Today: 35.7 miles 7.00 hours S/M 309.3
We were up, Tillie walked, and away from the dock by 7:15 AM. As we approached the inlet, the current became neutral and on the other side, we started to get a push. Yay! Catching the current flow this early means we should have it for a while. Shallots Inlet and Folly Landing Inlet, thankfully, were fairly similar with the additional current shifts.
It was a beautiful day. Temps in the mid 70’s and light breezes from the SSW. It was an enjoyable 7-hour ride.
In the few years since the hurricane and the tornado it spawned destroyed Morningside Marina in Southport, they have done a wonderful job in remodeling it. Floating docks, trees and shrubs planted with benches for viewing, visiting, and enjoying the sights while under shade makes for very inviting spaces. When I walked Tillie before bed, the alley under the trees was lit and the music carried over from the restaurants just around the inlet.
Friday, 5/2/25 ~ Southport to Carolina Beach, NC.
Today: 14.2 miles 3.5 hours S/M 295.5
To make sure we had the incoming current, we didn’t leave until 9:30 this morning. Thankfully, the boat in front of us had left about 15 minutes earlier, which allowed Pete to back us away from our T-head dock and around into the marina’s basin. Of course, we were fighting the wind and a little bit of the current, but my captain did a great job! We delayed entering the Cape Fear River to allow a container ship to head up first. They travel a wee bit faster than we do! It was much safer taking that 5-minute delay.
Morning traffic
Winds were out of the southeast about 10 mph but increasing. Current heading up the Cape Fear River is about a mile per hour. At this point, it increased as we continued further up the river. We were cruising at 7.1 - 8.1 mph with 2-3 mph push! That translates into 2 hours instead of 3 or more! We began our turn to Snows Cut shortly after 11 am and exited the Cut and tied up for the night shortly after noon. 
Snows Cut, the mostly submerged, rocky cliff and the erosion exposing tree roots
Rocks dispersing the current at high tide in the marina
Saturday, 5/3/25 ~ Carolina Beach to Mile Hammock, Camp Lejeune, NC
Today: 51 miles 9.5 hours S/M 244.5
We pulled away from the dock at 6:45 AM. About a ½ mile north, Pete had to steer a “crazy Ivan” following Bob423’s tracks due to the shoaling.
Sunrise this morning from the dock 
. . . and once under way
As usual, we were passed by lots of boats, many were way too close. The 2 sailboats, who passed us about 30 minutes into our travels, ran aground by red marker 222. Following Bob’s tracks, Pete hugged the west side of the channel, close to the boast up on lifts. We went to the green right next to boats. No problem. We didn’t have enough power to offer assistance. Both boats were able to free themselves rather quickly. Bigger engines with more horses can do that!
Known by us CCYCers as "BRUNELLE's Island"
Our friends, Dan & Martha lost their rudder going aground on the submerged sand bar about 10 years ago. That was before it built up even more and others erected the flag pole and palm tree!
The thinnest home on the ICW and a festival in Surf City
The ICW is used not only by us cruisers, but also by rowers and fishermen. Unfortunately, every cruise we see at least one fishing boat which ran aground and has been abandoned.
We are rigged for storms overnight. We will decide early tomorrow if we travel or stay due to those storms. Our next stop will be Beaufort NC, another long day.
Our son, Chris, called on his way home from work. The storms that are up and down the east coast, shut down his project in Baltimore. He and Pete talked for quite a while, discussing the charging of our batteries, which is still a bit of a mystery. He suggested a meter that we’re going to order. It will allow Pete to check the batteries as they’re charging. In the meantime, the small battery charger from Walmart and the portable Honda 2000 are working out great. Apparently, we are not using that much battery power underway and this little battery charger seems more than happy to recharge the batteries. Yay! As Pete said, “this is truly an adventure!”
Rain arrived around 8 PM as predicted. Pete took Tillie earlier to avoid it. She was too interested in smells to do anything. Pete took an extra long time, walking her and still no success.
We use the Christmas lights inside the cabin to light up after dark, which worked out very well. We left the lights on all night long because it was so dark here with no ambient light. We’d checked the weather carefully before bed and will again when the alarm goes off in the morning. The decision will be made then whether or not to go. The strongest storms are supposed to be here between 6 and 8 AM.
Sunday, 5/4/25 ~ Mile Hammock to Beaufort, NC.
Onslow Bridge: open, the old swing bridge and the new bascule bridge
By 8 o’clock, we were underway. Onslow Bridge opens ‘on the hour’ and we’re trying to make the 9 o’clock opening. The worst of the showers appears to be behind us, but there’s no promise for the rest of the day. We are heading up to Homer Smith Marina in Beaufort. We figure the 41 miles will take us a better part of nine hours. We were lucky. Due to the slight delayed departure, we had the current for a good deal of the day. As usual, we were passed by a lot of boats early in the day, between showers.
It is a bit longer to get to this marina rather than Morehead City Yacht Basin. However, the currents in the Morehead City marina are very strong, and the slips are designed for the big fishing tournament boats. Homer Smith Marina reportedly, has NO current! They assigned us to the inside of the gas /pump out T-head. It was an easy docking, plus we had two other boaters there to help.
Monday, 5/5/25 ~ Homer Smith Marina, Beaufort, NC ~ Day 2
As planned, we stayed at an extra day at the marina. Pete worked all day on a priority project. I took advantage of their free laundry and free loaner car. Pete and I had a few errands to run late in the day. While reading in the cockpit, I helped boats securing to the gas dock if the dock hands were not there yet.
I was thankful that we were a few minutes early for the 4 PM slot I had signed up for earlier this morning as I did the laundry. Another couple didn’t realize that the signup sheet was not in chronological order, and thought they had the 4-6 slot. When they realized the oversight, they were OK to wait until we returned at 6 PM. Thankfully, all 3 stores were in the same area. Walmart, for a couple of food items; Lowes, for a new hose and the meter Pete needed; West Marine for the light bulb for the starboard navigation light, and then gas for the car. We were back at 2-hour mark.
This is a beautiful marina, with great amenities (free laundry with 3 industrial washers and driers, free loaner car, beautiful captain’s lounge with recliners and big screen TV, and NO CURRENT. We will definitely to come here on future cruises.
Tuesday, 5/6/25 ~ Beaufort to Oriental, NC.
Today: 28 miles 6.25 hours S/M 175
After checking currents, we left around 11:15 hoping to ride the current up Adams Creek. Once again, “the best made plans. . . .” We rode the 12 miles mostly at 3.1 mph against the current! Currents are a science, but their predictions of the actual current change is more of an educated guess with a bit more lea way.
As we entered the creek, we were passed by 4 southbound USCG, grey & black inflatables, with 4 crew apiece. We suspect they are special forces for the Coast Guard. We were passed by 7 north-bound boats. As we entered the Neuss River, the 4 USCG inflatables once again passed us, only this time, north bound.
The oyster beds at low tide in Black Sound and the USCG special forces
Due to the late departure and the adverse current, we arrived after closing at River Dunes Marina. Scott is still harbor master and let us tie up at the fuel dock.
For dinner, I tried a new recipe using the frozen shrimp and scallops Elisha gave me when they left Ft. Pierce. It used cherry tomatoes, spinach, pasta olive oil, a tab of butter and a few spices. This one is definitely a keeper!
Pete had to put in a few hours of work after dinner. He broke for a few minutes to address ‘HPF’ message, which also stopped the AC. With some investigation, he found it was due to complete blockage in water intake. It was fortunate that the foot pump had enough pressure to clear it.
It was a beautiful night. As Tillie and I went for her final walk, I took advantage of the lit buildings to take some photos. While walking, we could hear rapid gunfire and ”humphs” of night training at a military facility somewhat in the area, along with almost silent helicopters passing overhead. It was rather disconcerting.
River Dunes at night
Wednesday, 5/7/25 ~ Oriental to, Belhaven, NC.Today: 44 miles 8.0 hours S/M 131.8
Old style and new style homes at River Dunes
For about 3 hours the engine was giving slight hitches in speed. The closer we got to Belhaven, the more choking the engine did. New mystery: Dirty fuel filter with approximately 200 hours on it? Blocked fuel line? Problem with the fuel line pick-up? Deranged ghost wreaking havoc?
We pulled up to the fuel dock at Dowry Creek Marina. We were all set to fill up our fuel tanks, but the gas pump refused to work. Pete expressed our concerns over our current gas levels. We need more gas to make the 12-hour trip to Coinjock. We had chosen this marina over Belhaven Marina, because it cuts about 90 minutes off our trip to Coinjock. Belhaven does have fueling right in the slip, free laundry, a loaner golf cart to get to Food Lion and in town with multiple eateries.
Once in our slip, she arranged for portable gas tanks and their truck so Pete could get gas so we could top off our tanks and the part. Pete examined the engine, but was unable to access the fuel filter; the engine is still too hot. It has over 200 running hours and it might be dirty. The engine wouldn’t restart. At this point, Pete is totally frustrated and has booked another 3 days here. He has ordered 2 new fuel filters, which will be here sometime Saturday. He also has the names of a couple of mechanics. He will attempt to replace the filter. If that doesn’t work, he will call a mechanic. Once again: ”the best made plans. . . .” Tomorrow would have been perfect for making the trip as no wind is predicted.
Hopefully, the wind gods will look kindly upon us when it is time to leave here, As Pete keeps repeating to himself, “We can’t make this stuff up! We can’t make this stuff up!!!”
As I walked Tillie, a fox and a deer crossed the road using the same trail. There are also 2 eagles sitting in a tree that we can see from the back of the boat. On our later walk, the sky was beautiful. There is very little ambient light so the moon back lit the puffy clouds and the stars still shone brightly.
Thursday, 5/8/25 ~ Dowry Creek Marina, Belhaven, NC ~ Day 2
Pete spent the day with George on the phone, working. I did some light house cleaning, and had a long, phone chat with Barbara this morning. After lunch, the sinus headache caused by allergies, encouraged me to lie down with eyes closed listening to my audio book. I promptly fell asleep for 2+ hours. Heather called and I spoke on her way home from work. She will freshen up and head back for a clients’ dinner.
The internet was down all last night. It didn’t affect our dinner at The Salty Crab, here at the marina. Our nachos were delicious, the cheese burgers were bar food cheese burgers, and the strawberry cheesecake was made with ricotta and blueberries, not my favorite, but we still had a nice time.
Pete crashed after dinner waiting for the internet to come back. I pulled out my book of Mandela and colored pencils and relaxed. I called it quits around 9:30.
Views around Dowry Creek Marina
Friday, 5/9/25 ~ Dowry Creek Marina, Belhaven, NC ~ Day 3
Pete was busy with work all morning. After lunch, he worked on tracing the fuel problem to the outboard. He was able to rule out a number of possibilities: Not the pick-up, not air in the can, not the fitting, not the bulb (which was once again switched), not the line or connection to the motor. However, the engine started!. Once the fuel filter arrives tomorrow, it will be installed. Then we need to fill the tanks.
Reservations are made for Coinjock for Sunday & Monday. Weather is promising. The winds are predicted to be primarily about 10 mph, increasing to 17 later in the day from the SSE. That increase should be once we are out of the Albemarle Sound.
Saturday, 5/10/25 ~ Dowry Creek Marina, Belhaven, NC ~ Day 4
Pete was able to fill up the Gerry cans at the gas dock, lug them over to the boat, and fill both, big 12-gallon tanks. We now have more than enough fuel to get to Great Salt Pond. We are good for three days’ worth of cruising.
Now that all the connections from the gas to the motor have been traced, Pete suspects the problem is the anti-siphoning device on the line. He has removed it and rechecked all other fittings. He’s rechecked the hose that actually goes into the tanks. Everything looks clear and fine. He started the engine and it ran no problems for a full hour. We should be good. Fingers crossed!
The loaner car here at Dowry Creek is not longer available. The dockmaster has been very nice to possibly suggest use of their car, but Pete never heard a confirming answer. Instead, he took the scooter and headed over to Food Lion, which is about 6 miles away. He was able to get everything on the list. Unfortunately, about a half a mile from the Food Lion, the battery ran out. He called. I was able to talk to the dockmaster, and she let me her car. I was able to go and get him.
After lunch, I returned to working on the blog. I’m writing up April‘s entry. Pete attempted to read, but gave up and I convinced him to go take a nap. It was a very busy morning and intense. After I’ve gotten all of April written, I decided to relax and read for a short while before making dinner.
We watched some TV, chilled out and decided to head into bed early. The alarm is set for tomorrow morning. Fingers crossed that the weather still cooperates for our long journey up to Coinjock.
Sunday, 5/11/25 ~ Belhaven to Coinjock, NC
& 
The new Alligator River Bridge construction is under way. The Alligator River marina is no longer open. It houses all the construction equipment and supplies. This is why we have such a l-o-n-g day. There are no other marinas between Dowry Creek and Coinjock and there is no way Pete will put the dinghy back down.
We could see the rains to the north and south, but somehow they missed us. Partially across the Sound, the winds came up and helped us motor sailing. Another surprise, Joy - Oh, joy!: The jib will not unfurl! Another mystery!
Coinjock Marina called to confirm our arrival. When I mentioned that we will be coming in well after closing, TJ went to check on the total space remaining for us to dock. They are full tonight, especially since it is Mother’s Day. We have exactly 40 feet to squeeze in all 38 feet of PEKABU including the dinghy and anchor. TJ was concerned with our limited ability to maneuver. He arranged for a welcoming committee of fellow boaters to help us dock. As we neared the marina, someone shouted, “PEKABU, welcome! We are waiting for you!" As we approached the dock, there were 8 fellow boaters waiting to catch lines and assist in any way needed. BOATERS ARE THE GREATEST! Pete gently slipped us right up to the dock.
Once everything was shut down, things put away, and Tillie walked, I counted 29 bug bites on my right leg and 20 on my left! Heavens knows how many Pete has. I am trying really hard not to touch them.
Shower and bed never felt so good.
Monday, 5/12/25 ~ Coinjock ~ Day 2
Pete worked while I did some chores, worked on the blog and rested. Surprisingly, they did not move us. Around 3, a 65’ Grand Banks glided sideways into the 68” space in front of us. Heavy rains & winds are forecasted for tomorrow. We will stay the extra day.
The Grand Banks docking behind us.
Pete activated power for our slip on B-dock in Castle Harbor.
We headed over to the restaurant, all 25 steps, for dinner. We had their delicious Crab dip with homemade potato chips. I enjoyed the Cream of Crab Bisque while Pete tried their Hatteras Clam Chowder. He still prefers New England or Manhattan Clam Chowder. We both had the 16-ounce Prime Rib, mine with sweet potato and salad; his with fries and fries. We have enough leftovers, sliced and frozen for 2 open face steak sandwich meals. Looking forward to them.
A momentary rainbow then the rains returned
I worked most of the day on the blog, and by 5:30 April’s entries were posted, but not yet viewable on the blog. Recent photos are all downloaded. I started processing them. I have found that dictating my daily entries into my phone really helps. It speeds up the process probably by a third.
With it being so raw outside, we opted to have a hardy soup for dinner. It really hit the spot. Once again, no late night. Alarm set for six-thirty in the morning.
Wednesday, 5/14/25 ~ Coinjock, NC to Great Bridge Lock, Chesapeake, VA
The wind came up and we were able to motor sail at 5.8 mph across Currituck Sound. At the north end of the Sound, we saw the military training in 6 black zodiacs. There were also multiple jets as well as 2 smaller planes that flew low and followed the winding ICW, taking off from one of the military bases. One was a WW2 fighter, the other was another military craft, but we didn’t see it true profile. Speaking of flying birds, I also spotted 3 pairs of Bald Eagles in trees near the waterway, and one in flight.
Our timing of the bridge was not great, We had to wait 25 minutes for the Bridge at Northbridge. Centerville Bridge was better timed. It opened as we approached. No slowing down.
There was only 1 boat already docked on the free docks. We decided to point our bow into the wind, which meant we docked at the southern end with our bow facing south. Three other trawlers also joined us on the dock.
Unique views of the Great Lock Bridge and Sweetbay Magnolia
Pete and I had prescriptions to pick up at Walgreens, a half mile west of the lock. We decided to walk. The distance was not bad, but the heat and direct sunlight made it a bit uncomfortable. I never realized that there are so many stores so close to the lock. DQ and Jersey Mike’s are on one side of the road, Chili's, Subway, Wendy’s, etc. are on the other. We took the wagon as we needed water, soda, bread and fruit. Kroger’s, which is like Food Lion was in the same area. Their selection is limited and it really annoys me when stores require use of their App to access the sale price. Whatever happened to having in-store paper copies of sale items and coupons?!
Storms & lightning arrived shortly before dinner. They continued for about 2 hours with a great temperature drop. It was great for sleeping.
Thursday, 5/15/25 ~ Chesapeake to Hampton, VAToday: 30 miles 6.5 hours S/M - - - 
Waiting for the bridge opening
I was handing lines to the lock tender when the anchor and navigation lights hit the fenders in the lock. The port side navigation enclosure and lightbulb shattered and fell into the water. While waiting for the water level to fall (all6 inches of it) I enjoyed watching the Canadian geese with their chicks, nibbling the grass around the lock. I was surprised to see a very large swimming crab in front of the boat.
The Elizabeth River is never boring. Norfolk continues to have lots of water traffic. We are both constantly on watch for surprise traffic suddenly emerging from behind a ship or suddenly out of an off shoot along the river. We needed to wait about 15 minutes for the railroad bridge #5 to lower only to have one of the railroad trucks to cross the river. Then the ferry from Portsmouth to Norfolk entered the river from the free docks right in front of us, even though we had right of way As we passed the Nautilus Center, we saw 3 of their sailboats in front of us. It reminded Pete and I that Rob and Alex, MV LAMANTIN, who moved to Norfolk where Rob taught sailing at this center. Moments later, "PEKABU" was paged on channel 16, then requested to switch “up one.” It was Rob! He is still teaching sailing. It was great speaking with him.
It was low tide as we entered the approach to Salt Pond. The marina had warned us of the shoals, which we were able to avoid when we made the reservations. When we called for our slip assignment as well as our need to fill with gas before we went to our slip, we were informed that there is no fuel. The pipes have been broken for months. This is a problem! As we eased into our slip, I expressed our concerns to the dock hand. He stated others “drive over to fill cans at gas stations.” Interesting suggestion, but we have no car! It was disappointing to see that the marina has deteriorated considerably since we were here last. The docks are rotting and have holes in the decking. The Internet doesn’t work, and the staff is indifferent.
As to the fuel, we could head back to Tidewater Marina. It would be a day wasted. It takes 2.5 hours to get back there and 2.5 hours to return. Pete consolidated all the fuel into one of the large tanks. We have 12 gallons, of which we only need 9 to make it to Deltaville.
Shortly after dinner, there was a knock on the boat. We were shocked and pleased to find Amy, Dan’s niece on SV ROWEN, stopped by to say “Hi.” Dan (SV BRUNELLE) had forwarded our location to her as she was flying back from Phili. She has been at this marina since Thanksgiving. We all were surprised that the stars aligned and enabled our meeting. It was so good to see her and catch up. Hopefully, with her travels this summer, we might once again meet up.
Friday, 5/16/25 ~ Hampton to Deltaville, VA
This is the first time on the cruise north that we encountered the dreaded, biting, black flies. At first, Tillie was annoyed with their persistence. However, with her thick coat, she was able to ignore them. We were not so lucky. They were constantly attacking our legs. I wonder, with all of our recent bites from Coinjock, if there is a teeny, tiny, invisible sign somewhere on our legs saying. “Free and tasty food here!”
Prior to Potomac River, I saw speed between 6-7 mph for about an hour with wind about 10. Winds increased 12-15 and current strengthened once passing the Potomac. Pete reefed the sail. Our speed dropped to 4.6 mph. When we left this morning, Pete had plotted our travels so we could watch our ETA. However, our predicted arrival time kept vacillating between 4:30 and 6 PM depending on our speed at the moment.
F-16 and C-130 landing at Patuxent Naval Air Station
No alarm was set for this morning. Pete took a long walk with Tillie. They met and impressed a lot of walkers this morning. She has a new friend, who is a grey and white Mini-Bernedoodle.
Home, business and Tiki Bar décor 
Purslanes and Dogwood 
Grass on an old wooden lock, a "ghost" crab and Tasselflower 
The afternoon was once again spent on the blog. If tomorrow is our last day of this cruise, I would really like to have it all posted soon, maybe by this weekend?
Tuesday, 5/20/25 ~ Solomons to “Home”, Castle Harbor, Kent Island, MD
Passed by a Buy Boat and Cormorant guards on R118.
Pete had three conference calls scheduled for today, so I had more helm time. When we finally caught the current, we did 5.4 mph for while, but that “while” only lasted about an hour. Our speed then dropped to 4.3. The winds were supposed to die down around nine. Once again, the weatherman was wrong. They clocked to the NNE and stayed till noon. So, we were back to fighting the current and the wind, which was once again, on our nose.
As we approached the Annapolis area, I could hear the Blue Angels doing their practice run for tomorrow’s airshow for the Naval Academy’s Commissioning Week. From a distance, I could see some of the planes performing. I wish we had gotten here sooner to see the entire show, but I’ll take what I got.
Otherwise, it was a quiet day on The Bay. We were passed by a tug with a barge and 2 ships. This enabled us to take a more direct route up The Bay, which was great. We made it “home” to Castle Harbor at 8:20 PM. We beat darkness and we beat the rain, which came in later.
Once again after a 12-hour plus day Tillie was great during the trip, She did remind us when it was 5 o’clock, that we forgot something, specifically, her pre-dinner walk, but soon settled down. Of course, as we docked, she was very anxious and excited to get to the grass.
All in all, it was a good day, an interesting, challenging, and at times frustrating trip, and a very different winter. What the future will be is a mystery.
~ ~ ~ /) ~ ~ K & P
Total: 612.2 miles 121.70 hours
We were up, Tillie walked, and away from the dock by 7:15 AM. As we approached the inlet, the current became neutral and on the other side, we started to get a push. Yay! Catching the current flow this early means we should have it for a while. Shallots Inlet and Folly Landing Inlet, thankfully, were fairly similar with the additional current shifts.
It was a beautiful day. Temps in the mid 70’s and light breezes from the SSW. It was an enjoyable 7-hour ride.
Homes, views, boats and helos ~ views from the ICW on our way to Southport
Friday, 5/2/25 ~ Southport to Carolina Beach, NC.
Today: 14.2 miles 3.5 hours S/M 295.5
Total: 626.4 miles 125.2 hours
 |
| Winds today |
Morning traffic
 |
| The strong incoming current |
The Carolina Beach Yacht Club and Marina is at the eastern end of the Cut. It is convenient, but the amenities are old and limited. There is no internet, the marina doesn’t always answer the phone or give out the code for the bathrooms. They do, however, have the brand new cocktail bar called The Barge CB. It is inside of the main dock. It just opened and drew quite a crowd, both by boat and car. It is open from about 4 - 9 PM, which enables us a good night’s sleeep.
Snows Cut, the mostly submerged, rocky cliff and the erosion exposing tree roots
Shaggy Tillie with limited vision before her bath and trim and now she can see.
Saturday, 5/3/25 ~ Carolina Beach to Mile Hammock, Camp Lejeune, NC
Today: 51 miles 9.5 hours S/M 244.5
Total: 718.9 mile 134.7 hours
Sunrise this morning from the dock
. . . and once under way
As usual, we were passed by lots of boats, many were way too close. The 2 sailboats, who passed us about 30 minutes into our travels, ran aground by red marker 222. Following Bob’s tracks, Pete hugged the west side of the channel, close to the boast up on lifts. We went to the green right next to boats. No problem. We didn’t have enough power to offer assistance. Both boats were able to free themselves rather quickly. Bigger engines with more horses can do that!
Wrightsville Inlet
Our friends, Dan & Martha lost their rudder going aground on the submerged sand bar about 10 years ago. That was before it built up even more and others erected the flag pole and palm tree!
The thinnest home on the ICW and a festival in Surf City
Of course the dredgers are needed to keep it deep enough.
The former crazy, pink, island house near Surf City is now updated and painted a respectable beige. Currents gave us pushes at times and pulls at others. We came in at 4 PM, an hour prior to our ETA. This means we had more pushes than pulls!
We anchored in Mile Hammock, Camp Lejeune along with 10 other boats. It was tricky lowering the dinghy. This was also, Tillie’s first experience with the dinghy. She was a bit leery. Sat in the bow as soon as she boarded. She doesn’t like to step into the water. Pete found the launch ramp very slippery and dangerous carrying Tillie into the dinghy.
We anchored in Mile Hammock, Camp Lejeune along with 10 other boats. It was tricky lowering the dinghy. This was also, Tillie’s first experience with the dinghy. She was a bit leery. Sat in the bow as soon as she boarded. She doesn’t like to step into the water. Pete found the launch ramp very slippery and dangerous carrying Tillie into the dinghy.
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| Just north of Mile Hammock, we could see lots of small pleasure craft beached on the bank. This is where the ocean broke through to the ICW during the last hurricane that came through here. Over the past 6 or 7 years, it has filled in with sand. Marking it a great party spot! |
We are rigged for storms overnight. We will decide early tomorrow if we travel or stay due to those storms. Our next stop will be Beaufort NC, another long day.
Our son, Chris, called on his way home from work. The storms that are up and down the east coast, shut down his project in Baltimore. He and Pete talked for quite a while, discussing the charging of our batteries, which is still a bit of a mystery. He suggested a meter that we’re going to order. It will allow Pete to check the batteries as they’re charging. In the meantime, the small battery charger from Walmart and the portable Honda 2000 are working out great. Apparently, we are not using that much battery power underway and this little battery charger seems more than happy to recharge the batteries. Yay! As Pete said, “this is truly an adventure!”
Rain arrived around 8 PM as predicted. Pete took Tillie earlier to avoid it. She was too interested in smells to do anything. Pete took an extra long time, walking her and still no success.
We use the Christmas lights inside the cabin to light up after dark, which worked out very well. We left the lights on all night long because it was so dark here with no ambient light. We’d checked the weather carefully before bed and will again when the alarm goes off in the morning. The decision will be made then whether or not to go. The strongest storms are supposed to be here between 6 and 8 AM.
Sunday, 5/4/25 ~ Mile Hammock to Beaufort, NC.
Today: 41.5 miles 9.25 hours S/M 203
The alarm went off at six and first thing we did was check the weather. Storms are coming, tried to get the dog to shore and back before they came. Unfortunately, the showers came while they were still walking. When he tried to start the engine on the dinghy, it was extremely stubborn and wouldn’t start. Thankfully, there was another couple walking their 2 doodles. They were able to take them over to our dinghy. Pete and Tillie transferred, then were towed out to me. Boaters are such good people! The rain came. The wind came. The thunder and lightning came, and we still had to raise and secure the dinghy without damaging the outboard. The davits center the dinghy right over the outboard engine as it rises up to the davits. Needless to say, it was very challenging. Once mounted and secured, we finally ate our breakfast.
Total: 760.4 mile 143.95 hours
The alarm went off at six and first thing we did was check the weather. Storms are coming, tried to get the dog to shore and back before they came. Unfortunately, the showers came while they were still walking. When he tried to start the engine on the dinghy, it was extremely stubborn and wouldn’t start. Thankfully, there was another couple walking their 2 doodles. They were able to take them over to our dinghy. Pete and Tillie transferred, then were towed out to me. Boaters are such good people! The rain came. The wind came. The thunder and lightning came, and we still had to raise and secure the dinghy without damaging the outboard. The davits center the dinghy right over the outboard engine as it rises up to the davits. Needless to say, it was very challenging. Once mounted and secured, we finally ate our breakfast.
Onslow Bridge: open, the old swing bridge and the new bascule bridge
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| One of the many boats that passed us |
It is a bit longer to get to this marina rather than Morehead City Yacht Basin. However, the currents in the Morehead City marina are very strong, and the slips are designed for the big fishing tournament boats. Homer Smith Marina reportedly, has NO current! They assigned us to the inside of the gas /pump out T-head. It was an easy docking, plus we had two other boaters there to help.
Once again, we had a strange glow that surrounded the boat. When I stuck my head up to check, The clouds were spectacularly lit. I couldn't resist the photo op!
Tonight's amazing sunset with the tall storm clouds off shore
Needless to say, it was an early night after another 9+ hour day.Monday, 5/5/25 ~ Homer Smith Marina, Beaufort, NC ~ Day 2
As planned, we stayed at an extra day at the marina. Pete worked all day on a priority project. I took advantage of their free laundry and free loaner car. Pete and I had a few errands to run late in the day. While reading in the cockpit, I helped boats securing to the gas dock if the dock hands were not there yet.
I was thankful that we were a few minutes early for the 4 PM slot I had signed up for earlier this morning as I did the laundry. Another couple didn’t realize that the signup sheet was not in chronological order, and thought they had the 4-6 slot. When they realized the oversight, they were OK to wait until we returned at 6 PM. Thankfully, all 3 stores were in the same area. Walmart, for a couple of food items; Lowes, for a new hose and the meter Pete needed; West Marine for the light bulb for the starboard navigation light, and then gas for the car. We were back at 2-hour mark.
This is a beautiful marina, with great amenities (free laundry with 3 industrial washers and driers, free loaner car, beautiful captain’s lounge with recliners and big screen TV, and NO CURRENT. We will definitely to come here on future cruises.
Tuesday, 5/6/25 ~ Beaufort to Oriental, NC.
Today: 28 miles 6.25 hours S/M 175
Total: 788.4 miles 150.2 hours
As we entered the creek, we were passed by 4 southbound USCG, grey & black inflatables, with 4 crew apiece. We suspect they are special forces for the Coast Guard. We were passed by 7 north-bound boats. As we entered the Neuss River, the 4 USCG inflatables once again passed us, only this time, north bound.
The oyster beds at low tide in Black Sound and the USCG special forces
Due to the late departure and the adverse current, we arrived after closing at River Dunes Marina. Scott is still harbor master and let us tie up at the fuel dock.
As we were entering into River Dunes, we both commentated that the original buildings we saw back in 2010 all shared the old grand Southern charm. There has been very little building in the ensuing years. However, most of the homes built since then no longer follow that design. We still can not figure out why one would want to live this far away from the necessities of living (medical care, food shopping, pharmacy, etc.)
For dinner, I tried a new recipe using the frozen shrimp and scallops Elisha gave me when they left Ft. Pierce. It used cherry tomatoes, spinach, pasta olive oil, a tab of butter and a few spices. This one is definitely a keeper!
Pete had to put in a few hours of work after dinner. He broke for a few minutes to address ‘HPF’ message, which also stopped the AC. With some investigation, he found it was due to complete blockage in water intake. It was fortunate that the foot pump had enough pressure to clear it.
It was a beautiful night. As Tillie and I went for her final walk, I took advantage of the lit buildings to take some photos. While walking, we could hear rapid gunfire and ”humphs” of night training at a military facility somewhat in the area, along with almost silent helicopters passing overhead. It was rather disconcerting.
Wednesday, 5/7/25 ~ Oriental to, Belhaven, NC.
Total: 832.4 miles 158.20 hours
We pulled away from the dock at 7:10 AM. It was a calm morning with temps once again in the low 70’s with partly cloudy skies. We did a steady 5.4 mph to Hobucken. The last time we passed north through here there, there were various small fires on each side. Now, there are very few charred barks of the trees to be seen. Mother Nature has been busy with new growth to cover the former damage.
Old style and new style homes at River Dunes
Some of the fire damaged areas of Hobucken & the fleet is in.
The boats that were new 3 years ago now show lots of rust courtesy of salt water.
For about 3 hours the engine was giving slight hitches in speed. The closer we got to Belhaven, the more choking the engine did. New mystery: Dirty fuel filter with approximately 200 hours on it? Blocked fuel line? Problem with the fuel line pick-up? Deranged ghost wreaking havoc?
We pulled up to the fuel dock at Dowry Creek Marina. We were all set to fill up our fuel tanks, but the gas pump refused to work. Pete expressed our concerns over our current gas levels. We need more gas to make the 12-hour trip to Coinjock. We had chosen this marina over Belhaven Marina, because it cuts about 90 minutes off our trip to Coinjock. Belhaven does have fueling right in the slip, free laundry, a loaner golf cart to get to Food Lion and in town with multiple eateries.
Once in our slip, she arranged for portable gas tanks and their truck so Pete could get gas so we could top off our tanks and the part. Pete examined the engine, but was unable to access the fuel filter; the engine is still too hot. It has over 200 running hours and it might be dirty. The engine wouldn’t restart. At this point, Pete is totally frustrated and has booked another 3 days here. He has ordered 2 new fuel filters, which will be here sometime Saturday. He also has the names of a couple of mechanics. He will attempt to replace the filter. If that doesn’t work, he will call a mechanic. Once again: ”the best made plans. . . .” Tomorrow would have been perfect for making the trip as no wind is predicted.
Hopefully, the wind gods will look kindly upon us when it is time to leave here, As Pete keeps repeating to himself, “We can’t make this stuff up! We can’t make this stuff up!!!”
As I walked Tillie, a fox and a deer crossed the road using the same trail. There are also 2 eagles sitting in a tree that we can see from the back of the boat. On our later walk, the sky was beautiful. There is very little ambient light so the moon back lit the puffy clouds and the stars still shone brightly.
Thursday, 5/8/25 ~ Dowry Creek Marina, Belhaven, NC ~ Day 2
Pete spent the day with George on the phone, working. I did some light house cleaning, and had a long, phone chat with Barbara this morning. After lunch, the sinus headache caused by allergies, encouraged me to lie down with eyes closed listening to my audio book. I promptly fell asleep for 2+ hours. Heather called and I spoke on her way home from work. She will freshen up and head back for a clients’ dinner.
The internet was down all last night. It didn’t affect our dinner at The Salty Crab, here at the marina. Our nachos were delicious, the cheese burgers were bar food cheese burgers, and the strawberry cheesecake was made with ricotta and blueberries, not my favorite, but we still had a nice time.
Pete crashed after dinner waiting for the internet to come back. I pulled out my book of Mandela and colored pencils and relaxed. I called it quits around 9:30.
Views around Dowry Creek Marina
Friday, 5/9/25 ~ Dowry Creek Marina, Belhaven, NC ~ Day 3
Pete was busy with work all morning. After lunch, he worked on tracing the fuel problem to the outboard. He was able to rule out a number of possibilities: Not the pick-up, not air in the can, not the fitting, not the bulb (which was once again switched), not the line or connection to the motor. However, the engine started!. Once the fuel filter arrives tomorrow, it will be installed. Then we need to fill the tanks.
Reservations are made for Coinjock for Sunday & Monday. Weather is promising. The winds are predicted to be primarily about 10 mph, increasing to 17 later in the day from the SSE. That increase should be once we are out of the Albemarle Sound.
Saturday, 5/10/25 ~ Dowry Creek Marina, Belhaven, NC ~ Day 4
Pete was able to fill up the Gerry cans at the gas dock, lug them over to the boat, and fill both, big 12-gallon tanks. We now have more than enough fuel to get to Great Salt Pond. We are good for three days’ worth of cruising.
Now that all the connections from the gas to the motor have been traced, Pete suspects the problem is the anti-siphoning device on the line. He has removed it and rechecked all other fittings. He’s rechecked the hose that actually goes into the tanks. Everything looks clear and fine. He started the engine and it ran no problems for a full hour. We should be good. Fingers crossed!
The loaner car here at Dowry Creek is not longer available. The dockmaster has been very nice to possibly suggest use of their car, but Pete never heard a confirming answer. Instead, he took the scooter and headed over to Food Lion, which is about 6 miles away. He was able to get everything on the list. Unfortunately, about a half a mile from the Food Lion, the battery ran out. He called. I was able to talk to the dockmaster, and she let me her car. I was able to go and get him.
After lunch, I returned to working on the blog. I’m writing up April‘s entry. Pete attempted to read, but gave up and I convinced him to go take a nap. It was a very busy morning and intense. After I’ve gotten all of April written, I decided to relax and read for a short while before making dinner.
We watched some TV, chilled out and decided to head into bed early. The alarm is set for tomorrow morning. Fingers crossed that the weather still cooperates for our long journey up to Coinjock.
Sunday, 5/11/25 ~ Belhaven to Coinjock, NC
Today: 82 miles 15.75 hours S/M 49
The alarm went off at 5 AM. We were away from the dock by 5:40. Temps were about 65 degrees, with the winds, negligible. It was a wonderful surprise to find no condensation on windows. That cuts down our predeparture routine. Two boats passed us by 6:15. The most remarkable thing about our trip up the Alligator Pongo Canal was to watch a black bear swim across the canal and run up the bank! No - I did not get photos. I grabbed my phone, but it refused to focus. I still haven’t figured out why. Instead the image is held in Pete and my memory banks. We also saw wind turkeys courting, and a number of eagle pairs in the trees. I did get a shot of a large cruiser plowing the muddy waters of the canal. Too much power for the hull shape. I can't imagine the fuel consumption pushing against all that water.
Total: 914.4 miles 173.95 hours
The alarm went off at 5 AM. We were away from the dock by 5:40. Temps were about 65 degrees, with the winds, negligible. It was a wonderful surprise to find no condensation on windows. That cuts down our predeparture routine. Two boats passed us by 6:15. The most remarkable thing about our trip up the Alligator Pongo Canal was to watch a black bear swim across the canal and run up the bank! No - I did not get photos. I grabbed my phone, but it refused to focus. I still haven’t figured out why. Instead the image is held in Pete and my memory banks. We also saw wind turkeys courting, and a number of eagle pairs in the trees. I did get a shot of a large cruiser plowing the muddy waters of the canal. Too much power for the hull shape. I can't imagine the fuel consumption pushing against all that water.
What a sunrise! ~
The Alligator Pongo River Canal & The soon to be Alligator River Bridge ~
& The new Alligator River Bridge construction is under way. The Alligator River marina is no longer open. It houses all the construction equipment and supplies. This is why we have such a l-o-n-g day. There are no other marinas between Dowry Creek and Coinjock and there is no way Pete will put the dinghy back down.
We could see the rains to the north and south, but somehow they missed us. Partially across the Sound, the winds came up and helped us motor sailing. Another surprise, Joy - Oh, joy!: The jib will not unfurl! Another mystery!
Sunrises and sunsets with the proper position of clouds and angle of the sun can be a progression of color and wonder. We were blessed twice today! Sunset was another series of masterpieces.
Coinjock Marina called to confirm our arrival. When I mentioned that we will be coming in well after closing, TJ went to check on the total space remaining for us to dock. They are full tonight, especially since it is Mother’s Day. We have exactly 40 feet to squeeze in all 38 feet of PEKABU including the dinghy and anchor. TJ was concerned with our limited ability to maneuver. He arranged for a welcoming committee of fellow boaters to help us dock. As we neared the marina, someone shouted, “PEKABU, welcome! We are waiting for you!" As we approached the dock, there were 8 fellow boaters waiting to catch lines and assist in any way needed. BOATERS ARE THE GREATEST! Pete gently slipped us right up to the dock.
Once everything was shut down, things put away, and Tillie walked, I counted 29 bug bites on my right leg and 20 on my left! Heavens knows how many Pete has. I am trying really hard not to touch them.
Shower and bed never felt so good.
Monday, 5/12/25 ~ Coinjock ~ Day 2
Pete worked while I did some chores, worked on the blog and rested. Surprisingly, they did not move us. Around 3, a 65’ Grand Banks glided sideways into the 68” space in front of us. Heavy rains & winds are forecasted for tomorrow. We will stay the extra day.
The Grand Banks docking behind us.
Pete activated power for our slip on B-dock in Castle Harbor.
We headed over to the restaurant, all 25 steps, for dinner. We had their delicious Crab dip with homemade potato chips. I enjoyed the Cream of Crab Bisque while Pete tried their Hatteras Clam Chowder. He still prefers New England or Manhattan Clam Chowder. We both had the 16-ounce Prime Rib, mine with sweet potato and salad; his with fries and fries. We have enough leftovers, sliced and frozen for 2 open face steak sandwich meals. Looking forward to them.
Tuesday, 5/13/25 ~ Coinjock ~ Day 3
After checking the forecast numerous times yesterday morning, we decided to stay an extra day here in Coinjock. The forecast lived up to the hype. Heavy rain came through in bands, and the wind picked up. Pete had hoped to wash the boat with the power washer, but Mother Nature took care of that for us.
When Pete checked AIS, there was only one large boat coming across the sound. It turns out it was an 85-foot Ocean Alexander, that squeezed into the space between us and the boat in front of us, with about 5 feet to spare. It’s wonderful to have multiple thrusters on a boat. Pete claims I am the thruster here on PEKABU!
After checking the forecast numerous times yesterday morning, we decided to stay an extra day here in Coinjock. The forecast lived up to the hype. Heavy rain came through in bands, and the wind picked up. Pete had hoped to wash the boat with the power washer, but Mother Nature took care of that for us.
When Pete checked AIS, there was only one large boat coming across the sound. It turns out it was an 85-foot Ocean Alexander, that squeezed into the space between us and the boat in front of us, with about 5 feet to spare. It’s wonderful to have multiple thrusters on a boat. Pete claims I am the thruster here on PEKABU!
In the rain, MY FORTISSIMO, the Ocean Alexander, parallelly docked 5 feet from our bow.
Pete watched the tug transit the canal.
With it being so raw outside, we opted to have a hardy soup for dinner. It really hit the spot. Once again, no late night. Alarm set for six-thirty in the morning.
Wednesday, 5/14/25 ~ Coinjock, NC to Great Bridge Lock, Chesapeake, VA
Today: 37 miles 8.0 hours S/M 12
We were up and away from the dock by 7 o’clock. Using the current and the wind we were able to push the stern away from the dock while holding the bow in place. We then slipped away from the dock in reverse.
Total: 951.4 miles 181.95 hours
We were up and away from the dock by 7 o’clock. Using the current and the wind we were able to push the stern away from the dock while holding the bow in place. We then slipped away from the dock in reverse.
Temperatures were in the low 70s, wind was negligible, and the skies were clear as we rose this morning. By eight, we were under heavy cloud cover. They are predicting showers on and off all day, but not the torrential downpours that hit yesterday.
Blue skies gave way to grey as we were passed on Curricutt Sound by the Norhavan and MY FORTISSIMO, both were docked with us in Coinjock.
The wind came up and we were able to motor sail at 5.8 mph across Currituck Sound. At the north end of the Sound, we saw the military training in 6 black zodiacs. There were also multiple jets as well as 2 smaller planes that flew low and followed the winding ICW, taking off from one of the military bases. One was a WW2 fighter, the other was another military craft, but we didn’t see it true profile. Speaking of flying birds, I also spotted 3 pairs of Bald Eagles in trees near the waterway, and one in flight.
Views of the military ~
Views along the ICW banks ~
Views on and above the ICW ~
. . . and my favorite ~ views from the ICW of the wildlife!
There was only 1 boat already docked on the free docks. We decided to point our bow into the wind, which meant we docked at the southern end with our bow facing south. Three other trawlers also joined us on the dock.
Unique views of the Great Lock Bridge and Sweetbay Magnolia
Storms & lightning arrived shortly before dinner. They continued for about 2 hours with a great temperature drop. It was great for sleeping.
Thursday, 5/15/25 ~ Chesapeake to Hampton, VA
Total: 981.4 mile 188.45 hours
We were able to catch the 8 AM opening with 2 of the 3 other boats at Great Bridge dock.
We were able to catch the 8 AM opening with 2 of the 3 other boats at Great Bridge dock.
Waiting for the bridge opening
I was handing lines to the lock tender when the anchor and navigation lights hit the fenders in the lock. The port side navigation enclosure and lightbulb shattered and fell into the water. While waiting for the water level to fall (all6 inches of it) I enjoyed watching the Canadian geese with their chicks, nibbling the grass around the lock. I was surprised to see a very large swimming crab in front of the boat.
Tugs with and on a barge
Active shipyards in Norfolk
This is the first time I have noticed letters and stripes near the bridge of a naval ship. My friend, Google, explained that these are first place awards within the entire squadron earned by various departments onboard the ship.
A little further ahead there was a USCG ship heading towards us. The USCG 270, the NORTHLAND, was heading to their base in Hampton Rhodes.
More traffic ~ a barge with container cranes for the docks,
a working dredge barge and new tug heading to next assignment
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| West shore of the marina |
As to the fuel, we could head back to Tidewater Marina. It would be a day wasted. It takes 2.5 hours to get back there and 2.5 hours to return. Pete consolidated all the fuel into one of the large tanks. We have 12 gallons, of which we only need 9 to make it to Deltaville.
Shortly after dinner, there was a knock on the boat. We were shocked and pleased to find Amy, Dan’s niece on SV ROWEN, stopped by to say “Hi.” Dan (SV BRUNELLE) had forwarded our location to her as she was flying back from Phili. She has been at this marina since Thanksgiving. We all were surprised that the stars aligned and enabled our meeting. It was so good to see her and catch up. Hopefully, with her travels this summer, we might once again meet up.
Friday, 5/16/25 ~ Hampton to Deltaville, VA
Today: 49 miles 7.5 hours S/M - - -
Total: 1030.4 miles 195.95 hours
We shoved off at 7:10 this morning. We had no problem with low tide. The winds were SSW at 5-10, so we were able to get some help motor sailing against the outgoing current.
Since we stayed to the west of the main channel, we saw very few boats, only a couple in the distance.
It was an uneventful trip and Pete had no problem making his 1 pm phone conference. However, next week Pete and his partner will be very busy. This means we need to get “home” to Kent Island, MD. After reviewing, weather, winds & current, our plans for getting home on Sunday have changed. Winds are predicted to be 15-20 with gusts up to 35 from the WNW. Not good! Monday winds will be out of the WNW at 10 with gusts to 20. This is much more doable. Add to that, currents should push us up the bay all day! Fingers, toes, etc., crossed!
Deltaville Marina has changed hands as of 2 years ago. It is now Jackson Creek Marina. Not much has changed except the dockage. It’s up to $3.25 a foot. There were storms in the area after dinner. Through the storm split around us, we experienced some of the strong winds that accompanied those storms. One of the sailboats in the anchorage dragged anchor and had to scurry to reset it further away from the other sailboats. The storms passed, the skies cleared, the winds settled down and the temperature dropped to a comfortable 69 degrees. Great for a good night’s sleep.
Saturday, 5/17/25 ~ Deltaville, VA to Solomons, MD
We shoved off at 7:10 this morning. We had no problem with low tide. The winds were SSW at 5-10, so we were able to get some help motor sailing against the outgoing current.
Since we stayed to the west of the main channel, we saw very few boats, only a couple in the distance.
It was an uneventful trip and Pete had no problem making his 1 pm phone conference. However, next week Pete and his partner will be very busy. This means we need to get “home” to Kent Island, MD. After reviewing, weather, winds & current, our plans for getting home on Sunday have changed. Winds are predicted to be 15-20 with gusts up to 35 from the WNW. Not good! Monday winds will be out of the WNW at 10 with gusts to 20. This is much more doable. Add to that, currents should push us up the bay all day! Fingers, toes, etc., crossed!
Deltaville Marina has changed hands as of 2 years ago. It is now Jackson Creek Marina. Not much has changed except the dockage. It’s up to $3.25 a foot. There were storms in the area after dinner. Through the storm split around us, we experienced some of the strong winds that accompanied those storms. One of the sailboats in the anchorage dragged anchor and had to scurry to reset it further away from the other sailboats. The storms passed, the skies cleared, the winds settled down and the temperature dropped to a comfortable 69 degrees. Great for a good night’s sleep.
Saturday, 5/17/25 ~ Deltaville, VA to Solomons, MD
Today: 55 miles 12.0 hours S/M - - -
The dog walked, the key dropped off, the engine oil checked, and the lines dropped by 6:40 AM. Leaving the marina before sunup, we began to see the storm clouds to the south and west. True to the predictions, they caught up to us between 6 and 9 AM, with heavy rain and wind. The current was against us & winds 20-40 from WSW created 3–4-foot chop. We made way at 1.4 mph with no sail for over an hour! We were lucky as the rain split around us. We fought the current for most of the day, but had a decent assist from the 10 mile an hour breeze out of the SSW.
Total: 1085.4 miles 207.95 hours
Sunrise and the incoming squalls
This is the first time on the cruise north that we encountered the dreaded, biting, black flies. At first, Tillie was annoyed with their persistence. However, with her thick coat, she was able to ignore them. We were not so lucky. They were constantly attacking our legs. I wonder, with all of our recent bites from Coinjock, if there is a teeny, tiny, invisible sign somewhere on our legs saying. “Free and tasty food here!”
Prior to Potomac River, I saw speed between 6-7 mph for about an hour with wind about 10. Winds increased 12-15 and current strengthened once passing the Potomac. Pete reefed the sail. Our speed dropped to 4.6 mph. When we left this morning, Pete had plotted our travels so we could watch our ETA. However, our predicted arrival time kept vacillating between 4:30 and 6 PM depending on our speed at the moment.
Wolf Trap and Smith Point Lights
F-16 and C-130 landing at Patuxent Naval Air Station
We arrived at Safe Harbor Zahniser’s Marina around 5:45. Since they were acquired by Safe Harbor, the docks were replaced with full-fingered, floating docks, bathrooms were beautifully remodeled, and the laundry has 3, FREE, newish, washers and dryers.
After a long day of travel, it was great to simply reheat and enjoy the delicious comfort food of Spanish rice, chicken, sausage and beans.
Sunday, 5/18/25 ~ Solomons, MD ~ Day 2
After a long day of travel, it was great to simply reheat and enjoy the delicious comfort food of Spanish rice, chicken, sausage and beans.
Sunday, 5/18/25 ~ Solomons, MD ~ Day 2
This is why we are staying put.
To the left is the models' forecast and on the right, today's actual
After a special breakfast of eggs, home fries, and ham (quite different from our fruit, yogurt and granola bar) Pete needed to prepare work for tomorrow. He and George will have busy week. While he worked, I headed over and did laundry. Once back, I worked on the blog and made a big pot of meatball, sausage and tomato sauce. Great progress on the blog and a delicious dinner to top it off.
After dinner we enjoyed the new Netflix movie, “Nonnas.” A wonderful story of a man who is opening a new restaurant and has hired 4 “Nonnas” (Italian grandmothers) as the chefs.
Monday, 5/19/25 ~ Solomons, MD ~ Day 3
Pete and George worked all morning; Tillie, his ever present (morale) assistant at this side. When we eventually move back on land, he will have to find a 2-seated office chair, so that Tillie can be with him.
It was such a beautiful, but windy day. I walked to the point and back. It was a great 2-mile walk. Temps in the low 70’s with winds out of the WNW at 15 with gusts to 28 mph. It was also a good day to stay put. The Bay would be a challenge. Tomorrow, the winds will be below 10, and the currents should be with us most of the way.
After dinner we enjoyed the new Netflix movie, “Nonnas.” A wonderful story of a man who is opening a new restaurant and has hired 4 “Nonnas” (Italian grandmothers) as the chefs.
Monday, 5/19/25 ~ Solomons, MD ~ Day 3
Pete and George worked all morning; Tillie, his ever present (morale) assistant at this side. When we eventually move back on land, he will have to find a 2-seated office chair, so that Tillie can be with him.
It was such a beautiful, but windy day. I walked to the point and back. It was a great 2-mile walk. Temps in the low 70’s with winds out of the WNW at 15 with gusts to 28 mph. It was also a good day to stay put. The Bay would be a challenge. Tomorrow, the winds will be below 10, and the currents should be with us most of the way.
Home, business and Tiki Bar décor
Japonicum, Primrose and Wild Blackberry
Roses, Curled Dock and Purslanes
Purslanes and Dogwood
Tuesday, 5/20/25 ~ Solomons to “Home”, Castle Harbor, Kent Island, MD
Today: 64.3 miles 12.5 hours S/M - - -
We departed 6:15 AM along with 7 other sailboats and exited Patuxent River at same time to head north. The winds out of the east at 10-15 instead of the predicted NNE and the current incoming. We fought the current heading out of Solomons on the Patuxent River. As we made the turn up to Cove Point, we were right into the wind and due to the underwater shelf, we were still fighting the current. We were doing an astounding, 1.3 MPH! We finally reached the LPG dock at 8:48. It normally takes 1 hour, not 2 ½! Once past Cove Point, we hoisted the sail, but we were too close hauled. The sail had to be taken down.
Total: 1149.7 miles 220.45 hours
We departed 6:15 AM along with 7 other sailboats and exited Patuxent River at same time to head north. The winds out of the east at 10-15 instead of the predicted NNE and the current incoming. We fought the current heading out of Solomons on the Patuxent River. As we made the turn up to Cove Point, we were right into the wind and due to the underwater shelf, we were still fighting the current. We were doing an astounding, 1.3 MPH! We finally reached the LPG dock at 8:48. It normally takes 1 hour, not 2 ½! Once past Cove Point, we hoisted the sail, but we were too close hauled. The sail had to be taken down.
Passed by a Buy Boat and Cormorant guards on R118.
The winds died and the clouds came.
Pete had three conference calls scheduled for today, so I had more helm time. When we finally caught the current, we did 5.4 mph for while, but that “while” only lasted about an hour. Our speed then dropped to 4.3. The winds were supposed to die down around nine. Once again, the weatherman was wrong. They clocked to the NNE and stayed till noon. So, we were back to fighting the current and the wind, which was once again, on our nose.
As we approached the Annapolis area, I could hear the Blue Angels doing their practice run for tomorrow’s airshow for the Naval Academy’s Commissioning Week. From a distance, I could see some of the planes performing. I wish we had gotten here sooner to see the entire show, but I’ll take what I got.
Otherwise, it was a quiet day on The Bay. We were passed by a tug with a barge and 2 ships. This enabled us to take a more direct route up The Bay, which was great. We made it “home” to Castle Harbor at 8:20 PM. We beat darkness and we beat the rain, which came in later.
Once again after a 12-hour plus day Tillie was great during the trip, She did remind us when it was 5 o’clock, that we forgot something, specifically, her pre-dinner walk, but soon settled down. Of course, as we docked, she was very anxious and excited to get to the grass.
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| The hint of sunset appeared as we entered the approach to "home," Castle Harbor Marina, Chester, Maryland |
All in all, it was a good day, an interesting, challenging, and at times frustrating trip, and a very different winter. What the future will be is a mystery.
~ ~ ~ /) ~ ~ K & P
