ELIZABETH CITY TO DISMAL SWAMP VISITOR CENTRE

May 17-We left this morning at 7:00 am although I am not sure why as we have a bridge that has to open for us at 7:30 am and another down the river further that doesn't open until 11:00 am - who thought that one up? It turned out alright because the first bridge took pity on us and opened early for us and by the time we got to the next one we only had to wait 15 minutes. There were two other boats there ahead of us so we rafted along side them - first Sonata and then us. The inside boat was a boat made in Nova Scotia called "Near Miss" and the other was a sailboat. We went through the lock first and  backed off and let the other two boats go first as they were ahead of us. It was a very long, slow ride as the sailboat did not go very fast. We traveled for 5 hours and just before we got there our port engine just quit on us. Dave thinks its our fuel strainer might be plugged and when the engine cools he'll check it out. We arrived at the visitor centre at 1:00 pm the first two boats rafted together so that Sonata and ourselves could get on the dock (which we thought very kind of them). It started to rain just after we arrived and drizzled for the rest of the evening, so everyone stayed on board only venturing out to take the dogs out.

Heading to the first bridge

Elizabeth City's free dock

Some condos along the river

A couple large homes along the river

The other two boats let us raft us with them

Traveling through a small town called South Mills

This is the Dismal Swamp Visitor Centre

Koby and I out for a walk in the rain

This is a pontoon bridge that opened for us

A shot from the pontoon bridge looking down the Dismal Swamp

BELLHAVEN TO ELIZABETH CITY

May 16- We left Bellhaven Marina at 7:00 am as we have a long run to Elizabeth City today. This morning it is cooler than we have had so we are all in longs and sweaters. We traveled through Alligator River for about 20 miles which is long and narrow (but did not see one alligator). We came out of the river and headed up Albemarle Sound and we were again fortunate the wind was light and we had a relatively easy ride up the Sound. We arrived at Pelican Marina at 4:30 pm and had a devil of a time getting tied up as the dock they put us on was short and angled. It took us almost 20 minutes to finally get situated where we could get off and on the boat without killing ourselves. The guys helped us get in, got the lines on and then left us. I would not recommend this place to any other boaters. I was very disappointed with their service. We were exhausted from the run today so we called it an early night.

Leaving Bellhaven

A couple of shots of the Alligator River

Coming out of Alligator River

A couple of shot travelling up the Abelmarle Sound

This is an airship building and you can see one floating beside it

BELLHAVEN

May 15- We are staying here another day so it is catch up day. I have been cleaning, doing laundry vacuuming and Dave has been checking things in the engine room and is now trying to fix a leak we have in one of our windows. Dave and I took Koby for a long walk downtown then down the street next to the marina. There are the loveliest vintage homes along there. We walked down almost to the other marina and then turned back. We are going to dinner tonight at that restaurant I mentioned in my last post and then it will be to bed as we have about a 80 mile run tomorrow.

This is a Bed and Breakfast

I love the style of this one

A very grand entrance

This is another Bed and Breakfast

This one was for sale!

I love the way they carved the fish into the steps

ORIENTAL TO BELLHAVEN

May 14- We had a little incident before we left Oriental marina this morning. We were wiping off the dew from our boats when all of a sudden there was a great commotion from a couple of boats down. A sailboat hit the davit of the sailboat next to him as he was leaving the dock. I don't think there was any damage done but it was a little scary just the same. We left the marina at 8:30 am to a calm sunny day. It couldn't have been a nicer day to travel across Pamlico Bay as it can be nasty when the wind is up. We arrived at Bellhaven at 2:00 pm. It is a small marina but quite nice. The laundry is free here and there is a gazebo and lounging chairs under the trees to sit and relax. There is grass as soon as you step off the boat so Koby is very happy as well. The wind has now gotten up and unfortunately the waves are funneling down and hitting the bow of the boat making it quite noisy. We moved the dingy up in front of us as it was getting beat up beside us. Bonnie and Charlie are going to dinner with friends tonight so we are winging it.

This is the marina office area

This is the big main street

This is the one and only restaurant

This is the City Hall building

These condos are right next to the marina

MOOREHEAD TO ORIENTAL

May 13- We left a little later today at 8:00 am as we are doing a 25 mile run to a marina called Oriental Marina and Inn. It is sunny as we are leaving but grew darker as we travelled. It started to spit a little just we were arriving at the marina. We tied up and with it spitting Bonnie and I headed to the little shops. The guys stayed at the boats and did their thing. The prices of things here are quite high but Bonnie managed to buy a new rain slicker. We had dinner then we got together aboard Manana to play cards and Sequence. We really haven't played Sequence since the last time we were together. We had one heck of thundestorm just before dinner but it has now passed through the area and it seems to have cooled things off a little.

Leaving Moorehead

A yacht club we passed

A different looking home

They come in all sizes and shapes

Here we are at Oriental Marina and Inn 

The grass was nice and close for Koby

SWAN POINT MARINA TO MOOREHEAD

May 12- We left at our usual 7:00 am and are doing a 40 mile run to a marina called Moorehead Yacht marina which is right across from Beaufort, N.C. The weather is warm and sunny but we did have a spit of rain in one area. We arrived at Moorehead around 1:00 pm and we were bad need of a pump-out as the last marina did not provide that service. We got into our slip, got Koby to shore and then got the courtesy car so that we could get some groceries. We got back to the boats and just chilled for the rest of the evening. There are a lot of very large yachts in this marina and they were expecting about 12 boats to come in today which kept them hopping.

This is where the military shoot live ammo 

Across this restricted area is the ocean

A little village we passed through

Heading to the sound

Just around this corner and we are there

This is Moorehead Yacht marina

Looking up the dock to the office

There are a lot of large boats here

SOUTHPORT TO SWAN POINT MARINA

May 11- We left Southport marina at our usual 7:00 am for another 60 mile day. The weather is sunny and quite warm. We have a couple of bridges that have to open for us . The first one was right where there were two marinas on this narrow river with current and it only opened on the hour. We had to jokey around for a half hour in that river before the marinas as it was too confined. We had to wait for one hour at the next one as we had just missed the 1:00 pm opening. Again it was in a narrow area with shoals and a current so we stayed well out and motored around. We finally arrived at the marina called Swan Point at 4:00 pm. There was a little current out on the river but as soon as we entered into the marina there was next to nothing. We got tied up and then Sonata, Ocean Dancer and ourselves went to dinner at a local place with fabulous food. The Swan Point marina is nothing to write home about but is run by a Mom and daughter (Tina Turner), who by the way took us in their own vehicles to the restaurant and then picked us up again. Then when we got back they handed us each a cinnamon loaf that they had made. They really go above and beyond for you. Thanks Swan Point!

Coming into narrow river where we had to wait for bridge

Sonata waiting for second of the bridges

Ocean Dancer behind us waiting as well

Houses in the distance are on the ocean

Looking up our dock a Swan Point Marina

Not the ritz but warm and wonderful owners