortcut, with lots of water. A little narrow at times, say 20' across, but the depth was good. We met a small 12' fishing boat in one tight spot, and there really wasn't much room for both of us. We could have shook hands as we past. One of the fisherman said he cut the trolling motor so as not to wake us. Sense of humor in the middle of freaking nowhere. Gotta love the south.

The winds have been nasty the last few days, so we decided to take the alternate ICW route around Jekyll Sound, instead of having to go all the way out to the sea buoy before coming back in. We anchored in a little creek just inside of the alternate route for the night. It blew like stink. We don't have an anemometer, but the forecast was for gale force winds, and I think we got them.

The next morning we got up at 6:00, the wind still howling, and headed out at first light. Determined to finish the 35 miles to St. Mary's before the rain that was forecasted showed up on Tuesday. And, 10 mins after we lifted the hook, we ran aground, between the first two markers. First things first, we have limited time, because the tide is going out, which means we would have ended up stuck even worse, and waiting for the tide to come back in. We launched the dinghy, put out a stern anchor and tried to kedge the boat back into the deeper water that we had come from, but no luck. Then our friends Ann and Neville came through the cut, so I dinghied over to them and let them know that they should go into the side creek and drop the hook. Ann says, its okay, we only draw one meter, and I said yep, and we draw 3' 8". So they decided they go anchor for the time being. Serena and I then tried to heel the boat over with a halyard to see if we could get her out that way, but no joy, she was stuck good, and we were quickly losing what precious water we had. Lastly, I checked the depths around the boat with our handheld depth sounder and found we had 5' of water at the bow. That meant that we were almost past the shoal, we had only to get the boat a few more feet and we would be free. Rochna to the rescue. I dinghied our main anchor out in front of the boat 60' or so and used the windlass to drag the boat across the rest of the shoal into deeper water. Free at last. Serena was driving the boat, so I quickly secured the anchor and went to radio Ann and Neville to tell them, that if they stay to the west side of the channel they would be okay. While doing that we had another mini emergency, the wind and current was so strong that it driven us up against the bank on the west side of the cut. Luckily, the water was deep enough that we just sat there against the side. I jumped out from down below to find that the boat wasn't in gear. In all the excitement Serena hadn't put the boat in gear. As we were moving along a good pace, she thought we were already in forward, and it didn't cross her mind. So in gear, and we easily pulled off of the grassy bank, and back into the channel. I went back down below and finished the radio conversation with Ann. Emergency over...... There were three more spots on the way out of the bypass that read 4' on the depth sounder, obviously not a good route for deeper boats.

We arrived in St. Mary's around 2:30 pm, dropped the hook in the anchorage with the other 20 boats, and had a nice cold beer.

The weather has really put a big damper on things for the last couple of days. We made it to happy hour the first night, visited with our friends on Anthyllide, we got propane, and finally wifi. Tonight is the oyster bake, and it will be our first time eating oysters. Then tomorrow is the Thanksgiving celebration that is put on by the town people. It promises to be a lot of fun. Then who knows. If the weather clears up, we'll probably go over to Cumberland Island for a couple of days, before we head further south.

Lost Along The Way

Well, sort of, we are no longer on the ICW, but the little town of Darien called to us. It has a grocery store, a hardware store, and a 48 hr free dock, those called a little too. So off the beaten track we are, about 7 miles out of the way, and we'll be headed back soon. I think I mentioned before that we are small town people, and Darien is definitely small town. Ironically, we were figuring that we would be all by ourselves, off the beaten path, but when we showed up our friends Anne and Brian of Sea Angel we're already tied up to the dock. We met them in Elizabeth City and did the Art (free drinks and food) Tour with them. Turns our the free dock called to them too.

Mornings are beautiful, its hard not to take a picture.

Sometimes the days are beautiful too, and its hard not to take a picture.

Okay, I bought the shirt in Annapolis, that said "Sail Naked", but its hard to follow the advice and wear the shirt. If anything, I am an advocate of the things I preach, so here it is, proof. It was hot, I was hot, and somehow it just happened. So of course Serena needed photographic proof. 

Serena wanted a picture of the "Polar Bear" before I shaved it off. I couldn't take it anymore. I guess I will always be a clean faced guy.

Shrimp boats everywhere. We finally broke down and bought some local shrimp. Not off the boat, as we would like, but out of the back of a pick-up. Which is pretty much the same thing down here.

Grocery day. Notice our trained pack mule. Two carts, back pack, plastic bag with roasted chicken in teeth. This was obviously a staged photo, because Serena carried the chicken back to the boat. And you think I jest, but pulling both carts is easier on my back than just one. But more importantly me pulling two carts is way easier on Serena. And you all thought the chivalry was dead.

So, it has been a very successful reprovision, and a nice little stop. We are still trying to make St. Mary's for Thanksgiving, its only two days away, but there is a nasty storm blowing in tonight that is threatening to cause a lot of havoc for the next 4 days. Oh goodie, wet, cold, and windy, our favorite! We may sit here one more day.

Kisses and hugs.

South Carolina

Well, I’d like to say that it was the jewel of our trip, but I would be lying. It is the first time that CBP (customs and border patrol), have wanted us to call every time we stop. They ask 20 questions, not always the same, they don’t really want to know where we are, just which city we are closest to; and they give us crap for things we should have done, but were not told about. The anchorages have been good, but they are few and far between, and we haven’t had any luck with free wifi. We haven’t even been off the boat since we left Myrtle Beach, where we got our new batteries. But, it hasn't been all bad. In fact some of it has been really nice, and all that travelling has us a day away from Georgia. We are hoping to make Thanksgiving in St. Mary’s Georgia, we heard it was quite the party.

People will ask, why didn't you check out Beaufort or Charleston or Georgetown? Well, we intended to, however, when we got to Georgetown, it was Sunday, and Georgetown closes up on Sunday. Both Charleston and Beaufort are pretty big places, and we are small town people. And, lastly, the weather was horrible. High winds, cold days; not the nicest sightseeing weather. It’s unfortunate, because we would have liked to take a look at the south. We also considered going to Savannah, GA, but now we have found other things that interested us more. There just isn't enough time to do everything.

So, we left Myrtle Beach, all topped up. The trip was okay, good temperatures, but boring. The waterway had gotten a little monotonous. About 2:00 pm we shut her down and dropped the hook in a little creek away from everything. We went fishing, relaxed, had a few coolies. I practiced my guitar, and made apple crisp in cupcake papers. It was a nice evening.

The next morning dawned early. In fact we are starting to get up before the sun, and going to bed shortly after it goes down. I guess the move to cruiser life has finally been accomplished. Apparently midnight in the cruiser world comes at 9:00 pm. Appropriately  called, “Cruiser Midnight”. We laughed at this statement when we first started out, and now it makes perfect sense. Even Serena, “the night owl”, has succumbed to the new hours the lifestyle seems to require. She is still not a morning person though.

Floating weeds everywhere. I am sure they have a name and an explaination, but since we haven't had wifi much lately, I haven't looked it up. We had to be careful though, because sometimes the clumps were hiding sticks, logs, and trees.

We passed right by Georgetown on Sunday, as mentioned above, and kept right on going down the ICW. It was so tempting to just head out the inlet into the Atlantic Ocean, and just keep going. But, as I mentioned before, we are determined to see the ICW all the way until we jump to the Bahamas; once.

We dropped the hook in a cute little creek just out of one of the main channels that the shrimp boats use. It was low tide, and just the right time to try casting a net for shrimp. I had an oil change to do, but all work and no play makes Robby a dull boy. So, where’s the net. The water was too deep for our little net, so we extended the rope 6 feet to make sure we were hitting the bottom. I caught my first shrimp, and so did Serena. She was a natural, netting her first shrimp on her 2nd throw. Maybe I’m just a really good teacher, right? If I hadn’t had the oil change to do on the engine and transmission, I would have dropped the dinghy and spent some time hitting the shallower areas. Oh well, into every cruisers life a little maintenance must fall, especially when the oil change is overdue. The manufacture recommends an oil change every 100 hrs. That’s about once a month for us right now. It also recommends only changing the filter every third oil change. Now, I’m old school, and believe that the filter should be changed at every oil change. But holy crap, that’s a lot of filters. So, for the first time I am stepping out of my comfort zone, and leaving the filter on. But I think I’ll change it every 200 hours, instead of the 300 hours recommended. Old habits die hard.

Ahhh, there is nothing quite like the sound of an engine after a fresh oil change. Most people don’t notice, but there a very distinct sound difference, and the engine seems to run smoother. I love that. Maybe I should have been a mechanic? Oh wait, I’m a budget cruiser, so therefore, I am…

The two little shrimp jumped right out of the pot as I let them go. It didn't seem right to steam only two.

The following day we upped the anchor early again, and headed out. I remember saying a long time ago that we were not going to be in a rush, travel maybe 4 or 5 hours a day, take lots of days off, etc… Not like those other cruisers who get up with the sun every morning, travel all day, and do the same thing the next day. Wait, that sounds familiar! When you want to make miles, and there really isn’t anything better to do, because of weather or attitude, then why not, make tracks. 33 ½ hours in 4 days. 

Neat how the water flowing out of two rivers are separated by colour coming through Charleston harbour.

In the land of spanish moss. We have also started into the areas where palm trees grow wild. It should be warmer, right?

We stopped on the other side of Charleston, then in Beaufort, just for the nights. Leaving Beaufort we jumped the gun a little, seeing as the bridge didn't open for another 45 min, and we were anchored right beside it. But, as luck would have it, there was a tug boat pushing a barge coming down the river, and the bridges always open for commercial traffic. A little radio call and the bridge operator let ourselves and one other cruiser, who was on the ball, pass through with the barge; 20 mins early. Last night we stopped in the middle of nowhere, SC. Luckily the CBP officer I talked to was really good about not having a town name to give him, and we had a little chuckle about it. I guess that's just how my luck goes, the best customs call in happens to be the last.

Great night, the wind howled like mad, and 8 foot tide shoving us all over the place as it fought with the wind, and I slept like a rock. At least until 5:00 am. I am slowly gaining faith in our anchor set up. It hasn't failed us yet, so cross fingers, knock on wood.

Off to Georgia.

Clams, New Batteries, and a Few More Miles South

The weather was bad the second night we stayed in Southport, NC, but not as bad as I expected. Biggest issue was cold. We met up with some friends who had to bang the ice off of their hatches just so they could get out of the boat. We just slept in an extra hour, and let the sun burn off "some" of the ice. But it was a cold day to travel. There were very few boats on the waterway, just the odd crazy Canadian.

We had heard from our friend Fred, of a great anchorage where we could pick clams at low tide. Never having picked clams, or even eaten them, we figured that might be a neat spot to try for a couple of days. It was great anchorage, and we had a great time there. Even if it was a little chilly in the cabin the first day we woke up.

Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words. Time 5:54am, Temperature in the cabin, 6.5 deg C., Temperature in the fridge, 0.3 deg C. Apparently the outside temperature was 23 deg F., which is somewhere around -3 deg C.

I got a chance to try casting my new casting net for shrimp. Apparently there are shrimp in this creek sometimes, but I didn't find any. I was more interested in actually learning how to throw it than catching anything. I got pretty good at it after I figured out how to actually do it. Next time we find a creek with some shrimp in it, Daddy's gonna eat good.

Low tide happened around lunch, so we dinghied to the beach to try our hand at clamming. I had read somewhere that if you walk along the mud, you scare them and they spit out water. It works, and in a very short time we had a bag full.

Serena had a feeling that she should wear her rain pants, just in case. Good call. And yes I did leave her stranded while I took the picture, but I helped her up afterward.

Our bounty.

But then they had to be set in the water, in a net, overnight. Rinsed with fresh water for a couple of hours, then scrubbed clean with a brush. Then steamed. We ended up setting all but 6 free, as they seemed so big, that we couldn't possibly eat all of them. Yeah sure, in the shell they are huge, steamed and out of the shell they are the size of quarters.

Ready to eat, but I was folding laundry, and by the time I got back they were cold. We tried a little bit, but cold clams, are yucky. Next time we'll include them with a meal. Unfortunately I don't think this qualifies as having eaten clams, so we are still clam eating virgins.

Yesterday we made the short trip to the marina where we had arranged to pick up our new batteries. The gentlemen had asked that I not tell anyone about the transaction, because he gave us the batteries at wholesale, so no details, but holy crap were they cheap. We really lucked out on that one. And, low and behold, this morning the batteries are still showing a strong voltage.

We took the opportunity to stock up on everything. It had been 9 days since we had been to a grocery store. Fuel, a pump out, water, showers, laundry, everything. We'll be good for a week at least.

Saw this on the way. While we were at the anchorage, this bad boy would make the trip out to the ocean for a few hours, and then make its way back in. Portable casino, I can think of a few people I know who would love this.

Today we head further south. I looked at the map, and we are well over half way now, but there is still a long way to go before we hit the crystal clear waters of the Bahamas.

Where did the name Vita come from?

Our friend Rob Byers, from our yacht club asked us a few days ago, "where did the name Vita come from?". Him and a hundred other people in the last few months. So I thought I would explain myself for the masses, or the few people who casually read the blog, anyway. I am afraid that it is not as exciting a story as some, so I apologize right away, but here goes.

We had to change her name, because we were leaving the country, and it was recommended countless times to registered the boat, and her old name was already taken in the registry.

Criteria for a boat name!

1. The name must be short.
2. The name must be easy to say on the radio, both verbally and phonetically.
3. The name should be somewhat distinctive, but not so much as people couldn't pronounce it.
4. It can't already be registered in Canada; and
5. Most importantly, it must mean something to us.

It really took years to come up with the name, believe it or not. I had chosen the name long before we owned the boat. Then after we got the boat I juggled a few different names around in my head, but always came back to Vita.

"Vita", is Italian, it means, "life". That's all. There is nothing exciting, no famous reference, nothing, just "life". If for no other reason than without it, nothing else is possible, happiness, freedom, love, adventure, sadness, joy, misery, or contentment, nothing.

How'd we do?

1. Four letters is short.
2. Vita; victor, India, tango, alpha; pretty easy to say.
3. Vita, pronounced "veeta", has only been misspoken by one person so far.
4. It wasn't in the registry.
5. As above, "life" is very important to us. So why not call the boat "life"? It fits the criteria, but does not sound so good on the radio, say it three times fast, and spell it phonetically. Plus, after my tour in northern Italy back in 2000, I gained an appreciation for European culture that needed to be expressed.

So there you are. Where did the name "Vita" come from. Told you it wasn't all that exciting. But to us she is the vessel from which we have been given the ability to "live life", instead of just watching it.

Now back to your regular blogging....................

The old Hateras boat-building facility was very quiet. A couple of fisherman dropped in to make sure we weren't planning to leave before morning, so that they could put a net across the opening. They offered us a couple of free fish, but dinner was already cooked, it was late, and I didn't really feel like cleaning them at the point.

The morning dawned very early, as we were still in get south mode. We did our checks, made coffee and started the engine, just as a pod of dolphins decided to enter into the little bay for a visit. So Serena took some video and had a little chat with them, while I pulled the anchor. We see dolphins everyday now, and they seem so friendly, I am surprised Serena hasn't tried to take one as a pet. Anyway, the show must go on, so we headed out of the bay so slow that the slugs on the shore where beating us to the mark. The tide had taken away all the water, and as it turned out, there was just enough to float Vita out into the channel, and I mean "just enough". Most boats wouldn't be able to get in there at high tide let alone low tide. We love shallow draft.

The day was uneventful, other than waiting for bridges, and fighting a current the whole way. So, at 14:00 when we realized we weren't going to make Wrightsville Beach before dark, we pulled into a great little anchorage near Surf City. We spent the afternoon doing some chores and relaxing in the cockpit. I checked the batteries after attempting to equalize them with the solar panels. Bad news, our house batteries are toast. When we cooked them dry back in July, they did not survive as we had hoped. One of them has a completely dead cell, and the other two, while still good, are on borrowed time. So much for November's budget.

Yep, its pink. And you probably can't afford it anyway.

Ever wonder where the pelicans go in winter.

The galley slave has triumphed yet again. Banana nut bread with fresh pecans picked in Bath, NC. Yum...

This little island had a bunch of goats on it, but it wasn't goat island. In fact I can't remember, but I think it had a bird name. Guess the goats came later.

They are so pretty, its too bad they hurt.

Ahhhh, another beautiful sunset. After awhile you start to take them for granted.

Everyone I know has taken a picture of this stupid giraffe on their trip south, so what the hell, here it is again.

And this young princess is quite the piece of work.

We drove by this inlet from the ocean. It is not one that you can take a boat out of. Bet you can't guess why. Doesn't look so hospitable, does it?

So batteries toast, and the water pump leaking. Yep forgot that, but I tore it apart and it seems okay. Put it back together and the leaking stopped. I think I will order a rebuild kit, just in case. But, our dash south was running into some road blocks. Oh yeah, then there is the gale and freezing temperatures that are coming tonight. Some days it just feels like someone is trying to tell us something. 

We stopped in Southport, NC. We took advantage of a free dock at the Provision Co restaurant, the first night, and then moved to the town dock for today, also free. We got some chores done on the boat, walked around town, and had lunch at a local greasy spoon, but was it good. We wanted to be stationary for the storm blowing through tonight, if we could. Tomorrow we will move further down the way. Our friend Fred told us about a great place to collect clams, so we are going to give that a shot for a couple of days, and then we have to hit a marina where we get our new batteries. After than we have no idea. In fact this is the most days in a row we have planned since we left. Normally we figure out what the plan for tomorrow is, tonight, and sometimes even that changes.

But that's cruising.

The Dash for Warmer Weather

We had a great time hanging out with our new friends from mv Northstar, and sv Anthyllide, and if it were warmer, we may still be following them around enjoying their company, but we're freezing!

We left Little Washington, NC late, as it had been raining all morning, we needed a pump out, diesel, and wanted to take advantage of that free shower just one more time. We decided in the morning that we were only going to go as far as Bath, stay at their free dock one night, and make the trip to Oriental the following day. We had used up our 48 hrs in Washington, but we were still aloud another night in Bath. That would also put us 3 hours closer to Oriental, so that we could actually make it there before sun down. It was a nice quiet night, and we never even left the boat. Dinner, dishes, and bed, up at 05:45,,,,

Our intention was to meet up with our friend Fred, and Wally in Oriental, but Serena was feeling under the weather, and I was freezing under my several layers of cloths, so we made the executive decision to make some miles south, as quick as we can. We'll stop and smell the roses when we can wear shorts.

Does this look like a guy who is enjoying the balmy weather?

Shirt, fleece sweater, foul weather gear(top and bottom), toque, gloves, socks and shoes, and I still couldn't get warm.

Anthyllide had hung behind a day trying to get their heater hooked up. (smart people), but we were making tracks hoping to meet up again in Beaufort NC. But with the weather threatening to turn us into popsicles, we sailed right on by Oriental, dropping our hook further down the ICW in Cedar Creek. Theory being that we would be that much further along the next day. And now with our renewed desire to move south, we would only see Beaufort in the distance as we rounded the corner at Morehead City and kept on going.

We woke to nasty cold temperatures, and a thick fog. Back below, and give the sun a half hour to burn off the fog a little. Using our chart plotter and depth sounder we managed to stay in the channel until the rest of the fog lifted, and we were only about 30 minutes behind schedule. That just meant 30 more minutes we had to fight the current when we got close to the coast. It was an uneventful day, filled with fishermen wizzing by, dolphins, and trying to keep Vita in the narrow channel across the Bogue Sound. We looked at all the anchorages suggested by the various guides, and after trying our choice spot, only to find out that we were too deep to get in, we settled into the old Hateras plant just before the Camp LeJeune firing range. Even in here I am not sure we will be able to get out at low tide tomorrow morning. After leaving the bays and sounds north of here, where finding an anchorage was as easy as dropping your hook, this area is looking less appealing. Tomorrow we will make tracks again, trying for Wrightsville Beach. I am not sure if we are going to stay there for a day or two, or not. Most of our friends are south of there already. Anthyllide will go out into the Atlantic for a bit, and our friend Fred is taking his time waiting for parts, but he has a heater, in fact two of them, if I recall.

Where's the channel?

The pictures are horrible, stolen from a video, but we are now in dophin territory. We first got a glimpse as we entered into the Neuse river yesterday, but it was quick, and then we didn't see them again, the rest of the day. Today they showed up all over the place. Serena was watching them play in the bow wake for awhile, but the camera wouldn't play nice with her, so she didn't manage to get any video of it. Something tells me there will be many more chances.

That's it, on the run. Mile 235 of the ICW, just another 853 miles to Miami. When we find that spot, the one we just can't bare to leave, we'll stop awhile, until then, "There's a voice that keeps on callin' me.........

October 2013 Recap

When I started this whole blog, the premise was that I would be passing on my knowledge and experience, (or lack of), to others behind me. I did this because so many people have done the same for me over the years. I know that what they have taught me through their books, their notes, their magazine articles, and their blogs, has been invaluable, and without their stories, we may have never embarked on this adventure at all. So, I am going to try to do a recap of each month covering concerns, budget, and things I learned that I wish I had known before I started, so that someone contemplating making the jump can perhaps learn something useful from it.

Dates: Oct 1-31, 2013

Chesapeake Bay - Magothy River - Rhode River - Solomon Island - Tangier - Deltaville - Norfolk - Portsmouth - The Dismal Swamp - Elizabeth City, NC.

Sailing: 20.5 hrs

Motoring: 42 hrs (includes motor-sailing)

Budget Amount:      $1590.00 US (All budgeting is in US funds)

Charts/Books:              $99.00     

Boat Parts:               $1060.00     

Marinas:                       $25.00

Diesel:                          $89.00

Beer:                          $210.00

Grocery:                     $643.00

Restaurant:                 $263.00

Fees/Services:              $89.00     (pump-outs, laundry, wifi, taxis, etc...)

Clothing/Shopping      $708.00

Misc:                            $50.00     (Propane, new cell phone, etc...)

Total:                      $3236.00

Debit/Credit:          -$1646.00

Ouch, and I thought the previous month was bad. We used up more than 2 months budget in October, and two weeks of that was living pretty cheap. You can see we only spent one night in a marina, at Tangier Island, because you can't anchor there, and our diesel bill was low. However, we blew a pile of cash at the boat show. Most of it on the sail kit for the dingy, $750.00, and our foul weather gear, at $443.00. November should be within budget as long as we don't get too silly, but we are not likely to save the amount we have been over so far on this trip, even in the next year. That is why we left with a $20K slush fund. Its money that we can use at our discretion that is not part of the budget, or savings. In most normal peoples lives it would be mad money, but for us it is to cover all the capitol expenditures that we didn't think of, or budget for. Ideally this money would still be in the bank when we swallow the anchor and move back to land, but who knows, and that's the point.

Things We Learned

1. 10 lbs of propane does not last us 3 months like we originally thought, it lasts half that long, 6 weeks. 

2. I'm a fool. Ohh please, like everybody knew that.... No seriously. I knew that rushing the refit, and getting out cruising quickly, came at cost, but I didn't realize how much. Patience is the key to an inexpensive boat, and voyage. Canada is not a good place to ready a boat for cruising. Leave long before the boat is ready, and finish the job in the US. Virginia has some of the cheapest boat yards, and access to a plethora of inexpensive boat parts, anywhere.

3. We know nothing about living inexpensively. Everything we thought we knew is so insignificant compared to the knowledge held by those living the cheap voyaging lifestyle, that it is barely worth talking about. The only way to learn how to live cheap on a boat, is to get out here and try to live cheap on a boat. And, really try. We have made so many newbie mistakes it isn't funny, but we are learning.

4. All the jobs and gadgets we thought we needed, but didn't seem to get installed before we left, have lost their importance. Lazyjacks, a shower sump, etc... And new projects have taken their place. Just goes to show that its hard to anticipate how you are going to live before you do it. I did mention we were learning right?

5. I know that there are many methods of accomplishing a task, and it is each persons responsibility to find out the method that works for them. What works for me may not work for someone else, but more importantly, what doesn't work for me, may be exactly the way the next guy needs to do it. And this has taken on more relevance as we cruise. Like teenagers who know everything, we are humbled when our world expands beyond our knowledge base.

That's it for this month. Next month I will try and do this again. The format may change a little as I go, because this is new. If anyone reading the blog would like to see anything in particular, let me know, I may be able to squeeze it in, especially if it seems like good info to pass on.

Now back to your regular blogging........

Little Washington, North Carolina, the hidden gem.....

What a gorgeous little town, and hidden 33 miles up the Pamlico River from the usual north-south ICW migration. Which means, its off season, off the beaten path, and quiet. Exactly the kind of place we are finding we are attracted to. Mind you, there is a free dock, (we like free), a SuperWalmart (we like cheap), and free wifi, (I think we went over this one, freeeee).

Anyway, we enjoyed a wonderful day at Bath, North Carolina, before getting here. We walked around the small town with our friend Fred, picked pecans all over the place, and finally settled down with everyone on Fred's boat for snacks, refreshments, and a round of stories. Tuesday before we left, we visited the visitors center to see their video on the area, check out some of the historical information on the town, and pick some more pecans. Or at least until they asked us not to pick anymore, oops, sorry.

World, this is everyone. From left to right, Scott, Kim, Fred, and the cute guy with the beard is me, now apparently the "polar bear". Long story, but I think maybe a rotund Canadian reference may be involved. We have had a blast hanging out with these guys for the past week, unfortunately tomorrow it looks like we will be parting ways for a few days. Hopefully we'll meet up again real soon. Absent of course is Serena who graciously volunteered to take the picture, or be omitted from it, rather.

We shared the dock with a few of these guys. 6" in diameter, and over 2 feet long, apparently they have a pretty nasty sting. I didn't touch them to find out.

Bath, NC is famous for being the place where Blackbeard the pirate settled down after his pardon. I guess he got bored with town life, returned to pirating, and was eventually hunted down and killed. Its not easy being the bad guy.

Okay, pecans. They are everywhere. Mostly on peoples lawns, but if they don't shoo you away, its okay, right? We ended up with close to a bushel, I think, and man are they good. Fresh pecans. Score.

Here is the first batch. Then we went back for more. Yummy.

Serena and I let Ray (the autopilot) sail the boat from Bath to Washington on Tuesday, while we spent 3 hours shelling pecans. We got two sandwich containers filled, and we aren't even half done.

Makes a mess of the cockpit though. Shells everywhere. And who knew, if you squeeze two nuts together, one of them will crack. No mechanical apparatus required. Thanks for the tip Fred.

We got a cute picture of Fred and his Nordic Tug as they passed us on the way up to Washington. It is such a gorgeous boat, and she has a great Captain.

It only took us 4 hours to get to Washington. A nice quiet sail. And the rumors were true, they have showers, free showers, and free docks. But very expensive laundry. Plus, as a bonus, they have free showers, I mentioned the showers right! With hot water and everything. Just making sure you got that.

It is shocking how something simple and insignificant in normal land based life can take on such praise in the cruising life. Free hot shower. Just typing it gives me goose bumps.

Today we walked the town, tried out a local Italian restaurant, ($12 including tip for two of us). Toured the historic district, visited with lots of the locals, and did a big shopping at the Super Walmart. It was another great day of adventure, and hanging out with our cruising friends. We really wish we weren't leaving tomorrow, but we only get 48 hrs free on the dock, and we probably should be moving along. I think we could spent a lot more time here, but there are so many other places we want to see, and we can't do that without moving along.

Onwards and upwards. Or in this case, onwards and southwards. 

Another 6 days....

I am afraid that I can't keep apologizing for having posts so far apart, when I keep doing it. So from now on, they get posted when they get posted, sorry..... Sometimes lack of wifi is an issue, and sometimes we are just having too much fun, and its hard to apologize for that, because one is out of our control, and the other is the reason we went cruising in the first place.

So it is officially Xmas season in the Cole household, or aboard Vita, which every you prefer. Serena finally found the perfect tree for the boat, on Halloween; just in time. It didn't take a lot of effort to decorate, but it did make us a little homesick. Being away from family during the holidays is hard, but as in all good things in life, there must be some sacrifice, for without it, there can be no gain. Woosh, sounds like military talk..... I'm sorry, I was brainwashed for 21 years, and its hard to make that go away.

Merry Christmas Everyone......

So, way back, Oct 30th, we reluctantly left the visitors dock on the Dismal Swamp. Its was just such a nice hangout, and the only people there, were like minded cruisers and the odd person who stopped by on their way down the highway. It was like cruiser camp, with new kids coming everyday.

Waiting for the bridge at the end of the Dismal Swamp, our new friend Fred ahead of us in his Nordic Tug. This is the boat we want when sailing no longer works for us. We'd take Fred too, he's a great guy.

The lock leaving the Dismal. There was 7 of us for the ride down.  

Exiting the lock and heading out of the Dismal. Convoy.....

There were a few behind us too. But they passed, all except our friends on Anthyllide who generally take up the rear. Or at least they did until they met us.

Here is a picture Anthyllide by herself. A French built aluminum hulled cruiser, which in my humble opinion is one of the most perfect cruising designs I have ever seen. Don't tell Vita, she may get jealous. As a bonus, she has tanbark sails, I love tanbark sails.... So shippy.

We only went as far as Goat Island, a secluded little spot in the middle of nowhere between the Dismal Swamp and Elizabeth City. We were in need of some quiet time, and a cockpit shower. But it was absolutely beautiful, we were the only ones there.

How can you beat waking up to this. 

The next day, Thursday I think, days get so jumbled up when you are out here. We stumbled into Elizabeth City to join the rest of the crew already there. I shouldn't say this, and I told myself that I would never tell a soul, but when one messes up, one should regale the world with the tale, so that those who follow do not suffer the same ills. Or perhaps some words of learned advice will do. When one leaves the anchor dangling in the water to wash off the mud, an hour and a half of motoring along is far more than needed, a minute or two will suffice. But damn that anchor was clean, you could have eaten off of it.

The first day in Elizabeth City was foraging day. We made two treks to the grocery store, a mile and a half away, hauling back beer, water, pop, and of course food. A trek to the laundry to do two loads, and we went into almost every store on the main drag, scouting. I waited until the next day to get diesel, cause we were beat.

The following day we relaxed a little, visited with all the cruisers, the locals, the passers by, and of course Gus, a fixture on the docks. Serena even got him to dance for her, showing off his new hip. It will be a sad day for Elizabeth City and for the cruisers that move through here, when Gus no longer walks these paths. May you live forever my friend.

Elizabeth City threw us their wine and cheese party on day two. It is essentially a sales pitch for the city, but after providing free 48 hour docking, with facilities close enough to reprovision, there is no real need, cruisers will come anyway. It is a nice gesture, and a good tradition, if only that it lets us know we are welcome. We spent a lot of money there, so it must be working.

Afterwards we joined our new friends, Fred, Brian & Anne, Kim & Scott, for the Art walk. Now this is like cruiser heaven. Free food, free drinks, and they welcomed us with open arms. They're nuts, but we love them anyway. We had an awesome time wandering through the different shops involved in the walk. Of course the camaraderie of our cruising friends, full tummies, and dizzy heads, made it all the better.

The next day, early morning it was time to leave. We`d used up our 48 hrs, and the winds were right for a sail across the Abermarle Sound. We had lolly-gagged enough, it was time to make a few miles. 

We finally got some pictures of Vita under sail, thanks to our new friends Kim and Scott.

We were told later that evening by some people we met on a large Wharram Catermaran that we had the perfect boat, and never to let her go. Anne of Peace had been a solo Trans-Atlantic racer for years until she started cruising with her partner, they`ve been out for 30 years now, and her words were high praise that we are not likely to forget. Later in the evening after anchoring at the mouth of the Alligator Pungo Canal, we joined Fred, Scott and Kim aboard Anthyllide for an impromptu dinner and sundowners. Apparently Serena and I are a bit of a sad pair, but we have now eaten bean burritos, and thoroughly enjoyed them, thanks guys.

The next day, Sunday, I checked the calendar. We joined the rather large group of snowbirds headed down the Alligator Pungo Canal. Our intent was to try and make Bath, a 60 mile run, before sundown. It was a pretty ambitious goal considering our speed, and the lack of daylight this time of year.

Snowbirds don`t always fly, or drive, but they do show up in flocks non-the-less.

It was a great day to sail, this is a C&C 30 in front of us, the wind was good.

Vita crooked; it doesn`t look too bad in the photos, but we had the rail in the water for the first time. I used to say that if you have the toe rail in the water on a Bayfield, your sailing her wrong, and its still true, we probably should have put a reef in the mainsail, but we were averaging over 6 knots, and who wants to screw that up. Woohoo, what a ride.

When ever Vita heals too much, the cases of water come out of hiding. If they do that while someone is in the bathroom, we have to send in a rescue party.

When healed over enough, you find new ways to brace yourself. Believe it or not, this was comfortable.

Not serious, not mature, just riding on the edge, and not foolish enough to smile at the camera. Pretty salty pic though, wearing foul weather gear and gloves, glued to the wheel of a sailboat flying over a raging sea. Or, it could be that I was freezing my arse off, and the Ray (the autopilot), couldn`t hold the course if his life depended on it.

We made it Bath, North Carolina, with 30 mins to spare before sundown. 10 hrs on the water, 60 nautical miles. A new record for us, and not one we are likely to challenge soon. Vita was a trooper, a wonderful sailing home, we are happy to have her. 

Today we`ll relax, fix the odd thing, check out the little town of Bath, and rest up before we head the short 16 miles to Washington, NC tomorrow, where, it is reported, they have free showers. And all the stores needed to reprovision. Sounds like cruiser nirvana.