Monthly Archives: May 2021

Albemarle Plantation – Hertford, NC – Sunday, 5/9

Last night was a beautiful sunset and calm remained throughout the night and into the morning around Edenton Bay. Our new friends Ann & Steve (“Hallelujah”) had told us they would be leaving early as they had a long way to go (past Elizabeth City) and travel slower than we do.  So it was no surprise that they were pulling out at 7:00 am and Denise went out to say good-bye.  We hope to see them again up on the Chesapeake Bay, or some other time cruising.

Once they left, Denise went for a short walk around the marina.  For the first time in 2 days she had a chance to go to the restored Roanoke River Lighthouse without anyone else being there. 

We knew the wind would be picking up as the morning went on, however our journey today was going to be short; it is only 20 miles to the Albemarle Plantation (AP), our next stop on the Albemarle Loop.  Since this should take only about an hour and the marina there does not open until 9:00 am, Captain Mark was in no hurry to get underway.

Finally, just after 8:00 we left the town of Edenton and headed out into the bay.  It was mostly calm, but we had noticed the wind had actually picked up a little in the last hour.  We turned into the Albemarle Sound (AS) and headed east, with the wind and waves on our nose.  The forecast called for 1 foot waves, but we noticed they were already 1 to 2 feet and were thankful that we didn’t have far to go.  By the time we got to the Albemarle Sound Bridge, we were seeing waves of 2 feet consistently and Denise was wishing we would have left at 7:00 with “Hallelujah”.  After all we could have tied up to the fuel dock at AP if we arrived before they opened; we were going there anyway.

Once we got through the AS Bridge we tried to head directly to the entrance of the Yeopim Creek, but that put the waves on the side of the boat, causing a rolling action. This was most uncomfortable and so we headed in a slightly more eastern direction hoping the piece of land that jets out into the Sound at Harvey Point would help block the waves. However, it was too far off and so we had to slow the boat down a bit.  We were seeing some waves as big as 3 feet before we could actually make a left turn into the creek and the very narrow channel.  The Captain did an awesome job of driving through this slim entrance without hitting either mark, all the while getting pummeled by waves which wanted to take the boat in a different direction.  We were very happy when we arrived at the fuel dock and we were greeted by JE Darnell, the Dockmaster.  Here we filled up our tank with the cheapest diesel around, and pumped out our holding tank before moving to our slip.

All the while this was going on this morning, Denise was in contact with Karen, new friends on “Island Girl” whom we met in Beaufort, NC.  They were leaving the AP and were trying to decide which route to take north: Dismal Swamp or Virginia Cut.  Their biggest concern was Monday’s weather if they took the VA cut as you have to cross Currituck Sound; another large and shallow body of water that causes big choppy waves.  During the text messages back and forth they reported getting rocked by significant waves and chop, and they were further east than we were, not having to deal with the stack up as the waves build heading west across the Sound.  We were grateful we were now in port and not trying to go all the way to the North River (another 2 hours).

Once we settled the boat, JE (Dockmaster) showed us the golf cart we get to use while here.  He then gave us a short tour of where things were located (restrooms, laundry, ice machine, barbeque grill, etc.).  He also gave us a welcome packet that included the 2021 Albemarle Loop Brochure (we had an outdated one), a map of the area, menu for the dockside restaurant, discount card, disposable wet wipes, a travel kit, and other brochures about things to do in the area.  We truly felt welcome!  We then took the cart and drove around to some of the key places in the Plantation so we could get our bearings.

The AP is a large development area that has single family homes, town homes, condominiums and a golf course that runs throughout.  In many ways it reminds us of the Deercreek Country Club where we lived when in Jacksonville, or Killearn Estates in Tallahassee where Denise’s sister lived. 

We drove by the pool area and Clubhouse, both of which overlook the Albemarle Sound. There are lots of established trees and nicely landscaped areas, as well as natural habitats for wildlife, especially various types of birds. 

Also near the marina is the Dockside Café, a casual eating establishment with a wood fire oven, and has indoor and outdoor dining on either the deck or screened porch.  Next door is the Osprey Yacht Club, a small but nicely decorated club with comfortable seating and a small kitchen area.

After our quick tour of this small part of the grounds, we went back to the boat to do a few chores. The most important one was trying to figure out the source of dripping water from the front windshield. Although not a big leak, it is a nuisance and we need to figure it out sooner rather than later.  After about 10 minutes we were able to deduce it is coming from the windshield wiper washer and Mark felt it was easily fixed.  It is now on his “honey-do” list.

After lunch Mark washed the boat which was very filthy. This was the first real chance he has had to remove the salt and remaining bugs since before Belhaven.  Denise worked on cataloging pictures and started working on the last blog, but quickly got frustrated with the slow internet.  Karen on “Island Girl” had warned us about this, but usually we can use our hotspot if a marina does not have a good Wi-Fi signal.  However, the AP is in a pretty remote part of NC and even the AT&T cell signal is not strong here.

We also made several short and intermittent cell calls to family and friends. It was Mother’s Day and although we talk to Mark’s mom almost every day, we wanted to let her know we love her, appreciate her, and miss her. Denise did find the picnic table by the fuel dock was a good location to talk, but it was in the sun and she got a bit of a sunburn while chatting with her sister.  Eventually she moved to sit in the golf cart on the dock near the boat so she could have some shade.  While sitting there she was approached by a couple in a golf cart who looked vaguely familiar. They saw our boat, recognized us, and re-introduced themselves:  Sherri & “Sax” (“Red Eagle”).

We first met Sherri & Sax in Norfolk in 2015 during our Great Loop adventure, then saw them again in Green Turtle Bay, KY that fall.  Sherri and Denise were doing laundry together then, but as this location was a very popular spot on the Loop, and we met many people the week we were there, she forgot their first encounter.  Fast forward to 2017 when we were at White House Cove Marina in Poquoson, VA, we saw their boat in the covered docks, but did not see them.  In 2019 when we did the Down East Loop we saw their frequent Active Captain reviews in places along the way as they had done it (DE Loop) the prior year.  On our return south down the Chesapeake we again stayed in Poquoson and saw their boat, but this time we left a note on it hoping to connect while we were there. Unfortunately, we missed them and had lost touch…..until today.  And here they were on a short Albemarle Loop trip themselves, staying on “B” dock (we are on “C”). It never ceases to amaze us how small the cruising community really is.

We chatted awhile and discussed plans, including a must-stay in Edenton and how they have guests arriving tomorrow to join them for a few days.  We had decided to get a pizza at the Dockside Café and asked if they wanted to join us for dinner there, but they had eaten there for lunch and declined.  We agreed to touch base tomorrow, depending on weather and discuss our future travel plans then.

The wind began picking up and now shifted from the southwest; this was the worst possible exposure for us as it meant coming right up the Yeopim Creek, rocking all the boats around us.  Our only salvation was that there was a very large Nordhavn yacht that was blocking the majority of the wind for us.  However, the waves and churned up water still made it quite bouncy.

We took the cart to the Dockside café and ordered pizza for dinner. But this small café is growing in popularity and they were getting more orders (pick-up) and dine-in then they could handle. We had to wait a good 45 minutes for our meal and but it was good and we were not in a hurry to get back to the bouncy boat.  While we were waiting, two women approached us to say hello. They had seen us in Edenton on Saturday night at St. Anne’s Catholic Church and they wanted to welcome us to the Plantation.  They were very friendly and we chatted for a bit before our dinner arrived.  Afterwards, we headed back to the boat with leftovers in the smallest possible container; it is not easy to do this with pizza but we were successful.

Once back on the boat Mark added another line to keep the boat off the dock; the winds were really blowing and we were so thankful we were in protected waters.  It continued to blow strong all night long and we even got a little rain. However, the big thunderstorms are due tomorrow afternoon when the temperature will once again go from the low 70’s at night, to back down to the low 50’s – all within 24 hours.

Albemarle Plantation – Hertford, NC – Monday, 5/10

There was the slight pitter patter of rain on the hatch in our main stateroom this morning, so there was no hurry to get out of bed.  It did not last, so Denise was up and working on emails and reading things she had set aside yesterday when things got busy. The day stayed mostly overcast with some areas of the sky clearing for brief periods of time.  It was warm and muggy with a high 77° expected, and enough humidity to make Denise’s hair curl. This brought out the “midges” who love to make a mess of the boat.  Fortunately, they were not as bad as in Belhaven, but they still made a mess. When they find their way inside the boat (almost impossible to avoid as we come and go), Mark breaks out the vacuum to kill them. If we try to squish them they leave a stain that is hard to get out.

After breakfast we saw “Raleigh”, an assistant dockmaster who was covering for JE today.  We mentioned about our difficulty getting good internet and cell service where we were.  Being the customer-service oriented person, he immediately got on it as best as he could.  Meanwhile he gave Mark access to the Osprey Yacht Club room where he was able to get a good connection and make phone calls. This was a very nice thing as Mark had a lot of work to do and he was busy all day.

In the morning Denise went on an adventure in the golf cart.  We needed milk and as there are no markets on the property she thought she would venture to the Dollar General (DG) located not far from the main entrance of the AP.  According to Google, it was only 1.1 miles away by car, and with the golf cart she could take a few short cuts.  But, we are not allowed off-property with the carts.  We were told that the Dollar General was directly across from the “construction entrance”, and if she could find her way to it, she could leave the cart, walk across the street and get some milk there. And that is precisely what she planned to do.

With the Plantation map in hand she set out in the golf cart. Soon she realized that the map had only the names of the different housing sections of the Plantation, and no street names. But, with her keen sense of direction she was able to find her way all the way through to “Plantation Estates” where the road was for the construction entrance.  However, once arriving she realized there was no way this was going to work. There was a gate with a chain and lock, and the road was gravel. There was no way to take the cart down it, even if there was no gate.  Denise contemplated leaving the cart and walking it, but the threatening rain and the fact that milk may get warm made her nix the whole idea. She drove around a bit to see the new “estate” houses under construction, and then returned to boat.  Right after she told Mark about her adventure, he ran into Raleigh (Asst. Dockmaster) and told him about us wanting to get some milk. It just so happens his wife was headed to DG and agreed to pick up a half-gallon for us. Here are some pictures from her adventures around the AP:

While Mark was still working in the yacht club, Denise made a big salad that would last for a few days’ lunches. She also completed two loads of laundry, and did some picture cataloging in prep for writing this blog.  During that time Raleigh showed up with the milk and refused to take any payment for it.  Now this is real southern hospitality!

In the evening we were invited aboard “Red Eagle” to have drinks with Sherri & Sax, as they had guests on board who had arrived earlier in the day.  We spent quite a bit of time talking with them about the airlines (Sax is a retired American Airlines pilot), about our mutual cruise experiences, and about their living in Virginia. We also had a chance to meet Sharon & Dwight, friends of theirs since the days when their kids grew up together.  We spent some time with them (and yes, we forgot to take pictures), then went back to the boat for a dinner of leftovers (steak and pizza).  We also were able to use our hotspot and stream a movie (barely) while working on this blog.

We also discussed our plans for leaving, or staying here a few more days. We are in no hurry and we really want to take a few days somewhere to get caught up on work items.  Since the amenities here are so nice and the people are so friendly, we decided this was the place to hang out. It also helps that the dockage rate is free (we pay only a daily rate for electric), the laundry and ice are free, the golf cart rate is only $25 for the whole stay, and they have two good restaurants to visit.  There are far worse and more expensive places to get stuck!

Alligator River Marina – ICW, NC – Thursday, 5/6

During the night it rained quite a bit, and the wind was blowing the boat all around.  Since there was no longer any boat in front of us on the dock, there was nothing to block the waves which slammed against the hull making it very loud. At one point this woke us both up and Denise moved to the main salon in order to (finally) get some sleep.  When Denise got up at dawn, she awoke to much cooler weather.  The previous few days had temperatures in the high 80’s and it was really humid. But today, it was back in the mid-50’s and was a welcome relief. Unfortunately, the boat still had a bunch of bugs all over the cockpit, but there was far fewer than in the previous few days

Denise got a chance to get in a run and chose the residential section of town. Here she passed by some beautiful homes; some new, some older and restored, and some just old!

She also ran down towards the River Forrest Marina and Manor house; a colonial inn that entertained celebrities and the rich in its day.  Recently it was restored to how it was in its heyday, and serves as an inn, marina, and a wedding venue as well as for other activities.

Our plans were to leave today and we had decided a later departure was better than early so we could get to the Albemarle Sound around noon when the wind was supposed to subside for a few hours. This should give us time to go west and into the town of Columbia, NC. Since Mark was ready to leave shortly after 9:00, we pulled away from the dock and headed out of the marina a bit earlier than planned. It was breezy on the Pungo River as we passed the breakwater and said good-bye to the town of Belhaven.

We made our way back to the ICW and had smooth cruising for several miles without issue on the Pungo River.  We passed a few of the boats that had left the marina ahead of us, including friends on “Ginger Gale”.   Shortly thereafter the ICW enters the Pungo Canal.  Here is a little bit of information about this area of the ICW:

The Pungo River is a river in eastern North Carolina, which originally began in the Great Dismal Swamp in Washington County, North Carolina; the upper part of the river has since been supplanted by the Pungo River Canal. The Pungo River Canal is a 21-mile canal that connects the Pungo River with the Alligator River to its east.  It was dug in the 1950s to improve drainage of local farmland. The river flows southeast and forms part of the boundary between Beaufort County and Hyde County. The river then widens dramatically, turns west, and flows past Belhaven, North Carolina before joining the Pamlico River near Pamlico Sound.

We had few boats or docks to pass along this canal area, so we were able to maintain a good speed through this remote area and make good time. Once through the Pungo Canal (also called the Pungo-Alligator Canal) we entered the Alligator River where the north wind was blowing enough to cause whitecaps on the short 1’- 2’ waves. It was bumpy but tolerable. But, we knew it would be worse once we got out onto the Albemarle Sound, which was at least 45 minutes away.  About half-way through the Alligator River, we decided it was just not going to be a good day on the Albemarle, even though we would be going west until the Scuppermong River where Columbia was; a distance of less than 20 miles.  Instead we called the Alligator Marina located just before the Albemarle Sound, to see if they could take us for the night. Thankfully, they could, so we adjusted our itinerary and pulled in there for the night.

As we went under the Alligator River Bridge the wind was whipping on our nose and when we turned into the channel to take us to the marina. The winds and waves were now abeam and they were pushing us to the left (towards the bridge) and outside the channel. Since there are rocks that make up the breakwater entrance into the marina, this takes a bit of concentration, but Capt. Mark did a great job and kept the boat from crashing into the rocks. Denise waited inside to prepare the boat for docking until after we were through the breakwater, as it wasn’t worth the risk of a wave knocking her down, or worse – overboard.

Once we had the boat docked and settled, we went to the marina office (the gas station) to check in. 

The Alligator River Marina is really like an outpost in the days of the Wild West; people only stop here on their way to and/or from somewhere else.  The good news is that this “outpost” is undergoing some nice improvements.  They are in the process of rebuilding the boardwalk around the entire marina, adding a walkway where previously you were forced into the gravel road or grass.  There are amenities (laundry, restrooms, cruiser’s lounge, fresh water, etc.) which make it a good stopover before going out or coming from the Albemarle.  But there is nothing else here. Road travelers stop at the gas station because it is on the main highway to the Outer Banks, so it has the requisite souvenirs and touristy t-shirts.  But the cruiser’s all know it as a safe haven, and for their famous fried chicken in the deli.

In the afternoon, we had work to do and Mark had a scheduled conference call.  Denise also started work on the previous blog.  We talked with a few other cruisers who were in the marina, two of whom had tried to cross the Albemarle earlier, but came back because it was too rough. It seemed like we made the correct decision.

And then the wind died down as planned, albeit 3 hours later than originally forecasted.  This had us doubting ourselves for an early departure from Belhaven and for too early an arrival to the Albemarle.  It was now flat out there and we could have made it to Columbia.  We had been tracking our friends Evelyn & Clark (“Sunset Delight”) who had been hours behind us, hoping to eventually connect with them.  Using Nebo (a marine tracking app) we saw that they were now passing us and heading out into the Albemarle.  Denise sent them a text and they reported back over the course of the next hour that it was flat and calm.  Oh well!

Since we were here, we had to indulge in the famous fried chicken dinner, which was good but not as good as it used to be when the previous owners of the marina cooked it.  We also both agreed that the fried chicken at Publix was still much better!

After dinner we talked with family members, then completed and published the latest blog.  We also looked at the weather for tomorrow and for the next coming days and altered our travel plans one more time.  We will have maybe 2 good days of the next 5 to travel the Albemarle, so we changed our itinerary again: we are not going to Columbia, but on to Edenton for 2 nights, then to the Albemarle Plantation for 2, or possibly 3 nights.  Then we will head out of NC and into Virginia towards Norfolk. Of course, all this is dependent on the weather (mostly wind speed and direction) as we are not in any hurry to get any where.

Belhaven, NC – Monday, 5/3

We began the day early and got underway just before 7:00 am, after Denise got back from a short run.  Our plans had changed slightly and we decided not to go to Manteo to start the Albemarle Loop (AL) from there.  The weather (mostly wind) was going to be good for only a short time today, but over the next several days was not conducive to crossing large open and shallow waters. We decided to go to Belhaven instead, and then make the decision of when to leave there after the updates in the afternoon weather forecasts.

Once underway we found the Neuse River to be perfectly fine and it was a nice day to be on the water, albeit overcast.  It took just over an hour to make our way east, retracing most of the same course on our way into New Bern.  We saw the ferry boat crossing from the north shore to Cherry Point, and only a few other boats on the water.

Eventually the Neuse dumps into the Pamlico Sound where it acts like fingers through the low lying areas.  We turned north into the Bay River, which then turns into Goose Creek and caught a familiar structure that sits on the point – letting us know we are on the correct course. 

On both sides of the ICW are low-lying wildlife areas with small finger creeks.  There is not much here except a few “outposts”.  First is “RE Mayo” where many cruisers stop to pick up fresh seafood from the local fishing boats. Just beyond that is the Hobucken Bridge and then the Coast Guard Station Hobucken.

Shortly beyond this area the creek widens into Goose Creek Inlet and we made a right turn back into the Pamlico Sound. 

This area can get really rough if the wind picks up, but today we found it to be very calm, thankfully. If we had stuck with the plan to go to Manteo we would have stayed on the Pamlico heading east, then eventually north for the next 3 hours.  However, since we changed itinerary we only had to stay on the sound 5 miles until we hit the Pango River and turned left.  Here the water was almost “pancake flat” and it turned out to be a very nice day.

Before long we came to the Pantego Creek and the town of Belhaven.  We made a left turn off of the ICW into the channel, and once past the breakwater we docked side-tie at the Belhaven Marina (BM). It was 10:35 am and it took us just over 3.5 hours to go 62 miles.

We have been to this area in 2017, but stayed north of the town at Dowry Creek Marina (see our post about that here).  The BM is steps from the small downtown and we wanted to be able to explore this a little more on this trip.  Additionally, we had hoped to dine at the Spoon River restaurant in town; one that is highly spoken of in cruising circles.  Unfortunately, during this time of year they are only open Thursdays through Sunday so we will once again miss the opportunity for this experience.

Once the boat was settled and we checked into the marina, we ate lunch and got on with our afternoon activities.  Mark had work to do and a very long conference call planned.  Meanwhile, Denise took advantage of the free laundry service and managed complete two loads. With only one washer and dryer, this simple task took some time, but fortunately only one other boater was in queue and she sandwiched her loads in between him.

Early in the afternoon, several other boats came into the marina and a few others pulled into the free city docks right next door.  One of the boats in our marina was a Back Cove 29 whom Mark had a chance to talk with briefly.  They hailed from Beaufort and were originally just getting fuel, but ended up staying overnight as the winds had picked up quite a bit; they were not going anywhere.  Other boats started to show up including two Looper boats, who arrived right in the middle of a thunderstorm and pouring rain.  We were so thankful we had left New Bern early!

While Mark was on his call and Denise was awaiting on towels to dry, she struck up a conversation with “Wally”. He owns a unit in the neighboring condominiums and also has a Back Cove ’37 on Long Island, NY where he is originally from.  They compared notes about the boat and she learned he also has property in the Raleigh Durham area, and he and his wife have been married 50+ years.  He is a retired marine and was last stationed at Cherry Point, NC.  Denise learned he has completed the Albemarle Loop (AL) and offered suggestions of stops worth seeing and those to avoid or are not worth the time to get to.

When Mark was finally done his conference call, we looked at the updated weather and confirmed that it would not be worth leaving Belhaven before Thursday.  If we had to be stuck somewhere between here and Columbia (first stop on the AL), here was the best possible place. It is about 80 miles to Columbia and we can certainly make that in one day.  We confirmed with Greg the dockmaster that we would be able to stay on without issue and made plans accordingly.

By this time the rain had stopped and all the boaters were out socializing.  We had a chance to meet the Looper boaters who had been buddy-boating together for some time now. Don & Joan (“Panacea”) were from Idaho, but started their loop in Fort Myers, FL.  Ginger & Nick (“Ginger Gale”) are from Alabama and started their loop on the Tennessee River. Neither had been boating in these parts, so we shared some information about the immediate area with them.  We also promised to get together over the next few days and share more places to visit on the Chesapeake and points north.

Since this is a small town and it is Monday, none of the restaurants are open for dinner, so it was another night of left-overs from the freezer; uneventful, but perfectly satisfying. Afterwards, we went for a walk through downtown, around the block, and by the town’s free docks. It didn’t take long and we were back in time to see a great sunset and get inside before the bugs carried us away.

A few comments about this marina and it surrounds are in order:  It is by far the quirkiest of places, decorated with everything nautical. The infrastructure is very antiquated, with undulating fixed docks, poor internet (Wi-Fi) connections away from the marina office, and old (but very clean) facilities.  We had a slight electrical issue when we first arrived, but eventually the dockmaster got it all worked out.  However, for such a small place the amenities and the super-customer service (they have 7 “suggestion” jars) make it a stop worth visiting. In addition to lots of areas outside to socialize, there is a nice bar-b-que, volleyball & basketball courts, lawn bowling, croquet, a putting green, and a marina shop that sells all things, including beer & wine at affordable prices.  There are two rest-rooms with shower facilities that are fully stocked with everything you could possibly want, including fresh towels, and they are decorated with everything nautical or US Navy themed. Near the laundry facilities is a “cruisers retreat” with chairs, a book exchange, and an Amazon “Alexa” that is available for questions, but almost always is playing music.  Denise enjoyed changing the music to something that was easier on the ears than the head-banging heavy metal that was playing when we arrived.  Here are some pictures: