Jan 28/29, Coinjock to Belhaven, NC via Alligator River Anchorage

 

   We got to sleep in a bit and take a walk as we decided to depart Coinjock Marina at 0900. That's a little later than we normally get underway but the idea was to not arrive at the Albermarle Sound until after 12pm when the winds of 14-16kts were supposed to ease off. The Albermarle is a tough bit of water to cross when the wind is strong from the west (as forecasted) since it is only 15-18ft deep and there is a 30mile fetch to the west to enable the waves to build with steep faces.  It was a good plan....

   No luck with the great plan. The winds were a steady 16ks for the entire 2.5hr passage across the Albermarle, and waves were 2-4ft with steep faces. Fortunately, we were able proceed on course at an angle to the waves and wind.  We hoisted the staysail and a triple reefed main and then motor sailed across the Sound keeping our speed up an minimizing the time spent bashing.

   After a couple hours the waves were down and it was a more comfortable ride. 

  Soon we were into the Alligator River and approaching the Swing Bridge. After passing through the bridge we were excited to put all 3 sails out fully and sail down the river, but alas, the winds died down as forecasted - just about 2hrs too late for our Albermarle crossing.  We motor sailed on down the Alligator River to our anchorage for the night.

   5pm and we reached our anchoring spot at the end of the river and just before the entrance to the Alligator River Canal. We had blue skies all day which kept the cockpit warm, but with the sun setting the temp is dropping fast. Will be a cold night with no heat at anchorage, but we do have an electric blanket on our bed and new batteries to at least get the chill off.

   The thermometer says its 51degrees inside but that may be up at shoulder level. The floor is probably about 35 degrees. But you can always add layers.

   We jumped into the electric blanket heated bed about 8pm for the night. It wasn't too bad. Boat was 42 deg inside when we got up in the morning. This should be the coldest night we have to spend onboard without heat.

   Wed morning and time to get going at 0730. Temp is 40deg, not too bad, and sun is out so the cockpit will warm up quickly.

   Not much to see in the North Carolina Sounds and marshes. The shore at our anchorage is about 300ft off, the length of a football field. Can't get closer without going aground.

   This little point of land was intended to provide some protection from the winds that came up at midnight. Sort of worked.

  Just around the corner is the entrance to the Alligator River canal, a 3hr transit over to the Pungo River. 

   The wind came up on the nose slowing us down but we were fortunate to have a half knot current in our favor so made good time through the canal. At least no ice!  Temp up to 50 today and in the 70s in the cockpit.

  

   Just inside the canal I spotted a bald eagle flying up into a pine tree. They really are majestic looking.

   Next up was a flock of 6 egrets. They flew along with us for quite a bit. I spotted one standing beside a Great Heron and was surprised how much bigger the heron is. I thought they were pretty much the same size. Nope.

   Short day today as we arrived at Dowry Creek Marina about 1pm. That gave us plenty of time to get our chores done and proceed to happy hour at the marina restaurant. This is one of our favorite marinas to stop at. 

   Will be off early tomorrow to head towards Oriental or on to Beaufort. Friday looks like a day off as there are high winds coming through.

  At the marina I got to inspect the results of our ice flow passage. A couple of chips of bottom paint near the bow as we suspected. We saw the blue paint on the ice floes. 

   Not a problem. Onward to warmer waters!

27 Jan, Great Bridge to Coinjock

 

   Our plan was to pass through the Great Bridge lock and bridge then stop at Atlantic Yacht Basin, but they told us they were iced in with solid ice across the canal.  So we stopped just short of the lock at Top Rack marina. We were the only ones there, traveling south in January. 

   Turns out we aren't the only travelers though. Two other sailboats and a power boat departed Great Bridge on the 26th. We waited till the 27th to let the ice clear out and didn't see any ice until just north of Coinjock.

   Its a 6hr transit to Coinjock so we took an early morning walk then left the marina at 9am to pass through the 10am lock opening. 

   Great Bridge is an easy lock to pass through. The water only comes up 1 foot (depending on the tide level in the Chesapeake), so its easy to lasso the cleats ashore by ourselves. The right side has large and relatively clean rubber bumpers to tie up against. 

   Once out of the lock its onto the bridge. Its timed to open as traffic comes out of the lock southbound. 

   No ice in sight, glad we waited an extra day. 

   There are two more bridges to pass through down the Virgina Cut canal but no problems motoring along and no ice.

   By noon we were into the Currituck Sound and actually able to deploy the genoa and get a little push from the wind. Only for a short while though as the wind slowly shifted from the west to the south and on the nose.

  Oh no, shades of the Titanic, ice ahead. Just 2 miles north of Coinjock, the wind has blown a patch of ice into the ICW channel. The channel is relatively narrow through here so I was unable to maneuver around the ice completely. I was able to get way over to the side of the channel, with the depth alarm blaring, but we only had to cut through just the tip of the patch, about 30ft of ice.

   You can see this ice is no joke. It was all broken in pieces that we could push out of the way but, those pieces have sharp edges. We could see bits of bottom paint on the flows as they passed down alongside. 

   Now I'm really glad we didn't go down the canal yesterday when there was lots of this ice. We only had this short 30ft stretch, so no damage except some chipped bottom paint. Should be no problem as we have to paint the bottom when we return to the Chesapeake this summer anyways. 

   We were soon through the ice patch and onto Coinjock, just a few minutes away.  Now all tied up and heater turned on and ready for a walk, then dinner. The next challenge is crossing the Albermarle Sound tomorrow into some wind and waves.

Underway - Finally. 25 Jan 2025 Short trip to Great Bridge, Chesapeake

 

   All loaded and ready to go. Perfect conditions for leaving the slip and taking dock lines with us - no wind and little current. Other than 24degs and patches of scum ice on the creek, the sun is out for the day and will heat the cockpit up.

   Still patches of snow and ice on the boat but they should melt today. Going to 41degs.

   Goodbye to Dare marina, motoring down Chisman Creek to the Chesapeake Bay. Nice flat conditions but there is supposed to be light winds later.

  The winds are up to 10kts and on the beam so we are sailing down the Chesapeake Bay to Norfolk. We even have a half knot tidal current pushing us along. Perfect conditions. Warming up in the cockpit - in the 30s now.

Passing the Chamberlain on Fort Monroe as we leave the Chesapeake, passing over the Hampton Roads Tunnel and into the James River.

Lots of tugs and merchant traffic passing us on both sides as we pass through the narrows. Good to have AIS (Auto Ident System) that displays the name and course/speed of all the vessels.  You can track our progress via AIS using the Marine Traffic App or alternative apps. Search for Tides Inn.

   Past the Norfolk Naval Base. Only one big carrier in port, the George W Bush. 

   Tied up and plugged into shore power with the heat on at Top Rack Marina. We had planned to pass through the lock today to Atlantic Yacht Basin but they told us the ICW canal was iced over solid. Some tugs and boats passed through this afternoon and it is above freezing tonight, so we will try tomorrow morning and hopefully get through the ice.  Always challenges on a boating trip.

Cold, cold January 2025

 

   Normally we're underway for Florida/Bahamas the first week of January but, not this year. We usually have temps in the 30s/40s in early January and once we're south of Hatteras in the 60s. 

   This year we had ice on the lake the first week of Jan and now on the 24th it is still around 20deg during the night. There was snow in Florida yesterday.

   I watched the geese transit between open water spots. The lead goose is the icebreaker. He pushes up and breaks a path through the ice for all to follow.

   This is the third snowfall of the season (one each week) and has been the coldest with temps down to 15. 

   But warmer weather is coming. It will be 21 tonight, but going into the 40s tomorrow and nothing below 30 for the next week, so we are heading out tomorrow, the 25th.

   I thought the boat was mechanically ready to go but when I checked the batteries (with salon temp 38deg), they were only at 12.2v, that's halfway discharged. They are 7yrs old which is the recommended lifespan, so we headed to Norfolk and got 4 new batteries. Now we're ready. Was a bit of a challenge getting 250lbs of batteries down the dock and up the ramp and over to the boat, but mission accomplished.

   It'll be chilly for a few days but I've seen some 60deg days in the 10day forecast in the Carolinas.

   And actually, as long as the sun is shining, its in the 60s in our cockpit with the sunroom effect of our enclosure - and sunshine is in the forecast tomorrow. 

    At night we normally stop at a marina and plug in to shore power and run our heater. But, there are a couple spots where we have to anchor with no heat. For those nights we are trying a new inverter and electric blanket. Will see how it works. 

   Off for Norfolk and the Atlantic Yacht Basin marina tomorrow.