Travel Day 14- Isle of Palms to St John's, SC

Fall colors are already past prime in NJ

Monday, October 28, 2019 ~  After a great night's sleep, Pete awoke at 8:10. The tides once again are very high. Thankfully the docks were navigable without getting wet.  After a pump out and refueling, PEKABU headed to the Ben Sawyer Bridge to wait for the 10 am opening.  Surprisingly, The bridge tender saw that Pete had a strong current and opened the bridge 10 minutes early! He was the only one transiting it at this time.
      Heading up the Ashley River, the current remained favorable.  PEKABU was doing 8.9 mph! However when he turned in to the Wapoo River, the current was against him.  He was actually heading "up hill" in Elliot Cut.  The water was about 6 inches higher on the southern entrance than on the northern one. Such a strong current against him made the trip slow.  He was actually making way at 2.4 mph against that current!
     Docking is always a challenge at St John's due to the strong currents. Today it was about 3+ mph! They put him in a very tight slip, with boats close on both sides.  As usual, the crew at St. John's are wonderful and Pete docked like the pro he is! By 12:30 he was secure and waiting for the arrival of the mechanic.
     Casey arrived around 1:30.  He is a former USCG rescue swimmer. You can guess what they discussed for a short while.  Once he began, he found that the alternator/regulator was loose and vibrating, the ground wire had disconnected again. he soldered, crimped and taped the connection after grounding it to the engine, which will move with the alt/reg and not torque.  Casey worked for 2 hours and did really good work.  The engine was run for another 2 hours with no problems.
     Pete then headed to the laundry.  He was amazed at the bank of washer and driers and the $1.00/ load pricing! When he returned to the boat, he found the linens from the forward bunk.  As he prepared to head back to do the laundry, I told him that we have a second set of linens and not to worry.  He was thrilled!
     Once the laundry was put away, it was time to eat.  The meatballs were placed into an aluminum boat and floated in boiling water.  Yum.
     Pete was glad to say our good-nights early.  He is tired and looking forward to sleep.        

Tuesday, October 29, 2019 ~ Pete was up early so he could scrub the boat before the heat and humidity increase.  Since there was rain approaching, Pete decided to use the scrub brush instead of the power washer.  Poor choice as it took longer and created a few more sore muscles, but the boat looks great!
     After a quick shower, he picked up the reserved loaner car and headed to Harris Teeter.  The one closest to St. John's is small and their bakery is very limited.  No Cherry Pie!
     Once back and provisions put away, he laid on the bed intending to read for a while, but instead napped for a good 2+ hours.  For a guy who doesn't nap, he definitely needed it to recharge his batteries.
     Deb had appointments this morning.  Deneen, our sister who lives in NJ meet us at the Center.  We were able to visit until I had to leave.  Deneen will bring Debi home, while I head to DE for a medical appointment with my Doc. I allowed 2 hours for a 1.5 hr trip.  Unfortunately, there were a number of construction delays.  Though late, I was able to be seen.  After picking up my prescriptions, I headed to Chris and Kel's for the night.
     Halloween is only 2 days away.  Riley had a Trick-or-Trunk parade at school tomorrow.  Kelli was drawing and Hadi helped color the characters from Toy Story 4, which will decorate the truck that will have the goodies.  Apparently, each class has parents decorating a vehicle and the kids parade past all the vehicles, admiring the decorations in their costumes and collecting their goodies from each vehicle.  Apparently many schools have adopted the Trick-or-Trunk for their kids.
     The girls also had to show off their costumes.  Hadi was a good witch.  Kel found the gown at a second had store.  That $8.00 purchase was perfect!  Riley was thrilled to be Captain America!

        

     Deneen sent photos of Bailey dressed for the occasion, and one of Lizzie and Bailey chillin'. After the girls were tucked into bed, Kel and I enjoyed some time just catching up.
     Once again it was an early night for Pete and my "good nights". . . for all of us!

Wednesday, October 30, 2019 ~ While Pete was able to sleep in, he woke around 7:30 while I was awakened by the girls around 7. 
     The morning was busy getting the girls ready for school. They have to be off before Kel heads to work.
     The plans for today were to go to the appointment, then wait around to meet a friend for lunch around 2. My phone rang at 7:20 AM. My 10 AM medical "appointment was cancelled and call later to reschedule." I figured I would just hand out somewhere and work on the blog.  Instead. Pete suggested that I check out the stores and see if I can get new area rugs for PEKABU.  I was successful in finding not only rugs, but I also found something to make for this year's Christmas ornaments, plus a few other needed items.
     While shopping, my friend, Pat called to say she could go to lunch earlier; closer to noon.  So I picked her up and we went to Cafe Gelato's on Main Street in Newark,  Neither of us knew that the were laying new curbs and resurfacing Main Street. Parking was a challenge, but we were able to get kinda close to the restaurant.  Due to the disruption, Cafe Gelato was among a number of places offering great coupons for coming in.  It was definitely worth it.  Pat has a grilled chicken, cheese tomato, and lettuce on a panini.  I had a very unusual salad comprised of spring greens, feta cheese, black berries, figs, orange slices and pan seared scallops with a blood orange vinaigrette.  Both were scrumptious!
     Afterwards, we checked the old 5 &10 next door, then headed back to Pat's.  Quick hugs to her and Joe, her husband, and I was on my way north. Even with traffic I was back by 6:30.
     Pete said that Paul's 9:30 AM flight was delayed due to mechanical problems, than canceled.  He was able to get a later flight and arrived at the marina around 5 P.M  After dinner, the plan was to watch the 6th game of the World Series between the Houston Astros and the Washington Nationals.  The guys got comfortable on board and turned onto the Fox station to find it not receiving a signal.  The rest of the channels were working, so Pete called DISH.  There was a recording stating that DISH could not broadcast the World Series due to a dispute between Fox and DISH.  Bah humbug! Being an avid fan, Paul followed it on his phone.  The are now in a 3-3 game tie so there will be a game tomorrow night. Hopefully, they will be able to catch it at a bar.
     Pete called B & B Shrimp for dockage for tomorrow night.  Apparently the owner is being more hands on and handling the desk and phone.  He said that he doesn't have room. "Well, I have a 45' boat coming in." Obviously, he doesn't want us, so Pete will have to look elsewhere. We will miss the Elijah and the wonderful fresh shrimp, but the dock, the area, and the owner leave a lot to be desired. The new plan is to head straight to Beauford, SC. It will be a considerably longer day, about 10 hours.

Thursday, October 31, 2019 ~ The air was crisp, the skies clear and the current strong as the guys left the dock at 6:45 AM. Once on the Sono River heading south, the currents were strong and with PEKABU's clean bottom, they were cruising at 8.5-9 mph.  These great currents should be with them most of the day.
     Things looked really good . . . well, for 60 minutes.  That is when the alt/reg problems resurfaced.  The RPM and charging meter were non-functioning, again.  Pete immediately, texted Casey, who will meet them back at St. John's. He also arranged for a different slip at the marina so he could safely dock in the strong current.
     Pete waited for Casey's re-evaluation. Casey replaced the grounding wire with heavy, coated wire; scrimped, soldered and taped it, then placed it into a protected, corrugated, plastic tube.  They should be good to go!
     Pete needed to reassess plans.  After checking Passage Weather, winds are predicted to be 20-25 from the NE, so jumping form Charleston to Fernandina, FL is a no go.  They will travel the ICW and be protected from the stronger winds. There is only a short window on Saturday before winds return early Sunday morning.  To say that Pete is frustrated is an understatement! He will monitor the battery discharge as today's discharge was not as complete as in the past.  There is some charging when underway.  He will ask for a mechanic referral from Belmar, maker of the alt/reg in Ft. Pierce.
    Pete took advantage of being at the dock to do work on an existing project. Paul was able to  borrow the loaner car to head to Harris Teeter for additional goodies to eat.
   Since the marina no longer allows the loaner out after 6 PM, the guys Uber-ed to a local pub for drinks, dinner and the game. They only stayed an hour, then headed back to the boat.  They listened to the game using my bottle speaker. Game 7 of the World Series was won by the Washington Nationals, the underdogs.  They haven't won a World Series since 1924 -- 95 years ago!
     The winds that accompanied the thunderstorms and the front at night were 35-40 mph with stronger gusts.  Somehow the storm split around the marina, but the winds and rains continued through the night.
     Since it is Halloween, these wonderful relative attended parties.  My nieces and their date: Jess and Asa are a luffa and her soap, Chelsea and Matt are nerdy students, while Heather was the magnificent Maleficent!

             

     As we said our good-nights, Pete's frustration was palatable. It is frustrating when you have had so many mechanics work on the problem, it is still not fixed, and I am too far away for hugs.

~ ~ ~ /) ~ ~  P & K



     

Travel Day 13 ~ Georgetown to Isle of Palms, SC

    Pete was up and out shortly after 7 AM. He had no problem clearing the dock. The current was outgoing, but changed shortly.
     Most of the day, the current was against PEKABU. Speeds varied between 5.2 and 6.4 mph.
McClellenville has always presented problems with the skinny water due to all the small inlets around in this area.  Once again, PEKABU was passing through this area at low tide very slowly.  There is a working dredge making its way north in this area.  Prior to passing the barge, Pete was seeing 0.5 inches below the keel.  He called to the barge confirming passage and questioned the depths.  The barge said that he was on the right side to pass and that the deeper water will be after passing him.  He was right. Those 0.5 inches went to 6 feet very quickly!
     The rest of the day was uneventful, but stressful with things not running right.
     Once docked, Pete went up to the marina office to settle the bill. He asked about the restaurant onsite, the Morgan Creek Restaurant.  "They have great burgers! AND here is a coupon for 20% off the bill."  Guess where and what Pete had for dinner.  He decided to try their crab dip before the 1/2 lb burger, cold slaw, and dinner plate full of home cut fries.  It was a great meal, but he didn't have room for the bottom of the burger bun or most of the fries, but it was a super meal.
     After dinner he read for a while, then we said our good nights.

~ ~ ~ /) ~ ~   P & K

Travel Day 12 ~ South Port to Georgetown, SC

     PEKABU left Southport around 7:40 with plans to drop anchor at the top of the Waccamaw River, south of  Myrtle Beach and Osprey Point Marina. The winds were light, the temperatures mild and the skies clear.  Everything went well. . . for about 2 hours!

     Once again the batteries stopped charging, the RPM and charging gauges stopped functioning, and now the plans have changed. Since there is no way to charge the batteries while at anchor, that is no longer an option.  There are no openings at any of the marinas.  He made it through the Rock Pile once again at low tide with all the rocks showing, planning to get fuel at Barefoot Landing Marina.  Unfortunately, the fuel dock was already occupied by a larger boat that was staying for the night.  He traveled almost on fumes to get to Osprey Marina.  Though there was no docks available, they were still pumping fuel.  Unfortunately, with so little fuel, he requested that he move up in the line for those boats waiting for fuel. Thankfully, they accommodated him.  He also called the recommended electrician/mechanic at St. John's, who will work with Pete once he is docked there.

     Now there are no marinas between here and Georgetown that can accommodate a sail boat, so he called there and explained his story.  Georgetown Harbor Marina will leave a spot open on the inside of the dock for him. This also added another 7 hours on to his travels. . . and it will be in the dark!

    This area of our travels are one of our favorite.  The river winds through forests that line the river.  Further down are many cypress trees with their knobby knees; osprey and eagles are found in their nests along the river as well as turtles that love sunning on the fallen logs.  This river winds through old rice fields and protected lands.  While magnificent in sunlight, darkness on this river brings its problems.  There is no ambient light as there are no people living along these shores and the rivers tributaries. Channel markers are few and far between, and the caution buoys are not lit or well marked on the charts.  Pete spent hours without moon light or even star light.

    Pete has also found that our large, million-watt, hand held, spotlight is a problem when single handing; Too much reflection back. Instead he used the high intensity LED flashlight, which was perfect. Unfortunately, trying to see where the lighted areas were from the helm, he needed to stand up on the balls of his feet.  All that unusual exercise led to some pretty intense leg cramps later on.  Definitely not what was needed after such a long day.

     I called periodically for his sake as much as for mine.  We were both glad when he finally docked at 11:20 PM.  Between needing to eat, decompress, and walk out the cramps, he finally settled into bed around 1:30 am, totally exhausted.  The alarm is set for 7 and reservations are already made for Isle of Palms Marina.

     "A hell of a day at sea (well, ICW)!"

~ ~ ~ /) ~ ~    P & K

Travel Day 11 ~ Carolina Beach to Southport, NC

     The mooring was dropped, and Pete was on his way by 8:30. He had to fight the current at low tide while traversing Snow's Cut.  The rocks were all visible, but the channel was well marked.  Once he was in the River, the current gods were favorable. He was doing a great 9 mph or higher.

    As he approached the military dock on the western shore, two tugs were re-positioning a ship already at the dock.  Pete initially thought it was departing and gave it a wide berth.  Further down the river he had to give space to a very heavy ocean-going barge and tug.  
     Pete did some serious though to the mechanic situation. He has already spoken with one mechanic at St. Johns, but he doesn't do electrical. However, he recommended another one who does.  Pete left a message.  It was then that he decided that since the Zimmerman's mechanics, at Southport Marina, have outstanding reviews. He called and they will see him after he is secure in the dock.  The mechanic came aboard immediately and worked for 2 hours.  The grounding wire has broken again.  The regulator/alternator is loose with one of the washers out of position. By 1 PM it was all fixed.  Pete decided to stay the night, which will give time the opportunity to walk to the auto store and pick up the silicon lube.  Neither Pete nor the salesmen at the auto store could believe that they had no silicon lube.  They will order it, but it will not be received for a day or two.   Too late for Pete.  He will pick it up down the line.  With today's repairs, he can do without the generator.  Just run the engine for a while at anchor to recharge.
     The plans to meet up with friends in Myrtle Beach have fallen through as they are returning home the day before he pulls into that area. The current plan is to anchor south of Myrtle Beach below Osprey Point, continue on to Isle of Palms Marina, then next day, onto St. John's.
     After a busy day, Pete enjoyed watching some TV and reading before saying our good nights.

~ ~ ~ /) ~ ~    P & K

Travel Day 10 ~ Mile Hammock, to Carolina Beach, NC

Current gods looked favorably
upon PEKABU today!

     Today's travels started after the 9 AM conference call.  He had to wait for the opening of the Figure Eight Bridge.  As usual, I watched his progress on what Pete calls the "Lurker App."  I saw him north of the Wrightsville Beach Bridge and thought he missed the opening.  The time stamp on the app was 3:06 pm and he was north of the bridge.  When I called him to confirm, he said that he made the opening no problem.  Apparently my app hadn't updated until after I spoke with Pete.
     Our conversation was not what I expected.  Even with all the work done on the alternator /regulator in Maryland and South Port, SC, the batteries are not charging and the RPMs and charging gauges are not functioning.  He heard back from Rob at Dependable.  There is a minor adjustment that should take care of the problem, but it is very tricky.  If not done properly, it will fry the generator. AS Pete researched, he also found that silicon lube might take care of the problem.

Pete saw this on Facebook today.
  It reminded him of how I feel
once I make up the aft cabin bed!
We need it when Paul comes.

     As we caught up on the day, Pete confirmed that his friend, Paul, will be joining him in Charleston  for a week beginning next Wednesday, to make the outside jump to Florida.  I am glad that he will have company for that ride. However, we need to get the regulator/alternator and generator problems resolved before that. Without them there is no way to charge the batteries.  Just between the fridge and freezer, anchor light and GPS for anchor alarm, the batteries loose about 1/4 of their charge overnight. Right now the only way to recharge them is to plug into shore power at a dock. His frustration is through the roof.  I don't blame him.  We definitely need this fixed ASAP.
    Pete has debated with himself if he should stop at Southport Marina for the highly regarded mechanics at Zimmerman"s or continue down to St. John's Marina, stopping at marinas every night, and have the work done at St. Johns.  
     There is nothing I can do from here that would ease his frustration and anger. This is when I feel our separation the most.   I still am unsure when I will be joining him.  Today, Debi completed her fourth and final chemo session.  She is looking at 2 weeks of hydration, but also a 10 session of cranial radiation over 2 weeks, as a precaution, but that has not been scheduled yet. MRI, CT and additional labs are also needed.
    Lots of hugs are being sent long distance as we say our good nights.

~ ~ ~ /) ~ ~    P & K

Travel Day 9 ~ Morehead City to Mile Hammock, Camp Lejeune, NC

Tuesday, October 22, 2019 ~    Pete was up early and spent 2 hours working before his 9 AM conference call. As the result of the call, more data is needed for the project.  You know, "those best made plans...!"  Well, without the data, Pete decided to continue his travels.

Warning regarding the
Live Fire Operations

     Most of the day, Pete traveled through intermittent showers and sun. He needed his computer He finally saw his first dolphin near Swansboro. As he approached the entrance to the Camp Lejeune, he could hear the live ammunition explosions on base.  Since there was not shooting across the ICW, boat were allow to continue their transit through. The storms have changed the shore line in this area.  In some areas, there used to be a buffer over a quarter of a mile between the Atlantic and the ICW now there are only a few feet in spots

Colors showing in NJ

     Pete was the first to anchor in Mile Hammock Bay. By dinner, there were 12 other boats also anchored.  The explosions continued until around 8 pm.
     The skies cleared again by dinner and Pete was treated to a pretty sunset.
     Around 9, we caught up on our day and said good night.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019 ~  Pete watched the last boat pickup anchor around 8:45.  Today he is stayed put. George and he work on the project all day, now that the data they needed was received.  During the day there were periodic explosions. Both the marines as well as Pete and George wrapped things up by around 4:30. Pete took advantage to do some reading and relaxing in the cockpit.  While there, he saw one of the military helios carrying a jeep across the anchorage.

Strange birds seen over Mile Hammock

     As dusk settled, there were about 8 boats anchored for the night. It was a great night for leaving the hatches opened a crack. The air was fresh and cool but mild. Great for sleeping!
     When he went to use the generator for charging the batteries, it began to diesel again.  It took a good 20 minutes to starve the engine.  Pete immediately emailed our mechanics at Dependable for suggestions.  He has already reserved a mooring ball in Carolina Beach for tomorrow night.
     We said our good nights around 9:30.

~ ~ ~ /) ~ ~    P & K

Travel Day 8 - River Dunes to Morehead City, NC

     Remember what they say about "best made plans...?" Well, today's plan was for Pete and George to spend the day on a complex work project.  However, when they looked at the data, it wasn't complete.  After contacting the client, it will take another day to get the proper data.  Hence, it doesn't make sense for Pete to stay here at River Dunes. Even with it being after 10, he feels he can make it to Morehead City docks by later today. As long as the data is correct, he could stay there for the day tomorrow to do the project.

We have watched this pile decompose since 2010, when it was about 10 fee high:

    

  En route he was passed by SV IRISH MIST, a Catalina 470. They were members of CCYC, but we never really got to know them. After a brief "hello" they continued on their way.
     They might not be the most friendly, but the current gods certainly were.  Pete had the current for most of the day, averaging 8 mph for all but a brief period where he only did 6.2. This marina is near an inlet, deep enough for shipping traffic.  As result, it has very strong currents. Docking can be a problem, but Pete caught it at the top of the tide, with little current. Though it doesn't last long, it was long enough for Pete to tie up on the diagonal in the larger slip.
     During the day, he received work that needed to be done quickly, so once docked, he worked for a while before eating a late dinner. He has prepped for the 9 AM conference call in the morning and should be here for working on the project tomorrow.
     After watching part of the Jets game before we said our good nights.

~ ~ ~ /) ~ ~   P & K

Travel Day 7 ~ Belhaven to River Dunes, NC

The predicted path of
T.S. Nestor

Saturday, October 19, 2019 ~    After a good night's sleep, Pete was up at 8:15 and underway by 9.  The trip to River Dunes should be about 5 hours.  Thank heavens that Pete already had his reservations in.  Many cruisers are scrambling for dockage that is no longer available.  That low down in the Gulf a few days ago did become Hurricane Nestor for a few hours before downgrading to a tropical storm.  It is predicted to hit this area later this afternoon and evening, bringing heavy rains and strong winds.
     The winds remained calm for most of the trip to the Neuse River. They began to increase slowly out of the south while on the Neuse before turning into Broad Creek.

View of the Marina from
the Community center

   When he arrived at River Dunes he was third in line for the fuel dock to clear so he could fill up. Scott, the harbor master, had his hands full with so many boats arriving at once as well as all the slips reserved.
    When Pete checked in, he was also able to pick up our "wandering" freezer.  We sent it to the factory for expedited repairs under the warranty.  It was supposed to be returned prior to Pete's departure from Mears, our home marina in MD.  Instead it was redirected here after being delivered to Stock Island Marina in Key West.  Since Pete had already started the cruise south, Pete requested that it be shipped here, where they know us and have the ability to accept and store such a large delivery. (It is also why we had our reservations in so far in advance of the storm.)
     As the afternoon progressed, so did the winds. NOAA is predicting 50 mph winds. Many on the VHF are asking for suggestions for safe anchorages as there are no slips available.  Our friend, Tim has reported that Tidewater and other marinas in the Norfolk area are also maxed. He is hoping that there is no problem with his reservation at Coinjock for this evening.
     While Pete was preparing for the storm, Carolyn and I joined Linda and her granddaughter, Ruthie, to enjoy the beautiful fall day at the Morris Arboretum in North Philadelphia.  What a treat! The air was crisp, but mild, with gentle breezes, hints of fall in the leaves, some hardy flowers showing off their beauty, a variety of scarecrows waiting for votes, and swans showing off their gracefulness. A wonderful way to spend the afternoon!  Of course that storm is also due to affect this area also tomorrow.  It will give Carolyn and I time to enjoy each others company.
   

        

       

       

       

         

             


     As for Pete, once the freezer was up and working, he transferred all the frozen foods from the on board freezer.  When it returned to room temperature, he repacked that area with the snack foods that it usually holds. Then it was dinner, reading, shower and our catching up today's events and saying our good nights. He also mentioned the rocking of the boat due to the increasing winds.
     Tomorrow should be interesting. . . .

Sunday, October 20, 2019 ~ Starting around midnight, the winds became intense as did the rains.  They continued to rock PEKABU in the slip through the night.  Pete estimates that the winds were steady in the 30's with gust easily topping 50 mph.  Around 10:30 the skies began to clear, but the boats continued to rock in the slips as the winds were in the low 20's. It became a beautiful clear but windy day.  There was very little chatter on the VHF as everyone remained hunkered down.

Current conditions at River Dunes

     Pete used the time to tackle some work today.  Tomorrow, he and George have a big project that will probably take all day.  Since the WiFi is so much better than in the past, he will work from here tomorrow.
     I was not so lucky with the weather. The winds and rains arrived last night but were not as intense as Pete experienced.  Carolyn and I enjoyed our tea and leisurely breakfast with lots of conversation. We also worked on her costume for Halloween.  She will be taking Ruthie trick-or-treating this Thursday and will be a jellyfish.  We used bubble wrap attached to a white umbrella and pleated it to fit the shape of the umbrella.  In the process it also gave dimension to the hood, which was pretty cool. Carolyn also highlighted the ridges with paint.  Then it was covered with turquoise, blue and lavender netting.  She also plans to make tentacles that hang down.  This will not only be a costume, but will be used as a teaching tool when she teaches preschoolers about marine animals the following week.
     After saying our good-byes, I left Carolyn's around 3, but didn't avoid the rains. It rained or heavy drizzled for mot of the 2 hours.  The fog didn't make things any better.
    After dinner and some TV, Pete and I said our good nights.

 ~ ~ ~ /) ~ ~ P & K     

Travel Day 6 - Shiloh to Belhaven, NC

     Up before first light and underway by 6 AM.  The headlamp has proven very useful for hoisting the anchor or any other chores needing to be done in the dark.  Great lighting in area needed as well as hands free for needed tasks. The camp tent light is perfect for the cockpit, illuminating the entire cockpit.  It will be a long day.
     PEKABU was the first to leave the anchorage.  The winds were 10-15 from the aft.  With the jib, he was able to keep up a steady and great speed in the mid 8's (mph).  However, it wasn't enough to catch up with the tug and barge as well as a larger power boat that was a mile ahead. Plus, it took additional time to pull in the jib.  Once the rough the bridge, the barge was a good 2+ miles ahead. Since the barge is slower than PEKABU, it would slow Pete travel in the Alligator Pongo (AP) Canal.  As it turns out, the current was with PEKABU heading south in the AP Canal.  He had to pass the tug and barge while in the confines of the canal.  Thankfully, he did so with no problems.  There was also another barge, north bound, that passed him further south.
          At 4 pm, Pete put the engine in idle so he could participate in a conference call.  The current was enough to keep him traveling south, but the slow speed also permitted the slower boats behind him to catch up and pass him.
    During one of our conversations today, Pete observed that the boat definitely seems faster than the past few years.  It could be all that weight we removed from on board and put into storage, or it might be the new paint.  Whatever the cause, it is great to be traveling more quickly!
    Since Debi's treatment was postponed this week,  I took advantage to visit with my friend, Carolyn, for the weekend. It is a great time to catch up.  The ride took about 2 hours and the closer I got to the Delaware River, the prettier the scenery became.  The roads were windy through the trees that were getting to into their full color.  It was a shame that there was nowhere to safely stop to photograph. Maybe I will get lucky on the way home. We caught dinner at Umberto's over in Doylestown.
     Pete finally dropped anchor around 8 PM on the southern area of the anchorage in Belhaven, away from the other boat traffic. After dinner and a shower, he was reading in bed when I called to say 'Good Night!"

~ ~ ~ /) ~ ~ P & K

Travel Day 5 - Top Rack, Chesapeake, VA to Shiloh, VA

     Once again, it was an early start so that Pete could catch the 7 AM opening of the Great Bridge Lock.  He and the trimaran, that tried to anchor across from the marina yesterday morning, were invited into the lock shortly before seven, but the lock master suggested that they turnoff their engines and enjoy some coffee while waiting. The opening will be at 8 so it coordinates with the Great Bridge Bridge opening. The two boats chatted for a while while waiting.  Pete commented to me on the shallow draft of the trimaran and the dagger boards on the outside hulls.  It looked to be roomy and would be interesting to see what the interior looked like.

Predicted path of
Tropical Storm
 forming in the Gulf

     They were joined in the lock by a number of larger boats as well as other cruisers.  Once clear of the Bridge, the faster boats took the lead.  Pete has been using the mile radius on the VHS/AIS, which makes it easier to call out boats wishing to pass.  Pete prefers that they pass "on plane" and PEKABU cut across the wake.  This way he doesn't loose time slowing down, but more importantly, the larger boat doesn't accelerate too soon, and send us into his huge hole before the wake forms.
     The winds were blowing from the west at about 20-25, but the channel across Currituck Sound is pretty close to land on the western side, which helped to keep the waves from building.
     Around 4:30, Pete dropped anchor on the western edge of North River, by Black Swamp, NC, which is only about 5 miles from the Arbermarle Sound. There are about 5 other boats already here.
     There is a system forming in the Gulf of Mexico which all the tracts point to it coming close to this area.  News report that it might form into a tropical storm by tomorrow.  Local weather shows that it will hit the area late Saturday and into Sunday, Pete already has dockage at River Dunes for Saturday and Sunday.  He plans to leave early tomorrow and head straight to Belhaven.  It is about a 10 hour trip. It won't be hard to drop anchor in the harbor there.  From there, it is only a 5 hour trip to River Dunes.  Hopefully, he makes it before the winds start to pick up.  The Neuse River can get difficult in winds, due to its length and width.
   
      Dinner tonight was meatball parmasian.  Since Pete is at anchor  without electricity, he couldn't use the microwave.  Hence, he improvise.  It worked and dinner was delicious!

~ ~ ~ /) ~ ~  P & K

Travel Day 4 - Great Salt Pond, Hampton Bays to Top Rack Marina, Chesapeake, VA

Tuesday, 10/15/19  ~     The plan WAS to catch the Glimerton and the Rail Road Bridge for the 9:30 AM opening.

USCG 125' doing training

     Pete was up and left the dock at Old Salt Pond by 6 AM. It was overcast with light winds and the radio was alive with lots of chatter.  Most of the Naval fleet is heading out to sea.  Before turning off the radio last night, Pete heard one aircraft carrier departing as well as all the cautions and precautions announcements to accompany her.  Today another aircraft carrier left, as well as 2 destroyers.  There was a submarine inbound as well. The sub had to do extensive radio discussion with a large outbound container ship that approached the harbor entrance right after it entered. A 90’ USCG patrol (like the Dolphin) was outbound from Portsmouth, while a 125' USCG ANT black-hull boat was doing racetrack and figure 8’s in channel. Apparently people were being certified for handling the boat, but it was quite unnerving to have it suddenly coming right at our bow!  Two container ships were outbound as well as a tug with two barges - inbound.  Then between Southern Railroad and Tidewater, a ship with 2 tugs tethered came close, so he went to within 20’ from ship dock, right under the 200-foot cranes.  Pete thinks he might have whip-lash from the constant swiveling to check the water way traffic!
     All that traffic made the traveling slow, which was further compounded by having to wait for 2 trains to cross the railroad bridge before it and the Glimerton Bridge could open! In the end, he just missed he 11:30 AM opening of the northern lock on the Dismal Swamp.  He and another boat waited over an hour before the lock master told them that all the dockage in the canal are maxed out and the Duckweed at the southern end is over 6 inches deep! That is taking its toll on many cruiser's engines as it is sucked into the engine intake.
     Now it is 12:45 and Pete is scrambling, making calls.  Atlantic Boat Basin is maxed, the free dock there is also full. A call to another marina before Tidewater was also full and reported that the free dock in Portsmouth is partially under construction leaving only a few slips, which are also occupied. Thankfully, Pete was able to get dockage at Top Rack Marina - and only $1/foot with electricity and WiFi included!  It is open to the channel so faster passing boats will rock PEKABU.  The dock master uses a very loud horn as well as the VHF to scold boats not abiding with the "No-Wake Zone!" Good thing PEKABU is backed into the dock.
     Remember all those spiders who wove their webs in Maryland? Many have hidden themselves and still start weaving their webs around sunset.  Pete had been sitting in the cockpit during the afternoon and left his opened bottle of water in the cup holder by the helm seat. The cap had fallen on the floor and had yet to be retrieved.  Well, when Pete returned from down below and went to take a drink, there was one of our 8-legged hitch hikers was swimming in the bottle!  No more uncapped bottles in the cockpit!
     Pete will be staying here for 2 days.  The heavy rains are due overnight, followed by increasing strong winds. They predict 25-35 mph winds with stronger gusts for tomorrow and possibly Thursday.  I know I feel better with Pete staying put.
    As for Debi, her last round of chemo has been postponed due to the Pneumonia that started last week.  This pushes her treatments back a week. The time delay is frustrating when the end is in site, but the cancer center is looking at what is best for her as a person and not just for the cancer. She is strong, brave, determined, resilient, and positive. She is simply amazing.  This means we can veg and hang out for 5 days in a row! AND I can work on the blog!
     Pete caught up on some projects and read for a while before heading up dinner. It was another night of reading before our good night call.

Extra High Tide at Top Rack

Wednesday, 10/16/19 ~  Pete woke up at 7:30 AM.  He was so glad he did. Around 7:45 the horn blasted at a large boat, which waked he marina.  A second, large boat was not far behind and also received the horn and a scolding. This must be the exodus for large boats to be moved to Florida by paid captains, who only transport and don't care about others. More than 2/3 of the large boats we have encountered in the past, have been very considerate.  It is just the bad ones are the ones that stand out and are easily remembered.
     Apparently, word hasn't spread about the Dismal Swamp, dockage and duckweed.  A number of sailboats and smaller power boats passed the marina after to 9:30 opening of the Glimerton Bridge.  A while later we heard boats trying to get dockage with poor results. 2 came over to Top Rack. The others must have backtracked to Tidewater, a good 1 1/2-2 hours back.
     The heavy rains did come, beginning shortly after 8:30 and stayed for a good part of the day.  It is a fast moving storm, but it continues to intensify on its travel north.  It hit the New Jersey around 5 pm with winds increasing after 10 pm when most of the rains had subsided,
     With no place to go for either one of us, I have been working on the blog so that the current cruise info is posted.  Pete spent a few hours working as well as getting in some reading.  He was able to stream the movie      .
     After the good night call we both called it a day.

~ ~ ~ /) ~ ~ P & K