We timed our arrival at the Gilmerton Bridge to be after the morning rush hour closure, but we still got held up for 20 minutes due to heavy road traffic, which made us miss our lock opening, meaning a two hour wait.
We pulled over at the Chesapeake Yacht Yard to wait. While there I checked our batteries and noted they were not charging from the engine - only solar and wind.
Several calls to Balmar Alternators and a couple hours troubleshooting and we determined we had one bad fuse and one loose one. All fixed, but by this time it was too late to enter the canal and ensure a secure place to stop for the night so we decided to stay right at the Chesapeake Yacht docks.
Next morning we were the only boat going through the 0900 Deep Creek Lock opening. With no wind on another beautiful day it is an easy process to get in the lock and secure for the 8foot rise.
Robert is no longer the Lockmaster after suffering a heart attack last year but his replacement, Neal, is fitting right in to fill his shoes. He was super friendly and helpful.
With zero wind conditions, the canal surface was like a mirror. We took lots of pictures depicting the remarkable mirror appearances. This photo made it into the Island Packet annual calendar for 2022. The colors were incredibly vibrant.
At the south end of the canal the South Mills lock takes you back down 8ft to the level of the Abermarle Sound in NC. With still no wind, this was a smooth procedure and we were still the only boat passing through.
South of the canal and locks you enter the Pasquotank River taking you to Elizabeth City, NC. This river is one of the prettiest section of the ICW as it winds it way through the Bald Cyprus forest. We didn't see any bald eagles this time but have in the past. We also didn;t see any snakes in the river as we have in prior transits.
The great weather continues and makes us glad we planned this October transit instead of our normal January departure.
Elizabeth City has several free docks where there are no services but a safe place to tie up and explore the town - and spend money in the stores and restaurants. We tied up at the Mid-Atlantic Christian University docks which are well protected from storm winds.
