We left Jordan Creek at 9:15, motoring. We were behind a barge at Belhaven which was going about as fast as we were, so there was no getting around him. We made Wilkerson Bridge at 12:00, and passed the barge in the cut 40 minutes later. Not many boats traveling today: 2 barges, 2 sail, 2 power boats. We arrived at the end of the Alligator Cut and at Tuckahoe Point anchorage at 3:30. We dropped the anchor at 40.477 N and 05.983 W, just past the tree at the end of the point. Lots of crab pots to avoid here. Only one other boat came in after us and he anchored close to the channel. He appeared to be single handing his sailboat. Weather is pleasant and not at all buggy, the advantage of traveling in the fall. I had roasted a chicken and bought some potato salad before we left, so supper was an easy fix. From the cockpit, we watched the moon rise red over the water. Bob and Sue, and dogs Norman and Sophie, are settled in at Alligator River Marina after their long run from our dock.
Saturday, September 21 - Columbia
We are up and into the channel by 7:30. Anchor came up easily. We found the water to be consistently deeper than the gps chart showed. Lowest was 8 ft., and a lot of 12 ft. This was good because I came a little too close to the point as I was finding my way through the crab pots with the sun in my eyes. Still 5 ft. Whew!
After going through the Alligator River bridge by 10:30, we made our way into the marina to get some fuel. It was $3.70 a gallon. We got 15 gallons since we would be motoring more than we wanted to, and headed to the Sound. We had some rain and then a few sprinkles, so we kept the raincoats close by. We were able to sail once we were closer to Bull Bay. We cut across the danger area and sailed at 5 kn for about an hour and a half, until about 3:30. We figured we had better get on to the Scuppernong River, so we started the engine and got to the first green around 5:00. We heard from Sue that the dock was full so we rafted up Ceibo to Colleen Mae around 6:00. We were tired, so it was good to be invited to Colleen Mae for Sue's delicious brunswick stew for supper. We walked around the little town of Columbia to get some exercise before turning in for the night. We were pleased to find that they have a shower facility for cruisers. A hot shower before bed made us happy sailors.
Sunday, September 22 - Edenton
The engine wouldn't turn over this morning so we walked Ceibo to a spot in front of Colleen Mae where a small boat had been the night before. Turns out it was an easy fix so we headed out the Scuppernong River in a morning mist and light rain. Colleen Mae motored past us, and we were out in the bay around 11:30.
The wind was behind us so we sailed the Sound to Edenton Bay, where the wind had changed to the North. We motored in and got there about 4:00. We docked in slip 5, after calling the marina on the phone due to their not answering the radio. Sue had already responded to our hail and told us where to dock. Colleen Mae was on the end of the dock because there was a boat in the slip that Sue had requested. Seems one of the local politicians had told the owner that he could stay as long as he liked, causing a headache for the dock master. A power cruiser was tied up to the breakwall. He seemed to be quite self-sufficient with his solar panels, but we wondered why he didn't try to go into a slip. I set up the iPad in the cockpit to stream America's Cup and Bob came over and watched one of the races with us, then the app crashed. We watched the sunset with S&B. Comfortable weather for sleeping. Free wifi in Edenton, no pass code and easily picked up on the dock. Bathroom code still the same as 2 years ago.Monday, September 23 - Edenton
I woke up early to the sound of ducks and seagulls. Sue and Bob fixed a big breakfast, then we walked around downtown. We stopped in several gift shops and bought a few things. Elaine and Mike McClure drove over for lunch with us at Bistro 309. Everything was good, and so much food that we had leftovers for supper. The sun came in and out, and it was breezy but comfortable weather. Sue took Elaine shopping at the hardware store gift shop and we toured the Barker House, the historic home on the waterfront that was built in in 1782. Penelope Barker organized the Edenton Tea Party in 1774 in protest of British taxation. The house has a beautiful parlor and furnishings. Its porches look out over Edenton Bay. The house was originally located 2 blocks off the water but was moved to its current location in 1952 and restored. The Edenton Historical Commission is now located in the house. The boat owner who overstayed in the slip Sue reserved came to move his boat but his battery needed charging. At first he did not realize that the dock power was not working, so he could not leave until later in the day. The boat is a classic wooden boat, a 1929 Richardson. He left later in the day. That afternoon, we rode our Mobikeys around the historic district and out to the Food Lion, a pretty good ride in the traffic. We weren't real sure where it was so we went out busy Broad St. Coming back we cut over past Walgreen's and returned to the waterfront on a residential street with restored homes. We had planned to stop in the wine shop but he was closing. We were setting up the chairs to sit on the dock and have a few beers when the fire chief and police chief came to visit us. They were in a council meeting nearby and had been asked to leave when the council went into closed session so they hung out with us awhile. Soon after, Madison Phillips, the volunteer keeper of the lighthouse, came by to see if we wanted to go inside. He agreed to meet us at 8 am for our personal tour. The historic lighthouse is located just inside the breakwater and we had been looking at it since we had arrived, wishing it was open.
Tuesday, September 24 - Edenton and Columbia
We toured the lighthouse, which is not yet restored inside. It is believed to be the last remaining square screw-pile lighthouse in the world. It was commissioned in 1886 and sat in the Albemarle Sound at the entrance to the Roanoke River near Plymouth. It was one of 15 screw-pile lighthouses in NC. Decommissioned in 1941, it was vacant until Emmett Wiggins bought the lighthouse and transported it to Edenton. He lived in the house until his death in 1995. The Fresnel lens is gone, as is the bell, and the house needs a lot of repairs, but it is in remarkably good shape for being so old. It is quite sturdily built. They are currently seeking bids for its renovation. We returned to the dock to prepare to leave. We helped the power boater move into the slip vacated by the classic boat. Colleen Mae came around to the pump out station, where she drew an audience because she is quite large to be coming in that close to shore. She had been getting all the attention the whole time we were there as she is a magnificent looking Shannon ketch, and larger than most boats that dock there. Sue and Bob headed out, then we left around 11:30. The chatty power boater helped us with our dock lines when we left. He was from Maryland and glad to have David to talk to. We had no wind, so we had to motor all the way down the sound to Columbia. We were inside the markers by 2:45 and rafted up by 3:30. Once again the dock was full, so we had to double up. We all went to Mike's Restaurant and ate really good Chinese food.
Wednesday, September 25 - Tuckahoe Point
Ceibo headed out of Columbia at 7:30 and passed the last green at 8:30. Albemarle Sound was smooth as glass. Seems it is all or nothing here. Last trip too much wind, this trip, not enough. We got to Alligator River Marina at 12:45 and fueled up. The dock attendant said things were picking up, but it would be another week or so before the many snowbirds would be coming down the ICW. We were pleased to find that diesel was now $3.60, 10 cents cheaper than just a few days ago. We got 25 gallons, and headed south on the Alligator River. We didn't have a lot to do while motoring so David tried to see if he could get the autohelm to work. It wouldn't, but it did show depth. Since our depth finder has become increasingly hard to see, I was ecstatic. Sure makes my life easier, as I am the one navigating the skinny waters of anchorages while David manages the anchor.
I called Melinda and found that she had spent the night anchored in the Little Alligator River and was planning to anchor before the cut, as we were. She was on her way home from her big adventure in the Chesapeake Bay. She anchored opposite Deep Point because she thought Tuckahoe might be too rough in the northeast wind. She attracted some company - 2 sails and a power. We went on a little further to Tuckahoe and anchored close the same spot as last time, 40. 400 n, and 05.907 w, 8.8 ft. of water. We were anchored by 4:13 and ate leftover moo shi pork for supper. Not doing much cooking on this trip! We enjoyed the quiet evening and were glad we didn't stop at the other anchorage where we would have had other boats close by. Most cruisers are very social people, which is a good thing most of the time, but when we are in a natural and beautiful place like the Alligator River Refuge, we prefer to savor the peacefulness.
Thursday, September 26 - Jordan Creek
We enjoyed our coffee the next morning as we watched the boats from Deep Point head out for the cut, then we fell in behind them. We left around 9:00 and entered the cut about 30 minutes later. We hadn't been traveling long when we spied Colleen Mae in the binoculars. They had left ARM 7ish and were already catching up to us. We motored through the cut and got out of it around 1:00.
Wind! Sail time! We put up the sails and had a lovely sail home.
Coming out of the cut, but too far for me to get a photo, was a 1938 Trumpy. I got the binocs and saw her heading into Belhaven. We heard the captain on the radio calling Belhaven Waterway Marina. Her name is Sea Tabby, web site: http://www.toddmichaelglaser.com/seatabby/. (I googled her as soon as I got home.) This is our second classic yacht sighting of the season. There isn't much about the Alligator River Cut that would make you want to own waterfront property there, but it would be a great place to watch boats of all kinds traveling the ICW. It would be something to see yachts like Sea Tabby or Honey Fitz from your rocking chair, not through binoculars. Had I thought of it, I would have detoured up to Belhaven on the way home to see her at the marina.
We got in around 4:00, and docked pretty easily considering that the wind had really picked up. Melinda and Bob and Sue were already enjoying a reunion drink, but we decided to unload before we started drinking. It took us a long time even though I had packed things up while David motored through the cut. Note to self: Don't take so much food!!!
We had a really good time in spite of not getting to sail very much. Bob and Sue were great to travel with, and their company made the trip even better.
