April 27-29 -- River Dunes to Anchorage at South End of Alligator-Pungo Canal to Coinjock NC to Portsmouth VA -- 50.2, 65.8 and 42 Miles

Avid readers will note that since Beaufort NC we have been following the same inside route we did coming north in 2012 -- staying at the same spots.

The first day we got a late start, at 11:15, because we were trying to figure out where we were going to try to finally stop the intermittent rattle in the propeller shaft. Intermittent problems are the most pesky to figure out. A man on a neighboring boat at River Dunes suggested, he was "pretty sure," that the problem was a bad motor mount -- the rubber buffered mountings, one in each corner, through which the engine is attached to the boat. I doubted this. We consulted with Deaton's, right here in Oriental (where Witty went missing last fall) but they are full up and could do it only if we were to wait a week. Yacht repair is a good business, at least in the busy season.
So we got underway and made arrangements for Gaston, a well respected mechanic at Tidewater Yacht Basin, a respected yard, up the road, in Portsmouth VA, to take a look when we get there. The wind was from the NW and we were headed NW, but we were able to motorsail with the small jib because most of our courses were far enough to the north or west. We dropped the hook at 6:30 in the Pungo-Alligator anchorage, with one other boat in this huge area, on sixty feet of snubbed chain in 11 feet of water, with lots of distance from the other boat, a large Beneteau. It was a lot warmer, though still cool out on the water. But in the evening we took cockpit showers. A quiet night in total privacy featuring  home cooked Tandoori Chicken.

The second leg was the longest, 7:15 to 6:15, made a bit longer by another early morning mistake. I think I hit a crab trap float. We were able to shake its line off the rudder. We motored most of the day at high speed, 2500 rpms.  Our route that day: from the end of the Pungo River, through 20 miles of the Alligator-Pungo Canal and then down the narrow channel of the wide Alligator River,

across the open water of Albemarle Sound and up the Coinjock River to Coinjock. Again we were able to motor sail, this time with small jib and double reefed main, and needed all the speed we could get to make the miles before dark. We made speeds of up to 7.8 knots. It would have been a pleasure to have sailed across Albemarle Sound without the engine, but when you have to go almost 66 miles, you do not have time for this luxury. So take a longer cruise next time? Longer than eight months? Not likely! It was cold out there, but did not chill our spirits. After two days, with 18 engine hours, we refilled, taking only 14 gallons; so we got .77 hours per gallon  -- motoring at high speed.

Tied up right in front of us (they put the boats close together to get more of them onto their single long face dock) was a large 47 foot  Beneteau, s/v "Peaceful Loving Feeling", after an Eagles song. The name was familiar to  me from the VHF radio, and the boat looked like it might have been the one at our anchorage last night, though its aspect there had prevented my seeing its name. By chance we sat next to Bob and Marilyn, its owners, at the restaurant. After dinner we toured each other's boats and exchanged boat cards. S/v PLF is very roomy inside and out, with enclosed cockpit, TV, generator and everything that Lene covets. Bob has known our mechanic, Gastone, for years and put in a good word for him to us and told us to mention him to Gastone. Lene and I shared the 32 oz. prime rib, the specialty of the house at Coinjock. After eleven hours underway, we had another good night's sleep.
The third leg of this three day dash was the shortest and involved attempting to time the openings of several bridges and one lock. It lowered us but only about two feet. We were rather fortunate to waste only about half an hour waiting at all the barriers, and were underway from 6:30 to 2. Again the early morning curse. After s/v Peaceful Loving Feeling pulled out, we were pulled aft a bit by the staff of a 110 foot power boat, m/v "Cedar Island" docked just right in front of us, but grazed the port quarter of her painted swim platform with the starboard side of our boat on the way out. We should have been pulled further aft. We went back to leave our information but it looks like no damage was done to either boat. Lene's confidence was shaken by this incident, however, so I took over, at the shallowest part, before I had gotten oriented. I ran us into the mud again, though we backed off rather easily. Thus the early morning curse continues. The water in these rivers is remarkably brown. I'm told it's from tannin in the needles of the pine forests. You can see it in this paddlewheeler's wake.

The scenery changed from primeval looking bucolic deep but narrow twisting creeks in North Carolina

to the industrial and commercial feel of the wide and very deep Elizabeth River in the big port of Norfolk.

We saw the USS Eisenhower too, in for repairs.

After tying on at the Tidewater Yacht Basin and checking in, we looked for Gaston and made arrangements for him to align us the next morning.

All three days shared rather deep water and the good behavior of our propeller shaft. To make one bridge we ran at 2800 rpms for about half an hour. Diesels like to run fast but I have never run ours that fast for that long.
Then it was "date night" in Portsmouth. Dinner at the same "50's-ish" place we enjoyed in 2012, with $9.95 two-course dinners on the early bird menu.

 We guess they figured that seniors are drawn to the early bird and have small appetites; the portions were small but good.






And we saw "Woman In Gold" about the law suit needed to procure the return from Austria to its rightful owner of Klimpt's famous painting, "Adele", stolen by the Nazi's. This was at the lovingly refurbished Art Deco style Commodore Theater a block down the main drag, High Street. Helen Mirren was great.

We've made a lot of miles since Florida and are now ready to enjoy the Chesapeake.