Dramatic Water Rescue

As we left our anchorage, we meandered via river through the Carolina countryside.  A large motor yacht passed us and, even though he slowed down, threw off enough of a wake to catapult the infamous red suitcase over the lifelines into the drink as it was in its final drying session on the deck.  

Capt'n Rich wheeled the the mighty Gratitude 180 degrees as Susan sprang into action with the boat hook. As the Gratitude churned toward the rapidly sinking (and still stinking) suitcase, Susan had time for only one desperate rescue attempt.  With the wheels pulling the suitcase down to its watery grave, Susan lunged with the boathook, managing against all odds to snag the submerged handle of the red bag and pull her back to safety.  Susan received an extra ration of grog.

Georgetown

ICW 101

The ICW is a marvel of engineering by the US Army Corps of Engineers.  Designed to provide a protected north-south route for both commercial and recreational use, the water system is an intricate series of connections of canals (some with locks), rivers, bays and estuaries.  There are often "cuts" that connect two rivers or streams or sometimes just provide a shortcut on the same river.  Every so often, there are inlets that connect to the Atlantic Ocean.  The ICW is affected by the ocean tides of every inlet which, in turn, can greatly affect the currents of any given section.  For large power boats, the current issue is not as important as it is for a single screw sailboat with modest power.  Trying to determine the maze of currents is difficult at best.  Depending where you are, you may find yourself motoring in a dead-straight canal for miles (Dismal Swamp Canal),  motor sailing on a wide, scenic river, sailing through a large bay, or navigating through a narrow rock cut.

After meandering down a lovely stretch of river, we arrived in Georgetown, SC on a Friday evening just in time for their annual wooden boat show.

Wooden boats of all shapes and sizes were on display: some restored, some new.

I learned to slalom ski on the Dick Pope, Jr. ski in Minnesota when I was a kid.  Now it's on display as an antique.....

We still have the ski.

A highlight was watching the skiff building competition.  Twenty teams of two persons each were given the wood materials and plans for the same eight foot flat-bottomed skiff.  They began at noon on Saturday and were given four hours to build the boats.  Each team was judged on both building time and quality.  It was fun to drop by the building area every once in awhile and check progress.  Some teams finished in under three hours and some did not complete the boat within the four hour time limit.  Some demonstrated fine boatbuilding skills, while others struggled a bit.  After a boat was completed, it was carried to the wharf for a "sea trial."  I think you got extra points if your boat floated.  

We had unloaded our folding bikes and used them to tour around the boat show and the town.  Georgetown is the third oldest town in South Carolina and there are beautiful examples of 17th and 18th century homes along the beautiful tree-lined side streets.

Oriental to Beaufort, NC, Carolina Beach, Southport

We left Oriental and headed straight south past the Neuse River through a sparsely populated area that gradually gave way to waterfront homes as we approached Beaufort, NC.  At Beaufort, we finally were able to get our laundry done by walking a block to the general store, through the general store, out the back door, to the laundramat.  General store had an original soda fountain so we had an ice cream while we waited for the laundry.

The next night was spent at anchor at a place called Mile Hammock, which is a very protected area within the boundaries of Camp Lejeune.  It is a very safe anchorage as long as the marines are not shooting.  Word has it that they give you plenty of warning if they are going to start firing.

Next night was spent a Carolina Beach.  Virtually a sand spit away from the Atlantic.  Our only dinner option was to walk along a long boardwalk through the salt marshes to the dunes, then walk along a dark path through the dunes area to a dive on a broken down pier.  This place was frequented mostly by drunks and deadbeats.  We fit right in as we strolled up to the bar and ordered a cosmopolitan and a gin and tonic.  BLT's weren't bad and the drinks were cheap.   We were glad to get back to the boat.

Next two nights were spent in Southport, NC, which is a lovely little town with lots of nice shops and fun places to eat.  We stayed a couple of nights as the weather was marginal.

Our next stop was Coquina Yacht Club just north of Myrtle Beach.  It was a very nice facility with a nice restaurant close by.  As we walked to dinner, we noticed a few feral cats hanging around the dock and commented on how many dock cats we had seen in our travels.  We ate a great dinner at the Officer's Club and returned to the boat.  We had left one slat out of the companionway to allow some air to enter the boat.  Unfortunately, one on the feral cats also entered the boat and pissed on my suitcase and my new  Tilley hat.  I was sorry we did not see the cute little kitty as I was sure he would enjoy a complementary swimming lesson.

We left the next morning after treating the violated hat and suitcase.  We put them both on the deck to dry and headed through the "rockpile" towards Charleston.  The rockpile is a long stretch of the ICW that has boulders the size of VW's on both sides of a very narrow channel.  The rocks are just under the surface and you only have a few feet of clearance on each side.  You must radio to all boats in the area to make sure there are no northbound boats coming up as you begin to proceed south as there is not enough room for boats to pass in most area.

We were glad to get through the rockpile unscathed and we anchored at a lovely widespot in the ICW about 25 miles north of Georgetown.  We had the spot to ourselves and enjoyed a lovely anchorage with no sign of human habitation.  We called our friends Ann & Clyde Hanyen and got instructions on how to grill our striped bass on our small gas barbeque mounted on the stern of the boat.  Master Chef Clyde gave us fine directions and we enjoyed one of our best meals of the trip.

Every Boat Has A Story

Here are a few of the many abandoned boats we saw as we traveled south along the Intracoastal Waterway.

Oriental

Depending upon the tide and wind, getting out of Ocracoke can be a challenge.  The channel is extremely narrow and unforgiving.  We were a short distance behind another sailboat as we departed Ocracoke and heading out the channel.  After a half mile or so, the boat in front of us ran aground.  After bumping and lurching for what seemed like a very long time, they finally cleared the shoal and resumed speed.  Good for them and for us as we did not have to attempt to avoid them.  As noon approached, the wind settled in at fifteen knots and allowed us to sail the entire way to Oriental.  It was a beautiful day and it was such a nice sail, we didn't want it to end.

The Oriental Inn and Marina is a delightful spot with a shady, park-like area right next to the docks.  We were happy to run into friends we met earlier in the trip and decided that we would look around town, take care of some errands, and meet back under the trees for happy hour at five-ish o'clock.  We took our folding bikes off the boat and had lunch at a deli in town, got some groceries and loaded them into our panniers.

Very Important Planning Meeting

We have discovered that traveling by boat affords a very different experience in not only the mode of transport, but in the stopping points as well.  Oriental is a good example. It's a very pretty little town w that would be easy to miss traveling by car.  And when you are getting around town by walking or by bicycle, you see lots of things that you would otherwise miss: nice little parks, interesting homes, pretty gardens, fun shops, etc.  And you interact a lot with local folks as you inquire about groceries, ice, internet, West Marine, etc.  We are fortunate to be able to experience this more unconventional way to explore new and different aspects of American life.

Elizabeth City to Ocracoke Island

We had a beautiful day to sail from Elizabeth City to Ocracoke Island with an overnight stop at Roanoke Island on the way.  The winds were ideal and Gratitude was making a good 6.5 knots on a broad reach for the six hour sail to Roanoke Island.  Elizabeth City is home to one of the largest Coast Guard stations in the area.  We were not terribly surprised when a Coast Guard boat closed in on us quickly from the stern and hailed us,  "When were you last boarded by the Coast Guard, Capt'n?"  Could not remember the last time.  We held our course and speed and they pulled along side and two officers came aboard.  They performed a complete safety check of the boat covering such things as lifejackets, flares, fire extinguishers, etc.  We were not cited for any violations.  My only complaint is that they wore black combat boots and left some black marks.  Sperry should make some combat deck boots for the CG.

Roanoke Island had extensive damage from hurricane Irene in September.  The marina where we stopped for the night still did not have power.  We had to take flashlights into the restrooms and showers.  Laundry was not even a possibility.  Manteo (Roanoke Island) is a nice stop with lots of newer shops and small boutiques.

We had a spirited sail (rough) to Ocracoke.  It also suffered damage from Irene.  Because of Irene, the only way to get there is by private boat or by a ferry from the mainland.  Before, it was very easy to drive along the outer banks to Hatteras and take a very short free ferry to Ocracoke.  The highway to Hatteras, however, was breached in two places by the storm and they are still working to replace one bridge and repair one causeway.  As a result, very few people are in Ocracoke.  It is a beautiful, small village with white beaches and lots of fun places to visit.  Eduardo's tacos on the left was a great place to grab a quick taco.

Mile Marker 84  at the beach on Ocracoke Island

There must be thousands of bicycles on tiny Ocracoke.  It is a lovely place to bike. The other major mode of transportation is by golf cart.  But since things were so quiet, the marina gave us the use of their courtesy car for our entire stay.  It was nice to be able to drive around and explore the island.  It also allowed us to spend a nice day at the beach.

Ocracoke Ferry at Sunset

Elizabeth City

At the southern end of the Great Dismal Swamp is the delightful small town of Elizabeth City, North Carolina.  Elizabeth City, as a stopover for recreational boaters, is almost entirely dependent upon the Great Dismal Swamp remaining a viable and fun option for boaters heading north or south.  There is a large Coast Guard station there and a blimp factory.


The docks are situated right next to downtown. The people could not be more friendly and accomodating. All sorts of people wander by and love to hear where you're from and where you are going. A couple of WWII vets stop by each morning to see if there is anything you need.  The grocery store has a free van to and from the store.  We took advantage of that and stocked up on groceries.  For five bucks, you can shower at the local fitness center.  Well worth the five spot. We met some new friends from Burlington, VT.  Hearty souls who have been living on their sailboat full time for the past six years. They were doing some work on the top of their mast and took a picture of the mighty  Gratitude.

Elizabeth City bills itself as the "Harbor of Hospitality."  Our experience there certainly supports that claim. We enjoyed the stop.  Next stop is the Outer Banks and Roanoke Island and Ocracoke Island.

 

The Great Dismal Swamp

There is a small army corps of engineers sign at mile marker 7.2, immediately south of Norfok, VA. At this point you can fork east to the Virginia Cut to go south or fork west to the Great Dismal Swamp Canal which is the original ICW route.  It was originally developed by George Washington and some of his pals and opened in 1805.  Built by slaves.  About 25 statute miles long.

                                          
                                                  Northern Lock of Dismal Swamp Canal

                                      

                                               After an 8 foot lift, lock is ready to open.


You have to stay in the middle of the canal and watch for logs.  We bumped into a logs a couple of times, but we kept a slow speed.

  
                                                  Really not all that dismal.  Primordial.

                                            
                                  What can I say about this? Please submit your favorite caption.

The visitors center is quite unique as it serves as a rest area/welcome center for boats transiting the canal as well as for people driving into NC from VA.  In the middle of the night, a trucker stopped by and commented to his buddy, "Dang, boy, how the hell could you figure out all them ropes?"  Answer: most of the time we can't.

                                                        Dismal Swamp Vistors Center

The center was a very pleasant stop with spotless restrooms, but I must say, it is a little weird sleeping in a rest area in a bateau.